The Effect of Textual Enhancement Techniques on the Acquisition of Passive Form

Abstract

This experimental study evaluated the possible effects of textual input- based enhancement on the acquisition of passive form on Iranian pre-intermediate EFL learners. Sixty Iranian EFL learners at the pre-intermediate level of proficiency were randomly assigned into three groups; two experimental group and one comparison group. The first experimental group received passages in which the passive forms were repetitive, the second experimental group received passages in which the passive forms were underlined in different colors. The third group (comparison group) received explicit instruction of passive form with no passage. Repetition group received two texts in each session. The study followed a pre-test /treatment/ post-test design. The result indicated that both textually enhanced input, repetitive and underlined in different colors, have a statistically significant effect on the acquisition of target items than explicit instruction group. Moreover, it can be concluded that repetition can be more beneficial than underlined method of enhancement.

Keywords

• Focus on forms
• Focus on form
• Explicit Instruction
• Input
• input enhancement
• textual enhancement
• Noticing hypothesis