Investigating Strategies for Solving Oral Communication Problems of English Major Students

Abstract

Abstract

This study is intended to investigate some strategies for solving oral communication problems of English Major students in. A standardized questionnaire and interviews were used for data collection. The questionnaire consists of 24 items, distributed to 81students (enrolled in the Department of English Language Third and fourth levels), Faculty of Education, University of Khartoum. Then, interviews were conducted on a representative sample. Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS), in terms of cross – tabulation, correlation coefficient, independent sample t test, and analysis of variance, and Chi Squire Test were used for analyzing the data. The main results of the study are: (a) implicit correction of students speaking errors is an effective strategy for reducing their speaking anxiety.(b) friendly classroom atmosphere encourages students to actively participate in classroom speaking activities, (c) there is a strong positive correlation between frequent listening to authentic English material and students speaking ability. The researcher, however, suggests some recommendations: Teachers and instructors should create friendly and supportive classroom environment and relaxed speaking atmosphere for their students in order to communicate more freely with a sense of security without any fears of making mistakes. A special attention should be paid to the students’ psychological state of mind that might affect their communication process. This can be gained through creating encouraging language learning atmosphere and adopting implicit correction of students speaking errors as a strategy to reduce students speaking anxiety and in turn motivates them to actively communicate in English, Teachers and instructors are recommended to encourage students to practice listening to authentic English materials and make their students aware of the vital role that listening plays in improving their speaking skills by increasing their vocabulary, developing their comprehension ability, and improving students’ pronunciation.