The Effect of Using Web-Cam Chat on the Undergraduate EFL Students’ Pragmatic Competence

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of using web-cam chat on developing of the pragmatic aspects of language by college-level English as foreign language (EFL) learners in Jordan. A quantitative approach was applied to determine first, whether the use of web-cam chats had a positive effect on EFL learners’ pragmatic competence. Second, the effect of presenting pragmatic through two delivery systems face-to-face, in-class activities and computer-mediated communication (CMC) via web-cam chats i.e. Facebook and Skype was investigated in this study. The sample of the study consisted of thirty-two undergraduate students who made up two intact classes in a "Conversation Skills course, which call Penguin Functional English by Peter Watcyn-J0nes .Code N 1302109” at AL al-Bayt University in Jordan, during the second semester of the academic year 2013/2014. The students were interviewed in order to know their actual levels in the pragmatic aspects of English before starting the experiment. The sample  was divided into two groups; the control group (15 students) was taught the course content using the regular communicative method through which students received instructor-led lessons from the textbook, while group two, the experimental (17 students) was taught using web-cam chat. After conducting the activities, a post test was administered. Scores were tabulated and prepared for statistical analysis. The results showed that web-cam chat had a positive impact on the EFL learners’ pragmatic competence. Learners who studied via web-cam chat performed better on the pragmatic aspects of English post-test than those who did not. The findings also indicated that technology can be a valuable tool for delivering pragmatic instruction. Moreover, the findings of the study revealed that students acquired the speaking and listening skills in web-cam chat more efficiently and effectively than in the regular communicative method.