NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF NICARAGUA

UNAN-LEON
FACULTY OF EDUCATION SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES
ENGLISH MAJOR SATURDAY

Research protocol

Factors affecting English speaking skill on students of seventh grade "A"

of Lirio de los Valles High school from August to December 2019.

By: Eduardo Cerda

 Factors affecting English speaking skill on students of seventh grade "A"
of Lirio de los Valles High school from August to December 2019.

Indice
Abstract................................................................................................................................... 3
I. Introduction......................................................................................................................... 5
II. Problem statement.............................................................................................................. 6
 2.1 Justification..................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Research Questions.......................................................................................................... 6
2.3 Objectives....................................................................................................................... 6
2.4 General objective............................................................................................................. 6
III. Theoretical framework......................................................................................................7
3.2 Speaking concept............................................................................................................. 7
3.3 Speaking skills concept.....................................................................................................8
3.4 Factors that affect to students into speaking skill area...........................................................8
3.5 Pronunciation.................................................................................................................. 8
3.6 Listening skill.................................................................................................................. 9
3.7 Vocabulary...................................................................................................................... 9
3.8 Motivation...................................................................................................................... 9
3.9 Mother tongue............................................................................................................... 10
3.10 Techniques for development speaking skills....................................................................10
IV. Methodology..................................................................................................................... 1
4.1 Type of study:................................................................................................................. 1
4.2 Variables:........................................................................................................................ 1
V. Analysis and discussion.......................................................................................................2
5.1 Results............................................................................................................................ 2
5.2 The data of observation guide............................................................................................2
5.3 Survey student processing.................................................................................................4
5.4 Data of a teacher´s interview.............................................................................................5
5.5. Variables operationalization.................................................................................................6
VI. Conclusion........................................................................................................................ 8
VII. Chronogram.................................................................................................................... 9
VIII. Budget.......................................................................................................................... 10
IX. Bibliography................................................................................................................... 11
X. Appendices....................................................................................................................... 12

Abstract
I. Introduction
This research is based on information collected, about difficulties that students face when put

in practice their speaking skills and what is causing that student fails when speaks English in

classroom and speaking English in general, this research show some problems

II. Problem statement

Factors affecting English speaking skill on students of seventh grade "A" of Lirio de los
Valles high school from August to December 2019.

The aim of this research is to determine the different factors that may affect the learning
development of the speaking skills in students of seventh grade “A” of Lirio de los Valles
High School.

There are many factors which are affecting students speaking skills, such as lack of proper
vocabulary, mispronunciation, correct use of grammar, etc.

This research will take place in seven grade “A” at Lirio de los Valles High School at León
city. With a group of students between twelve to fourteen years old. The universe of this
research will be 20 students with a sampling of 15 students.

The time for this research is from august to december 2019.

2.1 Justification
The information of this paper is about the lack of communicative activities in order to
develop speaking skill in students of Lirio de los Valles high school at Leon city.

2.2 Research Questions

What are the factors that affect the speaking skill of student in seventh grade?

What techniques does the teacher implement to develop the speaking skills?

2.3 Objectives

2.4 General objective

To analyze the factors that affect English speaking skill development on students of seventh

grade” A” of Lirio de los Valles high school.

III. Theoretical framework

3.1 Background
The research is going to be carry out with the students of seven grade “A” of Lirio de los

Valles High School that receive English as foreign language. English is a subject taught in

public secondary schools of Nicaragua as a part of curriculum of ministry of education.

Moreover, students have difficulties once they come into secondary, have a lot of difficulties

in learning speaking skills process and when they go to the universities have some

deficiencies affecting the communicative skills of the students. On the other hand, we don´t

know why so many students frequently feel there is a lack of speaking skills practice in

schools.

The aim of this research is to determine the different factors that may affect the learning

development speaking skills.

3.2 Speaking concept

Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing and

receiving and processing information (Brown, 1994; Burns & Joyce, 1997). Its form and

meaning are dependent on the context in which it occurs, including the participants

themselves, their collective experiences, the physical environment, and the purposes for

speaking. It is often spontaneous, open-ended, and evolving. Speaking requires that learners

not only know how to produce specific points of language such as grammar, pronunciation,

or vocabulary (linguistic competence), but also that they understand when, why, and in what

ways to produce language (sociolinguistic competence). Finally, speech has its own skills,

structures, and conventions different from written language (Burns & Joyce, 1997; Carter &

McCarthy, 1995; Cohen, 1996). A good speaker synthesizes this array of skills and

knowledge to succeed in a given speech act.

