The role of classroom interaction in improving learners speaking skills: a case study of private universities

Abstract

The case study was designed to investigate the role of classroom interaction and improving learners’ speaking skills in the real classroom situation in the light of Flanders Interaction Analysis Categories (FIAC). It focuses on the development of speaking skills that comes from the proper utilization of classroom interaction by teachers’. Classroom interaction is always popular among teachers’ but it is less due to lack of following proper classroom interaction system which interrupts speaking skills. A convergent mixed method design was used for the research where both quantitative (students’ survey) and qualitative (teachers’ interview and classroom observation) data were collected. Results show that both students’ and teachers’ are aware of classroom interaction but the actual classroom interaction is less because of teachers’ monopolizing the talk time and learners’ getting less talk time with controlled activity. The study also expose that students’ only respond for teachers’ asking the question but in initiation period they talk more. However, this proves that learners’-learners’ interaction is more beneficial than teacher-learners’ interaction. So, teachers’ need to increase learners’-learners’ interaction by giving them more talk time for conducting communicative activities. This case study suggests that teacher should follow learners’ interaction seriously by giving students’ additional talk time for improving their speaking skills.