Learners’ Perspectives and Experiences on the Factors Influencing Speaking: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This article reviews recent publications (n=23) on learners’ perspectives and experiences on the factors influencing speaking. We downloaded articles using keywords such as “improving speaking skills,” “learners’ experiences on improving speaking,” “factors influencing speaking,” and “learners' perception of the factors influencing speaking” from different databases like Google Scholar and ERIC. Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework, we extracted findings from articles on learners’ perceptions and experiences on factors influencing speaking and methodological trends applied in the selected studies. First, we categorized factors affecting speaking performance into sociocultural, pedagogical, linguistic, and psychological as per the perspectives and experiences of the learners. Then, we conducted the methodological review. The review result showed that the selected articles employed qualitative approaches, questionnaires, and interviews for data collection and thematic analysis to interpret the data. The review indicated that few studies are conducted in the Nepali context focusing on the learners’ perspectives and experiences on the factors influencing speaking. The underrepresentation of these issues needs to be addressed to enable learners and instructors to develop effective strategies for enhancing speaking skills.