23, August 2026

The Restrictions of Utilizing Oral Communicative Skills among EFL Students at Al-Azhar University

VOLUME-12; ISSUE-8; AUG-2026

Author(s): Mohammed R M Hassan , Dr. Syam S.K

Authors Affiliations:

1PhD Scholar, Department of Linguistics, University of Kerala,

2Assistant Professor, Department of Linguistics, University of Kerala,

DOIs:10.2015/IJIRMF/202608005     |     Paper ID: IJIRMF202608005


Abstract
Keywords
Cite this Article/Paper as
References

The ability to speak effectively in English remains a major hurdle for many EFL learners. This study investigates the key factors that restrict undergraduate students at Al-Azhar University from developing strong oral communicative skills. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative data from questionnaires completed by 50 students with qualitative insights obtained from interviews with five English language instructors and observations of four EFL classrooms. The results indicate that students' speaking performance is shaped by a combination of linguistic limitations, psychological pressures, instructional practices, and limited exposure to authentic English use. Issues such as inadequate vocabulary, low confidence, fear of errors, teacher-centred instruction, and restricted opportunities for spontaneous communication were found to be major contributors to poor oral proficiency. Environmental and sociocultural factors, including minimal English use beyond the classroom and heavy reliance on Arabic, further constrain oral skill development. The study highlights the need for more communicative teaching approaches, increased opportunities for real-life language use, and supportive learning environments that reduce anxiety and encourage student participation. Practical recommendations are provided for teachers, learners, and institutions to strengthen oral communication outcomes.

Oral Communicative Skills, EFL Learners, Speaking Anxiety, Al-Azhar University, Communicative Language Teaching, Palestine.

Mohammed R M Hassan , Dr. Syam S.K (2026);  The Restrictions of Utilizing Oral Communicative Skills among EFL Students at Al-Azhar University,  International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, ISSN(O): 2455-0620, Vol-12, Issue-8, Available on –   https://www.ijirmf.com/

  1. Abdelrahman, M. A., & Bsharah, M. A. (2014). Students’ perceptions of the problems and challenges in learning English speaking skills. International Journal of English Language and Linguistics Research, 2(1), 22-32.
  2. Al Hosni, S. A. (2014). Speaking difficulties encountered by young EFL learners. International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature, 2(6), 22-30.
  3. Al-Khairy, M. A. (2013). English as a foreign language learning demotivational factors as perceived by Saudi undergraduates. Arab World English Journal, 4(3), 255-272.
  4. Alrabai, F. (2014). Factors underlying low English-speaking proficiency by Saudi EFL students. International Journal of Linguistics, 6(1), 16-35.
  5. Al-Sobhi, B. M., & Preece, A. S. (2018). Teaching English speaking skills to Arab students in the Saudi school in Kuala Lumpur: Problems and solutions. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 6(1), 1-11.
  6. Bataineh, R. F. (2016). Oral communication challenges confronting Jordanian EFL learners and teachers. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 7(5), 905-915.
  7. Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (2nd ed.). Pearson Education.
  8. Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1-47.
  9. Derakhshan, A., Khalili, S., & Beheshti, F. (2016). Developing EFL learners’ speaking ability, accuracy, and fluency. English Language and Literature Studies, 6(2), 177-182.
  10. Gan, Z. (2012). Understanding L2 speaking difficulties: Implications for instruction. English Language Teaching, 5(7), 18-29.
  11. Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching (4th ed.). Pearson Education.
  12. Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132.
  13. Hymes, D. H. (1972). On communicative competence. In J. B. Pride & J. Holmes (Eds.), Sociolinguistics: Selected readings (pp. 269-293). Penguin.
  14. Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon Press.
  15. Littlewood, W. (2007). Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asian classrooms. Language Teaching, 40(3), 243-249.
  16. Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge University Press.
  17. Nunan, D. (2004). Task-based language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
  18. Richards, J. C. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: From theory to practice. Cambridge University Press.
  19. Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  20. Shumin, K. (2002). Factors to consider: Developing adult EFL students’ speaking abilities. In J. C. Richards & W. A. Renandya (Eds.), Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice (pp. 204-211). Cambridge University Press.
  21. Tuan, N. H., & Mai, T. N. (2015). Factors affecting students’ speaking performance at Le Thanh Hien High School. Asian Journal of Educational Research, 3(2), 8-23.
  22. Zayed, T. M. (2016). Investigating the causes of speaking difficulties among Yemeni EFL learners. International Journal of English Language Teaching, 4(4), 1-16.
Post Views: 37

Download Full Paper

Download PDF No. of Downloads:8 | No. of Views: 29