A Study of Language Transfer Through Oral …repository.udistrital.edu.co/bitstream/11349/3550/1...transfer are revealed through the use of oral electronic portfolios (OEPs), in EFL

Running head: A Study of Language Transfer Through Oral Electronic Portfolios in EFL

Students

A Study of Language Transfer through Oral Electronic Portfolios in EFL Students

Jenyffer Rocío Estupiñan Benítez

Francy Katherine Herrera Parra

Universidad Francisco José de Caldas

School of Science and Education

Licenciatura en Educación Básica con Énfasis en Inglés

Bogotá D.C.

2015

A Study of Language Transfer Through Oral Electronic Portfolios in EFL Students 2

A Study of Language Transfer through Oral Electronic Portfolios in EFL Students

Jenyffer Rocío Estupiñan Benítez

[email protected]

Francy Katherine Herrera Parra

[email protected]

Thesis director: Eliana Garzón

A thesis submitted as a requirement to obtain the degree

Bachelor in Basic Education Majoring in English

Universidad Francisco José de Caldas

School of Science and Education

Licenciatura en Educación Básica con Énfasis en Inglés

Bogotá D.C.

2015


“La Universidad no se hace responsable de las ideas, ni del contenido del presente trabajo debido

a que éstas hacen parte única y exclusivamente de sus autores”.

Capítulo XV, artículo 177, Acuerdo Número 029 de 1988 del concejo superior de la Universidad

Distrital Francisco José de Caldas.


We dedicate this research project to our families, our professors,

and to all those who have helped us to achieve this goal.

We thank them for their advice, understanding,

love, and support in difficult times.

Without them, this accomplishment would have not been possible.

Jenyffer Estupiñan

Katherine Herrera


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Firstly, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our advisor Professor Eliana

Garzón Duarte, for the continuous support of this study and related research, for her patience,

motivation, and immense knowledge. Her guidance helped us in all the time of research and

writing of this document. We could not have imagined having a better advisor and mentor for our

study.

Besides our advisor, we would like to thank Professor Fabio Bonilla for his insightful

comments, encouragement, and for enlightening us the first glance of research. In addition, we

thank him for the hard question which incented us to widen our research from various

perspectives.

We thank our students who later became the participants in this study, for their

continuous enthusiasm and willingness to participate through the process. For all the fun and

happiness they shared with us.

Last but not the least, we would like to thank our families: our parents and siblings for

supporting us spiritually throughout writing this document and our lives in general.


Note of Acceptance

Eliana Garzón

Monograph Advisor _____________________________________

Fabio Bonilla

Juror _____________________________________


CONTENT

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 12

CHAPTER ONE: STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ...............................................................12

Statement of the problem ............................................................................................................. 13

Research question ........................................................................................................................ 15

Objectives .................................................................................................................................... 15

Rationale ...................................................................................................................................... 15

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................17

Interlanguage .............................................................................................................................. 17

Language Transfer........................................................................................................................ 20

Oral Production ...........................................................................................................................22

Oral Electronic Portfolios ......................................................................................................... 24

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN ...............................................................................27

Type of Study .............................................................................................................................. 27

Context ...................................................................................................................................... 28

Participants ................................................................................................................................ 29

Role of the Researcher...............................................................................................................29

Ethical Issues………………………………………………………………………........……..30

Unit of Analysis ..........................................................................................................................31

Data Collection Techniques.........................................................................................................31

Data Collection Instruments…..................................................................................................... 32


Validity .................................................................................................................................... 35

Reliability ................................................................................................................................ 36

CHAPTER FOUR: INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN .......................................................................38

Vision of Learning .....................................................................................................................39

Vision of Language ....................................................................................................................41

Vision of Classroom ..................................................................................................................44

Approach …….………………………………………..…………………......…..........................45

Methodology..................................................................................................................................46

Language Focus ............................................................................................................................49

Pedagogical Implementation .........................................................................................................50

Teachable Question .......................................................................................................................50

General Instructional Objective.....................................................................................................50

Specific Instructional Objective.....................................................................................................50

Instructional Unit .........................................................................................................................51

Assessment …………………………………………………...……………………....….....……54

CHAPTER FIVE: DATA COLLECTION AND ORGANIZATION.............................................55

Data Interpretation .......................................................................................................................56

Data Analysis ..............................................................................................................................57

Phonological Transfer................................................................................................................. 58

Lexical Transfer .......................................................................................................................... 59

Syntax Transfer ………………….……………………………………………………………...63

CHAPTER SIX: FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................70


CHAPTER SEVEN: LIMITATIONS AND FURTHER RESEARCH …………………….…..74

REFERENCES ………………………….…………………………………………..…………..77

ANNEXES ...................................................................................................................................80

ANNEX 1: Consent Letter ............................................................................................................80

ANNEX 2: Sampling Interval Chart..............................................................................................81

ANNEX 3: Teacher Journal ……..................................................................................................82

ANNEX 4: Lesson Plan ……....................................................................................................... 84

ANNEX 5: Assessment Chart…………………………….......……………………...…….…….87

ANNEX 6: Color coding example…………………………………………………...…….…….88


LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. First vs. Second Language Development……………….…………………..…………19

Figure 2. Data Collection Techniques…………………………………………………………....32

Figure 3. Date Collection Instruments …………………………………………...……….…......35


LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Traditional Assessment vs. Portfolio Assessment………………………...………….....25

Table 2. Instructional Unit……………………...……………………………………………......51

Table 3. Data Collection Schedule…………………...…………………………………………..55

Table 4. Categories and Subcategories…………………………………………….………….....57


Chapter One

Introduction

Learning a foreign language requires acquiring a wide collection of linguistic

components, which include but are not limited to vocabulary and grammar, as well as complex

cultural and social dimensions, inherent to the native speakers of the language. Mastering the

new language opens the doors to numerous opportunities to succeed in the world, but the path to

become proficient in a second language is filled with all sorts of situations that could affect

somehow the development of the process to become fluent. One of those situations is the transfer

of language patterns from the native language (L1) to the target language (L2), which despite

being a natural characteristic of the second language acquisition, causes difficulties in the

communication when using the L2.

In the recent years, language transfer has emerged as a very important area of study in

second language acquisition. Therefore when we realized that the manifestation of language

transfer in our English language students was highly strong, we decided to follow the

interlanguage process, using oral electronic portfolios, as the tool to foster the use of the target

language.

This chapter presents the purpose and goal of our research study, the statement of the

problem and, how and why this study took place. Consequently, it looks into discourse analysis

and didactics of the English language, mediated by information and communication technology

(ICT). The purpose of the study was to discover, understand and learn which types of language

transfer are revealed through the use of oral electronic portfolios (OEPs), in EFL ninth graders.


The goal was to search for answers on how an innovative pedagogical intervention based on the

use of OEPs, evidences the language transfer phenomenon in ninth graders, at a public school.

The issues that gave rise to this study are described in the following paragraph.

Statement of the Problem

The present study emerged when we conducted a needs analysis in a public school, in

Bogota, Colombia. It revealed that EFL students were not provided with opportunities to speak

in the target language during the EFL classes. Thereby, this results in low proficiency regarding

the students´ ability to speak effectively using English language. In addition, we observed that

the classes were focused on writing and grammar activities, but there were nary chances for the

learners to shape their oral production. As a consequence, the students had serious difficulties

when asked to give an opinion or participate in a discussion.

As it is well known, speaking is a key element in the communicative process. It is defined

as an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing, receiving and

processing information (Brown, 1994; Burns & Joyce, 1997). Unfortunately, this process was not

successful in the EFL classroom, due to the impossibility of the students to utter a complete

sentence grammatically correct, and comprehensible.

In this order of ideas, it is important to highlight that speakers must be able to anticipate

and then produce the expected patterns of specific discourse situations. They must also manage

discrete elements such as turn-taking, rephrasing, providing feedback, or redirecting (Burns &

Joyce, 1997). Nevertheless, the needs analysis revealed that those elements were completely

absent in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes. Furthermore, learners in EFL


classrooms should get as many speaking opportunities as possible, and their speaking time

should slowly but steadily rise, so as to prepare them for various communicative situations.

These opportunities were never given within the EFL classroom at the school where the study

was conducted.

Moreover, the students faced some other problematic situations. First of all, although

there was a Language Resource Center (LRC), defined by the LRC project partners (2003) as:

"... a center which provides services (including resources) and facilities for users in

support of a specific goal or 'mission' related to language learning, teaching, applied linguistics

or research into any of these areas.", it was not designed to support the development of the

speaking skill, as it should do. In the center located at the school, students practiced grammar,

reading, writing and listening, but speaking. We found an evident lack of activities designed to

develop the oral production.

On the second place, the curriculum was not designed to promote speaking. It was

focused on the practice of grammar, writing and also but with less intensity, in listening.

Therefore, we took action carrying out a research study which could be meaningful and

contribute to shape students' oral production. Thirdly, the needs analysis showed that the learning

activities carried out within the EFL classes were almost never related to students' real life,

therefore, this situation led to a constantly demotivated learning atmosphere.

Furthermore, the implementation of this research project also helped us to achieve our

research goal, which was to answer inquiries about how an innovative pedagogical intervention,

based on OEPs, could help ninth graders to shape their oral production. Consequently, we posed

the following question:


Research Question

Which types of language transfer are revealed through the use of oral electronic

portfolios (OEPs), in EFL ninth graders?

General Research Objective

To analyze students‟ language transfer through OEPs.

Specific Research Objective

To identify and describe how the use of OEPs evidence language transfer in EFL students.

Rationale

This research study was important to address because it contributed to improve the EFL

learning process in the participants and in the school community in general. Due to the fact that

its outcomes can be applied to EFL classes in other grades, it will help language learners, to

shape their oral production.

