Oral communication in the English subject: school trajectory narratives of students at a rural normal school

Abstract

English learning consists of achieving four linguistic skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The latter is one of the main motivations for learners to acquire the language, even though mastering this skill within formal schooling can be difficult. This study aims to describe and analyze the narratives of students at the Rural Normal School “Ricardo Flores Magón” regarding their academic trajectories in the English subject, specifically focusing on the oral communication skill. The research positions itself within the constructivist paradigm, utilizing an interpretative approach and a narrative-biographical methodology. It employs in-depth interviews with seven key informants. The analysis categories include the policies teachers implement in English classes regarding the use of students' first language and the strategies that learners employ in oral communication activities. The results emphasize that teachers should consider how they develop this linguistic skill, due to the emotional impact that certain teaching strategies have on students. As a proposal, the need to implement the translanguaging approach is highlighted.