RESEARCH PROJECT

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

RESEARCH PROJECT NAME:

A WORKSHOP OF MEANINGFUL STRATEGIES TO DO AN IMPORTANT
IMPROVEMENT IN SPEAKING ENGLISH SKILL FOUNDED ON TASK BASED
LEARNING BY JANE WILLIS WITH THE 3rd GRADE STUDENTS OF
SECONDARY LEVEL AT JOS CARLOS MARITEGUI SCHOOL IN
HUARANGUILLO- SAN IGNACIO- CAJAMARCA- PERU

1. RESEARCHER
1.1. RESEARCHERS NAME: Lic. Neil Edwin Arvalo Alcntara
1.2. SUPERVISORS NAME: Dr. Wilson Lozano Daz
2. TYPE OF RESEARCH:
3. MASTER NAME:

Proposal
Didactic of the English language.

4. PLACE AND INSTITUTION OF THE PROJECT:

JOS CARLOS MARITEGUI SCHOOL HUARANGUILLO- SAN IGANCIOCAJAMARCA- PERU

5. PROJECT DURATION:

One year

6. STARTING DATE:

March 2012.

7. ENDING DATE:

February 2013.

8. RESEARCH WORK PRESENTED BY:

Lic. Neil Edwin Arvalo Alcntara

Lozano Diaz

Dr. Wilson

RESEARCHER

SUPERVISOR

9. RESEARCH WORK APPROVED BY:

PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

VOCAL

II. PROBLEMATIC ASPECTS

2.1. RATIONAL PROBLEMATIC SITUATION.
In the world, people are trying to learn to speak English but for most of them it
is not easy because they are finding many differences at contrasting with their
native language such as phonetics and grammar, these are problems with learning
English in the world that is not directly related to many languages, the two closest
Scots (a dialect of scottish) and Frisian. English is particularly difficult because
pronunciation of words is not always following the same rules. That is because
English is a mix of many very ancient languages. Vowels in English (a, e, i, o, u)
take 2 forms: short and long. Also, English is loaded with homonyms words that
sound the same but mean something completely different. Each language in the
world has its own writing structure and sound so it makes difficult to learn a second
language, there is often little connection between the way a word is written and the
way it is pronounced. In this learning process, people suffer a great conflict inside
their brains where they need to be more flexible and creative to discover methods,
strategies and techniques to learn easily. Since the United States is a power,
everybody knows about the importance of speaking English for that reason it has
become as indispensable as the water to survive, without language, people would
not be able to communicate ideas or feelings, without language, people would not
be able to interact each other and learn. Is English really becoming a worldwide
language? If you would like to travel all over the world, you must realize English is
spoken as a first language by about 400 million, as a second language by around 1
billion. And it is the language most often studied as a foreign language in the world.
So, if you do not understand English, you may miss your flight, lose your way, and
fail to communicate with people. Knowing English can make communication easier.
English is official language in 53 countries so If you want to know more about the
world and modern technology, English is a great bridge. Most of books, magazines,
newspapers and movies are in English. Going online, most of the world's stored

information and web pages are in English. English is also the most commonly used
language in the sciences.
In Asia, people face serious learning difficulties and lack confidence in
speaking fluently and taking a proactive role in classrooms. The reports on data
gathered in interviews with students from five Asian nations, which suggest that
these learning difficulties are grounded in weaknesses in students prior learning
experiences focused on grammar and reading skills in teacher centered
classrooms, not conversational skills and in beliefs about language learning
instilled during schooling. Asians mispronounce the letters r and l, often
interchanging their pronunciations and, this mistake is highlighted in their schools
when they are learning to speak English for example they might pronounce
Please as Prease and 'Sorry' and Solly. Linguistic globalization, which is
driven by more and closer cross border ties in business, education and other
sectors, becomes manifest in intensified communication and travel. Increased
spoken voice interactions, and English language exposure in media, have placed a
growing importance on speaking skills. When people need English competence for
their practical life and in nearly all professional and business domains, in every
nation, English is more and more necessary.
In Japan, despite Westernization and the prominence of English conversation
schools, Japanese students still underachieve in oral communication. The focus of
the English in Japan is on grammar, reading and writing. Speaking is often
neglected and most Japanese TEFL teachers have not mastered good
pronunciation skills. Cultural characteristics, such as status, social class and social
distance, exclude certain discussion topics from the classroom and do not promote
spoken English. Also, typical for Japanese education is the teacher centered
learning model with a direct approach. Japanese students prefer explicit instruction
above interaction and classroom discussions. Various cultural characteristics of
Japan make it harder to build up interactive English conversation. A few examples:
Status and power: In the Japanese classroom this results into situations where

