Speaking in EFL Classrooms: Unwillingness to communicate

Abstract

In any foreign language learning, speaking is an essential productive skill. Despite this, many foreign language learners demonstrate hesitancy to participate in classroom settings. This study explores the reasons behind this phenomenon in the English classroom. Using semi-structured interviews with two teachers and 20 Saudi tenth-grade learners of English, the study identified various barriers that shape students’ willingness to communicate (WTC), including psychological, linguistic, classroom, cultural, and pedagogical issues. The findings showed that fear of the consequences of making mistakes, anxiety, shyness, uneven classroom participation, and cultural beliefs inhibit students’ attempts to speak in the English classroom. On the other hand, teachers’ strategies, such as tolerating errors and implementing peer and small-group activities, promote students’ willingness to participate. The study highlights the need to provide low-anxiety, interactive, and culturally sensitive learning environments to enhance learners’ communicative abilities, turning reluctant learners into active speakers. Theoretically, the study helps bridge a gap in the existing literature on Saudi EFL learners’ WTC.