Spoken English of Saudi Undergraduate Students: Issues and Strategies

Abstract

This study aimed to explore why some undergraduates at the University of Jeddah struggle with spoken English in personal and professional settings. Employing the explanatory sequential mixed method design, we administered a five-point Likert scale questionnaire to 107 Saudi undergraduate students. This was followed by observing a twenty-student Listening & Speaking class and conducting semi-structured interviews with three serving faculty members at the University of Jeddah. The results indicated that most students experienced difficulties in speaking English in personal and academic contexts. The students' spoken English difficulties could be attributed to the following major factors: limited use of spoken English in everyday personal and professional communication situations lack of linguistic competence, and speaking anxiety. It was also found that there were no significant differences in students' responses based on their year of study, major, and gender. We also suggested strategies and techniques; more precisely, we recommend increasing communication opportunities for students, employing CLT techniques, promoting the use of ICT, and collaborative learning. This study contributes to the current understanding of spoken English problems among Saudi undergraduate students and proposes relevant solutions.