Exploring the Antecedents of English Speaking Performance: An Empirical Study on Students in Vietnam

With the continuous development of globalization, English-speaking skill becomes important not particularly in Vietnam but also to all the countries not belonging to the English-speaking regions. In the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0), with the development of technology, the new achievements can support three essential skills of language learning–which are Reading, Writing and Listening. However, with speaking skills, it can take a long time for the new technology to play an efficient role in communication between people. In fact, many language learners find it difficult to express themselves in spoken language, and each student has their own problems. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors affecting the English-speaking performance of students from Danang City, Vietnam. We systematized relevant studies to build a scale with 40 indicators to measure 14 independent variables. Based on results from data analysis using SPSS software, we discovered four groups of factors that affect students' English-speaking performance. The study contributed important quantitative evidence on the impact of listening and pronunciation skills on students' ability to speak English. We also quantify other groups of variables that have a significant effect on speaking competence, such as vocabulary and grammar, confidence, and nonverbal communication. Based on the findings, we proposed some suggestions to improve students' English speaking proficiency.