How do you think lower-proficiency EFL students develop their communicative skills? EFL learners commonly have no exposure to the English language, so this represents a problem for them to develop their communicative skills (Alharbi, 2015). Teachers should give students many opportunities to have communication using the target language (Alharbi, 2015). When teachers use different strategies to make students practice English, students have more exposure to the language, so they can improve their knowledge about it. Teachers develop lower-proficiency students' communicative skills by making them collaborate with a partner, work in teams, share and express ideas with the group.
Students with a low performance improve their ability to communicate when working in pairs because they support each other. Working specifically with a peer allows students to increase their knowledge about the language because they learn from each other, and they feel identified with English (Richards, 2005). Moreover, when working in pairs, lower-achieving students need to speak, so they improve their communicative skills (Achmad &, Yusuf, 2014). Having interaction with other person should enhance students to learn by themselves being supported by someone, and supporting a classmate.
When students have the opportunity to exchange their ideas with a team, they feel more confident to use the English language in different contexts. If students with more knowledge about the English language work with lower-proficiency students, they analyze and clarify aspects they do not understand, and they improve their ability to communicate (Cooper, 1999, as cited in Lin, 2019). In addition, discussing ideas with peers make students more active while learning and communicating (Ruiz-Esparza, Medrano, & Cepeda, 2016). English language learners who have interaction with peers while working in team feel more confident to communicate. Communicating in teams can lead students to express ideas with their entire group.
Students practice the use of the language when they speak to the group, or when they listen to other classmates. When students work altogether, they are motivated to use their communicative skills to perform in a better way in the class (Carrero, 2016). Additionally, students learn from each other and have the opportunity to correct mistakes when producing the English language if they work along with the group (Storch, 2005, as cited in Lin, 2019). Collaborating with the group, students should practice and develop their way to communicate. They should express their ideas more correctly, so they improve their English. Practicing language makes lower-proficiency students develop their communicative abilities.
Working in pairs, in teams, and in group make lower-achieving EFL students' abilities to communicate better. If teachers know how to organize the group to make students interact among them, they feel more free and confident when using English. Also, when lower-proficiency students develop their English communicative skills, they have a better performance in and outside the class. Having much practice enhances students to learn by their own. Different strategies, such as working in pairs or teams, support teachers and students to improve their performance.
Achmad, D. & Yusuf, Y. (2014). Observing pair-work task in an English speaking class. International Journal of Instruction, 7(1), 151-164. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=Observing+Pair-Work+Task+in+an+English+Speaking+Class&pr=on&ft=on&id=EJ1085253
Alharbi, H. (2015). Improving students' English speaking proficiency in Saudi public schools. International Journal of Instruction, 8(1), 105-116. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=improving+students'+english+speaking&pr=on&ft=on&id=EJ1085263
Carrero, N. (2016). Effects of tasks on spoken interaction and motivation in English language learners. GIST Education and Learning Research Journal, 13, 34-55. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=Effect+of+tasks+on+spoken&id=EJ1123941
Lin, S. (2019). Students' attitudes towards learning English vocabulary through collaborative group work versus individual work. Journal of Education and Learning, 8(4), 93-111. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=students+attitudes+towards+learning+english&pr=on&ft=on&id=EJ1222613
Richards, J. C. (2005). Communicative language teaching today (pp. 22-26). Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jack_Richards4/publication/242720833_Communicative_Language_Teaching_Today/links/5580c02808aea3d7096e4ddb.pdf
Ruiz-Esparza, E., Medrano, C., & Zepeda, J. (2016). Exploring university teacher perceptions about out-of-class teamwork. PROFILE: Issues in Teachers' Professional Development, 18(2), 29-45. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=exploring+university+teacher&id=EJ1106697