SCHOOL OF EDUCATION GRADUATION WORK PRESENTED BY: LUÍS ANTONIO BARAHONA LÓPEZ, PARIZ ROZEMBER FUENTES RIVERA DAVID PARADA RIVERA TOPIC: STUDY OF THE ASSOCIATED FACTORS TOWARDS THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING, 10TH GRADE BACHILLERATO TÉCNICO AUTOMOTRIZ, CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS ACADÉMICO VOCACIONAL CORONEL FRANCISCO LINARES, APOPA CITY, SAN SALVADOR, 2007 TO OBTAIN THE DEGREE OF: BACHELOR OF ARTS IN EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR, CENTRO AMERICA
UNIVERSITY AUTHORITIES
ING. LUIS MARIO APARICIO GUZMAN RECTOR
LIC. CATALINA MACHUCA RODRIGUEZ DE MERINO ACADEMIC VICE-RECTOR
LIC. JORGE ALBERTO ESCOBAR FACULTY OF EDUCATION DEAN
JURADO NOMBRADO
LIC. SONIA GUADALUPE LÓPEZ Presidente
LIC. SARA ALICIA VÁSQUEZ 1er. VOCAL
LIC. GUSTAVO ALONSO RAMOS 2do. VOCAL
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We owe a special debt of gratitude to LIC. SONIA GUADALUPE LÓPEZ, LIC. SARA ALICIA VÁSQUEZ, LIC. GUSTAVO ALONSO RAMOS and LIC. NESTOR WALTER RIVERA CLAVEL, for their careful and critical Redding of our manuscript and their insightful and detailed comments which were invaluable in creating our final result. Our gratitude also goes to the people who work in the UPES library: Juan Carlos Cortez, Mario Abel Segura and Carlos Alberto Rivera for their patience and kindness to providing us all the available books concerning to our research during development of this work. Thank you so much guys.
DEDICATION
Principally to God for give me the life and the opportunity to finish my profession and to have supported me in all the obstacles I faced during my studies. To my family: my mother Teresa de Fuentes for her constancy and her comprehension, for her love during my studies and to care about me all the time also for her advices that until now I feel proud to take them into account; to my father Manuel Fuentes for lend me a hand when it was necessary; to my Twin Brother Christians to help me unconditionally, and also to the woman that is right to my side all the time, Nohemy Torres thanks for your prays and love. I also would like to thank to my thesis partners Luis and David, for their comprehension and patience during the development of this project, thank you guys.
Pariz Rozember Fuentes Rivera
DEDICATION
To my almighty lord, Jesus Christ to be the guide and my helper in every single situation of my studies, also for give me the life and the opportunity to finish my profession and to have supported me in all the obstacle I faced during my studies. To my dear son, Roberto Carlos and my daughter Gissella Michelle for their love and constant support and encouragement throughout my studies, thank you for always being there and providing me the time and space I need to complete this project. To my family, my mother Maria Julia for her constancy, comprehension and also for her advices that until now I feel proud to take them into account; to my father Lucas Parada for lend me a hand when it was necessary. I would like thank to my thesis partners Luis and Pariz for give me support when things got tough. I also would like to extend a very special thank to my respectable teachers at Universidad Pedagรณgica de El Salvador who played the most essential role during my formation to become a professional.
David Parada Rivera.
DEDICATION
Mainly to God for give me the life and the opportunity to begin and finish my studies, just him is my guide and helper. Especially to my mother Amalia thanks for guide my first steps and teach me a lot of positive stuff of the life, to my father Rutilio for his advices and support in all aspects at every moment that I need it. I will love them forever. To my lovely wife Luz Maria, for her help and constant support throughout my studies, thanks for being there giving me the space and time that I needed to finish this project. To my brothers Xiomara, Oscar, Angelica and Julio for their advices and trust in me. I love them. I would I would like to extend a special thank to my respectable teachers at UPES who played a very important role during this process to becoming a professional. I also would like to thank my thesis partners David and Pariz whom gave me support when things got tough. And I want to do a special mention to my dear friend Marvin MarroquĂn, for his help in every moment when we needed him. Thanks a lot.
Luis Antonio Barahona LĂłpez
UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGÓGICA DE EL SALVADOR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
A STUDY OF ASSOCIATED FACTORS TOWARDS THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING, 10TH GRADE BACHILLERATO TÉCNICO AUTOMOTRIZ, CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS ACADÉMICO VOCACIONAL CORONEL FRANCISCO LINARES, APOPA CITY, SAN SALVADOR, 2007.
GRADUATION WORK TO OBTAIN THE DEGREE OF: BACHELOR OF ARTS IN EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PRESENTED BY: Luís Antonio Barahona López Pariz Rozember Fuentes Rivera David Parada Rivera
ACADEMIC ADVISOR: B.A. Néstor Walter Rivera Clavel
San Salvador, El Salvador, 2008
CHAPTER I 1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Introduction 1.1. General and specific Objectives
5
1.2. Antecedents of the problem
6
1.3. Justification
7
1.4. Statement of the problem
8
1.5. Goals and limitations
10
1.6. Type of the research
11
1.7. Sum up of the concepts and categories to be used
11
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2. THEORETICAL- METHODOLOGICAL BASE 2.1. English Language Learning
14
2.2Historical development of the English Language in El Salvador
14
2.2.1 Bilingual Education in El Salvador
15
2.2.2. Educative Reform of 1968
15
2.2.3. Educative Reform through the “Solidification Approach for Basic Education” (S.A.B.E.) project
16
2.2.4. Educative Reform and the designing of Bachillerato Técnico and General
18
2.2.5. Outcome and inferences of the process of Educative Reform
18
2.2.6. New class generation of Bachillerato and administration of PAES test
19
2.2.7. New Programs of English Language
19
2.3. EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK METHODOLOGY 2.3.1. Population sample
20
2.3.2. Methods Techniques, Instruments and Procedure
21
2.4. Theoretical and Methodological formulation about the research. 2.4.1. Some factors affecting teaching and learning process
22
2.4.2. Some problems in the Mixed Ability classes
27
CHAPTER III 3.OPERATIONALFRAMEWORK 3.1. Description of the subjects of the research
30
3.2. Data gathering information
33
3.3. Data gathering procedures
33
3.4. Specification of the technique for the data analysis
33
3.5. Graphics
35
3.6. Chronogram
46
3.7 Resources
47
3.8 Preliminary table of contents on final report
48
3.9 General and used References
50
3.10
51
Attachments
3.10.1 Check list for the students
52
3.10.2 Multiple choice test for students of 10th grade
53
3.10.3 Interview for English Teachers
54
3.11
55
Conclusion and recommendation
CHAPTER I
1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
INTRODUCTION The importance of speaking the English Language in a profession is vital in any educational institution, because in many different fields exist a great demand that the average population in high school should manage a good level of English Language, because nowadays, it is the language which the majority of people speak, and do not know anything about it as a professional is like being illiterate. Therefore, to make the English Language learning effective, it is necessary to make a big effort of both, the students and teachers who are involved in the educational process. In our schools, in order to learn English as a Foreign Language, students must face different situations in the learning process. This work is titled “A study of associated factors towards the English Language Learning, 10th Grade Bachillerato Tecnico Automotriz, Centro de Estudios Academico Vocacional Coronel Francisco Linares, Apopa city, San Salvador, 2007.� It is a work with important information to those who want to get success teaching or learning English Language, because it pretends to identify the most common associated factors in the students´ learning process. This research contains in it first chapter: General and Specific objectives, Antecedents of the problem, Justification, Statement of the problem, Goals and limitations, Type of research, Sum up of concepts and categories to be used. The second chapter contains a short explanation about the development of the English Language in El Salvador, also, the steps follow in order to develop the research as well as the most important factors registered and found in the workfield. The third chapter contains the following: the description of the subject of the research, the data gathering procedures, specification of the technique for the data analysis, resources, preliminary table of contents on final report, general and used references, and attachments as well.
