The Application of Ellis’s Principles for Effective Instructed Foreign Language Learning in Iranian Language Institutes and High Schools

Abstract

This study attempts to investigate Iranian EFL teachers' <br />perception of the application of Ellis's (2005) principles for successful <br />instructed language learning in their language classes. To this end, <br />a group of EFL teachers comprising high school and private language <br />institute teachers took part in the study. The required data were gath- <br />ered through a self-completion questionnaire developed by Howard and <br />Millar (2009). Qualitative analysis of data revealed the teachers' per- <br />ception of the principles, as well as the principles they perceived to be <br />most important to them, and the challenges they faced in implement- <br />ing the principles in their language classes. These constraints included <br />lack of time, the context of learning, the large number of students in <br />classes, the testing system of the educational system, and the nature <br />and structure of the language books. Results of independent samples <br />t-test also indicated that those teachers who taught in the private lan- <br />guage institute had a higher perception of the principles and were thus <br />more successful than high school teachers in implementing them in their <br />language classes. Based on the findings of the study, a number of peda- <br />gogical implications for language teachers and syllabus and curriculum <br />developers are stated.