Methodologies used by the teacher during the teaching learning process of the english language in th

UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGÓGICA DE EL SALVADOR FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN

TOPIC OF THE THESIS METHODOLOGIES USED BY THE TEACHER DURING THE TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THIRD YEAR OF HIGH

SCHOOL

STUDENTS,

ACCOUNTING

OPTION,

AT

INSTITUTO

NACIONAL WALTER THILO DEININGER, COJUTEPEQUE, CUSCATLAN FROM JANUARY TO JUNE 2009.

FINAL DRAFT

PRESENTED BY EMILIO PASTOR GONZÁLEZ LÓPEZ MARIA YESENIA SANTOS ORTEGA.

BACHELLOR OF ARTS, ENGLISH MAJOR

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UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGÓGICA DE EL SALVADOR FACULTY OF EDUCATION

RECTOR ING. LUIS MARIO APARICIO

ACADEMIC VICE – RECTOR LIC. CATALINA MACHUCA DE MERINO

EDUCATION FACULTY DEAN LIC. JORGE ALBERTO ESCOBAR

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR, C.A.

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2

Asesor

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DEDICATED TO:



The almighty God for giving me the knowledge to carry out this research project.



The most important persons in my life, my mother Milagro Ortega, and my father Manuel Santos, who have been my strength to face up the difficulties that happened in this process.



My dear brothers, Alexander Santos, and Celvin Santos, my sisters Carolina, Marleny and Noely who gave me their love, friendship, and the economic support.



Lic. Estanley Oviedo

(our advisor)



The jury who evaluated this research project

MARIA YESENIA SANTOS ORTEGA

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DEDICATED TO: 

The almighty God, who let me finish this research project, regardless the difficulties I experienced to carry out such study.



My dear mother Francisca López who gave me her love, patient and comprehension whenever I had to take a decision.



My dear brothers Ciro González, Aristides González and my dear sister Dina González who always relied on me and supported me economically.



Lic. Estanley Oviedo Bermudez. ( our advisor )



The jury who judged our research project.

EMILIO PASTOR GONZÁLEZ LÓPEZ

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INDEX Chapter I CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Introduction.......................................................................................................1-2 1. Objectives………………………………………………...........................................3 1. 1 General Objective…………………………………........................................3 1. 2 Specific Objectives………………………………….......................................3 2. Background ………………………………………………..................................4-11 3. Justification ……………………………………………….................................12-13 4. Statement of the Problem……………………………….................................14-15 5. Findings and Limitations………………………………...................................15-17 6. Definitions of the Concepts and Categories………......................................18-20

Chapter II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 7. Theoretical Framework……………………………….....................................21-22 7.1Theoretical Basis....................................................................................22-49 8. Empirical Framework………………………………….....................................49-54 8. 1 Method used to gather the information.......................................................54-55 8. 2 Techniques to collect the information.........................................................55-56 8.3 Instruments to gather the information..........................................................56-86 8.4 Describing the English classes....................................................................87-90 9. Theoretical methodological formulation of this research.............................91-105 10. Development and Theoretical definition (after contrasting The author’s ones)…………………………………………...............................106-109

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Chapter III OPERATIVE FRAMEWORK 11. Description of the research subjects........................................................110-112 11.1 Procedure for the recopilation of data ...................................................112-113 11.2 Specification of the technique for the analysis of the data....................113-114 11.3 Chronogram ..........................................................................................114-118 11.4 Human and linguistic resources applied to carry out the research project............................................................................................................119-120 11.5 Preliminary Index about the Final Report..............................................120-122 12. Bibliography …………………………………………………...............................123

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CHAPTER I CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK INTRODUCTION This research is based on the priority of learning English as a foreign language, so the reader can realize the great importance each teaching methodology has. Taking into account the established statement mentioned previously, it is very important to highlight that such teaching methods will provide the necessary learning tools. These will foster the students’ interest in learning a foreign language, and also the teacher’s performance because nowadays they have an important role in the work field.

Every single piece of information, which has been gathered in this section, will strengthen the needs that may be presented through-out the English teaching and learning process. The main purpose of this research is to make teachers become familiar with the main priorities and work conditions of such teaching methodologies.

The first part is divided in five different sections. The background provides historical information about the phenomenon that is being studied. This section will show up a brief basic historical description of documental and empirical background. Likewise, the Justification which conveys the great importance of doing a research based on the different methodologies when they are supposedly applied by the teachers. Indeed, it will be found out the statement of the problem that deals with the answer of a question which is made by the researchers.

Besides that, the findings and limitations are included in this segment, which comprise the different authors’ view points about the methodologies. Finally, it is included the definition of the concepts and categories, that basically handles the definitions of some basic key words used during this particular research paper.

Likewise, the second part is divided in four sections. Firstly the Theoretical Framework, in which can be found the theory related to the teaching learning 1

methodologies. Secondly is the Empirical Framework, in which is described the activities figured out in the research field. In the same way, the instruments that will be used during the research project. Thirdly it can be found the Theoretical Formulation of the research, in which is described the methodologies, activities, and techniques used by the English teacher in the research field Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. Fourthly is the Development and Theoretical Definition after Contrasting the authors’ ones, in which can be figured out theoretical definitions that have been encountered during the development of this part.

In the same way, the third part is composed of six sections. The Description of the Research Subjects in which it is described the research subjects and what it has been observed during such study. The Procedure for the Recopilation of Data contains the specific dates when the instruments for the recopilation of data were used.

The techniques used to carry out such research project, whereas the

process used to gatherer the information in the research field, and its results. The Chronogram describes in details the activities that were used for such investigation which is divided in two parts: Documental Investigation and Research Field. The Human and Linguistic Process Applied to carry out the Research Project in which, it is described all the necessary resources that were used to do this study. Finally, it is found the Preliminary Index about the Final Report, which contains an outline of the relevant aspects of the Conceptual, Theoretical and Operational Framework.

The present research paper will contribute to contrast the different and possible methodologies applied to teach English with the Salvadorean reality. It will be relevant to discover the methodologies which are more suitable to public Salvadorean Schools in the specific Salvadorean background and culture.

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1. OBJECTIVES

1. 1 General Objective: To observe and classify the teaching methodologies used by the teacher to determine which of them obtain better results during the teaching learning process of the English language at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger

1.2 Specific Objectives: To analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the application of the methods used by teacher during the teaching –learning process of the English language.

Examine the results of the methodologies used by the teacher during the teaching - learning process.

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2. BACKGROUND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENGLISH EDUCATION IN EL SALVADOR. The inclusion of the Foreign Language in the high school curriculum was a decision of the Ministry of education through the thirteenth article of Ley General de Educación de El Salvador. “In this, it states that teaching English in the humanity field will include the study of a gotten language that would be promoted by the United States. Most likely this country would support economically, socially and politically to our country”1.

At the end of the Second World War, the United States focused in the Central American countries. They were after a mean in which they might implement the English Language. The opportunity of learning English was given to the teachers that had previous background of the English Language; nevertheless, these ones lacked of knowledge about methodologies. As a matter of fact, they did not have any methodological preparation for the teaching of this foreign language.

The teaching of English as a Foreign Language in the public schools of El Salvador, initiates at the junior high and high school. In the year of 1945, it was the period of time of the first educative reform of our country. At that time, high school comprised two years of bachillerato. Besides, in the Educative Reform of 1968, it was added one year in high school. The program for high school was designed by the Pedagogic Technical Service Department of the Ministry of Education.

According to Lic. Augusto Cornejo, who is the coordinator of the MINED’s Documenting Center, “stated that the program for high school lacked of teaching – learning methodologies, the teachers adopted to provide English vocabulary with the meaning in Spanish, so the students could learn by heart the new words”. “The

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Ley General de Educación de El Salvador. 1968 Art .13

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classes were distributed within 66 class hours, for the program’s development; thereby, students received two hours per class during the week, being the minimum per each class.”2 According to José Samuel Castillo Rivera (2006), in his book “Estrategias Metodologícas Aplicadas por el profesorado en la enseñanza del Idioma Inglés, “states there were two teachers, one for Science, and the other for Humanity. The last one was in charge of the English teaching classes; however, the humanity teachers were not qualified enough in the English language since they were not trained to teach, they did not have the adequate methodologies to teach”. Likewise Rivera, states that from 1943 to 1945, an Educational agreement was created which was called Castro Holland, between the United States and El Salvador, where North American Pedagogic Specialists and educators came over to share ideas and methodologies who basically provided their service in our country by running the Educational Cooperative Program.”3

In 1968, the second Educative Reform was implemented in the Salvadorean education. During this reform it was introduced the Educative Television. By that time, there was a T.V. teacher and the educative guidelines were printed out by separate units in the first year of this reform. Also, at the beginning of this second year of this period was created a book for each grade. Up to this date, they have prepared some teachers in the English area; however, the issue is still continuing because they were in need of technical and methodological resources. According to “The Ministry of Education, it was provided to the public schools with audiovisual aids so that teachers make use of the so called Educative Television.”4 Basically

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Castillo, Rivera, José Samuel (2006). Estrategias Metodológicas aplicadas por el profesorado en la enseñanza del Idioma Inglés. Tesis para optar al grado, Lic. en Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de El Salvador, San Miguel, El Salvador. P. 22 3 Idem 4

Aguilar Avilés, Gilberto. La reforma educativa en marcha .un vistazo al pasado de la educación de El Salvador Documento III 1995 -2005. P. 34.

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with this, the MINED pretended that teachers would not use the classical method at all (The Grammar Translation Method).

The second educative Reform did not focus on the Grammar Structure.

Instead, it fostered teachers to make use of the Audio Lingual Method, which intended to give a great focus in the daily conversation. There is a lot of repetition as Izabella Hearn states, in her book Didàctica del Idioma Inglès para Primaria “a great importance is given to the imitation, so the student can acquire a natural pronunciation. In here, there is no rule and no need of understanding written language, students read just when this language has been learned, through auditive and oral channels”.5 Basically, this method is listening, repeating and understanding. Learning activities lasted twenty minutes and students had their own books according to the class.

On the other hand, there was not enough supervision from English teaching classroom. Lic. Augusto Cornejo, “stated that the well known Educative Television had no success due to the teacher’s self commodity, and also he or she did not take care of the students. Essentially, the teacher used to sit down with the students to watch the current class that was being transmitted at a time. Likewise, teachers did not provide any feedback, essentially with the information that had been watched and listened by the students. This provoked the students’ unwillingness towards the learning of this language”

There were no schools that might have prepared English teachers. Thus, the figure of the school supervisor was created by the MINED (Ministry of Education) to help with the issue. According to Josè Samuel Castillo Rivera, in his book estrategias metodologicas aplicadas por el profesorado en la enseñanza del idioma Inglès, states that “in 1953, in this school already prevailed the specialities

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Izabella Hearn Didáctica del Idioma Ingles Para Primaria, Pearson Education, Madrid 2003 P. 4

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such as, mathematics, biology and English. In 1970, the faculty offered English courses in order to enhance the teaching methodologies, which were taught by the American people6”.

In 1977, it started the English careers. From 1977 to 1988, “the English Language was taught by foreign people. To obtain an English teacher degree, students needed to study one year and a half. Since 1984, there have been three study years to obtain an English teacher degree in the central area unit”7.

During the 80’s decade reform, a huge change was produced in regards of El Salvador education which would pretend to organize the public schools of our country. Therefore from 1989 to 1994, the MINED focused on the educative coverage, which gave a great priority in the primary school, most likely in the rural zone of this country. This reform had the purpose to overcome the lack of English in the remote areas where children did not have any access or the possibility to attend to public schools.

In 1991, the Minister of Education, Licda.Cecilia Gallardo de Cano considered that a good design of the English Program would improve the situation of the teaching and learning of English in the country. Thereby, the minister of Education chose a group of twenty five English Teachers with the purpose of studying the problem in 109 public schools from different places of the country; they found not only quality aspects, but also needs in the system which had to be solved. Additionally Gallardo de Cano decided that the twenty five teachers needed a new experience and sent them to the United States through using loans ( CAPS, which stands for Central American Peace Scholarships) where the English teachers were trained to design or develop an English Methodological Program, that would facilitate the English teaching learning process.

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Castillo, Rivera, José Samuel (2006). Estrategias Metodologías Aplicadas por el profesorado en la enseñanza del Idioma Inglés. Tesis para optar al grado Lic. en Ciencias de la Educación Universidad de El Salvador, San Miguel, El Salvador. P. 22 7 Idem

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From 1994 to 1999, there was a new Educational Reform in the country.

This reform implemented the trainings for the English teachers of the western zone. These were organized by the coordinator of the language department of the education western area, and all the English teachers would assist to such trainings.

Essentially, these trainings had the main purpose to enable English teachers to get used to keep on updating with the new incoming methodologies. So, in this period, it was adopted the communicative approach which is based on a big variety of teaching techniques and makes emphasis on comprehension, development and the oral expression production. Thereby, it is very important to highlight that in this period, a great focus on the newest updated methodologies is given to English language in order to develop the four macro English skills.

In this period, the English programs for junior high and high school were updated. They contained methodological suggestions to strengthen the teachers’ teaching task. Nevertheless, by knowing the designed programs of “1995, teachers would not have been subjected to the reality of the educational system of this country. Due to the programs had been designed completely in English, and the objectives that were planned there would have been created in order to be applied in students with a certain level of English. That is to say, the English students should have some basic knowledge about the language; however, this proposal was not according to educational reality. Thereby, the English teacher did not make use of the methodological suggestions that had been established in the program.”8 In 1996, the first version for the new English programs contained methodological suggestions for the teachers: “The methodological procedure which tries to define the big linguistic information, suggestions, lectures and

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Castillo, Rivera, José Samuel (2006). Estrategias Metodologías Aplicadas por el profesorado en la enseñanza del Idioma Inglés. Tesis para optar al grado Lic. en Ciencias de la Educación Universidad de El Salvador, San Miguel, El Salvador. P. 30

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comprehension of a given text, comprehending exercises, making activities that make emphasis in the audio and oral expression”9. As far as it is known, there were certain books which were according to those existing programs. As a matter of fact, it could not only be understood by the teacher, but also by the students.

In the period of 1999 to 2001, and during this Reform, the Ministry of Education added one hour to teach the English classes, making a total of three hours per week .Moreover, another noticeable innovation in this period was the creation of a pedagogic advisor who supposedly would give pedagogic support to the teachers. Besides of training, the teacher staff on the teaching - learning methodologies, it was concluded that at the end of that process,

they would be

able to teach what they have learned in the training for the rest of teachers in order to improve the pedagogical process. This reform would have reinforced the technological resources, which was going to provide an expected outstanding teaching –learning process. However, it is evident that there are not highlighting efforts towards the English language, and most likely the English language was not a focus in this reform eventually.

From 2001 to 2004 and according to some manuscripts found out on the MINED websites, after the earthquakes of January and February, 2001; the MINED focused on the reconstruction of the public schools that might have been affected by that natural phenomenon. Also, they got concentrated in getting around possible students dropping off due to nationwide was facing up a series of disasters that would have turned in a student massive desertion. Also, a great importance was given to the well known “10 program” that showed up the management of the pedagogic system used by the institutions with excellent pedagogic tasks. As it has

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Ministerio de Educación de El Salvador, Programa de Estudio de Inglés Tercer Ciclo, El Salvador.

2002 P. 6

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been stated: “In this period, there is no a significant change especially in the English field that might have been done during this time.”10.

2004 - 2009: During this period, a great importance was given to the English language, that is why the Ministry of Education created the well known (Programa Compite ) which pretends that “students can manage the four macro English skills ( speaking, writing, listening, and reading) by implementing the existing methods”11. This program fosters to turn the methodologies that up to this date have been taught and learned in the English language. Basically this program tries to make teachers to use the Communicative Approach and Audio Lingual method, which has as a main purpose that students can communicate by them selves and be able to understand the language.

By the year of 2005 more than 2000 English teachers took the well known TOEFL test done by the MINED. This evaluation allowed the MINED to know the necessity to reinforce not only the methodological competences, but also the management of the English language toward the English teachers. The English teachers were classified according to the diagnostic test among, intermediate, advanced and basic levels. The ITCA ( Instituto Técnico Centro Americano) and NEC ( Centro Nacional de Inglés ) would be in charge of the methodological and linguistic project.