1.1.
GENERAL AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
•
To identify, through a descriptive research, the main associated factors students face in the English Language Learning Process, in order to determine the most common ones.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
•
To administer the students different surveys to bring about the main associated factors the students face in the English Language Learning process.
•
To present the results of the research about associated factors in the Learning process of English as a foreign language, in order to contribute to the effectiveness of the process.
1.2. ANTECEDENTS OF THE PROBLEM
The antecedents of the problem will specially deal with the reasons why a lot of students of High School do not give enough importance to the English Language subject. That phenomenon can be seen in the classroom of some Public or Private schools and in the low results in their English Language evaluations. Many efforts have been done to reduce the factors the students face in the learning process. Some of the factors are: Intelligence, Aptitude, Personality, Integrative and Instrumental Motivation, Age, and others. In our country, the English Language is taught during five years according to the MINED’S recent changes, as a result of the Educational Reforms; three years in Junior High School, and two years in High School. However it is important to determine, which are the most common factors that influence their learning process? This study shows that in spite of the insertion of the English Language in the study programs introduced by the Ministry of Education (MINED) as part of some government policies, the students have the possibility to acquire some basic knowledge of the English Language, but the students do not take advantage of it. Even though they know that the working world that is waiting for them is entirely globalized, and demands for good academic training skills, besides the English Language is turning into one of the most spoken languages around the world, the students would not have the opportunities to develop in working environments in which the English Language will be one of the main requirements in order to get a good job.
1.3. JUSTIFICATION
Since the English Language is considered the most World Wide effective communication means. The researchers’ aim is to observe and interview a small group of students at Centro de Estudios Académico Vocacional “Coronel Francisco Linares” of Apopa City, San Salvador, at 10th Grade of Bachillerato Técnico Automotriz, to know their own opinions and feelings about the English Language Learning process. The research is based on gathering information directly from the students; to determine which are the main associated factors that student face in the English Language Learning process. Most of the time students turn into passive pupils who only receive repeated information, sometimes they have to memorize it without any interest at all, In other cases the teacher does not have enough command about the subject, because the teachers are not specialized, so, they limit themselves to give brief explanations about the contents, doing a little dictation of some words, or sentences for homework, and do not promote a true development of the basic macro- skills such as: Listening, Speaking, Writing and Reading, that the learning of the English Language requires. If English learning is not reinforced, the students will face harder problems for them to overcome their basic academic training in the language. The proposal of this study refers to identify the most common associated factors that students face in the English Language Learning process. This will be done with the results gotten from the surveys in 10th Grade. The reason why 10th Grade was chosen is because on this grade students begin to consider the importance to learn the English Language in a very serious way, realizing that the laboral field has more requirements in order to get a better job. In this sense, it is expected the final results of the research, become a good contribution to the reader in order to know, and use the information to be conscious at the time to perform a class.
1.4. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The English Language nowadays reflects many centuries of development. In numbers of speakers as well as in its uses for international communication, and in other less quantifiable indicators, English is one of the most important languages of the world, even though it is not the most widely spoken language; on the other hand, the advances determine the interest of the English Language speaking for Technological, Scientifically and Industrial aspects. For example Chinese is spoken by more than a billion people in China itself, but a language may be as important as a lingua franca in a country or region where diverse population would otherwise be unable to communicate with other cultures if it does not manage another language or dialect. It has been said that English is recurrently associated with practical and powerful pursuits.
Joshua A. Fishman, an American Sociologist renowned for his works in Bilingual Education and Language Planning, makes the point that: English is less loved but more used; French is more loved but less used. And in a world where “econo technical superiority” is a count, the real powerhouse is still English.1
El Salvador needs to develop many fields such as Education, Culture System, Political, Economical field among others. Therefore it is necessary that the majority of its inhabitants should manage a basic knowledge of English Language with the aim of increasing international relations. The spread and importance of the English language nowadays makes it reasonable to ask whether we cannot speculate as to the probable position that it will occupy in the future. If the future of a language were merely a matter of the number who use it as a first language.
1
Fishman Joshua A.. “Sociology of English as an Additional Language”, In the Other Tongue English Across Cultures, ed. Braj B. Kachru (2nd ed. Urbana, 1992), pag. 23
The necessity to comprehend and master the English Language widely seems to be imperative to survive in nowadays’ globalization change. That is why the present research is focused to identify the main associated factors towards the English Language Learning to determine which are the most common problems the students face when studying English Language in the four Macro skills, such as: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. As stated previously, this will be done through the results gotten from the surveys to prove the accuracy of the investigation to help students improve their English Language learning process.
So, at present, to apply to some jobs, it is important to speak English because there have been some studies that show that people who speak English have better job opportunities than others who do not speak it at all. Most of important scientific texts or researches are written in English, as well as computer science. The whole terminology and information about the electronic devices are found in this language. For these reasons it is necessary to make this research to identify the kind of factors that are affecting the students of 10th grade that make them reject learning English since they are about to get into the working field, in a general way. To develop an efficient learning process, it is important to stimulate the interest of students and to reinforce their motivation in learning a new language.
1.5. GOALS AND LIMITATIONS
GOALS
- Persuading the English teacher to allow the researches to stay in classes, it was possible to observe some of the factors students face in the English language learning process.
- Since the point of view that teachers and students were the main elements in the research it was necessary to administrate the survey for each ( students and teacher ) which permitted us to know those factors that are not perceived in a simple observation.
LIMITATIONS
-A drawback was the rejection that students showed at the time to administer the surveys, because they thought that it would have a kind of percentage for the English language subject.
- This time economical, material (computer) and time resources to develop different sessions were limited; that oblige the result of the study were delay.
1.6. TYPE OF RESEARCH This research is bibliographical and descriptive one, it is bibliographical because, is about a specific phenomenon, in this case, the Main associated factors towards the English Language and the Learning Process have been supported by several books, and Web Sites. Is descriptive, because it allows arranging the results of behavior, characteristics, and factors observed in the research done.
