Oral Fluency Research Articles

Effects of Oral Fluency Package on Reading Achievements of Pupils in Rural Primary Schools in Ondo State, Nigeria

Depressed levels of reading performance in English which is the language of literacy in the lower primary schools appeared noticeable among the children of rural migrant farmers in Ondo State. It is against this background that this study examined the effects of oral fluency package on pupils’ achievement in reading. The study adopted the quasi-experimental design of non-random sampling. Population consisted of all non-Yoruba-speaking rural primary four pupils of Ondo State. Sixty subjects in intact classes of 30 pupils from two rural primary schools purposively selected made up the sample size. Two research questions and one hypothesis were tested in the study. Data were collected through the use of validated instruments tagged Oral Reading Fluency Scale (ORFS) and the Multi-Dimensional Fluency Scale (MDFS) with reliability coefficients of 0.68 and 0.65 respectively. Descriptive statistics such as mean, media and standard deviation were used to analyze the research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the hypothesis collected at 0.05 level of significance. The study found out that fluency intervention, using the Scientifically Based Reading Research (SBRR) approach, significantly increased the reading rates of the struggling readers in the experimental group in the L2 (F-cal = 5.81 > F-val .000, p < 0. 05).

Oral fluency, sociolinguistic competence, and language contact: Arabic learners studying abroad in Egypt

This study examines the development of oral fluency and sociolinguistic competence in 21 U.S. university Arabic learners studying for four months in three programs in Egypt. Two measures of oral fluency (speech rate and mean length of run) were measured in pre and post sociolinguistic interviews. Sociolinguistic competence was operationalized as the percent of Egyptian phonological, morphosyntactic, and lexical items used in the post interview (students had not been extensively exposed to Egyptian dialect prior to study abroad). The results demonstrate that while students made gains in oral fluency on average, not all students made gains. However, all students gained in sociolinguistic competence, implying that this measure of oral performance may not be captured by fluency measures. Observation and interview data were used to analyze the experiences of high and low gainers on each measure. These results show that high gainers socialized in Arabic with both study abroad students and Egyptians, while low gainers primarily socialized with other study abroad students in English. Program components helped shape social networks and language use. The study concludes with recommendations for measuring oral gains during study abroad and program interventions.

To Delay or Not to Delay: The Timing of Chinese Character Instruction for Secondary Learners

AbstractThe timing of character instruction for beginning Chinese foreign language learners has been a controversial issue in Chinese language instruction for many decades. Some instructors teach characters early and integrate this learning with oral language; other instructors teach characters only after an oral base has been established. To date, the experimental research on this topic has been conducted exclusively with university students, and it is unknown if results can generalize to a younger demographic with different learning needs and instructional contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine the reading, writing, and oral language skills of beginning‐level middle school students with no Chinese language background who were divided into early and delayed instruction groups. In addition, a questionnaire about the students’ attitudes toward character learning was administered. It was found that the early instruction group performed significantly better than the delayed group on reading comprehension and character writing tests; there were no significant differences between the groups on the oral interview and the oral fluency assessments. The attitudes survey showed no significant differences in character learning attitudes between the early and the delayed groups except in regard to the timing of character instruction. Pedagogical applications are suggested.

Cognitive impact in children with “benign” childhood focal epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

Background Cognitive alterations are associated with benign childhood focal epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) including aspects of executive functions. Objectives This study presents the performance profile on attention and executive function tests of fifty-eight children (BCECTS, n = 30 and controls, n = 28) aged 8-13 years. Methods The following tools were employed: Vocabulary and Block Design subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III, Stroop Test, Modified Card Sorting Test, Controlled Oral Word Association – FAS and Tower of London. Results Children with BCECTS presented average IQ measure, although their performance was statistically worse when compared to the control group. Children with BCECTS showed significantly lower performance compared to the control group in the following variables: total number of recollected words on the oral fluency test, total number of categories, categorization effect and total number of errors in MCST; and execution time for the Stroop Test Card 1. After controlling for the IQ effect, the total number of errors in the MCST did not show any significant difference between the groups. Discussion Children with BCECTS showed lower performance in attention and executive functions when compared to healthy children. The results suggest that the concept of “benign” BCECTS should be reconsidered.

