The Impact of Extensive and Intensive Focus on Form Strategies on EFL Learners’ Oral Accuracy

• Published in: International journal of applied linguistics & English literature 2012-11, Vol.1 (6), p.37-43
• Main Authors: Rahimpour, Massoud, Salimi, Asghar, Farrokhi, Farahman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Applied linguistics; English as a second language instruction; English as a second language learning; Learning outcomes; Narratives; Natural language generation; Researchers; Second language learning; Statistical analysis; Teacher education
• ISSN: 2200-3592; 2200-3452
• DOI: 10.7575/ijalel.v.1n.6p.37

One of the most controversial issues in applied linguistics over the past two decades concerns the role of conscious and unconscious processes in second language learning. On the other hand, many researchers believe that focusing on the target language system is necessary if learners are to produce language forms. However, what remains missing in the literature of focus on form is the effect of the degree of noticing and attention (intensive/extensive) on EFL learners’ oral/written production. Thus, the main purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of intensive and extensive focus on form on EFL learners’ oral production. To this end, 40 learners of English at pre-intermediate level were chosen randomly as the participants of the study and assigned into two groups of intensive and extensive. They received 20 sessions of intensive and extensive form-focused instructions. A narrative task and a delayed focused and unfocused task were employed to collect data from the participants. The collected oral data was quantified in terms of the accuracy measure. Independent Samples T-test was employed as the statistical means of analysis. The results of the study revealed no differences between the performances of two groups in terms of the accuracy in oral narrative task. However, the result of statistical analysis for the delayed post-test in focused intensive task was significant. The study might carry some pedagogical implications for second language teachers, SLA researchers, teacher education and task designers.