This study explores the challenges and strategies of Thai EFL teachers in teaching
speaking at the junior high school level through the implementation of
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) to develop students’ communicative
competence. Data were collected through the combination of closed-ended and
open-ended questionnaires administered to two English teachers in Thailand. The
study focuses on three main aspects: common challenges in EFL speaking skills,
students’ motivation, and classroom environment. The findings show that key
challenges in EFL speaking skills include Speaking Complexity, Anxiety, Students’
Confidence, and Participation. Challenges related to students’ motivation are
influenced by Cultural Values and Curriculum Focus. Meanwhile, challenges
within the classroom environment involve Class Size, Instructional Time,
Authentic Materials and CLT Training, and Teachers’ Dominance in speaking. To
overcome these challenges, teachers implemented several strategies, such as using
more student-centered speaking activities, integrating authentic materials,
managing time effectively, and minimizing teacher talk to increase students’
participation and motivation in speaking activities.

Keywords: Communicative Language Teaching, Thai EFL classrooms, teaching
strategies, speaking challenges.