An Investigation of English as Foreign Language Students' Attitudes Toward Improving Their Speaking Abilities at KRI Universities

The study examines English as Foreign Language (EFL) students’ attitude towards developing their speaking abilities at KRI University in order to better understand the disparities in speaking competency among undergraduates. The study utilized a quantitative approach and employed a 4-item interview survey to gather data for the study. The survey interview questionnaire was adopted from Wang, Kim, Bong, and Ahan (2013) and administered to 100 students in the departments of English of six universities in Iraq's Kurdistan Region. A semi-structured interview was developed for EFL students. The questionnaire was online and an open-ended one. The data from the participants was analyzed using thematic analysis with (SPSS) software. The finding revealed a perceived failure in EFL students' English-speaking skills and this was reported along with causes of the perceived difficulty. The finding also revealed a poor level of speaking ability among EFL undergraduates as well as little education in the skill at the university level. Apart from these, the study discovered some major challenges for EFL students such as lack of confidence, lack of planning, a demotivating atmosphere, incorrect word choice, poor gestures, and incorrect style which made the students not to be successful in their speaking abilities. The study suggested that EFL learners' competency should be securitized to strengthen their speaking abilities in the light of the results of the study. Speaking is a crucial ability in language acquisition and EFL teachers should help their students acquire it. As a means of improving students' communicative ability, task-based instruction should be utilized in educational institutions and universities. The implication of this paper is that speaking difficulties among EFL students in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region institution can be solved by putting greater focus on this ability. There are several issues to consider, including teachers, instructional methodologies, the curriculum, extracurricular activities, and assessment rules.

Studies on Tumorous Growth With Reference to Digenetic Trematode in Some Edible Fishes of Karachi Coast

Fishes have socio- economics position in all over the world particularly marine fish give a bulk of food for mankind even as fishes of the lakes and rivers are also important source for the food supply. Fish provide a high protein, low-fat diet, which is low in saturated fats. Now a day, due to different disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, hypertension, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, ocular diseases etc., and doctors recommend white meat as compared to red meat. Fish is also recommended for people suffering from malnutrition. Fish production is an important source of income and employment and plays a major role in Pakistan’s economy. Its organ such as liver is an important source of oil and has medicinal value and is used for the treatment of different diseases. Fish also provide fish fertilizer, fishmanure and several other products of commerce. Some fish take pollutants from the environment and water in which they live in and the food they eat .Some of these contaminants provoked in the form of tumourous growth. The word tumour has often been used in a general way to signify any hump or swelling. But commonly the word tumour define as a new growth of cells which deviated from normal surroundings cells in shape, size, structure and organization. The present study deals with neoplastic growth and as well as trematode infection. The intensity of infection was noted for the whole period of investigation from January 2009 to December 2012. During the study 2,373 species of fish were examined, out of which 1,178 were found to be infected by helminths. Mostly the trematodes and neoplastic growth were observed in fish Johnius dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1833) called as “Mushka” of Karachi coast. In case of trematodes the maximum prevalence was recorded during the hot (summer) season of the period while the minimum prevalence was observed in cold season. There were such a great variations observed during the period of study especially in case of neoplastic growth which varies in all the months. Statistical analysis was carried out by Descriptive Statistics, Descriptive Measures and Analysis of variance and Duncnan’s Multiple Range Test which revealed that there were significant difference in the monthly results of mean intensity of trematodes and as well as neoplastic growth. Gross pathological study shows that tumour was separated from the surrounding organs and showed no sign of proliferation. No haemorrhages were observed on the tumour or around the organs. Histopathologically the tumour shows hyperplasia, malpighian cells, atrophied cells, high prismatic basal cells, and fibrosis with eosinophilia and inflammatory cells infiltration. It is concluded that presence of trematode infection not only is responsible for various types of histopathological changes on the fish individually but it may also responsible to provoke bio-chemical changes to promote tumourous growth in most of the fishes under study. But some of the fishes under study shows only tumourous growth without any trematode infections which may be due to some pollutants which contaminate the water or the surrounding environment which are responsible for such type of growth in fishes.