Oral Proficiency Research Articles

Effects Of Online Peer Learning On Speaking Performance And Language Learning Anxiety

This study investigated the effects of an online peer learning program on undergraduate student English speaking proficiency, language anxiety, and perceptions of online peer learning. The study adopted a case study design and recruited 32 undergraduate students from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at a university in central Taiwan. The online peer learning program improved students’ English communication skills and reduced students’ learning anxiety by facilitating interactions with online foreign peers. Quantitative data from oral proficiency tests and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale were collected before and after the online peer learning program. Qualitative data were analyzed and coded to determine students’ perceptions of the online peer learning program. A significant improvement in the students’ oral proficiency was observed in the pretest and posttest scores. However, no significant reduction in overall speaking anxiety levels was noted, although the students reported a noticeable decrease in anxiety levels following the intervention, particularly when they talked about general or familiar topics. The results of this study demonstrate that the online peer learning program effectively enhanced the speaking proficiency of students of English as a foreign language and moderately alleviated their learning anxiety. On the basis of these findings, this study provides suggestions for foreign language teachers.

Practical English Oral Expression and Communication Skills

In this era of globalization, English has become the universal language for international communication. Whether it’s business negotiations, studying abroad, or daily communication, fluent English oral expression is crucial. For studying abroad, good English oral expression skills can not only help you better adapt to the new environment, but also allow you to have a deeper understanding of the local culture. In daily life, being able to express your thoughts fluently in English can help you better communicate with foreign friends and expand your social circle. Therefore, improving English oral expression ability is very important for everyone. Below, the author will share some practical English oral expression and communication skills to help you improve your English speaking skills and communicate more confidently with others. By mastering these practical English oral expression and communication skills, your English oral proficiency will improve and you will be more confident in communicating with others.

An empirical investigation of the relationship between individual learner factors and foreign language speaking anxiety in EFL university learners

The current study recruited 306 participants (males=194, females= 112) to fill out a questionnaire consisting of two sections for demographic information and a second section with 38 close-ended items to investigate the structural relationships among individual learner factors and anxiety when speaking a foreign language in Chinese EFL university learners. These factors included exposure to English, attitude towards learning English, perceived oral proficiency, years of learning English, perceived effectiveness of the use of social media, perceived competence and parental education status. The findings of the direct effects indicated that exposure to English, attitude towards learning English and perceived oral proficiency were negatively correlated whereas years of learning English and the perceived effectiveness of social media had an insignificant effect on foreign language speaking anxiety. In addition, according to the indirect predictive effects of perceived competence (mediator) on foreign language speaking anxiety, all other factors with the exception of years of learning English were found to be positively mediated by perceived competence. Lastly, the moderating effect of parental education status indicated that the interaction term (perceived competence x parental education status) had a negative and significant effect on foreign language speaking anxiety. The findings indicate that speaking anxiety exists in and out of class and can cause a detrimental effect on university learners’ communication and speaking skills due to a lack of confidence, practice, exposure and interaction. This research provides several insightful practical implications for EFL teachers and policymakers.

Rethinking Communicative Language Teaching in College English Teaching: Strategies and Lesson Plan

Oral English competence is crucial for the learners’ life and potential professional success. Numerous studies on communicative language teaching were conducted; however, there is a dearth of literature on the application of CLT strategies in Chinese vocational colleges. The objective of this study was to identify CLT techniques that can improve the oral English skills of vocational college students in China. Specifically, it sought to answer the following: (1) What CLT strategies can be adapted for improving the oral proficiency of Chinese vocational college students? (2) What activities can be designed integrating adapted CLT strategies to help enhance Chinese vocational college students’ oral proficiency? The study made use of a developmental research design using systematic document analysis as the method. Findings showed that group-oriented CLT strategies like role-play, pair and group work, interviews, information gap activities, etc., and individual-oriented CLT tactics like storytelling, picture description, and opinion-sharing activities can be adapted to improve Chinese vocational college students’ oral proficiency. To help enhance Chinese vocational college students’ oral proficiency, communicative language activities that integrate these identified CLT strategies were designed as instructors’ guide in implementing CLT. Teachers are the primary change agents in educational practice, only by being more aware of what is truly going on in their classrooms can they assist students to achieve their learning goals. In the hands of a well-balanced instructor, CLT can breathe new life and enthusiasm into the classroom and truly make a difference in enhancing student’s oral proficiency.

