THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION AND SPEAKING SKILL AMONG UNDERGRADUATE ESL LEARNERS IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

The current study investigated the correlation of speaking proficiency with classroom involvement among university ESL learners in Pakistan. Oral communication is an integral part of language learning, however, many students in Pakistan are still reluctant to participate in speaking activities in the classroom. The objective of the study was to determine the extent of student participation in the classrooms, to evaluate student speaking levels and to determine if there was a significant relationship between the two. This study employed a quantitative (correlational) research design. The data were gathered with the help of 60 undergraduate ESL students studying English language courses in universities and government postgraduate colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A structured Likert-scale questionnaire was used to measure classroom participation, while a speaking test was used to assess speaking proficiency. Using descriptive statistics, the levels of participation and speaking proficiency were found. Pearson correlation was used to test the relationship between the two variables. The results indicated that students' level of classroom participation was in the mid-range while their speaking ability was also in the mid-range. Also classroom participation was found to be strongly positively correlated with speaking proficiency. This implies that the more students were involved in classroom activities, the higher their levels of speaking ability. This study found that participation in the classroom has a significant influence on enhancing students' oral language development. It suggests that teachers should design interactive and supportive classes in which students are motivated to participate in oral tasks.