EFL University students’ strategies for maintaining their engagement in learning speaking: A Qualitative Case Study

Muhammad Rahmattullah, Hamiddin Hamiddin, Yahya Alaydrus

Abstract


This qualitative case study investigates how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university students maintain their engagement in learning speaking and examines how gender influences these strategies. Conducted at a private university in Malang, Indonesia, the study utilized purposive sampling to select three English department students who had completed survival and public speaking courses and were enrolled in an English debate class. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews focused on five engagement dimensions, which are agentive, behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social, supported by photographic documentation. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis and Bowen document analysis frameworks. The finding revealed that students actively maintain their engagement through various self-directed strategies, such as watching English movies, listening to podcasts, joining external English courses, practicing individually, and interacting with peers. The participant also demonstrated behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement in different ways. Crucially, gender appeared to influence the strategies used by participants. The male participant relied more on social engagement through peer interaction, whereas the female participants depended more on agentive engagement by seeking independent learning opportunities. Additionally, female participants experienced speaking anxiety, while the male participant reported burnout and learning fatigue.


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References


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