The Impact of Social Robotics on L2 Learners' Anxiety and Attitude in English Vocabulary Acquisition

This study aimed to examine the effect of robot assisted language learning (RALL) on the anxiety level and attitude in English vocabulary acquisition amongst Iranian EFL junior high school students. Forty-six female students, who were beginners at the age of 12, participated in this study and were randomly assigned into two groups of RALL (30 students) and non-RALL (16 students). The textbook, the materials, as well as the teacher were the same in the two groups. However in the RALL group, the treatment was given by a teacher accompanied by a humanoid robot assistant. Two questionnaires of anxiety and attitude were utilized to measure the students' anxiety and attitude (Horwitz et al. 1986; Alemi and Alipour 2012). The results of descriptive and t tests indicated that there was lower anxiety and a more positive attitude towards English vocabulary acquisition in the RALL group compared with those in the non-RALL group. The study showed that the students in the RALL group had great fun in the learning process; they also believed they were learning more effectively, which helped them boost their motivation in the long run. The present study provides new insights into the use of technology in the language classroom, suggesting that teachers and material developers should integrate technology into the language learning process.