Developing English Communication Competence through Oral Presentations: A Qualitative Study of Secondary School Students in Morocco

Abstract

Developing English communication competence has emerged as a fundamental priority in foreign language acquisition, notably at the secondary education level, where students are required to communicate successfully at school and in real-life environments. However, despite ongoing teaching/learning strategies, secondary school learners continue to face challenges in communicating fluently in English and expressing their ideas confidently. Insufficient opportunities for authentic classroom communication may be one cause of these difficulties. The present research explores the significance of classroom oral presentations as a pedagogical approach for building English communication abilities among secondary students. The study aims to understand how systematic oral presentations effectively enhance learners’ ability in communication, critical thinking, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammatical use. This contribution is grounded in Richards (2006) Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), which prioritizes meaningful and effective communication as the fundamental target of language acquisition, viewing language learning as a process of interaction and engagement. The study employs a qualitative approach, drawing on classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with second-year baccalaureate learners, and evaluation of classroom oral presentations in a Moroccan public secondary school. The findings of this research demonstrated that the participants face multiple challenges hindering the development of their communication skills. It also showed that oral presentation-based education effectively encourages students’ English communication abilities by enhancing their self-confidence, correct pronunciation, critical thinking, and interaction. It showed that students feel motivated and free to use their English effectively during their class oral presentations. This research concludes that implementing regular oral presentation activities into English classes provides authentic opportunities for learners to strengthen their overall English communication skills. The study contributes to existing literature by providing evidence on the significance of implementing regular oral presentations in encouraging students’ English communication skills. It further provides practical instructions for incorporating systematic oral presentations into high school education to generate a more effective educational environment.