Designing a Speaking Course to Improve Fluency and Pronunciation among Intermediate EFL Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59743/jaf.v9i2.849Keywords:
speaking skills, EFL learners, university students, speaking strategies, non-English environment, communicative competenceAbstract
This study investigates the development of effective speaking strategies for intermediate-level students learning English in a non-English-speaking environment. Many learners struggle to achieve communicative competence due to limited exposure to authentic language use and anxiety associated with speaking tasks. The research aims to identify practical, evidence-based strategies that enhance learners’ oral proficiency, confidence, and communicative effectiveness. The study explores students’ linguistic challenges and speaking performance difficulties. The intermediate class consists of ten Libyan female students, aged between 28 and 35. They are teaching assistants at Tripoli University in different medical departments. The sample was selected based on placement test results and prior academic performance to ensure homogeneity in proficiency level. The course is free, as the university paid for it. The English language is used in the university lectures; therefore, the students have been exposed to English for 5 years. The students have a 2-hour class twice a week. A mixed-methods approach was adopted by combining quantitative analysis of pre- and post-speaking test scores with qualitative analysis of learners’ interviews. The study revealed that students demonstrated noticeable improvement in speech fluency, pronunciation accuracy, and overall confidence in oral communication. The findings suggest that well-structured speaking courses with balanced practice and feedback can enhance learners’ oral performance. The paper offers pedagogical recommendations for EFL teachers. Teachers should design or adapt materials that are related to the students’ context, culture, and lives to encourage them to speak in realistic communicative situations. This research paper contributes to the field of English by developing speaking and pronunciation courses; moreover, it provides context-specific insights into how speaking courses can be effectively designed for English outside the classroom.
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