AN INVESTIGATION OF TEACHING SPEAKING SKILLS PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING STRATEGY USE IN EFL SPEAKING CLASSROOM: THE CASE OF GRADE 10 PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EMDEBIR CITY ADMINISTRATION, GURAGE ZONE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the practice of teaching speaking skills inEmdebir secondary school and St. Antony Catholic Cathedral School, in Emdebir City Administration. To achieve the objectives,a descriptive survey design was used in the study.Classroom observations, questionnaires for students, and interviews with teachers were the major instruments used to collect data for the study. The sample of the study consisted of fifty six grade ten students and three English language teachers. The students were selected using simple random sampling technique. A questionnaire consisting of basic types of activities, techniques and strategies for learners andthe data were collected from one public and one private secondary schools English language teachers and students. From the data analysis, it was found that there was limited opportunity to practice the English language in public schools, within the limited opportunities, the students in public schools were not encouraged to practice speaking skills in the English language classroom contexts. . Moreover, in public schools there was no friendly classroom environment created for students to practice speaking skills in the English language classroom. Private school EFL teachers were supporting their students when they faced difficulties in speaking sessions but, public school teachers were not correcting students’ errors during speaking EFL teachers in public schools were not giving clear instruction and context for speaking, question and answer was the speaking activity frequently used by both public and private school teachers to teach speaking skills. The study reached a finding that indicates private schools’ students have better speaking skills, they are practiced speaking whenever and where ever they can after school, with any English speaker. However, government schools’ students have poor speaking skill and speaking instructions were not conducted properly teachers’ should prepare interesting speaking lessons that can capture learners’ attention. Based on the findings the following recommendations were forwarded. A framework should be prepared by the stockholders (MOE, Regional, Zonal and Woreda educational sectors, parents, teachers, school administrators and students) to transfer good practices regarding the teaching of speaking skills from private schools to public schools