Learning strategies and the speaking skill

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the learning strategies that can be used to improve the speaking skill in BGU students at Unidad Educativa Santa Rosa. This was quantitative research with quasi-experimental design. The target population was formed by 191 students from second year of high school with 127 students as its sample who took the survey. 60 students participated in the intervention whose parents signed the informed consent. Data collection techniques were a survey and a pre-test and post-test with their respective questionnaires. The survey was employed to identify the most used learning strategies to enhance the speaking skill whose questions were taken from the Students Inventory Language Learning methodology. It was shared among students through Google forms whose responses were obtained online. In addition, the speaking subskills, were theoretically analyzed. Furthermore, students’ speaking skill at the beginning and at the end of the treatment were assessed. It was the speaking part of the A2 Key for Schools Test from Cambridge. To obtain numerical data, the assessment for speaking skill from Cambridge Assessment was employed which had three main criteria such as grammar and vocabulary, pronunciation, and interactive communication. Main findings from the survey were the most common students’ learning strategies namely cognitive, metacognitive, affective, and social. The pre-test revealed that the students from both the control and the experimental groups have low level of speaking performance. Based on those results, a series of class plans were xii designed with the purpose of enhancing students’ speaking skill by strengthening language learning strategies. The class plans were designed for eight weeks of intervention. After this phase, the students took the post-test. It was concluded that the application of learning strategies is valuable to improve speaking skill. Therefore, it is highly recommended to apply them to support students in their language learning process.