Integrating Mobile Phones into the EFL Foundation Year Classroom in King Abdulaziz University/KSA: Effects on Achievement in General English and Students’ Attitudes

This study investigates the effect of ten teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) oriented features of mobile phones in the English language classroom on the achievement of foundation-year students in King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in General English. The study also explores students’ attitudes towards this new method of teaching. The study uses an experimental design where the control group is taught through the strategies used in ELI, whereas the experimental group is taught through the same strategies used in the control group in addition to mobile phones. The independent variable is using ten features of mobile phones in the EFL classroom and the dependent variable is the foundation-year students’ achievement in general English. Forty male students of the foundation year at level two are assigned for the control group as well as the experimental one. The tools of the study are- A pre-test to ensure the equivalency of the two groups before conducting the experiment, a post test to see if there are any statistically significant differences in students’ achievement in general English that are attributed to mobile phones, and a questionnaire to see students’ attitudes towards using mobile phones in the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. The results of the t-test showed differences in the mean scores in favor of the experimental group, but these differences were not statistically significant at ? = 0.5. The analysis of the questionnaire showed positive attitudes toward using mobile phones in the classroom. The study concludes with recommendations about training students and teachers on the academic use of mobile phones and reinforcing the attitudes of students toward using them in the EFL classroom.