students do not get involved into discussions because they have to respect higher
ranked students. These power issues can be extended to age and gender. Also,
students might be afraid to be ranked as lower class when asking questions or
giving the wrong answer.
Social distance: students refrain from asking the teacher questions and pretend to
understand something they dont rather than asking.
Group harmony: In Japan everything is done in function of the group. Individuals
are conscious of not disturbing the harmony and therefore will not quickly express
their own opinion. Silence: during conversations and when thinking, silence is quite
normal in Japan.
In Brazil, learners of English may have difficulty in speaking fluently. This is
because, in Portuguese, it is relatively easy to know how to pronounce a word by
looking at it, being phonological and also having a number of diacritical marks.
teaching English in a country as big as Brazil, and one in which you can travel for
more than 2.000 kilometers without having to speak another language has its
drawbacks, and the one of these is showing people the real importance of learning
at least one foreign language (perhaps the hardest thing teachers have to do).
Even after the advent of the Internet and everything that globalization has brought
about, many students still fail to see the usefulness of English in their lives and
being able to drive for two days without having to speak another language seems
to make a strong case for those who think learning a foreign language is
irrelevant). It is not uncommon for parents to talk to teachers and ask for help in
convincing their kids that learning English is important to their future. However,
many of these parents are not truly convinced of its importance either.
In Peru, people have problems in speaking because Spanish words sound as
they are written but English words sound different when they are pronounced, for
that reason Students are afraid of making pronunciation mistakes at the moment
they are speaking. The different kinds of vowels and consonants sounds make the
language difficult at undertaking a conversation. Others can feel motivated to

speak English inside the classroom but when they go out the class they realize that
no one is using the target language so they cannot find the real reason for learning
speaking English. The study of the English language in schools is mainly centered
in reading and writing rather than in speaking or listening. No time for developing
the students ability in the four language skills and English learning in Primary
Public School level is not official, but

few parents associations pay private

teachers so their children can learn English in their Schools. In Public School,
principals and teachers are doing their best for their students to make them
succeed in their studies despite the difficulties they face. They also do a great job
they do not want to stand behind. But it is difficult for public school students to
learn the English language because they do not have enough time for studying and
the teachers sometimes are not well prepared.
Other problem in secondary level of Public Schools is English classes, they
are given once a week for two hours, but the allotted time is not enough for
learning a second language but there is a social bridge because in some private
schools English is taking for about 5 hours a week or more. They also start
learning this language in pre- school level. This means that by the time they finish
Secondary level they have studied the English language for eleven years and
some of them even take an international examination like Cambridge or TOEFL to
prove their competence in the knowledge and use of the English language. It is
important to mention that in cities the number of students in Private Schools is
larger than in Public Schools because some parents make a great effort to send
their children there with the idea that they could have a better education.
Task Based Learning has a framework that can be apply in classes to give a
solution this problem that is affecting many students in Peru and other countries
that do not let them learn to speak English. This framework has three phases that
help the students to get a good speaking and understanding taking accounts their
level in the target language.

2.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In English lessons at Jos Carlos Maritegui school that is located in a small
town called Huaranguillo, district of San Jos de Lourdes, province of San
Ignacio, department of Cajamarca in Peru, students show a lack of speaking
skill, they know few words in English but they have not developed the capacity to
express their ideas while they are interacting with the teacher or their classmates.
English course was not taken by a specialist. Students have been taught by
teachers of other areas less English and they were not training to teach.
Teachers methodology is very traditional because it does not let students to
develop speaking skills, a few times are applied speaking activities in the English
course. Teacher is most centered in acquiring vocabulary and rules but less oral
production. Motivation is not enough to encourage students to output the target
language by themselves; students always memorize a piece of dialogue or a
paragraph to speak in front the class.
Teacher do not use a meaningful strategy to teach speaking, the few times that
he uses are not matching to the students real life.
Students are not aware about the real importance of speaking English
nowadays. They do not have much time for speaking because they always say
what to speak English for, if no one speaks this language here and I will not travel
abroad. It is really challenging for a teacher to find a solution to this problem.
There is not an accurate environment to speak English, classrooms are not
setting to attract the attention and encourage the students to participate in English
conversations i.e. they do not have enough motivation.

Students are just in touch to the English inside the classroom but when they
go out they neither speak nor listen any word that is a pitiful disadvantage for them.
Students have two pedagogical hours a week and others have three but it is
not enough to learn a second language. They do not put enough time on their
learning because they think that they are going to live for the rest of his life by
agriculture. The lack of a steady practice makes the learning more difficult because
they are not in touch with it all the time.
All in all, the lacks finding in this school will be analyzed carefully and given a
solution by using meaningful strategies founded on Task Based Learning.

2.3. FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM

It is observing at Jos Carlos Maritegui school that is located in a small
town called Huaranguillo, district of San Jos de Lourdes, province of San
Ignacio, department of Cajamarca in Peru, a lack of speaking skill for a rank of
reasons so HOW THE APPLYING OF A WORKSHOP OF MEANINGFUL
STRATEGIES

FOUNDED

ON TASK BASED LEARNING WILL DO AN

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT IN SPEAKING ENGLISH LEARNING?

2.4. RESEARCH OBJECT

Teaching learning process, it is the heart of education. On it depends the
fulfillment of the aims and objectives of education. It is the most powerful
instrument of education to bring about desired changes in the students. Teaching
learning are related terms. In teaching - learning process, the teacher, the learner,
the curriculum, the environment and other variables are organized in a systematic
way to attain some pre-determined goal.

