Assessing Iraqi EFL learners’ Interactional Competence

The current research aims at investigating Iraqi EFL learners Interactional Competence. The sample of the study consists of 51 fourth-year university students from the Department of English. The study adopts Galaczi and Taylors (2020) model of interactional competence. Some modifications have been made to suit its settings and requirements. Thus, the interactional categories accounted for are; turn management, topic management, breakdown repair, interactive listening, and intersubjectivity. Also, conversation analysis approach is implemented as the essence procedure for collecting and transcribing the data. The study hypothesises that the current level of Iraqi EFL learners interactional competence is unacceptable. The study employs both focus group discussion test and a self-reported questionnaire to elicit data for statistical treatment. The findings of the study at hand show that learners current level of interactional competence is unacceptable as far as focus group discussion is concerned whereas it is acceptable as far as the self-reported questionnaire is concerned.