As teachers and agents of change, we implemented our study in order to help students to

overcome the difficulty that they faced during the ESL classes, when required to express ideas

through spoken language, and also to observe how OEPs affected the development of the

students' oral production. Given the fact that the speaker's skills and speech habits have an

impact on the success of any communication act (Van Duzer, 1997), this pedagogical

implementation sought to have a positive effect in the students' learning process. By considering

what good speakers do, which speaking tasks can be used in class, and which specific needs do

the learners report, the researchers attempted to help learners to improve their speaking and oral

competence.


In the same way, through the implementation of OEPs, this study, aimed to help students

to develop autonomy in their own learning process. Barootchi and Keshavarz (2002) and Nunes

(2004) reported that portfolios encouraged EFL students to take ownership over their own

learning and to engage in active reflection on the learning process, besides creating a favorable

environment for the development of learner autonomy. Furthermore, this alternative assessment

tool provided students with the opportunity to play an active part in meaningful communicative

situations, ranging from simple imitation to conscious exchange and internalization of certain

vocabulary items, pronunciation styles, grammatical points, communicative techniques, and at

the same time, building strategies that will help them later on, when their English proficiency

level will be in a higher level.

Consequently, this study will bring benefits not just to our labor as teachers, but also as

researchers. It will contribute to future research studies in our community and overseas, and in

addition, it will be useful for other EFL teachers, who will be able to use and apply our

pedagogical implementation in their classes, in order to improve oral production in the students.

It is not a secret that many public schools face the same problematic described in this study;

therefore, the present research study can help other schools to overcome similar difficulties.


Chapter Two

Literature Review

The purpose of the chapter is to present the constructs selected to work on this research

proposal. Additionally, literature was reviewed so as to provide a justification for the topics

selected to conduct the study reported on in this chapter. This chapter presents and illustrates the

terms interlanguage, language transfer, oral production, and oral electronic portfolios, which are

described and discussed, from the researchers' point of view, as well as from contributions made

by important authors in language teaching, second language acquisition and oral communication.

Interlanguage

As it is well known, the process of second language acquisition involves the development

of communicative competence, which is constructed through a series of stages. Within those

stages, there is a very important state where the target language (L2) is not fully acquired and

thereby it is highly influenced by the first language: Interlanguage. This term was defined by

Larry Selinker (1972) as a linguistic system evidenced when L1 learners attempt to express

meaning in the target Language. This linguistic system encompasses not only syntax,

morphology, and phonology, but also the pragmatic, lexical and discourse levels of the language.

Additionally, Selinker (1972) introduced three main features of interlanguage, presenting

the term as a permeable, systematic and dynamic system. In the following paragraphs, we will

expand on each one of the characteristics.

As it was mentioned before, the first characteristic is the permeability of the


interlanguage. In this feature, as Selinker stated, the learners' language system is permeable,

meaning that the rules that comprise the learners' knowledge are not fixed, but are open to

modification. In various aspects, many native languages, share this feature, in the sense that all

language systems are permeable. Henceforth, interlanguage is different from the rest of the

language systems in the permeability.

The second characteristic describes interlanguage as dynamic, which means that it is

constant change. Nevertheless, a learners' interlanguage does not move from stage to stage in a

hectic way, instead, it slowly adapts the new acquired input to the target language system. This

process occurs by introducing rule by rule, in specific contexts, and gradually extending it over a

variety of linguistic contexts.

The third one is that interlanguage is systematic. In spite of the instability of

interlanguage, it is possible to detect the rule-based nature of the learner‟s interlanguage. The

learner does not select accidentally from his store of interlanguage rules, but in predictable ways.

Apart from the above mentioned characteristics, variability is another characteristic that cannot

be neglected. At any one stage in his development, the learner operates according to the system

of rules he has constructed up to that point. A crucial issue is why his performance is so variable.

On one occasion he uses one rule, while on another he uses a different one.

In an illustrative analogy about interlanguage, proposed by Tarone (1972), the author

states that during the interlanguage state, the language learner can be seen as a chameleon. Its

original green skin, represents the first language (L1), the color of the objective camouflage (tree

trunk) represents the target language (L2). In this order of ideas, if the chameleon climbs on a

tree trunk, it turns its skin into brown, which is the trunk color, but while it is changing colors, it


will still have a bit of green color, therefore its body will be a mixture of green and brown. That

'mixture' which is also the 'transition of color', represents the state of Interlanguage. In other

words, it symbolizes the leap from the L1 to the L2.

In addition we have decided to work with Saville-Troike's (2006) interlanguage definition,

who defines interlanguage as a "transfer", meaning a transition that occurs when the learner uses

his/her prior language L1 while learning the target language. The learning process that she

defines is divided in three phases where we can find the process which L2 learners go through

before having an effective communication (Multilingual competence) as well as a list with the

major points of contrast between L1 and L2 learning process. These states are illustrated in

figure 1.

Figure 1. First vs. second language development. Taken from: Saville-Troike (2006). Introducing Second Language

Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 17.

Thus, for the purpose of our study we decided to work with the intermediate states, which


cover all stages of basic language development. The first intermediate state, represented by the

L1, includes the child grammar, maturation of the language, the input and the reciprocal

interaction. Meanwhile, L2 includes language transfer, input, and the facilitating condition which

involves feedback, aptitude, motivation, and instruction. Hence, these items are taking into

account due to the fact that they facilitate students‟ interlanguage process in order to improve and

enter the final state, which is the outcome of L1 and L2 learning, where students are able to

differentiate both languages systems.

Furthermore, Saville-Troike (2006) identifies two types of transfer: positive transfer and

negative transfer. Positive transfer occurs when an L1 structure or rule is used in the target

language and that use is appropriate or “correct” in the same. Meanwhile, negative transfer

occurs when a L1 rule or structure is used in the target language and that use is inappropriate for

that reason it is considered an “error”. In this process of transfer, the aspects of language

involved are grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.

Language Transfer

According to Gass (1979), it is commonly known by both theoreticians and language

teachers that when learners attempt to communicate in a second language, they often transfer

elements of their native language, onto the speech patterns of the target language. Additionally,

following Selinker (1966), an operational definition of language transfer can be given as a

“process occurring from the native to the foreign language if frequency analysis shows that a

statistically significant trend in the speaker‟s native language . . . is then paralleled by a

significant trend toward the „same‟ alternative in the speaker‟s attempted production of the


foreign language sentences, phonetic features, phonetic sequences, etc.”

At the same respect, Benson (2002), states that even though it is now generally accepted

that language transfer occurs, it is a very complex phenomenon, "…which is not the only reason

for error, nor does it always lead to error."

Instead, it can lead to positive transfer when the two languages share areas that are

identical or similar. It can also result in avoidance, when elements of the L2 do not exist in the

L1, and additionally, it can promote different rates of development, as Benson (2002) states:

"delay, when learners whose L1 contains a particular form spend longer at the stage of

development than L1 learners whose L1 does not contain that form", or acceleration when both

languages share common or identical features.

Moreover, transfer occurs with a higher frequency in classrooms rather than in informal

settings because outside settings do not provide enough opportunities for appropriate input and

interaction. Furthermore, language transfer possesses some special characteristics. It decreases

with proficiency due to the fact that in higher levels of communicative competence, the learner is

closer to a native-like competence.

Summarizing, language transfer is defined as the influence of the learner´s native

language in the second language acquisition process. When the linguistic interference provides

the learner with an accurate sentence or an appropriate use of the L2, it is called positive transfer.

However, if the learner uses the L1 knowledge in the second language and this result in an error,

this is a negative transfer. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that it occurs at all levels:

phonology, syntax, lexis, pragmatics, and morphology.


Oral Production

As it is well known, speaking is fundamental for human communication. Although it is

not the only means to deliver a message, it is the most used. For instance, let us think about all

the different conversations people have during the day, compared to how much written

communication the same people do during the day. In fact, in daily life, people speak more than

they write, and that is why we decided, only for the purpose of this study, to give a strong

emphasis to the development of oral production, and the interlanguage process faced by the L2

learner, relegating to a lower rank, the other known skills in acquiring a second language:

reading, writing and listening.

Regarding oral production, the Council of Europe (2001) distinguishes three types of

activities: oral production, spoken interaction and oral mediation. With regard to the first type, it

is stated that "oral production, occurs when speakers produce an oral text for one or more

listeners, for example giving information to an audience in a public address. This may involve

reading a written text aloud, speaking from notes, acting out a rehearsed role, speaking

spontaneously, improvising […] or singing a song". And that is what we sought with this study,

to help our students to produce effective oral communication.

As a matter of fact, the goal of our teaching practices was to enable our students to

communicate in English in an effective way. In the first place, it is imperative to get familiar with

the term. Due to the broad number of definitions provided by different authors along the time, we

decided to work with the ones that suit the purposes of our study, as well as the objective of our

pedagogical implementation.

Regarding this aspect, Nunan (1991) stated, "Success is measured in terms of the ability


to carry out a conversation in the (target) language". Unfortunately, in the specific case of the

population in our study, this condition was not being developed, due to absence of speaking

activities within the English lessons, which led to unsuccessful communication.

In the same way, Rahman (2010), points out, "speaking is the mode of communication

most often used to express opinions, make arguments, offer explanations, transmit information,

and make impressions upon others. Students need to speak well in their personal lives, future

workplaces, social interactions, and political endeavors. They will have meetings to attend,

presentations to make, discussions and arguments to participate in, and groups to work with. If

basic instruction and opportunities to practice speaking are available, students position

themselves to accomplish a wide range of goals and be useful members of their communities".