The impact of voice blogging on the oral proficiency of upper secondary students in l2 kazakh speaking

The impact of voice blogging on the oral proficiency of upper secondary students in l2 kazakh speaking

Enjoyment and oral English proficiency in future teachers

This study analyzed the relationship between enjoyment and oral English proficiency in Peruvian future teachers. It previously validated a measurement instrument of enjoyment setting for future teachers who are learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and then delved into understanding the role of enjoyment as a predictor of oral proficiency. The sample comprised 119 students from a State Higher School of Education in Peru, randomly selected from various careers and grouped according to English language competency levels ranging from A1 to B1+ based on a subscale inspired by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Students’ oral proficiency was evaluated using a rubric covering five aspects, and enjoyment was assessed through a nine-question questionnaire. The results initially demonstrated a significant positive relationship (r = 0.900, p < 0.001) between enjoyment and oral proficiency in EFL. Secondly, a linear regression model determined that enjoyment was a highly significant predictor (β = 0.957, p < 0.001) of oral proficiency. These findings support the importance of enjoyment in developing oral proficiency as a reliable tool to predict oral proficiency in EFL in the context of EFL teacher education. This study highlighted a significant influence of enjoyment on oral proficiency in learning EFL to prospective teachers. Results analysis underscored the importance of enjoyment as a significant predictor of oral proficiency, suggesting that promoting enjoyment in the learning and teaching process can be an effective strategy to foster significant development of oral skills in English. These findings have significant implications for teacher education, emphasizing the need to integrate activities and psycho-pedagogical approaches that promote enjoyment in the English classroom. Furthermore, the proposed model was validated as a reliable tool to assess teachers’ enjoyment of learning EFL. Understanding and nurturing enjoyment in learning English can significantly enhance the oral English proficiency of future teachers and, ultimately, contribute to a more robust command of the EFL.

Assessing First-Cycle Primary School English Language Teachers’ Speaking Proficiency

This study aimed to assess the speaking proficiency of English teachers in the first-cycle primary school employed a convergent mixed design method, with a specific focus on the East Wollega Zone. Utilizing sophisticated probability sampling, fifteen and ten English teachers underwent randomly assigned Oral Proficiency Tests and classroom observations, respectively. Descriptive statistical analysis uncovered a notable deficiency in overall speaking proficiency, as indicated by a combined mean score of 2.65, falling below the required standard. Independent sample t-tests revealed subpar Oral Proficiency Test outcomes for both male and female teachers, with p-values exceeding .05 for all components except pronunciation. Through a comprehensive assessment integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches, this study consistently highlighted below-average speaking proficiency among English teachers. The results emphasize the imperative for targeted interventions and professional development initiatives to elevate the speaking proficiency of primary-level English teachers. The research provides critical insights by identifying specific areas of deficiency in speaking proficiency, particularly in pronunciation. These findings underscore the intricate nature of language proficiency and serve as a foundational guide for future research and policy considerations to enhance English language instruction in the early stages of education, addressing identified proficiency gaps and fostering a more effective learning environment.

Speech recognition sensors and artificial intelligence automatic evaluation application in English oral correction system

In China, although many college students have achieved good results in English exams, their oral proficiency is relatively weak. With the rapid development of internet information technology, the use of speech recognition technology to improve English oral pronunciation learning has become a research hotspot. The goal of this article is to design a system based on speech recognition and speech synthesis to help learners improve their oral pronunciation. By automatically evaluating learners' pronunciation accuracy and providing targeted correction and training, the system aims to improve learners' pronunciation level. This article adopts the principles and algorithms of speech recognition and speech synthesis. Through speech recognition technology, the system can convert learners' oral recordings into text and evaluate accuracy. By utilizing speech synthesis technology, the system can generate corrected audio based on correction rules to assist learners in pronunciation training. By evaluating and correcting real learners' oral recordings, the system can accurately evaluate learners' pronunciation accuracy and generate targeted corrected audio. Through systematic training and practice, learners' pronunciation level has been effectively improved.