2.5. JUSTIFICATION AND IMPORTANCE FOR STUDY

This research project is done because Jose Carlos Maritegui schools
students have a lack of speaking skill and we need to improve them by applying
meaningful strategies founded on Task Based Learning so speak English may be
the best thing one can do to improve ones life.
This project is for finding solutions to the problems described by applying a
meaningful strategy through real life activities of the students who will do an
important improvement in speaking English skill and make them aware that they
would have a better job and other study opportunities. English has become the
central language of communication in business, politics, administration, science
and academia, as well as being the dominant language of globalized advertising
and popular culture. Increased spoken voice interactions, and English language
exposure in media, have placed a growing importance on listening and speaking
skills. When people need English competence for their practical life and in nearly
all professional and business domains, in every nation, English is more and more
necessary; then, They often need oral skills.
Jose Carlos Maritegui students are taking English two pedagogical hours a
week but they do not use the target language in conversations it means that
something is running inappropriately, teachers methodology is not correct so it is
necessary to look for some accurate strategies where students can start to speak
English with their classmates, citizens and why not foreigners as we know English
is called "the language of communication" because it seems all the people in the
world have agreed to use English to talk to each other. About 1,500,000,000
people in the world speak English. Another 1,000,000,000 are learning it. English is
the language most studied in the world.
Consequently, teacher needs to encourage students to use English inside and
outside the classroom by using meaningful activities related to their real life where
they can prove that English is spoken throughout the world. For example, in the

Olympics and the Miss World contest, Diplomats and politicians from different
countries use English to communicate with each other. If they can communicate in
English, they can: Contact people from all over the world and share ideas and
opinions on Internet, Send e-mail to interesting people and Learn about their life
and culture;
Travel more easily and Communicate with people wherever you go. English is
spoken in more than 100 countries.

2.6. PURPOSES OF THE STUDY

2.6.1. GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To design and apply a workshop to do an important Improvement in speaking
English Skill using meaningful strategies founded on Task Based Learning
to express their own ideas easily.

2.6.2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1. Diagnose why do students have a poor level in speaking English?
2. Analyze and process the data obtained:
3. Communicate to the director and parents about the performance of this
workshop.
4. Elaborate the schedule of the workshop performance.
5. Suggest to the director for the applying of this project in other schools.
6. Design strategies based on students reality where they can speak English.
7. Propose a workshop of activities founded on Task Based Learning.

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6.7. RESEARCH FIELDWORK

The teaching learning process of the speaking skill in the 3 rd year secondary
students at Jos Carlos Maritegui School located in a small town called
Huaranguillo, district of San Jos de Lourdes, province of San Ignacio,
department of Cajamarca in Peru.

III. THEORETICAL RESEARCH

3.1. BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM.
Research in strategies to teach speaking English is new in Lambayeque, but
there are some research projects or thesis about this topic in other countries far
away from our reality.
INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND: Lenka Temerov in her thesis titled How
to improve students Communicative skill in Czech Republic 2007. Who
taught soldiers that required to reach a sufficient level in speaking English in order
to accomplish military assignments in missions abroad. She concludes saying
about the importance of communicative activities and their categorization :
information gap activities, discussions, role plays, simulations and guessing
games. She characterized them and evaluated the interaction they offer to prepare
students for real-life language use. In connection with them, she dealt with terms
accuracy and fluency and explained the importance of distinguishing them due to
teachers objective within the lesson. she introduced different techniques for
correcting mistakes in either accuracy or fluency communicative activities and also
mentioned students progress in speaking a foreign language depends on
motivation and encouragement from their teachers.
Suthee khamkaew in his thesis titled Needs and problems in english
listening and speaking skills Thailand 2009. Who taught a group of police
officers who work at the counter service and they require to have a sufficient

11

English level in listening and speaking skills to provide accurate information to

foreign tourists. He concludes saying the necessity to have a good command of
English communication skills, especially basic English conversation that should be
related to the polices real - life e.g. greeting, giving direction. Some officers
suggested that the content of basic English conversation should be intensive,
beginning with easy topics and gradually increasing the level of difficulty, and
based on the real cases. And also mentioned that activities should be included in
order to give learners more chance to speak up and to express their opinion e.g.
simulation, group discussion, and pair work. These activities will help the learners
enjoy learning, and they will not feel bored with the lessons.
These thesis show us some strategies that were effective to improve
communication skills that will be taken in this research project to give solution to
the problems found. These theses also show us that everything is possible if we
want to have better students to build a better country.

3.2. SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORK

3.2.1. PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK

ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE
What can be said, it must be said clearly, and
what cannot be said, it is better to keep quiet.
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1921) Tractatus.

Wittgenstein wants to collect sentences which make sense. What initiates the
philosophical inquiry as a feeling of puzzlement about the use of words. The
particular investigation is often opened with an interrogative phrase such as: Can
anyone believe it makes sense to say? Could one say? Can I think of? Is it

12

possible to think of? What does it mean to say? Is it meaningful to suppose?

Significantly Wittgenstein asks many more questions than he answers. But where
he does propose answers, either provisional or ultimate, we frequently find phrases
which correspond stylistically to the above mentioned questions: You can of course
say ... I can say ... It does make sense to say ... One can think of ... One cannot
say ... It is meaningless to suppose ... etc. These phrases appear repeatedly
throughout his texts and remind us of the grammatical nature of the inquiry. One
should study all the different aspects and different shades of emphasis used in
these phrases, for example: the personal (I can say), the impersonal (One can
say), the interlocutive (You could say), the indicative (We say), the subjunctive
(One could/might say), the weak (I should say), the emphatic (One must say).
What I am not permitted to think, language cannot express. This is our
comfort. However, the search for sense cannot avoid passing through stages of
nonsense. One could even say that talking nonsense is necessary in order to
acquire sense. It is also the case that the criteria of sense are brought into being by
means of sentences which themselves do not have sense.
One is often not allowed to start straight off with sense, but must often talk
nonsense first since it is this which has to be overcome. The philosopher
sometimes has in order to teach the right, meaningful use of words first to use a
misleading and not fully sensical expression. where Wittgenstein gives a
description of how our philosophical problems come into being.
The misleading expression, "a fully developed case"; for these words express what
we are inclined to think about cases such as those described: We derive our
picture and our manner of expression from a particular case and apply them to
closely and distantly related things; and then we want to say: actually it's all the
same.

