Difficulties Facing English Department Juniors at IUG in Learning Stress: Reasons and Strategies

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the following: The main difficulties facing English department juniors in learning stress. The reasons beyond these difficulties, and The strategies that students can use to overcome these difficulties. To achieve the aim of the study, the researcher applied three valid and reliable tools: two questionnaires, diagnostic written test and observation cards. Two samples were chosen, students sample: 30 students were chosen for the diagnostic written test and 20 students for the observation. The sample included is only female junior students who registered the course “socio-linguists” in the second term of the Academic year (2009-2010). Moreover, they previously took the course “Phonetic and Phonology”. As for the second sample, they were nine linguists from different universities who responded to the two questionnaires. The data were tested by Pearson correlation, T-test one sample, spearman correlation, means and percentages, Alpha Cronbach and split-half. Having analyzed the data, the following results were obtained: The main difficulties that English department juniors face when learning stress from experts’ point of view: Over 55% of experts agreed that intelligibility is the most area of difficulty that students face when learning English stress. Over 44% of experts agreed that syllables and sentences stress: “using stress in connected speech” both consider to be the second area of difficulty for learners when learning stress. Over 20% of experts agreed that students have the least difficulty when learning word stress. The level of difficulties that English department juniors at IUG have when learning stress in the written context: On applying a diagnostic written test, it is found that 60.3% was the level of difficulties that English department juniors at IUG face when learning stress in the written context. The level of difficulties that English department juniors at IUG have when learning stress in the spoken context: During observation, it is noticed that 76.7% was the level of difficulties that English department juniors at IUG face when learning stress in the spoken context. The reasons beyond the difficulties that English department junior at IUG face when learning stress: Over 50% of experts agreed that the methodology factor considers to be the first reason beyond the difficulties faced by English department juniors when learning stress. Over 46% of experts believe that Facilities is the second reason beyond the difficulties faced by English department juniors at IUG when learning stress. Over 37% of experts believe that the Psychological factors are the third reason beyond these difficulties when learning stress. Over 33% of experts believe that interlingual “mother-tongue interference” is the least reason beyond these difficulties that English department juniors at IUG face when learning stress. The strategies that students can use to overcome the difficulties faced when learning stress: In light of the results above and the workshop conducted about the strategies that students can use to overcome difficulties in learning stress, the researcher concluded that these strategies are: Checking new words in dictionary. Self monitoring and self correction. Reading aloud. Exposing themselves to authentic listening materials. Metacognitive strategies. In conclusion, the researcher recommended researchers to study the effect of the proposed unit: “work with English stress” on students’ learning of stress.