An Investigation into the Factors Affecting Oral English Proficiency: A Case Study of Fifth-Semester Students at Faculty of Languages and Translation, Misurata, Libya

Abstract

This study endeavors to explore the factors that influence the oral English proficiency of fifth-semester students. A qualitative research methodology was employed to gather data. The participants included thirty fifth-semester students from the Faculty of Languages and Translation at Misurata University. Two instruments were utilized: classroom observation and semi-structured interviews. The classroom observation, conducted by the researcher, concentrated on highlighting the elements that affect students’ oral English performance during class activities, while the interviews offered profound insights into students’ perspectives and valuable recommendations for enhancing their oral proficiency. The findings revealed that insufficient vocabulary, fear of making mistakes, grammatical inaccuracies, mispronunciation, reliance on the mother tongue, fear of criticism, misunderstandings, inadequate in-class practice, and shyness constituted the primary factors that negatively affect students’ oral English capabilities.