ANALYZING THE INFLUENCE OF A RADIO PROGRAM PRODUCTION AS A NATURALLY-OCURRING DISCOURSE ACTIVITY IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE EFL SPOKEN INTERACTION

COMPETENCE: A PILOT STUDY

UNIVERSITY OF CAUCA SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES POPAYN, COLOMBIA NOVEMBER 2012

A PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE BACHELOR IN MODERN LANGUAGES ENGLISH FRENCH
BY: CERN CHVEZ JULIN MAURICIO FLREZ VIDAL CARLOS ANDRS JALBIN COLLAZOS LEIDY JOHANA SOLARTE NAVARRO LILIANA VARN GUZMN MARGARET SOFA PROF. PABLO E. ACOSTA ACOSTA, CHAIRPERSON
UNIVERSITY OF CAUCA SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES POPAYN, COLOMBIA NOVEMBER 2012

ANALYZING THE INFLUENCE OF A RADIO PROGRAM PRODUCTION AS A NATURALLYOCCURRING DISCOURSE ACTIVITY ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE EFL SPOKEN INTERACTION COMPETENCE: A PILOT STUDY

The spoken language in EFL contexts

Radio and NOD

Spoken Interaction Competence SIC

General Objective
To determine the influence of a Radio Program Production as a Naturally-Occurring Discourse activity on the improvement of the EFL Spoken Interaction Competence.

Specific Objectives

To design a Methodology that allowed us to use English while producing a Radio Program in English.

To produce a Radio Program in English in order to improve our EFL Spoken Interaction Competence.
To relate the Methodology we designed with the improvement of our EFL Spoken Interaction Competence.

RESEARCH METHOD

Pre-test Pre-test

Intervention
Radio Program Production

Posttest Posttest

Analysis

The experimental group : participants researchers

A quasiexperimental design

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) as a theoretical reference.

The adapted the speaking rubrics taken from the TOELF international test 2010

RESEARCH METHOD

Pre-test Pre-test

Intervention
Radio Program Production

Posttest Posttest

Analysis

RADIO PROGRAM

Natural Waves

a practical, experimental, and agreeable experience that could help us improve our SIC level

Totally in English, a magazine format, a host and four cohosts, a different topic every week. SECTIONS: The Lounge: discussing about the main topic The nerdy section: socializing the unknown vocabulary

http://flushedshame.wix.com/radioproject

Intervention Phase

Pre-test Pre-test

Intervention
Radio Program Production

Posttest Posttest

Analysis

Action Research Method

Intervention Phase

Cyclic Process

6 Weeks of RPP

METHODOLOGY
The Action Research Method: reflection and active participation. Two functions: the development of a RPP and the self-assessment through cycles.

SELF-ASSESSMENT Reflection and Evaluation of our performance

Personal and Group

Instruments: Participant Observation

Narrative Inquiry

Intervention Phase Schema (steps)

PROPOSAL IMPLEMENTATION RE-DESIGN

ANALYSIS

ANALYSIS

IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSAL

RE-DESIGN

Agenda and Self-Assessment schedule

Hour Monday Implementation 8:00 9:00 am Recording Agenda and Self-Assessment schedule Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Proposal Activity 1 8:00 9:00 am Informal Discussion SelfAssessement Proposal Activity 2 10:00 11:00 am Debate
SelfAssessment Proposal Activity 3 10:00 11:00 am Final Discussion Organizing Details Self-Assessment

Friday

8:00

Analysis 8:00 -10:00 am Analyzing the Radio Program

9:00 Self-Assessement of the RPP 10:00 Re-design 10:00 12:00 am Re-structuring the production activities

11:00

TOPICS DEVELOPED BY CYCLES

Topics Developed by cycle

Cycle

Topic

Cycle 1
Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4 Cycle 5 Cycle 6

Disability
Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children ? Is suicide a matter of bravery or cowardice ? Movies based on books Phobias Is terrorism a matter or justice or revenge ?

Rating guide
RATING GUIDE RATING SCALE RUBRICS Always Usually Sometimes Seldom Never Delivery Unity synthesis Language Use Awareness of connotative levels of meaning Formality Repair Interaction Organization argumentation Spontaneity Taking the Floor Asking for Clarification Co-operating

ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESS

CYCLE 1 Disability

Activities

Informal discussion

Informal discussion

Debate

RATING GUIDE RATING SCALE

RUBRICS Always Usually Sometimes X X X X X X X X X X X X Seldom Never

Delivery Unity synthesis Language Use Awareness of connotative levels of meaning Formality Repair Interaction Organization argumentation Spontaneity Taking the Floor Asking for Clarification Co-operating

CYCLE 2 Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children ?

Activities held:

Controlled Practice

Debate

Rating Guide Rating Scale Rubrics ALWAYS USUALLY SOMETIMES SELDOM NEVER

DELIVERY LANGUAGE USE ORGANIZATION X

TAKING THE FLOOR

Cycle 3 Is suicide a matter of bravery or cowardice ?