That is the reason why oral production is a key element for this project. We wanted to

help our students to build a bridge between the English as a Foreign Language classroom (EFL

classroom), and their real lives, in order to strengthen oral communication, due to the undeniable

fact that shows how the product of their oral skills is required to facilitate effective

communication.

Furthermore, according to The National Capital Language Resource Center (2003-2004),

"the goal of teaching speaking skills is communicative efficiency. Learners should be able to

make themselves understood, using their current proficiency to the fullest. They should try to

avoid confusion in the message due to faulty pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary and to

observe the social and cultural rules that apply in each communication situation". Based on what

was presented above, we decided to work with oral production seen as efficient communication,

understood as the ability to deliver a spoken message, in a successful way.


Oral Electronic Portfolios

It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the role of technology in education, for this

reason, integrating technology into teaching is a great way for an educator to increase the

effectiveness of their lessons and build a better understanding and at the same time a better

relationship with their students.

Taking into account technology and its roll in education we have chosen oral electronic

portfolios, as a tool to develop the tasks. At this regarding, MacDonald, Liu, Lowell, Tsai, and

Lohr (as cited in Huang & Hung, 2010), define electronic portfolios as "multimedia

environments where students can showcase the artifacts and reflections that represent their

growth and competencies.

This electronic portfolio activities were developed supported on the task based learning

method. Tasks were applied as learning activities. As Willis (1996) defines, a task is "a goal

oriented activity with a specific outcome, where the emphasis is on exchanging meanings no

producing specific language forms". In this sense the oral electronic portfolio becomes an

evidence of students' self-reflection, showing students efforts, progress and their achievements

(Paulson, Paulson, & Meyer 1991).

Moreover electronic portfolios tasks in comparison with traditional tasks are meant to

involve students, making them active learners as showing in Table 1, proposed by the National

Language Resource Center (NCLRC, 2008). In this table, it is possible to observe a comparison

between the traditional assessment and the portfolio assessment characteristics.


Table 1. Traditional Assessment vs. Portfolio Assessment. Adapted from http://www.nclrc.org/portfolio/2-1.html

Traditional Portfolio

Measures student‟s ability at one

time

Measures student‟s ability over

time

Done by teacher alone; student

often unaware of criteria

Done by teacher and student;

student aware of criteria

Conducted outside instruction Embedded in instruction

Assigns student a grade Involves student in own assessment

Does not capture the range of

student‟s language ability

Captures many facets of language

learning performance

Does not include the teacher‟s

knowledge of student as a learner

Allows for expressions of teacher‟s

knowledge of student as learner

Does not give student

responsibility

Student learns how to take

responsibility

Implementing and using electronic portfolios provides students with the opportunity of

having control of what they want to say and record, which can motivate and allow them to create

more autonomy while working on a task.

Moreover, using electronic portfolios, as Lankes (1998) states, is understood as a process

where there is a final outcome. The first step one is called the developmental portfolio which

provides evidence of students' growth. On the second place we have the proficiency portfolio,

which demonstrates mastery of a learning objective. Thirdly, the showcase portfolio provides a

venue for showing one‟s most accomplished work; and finally, the planning portfolio, allows

students to prepare for a future event. In our case, the students' portfolio was a project based on

the learners' educational perspectives related to their life objectives.


Electronic portfolios provide teachers and students several numbers of advantages over

other more traditional assessment. E-portfolios are easy to store, access, and transport. We as

teachers are able to listen to an audio assignment numerous times, for instance, unlike during a

face-to-face interview. Students are greatly motivated to use and create an electronic portfolio

due to the fact they create a sense of ownership that comes with selecting the portfolio‟s contents

according to the task, in our case, a reflective view about education after finishing high school.


Chapter Three

Research Design

This chapter describes the design of the study, by stating the type of study we used, as

well as the context, the participants, the role of the researcher, the unit of analysis, the

instruments and techniques, and how validity and reliability were handled during and after the

study.

Type of Study

This study was conducted using qualitative research. We consider qualitative research

shapes our needs due to the fact that it can provide complex descriptions and information about

the human side of an issue, in our case the main idea was to identify how students communicate

in the target language by using correctly the grammar structures and the vocabulary.

Moreover, by using qualitative research it is possible to produce more in-depth

comprehensive information because it allows identifying and managing different variables inside

the research. A good definition of this concept is provided by Key (1997), who defines the

qualitative research as a process of gathering information for comparing, contrasting or making

predictions.

Based on our analysis of the problem, action research was selected as the approach to

analyze the phenomenon. The main goal of action research is to determine ways to promote the

development of our students lives (Mills, 2011). At the same time, action research contributes to

the professional growth and development of our colleagues, and future studies. (Hensen, 1996;


Osterman & Kottkamp, 1993; Tomlinson, 1995)

Context

This research study was carried out at a public school in Bogota, Colombia. It was

specifilly conducted in ninth grade. The school's mission states: " La IED está inspirada en el

pensamiento liberador que promueve la formación integral de la mujer en la autonomía,

creatividad, responsabilidad y análisis crítico de la realidad , que les permita plena participación

con calidad y calidez en todas las esferas de la vida, mediante procesos de cooperación en la

enseñanza-aprendizaje con base en las competencias educativas orientadas a desarrollar su

proyecto de vida para participar activa y eficazmente en todos los ámbitos de nuestra sociedad..

Its vision is: " En el año 2015 la IED será una institución líder en procesos de enseñanza-

aprendizaje cooperativo y modelo en la formación de mujeres con calidad humana, autónomas,

críticas, responsables, creativas e independientes; capaces de usar el conocimiento y las

habilidades adquiridas en el desarrollo empresarial, dominio básico del inglés y aplicación de

tecnologías en la construcción de su proyecto de vida que le permita pleno liderazgo para adoptar

decisiones políticas y desempeños eficientes en todos los espacios de la vida y así trabajar por el

bienestar de la comunidad y contribuir en la transformación de la sociedad".

From the observation of the physical learning environment we found that, even though

the chairs and desks within the classroom were in good shape, the classroom was very small for

the number of students attending the subject. The room was not provided with any multimedia

device, and all what the students had, as interactive resource, was the board.


Participants

This research study was conducted at an official school with a target population of 38

students from which six girls were selected as the participants, using a systematic random

sampling method. Their ages were between 14 and 17 years old. These six students were offered

a consent letter for their parents or legal tutor, to approve their participation in this research study.

A copy of this letter can be seen in Annex 1.

We decided to use Systematic Random Sampling (SYMRS), in which Johnson and

Christensen (2010) state that while it is truth that participants are selected from an ordered target

population, the skip interval used to select the sample, ensures randomness. Detailed

information about the selecting process is presented in Annex 2.

In this particular case, participants were organized in a list which includes 20 students

who volunteered to participate in the study. From the 20 volunteers, we selected 6 participants

by dividing the number of potential sampling units in the defined target population, by the

number of units desired in the sample. The required skip interval was calculated using the

following formula, adapted from Johnson and Christensen (2010):

Role of the Researcher

In the present study, ethics were understood as the sense of right procedures within the

research process. This means, we as researchers were motivated by the desire to respect and care

about our participants, and also to be honest as humanly possible, accurate, nonbiased and


truthful in all phases of the study. Furthermore, we were committed not only to the participants

but also to the data collection process, because as Stake (1994) observes, "Qualitative researchers

are guests in the private spaces of the world" (p. 244), which suggests that we are intruders in the

lives of our participants, and it is our responsibility to ensure their well-being.

Ethical issues

In order to fulfill what was mentioned before, we based our codes of ethics on two issues:

informed consent and confidentiality. Informed consent is described as "the provision of

information to participants, about the purpose of the research, its procedures, potential risks,

benefits, and alternatives so that the individuals understand this information and can make a

voluntary decision whether to enroll and continue to participate" (Emanel et al. 2000, p 2703).

A consent form was offered to the tutor and parents of our participants, given the fact that

they are minors. In the same way, the institution where the study was conducted was informed

about the research.

In addition, confidentiality was based on the principle of respect for autonomy

(Beauchamp & Childress 2001), and on the fact that individuals should have the right to

"maintain secrets deciding who knows about them" (Israel & Hay 2006, p 78).

In our study, confidentiality was crucial due the participants' age, and also to the fact that they

are teenagers, which will affect their participation, if they feel they are being exposed. To ensure

confidentiality we will not record the participants and we will not reveal their names or other

confidential data. Finally, at the end of the study, we provided the participants and the institution

with a fully copy of the research study and the findings.


Unit of analysis

The unit of analysis for this research study was the students' voices in relation to oral

production, in terms of effective communication, which is understood as the correct use of

grammar and pronunciation that the participants have while communicating in the target

language.

Data Collection Techniques

During the implementation of this study we used different techniques, in the light of

Burns and Hood (1995), who provided us with a set of options, from where we selected:

Document collection, understood as several sets of documents relevant to the research

context. In our particular case, we collected, lesson plans, teacher's journals, classroom texts, and

assessment tasks. These techniques helped us to keep a track of what the students produced in

terms of oral skills, during the implementation of the present study.

Interviewing, as stated by McNamara (1999), may be useful as follow-up to certain

respondents to questionnaires, and further investigate their responses. The adoption of this

technique helped us to observe and analyze the participants' English level of proficiency and how

they used the target language. In addition, interviews were particularly useful to understand the

participant‟s experiences, due to the fact that they made easier for us to pursue in-depth

information around the topic. They were developed in a face-to-face manner, conducted as

planned and unplanned interactions, where it was sought to explore the students' opinions and

thoughts about the topics and tasks developed during the pedagogical implementation

Observation which was used to watch and note classroom events, happenings and


interactions. Through this technique, it was possible for us to analyze different situations that

emerged during the development of the pedagogical implementation, and that were key factors in

the collection of data.

