A Bibliometric Review of Research on Teaching Speaking Skills (2002-2024): Trends, Key Contributors, and Interventions for Enhancing Speaking Skills in Non-English-Speaking Contexts

A considerable amount of time and money has been invested in English language education (ELE) around the world, especially in countries where English is a Foreign (EFL) or second language (ESL). This study conducted a bibliometric review on English-speaking (ES) education; this study maps the knowledge area objectively and aims to identify the status, major research themes, evolution, and emerging trends in this field. To maintain objectivity and transparency, the review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Bibliometric Reviews protocol. Based on literature retrieved from the Web of Science core collection, a total of 66 bibliometric records published from 2002 to 2024 were visualized and analyzed via Vosviewer.
The current research status through publication distribution and co-country network shows that the research is undergoing a steady increase and international authorship. Clusters and bibliometric reviews of citing articles indicate five distributions, i.e., “Activities and tasks, programs”, “Approaches”, “Methods”,“Technology”, “Tools and instruments”, and “Strategies”. The keyword and citation burst detection, as well as bibliometric review of citing articles, were conducted to identify the research trends. It is found that the majority of scholars underscore a substantial shift in the framework of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pedagogy, moving away from traditional teacher-focused methods towards a more student-centered, communicative, and technologically driven approach. This transformation is rooted in an awareness of the evolving requirements of EFL learners in a globally interconnected world.
The field of teaching English-speaking skills continues to experience exponential growth and development, indicating an ongoing expansion and advancementofresearchinthisarea.Thispaper provides references for researchers to understand the status, hidden structure, evolution, and emerging trends of research on English-speaking education. Additionally, this study contributes significantlybyidentifyinginterventionsthatcan enhance students’ speaking skills.