The Role of Teacher’s Scaffolding in Collaborative Learning to Enhance Students Speaking Skills.

Abstract

In the field of foreign language education, particularly in teaching speaking skills, students of English often encounter both psychological and linguistic challenges. Some students feel embarrassed when speaking foreign language in front of their classmates, which leads them to avoid participating in class to prevent discomfort. At this point, the role of scaffolding emerges as an appropriate solution to this issue. The teacher’s role in the classroom is to encourage students and provide them with the necessary motivation to help them engage in speaking classes without fear or shyness. This research aims to highlight the importance of scaffolding in supporting students to improve their speaking skills, especially during group work in the classroom. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire was distributed to sixty third-year students of English at the university center of mila. The results of the questionnaire revealed that students need their teachers’ support during speaking classes, particularly in group activities. Students believe that the teacher plays a significant role in encouraging them to speak without fear or embarrassment, and that the teacher is essential in helping them develop their speaking skills. Consequently, it can be inferred that instructional scaffolding plays an effective role in developing students’ speaking skills, especially through collaborative learning. It provides students who are anxtious or less confident with the sufficient motivation to actively engage in class and express their opinions freely. Therefore, this strategy is highly recommended to be integrated into speaking classes.