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

Abstract

Abstract: The theme of this study aims to determine which linguistic and emotional difficulties affect the oral communication skills of high school learners in face-to-face educational settings. This investigation was carried out at a private high school in the province of Pichincha. The sample of this study comprised forty second-year senior high school students and four EFL teachers. A mixed-methods approach was used, which included both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The instruments used during the data collection stage were a students' questionnaire, a teachers questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, and an observation sheet. The findings revealed that both linguistic and emotional factors significantly influence students' oral communication skills. In addition, vocabulary and grammar usage were the most influential linguistic factors, and anxiousness was the emotional factor that most influenced students when speaking in English. Furthermore, when comparing the results of the linguistic and emotional factors, it was found that the linguistic factors had the greatest impact on the students oral communication skills.