Investigating Guided Discovery Learning and Personality Traits; Focusing on Speaking Confidence

This research study aimed to discover the relationships between guided discovery learning (GDL), personality traits, and creating self-confidence in speaking confidence among Iranian EFL learners. For this purpose, 60 participants out of 150 were chosen through convenience random sampling from two language schools in Tehran, Iran. They were assigned to experimental and control groups. The teaching techniques of the experimental group were managed by the guided discovery method to establish speaking confidence. Also, the ordinary technique was used to teach the control group. After completing a set of five-session treatments, the posttest on the speaking test was conducted. Questionnaires were then distributed among the participants within the allotted time. Finally, the results obtained from the tests and the scales were gathered and analyzed through multiple regression. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in three variables in terms of speaking confidence. Based on these results, the effectiveness of variables was ranked as follows: guided discovery learning, personality traits, and self-confidence in speaking, in the order of their appearance. Moreover, the results indicated that among the personality traits ‘extraversion’ made a significant contribution to Iranian EFL learners’ self-confidence.