Investigating Speaking difficulties Encountered by Sudanese Secondary Schools’ Students

Abstract

This study is drawing teachers’ attention to the importance of speaking skill. It also intends to investigate how speaking skill are taught in krari’s secondary schools and the strategies that should be used in teaching speaking skill. The researcher has followed the quantitative and analytical method to analyze the results. Only one tool was used for data collection and analyses, teachers’ questionnaire {TQ}, students questionnaire{SQ}, as well as textbook analysis. Data were collected on teaching speaking skill in ten schools in krari locality. Forty students and thirty teachers responded to two structured questionnaires. Textbook analysis and classroom were carried out. The major findings of the study as follows: 1- Many strategies may used in teaching the speaking skill such as games, role play, dialogues, reading graphs and so on. 2- Most schools have no teaching aids at all. 3- All schools lack language labs with audio and visual labs. 4- The finding of the study showed that most of the students believe that they always or often fell shamed when they make mistakes in speaking. 5- Ninety percent of the students report that they are not trained by teachers how to use dictionaries. Based on finding the researcher suggested the following: The official authorities have to supply schools with the facilities necessary to make teaching speaking skill more easier. Teachers should be further trained to teach English language and in particular speaking skill. Students should be provided with more speaking activities inside the classroom and should be further encouraged by their teachers to practice speaking. The textbook should include tape scripts at the end, students should also have tape for practicing speaking outside the classroom. Textbook also should have a revision speaking unit after each three units at least. Topics for speaking are not interesting for the researcher’s point of view, so topics from daily life experience are recommended, these are like customs of marriage in their tribes, interviews with famous football players or journeys and so on.