Challenges and Strategies Used by Trainee Teachers in Teaching Speaking in The Primary ESL Classroom

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the challenges and strategies used by trainee teachers in teaching speaking in the primary ESL classroom. The study involves 170 trainee teachers from PISMP TESL June Intake and PISMP TESL Sept 2022 intake of Institut Pendidikan Guru. The sample being chosen is the intake that have completed the first phase of practicum or are currently undergoing the first phase of practicum. A structured questionnaire has been prepared as the instrument of this study. A total of 21 items is designed in 4 different sections; it applies the 4-point Likert-Scales to collect the data from respondents. The findings showed the trainee teachers of PISMP June 2021 intake and Sept 2022 intake faced challenges to teach speaking at a moderate level (mean=3.34), Even though the challenges are at ‘moderate’ level, it still needs to be taken care of as it can affect the effectiveness of a lesson. Next, trainee teachers demonstrated high awareness of the ways utilized to overcome these challenges (mean=3.50) and demonstrate understanding of the pedagogical strategies in teaching speaking in the primary ESL classroom (mean=3.48). This research provides insights into the challenges experienced by trainee teachers and highlights ways utilized to overcome the challenges and strategies used to enhance speaking skill in ESL learners.