1.7. SUM UP OF THE CONCEPTS AND CATEGORIES TO BE USED
This research comprises different definitions. According to Finocchiaro and Bonomo, the term LANGUAGE consists in a “system of arbitrary vocals symbols”2 which allows all people in a given culture, or other people who have learned the system of that culture, to communicate or to interact. On the other hand, Ronald Wardhaugh, explaining that LANGUAGE is a “system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication”3. Finocchiaro and Bonomo define LEARNING as the “process which leads to the acquisition of any form of behaviour”4. Simultaneously, Papalia explains that LEARNING is a “permanent relative change in behaviour that reflects an acquisition of knowledge or ability through experiences that can include study and instruction in practice”5. Noam Chomsky Linguist and Philosopher, was one of the first that described that FACTORS that affect the Language learning are: “all the things that are around the students and mention in a general way the most common”.6 2
Finocchiaro, Mary and Bonomo,Michael. The Foregin Language Learner. A Regents publication, New York, USA, 1973 3 Wardhaugh, Ronald, “Introduction to Linguistics” University of Toronto, Canada, 1977 4 Finocchiaro, Mary and Bonomo,Michael. The Foreign Language Learner. A. Regents publication, New York, USA, 1973 5
Papalia, Diane E, Aprendizaje, Memoria y Proceso Cognitivo.
There are many factors which have direct and indirect impacts upon the process of learning. It is up to the interaction of people to the things around them. Stephen Krashen an American Linguist and Professor of Education, said that there are “some researches that show that is difficult exactly measure the characteristics or FACTORS that influencing the students in order to learn English Language, but he mentioned some of them, like: motivation, intelligence (IQ scores, Krashen, about this factor said: that can tell us if one student is good or not), personality, aptitude (that could be the most important because if a learner has a high aptitude may learn faster and more successful)”7. In this research it is considered the following categories:
Categories of Language: Speaking:
Seeming to be capable of speech; hence,
lifelike; as, a speaking likeness. Reading: is a passive, visual activity, whereas speaking
is an active, auditory activity. Listening: is the act of hearing attentively. Writing letters or symbols that are written or imprinted on a surface to represent the sounds or words of a language.8 Categories of learning: Facts (information about things), Concepts (classes of things), Processes, principles and rules (cause and effect relationships), procedures (steps in carrying out a task), parts of (the elements of an object).9 Categories of factors: environmental, that can be of various types like a person’s daily routine, activities, people around them. Non-environmental can be the general factors that are not concerned with the environment around a person. Internal ones are all about their internal thoughts and way of behaviors that people have to hide or show at times before others. External ones are all those factors which are to be imposed on them from outside society. Attitude is about the way people show themselves to others and it is the way of their behavior.
6
Noam Chomsky, Factors Influencing in Education from WIKIPEDIA.ORG Stephen Krashen. Factors in Education. WIKIPEDIA.ORG 8 www.Bainymedia.com 9 Fastrak consulting Ltd. 1998 7
Aptitude is about their talents and abilities to display them and to absorb things. Social factors are the factors which are impacting on them from the prevailing society. Non-social are all of the factors excluded from the social factors category. Professional are all those which are career concerned. Personal ones have the concern with private affairs of a person ,All of the factors if treating in positive manner will give an impetus to the learning process of individuals while have a negative impact on learning process if acting in a negative manner.10
10
Noam Chomsky, Factors Influencing in Education from WIKIPEDIA.ORG. Stephen Krashen. Factors in Education. WIKIPEDIA.ORG
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
1. THEORETICAL-METHODOLOGICAL BASE English Language Learning
While many discussions about learning a second language focus on teaching methodologies, little emphasis is given to the contextual factors -- individual, social, and other, that affect students' learning. These contextual factors can be considered from the perspective of the language, the learner, and the learning process. Several factors related to students' first and second languages shape their second language learning. These factors include: intelligence, aptitude, attitude, age and others; so, Learners' goals may determine how they use the language being learned, how native-like their pronunciation will be, how lexically elaborate and grammatically accurate their utterances will be, and how much energy they will expend to understand messages in the target language. Learners' goals can vary from wholly integrative, the desire to assimilate and become a full member of the English-speaking world.
2.2. Historical Development of the English Language in El Salvador
Regarding to the English Teaching- Learning Process in our schools, according to the magazine “Un vistazo al pasado de la Educación”, from the Ministry of Education, and the Teaching- Learning experience since 1980, agreed: “That very little has been done about it”.1According to this it is presented some historical details, which allow us to affirm the comment before.
1
Aguilar Avilés, Gilberto. Un vistazo al pasado de la Educación en El Salvador. Doc. 1. pag. 63.
2.2.1. Bilingual Education in El Salvador.
Bilingual Education in El Salvador was settled with the foundation of Escuela Americana, “Opening in 1944 at Residencial Sagrera on Avenida España in San Salvador”.2. But it was by the latest fifties that the first high School class was graduated. Afterwards the Academia Británica appeared, these institutions have sheltered students of higher levels of El Salvador. In the sixties and seventies the foundation of private schools was increased. These schools offered bilingual education and the cultural interchange system; such as Centro Harvard, Berry College School of Business, Colegio Spencer, Colegio Anglo-Americano, Academia Maquilishuat de El Salvador and Colegio La Floresta; these two last institutions belonged to the Opus –Dei Foundation, conforming a new educative choice for some sectors of Salvadoran population for their purposes of education.
2.2.2. Educative Reform of 1968
At the end of the sixties the Educative Reform was carried out under the leadership of the Minister of Education, Walter Beneké. This process brought as a solution, the creation of Bachillerato Diversificado, in which the teaching of the English Language was developed by having two periods of 45 minutes per week with not enough time for the development
of the four basic macro skills to conform an
optimum communicative verbal level, which let students to work out the abilities and skills also, as well as the level of management and knowledge of the English Language.
2
Escuela Americana de El Salvador, Celebrating 50 years of Excellence. Pag. 1.
2.2.3. Educative Reform through the “Solidification Approach for Basic Education” (S.A.B.E.) project.
At the end of 1989 the Ministry of Education started the Educative Reform project for the basic level (from 1st through 9th grade).3 On 1991 the Ministry of Education made up to work in the establishment of a new Curriculum for the teaching of English Language, this project was done in coordination with the International Agency for International Development of United States (USAID), Development Associates (D.A), and the Central America Peace Scholarship Program (C.A.P.S.). This Curriculum was based in the research carried out during the months of January, February and March 1992 in one hundred and twenty seven Public schools in the country, this research showed the following results: A. The 77% of the contents are not taught because the program is to long and they do not have enough time to cover it.4 B. According to the students’ role there are many limitations due to the lack of materials and few classes per week.
About the teachers who work teaching the English Language, we can point out:
A. The lack of training in the management of modern methodologies in the majority of teachers on duty.5 B. A high percentage of teachers are not graduated in the English Specialty.6 C. The Ministry of Education does not provide the adequate resources.7
This research was done by twenty-five qualified teachers in the English Language, previous to their departure to the University of South Carolina in May, ninety-two 3
Escuela Americana de El Salvador, Celebrating 50 years of Excellence. Impresos Litográficos de C.A. 4 El Diario de Hoy. “Teachers por accidente”. Viernes 2 de Junio de 2000. pag. 22 5 El Diario de Hoy. “Teachers por accidente”. Viernes 2 de Junio de 2000. pag. 22 6 Idem. Pag. 22. 7 Idem. Pag. 22.
where they would work in the design and development of the curriculum for the new programs of English Language from 7th grade to 12th grade. In the same year another group of seventy-five English Teachers were sent to the United States to work in methodology related with the four macro skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing), as the new Curriculum demanded. When the one hundred specialists came back, they achieved to make a new English Language teaching Curriculum for the basic and secondary grades from 7th grade to 12th grades. This Curriculum was printed in this experimental design in the middle of 1993. three years before the educative system started in the secondary levels, such as the following characteristics in the programs “Communicative, Significant, Integration, Cooperation, Efficiency and Flexibility”.8
The working methodology suggested that teachers must create and develop an Eclectic Method, in addition to the communicative approach, that included several methods such as: Suggestive, communicative language learning, silent way and others. It is recommended the addition of one more hour-class (45 minutes) per week, to use a special classroom, a different evaluation methodology, and the students’ package (a workbook for each student). In 1994, a workshop was developed to the high school teachers to let them know the new programs, its features, and working ways also. Most of the teachers immediately started working with it, some others had difficulties to use it by the lack of English Language Management they had. On the other hand, there was no follow up process to the changes started in 1996, as a result of the current Educative Reform.
