Exploring the Impact of Computer-Supported Input Flooding and Input Enhancement on EFL Learners' Collaborative Oral Performance in Blended and Virtual Classes

In the era of advanced technology, language teaching has experienced a surge in the utilization of technology-oriented methods, such as blended and virtual instructions. Concurrently, the manipulation of input to enhance learners' acquisition has gained importance in various domains of language and teaching. Two prominent approaches in this regard are input enhancement (IE) and input flood (IF). This study aimed at examining the effect of these methods on the collaborative oral performance of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in the context of blended and virtual classes. Using a quasi-experimental research design, four groups were formed: IE in blended class (BC), IE in virtual class (VC), IF in BC, and IF in VC groups. The study involved fifty-one EFL elementary level students with homogenous English proficiency, randomly assigned to the groups. Pre-test interviews were conducted using six open-ended questions and assessed by two raters. The participants then received sixteen instructional sessions, delivered entirely in virtual environments for VC groups using Shad application, and in a combination of virtual and physical environments for BC groups. IE groups received instruction based on manipulated input utilizing techniques while IF groups were exposed to repeated instances of target forms in written and oral formats. Following the instructional period, a posttest interview was administered. The results, analyzed through repeated measures ANOVA, revealed the positive impact of IE and IF in both BC and VC groups on EFL learners' collaborative oral performance. Furthermore, the BC groups exhibited higher performance compared to the VC groups. These findings contribute to the understanding of effective collaborative language teaching practices, especially in computer-supported environments.