This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of explicit formal instruction (EFI) on speaking and pronunciation skills among a Kurdish university's first-year EFL students. The researcher was teaching a communications unit, where the focus was on speaking skills and pronunciation: speech rate (words per minute), fluency (number of pauses and…

This approach article describes the structure of the new Composition and Speech Program at Delaware State University, particularly in light of the use of discourse-based interview (DBI) methodology in the development process of the program. The program includes a 4-course sequence--three 2-credit hour composition courses and one 3-credit hour…

With increasing threats to democracy, we call for communication educators to renew and re-examine their commitment to advancing civic engagement in the basic course. Given recent scholarly criticism that civic engagement pedagogies falsely present democratic practice as neutral or apolitical and reinforce the status quo, we set an agenda for basic…

The purpose of this study was to find out whether the previously identified gender gap in public speaking anxiety and self-perceived communication competence was also evident in student speaking performances. This study also examined whether students developed equally strong presentations in public speaking versus hybrid introductory communication…

Media narratives, frames and the manner of sudden-onset crises events' coverage strongly influence the audience's perception and understanding of situation and their behavior. Nonverbal communication of broadcasters transfers important information related to viewers' formation of impressions. That is why the journalists strive to hide the…

While there are many measures of anxiety, there are few measures or descriptions of confidence. This study considers students' perceptions of what it means to be or to look confident during undergraduate presentations. Findings show students placed high value on effective posture as the most common behavior that was causally connected to a…

Power is a complicated and uncomfortable topic that affects everyone to varying degrees. A traditional view of power would be a force that someone wields over others. However, Michel Foucault's view of power turns it into a relationship between two or more individuals that becomes quite liberating (1994). Through power-relationships, freedom of…

This study focused on Saudi female English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, second-year level, English Department, College of Arts, Bisha University. Most the learners are exposed to the English language at a late stage, which is one of the challenges they encounter. The main objective of this study was to identify the main challenges faced…

In order to translate and be translated, low-diffusion languages often use strategies that differ from those used by widely spoken languages and therefore create particular challenges for translators. One such strategy is indirect translation (including also relay interpreting). Since there are conflicting opinions about this practice within the…

Traditional techniques used in English pronunciation courses such as minimal-pair drills, reading out loud, and practicing isolated sounds slowly with a monotone voice have questionable effectiveness due to limited time and students' ability. This article describes a project to overcome such limitations by requiring learners to dub a short movie…

Respeaking is an effective way to make live and pre-recorded television, as well as live events, accessible to a wide audience. Respeakers use speech-recognition software to repeat or paraphrase what is heard through a microphone in a robotic voice while enunciating punctuation and adding colours or labels to identify the speakers. Until now, most…

The use of a participatory approach may entail taking risks in certain contexts. It involves discussing socio-political issues that aim to challenge the discourse of those in power representing neoliberal ideology. Critical pedagogy and the participatory approach oppose political and neoliberal power relations in educational settings that…

Adult second language (L2) learning often exhibits great variability in its rate and outcome. Although research shows that learning trajectories are partly shaped by social and contextual factors (e.g. Larson-Hall, 2008), certain learner factors play an important role in enhancing L2 pronunciation learning by helping L2 learners notice and process…

This paper reports on a blended learning approach for public speaking in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The researcher implemented the course design through reduced weekly face-to-face class sessions and online student interaction using a speech video-based blog. Using a survey conducted at the end of the semester, multiple…

Though revising the existing syllabus is part of the Ethiopian education system, the study of the implementations of the notions of the syllabus attracts a few researchers' interests. Therefore, this study investigates teachers' practices of teaching speaking and compares them with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the…