Department of Foreign Languages and Literature
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.mu.edu.et/handle/123456789/135
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Item AN EXPLORATION OF THE MAJOR FACTORS HINDERING LEARNERS’ SPEAKNG ABILITY: THE CASE OF GRADE TEN STUDENTS OF ALENE SECONDARY SCHOOL, MEKELLE(Mekelle University, 2025-06-25) MEBRAHTOM HAGOSThis study strived to assess factors that affect EFL students’ speaking performance with particular reference to grade 10 students of Alene secondary School. A descriptive design with mixed methodology was employed to conduct the study. Data were collected from 222 grade 10 students who were selected using systematic random sampling method through questionnaire and from 6 EFL teachers who were selected using availability sampling method through interview. Classroom observation was also used to collect additional data regarding the factors hindering EFL students’ speaking ability. Data collected via close-ended questionnaire were analyzed using frequency, percentage and mean score using the SPSS version 21. On the other hand, the interview data and data from the open-ended questionnaire were analyzed qualitatively. This research included a discussion session under headings to answer three research questions. The findings revealed that the EFL students were not good at their speaking performance and the main factors that affected their speaking performance were personality factors, socio linguistic factors, and teacher related factors such as lack of accuracy on the side of the teacher and methodological problems including feedback provision problems and ignoring the speaking skill as a whole. The factors also included poor language knowledge, limited vocabulary, poor pronunciation skill, incompatible teachers’ assessment method with students’ preferences, lack of confidence, anxiety and fear of making mistake. Based on these findings some recommendations for EFL teachers and students were forwarded to improve speaking performance of EFL students in speaking classes.