AN EVALUATION OF ELT SITUATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

The purpose of this study is to evaluate ELT methods, techniques and to indicate classroom activities in the higher educations’ institutions in Punjab particularly with reference to CLT. This study also focuses to point out hurdles and major training needs for improvement in ELT situation. Teachers of college and university are selected as participants for this study. Data is collected from one hundred and eighteen participants by using a questionnaire combination of open ended and close ended items. Data collected have been analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively in the form of percentage, tables and graphs. The findings show that with other teaching techniques and activities, CLT techniques and activities are also being used in our higher education institutions to some extent and similarly facts and figures about ELT success areas manifest that English language teaching in Punjab, Pakistan is moderately successful with respect to different aspects like reading speed, exam success, oral fluency etc. Teachers identified that conversation with native speaker is not as successful as needed. Teachers face many difficulties but these are manageable with respect to CLT. Mostly teachers suggested teacher training programme, use of new technologies, support from administration, small class size and training with native teachers to improve overall ELT situation.

Modern English Drama and the Students’ Fluency and Accuracy of Speaking

Speaking a language involves more than simply knowing the linguistic components of the message, and developing language skills requires more than grammatical comprehension and vocabulary memorization. In teaching-learning processes, drama method may have some positive effects on ELL students’ speaking fluency and accuracy. This study attempts to probe one of the main concerns of language learners, that is, how to improve their speaking components, e.g. oral fluency and accuracy. To attain this aim, the researchers investigated the effect of two selected texts from modern English dramas on students’ speaking fluency and accuracy. They distinguished fluent from non-fluent and accurate from no accurate learners. Therefore, the current study was designed as a true experimental research and the data were gathered from 60 EFL students, whose ages are between 19-25 (80 percent girls and 20 percent boys),of English language and literature at Hormozgan University in Iran. The data were the recorded speaking transcripts which were analyzed to show the probable progresses after four-time (10 weeks) treatment. The factors to be considered in present study were the numbers of filled and unfilled pauses in each narration, the total number of words per minute, mean length of utterance, and number of stressed words. The results were compared and their temporal and linguistic measures were correlated with their fluency scores. They revealed that the speech rate, the mean length of utterance, phonation time ratio and the number of stressed words produced per minute were the best predictors of fluency scores, and thus, students’ speaking fluency increased, whereas the students’ speaking accuracy decreased in some areas of speaking abilities and oral communications.

Effects of pushed production of single words and multiword patterns on L2 oral fluency: Some evidence from temporal measurements

AbstractThe contribution of formulaic sequences (FSs) to native speaker fluency is uncontroversial, but their contribution to L2 fluency is often assumed. These units package both meaning and form in an entire unit and facilitatebothconceptualization and formulation of speech. These are the ‘fluency assumptions’ of these FSs. This study asks if the ‘fluency assumptions’ of FSs can be imitated in classroom settings by pushing learners to use common multiword (MW) patterns to achieve a kind of ‘instruction-enhanced L2 fluency’. It also compares the outcome with the teaching of single words (SWs). Learners’ (a) temporal fluency and (b) fluency at the levels of conceptualizing and formulating speech were assessed. Towell, R., R. Hawkins &amp; N. Bazergui. 1996. The development of fluency in advanced learners of French.Applied Linguistics17 (1). 84–119, avant-garde approach to analyzing fluency was drawn on in the discussion of the results. Broadly, instructing MW patterns and SWs sped up formulation processes but made demands on speech conceptualization, and there existed other subtle differences.

Cognitive function in early psychosis patients from a lower middle-income country

Objectives: To establish evidence of cognitive changes in early psychosis (EP) patients compared to healthy controls (HC) in Pakistan.Methods: Fifty-one participants with EP were recruited from psychiatric units in Karachi and Rawalpindi, Pakistan and matched with 51 HC. Neurocognitive domains were assessed using standardised neuropsychological tests [the Stroop test, block design, Matrix Reasoning, picture completion, object assembly, oral fluency, memory for design, Coughlan learning task (verbal and visual)].Results: EP patients had higher scores than controls for both Stroop tests (T1: EP = 122 HC = 65, p <.001; T2: EP = 190 HC = 153, p = .007) and memory for design test (EP = 10 HC = 3, p = .005). EP group had lower values for block design (EP = 4, HC = 11, p = .01), category fluency (EP = 18.9, HC = 26.1, p < .001), Coughlan verbal tasks (EP = 36.4 NC = 51.5, p < .001), matrix reasoning (EP = 4 NC = 10, p < .001), picture completion (EP = 4 NC = 6, p = .003) and object assembly (EP = 10.7, HC = 15.5, p = .002). There were limited significant associations between cognitive performance and PANSS scores.Conclusions: Reduced cognitive performance was found across multiple domains in Pakistani EP patients, which suggests that impaired cognitive performance is homogenous in patients with schizophrenia, regardless of ethnicity.

