The Use of L2 Oral Communication Strategies in a Secondary School Context

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Nowadays, the presence of oral communication strategies when it comes to learning a foreign language is indisputably fundamental. In this research project, the objective is the introduction and development of oral communication strategies through activities based on three different methodologies, which are Communicative Language Teaching, Task-Based Language Teaching, and Cooperative Language Learning. This hypothesis is supported by three theoretical assumptions established after a period of research, and these can be summarised in the following way: These three methodologies undoubtedly foster the development of the communicative competence rather than the grammatical competence; the focus of attention of these methodologies is oriented mostly towards real-life events and authentic language production; and these methodologies coincide in contributing together to the development of L2 students in terms of their oral communication strategies. These methodologies have been tested and discussed by means of the implementation of spoken interaction activities during the practicum period that is part of the masters’ degree in English teaching. Two groups of Spanish high school students have participated in this study; they are in the first year of Bachillerato, therefore belonging to an intermediate level of English. This masters’ thesis has been conducted due to several materials destined to collect data: a students’ questionnaire as well as a teachers’ questionnaire; a continuous assessment rubric and a communicative task rubric; my own observations in class combined with diary entries and notes, and my high school tutor’s perceptions about each lesson. The results obtained from the application of the activities have been presented and examined, to then state that the data that has been gathered is unfortunately not enough, making the outcomes sort of unresolved. Consequently, it has been considerably complex to verify the authenticity of my hypothesis and provide an answer to the research questions proposed for this masters’ thesis. Even though my hypothesis has been considerably demonstrated, some ideas in relation to the topic of this research project have been acquired in order to continue investigating and apply them in future studies or in my future profession as an English teacher