13

If you have a room which you do not want certain people to get into, put a lock
on it for which they do not have the key. But there is no point in talking to them
about it, unless of course you want them to admire the room from outside! The
honourable thing to do is to put a lock on the door which will be noticed only by
those who can open it, not by the rest. "A sentence is given me in code together
with the key. Then of course in one way everything required for understanding the
sentence has been given me. And yet I should answer the question 'Do you
understand this sentence?': No, not yet; I must first decode it.
These philosophical theory will help this project to make students think before
speaking, giving a logical coherence at the speaking moment. the ideas expressed
need to be clear where the other student could decode the message and answer
correctly according the speech.

3.2.2. PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORK

SOCIAL COGNITION
"an essential feature of learning is that it creates the zone of
proximal

development; that is, learning awakens a variety of

internal developmental processes that are able to operate only

when the child is interacting with people in his environment and
in cooperation with his peers.
Vygotsky, L. (1978) Mind in Society:

The social cognition learning model asserts that culture is the prime
determinant of individual development. Humans are the only species to have
created culture, and every human child develops in the context of a culture.

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Therefore, a child's learning development is affected in ways large and small by the
culture, including the culture of family environment in which he or she is enmeshed.
Culture makes two sorts of contributions to a child's intellectual development.
First, through culture children acquire much of the content of their thinking, that is,
their knowledge. Second, the surrounding culture provides a child with the
processes or means of their thinking, what Vygotskians call the tools of intellectual
adaptation. In short, according to the social cognition learning model, culture
teaches children both what to think and how to think.
Cognitive development results from a dialectical process whereby a child
learns through problem-solving experiences shared with someone else, usually a
parent or teacher but sometimes a sibling or peer.
Initially, the person interacting with child assumes most of the responsibility for
guiding the problem solving, but gradually this responsibility transfers to the child.
Language is a primary form of interaction through which adults transmit to the
child the rich body of knowledge that exists in the culture.
As learning progresses, the child's own language comes to serve as her
primary tool of intellectual adaptation. Eventually, children can use internal
language to direct their own behavior.
Internalization refers to the process of learning and thereby internalizing a rich
body of knowledge and tools of thought that first exist outside the child. This
happens primarily through language.
A difference exists between what child can do on her own and what the child
can do with help. Vygotskians call this difference the zone of proximal
development.

15

Since much of what a child learns comes form the culture around her and
much of the child's problem solving is mediated through an adult's help, it is wrong
to focus on a child in isolation. Such focus does not reveal the processes by which
children acquire new skills.
Interactions with surrounding culture and social agents, such as parents and
more competent peers, contribute significantly to a child's intellectual development.
This theory will help the project to design interactive activities where students
learn and develop themselves by asking and answering with the teacher,
classmates or other person who is immersed in the English world but they will
always be monitored during the whole learning process.

3.2.3. TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK

TASK BASED APPROACH TO LANGUAGE LEARNING
Task Based Approach is divided in:

Task Based Teaching

Task Based Learning

This research is focused in Task Based Learning which is described below.

TASK BASED LEARNING
CREATING THE BEST ENVIRONMENT
A good environment is a key piece in the learning process but it is not easy
because it is necessary to take account many factors as learning styles, learning
strategies and teaching strategies, some of these factors can be changed by the
teacher while others not. It is important to recognize them to suit the activities to as

16

many people as possible. Teachers can help their students to be aware of some
learning strategies and encourage their use.
Language learning must be taken under four conditions that will help students
to acquire the target language, these are: exposure to a rich but comprehensible
input of real spoken and written language, Use of the language to do things,
motivation to listen and read the language and to speak and write it and the other
is the instruction of language.
The teachers power in a classroom is very important to create an accurate
environment to learn a second language where the student is the center of the
class and not the teacher and he is able to communicate freely their feels and
ideas so that they develop their fluency and have a natural acquisition.

ASPECTS OF TASKS
Tasks are activities where the target language is used by the learner for a
communicative purpose in order to achieve an outcome. Tasks need to motivate
learners, engage their attention and present a suitable degree of intellectual and
linguistic challenge to promote their language development as efficiently as
possible. These should be based on meaning rather than on forms.
There are six types of tasks: listing, ordering and sorting, comparing, problem
solving, sharing personal experiences and creative tasks, and six starting points of
tasks: personal knowledge and experience, problems, visual stimuli, spoken and
written tasks, children activities and combinations of starting points that help us to
plan activities.
Task provides opportunities for free and meaningful use of the target language.
They need to be able to understand spontaneous speech it doesnt matter if they
are not perfect in grammar forms.

17

Learners need to realize about the advantages of tasks and give them
confidence, chances to practice and direct their responsibility in learning, making
aware in the strategies they use to achieve their goals.

