Reshaping the English Language Classroom

Cinthia Bravo RiveraMA in TESOL

Teacher of EnglishEnglish – Spanish Translator

Universidad Andrés Bello-Concepción

Summary• Introduction

Context• Reseach Description: Methodology• Results and Discussion• Conclusions

Context• 2 districs• Public technical high schools• Enrollment: Low-income families• Previous study: Students do not

master English at required level• 48% employers: essential skill (British

Council. 2015)• 82% non-learners consider that

learn English would improve their employment prospects (British Council. 2015)

Finish High School

Demonstrate English Skills

Better job prospects

Better academic

opportunities

Standardized Test

(influence)

Objective

Problem Statement

National Curriculum

40% 10%

40%

10%

Comun

icativ

e

Appro

ach

Classroom teaching approaches: subject +verb+complement

Real life experiences = Meaningful learning experinces

Canale and Swain (1980): Test the ability to use language in a communicative situation

CONES (2012): Continuous analysis of educational process: environmental factors

Emphasis on assessment: school preassure (Elacqua &Alves, 2014)

Teacher expectations: narrow the curriculum (Page, Widdowson)Shift from a focus on the students’ needs to the needs of schools evaluation and accountability (Polesel, Dulfer & Tunbull, 2012)Parents support and opinions: SIMCE and PSU

English: factor of social mobility/ Standardized test: socio-cultural disadvantage

Standardized Test: reproduces social segmentation, avoid social mobility

English: tool of social control / Standardized Test: Filter among social classes

Methodology• Mixed-method approach• Qualitative data : semi structured interviews to school

teachers• Quantitative evidence: the surveys applied to students

Sampling and Sample Procedure68 12th graders took SIMCE Test the year beforeTechnical schools in both districsMon-probability, purposive and convenience SampleSimple random sample

4 teachers working with 11th gradersSemi-structured interviewnon-probability, convenience and purposive sample.

Data Collection and Analysis Procedures

Students• Mixed Survey• 32 statements: Likert

Scale• 5 open questions• Survey Analysis

Teachers• Semi-structured

interview• 31 questions• 35 to 45 minutes.• Content Analysis

Test

Tru

stw

orth

ines

s

Structure

ContentsA

ffect

ive

Fact

ors

Linguistic

Social

Cultural

Data Collection and Analysis Procedures

1. SIMCE English Test Trustworthiness: It analyzes structural and content factors and how those factors might influence students’ answers affecting final results of the test.

2. Affective Factors influencing SIMCE English Test results: It is characterized by students’ opportunities to learn and practice the language under different circumstances. These may define some strategic points to be considered in teachers planning.

Results and Discussion

Simce English Test

• The lack of exposure to the language.

• Feel afraid of making mistakes

• English lessons distance.

• Does not respect their context.

• Not enough to make decisions

English Language

• Socially accepted as a passport to new and better prospects and better salaries.

• Agent in social mobility.

• Difficulties to get closer to the language and to the culture it represents.

• Teachers avoid the production of the language: due to time constrains and the number of students in a classroom.

• Teacher-centered methodology.

Simce English Test English Language

• Importance of feedback

• English lessons are mostly associated to grammar and vocabulary and few times to receptive skills.

• Symbolize for students the stratification and discrimination. Tested under parameters they cannot achieve, evaluated in skills that they feel they are not taught.

• Do not feel confident in their own capacities, quality of education they receive and the expectations they feel their teachers have on them.

• Environment outside school does not provide real opportunities for them to realize how relevant English may be in their future activities.

• There is not space for English related activities.

• English is not a priority among parents.

Conclusion

Although English is socially accepted as a mean for international communication and it is translated as better

opportunities for students’ future job and educational prospects, national standardized evaluation does not

represent what students learn at school and the relation of that learning with the knowledge they need to acquire and the

abilities they need to develop to make use of English as the key that really opens doors to social mobility.

Broaden students’ view of the world

Enhance their critical thinking skills and cultural awareness

Citizens that are able to learn from other cultures and value

their own

Future generations that actively

participate in society

Students with authentic personal

opinion, able to think by themselves

Make them understand that

curiosity and mistakes are part of every learning process

Citizens able to build a proactive, respectful and fearless society

People that value the power of

communication

Further Discussion