Abstract:
This research was conducted to identify factors that affect students’ motivation to engage in
speaking lesson in EFL class. The study attempted to find out student related factors that
hinder students’ motivation to engage in speaking lesson and the strategies teachers use to
overcome the problems. The study was conducted in Galma Preparatory School, Gamo Gofa
Zone SNNPRS. The study used mixed research design. For the purpose of study, sixty three
(63) grade twelve students and three (3) English language teachers have participated. The
sampling technique used for students was simple random sampling and for the teachers was
available sampling technique. In order to collect the data questionnaire, interview and
classroom observation were used. The data collected through questionnaire were analyzed
quantitatively in terms of frequency and percentages. The data obtained from the interview
and classroom observation categorized thematically and described verbally. The study
suggested that students were less motivated to engage in speaking lesson due to the following
students related factors: students’ wrong attitude or views towards speaking lesson, lack of
confidence, shyness, anxiety, and fear of making mistakes; and the teacher related factor:
teachers’ provision of feedback in the speaking lesson and teachers teaching methods of
speaking lesson were found as major factors that affect students’ motivation to engage in
speaking in EFL class. Furthermore, it adds the ways how teachers can initiate and sustain
students’ motivation in speaking lesson class. Finally, based on the findings of the study, it
was recommended that students should take responsibility for their learning and capacity
building should be given for their wrong perception towards speaking in the school,
awareness should be created gradually for the students’ lack of confidence and teachers
should use variety of methods by relating with current approach of teaching speaking lesson
as well as use appropriate provision of feedbacks in the speaking lesson with having their own
responsibilities to initiate and sustain students’ motivation towards speaking lesson in EFL
class.
