Applying Self-Assessment to Improve Speaking Skills in a Secondary School

Abstract

Nowadays, COVID-19 forced the educational system around the world to be developed virtually. Addressing the class through electronic devices instead of physical contact into schools generates challenges in the teaching and learning process. In Ecuador, teachers must adapt and apply methods, techniques, or strategies that let students achieve their language goals in their second language acquisition. One of these instructional tools is self-evaluation. According to Thawabieh (2017), “Students’ self-assessment is a type of assessment which involves students in evaluating their work” (p. 16). In fact, enhancing speaking production requires the study of techniques like self-evaluation. Low development of speaking production in students in the first year of high school of A2 level is affecting their performance. The majority of activities that students accomplish in class contains a low level of oral interaction. Moreover, there are activities that they perform just once. As a result, they cannot identify their weaknesses, evaluate their work, and improve their gaps. The lack of awareness of their performance also affects their accuracy and performance in their speaking production. The challenges faced through virtual classes and the activities related only to reading, writing, and grammar affect the speaking development. Most of the students do not have the internet to access their virtual classes. Moreover, each week students only have two hours of 40 minutes of English per week. This short time is not enough for oral activities and the lack of physical interaction also affects it. Similarly, the “Curriculum Priorizado de Emergencia” used during these last two years does not contain speaking activities. Thus, the performance of students in this language ability is low.