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The main purpose of the research was to study the major factors that affect students speaking skills both in and out of the classrooms. Out of the total 1072 students of the sample schools, 270 (25.2% of the total population) participated in this research. From each school 90 students were randomly taken as a sample. In the same way, out of the total 33 English teachers, 6 teachers (18.18% of the total number) 2 from each school were randomly selected for the study too. The instruments used for this study were questionnaire, interview, and advanced classroom observations. The findings of the study indicated that; Students were deficient in having appropriate materials, such as text books, audio/video recorded cassettes and appropriate classrooms to practice speaking. Moreover, in adequate practice of speaking, limited knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, psychological obstacles, cultural background, problems of teaching methodology, willingness and proficiency of teachers were additional factors of speaking skills. Students were not involved in all activities of classroom.As a result, they were not subjects of teaching/learning processes at all except their teachers...

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Mr.Biruh Assefa was born on June,16/1984 G.C in Adi-Elen, Medebay, and grew up in Axum, Tigray province, Ethiopia. He has received his bachelor and masters degrees in English language both from Addis Ababa University. Currently, he is a lecturer at Addis Ababa University teaching in the department of Ethiopian languages and literature.

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