HACIA UNA MEJORA DE LAS DESTREZAS COMUNICATIVAS ORALES EN LA CLASE DE E/LE MEDIANTE EL USO DE FUENTES LITERARIAS Y ARTÍSTICAS
Teresa Paola Valle Larrea / University of Cyprus
ABSTRACT
The oral language is a natural characteristic of human beings that permits them to express themselves, communicate with, and relate to other members of the same language community to which they belong. However, despite its importance, its place in the S/FL class does not have the preponderance of its counterpart, the written language. In addition, according to teachers and students, the oral expression is one of the skills that represent major difficulties for foreign language learners due to various reasons. Paradoxically, the oral production and the verbal communication skills constitute highly relevant measurement parameters when assessing oral proficiency in a target language. Therefore, the promotion and development of oral expression skills are vital for foreign language students to become “active speakers”. This goal can be reached through activities based on artistic and literary sources such as poetry, short stories, music, film posters, and the like. The authenticity, dynamism, and versatility of these sources encourage students not only to talk, but also to improve their fluency within a communicative context as close as possible to reality.
KEY WORDS
Oral language, oral expression, oral production, target language, verbal communication skills, artistic and literary sources.