Using CLT Approach to Foster Fluency and Oral Communication Skills in Saudi Female English Major First-Year Students: Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Using English as a medium of communication has become a demanding skill to pursue better academic and occupational opportunities. EFL learners need a practical method of learning English to communicate effectively and speak more fluently. Hence, this study aims to investigate teachers’ perspectives on the use of communicative language teaching to foster fluency and oral communication skills of Saudi female students majoring in English during their first year. It employs a mixed methods approach to data collection. A questionnaire of a five-point scale was used to collect data about teachers’ perspectives on using communicative language teaching in EFL classes. 32 English teachers at Taif University participated in the attitudinal questionnaire. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with two teachers to have an in-depth discussion about the quantitative data and answer the research questions. The findings revealed that teachers have a positive perspective toward using CLT to improve Saudi EFL students’ fluency and oral communication skills. Interviewed teachers significantly support implementing communicative activities, indicating the advantages of communicative-based classrooms. Thus, it is highly recommended to conduct an experimental study, presenting the difference between a communicative-based EFL class and a non-communicative EFL class in the Saudi context.