An Evaluation of the Communicative Competence of Palestinian Fourth Level English Major Students at Gaza Universities

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating different components of communicative competence among fourth level English major students at three universities in Gaza (The Islamic, Al-Azhar and Al-Aqsa) and discovering to what extent students' competence matches their performance. It also aimed at identifying the areas of weaknesses in learning communicative competence. To fulfill the aims of the study, the researcher followed the descriptive analytical approach. She used two tools to collect the needed data: a questionnaire and diagnostic test and conducted them among 88 students from Gaza universities. Benefiting from the previous studies, related literature, books and institutions' publications, the researcher built the criteria of evaluation which constituted the questionnaire. The tools were shown to eleven experts for benefiting from their comments in regard to any potential modifications, additions and deletions to achieve validity. Also, reliability was examined before conducting the tools. The results of the questionnaire according to the scale of preparedness showed the following conclusions about fourth level English major students at the three universities: They were moderately well prepared to acquire the different components of linguistic competence. They were moderately well prepared to acquire sociolinguistic competence. They were somewhat well prepared to acquire pragmatic competence. They were moderately well prepared to acquire strategic competence. They were moderately well prepared to acquire discourse competence. And the results of the diagnostic test showed the following conclusions: Students at the three universities had some areas of weaknesses in learning communicative competence especially strategic competence. Students at the three universities have the competences, but they have poor performance in other words students' competence did not match their performance. Based on the study findings, the researcher recommends faculties of education to increase the number of methodology courses, review the educational courses at the beginning of each year, enhance exchanging and sharing experience between each other, train students on the use of tools of self-evaluation, enhance providing students with creative education, and adapt educational technology. Moreover, suggestions for teaching strategic competence were provided since students had a problem in learning it. Finally, recommendations for further study were provided.