The Effect of Flipped Classroom on Iranian EFL Learners’ L2 Reading Comprehension: Focusing on Different Proficiency Levels

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of the flipped classroom on reading comprehension performance of Iranian EFL learners with different proficiency levels. To this end, the study carried out among 100 female EFL learners studying at two private language institutes in Shiraz. The participants were selected out of a population of around 120 based on PET proficiency test criteria as upper-intermediate and intermediate level learners. The main participants of each level of proficiency randomly were divided into experimental and control groups. Pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to all groups at the beginning of the study. Then, after 18 sessions of treatment, the post-test was given to groups. Independent-Samples t –tests were used to compare the means of the independent groups (experimental vs. control & intermediate experimental vs. upper-intermediate experimental) for the post-test. Finally, the results indicated that the experimental groups performed significantly better than the control groups. The results also showed that intermediate learners benefit from flipped technique more than upper intermediate learners.