A Suggested Program for Tacking Difficulties Facing University Students English Communication Skills in Gaza

Abstract

This study aimed at revealing the main difficulties facing English majors in oral communication skills at the Islamic University of Gaza (I.U.G.), and suggesting a program for tackling some of these difficulties by answering the following questions: - What are the difficulties facing English majors in oral communications skills inGaza? - Are there any statistically differences at (α ≤ 0.05) at oral communication skills difficulties facing English majors at Islamic university due to gender (male and female). - What are the suggested program for tackling some difficulties facing English majors in oral communication skills at the Islamic University of Gaza ? To fulfill the aim of the study , the researcher followed the descriptive analytical and constructive methods. She prepared a list of skills that English majors should gain and which are needed for acquiring oral communicative ability . It includes (13)main skills : asking and answering questions, future plans and intention, socializing, finding the way, apologize and excuses, appointment ,giving your opinion, problems and advice , reservations , invitations , requests and offers , certainty and un certainty , and regrets and criticism. The researcher used these skills as a questionnaire to know what skills are important or not from teachers' point of views. The researcher also prepared a diagnostic test containing the difficult skills revealed by experts' opinions by open questionnaire and the researcher suggested a program for tackling difficulties facing students in oral communications skills . The researcher applied her test on English majors as a survey sample. To know the causes of these difficulties she interviewed the four oral communication teachers in the English department at I.U.G. Percentages, means, Pearson correlation and T- test were used to analyze the data statistically. The results showed that: - There were difficulties in oral communication skills , the most difficulties in: regrets and criticism, certainty and un certainty , requests and offers, reservations, socializing, finding the way, and appointment. - There were different causes to these difficulties most of which were related to English majors, teachers, subject , the university system. - There were no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) between English majors in oral having oral communication skills difficulties due to the gender (male and female) - There were relevant recommendations for English majors, teachers, the university system, and preparing learning materials. The most significant ones were: - It is necessary for English majors to expand their knowledge through interaction and participation with each others ; - It is useful if the staff of the English department cooperate between themselves in solving English majors' difficulties. - It is necessary to provide the English department with teachers who are specialized in oral communication learning or native speakers.