8
MINED. Programa de Estudio de Inglés. Educación Media (Bachillerato)
2.2.4. Educative Reform and the designing of Bachillerato Técnico and General.
At the beginning of 1996, it was started the use of a new Curriculum for the Bachillerato General; three years of studies for the Bachillerato Técnico, and two years for the Bachillerato General respectively.9 The fact caused the diminishing of the English Language study in one year. The English Language is classified as a compulsory subject, likewise: Literature and Language, Science, Mathematics and Social Science. In all these subjects except English Language workshops were developed in January 1996, in order to start the changes in the process in stages within the Educative Reform, with the purpose to let the attending teachers now the different characteristics of the new Curriculum. Its contents: working methodologies, didactic resources, evaluation and Educative Reform philosophy and purposes. The programs in their experimental stages, evaluation manuals and textbooks were given to the teachers to be used in the schools throughout the country. In 1997 new training was developed in the Educative Reform process. Once again the manuals, textbooks and study programs in their final stage were given to the teachers.
2.2.5. Outcome and inferences of the process of Educative Reform
In the English Language field not only one year of studies was taken away in comparison with the old Curriculum of Bachilleratos Diversificados which included English in Twelfth grade of high school, but also broke the link between high school and University level for Bachillerato Técnico. Besides dropping the existent Curriculum developed throughout C.A.P.S. program as a result of USAID-MINED deal. In reference to the English Language there was no official English seminary before, and the process of Educative Reform started in high school in January 1996. 9
La Prensa Gráfica. Resultados 1999. PAES, Viernes 12 de mayo de 2000
2.2.6. New class generation of Bachillerato and administration of PAES test.
By 1998, the first class of Bachilleres Técnicos and the Second of General ones were graduated, finishing in this way the implementation stages process of the Educative Reform which started in basic school in 1989 and the changes in Bachilleratos in 1996. English Teachers do not have the English Language programs along to the Educative Reform process. The Prueba de Aprendizaje y Aptitudes para Egresados de Educación Media (PAES), was taken by the students in its second edition on September 25th, 1998, and the English Language was not included on it, nevertheless, it had been classified as a compulsory subject in the process of the educative changes. The daily newspaper “La Prensa Grafica and El Diario de Hoy”, have published the national official results (14 departments) of the different basic subjects. The Ministry of Education has given the test to the students personally in all public and private schools all over the country.
2.2.7. New Programs of English Language. By October 1999 the new English Programs from 7th through 11th grades were sent to the public schools. There was no seminary for the teachers to be familiar with the programs. Up to now teachers still using the same Programs.
2.3. EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK METHODOLOGY This research aimed to find out the main associated factors towards the English Language Learning. For that reason, it was necessary to select a specific group of students as a sample of the Salvadoran National Educational System, According to this. It was decided to work at “Centro de Estudios Académico Vocacional, Cnl. Francisco Linares”, in Apopa City, San Salvador, because two of the researchers
live round there, and have the access to that school and also know the zone, and a lot of students that study there.
2.3.1. Population Sample At the school was taken the 10th level of High school. The number of total students was about 400 in the morning shift. The students who participated in the project were 45, and two teachers, the students selected were from Bachillerato TĂŠcnico Automotriz. The project spanned four weeks, from April 4th to May 6th 2008.
2.3.2. Methods, Techniques, Instrument and Procedures
Methods The methods used for this study were the experimental and scientific, as significant elements to analyze an object from the reality, moreover, was used the Inductive- Deductive Method to get the conclusions after gathering the information process and develop the data analysis and tabulating procedure.
Techniques To carry out this research two techniques were put into practice, documentary and work field. The first one consisted on a survey to identify some associated factors towards the English Language Learning in the educative field. This information made possible to get reliable criteria to develop the different stages of the research. The second one was the direct application in which the researchers applied the instruments to collect the data required to the students in 10th grade of Bachillerato TĂŠcnico Automotriz, since were the research sample.
Instruments The instruments used to develop this research were three, a questionnaire for the students, a written interview to the teacher, and a multiple choice test for the students in order to know their proficiency of the language, just as a sample of one
of the factors (lack of interest) considered the most common one. The questionnaires for the students have three choices to answer, these were: Mucho, poco, Nada. This was to get an idea how they felt about their preferences in order to learn English Language. It is necessary to mention that this instrument was structured and administered in Spanish to guarantee the truthfulness of the information. In addition, was held a written interview with the teacher to get information about their performance of the class into the classroom.
Procedure At the beginning, information about the problem at e literary level was gotten for which different libraries were visited by the researchers. The school selected was visited to talk with the Principal and the English Language Teachers. They were asked for their permission to develop the project. Simultaneously to let them know its purpose. Since the aim of this research has been to highlight what are the main associated factors into the practice of the English Language Learning; the research began with the analysis of some Factors that influence in the Learning of the English Language, this was done through the bibliographical and literary gathering about the factors and topics related to the research, was possible to get reliable criteria to the whole editing and the field development. Through this information and analysis a summary of concepts and factors related to the learning English Language emerged, and were described. This information was used to compile the surveys.
2.4 THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FORMULATION ABOUT THE RESEARCH
2.4.1. SOME FACTORS AFFECTING TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS10
For EFL teachers, some factors affect the rate at which a student learns a Foreign Language. In order to teach effectively, it is important to learn as much as we can about our students, since some of our procedures will vary depending upon de students in our classes. Some of these factors are: Intelligence, Aptitude, Personality, Integrative and Instrumental Motivation, Age, Attitudes, Students with learning disabilities, behavioural problems, personal restrictions, problems in the Mixed ability classes (in this part we can mention also: effective learning, materials, participation, interest, discipline), as follows we make a short explanation of each one of them, to make them easy to understand.11
a) Intelligence: Intelligence, especially measured by verbal IQ tests, may be a strong factor when it comes to learning that involves language analysis and rule learning. On the other hand, intelligence may play a less important role in language learning that focuses more on communication and interaction. It is important to keep in mind that “intelligence” is complex and that a person has many kinds of abilities and strengths. An individual with strong academic performance does not necessarily mean that s/he is a successful second language learner.
b) Aptitude Aptitude for language learning is usually composed of four different types of abilities: a) The ability to identify and memorize new sounds
10
NECSI RESEARCH PROJECT. CHANGES IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS IN A COMPLEX EDUCATION SYSTEM. Miriam Bar-Yam, Kathleen Rhoades, Linda Booth Sweeney, Jim Kaput, and Yaneer Bar-Yam. Copyright © 2002-3 New England Complex Systems Institute.
