communicative competence (study)

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NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

FRENCH-ENGLISH OPTION

An Evaluative Study of Communicative Competence in ConversationalEnglish among English Language Learners in the Literary Option:

The Case of Rusizi and Nyamasheke Districts

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in partial fulfilment of therequirements for the award of a Bachelor's degree in French-English

Education

Submitted by

Valens NGABOYERA

Supervisor: Mr Emmanuel BATUNGWANAYO

Huye, December 2006

DECLARATION

I, Valens NGABOYERA, hereby declare that, this dissertation is original andhas never been presented in any university or other institution of highereducation. It is my own research whereby other individuals' works were citedand references thereof provided.

I thus, declare that this work is mine under the supervision of Mr EmmanuelBATUNGWANAYO.

Student's signature

........................................

DEDICATION

To

the Almighty God,

my father Canisius KANIHUZI,

my mother Blancile NYIRARANSABIMANA,

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brothers and sisters, and

my friends and relatives,

this work is dedicated.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The completion of this work is not the result of my own effort only. It is also aresult of the devotion of some other people to whom I address theseacknowledgements. Many members of academic faculties and staff at NUR

have given valuable assistance in the completion of this dissertation that it isregrettably impossible to express my gratitude to all of them individually. Iwould like to mention, in particular, my supervisor EmmanuelBATUNGWANAYO for his invaluable criticisms and advice which greatlycontributed to bringing this paper to its present shape. In addition, I would liketo thank all the teachers who gave me knowledge and made me what I amnow.

My gratitude is also due to my parents, brothers, sisters and other familymembers who supported me morally and financially all along my studies. They

did all they could for the sake of my welfare. God will reward them for that. Iwould like also to express my gratitude to the respondents whose contributionand help were invaluable to the completion of this work.

Moreover, I am very grateful to my classmates, especially PhilothreNTAWIHA, Vnuste NGENDAHIMANA, Innocent NSEKEYUKUNZE and JohnNSENGUMUREMYI, for their moral and intellectual assistance. Last but farfrom least, my heartfelt thanks go to VUMILIA choir for their particular spiritualsupport during my academic life.

Many people contributed much to my studies and completion of this work;however, it is not possible to acknowledge each of them by name. May Godremember their good deeds and bless them forever.

May God bless all of you!

Valens NGABOYERA

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

CALL: Computer Assisted Language Learning

CD: Compact Disc

E.L.:English Language

ELT: English Language Teaching

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E.S.: Ecole Secondaire

ESL: English as a Second Language

F: Frequency

G.S.:Groupe Scolaire

LAD: Language Acquisition Device

N : Number of respondents

NCS: National Census Service

NCDC: National Curriculum Development Centre

NEC: National Examination Council

RPF: Rwandan Patriotic Front

SPSS: Statistical Package for Social Sciences

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Schools used in the research34

Table 2: The number of students and teachers of English who make thepopulation34

Table 3: The number of students who make the population according to theirclasses35

Table 4: The sample of the study36

Table 5: Students' interest in using E.L. in real-life communication41

Table 6: Students' feeling when speaking English out of the classroomsetting42

Table 7: Students' choice between accuracy and fluency43

Table 8: Availability of audio-visual equipment in schools44

Table 9: The E.L. teachers' use of audio-visual equipment in teaching45

Table 10: The importance of using audio-visual equipment in E.L. teachingand learning46

Table 11: The views of students about their teachers' emphasis on some ofthe four skills47

Table 12: The views of teachers about their emphasis on some of the fourskills48

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Table 13: The frequency at which oral skills are taught49

Table 14: Emphasis on either speaking or listening in E.L. teaching andlearning50

Table 15: Factors influencing teachers' choice of language skills toemphasise50

Table 16: The mean of students' marks from the test52

Table 17: The mean of female and male students' marks52

Table 18: The mean of students' marks according to their residence area53

Table 19: The mean of students' marks according to their families' literacy54

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Gamble and Gamble's model of communication process 13

Figure 2: Essential processes in learning to communicate 21

Figure 3: The scale of listening levels-energy 28

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX I: Recommendation letter

APPENDIX II: Questionnaire for students

APPENDIX III: Questionnaire for English Teachers

APPENDIX IV: Test for students

APPENDIX V: Correct answers of the test for students

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

DEDICATION ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS iv

LIST OF TABLES v

LIST OF APPENDICES vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS viii

ABSTRACT xii

CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1

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1.1. Background of the Study 1