TASK PHASES
The framework has three phases:
The Pre Task phase introduces to the class the topic and the task, activating
topic- relating words and phrases.
The Task Cycle phase offers learners the chance to use whatever language
they already know in order to carry out the task, and then to improve that language,
under teacher guidance. This phase has three components:
Task: Students do the tasks, in pairs or small groups. Teacher monitors from a
distance.
Planning: Students prepare to report to the whole class(orally or in writing)
how they did the task, what they decided or discovered.
Report: Some groups present their reports to the class, or exchange written
reports, and compare report.
Language Focus phase allows a closer study of some of the specific
features naturally occurring in the language used during the task cycle. This last
phase has two components:
Analysis: Students examine and discuss specific features of the text or
transcript of the recording.
Practice: Teacher conducts practice of new words, phrases and patterns
occurring in the data, either during or after the analysis.

18

Task Based Approach will help the project with a framework where the teacher
will take account to do his lesson plans and where the student will follow the
phases to get the knowledge planned by the teacher before going to classes.
FRAMEWORK 0F THE TASK BASED LEARNING

PRE TASK PHASE

PREPARES THE STUDENT TO DO
THE TASK

TASK CYCLE
PHASE
TASK

PLANNING

REPORT

Students do the
task.

Students prepare
to report to the
whole class.

Students present
their reports.

LANGUAGE FOCUS
PHASE
ANALYSIS
PRACTICE
Students examine

Makes

practice of
and discuss

specific

new

words, phrases
features.

and

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AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE
Mechanics (pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary): Using the right words
in the right order with the correct pronunciation.
Functions (transaction and interaction): Knowing when clarity of message is
essential (transaction/information exchange) and when precise understanding is
not required (interaction/relationship building).
Social and cultural rules and norms (turn-taking, rate of speech, length of
pauses between speakers, relative roles of participants): Understanding how to
take into account who is speaking to whom, in what circumstances, about what,
and for what reason.
In the communicative model of language teaching, instructors help their
students develop this body of knowledge by providing authentic practice that
prepares students for real-life communication situations. They help their students
develop the ability to produce grammatically correct, logically connected sentences
that are appropriate to specific contexts, and to do so using acceptable (that is,
comprehensible) pronunciation.

SPEAKING SKILL COMPONENTS

As proverb says practice makes perfect. Therefore, students must practice to
speak English as often as possible so that they are able to speak English fluently
and accurately. A part of that, to speak English, we have to know some important
component. The component is what aspect influencing how well people speak
English. Here is the component of speaking skill according to syakur (1987: 5),
speaking is a complex skill because at least it is concerned with components of
comprehension,

grammar,

vocabulary,

pronunciation,

and

fluency.

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Comprehension is a key piece to keep a conversation. We need to code the

message to give an appropriate answer or to make correct decisions in our
expressions. Understanding a language is very important to communicate our
ideas in a friendly environment.
Grammar is needed for students to arrange a correct sentence in
conversation. It is in line with explanation suggested by Heaton (1978: 5) that
students ability to manipulate structure and to distinguish appropriate grammatical
form in appropriate one. The utility of grammar is also to learn the correct way to
gain expertise in a language in oral and written form.
Vocabulary means the appropriate diction which is used in communication.
Without having a sufficient vocabulary, one cannot communicate effectively or
express their ideas in both oral and written form. Having limited vocabulary is also
a barrier that precludes learners from learning a language. Language teachers,
therefore should process considerable knowledge on how to manage an interesting
classroom so that the learners can gain a great success in their vocabulary
learning. Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing
can be conveyed.

Pronunciation is the way for students to produce clearer language when

they speak. It deals with the phonological process that refers to the components of
a grammar made up of the elements and principles that determine how sounds
vary and pattern in a language. There are two features of pronunciation; phonemes
and supra segmental features. A speaker who constantly mispronounces a range
of phonemes can be extremely difficult for a speaker from another language
community to understand (Gerard, 2000:11).
Fluency can be defined as the ability to speak fluently and accurately. Fluency
in speaking is the aim of many language learners. Signs of fluency include a

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reasonably fast speed of speaking and only a small number of pauses and ums
or ers. These signs indicate that the speaker does not have to spend a lot of time
searching for the language items needed to express the message (Brown. 1997: 4)

3.3. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Workshop: Training class or seminar in which the participants work

individually and/or in groups to solve actual work related tasks to gain hands-on
experience.
Meaningful: We say that something is meaningful when is serious, important,
useful and has a logical meaning so it will help to clarify some aspects and improve
problems.
Strategy: It is a general, undetailed plan of action, encompassing a long
period of time, to achieve a complicated goal. It is a way of action that becomes
necessary in a situation for the achievement of the main goal.
Task: This noun denotes a piece of work that one must do. A task is a well
defined responsibility that is usually imposed by another and that may be done.
Teaching: It is an active process in which one person shares information with
others to provide them with the information to make behavioral changes.
Learning: It is the process of assimilating information with a resultant change
in behavior.
Approach: This refers to theories about the nature of language and language
learning that serve as the source of practices and principles in language teaching.

