Abstract

Despite sustained English instruction, many Thai undergraduates continue to experience difficulties in spoken communication. This study investigated Thai undergraduate students’ perceptions of their English-speaking proficiency and identified key factors associated with poor oral performance. A quantitative-dominant mixed-methods approach was employed with 86 third-year English-major students from a university in southern Thailand. Data were collected via a 40-item Likert-scale questionnaire, complemented by semi-structured interviews and reflective writing from six participants. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Findings showed that students perceived their speaking ability positively overall, particularly in vocabulary use and casual conversation. However, persistent barriers were reported, including high speaking anxiety, low grammatical confidence, limited speaking practice opportunities, inadequate awareness of effective speaking strategies, and insufficient feedback. Qualitative evidence provided deeper explanations of these barriers and clarified how they shape students’ willingness to communicate. The study suggests that speaking-oriented pedagogies, systematic feedback, and supportive classroom climates are essential for improving oral communication in Thai EFL higher education.

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