ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

(Department of English Language & Applied Linguistics)

Course: The Language Skills-I (5659) Semester: Autumn, 2021

Level: Dip-TEFL

Shahid Mehmood (T592321)

ASSIGNMENT No. 2
This assignment is a research project. You will be required to select a topic from the ones
given below, conduct research and prepare a brief report on your findings in the given
area. You will submit your research report to the tutor within the scheduled period and
present the report in the 2nd Assignment Presentation Workshop which will be held soon
after the classes. (Schedule / plan of the presentation workshop will be communicated by
the tutor concerned or the Regional Director concerned)

Prepare your project on any one of the following topics. Your tutor will allot
different questions to different students equally dividing them according to the
number of the students. For example, in a class of 16 students, the same topic will
not be assigned to more than four students.

1. Speaking is an active skill of English and it is considered to be one of the neglected

skills in our country. Multiple techniques are used by few English teachers to
improve students’ speaking skills at higher secondary level. Write a report on such
activities by using field notes and teacher’s questionnaire. Analyse the data using
descriptive analysis. Write down the summary and implication of the study in the
end of the report.

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Table of Contents

Abstract....................................................................................................................2
Introduction..............................................................................................................3
1.4. Research Objectives and Aims.....................................................................5
1.5. Research Questions.......................................................................................5
Literature Review....................................................................................................6
Research Methodology............................................................................................8
Results/Findings......................................................................................................9
Discussion..............................................................................................................11
Conclusion.............................................................................................................12
References..............................................................................................................13

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 Abstract.
English Speaking skill is considered active and productive skill. There

may not be exaggeration in saying that English speaking skill is the

guarantee to success in Pakistan as the most important and key posts are

with the people who speak English very well. This research studies

investigates the various techniques used by ESL/EFL teachers at higher

secondary level to improve students English speaking skills. This is a

quantitative study. It uses a questionnaire developed by the researcher from

the previous literature.

Key words: Speaking skill, ESL/EFL, Productive, Pakistan, Higher Secondary

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 Introduction
Today, the world has changed into a global village and people

communicate with each other in a common language, i.e. English. It enjoys

the status of international language. It is used in all fields of life such as

science, business, education, internet, tourism, media and so on. The

language of the articles is English where majority of the researchers and

scholars use this language. It is the international language used for trade and

commerce. Even in the IT field also, most of the programmes are written in

English and even they communicate with their colleagues or other software

professionals those who work around the world in English. Furthermore,

most of the books related to higher education are published in Pakistan and

world are in English.

All four language skills are important hence, need equal attention. The

scenario of English speaking skill is different in Pakistan. The exam system

in Pakistan is mainly a writing and reading oriented where the other two

skills listening and speaking are not tested or ignored. However, some of the

EFL/ESL teachers use some techniques to enhance students’ English

language speaking skills.

Learning strategies (LSs) have been playing a major role in learning a

foreign language since 1970s onward. They also have attracted the concern

of many researchers and syllabus makers, who are regularly moving their

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 attention from teachers to learners. Moreover, extensive works have been

done to move language teaching to language learning domain. Corder

(1981), asserts that cognitive learning played a very important role in this,

that assigned language learning as an original and dynamic process, and

learners as active strategy users and constructors of knowledge. On the other

hand, Oxford (1990) explains Language Learning Strategies (LLS) as

“specific action taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more

enjoyable, more self-directed, and more effective and more transferable to

new situations”. Similarly, Mechyan and Hernandez (2002) emphasized to

learn foreign or second language effectively, a learner should be well

familiarized with the use of language learning strategies. Therefore, it is

important to teach English language speaking skills effectively, an ESL/EFL

teacher must use different strategies and techniques to develop students

speaking language skills.

This study investigates the various techniques used by EFL/ESL

teachers in Pakistan at higher secondary level to increase students’ speaking

skills. Although, there are many studies related to speaking skills’

improvement for English language learners, and many of conducted in

Pakistan, the uniqueness of this study lies in the fact that it is being

conducted as requirement in relation to Allama Iqbal Open University.

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1.4. Research Objectives and Aims

This study will focus on the following:

1- To identify the techniques EFL/ESL higher secondary school

teachers use to enhance students speaking skills

2- To find out the frequently used and more effective techniques

1.5. Research Questions

1- What are the techniques used by Pakistani EFL/ESL higher secondary

school teachers to teach English language speaking skills?

2- What are the frequent and effective techniques to improve students’

English language speaking skills?

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 Literature Review

There are many studies which have been conducted in the Pakistan

and world to investigate or find out the best strategies and techniques to

teach speaking skills of the students. However, this study is different from

the previous ones as it finds out the strategies used by ESL/EFL teachers

teaching at higher secondary level in South Punjab. The following section

highlights some important studies which have been done in this field.

The first important study that is being mentioned here “Factor

Effecting Students’ English Speaking Skills”. It has been conducted in

Pakistan by Bashir, Hussnain & Dogar in 2011.It highlights important

strategies which teachers adopt to promote speaking skills in Pakistan. The

study was planned on export fact design descriptive research. The

population for the study was consisted of the following are comprise of: a)

All teachers teaching English to classes 9th to 10th in the province of

Punjab. b) All 9th to 10th grade students of public school in the province

of Punjab. It revealed that more than half of the teachers use English as a

medium of instruction. Students also reported the same. Both teachers and

students are using interactive technique for teaching learning process.

Teachers as well as students have the view that English is better medium

of instruction than Urdu. Teachers are also using mother language during

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 instruction. Teachers and students are promoting questioning and

answering in English. Teachers are using helping material for their

effective teaching.

