Investigating the Use of Formulaic Language to Enhance English Language Learners’ Fluency in Oral Proficiency

Abstract

Fluency is a key component for mastering a foreign language; accordingly, multiple empirical studies adopted it as a center of attention element in which various teaching techniques were suggested for developing and achieving it. The teaching of formulaic language was among these techniques that could function positively and develop the learners’ fluency level. The current study is investigating the oral expression teachers’ as well as the EFL learners’ perceptions towards the use of formulaic language as way of enhancing the learners’ fluency. For the aim of exploring the causal relationship between formulaic language and oral fluency two online questionnaires were designed for ten oral expression teachers and two hundred third-year students at the English department of Mohammed Seddik Ben Yahia University, Jijel. Both questionnaires responses showed that the oral expression teachers believe that formulaic language is necessary for promoting the EFL learners’ fluency, at the same time, these learners are aware enough to employ this language in their speaking. From the findings, it is highly suggested for oral expression teachers to expose their learners to formulaic language models in a sufficient manner