The Effect of Online Learning of English Articles through Metalinguistic Explanation and Textual Enhancement

Abstract

This study attempted to investigate the effect of online learning of English articles through Metalinguistic explanation and Textual Enhancement among Iranian intermediate EFL learners in one of the institutes in Esfahan. First, 70 students were chosen randomly. They took Quick Placemat Test (QPT) proficiency for the sake of homogeneity. This being so, sixty of them were selected. Next, they were divided randomly into two groups of thirty: Experimental Group 1 (EG1) and Experimental Group 2 (EG2). Both groups received a researcher-made pre-test in which items testing the use of articles were taken from two popular grammar teaching books. Having created two different Telegram channels for each group, the researcher taught the use of articles through metalinguistic explanations to EG1and via textual enhancement to EG2 on Telegram. Finally, both groups received a posttest after the treatment. The results of the study showed that learners in EG2 outperformed their counterparts in EG1. In fact, textual enhancement proved to be a more effective tool for teaching grammar online. The study has implications for material developers as well as language teachers.