Recordings, used to keep track of students' oral production, and also to record important

situations occurred in the research and pedagogical context, in order to examine, analyze and

interpret what emerge as relevant data for the study.

Figure 2. Data collection techniques

Instruments

In accordance with the techniques explained before, the instruments used to gather data

were carefully selected, in order to make possible for the researchers to collect the most

important event and situations which could possibly lead to answer the research question, stated

Data collection techniques

Freeman , D (1998)

Document collection

Interviews

Observation

Recordings


previously. Thereby, we focused on the use of the following instruments: oral electronic

portfolios, teachers' journals, transcriptions, and finally, audio and video recordings.

Oral electronic portfolios have been in use for some time, especially in teacher education

programs (Wilhelm et al., 2003). Early portfolios served as a means of providing a central

location or collection point for traditional paper files, videocassettes, etc., which means they

contain all the students' production coming from a task or the classroom itself. However, in the

current research study the main idea was compiling and analyzing the students' voices and

effective communication coming from a specific task. To do so, we planned a pedagogical

intervention developed for the period of six weeks, with a frequency of two days a week, during

the students' EFL class schedule.

At the beginning of each class, we would deliver an EFL lesson, applying Task Based

Approach with a communicative focus. The final task of each class was recorded in each student

oral portfolio. At the end of every week, we collected the recordings and analyzed them,

searching for relevant data, and also assessing the students' oral production, in order to provide

them with meaningful and significant feedback. Therefore, in the week following the previous

lesson, we would take some minutes of the class to give the students comments on their

performance, followed by a group debriefing where general feedback was provided, based on

data gathered from the oral electronic portfolios. Besides, some students were given the option to

share with the group the tasks developed during the previous lesson. In that way, all students had

an opportunity to use the target language to communicate with their classmates.

Teacher journals were used as an account of teaching/learning plans related to oral

production activities, and classroom occurrences, including feelings, reactions, reflections, and


observations, where the participants were protagonists. The journals were written at the end of

each class, using notes and comments gathered through the session.

Teacher journals were key instruments for this study because when seen as a reflective

practice, they create opportunities that help teachers to think about their practices, their students,

and the situations around them. This process often illuminates problems, misunderstandings, and

confusions and helps determine new growth, independence, and responsibility for learning

(Strong, Silver, and Perini 2001). (Annex 3)

Transcriptions of students‟ recordings, as Freeman (1998) points out, are understood as

written representation of verbal recordings, using conventions for identifying speakers and

indicating pauses, hesitation, overlaps or any necessary non-verbal information. In the present

study, they were additionally used in order to identify speakers' oral production in terms of

effective communication. We also used conventions and color coding to identify speakers' verbal

and non-verbal information, which gave us important information for the analysis of the students'

oral production while going through the interlanguage stage.

The transcriptions were made after listening to the recordings that the participants saved

in the oral electronic portfolios.

Audio and video recordings were also used because recordings of verbal interaction

occurred naturally within the EFL classes, and gave us the opportunity to access and examine the

data over and over. As Freeman (1998) states, “one of the advantages of gathering data with

video recording is the objective point of view”.

These recordings were made in audio and video formats to make possible not only to

listen but also to observe the class, in order to identify possible situations missed or left out,


during the observations and during the complexion of teacher journals. These recordings were

made during the development of each class, and were analyzed twice before writing the teacher

journals, in order to analyze important data that could have been left out.

Figure 3. Date collection instruments

Validity

Validity was seen as the degree to which qualitative date accurately size what, we as

researchers, try to measure. In the same way, for this particular study, validity represented how a

test measures what it is intended to measure. Thereby, we established trustworthiness by

addressing the credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability of the findings.

In addition, we followed Maxwell's (1992) criteria for validity of qualitative research, in

which the author proposes five main concepts to apply: descriptive validity, interpretive validity,

concern for the participants' perspective, theoretical validity, generalizability, and evaluative

validity.

Moreover, the validity of the study was supported by Lincoln and Guba's (1985) criteria

for validity of qualitative research: credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability.

Oral electronic portfolios Teacher journals

Transcriptions of recordings Audio and video recordings

Data collection instruments


Thus, we adopted the following strategies, in order to support validity in our study:

Data triangulation helped us to collect data from multiple sources, such as interviews,

questioners and others. As a result, the information obtained was more objective, which

prevented us from including personal bias in the study. We used member checking, in order to

include our participants in the analysis of the findings. To do so, we presented the information in

a group session, where all the participants were able to share their thoughts and opinions, as well

as to give us feedback on the preliminary and final findings. Collection of audio recordings to

corroborate and double check situations and events that were relevant for the study, and to find

pieces of information that otherwise, could have gone missing. Peer debriefing to ensure validity

on our study, so we met with our mentors, tutors, and other fellow researchers in order to

dialogue and discuss information regarding research decisions. This allowed us to have external

point of views, as well as third party thoughts on our study. And audit trail to keep a detailed

written account of all our research procedures.

Reliability

In this study, reliability was seen as the extent to which our research findings could be

replicated. In our particular case, the research findings can be reapplied due to the fact that

several public schools face very similar problematic situations. Therefore, to enhance the

reliability of our study, we adopted the following strategies: thick description, modal category

and multisite designs. Furthermore, in order to ensure reliability, we used the following

techniques:

The investigator’s position: understood as assumptions and theory behind the study,


participants selection, and social context from which data were collected. (LeCompte and

Preissle, 1993)

Triangulation: use of multiple methods of data collection and analysis.

Audit trail: description in detail about how data were collected, how categories were

derived, and how decisions were made throughout the inquiry.


Chapter Four

Instructional Design

This chapter gives an account on how we implemented this project in a school in Bogotá

D.C., during our pedagogical experience. This instructional design was created, in order to give a

complete illustration of our visions of language, learning and classroom. Additionally we

included the question and the objectives which addressed our work, and finally we explained the

methodology and the instructional unit.

To start, as it has been described before, we applied a learners' needs analysis, which

revealed that ninth graders at this school were not provided with opportunities to speak in the

target language during the EFL classes. Thereby, this resulted in a low proficiency regarding the

students´ ability to speak effectively using English language. In addition, we observed that the

classes were focused on writing and grammar activities, but there were no chances for the

learners to shape their oral production. As a consequence, the students had serious difficulties

when asked to give an opinion or participate in a discussion.

As it is known, speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves

producing and receiving and processing information (Brown, 1994; Burns & Joyce, 1997).

Speakers must be able to anticipate and then produce the expected patterns of specific discourse

situations. They must also manage discrete elements such as turn-taking, rephrasing, providing

feedback, or redirecting (Burns & Joyce, 1997). Furthermore, learners in, an English as a foreign

language (EFL) classroom, should get as many speaking opportunities as possible, and their

speaking time should slowly but steadily rise so as to prepare them for various communicative


situations. The needs analysis also revealed that these opportunities are never given within the

EFL classroom at the school.

As teachers and agents of change, we implemented our study in order to help the students

to improve the difficulties they had while communicating in the target language.

Vision of Learning

It is well known that language learning is a mental process which cannot be observed in

any direct or tangible manner. It is possible to observe the teaching procedures and learning

activities, but not the process of learning itself. This situation involves consequences for the main

participants of the learning process: teachers and learners (Tudor 2001).

It is not a secret that teaching is a goal-oriented activity, and the goal is to create conditions

which help students to develop the ability to use a language effectively, thus everything related to

this activity (materials, activities, interaction, etc) has the purpose of support effective learning.

The present pedagogical intervention observes learning from the experiential vision,

developed by Tudor (2001). Let us begin by stating that it can be seen as learning by doing, and

it is related to the naturalistic form of learning. It entails at least two main factors; the first one is

the exposure to the target language as well as the exposure to fairly substantial amounts of input

in the language. The second is the use of language for communicative purposes. In few words, it

revolves around direct experience of the target language for communicative purposes, as a basis

for learning.

This type of learning vision rests on five main principles, which are described as it

follows:


Message focus points that language learning activities should focus primarily on the

processing and communication of messages, by promoting message conveyance and

communicative practice as effective means of stimulating the learning process. Some common

activities in this principle are role-play and simulation, which demand the student to assume

certain communicative role and to use language in conformity with the interactive or functional

criteria established by the role in question. Message focus is probably the most important single

feature of an experiential view of learning because it asks learners to use the language to achieve

goals or to share insights, as opposed to presenting the language as an object of study in its own

right.

Holistic practice involves the simultaneous manipulation of a variety of communicative

parameters and levels of linguistic information, which reflects a multi-dimensional nature of

normal communication. The centre point of learning is thus, the ideas which are to be conveyed

or the task to be performed.

The use of authentic materials asks for the use of contextualized materials which could be

interpreted also as the use of real language. Krashen (1985) and Krashen and Terrel (1983)

emphasize the importance of authentic input in language learning, pointing to the role which

input plays both in child language acquisition and in naturalistic learning.

The development of communication strategies aims to focus students' attention on

message content, to help them to find themselves having to discuss messages within their

existing knowledge of the language. This calls for the use of strategies by which learners can

make the most of their existing resources.

The use of collaborative modes of learning involves collaboration among learners


towards a shared goal. For instance, it uses drama production projects, which help the

learners to maintain the interaction with others and also creates conditions in which

productive learning conditions are likely to arise.

In addition, it is important to take into account the experience in context, given the fact

that what constitutes a personally meaningful "experience" of the language, depends on various

aspects of context, of which the learners' habitual modes of study, also on their contact with

attitudes to the target language and on their individual goals, among others.

