Designing Supplementary Materials for Prospect Series and Probing their Impact on Emotional Facet and Perceptions

Abstract

Learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in an enjoyable and challenging environment can make an appropriate context for promoting language achievement. It seems textbooks play a pivotal role in this regard. This study aimed at examining the impact of the supplementary materials on learners' emotional stance and their perceptions of classroom activities (interest, challenge, joy, and choice). To do so, a three-phase study was designed: in phase 1, to evaluate Prospect series (textbook taught in Iranian junior high schools) based on emotional factors, a questionnaire measuring the emotional side of the series was utilized. In the second phase, taking into account the obtained results of the first phase and according to Mortiboy’s (2005) guidelines for teaching with emotional intelligence, supplementary materials were designed. In the third phase, the designed tasks and activities were implemented in a class (experimental group). The results of t-test and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated that the designed tasks had a positive and significant effect on learners' emotional facet, perceptions of class activity, and language achievement.

Keywords

• Emotional intelligence
• Language achievement
• Experimental design
• Perceptions of classroom activities
• Supplementary materials