EFL Learner’s Silence at University Level: Where to?

Abstract

The above quotation echoes the wisdom of silence. But, this wisdom is not workable thoroughly as it has been a terrifying phenomenon in higher education atmosphere. A silent class definitely threatens the process of learning in Iraqi higher education as ''[silence]is often troubling when students speak, but disturbing when they do not'' (Boler, 2004quoted in Armstrong,2007b:p.1). The present study aims to identify, describe, and analyze the reasons behind silence of the majority part of the silent students at university level. It is hypothesized that certain psychological and pedagogical factors could be the main source of Iraqi learners’ silence. The empirical data is based on a questionnaire administered to two groups of 4^th grade students at the Dept. of English, College of Arts, University of Mosul during the academic year (2008-2009). In total, 43 students (20 females) and (23 males) participated in this study, with gender as the main dependent variable for the purpose of statistical analysis. The study concludes that some psychological and pedagogical factors come to the forefront of the reasons behind Iraqi undergraduate students’ silence. The paper also ends with some suggestions that might help students not to be “like our wise old bird” completely while learning English in the classroom.

Keyword: silence, Iraqi EFL learners, Higher education, psychology and pedagogy.