NINTH-GRADE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING DIFFICULTIES: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY AT A SECONDARY SCHOOL IN LAM DONG PROVINCE

Abstract

While English-speaking proficiency is crucial for secondary school students in Vietnam, learners in provincial areas often have limited opportunities to practice English. Data were collected via a questionnaire containing closed-ended and open-ended items administered to 45 ninth-graders. Closed-ended responses were summarized using frequencies and percentages, while open-ended responses were grouped into recurring themes. The descriptive statistics indicate that most students find English speaking difficult and face substantial speaking challenges. The primary linguistic challenges include limited vocabulary, grammatical difficulties, and pronunciation problems, together with psychological factors such as nervousness and fear of making mistakes. Furthermore, shyness and fear of negative evaluation were frequently reported as barriers to communication. The results suggest that linguistic, psychological, and environmental constraints frequently co-occur in students' self-reports. Based on these descriptive patterns, teachers should consider creating a supportive, low-anxiety speaking environment, integrating communicative tasks, and providing targeted language scaffolding to gradually enhance students' communicative confidence.