3.3 Speaking skills concept
Speaking skill is well known as an interactive process the which has a construction meaning

that shows producing, receiving and processing information. Speaking skills are the skills that

give us the ability to communicate effectively. These skills allow the speaker, to convey his

message in a passionate, thoughtful, and convincing manner. Speaking skills also help to

assure that one won´t be misunderstood by those who are listening. Speaking is the

productive skill in the oral mode. It, like the other skills, is more complicated than it seems at

first and involves more than just pronouncing words. There are three kinds of speaking

situations in which we find ourselves: interactive, partially interactive, and non-interactive.

3.4 Factors that affect to students into speaking skill area

First, we have the lack of subject matter Second, we can find the improper listening skill.

Also, we can find the lack of proper vocabulary. On the other hand, the lack of the proper

orientation and the anxiety from students, and here there are some of them.

3.5 Pronunciation
Teachers try hard to teach pronunciation as if it was a course in phonetics, and this also tends

to discourage both teachers and students. This makes it negative for students because they

lose motivation and feel stuck and lost about pronunciation itself.

Pronunciation is the ability to says words properly with the correct sounds in the correct

places. To make words sound correctly, it can take very long time to develop the

pronunciation. Then, students have to be in a long process before pronouncing words

correctly as second language speakers. That is why teachers should focus on a target

vocabulary in every lesson in order not to overwhelm students and have them learn the

necessary quantity of words which can be learned and assimilated correctly in this way.
3.6 Listening skill
Listening is probably the least explicit of the four language skills, making it the most difficult

skill to learn. It involves physiological and cognitive processes at different levels (Field,

2002; Lynch, 2002; Rost, 2002)

According to Vandergrift (2002:1) listening is a complex, active process of interpretation in

which listeners match what they hear with what they already know. Then, as seen here in this

theory, listening is a very important skill for a new language learner to practice and manage

in order to obtain and interpret any information and to process an answer.

3.7 Vocabulary
Vocabulary learning is an imperative part of learning foreign language (Schmitt & Carter,

2000). Many researchers indicate that real communication is a result of suitable and adequate

vocabulary learning as compared with learning grammar rules only (Cook, 2013). However,

most EFL students claim that they understand the new vocabulary items during the lecture

but they tend to forget newly learned words after a short period of time. Perhaps this is

because of the lack of the opportunity to use these words in their conversation. (Coady &

Huckin, 1997; McCarthy & O'dell, 2002) recommend the realization for the training of

strategy in EFL classes to boost the process of vocabulary learning for the development of

oral communication in and out of the language classrooms.

3.8 Motivation

Motivation can influence and be influenced by the components of language learning.

According to Merisuo-Storm (2007), an integrative and friendly view towards people whose

language is being learned makes sensitize learners to the audio-lingual aspects of language

and making them more sensitive to pronunciation and accent of language. If learners have
unfriendly attitude towards the language, they will not have any substantial improvement in

acquiring the different features of language.

The fear of speaking English is pertinent to some personality constructs like anxiety,

inhibition, and risk taking. Speaking a language sometimes results in anxiety. Sometimes,

extreme anxiety may lead to despondence and a sense of failure in learners (Bashir, Azeem,

& Dogar 2011). According to Woodrow (2006), anxiety has a negative effect on the oral

performance of English speakers. Adults are very careful to making errors in whatever they

tell. In their opinion, errors show a kind of unawareness which can hinder them to speak

English in front of other people. Speaking anxiety may originate from a classroom condition

with the different abilities of language learners. Learners are divided into two groups: strong

and weak ones. The strong learners often dominate the slow and weak ones. The weak

learners do not usually want to talk in front of the strong ones which leads to their silence

during the whole class activity.

3.9 Mother tongue

The term “mother tongue” harks back to the notion that linguistic skills of a child are honed

by the mother and, therefore, the language spoken by the mother would be the primary

language that the child would learn. The mother tongue, native or first language, is what a

person has learned from birth or within a critical period, where the ability to acquire a

language is biological linked to age, and thus becomes the basis for social identity and

becomes the medium of learning in school and society.

