Published

2003-01-01

From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills

De las destrezas hacia las debilidades: guiando a los estudiantes a través del desarrollo de sus habilidades orales

Keywords:

Second language acquisition, English language teaching, adult learners, oral communication (en)
Adquisición de una segunda lengua, enseñanza del inglés, estudiantes adultos, comunicación oral (es)

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Authors

This article intends to report on a small research project carried out with a group of adult EFL learners at the National University extension program, in Bogotá. Founded on a needs analysis process, some activities based on students’ strengths were proposed and developed in order to meet the students’ main need: oral skills. The proposal was implemented and evaluated revealing oral portfolios and debates as useful tools in the development of oral proficiency as well as support in students’ self-regulation processes.

El objetivo del presente artículo es dar a conocer un proyecto de investigación a pequeña escala, desarrollado con un grupo de estudiantes adultos de inglés como lengua extranjera en la Unidad de Extensión de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, en Bogotá. A partir de un proceso de análisis de necesidades, se plantearon y desarrollaron algunas actividades basadas en las fortalezas de los estudiantes con miras a suplir la principal necesidad de los estudiantes: las habilidades orales. La implementación y evaluación de la propuesta mostró que los portafolios y los debates son herramientas claves en el desarrollo de la proficiencia así como en el apoyo de los procesos de autorregulación de los estudiantes.

References

Alexander, L.G. (1970) For and Against. London: Longman.

Brown, D. (1995) The Elements of Language Curriculum. Boston: Heinle and Heinle Publishers.

Hadfield, J. (1992). Classroom Dynamics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Malamah-Thomas, A. (1987). Classroom Interaction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

O’Malley, J. & Valdez, L. (1996). Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.

Rodgers, C. (2002). Voices Inside Schools. Seeing Student Learning: Teacher Change and the Role of Reflection. Harvard Educational Review, 72 (2), 230-252.

Tsui, A. (1995). Introducing classroom Interaction. London: Penguin Books.

Willis, J. (1996). A Framework for Task-based Learning. England: Longman.

How to Cite

APA

Ariza Ariza, A. (2003). From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 4(1), 25–38. https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/11227

ACM

[1]
Ariza Ariza, A. 2003. From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development. 4, 1 (Jan. 2003), 25–38.

ACS

(1)
Ariza Ariza, A. From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills. Profile: Issues Teach. Prof. Dev. 2003, 4, 25-38.

ABNT

ARIZA ARIZA, A. From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, [S. l.], v. 4, n. 1, p. 25–38, 2003. Disponível em: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/11227. Acesso em: 25 dec. 2025.

Chicago

Ariza Ariza, Aleida. 2003. “From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills”. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development 4 (1):25-38. https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/11227.

Harvard

Ariza Ariza, A. (2003) “From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills”, Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 4(1), pp. 25–38. Available at: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/11227 (Accessed: 25 December 2025).

IEEE

[1]
A. Ariza Ariza, “From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills”, Profile: Issues Teach. Prof. Dev., vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 25–38, Jan. 2003.

MLA

Ariza Ariza, A. “From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills”. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, vol. 4, no. 1, Jan. 2003, pp. 25-38, https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/11227.

Turabian

Ariza Ariza, Aleida. “From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills”. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development 4, no. 1 (January 1, 2003): 25–38. Accessed December 25, 2025. https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/11227.

Vancouver

1.
Ariza Ariza A. From Strengths to Weaknesses: Guiding Students in Their Development of Oral Skills. Profile: Issues Teach. Prof. Dev. [Internet]. 2003 Jan. 1 [cited 2025 Dec. 25];4(1):25-38. Available from: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/article/view/11227

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Copyright (c) 2003 Aleida Ariza Ariza

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