Facilitating Self-regulation with Mobile Devices to Improve Oral Interaction

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to improve oral interaction in English as a foreign language through self-regulation facilitated with mobile devices. The ongoing innovation lasted six weeks, and it consisted of thirty students of second year of baccalaureate of a state school in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The mixed-method action research used quantitative and qualitative methods in order to attain the objective of this study. This action research was carried out by comparing the results of the self-evaluation rubric of pre-tests and post-tests. At the end of the innovation, the students were interviewed to report their perspectives toward self-regulation strategies, those answers were also supported with information taken from the learning logs. The effect size of pre-tests and post-tests (Cohen’s d = 1.4) demonstrated a large impact on oral interaction. The results indicated that self-regulation let the students improved the subskills of grammar, pronunciation and thus oral interaction because students created a habit of reflecting on their performance and applying strategies according to their needs. The effect of this research is also favorable for EFL teachers who desire to develop their students’ oral interaction