Abstract

Speaking is a crucial skill in every learner’s academic pursuit that manifests their proficiency in the use of the English language in various communication contexts. Hence, assessing their performance is necessary so that appropriate interventions may be made. Anchored on Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, this study aimed to determine the factors affecting English major students’ speaking performance and determine any difference in such factors when grouped according to profile such as sex and year level. This descriptive comparative survey was conducted during SY 2023–2024 in a state university. Statistical tools were frequency count and percentage distribution, mean, and standard deviation. A twenty-five-item validated and reliability-tested researcher-made instrument was used. Based on the results, majority of the respondents were first-year female students. Among the five areas, performance conditions and feedback during speaking activities were found to be most significant stating how the time given for preparation and instructors’ immediate and positive feedback played crucial roles in improving speaking performance. The fourth-year female students were found to be highly affected in terms of performance conditions and feedback. This suggests that as female students advanced in their academic journey, they developed academic pressure and heightened self-efficacy with greater value on adequate preparation. Notably, two additional critical factors emerged from respondents’ qualitative responses. These were Peer Interaction and Instructors’ Teaching Style. Students further disclosed using code-switching as they shifted from English to L1, and the teacher-initiated L1 use as a pedagogical strategy utilized by instructors to aid comprehension gap.