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It offers a model of language competence. An approach describes how people

acquire their knowledge of the language and makes statements about conditions
which will promote successful language learning.
Method: A method is the practical realization of an approach. Methods include
various procedures and techniques as part of their standard fare.
Procedure: A procedure is an ordered sequence of techniques. A procedure
is a sequence which can be described in terms such as first you do this, then you
do that. Smaller than a method and bigger than technique.
Technique: A common technique when using video material is called silent
viewing. This is where the teacher plays the video with no sound. Silent viewing is
a single activity rather than a sequence, and as such is a technique rather than a
whole procedure.
Patterns: Consistent and recurring characteristic or trait that helps in the
identification of a phenomenon or problem, and serves as an indicator or model for
predicting its future behavior. Things that are arranged following a rule or rules.

3.4. HYPOTHESIS
If we make and apply a workshop of meaningful strategies founded on Task
Based Learning in speaking English skill, then students of the third grade of
secundary level with a high teaching of meaningful strategies will do an important
improvement in their speaking skill in relationship with the workshop given.

23

3.5. VARIABLES

3.5.1. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE (IV)

A workshop of meaningful strategies founded on Task Based Learning.

3.5.2. DEPENDENT VARIABLE (DV)

Do an important improvement in speaking English skills.

24

3.5.3. OPERATIONALIZATION OF VARIABLES

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

VARIAB
LE

DIMENSIO
N
CREATING
THE BEST
ENVIRONM
ENT

ASPECTS
OF TASKS

TASK
PHASES

OPERATIONALIZATION OF VARIABLES
SUBDIMENSI
INDICATORS
ON
BELIEVES
knows how learners acquire a
second language.
LEARNERS
Knows how learning differs in
DIFFER
experience, learning style, learning
strategies, motivation, aptitude,
age, and personality.
CONDITIONS
Recognizes these conditions to
learn
English:
Exposure,
use,
motivation, and instruction.
Knows that Tasks are activities
TASKS
where the target language is used
by the learner for a communicative
purpose in order to achieve and
outcome.
VARIETIES OF Knows and Choose a correct task
TASK
that may be adapted to any topic
according the learner reality.
LANGUAGE
Provides opportunities for free and
USE
meaningful use of the target
language.
LEARNING
knows how important is each task
FROM TASKS
to participate in the use of it.
PRE TASK
Introduces
tasks
and
activate
schemata
TASK Gives chances to use whatever
CYCLE
language they already know and
(Task,
improve the learning with his
Planning,
guidance.
Report)
LANGUAG Explains specific features of the
E
language.
FOCUS

TECHNIQ
UE

Surveys
for
students
Surveys
for
teachers
Interviews
for
students
Interviews
for
teachers
Speaking
tests
Observatio
n guides

(Analysis,
Practice)

25

SPEAKING SKILLDEPENDENT VARIABLE A MEANINGFUL STRATEGY BASED ON TASK BASED APRROACH

MECHANICS

Uses the right words in the right

order
with
the
correct
pronunciation.
AREAS OF FUNCTIONS
Knows when clarity of message is
KNOWLEDG
essential
and
when
precise
E
understanding is not required.
SOCIAL
AND knows how to take into account who
CULTURAL
is speaking to whom, in what
RULES
AND circumstances, about what, and for
NORMS
what reason.
COMPREHENSI Understand what people say and is
ON
able to answer and give comments.
GRAMMAR
Knows the rules of the target
language to form sentences and
SPEAKING
communicate.
SKILL
VOCABULARY
Has
sufficient vocabulary to
COMPONEN
express
what
they want to say.
TS
PRONUNCIATI
Pronounce correctly the words
ON
FLUENCY
Speak easily and well the target

Surveys
for
students
Surveys
for
teachers
Interviews
for
students
Interviews
for
teachers
Speaking
tests

26

language.

Observatio
n guides

IV. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

4.1. RESEARCH DESIGN

This project research adopts the following design.

OR

RI

DOR

LEGEND
OR = OBSERVED REALITY

DOR = DIFFICULTIES OBSERVED IN THE REALITY

= PROPOSAL

= APPROACH

RI = REALITY IMPROVING

27

4.2. POPULATION AND SAMPLE

The population is defined by the 3rd A and B grade of secondary level

students at Jos Carlos Maritegui School located in a small town called
Huaranguillo, district of San Jos de Lourdes, province of San Ignacio,
department of Cajamarca in Peru.
N

GRADE

MALE

FEMALE

TOTAL

01

3rd A

09

10

19

02

3rd B

12

04

16
Total

35

The sample is defined by the 3rd A grade of secondary level students at

Jos Carlos Maritegui School located in a small town called Huaranguillo,
district of San Jos de Lourdes, province of San Ignacio, department of
Cajamarca in Peru.
N

GRADE

MALE

FEMALE

TOTAL

01

3rd A

09

10

19

4.3. MATERIALS, TECHNIQUES AND INSTRUMENTS OF DATA COLLECTION

MATERIALS
Printed papers
Markers
Pens

28

Photocopies
TECHNIQUES
Questionnaires
Interviews
Observation
INSTRUMENTS
Items list
Interview guide
Observation guide

4.4. METHODS AND PROCEDURES OF DATA COLLECTION

METHODS
Observation
Question Answer
PROCEDURES
Interviews
Questionnaires

4.5. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF DATA.