Vision of Language

For the present pedagogical intervention, language was seen from a functional

perspective, in which Tudor (2001) states that "...language learners are social actors whose

learning goals are defined by the contexts in which they will be required to use the language and

the messages they wish to convey in these contexts".

Given the results revealed after conducting a needs analysis in the school where the

project was developed, it was found that students had serious difficulties when speaking in the

target language. This situation unveiled a failure in the communicative competence in which

Hymes (1972), places language within its social context as a means by which speakers in a

community express concepts, values and perceptions that have a specific meaning to them as

members of a speech community. That notwithstanding, was not reflected in the speech acts

performed by our population, therefore, we have assumed language from a functional perspective,

in which we sought to establish a pedagogical intervention that will enable learners to operate

effectively within the relevant speech community.


At the same respect Tudor (2001) mentions that, "The basic assumption in

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is that students are learning a language in order to be

in position to do something in or with this language." Regarding this statement, it was found that,

despite students at this school were learning English as a foreign language, they were not in

position of using the language, and what is more, they were not able to use it in any specific

context, when it comes to use the oral competence.

Regarding the described situation, the adoption of language from functional perspective

was necessary and pertinent for these courses. As Tudor (2001) points out, language is a means

of accomplishing a number of pragmatic goals. Therefore, our course focused on the skills and

functions which were more likely to be used by learners, in the target language.

In order to develop the final project for this pedagogical implementation, the main target

skill was speaking, although components of reading, writing and listening were included as well.

On this basis, the target skill was developed and assessed in terms of a number of communicative

functions such as greeting and introducing simple ideas, asking and answering basic questions,

expressing thoughts and wishes in non-complex ways, describing by means of easy sentences,

among others. Elements of vocabulary, grammar, and phonology were certainly included, in

order to support and facilitate the use of the language, and therefore the strengthening of the oral

production.

To support the ideas above, it is important to mention that Tudor (2001) also affirms "The

functional perspective on language and its expression in language teaching has a high degree of

both intuitive plausibility and face validity. For many language learners, the language is first and

foremost a means of achieving certain functional goals, e.g. reading specialist material, settling


in to a foreign country, or performing professional tasks such as answering the phone or

providing information to customers". In regard to this statement, we found that the vision of

language from a functional perspective is highly suitable for the purposes of the present

pedagogical intervention, given the fact that in the Colombian context, English is taught as a

foreign language.

As a result of that, learners use English not as a tool to communicate in daily life, but as a

tool to perform only specific tasks regarding the language. For instance, reading an academic text,

playing a video game, or understanding a song, in the target language. In addition, English is

taught most of the time, as part of the curriculum of the schools with no apparent meaningful

purpose for the students, thus it has little relevance for the learners and thereby, leads to a lack of

interesting in mastering the language.

Within our pedagogical implementation, we sought to fill the classes with a meaningful

purpose for the students, so the learning process became appealing and interesting for them. To

do so, we implemented activities developed from a functional perspective of the language. We

created a learning atmosphere in which students felt willing to engage in the target language (TL)

activities, with genuine personal involvement, propitiated by a functional use of the language

which contained a high degree of reality, in the students' minds. They were required to talk about

their professional choice for their future life, using language elements of grammar, vocabulary

and phonology, given during the development of the course.

Furthermore, Tudor (2001) asserts that "the pedagogical response developed in

mainstream CLT involves the practice of communicative oriented activities which are intended to

bring the language and students' likely uses of it alive in the classroom". Considerations of this


nature are what support the connection we established between the communicative function of

the language and contents with real life components, for the present course.

Finally, and perhaps the most significantly reason why we used language from a

functional perspective, was due to our vision of language as a means of communication, rather

than a linguistic system. As a result of this perspective, we view the English as a Foreign

Language (EFL) classroom, as a communicative classroom. This vision will be immediately

discussed in the next paragraph.

Vision of Classroom

Regarding our vision of classroom, we adopted the communicative classroom, proposed

by Tudor 2001, in which the author presents the language classroom as a place of communication

where the target language is used as an instrument of learning, turning the classroom into a place

of communication and a comfortable setting to develop communicatively-based learning.

In addition, Tudor (2001) states that the goal of classroom for communication, is to make

the classroom a meaningful training environment for real world communication. As a

consequence, we adopted the communicative potential in the classroom, to transform the

learning setting into a classroom for communication which observes the classroom as

communication itself. This allowed the researchers to reinforce the link between the classroom

learning and the real contexts where students are required to use the language.

At the same respect, Tudor (2001) holds that the classroom needs to be seen as a 'social

as well as pedagogical reality'. Meaning that while the formal function of the classroom is

pedagogical, 'the way in which this role is understood and defined is influenced by a variety of


social agents'. Within this perception, the classroom is designed to create a condition where

students can improve their ability in learning the target language, to use it for real

communication. Thereby, communication is not something that happens in the outer world, but

also a process which occurs in the social environment, which we call classroom (Tudor 2001).

Approach

In Task-Based approach, learning is developed through performing a series of activities

as steps towards successful task realization. By working towards task realization, the language is

used immediately in the real-world context of the learner, making learning authentic. This

approach puts the task to be completed during the language learning process. According to Willis

(1996), a task is “an activity where the target language is used by the learner for a communicative

purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome."

In here, problems are given to learners to be solved using the target language as a task to

be completed individually or collaboratively. The teacher facilitates the language needed to

succeed the task. In this case traditional teacher-centered approach is thrown away since this

approach will let the learners to be active in seeking the appropriate forms and in.

It offers an alternative for language teachers. In a task-based lesson the teacher doesn't

pre-determine what language will be studied, the lesson is based around the completion of a

central task and the language studied is determined by what happens as the students complete it.

The lesson follows certain stages.

Pre-task

The teacher introduces the topic and gives the students clear instructions on what they


will have to do at the task stage and might help the students to recall some language that may be

useful for the task. The pre-task stage can also often include playing a recording of people doing

the task. This gives the students a clear model of what will be expected of them. The students can

take notes and spend time preparing for the task.

Task Cycle

During the task phase, the students perform the task, typically in small groups, although

this is dependent on the type of activity. And unless the teacher plays a particular role in the task,

then the teacher’s role is typically limited to one of an observer or counselor—thus the reason for

it being a more student-centered methodology.

Planning

Having completed the task, the students prepare either a written or oral report to present

to the class. The instructor takes questions and otherwise simply monitors the students.

Report

The students then present this information to the rest of the class. Here the teacher may

provide written or oral feedback, as appropriate, and the students observing may do the same.

Methodology

This instructional design was elaborated to help the participants, to improve their

speaking skills, therefore to communicate effectively in the target language. To do so, the

researchers implemented oral e-portfolios, based on a Task-based approach, combined with

elements of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), which supported the development of the

speaking skill. In order to make the course more meaningful and appealing for the students, it


was designed based on a series of mini projects which lead to a final project, about the

professional career choice that the students made for their own lives.

As it is known, Communicative language teaching is an approach that emphasizes

interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of study. That was the reason why it was

selected as the basis for the theory of teaching in the current research.

Additionally, this approach makes use of real-life situations that require communication.

In it, the teacher sets up a situation that students are likely to encounter in real life. Unlike the

audio-lingual method of language teaching, which relies on repetition and drills, the

communicative approach motivates students by leaving them in suspense as to the outcome of a

class exercise, which will vary according to their reactions and responses. The real-life

simulations vary from day to day. Students' motivation to learn comes from their desire to

communicate in meaningful ways about meaningful topics.

Margie S. Berns, an expert in the field of communicative language teaching, states that

"language is interaction; it is interpersonal activity and has a clear relationship with society" In

this regard, language study has to look at the use (function) of language in context, both its

linguistic context (what is uttered before and after a given piece of discourse) and its social, or

situational, context (who is speaking, what their social roles are, why they have come together to

speak)" (Berns, 1984).

Richards (2006), also makes important contributions regarding Communicative language

teaching. He states that communicative competence includes the following aspects of language

knowledge:

• Knowing how to use a language for a range of different purposes and functions.


• Knowing how to vary our use of language depending on the setting and the participants

within the communicative situation.

• Knowing how to produce and understand different kinds of text, such as, narratives,

interviews and reports, among others.

• Knowing how to maintain communication by implementing different communicative

strategies, when there are limitations in one's language.

CLT is usually characterized as a broad approach to teaching, rather than as a teaching

method with a clearly defined set of classroom practices. As such, it is most often defined as a

list of general principles or features. One of the most recognized of these lists is David Nunan’s

(1991) five features of CLT:

• An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language.

• The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation.

• The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on language but also on the

learning process itself.

• An enhancement of the learner’s own personal experiences as important contributing

elements to classroom learning.

• An attempt to link classroom language learning with language activities outside the

classroom.

These five features are claimed by practitioners of CLT to show that they are very

interested in the needs and desires of their learners as well as the connection between the

language as it is taught in their class and as it used outside the classroom. In this light, any

teaching practice that helps students develop their communicative competence in an authentic


context is deemed an acceptable and beneficial form of instruction. Thus, in the classroom CLT

often takes the form of pair and group work requiring negotiation and cooperation between

learners, fluency-based activities that encourage learners to develop their confidence, role-plays

in which students practice and develop language functions, as well as judicious use of grammar

and pronunciation focused activities.

That is why, the role of the teacher in CLT is to facilitate the communication in the

classroom, and he also acts like an adviser and a guide. The role of the students is to be

communicators. They are actively engage in trying to make themselves understood and in

understanding others, and they are allowed to use the mother tongue, however, whenever

possible the target language should be used.

