Effects of Spatial Intelligence-based Instruction on Learning Pictorial Idiomatic Expressions in an EFL Context

Abstract

In this study, at the outset, the effect of spatial intelligence-based instruction on learning pictorial idioms in an EFL context was investigated. Then, an attempt was made to find the possible difference between male and female learners' spatial intelligence with regard to the learning of pictorial idioms. To this end, 50 female and 50 male EFL students were randomly selected.  After distributing a questionnaire, the participants with high spatial intelligence were assigned to the experimental group while the participants with lower intelligence profile were assigned into the control group. The same procedure was followed with regard to the male participants. The number of the participants was slightly high. Therefore, they were divided into several subgroups. The both groups showed to be homogenous concerning their knowledge of the English idioms. Then, the idioms taught to the both control (the learners with low spatial intelligence profile) and the experimental groups (the learners with high spatial intelligence profile) were pictorial spatial intelligence-based. The treatment continued for approximately 3 months. An independent samples t-test applied on the scores achieved from a posttest showed a significant difference between the control and the experimental groups of the both male and female participants in apprehending the meaning of the English idioms. However, the results obtained from the two-way ANOVA conducted on the scores earned from the posttest showed a significant difference between the male and female participants’ intelligence profile in learning the pictorial idioms. As a result, the spatial intelligence-based instruction of English idioms proved to be highly beneficial when teaching idioms.