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

Abstract

Abstract: English is the most spoken language in the world considering it is the language of global communication in various sectors, for this reason, Ecuador cannot exclude the teaching and learning of English because learning this language opens up better job and academic opportunities. The purpose of the study focuses on the research of linguistic and emotional factors that influence oral communication skills in face-to-face learning environments at high schools in Ecuador. A mixed method with a sample of 40 EFL high school students enrolled in the second year of senior high school was used. Grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency, and mother tongue interference were the linguistic factors that mostly affected students oral communication. Meanwhile, speechlessness and a lack of confidence in speaking English significantly impacted students' oral communication, driven by emotional factors. The study found that both types of factors hindered the students development of speaking skills, being the lack of grammar knowledge the linguistic factor that made the students feel fear and stayed muted resulting in poor communication.