A Comparative Study of the Iranian EFL Learners Vocabulary Learning through Two Different Formats: Paper & Pencil vs. Software

This study aimed to investigate the effect of using vocabulary software on the vocabulary learning of Iranian EFL learners. Participants of the study were 54 intermediate-level students (23 males and 31 females) learning English as a foreign language in Mehr Institute in Izeh who were selected after taking the Nelson English Language Test as a proficiency test. They were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups participated in the teacher-made test of vocabulary as pre-test. During class sessions the control group was taught the vocabulary, in the conventional way, through the printed textbook while the experimental group was instructed by the software version of the same book. One independent samples t-test and two paired sample t-tests were run to investigate the research hypotheses of the study. The results of the statistical analyses revealed that although both methods had positive effects on the vocabulary learning of the participants, using vocabulary learning software was more effective than using printed book. The results of the present study could prove useful for EFL course book designers, educational planners, material developers, teachers, and learners to provide a better context for EFL learning.