Promoting Communicative Skills and Cultural Understanding among Saudi EFL Students Joining Summer English Programs at US Universities: A Web-Based Project

Sami Ali Nasr Al-Wossabi

doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.7n.6p.36

Abstract

As English is one of the most spoken languages in the globally interconnected world of today, many Saudi universities are enrolling their EFL students in summer intensive English programs at US universities. The main purpose is to enhance their EFL students' oral competencies. This new policy is, in fact, the result of the failure of CLT practices in local universities (Liao, 2004; Nunan, 2003), large EFL classes and students' low proficiency (Yu, 2001; Li, 1998) and EFL teachers' preference for using traditional methods rather than communicative ones (Chowdhry, 2010; Littlewood, 2007). However, Saudi students, upon arrival to the US, encounter challenging communicative situations. The present study, therefore, advocates the implementation of four-week language software program in Jazan university prior to the later four-week language program in US universities. The aim is to prepare EFL Saudi students for the communicative and academic situations and cultural norm they would be encountering and experiencing in the USA. The project includes two modalities; online learning and in class learning. The online learning entails a language software content-based program with emphasis on listening, vocabulary, writing, grammar and reading skills. The in-class learning includes only speaking activities that are paralleled and compatible to the online thematic content. Thus, the main focus of the present paper will primarily be directed to providing a detailed description of the online language software and the different elements involved in constituting it. Keywords: language software components, integrated skills, communicative competencies, intensive language programs, cultural and sociolinguistic norms

Highlights

Due to the significance and importance of English as the most widely spoken language in the world, Saudi universities are noticeably coordinating with American universities to register their students in summer intensive English programs held at these universities
Being selected for such language programs is highly competitive and nominees are expected to have a good command of English
Speaking activities will foster oral practice of topics that students have already taken in the online language software

Summary

Introduction

Due to the significance and importance of English as the most widely spoken language in the world, Saudi universities are noticeably coordinating with American universities to register their students in summer intensive English programs held at these universities. Most of the nominees lack the ability to communicate purposefully and meaningfully in the target language This insufficiency in producing oral output is, one of the main reason that lies behind sending Saudi EFL students to intensive English programs at American universities. The two modalities of the project entails the use of American speech conventions and behaviors, communication strategies and speaking rules to avoid any misunderstanding or miscommunication on the part of students. Another way of describing differences between people from diverse cultural backgrounds, besides comparing their values, is comparing their communicative styles. Writing practice will be highlighted and discussions of writing assignments will be completed in class

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Conclusion