IMPROVING SPEAKING FLUENCY AMONG B2-LEVEL LEARNERS THROUGH COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING:A FOCUS ON TIMED SPEAKING ACTIVITIES

Fluency is one of the most visible signs of speaking ability, yet many learners who have reached the B2 level still stop, restart, and search for words when they have to speak without preparation. Their grammar and vocabulary may be sufficient for the task, but the speed at which they can use this knowledge is not. This article proposes a communicative approach to developing speaking fluency among B2-level English learners through timed speaking activities. It presents an 80-minute lesson consisting of three stages: pre-communicative listening and noticing, communicative countdown rounds, and post-communicative reflection and feedback. In the main stage, learners repeat the same talk to different partners within shrinking time limits, so that the time pressure encourages them to speak more smoothly while the communicative purpose keeps the interaction meaningful. The article draws on research on fluency development and repetition-based speaking tasks to provide a theoretical basis for the proposed lesson.