The data will be processed as following way:
EDITING
CLASSIFICATION
TABULATION

29

V. ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS
5.1. WORK SCHEDULE

TIME
STEPS
1.Project
elaboration
2.Project
presentation
3.Literature

2012
J A

2013
F M
A

X
X

checking
4.Instrument

s elaboration
5.Instrument

s applying
6.Tabulation

of data
7.Preparation

of the report
8.Submission

of the report
9.Thesis

presentation

5.2 RESEARCH BUDGET

GOODS

30

Paper

S/.

30.00

Notebook

15.00

Pens

15.00

Tape

05.00

CD

20.00

USB

30.00

Markers

30.00

Flash cards

50.00

Posters

20.00

Card

20.00

Speakers

100.00
335.00
SERVICES

Transport

100.00

Printed paper

200.00

Printed books

100.00

Internet

100.00

Photocopies

50.00

Spiraling

20.00

Snacks

100.00
670.00
Goods

335.00

Services

670.00

Total

1005.00

5.3 RESEARCH FINANCING

This research financing will be afforded by the researcher.
VI. REFERENCES

31

1. Jane Willis: A framework for task based learning. Editorial Longman, 1996.
2. Kris Van Den Branden: Task based language education. Editorial Cambridge
University Press, 2006.
3. David Nunan: Task based language teaching. Editorial Cambridge University
Press, 2004.
4. Ken Lackman & Associates: Introduction to task based learning. Hand out.
5. Scott Thornbury: How to teach speaking. Editorial Longman, 2003.
6. Paul Henry and Arild Utaker: Wittgenstein and Contemporary Theories of
Language Editorial Wittgensteinarkivet ved Universitetet i Bergen, 1992.
7. Vygotsky, L.S.: Mind in society Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press,
1978.
8. Edwards C. and J. Willis: Teachers Exploring Tasks in ELT Oxford, Palgrave
Macmillan, 2005.
9. Prabhu N.S.: Second Language Pedagogy Oxford University Press, 1987.
10. Nunan D.: Task-based language teaching Cambridge University Press, 2004.
11. Willis D.: Rules, Patterns and Words Grammar and Lexis in English Language
Teaching Cambridge University Press, 2003.
12. Willis D. and J. Willis: Varied activities for variable language ELT Journal 41/1:
12-18, 1987.
13. Willis D. and J. Willis Doing Task-based Teaching Oxford University Press.
14. Willis J.: A Framework for Task-based Learning Longman

Pearson

Education, 1996.
15. Hatano, G.: Time to merge Vygotskian and constructivist conceptions of
knowledge acquisition Oxford University Press, 1993.
16. Lemke, J.: Text structure and text semantics. London press,1988.
17. Mehan, H.: Learning lessons: Social organization in the classroom
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1979.

32

18. Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. & Goodwin, J.: Teaching Pronunciation:

Reference for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages London:
Cambridge University Press,1996.
19. Streven, P.: New Orientations in the Teaching of English London, Oxford
University Press, 1997.
20. Wenda, Chen.: Strucutres and functions of English Intonation Shanghai
Foreign Language Teaching Press, 1983.

ONLINE REFERENCES
1. http://www.willis-elt.co.uk/taskbased.html
2. http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Printonly/Wittgenstein.html
3. http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Quotations/Wittgenstein.html
4. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/wittgenstein/#Sen
5. http://www.answers.com/topic/wittgenstein-s-philosophy-of-language
6. http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/6s.htm
7. http://www.iep.utm.edu/wittgens/
8. http://es.scribd.com/doc/24842684/The-Educational-Theory-of-Lev-Vygotsky
9. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_vygotsky_learning_theory
10. http://www.learning-theories.com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory.html
11. http://dante.udallas.edu/edu3147/Quotations/vygotsky.htm
13. http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/meaningful
14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategy
15. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/workshop.html
16. http://www.slideshare.net/ghost45/teaching-methods-5772546

33

PEDRO RUIZ GALLO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF HISTORICAL SOCIAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION
MENTION IN DIDACTICS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

TITLE OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT

A WORKSHOP OF MEANINGFUL STRATEGIES TO DO AN

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT IN SPEAKING ENGLISH
SKILL FOUNDED ON TASK BASED LEARNING BY JANE
WILLIS WITH THE 4th GRADE STUDENTS OF SECONDARY
LEVEL AT JOS CARLOS MARITEGUI SCHOOL IN
HUARANGUILLO- SAN IGNACIO- CAJAMARCA- PERU
RESEARCHER:

SUPERVISOR:

Lic. Neil Edwin Arvalo Alcntara

Dr. Wilson Lozano Diaz

LAMBAYEQUE PERU
2013

34

WTO ..World Trade Organization. An international agency which

encourages trade between member nations, administers global trade
agreements and resolves disputes when they arise. La Organizacin
Mundial del Comercio conocida como OMC o, por sus siglas en ingls,
WTO fue establecida en 1995
NATO ( North Atlantic Treaty Organization ). ... countries is dedicated to
the proposition of maintaining democratic freedom
Other ideas
Listening comprehension is a key initial step in communication. The
better a student can understand what is being said, the better will be
their ability to communicate. In addition, they will be better able to
notice the characteristics of the target language which will help improve
their language development in all four key skill areas.
Students may feel a great deal of pride when they are able to
comprehend something in the target language. This can be a great
motivating factor in continuing to learn the language, and teachers
should do whatever possible to promote this sense of accomplishment.
Consequently, teachers need to construct learning activities which will
enhance learners' oral comprehension (listening skills) and motivate
them, as well.
What are some tips to help teachers develop students listening
skills?
An effective teacher is aware that students are not always able to
develop oral comprehension skills on their own; without additional
supports listening, by itself, is not enough to develop better listening
skills. Here are several activities a teacher can employ to facilitate the
development of listening skills.

