Mindful Attention Awareness and its Relationship to EFL Iraqi University Students' Oral Communication
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/bsj.Vol22.Iss43.1616Keywords:
Keywords: mindful attention awareness; oral communication; EFL speaking; mindfulness; Iraqi university students.Abstract
Speaking is not an easy task of English as a foreign language (EFL) students in Iraq, especially when language is used in higher education that requires students to learn speaking as one of the skills required to speak the language fluently. The students will have to speak the language; therefore, mindful attention is required. Recent research has highlighted the significance of mindful attention awareness in EFL oral communication, particularly in Iraq, since it has not been extensively explored. This study investigated the relationship between mindful attention awareness and oral communication performance among Iraqi university EFL students. The study employed a quantitative, descriptive, correlational design to explore the relationship between mindful attention awareness and oral communication performance. It involved 50 second-stage EFL students at the College of Education for Women and the College of Education Ibn Rushd, University of Baghdad. Data were collected using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Carlson and Brown (2005), and an analytic oral presentation rubric adapted from Abdelmadjid (2016). For assessing students’ oral communication performance. Descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression analyses were used to obtain the results. The results showed that students achieved moderate levels of mindful attention awareness and oral communication performance. The results further showed a positive relationship between the two variables, and mindful attention awareness predicts oral communication. Although no causal conclusions can be drawn, the results indicate a relationship between attentional awareness and EFL speaking performance in Iraqi academic contexts. Accordingly, several recommendations and suggestions are put forward.
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