Factors affecting EFL student´s oralcommunication skills

Abstract

Abstract:The present study aims to investigate the factors that affect the development of EFL students oral communication skills. The sample was composed of fortyhigh school students and five EFL teachersof first year of baccalaureate. It was carried out in one of the public high schools in the city of Archidona, Napo province, Ecuador. A mixed approach was applied by combining quantitative and qualitative research methods. There were employed four instrumentslike a teachers interview, a teachers survey, a students survey, and five classroomobservations. The results were exposedin two Likert scale tables, which were subsequently analyzed and interpreted according to the information retrieved fromthe teachers interview and classroomobservations.Results revealed thatpedagogicalfactors positively affect students oral communication skills were motivation, monitoring, and language practice.On the other hand, linguistic, academic, and anxiety disorder were factors thatnegatively affect their development of oral communication skills negatively.