Investigating the Impact of (Extra) Linguistic Variables on EFL Learners Oral Expression Effectiveness: Master Students at Ibn KHALDOUN University-Tiaret

Abstract

The present, twofold descriptive-interpretive study purports itself to explore the impact of some linguistic and extra-linguistic variables on Algerian EFL learners’ conversational interactions in oral expression classes. It seeks to disclose the possible influence of the demographic variables in oral expression performance. Differently couched, the aim of this research is to investigate to what extent these differences may negatively affect students’ engagement in classroom interactions. To attain these objectives, the mixed method of research, i.e., qualitative and quantitative was adopted. In fact,a self-designed questionnaire was randomly administrated to 30 Master 1 students, and semistructured interview was conducted with 4 teachers at the department of English at IbnKhaldoun University-Tiaret. The findings revealed that EFL students’ reticence during oral expression sessions is mainly due to threefold reasons, viz., psychological emotions, linguistic deficiencies and stereotypical assumptions. The first is mainly related to anxiety, the fear of making mistakes, classmates’ negative attitudes andreactions generate students’ reluctance towards an effective commitment during EFL oral expression classes. As far as the second reason is concerned, the deficiencies in phonological, syntactic and morphological aspects of the target language preclude EFL students’ active participation in classroom interactions. The third reason has to do with some blatant stereotypical representations, based on age, gender and social status , that have generated negative attitudes. All in all, the highlighted causes towards oral expression sessions remain as a serious pitfall in front of the materialization of the ultimate objective of communicative approach. Hence, teachers’ awareness of the aforementioned hurdles and an effective support on their parts are deemed to be urgent and quite necessary to palliate these serious behavioral patterns.