A Program based on Integrating Speech Act Theory and Communicative Approach to Develop EFL Oral Competency in Iraqi Secondary School

Abstract

This study aimed to enhance EFL oral proficiency of EFL in-service teachers in Iraqi secondary schools through the implementation of an integrated program based on speech act theory and communicative approach. Utilizing a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with experimental and control groups, the research involved sixty EFL in-service teachers, evenly divided into two groups, from secondary schools in Misan province during the second semester of the academic year 2024–2025. The experimental group participated in the integrated program which was designed to develop their EFL oral competency whereas the control group received conventional instruction. Data were gathered using an EFL oral competency checklist that validated by a panel of experts. An oral competency test was administered before and after the program. The results revealed that the experimental group made significantly greater improvements in EFL oral competency skills compared to the control group. Statistical analyses supported the program’s effectiveness, resulting in the acceptance of the study’s hypotheses and confirming the positive effects of the integrated program on the participants’ teaching and communication abilities.