Exploring Speaking Skills Among Upper-Secondary School Students in Rojava: A Qualitative Inquiry of Challenges and Strategies

In Rojava region, the interplay between sociopolitical factors and educational infrastructures complicates the landscape of English language speaking skills development among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This qualitative study explores the factors that hinder EFL students from developing their English-speaking skills. It primarily aimed at reporting teachers’ voices on the challenges in the context of Northeast Syria (NES) known as Rojava. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven EFL teachers and two English educational supervisors (EES) to explore the challenges facing students in the context of this study. Using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis, the results identified obstacles to speaking skills and the strategies employed to address these challenges in upper-secondary schools. The findings underscored several challenges EFL learners faced, including insufficient linguistic competence and psychological factors, as well as other influential elements such as environmental support, curriculum limitations and EFL teacher lack proficiency in the improvement of speaking skills. Additionally, the study identified key strategies to mitigate these challenges, such as professional development for teachers, offering constructive feedback, addressing instructional constraints, and employing pedagogical approaches tailored to varying levels of fluency. Future research can take a closer look at school students’ speaking skills by incorporating mixed methods research approaches to include a more comprehensive picture of the issue.