Exploring the Factors that Enhance Secondary Schools Learner’s Oral Communicative Competence in English Language.

ABSTRACT This study has been designed to investigate the problem of poor oral communicative competence in English language among secondary schools in Gasabo District of Rwanda. The target population was 96 advanced level History Economics and Geography (HEG) students from the Groupe Scolaire Kinyinya. Using simple random sampling technique, a sampling size of 36 students of Senior Five (S5) HEG combination was obtained. Questionnaires, observation and interviews were used as data collection tools. The study findings indicate that challenges to oral communicative competence including vocabulary problems, pronunciation of the words and lack of motivation among others. These findings also show the class size is a problem in itself and recommends strategies such as increasing debates inside and outside the classroom, encouraging learners to speak English even outside the classroom, oral presentation of tasks given in front of the whole class and providing more activities that allow learners to speak. Key words: Boost, Strategies, Oral communicative competence