ORAL PRESENTATION STRATEGY FOR ENHANCING ENGLISH SPEAKING PROFICIENCY TO NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS

Abstract

This paper presents an integratedskill approach of using oral presentations as an interactive teaching tool in non-English major classrooms, specifically in the context of Tra Vinh University. This paper has the following sections: (1) introducing the context of teaching and learning English and the factors affecting students’  speaking ability in Vietnam and in several other countries; (2) presenting the benefits of integrating oral presentation in the classroom; (3) proposing suggestions that help EFL teachers to apply this approach effectively. The result shows that four main factors, which affect students’ speaking ability, are a lack of topical  knowledge, low self-esteem, limited chances of practice and the overuse of mother tongue. By giving presentation, students have a higher level of confidence, speak correctly, use more vocabularies, and develop other language skills as well as soft-skills. However, teachers need to instruct students clearly; reduce pressure on student grades and make effective feedback to individual. Besides, students need encouragement to create dynamic learning environment. It is hoped that the pedagogical ideas presented in this paper can help teachers effectively employ oral presentations as a means of improving students’ English speaking ability.