Attitudes towards English speaking skills among Thai pre-engineering students

This study investigated the attitudes towards speaking skills of pre-engineering students in Bangkok, Thailand. The participants were 81 students. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used to collect data. The findings showed that the students have positive attitudes towards speaking skills and saw the importance of English speaking skills for their future, both academically and professionally. In addition, this study revealed that the challenges they face in language classroom are their lack of confidence, unfamiliar topics, and students’ own unpreparedness when performing a speaking task. Furthermore, students suggested class presentations, collaborative group work, and class discussions as their preferred speaking activities.