ASSESSING FACTORS AFFECT LEARNERS’ MOTIVATION TOWARDS LEARNING SPEAKING SKILLS IN ENGLISH CLASSROOM: THE CASE OF GENERAL TADESE BIRU NO 1 SECONDARY SHOOL IN HIDABU ABOTE WOREDA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that affect learners’ motivation towards the Speaking skills at General Tadese Biru secondary school. To achieve the objectives of this research descriptive research design was used. This helped the researcher to employ both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The participants of the study were75 students who were selected by employing sample random sampling system. Data required for the study were collected through questionnaire, interview and textbook analysis. Among these, questionnaire and interview were principal tools, and were supplemented by textbook analysis. The students were questioned and interviewed. In order to provide supportive data, grade ten English text book speaking lesson was analyzed. The data from the above sources were synthesized and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively, using interpretations and percentile, which in turn were supported by the responses of the selected participants. The results of the study revealed that students might lack motivation mainly due to the following possible reasons: wrong perception towards the importance of speaking skill, poor knowledge of the English language, lack of goal orientation, lack of interest, lack of confidence, fear of making mistake, attitude towards the self-belief, wrong attitude towards the speaking activities and difference between learning materials and need of the learners. Furthermore, the finding of the study suggested that many behaviors and strategies which motivate the learners. The major conclusions are students’ lack of goal orientation, wrong perceptions towards the importance of speaking skills, and attitudes toward the speaking skills. Based on the above mentioned findings and conclusions, appropriate recommendations have been forwarded on the major findings.