Abstract:
This paper examines the causes of first year students’ limited participation in the EFL classrooms with reference to
Ethiopian public universities. The researchers conducted a survey study by developing a questionnaire comprising of 66
items and administered classroom observations in EFL settings. All students in Ethiopian public universities were the
population of the study, and data were collected from 300 students of different departments in Ambo, Arba Minch,
Haramaya, Jimma, Wollo Universities as sample. The data were analyzed and interpreted in terms of percentage. It was
concluded that different factors like learners related, teachers teaching methods, physical environmental and others
limited students’ participation in the classroom. The researchers also recommended suggestions for the removal or
minimization of those factors
