EFL Teachers’ Perception and Implementation of the Speaking Tasks: The Case of Koma and Jaragedo Secondary and Preparatory Schools, South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to explore EFL teachers' perception and implementation of the speaking tasks in Koma and Jaragedo Secondary and Preparatory Schools. In order to answer the objectives of the study, descriptive survey research design was used. The data were gathered through questionnaire, interview and classroom observation. Comprehensive sampling was used to select teachers for questionnaire and random sampling technique was used to select teachers for interview. Besides, the four randomly selected EFL teachers’ actual teaching–learning process of speaking lesson was observed and analyzed. The data collected through the above data gathering tools were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques. Data gathered through questionnaire were analyzed using quantitative method while data gathered through observation and interview were analyzed qualitatively. The findings reveal that teachers didn’t have clear understanding about effective teaching methods of speaking tasks and they commonly used traditional techniques (especially question and answer, lecturing and dialogue repetition) to teach speaking tasks. Furthermore, the findings portrayed that the students’ low interest to learn speaking, use of their mother tongue, lack of awareness on the importance of speaking tasks, afraid of making mistakes, focus on grammar, poor background and read texts instead of speaking orally were major challenges that teachers faced in teaching speaking skills. Teachers also have lack of awareness about current techniques of teaching speaking skills. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended that teachers should encourage and make the students practice speaking skill both in and outside of the classroom instead of rushing to cover the text book.


INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study
English is spoken all over the world in daily interaction of different purposes. The growth of science and technology has helped the language to be used widely. In Ethiopia, English is the most important foreign language that has been taught as a subject from primary schools up to higher institutions and used as the medium of instruction for other subjects from secondary schools to tertiary institutions. The mastery of language skills helps us to be successful in technologies and academic achievement. Especially speaking skill is crucial part of second or foreign language instruction. In relation to this, Nunan (1998) mentions that speaking skill is an essential process for learning language. Performances through speaking are indicators of success in careers and finally in life. Bailey and Savage (1994) also suggest that a fundamental skill of communication is speaking. Nunan (1998) presents speaking is the natural state of language, as all human beings are born to speak their native language. Speaking is thus regarded as a critical skill in learning second language by most learners and their success in learning a language is measured in terms of their accomplishment in oral communication. Although, speaking is very important, it was not given attention in language learning and teaching in the past.
Since early times teachers have used different teaching approaches to make English as a Foreign Language learners proficient users of English. Richards and Rodgers (2001) point out the speaking does not receive adequate attention in language teaching and learning although it is very important. Learning structure, rote memorization of patterns and vocabulary and literary language were preferred to learning speaking. Teachers also used grammar translation method. Richards (2006) states early views of language learning were on the mastery of grammatical competence. By memorizing dialogues and performing drills, the chances of making mistakes were minimized.
The Grammar Translation Method was widespread for learning foreign languages with its principles. For instances, the written language should be translated as it was assumed as superior to spoken language. According to this method, successful learners are expected to translate each language into the other but they are not made to communicate orally. The main language skills are reading and writing. Authoritative and teacher-student interaction are predominantly used. The students' native language is the medium of instruction which is compared with the target language (Richards and Rodgers, 1986). Techniques which are used in Grammar Translation Method are presentation of grammatical rules, translation of activities, memorization, lists of translated vocabularies, and fill in blanks (Stern ,1983).
Direct Method is one of old methods to teach foreign languages. Target language is directly spoken in the class. Translation is not allowed. Teachers believe that students need to associate meaning and the target language directly. Because meaning was based mainly on question and answer exchange, speaking was limited. Listening was emphasized to develop pronunciation rather than communication. Strategies used in Direct Method are reading aloud, question and answer, paragraph writing, dictation, fill in the blank, conversation practice and students self-correction (Freeman, 2000).
In the 1960, Audio-lingual method in the United States and situational language teaching in the United Kingdom dominated language teaching. In Audio-lingual method lessons were developed in practicing pattern, minimal pair drills and pronunciation practice to develop speaking. But the focus was mostly on the use of structures and accurate pronunciation (Richards & Rodgers, 2001). In Audio-lingual method repetition was common with correction. This method focused on language structures with vocabulary and grammar structures tending to be presented through dialogues which are learned by imitation and repetition (Alonso, 2013). Students repeat and memorize the dialogue after the teacher. Language laboratories, tapes and tape recorders are used as teaching materials to improve speaking and listening. The teacher focuses on pronunciation and fluency with intensive oral drillings. Errors are the result of first language interference and are to be avoided. The correction is immediate. Dialog memorization, repetition drills, substitution drills, transformational drills, and question and answer drills are some of activities in the class (Richards and Rodgers, 1986;Freeman, 2000).
The Oral Approach was referred to as the Situational in the 1960s, because of great focus on situational presentation and practice of language. The teacher is the model and creates the situations for learners. Vocabulary, correct pronunciation and grammar are considered very important aspects of foreign language teaching. Translation is not allowed. Learning takes place through oral procedure of repetitions, substitution drills, and drills (Pittman, cited in Richards and Rodgers, 1986).
Other methods such as Silent Way, Community Language Learning and Suggestopedia also focused on teaching speaking of a native like pronunciation and structural language even though these methods encourage communicative language use (Baris, 2005). Traditional classroom speaking practice often takes the form of drills in which one person asks a question and another gives the answer. The question and the answer are structured and predictable and often there is only one correct predetermined answer (Nunan, 2003) Because of limitations of these methods, Communicative Language Teaching emerged. Communicative Language Teaching considers language as a tool for effective and meaningful communication. The goal of this approach is comprehensible pronunciation but not native like. Functional and structural nature language was also given equal importance (Nunan, 1987). Learners are made to involve in meaningful and communicative activities and use authentic language. So, "using language to learn it" rather than "learning language to use it" became the slogan of Communicative Language Teaching (Widdson, 1978). Richards (2006) presents that communicative language learning emphasizes on interaction of learners in meaningful communication, negotiation in meaning, purposeful communication, creative use of language with trial and error, collaboration sharing and learner-centered instruction. Teacher creates conducive classroom and facilitates learning.
Teacher-centered strategies were common to teach skills because the curriculum designed on English language was rule based. This opportunity invited teachers to apply teacher-centered techniques in English classroom. So, teaching skills specially speaking, which is very essential skill, was not given attention. Different speaking approaches were not used to develop speaking ability of the learners.
Speaking in traditional methodologies usually meant repeating after the teacher, memorizing a dialogue or responding drills (Richards and Lockart, 1994). The dominant pattern of the classroom organization is a group to which the teacher relates as a whole, the teacher is the central figure in determining the activities and tone of the classroom which is with very little praise of concentration of students' performance (Duke, 1990). The teachers who spend most of the class time by lecturing are not liked by the students. Lecturing devotes them because they do not like being passive in the classroom. Therefore, learners have limited impute to the learning process (Ruso, 2007).
As a result, the old curriculum and the teaching method did not bring the desired effect on students' learning of English. The need to reform the curriculum and the teaching methodology has been obligatory. Then, the government focused on improving quality of education by introducing communicative language teaching in new curriculum. Skehan (1996), cited in Richards (2006) the communicative competence is a free practice period during which students try out the teaching point in a free context and in which real or simulated communication is the focus. Kayi (2006) points out that today's world requires that the goal of teaching speaking should improve students' communicative skill because only in that way students can express themselves and learn how to follow the social and cultural rules.
Brown (2001), cited in khan (2003) states if learners are given to the opportunity to learn for its own sake such as to become competent users of the language, they will be successful in terms of long term learning than they are driven by only external rewards. Students should be trained in and out of the classroom, so they can perform in English in a given situation. Various teaching techniques should also be used in the classroom. Then, these activities make students get accustomed to new words, their meaning and applications that finally lead to speaking (Thanghun, 2012). In general, activities of speaking skills should be interactive and authentic. As a result, these make students motivate to participate and produce their own thought freely. Students' involvement in the real tasks enable them to learn the lesson unforgettably. On the other hand, in teacher-centered strategy the teacher is knowledge supplier, decision maker and dominator. Thus, the aim of this study pays attention on exploring teachers' understanding about teaching speaking skills, actual practice and challenges they face.

