Developing Learners’ Oral Communication through Tasks: Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers from Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education

Year: 2025

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Developing Learners’ Oral Communication through Tasks: Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers from Democratic Republic of Congo

John Tombola Barabara

ABSTRACT:

Communication within classroom setting is increasingly a concern among teaching professionals and serves for debates in research spectrum. Oral communication is a skill school has to encrust into learners. It needs to be developed from early learning. To boost students’ oral communication requires a task-based approach implying necessary speaking tasks or activities. As well, there is need for teachers emphasize language use considering the interwoven aspect between language and communication. This study investigates the perceptions secondary school teachers have towards students’ development of oral communication and tasks/activities employed for this end. Using a qualitative approach, 31 Congolese teachers at secondary school level have been interviewed, with the results of eight deductive and inductive categories. The results show that teachers have different perceptions of students’ oral communication. Thereof, the abduction process generated four types, namely (1) understanding of English-speaking skills as an elitist-based practice, (2) understanding of English-speaking outcomes as teacher-driven practices, (3) understanding of speaking competences as learner co-constructive in-class practices, and (4) understanding of speaking competences as co-constructive practices via school landscape. Similarly, six criteria have been developed, including perception of oral communication, engaging in speaking, rationale for English speaking skill, drivers for (English) speaking skill, quality of oral communication, and challenges.

Keywords: Efl, Language Register, Speaking Skills, Tasks, Task-Based Teaching