11
Esteller, John Simon, Needs of English Language Learners. The American International School F. Bucharest, Rumania, December, 2003.
b) The ability to understand the function of particular words in sentences c) The ability to figure out grammatical rules from language samples d) The ability to memorize new words
Earlier research revealed a substantial relationship between aptitude for language learning and performance in foreign language that was taught with grammar-translation or audio-lingual methods. However, aptitude seems irrelevant to L2 learning with the adoption of a more communicative approach to teaching (i.e., with a focus on meaning rather than on form).
c) Personality a. Some studies have found that learners’ success in language learning is
associated
with
extroversion
such
as
assertiveness
and
adventurousness, while others have found that many successful language learners do not get high scores on measures of extroversion. b. Inhibition is a negative force for second language pronunciation performance. c. However, in general, the research does not show a clearly defined relationship between personality and SLA. The major difficulty is identification and measurement of personality characteristics. d. Personality may be a major factor only in the acquisition of conversational skills (i.e., oral communicative ability), not in the acquisition of literacy skills (i.e., reading and writing skills).
d) Motivation Both integrative and instrumental types of motivation are related to success in Foreign Language learning. Most FL learning situations involve a mixture of each type of motivation.
Research strongly favors intrinsic motivation, especially for long-term retention. Intrinsically motivated learners are striving for excellence, autonomy, and selfactualization. Integrative Motivation Motivation has been identified as the learner's orientation with regard to the goal of learning a second language. It is thought that students who are most successful when learning a target language are those who like the people that speak the language, admire the culture and have a desire to become familiar with or even integrate into the society in which the language is used. This form of motivation is known as integrative motivation. When someone becomes a resident in a new community that uses the target language in its social interactions, integrative motivation is a key component in assisting the learner to develop some level of proficiency in the language. 12
Instrumental Motivation In contrast to integrative motivation is the form of motivation referred to as instrumental motivation. This is generally characterized by the desire to obtain something practical or concrete from the study of a Foreign Language. With instrumental motivation the purpose of language acquisition is more utilitarian, such as meeting the requirements for school or university graduation, applying for a job, requesting higher pay based on language ability, reading technical material, translation work or achieving higher social status. Instrumental motivation is often characteristic of Foreign Language acquisition, where little or no social integration of the learner into a community using the target language takes place, or in some instances is even desired.13
12 13
Norris- Holt, Jacqueline, Motivation as a Contributing Factor in Second Language acquisition. Norris- Holt, Jacqueline, Motivation as a Contributing Factor in Second Language acquisition.
e) Age Older learners may well speak with an accent because they want to keep their L1 identity, and the language input for adults is different from that for children because they rarely get access to the same quantity and quality of language input that children receive in play setting. • When the goal is basic communicative ability of the Foreign Language, rather than native-like mastery, and when students’ native language remains the primary language, it may be more efficient to begin Foreign Language. • When learners receive only a few hours of instruction per week, those who start later often catch up with those who began earlier. • One or two hours a week will not produce very advanced Foreign Language speakers, no matter how young they were when they began learning.
f) Attitudes Attitudes develop as a result of experience, both Direct and Indirect. They are greatly influenced by people in the immediate environment: parents, teachers, and peers. Attitudes towards themselves, the target language and the people who speak it (peers in particular), the teacher, and the classroom environment, all seem to have and influence on acquisition.
Attitude toward the Teacher and the Classroom Environment In classrooms in which mutual respect is lacking, differing values can be set. Conflicts are likely to develop between students and teacher and between students and peers. Students who cooperate on a project maybe thought to be “Cheating” or students who fail to guess on the true or false, section of a test are thought to be “not caring”. In the first case the students, may not value competition as the teacher thinks they should; rather they value group cooperation in completing a task. In the second case, the students may not feel comfortable guessing when not knowing the answer; their motive maybe not to get the highest possible score but simply to render a more accurate indication of what they actually know.
We have all probably seen classrooms in which values clashed student against peer.
Attitude towards the target language and the people who speak it. The attitude that an individual has toward the target language and the target group (especially peers), seem to have a very significant effect on motivation in particular. According to Gardner, and Lambert. “The learner´s ethnocentric tendencies and attitudes toward the members of the other group are believed to determine how successful he will be, relatively, in learning the new language
g) Students with learning disabilities. On occasion, learners with have known or undiagnosed learning disabilities when they come to English class. They may be inadequately prepared or academically unprepared for the rigors and discipline they face when attempting to acquire a foreign language as young learners, teens or adults. This can strongly impact the teacher who may now be expected to compensate for deficiencies of learners while maintaining an "acceptable" pass rate of English or other foreign language acquisition skills. h) Behavioral problems. While these can often be linked to external or motivational factors, behavioral problems can be highly disruptive in a foreign language classroom setting. If behavioral problems result from learning disabilities, the disruption can be compounded beyond what the teacher may be able to successfully or practically cope with. Violence, inattention, excessive cross-talk with other learners, nonattendance, physically moving around the classroom and other distractions are but a scarce few of the problems related to this category.
i) Personal restrictions. Each of us on occasion needs to attend to personal matters, go for medical or dental appointments. We get sick; catch colds or the flu, sprain an ankle, break a bone or suffer from one or more of an innumerable of health or social problems. We suffer from stress, have family problems. Any or all of these can affect our classroom performance, unwilling though we may be allowed it to do so. These final four factors that we have considered here can also have a substantial impact on the effectiveness of the English EFL or ESL language teacher. As stated earlier, with more and more students in fewer and fewer classes and even those classes are expected to be taught with less and less resources or fewer and fewer hours. The results however, both on the part of learners and the administration, is to produce better and better English language production skills. The need then still, is for solutions to an ever-worsening series of growing problems. This will require the full cooperation of both teachers, administrators and to some extent, the learners themselves.
2.4.2. Some Problems in the Mixed Ability Classes14 a) Effective Learning As a teacher, our aim is to reach all of our students. However, it is well known that every student has a different way of learning, and learns and progresses at different speeds. Thus, while some students may find the learning task very easy to deal with, others may find it difficult to understand. Besides, learning also depends on what students have brought with them into class. Since each comes from a different family, a different environment and/or a different nation, the multicultural population of the classroom may be an obstacle for the teachers in reaching the students, which eventually results in ineffective learning. Moreover, although it is quite difficult for the teacher to know about each student and to follow 14
Prodromou, L. The Mixed Ability Class and the Bad Language Learner. English Teaching Forum, 27/4, 2-8. 1989.