Statement of the Problem
From researcher's personal experience, most students' English speaking performance was lower than it was to be. Students always preferred to use their mother tongue language to the target language while they were discussing in their groups, asking and answering questions. It was common hearing complaints of teachers, students and parents that most students had low speaking ability.
From the researcher's informal discussion with colleagues, the cases of students' low speaking proficiency might be their lack of appropriate techniques of teaching speaking skills in English classroom. As a result, students might soon get de-motivated and lose interest in speaking. But on the other hand, if they get the opportunity to speak in the right way, speaking can be effective.
According to the Ethiopian Ministry of education (2004), the status of speaking skills is very low in Ethiopian schools because of challenges that face teachers' teaching productively and the students' speaking performance such as inappropriate teaching methodology, students' low motivation in learning English, classroom size, arrangement of desks and limited time of teaching learning process.
To be able to apply communicative English effectively in their real life is related to the teachers, students and teaching and learning of English. The problem might be the not so well prepared teaching methods affecting the language teaching and learning process (Lochano & Deb, 2006). Teachers' teaching of grammar only and not involving the learners in communicative English often give a negative impression to students (Russo, 2007). Nunan (2004) argues for that some teachers like to focus on language teaching based on grammar instead of exposing the students to the language learning. Most English lessons are carried out through teacher-centered approach.
The researcher felt that if teachers used appropriate methods to teach speaking skills, students could be interested and effective in speaking. Therefore, in this study the researcher wanted to explore teachers' cognition about teaching speaking skills, the ways they use to teach speaking skills in English classroom and challenges they face.
There are some previous studies regarding teaching of speaking skills. Hailu (2011) explored the teaching of oral skills in English through communicative activities in Raya Timuga preparatory school. He collected data from students and teachers. But in this study data was collected from sample teachers. His study was conducted on school but this study was conducted on two secondary and preparatory schools. The finding of the study showed that teachers and students did not play their roles in modern methods. And teachers' method of teaching, lack of background knowledge, students' fear of making mistakes and lack of authentic communicative activities were finding of the study.
Al-Jamal &Al-Jamal (2013) investigated on the difficulties faced by EFL undergraduates in speaking skill. The samples were selected through stratified sampling. The result of the study showed a low speaking proficiency level among EFL students along with negligible instruction of the speaking skill at university courses' levels. More highlighted difficulties by this study were communication in first language, large classes and lack of time. However, this study was different from Al-Jamal was that this study was at secondary school EFL teachers not on undergraduate students. This study was also different in sampling technique which used random sampling technique. Gudu (2015) investigated the classroom activities used by teachers to promote learners' active participation in speaking skills lessons in eight secondary schools of Kenya. The finding was that there was variation in use of classroom activities, teachers did not integrate various classroom activities in one lesson. This study was different from Guda was that he studied in eight secondary schools of Kenya, but this one was in two secondary schools in Ethiopia. Guda used mixed research design, but this one used descriptive survey research design. Guda also used descriptive statistics to analyze the data, but this study used both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques. Alonso (2013) investigated the teaching of speaking in secondary education institutions and state language schools in Spain. Findings indicate that state language teachers devote more time to the teaching and practice of speaking, focus more on pronunciation and interaction in the assessment of speaking, and prefer less controlled Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics www.iiste.org ISSN 2422-8435 An International Peer-reviewed Journal Vol.78, 2021 tasks. However, this study was different from Alonso in study site and data gathering tool. Alonso's study was in Spain and he use questionnaire to gather data. This study was conducted in Ethiopia and used observation, interview and questionnaire. Khan (2013) examined speaking skills and strategies in Saudi Arabia. The instruments of the study were EFL policy, classroom observation and teachers' questionnaire. King Abdulaziz University community college was a sample among all government tertiary institutions. However, this study was conducted in Ethiopia and it was on secondary schools. It was also different in data gathering instruments.
From this, the researcher concluded that some works which have been done on the issue so far which were especially studied abroad and limited to the higher institutions, and there might be few in secondary school context. As far as the effort made so as to review related works is concerned, almost there are few studies which have been conducted to study teachers' awareness and implementation of speaking tasks in secondary school context particularly in Koma and Jaragedo Secondary and Preparatory Schools. Hence, this research aimed at investigating EFL teachers' awareness and implementation of the speaking tasks. To attain this objective, this research attempted to address the following specific questions. 1. What perceptions do EFL teachers have on speaking tasks the text books? 2. How do English teachers teach speaking skills? 3.What are major challenges English teachers face in teaching speaking skills?