Another important study was conducted by Angelini & García-Carbonel

l(2019) on “ Developing English Speaking Skills Through Simulation-Based

Instructions.” This study, a group of university engineering students were taught

with simulations to aid their learning of English as a foreign language. These

engineering students were taught English through both class-based and a large-

scale real-time web-based simulation. We present the results of quantitative

analysis of students’ oral production. The goal was to show whether simulation-

based instruction contributes to significant progress in oral language production in

English. The results indicate that students progressed significantly in four

language-related areas: vocabulary, pronunciation, variety of expression and

grammar.

Lourdunathan & Menon (2018) conducted a study on “Developing

Speaking Skills Through Interaction Strategy Training.” This that study examines

how interaction strategy training affects group interaction and task performance.

For this purpose ten groups of students were introduced to and trained in the use

of selected interaction strategies. The analysis indicated that training resulted in a

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significant use of interaction strategies, and in more effective interaction between

group members.

Another important study was done by Dina & Al-Jamal (2013) titled as “An

Investigation of the Difficulties Faced by EFL Undergraduates in Speaking

Skills.” The study aimed at describing difficulties that may be encountered at an

EFL setting. The sample was stratified random as drawn from six Jordanian

public universities. Survey questionnaires as well as semi-structured interviews

were constructed. 64 students were interviewed out of 566 students who

responded to a survey questionnaire. The findings of the study exposed a

perceived failure of EFL students’ speaking skill in English was reported together

with reasons that explain such perceived difficulty. The results of the study

showed a ‘low’ speaking proficiency level among EFL undergraduates along with

negligible instruction of the speaking skill at university courses’ level. More

highlighted difficulties by this study were as these of: communication in L1, large

classes, and lack of time.

Research Methodology
This very study is quantitative in nature. It uses questionnaire prepared by

researcher as an instrument to collect data. The data has been collected from

higher secondary school EFL/ESL teachers in Bahawalpur, Punjab (Pakistan).

The data has been collected from public and private EFL school teachers. The

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data was collected by a questionnaire prepared by researcher. After that the results

have been compiled and interpretations of the data have been done.

Results/Findings
The questionnaire has been sent to teachers through sending links via emails

and whatsup.64 EFL school teachers participated in this survey. The following are

the findings of the survey:

1- 76 EFL teachers filled the survey. Among them, 60 were male teachers

and 16 female teachers. The percentage of the male teachers is 78.9 and

female is 21.1.

2- 48 teachers were having MA qualification and 24 were MPhil that

becomes 63.2 percent and 36.8 respectively.

3- 83.3 percent (60) EFL teachers were from private sector and 16.7

percent (12) were from public sectors. 47.4 percent were having

experience of 1-5 years, 21.1 percent 6-10 and 31.6 percent 11 and

above.

4- There were 11 questions total in number where four were about personal

details and 7 were related to two main research questions related to the

strategies they use to improve their students’ speaking skills.

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5- 68(89.5 percent) EFL teachers use English as medium of instruction to

improve their students speaking skills whereas 8 (10.5 percent) teachers

do not use English as medium of instructions.

6- When they were asked whether they think Urdu a batter option to

English to improve students’ speaking skills, the 32(42.1 percent)

accepted while 48(57.9 percent) refused.

7- 28 (36.8 percent) teachers preferred teacher-centred approach to improve

speaking skills while 48(63.2 percent) preferred other approaches.

8- 68(89.5 percent) teachers use both English and Urdu in their classrooms

to improve speaking skills of their students as a strategy. Whereas,8

(10.5 percent) do not use both languages for this purpose.

9- When asked that your institute provides an envoirment to promote

English speaking, the 31.6 percent disagreed while 68.4 percent agreed.

10- When they were asked about the strategy they often use or trust more to

improve students’ speaking skills, the 4(5.3 percent) teachers use

dramatization,36(47.4 percent) use debates and speeches,12(15.8

percent) use games and songs,28(36.8 percent) use oral drills,12(15.8

percent) role play,8(10.5 percent) use other strategies and 8(10.5

percent) teachers use poems recitation to improve speaking skills of their

students.

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 Discussion
This study aims to find out the strategies which are used by higher

secondary school teachers in Pakistan to improve students’ speaking skills.

The findings of the study answer two questions which were laid down in the

beginning of the research. The first question was to identify the various

strategies used by ESL school teachers to improve their students’ speaking

skills, and the second was to find the most frequently used techniques or

strategies.

To answer the second research questions, the findings have revealed that

although teachers use various techniques and strategies however, 47.4

percent teachers often rely on debates and speeches to promote the speaking

skills of their students and 36.8 percent teachers often utilize oral skills to

enhance their students’ speaking skills.

Similarly, they also use dramatization (5.3 percent), games and songs (15.8),

role play (15.8), poem recitations (10.5) and others (10.5).

To have the answer of the first research questions, teachers were found to

utilize teacher-centred approach, use of English medium as an instructions,

code-switching (use of both Urdu and English). Some other questions were

related to the provision English language environment in their schools and

students’ communication mediums.31.6 percent teachers were found to say

that their institutions do not provide ideal environment for the development

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of English speaking skills while 68.4 agreed. On the other hand,53.2 percent

teachers agreed that their students use English to communicate while 46.8

percent disagreed.

Conclusion
In the light of above findings and discussions, this study has

identified the important strategies and techniques and the frequently used

strategies to improve their students speaking skills. The limitation of this

study is that it is confined to a only one city. Secondly, the number of

participants is not sufficient. The future research can be conducted on

wider scale and large population sample. The significance of the study is

that it identifies the use of important strategies to improve the speaking

skills of the students. It is useful for teachers, administrations, education

departments, ministries and scholars.

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 References
Corder, S. (1981). Error analysis and interlanguage. Oxford, UK: Oxford UP.

Oxford, R. (1990b). Language learning strategies. What every teacher should

know? Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

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