An assessment of oral English communication strategies employed by Iraqi EFL college students

Abstract EN

This present study reports on an investigation into the oral communication strategies (henceforth OCSs) used by EFLcCollege English students in Iraq.

Thesec studentsc are a large group whoc are studying in Englishc and need to use OCSs to facilitate their communication because they do not have sufficient exposure to English in daily life.

All of the subjectsc are first-year bachelor students from Collegec of Education Ibn Rushd.

The data were collected by mean of questionnaire The resultsc indicate that studentsc of first year employedc the following strategies: Approximation,ccircumlocution, word coinage, mime, literal translation, language switch, and appeal for assistance.

While theyc do not employ avoidancec strategies like: topicc avoidance and message abandonment .Other findingc which is that females use more strategiescthen males, females useseven strategies out of nine namely: approximation, wordccoinage, circumlocution, c literal translationc, languagec switch, appeal for assistance, and mime.

While males use only six strategies out of nine namely:capproximation, word coinage, circumlocution, literal translation, languagec switch, and appeal for assistance.

Thesec findingsc suggested that OCSs help studentsc over come difficulties in oral English communication.

By enhancingc students’ strategic competence, their communicativec competence could be improved.

The resultsc of this study couldc be great help in thec teaching of Englishc to Iraqi EFL learners by making them aware of CSs already in theircrepertoire and by encouragingc them to use OCSs morec frequently.