Speaking Challenges of EFL Studenin General English Course 3: Practices and Perceptions at a Vietnamese University

Abstract

In the context of English increasingly becoming an essential tool for global communication, this study investigates the speaking challenges, perceptions, and practices of EFL students in General English Course 3 at a Vietnamese university. The study aims to identify major speaking difficulties encountered by non-English-major students and to explore how they perceive speaking skills as well as the strategies they use to cope with speaking challenges. Specifically, the research focuses on four key aspects of speaking difficulties: task-related challenges, language-related difficulties, psychological factors, and students’ speaking practices. A mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from a questionnaire administered to 97 students, while qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 10 selected participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS to examine descriptive statistics and gender differences, whereas the qualitative data were thematically analyzed to provide deeper explanations of the statistical findings. The results revealed that students experienced considerable difficulty in follow-up questions, role-play tasks, and extended speaking. Linguistic problems such as limited vocabulary, grammatical errors, unclear pronunciation, and unstable fluency were commonly reported. Psychological factors including anxiety, nervousness, and lack of confidence also negatively influenced students’ performance. Although students demonstrated awareness of useful speaking strategies, their application of these strategies remained inconsistent. The findings highlight a gap between students’ recognition of the importance of speaking and their actual speaking practices. This study offers meaningful implications for both teachers and learners by identifying critical problem areas in speaking instruction and recommending practical solutions to improve speaking competence. The findings contribute to a better understanding of speaking challenges among EFL learners in Vietnamese tertiary contexts and provide orientations for enhancing speaking instruction in General English courses.