THE EFFECTS OF CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT TASKS ON IRANIAN EFL SPEAKING PERFORMANCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22481/praxisedu.v16i37.6170Keywords:
Convergent task, Divergent task, Speaking performance, EFL learnersAbstract
The present study aimed at investigating the effects of convergent and divergent tasks on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ speaking performance. The initial population of this study was 100 EFL learners. They were selected from Mahan language Institute located in Karaj, Iran. All of the participants were female. Their native language was Persian. After administering Preliminary English Test (PET), 60 students that their proficiency level were intermediate based on the PET scores were selected for the study. Then they were randomly divided into two experimental groups, namely convergent task group and divergent task group. The results of the study revealed that both approaches have different levels of impact on speaking performance and convergent and divergent tasks differently affect Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ speaking performance. The findings demonstrated that the sample receiving treatment based on divergent tasks showed a significant development in terms of speaking performance (from pretest M=68 to posttest M=83).
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