The Effect of Student Team-Achievement Division (STAD) on Language Achievement of Iranian EFL Students across Gender

Abstract

The present investigation is a quasi-experimental research which has used the two group pre-test post-test design. A total of 80 female and male (48 females and 32 males) EFL students at the intermediate level of English proficiency studying in Jahad Daneshgahi Language Institute in Urmia, Iran, were chosen and assigned to two groups based on the placement test results. The sample was divided into two groups of experimental group (n=40) and control group (n=40). The results of the study showed that there was a statistical significant difference at the level of 0.05 between the means of the performance of the experimental and control groups on the achievement test for the benefit of the experimental group. Hence, STAD can effectively be implemented to improve the learners’ language proficiency. The results indicated that there were no gender differences in students’ language achievement after their being taught through STAD. Hence, ultimate result of the study indicated that STAD (Student Team Achievement Division) was more effective instructional paradigm for English as compared to the traditional method of teaching. Due to its provision for higher learning engagement, it proved to be an active learning strategy.