English Café: An Initiative to Encourage Undergraduate Learners of Al-Asyah Province to Showcase Their Spoken Proficiency in English


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Authors

  • Syed Farhat Jahara Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • Abbas Hussein Abdelrady Qassim University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/776

Keywords:

Activities, communicative competence, EFL learners, English Café, pronunciation, strategies

Abstract

This article advocates that spoken language is learned only when genuine communication and exposure occur, not when it is practiced simply as a set of structures or only when its grammar is learned. This research study demonstrates the possibility of exploring novel approaches to inspire non-native EFL learners in the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia to master communication skills by establishing a linguistic club named English Café to showcase their spoken proficiency. The study sample consisted of undergraduates from level 1 and level 2 from the first year of the B.A. program. The methodology adopted was a descriptive-analytical method using a questionnaire and spoken activities to achieve the desired objectives. One major finding was that participants improved their communicative competence by participating in pronunciation and speaking activities through constant motivation, preferred learning style, self-interest, and willingness to participate naturally with expert guidance initially and constant practice after that.

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Author Biographies

Syed Farhat Jahara, Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

EFL Assistant Professor at English Language and Translation Dept. College of Sciences and Arts in Al-Asyah.

Abbas Hussein Abdelrady, Qassim University

EFL Assistant Professor at English Language and Translation Dept. College of Sciences and Arts in Al-Asyah.

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Published

2021-06-12

How to Cite

Jahara, S. F., & Abdelrady, A. H. (2021). English Café: An Initiative to Encourage Undergraduate Learners of Al-Asyah Province to Showcase Their Spoken Proficiency in English. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 8(3), 113–133. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/776

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Original Manuscript
Received 2021-03-17
Accepted 2021-05-11
Published 2021-06-12