what each one does during the lessons even in small classes, it is important for teachers to monitor each and every student and to reach their needs in a variety of ways to achieve effective teaching. b) Materials Since most language textbooks are designed for an ideal homogeneous classroom environment, teachers always have to deal with the problem that students react to the textbook differently due their individual differences. First of all, some students may find the textbook boring and very hard, whereas some find it interesting or very easy. In addition, as language teaching course materials are currently based on content-based or theme-based syllabi, some students may find the topics dull, strange, or meaningless; whereas others find it enjoyable, familiar or interesting. Therefore, it is usually necessary for the teacher to evaluate and adapt the materials according to his/her class. c) Participation Since the classroom is the first and only environment for many foreign language learners, they should use this chance as much as possible. However, some of the students find it difficult to speak in the target language for many reasons ranging from interest to confidence, from age to knowledge. Other students, however, would like to express everything they think or feel by using the new language. As a result, some students may take many turns, while others do not speak for the entire lesson. d) Interests Interest problems may arise due to the differences among students in terms of their attitude towards the subject matter and/or the teacher; their knowledge of language; and their personality. For instance, some students may find lessons boring, as the topic has no familiarity with their own life or their interests. Furthermore, some of the students may not be interested in the lesson, unless they do get the chance to express their own ideas since the teacher talks too much during the lesson or the other students take many turns. Hence, teachers should
be aware of the different interests of the students to organize and to arrange activities accordingly. e) Discipline Often the quicker students finish the tasks given before the other students. As a result, they may misbehave while waiting for the others to finish. The weaker students, on the other hand, cannot finish the tasks as quickly as the strong ones and may loose their confidence and/or show ill-disciplined behaviour for a variety of reasons related to that. Consequently, mixed abilities may result in classroom management problems.
CHAPTER III
3. OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK
3.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECTS OF THE RESEARCH
At the beginning of this research, the first idea was that many factors are affecting the students language learning of English into Salvadoran education. This was the starting point of this research which leads the researches to find out the main associated factors towards the English language learning. The bibliographical information found in others researches from authors like Mary Finocchiaro and Michael Bonomo, let us know that it is important to identify with clear ideas some of this factors in order to improve the teaching or learning process of the English Language. The methodology proposed by MINED in the English programs of High school is eclectic (integral), which combines activities and techniques from the different teaching- learning approaches and methods, such as: Total Physical Response, Grammar Translation Method, Direct Method, Silent way, audio- Lingual Method, Suggestopedia, Communicative Language Learning, The Communicative Language Teaching Approach, Content- Based approach and the Task- Based Approach. The combination of methods selected by the teachers should match the needs of the class: the rhythm, style of learning, age of student, teaching style, experience, and didactic resources available. The English program for high school enhance motivation, participation and selfconfidence through different communicative activities in which students become fully active participants. It stresses the importance of providing learners with the opportunities to use their English for communicative purposes not only for the development of linguistics skills. Obviously, the proposal of this methodology in the programs needs meet reality in the classroom. In this sense, and considering that this research aims to find out the main associated factors towards the English Language learning, it was necessary the direct observation of the teacher’s and 5
student’s role at high school level in the private school Centro de Estudios Academico Vocacional Coronel Francisco Linares, which is placed in Apopa City, San Salvador, approximately 13 kms far from San Salvador city, it is located on Carretera Troncal del Norte.
In 2007 this institution had a population of 600 students divided into Bachillerato General, Técnico y Automotriz. The school facility is made of 20 classrooms for teaching. It counts on basic services; the human resources are 23 trained teachers to work on the different levels. The school counts with a Centre of Resources for Learning, in Spanish (CRA), in the science field, there is an available library that is used by students and teachers as well. The school mission is “To get Educative success, applying Methodologies that allow the integral development and the experience of the human values practiced by the students.” It’s vision is “We want to make of the school, a institution, to form helpful people to the family and the society so they can contribute with the development of our nation.” The observation carried out in this institution was the complement of the bibliographical research about the Main Associated Factors towards the English Language Learning, and its entrance in the Salvadoran territory. The final results gave to know that is the motivation into the classroom the main factor that affects the students in a negative way, because most of them express that English Language is important nowadays, but they do not feel motivated to learn it. Methodology proposed by the Ministry of Education is still in paper, the direct observation of teachers and students role in the practice do not reflect remarkable application of it because most of the time, teachers and students only use the traditional resources (markers, whiteboard, notebook and pen).
6
The interview with the teacher who is specialized in the English teaching field in charge of teaching English Language gave to know the following: he used the English program for high school in planning but he does not has enough resources, also he said “most of the time students get to the classroom with family problems,”. The researchers also wanted to realize about the students’ feelings about their preferences, usefulness and the class methodology of the English subject through a questionnaire (see attachments page 43). They responded that, they like the English subject a little, but at the same time they considered that, English is important for their lives, they also considered that learning English is a little difficult. Moreover, they answered that, they like the way the teacher develop the English class. Considering these answers it is assumed that the students conscious about the importance of English Learning, but at the same time they recognize that there is obstacles that restraint them to success in their learning. On the other hand, teacher’s responses give to know that they cannot be responsible of the low level of proficiency of the students according to the English Language learning, but the whole Educational System that has to propitiate all the conditions in schools at the educators’ professionalism in order to attain a truthful development of the basic Macro skills (Speaking, Listening, Writing, Reading). It is fundamental to mention that in a Salvadoran Classroom at the private school like “Centro de Estudios Academico Vocacional Coronel Francisco Linares”, the teachers must face large class groups, lack of essential didactic resources to teach the English subject and that they have to teach in a double shift which constitutes additional obstacles to develop an effective learning.
7
3.2. DATA GATHERING INFORMATION For data gathering were used three instruments to take the sample required for the research. The evaluation tool for this research had two parts for the students: a multiple choice test, and a questionnaire, and a written interview to the teacher to know the level of performance of the English language into the classroom, the questionnaire has questions that allow us to know the different factors that influence the students learning process of the English Language. Previously the researchers asked them a series of five warm up questions to create a kind of friendship atmosphere. The multiple choice test has 30 items with practical grammar elaborated taking in a count the grammar suggested by the English program for first year of high schol. This test was supposed to be administered in a limit time of 45 minutes. The questionnaire does not take more than 15 minutes to answer it. The test was described to the students in order to let them know the purpose of it and how was the form of the test they had to answer. A code was assigned to each student (001- 038), just to be sure our work at the time to analyze the information.
3.3. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE For data gathering were used one written interview, to know the teacher information, (see attachments page 45) and one questionnaire for the students’ role according to the Learning of the English Language. The procedure consisted in the applying the questionnaires during their performance in the classroom, during two weeks, because they have three hours class per week in high school. The researchers entered to the classroom to persuade them and explain the purpose of our research.
3.4. SPECIFICATION OF THE TECHNIQUE FOR THE DATA ANALYSIS The data analysis was carried out taking into account the frequency of their answers for each question, it was decided to make a consolidation of the information got, and the totals of frequencies were converted into percentages.
8
Used formulas: Fa= Accumulated Frequencies Fa%= Relative accumulated frequencies or percentages calculated with the following formula
Percentages = Nc / Nt (100) Nc= number of cases or absolute frequencies in the categories Nt = total number of the test administered Arithmetic mean: x1+x2+x3+... n
To obtain the final results and determine the percentages of a number, it was necessary to use the Rule of Three. It is a procedure to resolve problems which involves two or more magnitudes. Eg. 32* 100= 3200 3200/100= 84.21
9
FIRST QUESTION Would you like to learn to speak English language to communicate with other people and learn about other cultures?
FIRST QUESTION
LITTLE
NOTHING
MUCH
MUCH
LITTLE N0THING
INTERPRETATION It is clearly the interest in learning to speak the English language within the students surveyed, because the 84 percent mentions the importance of the ability to communicate in English language to know and socialize with other cultures.
