INVESTIGATING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE EFL LEARNERS' PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING ACTIVITIES: AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY

Abstract

Low participation in oral activities remains a persistent challenge in EFL classrooms across Uzbekistan. This classroom action research investigated strategies to enhance learner participation in speaking tasks at the secondary school level. Drawing on an exploratory phase comprising classroom observations and learner questionnaires, the study identified fear of error, low confidence, anxiety, and a teacher-fronted pedagogical culture as the primary obstacles. An eight-week action plan was subsequently implemented, incorporating cooperative learning, interactive games, role-plays, visual and technological aids, and systematic positive feedback. Post-intervention observations indicated that more than 80% of students became actively engaged in speaking tasks. The findings align with Krashen's (1982) Affective Filter Hypothesis and Harmer's (2007) principles of communicative methodology, confirming that reducing anxiety and increasing authentic interaction are decisive variables in speaking performance. The study concludes that a combination of learner-centred strategies, rather than any single approach, is most effective in transforming passive EFL learners into active communicators.