1. What are the students’ difficulties when they have to express their ideas
in English language?
We have noticed students of English language work on writing English very
well, they write and understand almost everything of English when it is given in
writing form, but when it has to be listening or speaking it starts to be
complicated.
Teachers do not push the students to talk in English, they just focus on writing
and reading activities and when students participate in class they do it in
Spanish and teachers allow this behavior.
We can find this kind of problem almost in every single place where English
classes are taken, even at the university, the students know everything about
structures, verbs, and language rules, but they can´t develop a fluently
conversation in English.
One of the most important skills to improve a language is the speaking skill; it
allows the learner to convey, interpret messages and negotiate meanings and
so achieve the main goal of language which is the communicative competence.
“…the meaning of „negotiating meaning‟ needs to be extended beyond the
usual sense of simply „getting one‟s message across.‟ Simply getting one‟s
message across can and does occur with grammatically deviant forms and
sociolinguistically inappropriate language. Negotiating meaning needs to
incorporate the notion of being pushed toward the delivery of a message that is
not only conveyed, but that is conveyed precisely, coherently, and
appropriately. Being „pushed‟ in output…is a concept parallel to that of the i +1
of comprehensible input. Indeed, one might call this the „comprehensible output‟
hypothesis.”
(Swain, 1985, 248-9).
The aim of the research is highlight the problems students faced when they
have to speak English and also improve their motivation to use the language.
Harold Arbeláez Flórez
051300072009