الفهرس 
Chapter One Background and ProblemOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
This chapter gives a summary of the current study. It provides a brief description of the study problem, aim, research questions, instruments, and participants. It also discusses the possible pedagogical implications of the study and the difficulties encountered by the researcher. The chapter also includes general conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions for further research.
Summary
The problem of this study is that EFL learners keep learning English for so many years, however they are still unable to speak English fluently, which could be due to the lack of attention given to this language component in the teaching practices in Egyptian schools and universities as well as the lack of training courses focusing on developing oral fluency. While teachers focus on teaching reading and writing, they give less or no attention to speaking and listening.
The main aim of this study was to see the effect of using reflective listeningon developing EFL adults’ oral fluency. The study was guided by the following questions:
1. What are the components of EFL adults’ oral fluency? The components of oral fluency were determined according to the review of literature and the previous studies. This was helpful in preparing the list as well as the study’s instruments.
2. What are the activities that can be used to develop EFL adults’ oral fluency? To answer this question, the researcher used several sources to find suitable activities that can be modified to develop EFL adults’ oral fluency. The researcher modified the activities according to the learners’ levels and interests as well as the program’s objectives.
3. What is the effect of using reflective listening on developing EFL adults’ oral fluency and its subcomponents? To answer this question, the reflective listening program was administered to a group of EFL adults who have completed level five in general English courses. The posttest was administered by the end of the application. The results of the pretest and the posttest were compared to see to what extent the learners’ oral fluency has been developed. This was followed by a qualitative analysis of the learners’ performance.
To tackle the study problem and achieve the aim of the study, the following instruments were designed by the researcher and used through the study:
1. A pre/post oral fluency test
2. An oral fluency rubric
A group of EFL adult learners who passed level 5 in the general English course and who had a good knowledge of English grammar (n=30) participated in the study. Their ages ranged from (20 to 30) years old. Before starting the experiment, the oral fluency test was applied to the group. The proposed program was then administered to the learners. Finally, the oral fluency test was reapplied to the same group as a posttest.
Pedagogical Implications
Following are several possible reasons why this program was effective in developing EFL adults’ oral fluency:
● Integrating listening and speaking had a profound effect on developing the learners’ oral fluency. Moreover, participants paid special attention to listening comprehension which helped them to respond clearly and openly. This agrees with the results of Astorga’s study (2015) that contends the influence of listening and listening comprehension on oral fluency.
● Reflective listening helped learners to build rapport with their colleagues as well as their teacher which fostered the learning process and aided in achieving significant outcomes. Learners were really motivated and willing to participate. Similarly, Frisby and Martin (2010) conducted a study on 232 students to examine the relationship between learners’ participation and building rapport among learners themselves and among learners and their teachers. The study reveals that building rapport enhances learners’ participation and learning outcomes. As rapport reduces anxiety, it increases motivation and interaction.
● Learners had to provide reflective responses on what they listened to which kept them alert and attentive all the time in order to be able to give appropriate responses. Moreover, these reflective responses encouraged speakers to continue talking. This is consistent with the results of Helyer’s research (2015) which reveal that reflective listening prompts encouragement, as well as personal and professional development.
● Working in a fun, non-judgmental and safe learning environment encouraged the learners to participate, interact and express their ideas freely without feeling afraid of being criticized or making mistakes.
● The researcher made sure to make the objectives of each session clear. This helped the learners to work actively to achieve the predetermined goals. It also helped them to have an obvious vision and a clear purpose of their own learning.
● Showing acceptance, respect, and attention to the speakers through using reflective listening motivated them to communicate their thoughts freely. Participants placed a high value on each other’s speech which had a great effect on their participation and interaction. This agrees with the study of Kae (2012) that emphasizes the role of reflective listening on developing dialogues, enhancing communication and establishing relationships.
● The researcher provided her learners with an ongoing assessment and feedback that made them aware of their weaknesses and strengths. They worked hard to develop themselves and their oral fluency based on the feedback they got.
Limitations
The researcher faced some difficulties through the experimentation. She tried to solve them.
● At the beginning of the program, the learners were somewhat hesitant and shy to talk in English. They did not have enough self-confidence and courage to speak in front of others. The researcher made sure to break the ice, between herself and the learners and between the learners themselves, from the very beginning of the program. She succeeded in creating a safe, relaxing and delightful learning environment in which the learners felt free to express their thoughts openly. Moreover, they got engaged in several activities that required them to talk and interact with each other.
● Some learners tended to talk in Arabic as they were used to it. The researcher set a rule, from the very beginning, to talk in English all the time even outside the classroom. Whenever they saw the researcher or anyone of their colleagues, they started to talk in English.
● Learners had no idea about reflective listening. They tended to only think of their responses without paying attention to the speakers. The researcher stressed the importance of listening and designed some activities that required full attention to the speakers.
● Some learners did not attend the first session. They did not attend the introductory session. The researcher started the second session with a quick revision to outline the main objectives of the program and what they would be doing. Moreover, the researcher spent some time after each class for any questions.
Results of the Study
The study came to the following results:
• There is a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study participants on the pre and post oral fluency test in terms of the development of ‘smoothness of utterances’ in favor of the posttest scores.
• There is a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study participants in the pre and post oral fluency test in terms of the development of ‘meaning construction’ in favor of the posttest scores.
• There is a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study participants in the pre and post oral fluency test in terms of the development of ‘comprehensibility of speech’ in favor of the posttest scores.
• There is a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study participants in the pre and post oral fluency test in terms of the development of ‘pronunciation’ in favor of the posttest scores.
• There is a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study participants in the pre and post oral fluency test in terms of the development of ‘accuracy’ in favor of the posttest scores.
• There is a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study participants in the pre and post oral fluency test in terms of the development of their oral fluency as a whole in favor of the posttest scores.
Conclusions
Based on the study results, it can be concluded that:
• Using reflective listening was remarkably effective in developing EFL adults’ oral fluency. This was clear after administering the post oral fluency test. It was also obvious through the learners’ gradual development throughout the experimentation.
• Considering the learners’ needs enhances the learning process. It also ensures that all learners get engaged in active learning as they feel that their learning is useful and connected to their real life.
• The use of varied and interesting activities and topics to be done and discussed with the learners is also effective. It is more engaging and less boring for the learners to get involved in different activities of their interest.
• Using new techniques in teaching motivates learners and increases their willingness to participate in the learning process. They are exposed to something new which encourages them to take part in it to see how it goes.
• Reflective listening can be enhanced through training learners on showing empathy and interest, summarizing and reflecting content, reflecting feelings, having eye-contact with the speaker and giving feedback.
• Prior knowledge is a basic factor of reflective listening.
Recommendations
Based on the reached results and conclusions, the study recommends the following:
• More opportunities to practice oral fluency should be provided to the learners.
• Teachers should pay much attention to oral fluency as an integral language component that learners themselves seek to develop.
• Teachers should use varied listening activities that can help learners develop their oral fluency through listening to others speaking the target language. Moreover, learners should be encouraged to pay much more attention to what others are saying to be able to respond.
• Supportive environment affects the learners’ learning positively. It creates a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere in which learners can learn successfully.
Suggestions for Further Research
Researchers may consider the following suggestions to investigate the adequacy of utilizing reflective listening for further research:
• Exploring the effect of utilizing reflective listening on diverse learning outcomes.
• Choosing different learners from different educational levels and applying the same current study on them.
• Increasing teachers’ awareness concerning the importance of the learners’ needs.
• Developing the learners’ oral fluency using different techniques.