Investigating the Effectiveness of Using Classroom Debate in Enhancing EFL Learners’ Speaking Skil

Abstract

Many language learners, particularly those studying English as a foreign language, prioritize the ability to speak the language effectively. However, the teaching of real-life communication skills is often neglected in EFL contexts, resulting in limited opportunities for studentsto practice speaking in the classroom. Therefore, teachers should employ various techniques and activities to improve their students' speaking abilities and foster their communicative skills. One such activity is classroom debate, which allows students to engage in spoken English production. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of classroom debate in enhancing learners' speaking skills. It also focuses on the use of debates in oral English courses to improve speaking abilities, and to emphasize the importance of creating a friendly classroom atmosphere to encourage learners' language fluency. In this respect, the researcher used two data gathering tools. The data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 32 second-year EFL students at the department of English at Mohamed Khider university of Biskra. As regards the interview, it was conducted with 6 teachers of oral expression module from the same department. To achieve this goal, a qualitative descriptive research design was employed to gather and analyze the data. Both data gathering tools were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that classroom debate is a beneficial technique for increasing students' language practice and improving their speaking skills. The results also highlighted the need to provide students with exciting activities to develop their speaking abilities and create an environment encouraging appropriate language use. Similarly, the role of the teacher is considered essential in facilitating this process. Finally, it is recommended for university teachers to use classroom debate as a technique to increase learners‟ communicative skills, and enhance classroom interaction