Therefore, the MINED implemented the project toward the English teachers of Junior high and High school. The first group that was classified in the Intermediate level started the course of the linguistic reinforcement from September 17th, 2007 to January 30th, 2008. This linguistic reinforcement comprised 400 hours, in the same way the methodological course comprised an average of 120 hours. However, after two moths that they finished the linguistic 10

Platero, Gloria Esperanza; Castillo Diaz, Maritza Haydee ( 1994) “Análisis of the Methodology used in the English language Teaching in the Seventh Grades at the Francisco Morazán and Francisco Menendez National Institutes” Tesis para optar al grado, Lic. en Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador p 30.

11 Ministerio de Educación de El Salvador, Programa Compite, 2004 p. 20

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reinforcement, they were called on to take the methodological reinforcement. The English teachers who classified to this level were an approximate of 476 English teachers who were provided the new and updated programs.

The English teachers who were classified in the advanced level took the course from November 14th, 2007 to January 31st, of 2008 with an average of 200 hours. An interview held with Lic. Nestor Walter Rivera Clavel, who facilitated the basic information of this project, he states that in the advanced level, four English teachers classified, who were incorporated in the intermediate level, and the remaining English teachers were incorporated in the established date for the advanced level.

In the same way the remaining English teachers, who were classified in the basic level were incorporated in the course from July of 2008 to April of 2009 who received 400 hours of linguistic, and 200 hours of methodological reinforcement making an average of 600 hours. Nevertheless, this group took the linguistic and methodological reinforcement without making any pause; that is to say, as soon as they finished the linguistic reinforcement, they started with the methodological reinforcement too.

After all these ups and downs in the use of different English teaching methods, the researchers can affirm that the MINED has done some efforts in the last years in order to enhance the linguistic and methodological process, for the English teachers who are working specially in public schools of El Salvador.

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3. JUSTIFICATION Learning a foreign language is a complex process, which mainly involves a great number of elements, which are related among them. For instance, methods and techniques, which help students to accomplish their expectations, and acquire a significant outcome which will take them further than what they have expected.

The methods and techniques used in the classroom are the key elements of success.

Therefore, this research has been created over the great importance of designing a supporting reference for all those people who are deeply interested on knowing a little bit more about these methodologies. Likewise, this investigation is of a great importance because it will allow the researchers observe the several English teaching methods which are used by the English teachers at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deninger in Cojutepeque, Cuscatlán. Thereby, this research will show up the teaching methodologies in which the teacher obtains better results in the teaching - learning process. Also these methodologies will be proposed to the English teachers.

This research paper will provide the basic information about how to apply each single methodology, so the teacher has choices at the moment of teaching a class. As Herbert Ginsburg states, “the basis of the methods should be adopted in such a way that these could accomplish the exigencies of the different types of problems as well as the chronologic group.”12 Following this example, the researchers will obtain the way of significant learning, and this will benefit straight to the students and teachers of any English class.

It is really important to point out and examine every single methodology, function, activity, and didactic material used by the teachers, especially at public schools. Somehow, many teachers are not trained in how to teach an English class or to choose the most suitable method for each. That is why, Lic. Cornejo stated 12

Ginsburg Herbert, Piaget y la Teoría del desarrollo Intelectual , Coernell University, México, 1977,p. 26

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that the Ministry of Education was really concerned about the English domain of English teachers. Therefore, the Ministry of Education by the year of 2005 submitted more than 2000 English teachers to take the well known TOEFL test, essentially with the purpose of enhancing the teacher’s English and methodological level.

On one hand, teachers may know about the available methodologies to be applied in the teaching - learning process, or they do not use them due to the lack of basic didactic resources such as visual aids, tape recorder, etc. On the other hand, there are some teachers who do not make use of those methodologies, even by knowing them, because they just want to waste their time basically doing nothing profitable towards the student’s learning process. There is always a limiting factor; however, the class is taught and this implies the use of a method. The sixty four thousand questions are Which one?, and How effective it is? In the interview held with Lic. Cornejo “stated that he had visited some different public schools, where he had the opportunity to monitor the English teachers and noticed that they did not apply the teaching methodologies to develop the English classes. Also, he noticed that in some cases the English teachers knew the teaching methodologies, since they had already been interviewed previously.

Moreover, he said most of the English teachers who already had their official position; they made themselves comfortable due to the Ministry of Education not often supervises the public schools”.

In fact, knowing the methodologies helps out teachers, so they can be able to create new activities which will improve the English learning process. Therefore, it is of a great importance to mention that is really necessary to add a variety of updating teaching techniques, in order to acquire the four macro English skills (listening, writing, speaking, and reading). The idea is that students will be able to handle themselves effectively in English communication of the daily life. The researchers will register in the present work the reality in a public school in relation with teaching methods, and contrast what has been found out with the author’s different view points related with the methodologies.

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4. Statement of the Problem Since ancient times, the human beings have had the need of understanding and speaking other languages, every one with different purposes. The learning of a second language is a complex process which involves a number of methods and strategies which help the students to have a better acquisition of a second language. That is why, teachers implement questions such as: which is the best or worst methodology? which is the most effective? and what kind of the students are they supposed to use in them?. All the above immersed in the context of the Salvadorean education in a public school.

Teachers are the leaders in the classroom. They have to promote or foster the students’ motivation towards the learning of a second language. Due to this fact, it is on teachers the design of a good teaching – learning process.

English teachers are all the time looking for the best choice. That is why emerge questions such as, what kind of activities will be assigned?, what type of methodologies will be used at the moment of developing a class?, and which methodologies are the most effective?. The present research paper deals with the answers to the previous questions.

One of the main purposes of this research is to observe whether or not the teacher uses the recommended methodologies given by the Ministry of Education.

They are implicit in the English study program. Besides this, to analyze if the teacher is using the new methodologies according to the institution’s reality, so it can be determined which of these methodologies are the most used and effective towards the students and their educative reality.

One of the most important elements of learning a second language is the interaction among student – teacher, students - students, and the teaching methods, etc. These involve didactic materials, techniques, audiovisuals aids, 14

methods, methodologies, activities, dynamics, and strategies which will promote the students´ motivation or interest of learning a foreign language.

Therefore,

which is the most effective according to the new generations? So, the teacher and the students will be satisfied with the achieved objective at the end and through of the process. The previous is the main issue of this work and what the researchers are after.

5. FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS During the development of this research paper, the researchers consulted books at Universidad Pedagógica de El Salvador and Universidad de El Salvador libraries. These contained some important information related to the topic. Among some others, it can be mentioned Diane’s Larsen Freeman book: “Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching” ; Jeremy Harmer’s The Practice of English Language Teaching; Garces Rodriguez and Izabella Hearn’s, “Didactica del Idioma Inglès para Primaria”; Hugo Armando Vanegas’, “El Aprendizaje por tareas Humanisticas, la mejor opción para el estudiante de Inglés como Idioma Extranjero una Propuesta Didactica Innovadora”; and Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers “Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching”. These authors have written in their books the different view points about the teaching - learning methodologies which would work as bibliographic references for this particular research.

It was found similar information towards the methodologies, in the book of Jeremy Harmer, which is entitled, the Practice of English Language Teaching, as well as Izabella Hearn Garces Rodriguez’s book Didáctica del Idioma Inglés para Primaria. Both authors show up in that segment similar points of view about the methodologies, since they just expose what every single method deals with.

However, they do not provide enough illustrative samples, so that teachers can walk themselves out at the time of using that methodology.

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On the other hand, it was noticed that in the Diane Larsen Freeman book, which is entitled Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching gives a wide definition for each method, and every method has illustrative samples. They provide a better comprehension, so in that way the teacher may use such methods with a major effectiveness. Also, this book provides with a whole bunch of techniques and activities that can be used by the teacher in the classroom. It can be said that Diane Larsen Freeman provides a solid explanation on teaching methods for the English Language.

At the meantime, the researchers were looking for more information towards this issue and another interesting author was found Lic.Hugo Armando Vanegas, in his book entitled: El Aprendizaje de Inglés por tareas Humanisticas la mejor opción para el Estudiante de Inglés como Idioma Extranjero. In his writing, he deals with the methodological definitions about the methods done by the other remaining authors. He promotes a methodological proposal in which he states that students will learn this second language most likely by taking their previous knowledge to the reality which is surrounding them. Basically, this is an innovative element not discovered in previous ones.

With the purpose of supporting this investigation, the researchers mention other authors called Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers with their book entitled “Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching”. This is considered a major contribution done towards the eight well known methodologies which are The Grammar Translation Method, The Direct Method, The Audio – Lingual Method, The silent Way, Suggestopedia, Community Language Learning, The Total Physical Response Method and The Communicative Approach. In their book, Richards and Rodgers describe every single method as Diane Larsen does it in her book entitled “Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching” and provide relevant definitions about the different methodologies. They also give a lot of useful activities/functions that can be applied in teaching and learning process, however, 16

Larsen not only provides a richer information about the way those methods can be put in practice, but also she shows up more illustrative teaching learning ways in a given class.

Nevertheless, Jack and Rodgers do a deeper analysis of each single method, and describe some authors’ different view points for each one. For example, the authors provide some activities or tips that an English teacher might adopt at the time of using of a teaching method. Besides this, they provide new methods and approaches which are not well known by the teachers, such as, the Whole Language, Multiple Intelligences, Neurolinguistic Programming, Lexical Approaches, Cooperative Learning, Content - Based Instruction and Task -Based Language Teaching.

Likewise, Jack and Rodgers describe each method and make an analysis focused on a better comprehension and application at the time of using them.

Basically, this is another important contribution that was found out because they not only describe the teacher’s role by the time of performing a class, but also describes the student’s role and the use of the didactic materials that are used in the classroom. Thereby, Richards and Rodgers in their analysis point out that the most well known methods had a decline at the beginning of the 90’s decade, and essentially for such reason, new teaching – learning approaches and methods were created with the purpose of enhancing and updating the teaching learning field.

All the authors mentioned in the previous paragraphs of this investigation have contributed to define the different existing English teaching methodologies.

Also, it can be said that there are some authors who are keeping on updating the methodologies in order to enhance the English teaching - learning process. This research will present the most meaningful ones in the Salvadorean education system.

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6. DEFINITION OF THE CONCEPTS AND CATEGORIES The research comprises different definitions among these can be mentioned the following terms: Methodology “consists of many different approaches and methods available, because many teachers are unsure of which to choose.”13 That is to say, the teacher needs to look at the reality in which his/her students are immerged. The Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary explains that methodology consists of “a body of methods and rules followed is a science or discipline.”14 In the same way, it was found out in the Macmillan dictionary which explains that the methodology consists of”the methods and principles used for doing a particular kind of work, especially scientific or academic research.”15

This is a guideline that provides

certain steps to be followed up in order to do a particular investigation or procedure.

The Dictionary Ciencias de la Educación, defines the Methodological process as” the evolution of a phenomenon throughout several stages to get a result.”16 In addition to this, the Macmillan dictionary defines the term process as “ a series of actions that happen and have a particular result.”17

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Jeremy Harmer, English Language Teaching third edition Pearson Education limited, 2004 p. 45

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Merriam Webster’s school Dictionary copyright Merriam Webster’s incorporated, 2004 Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A p 601

15

Macmillan English Dictionary for advance Learners of American English Macmillan Publishers limited , 2002 printed in China, United Kingdom p. 882.

16

Diccionario de las Ciencias de la Educación, Editorial Santillana1983. S.A Madrid España. 540

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Macmillan English Dictionary for advance Learners of American English Macmillan Publishers limited ,2002 printed in China, United Kingdom p. 1104

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A method “is the practical realisation of an approach”.18 It can be understood that a method is a way of doing something that has as a main purpose to achieve a planned goal. In addition to this information, a method is “techniques, and individual instructing material.“19 A method is a way of doing something, especially in a systematic way, and most likely it implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps).

An approach “refers to theories about the nature of language in language learning that serves as the source of practices and principles for language teaching.”20 Essentially is a way of dealing with something. The Practice “is when the teacher gets the students to repeat the sentences in chorus or something else that has been studied theoretically, so that later on can be put in practice.”21. Most likely it is said that a practice is the usual way of doing something. A strategy which is defined as “a plan to coordinate the action, and the need of getting a good result."22 It is understood that strategy is the way how to use a group of resources to obtain better results.

The Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary defines a procedure as “ a way of accomplishing something or of acting”.23 Basically, it can be said that a procedure is a detailed method of doing a particular thing. Likewise, it was found 18

Jeremy Harmer, English Language Teaching third edition Pearson Education limited,2004 p.78 Lic, Hugo Vanegas, Aprendizaje por atareas Humanitarias, una Propuesta Didàctica Innovadora.

Universidad Católica de occidente 1998. p 7

19

20

Jeremy Harmer, English Language Teaching third edition Pearson Education limited, 2004 p 78

21

Idem p .29

22

El Diccionario Enciclopédico de Educación Editorial CEAC 2003, Barcelona (España ) p 94

23

Merriam Webster’s school Dictionary copyright Merriam Webster’s incorporated, 2004 Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A p 767

19

out another category called strategy which is defined as a plan to coordinate the action, and stratagem needed to get a result. It can be understood that strategy is the way how to use a group of resources to obtain better results. The strategy it is a part of the methodological process used in the English Language teaching.

A technique is a skill of doing something in the right way. Also, the Diccionario Enciclopedico de Educaciòn, defines the term techniques “as the procedure or resource of a science, art ability or activity.”24 It can be said that a technique is what has sense to develop the English teaching- learning contents in the best way because it has many individual activities. It was figured out that El Diccionario Enciclopedicode las Ciencias de la Educaciòn defines activities as “ exercises that form part of a scholar program its object to give to the students the opportunity to share thoughts, experiences, or behaviours to be integrated in to the society”.25 It can be pointed out that activities are a group of actions that are developed in and out of the classroom that lead the teacher in the teaching learning process. Therefore, it can be concluded that methodologies are the series of stages that comprise, different definitions that have already been done in it, because are considered as necessary learning tools in order to achieve a planned goal.

24 25

Diccionario Enciclopédico de Educación Editorial CEAC 2003, Barcelona (España ) p 430.

Idem.

20

CHARTER II 7. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK One of the greatest challenges of English teachers through the history has always been the adequate use of the existing methodologies in the English teaching learning process, which is carried out at the public schools. The methodologies consist of many different approaches and methods available, and many teachers are unsure of which to choose. Also, the methodologies constitute a fundamental aspect to develop the contents with the effectiveness that is required and basically, with the main goal: students get the assimilation of the content that is being developed. That is to say, the students can learn English correctly in all its dimensions.

The specialists in the English teaching learning process suggest the application of methods. These provide the oral and written expressions as natural as they can in order to interchange ideas, experiences, and feelings through role plays, individual and group dynamics, and other forms that enable the construction of their own learning. Besides this, they recommend methodological procedures in which the creative skills can be developed such as: the observation, the description, and the expression of feelings through compositions. The methods can be adapted to all different types of circumstances in each public school, for every single student necessity, and in the surrounding environment where they work at.

Thereby, the teachers should have their own creativity, since they would turn these methods as efficient as they can.

It does not exist an ideal or generalized method for the English teaching learning process; for example, one method may provide good results in a particular school, but applying the same method in another school, it is possible that the teacher will not achieve the same result. The educational reality is distinct in different contexts. There are methods such as The Grammar Translation Method, The Direct Method, and The Audio Lingual Method and so on. Those methods can 21

be applied in some different schools; essentially, having as an especial ingredient that each teacher needs to add creativity and talent, so the method can be productive. Therefore, the researchers describe in the next following section ten methods considered for the English teaching learning process which may be identified in the Salvadorean reality.

7.1 THEORETICAL BASIS The Grammar Translation Method

This method is also called the classical method, since it was first used in the teaching of the classical languages “Latin and Greek during the XlX 1,840 century in Europe. It is mainly used exclusively to translate the phrases literally, or making questions and answers, with the use of the native language”.1 The Grammar Translation Method became the favorite method in schools when modern languages were adopted because it showed up all the prestige of the classical languages. The Grammatical Translation and the teaching of grammar were formal, explicit and deductively, that is to say, the grammatical rules were announced prioring the grammatical exercises. Also, the grammar was taught inductively, that means the students were confused with the application of grammatical exercises, and it was expected they deduct the grammar rules.

1

Larsen – Freeman, Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A p 4.

22

The interaction between teacher - student is so limited in the oral expression. This method just develops the reading and witting skills; however, the listening and speaking skills are not given a great importance by the English teacher. Pronunciation is not always considered important by the teacher. Thereby, he makes use of the student native language to facilitate the English learning task.

One of the main objectives of this method is to enable the students to read written literature in the target language or translating a particular lecture from the target language into their native language. Based on this method, students get used to the grammar of their native language; also, they understand its grammatical structures.

