Challenges and opportunities in teaching speaking skills in senior high schools

Perspectives of Ghanaian English teachers

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21590004
AutoresRosina Fokuoh (0009-0002-9338-5626, University of Education), Jacob Oppong Nkansah (0000-0002-2280-6828, Department of Education Policy and Leadership, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, autor de correspondencia)
Año2026
Volumen40
Número4
Páginas836-852
Fecha de publicación2026-07-04
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaLanguage and Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0950-0782 • E-ISSN: 1747-7581
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09500782.2025.2565006
OpenAlexW4414563284
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas24

This study focused on the strategies used by English teachers in Ghanaian Senior High Schools to teach speaking skills, while acknowledging the challenges they encountered in implementing these strategies. Using Robin Alexander’s Dialogic Teaching Framework, the study involved semi-structured interviews with seventeen English teachers from four selected Senior High Schools in Ghana. The study revealed that resource constraints, pedagogical issues, and limited digital literacy significantly affected teachers’ ability to effectively teach speaking in Ghanaian Senior High School contexts. However, the findings also emphasized the value of collaborative, storytelling, and digital strategies adopted by teachers as effective alternatives for improving student speaking competency. The study stressed the importance of providing Senior High School teachers in Ghana with the necessary training and resources to enhance their teaching of speaking skills. Additionally, the findings suggested a need for a broader approach to speaking skill development, involving stakeholders from various institutions and extending beyond the traditional classroom setting. This study argues that by fostering a collaborative environment, and offering support and tools to Ghanaian teachers, students can be empowered to develop their speaking skills and achieve tremendous academic success

Discourse analysis · Language proficiency · Literacy · Qualitative research · Semi-structured interview · Teaching method · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Learning and Teaching