Factors that influence high school students' English oral communication skills in Ecuadorian face-to-face learning environment

Abstract

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine what factors influence students attending a public educational institution in Santa Rosa, Oro province. The participants were 40 first-year high school students and an English teacher. A mixed methodology was used. A student questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, a teacher questionnaire, and an observation sheet were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. The results revealed that the lack of vocabulary, grammar, precision, poor pronunciation and interference of the mother tongue were the linguistic factors that affected the oral competence of the students. While the emotional factors that hindered the oral competence of the students were the lack of disposition, the demotivation, the anxiety before the graded lessons and the fear of being teased by the classmates. However, it was found that the mother tongue was the linguistic factor that triggered the appearance of mispronunciation, demotivation and interference.