Characteristics 1. It has as a purpose to put into practice the reading of literature in the language which is pretended to be learned.

2. It does not make emphasis in the acquisition of skills focused on the communicative oral expressions.

3. The study of the English is considered as a good mental exercise.

4. The main goal is to enable the students to translate into another language.

5. Grammar should be taught inductively.

Techniques Translation of a Literary Passage.

Students translate a reading passage from the target language into the native language.

23

Reading Comprehension Questions Students answer questions in the target language based on their understanding of the reading passage.

Antonyms/Synonyms Students are given a set of words and are asked to find antonyms and synonyms.

Cognates Students are taught to recognize cognates by learning the spelling or sound patterns that correspond to both languages. i.e.

Spanish

English

Doctor

Doctor

Idea

Idea Deductive Application of the Rule.

Grammar rules are presented with examples. Ones students understand a rule, they are asked to apply it to some different examples.

Fill in the Blanks Students are given a series of sentences with missing words. They fill in the blanks with new vocabulary items or with items of a particular grammar types, such as prepositions or verbs with different tenses.

E.g. she ____a nurse is , have , were

24

Memorization Students are given lists of target language words in their native language equivalents and are asked to memorize. Also, they memorize grammatical rules and grammatical paradigms such as conjugation of verbs.

Composition The teacher provides a topic to write about in the English language; basically the topic is based according to some aspects of the reading paragraph of the lesson.

The Direct Method

The Direct Method, which is also known as (oral or natural method), “was created in the XlX century with the main purpose of enabling the English students to understand and speak the English language for different purposes, such as business and travel matters”2. The Direct Method pretends the teacher to create situations which will promote the communication on the students so that they can communicate in the English language. Most likely, this method does not allow any translation in the classes, since it is only developed in English and does not let neither the teacher nor the students to translate into their native language.

2

Garcés - Rodrigues, Izabella Hearn y Antonio, Didáctica del Idioma Inglés para Primaria, Pearson Education, 2003 Madrid España, p.4.

25

All questions or explanations must be done in English. The teacher shows up a total management of the English language. He represents words through gestures when expressing something, so the students can establish a relation between the word and the movement. Likewise, it is being stated, the human being should learn in a natural way, as Izabella Garces Rodríguez states, “This was the beginning of several methods that based their ideas upon the teaching in the belief that a foreign language (L2) should be acquired in the same way the mother tongue (L1) is acquired too. Classes are composed of few students and, it is given a lot of importance to the drills, the repetition, a good pronunciation, and the use of phonetic and writing symbols. Overall, there are not rules, and it is forbidden the use of the mother tongue L1. This method still has its followers in many parts of the world, but this is not an easy method to use at public schools, because it is based on an artificial environment”3.

Characteristics 1. Spanish language is not allowed in the class.

2. The goal is to get students communicating in English 3. The students should start thinking unconsciously 4. Grammar should be taught inductively 5. The pantomimic must be a tool used by the teacher because he is

not allowed to translate into Spanish.

3

Garcés - Rodríguez, Izabella Hearn y Antonio, Didáctica del Idioma Inglés para Primaria, Pearson, Education, 2003 Madrid España, p.4.

26

Techniques Reading Aloud Students take turns reading sections of a passage, play, or dialogs out aloud. At the end of each student’s turns, the teacher uses gestures, pictures, realia, examples, or other to make the meaning of this section clear.

Questions and Answer Exercises Students are asked questions and answers in full sentences so that they practice with new words and grammatical structures. They have the opportunity to ask questions as well as answer them.

E.g. Do you speak French?

Yes, I do,

or

yes, I speak French.

No, I do not, or no, I do not speak French.

Getting Students to Self correct.

The teacher of this class has the students self – correction by asking them to make a choice between what they said and an alternate answer he supplied.

Practicing Conversations The teacher asks students a number of questions in the target language, which the students have to understand to enable them to answer correctly.

E.g. What is your name?, how old are you?, how are you?, etc.

Dictation The teacher reads the passage three times. The first time, the teacher reads it at a normal speed, while the students just listen. The second time, he reads the passage phrase by phrase, pausing long enough to allow students to write down what they have heard. The last time the teacher again reads at a normal speed, and students check their work.

27

Map Drawing The class includes one example of a technique used to give students listening and comprehension practice. The students were given a map with the geographical features unnamed. Then the teacher gives the students directions such as the following, find the mountain range in the West.

Paragraph Writing The teacher in this class asks the students to write a paragraph in their own words.

The Audio Lingual Method

The Audio Lingual Method was developed in the “United States during World War ll”4. At that time, there was a need for people to learn foreign languages rapidly for military purposes. Therefore, it can be said the Grammar Translation Method did not prepare students to make use of the target language while communication in the target language was the goal of the Direct Method.

4

Larsen – Freeman, Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A. p 31

28

This method is primarily used by making appropriation of authentic and spontaneous English without thinking how to say something in the target language.

It is like learning at the same time the English class is being heard and spoken.

The communication in English is what is being pretended to achieve. That is why is very important to learn the language meanwhile the teacher is talking and using it.

Students learn by the repetition of dialogues with the main purpose to get familiar with the second or foreign language not even taking care in the way that is done. However, knowing how to communicate and understand one another is the goal and core of this method. As Izabella Hearn Garces Rodríguez states in her book entitled English Didactic for Elementary School, ¨The new language is taught orally, focusing in the daily conversations, there is a lot repetition and great importance is mainly given to the imitation. In other words, the student can acquire a natural pronunciation. There are neither rules nor necessities to understand, and it is only read and written after being learned only by hearing and speaking. The message is basically to listen, repeat and understand. Also, this method is still traded with methods that are based on tape recordings and goes accompanied with a poor promise that the students will learn a foreign language within one month¨.5

Characteristics 1. The teacher makes his own way in the domain of English.

2. The vocabulary is given through dialogues.

3. Its purpose is to teach how to communicate.

4. It is based on the constant practice of dial 5

Garcés – Rodrigues, Izabella Hearn y Antonio, Didáctica del Idioma Inglés para Primaria Pearson Education, 2003 Madrid España p 5.

29

Techniques Dialogue memorization.

A dialogue or short conversation between two people is often used to begin a new lesson. After the dialogue has been memorized, individual or pairs of students might perform the dialogs for the rest of the class.

Repetition Drills Students are asked to repeat the teacher’s model as accurately and as quickly as possible.

Chain Drills A chain drill gets its name from the chain of conversations that is formed around the room as students, one- by one, ask and answer questions to each other.

Transformation Drill The teacher gives a student a certain kind of sentence, an affirmative sentence for example. Students are asked to transform this sentence into a negative or interrogative sentence.

Question - and - Answer Drill This drill gives students practice to answer questions. The students should answer the teacher’s questions very quickly.

Use of Minimal Pairs The teacher works with pairs of words which differ in only one sound; for example, “ship / sheep”.

E.g. her ship sailed from the Acajutla Port on Friday.

The male sheep is called a ram.

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Complete the Dialog Selected words are erased from a dialog students have learned. Students complete the dialog by filling in the blanks with the missing words.

The Silent Way Method

The Silent Way is the name of a method of language teaching devised by Caled Gattegno. It is based on the premise that the teacher should be silent as much as possible in the classroom but the learner should be encouraged to produce as much language as possible. One of the elements of the Silent Way is particularly the use of color charts in which some adjectives, verbs and pronouns are presented. Thereby, the learner is a principal actor rather than a bench- bound listener.

This method consists of how to show the different alternatives in which the students create their own knowledge besides of uncovering the language’s rules. ¨The idea of this method is that the students understand and create an atmosphere in which the learning becomes an emotional process, more than an intellectual activity, and the teacher assumes the function of a simple advisor¨.6

6

Larsen – Freeman, Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A p 51.

31

Characteristics 1. It starts from the known to the unknown.

2. It makes use of the meta – cognitive process for learning.

3. An error is a resource of a misdirected English learning process.

4. It develops initiative from the students to learn with self autonomy.

5. The teacher is just an advisor.

6. The speaking, reading, and writing skills complement each other.

Techniques Sound – Color Chart The chart contains blocks of colors, each one representing a sound in the target language. The teacher, and later the student, points to blocks of colors on the chart to form syllables, words, and even sentences.

Teacher’s Silence The teacher gives just as much help as is necessary and then he is silent.

Peer Correction Students are encouraged to help another student when he or she is experiencing difficulties.

32

Rods The rods trigger meaning: Situations with the rods can be created in such a way that the meaning is made clear; then the language is connected to the meaning.

Self – correction Gestures Some of the particular gestures of the Silent Way could be added. For example, in the class observed the teacher put his palms together and then he moved them outwards to signal to students the need to lengthen the particular vowel they were working on.

Word Chart The teacher, and later the students, points to words on the wall charts in a sequence so that they can read aloud the sentences they have spoken.

Structured Feedback Students are invited to make observations about the day lesson and what they have learned. The teacher accepts the students’ comments in a nondefensive manner, hearing things that will help give him direction for where he should work when the class meets again.

Suggestopedia Method (Desuggestopedia)

33

Suggestopedia, also known as Desuggestopeda, is a method developed by the Bulgarian Psychiatrist- Educator Georgi Lozanov. Suggestopedia set of learning recommendations derived from Suggestology which Lozanov describes as a “science…concerned with the systematic study of the nonrational and / or non conscious influences.”7 This method is characterized by the stimulus which makes use of new materials. Also, it makes use of lively and funny activities with real objects and real accessories, such as our physic environment in the classroom, the non -verbal communication, the tone of voice and the music which has a lot of importance in the learning of English language. That is why Lozanov said, ”Music helps in the learning of a second language because it is an auxiliary knowledge, and because of the connection that makes with the emotions, stimulating the memory. He also thought that a good learning takes students to an interior calm and creates in them a good self teem”.8

Characteristics 1. The learning becomes easy in a pleasant environment.

2. It increases the imagination.

3. It makes use of daily routine dialogues.

4. It makes use of dramatizations so students have fun.

7

Richard Jack C. and Rodgers Theodore Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Cambridge University press 3 rd printing 2002 Hawaii Manoa , .P 100.

8 Garcés- Rodríguez, Izabella Hearn y Antonio, Didáctica del idioma Ingles para primaria Pearson Education ,2003 Madrid España, p. 6

34

Techniques Classroom Set –up The challenge for the teacher is to create a classroom environment which does not look or feel like a normal classroom. The teacher has to stick up some colorful or peaceful pictures or drawings, in order to provide a relaxed and comfortable an environment as possible.

Peripheral Learning This technique is based upon the idea that we perceive much more about our environment than what we consciously attend.

Positive Suggestion It is the teacher’s responsibility to orchestrate the suggestive factors in a learning situation. Thereby, the teacher breaks down students’ barriers to learning, eliminating the ones they bring with them.

Visualization Visualization can be a vehicle for positive suggestion, or it can be used simply to relax students.

Choose a New Identity The students choose a target language name and a new occupation. As the course continues, the students have an opportunity to develop a whole biography about their fictional selves.

Role – Play Students are asked to pretend temporarily that they are someone else, and to perform in the target language as if they were that person. The students were asked to pretend they were at a party and were going around meeting other people there.

35

First Concert The two concerts are components of the receptive phase of the lesson. After the teacher has introduced the story as related in the dialog and has called his students’ attention to some particular grammatical points that arise in it, he reads the dialog in the target language. The students have copies of the dialog in the target language and their mother tongue and refer to it as the teacher is reading.

Second Concert In the second phase, students are asked to put their scripts aside. They simply close their eyes and listen as the teacher reads the dialog at a normal rate of speed.

Primary Activation This technique and the one that follows are components of the active phase of the lesson. The students playfully reread the target language dialog out loud, as individuals or in groups.

Secondary Activation The students engage in various activities designed to help them learn the new material and use it spontaneously. Activities particularly recommended for this phase include singing, dancing, dramatizations, and games.

The Community Language Learning.

36

Community Language Learning (CLL) is the name of a method developed

by Charles A. Curran and his associates. This method does not make use of didactic materials because one of the main goals is to encourage students to express themselves in a natural way due to students are considered as whole individuals. As Diane Larsen Freeman states in her book entitled Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching: “Whole person learning means that teachers consider not only their students’ feelings and intellect, but also have some understanding of the relationship among students’ physical reactions, their instinctive protective reactions, and their desire to learn”.9 Grammatical structures are not considered important because at the end of the class the teacher reinforces them. This is why Isabella Hearn Garces Rodriguez comments in her book English Didactics for Elementary School: “The sessions are recorded in a tape recorder, and at the end of the class, the teacher talks about the structures of the language and the vocabulary that has been used.

The aim is to create a relaxing environment, in which the learning becomes an emotive process where the teacher is a simple advisor”.10

Characteristics 1. It increases the relationship between students and teacher.

2. The teacher is an advisor.

3. Translation is allowed in order to know the meaning of new words.

4. It promotes to work in groups.

9

Larsen- Freeman Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching Oxford University press. 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A P 89.

10 Garcés- Rodríguez, Izabella Hearn y Antonio, Didáctica del idioma ingles para primaria Pearson Education, 2003 Madrid España, p. 5.

37

5. The students feel more pleasant in the educative community.

Techniques Tape – Recording Student Conversation This is a technique used to record student – generated language as well as give the opportunity for Community Learning to come about.

Transcription The teacher transcribes the students’ tape – recorded target language conversation. Each student is given the opportunity to translate his utterances and the teacher writes the mother tongue equivalent beneath the target language words.

Reflection on Experience The teacher takes time during and / or after the various activities to give the students the opportunity to reflect on how they feel about the language learning experience, themselves as learners, and their relationship with one another.

Reflective Listening The students relax and listen to their own voices speaking the target language on the tape. The teacher reads the transcript while the students simply listen.

Human Computer A student chooses some parts of the transcript to practice pronouncing.

Small Group Tasks Small groups are asked to make new sentences with the words on the transcript.

Afterward, the groups shared the sentences they made with the rest of the class

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Total Physical Response Method.

Total Physical Response (TPR) is a language teaching method built around the coordination of speech and actions; it attempts to teach language through physical (motor) activity. This method was developed by James Asher, a psychology professor. It is based on knowing how to listen, and the way that students learn their mother tongue. In other words, here the English students before learning how to pronounce the English words spend a lot of time only listening to other people that surround them. This method has been created with the purpose of reducing the level of stress that a student feels when is studying another language, besides of stimulating the English learning process. All above will help them out to make use of it, as properly as they can. That is why Asher states in the book of Richards and Rodgers, “Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching”: “A method that is undemanding in terms of linguistic production, and it involves gamelike movements which reduce learner stress. He believes in and creates a positive mood in the learner which facilitates learning”.11

11

Richard Jack C. and Rodgers Theodore Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Cambridge University press 3 rd printing ,2002 Hawaii Manoa , .P 73

39

Characteristics 1. The learning is through the observation and imitation.

2. It is considered important that students feel winners.

3. Funny activities to learn the language.

4. Tolerance to the errors done by students.

Techniques Using Commands to Direct Behavior The use of commands is a major teaching technique of the Total Physical Response Method. The commands are given to get students to perform an action; the action makes the meaning of the command clear.

E.g. be quiet, close the window.

Role Reversal Students command their teacher and classmates to perform some actions.

According to Diane Larsen Freeman states that “ students will want to speak after ten to twenty hours of instruction, although some students make take longer.

Students should not be encouraged to speak until they are ready.”12 Action Sequence The teacher gives three connected commands. For example, the teacher talks to students to point to the door, walk to the door, and touch the door.

12

Larsen- Freeman Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching Oxford University press. 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A P.119.

40

The Communicative Approach

Here the basic idea is that the communication means more than just to learn grammar. To be really communicative in a foreign language, the student must develop the capacity of speaking clearly in a social properly way. The communicative activities give the students the chance to practice the new language, so these ones become more fluent in daily situations. The teacher becomes an active person that promotes a dynamic process of communication, where everybody needs to apply grammatical functions and the acquired vocabulary, without thinking about them.

Characteristics 1. It makes a real practice of the language.

2. To talk only English is an obligation in the classroom.

3. It develops the learning through activities.

4. It promotes communicative activities along with the teacher.

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Techniques Authentic Materials The teacher uses a copy of a genuine newspaper article. He also assigns the students homework, requiring they listen to a live radio or television broadcast.

Scrambled sentences Students are given a passage (a text) in which the sentences are in a scrambled order. This may be a passage they have worked with or one they have not seen before. E.g. the in classroom we same are. We are in the same classroom.