3.10 Techniques for development speaking skills

Teachers adopt different techniques in language classroom. Based on general observations of

teaching and learning process they can be grouped into certain modes. A few modes often

used in the language classroom can be tapped as techniques for developing the oral
communication skills. However, every technique has its moment and its use. Techniques are

the activities implemented during class development. There is a wide variety of techniques

that can be written or spoken such as:

Solo Mode: Self-introductions, one-minute sessions, giving running

commentary, reading newspaper loudly, making/giving presentations, etc.

Interactive Mode: Giving directions, asking questions, role-plays, simulation,

situational dialogues, etc.

Group Mode: Debate, group discussions, etc.

Others:

Storytelling

Interviews

Picture describing

Dramatic monologues

Radio drama
 IV. Methodology

4.1 Type of study:

This research is a descriptive study with a mixed approach because it is based on the qualitative

results and contain quantitative information. Is a combination of theoretical and empiric

methods, it is empiric because there were administered different tools such as surveys, interview

and observation guide to know the phenomenon, and theoretical because the use of these

instruments is going to reveal some information that will be analyzed.

This research is designed to identify the factor that affect English speaking skills on students of

seventh grade “A” of Lirio de los Valles High School from May to July 2019.

The universe is 20 students with a sampling of 15 students that were randomly selected in order

to carry out the survey. The instruments that were used to collect the data included in this

research were: observation guide, survey, and interviews to the teacher.

The survey was made of 10 closed questions in mother tongue. It was administered during 30

minutes. The observation guide was composed by 6 question and was administered during 90

minutes of class; the aim of this observation was to note how the students get involved in

speaking activities and verifying the technique and resources used by the teacher to develop the

speaking skill in the students.

Besides, to get specific information it was administered a teacher is interviewed with 13 open

questions, it was an oral interview because the researcher took note about the teacher´s answer.

4.2 Variables:
The variables studied and measured in this study are: The Speaking Skill which is the dependent

variable, and the factors that affect it, which is the independent variable.
 V. Analysis and discussion
The information presented here has been compiled through the use of the following research

instruments: observation guide, survey to the students and interview to the teacher, in students of

seven grade “A” at the Lirio de los Valles High School Leon during august to december 2019.

5.1 Results
The data presented here comes from an observation guide, a survey applied to 15 students of the

sample, and the teacher´s interview.

5.2 The data of observation guide

During the visits to the school, in the English class, through the observation guides we obtained

the following results:

The teachers always start with a short review of the last topic, then she continues introducing the

new content of the class. The activities of her class are according to the indicators and the subject

to be addresses, her is focused on what is pronunciation because he always writes the vocabulary

on the board and next to his pronunciation, the repeats with them as each word is pronounced.

The teacher makes very good voice in the practice of pronunciation, we can hear that has a clear

pronunciation, good intonation and has her students repeat as many times as necessary, but there

are still some students who have difficulty with pronunciation, due to lack of vocabulary,

mispronunciation, lack of experience with the language or by shyness. However, the teacher tries

to motivate her students, she encourages them to participate and sometimes gives them extra

points.

According to the class observation it was noticed, that she used material as books, real objects

such as clothes, classroom objects (eraser, backpack, rule, whiteboard), and flashcard, but most
of the time she imparts her class use of the board because he teaches many grammar exercises,

and does not perform with her students many dynamic and interactive activities.

The students like and enjoy participating, especially when teacher encourages them., the most of

students feel good when they interact in pairs, the observation give us the opportunity to see

motivation of students when they are participating in speaking activities.

 5.3 Survey student processing

1. Do you think that 2. Is it speaking 3. Does your teacher

speaking English is English difficult for teach you pronunciation?
important nowadays? you?

Yes No Yes No Yes No

13 2 14 1 15 0

4. Is the teacher`s 5. Do you like 6. Do you feel

pronunciation clear? participate in motivated when you
interactive speaking participate in speaking
activities? activities?

Yes No Yes No Yes No

13 2 14 1 13 2

7. Does your English 8. Does your English 9. Does your English

teacher motivate you teacher teach you teacher use material
to participate in vocabulary? when she teaches you
speaking activities? speaking activities?

Yes No Yes No Yes No

11 4 15 0 13 2

10. What kind of material does your teacher use?

Flashcards Pictures Whiteboard Book

2 3 8 2

5.4 Data of a teacher´s interview

1. In the first question apply to the teacher said that the students know about the importance of
speak English, however the teacher tries to motivate her students to speak English because
nowadays English offer them more opportunities for their future.

