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

Abstract

Abstract: This research aimed at identifying linguistic and emotional factors that influence the English oral communication skills of high school students in face-to-face learning environments in Ecuador. The methodology used was a mixed method approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The sample consisted of 40 students in the first year of the Unified General High School a public institution in the city of Tulcán, Ecuador. The instruments used were a questionnaire addressed to teachers and students, through which the linguistic and emotional factors that influence oral communication skills were examined and analyzed, while for the semi-structured interview addressed to the students, 5 students were chosen to answer a series of questions that allowed to know the factors that affected students oral communications skills. Finally, 3 listening and speaking classes were observed to know if the students presented linguistic and emotional difficulties. The results reveal that emotional factors were the most influential, the fear of making errors the most common in each class, which reduced students oral participation.