Exploring students’ challenges in impromptu speaking in intermediate class at the Choice English Course (CEC)

Abstrak

This qualitative study investigates the challenges faced by intermediate-level students during impromptu speaking activities within a non-formal educational setting, specifically a one-month program at the Choice English Course (CEC). Although impromptu speaking is recognized as an effective technique for fostering fluency and spontaneity, prior research has predominantly focused on its implementation and effectiveness in formal academic contexts. To bridge this gap, the present study explores the students' experiences and difficulties through semi-structured interviews with ten participants selected via purposive sampling. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed five main interconnected challenges: (1) vocabulary limitations, (2) difficulty in developing and organizing ideas spontaneously, (3) unfamiliar topics, (4) feelings of nervousness, panic, and lack of confidence, and (5) reactive pressure from the classroom environment. The findings confirmed that affective barriers like anxiety, consistent with prior research in formal settings, are significantly intensified by underlying cognitive-linguistic difficulties in vocabulary retrieval and on-the-spot idea formulation. Furthermore, the study highlights how contextual factors, such as unfamiliar topics and social dynamics, uniquely compound these challenges in a non-formal learning environment. The research concludes that the obstacles to effective impromptu speaking are multifaceted and interdependent. Consequently, pedagogical strategies in such contexts must adopt an integrated approach that simultaneously addresses linguistic competence, cognitive agility, affective management, and the cultivation of a supportive classroom climate to effectively harness impromptu speaking for communicative development.