2. In the second question the teacher answer that most of the students have difficulties in speak
English due to some of them come from elementary school and they have never practiced the
new language and students use the mother tongue most of the time inside of the classroom.

3. In the third question. The teacher said that she tries that all students can practice the
pronunciation, because the teacher always stated the lesson introducing the new vocabulary
when she teaches new vocabulary she writing next to each word the correct pronunciation and
then she practices with them how the word is pronouncing.

4. In the fourth question the teacher said that she always tries to motivate them first explaining
the importance of the English as a second language, and give rewards when they participate and
most of the time she gave them some extra points when they participate and this motivation
permit that the students feel most interest to participate in class.

5. The teacher said that most of the students like to participate into the activities in classroom
especially when she gives them point for participation.

6. In this question the teacher answers that the activities that she uses are: games, dynamics,
short dialogues and sometime role-plays

7. In the seventh questions the teacher answer that students are engaged in the activities but some
of them do not pay attention during the class and this difficult their learning.

8. When we ask to the teacher the kind of resources that she uses to teach English she answers
that uses, flash cards, classroom objects like: eraser, rule, books, but most of the time use the
whiteboard.

9. The kinds of activities that the teacher uses to teach their students are speaking like repetitions,
reading aloud and pair work.

10. When we ask about students´ reaction towards these activities she said that some students
participate in the activities but are students that are do not understand and look shy.

11. Teacher said that the students use constantly the mother tongue during the class and do not

practice English
12. In this question the teacher answers that most of the students only speak in their mother

tongue.

13. The teacher said that do not practice listening activities, but by the use the interactive

activities they practice listening.

 5.5. Variables operationalization
Variable Concept Operation Dimensi indicator Informan Instrume Techniq Ite
al on t nt ue m
Concept

Speaking According Understa Strategie Pronunciati Teacher Observat Repeats 5.2

to (Brown, nd when, s of on and ion guide words
1994; why, and teaching intonation
Burns & in what
Joyce, ways to
1997) produce
Speaking language
is an (socioling
interactive uistic
process of competen
constructi ce).
ng
meaning
that
involves
producing
and
receiving
and
processing
informatio
n.

Mother The term The Influence Speak Teacher Teacher Interview 10

Tongue “mother mother on Spanish in Interview
tongue” tongue speaking English
harks back may class
indicate a
to the
language
notion that
that a
linguistic person is
skills of a a
child are proficient
honed by in as any
 the mother other
and, local
therefore, person
the who
speak the
language
same
spoken by
language
the mother and the
would be language
the is
primary common
language to that
that the communit
child y.
would
learn.

Variable Concept Operational Dimension indicator Informan Instrume Techni Item

Concept t nt que
Motivation Motivation Without Learning Performance Students Survey survey 5.3
can positive to
influence attitudes students
and be towards the
speaking
influenced
performanc
by the
e, the aim
components of speaking
of language will not be
learning. obtainable
According for learners.
to Merisuo-
Storm
(2007), an
integrative
and friendly
view
towards
people
whose
language is
being
 learned
makes
sensitize
learners to
the audio-
lingual
aspects of
language
and making
them more
sensitive to
pronunciati
on and
accent of
language.
Vocabulary Vocabulary Realization Learning Knowledge Teacher Observat Observ 10.1
learning is for the ion guide ation
an training of guide
imperative strategy in
EFL classes
part of
to boost the
learning
process of
foreign vocabulary
language learning for
(Schmitt & the
Carter, developmen
2000). t of oral
Many communicat
researchers ion in and
indicate that out the
real language
classrooms.
communicat
ion is a
result of
suitable and
adequate
vocabulary
learning as
compared
with
learning
grammar
 rules only
(Cook,
2013).

Variable Concept Operational Dimension indicator Informan Instrume Techni Item

Concept t nt que
Listening Listening is The speed Teaching Comprehensi Teacher Teacher Listenin 10.2
probably and Listening on Interview g
the least effectivenes compre
explicit of s at which hension
listeners
the four
carry out
language
these
skills, processes,
making it however,
the most depends on
difficult the degree
skill to to which the
learn. It listener can
involves efficiently
physiologic process
al and what is
heard.
cognitive
processes at
different
levels
(Field,
2002;
Lynch,
2002; Rost,
2002).
Vandergrift
L.
VI. Conclusion
VII. Chronogram
VIII. Budget
 IX. Bibliography

Ahmadi, L.-M. L. (2017). An Analysis of Factors Influencing Learners’ English Speaking Skill.
International Journal of Research in English Education, 2-5.

