Design and implementation of a didactic sequence to foster oral skills in english as a foreign language intended for 5th grade students at La Buitrera School, José María García de Toledo venue.

Abstract

The use of English has reassured its importance due to globalization. However, learners are not aware how useful it is in our daily lives. Our educational systems develop programs to give English a space in the curricula to let students know about the relevance of English not only to get a better job, travel or leave the country, but to know other cultures, ways of thinking and different perspectives towards the world. The present research paper contains a background review about the teaching of English in Colombia, in public schools and specifically at the elementary stage. Concepts like oral skills, communicative approach and task based learning are the theoretical foundation, and the implementation of a didactic sequence in a language class with 5th grade students of a school located in Cali, Colombia, was designed as a strategy to promote in students the use of English focused on oral skills through the development of activities organized in 3 moments: start, development and closure, which allow students to talk about topics from different subjects matching them with the English requirements in the curriculum. This demonstrated a positive impact on students because they had the opportunity to interact in a learning space outside the traditional classroom and that motivated them to learn in a meaningful and applicable way. We can also highlight a learning for teachers based on their teaching and evaluation strategies in line with current generations and the challenges they must face. This sequence opens the doors to new ones, gives continuity to strategies based on active pedagogy and teachers who are not "specialists" in the area of English can understand and apply this and other sequences in order to promote meaningful learning in students.