Can Smartphones Pave the Path towards EFL Competence for Saudi College Students?

Abstract

The study reported here focuses on how modern technology, specifically smartphones can pave the path towards English as a foreign language (EFL) competence. It emphasizes on how smartphones can enhance EFL learning where the focus is mainly on the acquired linguistic knowledge and language skills. It sheds light on language competence in more general terms and learners' vocabulary acquisition, listening, speaking, reading and writing, in particular. The sample for the study was drawn from Saudi college students at the faculty of Science and Arts, Khulais Branch at King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. After conducting an Entry Level English language Test, 50 students from the preparatory year were selected. Then, they were split into two homogenous groups. The first group (control group) was instructed in the conventional way, while the second group (experimental group) was offered instruction and encouraged to learn through smartphones. Results showed that the participants who received treatment (experimental group) significantly outperformed than the other group. It revealed that employing smartphones yielded a positive result. Additionally, results showed that students in the experimental group who used smartphones were more enthusiastic and driven than their counterparts in the control group who were still stuck in paper-text materials.