Language Games Games are used frequently in the Communicative Approach. Students find them enjoyable, and if they are properly designed, they give students valuable communicative practice.

Picture Strip Story Many activities can be done with picture strip stories such as scrambled sentences.

The teacher shows up pictures of the story to the other members of the group and asked them to predict what the second picture would look like.

Role – Play Role - plays are very important in the Communicative Approach because they give students an opportunity to practice communicating in different social contexts and in different social roles. E.g. the teacher tells the students who they are and what they should say.

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A proposal of the Psycho – Cultural Approach The Psycho – Cultural Approach.

The Legend of “ El Cipitio”

This proposal was created by Zhanara Nauruzbay Eva to teach Russian as a second language in Ukraine. As Orlando Diaz, José Hernández, and José Orellana state in their thesis entitled, “A proposal of the Psycho - Cultural Approach”: “ Zhanara showed how the psychological part of humans could be used as a teaching learning tool, taking into account the functions of the senses and how the culture through the perception could help in the process”13. Based on the good result obtained from the Psycho – Cultural Approach applied in Ukraine, the authors of this thesis cited before state that “It is necessary to propose this approach at Universidad Pedagógica de El Salvador especially for the English Free Courses”. 14 The most important objective of this Psycho - Cultural Approach is to acquire English as a foreign language in its totality by beginning in its basic skills 13

Diaz, O.V Hernandez, J.J. A proposal of the Psycho Cultural Approach for teaching and learning English as a foreign language in the English free courses. Tesis para optar al grado Lic. en Ciencias de la Educación Especialidad Idioma Ingles. Universidad Pedagógica of El Salvador, 2006 San Salvador, El Salvador, P. 2.

14

Idem

43

as Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing and in the general Salvadorean culture. In fact, this approach has easy and effective techniques, and once the teachers apply them, students will feel more capable to learn. They will not stop the learning process due to they will build their own way of learning, and the rhythm of the process will be their responsibility too.

Techniques Sharing Experiences The teacher makes groups, and the students share their own information: In this moment they know each other; the way they think and behave. Therefore, the teacher observes the activity very carefully. In this part the psychological part is used, and also the cultural one because students are practicing it unconsciously meanwhile they are talking about their own experiences.

My Composition In this technique the students can apply their previous knowledge by writing an essay, journal, or composition.

Small Group Activities In this technique the students discuss topics where they express their own ideas, feelings and the way how they perceive the social problems.

Shadow Me This is an interesting technique since it is developed just by repeating the exercises, so it can be said that the student would be able to distinguish different pronunciations. Also, they will correct their own mistakes.

44

The Translators In this technique the students might begin talking in their mother tongue and others translate what they say into the target language.

In your Own Words In this technique the teacher writes some relevant topics on the board related with the reality. Here the students choose a topic that calls their attention and then, they express what they think orally.

Let’s Complete the Song and Sing It in Class In this technique the teacher provides to the students some lyrics where the students need to fill in the blank with the correct answer according what they are listening.

Learning through History In this case students will read excerpts of history or stories in the target language.

After, they will compare it with a Salvadorean one.

Our Own Dictionaries In this technique, the English students will write all the words they know of the target language without translating them in to the mother tongue, but explaining them in the target language.

One Word Makes Another or Other Ones.

The teacher writes words on the board related with the topic that is being developed. After, the teacher gives instruction to the students such as, switching off some letters to create another word, changing letters positions and adding no more than one or two letters.

45

Guessing What you Think In this technique the teacher lets students know they need to think in anything.

Then, other students will attend to guess what others are thinking.

The Word Storm.

In this technique the teacher is just a leader, because the student is the protagonist. A student will say a word, another will say another one, when the last one finishes, and they begin writing complete sentences.

From the Bag to my Mind This technique is very important because the teacher in order to apply a psychological activity has to motive students to memorize and apply what he/she says.

Read it, Analyze it, and Express it In this technique, the teacher will write a sentence on the board containing true or false information.

The Imagination as a Learning Tool.

In this technique, the teacher will ask the students to close their eyes, and then, they have to imagine about things they like such as sports, movies, TV programs, personal experiences, etc.

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Whole Language Approach

This approach was created in the 1980’s by a group of U.S. educators concerned with the teaching of language arts that is focused in reading and writing in the native language. The teaching of reading and writing in the first language is a very active education enterprise worldwide, and so is in the second language teaching. This importance has led to a number of different and at times competing approaches and methodologies. The Whole Language learning emphasizes to read and to write naturally with a focus on real communication for reading and writing for pleasure. In this method, reading and writing come first; leaving the speaking and listening skills in a second stage.

According to Richards and Rodgers “Considerable discussion has been devoted to whether Whole Language is an approach, a method, a philosophy, or a belief. In a survey of sixty-four articles on Whole Language, Bergeron (1990) found Whole Language treated as an approach 34.4 percent of the articles, as a philosophy 23.4 percent, as a belief 14.1 percent, or as a method 6.3 percent. But in the analysis done by Richards and Rodgers see it as an approach based on key principles about language (language is whole) and learning (writing, reading, listening, and speaking should be integrated in learning). Each Whole Language

47

teacher implements the theories of Whole Language as he or she interprets them and according to the kinds of classes and learners he or she is teaching”. 15

Characteristics 1. The reading of real texts of high interest, particularly literature.

2. Reading and writing in partnership with some other learners.

3. The use of student-produced texts rather than teacher-generated or other –generated texts.

4. Integration of reading, writing and other skills.

Techniques The use of Literature In this technique the students are required to read and write some authentic literature.

The use of the Writing Process Writing as a process through which learners explore and discover meaning. The students are required to write essays, different types of letters, journals, and diaries.

Encouragement of Cooperative Learning among Students Encouragement of risk taking and exploration and the acceptance of errors as signs of learning rather than of failure.

15

Richard Jack C. and Rodgers Theodore Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Cambridge University press 3 rd printing, 20002 Hawaii Manoa, .P 109.

48

After having verified the different contributions done by the authors in regards to the teaching learning methodologies, the researchers can say that such findings have helped a lot to enhance the teaching techniques due to they provide interesting techniques, strategies, dynamics which foster the active participation from the students. Also, the authors have provided the necessary teaching – learning tools, so these ones can be put into practice with the major effectiveness.

In that way, the students can have a better learning process rather than being a boring task, this situation can become an interesting job to learn something new.

Besides of all the information that the authors provide, it is important to mention that each teacher that makes use of the teaching – learning methodologies should take into account the students needs, and demands. In that way, such methodologies can be efficient, the teacher and the students will achieve the objectives that they planned at the beginning of the process. Thereby, if the English teacher follows the guideline provided by the authors, the students will feel more comfortable with the class development.

8. EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK To perform this project about the methodologies used by the teacher during the teaching learning process of the English language at a public school, the investigators determined to do this research paper at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger ( I. N. W. T. D.). The first step they did, was to visit the school to talk to the principal. He was presented a letter coming from Direction of the Scientific Investigation from Universidad Pedagógica de El Salvador in which permission was solicited. Then, the principal introduced two English teachers to the researchers. After analyzing the teacher’s profiles, they decided to do their study with Vilma Elizabeth González, who is the English teacher of the third year of accounting option section 3- 5.

49

The study carried out at I. N. W. T. D was based on the direct observations because the investigators will be in the classroom along with the teacher as well as with the students. Basically, in this way, they will take notes of the activities that the teacher and the students develop; either individuals or in groups. Likewise, they will identify the methodologies, techniques, procedures, and strategies that the English teacher uses in order to develop the class. Also, the researchers will take part of the English teaching learning process, since they will be involved in the activities to be developed by the teacher.

It is very important to mention that this investigation will be descriptive because it will gather the information related with the methodologies figured out in this work field. Moreover, it will interpret the meaning or importance of the existing methodologies in the institution where this research project will take place.

Therefore, it will be compared with the author’s view points of the methods in which it can be mentioned: Diane Larsen, Jeremy Harmer, Hugo Vanegas, etc. So in this way, the investigators will classify, evaluate, and analyze the methodologies found out in the theoretical framework with the ones found in the I. N. W. T. D. Also, a brief description and a background will be done of the place where this research is carried out: The Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. This is located on the kilometro 32 Carretera Panamericana Col. Cuscatlán Cojutepeque Departamento de Cuscatlán, and it was founded in 1947. It was established the junior high with a basic plan of three school years. In its beginning, it worked annexed to the Nestor Salamanca public school. Sir Walter Thilo Deininger visited this public school and donated a certain quantity of money to purchase a house for its independent installations, and as a token for his good will gesture. Later on, the institution was given the name of Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. Due the student population was growing up, the students and their parents carried out some activities in order to buy a new field where the institution is located in fact.

The institution through the years has improved its infrastructure as well as an excellent teaching learning process, that is why nowadays, the institution has four 50

pavilions making a total of 35 classrooms, workshops, laboratories, library ,administrative areas, cafeterias, principal’s office, teachers room, sport fields, and also an interactive student radio and a medical center.

This institution offers the following specialties such as: General option Accounting option Administrative assistance option Industrial technical option etc.

This institution has one principal, two sub principals: one for the morning shift and the other one for the afternoon shift. Also, there are 62 teachers, and out of them are four English teachers from whom two of them have the official position and the other two remaining teachers work per class hour. The English teachers who are full timers have four sections in charge. Most likely the teachers who work per class hour have three sections on their charge and control as well. Each class has an approximate of 45 students making an average of 2,800 students. Also, the institution is composed by four secretaries, three employees who work in the library, four people in charge of the ornamental activities and there are two door men. Besides this, the institution offers French as a foreign language, where the students have to take one year either French or English and so on.

The English teachers who are hired per class hour work based on one module called International Bilingual Communications. This module is created by the European Union through the Ministry of Education. Therefore, the Ministry of Education delivered this module to the institution, which has been designed for the third years only. This module is developed in one year and is divided in six stages, 51

which are based on the following: information, planification, decision, execution, value, and evaluation. Also, it is divided within three stages such as preparation, execution, and evaluation. One of the main objectives of this module is to enable competent people, worthy of confidence, enterprising and totally fulfilled. This module collects the expected competences with the profiles, competences, and the Curricular Malla; a set of topics to be covered in the class. Also, it can be understood as a teaching and learning structure in which is overcome all the contents; for example the high school level. Based on this, the teachers develop a content selection that they will apply during the school year. That is to say, those contents the students need to learn and those who will complement the students learning.

This project is being developed with the collaboration of Vilma Elizabeth González who is in charge of the third year, accounting option at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. She is a class hour English teacher to whom the investigator will observe the class taught by her. The teacher provided to the researchers a copy of the lesson plans which are elaborated by her at the beginning of the year based on the module mentioned above. The lesson plans contain the next features: name of the institution, date, grade, subject, module number, general and specific objectives, content, which are divided in three categories: conceptual, procedures, and attitudinal; methodology, evaluation, indicators, strategies, and resources.

Here is presented an example of the first lesson plan done by the English teacher.

INSTITUTO NACIONAL WALTER THILO DEININGER YEAR: 2009 GRADE: 3-5/3-6 SUBJECT: International Bilingual Communication.

MODULO: VI GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To develop the basic competences to be able to face the difficulties with success in life.

52

Specific objectives Give to know the basic vocabulary to students to have the basements to develop the English knowledge.

Content Conceptual

Procedures

Attitudinal

-

Introducing myself

Say their names in Be respectful with their

-

Alphabet

English

classmates

-

How do you spell To develop the fluency

Take the importance to

your name?

-

Verb be

-

Affirmative,

communicate Writing form

interrogative, negative form.

Listen carefully to their To pronounce correctly classmates. the words.

Methodology

Write the new vocabulary.

Explain the use of them.

Choral repetition

Chain drill

She will say the meaning in

Spanish Check the students’ work Clarify the doubts Evaluation Oral evaluation Written evaluation

53

Indicators

Strategies

Write easily their own information Pronounce

correctly

the

Short oral presentations

new Written reports

words Resources -

Markers

-

Whiteboard

-

Student’s book

-

Tape recorder

-

CDs

-

Lesson plan

-

Pieces of paper

-

Notebook

8.1

Method used to gather the information.

The methods used for this study were descriptive and explanatory.

Descriptive because it consists on registering the activities, techniques and methodologies in which the teacher develops the teaching learning process of the English language in the third year of high school students, accounting option.

Moreover, it will provide an analysis of what has been figured out. Also, it will show up the importance that each single activity has. Indeed, it will describe the real situation that means, what has been encountered in the research field basically putting in contrast the reality discovered with the different author’s view points about the teaching methodologies.

It is explanatory because explains and specifies the elements which were gathered during the teacher’s class development and it was analyzed those 54

elements taking into consideration the reality. Also, it can be said this investigation is explanatory, due to the researchers will be in the research field, documenting everything that happens over there. That is to say the researchers will have a direct contact with the subject, in other words, the students, and will explain each single activity developed in the class. In addition, it will provide the possible responses to the research project, and the researchers will provide the guidelines to the teacher in the application of the different methodologies. The research will discover the existing reality at public schools.

8.2

Techniques to collect the information

To develop this research, three techniques were put into practice: documental, work field, and expository. The first one consisted on a survey about the main contributions from the methodologies that are being used by the English teacher who is in charge of third year of high school students, accounting option at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. This research is documental because collects necessary information obtained from the observations done in the English classes. Therefore, this technique will make possible to get reliable criteria to develop the different parts of this research paper.

In the second one, the researchers have observed one class which is the third year of high school students, accounting option at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger section 3-5. The class which is composed by 45 students attends in the afternoon shift from 3:15 until 6:00 pm once in a week, during three hour classes. This section was the selected by the investigators in order to carry out their research project.

The third one consisted on teaching some classes by using the following methods: Grammar Translation, the Direct Method, the Audio Lingual Method, the Silent Way Method, Suggestopedia Method, the Community Language Learning, the Total Physical Response Method, the Communicative Approach, A Proposal of 55

the Psycho-Cultural Approach, and the Whole Language Approach. After, the teacher has taught the class, the researchers are going to pass out a check list to identify the student’s opinions about the teaching methodologies. Likewise, they will classify the methodologies which provide better results. Thereby, taking into consideration the good results, an English proposal will be done based on this outcome obtained from the survey.

8.3 Instruments to gather the information.

The instruments used to carry out this study are two checklists. The first one which is for the Methodological Process of the English Language Teaching Activities Developed by the teacher contains ten English teaching methods which are: The Whole Language Approach, The Psycho-Cultural Approach, The Grammar Translation Method, The Direct Method, The Audio Lingual Method, The Silent Way, Suggestopedia, Community Language Learning, The Total Physical Response Method, and The Communicative Approach. Each single method with its main goals, main principles and main techniques. This check list comprises a blank space, so by the time that the investigators observe the class, they can put a check on the blank box, where it will be determined what kind of technique the English teacher is using. Also, the investigators will realize from which methods these techniques are coming from. Moreover, there is a blank space where the researchers will take notes about the activities and techniques that the teacher uses, but they do not belong to the teaching methods described before.

Check list for the Methodological Process of the English Language Teaching Activities Developed by the teacher.

School: Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. Teacher: Vilma Elizabeth González Grade: Third year of high school students accounting option Section , 3-5 Date: ___________ Shift : Afternoon Objectives: To gather the information about the teaching learning process developed during the classes observed at the institution visited.

To identify what methodologies the teacher is making use when developing activities in class.

56

METHODS The whole Language Approach

Psycho Cultural approach

Grammar Translation Method

The Direct Method

The Audio Lingual Method

GOALS

MAIN PRINCIPLES

MAIN TECHNIQUES

Students to be able to read and write naturally with a focus on a real communication

-The main skills to be developed are reading and writing.

-The use of literature -Encouragement of cooperative learning among students -Reading comprehension and for a real purpose -Exercise design to practice individual reading skills.

The students will be able to manage the four macro English skills.

Acquiring English as foreign language at all by making use of the four macro English skills.

-Integration of reading writing and other skills.

- Sharing experiences - My composition - Small group activities - The translators -

To enable the students of reading writing literature of the target language or translating a particular lecture from the target into the native language.

Reading

-

writing

-

To enable the English students to get communicated in the target language.

The native language should not be used in the classroom.

Teachers want their students to be able to use the target language communicatively .

The purpose of language learning is to learn how to use the language to communicate.

-

Lets complete the song and sing it in class Learning through history.

Your own dictionary.

Translation of literature passage.

Reading comprehension questions.

Antonyms/and Synonyms Deductive application of rules.

-

Fill in the blanks.

