An Investigation of the Effect of Textual Input Enhancement and Lexical Elaboration on Learning English Idioms by Iranian EFL Learners

Teaching and learning idioms is considered as one of the most problematic areas that L2 teachers and learners are faced. L2 researchers and teachers have always been searching for practical and effective techniques and strategies for teaching idioms. The present study investigated the effect of textual enhancement and lexical elaboration on the learning of L2 idioms through reading by Iranian EFL learners. The focus was on learning, both meaning and form. To do so, 20 intermediate learners were selected and randomly assigned to one control and one experimental group. The participants were both male and females in the age range 20-25. They were homogenized through Oxford Placement Test (OPT) test. The idioms were given to the participants to translate into Persian before the experiment to ensure the participants’ unfamiliarity of the idioms. The idioms that were known even by one student were crossed out. Having administered a pre-test, experimental group received reading passages in which the idioms highlighted and followed by elaboration device (e.g., it means) plus definition type idiom explanation. The control group received none-highlighted and none lexically elaborated (text only) idioms. The participants in experimental group and control group received two multiple-choice type recognition tests (one on form and the other on meaning of the L2 idioms). The results of the study indicated that lexical elaboration and textual enhancement can facilitate learning L2 idioms. These techniques can be useful for both teachers and learners. The present study may also have implications for teachers, learners, material writers, and textbook authors.

Keywords:

Visual Input Enhancement , Lexical Elaboration , EFL Learners , Idiom