Communication Strategies in Libyan EFL Classrooms: Materials, Perceptions and Practices

Libyan EFL classrooms represent the main exposure to English (L2) for secondary school students in Libya. Classroom interaction using the L2 is essential for Communicative Language Teaching, which has been adopted by the Libyan authorities for developing the communicative competence (CC) of learners, albeit with limited success. Communication strategies (CSs), required for strategic competence, a component of CC, can potentially enhance L2 communication, interaction and learning in the Libyan secondary school classroom. The use and teaching of CSs, adopted in many educational contexts have not been investigated in the Libyan classroom. Hence, this research examined the role of CSs in the Libyan EFL classroom in developing CC. This research investigated the content of the teaching materials (instances of CSs and types of tasks available), the teachers and students' perceptions about CSs (use, awareness, and teaching), the implementation of tasks and activities in their classrooms, and the Libyan teachers' understanding of CSs. A pragmatic paradigm guided MMR approach. It produced three data sets: a quantitative content analysis of the classroom materials (English for Libya), a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the 55 teachers and 52 student questionnaires, and a qualitative content analysis of the ten teacher interviews. The findings suggested that there exist difficulties in the Libyan classroom with regard to developing a declarative knowledge of CSs and encouraging the use of CSs in natural situations due to mismatches between the curriculum’s aims and the teachers' perceptions and practices. The different course book materials lack explicit content for teaching and learning CSs, focus on linguistic knowledge and lack interesting communicative tasks and listening content. Also, there are difficulties related to implementing interactive communicative tasks due to contextual factors, the students' levels and abilities, and the over reliance on the L1. Libyan students and teachers seem to lack interest in the materials due to their inauthenticity and focus on form. The knowledge of CSs is limited or unavailable from the teachers' education. The use and teaching of CSs appear to be limited and unconscious. This research offers a pedagogical CSs framework that could help to link CSs theory to CST in practice, which may have implications for materials designers, and may help to identify recommendations to the Libyan educational authorities.