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

Abstract

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the linguistic and emotional factors that most influence high school students' English oral communication skills in face-to-face learning environments. The research was conducted in a public/religious rural educational institution in Zamora Chinchipe province. The research sample involved 40 EFL learners from the first and second years of high school, 21 were male and 19 were female, with ages ranging from 15 to 17 years old, and one EFL teacher. Throughout this research, a mixed method was used which denotes that the data was quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. To collect the evidence, the techniques of survey, interview, and observation were applied utilizing the instruments: student s questionnaire, teacher s questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and observation sheet. According to the study s results, linguistic factors influence English oral communication abilities slightly more than emotional factors. The linguistic factors that stood out were mother tongue interference, vocabulary, and fluency. In addition, some of the emotional factors that also influence the oral skills of a large part of students are worrying about correct grammar use, nervousness, lack of confidence, and anxiety.