Impediments of Speaking English in EFL Classroom: A case study on Undergraduate level in Bangladesh

The ability to effectively communicate in English is widely recognized as a crucial attribute for contemporary communication and social advancement. In the specific context of Bangladesh, despite English instruction being provided to students from the elementary level, the endeavors to enhance oral proficiency in the English language appear to fall short of their intended objectives even after a twelve-year duration of instruction, resulting in unexpected subpar speaking abilities. Insufficient research has been conducted in Bangladesh to address the issue of poor learning policies and the students' lack of cognitive understanding and proficiency in English. This lack of research hinders the development of effective remedies to this pressing issue. This study investigates suitable learning materials for undergraduate learners at Chittagong Independent University in order to enhance their speaking and practicing skills. The data was obtained through the administration of 22 closed-ended and 3 open-ended questionnaires to a sample of 120 learners, selected randomly from five distinct sections. The development and implementation of the surveys were thereafter accompanied by the renowned Likert Scale (1932). The analysis conducted in this study suggests several recommended strategies for effectively engaging all learners. The learning theory of Cognitive Development places greater emphasis on the fundamental psychological concerns compared to other obstacles.

Effect of Phonological and Phonetic Interventions on Proficiency in English Pronunciation and Oral Reading

The current research aimed to know the effect of phonological and phonetic interventions in enhancing proficiency in English pronunciation and oral reading among teacher trainees. This study was of single-group pretest and posttest intervention designs. The sample size was selected through a stratified random sampling technique from teacher training colleges in Bengaluru. Two hundred and seven teacher trainees with L1 proficiency were chosen proportionately from Bangalore strata and orientated. Participants (N = 32) enrolled voluntarily in the intervention program for 20 hr. Intervention modules on phonology and phonetics were developed by the researcher and a segmental approach was adopted to teach modules in 20 sessions. After every session, the participants were allowed to record the modules in Audacity, a multiaudio recorder application. The recorded modules were interpreted, and scores were determined on number of intelligible words pronounced by the participants. Further, it was validated by the experts to authenticate the determined scores. The researcher applied oscillographic and observation methods to analyze the participants’ progress in pronunciation and oral reading proficiency levels during the experiment. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to test the impact of intervention between the pretest and posttest (before and after intervention). The hypotheses testing revealed the difference between preintervention and postintervention scores in phonological and phonetic awareness and oral reading among teacher trainees, and the sig. value is less than 0.05 across all the attributes. This study insists that English phonology and phonetics must be a crucial part of the English language teaching (ELT) curriculum and highlights that teachers must be able to spot the most appropriate pronunciation teaching and train the students of English as a foreign language (EFL) with intricates of intelligible pronunciation. This study navigates the need for language proficiency among teacher trainees, especially in English pronunciation and oral reading, and substantiates the evidence that effective intervention and teachers’ knowledge of pronunciation enhance proficiency levels in pronunciation and oral reading among teacher trainees. Finally, it hopes that B.Ed colleges and teacher educators will be beckoned to use technology-integrated intervention to teach phonology and phonetics.

