Introversion

The present study is a research which explores the relationship between introversion/extroversion and the use of vocabulary learning strategies. The participants were 80 male and female EFL students of University of Sistan and Baluchestan who had studied EFL at the university for at least two years and were randomly selected. The participants were selected after excluding those who got L scores of above 4 or 5 from the EPI personality inventory. They were then divided into two groups of introverts and extroverts based on the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI). The independent sample t-test was run to examine if there is a significant relationship between the students’ personality type (intro/extra) and their use of vocabulary learning strategies. It was found that there is no difference between introverts and extroverts in the overall use of vocabulary learning strategies as well as in the use of cognitive, memory, and social strategies. However, a significant difference was found between these two groups in the use of determination strategies. It was also found that of the four categories, determination strategies were the most frequently used category by all the participants. The results also revealed that extroverts used vocabulary learning strategies more frequently than their introverted counterparts.

More innovative test methods may measure language learners’ test performance more accurately, contributing to much fairer decisions. This study examined Iranian language learners’ performance on cloze-elide test as an innovative, integrative test method. It specifically focused on investigating whether personality types correlated with their performance and whether personality types could predict their test performance. Data were collected from 283 Iranian language learners at six Iranian language institutes, who took the cloze-elide test, the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency (MTELP), and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI-M) Personality Type Inventory. The data were quantitatively analysed using SPSS (version 22). The results of Pearson correlation showed a positive correlation between thinking and performance on cloze-elide test; by contrast, extroversion and feeling negatively correlated with language learners’ performance on cloze-elide test. Furthermore, the results from the standard multiple regression showed that the strongest personality type for predicting language learners’ performance on the test was introversion. The findings suggest the interaction between personality types and test methods may better explain test results. The article concludes with some implications for curriculum development.

This study aimed at comparing the impact of teacher-selected vs. student-selected discussion groups on speaking fluency of extrovert vs. introvert Iranian EFL learners. In order to do the study, 80 homogenous students were selected from among 140 intermediate female English language learners through the Oxford Placement Test. Then they were divided into introvert and extrovert learners based on the results of the extrovert and introvert questionnaire, and they were totally divided into four groups, namely extrovert student-selected, introvert student-selected, extrovert teacher-selected, and introvert teacher-selected. The participants in all groups took part in the speaking pretest. To do the discussion activities during the treatment process, the participants in the student-selected groups choose their groupmates themselves, while in the teacher-selected groups, the group members were chosen by the teacher. Finally, the participants took part in the posttest of speaking, and the obtained data were analyzed. The results of the analyses showed that selecting discussion groups by both students and teacher affected speaking fluency of extrovert and introvert learners. The results also confirmed that extrovert learners, in both student-selected groups and teacher-selected groups, outweighed the introvert learners regarding their speaking fluency. Teachers are, therefore, recommended to use both teacher-selected and student-selected discussion groups in their classes. They are also recommended to encourage introvert students to take part more actively in class discussions to obtain better results in improving their speaking.  

This study aims at investigating second language learners’ preferences for receiving oral corrective feedback on lexical and grammatical errors in relation to their personality traits. Given the established benefits of providing corrective feedback, the question remains how to customize corrective feedback in order to be effective and appropriate to the individual’s personality. For this purpose, 324 language learners in a language institution were asked to complete Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and feedback preference questionnaires. T-test showed that more extroverted learners prefer explicit and immediate feedback while more introverted ones prefer implicit and non-immediate feedback. Moreover, introverts preferred recasts for lexical and grammatical errors while extroverts preferred explicit correction and metalinguistic feedback the most. A follow-up content analysis of interview data revealed learners’ reasons regarding their preferences for receiving corrective feedback. Interviewed extroverts mentioned that explicit correction eliminated ambiguities of peer correction and metalinguistic feedback helped to feel independent. However, recasts were disliked by extroverts because they could not notice the correction, whereas welcomed by introverts due to their least obtrusive nature.