CHAPTER ІContext and objective1.1. IntroductionSpeaking is the most demanding skill among English learners and in recent decades, the growing interest in different aspects of improving speaking ability has triggered various researches and theoretical discussions that have highlighted the improvement of this capacity. Icebrekars will be used in this study to improve the speaking ability of upper-intermediate adult EFL learners. Breaking the ice means breaking the ice between learners and using icebreakers to encourage students to interact together.1.2. Problem StatementLack of appropriate speaking activities to improve speaking production among upper-intermediate adult EFL students results in poor speaking performance. This project hopes to find valuable information that will help overcome the problems that upper-intermediate adult EFL students face when speaking in the target language in the classroom.1.3. Theoretical FrameworkOral competence is as crucial as any other language skill. Shumin (1997) states that learning to speak a foreign language requires more than just knowing its grammar and vocabulary. Learners must acquire the skill by interacting with each other. However, it is difficult for EFL learners to speak proper English in the classroom due to the limited use of the language in their real lives. Icebreakers are discussion questions or interaction activities used to help participants relax and feel comfortable in a learning situation (Dover, 2004). The primary goal of an icebreaker is the development of an environment that reduces anxiety and allows individuals to "break the ice" or get to know each other while having fun. Pillai (2007) mentions the goal of 'an icebreaker....... middle of paper ......rum.3. To reduce the subject's anxiety during speaking, the examiner was the students' own teacher.1.8. Overview of the StudyThe first chapter provides a general introduction to the study. In this chapter, the objective of the study, research questions, hypotheses and limitations of the study were discussed and key terms were defined. In the second chapter, the researcher reviews the literature relating to the theoretical and empirical context of speaking, icebreakers, and their effects and functions. Chapter three covers methodological issues such as participants, data collection, procedures, research questions and hypotheses, etc. Chapter four concerns the analysis of the data and the discussion of the results. In the final chapter, we draw some conclusions from our analysis, discuss the conclusive results, and propose implications for further research..