Arab Educational Information Network

Due to its internal complexity, reported speech is a challenge for EFL learners. Most ESL/EFL learners get perplexed when reading grammar books and the explanations of their meaning and usage. As a solution, cognitive linguistic research, based on theory of conceptual blending and mirroring human cognition processes, is suggested to be of benefit for students. In this study, elements of cognitive linguistic analysis of English reported speech was incorporated into EFL learning materials. The research questions explored the influence of types of instruction for EFL development of English reported speech, as measured by a post-test, and a delayed post-test. Based on a quasi-experimental design, the participants of the study (N. 57) were distributed randomly on three groups: cognitive, task-supported, and control. Pedagogic consciousness-raising tasks were utilized to provide a context for meaningful practices for cognitive and task-supported groups. The statistical analysis revealed that participants from the cognitive and task supported groups outperformed the participants from the control group and that of the cognitive group outperformed that of the task supported. (Published abstract)