INVESTIGATING CHALLENGES IN TOEFL IBT INTEGRATED SPEAKING: EVIDENCE FROM HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAM STUDENTS AT PTIT, VIETNAM

Integrated Speaking in the TOEFL iBT exam presents significant cognitive and linguistic demands as it requires test-takers to synthesize information from multiple input modalities (reading and listening) before producing an oral response. This study investigates the primary subjective and objective challenges faced by non-English major students enrolled in the High-Quality (HQ) program at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT), Vietnam, where the English curriculum is benchmarked against the TOEFL iBT standard. Data were gathered through a mixed-methods approach involving a quantitative survey ($N = 120$) and semi-structured interviews ($n = 12$) with students working at the B1 CEFR proficiency level. Findings reveal three dominant categories of difficulty: linguistic limitations (insufficient vocabulary and limited listening synthesis), lack of systematic instruction in speaking strategies, and affective barriers (low self-efficacy and anxiety). Based on these empirical insights, targeted pedagogical solutions are proposed, including structured note-taking frameworks, integrated skills scaffolding, and strategy-based instruction to enhance student performance.