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1. Research Design
Descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. Descriptive survey research is under taken to ascertain characteristics, attitudes, values and opinions that exist on particular population and it is used in producing statistical information and quantify and describe the collected data (Dornyei, 2007). Therefore, the researcher used this research design since it is important in gathering data of what teachers perceive and implement speaking tasks.

Participants and Sampling Technique
English teachers who work in both Koma and Jaragedo secondary and preparatory schools were the participants of the study. The schools were selected because the researcher worked there and knew the speaking problems of the students. In addition, the researcher knew both schools of teachers who were believed to help by giving valid and reliable data for the study. In these schools there were 30 English teachers.
Since it was impossible to observe entire sections, two sections in each school were randomly selected for the observation. Five teachers (3 from Koma and 2 from Jaragedo secondary schools) were selected randomly and interviewed. With comprehensive sampling technique, all teachers in both schools filled the questionnaire.

Data Gathering Instruments
Three types of data gathering instruments: questionnaire, interview and observation were used in order to collect the relevant data and to achieve intended research objectives. Before the questionnaire was distributed, it was pilot tested. Ten teachers filled questionnaire items for pilot study. And then, they were administered for final study.

Questionnaire
The questionnaire was prepared for English teachers. The questionnaire consisted of close-ended and openended type questions. Because the total number of teachers in two secondary schools was 30 (Koma 18 teachers, Jaragedo 12 teachers), comprehensive sampling method was used to gather data through questionnaire. The teachers' questionnaire contained 24 items. Among these items, 10 questions were aimed to collect data about teachers' understanding of methods to teach speaking tasks. The other 10 items were used to gather data that teachers commonly use to teach speaking skills in English classroom. The remaining 4 items were used to collect challenges teachers face. Among 30 distributed questionnaires, all questionnaires were filled and returned to the researcher.

Interview
Semi-structured interview questions were prepared for teachers. The interview questions were 8 in number. Three teachers in Koma and two teachers in Jaragedo secondary and preparatory schools were the participants of the interview. The first three questions were aimed to collect information about teachers' awareness of teaching speaking skills. Whereas the next four questions were used to collect data about their common practice of teaching speaking skills in English classroom. And the last one question was used to gather information about challenges that teachers face in teaching speaking skills. First, the researcher showed the interview questions for his colleagues to edit any problems and confirmed them to be administered. Therefore, the interview was randomly administered for five English teachers (there after named T1,T2,T3, T4 and T5). All sample teachers were willing to be video-recorded during interview.

Observation
Two sections in each school were randomly observed twice. Teachers had been frankly asked to tell the program when they taught speaking skill. The observations were aimed to collect information about techniques that teachers used to teach speaking skills in the actual classroom, the ways how to correct errors, motivation the students were given and the challenges teachers faced in teaching speaking skills. At the first term, the researcher simply entered to familiarize the class and observed with taking some notes but not video-recorded. At the second term, the researcher took notes and video-recording about the methods that teachers used to teach speaking skills. Among these four sample teachers, two of them were willing to be video-recorded whereas the remaining two teachers allowed the researcher for only note recording (there after named T1, T2, T3 and T4). Description of the classroom teaching was used. Teachers' actual practice of teaching speaking skills that had been recorded were transcribed and described carefully.

Pilot study
The questionnaires which needed answers about teachers' awareness, practice and challenges of teaching speaking skills contained 24 items. All the items were created by the researcher based on approaches of teaching speaking skills. After questionnaire items and interview questions were prepared, colleagues of the researcher commented on them for their appropriateness and clarity. Next, all questionnaire items were pilot tested with ten English teachers to check whether the items were appropriate. Based on the results of pilot study, all the items of the questionnaire showed 0.78 reliability. Finally, the questionnaires were administered for final study.

Procedures of Data Collection and Analysis
After appropriateness of questionnaire items, interview questions and observation programs were confirmed to be used for final study, the permission was asked from the school directors and department heads to allow the researcher for data collection from sample teachers. The researcher paid attention on willingness of the participants, clarification of the ways they do, and convenient time and place to conduct observation, interview and questionnaire administration. Firstly, the researcher held the program with four sample teachers and observed each teacher twice within. Secondly, the interview was conducted with five English teachers from. While the interview was being conducted, the researcher took note and recorded video. In addition to this, evidences which were found through interview and classroom observation have been transcribed and described. Finally, the questionnaire was administered to thirty teachers from. Likert scales were used for questionnaire. The data gathered from questionnaire were presented in the form of tables which contain frequency, percentage, mean and grand mean. The favorable (positive) statements were referred to 5 for strongly agree down to 1 for strongly disagree. On the other hand, unfavorable statements were referred to 1 strongly agree towards 5 strongly disagree. Among proposed 30 sample teachers all of them filled the questionnaires and returned them to the researcher

