Analysis of the Teaching Practices at a Colombian Foreign Language Institute and Their Effects on Students' Communicative Competence

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Published: Apr 21, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.19183/how.22.1.133
Keywords:
Communicative activities, communicative competence, English as a foreign language, pre-communicative activities, teaching practices

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María Fernanda Jaime Osorio
Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva
Edgar Alirio Insuasty
Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva

Abstract

This research report is an account of a study carried out at the Foreign Language Institute of a Colombian public university. Its main purposes were to analyze the teaching practices the participating teachers used in their English lessons, and to assess the effects of these practices on the development of students' communicative competence. A qualitative-descriptive methodology was followed by means of lesson observations and semi-structured interviews. A quantitative data analysis of test results was also undertaken to measure the development of students' communicative competence. Pre-communicative teaching practices were found to be more frequent than communicative ones. Likewise, certain aspects of the students' organizational and pragmatic competences were also enhanced.

Article Details

How to Cite
Jaime Osorio, M. F., & Insuasty, E. A. (2015). Analysis of the Teaching Practices at a Colombian Foreign Language Institute and Their Effects on Students’ Communicative Competence. HOW, 22(1), 45–64. https://doi.org/10.19183/how.22.1.133
Issue
Vol. 22 No. 1: (April/September 2015)
Section
Reports on Pedagogical Experiences

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Author Biographies

María Fernanda Jaime Osorio, Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva

María Fernanda Jaime Osorio holds a Master in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from Universidad Iberoamericana. She is the coordinator of the research group ILESEARCH and is currently working as a part-time teacher at Universidad Surcolombiana.

Edgar Alirio Insuasty, Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva

Edgar Alirio Insuasty holds a Master in English Didactics from Universidad de Caldas (Colombia). He is an associate professor at Universidad Surcolombiana and is currently the coordinator of ILEUSCO. He is also an active member of the research groups ILESEARCH and COMUNIQUÉMONOS.
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