A Systematic Overview of Issues for Developing EFL Learners’ Oral English Communication Skills

Prodhan Mahbub Ibna Seraj,Habil Hadina

doi:10.17323/jle.2021.10737

Prodhan Mahbub Ibna Seraj, Habil Hadina

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.17323/jle.2021.10737

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Abstract

The objective of this systematic review is to present a critical overview of current studies to explore issues such as the factors causing EFL learners’ poor oral performance and the teaching and assessment methods of oral English communication skills (OECSs) for developing tertiary level learners’ OECSs in EFL contexts. For this purpose, 51 empirical studies of the 2907 retrieved from SpringerLink, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and the Google Scholar database that were published between 2010 and 2019 in different EFL contexts were analyzed. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was analyzed thematically using NVIVO 12, followed by the Mendeley reference management software. Studies that were conducted in native English contexts and non-empirical studies were excluded from consideration for this study. The findings showed that the environmental factor was the primary factor for learners’ poor OECS performance in EFL contexts. For the method of teaching and assessment of learners’ OECSs, the use of technology is rapidly increasing in different EFL contexts. This study suggests some implications for both future researchers and academics for developing EFL learners’ oral English communication skills dealing with environmental, psychological, and linguistic factors along with teaching and learning resources at the tertiary level in EFL contexts.

Highlights

For EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners, gaining mastery over oral English communication skills is always more challenging than other language skills like reading, listening, and writing
The fewest number of studies reported that the teaching resources factor was the significant factor for EFL learners’ oral skills development at the tertiary level.Other studies reported more than one factor
We anticipate that the identified problems and methods could provide insights for academics and practitioners for overcoming the challenges developing learners’ oral English communication skills (OECSs) in EFL contexts.the findings of this study suggest that more empirical studies are needed to find ways to deal with these problems developing learners’ OECSs in EFL contexts

Summary

Introduction

For EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners, gaining mastery over oral English communication skills is always more challenging than other language skills like reading, listening, and writing. In the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, the demand for oral English communication skills is inevitably increased for the use of IoT as a means of communication globally. Oliver and Philp (2014) defined oral communication as “the speaking and listening that occurs in real-time (i.e., in the present) in communicative exchanges (i.e., interactions)” The significance of oral communication skills in mastering a second language was accentuated by Ellis (2003) when he highlighted that second and foreign language acquisition encompasses the ability to use the sound and grammar systems to communicate meanings. Oral communication skills make face-to-face interactions possible, as well as long-distance interactions such as online conversations

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