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

Abstract

Abstract: In Ecuador, an inadequate level of English has been identified among EFL high school students, especially and most palpably in their oral communication abilities. Therefore, the present study conducted in a public high school situated in Piñas, El Oro, Ecuador, aims to explore the factors influencing EFL high school students oral communication skills in Ecuadorian face-to-face learning environments. The participants were 40 EFL learners in their first year of high school from two classrooms, half of them were females and the other half were males, with ages ranging from 14 to 16 years old as well as their English teacher. This research adopted a mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative). The research instruments used were questionnaires for the students and teacher, semi-structured interviews, and observation sheets. The findings revealed that both types of factors influence students speaking skills; however, linguistic factors (mother tongue interference and lack of fluency and accuracy) are the ones that most influence these skills.