International Journal of
Information and Education Technology

Abstract

The research was conducted to examine how an English lounge program at a university affected students’ speaking ability and their attitude toward their foreign teachers and to determine if there were significant differences in the effects between the program delivered face-to-face and online as perceived by the two groups of respondents – students and teachers. This study is a descriptive-comparative survey research. Frequency analysis, mean comparison analysis, t-test, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were the statistical tools used. The computed mean values show that as perceived by the participants, the program, implemented face-to-face and online; improved the students’ speaking ability and their attitude toward their foreign teachers to a great extent. Results have shown that as perceived by the participants, both versions of the program improve the students’ speaking ability and their attitude toward their foreign teachers and that students’ attitude toward foreign teachers is strongly correlated to (and significantly influences) the development of their speaking ability. The findings convey the importance of establishing rapport between students and teachers in the development of the speaking ability of students. It also reveals that online English lounges are as effective as when they’re implemented face-to-face.