Identifying English as a foreign language students’ attitude to improving speaking skills through collaboration
Ali Abbas Falah Alzubi, Mohd Nazim, Jalal Ahmad
Abstract
Speaking skills, being an essential part of effective communication, are significant for English as a foreign language (EFL) students in today’s globalized world, and collaborative learning, being heterogeneous, assists them with more possibilities for enhancing and practicing the skills through a supportive environment, constructive feedback, and opportunities for real-world conversations. Therefore, this study aimed to identify EFL students’ attitudes toward enhancing speaking skills in a collaborative learning environment. The researchers, to achieve the study objective, used the descriptive survey method to collect the data from a sample of 360 participants in the Preparatory Year (PY) at Najran University. The study's instruments included a closed-ended questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The results showed students having positive attitudes toward a collaborative learning environment can highly enhance their speaking skills. In addition, the respondents’ study level did not impact their responses to enhancing speaking skills in a collaborative learning environment; however, male students showed higher attitudes than their female counterparts. Finally, the interview analysis showed that students' speaking skills can be improved in a collaborative learning environment in many ways including a supportive environment, interesting activities, and technology use. Based on the findings, the study recommends incorporating collaborative learning strategies to strengthen other language skills.
Keywords
Attitudes; Collaborative learning; English as a foreign language; Preparatory year students; Speaking skills
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v19i1.21333
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Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn) ISSN: 2089-9823, e-ISSN 2302-9277 Published by Intelektual Pustaka Media Utama (IPMU) in collaboration with the Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science (IAES) .
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