L2 Utterance Fluency Development Before, During, and After Residence Abroad: A Multidimensional Investigation

This study investigated second language fluency development over a nearly 2‐year period which included an academic year abroad and the year immediately following the participants' return to their home university. Data from 24 L1 English learners of Spanish were collected 6 times: once before, 3 times during, and 2 times after a 9‐month stay abroad. Participants were recorded orally retelling a picture‐based narrative, and data were coded for 9 measures of utterance fluency. Results indicated different developmental trends: Gains in speed fluency appeared quickly and were maintained after the return from study abroad, whereas gains in breakdown fluency often took longer and were more sensitive to attrition after returning home. There were no changes over time in repair fluency. These results appear to indicate that some fluency improvements are more robust and less likely to be affected by the change in context (study abroad vs. home country). The findings fill a gap in our understanding of the relationship between oral fluency development and second language speech production processes, and have implications for study abroad researchers as well as post‐study abroad instruction.

Is fluency being ‘neglected’ in the classroom? Teacher understanding of fluency and related classroom practices

This article reports on a study examining second language (L2) teachers’ understanding of speech fluency and their self-reported classroom practices for promoting it. Qualitative and quantitative data collected from 84 L2 teachers in England were analysed to answer the research questions. In addition to the descriptive statistics and lexical frequency analysis used to explore teacher understanding of fluency, Rossiter, Derwing, Manimtim and Thomson’s (2010) framework was employed to analyse the teachers’ reported classroom practices. The results suggest that teachers often define fluency in a broad sense, with many using fluency and speaking ability interchangeably. Similarly, a large majority of the activities reported by the teachers were useful for enhancing speaking practice rather than focusing on fluency specifically. The findings underline the interaction between teacher understanding and their methodology (Borg, 2003), and highlight a mismatch between what fluency research recommends and what teachers do in class. Though the study highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of L2 oral fluency, we argue that adopting a narrower understanding could help teachers take a more active and practical approach to promoting fluency in the classroom.

An Empirical Study on Basic Requirements for Japanese EFL Learners to Achieve Oral Fluency in English

An Empirical Study on Basic Requirements for Japanese EFL Learners to Achieve Oral Fluency in English

Collaborative and Self-directed Learning Strategies to Promote Fluent EFL Speakers

Speaking English with fluency is one of the most demanding challenges students and teachers face in many educational communities, and it has been claimed that fluency problems can derive from lack of practice during independent study. This research article reports on a mixed-methods study that analyzed the effects of using collaborative and self-directed learning strategies through speaking tasks aimed at developing oral fluency. This study was carried out with a group of 10 students with a pre-intermediate level (CEFR A2) in English at a Colombian university. Qualitative data from students’ reflections, compiled through a survey, and the teacher’s classroom observations was analyzed through the grounded theory approach. Quantitative analysis was aided by a protocol in which frequency counts of words and hesitations per minute for each speaking task were registered. The results suggest that fluency can be acquired collaboratively when learning from others and by making mistakes. Additionally, working collaboratively increases learners’ confidence not only because they feel they are not being judged but because they learn to see that their mistakes are not just theirs. Thus, collaboration is positively influenced by self-directed learning, in that it encourages students to make personal reflections on their weaknesses and strengths, thereby involving them in decision-making processes that identify what is not working properly and what they should do to succeed.

Processing limitations in L2 fluency

Oral fluency is widely included in second language assessments, but its relationship to language proficiency is not straightforward. In the current study, data gathered in an experimental setting were examined with an exploratory fluency analysis. The aim was to examine the relationship between fluency of lexical access and proficiency in foreign language (L2). Fluency of the lexical access was studied by analysing inaccuracies in one word recognition and one word retrieval task. To see if proficiency had an effect on the number and the type of inaccuracies, lexical access tasks were carried out for 563 Finnish school children from grades 4, 8, and 11 in their L2 (English). Proficiency in L2 was expected to develop during school education. The inaccuracies were proposed to stem from processing limitations in language use, i.e., inefficiency of lexical access, or from control of attention. The hypothesis was that if lexical access is not automatized, there are less resources for attention-control in recognising and retrieving words. Therefore, the inaccuracies in L2 relating to inefficiency were hypothesised to decrease with proficiency, whereas the ones relating to control of attention were proposed to be more stable or to increase. Furthermore, the fluency of L1 lexical access was used as a control measure. The results offered some confirmation to these hypotheses. For example, some evidence for more available resources in correcting and monitoring speech was found for the older students. The overall results highlight caution in assessing L2 fluency, as not all types of inaccuracies were connected with lower proficiency.

