ASSESSING THE PRACTICE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING SPEAKING SKILL IN ENGLISH CLASSROOM AT MASHO SECONDARY SCHOOL: GRADE 9 IN FOCUS

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess the practice of teaching /learning speaking skills in EFL classes: the case of grade 9 at Masho Secondary School. More specifically, the main focus of this study was to assess the activities and strategies EFL teachers employed in practice of speaking skill in EFL classroom, the students interpret their condition of learning or practice of speaking skill in EFL classroom and to assess the factors affecting students engagement in EFL speaking classroom. The participants were represented by 5 EFL teachers and 40Masho secondary schools Students. In order to collect adequate data, 3 instruments were employed such as classroom observation, questionnaire and interview and the results were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The qualitative data generated through teachers’ interview were analyzed and interpreted in narrative forms and the quantitative data from students' questionnaire and observation were analyzed using descriptive statistics in percentage. The result indicate that teachers did not use different strategies and techniques to teach speaking skill in EFL classroom, students were not perform their role, lack of learners engagement in EFL speaking classroom, low level of learners language proficiency, limited time, students inhibition, teachers dominant in EFL class room and other classroom related factors were affects the practice of speaking skill in EFL classroom. Therefore, it was recommended that teachers, students, text book designers, educators and policy makers need to further work on improving teacher training, and institutional constraints which could ensure success in the practice of speaking skill in teaching and learning speaking skill.