Abstract:
This aims at assessing the practice of teaching speaking skills: the case of three secondary schools in shashemene woreda west arsi zone, oromiya regional state. To achieve the purpose of the study, both a qualitative and quantitative research approach were employed. For this study four English language teachers who were teaching English in Hursa, chabi and Shashamane secondary schools were taken as participant of the study. Teachers were selected by using available sampling technique, textbook analysis, classroom observation and questionnaire were used as instruments of data gathering. The data those were obtained through these instruments were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Finally, the data were organized thematically. The findings of the study depicted that the activities of teaching speaking skills have a signification value for the development of the students speaking skills. However, the data obtained through classroom observation indicated that, teachers were not seen using and applying the activities effectively while they were teaching in the classroom. The finding of the study also showed that the majority of the speaking lessons were not done using group and pair work types of classroom organization. Therefore, it is recommended that the teachers should adapt the speaking activities in a way that encourage the principles of oral interaction learning