Memorization Use words in sentences

-

Questions and answers exercises.

Conversations practice Fill in the blank exercises Reads aloud the dialogues Programming writing

-

Dialog memorization Repetion drill Questions and answer drill Use of minimal pairs Complete the dialog Grammar game - Practice of dialogues

57

The Silent Way

Suggestopedia

Community Language Learning

Students should be able to use the language for self –expression to express their thoughts perceptions and feelings.

Teacher hopes to accelerate the process by which students learn to use a foreign language for every day communication Student learns How to use the target language communicatively .

The teacher should start with something that the students already know and build from that to the unknown.

Learning is facilitated in a relaxed comfortable environment

The students’ native language is used to make meaning clear.

-

Sound- colour charts Teacher Silent Word chart

-

Classroom set - up Visualization Choose a new identity

-

It promotes to work in groups The teacher is an advisor It increases the relationship between students and teacher Human computer

-

Total Physical Response

The Communicative Approach

The importance of having their students enjoy their experience in learning to communicate in foreign language

Language learning is more effective when it is fun

-

Using commands to direct behaviour Action sequence

-

Role play

To have Students become communicatively competent.

Communicative interaction encourages cooperative relationship among students.

-

The teacher gets students in pairs to work on the assignment.

It promotes communicative activities Language games Role play.

-

58

Analysis on the checklist about the teaching learning process developed during the classes observed at the institution results In this segment, it is presented the checklist about the teaching learning process developed during the classes observed at the institution. In it, it can be seen the techniques the English teacher uses the most. These techniques are marked with a check right next to them. In fact, it can be determined that the Grammar Translation and the Audio Lingual Method are the most used methods by the teacher because they have almost the same average of use. Also, the teacher makes use of the remaining teaching methods but with less frequency than the previous two methods mentioned above.

Checklist about the Teaching Learning Process Results METHODS The Whole Language Approach

Psycho Cultural Approach

Grammar Translation Method

GOALS

MAIN PRINCIPLES

Students will be able to read and write naturally with a focus on a real communication

-The main skills to be developed are reading and writing.

The students will be able to manage the four macro English skills.

To enable the students of reading, writing literature of the target language,

Acquiring English as a foreign language at all by making use of the four macro English skills.

MAIN TECHNIQUES -The use of literature -Encouragement of cooperative learning among students -Reading comprehension and for a real purpose -Exercise designed to practice individual reading skills.

√

-Integration of reading writing and other skills.

- Sharing experiences - My composition - Small group activities - The translators - Let’s complete the song and sing it in class

√

-

Learning through history.

Your own dictionary.

-

√

√

√

Reading

-

Writing

-

Translation of literature passage.

Reading comprehension questions. memorization

-

Deductive application of rules.

√

59

or translating a particular lecture from the target language into the native language.

The Direct Method

The Audio Lingual Method

The Silent Way

Suggestopedia

Community Language Learning

To enable the English students to get communicated in the target language.

Teachers want their students to be able to use the target language communicatively.

The native language should not be used in the classroom.

The purpose of language learning is to learn how to use the language to communicate.

-

Fill in the blanks.

-

Memorization

-

Use words in sentences

√

-

Questions and answers exercises.

Conversations practice

√

-

Fill in the blank exercises Reads aloud the dialogues Programming writing

-

Dialog memorization Repetition drill Questions and answer drill Use of minimal pairs Complete the dialog Grammar game

-

It is based on the practice of dialogues

-

Sound- colour charts

√ √ √ √ √ √ √

Students should be able to use the language for self –expression to express their thoughts perceptions and feelings.

The teacher should start with something that the students already know and build from that to the unknown.

-

Teacher Silent Word chart

-

Classroom set - up

Teacher hopes to accelerate the process by which students learn to use a foreign language for every day communication Students learn How to use the target language communicatively.

Learning is facilitated in a relaxed comfortable environment

-

Visualization

-

Choose a new identity

-

It promotes to work in groups

-

The teacher is an advisor

√

-

It increases the relationship between students and teacher Human computer

√

The students’ native language is used to make meaning clear.

-

√

√

60

√

Total Physical Response

The Communicative Approach

The importance of having their students enjoy their experience in learning to communicate in foreign language

Language learning is more effective when it is fun

To have Students become communicatively competent.

Communicative interaction encourages cooperative relationship among students.

-

Using commands to direct

-

Action sequence Role reversal Action sequence

√

-

The teacher gets students in pairs to work on the assignment.

√

-

It promotes communicative activities Language games Role play.

Scramble sentences

-

√ √

The second one is a 6 question check list for the observation toward the methodologies used by the teacher. Also, the researchers with this check list will gather the information about the student’s different opinions related to the teaching methods applied during the English teaching learning process. This check list will be handed out to the students after the teacher has developed some particular classes using such teaching methods: Grammar Translations Method, The Direct Method, and The Audio Lingual Method, The Silent Way, Suggestopedia, Community Language Learning, The Total Physical Response Method, The Communicative Approach, The Psycho - Cultural Approach, and the Whole Language Approach.

The information will contribute to the resolution to the

planned goals and objectives proposed by the researchers at the beginning of the investigation.

It is worthy to point out that the checklist contains 6 questions of liking, out of them are five yes / no question and the remaining one is an open question. The first five questions are going to be checked with an X in the blank space, either in the Yes or No box. In the open question, students are going to write down their own opinions about the development of the class. Moreover, there is a blank space where the students can write their comments about the method. Therefore, based 61

on the student’s responses, the researchers will classify the teaching method that has called more the students’ attention. Also, they will propose this method to the English teacher so that they can apply it during the English teaching learning process. In the next part the check list is presented.

Check list for the Methodological process of English Language teaching – teacher Teacher: Vilma Elizabeth Institution: Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger Gonzalez Grade: Third year of high school accounting option Section 3- 5 Observer _______________________ Date_____ Shift: Afternoon Instrucción: Escriba una X de acuerdo a su criterio de evaluación.

Método ___________________

CRITERIO SI

No

1. Le agrado la metodología utilizada para el desarrollo de la clase 2.Crees que las actividades realizadas darían un aporte significativo a tu aprendizaje 3. Se promovió la comunicación oral entre maestro y estudiante.

4.Consideras que se promovió la participación de los estudiantes 5.¿ Te gusto la forma de presentación oral de la clase?

6. ¿Qué te gusto mas de la clase?._________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Observaciones:___________________________________________________________

Student´s Survey Results In the next section, it has been tabulated the results gotten from every single method, in which they have shown the students´ preferences towards the teaching methods. Moreover, it has been written a brief analysis done by the researchers for each teaching methodology applied by the teacher and according to students’ points of view. Indeed, it is figured out a graphic which contains a portion to each answer provided by the students according to the question asked and their preferences 62

The Grammar Translation Method Results Method:

The Grammar Translation Criteria

1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

Development Dynamic

6 What did you like the most in

2

the class?

Results of question number one

10

Yes

%

No

%

40

89%

5

11%

40

89%

5

11%

20

44%

25

56%

35

78%

10

22%

30

67%

15

33%

Participation 28

5

Result s of question number two 11%

11%

Motivation

Yes No

Yes No 89%

89%

63

Results of question number three

44%

Result s of question number four

Yes No

Yes No

22%

56%

78%

Results of question number six

Results of question number five

Development 33%

5% 67%

Yes

11%

No

22%

Dynamic Participation

62% Motivation

Analysis on the Grammar Translation Method Results By making an analysis from the obtained data in regards the G.T.M., it can be determined that this is one of the methods which students like the most in the third year of high school students, accounting option at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. Due to in the answers from the questions, it has been obtained a major positive percentage than a negative one. Besides, it can be noticed that the best evaluated questions by the students were: the first and the second question, where it is asked the students, if they liked the methodology used for the development of the class. Most likely obtaining a positive 89%, and only a negative 11%. The second question which says: do you think that activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?. Basically, a positive 89%, and a negative 11%. In addition, it can be determined that the activity that called more the student´s attention was: the opportunity, and the participation that were given to the students.

64

The Direct Method Results Method: Direct Method Criteria Yes % 17 38%

No 28

% 62%

1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a 15 33% 30 67% significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the 32 72% 13 28% student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students 45 100% 0 0% participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

8 18% 37 82% 6 What did you like the most in Development Dynamic Participation Motivation 0 0 35 10 the class?

Results of question number one

38% 62%

Results of question number two

Yes No

33%

Yes No

67%

65

Results of question number four

Results of question number three

29% 71%

Yes No

Yes No 100%

Results of question number six

Results of question number five

18%

Yes No

Participation

22%

82% 78%

Motivation

Analysis on the Direct Method Results In regards to the Direct Method, it can be said that the students did not like this method. As it is shown in the graphics, the major percentage obtained was negative. Only, two questions got the major positive percentage which are the number three, and four. In the question number three it is asked to the students, if it was promoted the oral communication between the students and the teacher; basically obtaining a positive 71% . In the question number four, where it is asked to the students, if it was promoted the participation of the students; essentially obtaining a positive 100%. Likewise, it can be said, that the worst evaluated question by the students was the number five. This says if the students liked the oral presentation of the class; basically, obtaining only a positive 18%. it can be inferred that although the Direct Method is widely accepted at salvadorean public school, this cannot be adapted in its full dimensions due to several limitants.

Students simply do not like it.

66

The Audio Lingual Method Results Method : The Audio Lingual Criteria 1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

6 What did you like the most in

Development Dynamic

2

the class?

Yes %

No

%

37

82%

8

18%

25

56%

20

44%

30

67%

15

33%

45

100% 0

0%

45

100% 0

0%

Participation

23

Motivation

20

Results of question number two

Results of question number one

18% Yes No 82%

44% 56%

Yes No

67

Results of question number four

Results of question number three

Yes No

33%

Yes No

67%

100%

Results of question number five

Results of question number six 5%

100%

Yes No

Devolopment

44% 51%

Dynamic Motivation

Analysis on the Audio - Lingual Method Results As it can be observed in relation to the Audio - Lingual Method in the graphic presented previously, this method was one of the best evaluated methods by the students as it is shown in the graphic. The positive responses were major in all questions in comparison with the negative ones. In the question number one, it was obtained a positive 82%. Likewise, in the second question it was gotten a positive 56%. Moreover, in the question number three it was obtained a positive 67%. In the same way, in the question number four as well as in the question number five, it was gotten a positive 100%. Likewise, it can be observed that students seemed to be encouraged in participating in every single activity and dynamic that the teacher performed at the moment of class development. Indeed, it can be said that something that called more the student’s attention of this method was: the dynamics that were done and the motivation the teacher transmitted to the students.

68

The Silent Way Method Results Method: The Silent Way Criteria 1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

Development Dynamic

6 What did you like the most in

10

the class?

Results of question number one

22%

0

Yes %

No

%

10

22%

37

78%

17

38%

28

62%

10

35%

35

78%

26

58%

19

42%

10

22%

35

78%

Participation

0

None

35

Results of question number two

Yes No

62%

38%

Yes No

78%

69

Results of question number three

22%

Results of question number four

Yes No

Yes No

42% 58%

78%

Results of question number six

Results of question number five

22%

78%

22%

Yes No 78%

Development None

Analysis on the Silent Way Method Results As an analysis done to the Silent Way Method, it can be determined that the students did not like this method. Because in almost all the questions the major percentage was negative. As it can be noticed in the graphics the question number one, three, and five it was obtained a negative 78%. Likewise, in the question number two, it was gotten a negative 62%. It is important to mention that some students stated that they did not like the method because the teacher stood silent as much as she could, and she left the students alone.

70

The Suggestopedia Results Method: Suggestopedia Criteria Yes % 1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

6 What did you like the most in the class?

Results of question number one

No

45

100% 0

0%

42

93%

3

7%

40

89%

5

11%

45

100% 0

0%

45

100% 0

0%

Development Dynamic

Participation

Motivation

45

0

0

0

%

Results of question number two

Yes No

7%

Yes No

100% 93%

71

Results of question number three

Results of question number four

11% Yes No

Yes No 100%

89%

Results of question number five

Yes No

Results of question number six

100%

Dynamic Development Motivation

100%

Analysis on the Suggestopedia Results In the graphics presented previously, it can be noticed that this method has been one of the best evaluated methods by all the students. In all the questions, it was obtained a positive answer. As it can be noticed in the first question, where it is asked to the students if they liked the methodology used in the class; most likely obtaining a 100%. That is to say students felt comfortable and satisfied with the presented class. Indeed, the students expressed, that something that really called their attention was the development of the class. This method might be applied even more in the Salvadorean Education because it calls for students’ attention.

72

The Community Language Learning Results Method :The Community Language Learning Criteria 1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

6 What did you like the most in the Opportunity

Dynamic

Yes %

No

%

20

44%

25

56%

30

67%

15

33%

35

78%

10

11%

40

89%

5

11%

20

44%

25

56%

Participation None

To talk

class ?

30

Results of question number one

Yes No

0

0

Results of question number two

Yes No

33%

44% 56%

15

67%

73

Results of question number four

Results of question number three

11%

22%

78%

89%

Results of question number six

Results of question number five

44% 56%

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

33%

Oportunity to talk 67%

None

Analysis on the Community Language Learning Results This method obtained a major positive percentage, but it is worthy to mention that in comparison to the previous method; this has obtained a major negative value. However, it can be determined that only one question from the survey was the best evaluated; that is to say, it obtained 100%. In regards to the first question in which is asked to the students if they liked the methodology, the percentage was negative. In fact, this method was not of good liking to the students.

74

The Total Physical Response Method Results Method :The Total Physical Response Method Criteria

Yes %

1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

Development Dynamic

6 What did you like the most in

0

the class?

Results of question number one

25

%

45

100% 0

0%

45

100% 0

0%

30

67%

15

33%

45

100% 0

0%

35

78%

22%

Participation

10

Motivation

20

0

Results of question number two

Yes No

100%

No

Yes No

100%

75

Results of question number three

Results of question number four

Yes No

Yes No

33%

67% 100%

Results of question number five

22%

Yes No

Results of question number six

Dynamic 44%

Participation 56%

78%

Analysis on the Total Physical Response Method Results According to the results gotten in regards to the Total Physical Response Method, it can be said that this method has obtained a major positive percentage.

As a matter of fact, the students liked the way in which the class was developed.

The methodology, the activities and the participation obtained a positive 100%.

Also, the students stated that something that they really enjoyed was the dynamics used in the class. They had the chance to participate in a fun way, moving their body and at the same time learning English. Likewise, the students looked happy when they were taking part of the activities the teacher had done. It seems that the Salvadorean Educative reality demands for actions more than more theory in learning a foreign Language.

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The Communicative Approach Results Method :Communicative Approach Criteria

1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

6 What did you like the most in

Development Dynamic

0

the class?

Results of question number one

44%

Yes No

5

Yes %

No

%

20

44%

25

56%

35

78%

10

22%

40

89%

5

11%

45

100% 0

0%

30

67%

33%

Participation

40

15

Motivation

0

Results of question number two

Yes No

22%

56% 78%

77

Results of question number four

Results of question number three

11%

0, 0%

Yes No

Yes No

45, 100 %

89%

Results of question number five

Results of question number six

11% 33%

Dynamic Participation

Yes No

67% 89%

Analysis on The Communicative Approach Results This methodology obtained a major positive percentage, but it is worthy to mention that in comparison with the previous methodology, this one has obtained a major negative value. However, it can be determined that only one question from the survey was the best evaluated; that is to say, it obtained 100%. In regards to the first question where it is asked to the students if they liked the methodology, the percentage was negative. In fact, the students did not like this method. Perhaps, the social pressure within the group did not allow the communicative framework to work effectively.

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The Phsycho - Cultural Approach Results Method: Phsycho – Cultural Approach Criteria

1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

6 What did you like the most in the class?

Results 10% of question number one

Yes %

No

%

43

90%

2

10%

40

89%

5

11%

31

69%

14

31%

45

100% 0

0%

42

93%

7%

Development Dynamic

Participation

30

5

10

3

Motivation

0

Results of question number two 11%

Yes No

Yes No 89%

90%

79

Results of question number four

Results of question number three

Yes No

Yes No

31% 69%

100%

Results of question number five

Results of question number six

11%

7% Yes No

Development Dynamic Participation

22% 67%

93%

Analysis on The Psycho - Cultural Approach Results As it can be observed in the previous graphic, the gotten data have been organized in regards to the Psycho – Cultural Approach. This Approach has obtained a major positive evaluation in every single question. However, it is important to point out that there are three better evaluated questions which are: the question number one, four and five. In which, it is classified the methodology, and the participation. In regards of question number six, the major percentage was for the development of the class. That is to say, the students felt satisfied with the teacher´s task. Also, the teacher called more the attention when she presented the legends of Salvadoran Characters in which can be mentioned the Cipitio and the Ciguanaba legends. Students felt they wanted to participate with these activities given in this methodology.

