2023Theme-based Teaching Strategies for Reducing Students’ Oral Communication Reluctance Case Study of the Secondary School Education in Tiaret.

Abstract

The present study investigates the effectiveness of theme-based teaching strategies in reducing students’ oral communication reluctance. It also aims to explore the hindering factors related to students’ oral participation in English class. To meet these ends, the study targeted 179 students and eight teachers from four secondary schools in Tiaret city as participants. It also opted for mixed methods namely a quantitative and a qualitative. Accordingly, the data were collected through a questionnaire for students, a semi-structured interview with teachers, and classroom observation. The findings indicate that students’ oral communication reticence is related to their negative personality traits, lack of language proficiency, and unsupportive teaching-learning environment. The results also reveal the efficiency of theme-based teaching strategies in raising reluctant students’ willingness to communicate.