English foreign language. Development of communication skills at a border secondary school

Abstract

The English language is the universal language of technology and science. At a federal secondary school located in the border city of Ojinaga, Chihuahua, which borders the county of Presidio, Texas, there is the challenge of teaching the English language. The problem comes from the lack of social language practices in first grade students, involving teaching research, with the purpose of improving linguistic skills. The socio-critical paradigm is identified through the qualitative approach and the action research method since it is required to improve teaching with innovative strategies; the Kemmis Model is applied with the phases: planning, action, observation and reflection. With the observation technique and the qualitative analytical rubric as an instrument, the performance levels were examined according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, where 84% of the students presented an insufficient level; subsequently, with the consummation of the didactic strategies of speaking with enthusiasm, being on  the lookout, listening and imagining, and writing and learning, there is a significant improvement in learning and, especially, in the appropriation of vocabulary. It is concluded that there is still a substantive gap; however, it is stated that the students obtained an increase in the four linguistic skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, since based on the final effects it is confirmed that the intervention benefited 40% of the students in communication skills and, above all, the active participation of the student was promoted.