Interventionist (Explicit and Implicit) versus Non-interventionist (Incidental) Learning of Phrasal Verbs by Iranian EFL Learners

Phrasal verbs are commonly used in spoken English.Due to the problems experienced by Iranian EFL learners in acquiring phrasal verbs, this study investigated the effectiveness of interventionist and noninterventionist approaches to learning (both recognition and production) of phrasal verbs.To this end, 63 Iranian EFL learners in three groups, with equal numbers of participants, participated in the study: a noninterventional control group, an experimental implicit group, and an experimental explicit group.They were homogenized through a TOEFL test and were asked to complete a pre-test to ascertain their unfamiliarity with the target phrasal verbs.Then, they were given 10 different passages followed by comprehension questions.After a 10-session treatment period, the recognition and production of these target phrasal verbs were tested through a post-test.The results of the ANOVA revealed the superiority of interventionist groups over the non-interventionist group in both recognition and production of phrasal verbs.In addition, the interventional explicit group greatly outperformed the interventional implicit group in both recognition and production.This effect of interventionist learning implies the necessity of a more balanced approach involving both implicit and explicit practice and instruction in order to enhance the acquisition of phrasal verbs.