10
SECOND QUESTION Would you like to learn to speak English for the purpose to get a good job position?
SECOND QUESTION
LITTLE NOTHING
MUCH
MUCH
LITTLE N0THING
INTERPRETATION When it expresses the intention to work using the English language as a tool, students are very interested because the 87 percent of them want to learn the language for employment purposes.
11
THIRD QUESTION Do you think that learning of English Language is difficult?
THIRD QUESTION
NOTHING
MUCH
LITTLE
MUCH
LITTLE N0THING
INTERPRETATION Before the questioning of the level of difficulty of learning the English language, 66 percent of the students are aware of the little difficulty in developing a new language, being the 10 percent who did not believe that learning English is a difficulty.
12
FOURT QUESTION Do you like how the teacher develops the English Language class?
FOURT QUESTION
NOTHING
LITTLE
MUCH
MUCH
LITTLE N0THING
INTERPRETATION A significant percentage said that the classes they receive at the institute are good for purchasing the new learning in terms of English is concerned, by contrast 24 percent of the students specifies the low affinity in the development of classes by the teacher in charge of such subject.
13
FIVE QUESTION Do you participate actively in the English classes?
FIVE QUESTION
NOTHING MUCH
LITTLE
MUCH
LITTLE
N0THING
INTERPRETATION While the students say that English is the subject of acceptance in the development of the classes and it also represents a major difficulty in developing this new language, only 58 percent are those who engage in activities sporadically while 5 percent did not is involved.
14
SIX QUESTION Do You think that discipline in the classroom allows you to learn more English language?
SIX QUESTION
NOTHING LITTLE
MUCH
MUCH
LITTLE N0THING
INTERPRETATION The 68% of students recognize that discipline in the classroom, is a factor that allows them to acquire the necessary skills and abilities within the subject of English.
15
SEVEN QUESTION Do you use a textbook in your English classes?
SEVEN QUESTION
MUCH
LITTLE
NOTHING
MUCH
LITTLE
N0THING
INTERPRETATION Regarding to the use of teaching materials in the development of the classes of English, students do not use books, this could means a trouble as they do not use assigned books for class; doubts and gaps in many cases are not overcome.
16
EIGHT QUESTION Do you feel that your personal problems decrease your profit of English in the classroom?
EIGHT QUESTION
MUCH
NOTHING
LITTLE
MUCH
LITTLE
N0THING
INTERPRETATION Personal problems at the age that students are considering the passage of puberty for their lives, leads them in most cases, not trouble to concentrate and develop activities of the English language, as they are in total 97 percent did not consider to be directly affected by their problems whether they are social, family or educational.
17
NINE QUESTION Do you believe that the environment of the classroom lets you learn more English language?
NINE QUESTION
NOTHING MUCH
LITTLE
MUCH
LITTLE N0THING
INTERPRETATION According to the students, the area selected to develop the subject of English do not provide them the acquisition of a significant learning, which is evident if we consider that 50 percent of pupils feel that their environment within the classroom is inappropriate, in Against position with 42 percent who considered feasible that environment.
18
TEN QUESTION Check the ability that you consider more difficult in the English language learning?
TEN QUESTION
LISTEN
SPEAK
READ WRITE
SPEAK
WRITE
READ
LISTEN
INTERPRETATION
When prioritizes within the skills that are more difficult to learn English is concerned, the students show a slight difference between listening and speaking, being the 26 percent who considers that the speaking ability is more difficult while 21 percent believe that it is more difficult of listening skill. By contrast 16 percent took their difficulty to read against 37 percent who believed that writing in English is their biggest problem. The truth in all this is that the difficulties are shared in all the skills leading to a lack of enthusiasm on the students.
19
PILOT REVIEW
INTERPRETACION While students of the Centro de Estudios Acadèmico Vocacional Coronel Francisco Linares say that discipline in the classroom helps them to understand the English language and to learn this language is not as difficult, although they show deficiency to write, read, listen or speak, even with all this information the reality is as palpable that the difficulties that may have personal as well as in the above-mentioned difficulties make them reprove in a 92 percent of the 38 students who were examinated with a test of basic knowledge acquired in the first year of high school and with which counts as a basis for education. Although it add that regardless of factors that help to understand the subject and those who do not even exists much that can be done, and more for improvement in the techniques and methodologies applied in our classrooms.
20
3.5. CHRONOGRAM Specialty: English Language Academic Advisor: Licenciado Nestor Walter Rivera Clavel Topic: A study of associated factors towards the English Language Learning, 10th grade Bachillerato Técnico Automotriz, Centro de Estudios Académico Vocacional Coronel Francisco Linares, Apopa City, san Salvador, 2007. Students: Luís Antonio Barahona López, Pariz Rozember Fuentes Rivera, David Parada Rivera.
2007 Activities: Documental Research/Field Research
Aug. Sept.
2008 Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan
Feb. March April
May
June
July
Aug. Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Conceptual Framework Introduction, Antecedents of the problem, justification, stament of the problem Goals and limitations Concepts and categories, edition 1st draft, Correction 1st draft Theoretical framework Documental reseach: theoretical methodological, basis, Empirical Field attendance: observation, Organization of the information, Development and theoretical definition, Edition 2nd draft, Presentation 2nd draft, 2nd draft correction. Operational framework Description of the subjects of the research, Data gathering procedure, Specification of the technique for the data analysis, Chronogram, Resources Prelimanry table of contents on final report, Used and general bibliography, Edition 3rd draft, 3rd draft correction.
46
3.6. RESOURCES
HUMAN RESOURCES
-
Researchers: Who developed the study. Teachers and Students: Who gave essential information about the object of the study. School Principal, School Vice-principal and Librarian: whom facilitated some bibliography and general information about the school. Academic Advisor
LOGISTIC RESOURCES
-
School,
Computers,
Paper,
USB
Memory,
Compact
Disk,
Books,
Magazines, Computer Ink, and Information downloaded from INTERNET.
47
3.7. PRELIMINARY TABLE OF CONTENTS ON FINAL REPORT
CHAPTER I 1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Introduction 1.1. General and specific Objectives 1.2. Antecedents of the problem 1.3. Justification 1.4. Statement of the problem 1.5. Goals and limitations 1.6. Type of the research 1.7. Sum up of the concepts and categories to be used
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2. THEORETICAL- METHODOLOGICAL BASE 2.1. English Language Learning 2.2Historical development of the English Language in El Salvador 2.2.1 Bilingual Education in El Salvador. 2.2.2. Educative Reform of 1968 2.2.3. Educative Reform through the “Solidification Approach for Basic Education” (S.A.B.E.) project. 2.2.4. Educative Reform and the designing of Bachillerato Técnico and General. 2.2.5. Outcome and inferences of the process of Educative Reform 2.2.6. New class generation of Bachillerato and administration of PAES test. 2.2.7. New Programs of English Language.