Amir, H. (2 de Agosto de 2013). Slideshare. Retrieve from

https://es.slideshare.net/zeal_eagle/speaking-skills-24884424

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research: planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative

and qualitative reearch. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Florez, M. C. (Junio de 1999). Eric Digest. Retrieved from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED435204.pdf

Ishtiaq Khan, R. M. (29 de March de 2018). www.researchgate.net. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323842686_The_Role_of_Vocabulary_Knowle
dge_in_Speaking_Development_of_Saudi_EFL_Learners

Vandergrift, L. (2004). listening to learn or learning to listen? Annual review of applied

Linguistics, 1-2.

Vitthal, G. (s.f.). Retrieve from

kangnamjoon.weebly.com/.../techniques_for_developing_speakin..)

Yadav, M. K. (2014). Role of Mother Tongue in Second Language Learning. International

Journal of Research, 2.
X. Appendices
 10.1 Observation Guide

Grade: ______ Date: ________ School: ______

Objective: To note how the students get involved in speaking activities.

1. Is it difficult for students to speak in English?

Yes No

2. Does teacher practices the pronunciation of a new vocabulary?

Yes No

3. Do students pronounce correctly the new vocabulary?

Yes No

4. Are the activities related to the achievement Indicator?

Yes No

5. Do students feel confidence in English speaking activities?

Yes No Sometimes

6.Does the teacher use material to teach English into speaking activities?

Yes No Sometime

7. Do Students practice pronunciation?

Yes No Sometimes

8. Do you feel motivated when you participate in speaking activities?

Yes No

9. Does your English teacher motivate you to participate in speaking activities?

Yes No

10. Does your English teacher teach you vocabulary?

Yes No
 10.2 Teacher’s Interview

Grade: ______School: _______Total of students_____

Date: ______Teacher: _______

Dear teacher,

We are English students of 5th year of English at UNAN-LEON, and we are doing a research

about factors that affect the learning speaking skill in students of seventh grade A, we go to you

to request your attention and help through a personal interview, with the purpose to find possible

solutions to these factors.

1. Do you think that students know about the importance of speaking English?

2. Do you think that speak English is difficult for the students?

3. How do you teach pronunciation?

4. How do you motivate the students to speak English?

5. Do students like to participate in English speaking activities?

6. What kind of activities do you use to practice interactional activities?

7. Do your students engaged in interactive activities?

8. What type of resources do you use to teach speaking skill?

9. What kind of activities do you use to teach speaking?

10. What is your students’ reaction towards these activities?

11. Do students use the mother tongue during interactive activities?

12 Do students use the mother tongue all the time?

13. do you teach listening?

10.3 Survey to the students

Grade: _____

School: _____Date: _____Teacher: ____

Dears,

English students we are students of 5th year of English at UNAN-LEON, and we are doing a

research about factors that affect the learning development of the speaking skill in seventh grade

“A”, and we ask for your help through this interview, with the aim of collecting information for

the application of our data.

Please mark your answer according to your opinion.

1. Do you think that speaking English is important nowadays?

Yes No

2. Is it difficult for you to speak English?

Yes No

3. Does your teacher teach you pronunciation?

Yes No

4. Is the teacher´s pronunciation clear?

Yes No

5. Do you like to participate in interactive speaking activities?

Yes No

6. Do you feel motivated when you participate in speaking activities?

Yes No

7. Does your English teacher motivate you to participate in speaking activities?

Yes No

8. Does your English teacher teach you vocabulary?

 Yes No

9. Does your English teacher use material when she teaches you speaking activities?

Yes No

10. What kind of material does your teacher use?

Flashcards Pictures Whiteboard Books

10.4 Survey students processing

1. Do you think that 2. Is it speaking 3. Does your teacher
speaking English is English difficult for teach you pronunciation?
important nowadays? you?

Yes No Yes No Yes No

4. Is the teacher`s 5. Do you like 6. Do you feel

pronunciation clear? participate in motivated when you
interactive speaking participate in speaking
activities? activities?

Yes No Yes No Yes No

7. Does your English 8. Does your English 9. Does your English

teacher motivate you teacher teach you teacher use material
to participate in vocabulary? when she teaches you
speaking activities? speaking activities?

Yes No Yes No Yes No

10. What kind of material does your teacher use?

Flashcards Pictures Whiteboard Book