Reading aloud strategy and the speaking skill

Abstract

Speaking is considered difficult to perform and teach in class, but it represents the ability of someone to communicate effectively with others in a real context. That is why teachers must use different strategies to improve their students’ learning in this skill. This investigation study was aimed to know about the reading aloud strategy and its usefulness to improve students’ speaking skills so more educators can use it in class. The participants were 12 students of seventh grade who belonged to Unidad Educativa “UNIKIDS”, all the procedure was done virtually due to the current sanitary situation. This investigation followed a quantitative approach since the numerical information was collected through the application of a pre-test and a post-test with its respective Cambridge rubric taken from the Key English Test. A T-test for proving the hypothesis was necessary, and the results obtained were analyzed using the SPSS software. The average score students got in the pre-test was 9.7, contrary to the 12.7 points reached in the post-test, once they were exposed to the strategy. It denoted the progress of the group in their oral competence, with a change of 1 point in each criterion over the previous scores. In conclusion, the findings showed the effectiveness of the reading aloud strategy to improve learners’ oral skills, it increased students` confidence to speak in class, and provided the opportunity of working with the guidance and nonguidance of the teacher, to build up their knowledge.