Encouraging students to speak English in class
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Authors
Valdez, Priscilla Janet López
Issue Date
2021
Educational Level
ISCED Level 6 Bachelor's or equivalent
Geographical Setting
Mexico
Abstract
Context: This study took place at the Escuela Normal de Tejupilco in the State of Mexico, involving 19 second-grade students (16 women and 2 men) in the third semester of Kindergarten and Elementary education programs. The students, at an elementary level of English (aiming for A2), struggled with speaking due to nervousness and fear of making mistakes, despite being hardworking and motivated.
Aims: The project aimed to identify the reasons behind students' reluctance to speak English and to explore strategies, activities, and materials that could encourage them to participate more confidently in speaking tasks. The teacher sought to create a supportive environment where students could improve their speaking skills without fear.
Methods: The teacher used a questionnaire, reflective writing tasks, peer observation, and lesson plan analysis to gather insights into students' feelings, preferred activities, and perceptions of the materials used. Peer observation allowed colleagues to evaluate her teaching strategies, and reflective writing encouraged students to share their challenges and needs. After analysing this data, the teacher implemented a six-lesson intervention focusing on pair work, varied speaking activities, and immediate error correction, supplemented with new materials such as images, videos, and karaoke.
Findings: The data revealed that students were not reluctant to speak but felt nervous, particularly about making mistakes. They expressed greater confidence when working in pairs and valued immediate correction, especially for pronunciation. Students responded positively to varied activities and supplementary materials like karaoke and pictures, finding them engaging and motivating. Pair work reduced nervousness, made speaking enjoyable, and fostered peer learning. Peer observations highlighted the importance of reducing teacher talk time and providing clear instructions.
Implications: This study suggests that promoting pair work, using diverse and engaging materials, and providing constructive, immediate correction can help students overcome nervousness and improve their speaking skills. Teachers may benefit from integrating student interests into lesson planning and creating opportunities for supportive peer interaction to build confidence in speaking.
Aims: The project aimed to identify the reasons behind students' reluctance to speak English and to explore strategies, activities, and materials that could encourage them to participate more confidently in speaking tasks. The teacher sought to create a supportive environment where students could improve their speaking skills without fear.
Methods: The teacher used a questionnaire, reflective writing tasks, peer observation, and lesson plan analysis to gather insights into students' feelings, preferred activities, and perceptions of the materials used. Peer observation allowed colleagues to evaluate her teaching strategies, and reflective writing encouraged students to share their challenges and needs. After analysing this data, the teacher implemented a six-lesson intervention focusing on pair work, varied speaking activities, and immediate error correction, supplemented with new materials such as images, videos, and karaoke.
Findings: The data revealed that students were not reluctant to speak but felt nervous, particularly about making mistakes. They expressed greater confidence when working in pairs and valued immediate correction, especially for pronunciation. Students responded positively to varied activities and supplementary materials like karaoke and pictures, finding them engaging and motivating. Pair work reduced nervousness, made speaking enjoyable, and fostered peer learning. Peer observations highlighted the importance of reducing teacher talk time and providing clear instructions.
Implications: This study suggests that promoting pair work, using diverse and engaging materials, and providing constructive, immediate correction can help students overcome nervousness and improve their speaking skills. Teachers may benefit from integrating student interests into lesson planning and creating opportunities for supportive peer interaction to build confidence in speaking.
Description
Keywords (free text)
english as a foreign language , speaking activities , pair work , student confidence , error correction , engaging materials , exploratory action research