5E-Based Online Activities and English Language Students’ Reading and Listening Performances

Reading and listening skills are regarded as two out of four significant skills in the field of language teaching. However, no valid research was carried out to study the role of the 5E Learning Cycle Model in developing these two receptive skills. Drawing on insight from the 5E Learning Cycle Model, this study aimed to examine the effect of 5E-based online activities on English language students’ reading and listening performances. A sample of 60 adult EFL learners studying in a pre-IELTS course at a private language school participated in the study. The study utilized an experimental method approach to achieve this. Two real samples of listening and reading IELTS tests were used as pre-and post-tests to gather quantitative data. Two sessions before the start of a 12-session pre-IELTS course, learners became familiar with their electronic classroom called Easy class and also received their pre-tests on listening and reading of IELTS. Next, 5E-based online activities were presented to the experimental group participants while the learners in the control group received conventional or non-5E-based instruction. At the end of the semester, learners participated in one extra session to take their post-tests. The independent sample t-test analysis of the quantitative data demonstrated that the employment of 5E-based online activities culminated in the improvement of EFL learners’ listening and reading performances. The findings imply that language teachers, teacher trainers, and material developers can benefit from 5E-based activities to improve language skills among learners.