Internal and External Factors Affecting Students’ Lack of Verbal Participation

 

Internal and External Factors Affecting Students’ Lack of Verbal Participation and the Role of Classroom Activities in Speaking Engagement

Verbal participation is a crucial component of successful language learning, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Active participation enables students to practice communication skills, express ideas, and engage meaningfully with learning materials. However, many students remain reluctant to participate verbally during classroom interactions. Researchers have identified numerous internal and external factors that contribute to students’ low verbal participation. Understanding these factors is essential for teachers who aim to create supportive learning environments and encourage students to engage actively in speaking activities (Brown, 2004; Krashen, 1985).

One of the most influential internal factors affecting verbal participation is anxiety. Language anxiety often occurs when students feel nervous, worried, or uncomfortable about speaking in front of others. Such feelings may arise from concerns about pronunciation, grammar, or being unable to express ideas effectively. Students experiencing high levels of anxiety frequently avoid speaking opportunities and prefer to remain silent during classroom discussions. Consequently, anxiety can significantly hinder students’ willingness to communicate and participate verbally in language learning activities (Krashen, 1985; Tahang et al., 2025).

Another important internal factor is low self-confidence. Students who doubt their language abilities often hesitate to speak because they are uncertain whether their responses are correct or meaningful. A lack of confidence can discourage students from taking risks in communication, even when they possess sufficient knowledge to contribute to classroom discussions. As a result, students may choose silence over participation, limiting their opportunities to improve speaking skills and language proficiency (Wang, 2019).

Fear of making mistakes and fear of negative evaluation are also major psychological barriers to verbal participation. Many students worry about making grammatical, pronunciation, or vocabulary errors when speaking English. They often fear being criticized, laughed at, or judged negatively by teachers and peers. This concern can create a strong reluctance to participate in classroom discussions and oral activities. When students perceive the classroom as a threatening environment, they are less likely to engage in verbal interaction and more likely to remain passive learners (Hanayanti et al., 2023; Sherly et al., 2024).

In addition to psychological factors, limited linguistic competence can reduce students’ willingness to participate verbally. Students who lack adequate vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, pronunciation skills, or fluency often struggle to express their ideas effectively. Such linguistic limitations can lead to hesitation and communication breakdowns, causing students to avoid speaking opportunities. Research indicates that insufficient language proficiency is a common reason why learners become passive during EFL classroom interactions (Alqurashi & Althubaiti, 2021; Jusuf et al., 2021).

External factors also play a significant role in shaping students’ verbal participation. One important factor is teacher corrective feedback. Although corrective feedback is essential for language development, inappropriate correction methods can negatively affect students’ motivation and confidence. When corrections are delivered in a harsh or embarrassing manner, students may become reluctant to speak again. Therefore, teachers must provide constructive and supportive feedback that encourages learning while maintaining students’ confidence and willingness to communicate (Dea Mahara & Hartono, 2024).

Peer-related factors are another important influence on verbal participation. Positive support from classmates can increase students’ confidence and encourage them to speak more frequently in English. Conversely, peer pressure, ridicule, or lack of support may discourage students from participating verbally. Students who fear negative reactions from their classmates often choose to remain silent rather than risk embarrassment. Consequently, the quality of peer relationships within the classroom greatly affects students’ speaking behavior and engagement (Ayu et al., 2026; Aprilia & Suharjono, 2026).

The classroom environment and learning media also contribute significantly to students’ engagement in speaking activities. A comfortable, supportive, and well-managed classroom atmosphere can foster active participation by making students feel safe and respected. In contrast, noisy and disruptive environments may reduce concentration and discourage communication. Furthermore, interactive learning media such as videos, digital applications, online quizzes, and multimedia presentations can increase students’ motivation and engagement, whereas monotonous instructional materials may lead to boredom and passive learning behaviors (Nasiry et al., 2026; Syahid et al., 2024; Pratiwi et al., 2020).

Beyond the classroom, the broader school environment can influence students’ opportunities to practice English. Schools that provide supportive programs such as English Clubs, English Days, language competitions, and extracurricular speaking activities create authentic opportunities for students to use English in meaningful contexts. These activities can improve students’ vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency, confidence, and communication skills, ultimately encouraging greater participation in classroom speaking activities (Aditya et al., 2024; Aryaputri & Kaniadewi, 2024; Ramadani & Dharmawan, 2025).

Classroom speaking activities themselves are essential tools for increasing students’ engagement and verbal participation. Activities such as dialogue practice, question-and-answer sessions, group discussions, oral presentations, and reading aloud provide students with opportunities to communicate actively in English. Dialogue practice helps students develop conversational skills and fluency, while question-and-answer activities promote critical thinking and immediate verbal responses. Group discussions encourage collaborative communication and often reduce speaking anxiety by allowing students to interact in smaller groups (Desantri et al., 2023; Sri Mayleta et al., 2022; Eka Desy Asgawanti et al., 2025).

Oral presentations and reading-aloud activities further contribute to speaking development by strengthening pronunciation, fluency, public speaking ability, and self-confidence. However, these activities may also create challenges because students often experience nervousness, anxiety, and fear of making mistakes when speaking in front of an audience. Therefore, teachers should carefully design speaking activities that balance challenge and support, enabling students to develop communication skills while minimizing psychological barriers. Overall, addressing both internal and external factors and implementing engaging classroom activities are essential strategies for fostering active verbal participation and improving students’ speaking performance in EFL classrooms (Nguyen & Ly, 2025; Mardiningrum & Ramadhani, 2022; Wahyuni, 2022; Erika Zalukhu et al., 2025).

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