DIFFICULTIES IN ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL DEVELOPMENT AMONG SECONDYEAR ENGLISH-MAJOR EFL STUDENTS AT HAI PHONG UNIVERSITY: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY WITH PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Tóm tắt

English speaking competence is widely recognized as a crucial component of communicative proficiency in the context of globalization and international integratio n. Nevertheless, many Vietnamese university students continue to experience persistent difficulties in developing effective oral communication skills. This study investigates the factors hindering English speaking skill development among second-year English-major students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Hai Phong University. Adopting a descriptive qualitative-quantitative approach, the study employed questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and classroom observations to collect data from 47 students in their second-year speaking courses. The findings show that students faced both linguistic difficulties, such as limited vocabulary, weak grammar, inaccurate pronunciation and low fluency as well as non-linguistic difficulties, including low confidence, fear of mistakes, anxiety and limited classroom participation. Among these, psychological factors were the most influential and were closely linked to linguistic problems. Although the participants had opportunities to learn with both Vietnamese and foreign lecturers in the speaking program, many still reported limited sustained speaking practice beyond formal classroom tasks. The study suggests that speaking instruction for second-year English-major students should be improved through affective support, communicative task design, scaffolded speaking practice and greater learner autonomy. It also contributes useful insights into EFL speaking difficulties in a provincial tertiary context in Vietnam.