| Summary: | Communication strategies (CSs) have been the focus of an increasing number of L2/FL studies. Some pedagogically-oriented studies indicate that teaching would be more effective if it were based on what learners actually did while learning a given language, including their use of CSs. However, the possibility of teaching CSs is a controversial issue. There are many people who think that CSs should not or cannot be taught, a belief which this thesis aims to disprove. The researcher’s strong epistemological belief in the value of teaching CSs has motivated the choice of topic for this thesis. This paper, then, explores the effect of teaching oral Communication Strategies on English language learners. It starts with an introduction to the institution where the study was carried out, giving a brief history of the English department at Misurata University and of the teaching and learning problems encountered there. Then, the rationale, purpose, and significance of the study are explained. A literature review follows, to shed light on different perspectives of CSs, the teaching of CSs, empirical research on CSs, and some factors which affect the use of CSs. Finally, research design, research tools, and the interventions used are explained in the methodology section. The findings of this study reveal that explicit teaching of CSs enhanced English language learners’ effective ability to communicate and raised their awareness of strategy use. The results also showed that language learners had a positive attitude towards the teaching of CSs and found these strategies useful for improving their conversation. There was also evidence that teaching CSs had a long lasting impact on the communication skills of Libyan English language students.
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