The Influence of Biological, Social and Affective Individual Differences on Iranian EFL Learners' Speaking and Writing Proficiency

Abstract

The current mixed methods design aimed at exploring the influence of biological, social, and affective individual differences on EFL speaking and writing proficiency via virtual instruction. The research sample included sixty male and female Iranian EFL students. Prior to starting treatment, they took the pretests of IELTS speaking and writing proficiency tests. Next, they were instructed online. At the end of the experiment, posttests of IELTS speaking and writing proficiency tests were administered and the foreign language anxiety questionnaire was distributed. The students also participated in semi-structured interviews. Based on the findings,  it can be concluded that EFL productive skills achievement was not better in learners who started English learning at younger ages. Also, gender differences did not prove to be a sufficiently robust variable affecting EFL learners' productive skills via virtual instruction. It can also be concluded that foreign language anxiety affected students' EFL productive skills negatively.