Perspectives of EFL students’ difficulties in speaking: a descriptive study

Abstract

English is considered one of the major languages in the world, and the productive skill of speaking is the most challenging and demanding for EFL learners. This descriptive study addresses the significant difficulties students from eighth, ninth, and tenth graders from an Ecuadorian private Institution face when speaking English. The study collected qualitative and quantitative data through a survey of 76 participants aged 12 to 15. The results demonstrated that students are in trouble with self-expressing due to the deficiency of vocabulary, incorrect pronunciation, anxiety, the translation of everything, and limited exposure to the language. Most importantly, students described that fear emerged due to incorrect pronunciation. During English classes, students do mechanical activities about grammar, fill in the blanks, and practice specific vocabulary in the book. Withal, learners work in pairs to practice speaking by using dialogues created by them as suggestions given by the book. They feel comfortable working in groups because this strategy decreases their anxiety. Unfortunately, peers overuse the mother language during pair work, contribute a little, and the one who knows more does not allow equal participation. This study contributes to future research as a reference for learning speaking improvement. Keywords: STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES, SPEAKING ACTIVITIES, PAIR WORK, PRONUNCIATION,ANXIETY