Communicative language teaching uses almost any activity that engages learners in

authentic, functional communication. Activities in which communication is involved, social

interaction activities, such as conversation and discussion sessions, dialogues and role plays, are

also used in CLT. It is important to mention that the materials used are authentic to native

speakers of the target language, e.g. newspaper, radio and television broadcast, menus, weather

forecast and timetables. For beginner students it is possible to use realia.

Language Focus

In focusing the language produced by students, the teachers will create two stages here,

they are:

Analysis

Here the focus returns to the teacher who reviews what happened in the task, in regards to


language. It may include language forms that the students were using, problems that students had,

and perhaps forms that need to be covered more or were not used enough.

Practice

The practice stage may be used to cover material mentioned by the teacher in the analysis

stage. It is an opportunity for the teacher to emphasize key language. Within the sections above,

learners will complete the task through preparation where in this case they will reduce their

troubled feeling in mind or anxiety. They have more time to think how to complete the task in

their best way. It is then expected that learners will not be nervous and full of tension in

performing their speaking ability.

Pedagogical Implementation

Teach-able Question:

How does the oral e-portfolios (OEPs) implementation help students to improve oral

production?

General Instructional Objective

To use OEPs as a tool to shape oral production.

Specific Instructional Objective:

To design and implement activities which promote the speaking skill development, through

the use of OEPs

In the next chart, we have included a description of the pedagogical activities developed

during the classes. They follow a sequence that guided the students in the construction of a final

project. Additionally, we have included an example of one of the lessons completed during this

pedagogical implementation. (Annex 4)


Table 2. Instructional unit

INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT

DATE ACTIVITY OBJECTIVE TASK HOMEWORK

First session A

September 9th

Introduction To understand the

goal of the project

as well as the

activities to be

developed.

Ask questions

related to the

introduction of

the project.

Read about

your five

favorite

professions,

and bring

information

about what you

read.

First session B

September 9th

Exploring the self To reflect about

personal

strengths,

weaknesses,

abilities and fears.

Share a

personal

reflection about

your own

strengths,

weaknesses,

abilities and

fears.

Second session

September 10th

I would like to

be ...

To choose the five

more appealing

professions for

you.

Present

information

about the five

professions you

chose.

Look for

information

about

advantages and

disadvantages

in three of the

five professions

you chose. Pick

your favorite

professions for

this task.

Third session

September 16th

Exploring

possibilities

To reduce the

possibilities from

five favorite

professions, to

three favorite

professions.

Talk about

advantages and

disadvantages

in three

favorite

professions.

Think about all

the professions

you have read

about and pick

your very

favorite one.

Then, think

about 10

reasons why

you chose the

profession as

your favorite

one.


Fourth session

September 17th

Identifying my

favorite

profession.

To give reasons

about why you

picked the

profession.

Present reasons

supporting why

you picked the

profession.

Look for

information

about important

contributions to

humanity, made

by people in the

profession you

picked.

Fifth session

September 23rd

Inspiring actions

and people

To learn about

important

contributions to

humanity, made

by people in the

profession you

picked.

Share

information

about

important

people and

contributions

from the

profession you

picked, to

humanity.

Think about

what would

you like to

achieve in your

field.

Sixth session

September 24th

What I would

like to achieve

as…

To reflect about

what would you

like to achieve as

a professional, in

your field.

Describe what

would you like

to achieve as a

professional, in

your field.

Look for

information

about three

universities in

Colombia and

three around

the world,

which offer the

program (career

or profession)

you picked.

Seventh session

September 30th

Where will I

study?

To learn about

universities which

offer the chosen

program.

Present

information

about three

national and

three

international

universities

which offer the

program

(career or

profession) you

picked.

Look for

information

about three

scholarships

offered in

Colombia.

Bring

information

about the

requirements to

apply.

Eighth session

October 1st

National

scholarships

To learn about

scholarships

offered in

Share

information

about

Look for

information

about three


Colombia. scholarships

offered in

Colombia.

Describe the

requirements to

obtain a

scholarship.

scholarships

offered in other

countries,

different from

Colombia.

Bring

information

about the

requirements to

apply.

Ninth session

October 7th

International

scholarships

To learn about

scholarships

offered in the

world.

Share

information

about

scholarships

offered in other

countries,

different from

Colombia.

Describe the

requirements to

obtain a

scholarship.

Read all the

information

you gathered

about

scholarships

and think about

which one

would be more

convenient for

you.

Tenth session

October 8th

Applying to a

scholarship

To identify and

describe which

scholarship is

more suitable for

you.

Support the

reason why

you picked a

specific

scholarship, to

apply for.

Prepare your

final project.

Include all the

information

you gathered

through all the

sessions and

present a

speech about

the profession

you will pick

once you finish

high school.

Eleventh session

October 14th

Preparing the

final project

To give feedback

on preliminary

presentations of

the final project.

Present the

final project to

your teachers

Make

corrections and

adjust your

final project.

Twelfth session

October 15th

Presenting the

final project

To present the

final project.

Present the

final project to

the whole

class, in a

mini-fair.


Assessment

For this current project, we created a special criteria chart, in which we evaluated

pronunciation, intonation, vocabulary, grammar, and use of ideas related to the topic, expressed

while recording the task. After listening to each portfolio, we would evaluate it based on the

criteria, and we would give students personal feedback on their main weaknesses, providing

them with ways to overcome those difficulties. We would also have a group session in which we

socialized the most recurrent difficulties of the students as a group, always keeping the errors in

an anonymous status.

It is important to mention that before recording each portfolio, we would present the

criteria and then, we would have the students go over the criteria chart, and ask questions about it,

to make sure they understand what we were evaluating in terms of oral production. Therefore,

the criteria chart was always printed in the students' native language to make sure the assessment

was fully understood. It was initially explained in the target language, but a second presentation

in Spanish was always done. An example of the criteria chart can be observed in annex 5


Chapter Five

Data Collection and Organization

This chapter presents an account of the data collection and organization we designed in

order to answer our research question and to achieve our objectives. Since our unit of analysis is

students' voices in relation to effective communication, we decided to collect data twice in a

weekly basis from September 9th until October 15th. Among the actions taken to collect data,

we planned to observe our students during each class, and to record teacher's journals which

were written at the end of each class. Besides, we interviewed students on 8 occasions, once per

week after the first class, starting from September 9th 2014, during 6 weeks. Also, we recorded

student's oral production by means of discussions, opinions and descriptions. The recordings

were kept in oral electronic portfolios which were well organized, classified and categorized.

The following chart illustrates the process we followed and the chronogram we designed

in order to collect relevant data for our study.

Table 3. Data collection schedule.

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Dates Sept.

9th

Sept

.

10th

Sept.

16th

Sept.

17th

Sept.

23rd

Sept.

24th

Sept.

30th

Oct.

1st

Oct.

7th

Oct.

8th

Oct.

14th

Oct.

15th

Day 1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Observation X X X X X X X X X X X X

Interviews X X X X X


Data Interpretation

For this study we decided to analyze data based on the grounded theory, in the light of

contributions by Freeman (1998) Merriam (1998) and Glaser and Strauss (1967). Regarding

grounded theory, Freeman (1998) suggests that when working with a grounded analysis "you are

uncovering what might be on the data" (Freeman, 1998). In addition, the author points out that

this process requires a permanent analysis and interpretation of the data, and also, it implies a

mutual understanding of how the data and the researcher interact, by means of a reciprocal

dialogue between them.

We followed the elemental activities for data analysis, described by Freeman (1998). First

we named the categories by labeling the data collected. Since we worked with audio transcripts

of class discussions, we started by coding the turns by student and a number assigned to each

student. Also, we coded the transcripts according to topics discussed, using words that appeared

in the transcript. After naming the categories, we grouped the data by reassembling the names

we gave to parts of information, in order to collect them into categories. Followed by that, we

strengthened the structure created around the grouped data, by finding relationships in the

information. Furthermore, we identified patterns among the established categories which allowed

us to lay out the findings, and revealed the emerging whole of the interpretation.

In relation to Merriam‟s concepts about grounded theory (1998), we worked with the

Teacher

journals

X X X X X X X X X X X X

Audio

recordings

(OEPs)

X X X X X X X


statement which advises that “the analysis of the data must be done during the development of

the research; this stage must accompany the entire project instead of being a final stage of it”. In

the same way, we worked with Merriam's levels of analysis which are based in category

construction, concept that is related to grounded theory as well: "Categories and subcategories

(or properties) are most commonly constructed through the constant comparative method of data

analysis".

As a final point, we went back to Glaser and Strauss's Constant comparative method

(1967). We chose this method as the methodology to follow in the present study, due to the fact

that it was created as a means of developing grounded theory, which "consists of categories,

properties and hypothesis that are the conceptual links between and among the categories and

properties." Moreover, we compared constantly within and between levels of conceptualization.

Data Analysis

The following categories emerged while analyzing and contrasting the data from all

participants. These categories were established in order to answer our research question.

Table 4. Categories and subcategories.

Research Question Categories Sub- categories

Which types of language transfer

are revealed through the use of

Oral Electronic Portfolios

(OEP), in EFL ninth graders?

Phonological transfer

Pronunciation from L1 during

L2 speaking task.

Lexical transfer

Positive use of cognates

Negative use of cognates

Syntax transfer Overuse or omission of

articles:

Generalized absence of


pronouns

Word order and sentence

structure

Phonological transfer

The first category that emerged from the data analysis deals with the influence of the

sound system from L1 found during a L2 speaking task, which indicates that students are not

completely aware of the differences in the use of sounds from L1 to L2. Also, students were

prone to omit the pronunciation of some phonemes due to the fact they do not exist in the native

language. For this reason, and since there was a higher number of cases showing that

phenomenon, we decided to focus on the pronunciation that the learners transferred from their

L1.