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The Whole Language Approach Results Method : Whole Language Approach Criteria Yes % 1 Did you like the methodology used for the development of the class?

2 Do you think that the activities done would give a significant contribution to your learning?

3 It was promoted the oral communication between the student and the teacher.

4 Do you consider that it was promoted the students participation?

5 Did you like the oral presentation of the class?

No

%

20

44%

25

56%

25

56%

20

44%

10

22%

35

78%

10

22%

35

78%

20

44%

25

56%

6 What did you like the most in the Development Dynamic Participation None 5 3 7 30 class?

Results of question number one

Results of question number two

Yes No 44% 56%

Yes No 44%

56%

81

Results of question number three

22%

Results of question number four

Yes No

78%

35, 78%

Results of question number six

Results of question number five

11%

Yes No

7%

Development Dynamic

15%

44% 56%

Yes

0, 0% 10, 22%

67%

Participation None

Analysis on the Whole Language Approach Results In regards to the Whole Language Approach, it can be determined this Approach obtained a negative evaluation. That is to say, students did not feel comfortable with the methodology applied by the teacher. Moreover, they behaved impatiently at the moment the teacher performed the English class. In addition to this, it can be mentioned the major positive percentage was only in the second question. Basically, obtaining a positive 56%. Likewise, it can be determined, the question of liking got the major negative percentage, due to the students stated that they had not enjoyed any of the activities. The Salvadorean Cultural Learning environment is not ready for the Whole Language Approach yet.

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In the next graphic, it is presented the results in regards to the teaching methodologies that the students liked the most.

METHODOLOGIES 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

STUDENT QUIZ RESULTS This part comprises the quiz that was passed out to the students after the English teacher had finished with the current class. Such test contributed contri to measure the students’ understanding that they have acquired with the application of the method. Such quiz has five exercises in which students are instructed to read and underline the correct answer. In addition to this information, it is important importan to mention that the same quiz was administered for all the methodologies. In this section is presented the quiz format that was administered to the English students students.

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Intituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger Researchers´ names ________________________,____________ Student´s name________________________date ___grade Instructions: read and underline carefully the correct answer of each question 1. She______a teacher a) Are b) Is c) Have 2. _________ You a doctor? a) Is b) Were c) Are 3. I________ not a student a) Is b) Are c) Am 4. He ________ in the concert a) Has b) Was c) Were 5. They _________ in the park a) Was b) Were d) Have

The researchers started to check every single quiz that has been applied to the students, in which they noticed that with the application of some teaching methods, it was gotten better teaching – learning results. The methods which obtained better results are: the Grammar Translation Method, the Audio Lingual Method, the Total Physical Response, and the Community Language Learning.

Therefore, it can be said, that the remaining teaching methodologies did not obtain the satisfactory results in the Salvadorean student society. In the next part, it is presented the graphics of each methodology, in which are tabulated the students´ learning results.

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10 9

QUIZ RESULTS

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

As a conclusion of the research Project carried out in regards to the teaching methods at public school, it can be determined that the Suggestopedia is the best evaluated methodology by the students according to the survey the researchers passed out. However with the application of this method the students did not obtain excellent grades in their quizzes. The teaching method which is rated in the second place of the survey is the Total Physical Response Method. As it can be observed in the graphics, the T.P.R.M was of liking of the students. Also, it was obtained excellent results with the application of this method in the quizzes.

Likewise, it is rated in the third place of the survey the Psycho Cultural Approach.

As it can be noticed, this methodology was of liking of the students, but it did not obtain positive results in regards to the teaching learning process. Finally, in the fourth place, it is rated the Audio - Lingual Method it can be said, that with this 85

method the students felt comfortable in the class. Indeed, they got good results in their quizzes.

By summing up everything that has been gathered, it can be determined that the Silent Way was the worst evaluated method by the students according to the survey. Likewise with this methodology, it was obtained negative results in regards to the quizzes. Indeed, another method that got a major negative percentage was the Whole Language Approach, rating this approach among the worst evaluated methods by the students according to the survey. In the same way, with this methodology, it was not gotten good results about the quizzes.

Also, it is figured out the Direct Method. This method is not of the liking from the students, due to the teacher just talks in English. In the same way, this method did not provide positive results in the quizzes. Because the Salvadorean students of the public school do not understand exactly what the teacher has said. Also, it is found the Community Language Learning which is rated among the worst evaluated methods. However, the students obtained good results in the quizzes with the application of this methodology.

Likewise, it can be found the Grammar Translation Method (G.T.M) which obtained an acceptable value in the survey. Nevertheless, with the application of this methodology in the teaching learning process, the students got excellent results in their quizzes. As a matter of fact, the students felt comfortable, since the teacher talked in Spanish and in English. Therefore, the students feel comfortable because the class was being developed in their mother tongue. Besides, it is figured out the Communicative Approach which obtained an acceptable value as the previous method. But with this methodology, the quiz results of the students were not satisfactory.

8.4 Describing the English classes of the third year of accounting option, section 3-5 86

The teacher gets into the classroom greets the students in English, and asks them, “What date is today?” The students reply in chorus the date. Then, the teacher writes the agenda on the board basically with the main activities that are going to be developed during the class.

For instance, the teacher introduces

herself to the class, check the attendance list. The English teacher writes the topic on the board, sticks up some wall charts that contain pictures with the topic. After having shown the pictures, the teacher writes down the sentences according to the action the pictures are doing. Next, the teacher asks the students to repeat the sentences after her. The teacher asks questions to the students, and the students answer according to the picture. This activity lasts about ten minutes. After that, one student asks in English what the meaning of farewell is. The teacher answers that it is an expression of good wishes at parting, and she gives an example about it; e.g. they made their farewells and left.

In addition, the English teacher writes on the board the new vocabulary figured out during the class and explains the use of them in different contextual situations. Also, it was noticed that whenever the students are not able to understand the use of such vocabulary, the teacher decides to explain the meaning in Spanish in order to clarify the student’s doubts. Likewise, the teacher promotes to work in groups to create sentences using the new vocabulary. After the class is over, the teacher checks the students work to verify that the students have understood the contents correctly. However, if the teacher finds out some weaknesses related to the topic that has been taught, the teacher reviews the content pretty quickly in order to clarify the possible doubts that each single student may have.

Then, the teacher reads a dialogue which is already written on the board, simulating a conversation between two people. As the teacher is reading the dialogue, the students are paying attention to the correct pronunciation. When the teacher has finished the reading, she asks the students to repeat the dialogue after 87

her. Later on, the students are told to get in pairs to create their own dialogue following up the same pattern of the previous one. In that way, they will pass in front of their classmates to read the dialogue. The teacher provides a list of English verbs which the students need to learn by heart. Likewise, they can apply them in the dialogs.

Also, it was noticed that the teacher was making use of a T .V. in which she presented The King Arthur movie. This took about a two class hours. Besides that,

the teacher wrote down some questions on the board, where the students

were supposed to answer by obtaining the information from what they have listened and watched. Indeed, the teacher lets the students know, that they would be able to work either in pairs or in groups.

In addition to this, the teacher makes use of a tape recorder in order to listen a song. Before playing the song, students are given the lyrics in which they are going to fill in the blanks according what they have listened. After the students completed the blank spaces and listened carefully the right pronunciation of the song, they started to sing it with the teacher.

Besides, the students were notified by the teacher to create a journal where they would be writing their daily activities; for instance, the first thing they do before getting up, the time they take a shower, eat their breakfast, ride the bus to get to the school, and so on. The teacher gave the instructions such as: buying a note book especially for this activity, choosing a name for the journal, making use of a Spanish - English dictionary. After the teacher provided all the directions in order to carry out this assignment, she provided the deadline for this activity.

The English teacher lets the students know, they need to get in groups of five to work on the presentations that would be assigned later. Some of the topics that the teacher provided to the students are:

Present of be,

the Present

Progessive ( ing form) ,Simple Present Tense (Do Does), Daily Activities, the Third 88

Person, Simple Past Tense, Verb be in interrogative / positive / negative forms, Future Plans: Will vrs Going to, Present and Past, and Present and future tenses.

Once the students had their corresponding topics, the teacher provided them some bibliographical references; for example, Basic Grammar in use, Intermediate New Interchange, and the use of Internet, etc. Later on, the teacher gave the students two weeks, so they can get ready to present their assigned topics. Moreover, the students were notified that this activity would be evaluated like an exam grade.

The teacher carries out some dynamics which fosters the participation of the students. One of these dynamics is the so called tic-tac- toe- game. The teacher divides the students within two groups one composed by girls and the other one by boys. The teacher has a list of questions which were enumerated; she asks the students to say a number, so when the students say a number the teacher looks at the list of questions and she lets the students know the question, where the students are required to answer in English. Therefore, if the students were not able to answer the question, the teacher gives the opportunity to the remaining group.

Likewise, one point was granted for the winner group and they decided in which position to locate either the letter X or the number 0.

The English teacher evaluates in the students the oral pronunciation and the fluency done in each dialog. Also, she makes written evaluations at the end of the contents, and at the end of the semester. The participation in the development of the classes, and in the same way, the punctuality in the delivery of the assignment is

also

evaluated. Moreover, she

examined the grammatical

structures

implemented in the assigned homework.

The class observed belongs to the third year accounting option at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger section 3-5 in the afternoon shift. This class is composed by forty three students, who are between sixteen and eighteen years old. The students meet in three class hours per week every Wednesday, from 3:15 to 6:00 pm. The majority of the students are female students who come from rural 89

and urban areas nearby to Cojutepeque such as, San Martin, San Ramon, Candelaria, Monte San Juan, etc. Moreover, it was noticed some students need to ride a bus in order to get to the institution; however others come to the institution on foot. This class does not have an assigned classroom because when the first class hour ends up, the class needs to move to another classroom which seems to be somehow uncomfortable not only for the teacher, but also for the students. So, they miss the continuity of the class, or the development of the activities. In the classroom where the students stay the last class hour, the student desks are ordered in a semicircle, so the teacher can approach to them easily.

The students´ economics status is low because it has been observed that they do not have the economic resources to buy the workbook, since whenever they need to use the workbook the students have to go to the library to get it. Some of the students take a copy from the workbook, and others make a group and work with it. Indeed, it was noticed when the students make individual or group presentations, they do not use of the available technology for example computer, multimedia projector, etc. On the other hand, they make use of the board, wall charts, news papers, and magazines.

The teacher, who is in charge of the third year of accounting option, got graduated from Universidad de El Salvador in 2001, obtaining a degree as an English teacher who is still studying at this university in order to get the Bachelor of Arts Degree. As she pointed out, she has ten years of teaching English experience.

During eight of them, she has been working for this institution in different shifts. At the moment, she is working in the afternoon shift with the sections 3-5, 3-6, and 37. The English teacher works on Wednesdays from 2:45 pm until 6:00 pm, and on Fridays from 1:00 pm until 6:00 pm. In the morning shift, she works in another public school where she has her official position working as an English teacher.

Nowadays, she lives in Cojutepeque near the institution.

90

9. THEORETICAL METHODOLOGICAL FORMULATION OF THIS RESEARCH.

In the next following section, it is written the information in regard to the teaching methodologies. That means it is an analysis of the methodologies used by the English teacher at public schools, and in this particular case at I. N.W.T.D where this research paper is taking place. Taking into consideration the environment lived in the classroom, the didactic materials, limitations, and the English students at public schools; a conversation held with Vilma Elizabeth González who is the English teacher at ( I.N.W.T.D ) states that “sometimes the English teachers are not putting in practice some helpful methodologies, due to they do not have the necessary resources to carry out their job”. Indeed, the researchers make an analysis of the observations taking as starting points the techniques gathered from the observations done at the institution. This collective information was obtained from the third year high school students, accounting option.

The characteristics were figured out during the development of the classes of the English teacher at the school where this research paper is carried out. The researchers noticed that according to the analyses done by the authors from whom the researchers can mention: Diane Larsen Freeman, Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers, and Jeremy Harmer. Some of the characteristics registered belong to the next following methods: The Grammar Translation Method, The Direct Method, the Audio Lingual Method, The Silent Way, Suggestopedia, Community Language Learning, Total Physical Response, The Communicative Approach, Psycho-Cultural

Approach, and The Whole Language. Those

characteristics are going to be described in the following paragraphs.

Teaching Methods Adapted to the Salvadorean Reality 91

Grammar Translation Method.

In the observed classes developed by the English teacher at I.N.W.T.D, the researchers, based on the observations, determined the English teacher uses the Grammar Translation Method. In the check list, the researchers have registered information related to this method which is described like this: the English teacher stresses on the students to use of a Spanish – English dictionary, so that they can clarify the meaning of an English word. Moreover, the teacher writes on the board some English dialogues in which the students, with the use of their dictionaries, will translate the unknown words, and also memorizes those dialogues. Sometimes, the English teacher reads the English sentences; next, she provides the meaning in Spanish. Also, it has been noticed, the teacher says words in Spanish, for instance, in a particular class the researchers observed, she said some common Spanish greetings such as: Buenos dias, Buenas tardes, Buenas noches etc, and the students replied in English good morning, good afternoon, and good evening.

Besides this, the teacher provides a history copy to the students related to the Salvadorean Culture in English, which is read in English first by the teacher, and then it is translated into the Spanish language with the help of the students.

Indeed, the teacher asks questions which are answered by the students, based upon the lecture that has been read previously. Likewise, the teacher provides English verbs in the present, past and participle tense of the regular and irregular verbs in Spanish, so the students can learn them by heart.

According to Diane Larsen, as she describes it in her book entitled Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching “states that the teacher who uses this method is a traditional teacher due to students are taught to translate from one language to another. Often, what they translate are readings in the target language about some aspects of the culture of the foreign language community.

92

They also learn grammatical paradigms such as verb conjugations. They memorize native language equivalent for foreign language vocabulary words.”16 Therefore, the researchers can conclude that the English teacher uses partially the Grammar Translation Method. The researchers noticed that the teacher just makes use of three techniques of the ( G.T.M.) Which are: Translation of literary passage, memorization, and reading comprehension questions. Thereby, it can be said that when the teacher makes use of these techniques, she does not make emphasis in the oral skill.

The Direct Method.

In the case of Vilma Elizabeth González who is the English teacher at I.N.W.T.D. where this research project takes place, she uses the Direct Method. It has been observed that whenever she gets into the classroom, she usually greets the students, explains the topic to be developed, and basically she does it mainly in English. Also, she shows up to the students a wall chart related to the topic.

Besides this, she presents dialogues, so the students can memorize them, and if new words appear on the dialogues, she gives the meaning through the use of reality. That is to say, she shows up the concrete objects in order to relate the meaning with the object. In addition to this, it has been observed the teacher makes emphasis in the four macro English skills, for she assigns homework. For instance, the creations of a dialog in which the students need to write this dialog down, and later on, they read it and practice it orally as well. The rest of the class pays attention especially to the pronunciation. Moreover, she makes some activities such as questions and answers among students where the teacher takes part of the activity being the first one on making a question to one student, and they do this successively.

16

Larsen – Freeman, Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A. p 11-12.

93

According to Richards and Rogers in their book entitled Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching “state that in the direct method the oral communication skills were built up in a carefully graded progression organized around questions and answers exchanges between teacher and students. Also they hold the concrete vocabulary was taught demonstration, objects and pictures”17 As the researchers have noticed, the English teacher makes use of three techniques which belong to the ( D.M ). One of these techniques is Reading Aloud, in which the students read the dialogs. The second one is Question and Answer Exercises, in which the students have the opportunity to create the questions and answer them as well. And the third one is called Practicing Conversation. In this technique the students read the dialogs in front of their classmates. Therefore the researchers can conclude that the teacher makes use of the (D.M.) the same percentage as in the ( G.T.M. ).

The Audio - Lingual Method In the analysis of the observation about the English classes in the institution, the English teacher makes use of some characteristics that belong to the A. L. M which can be found in the following description: the English teacher introduces the class in English. Essentially she presents a dialog in which she models the English domain, giving to the students a new vocabulary through dialogues, having as a main purpose that each student will be able to communicate in English. The teacher when reading a dialogue, she takes the role of one person in a dialogue, and she selects a student to read it with her until the student memorizes the dialogue line by line. After that, they interchange the roles. The teacher asks to the students to memorize the dialogues in pairs. The students might perform the dialogues for the rest of the class.

