Dialogues to Promote Speaking in Students of the School of Network and Telecommunications

Abstract

This innovation was implemented to improve students speaking production. Students’ participation evidenced lack of vocabulary, and mispronunciation in oral activities. To help students overcome those challenges, pair work through recorded dialogues in technical context was implemented. Participants studied at a public university located in Guayaquil. They belonged to the school of Net and Telecommunications. An action research was conducted. It included quantitative instruments: pre and posttests, pre and post-surveys. Data collected answered four research questions, three related to improvement in speaking in terms of vocabulary, fluency, and accuracy, and a last to know students’ perspectives to the components of this innovation. Results showed a large impact (Cohen’s d=2.97 – average of the three speaking components) for speaking due to the innovation (p=.000). Students’ perspectives also changed after the implementation. The average for limitations of speaking was reduced. The means of the post-survey were positive for the components of the innovation (pair work, planning and structuring, and recording of the dialogues). Implications of this study suggest other higher education authorities and EFL teachers to engage students in the lessons with authentic and student-centered activities.