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

Abstract

Abstract: The present research is aimed at finding the factors that influence the oral communication skills of high school students in Ecuadorian face-to-face learning environments. This investigation took a sample of two EFL teachers and forty students of first and second year of high school from a public institution in Riobamba, Ecuador. For analyzing the data, the mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods was applied. By applying a mixed method approach, the researcher identified the conditions the participants live daily based on the research questions. The instruments included two questionnaires and a semi-structured interview about difficulties that students might face when speaking English. In addition, this study included a direct observation technique to identify the difficulties that could arise when students speak in English. The results indicated that emotional factors such as lack of confidence, fear and anxiety are the main core for speaking difficulties. On the other hand, linguistic factors; for instance, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation also played an important factor in creating students hesitation when speaking English.