The teaching of EFL speaking in developed secondary public schools for females in Saudi Arabia: a case study

Abstract

This study investigates the teaching methods for EFL speaking in developed secondary schools for females in Saudi Arabia. The research methodology employed in this study was a qualitative case study, in which the main data collection techniques are classroom observations and interviewing. The study aims to understand and evaluate the teaching methods of EFL speaking by determining the extent in which the teaching methods of EFL speaking address the different aspects of speaking, based on the theoretical conceptualisation presented in the thesis, namely accuracy versus fluency, speaking functions, speaking as a skill versus knowledge of the language, communication routines, negotiation skills, speaking strategies, and conversation features. The study also examines the use of mother tongue in the classroom by the teachers as well as the students and its purpose.
The findings of classroom observation reveal that the teachers mostly implement a traditional method of teaching, where instruction is led by the teachers and the roles are rigidly defined. However, the communicative approach is employed to some extent by the teachers, where group work is sometimes used. The classroom interaction is led and dominated by the teachers, where students’ contribution to classroom talk is limited. In addition, the various aspects of EFL speaking were not taught explicitly to the students. Hence, there is not any guarantee that all students will acquire the desired skills of EFL speaking. It is found also that the English language is largely employed by the teachers in the classrooms, where their use of the mother tongue is limited. However, the students use Arabic most of the time. In addition, the study provides an understanding of the teachers’ and students’ opinions about EFL learning, their EFL speaking knowledge, the nature of EFL speaking and its value, and the current EFL speaking teaching methods. The interview data reveals that the teachers and students generally have a positive attitude towards English language learning and show a desire to develop their English language speaking. However, the teachers and students have an undeveloped understanding about the nature of EFL speaking and its related aspects. The teachers believe that the current teaching methods are a good way to teach EFL speaking. However, they believe the speaking skill does not receive enough emphasis in the textbook. The students, on the other hand, are not satisfied with the teaching strategies they experience, and most of them declare that these strategies need to be modified, as they believe that they don’t have enough opportunities to practice the language in the classroom. The thesis provided detailed description of how EFL speaking is taught inside the developed secondary schools for females in Saudi Arabia and proposed recommendations to improve it.

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ORCID for Rosamond Mitchell: orcid.org/0000-0003-0325-528X

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