Data Analysis Technique
The data collected through questionnaire, interview and observation were analyzed and interpreted using quantitative and qualitative data analysis technique. Quantitative method was used to analyze the data collected through questionnaire. It was analyzed using frequency of numbers, percentage, mean and grand mean. Qualitative method was also used to describe the data which were obtained through semi structured interview and classroom observation.

CHAPTER:4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1 Analysis of Questionnaire and Interview Data
In this section, the data gathered through questionnaire and interview about teachers' awareness of teaching speaking skills, their actual practices in the classroom and challenges were analyzed and interpreted.

Analysis of Data collected on teachers' awareness on teaching speaking skills
Teachers' theoretical awareness about current trends of teaching speaking skills is the framework for practical implementation in actual classroom. It is clear that communicative techniques give the students more chances to participate speaking actively but currently in most secondary school teachers take the dominant role in teaching speaking skills because teachers and students perceive that teachers are source of knowledge but students are knowledge receivers.

* Unfavorable items and scales
As it is seen from the above table, the finding confirmed that when respondents were asked whether question and answer practice helps the students to promote speaking skills, 76.7% of the teachers perceived question and answer technique should be used to teach speaking skills ( See Table 1). Correspondingly, the interview results indicated that the majority of the respondents understood that question and answer, and dialogue drills should be used to teach speaking skills. For instance, during interview T1, T2 and T3, suggested that students should practice speaking through question and answer drills. Furthermore, T1, T3, T4 and T5 perceived that dialogue repetition should be used to teach speaking skills.
Concerning item 4, teachers were asked to give responses about their understanding whether they should help learners to practice speaking in guided and controlled contexts. As the respondents' data revealed that most teachers (53.3%) perceive teaching speaking skills through guided and controlled contexts helps students to promote speaking skills (See Table 1). In the interview, most of the teachers responded that teacher-led methods should be used to teach speaking skills of the students. Respondents such as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 perceived that teachers should lead, guide, provide dialogues and control the students by using teacher-fronted techniques like lecturing, question and answer, dialogue repetition and pronunciation practice. They also added that modern teaching methods of speaking skills are not commonly used because of many challenges.
When teachers were asked in item 8 to reply whether a teacher should be a facilitator in teaching speaking skills, the majority of the respondents (80%) perceived that a teacher should not be a facilitator in speaking lesson. In interview, although most respondents perceived that teachers should be facilitators, when they were asked to tell their practical performance in speaking class, they replied that they control speaking activities. For example, T2, T4 and T5 perceived teachers should be facilitators. On the other hand, when respondents were asked to answer their practical performance in speaking class, T1, T2, T3 and T5 ensured that their roles are providing knowledge, presenting speaking activities, writing model dialogues, asking questions and concluding activities.
Regarding item 9, teachers were asked to answer whether learners should exercise speaking activities in free environment. Thus, majority of the respondents (70%) disagreed about it. This finding depicted that most of the respondents perceive negatively teaching speaking in free environment. Similarly, in interview all of the respondents suggested that traditional techniques should be used in speaking class. For example, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 responded that techniques such as question and answer, dialogue repetition, pronunciation practice, and Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics www.iiste.org ISSN 2422-8435 An International Peer-reviewed Journal Vol.78, 2021 7 lecturing should be used to teach speaking skills. T1 and T5 added that current techniques such as role play, simulation, storytelling and so on are not accepted because they are time consuming and unfamiliar to students. Item 10 asked the respondents to reveal their perception about if teachers should tolerate correcting speaking errors of the students. As the table showed, 70% of the teachers strongly disagreed. This showed that a lot of the respondents understand that teachers should not tolerate error correction. In the same way, during interview teachers ensured that they correct grammar and pronunciation errors of the students immediately while they are speaking. For instance, T2, T3 and T5 replied that they correct speaking errors of the students directly. On the other hand, T1 and T4 stated that they correct speaking errors at the end indirectly.

