THE USE OF ECRIF FRAMEWORK TO IMPROVE THE SPEAKING SKILLS IN EFL CLASSES FOR 9TH GRADERS OF CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH WORKSHOP AT CTP SANTA LUCIA, 2014

Pamela Cordero Randall Pérez

UNIVERSIDAD MAGISTERFACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN

CARRERA DE ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉSMemoria de Seminario de Graduación para Optar por el Grado

de Licenciatura en la Enseñanza del Inglés

PREFACE

English is of high

national priority in Costa Rica

Students need a second

language to communicat

e

Many students

leave school unable to

speak English

Background of the Problem

This research is focused on investigating ECRIF framework use in EFL class to help improve the

speaking skill in conversational English Workshop.

• JUSTIFICATIONThe purpose of this investigation is to determine the effectiveness in the use of strategies by using ECRIF framework to improve the speaking skills in a lesson.

• PROBLEM STATEMENT

How can ECRIF framework help improving English speaking competences to the 9th Graders students of

the Conversational English Workshop at CTP Santa Lucia?

GENERAL OBJECTIVE 

To demonstrate the effectiveness of ECRIF framework to improve the English level of the 9th Graders in the

Conversational English Workshop at CTP Santa Lucía

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES • To use ECRIF Framework to develop the knowledge of

English.

• To improve the use of English skills by using ECRIF.

• To propose techniques using ECRIF framework to increase the effectiveness of the English speaking skills.

• To propose strategies that motivate students to speak in English by using ECRIF.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

• Santa Lucía Technical High School

• Located in Llanos de Santa Lucía, Paraiso in the province of Cartago

• 21,571 inhabitants

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK• From 1869, public education in Costa Rica is free

and mandatory.

• English is in the whole educational cycles.

• Students has to develop the four skills to communicate in English.

ECRIF COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

The focus is on the learning process that students go

through as they work with the target skill.

Encounter

Clarify,

Remember,

Internalize

Fluently

Classroom goals are focused on all of the components of communicative competence.

Goals therefore must intertwine the

organizational aspects of language with the

pragmatic.

METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

• Type of investigation

• Subjects of information

• Sources

• Population

DEFINITION OF VARIABLES

1. Knowledge

2. The use of ECRIF

3. Effectiveness

4. Strategies

1. Knowledge

Graph Nº 6Knowledge about ECRIF framework

Source: Mora and Pérez , July 2014.

RECOMMENDATION• During the process teachers express that they like the

fact that using ECRIF on the planning divides the lesson into different stages, each serving a different purpose within the lesson objective as a whole.

• To be open minded to new techniques in order to improve the way teachers teach English in their classes.

2. The use of ECRIF

GRADES STUDENTS PERCENTAGE

65 O MORE 6 38%64 OR LESS 10 62%

TOTAL 16 100%

CHART Nº 7 SPEAKING DIAGNOSTIC TEST WITH OUT ECRIF

Source: Mora and Perez, March 2014.

RECOMMENDATION• To be dynamic in the classes

• The environment should be attractive for the students. ECRIF facilitates motivation because this framework encourages not only teachers but also students to use the English during the whole class.

• To include different attractive activities that motivate students to use the target language during the class.

3. EFFECTIVENESS

GRADES STUDENTS PERCENTAGE65 O MORE 11 68%64 OR LESS 5 32%

TOTAL 16 100%

CHART Nº 8SPEAKING FIRST TEST WITH ECRIF

Source: Mora and Perez, March 2014.

GRADES STUDENTS PERCENTAGE

65 O MORE 13 81%64 OR LESS 3 19%

TOTAL 16 100%

CHART Nº 9 SPEAKING SECOND TEST WITH ECRIF

Source: Mora and Perez, March 2014.

RECOMMENDATION• Students respond in a positive way to the new

techniques.

• To use ECRIF Framework as part and support of the plan.

• To understand ECRIF Framework in order to have a clearer and more detailed understanding of students ‘learning process.

4. STRATEGIES• Students were not participating, they look afraid to do

it.

• The proposed activities were not having any effect in the students.

• Teachers plan their lesson by following a framework, they generally use the approaches suggested by MEP.

4. STRATEGIES

ANSWER TEACHER PERCENTAGEWarm up, presentation, practice and

production 6 60%pre activity, while activity, post activity 1 10%

Warm up, presentation, practice and consolidation 2 20%

Warm up, presentation, practice and consolidation, production 1 10%

TOTAL 10 100%

CHART Nº 3FRAMEWORK FOR PLANNING

Source: Mora and Perez, March 2014.

RECOMMENDATION

To use strategies to integrate ECRIF framework as part of the lesson planning as follows:

STAGE TEACHER ACTIVITIES

ENCOUNTER

Teachers have to provide a clear context, and give students the opportunity to talk about a topic.

• Brainstorming• Answering

questions• Describing

pictures• gap fill activities

CLARIFYTeachers will find out what students already know

• Matching exercises

• Discussions, debates

• Sorting words and sentences

REMEMBERTeachers should pay close attention to problems student may have and give them specific feedback.

• Recognition activities

• Bingos • Pointing to

pictures• Matching

questions with answers

STAGE TEACHER ACTIVITIES

INTERNALIZE

Teachers have to allow students to write and ask questions to get ideas and recall experiences

• Correcting sentences

• Making stories• Putting words in

order

FLUENTY USE

teachers encourage students to ask more questions and give them enough time to get ideas, in order to use the language as much as possible. In this stage teachers should provide a good model of the activity to do, and a clear communicative task to motivate students

• Retelling stories• Role plays• Discussing

questions• Conversations in

which students convince or request their partners.

WORKSHOPNAME: 

HOW TO USE ECRIF FRAMEWORK?TYPE OF COURSE:  

Theory-PracticalLENGTH: 

3 daysTARGET POPULATION:  

English teachers from secondary schools