Exploring EFL Learners’ Speaking Confidence through One-Minute Talk Practice

Abstract

This study aims to describe EFL learners’ speaking confidence and the challenges they face during One-Minute Talk sessions. Among EFL learners, spontaneous speaking remains a persistent challenge, as many struggle with confidence, fluency, and idea organization. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, drawing on learners’ speaking performances, interviews, questionnaires, and classroom observations. The data were analyzed thematically. The findings show a clear improvement among participants. In the first session, many learners appeared nervous, used frequent pauses and fillers, and experienced difficulty developing ideas smoothly. By the second and third sessions, most learners demonstrated greater fluency, clearer idea organization, increased confidence, and began using simple gestures to clarify meaning. Interview findings further highlight key challenges such as vocabulary limitations, idea generation difficulties, and increased pressure during spontaneous speaking, which were also evident in learners’ observable hesitation. Questionnaire responses reveal a decrease in speaking anxiety and an increase in self-confidence after completing the activity. Overall, the findings confirm the effectiveness of the One-Minute Talk activity in enhancing learners’ spontaneous speaking skills and confidence. This study contributes conceptually by clarifying confidence development through repeated speaking practice and pedagogically by offering a practical strategy to promote active oral participation in EFL contexts.