Ome TV and Its Potential in Enhancing Speaking Skills for EFL Learners : A Case Study

Abstract

This qualitative case study examines how Ome TV, a video chat platform, can help improve English speaking skills for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Students. The study involved twelve English major students from Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara who had used Ome TV for at least two months. Data were collected through interviews and analyzed to understand how Ome TV affects students' speaking confidence, fluency, and overall speaking ability. The study used Miles and Huberman's data analysis method with three stages: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing.The results show that Ome TV helps students in three main ways. First, it increases speaking confidence because students can practice in a relaxed environment without formal evaluation. All participants reported feeling more confident, and this confidence carried over to classroom and real-life situations. Second, Ome TV improves speaking fluency. Students spoke faster with less hesitation, learned new vocabulary in context, and improved their pronunciation by talking with native speakers. The real-time conversations helped them respond more naturally. Third, Ome TV is effective because it provides authentic practice with people from different countries. Students are exposed to various accents and cultural expressions that they don't get in regular classrooms. The study also found some challenges, including technical problems and occasional inappropriate content. However, students learned to handle these issues effectively. The findings suggest that Ome TV can be a useful supplement to traditional English classes, especially for developing real-world communication skills. The platform helps bridge the gap between classroom learning and actual conversation practice.