Error Treatment And Perception of Correction During the Training of Speaking Skill (Published)
This action research study was carried out to identify teacher strategies to address students errors and students’ response to and perception on corrective feedback in a group of 11th grade students in Chile. Data was collected through classroom observation, an interview and a questionnaire. The data analysis techniques used were critical incidents for classroom observation and thematic analysis for interview and questionnaire. The results showed the teacher used recasts and prompts to address specific content areas and specific students. Responses from students to corrective feedback were to always self-repair following prompts, but sometimes self-repair following recasts. Their perceptions on the role of error as well as corrective feedback were positive. Through these findings it is expected that the teacher-researcher adjust her practices in order to assist speaking skill training but also provide insights on Chilean context and encourage more teachers to explore further in classroom-oriented settings that are larger and diverse.
Keywords: : Corrective Feedback, Perception of correction, Self-repair., Speaking Skill
Enhancing Willingness to Communicate and Self-Perceived Communication Competence through Debates on National Current Affairs (Published)
Learning a foreign language is crucial for university students’ comprehensive academic training. However, Chilean undergraduate students have proven reluctant to speak in English, and they struggle to communicate orally in classes. Willingness to communicate (WTC) is one of the variables affecting foreign language learning and it is influenced by different variables, such as, topics, grouping, interlocutor, teacher and self-perceived communication competence (SPCC). In this scenario, this study aims to explore to which extent debate on national current affairs could affect university students’ WTC orally in English as well as their SPCC. This study followed an action research design and the data was collected through two questionnaires, class observation and a focus group interview. The findings showed an increase in WTC and SPCC in three of the four students observed. Thus, debates on national current affairs could be a useful tool to enhance students’ willingness to communicate.
Keywords: Speaking Skill, Willingness to Communicate, authentic didactic material, debate technique, self-perceived communication competence
Teaching English for Academic Purposes: A Decadal Comparison of Listening and Speaking Skills in the Use of English Texts in Nigerian Universities. (Published)
The compliance rates of Use of English texts to COMSKIP benchmark (listening and speaking skills) in five Nigerian universities in 2005 and 2015 were evaluated using the criterion-referenced assessment and systematic observation as design and instrument respectively. The result showed that for listening skill in 2005 the average compliance rates for the institutions were 0, 0.4, 0.2, 0 and 0.4 for NAU,UNN, FUTO, IMSU and ESUT respectively while for listening skill in 2015 they were 0.4, 2.6, 0, 0 and 0.4 for NAU, UNN, FUTO, IMSU and ESUT respectively. For speaking skill in 2005, the average compliance rates for the institutions were 1, 3.4, 0, 0 and 1 for NAU, UNN, FUTO, IMSU and ESUT respectively. For the speaking skill in 2015, the compliance rates were 1, 1.2, 0, 0 and 0.2 for NAU, UNN, FUTO, IMSU and ESUT respectively. Important recommendations were made.
Keywords: Communication skill project (COMSKIP), English for Academic Purposes, Listening skill, National Universities Commission, Speaking Skill, Use of English texts