1.2. Statement of the Problem 2

1.3. Choice of the Topic 3

1.4. Significance of the Study 4

1.5. Objectives of the Study 4

1.5.1. General Objective 4

1.5.2. Specific Objectives 5

1.6. Research Questions 5

1.7. Research Hypotheses 5

1.8. The Scope of the Study 5

1.9. Methodology 6

1.10. The Structure of the Work 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.1. Introduction 8

2.2. Definition and Views on Language 8

2.2.1. Definition 8

2.2.2. The Importance of Language 9

2.2.3. Qualities of Effective Language 9

2.2.4. The Elements of Language 10

2.2.4.1. Sounds 10

2.2.4.3. Grammar 10

2.2.4.4. Meanings 11

2.2.5. The Language Proficiency 12

2.2.5.1. Accuracy 12

2.2.5.2. Fluency 12

2.3. Definition and Views on Communication 13

2.3.1. Definition 13

2.3.2. Essential Components of Communication 14

2.3.2.1. People 14

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2.3.2.2. Message 14

2.3.2.3. Channel 15

2.3.2.4. Noise 15

2.3.2.5. Context 16

2.3.2.6. Feedback 16

2.3.2.7. Effect 16

2.3.3. Types of Communication 17

2.3.3.1. Intrapersonal Communication 17

2.3.3.2. Interpersonal Communication 17

2.3.3.3. Public Communication 18

2.3.3.4. Oral Communication 18

2.3.3.5. Written Communication 19

2.3.4. Types of Communicative Activities 19

2.3.4.1. Functional Communication Activities 20

2.3.4.2. Social Interaction Activities 20

2.3.5. Essential Processes in Learning to Communicate 20

2.3.6 Language-based Barriers to Communication 21

2.4. Definition and Views on Communicative Competence 22

2.4.1. Definition of the Communicative Competence 22

2.4.2. Components of the Communicative Competence 23

2.4.2.1. Grammatical Competence 23

2.4.2.2. Sociolinguistic Competence 24

2.4.2.3. Discourse Competence 24

2.4.2.4. Strategic Competence 24

2.5. Language Acquisition and Language Learning 24

2.5.1. Definition and Views on Language Acquisition 24

2.5.2. Definition and Views on Language Learning 25

2.5.3. Oral Language Skills 26

2.5.3.1. Speaking 26

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2.5.3.2. Listening 28

2.6. Instructional Technologies in Communicative Language Teaching 29

2.6.1. Audio Cassettes and Cassette Player 30

2.6.2. CDs and CD player 30

2.6.3. Video Cassettes and Video Player 31

2.6.4. Computer 32

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 33

3.1. Introduction 33

3.2. Design of the Study 33

3.3. Area of the Study 33

3.4. Population of the Study 34

3.5. Sample and Sampling Technique 35

3.6. Instrument of Data Collection 37

3.6.1. Questionnaire 37

3.6.2. Test 37

3.7. Validity of the Instruments 37

3.8. Method of Data Collection 38

3.9. Method of Data Analysis 38

3.10. Limitations of the Study 39

CHAPTER FOUR:DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS ANDINTERPRETATION 40

4.1. Introduction 40

4.2. Teachers and Students' Views on E.L. Learners' Use of English in Real-life Communication 40

4.2.1. Students' Interest in Using English Language in Real-lifeCommunication 40

4.2.2 Students' Feeling when Speaking English Out of Classroom Setting 41

4.2.3. Students' Choice between Accuracy and Fluency when They AreSpeaking in English. 42

4.3. Availability of Language Teaching Aids in Schools and the Use of theseLatter to Develop Oral Communicative Skills among E.L. Learners 43

4.3.1. Availability of Audio-visual Equipment in Schools 43

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4.3.2. Schools' Use of Audio-visual Equipment in E.L. Teaching andLearning 44

4.3.3. Importance of Using Audio-visual Equipment in E.L. Teaching andLearning 45

4.4. E.L. Teachers' Focus on Oral Skills when Teaching 46

4.4.1. Writing, Reading, Speaking and Listening Skills as They AreEmphasised on by E.L. Teachers 46

4.4.2. The Frequency at which a Lesson on Oral Skills Is Planned 48

4.4.3. Emphasis on either Speaking or Listening in E.L. Teaching andLearning 49

4.4.4. Factors Influencing Teachers in Deciding which Skills to Insist on whenTeaching English Language 50

4.5. The Ability of Students in Using E.L. in Friendly CommunicationSituations 51

4.5.1. Sex and Students' Ability to Use E.L. in Their Everyday-lifeCommunication 52

4.5.2. Students' Residence Area and Their Ability to Use E.L. in theirEveryday-life Communication 53

4.5.3. Students' Family Literacy and their Ability to Use E.L. in Their Everyday-life Communication 54

4.6. Summary of the Chapter 55

CHAPTER FIVE: GENERAL CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS ANDSUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES. 56

5.1. General Conclusion 56

5.2. Recommendations 57

5.2.1. To the Ministry of Education and the NCDC 57

5.2.3. To schools' Leaders 57

5.2.4. To E.L. Teachers in the Literary Option 58

5.3. Suggestion for Further Researches 58

REFERENCES 59

APPENDICES 61

ABSTRACT