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

Abstract

Abstract: One of the most important goals of studying English as a foreign language is to be able to communicate fluently in spoken English. Nonetheless, improving speaking is a quite complex task for EFL learners. Therefore, the present study, conducted in a public high school in Zamora, Ecuador, aimed to explore the linguistic and emotional factors that influence high school students' EFL oral communication skills in face-to-face environments. The sample consisted of 41 participants, 40 of whom were EFL students in their second year of high school and their EFL teacher. The research approach employed throughout this study was a mixed method, and the data collection techniques were survey, semi-structured interview, and class observations. The results revealed that both linguistic and emotional factors influence EFL learners oral communication skills. However, linguistic factors were found to affect these skills to a greater degree, particularly the pronunciation aspect. Additionally, the emotional factors of anxiety, nervousness, and worry also influence the speaking skills of a considerable part of learners.