Influences of early English language teaching on oral fluency

Elementary-level foreign language education is currently receiving a lot of attention in the literature on second language learning, and has emerged as an important educational policy issue. The present study aims to contribute to this discussion by focusing on the fluency benefits gained from early foreign language teaching. The participants were 23 early-start language learners and 29 late starters, all 10–12 years old and in the final grade of a Dutch elementary school (Year 8). A picture description task was used as a basis for comparing the fluency of the two groups. A questionnaire was also employed to investigate the influence of external factors such as motivation, attitude towards English, and exposure to English outside school. The present study found a marginal advantage for early starters in terms of oral fluency. Moreover, the results of this study show that exposure outside school has a greater impact on oral fluency than early language teaching alone.

La fluidez oral en las locuciones: la enseñanza de la fluidez oral en inglés en contextos de aprendizaje a distancia.

espanolLas investigaciones sobre la adquisicion de segundas lenguas (L2) han utilizado varios indicadores cuantitativos y cualitativos para medir la competencia oral. Sin embargo, hay poca investigacion empirica que compare dichas medidas. De hecho, las comparaciones con los referentes de hablantes nativos son especialmente raras. Cuatro de los indicadores cuantitativos que se aplican con mayor frecuencia en las investigaciones de L2 incluyen la proporcion type-token como medida de la diversidad lexica; el T-unit como medida de la complejidad sintactica; el error-free t-unit como medida de la precision gramatical; y la velocidad media de habla como medida de la fluidez. El presente estudio muestra una comparacion de cuatro indicadores de competencia oral basadas en el habla de tres hablantes no nativos de ingles durante la entrevista oral del International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Los resultados indican que los indicadores de complejidad y fluidez sintacticas se correlacionan con los valores de hablantes nativos; sin embargo, las medidas de precision gramatical y diversidad lexica no se correlacionan con los valores de hablantes nativos. De hecho, la medida de precision gramatical muestra una relacion inversa con respecto a los valores de hablantes nativos. Dichos resultados se analizan bajo la perspectiva del continuo precision-fluidez. Este resultado demuestra la importancia de determinar cuidadosamente que medida de competencia oral es apropriada para un contexto de Investigacion. EnglishResearch on second language acquisition has used various quantitative and qualitative measures to assess oral proficiency, yet there is little empirical research comparing these measures. Comparisons between quantitative measures and native speaker ratings are especially rare. Four of the most common quantitative measurements applied in L2 research include the type-token ratio as a measure of lexical diversity; the T-unit as a measure of syntactic complexity; the error-free t-unit as a measure of grammatical accuracy; and average speech rate as a measure of fluency. The present study compares these four quantitative measures of oral proficiency and one qualitative measure of oral proficiency, i.e., native speaker ratings, based on the speech of three non-native English speakers during the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) oral interview. The results indicate that measures of syntactic complexity and speed fluency correlate with native speaker ratings; however, the measure of lexical diversity does not correlate with the native speaker ratings. Interestingly, the measure of grammatical accuracy displays an inverse relationship to the native speaker ratings. These results are discussed in light of an accuracy-fluency continuum. This finding demonstrates the importance of careful consideration in determining which measure of oral proficiency is appropriate for a given research context

Bridging the Gap between Grammar Competence and Communicative Performance

Traditional grammar-based approaches have failed to bestow on second language learners the desired level of language competence. There is a significant amount of evidence that established approaches to teaching English were unreliable guides to classroom instruction. However, the newly learner-centered formation has generated more productive and prolific teaching schools and strategies. The communicative teaching methodology is a learner-based approach’s offspring that primarily promotes the speaking skill and promises enhanced outcomes. Throughout my six years experience at various universities in Lebanon and upon implementing the communicative approach on numerous English levels ranging from level 1 to 6, I found out that in the course of the adoption of the latter method, students were undoubtedly able to achieve better outcomes in speaking skills. Nonetheless, I evidently noted various weaknesses through constantly observing students engage in performance task-based activities, namely a noticeable decline in grammar acquisition and writing proficiency. Both pedagogy types, grammar-based and communicative approaches, were employed in a mutually exclusive manner. However, grammar is an important part of building communicative competence, and oral fluency is significant for building linguistic competence. In its focusing on oral fluency, a communicative approach may not be the best option for a student seeking to enhance his/her writing ability and understanding of grammar. The purpose of this research is to trace the gaps and suggest solutions.

