Abstract:
The major purpose of the present study was to assess English teachers’ practice and challenges of oral
assessment in EFL classrooms. In the study, Debark Millennium High School was selected using simple
random sampling technique and only grade nine was chosen using purposive sampling technique. In this
grade level, six EFL teachers were chosen through comprehensive sampling technique and 80 students
(13%) out of 640 populations were chosen with systematic random sampling to be participants of the
study. The study employed descriptive research design with mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative
jointly). To collect data, questionnaire, observation and interview were used. While the questionnaire was
analyzed quantitatively, the interview and observation were analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the
study revealed that EFL teachers and students had positive perceptions about oral assessment and
feedback. The findings also depicted that oral assessment and feedback were not applied timely (as the
pedagogy and scholars recommended to do so).In questioning and answering, teachers were seen
interrupting and over correcting students speaking even for minor and slips which could be corrected by
students themselves without the teachers intervention. The findings also verified that students’ interest,
low English proficiency and shyness were found the challenges of practicing oral assessment. The study
also showed that teachers were not recognized individual learners in EFL classrooms equally. In
distributing questions and receiving answers, teachers inclined to clever students.