17

Richard Jack C. and Rodgers Theodore Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Cambridge University press 3 rd printing 2002 Hawaii Manoa, .P 13.

94

Also, the researchers noticed, the teacher gives the students a lyric in which they need to fill in the blank at the meantime they are listening the song.

Once the students have completed the activity, the teacher provides them the correct answer. Moreover, the English teacher presents an English movie in which the students need to answer the questions provided by the teacher, based on what has been watched and listened. To carry out this activity the teacher sets up the desk in a semicircular way. Also, the teacher puts some black curtains on the window to make the classroom darker and turns the light off so the students can feel like if they were in the theatre. The teacher seats with the students to watch the movie. Then, when the movie finishes, the teacher tells to the students they need to answer questions on their notebook, and later, they have to say those responses orally.

As Diana Larsen states about the A. L. M. in her book entitled Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching “The new vocabulary and structures are presented through dialogues. The dialogues are learned through imitation and repetition. Also, the students complete the dialogues by filling in the blanks with the missing words. Moreover, the students should answer the teacher’s questions very quickly”.18 As the researchers could observe in what has been describe before, the teacher makes use of some characteristics and techniques of this method which are: Vocabulary is given through dialogs, Dialog Memorization, Repetition Drill, Complete the Dialogs, Question and Answer Drill, and it is based on the constant practice of Dialogs. Therefore, it can be said the teacher uses more this method than the previous ones mentioned.

18

Larsen – Freeman, Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A. p 47.

95

The Silent Way. According with the observations done at Vilma’s classes, it has been observed that she makes use of this method just when the students are copying something from the board or when the students are presenting a topic, or saying a dialogue. Also, the teacher stands silent when the students are memorizing some vocabulary or composing a dialogue. Indeed, the teacher stays silent when the students are working in groups.

According to Richards and Rodgers in their book entitled Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching “State that the teacher’s silence is, perhaps, the unique and, for many traditionally trained language teachers, the most demanding aspect of silent way. Teachers are exhorted to resist their long - standing commitment to model, remodel, assist, and direct desired student responses”19 It can be said based on the observations that the teacher makes a few usage of this method. She just makes use of one characteristic of this method in which the researchers can mention: Teacher’s Silence, that means, this method is one of the least used by the English teacher in the teaching learning process.

The Suggestopedia The English teacher makes use of wall charts to present some topics related to the class. Basically, she decorates those wall charts with attractive or peaceful colours and in order to call the students attention. Likewise, she posts them to get the students interested in the English learning. Essentially, this is the only characteristic the teacher uses in the class according to this method.

19

Richard Jack C. and Rodgers Theodore Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Cambridge University press 3 rd printing 2002 Hawaii Manoa, .P 85.

96

As Diana Larsen states, “the suggestopedic class is conducted in a classroom in which students are as comfortable as possible. Ideally, easy chairs, soft lighting, and music are all available to contribute in a relaxing environment.

Posters displaying, grammatical information about the target language are hung around the room in order to take advantage of students peripheral learning”20 By making an analysis of the theory with what has been encountered in the school, the researchers can say that the English teacher just makes use of one technique of this method which is called Classroom Set – up. It can be determined that this method has the same percentage as the (S.W.M). Therefore, in both methods just one characteristic is used in the teaching learning process.

The Community Language Learning.

The English teacher asks the students to get in groups of five people to work on the assigned themes. Moreover, she provides new vocabulary to the students, in which they in group create new sentences in the same way. She asks them to use different verbs conjugations. Indeed, she asks to the students to work in pairs in order to elaborate their own dialogue.

As Diane Larsen states in her book “where she describes one of her principles which is called students work together in group of three. In groups, students can begin to feel a sense of community and can learn from each other as well as the teacher. Cooperation not competition, is encouraged”21 As an analysis done by the researchers, the English teacher makes use of three characteristics which belong to this method: It increases the relationship between students and teacher, the teacher is an advisor, and it promotes to work 20

Larsen – Freeman, Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A. p 81.

21

Idem

97

in groups. Thereby, the teacher uses this method more than the Silent Way Method, and Suggestopedia Method.

The Total Physical Response Method.

In this method the English teacher performs dynamics in which she gives commands or orders like close the door, point the desk, open your book etc.

Essentially, these activities involve physical movements where students need to do such orders without giving any response to the teacher. For instance, she makes an activity called boys and girls which consists that students need to choose one leader who has to pass in front of the class and the teacher provides the commands. The teacher says get a red pen as quickly as possible, and the first leader of the group that encounters such pen firstly, would be given one point.

Another activity the teacher did was that she divided the class in two groups, and each group had its own leader. The teacher used to say the sentences using the commands. Thereby , whoever that writes the sentences correctly would obtain one point and so on .Therefore, it was noticed, the students were instructed in this activity since all of them took part of the game who at the meantime were learning and enjoying the class.

As Izabella Hearn states in her book Didàctica del Idioma Ingles Para Primaria “that the human beings acquire the L1 listening orders, later responding physically those orders. The L1 is learned and recorded to remind it through the memory using the physical movements. The T.P.R method works with the theory the human being will answer automatically for necessity, curiosity or novelty. The Immediate answer will be physical followed up by answers of a word; the teacher creates a correct environment in the class, where the focus is on the games in the funny activities, and the fantasy. Besides this, teacher has to create motivating classes which will build up the security and motivation”22 22

Garces – Rodríguez, Izabella Hearn y Antonio, Didáctica del idioma Inglés para primaria Pearson Education, 2003 Madrid España, p. 7

98

As a brief analysis that has been carried out in the classroom, it can be determined the English teacher makes use of one characteristic which is called Funny activities to learn the language. Also, she uses two techniques which are: Using Command to Direct Behaviour, and Action Sequence. Therefore the teacher uses this method with the same percentage as the previous one.

The Communicative Approach Taking into consideration the survey done at the English class on the third year high school students, accounting option, it has been observed that the English teacher uses some characteristics which belong to the Communicative Approach.

These are the interchange of questions, the English teacher asks questions of personal data to the students, and then, the teacher lets the students know to get in groups of three people and make questions each other to obtain the personal information, so the they can get communicated one another. Then, they create dialogues whether they can switch off characters. Moreover, the teacher tells the students to pass in front of the class to introduce themselves and provide their own personal data. Some of this data the students say is: my name is, I am from El Salvador, I am single, etc. After the teacher, based on the observation done toward the students, asks questions to see whether they have been paying attention to what their classmates have said or presented during the development of the class.

Indeed, when the students work in pairs or in groups the teacher lets the students know if she can help them out in a possible doubt they may have in regards of the pronunciation or the spelling of an unknown word. At the same time, she helps them to create the sentences orally.

As Diana Larsen states in the description of the principled encountered in the Communicative Approach “Communicative interaction encourages cooperative

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relationship among students. It gives students an opportunity to work or negotiating a meaning. The teacher acts as an advisor during communicative activity”.23 As a conclusion done by the researchers, about what has been described before, and in contrast with Diane’s Larsen view points, the researchers can determine that the English teacher who works in the school uses two characteristics and one technique of this method. Those characteristics are called: it develops the learning through activities, and it promotes communicative activities along with the teacher. And the technique is called Role Play.

The Psycho Cultural Approach As a brief summary, it can be said that the English teacher provides to the students some Salvadorean readings, such as the Cipitio and the Ciguanaba legends. At the beginning, the English teacher read the legends in English and asked to the students if they were able to understand the lectures. The students replied, “yes we did”, but they commented such legends in Spanish. The teacher instructed the students that they needed to translate into Spanish the legends.

Also, they had to answer the questions that were at the end of the legends. Indeed, the teacher provides the students some pictures which were stick up on the board with the most famous places of El Salvador. For instance, she showed up on the pictures volcanoes, lakes, hills, etc. Every single picture was enumerated and the teacher gave them some blowing balloons which contained a paper with a number within the balloons. The teacher asked the students one by one to burst a balloon.

According to the number the students may get from the balloon; they would need to find on the board the picture that had that number. The students created a sentence according to the picture. Then, the students wrote the sentences on the board, and they read them. Next, the teacher said this activity would need to be developed by all the students.

23

Larsen – Freeman, Diane, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986 Massachusetts U.S.A. p 130.

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According to Orlando Faustino Diaz, José Leonidas Hernández, and José Alejandro Orellana describe in their thesis called “A Proposal of the Psycho Cultural Approach for Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language in the English Free Courses at Universidad Pedagógica de El Salvador state that, “the Psycho cultural Approach focuses mainly on the development of the four macro English skills. Taking into account the cultural aspects of the country in this case of El Salvador where basically the students will have the chance to experience new living ideas in which the main topics will be the tourist places, the typical foods and so on”.

As a brief summary, the researchers can say that the English teacher makes use of two techniques which belong to the Pshycho – Cultural Approach Method.

Among these techniques, the researchers can mention: The Translators, and Learning through History. Therefore, it can be said the teacher makes a little use of this method.

The Whole Approach Taking into consideration the living experiences in the third year of high school students, accounting option, the teacher uses partially this method. It has been observed that the teacher helps the students by providing examples, lectures and makes activities, and students can guide by themselves. That is to say the teacher is a facilitator for the students. Since she is always monitoring and telling the students that any question or doubt they have, they should ask.

As Richards and Rogers state” Whole Language Approach is defined in the next characteristics, to be authentic, self-corrected, collaborative, and pluralistic.

Also, this theory holds knowledge is socially constructivist rather than received of discovered. Thus, constructivist learners create meaning, learn by doing, and work collaboratively in mixed groups or common projects, rather than transmitting knowledge to students, teachers collaborated with them to create knowledge and

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understanding mutual social context. Therefore, learning focuses on the learners’ experiences, needs, interest and inspiration”24.

As a brief conclusion, the investigators can determine that the teacher just makes use of one characteristic of this method. This characteristic is called Encouragement of cooperative learning among students. Therefore, this is one of the methods least used by the teacher.

Therefore, taking into account everything that has been described previously, the researchers make an analysis of the different authors’ view points, and what has been encountered with the reality of the public school. In it, it is determined the teacher does not have any specific methodology, since she makes use of different methodological characteristics which can be labeled as eclecticism that is to say she has selected what appears to be best from various teaching methods. As it has been found out in the mail x mail website “The eclectic method is formed from the most important and significant characteristics of the global methods, with the purpose to facilitate the teaching learning process”25.

Vilma González’s Teaching Methods and Techniques

24

Richard Jack C. and Rodgers Theodore Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Cambridge University press 3 rd printing 2002 Hawaii Manoa, .P 108.

25

Guevara Guadron Oneyda Jamyleth (2005) Cursos de Cultura y Humanidades Educacion Enseñanza lectoescritura El Salvador. Recuperado el 27 de agosto de 2009 en. http://www.mailxmail.com/curso-enseñanza-lectoescritura/metodos.

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It was noticed that the English teacher uses the following characteristics, which are figured out in the different author’s contributions done so far. Some of the characteristics observed are:

Characteristic The teacher shows concrete/ abstract objects rather than translating into the student’s mother tongue. ( This characteristic belongs to the Direct Method ).

The teacher explains grammar inductively. ( This characteristic related to the Grammar Translation Method).

She provides to the students vocabulary through dialogues. (This belongs to the Audio Lingual Method).

The teacher makes his own way in the domain of English. ( The Audio Lingual Method) The teacher promotes the communication among students. (This belongs to the Direct Method) It increases the relationship between students and teacher. (This is related to the Community Language Learning).

The teacher does interactive activities to learn the language. (This characteristic belongs to the Total Physical Response Method).

Funny activities to learn the language. ( Belongs to the Suggestopedia )

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It makes use of daily routine dialogues. (This is related to the Suggestopedia).

The teacher makes use of commands and orders. ( It belongs to the Total Physical Response Method.)

Techniques The teacher reads aloud the dialogues. (This technique belongs to the Direct Method) Translation of a literary passage. (This technique is related to the Grammar Translation Method) Reading comprehension question. ( It belongs to the Grammar Translation Method) The teacher makes questions and answers as exercises among students.(It is related to the Direct Method) Teacher Silent. (It belongs to the Silent Way) Role Play. (It belongs to the Communicative Approach) The teacher gives dialogues to the students for them to practice it and memorize it.( It is related to the Audio Lingual Method) Classroom set – up ( This technique belongs to the Suggestopedia) It promotes to work in groups (it is related to the Community Language Learning) 104

Teacher is an advisor (It belongs to the Community Language Learning) Repetition Drills. ( The Audio Lingual Method) Encouragement of cooperative learning among students. ( It is related to the Whole Language Approach) Complete the dialogues.( Audio Lingual Method ) Lets complete the song and singing it. ( It belongs to the Psycho – Cultural Approach) Learning through History. (It is related to the Psycho –Cultural Approach) The teacher uses the commands to the direct behavior. (It belongs to the Total Physical Response Method) It increases the relationship between students and teacher.( Community Language Learning) Repetition Drill (It belongs to the Audio Lingual Method) Grammar Games (It is related to the Audio Lingual Method) Action sequence (It belongs to the Total Physical Response Method) Language games ( The Communicative Approach) All the above can be said to be the teacher methodology in the observed reality. Since what has been registered in this part, it is what is being put in practice in the school. Basically, applying different methodologies in order to perform an excellent teaching learning process.

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10. DEVELOPMENT AND THEORETICAL DEFINITION (AFTER

CONSTRASTING THE AUTHOR’S ONE) The research project deals with different terms which have been encountered through the development of this part.

Malla curricular: “it is also known as study plan, where the subjects are organized all together, as it has been done traditionally. This study plan is for the third year of high school students, accounting option”26.

Observation: “the use of the senses to perceive something or a phenomenon that goes around people who are the interest of the researchers”27.

That means the process or watching someone or something carefully, in order to find something out.

According to the Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary

observation: “is defined as an act of usually measuring, noting, and recording facts or occurrences”.28 Organize : to put things into a sensible order or into a system in which all parts work well together29. That is to say to make a group for a specific purpose.

According to the Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary organize, “means to arrange by systematic planning and united effort”30.

26

Ministerio de Educación Colección Trabajar y aprender – primer año asistencia administrativa – guia introductoria , El salvador 2001 p. 14.

27 Tamayo- Tamayo Mario Diccionario de la investigación científica, segunda edición, 2006 México, p. 106.

28 Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary copyright Merriam Webster incorporated, 2004 Springfield Massachusetts U.S.A. p 660.

29 Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learners of American English, Macmillan Publishers limited, printed in China, United Kingdom 2002, p. 960 30 idem

106

Execution: “it is the period of time in which the activities of a research project are carried out”31. That is to say, the performance or carrying out, such as of a contract or order. According to the Macmillan English Dictionary execution, “is the act of performing a difficult action or movement”32 Description: “a stage of a scientific research which consists on registering the facts of the experiment of such observation through specific system accepted by the science”33. Description, that means the act of describing something detail by detail in an order way.

Analysis: “is an observation of an object in its characteristics, taking a part their

components

and

identifying

their

particular

dynamics,

also

the

34

correspondence relation that have in common” . Analysis “it refers to the process of studying or examining something in detail in order to understand it or explain it”35.

Survey: “it is an instrument of observation formed by a series of formulated questions where the answers are written by the researcher36”.

According to the

Macmillan English Dictionary a survey refers to “a set of questions that you ask a large number of people or organizations”37.

31

Tamayo- Tamayo Mario Diccionario de la investigación científica , segunda edición,2006 México, p. 50 32 Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary copyright Merriam Webster incorporated, 2004 Springfield, Massachusetts, U .S.A p, 472 33 M. M Rosental, P. F Iudin, Diccionario de filosofía, Volumen 1 1968 Mexico. p .115.

34 Tamayo- Tamayo Mario Diccionario de la investigación científica , segunda edición, México, 2006 p. 15.

35 , Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learners of American English, Macmillan Publishers limited, printed in China, United Kingdom, 2002 p. 43 36 Tamayo- Tamayo Mario Diccionario de la investigación científica , segunda edición, 2006 México, p. 51.

37 Idem

107

Development:

that is to say the process of creating a new product or

method. According to the Macmillan English Dictionary development “is the act, process, or result of developing”38 Dynamic: “a branch of mechanics that deals with the motion of bodies and the action of forces in producing or changing their motion”39. Dynamic that is to say the set of forces that exist in a situation especially a relationship, and affect how it changes or develops.

