Assessing English Oral Reading Fluency of Kurdish EFL Students at University of Duhok

Abstract

This study aims to identify the overall oral reading fluency level of the Kurdish EFL first-and second-year students at the English Language Department, College of Basic Education, the University of Duhok, over two years of their first and second years of study, 2020 -2021. Besides, it aims to find out the significant difference between the Kurdish EFL first-and second-year students in the level of oral reading fluency according to MDFS dimensions. This paper also aims to determine the significant difference in the level of oral reading fluency between the first -and second-year students according to the gender variable. Seventy-four Kurdish EFL students participated in the study. Cover-to-Cover 1& 2 textbooks were used to train students based on a modeling technique. Then, the level of students' oral reading fluency was measured based on the four dimensions of the MDFS model; Expression and volume, phrasing, smoothness, and pacing. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 24). Results have revealed that students achieved a low overall oral reading fluency level; however, the level of second-year students has improved in pacing, smoothness, phrasing, expression and volume dimensions, respectively. It is recommended that teachers should expose their students to as many extensive and intensive reading passages as possible.