48
2.3. EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK METHODOLOGY 2.3.1. Population sample 2.3.2. Methods Techniques, Instruments and Procedure 2.4. Theoretical and Methodological formulation about the research 2.4.1. Some factors affecting teaching and learning process 2.4.2. Some problems in the Mixed Ability classes
CHAPTER III 3.OPERATIONALFRAMEWORK 3.1. Description of the subjects of the research 3.2. Data gathering information 3.3. Data gathering procedures 3.4. Specification of the technique for the data analysis 3.5. Graphics 3.6. Chronogram 3.7 Resources 3.8 Preliminary table of contents on final report 3.9 General and used References 3.10
Attachments
3.10.1 Check list for the students 3.10.2 Multiple choice test for students of 10th grade 3.10.3 Interview for English Teachers
3.11
Conclusion and recommendation
49
3.8 GENERAL AND USED REFERENCE
1-Fishman Joshua A.. “Sociology of English as an Additional Language”, In the Other Tongue English Across Cultures, ed. Braj B. Kachru (2nd ed. Urbana, 1992). 2-Finocchiaro, Mary and Bonomo, Michael. The Foreign Language Learner. A Regents publication, New York, USA, 1973 3-Wardhaugh, Ronald, “Introduction to Linguistics” University of Toronto, Canada, 1977 4-Noam Chomsky, Factors Influencing in Education from WIKIPEDIA.ORG Stephen Krashen. Factors in Education. WIKIPEDIA.ORG 5- Necsi Research Project. CHANGES IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS IN A COMPLEX EDUCATION SYSTEM. Miriam Bar-Yam, Kathleen Rhoades, Linda Booth Sweeney, Jim Kaput, and Yaneer Bar-Yam. Copyright © 2002-3 New England Complex Systems Institute. 6-www.google.com. Additional Critical Impact Factors In the English Language
Learning. Janette Klingner. University of Colorado at Boulder.
50
47
CUESTIONARIO PARA ESTUDIANTES DE PRIMER AÑO DE BACHILLERATO DEL CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS ACADEMICO VOCACIONAL CORONEL FRANCISCO LINARES
OBJETIVO: El siguiente cuestionario tiene como objetivo recolectar información acerca de las opiniones de los estudiantes de Primer año de Bachillerato en cuanto a diferentes factores que inciden en el aprendizaje del Idioma Inglés.
1. ¿Te gustaría aprender a hablar el Idioma Inglés para comunicarte con otras personas y conocer sobre otras culturas? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
Nada _________
Porque? _____
2. ¿Te gustaría aprender a hablar el idioma inglés para efectos de conseguir un buen trabajo? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
Nada _________
Porque? _____
3. ¿Consideras que aprender idioma Inglés es difícil? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
Nada _________
Porque? _____
4. ¿Te gusta cómo desarrolla las clases el maestro? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
Nada _________
Porque? _____
Nada _________
Porque? _____
5. ¿Participas activamente en las clases de Inglés? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
6. ¿Crees que la disciplina en el aula te permite mayor aprendizaje del Idioma Inglés? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
Nada _________
Porque? _____
Nada _________
Porque? _____
7. ¿Utilizas libro de texto en tus clases de Inglés? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
8. ¿Sientes que tus problemas personales disminuye el aprovechamiento de las clases de Inglés? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
Nada _________
Porque?_____
9. ¿Consideras que el ambiente del aula te permite mayor aprendizaje del Idioma Inglés? Mucho ___________ Poco _________
Nada _________
Porque? _____
10. Marca la habilidad que consideres mas difícil en el aprendizaje del Idioma Inglés Hablar ___________ Escribir _________
Leer _________
Escuchar _____
48
UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGOGICA DE EL SALVADOR FACULTY OF EDUCATION
Multiple choice test for Students of 10th Grade Objective: to measure the students´ knowledge of 10th grade. 1. ___________ Books are expensive.
a.This
b. Them
c. Those
d. They
2. Where are the glasses? , __________ on the shelf.
a.They
b. They’re
c. There
d. These
3. This is Miss. Parker ________ is a secretary.
a.It
b. He
c. Her
d. She
4. Those are my postcards. Don’t take _________
a. It
b. That
c. They .
d. Them
5. Call Mr. Paul. Give _______ the information.
a.He
b. Him
c. Her
d. It
6. The telephone is ________ the living room.
a.In
b. On
c. To
d. At
c. To
d. At
c. Where
d. What
c. Of
d. To
c. Me
d. To me
7. The girls are ________ the bus stop.
a.In
b. On
8. _________ is that? It is a coffeepot.
a.Who
b. How
9. He is listening _________ the radio
a.At
b. In
10. That desk is ___________
a.Mine
b. My
11. Do they have a car? No, they __________
a.Aren’t
b. Have
c. Don’t
d. Doesn’t
c. It’s
d. There’s
c. It’s
d. There are
12. _________ an apple in the kitchen.
a.It has
b. There are
13. _____________ letters on the desk.
a.There’s
b. Their
14. Mario is a bad student. He ______ his homework.
a.Does not
b. Doesn’t make
c. Doesn’t do
d. Don’t do
c. No, I can’t
d. No, I can
c. Across
d. Around
15. Can you help me? __________
a.No, I don’t
b. No, I am not
16. Nancy traveled __________ the world.
a.Over
b. On
17. Does Ann like music? Yes. She ____________
a.Do
b. Likes
c. Does
d. Does like
18. Do they always watch TV? Yes, they_____________
a.Watch
b. Do
c. Do watch
d. Does
19. They ____________ in New York last week.
a.Are
b. Went
c. Was
d. Were
c. Was
d. Were
20. Irma _________ at home yesterday.
a.Is
b. Went
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UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGOGICA DE EL SALVADOR FACULTY OF EDUCATION
Interview for English Teachers
Objective: to collect information related to teachers’ performance in the English Language Learning process into the classroom.
1. How long have you been teaching English Language? ________________ ____________________________________________________________ 2. Are you a certified English Teacher? _______________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 3. Do you speak the target Language in your classes? ___________________ ____________________________________________________________ 4. Do you use any text book? _______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 5. Do you take into account any audio-resources in your class when is in progress? ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 6. Do you apply the English Study Program in the Teaching- Learning process? ____________________________________________________ 7. Do you use the English Study Program in the Didactic Planning? _________
_____________________________________________________
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3.9.5 Conclusion and recommendation
As the result of the study shows, beside most of the surveyed, students renown the importance of speak English Language for different reasons, there are some factors that do not permit them to get an effective learning. Factors as the lack of didactic resources, methodology and environment of the classroom are the most remarked because these permit the students are not motivated. There is passive actor in the learning process yet. It was evident since the beginning of the research. While teachers do not make act the students, it will be little what the students can give. In this sense, it is necessary list following recommendations:
Teachers Recommendations: •
To use or apply techniques that allows the students to get in a better way the information that is taught.
•
To use diverse didactic materials in order to avoid that a class begins bored.
•
To apply strategies to motivate students to learn easily English language.
•
To explain the students the importance why they have to learn and to communicate in English Language in order to get success in their lives.
Students Recommendations: •
To value the English Language subject as a tool to their close laboral future and to get success in their lives as professionals.
•
To practice actively in class. 51
•
Do not conformers with the class developed in to the classroom, although, to get on a researcher out of the classroom.
•
To use the information acquired in class in their daily life.
•
To ask extra information about the utility and importance of every topic, and the English Language around the world, as a tool to have a life full of success.
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