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

Abstract

Abstract: The study Factors that Influence High School Students' English Oral Communication Skills in Ecuadorian face-to-face Learning Environments sought to ascertain the linguistic and emotional dimensions that influence the oral communicative proficiency of high school students in-person educational contexts. This investigation was carried out at a public high school in the province of Pichincha, employing a mixed-method research design that encompassed quantitative and qualitative analyses. The investigation took into consideration fifty-two students from the second senior high school year. The data collection phase involved administering a students' questionnaire, a teachers' questionnaire, a semi-structured interviews, and conducting observation. The results demonstrated a substantial impact of linguistic and emotional factors on students' oral communication abilities. Notably, the lack of vocabulary and the use of complex grammatical structures emerged as the predominant linguistic factor, while lack of fear and anxiety came as the prominent emotional factors affecting students' English speaking. Furthermore, a comparison between the linguistic and emotional factors revealed that the latter exerted a greater influence on students' oral communication skills.