Enhancing Students’ Oral Proficiency: Leveraging Film Watching for Speaking Skill Development

The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not watching films helps students improve their speaking abilities. Using a pre-experimental research approach, the researcher included just one class in the study. The students of SMA Negeri 5 Palu in the tenth grade made up the research population. The researcher chose the sample through the use of purposive sampling. The 31 students in X M 8 served as the research sample for this study. Instrument testing was employed in the data collection process (pre-test and post-test). The Watching Film method was used to treat the experimental class. The results of the data analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test. The researchers discovered that the t-counted (5.16) was higher than the t-table (2.000). It indicates that the theory was approved. In conclusion, watching films helps SMA Negeri 5 Palu tenth-grade students improve their speaking skills.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Curricular Framework for Online Language Courses

Constraints caused by the Covid-19 pandemic led to a spike in courses originally designed for in-class instruction being delivered online. As the pandemic wanes many courses will return to in-class instruction while other programs will look to develop post-pandemic long-term online courses, indicating a clear need for an effective curriculum for online foreign language classes. This article describes the implementation and evaluation of a newly developed curricular framework for online language courses at university level. Primarily, this framework is designed to foster oral proficiency. The technology used to implement the framework was also developed specifically to facilitate speaking practice. We have used the framework at Purdue University to develop a curriculum for Japanese online courses Levels 1–4 (i.e., semesters 1–4). Japanese Level 1 is used in this article to illustrate the features and effectiveness of the framework. The framework has three major components: asynchronous self-learning modules, weekly small-group synchronous sessions, and performance-based assessments. Each component involves a pedagogical innovation, a technological innovation, or both. This study’s main research question was, “Do students in an online course designed using the new framework develop a degree of oral proficiency comparable to that of students in a classroom?” An oral test administered at the end of the course showed that the online students performed comparably to their classroom counterparts on question and answer and picture description tasks and outperformed them on an elicited imitation task. The results of a questionnaire also indicated participants’ positive perceptions of the technology used and the online course itself. These findings serve as further evidence for the effectiveness of the proposed curricular framework.

The influence of language contact and ethnic identification on Chinese as a second language learners’ oral proficiency

Abstract Language contact is widely recognized as a factor that can have a significant impact on second language (L2) learners’ oral proficiency. However, the existing literature on this topic lacks consistency regarding the extent to which language contact can affect L2 oral outcomes. To address this issue, the present study investigates the role of ethnic identification as a mediating factor in the context of Chinese as a second language (CSL). By utilizing structural equation models (SEMs), this study reveals that: (1) language contact can directly affect Chinese oral proficiency, with interactive contact having a particular impact on oral fluency; (2) language contact indirectly affects CSL learners’ oral acquisition through ethnic identification, especially in terms of oral complexity and accuracy; and (3) language contact significantly influences ethnic identification. By constructing models that explore the relationships among language contact, ethnic identification, and Chinese oral proficiency, this study contributes to current theories of language contact in the L2 acquisition domain by highlighting the crucial role of ethnic identification.

‘Foreign education and companies are superior to local ones’: nativeness preferences are also found amid non-English teaching positions in China’s job market, but with different focus

ABSTRACT Native-speakerism denotes a prevailing belief within English language teaching (ELT) that native speakers are perfect linguistic exemplars and practitioners of a better pedagogical approach. Despite unrelenting efforts made to discontinue the biased employment behavior in ELT, other professions facing the same conundrum receive much less attention. This study, therefore, intends to fill this gap by applying document analysis to examine 249 online recruiting advertisements for non-English teaching positions in China and using thematic analysis to interpret interviews with employers. Findings indicate neither traces of discriminatory practices in terms of the language of job adverts nor favorable attitudes to native speaker status. Regarding English language certification, both international and domestic language certificates are accepted, although certificates developed by English-dominated countries are more persuasive concerning oral proficiency. Nevertheless, an unreasonable preference for overseas experiences that add nativeness to candidates’ professional and educational background is easily noticed. This economy-based prejudice of equating native background with working ability echos precious scholarship focusing on ELT. Thus, this study advocates that enhancing awareness across all sectors of society about this unfair recruiting ideology is not only paramount in the ELT field, but also needed in all walks of life.

