WHY WE HESITATE: The Role of Monitor Performance In Speaking Competence

Language is the bridge that connects minds, cultures, and ideas. Among the four foundational skills, listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Speaking holds a unique position. It is immediate, interactive, and deeply human. Speaking is more than merely stringing words together; it is the active process of conveying thoughts, emotions, and intentions to others. Yet, for learners of English as a foreign language (EFL), achieving proficiency in speaking remains one of the most formidable challenges.

This book, Why We Hesitate: The Role of Monitor Performance in Speaking Competence, delves into an aspect of language  learning that is often overlooked yet profoundly influential: the relationship between speaking performance and monitor performance. Drawing on the pioneering work of Stephen Krashen and other leading scholars in second language acquisition, the book explores how learners’ internal “monitor”—a mental editor that checks language output—affects their fluency, accuracy, and overall communicative competence.