The Impact of Using Small Group Discussion Technique on Enhancing Students’ Performance in Speaking Skill: A Case Study of Benghazi University

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of using small group discussion technique on enhancing students’ speaking skill in English language department at Faculty of Arts and Science Kufrah –Benghazi University. The review of relevant literature revealed that previous researchers presented the advantages of small group discussion technique in teaching English around the world. So, the researcher believed that the use of small group discussion technique might promote students’ performance in speaking skill. The review of literature undeniably revealed that large group discussion technique mostly used by EFL lecturers to teach speaking skill were not solid enough. The advantage of the small group discussion technique over the large group discussion technique was investigated by testing the hypotheses and research questions set after conducting the literature review. The quasi-experimental research design as used in this study. English language department at Faculty of Arts and Science Kufrah was chosen for experimental study with 30 students. A teacher- made task was used as an instrument of the study. The results proved that, the mean performance of the students exposed to small group discussion technique is higher than that of those exposed to the large group discussion. Based on the results, recommendations were made on the need to adopt small group discussion to ameliorate students’ performance in speaking skill in Libyan universities.