English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Students’ Speech Errors: Implications for English Language Teaching

This study identifies, categorizes, and analyzes speech errors committed by EFL students and explores their implications for English teaching. Data were collected through content analysis, following a qualitative descriptive design, and recorded via an audio recorder and a speech log over one month. The study revealed that speech errors were categorized into twelve types: anticipation, perseveration, substitution, metathesis (exchange), addition, blends, shift, omission (deletion), malapropism, spoonerism, sound-exchange errors, and native language interference errors. To improve students' speaking skills, English teachers may design lessons that enhance fluency and accuracy while encouraging EFL learners to develop self-repair strategies to minimize repeated errors. Additionally, they are encouraged to conduct further research on effective error correction strategies to improve teaching practices.