Enhancing Speaking skills through the implementation of Blended learning strategies to promote self-directed learning by using ICT tools in the EFL classroom LUIS FERNNADO RUBIO JARAMILLO MASTER IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING FOR SELF- DIRECTED LEARNING Third Residential Session
AGENDA
Statement of the problem Research questions and objectives Data collection procedures The experience Preliminary findings Conclusions
Statement of the problem
An oral diagnostic activity was implemented, it showed that students’ oral level was under the A1 level according with CEFR. Although the curriculum considers this reality, students were behind the expected level.
Statement THE PROBLEM of the problem
Students’ lack of confidence to speak in English
The short time to study the target language both in the classroom and at home
Lack of knowledge of learning strategies: self-directed strategies
Questions and objectives RESEARCH QUESTIONS
OBJECTIVES
What aspects hinder the
Explore aspects that hinder EFL students
improvement of students’
oral interaction to efficiently oral
oral interaction in EFL
communicating in English.
learners? What strategies can be
Identify strategies that can be
implemented to improve
implemented to improve oral interaction
oral interaction of EFL
of EFL students in and outside the
students in Colombia?
classroom.
How does the
Implement the strategies identified in
strategies identified affect
outside the EFL class supported by
EFL students' oral
blended learning methodology in a self-
implementation of the
the EFL students' oral interaction in and
Type of
Context
Participants
Instruments
Action-
Institución
24 EFL
Research
Educativa Marco
students
•Interviews and
Fidel Suarez-
10th and 11th
questionnaires
Bello, Antioquia.
graders
study
•Class observations
•Students’ diaries
The intervention- Needs analysis “No sé como decir eso en Inglés” “Me da miedo hablar en inglés…Que pena” “Yo se la palabra pero no se cómo decirlo” “No esoy acostumbrado a hablar frente a mis compañeros”. “Se algunas palabras en Inglés pero no se armar la frase para decirlo”. Luis: de donde salen estos datos? Entrevistas? Que
The intervention THE INTERVENTION Lesson plans were designed weekly and were validated by the counselor and the co-researchers. Activities were proposed to be developed both in the face to face and virtual classrooms in small groups. To access the virtual classroom students received an user and a general password. http://www.englishrubio.com.co/moodle/ Luis, recuerda hacer la presentacion con menos texto para que la audiencia pueda leer con facilidad
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A lesson started in the face to face classroom (1 hour) then, students had to look in deep and explore new concepts through practices in the virtual room. At the beginning they had an oral interaction on Skype, then at the end of the practice on Wiz Iq (3 hours), Then in the following F2F class students showed what they had learned and put it into practice through the activities proposed in the implementation (2 hours).
The interventionThe strategies THE INTERVENTION
After each implementation students showed more confidence to speak English with their partners and the teacher in front of the whole class
Increase their level of vocabulary and the way to express basic ideas.
Students were motivated to continue exploring and learning English in a self-directed way.
Preliminary findings Study shows the following preliminary findings: The time to study in the virtual classroom was more productive for disperse students who have concentration problems in the F2F classroom. In the Online Classroom Ss interacted confidently in small groups and this environment is more inviting for them. Students use this room as a tool to scrutinize what they have learnt in the F2F classroom and to acquire explore new knowledge.
Preliminary findings Shy students have more opportunities to learn and practice orally when they are in a learning environment different to the traditional one. Time to study English increase 100%. Because as a result of been in contact with the target language using different resources. Students consider this way of learning as an interesting and motivating methodology.
Conclusions Using ICT tools and Blended Learning as methodology to integrate them in the learning process to acquire 2L motivate the students, increase the opportunities of learning autonomously, promote in them oral interaction with more confidence in themselves and develop in them the initiative to self – directed learning.
THANK YOU! luisruja@unisabana.edu.co luferjo@hotmail.com
In this study Oral Interaction is considered as:
According to Chanthiramathi, V. (2011) ‘the role of interaction in the classroom context in enhancing the speaking skill comes from the understanding of its main types: teacher - learner interaction and learner-learner interaction, where negotiation of meaning and the provision of feedback are highlighted’
WHAT IS BLENDED LEARNING According to Colis and Moonen (2001): Blended learning is a hybrid of traditional face-to-face and online learning so that instruction occurs both in the classroom and online, and where the online component becomes a natural extension of traditional classroom learning.