Student-centered approach and the speaking skill

Abstract

The Student-Centered Approach aims towards empowering students to create their own learning experience and to provide them with skills to challenge knowledge. The correct implementation of Student-Centered Approach can generate greater motivation to learn, greater retention of knowledge, deeper comprehension and more positive attitudes about language learning. Under this context the current study was developed with the objective of analyzing the Student-Centered Approach and speaking ability. The study was developed underneath a descriptive and correlational methodology that included 22 students of CEBI Educational Unit, who were divided into two groups: one the experimental and the control. The experimental group developed Student-Centered activities for three months and the control continued with curriculum planning. As a data collection instrument, PET (Preliminary English Test) was used, which was applied initially and finally in both groups to prove the students’ progress level. Throughout the development of the research, it was possible to demonstrate that the Student-Centered Approach facilitates the development of speaking skill because the group under experimentation demonstrated greater development of this ability after its application, where the ability to speak and express themselves was developed and improved. It was evident a better pronunciation, coherence, use of grammar, vocabulary and interaction with peers and teacher.