An Investigation of EFL Teachers’ and Students' Perception and practices of Speaking Strategies: the case of Engibi Bedele Secondary School, Buno Bedele Zone, Oromia Region

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate EFL Teachers’ and Students Perception and practices of Speaking Strategies: the case of Engibi Bedele Secondary School, Buno Bedele Zone, Oromia RegionnA descriptive case study was employed to achieve this research goal. Two English language teachers and one hundred and ninety three students from grade ten were considered to be the subjects of the study. Questionnaire with a set of closed-ended items were used to secure relevant data from the students. In addition, a semi-structured interview was designed to elicit pertinent information from the two English language teachers. The three instruments used for data collection were classroom observation, questionnaire andsemi-structuredinterview. During classroom observation, semi-structured observation checklists were used to collect data while the teachers were teaching in the actual classroom. The researcher has already noticed from the outcomes of the findings displayed that each teacher has different emphasis and attention to speaking skills strategies. Secondly, students have insufficient awareness to the importance of speaking skills strategies and the practices of speaking skills. And also they didn’t have enough English language words as the research findings displayed, Also research project pointed out that students do not have sufficient knowledge about speaking skills strategies, and even teachers have hardly given attentions to these strategies. As the study showed that speaking skills teaching was not satisfactory and they did not learn the learning strategies properly and in focus. Finally, teachers also did not give feedback and didn’t evaluate his students properly through speaking skills. And this can be factors that affect students’ speaking skills strategy and use. To this end, teachers and students also ought to play prominent role in the teaching and learning speaking. That is, teachers should use different speaking strategies, clearly tell their students the purpose of the spoken task, give feedback and correct students’ mistake without interruption which give room for students’ active participation. On the other hand, students should try to use English in the classroom confidently, take responsibility to participate in groups/ pair works and etc.