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9 (2) 2019

Four aspects of English speaking difficulties encountered by tertiary English-majored students


Author - Affiliation:
Tran Quoc Thao - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH) , Vietnam
Dang Thi Nhu Nguyet - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH) , Vietnam
Corresponding author: Tran Quoc Thao - tq.thao@hutech.edu.vn

Abstract
Being able to speak English well is one of the outcomes for English training programs in different teaching and learning contexts. Nevertheless, there are many factors affecting the achievement of a high level of English speaking skills. One of these factors is derived from English speaking difficulties that ESL/EFL learners have to endure. This study, therefore, attempts to investigate the four aspects of speaking difficulties, namely affective, social, instructional and linguistic difficulties encountered by English-majored students at one university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. One hundred and fifty participants were involved in answering the questionnaire. The results showed that English-majored students’ speaking abilities were often affected by speaking difficulties. The aspect they experienced most was affective difficulties while the least was instructional difficulties. The findings also revealed that the number of years spent learning English also affected English-majored students’ speaking skills.

Keywords
affective difficulties; English-majored students; instructional difficulties; linguistic difficulties; social difficulties

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46223/HCMCOUJS.soci.en.9.2.261.2019
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