Hassan Galbat

The current inquiry aimed at examining the effect of first language by Iranian learners as Foreign Language (EFL) in task preparation on their speaking accuracy, fluency and complexity. For this purpose, 40 Iranian EFL learners with intermediate level were selected based on a placement test, and divided into two equal groups. Then, the speaking fluency, accuracy, and complexity test was administered as the pretest. The treatment lasted for five sessions of 60 minutes. In these sessions, the learners did oral opinion tasks. In the first group, participants were supposed to spend 10 minutes to cooperate with a partner to read a proposed problem, discuss their solutions, and jot down by in a planning sheet. Within 10 minutes, they prepared for the task using only their L1 (Persian) for improving both speaking and writing skills. Following that, the participants were separated in various rooms, and were given two minutes to plan the task in English prior to doing the task. In contrast, the second group completed the planning sheet and prepared the task in English as their second/foreign language. The instruction lasted five sessions. At the final session, the speaking fluency, accuracy, and complexity posttest was conducted. The effects of the task planning conditions were analyzed and compared during and after the task performance. The data were analyzed via ANCOVA. The findings indicated that using L1 by Iranian EFL learners in task preparation significantly affected speaking accuracy, fluency and complexity. Finally, the pedagogical and theoretical implications of the study are provided.

This study examined Iranian EFL learners’ perceptions of L1 (Persian) pre-task planning on speaking performance—specifically accuracy, fluency, and complexity—within a Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) framework. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was adopted, collecting quantitative and qualitative data concurrently to provide a holistic view. Quantitative data were gathered via a 15-item Likert-scale questionnaire completed by 100 intermediate learners, selected through convenience sampling from three Hormozgan language institutes, following two counterbalanced oral-opinion tasks in a 60-minute session. Qualitative data were collected simultaneously through semi-structured interviews with 15 participants, purposively chosen from the questionnaire respondents based on diverse perception scores to enrich insights, conducted within 1–2 days. Quantitative analysis, employing descriptive statistics and paired t-tests, showed a strong L1 planning preference, boosting accuracy and fluency, while thematic analysis of interviews highlighted enhanced confidence with L1 and L2 transition difficulties, with complexity perceptions mixed. Integrating these findings, L1 planning supports immediate oral proficiency and reduces anxiety in Iran’s low-exposure EFL context, though L2 proficiency limits complexity. These findings align with Cognitive Load Theory and Sociocultural Theory, offering context-specific pedagogical insights for incorporating L1 planning in TBLT practices while underscoring the need for strategies to bolster L2 complexity.