Factors Affecting Public High School Student´s English Communication Skills.

Abstract

Abstract:The study Factors Affecting Public High School Student´s English Communication Skills has the purpose to identify the factors that affect public high school students' proficiency in English oral communication.The sample involved 30 EFL students of a public high school and their teacher, from Cuenca Ecuador. A mixed method was used using qualitative and quantitative focuses. The data was collected through observations, a survey and an interview. The analysis of the findings was based four-point Likert Scale tables for giving answers to the research questions, which were related to the variables of the study: pedagogical factors and students related factors that influence the use and development of speaking skills in EFL classrooms. The teacher`s answers in the interview support the statistical findings of the survey and observation. The results of the study reflect that there is a low level of students` achievement in speaking English. There are several pedagogical factors such as traditional methods of teaching and learning, lack of technology use, lack of modern methods and strategies for teach speaking, students` anxiety, their lack of vocabulary and pronunciation among others.