Using Phonological Features to Develop Undergraduate Students’ Oral Skills

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying the influence of using English language phonological features on developing L2 students’ oral communication skills. It has adopted experimental and descriptive methods as well as qualitative analysis by using statistical techniques (SPSS). The sample of study was (30) students who has been exposed to the test and (42) university teachers who responded to the questionnaire. University teachers confirmed and reinforced the statements of questionnaire (see tables 4.10, 4.13, 4.14). The study has come up with some of main findings that most study subjects are weak in speaking skills. (see tables 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14) and (the diagrams of students’ sound spectrums 4.1 to 4.30 for the features of students’ voices). Moreover, using of phonological features bring L2 students’ closer to a native English speaker (see native speaker’ sound spectrums No. 4.1a / 4.2a and students’ sound spectrums No. 4.1 to 4.30). The study offered some important recommendations that university students face a big challenge in using English language phonological features (Linking, intonation, stress, etc.) therefore, the teaching of these features should start from the secondary level as a base for a university in addition to that teaching phonics from the very beginning enable the L2 students not to develop bad habits and fossilized errors furthermore university teachers should expose L2 students to the sounds of English native speakers by using modern technologies such as videos spectrograms, etc. Beside that L2 students lack of natural language environment or language situation where could interact freely. Rooms are artificial, there for, they should need more real situations such as English language educational clubs. Some suggestions for further studies were proposed.