Pronunciation from L1 during speaking tasks in L2.

The native language or L1 plays a significant role while learning the L2 or second

language. For this reason learners need to be aware of differences as well as the similarities.

In our study, participants took advantage of the similarities, which resulted in a better

performance during the use of the L2, however we had to advise them about taking into account

the differences, for them to be able to avoid negative transfer, which resulted in an inappropriate

use of the target language. For instance, the transfer made by the learners in this category was a

clear example of negative transfer, and it was seen as a very important aspect when giving

feedback to our students. In addition, since the participants were not fully aware of their

pronunciation, they transferred the sound system as shown in the following examples, resulting

in negative transfer.


Example 1. (S1. OEP3. September 16th)

Example 2. (S7. OEP12. October 15th)



Lexical Transfer

Transfer is the influence of the learner´s native language in the second language

acquisition process. When the linguistic interference provides the learner with an accurate

sentence or an appropriate use of the L2, it is called positive transfer. However, if the learner

uses the L1 knowledge in the second language and this result in an error, this is a negative

transfer.

In this category, we describe positive and negative transfer in the lexical level. During the

data analysis, we found that cognates and false cognates are an example of how L1 interferes

with the second language acquisition, in our case English. Cognates, in linguistics, are words that

have a common etymological origin. Some cognates have different meaning due to the fact that

languages developed separately, creating what is known as 'false friends'. We have seen that our


students found English easy to learn, in some aspects, because they were able to recognize some

similarities with Spanish.

Furthermore, the benefits of recognizing cognates for our students were not the only

advantage that the students had while learning English. They also had more time to look for new

vocabulary. At the same time they felt more confident and motivated because they realized that

they could recognize some words they can use while learning and using English. Nevertheless,

they faced some disadvantages such as the use of false cognates or also called “false friends”.

The use of them resulted into negative transfer, where we as teachers needed to pay special

attention in order to help them to avoid these mistakes or errors.

Use of Cognates

Another common pattern we found was the constant use of similar words in both

languages. While students tried to communicate their ideas in an oral task, they borrowed words

from L1 in order to complete their ideas in the L2 structure. Saville-Troike (2006) describes this

process as Cross-linguistic influence which occurs in different aspects of the language such as

grammar, vocabulary or pronunciation. Therefore the Cross-linguistic influence or Transfer is

classified as Positive or Negative. Positive transfer which basically facilitates L2 learning due to

an L1 structure, word or rule which also work for L2, this means that the learner do not need to

incorporate a new concept in the L2 acquisition process, however we consider students need to

pay special attention because while using cognates during a speaking task most of the cognates

sound different in English thus this may result in a negative transfer.

Positive use of cognates.






In the previous examples, the words "animals", " university", " professional" and

"profession" , are cognates used in L1 and L2. Thus, we can see a positive transfer due to the fact

that they have the same meaning, even though the pronunciation and spelling are different in

some cases (Saville-Troike, 2006). During this speaking task the participants used the cognates

and at the same time they made a distinction between the pronunciation in L1 and eventually in

L2.

Negative use of cognates.



Line 3

Line 4

Line 2

Furthermore, we found another common pattern which is classified as Negative transfer.

The word "reality" from L2 and the word "realidad" from L1, according to the concept

developed by Saville-Troike (2006), are an example of negative transfer since they are spelled in

a different way. Despite having the same meaning for the person who is producing the sentence,

the receptor may have trouble understanding the message.


Example 3. (S4. OEP5. September 23rd)


For instance the word "future" used in line 1, the word "observation" in line 3, the word

"communication" in line 3, and the word "motivation" in line 4 are classified as inappropriate

transfer of L1 pronunciation to L2. Consequently, native speakers or L2 users can detect this

phenomenon as a “foreign accent” in a nonnative speaker‟s pronunciation; in fact this is the most

common and the most easily recognized aspect of L1 influence.

Line 1


Syntax Transfer

The last category that emerged in a strong way is related to the syntactic component of

the target language. The following set of examples was analyzed in the light of Ellis (1997).

Regarding Interlanguage, the author states that the grammar in the language learners is

transitional, meaning that their grammar change through time. Learners add and delete rules and

restructure the whole linguistic system, and as a result of that, Interlanguage emerges. In fewer

words, learners built different sets of mental grammar as they gradually increase the complexity

of their L2 knowledge. For instance, a learner may start his or her use of the target language

with a very easy, far from complex grammar structure: 'I learn'. Gradually, he or she will increase

the complexity of the sentences, incorporating the use of the verb in gerund or adjective forms: 'I

am learning', or 'This is the content to be learned'.

In the analysis of the gathered data, it was possible to observe how the native language of

the students exerted a strong influence over the L2 grammar that was being constructed by the

learners. However, as Cathy Benson (2002) indicates in her article on cross-linguistic

interference, linguistic transfer is not always negative. Occasionally, when the L1 and L2 share

similar structures, that transfer can speed up L2 acquisition and facilitate its use.

In addition, it is important to keep in mind that one of the most favorable influences that

the students' L1 has in the acquisition of the English language, is the characteristic of formality

in style, as well as other discursive and syntactic interlanguage features that were common to

almost all of the students‟ samples.


Overuse or omission of articles

It is widely perceived that the English article system is a very challenging language

feature that is often hard to use in the appropriate way, by learners of English as a foreign or

second language. In fact some researchers go as far as considering them as hard grammar that is,

very difficult to teach or learn (Dulay, Burt & Krashen, 1982). Butler (2002) captures the

difficulty inherent to the acquisition of the English article system as follows: "Part of the

complexity can be attributed to the fact that the English article system does not consist of

one‐to‐one form and meaning relationships".

The participants in the present study had in common the overuse of definite and indefinite

articles with singular and plural nouns in the L2. Additionally, it was possible to detect that one

of the main difficulties was the use of definite articles with generic nouns, and the omission in

the use of indefinite articles. Most of the errors registered in the study were as follows:

Example 1. (S5. OEP8. October 1st)






As it was observed, negative transfer from L1 was highly manifested, due to the greater

differences between the two languages. This is because learners seem to be prone to overuse

definite articles in the first stages of article acquisition, without considering, whether or not the

hearer knows the referent of the noun phrase (Jarvis, 2002; Master, 1987).

Generalized absence of pronouns

The next sub category that emerged from the analyzed transcriptions showed that a vast

majority of the participants had a great difficulty when using pronouns within the sentence,

especially when using personal pronouns. This situation was evident due to the fact that the

learners in the study, were prone to omit the pronoun when it acts as the subject of the sentence

since this omission is correct in Spanish. In English language grammar, the personal pronoun

scheme is considered a closed system. As the name indicates, personal pronouns correspond to

specific people, animals or objects. They are not only used to substitute nouns, but also refer to a

specific individual or group (Quirk et al., 1985, 341-342).

Meisel (1980) found that Romance speakers, which includes the case of Spanish speakers,

dropped pronouns in their L2 more in the third than first person. And as a result of this situation,


negative transfer regarding pronouns, is evident in the next examples.


Example 2. (S5. OEP8. October 1st)

Example 3. (S6. OEP1. September 1st)

Example 4. (S4. OEP1. September 1st)

Word order and sentence structure

Finally, we found that a significant number of students had problems regarding the

syntactic structure of the English sentence, as a result of the language transfer from L 1, which in

most cases, makes the sentence difficult to understand. In the upcoming set of examples, it will


be evident that most of the mistakes are the product of the literal translation from the Spanish

syntax.

More specifically, the syntactic structure of the Spanish sentence is by far more flexible

that its counterpart in English. The latter is governed by a specific, invariable order:

"Subject+Verb+Complement", whereas the fact that Spanish is a Romance language, make it

more opened to different "combinations" without altering the meaning of the sentence.

Once again, there is evidence and counter evidence of transfer in studies related to word

order. Studies have focused on whether, for example, learners of a second language carry their

L1 pattern over into the L2. For instance, Towell and Hawkins (1994) allege that there is transfer

on all linguistic levels, including syntax.

In addition, Full Transfer/ Full Access Model (Schwartz & Sprouse 1994/96) claims that

L1 transfer plays a central role in the SLA, since the L1 grammar is supposed to be the initial

state of the L2 grammar. Then, when a learner uses elements from his L1 in his foreign or second

language (L2) is generally referred to as transfer. In fewer words: transfer means situations in

which properties from the mental grammar of the L1 are carried over into the mental grammar

learners construct for the L2 (Towell & Hawkins 1994:5). Thereby, in this case, mental grammar

refers to the linguistic knowledge represented in the speaker‟s mind. And in this specific study, it

is possible to observe the strong influence that the participants' L1 had on the acquisition of the

L2.






To summarize, the previous display of data excerpts, disclosed the most common types

of language transfer that were revealed through the use of oral electronic portfolios, by EFL

ninth graders. As it was observed, three main types of language transfer emerged, during the

development of oral tasks recorded in the electronic portfolios: phonological transfer, lexical

transfer and syntax transfer. Consequently, these results helped us to improve our teaching

practices, regarding the use and application of new and improved pedagogical strategies, which

lead to overcome some of the difficulties that the participants had at the beginning of the study.

Furthermore, the next section will present a deeper understanding of the findings and


results from this research study, as well as an interpretation of the analysis previously developed,

a general description of the research stages, and the conclusions to which the researchers arrived.


Chapter Six

Findings and Conclusions

The following chapter presents what we concluded from the study, as well as a brief

account of how did the research emerged, what we aimed to achieve with the research, a short

discussion of the data collection process and the results, and contributions to the pedagogical

field.