Analysis of Data collected on teachers' practice of teaching speaking skills
In order to be competent in speaking skills, students should exercise speaking practically by using varieties of contemporary techniques which enable them to produce their own idea freely. So, teachers have responsibility to employ these techniques and create conducive environment rather than dominating the speaking classes. Table 2 below shows teachers' responses to their regular practice of teaching speaking. * Unfavorable items and scales In the above table, there are ten items with frequencies and percentages of the respondents. Among them, items which contain significant responses and the interview responses have been analyzed and interpreted below.
As shown in Table 2, item 1 asked teachers to reply whether they present speaking activities and focus on rules or not. The result confirmed that the majority of the respondents (70%) present speaking activities and focus on teaching rules rather than encouraging students to practice speaking ( See Table 2). On the same way, the answers of respondents in the interview revealed that almost all of the teachers present speaking activities and also focus on teaching rules. For instance, T1, T3, T4 and T5 replied that they present speaking activities and focus on rules because of challenges like students' focus on grammar and lack of interest to speak. On the other hand, T2 responded that although students are not interested to practice speaking, he uses techniques which are found in textbook.
For the item 3 " I make the students repeat dialogues after me", 60% of the respondents replied that they employ dialogue repetition to teach speaking skills. One can understand from this is that most of the teachers (60%) regularly use dialogue repetition to teach speaking skills. The interview findings also indicated that more than half of the teachers use the dialogue repetition technique to teach speaking skills. For example, during interview, respondents such as T1, T3, T4 and T5 replied that they commonly use dialogue repetition as one of the techniques to teach speaking skills. On the one way, T2 responded that he uses question and answer, pronunciation practice and other techniques from textbook.
Regarding item 5, when teachers were asked to choose if their predominant interaction is between teacherstudent in teaching speaking class or not, 66.7% of the respondents showed agreement. So, the data confirmed Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics www.iiste.org ISSN 2422-8435 An International Peer-reviewed Journal Vol.78, 2021 8 that the majority of teachers use teacher-student interaction in their teaching speaking classes. The results from the interview depicted that most teachers guide and lead the students to answer questions, repeat dialogues, listen their presentations and practice pronunciation. This showed that the interaction during teaching speaking skills is between teacher-student in which teachers take dominant roles whereas students are passive recipients.
On Table 2, item 6 asked to know if teachers practice to teach speaking skills through simulation, role play, storytelling and like. Thus, 60% of the respondents disagreed about using these techniques in speaking classes. This shows that more than half of the respondents do not use current techniques to teach speaking skills. In the same way, during the interview, most respondents disclosed that teacher-centered methodology dominates the speaking class. The results also showed that current methodology is not implemented to teach speaking skills due to different challenges. For example, T3, T4 and T5 confirmed that role play, simulation, storytelling, picture description and the like are not accepted because of shortage of time, their unfamiliarity and lack of teachers' and students' awareness. On the other hand, T1 and T2 replied that teachers commonly use teacher-led methodology.
Teachers were asked in item 9 if they encourage the learners to exercise speaking activities in and out of the class. As it is seen in the table, 60% of the respondents disagreed against encouraging the students. Therefore, these results uncovered that most teachers do not encourage learners to exercise speaking in and out of the class. As the interview results pointed out that the majority of teachers give correction immediately and directly. Furthermore, teachers' perception and actual practice in teaching speaking skills are traditional and they are also unable to apply their roles during teaching speaking skills. Therefore, one can infer from this is that students are not encouraged to exercise speaking in and out of the class because teacher-centered methods are employed to teach speaking skills.

