Study of factors that affect oral participation in the students of 6th grade at María Auxiliadora School in Sahagún Córdoba.

Abstract

The current research titled “Study of factors that affect oral participation in the students of 6th grade at María Auxiliadora School in Sahagún Córdoba” shows the results, analysis and categories about the different factors perceived by a group of five students as a consequence of oral interaction carried out in the classroom. This study pretends to find out personal and external factors which could influence students´ performance, as well as the types of activities and strategies that could increase or decrease students´negative emotions, to identify the strategies and classroom activities that could ease oral interaction and identify students´ attitudes towards oral interaction. In order to carry out the current research the instruments used were questionnaires, interviews, class observations, teacher´s reflection and comments, students´diaries, recordings and personal tests. Regarding the results, it was evidenced that all type of oral activities such as conversation, reading in public provoke anxiety while group work, games and written exercises relax them. Besides, some personal factors such as self- esteem, risk taking, competitiveness and social anxiety affect students´ performance. In the same way, some external factors were also evidenced, such as beliefs, academic differences, empathy and relationship among students. Negative emotions like avoidance, language anxiety symptoms among others were reflected through the different instruments, as well as the lack of strategies to assume a different attitude.