Post-pandemic learning trajectories in oral reading proficiency: Results from twelve Chilean schools

By drawing data from first-to sixth-grade students of 12 Chilean schools, we examined the evolution of COVID-19 pandemic-driven losses in two components of oral reading proficiency: reading decoding skills and reading speed. Our dataset spans from 2018 to 2022, enabling us to compare students’ results after the fully remote 2020, the incomplete resumption of in-person learning in 2021 and the massive return in 2022. We used multivariate regression models corrected for sample selection bias. Reading proficiency losses were more significant and persistent in reading speed, and they were higher among socially disadvantaged students entering first grade in 2020–2022. These findings uphold that school disruption affected the reading proficiency of cohorts beginning school during the pandemic more significantly and long-lastingly.

Teaching Chinese to foreign students: Exploring teaching practice and effects on oral proficiency

Teaching Chinese to foreign students: Exploring teaching practice and effects on oral proficiency

AI Integration in English Language Oral Proficiency: A Study of Diploma Students’ Readiness in a Malaysian Public University

The study investigates the readiness of diploma students at a Malaysian public university to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English language oral proficiency learning. As AI technologies rapidly advance, educational institutions are exploring innovative methods to enhance language learning experiences. This research focuses on students’ understanding of AI, their comfort levels with technology, concerns regarding AI implementation, and expectations for AI-assisted language learning. Through qualitative focus group interviews with 15 diploma students, the study reveals varying degrees of familiarity and comfort with AI, alongside significant concerns about over-reliance on technology. The findings highlight the need for tailored educational strategies that address these concerns while leveraging AI’s potential to improve oral proficiency.

Speaking Fluently and Coherently: The IELTS Way

Oral proficiency is a critical skill in learning English, encompassing the verbal expression of thoughts and ideas. This study, “Speaking Fluently and Coherently: The IELTS Way,” explores the effectiveness of the IELTS program in addressing speaking fluency and coherence issues among Education students. Utilizing an action research design with a Dual Method approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative methods, the study investigates the impact of IELTS on students’ language proficiency. Results indicate significant improvements in themes such as Improved Clarity and Control, Reduced Stuttering, Continuing Improvement, and Natural Flow of Thoughts. These themes have implications for language proficiency and performance, highlighting the importance of articulation, fluency, and ongoing development. The study recommends targeted instructional strategies, interactive communication activities, and formative assessment to address identified challenges. Overall, the research underscores the holistic nature of language proficiency development and the effectiveness of the IELTS program in enhancing English speaking fluency.

Exploring Voice Input Translation Function of Google Translate Application Potential as a Reinforcing Tool in Mandarin Listening and Speaking Learning

Enhancing Mandarin listening and speaking skills is a crucial yet challenging goal for beginners. This study examines the potential of applying Google Translate’s voice input translation function as a reinforcing tool for Mandarin listening and speaking learning. By employing the ADDIE model for instructional design and using a questionnaire with 24 items and Likert scale on a sample of 32 students from two classes of a Malaysian public university in Perak, the research finds that when utilized appropriately, this feature is an effective and feasible auxiliary resource that enables linguistic improvement. Our finding revealed that students reported notable improvements in their oral expression, pronunciation accuracy, and speech rhythm and intonation, with a range from high to very high mean scores. Google Translate’s ability to enhance pronunciation accuracy (mean score of 4.36) and listening comprehension (mean score of 4.29) suggests that it effectively supports the development of foundational speaking and listening skills. In summary, high mean scores across various learning dimensions, especially pronunciation and listening comprehension, indicate the app’s positive impact on oral language proficiency. It also promotes autonomy and introspective practices, demonstrating its credibility as an educational aid. Though some learners may need additional real life supports to promote higher confidence in speaking, the overall positive reception suggests it can be a valuable adjunct to traditional teaching methods. Its integration into students’ daily learning routines shows practicality as a modern, accessible auxiliary resource, and students’ willingness to recommend and use it regularly signifies its potential for cultivating a tech-driven language learning community, essential in the digital age.

Strategies for Cultivating Oral Proficiency in English Teaching and the Construction of Evaluation System

Strategies for Cultivating Oral Proficiency in English Teaching and the Construction of Evaluation System