Exploring the Impact of Age, Gender and Other Social Variables during EFL Oral Expression Classes: Master One Students at Ibn Khaldoun University as a Sample

Abstract

The present, twofold descriptive-interpretive study purports itself to explore the impact of age, gender and social variables on the conversational interactions in oral expression classes. It seeks to disclose the possible influence of the demographic variables in oral expression performance. Differently couched, the aim of this research work is to explore to what extent these demographic differences may affect students‟ engagement in classroom interactions. For the sake of validity, the mixed method of research, i.e., qualitative and quantitative was adopted. In fact, the questionnaire was designed and randomly distributed to Master 1 students, and semistructured interview was conducted with teachers of English at the department of English at Ibn Khaldoun University-Tiaret. The findings of the exploration reveal that EFL students‟ reticence during oral expression sessions is mainly due to two reasons, viz., psychological emotions, linguistic deficiencies and stereotypical assumptions. For the first one, anxiety, fearing mistakes making, classmates‟ negative attitudes and reactions generate students‟ reluctance towards an effective commitment during EFL oral expression classes. For the second one, the deficiencies in phonological, syntactic and morphological aspects of the target language preclude EFL students‟ active participation in classroom interactions. For the third one, the stereotypical flimsy assumptions based on differences in age, gender and social status which have developed unfavourable attitudes towards the oral expression teaching unit. All in all, the highlighted causes towards oral expression sessions remain as a serious pitfall trap in front of the materialization of the ultimate objective of communicative approach. Teachers‟ awareness of the aforementioned hurdles and in effective support are deemed to be urgent and quite necessary to palliate these serious behavioural patterns.