Investigating the Factors that Affect the Oral Classroom Participation of Arab Postgraduate Students

This study examines the factors that affect oral participation of six Arab postgraduatestudents (two Iraqis, two Jordanians, and two Libyans), namely, three maleparticipants and three female participants. For this purpose, a semi-structured interviewwas employed. The results showed that female as well male interviewees share somefactors that make oral participation in classroom disheartening. These factors includehigh levels of anxiety, lack of confidence, shyness, and lack of preparation. It was alsothat there is no difference between male and female interviewees in relation to the factorsthat make them feel disheartened from oral classroom participation.