Oral Communication Problems of Higher Secondary School Students: A Case Study of EFL Classes In Swat, Pakistan

This study aimed at exploring students' oral communication problems in EFL classes of higher secondary schools in Swat, Pakistan. Using a qualitative case study design, the study attempted at answering the question: How do students and teachers perceive oral communication problems in EFL classes of higher secondary schools in Swat, Pakistan? Incorporating multiple-embedded case study design approach, through purposive sampling technique, 70 participants (60 students and ten teachers) from 10 higher secondary schools took part in the study. The study used semi-structured interviews and in-depth interviews for gathering the data from the participants; thematic analysis approach was used for analyzing the data. Main findings of the study show that students faced several oral communication problems—linguistic problems, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and structure. This study carries pedagogical implications for teachers and teacher training institutions