The Effect of Virtual Education on Speaking Accuracy of Iranian EFL Learners with Different Personality Traits during COVID-۱۹ Pandemic

This study aimed to investigate the effect of virtual education via SHAAD instructional platform on the speaking accuracy of Iranian high school English learners with different personality traits during the COVID-۱۹ pandemic. The second purpose of the study was to explore the attitude of Iranian high school English learners with different personality traits toward Distance learning. For this purpose, ۹۵ male and female high school EFL learners aging ۱۵-۱۸ years old from private language institutes in Ahvaz, Iran, took part in the study. A Quick Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was administered to see if all the students enjoyed almost the same level of proficiency. Then, in order to identify the personality traits among the participants, the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) which measures two pervasive, independent dimensions of personality, namely; Extraversion-Introversion and Neuroticism-Stability was used. In order to check the effects of virtual instruction on participants’ speaking accuracy, a speaking accuracy test was designed, which consisted of a task requiring the participants to talk about some topics in Vision (۳). At the end of the study, the perceptions of Iranian high school learners were sought about the virtual education, including learning English via SHAAD in COVID ۱۹ pandemic. To specify if there was a significant interaction between personality traits and speaking accuracy scores, a One-Way ANOVA was run. The results indicated that introversion, as a personality trait, was most positively affected by the virtual education in the COVID-۱۹ pandemic in terms of learners’ speaking accuracy.