Data collected on challenges teachers face
It is expected that English teachers face challenges in teaching speaking skills of the target language. Challenges can be existed relating to students, teachers, classroom, materials and so on. Thus, teachers need to know the challenges that they can encounter during practice of teaching speaking skills. As a result, they can solve and indicate them to be solved. Table 2 below discloses teachers' responses to the challenges that they face in teaching speaking skills. In the above table, there are four items with frequencies and percentages of the respondents. Among them, all items of significant results and interview responses have been analyzed and interpreted below Item 1 asked the respondents if the class is not suitable to teach speaking skills. Thus, 80% of the respondents strongly agreed to the item (See Table 3). As the finding illustrated, the majority of the teachers strongly agreed that unsuitability of the class is the challenge to teach speaking skills. The interview results also revealed that classroom conditions hinder to use current methods to teach speaking. For example, T1, T2, T3 and T4 responded that large class size, desk arrangement and lack of materials in the class are challenges. It is possible to understand from the findings is that if the number of the students is manageable, desk arrangement is suitable and the class is equipped, teaching speaking can be effective.
In the same way, in item 2, 73.3% of the teachers strongly agreed to the item of " The students have no interest to practice speaking." The data implied that the largest number of the respondents confirmed that lack of students' interest is the challenge in teaching speaking skills. Correspondingly, the interview results ensured that lack of students' interest have negative influence to teach speaking skills. For instance, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 replied that students have no interest to practice speaking because they focus on grammar, have lack of awareness about speaking, have poor background, have lack of words, have experience of reading texts rather than speaking orally and are afraid of making mistakes. Furthermore, they added that teachers' lack of awareness about practice of current techniques reduces students' interest.
Concerning item 3, when the respondents were requested to reply about " Students regularly use their mother tongue in speaking class ", 23.3% and 76.7% of them strongly agreed and agreed respectively. The result revealed that all of the teachers showed agreement for mother tongue interference is the challenge to teach speaking. Similarly, the interview findings confirmed that students regularly use their mother tongue rather than using target language in communicative classroom. For example, T1, T2, T3 and T5 answered that students often use their mother tongue and want translation from their teachers. From this one can infer that if teachers use only English language and encourage the students to use it regularly in speaking class, they may apply it constantly.
As shown in item 4, among total respondents, 20% strongly agreed and 56.7% agreed. But 23.3% of them disagreed against the item "There is no enough time to practice speaking skills." The finding depicted that shortage of time is one of the challenges in teaching speaking skills. In interview, results implied that shortage of time is one of the challenges that hinders giving equal chance for all students to speak. For instance, T1, T3, T4 and T5 responded that shortage of time and large volume of textbook are challenges to teach speaking skills All in all, the data found in all instruments revealed that there are student, teacher, classroom and textbook related challenges. As data showed in interview and observation, students are shy and afraid of making mistakes, focus on grammar, use their mother tongue, have lack of interest, have lack of words and read texts instead of speaking orally. Teachers' responses in questionnaire and interview also pointed out that teachers have lack of knowledge about current techniques of teaching speaking skills. In addition, according to data in all tools indicated that unsuitable classroom, time shortage and textbook volume are challenges in teaching speaking skills

Description of Observed Lessons
Similar to data found in questionnaire and interview, results in observation indicated that teachers commonly use traditional techniques to teach speaking skills. The data also pointed out that teachers have lack of awareness about their roles in speaking class, correcting errors and motivating students. Major challenges like reading texts rather than speaking orally, lack of students' interest, using mother tongue, unsuitable desk arrangement, class size and shortage of time were findings. Some example lessons of T1, T2, T3 and T4 are analyzed below.

Techniques used
As in questionnaire and interview, findings of observation revealed that majority of the teachers use teacher-led techniques to teach speaking skills of English as a foreign language. During observation, techniques such as question and answer, dialogue repetition, lecturing and discussion were used to teach speaking skills. For example, T1, T2 and T4 were observed while they were using question and answer technique. Furthermore, T1 and T3 employed dialogue repetition. T2 and T4 presented speaking activities. However, T1 also applied discussion to teach speaking although the procedures that the teacher used were ineffective. Because the teacher did not facilitate and motivate the students to practice speaking.

The roles of teachers and students played
In all observed lessons, the teachers and the students did not play their roles effectively. These indicated that teachers do not have awareness about current techniques of teaching speaking skills and they do not use them in actual classroom. It is known that students should play the major roles in communicative classes but teachers dominated the classes reversely. The students were either listening their teachers or writing their notes. On the other hand, teachers were copying activities on the blackboard from textbook, demonstrating speaking activities and asking questions instead of facilitating and helping the students. Error correction and encouragement / motivation As the lessons revealed that most teachers correct speaking errors of the students immediately while they are speaking. Similarly, the results in questionnaire and interview confirmed that teachers correct only grammar and pronunciation errors immediately and directly. But teachers should tolerate correcting errors. Perhaps if possible, meanings of the speaking can be corrected at the end of the lesson indirectly. The lessons also disclosed that teachers do not have the trend of motivating the students to practice speaking in and outside of the class.