Activities:

A get-together informal discussion

Debate

RATING GUIDE RATING SCALE RUBRICS

ALWAYS USUALLY SOMETIMES OFTEN NEVER

DELIVERY TAKING THE FLOOR X

ORGANIZATION
REPAIR INTERACTION

X
X

Cycle 4 Movies based on books

Activities

Debate

Memory games including avariation of hangman

RATING GUIDE RATING SCALE RUBRICS

ALWAYS USUALLY SOMETIMES OFTEN NEVER

DELIVERY UNITY SYNTHESIS X

SPONTANEITY
FORMALITY CO-OPERATING

X
X X

Cycle 5 Phobias
Activities:

Watching a video

Debate

RATING GUIDE RATING SCALE RUBRICS ALWAYS USUALLY SOMETIMES OFTEN NEVER

DELIVERY SPONTANEITY FORMALITY CO-OPERATING LANGUAGE USE ARGUMENTATION X X X X X

Cycle 6 Is terrorism a matter or justice or revenge ?

Activities:

Gathering of information

Discussion: making controversial questions

RATING GUIDE RATING SCALE RUBRICS ALWAYS USUALLY SOMETIMES OFTEN NEVER

DELIVERY LANGUAGE USE

X X

ORGANIZATION
ARGUMENTATION X

RESEARCH METHOD

Pre-test Pre-test

Intervention
Radio Program Production

Posttest Posttest

Analysis

ANALYSIS

Recolection of Data

WORDS

INTERVENTIONS

MOVES

TIME

Recolection of Data
WORDS CONSIDER AS A SOUND OR A COMBINATION OF SOUNDS THAT SYMBOLIZES AND COMMUNICATES A MEANING. E.G: to me well, I was thinking about the. what is the purpose of constructing the speed bums and I was thinking that the main aspect to do this is just to construct them to reduce

Total of words: 37 words

Recolection of Data
INTERVENTIONS Represents each of the moments in which a speaker intervenes or participates in order to take the floor to deliver a formal speech E.G. to me well, I was thinking about the. what is the purpose of constructing the speed bums and I was thinking that the main aspect to do this is just to construct them to reduce the speed of the cars because the way is too dangerous so I was thinking that maybe they represent a problem because they reduce very much the speed of the cars Total of interventions: 1 intervention

Recolection of Data
MOVES MOVES ARE UNDERSTOOD AS THE STRUCTURAL CATEGORY IN WHICH AN INTERVENTION CAN BE DIVIDED, AND WHICH IDENTIFY A NEW FUNCTION IN THE DISCOURSE OF THE SPEAKER. E.G. to me well, I was thinking about the. what is the purpose of constructing the speed bums and I was thinking that the main aspect to do this is just to construct them to reduce the speed of the cars because the way is too dangerous so I was thinking that maybe they represent a problem because they reduce very much the speed of the cars Total of moves: 4 Moves

Recolection of Data

Time
The duration of time of each participant speech

DATA ANALYSIS Correlations

Words and moves

Interventions and moves

Words and time

Correlations
Words and Moves Indicates that if a participant INCREASE the number of WORDS and DIMINISH the number of MOVES the participant will be more accurate in their speech. Interventions and moves Indicates that when a participant speak LESS MOVES inside an INTERVENTION is more clear and coherent when trying to interact with others. Words and time Indicates that if a participant spoke MORE WORDS in LESS TIME will increase fluidity.

Pre-test and Posttest Results: Interventions, Moves and Time in Task 1, Task 2, Task 3.

8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Words Pre-Test Words Posttest

1000
0 Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

CONCLUSIONS
The radio production encouraged: a constant collaboration among the participants when learning technical aspects concerning editing and recording. participants to create stages that demanded constant spoken interaction through informal and formal discussions, debates and goal-oriented tasks. interaction between producers and society (participants and listeners of the RP).

 The main achievement of the research project was focused on the self-assessment process of the participants. In fact, it became a key factor when making reflections on their own learning process specifically regarding the SIC. This analysis led participants to a deeper metacognitive process that could mark the beginning of a new research in this area.

RECOMMENDATIONS
More spaces where the students can improve their level of spoken interaction competence. Including a radio program as an activity to help students improve not only their SIC, but many other aspects when trying to learn a foreign language. The AR methodology as a key element in order to interact more, learn and teach in a better way become essential for the students process.

QUESTIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We want to thank our dear Chairperson Pablo Enrique Acosta Acosta who kindly decided to work with us in our research project. We also want to thank our readers James Rodolfo Rivera Zambrano, Richard William Mejia Ramrez, and lvaro Fernndez for the attentive reading of our research project, their valuable advice and recommendations. We want to thank Mr. Nestor Velasco from Radio Universidad del Cauca Station for caring about the radio broadcasting details Our families and friends who accompanied us in this process.

THANKS