Lexical approach and speaking skills

Abstract

The research titled Lexical Approach and Speaking Skills emerged from the pedagogical need to strengthen oral production through lexical awareness and the use of formulaic sequences that support fluency and communicative performance in basic users. The study examined the relationship between the Lexical Approach and speaking proficiency by analyzing: pronunciation, sociolinguistic competence, grammatical accuracy, fluency, vocabulary, coherence, interactive communication, accuracy, initiating and responding, and cohesion. A mixed-methods design integrating quantitative and qualitative procedures was employed. The population consisted of twenty A2-level learners from the Centro de Idiomas of the Universidad Técnica de Ambato, who completed a pre-test and post-test aligned with the Cambridge KEY speaking format and assessed with an official rubric. The instructional intervention implemented ESA-based lesson plans. Statistical analysis, conducted through descriptive indicators and a paired-samples t-test, revealed a significant increase from 6.50 (43%) to 9.45 (63%), demonstrating a 20-point improvement and consistent gains across all subskills, particularly in vocabulary, sociolinguistic competence, fluency, and accuracy. These results validated the hypothesis that the Lexical Approach significantly improves speaking skills, confirming that the instructional treatment exerted a measurable and meaningful effect on learners’ communicative development. Consequently, the study establishes that lexical-based instruction constitutes an effective pedagogical methodology for strengthening speaking proficiency at early proficiency levels.