Overcoming barriers to EFL speaking proficiency: A multidimensional analysis of language learning challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25047/jeapco.v11i1.5769Keywords:
EFL speaking proficiency, Language learning barriers, Foreign language pedagogy, Psychological factors, Communicative competenceAbstract
This study examines the multidimensional barriers affecting the speaking proficiency of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at AKPRIND University, Indonesia. Using a multiple-case study design, the research investigates psychological, linguistic, and pedagogical factors that hinder students’ communication skills. The study focuses on first-year EFL students from diverse academic programs during the 2024/2025 academic year. Findings reveal that speech anxiety, linguistic deficiencies, and traditional teaching methods significantly impede students’ oral communication. Many learners experience high anxiety levels, triggering psychological defence mechanisms that further restrict their speech fluency. The study shows the need for pedagogical transformation, advocating for neurolinguistic strategies, psychological interventions, and interactive teaching methodologies. Key recommendations include the adoption of student-centred communication models, the use of digital tools, and the creation of an inclusive learning environment. This research contributes to the broader discourse on EFL learning by offering insights into the complex interplay between psychological and pedagogical barriers in language learning.
References
Aichhorn, N., & Puck, J. (2017). “I just don’t feel comfortable speaking English”: Foreign language anxiety as a catalyst for spoken-language barriers in MNCs. International Business Review, 26(4), 749-763.
Amoah, S., & Yeboah, J. (2021). The speaking difficulties of Chinese EFL learners and their motivation towards speaking the English language. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 17(1), 56-69.
Angrosino, M. (2007). Doing ethnographic and observational research. Sage.
Arifin, W. L. (2017). Psychological problems and challenge in EFL speaking classroom. Register Journal, 10(1), 29-47.
Betiya, V. M., & Septiyana, L. (2020). Analyzing speaking problems faced by EFL colleges. Lexeme: Journal of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. 2(1) 11-16
Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative research journal, 9(2), 27-40.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. SAGE.
Dörnyei, Z. (2019). Psychology in second language acquisition. Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.
Gkonou, C. (2017). 8. Towards an Ecological Understanding of Language Anxiety. In C. Gkonou, M. Daubney & J. Dewaele (Ed.), New Insights into Language Anxiety: Theory, Research and Educational Implications (pp. 135-155). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783097722-009
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field methods, 18(1), 59-82.
Haidara, Y. (2016). Psychological Factor Affecting English Speaking Performance for the English Learners in Indonesia. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(7), 1501-1505.
Hanifa, R. (2018). Factors generating anxiety when learning EFL speaking skills. Studies in English Language and Education, 5(2), 230-239.
Horwitz, E. (2017). On the Misreading of Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986) and the Need to Balance Anxiety Research and the Experiences of Anxious Language Learners. In C. Gkonou, M. Daubney & J. Dewaele (Ed.), New Insights into Language Anxiety: Theory, Research and Educational Implications (pp. 31-48). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783097722-004
Horwitz, E. K. (2010). Foreign and second language anxiety. Language teaching, 43(2), 154-167.
Ibna Seraj, P. M., & Hadina, H. (2021). A systematic overview of issues for developing efl learners’ oral english communication skills. Journal of Language and Education, 7(1), 229-240.
Khan, S. M. (2015). Influence of Speech Anxiety on Oral Communication Skills among ESL/EFL Learners. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 6(6), 49-53.
Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon.
Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2015). Interviews. Sage.
Leong, L. M., & Ahmadi, S. M. (2017). An analysis of factors influencing learners English speaking skill. International Journal Of Research In English Education, 2(1), 34-41. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/349619/en
Levelt, W. J. M. (1989). Speaking: From intention to articulation. MIT Press.
MacIntyre, P. (2017). An Overview of Language Anxiety Research and Trends in its Development. In C. Gkonou, M. Daubney & J. Dewaele (Ed.), New Insights into Language Anxiety: Theory, Research and Educational Implications (pp. 11-30). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783097722-003
Malik, S., Qin, H., & Oteir, I. (2021). Perceived psychological, linguistic and socio-cultural obstacles: An investigation of English communication apprehension in EFL learners. International Journal of Instruction, 14(4), 733-752.
Novawan, A. (2014). English language education in the complexity of academic and professional settings. Journal of English in Academic and Professional Communication, 1(1), 1-12.
Novawan, A., Alvarez-Tosalem, S. M. P., Walker, S. A., Ismailia, T., & Budi, A. S. (2022, January). Reframing Language Education in the Light of Ecological Linguistics Is the Ecological Perspective “Toxic” or “Vitamin”?. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Science, Humanity and Public Health (ICOSHIP 2021) (pp. 1-10). Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research.
Novawan, A., Walker, S. A., & Ikeda, O. (2024). The new face of technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) with artificial intelligence (AI): Teacher perspectives, practices, and challenges. Journal of English in Academic and Professional Communication, 10(1), 1-18.
Pratolo, B., Habibie, A., & Setiawan, A. (2019). Speaking skill challenges encountered by Indonesian EFL learners’. In 2019 Ahmad Dahlan International Conference Series on Education & Learning, Social Science & Humanities (ADICS-ELSSH 2019) (pp. 160-164). Atlantis Press.
Rubio-Alcalá, F. (2017). 11. The Links Between Self-Esteem and Language Anxiety and Implications for the Classroom. In C. Gkonou, M. Daubney & J. Dewaele (Ed.), New Insights into Language Anxiety: Theory, Research and Educational Implications (pp. 198-216). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783097722-012
Sadiq, J. M. (2017). Anxiety in English Language Learning: A Case Study of English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia. English Language Teaching, 10(7), 1-7.
Saito, K. (2019). The role of phonetic input in second language speech learning. Language Learning, 69(1), 73–105.
Seraj, P. M. I., & Hadina, H. (2021). Developing EFL learners' oral English communication skills. Journal of Language and Education, 7(1), 229-240.
Tercan, G., & Dikilitaş, K. (2015). EFL students’ speaking anxiety: a case from tertiary level students. ELT Research Journal, 4(1), 16-27.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. SAGE.
Zheng, Y. (2008). Anxiety and second/foreign language learning revisited. Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education/Revue canadienne des jeunes chercheures et chercheurs en education, 1(1).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Suprih Ambawani, Isani Astasari, Enik Rukiati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
