Challenging Reticence: The Role of Oral Presentations in Motivating the Common Core Students

Abstract

This action research investigates the importance of oral presentations in improving Moroccan students’ English level. It starts from the hypothesis that students are not much encouraged to deliver presentations in the class for various reasons. Hence, it delivers questionnaires for two common core classes: one is measured in literature while the other in science. The aim behind these questionnaires is to understand students’ perspective vis-à-vis their reluctance from delivering oral presentations in the class. Also, the aim is to find valid solutions that can be used in the process of increasing oral presentations in Moroccan English classes. Additionally, the research relies on interviewing 6 Moroccan high-school English teachers to comprehend the reasons behind not having oral presentations in their classes. The aim behind these interviews is to see what really hinders Moroccan English teachers from encouraging students to present in front of their colleagues which is considered to have an immense impact on the process of learning. The action research concludes that students need to be taught how to deliver presentations which is vital in making them more confident while presenting. In the end, it succeeds in increasing the rate of oral presentations in the two classes compared with before.