The Effect of Consciousness-raising Method through Video on Iranian EFL Learners’ Cultural Awareness: The Case of Complaint and Compliment Speech Acts

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of consciousness-raising method through video on EFL learners’ cultural awareness of speech acts of complaint and compliment. To this end, the data were gathered from 32 Iranian EFL leaners. The data were elicited through a personal information form and a DCT through which the participants were asked to answer imaginative situations including complaint- and compliment-required situations through pretest and posttest. The DCT data were examined to see to what extent the formal teaching of the two speech acts affects the socio-pragmatic awareness of Iranian EFL learners. To do this, first the two groups were given an OPT to ensure the homogeneity, then the groups were administered the pretest, after that the participants in experimental group (EG) received the instruction focusing on the two speech acts and the participants in control group (CG) received placebo instruction, and finally all the two groups were given the posttest. Findings showed that Iranian EFL learners in EG performed better after receiving formal instruction through video clips. Findings of this study can be used by language teachers, learners, and curriculum developers.