Challenges observed
During observation of these four lessons, there were major challenges that hindered teaching of speaking skills. Students were given permanent places to sit for a year where there were six and more students. Because some students were not sitting in front of blackboard, they bent their waist towards it to attend teachers' demonstration. Moreover, teachers' methodology, large class size, unsuitable desk arrangement, shortage of time, mother tongue interference and lack of students' interest were major challenges that were seen during lesson observation.

Discussion
In this section, overall findings of this research have been compared with other related research studies. This research report finding confirmed that most of the teachers had lack of theoretical awareness about current trends of teaching speaking skills. They perceived that teacher-led approaches should be used in speaking classes. Moreover, the research results indicated that teachers frequently apply traditional techniques to teach speaking skills. The findings also revealed that there are major challenges that teachers face in teaching speaking skills. For example, students have no interest, use their mother tongue, have poor background, are shy and afraid of making mistakes, focus on grammar and have lack of words. In addition, teachers' lack of awareness, unsuitable class, shortage of time and large volume of textbook are challenges. Derebssa (2006) states in his findings that although the policy emphasizes the use of innovative methods, most classrooms are dominated by traditional lecture in which teachers talk and students listen. The common challenges listed in this report that face in teaching and learning process are teachers' lack of expertise and students' lack of prior experience to actively participate. Kebede (2013) points out in his research findings that English language teachers did not properly use different strategies to teach speaking ability in English. From the study of Zeleke and Alemtsehy (2013), findings also depict that teachers do not use different interaction activities that help to foster the realization of students' classroom oral interaction in EFL speaking class rather they use teacher-centered approach. Teachers were observed playing very few roles in helping, encouraging and facilitating students interact. The lack of students' interest to oral interaction, lack of teachers' commitment to create conducive atmosphere, shortage of time and large class size were challenges to implement oral interaction. Similarly, findings in the research of Oseno (2014) reveal that mother tongue interference, shortage of time, large number of the students are challenges to use more effective approaches in teaching speaking skills. On the contrary, the results of Hunduma (2013) show that English teachers have concepts of oral communication skills and try their best to teach it well; however, they face many challenges to implement the current trends of language teaching methodologies and language learning principles.

CHAPTER:5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1. Conclusions
Depending on the results of the study, the researcher drawn the following conclusions. 1.The findings of the report revealed that teachers do not have theoretical understanding about student-centered methods (current techniques) of teaching speaking skills. They perceived that teachers should use traditional techniques to teach speaking skills. 2. The results also depicted that traditional techniques (especially question and answer, dialogue repetition and lecturing) are commonly used to teach speaking skills in English as foreign language classroom. Studentcentered or current trends of language teaching techniques (role play, simulation, storytelling, games, picture description ...) are not used in speaking classroom because of challenges relating to student, teacher, classroom and textbook. 3. In addition, the findings indicated that there are a lot of challenges that teachers encounter in teaching speaking skills of English. For example, students have no interest, use their mother tongue, have poor background, are shy and afraid of making mistakes, focus on grammar and have lack of words. In addition, teachers' lack of awareness, unsuitable classroom, shortage of time and large volume of textbook are challenges.

Recommendations
Based on the findings of the report and conclusions the following recommendations are forwarded to improve the teaching of speaking skills. -English teachers should be aware of current techniques of teaching speaking skills. As a result, they identify the difference between traditional (teacher-centered) and current (student-centered) approaches. And teachers can have theoretical awareness towards appropriate techniques which enable the students' active participant in speaking class. -Concerned bodies should give English teachers workshop and seminar continuously about methods of teaching speaking skills. -English teachers should use student-centered techniques such as discussion, role play, simulation, storytelling, picture description and so on to teach speaking skills.
-English teachers should be facilitator, helper and participant in communicative class rather than dominating. English teachers should tolerate correcting errors. If it is necessary, they should correct errors indirectly and finally.
-Teachers should encourage and make the students practice speaking skill both in and outside of the classroom. -Teachers and parents should help the students to create awareness in the importance of speaking skills. So, the students practice speaking rather than focusing only on grammar and matriculation questions.
-Concerned bodies of the school should solve the problems of large class size, teaching materials, and nature of desks.
-Curriculum designers and material developers should conceder to balance volume of textbook with time allotted to teach speaking skills. Because the teachers rash to cover large volume of textbook instead of giving equal chance for all students to practice speaking freely.