Planning: “the process of deciding how you will do something before you do it

40

”. Planning that is to say to form a plan for a particular activity, a process

which must be followed to achieve a concrete goal in a estimated time.

Evaluate. “To think carefully about something before making a judgment about its value, importance, or quality”.41 Evaluate, that means to determine the value or condition of usually by careful study.

Interview: “a meeting in which someone asks another person, especially a famous person questions about themselves, their work, or their ideas”.42 Interview: that means it is a meeting at which information is obtained from a person.

38

Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learners of America English, printed and bound in China first published 2002, p.373

39

Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary copyright Merriam Webster incorporated, 2004 Springfield Massachusetts U.S.A, p 296 40

Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learners of American English, Macmillan Publishers limited, printed in China, United Kingdom 2002 p.1059.

41

Idem, p. 464

42

Idem ,p. 742

108

Information: “knowledge or facts about someone or something”43.

Information, knowledge obtained from investigation, study or instruction.

Limitation: “a disadvantage or week point that makes someone or something less effective”44. It refers to a restriction in amount or extent.

43

Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learners of American English, Macmillan Publishers limited, printed in China, United Kingdom 2002, p.1059 44

Idem, p, 817

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CHAPTER III OPERATIVE FRAMEWORK 11. DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH SUBJECTS The research subjects for this study are in the section 3 - 5 for third year of high school students, accounting option major at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. The section 3 – 5 is composed by 45 students. This class meets on Wednesdays. The teacher in charge of this section is Vilma González who develops the English classes taking into consideration the environment lived in the classroom, the didactic materials, limitations, and the English students, with the main purpose of obtaining an excellent teaching learning process.

The English

teacher provided to the investigators the students’ corresponding grades in which they are going to classify the English students who have the highest and lowest grades in the English subject. These results are going to be represented in a single graphic.

FIRST SEMESTER 0%

LOWEST GRADES 64%

HIGHEST GRADES 36%

HIGHEST GRADES LOWEST GRADES

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Like it is mentioned in the pages 102, 103… the English teacher used these characteristics and techniques the most. In addition to this, according to the results gotten from the checklist

about the teaching learning process, it can be

determined that the Grammar Translation and the Audio Lingual Methods are the most used methods by the teacher because they have almost the same average of use.

Characteristic The teacher shows concrete/ abstract objects rather than translating into the student’s mother tongue.

The teacher explains grammar inductively.

She provides to the students vocabulary through dialogues.

The teacher makes his own way in the domain of English The teacher promotes the communication among students It increases the relationship between students and teacher.

The teacher does interactive activities to learn the language.

Funny activities to learn the language.

It makes use of daily routine dialogues.

The teacher makes use of commands and orders.

Techniques The teacher reads aloud the dialogues.

Translation of a literary passage.

Reading comprehension question.

The teacher makes questions and answers as exercises among students.

Role Play.

The teacher gives dialogues to the students for them to practice it and memorize it.

Classroom set – up.

It promotes to work in groups Teacher is an advisor Repetition Drills.

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Encouragement of cooperative learning among students.

Complete the dialogues.

Lets complete the song and singing it.

Learning through History.

The teacher uses the commands to the direct behavior.

11.1 PROCEDURE FOR THE RECOPILATION OF THE DATA. In order to gather this information, two checklists were used to collect the specific information about the teaching methodologies that the English teacher used at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. The first one, which is for the methodological process of the English language developed by the teacher, allowed the researchers to identify which methodologies were more often used by the teacher. Likewise, the researchers were able to notice which teaching methodologies resulted more effective for the teacher. According to the first survey it can be determined that the Grammar Translation and the Audio Lingual Method are the most used methods by the teacher because they have almost the same average of use. Also, the teacher makes use of the remaining teaching methods but with less frequency than the previous two methods mentioned above. The second one, which is a 6 question check list for the students´ observations towards the methodologies used by the teacher in her classes, let the investigators know the preferences that the English students feel toward the teaching methodologies.

According to the second survey the methodologies students like the most are: Suggestopedia, The Total Physical Response Method, The Psycho Cultural Approach, and The Audio – Lingual.

The English teacher started to develop the English teaching methodologies on June 3rd, 2009. Basically, she started with the Grammar Translation Method. On June the 10th, it was developed the Direct Method. On June the 12th, it was developed the Audio - Lingual Method. On June the 17th, it was carried out the Silent Way method; and on June the 24th, it was developed the Suggestopedia. On 112

July the 1st, it was utilized the Community Language Learning Approach; and on July the 7th , it was used the Total Physical Response Method. On July the 10th, it was developed the Communicative Approach; and developed the Psycho –Cultural Approach.

on July the15th, it was

Finally, on July the 22nd, it was

developed the Whole Language Approach, being this the last methodology taught.

After the application of every methodology, the researchers administered a survey to discover which were the best ones´, the students filled out the survey showing

their

preferences

toward

each

methodology,

as

well

as,

the

methodologies they felt very uncomfortable with the methods which obtained better results are: the Grammar Translation Method, the Audio - Lingual Method, Suggestopedia, the Total physical Response and the Psycho –Cultural Approach.

Therefore, it can be said, that the remaining teaching methods did not obtain the satisfactory result in this Salvadorean student society.

11.2 SPECIFICATION OF THE TECHNIQUE FOR THE ANALYSIS OF

THE DATA. In order to carry out this study, it can be said that two specific techniques were put into practice. One of them is the descriptive, and the other one is the analytic. This investigation is descriptive because the researchers registered that each single activity that was being developed by the teacher and the students.

Moreover, it has been written a record in this research project about of what has been encountered in the research field. Thereby, other researchers can realize through this research paper about the reality that is happening in this institution or in similar ones. The investigators can determine this research is analytic because after they have tabulated the results obtained in such project, an analysis can be done, and it can be determined which of these methodologies are more effective for the students. Also, it can be classified the teaching methodologies which students like the most. Likewise, it can be done a methodological proposal to the 113

English teacher, so she can make use of the methods which have provided better results in the teaching - learning process

Considerations In summary, the researchers can recommend the following teaching methodologies which are: Suggestopedia, The Total Physical Response Method, The Psycho Cultural Approach, and The Audio - Lingual Method to the English teacher at I.N.W.T.D. in Third Year, high school students. According to the survey´s results, the English students liked these methodologies the most, because of the activities, techniques and didactic materials the English teacher used. Moreover, the investigators can suggest the methodologies in which, it was obtained better results in the teaching learning process. These methodologies are: The Grammar Translation Method, the Audio - Lingual Method, The Total Physical Response, and the Community Language Learning. That is why, it is suggested to the English teacher of this institution to make use of such methodologies mentioned before.

11.3 CHRONOGRAM

In this section is presented the chronogram, which contains the accurate time in which the activities of this research paper were carried out. In addition, it was registered the activities developed during such study. Thus, it comprises the meetings in which the advisor addressed the researchers to perform their project.

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Dirección de Investigación Científica y Transferencia Tecnológica

Cronograma de Asesoría de Tesis Especialidad: Asesor ( a)

Inglés Estanley Oviedo Bermudes

Ciclo:

02-2008

Año:

2008

Tema: “Methodologies used by the Teacher during the Teaching- Learning Process of the English Language in the Third Year of High School Students, Accounting Option, at Instituto Walter Thilo Deininger, Cojutepeque, Cuscatlán. From January to June 2009.”

Alumnos: María Yesenia Santos Ortega y Emilio Pastor González López.

Firma de Acuerdo: Asesor (a) ______________________________ Estudiantes: __________________________________ ____________________________________ Fecha: 04 de diciembre de 2008 Actividades : Investigación Documental/ Investigación de Campo

1 1.1 1.2 1.3

1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7

DICIEMBRE ENERO

FEBRERO MARZO

ABRIL

MAYO

JUNIO

JULIO

AGOSTO

SEPTIEMRE OCTUBRE

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Investigación Documental.

Selección de biografía a utilizar Lectura y selección de citas bibliográficas Fichas bibliográficas y de resumen (fichas elaboradas en SI y actualizadas Fichas de conceptos /y categorías Introducción Antecedentes del problema Justificación

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Actividades : Investigación Documental/ Investigación de Campo

1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

DICIEMBRE ENERO

FEBRERO MARZO

ABRIL

MAYO

JUNIO

JULIO

AGOSTO

SEPTIEMRE OCTUBRE

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Planteamiento del problema Alcances y limitaciones Recuento de conceptos y categorías a utilizar Redacción de primer avance Entrega de primer avance Corrección de observaciones Entrega de primer avance corregido Reunión con asesor Investigación de campo Fundamentación teórica metodológica Construcción del marco empírico Observación de campo Planificación de instrumento Aplicación de Instrumento

116

Actividades : Investigación Documental/ Investigación de Campo

2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 3 3.1 3.2

DICIEMBRE ENERO

FEBRERO MARZO

ABRIL

MAYO

JUNIO

JULIO

AGOSTO

SEPTIEMRE OCTUBRE

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Procesamiento de la información Análisis de la información Elaboración de informe Formulación teórica metodológica de lo investigado Desarrollo y definición teórica Redacción segundo avance Entrega de segundo avance Corrección de observaciones Entrega de segundo avance corregido Reunión con asesor Marco Operativo Descripción de los sujetos de la investigación Preparación instrumentos de recopilación de datos

117

Actividades : Investigación Documental/ Investigación de Campo

3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11

DICIEMBRE ENERO

FEBRERO MARZO

ABRIL

MAYO

JUNIO

JULIO

AGOSTO

SEPTIEMRE OCTUBRE

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Análisis de datos Cronograma Recursos Preparación informe final Redacción informe final Entrega informe final Corrección de observaciones Entrega informe final corregido Reunión con asesor.

Nota: 1) En la Investigación Documental: el cronograma deberá incluir con precisión todas las reuniones, revisiones, orientaciones teórico-metodológicas realizadas, etc 2) En la Investigación de Campo: el cronograma deberá incluir con precisión las visitas de campo realizadas en todas sus formas: observación, diseño y aplicación de instrumentos, etc.

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11.4 HUMAN AND LINGUISTIC RESOURCES APPLIED TO CARRY OUT THE RESEARCH PROJECT. To develop this research paper, the researchers previously took the subject called Seminario de Graduación in which a project was done, and it would give a theoretical basis for such research. Once the researchers approved the subject, it was understood, they would be capable to begin their research paper. In the first step, the researchers received a letter in which was approved the topic of the research, and also had the names of the judges and the name of the advisor as well. As soon as the researchers received the letter, they looked for the person who had been assigned to be their advisor and make a deal to start to work in the research project.

Likewise, the researchers received a letter coming from Direction of the Scientific Investigation from Universidad Pedagógica de El Salvador to be presented in the research field where it would be pretended to carry out such research project at Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. This letter was presented to the principal of this institution. By talking to the principal, he agreed that the researchers could carry out their research project over there, and also the principal introduced two English teachers to the researchers. After analyzing the teacher’s profiles, the researchers decided to do their research project with Vilma Elizabeth Gonzalez, who is the English teacher of the third year of accounting option section 3-5.

Once, it was confirmed where, and to whom such research would be carried out, the researchers started to look for the information in the library of Universidad Pedagógica del El Salvador (UNPES), Universidad de El Salvador (UES), and also the researchers visited the library of the Ministry of Education (MINED). Moreover, the researchers did interviews to some people who have knowledge in the methodological area in which the researchers can mention: Profa. Vilma Elizabeth Gonzalez, Lic. Augusto Cornejo, and Lic. Nestor Walter Rivera Clavel. Once, the 119

first draft was all the way done, it was presented to the academic administration of (UNPES) to have the first presentation on February 27th, 2009.

In order to continue with the study, the researchers started with the second draft, in which the teacher was trained by them, so that she would be able to teach the English classes with a particular method. Therefore in here, the investigators finished with the second draft, which was pretended to be defended on August 21st, 2009. Once the second draft is approved, they incorporated the recommendations, and they started to work in the third draft.

In the third draft, the checklists and the quizzes results were tabulated the information gathered from the observation to the English teacher, and also the students’ opinions and the grades obtained from the quizzes about the teaching methodologies. Indeed, it was done an analysis of each single teaching method.

Therefore, the whole thesis is going to be presented in the academic administration of the university to be able to carry out the third and last presentation.

11.5 PRELIMINARY INDEX ABOUT THE FINAL REPORT. By making an analysis of all the aspects that have been included in this research paper, one of the most relevant is the Conceptual Framework. In it, it is described the Introduction which comprises a brief description about the research paper. Also, it is described the general objective planned by the researchers as well as three specific objectives in which are planned the main goals that are pretended to be achieved in such research project. Moreover, it is found the Background in which it is described the historical events in regards to the English teaching methodologies. Likewise, the implementation of the English as a foreign language, the trainings the MINED has developed in the English area as well as the English programs created by them. Besides, it can be found the Justification in which it is described the importance, the necessity and the contribution that would give this research project to the English teaching methodologies. Also, in the 120

Conceptual Framework, it is found the statement of the problem in which is planned the empirical situations that allowed the researchers to shorten such research paper to its main issue. In addition to this, it is presented the Findings and Limitations which comprise the different author’s view points about the methodologies. Likewise, it is found the definition of Concepts and Categories, which consists on a guideline of definitions applied during this research project.

Basically, this allowed establishing relation with the study object which facilitates the creation of definitions with the theoretical elements.

In the Theoretical Framework, it is figured out the theoretical basis. These essentially are composed by all the theory related with the English teaching methodologies. This theory has been created from what has been encountered in the research field. Moreover, it is found the Empirical Framework in which it is described the method, techniques, and instruments to gather the information.

Besides this, it is figured out the Theoretical Methodological Formulation of this Research, in which it is described the components and elements found in this project and new theory is formulated by contrasting them with the different author’s view points. Besides, it is found the Development and Theoretical Definition (After Contrasting the Author’s one) in which there is a description of the terms that have been figured out during this research project.

In the Operational Framework it is found the description of the study subjects. In this section, it has been described what has been observed and found in the research field. Also, it is figured out the Procedures for the Recopilation of Data. Besides this, the researchers found specification of the techniques for the analysis data, that is to say, it describes the research techniques which are: Descriptive and Analytic. In addition, it is presented the ways and mechanisms for the datum analysis. Then, it is found the Chronogram, in which it is described all the activities that were carried out in the research. Indeed, it is encountered the resource section in which it is described all the questions done to develop such study. Also, it is found the Preliminary Index about the Final Report that essentially 121

consists on a brief description of all the elements that compose this research.

Finally, it is found the General Bibliography used. Practically, this section is composed by all those texts and documents consulted in the process of this research project, which contain theoretical elements that will contribute to this research project.

To summarize, this research study comprises the necessary elements in regards to the teaching learning methodologies, so that the English teacher can make use of them and be able to guide by herself. Moreover, the English teacher will contribute with an outstanding teaching learning process, which is focussed in the students, so they can be able to face up the actual society different demands.

Likewise, the present research could achieve the planned goals, most likely obtaining excellent results towards the learning of the English subject and the different ways to teach it.

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12. BIBLIOGRAPHY Alas Rivas Cesar Oswaldo, Martínez Hernández Ana Isabel Pacheco Luna Emilio Antonio. Basic skills evaluated in the TOEFL Test in the English Teaching. Tesis para optar al grado de Lic. en Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad Pedagógica de El Salvador, San Salvador , El Salvador, 2007.

Barriga Arceo Frida Díaz Hernández, Rojas Gerardo Pedagogic Strategies for a significant Learning, Mexico, 1998, Freeman Donald, Cornwell Steve Whole language for second language learners, Einemann educational books ,U.S.A,1992.

Freeman Ivonnes , Freeman David E .New ways in the teacher education, pantagraph printing, U.S.A, 1993.

Folleto elaborado por la Universidad General Gerardo Barrios, “Capacitación a docentes de Educación Básica sobre Metodologías Didácticas”. 2002.

Garcés- Rodríguez, Izabella Hearn y Antonio. Didáctica del idioma ingles para primaria Pearson Education , Madrid , 2003.

Ginsburg Herbert, Piaget y la Teoría del desarrollo Intelectual, Coernell University, México, 1977.

Larsen-Freeman, Diane. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford University press, 1986.

Macmillan, Macmillan English Dictionary, united kingdom , 2006.

M. M Rosental, P. F Iudin, Diccionario de filosofía, Volumen 1 1968.

Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learners of America English, printed and bound in China First published 2002 Richards Jack C and Rodgers Theodore S. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, Cambridge University press 2001 Tamayo- Tamayo Mario Diccionario de la investigación Científica, segunda edición, México, 2006.

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