Implementation of Self-Assessment of Students, Recording Facilitated by WhatsApp to Improve Speaking Skill

Abstract

This paper was developed to help overcome the main difficulties that students have to perform oral skills due to a lack of vocabulary and mispronunciation mistakes in a foreign language. Other problems are that students dislike to participate and interact during English lessons; or most of the time, they are quiet or use their mother tongue for asking and answering questions. Students are uncomfortable speaking in a target language because of a lack of opportunities to interact using the learned vocabulary; they dislike memorizing phrases as well as following instructions or repeating new words. Hence, self-assessment is an alternative strategy to encourage students to assess their learning process. Indeed, the complement of the use of technological tools, such as applications that allow recording audio, will promote real interaction with others and enhance the learning experience. Lastly, students have difficulties speaking in English because they do not have tasked -based activities that encourage real communication. Mispronunciation raises students’ anxiety about making mistakes; for this purpose, practicing self-assessment as well as using authentic materials, recording, and sending audio through WhatsApp will improve their experience in language practice.