Using Instructional Cartoons in EFL Classes

This study investigates the effect of watching instructional cartoons on the Iranian EFL Learners’ speaking accuracy. To this end, the study carried out among 80 male and female EFL learners of elementary level within 12 sessions in Pardisan English Institute in Tabriz, Iran. To select homogenous participants for the study with respect to their foreign language proficiency, after administration of Nelson proficiency test 50 EFL learners were selected. The participants then were randomly assigned into two groups: one experimental and one control group. Pre-test of speaking was administered to both groups at the beginning of the study. The specific treatment was administered to the experimental group for about 20 minutes in each session. Afterwards, the post-test was given to both groups. Independent-Samples t -tests were used to compare the means of the two independent groups (experimental vs. control) for the pre-test and post-test respectively. Finally, the results of the pre-test analysis indicated the homogeneity of both groups whereas those of the post-test analysis showed that the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group. The results showed that using instructional cartoons improves the Iranian EFL learners’ speaking accuracy. The results of the study may encourage learners and teachers to use different strategies and methods that are applicable in the educational context of EFL learning. Teachers and learners can gain new insight into their actions in the classroom.