This study emerged while implementing a pedagogical intervention in a public school

located in Bogota, D.C. After conducting a needs analysis, we found that the students were not

provided with enough opportunities to make use of the target language, in an oral communicative

way. The English classes took place in a language resource center (In Spanish: Centro de

Recurso de idiomas), which is part of a bilingual project, conducted by the Ministry of Education.

Unfortunately, the project was not well designed; therefore, the students spend the time to learn

English, in activities not related to the class.

Consequently, when we applied a proficiency test, it revealed that the learners had a very

low level regarding oral skills, and to make it worse, the test also showed that the influence of

the native language was particularly strong, causing the students to have difficulties while trying

to communicate in an effective way in the target language.

Thereby, we proposed the use of oral electronic portfolios, after observing and analyzing

the situation described in the paragraph above. For this reason, we decided to use this type of

portfolios, as an innovative and creative way to identify and describe which types of language

transfer are revealed through the use of the mentioned portfolios, in EFL ninth graders.


Furthermore, we sought to help the students go through the interlanguage system, in a

more meaningful manner, and to achieve a higher oral competence in the target language.

After concluding the pedagogical implementation and the data collection, the information

was gathered in order to be analyzed in the light of the Grounded Theory proposed by Corbin

and Strauss (1990). As a result, three main categories (Phonological transfer, lexical transfer,

and syntax transfer) and six subcategories (Pronunciation from L1 during L2 speaking task,

positive use of cognates, negative use of cognates, overuse and omission of articles, generalized

absence of articles, and word order and sentence structure) revealed the language transfer in the

participants.

The first category evidenced the influence of the phonological system from the L1 that

was transferred into speaking tasks in the L2, indicating that the participants were not completely

aware of the differences in the sounds between the two languages. As a result, they failed to

include phonemes that do not exist in the Spanish alphabet. Moreover, the second category

showed the influence that the learners' lexical system from L1 had on the L2, by evidencing

positive and negative transfer through the use of cognates. Lastly, the third category revealed the

strong presence of grammar transferred from the L1 into the L2, especially when the participants

attempted to use articles and pronouns which rules of use differ substantially in both languages.

In the same way, syntax transfer was evident in the aspects related to word order and sentence

structure. Consequently, the collected samples revealed the presence of translation word by word

from the L1, which resulted in the alteration on the syntax of the sentence.

In the final analysis, the use of Oral Electronic Portfolios provided teachers and students

with a several number of advantages over other more traditional types of assessment. On the one


hand, during the research study we realized how Oral E-portfolios help teachers to develop a

meaningful task during the English class. Furthermore, it is an innovative way to help the

learners to improve their oral production, thanks to the feedback process involved in them.

Besides, they are easy to store, to access, and to transport. On the other hand, as we

conclude during the pedagogical intervention and the analysis of the data, students were greatly

motivated to use and create an electronic portfolio due to the fact they had the opportunity to

speak without being heard by their classmates which was a fear they faced during a normal

speaking task.

Additionally, they felt motivated by the idea of giving a reflective perspective about their

plans related with their education after finishing high school. Regarding our research question we

found out how the OEPs helped us to evidence language transfer in the learners and at the same

time how OEPs can help them to be aware of the interlanguage system in order to shape their

oral production and have a successful communication.

All things considered, it is important not to forget the importance of studying the

interlanguage system in the learners, seen as an instrument for teachers to foster the acquisition

of the second language. Keeping in mind that transfer can be positive or negative, teachers can

capitalize on similarities between the native language and the target language, and take

advantage of such, to work on favor of the students' learning process.

Another key point is the development of awareness-rising in the students, which can

result from the process of observation and analysis of the interlanguage. Teachers might make

use of the language transfer at the syntactic level, by illustrating particular elements and

anticipating specific errors, regarding transfer from L1 into L2. By determining the difficulties


that appear while communicating in the target language, it might be possible to design and

implement new pedagogical strategies for the improvement of those errors. Moreover, this can

contribute not only to the improvement of the communicative competence in the students, but

also to the strengthening of all the language skills.

On a final account, the recognition of the different language transfer situations can

improve the way in which the lessons are structured, in order to focus on the weak points and

also to guide the learners towards the recognition of the unique linguistic characteristics of each

language, enabling the students to use the target language in a proper way.


Chapter Seven

Limitations and Further Research

This chapter presents the limitations we faced during the research process along with the

pedagogical implementation as well as the further research. In the first place we would like to

point out the limitations we went through during this study. One of the main limitations has to

deal with the amount of English classes students have during the week. In order to be able to

acquire a second language, learners need to be exposed to longer periods of time with the

language. Henceforth the Ministry of Education provided the public schools with the language

resource center (in Spanish: Centro de Recurso de Idiomas), with the purpose of creating more

opportunities for the students to practice the target language. However, during the

implementation of the needs analysis we found out the sources were basically useless since there

was not a proper connection between the activities, for this reason students were just spending

time doing some other isolated tasks.

Secondly after we started the study, we were moved from one school to another which

caused a big problem for our study. However we decided to keep working on the study since we

were motivated and by that time we were advanced in the research process. Hence we conducted

our study despite of the situation which affected the time we needed to divide between the two

schools.

Last but not least, the lack of modern multimedia technology was another limitation for

the study. The school where the research was carried out lacks technological interactive materials

which boost and improve the language acquisition process. Since the school does not provide the


language teachers with multimedia resources, we had to use our own supplies and devices, in

order to carry out the study, and to improve the quality of the English lessons during the

pedagogical implementation,

Regarding further studies, we realized that interlanguage is an important part of the

second language acquisition process. Language teachers need to help students to overcome this

stage in a successful way, avoiding students' frustration while acquiring the language.

Consequently, if students are guided and provided with the right feedback from their process,

they will have a significant progress during the lessons.

In order to achieve this purpose we consider as a further research the "Error Analysis".

We conceive students' errors as an important part of the acquisition process. Thereupon, teachers

can identify which are the students' strategies while acquiring the target language. Additionally,

the reason why they fall into the errors, and at the same time find out the common difficulties

that students face. Thus, teachers can design proper materials, teaching proposals and activities,

in order to fulfill students' needs.

Furthermore, it is important to analyze in a deeper way, the phonological transfer and the

aspects that can affect learners' development and language acquisition such as omission,

including morphological omission and syntactical omission, but taking into account the context

of the participants and the native language. Since in this research we worked with Spanish as the

L1, there must be different characteristics in other languages.

Equally important is the deeper study of the relation between interlanguage and learning

strategies. The former one is the result of five essential cognitive processes specific to L2

acquisition: language transfer, transfer of training, strategies of learning an L2, strategies of


communication in L2 and overgeneralization of linguistic material.

Language learning strategies seemed to be vital elements to this theory, which proposes

that interlanguage changes through time as the result of different strategies that students create to

understand the language input that they receive and to control the output which they are required

to produce. Consequently, various elements of the interlanguage could be the result of each

learner‟ specific way to internalize the language material to be learned, for instance, their own

selection of learning strategies.

During the development of our study, we realized that all the students used different

strategies to succeed in the communicative competence, but not all of them were aware of the

strategies being used. Therefore, it would be meaningful for further research, to go deeper on the

analysis of those strategies, in order to understand how they affect the interlanguage system.


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Annexes

Annex 1

Consent letter.


Annex 2

Sampling interval chart.

N° STUDENT

1 JOHANNA

2 DANIELA

3 ALEXANDRA

4 ESTER

5 JULIANA

6 JUANA

7 LEONOR

8 FERNANDA

9 ESTEFANIA

10 LUISA

11 ANDREA

12 ESTRELLA

13 DANIELA1

14 NICOL

15 ANDREA

16 ANTONIA

17 ANA

18 MARIA

19 JENNY

20 DAYANNA


Annex 3

Teacher journals.



Annex 4

Lesson plan.

Presentation




Annex 5

Assessment chart.

NOMBRE: FECHA:

CRITERIOS DE EVALUACIÓN NECESITA

MEJORAR

BUENO

EXCELENTE

Función Comunicativa, Gramática y Vocabulario

Discuto y analizo como tomar decisiones sobre carreras profesionales

académicas usando verbos modales para dar sugerencias.

Función Comunicativa, Gramática y Vocabulario

Hablo sobre como planeo mi futura carrera profesional. Incluyo el uso de

pronombres indefinidos y vocabulario sobre elección de carreras.

Pronunciación

El estudiante pronuncia y hace énfasis en la entonación ascendente al hacer

preguntas cerradas y en la entonación descendente al hacer preguntas abiertas.

Desempeño durante las actividades (tasks)

El estudiante entiende y sigue las instrucciones de las actividades (tasks).

Logra los objetivos y muestra interés por interactuar y cooperar con sus

compañeros para realizar las actividades (tasks).

Comunicación (general)

El estudiante se muestra seguro al hablar en inglés, se comunica de manera

espontanea y natural de acuerdo al curso en el que se encuentra. Utiliza inglés satisfactoriamente para hacerse entender o entender a sus compañeros.

Cuando no sabe el vocabulario, busca maneras de hacerse entender por medio

de sinónimos, antónimos, definiciones, ejemplos, etc. Participa activamente y trata de hablar en inglés todo el tiempo.

COMENTARIOS

DEL

PROFESOR

COMENTARIOS

DEL

ESTUDIANTE


Annex 6

Color coding.

Criteria.

Different pronunciation but similar word

Pronounce words in a shorter way (missing sounds)

Repeated words

English word but Spanish pronunciation

Grammatical structure from L1

Spanish word

Documents

A Study of Language Transfer Through Oral …repository.udistrital.edu.co/bitstream/11349/3550/1...transfer are revealed through the use of oral electronic portfolios (OEPs), in EFL