The Level of English Oral Reading Fluency among Abot – Alam Secondary Learners

This study aimed at investigating the oral reading fluency level of the Abot – Alam learners in reading. This was alsoconducted to explore whether there is any significant difference in the learners’ English oral fluency based on theirprofiles such as age, gender, and their highest educational attainment. Eighteen Abot – Alam learners enrolled underthe Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Brgy. Tinago, Ozamiz City answered a questionnaire and a checklist; reada standardized oral paragraph as measuring instruments. Generally, the results showed that the participants haveinstructional level of fluency in reading grade –level English texts and that there was a moderate positive correlationbetween the learners’ English oral fluency and their age. However, there were no significant differences in their oralfluency level and their gender and year level.

The Effect of Working Memory on EFL Learners’ Oral Fluency

&lt;p&gt;Speaking is the primary objective of most L2 instructional programs and stands as one of the major factors in the evaluation of L2 learners’ competence. The present study sought to investigate how preparation and task complexity can affect L2 learners’ oral fluency in speech production with respect to individual differences in working memory capacity. The participants of the study consisted of 61 advanced L2 learners. The data collection consisted of two phases: a working memory test (reading span test) and a picture description task. Speaking was elicited through speech generation task in which the individuals were asked to discuss four topics emerging in two pairs. Also, each topic was accompanied by several relevant pictures. L2 fluency was assessed based on task complexity and preparation. The data were then analyzed in terms of the number of syllables, the number of silent pauses, and the mean length of pauses produced per minute. The statistical findings revealed that working memory, as a cognitive factor, played a significant role in L2 oral fluency accounting for variation in L2 performance. In addition, the variables &lt;em&gt;Complexity&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Preparation&lt;/em&gt; turned out to have a significant effect on the span groups’ L2 oral performance. The study offers implications on strategies to improve learners’ both fluency and working memory.&lt;/p&gt;

Innovation in Language Education: Enriching Arabic Language Learner Experiences and Proficiency in2D and 3D Environments

Abstract:-Global language and cultural communicative competency is an ever increasing requirement in our connected world. Learners of Arabic at the only five Australian universities where Arabic is taught have access to predominantly on-campus delivery modes. One of the main challenges learners face when learning another language (L2) in an academic setting in countries where that language is not actively used – so little L2 exposure – is that it is harder to provide meaningful contexts for learning. This restriction in L2 exposure in the formal academic framework is due to the limited face-to-face learning time and, more significantly, is compounded by lack of exposure to the language‟s authentic use settings. Students are often isolated from the target language‟s authentic discourse communities and native speakers. This situation is exacerbated for Cloud (online) students, studying in relative isolation. All of these factors make developing communicative oral fluency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) moredifficult and challenging for many learners. This paper will discuss two innovative approaches used at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia to enable learners of Arabic at Deakin University to practice their developing skills by listening, practising, and experiencing directly how the language is used outside the classroom boundaries as well as allow learners to develop their oral and cultural communicative competency by engaging them in simulating and evolving authentic language scenarios with native Arabic speakers through the Virtual World (VW).

The Development of L2 Fluency During Study Abroad: A Cross‐Language Study

Examining speech samples from 75 American university students learning 1 of 3 languages (Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish), this article reports on a study of second language (L2) learners’ oral fluency development and its relationship with their gains in holistic proficiency ratings during a semester abroad. In study abroad research, there is a need for large‐scale studies that systematically investigate learners’ L2 development (Kinginger,; Rees &amp; Klapper,). To address this need, the project used a quantitative design involving learners of 3 languages from multiple cohorts and diverse sending and destination institutions. Results from an analysis of 600 speech samples from 150 pretest and posttest Simulated Oral Proficiency Interviews (SOPIs) showed significant increases in speech rate as well as differences between the 3 language groups. The study also investigated the relationship between holistic oral proficiency ratings and fine‐tuned fluency measures and found some limited relationships between them. These findings can provide methodological suggestions for researchers interested in L2 fluency development among study abroad students and implications for foreign language educators and policy makers to promote study abroad and language learning.