Promote active listening: Giving the students something to listen

for ensures that they are involved in the task. Exercise sheets are
another tool that promote active listening;

35

Identify listening strategies: Give the students tools to guide their

listening; such as, looking for specific information, identifying
predictable words or phrases, or discussing what they expect in
certain forms of speech; such as, newscasts or advertisements.;

Selecting the most appropriate strategy for presenting the lesson;

for example, using a top down (general meaning, summarizing) or
bottom up (cognates, specific words, word order patterns)
approach;

Allow the students to hear as much of the target language as

possible while using a variety of teaching methods; for example,
sometimes using visual cues, at other times not;

Use authentic materials; for example, a lecture or a radio

announcement in the target language, to help students become
accustomed to different accents and to a realistic pace of speech;

Ensure the students know the goals of the listening task: is the
goal to understand whats being said, to decide whether to keep
listening or to obtain specific information?

Provide opportunities for reflection and discussion so the students

can share what was heard, what was learned and methods they
employed to better understand what was said;

Organize pre-listening activities, such as providing students with

relevant vocabulary, reading a related text, looking at a related
image or clarifying necessary cultural information etc.;

Be sure to check level of the listening exercise beforehand to

ensure it is an appropriate level for the students.

Information taken from Goals and Techniques for Teaching Listening,

Strategies for Developing Listening Skills and Developing Listening
Activities
What are some examples of listening activities to use in the SL
classroom?
Here are some listening activities to use with students; they range from
semi-guided tasks to unstructured tasks.
Semi-Guided Tasks (teacher may
prompt with questions)

Unstructured Tasks
Describe one of the following and record it
onto a cassette, computer program, etc.
listen to a paragraph as it is read (students may be permitted to make some

36

aloud and summarize it in your

own words;
listen to a favorite song and
summarize its contents;
listen to a dialogue, cartoon, or
skit and edit where necessary;

listen to a joke or riddle which

reveals something about the
culture being studied;

listen to a children's story or

rhyme, a fable or proverb.

brief notes to prepare)

a process such as cooking rice or

riding a bike;
a familiar person;

a landmark in your locale;

conduct a survey of native speakers

regarding views on a controversial
issue; present and discuss the
summary.

There are several advantages to this

activity. The recordings allow participants
to hear themselves speak in the target
language, which can be very helpful for shy
learners. Students view this as an easier
form of homework than a written
assignment which will motivate the student
to complete the task.

Pre-Listening and While-Listening Selective Listening

Activities
Selective listening skills can be developed
It is often stated that spoken and
by giving students things to listen for. The
written language differ. Some reasons objective would be to increase the
for this include, the following: spoken
students awareness of what they hear and
language is often used for social
understand without metalinguistic input. A
interaction rather than simply
relevant exercise would be to have the
presenting information; it takes place in students to listen to any number of the
a context which provides visual and
following oral activities, and respond to a
oral cues which assist comprehension; series of prepared questions. The students
and, often we listen with a particular
might need to do some of these listening
purpose in mind, sifting through what
activities before class.
we hear in order to meet that purpose.
Furthermore, native speakers have
engage in conversation with someone
unstated preconceived ideas as to how
listen to ad on TV or radio
a conversation should proceed, and
listen to folktales
interpret the conversation on the basis
of their contextual knowledge about the
listen to directions
speaker and the situation. All of these
factors demand well-developed
understand radio news
listening skills. A teacher can assist
teach and encourage prediction
their students to hone their listening
skills through pre-listening and while use advertisement materials
listening activities.

37

Example:
Ask the class questions about a topic,
but do NOT record their responses.
Then read a passage which relates to
the same topic. Ask them the same
questions again. Afterward, initiate a
discussion as to the effectiveness of the
pre-listening questions: did they help
the listener focus more quickly? Why
or why not?
Other Listening Activities
a. Simon Says
b. True-False: each student has a card on one side of the card the word
yes is written, on the flip side no (in the target language, of course);
students hold up the appropriate card in response to the teacher's
questions. This exercise can also be done using hand signals instead:
thumbs up or down, or using ones left or right hand to indicate yes or
no.
c. Sound identification game: students make a consonant or vowel fan,
which is a series of paper strips with one letter or combination of letters
at the end of each paper. The teacher points to a picture of a word and
the students use the fan to indicate which letter the word begins with.
d. Three Card game: Each student receives three cards with words or
pictures written/drawn on them; for example, card #1 may say south,
card #2 may say Friday, and #3 may say Spring. The teacher asks oral
questions and the students hold up the appropriate card in response.
For example, the teacher says I want the card that is the name of a
season.
A MEANINGFUL STRATEGY TO DO AN IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT IN
SPEAKING ENGLISH LEARNING BASED ON TASK BASED APPROACH WITH
THE 4th GRADE STUDENTS OF SECONDARY LEVEL AT JOS CARLOS
MARITEGUI SCHOOL IN HUARANGUILLO- SAN IGNACIO- CAJAMARCAPERU

38