Attrition of Oral Communicative Ability among Saudi EFL Graduates: A Study in Qassim University

Autor/in	Al-Sulaiman, Raghad S.
Titel	Attrition of Oral Communicative Ability among Saudi EFL Graduates: A Study in Qassim University
Quelle	In: English Language Teaching, 13 (2020) 5, S.25-33 (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1916-4742
Schlagwörter	Oral Language; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Language Maintenance; College Graduates; Foreign Countries; Language Skill Attrition; Universities; Correlation; Decision Making; Language Usage; Employment; Communicative Competence (Languages); Majors (Students); Saudi Arabia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Oral interpretation; Mündlicher Sprachgebrauch; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Sprachpflege; Hochschulabsolvent; Hochschulabsolventin; Ausland; Sprachverfall; University; Universität; Korrelation; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Sprachgebrauch; Dienstverhältnis; Communicative competence; Languages; Kommunikative Kompetenz; Sprache; Saudi-Arabien
Abstract	After graduation, many Saudi EFL graduates find themselves losing their oral communicative competence, which could be attributed to the period of their English non-use. To explore such a pressing issue, the following study investigates the effect of English non-use on a surveyed sample of Saudi EFL graduates, and how such disuse correlates with the attrition of their English speaking and understanding abilities. The study also sheds light on the most used language maintenance strategies among the subjects. Situated in Qassim University, the study surveyed 101 female and male Saudi EFL graduates majoring in English fields, using a structured questionnaire design. The quantitative results suggest that the longer the period of language disuse, the more likely the attrition of oral communicative abilities of Saudi EFL graduates will occur. They also suggest that EFL Saudi graduates are more likely to lose their understanding abilities of English than they are to lose their speaking abilities. Finally, it was found that Saudi EFL graduates engage in a variety of language maintenance techniques, such as watching movies and conversing in English with both native and non-native speakers. The study urges employers and decision-makers to help Saudi EFL graduates in making the best use of their abilities as soon as they graduate, as they are more likely to be vulnerable to attrition as the years pass. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Canadian Center of Science and Education. 1120 Finch Avenue West Suite 701-309, Toronto, OH M3J 3H7, Canada. Tel: 416-642-2606; Fax: 416-642-2608; e-mail: elt@ccsenet.org; Web site: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/elt
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01