The EFL Students’ Challenge and Problem on Speaking Activities During Online Learning

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted the teaching and learning process at educational institution and it changes the face-to-face learning into online learning. Unfortunately, online learning has its own challenges and problems for EFL students to speak in English during class. The purpose of this research was to investigate the EFL students’ challenges on speaking activities during online learning and EFL students’ problems on speaking activities during online learning. The data were collected by qualitative method within questionnaire and interview. There were sixth semester students of English Education Department of University of Islam Malang as participants of this research with 30 questionnaire participants and 4 interview representative participants. Qualitative case study was used in this research, the data were collected by online within questionnaire and interview. The questionnaire and interview used English. The questionnaire was adopted from Fitriani (2020), and the interview was adapted from Jannah (2021). The data were analyzed based on theory from Sugiyono (2015). From the data investigation, students have many challenges on speaking activities during online learning, most of students felt there is no motivation, less understanding and lack of self-confidence. Then, students also faced several problems on speaking activities there were internet network, students’ devices, online learning environment, less interaction and limited time. As a result, online learning is not effective for speaking activities. Which means, the EFL students prefer face-to-face learning to online learning. Keywords: EFL Students’ Challenge, EFL Students’ Problem, Speaking Activities, Online Learning