Reasons behind students'  lack of involvement in speaking activities

Context: The study takes place in Tbilisi Green School in Georgia, where an English teacher with tenth-grade students explored the reasons behind their lack of participation in speaking activities. The teacher observed a disparity between students' good performance in other English tasks and their reluctance to engage verbally, leading to feelings of disappointment and a desire for improvement. Aims: The primary aim of this exploratory research was to investigate factors contributing to students' non-participation in speaking activities despite their competence in reading, writing, and grammar. The research focused on understanding the opportunities provided for speaking, preferred types of activities, teacher responses to disengagement, and students' feelings when required to speak in English. Methods: To gather data, a mixed-methods approach was employed, utilising both quantitative and qualitative techniques. These included a student questionnaire, peer observation of classroom dynamics, and reflective journaling. The questionnaire contained both closed and open-ended questions targeting experiences of speaking activities, preferences, and emotional responses. Observations concentrated on student engagement and teacher strategies, while the journal provided insights into the teacher's self-reflection on the lessons. Findings: The findings indicated that while students appreciated various speaking opportunities, their lack of feedback, interest in topics, and uneven participation hindered engagement. Ten out of fourteen students felt insufficient feedback from the teacher contributed to their hesitance. Emotional responses varied, with many students expressing confidence or nervousness related to speaking tasks, heavily influenced by the familiarity of the environment and the relevance of topics. Implications: This study highlights the need for teachers to enhance feedback mechanisms and engage students actively through targeted strategies, such as nominating quieter students to participate. The research contributes to understanding how emotional factors and classroom dynamics affect student participation, allowing educators to tailor speaking activities that foster greater involvement and confidence in students. Implementing these insights may encourage more effective communication skills among learners in language-based tasks.

Keywords (free text)

English language learning, speaking activities, student engagement, feedback, emotional responses, exploratory action research, exploratory action research

Permanent link to cite this item

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14069/907

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Teachers Researching their Practice: Explorations in the Georgian Classroom