Investigation research project

Listening and motivation.

Gudrun Helga Gisladottir 2º MLE online

November 2010

Angela Polo

Contents.

Introduction…………………………………………………….3

Literature Review………………………………………….…..4

The context………………………………………………….….5

Data collection………………………………………………....6

Data analysis…………………………………………………...7

Findings…………………………………………………………8

Conclusions……………………………………………………11References/Bibliography…………………………………….13

Appendix……………………………………………………….14

Introduction.

My project’s purpose is to see how Spanish children manage to listen to texts in English. I want to get a wider seen over the listening context in Spain and how it is possible to motivate Spanish kids to learn English. I think it is very strange that Spanish children learn English more years than in many othercountries but they don’t know how to speak it. I think one of the main problems is that the listening isn’t used as a tool in the schools. I have very much interest to investigate this problem to try to see how it can be changed in the future. I think it is stupid waste of money to teach language that way, or how I see it, without having the self esteem to use it when it is necessary. Many Spanishpeople are too ashamed of their pronunciation in public.

Explanation.

I’m Icelandic and I’ve been here in Spain for more than seven years now, I think it is very sad to say that English teaching here in Spain is not good enough. What I’ve noticed is that a lot of Spanish people know almost more English than me but they don’t dare to use it. Why is that? Because in the schools they learn a lotof grammar and vocabulary, but they don’t know how to use the language. Spanish people, kids included, never hear spoken English, because everything in the TV is with Spanish audio. If you don’t hear a language spoken you forget very quick how to say the letters, words and how it should sound. With so much insecurity it is impossible to express yourself to others or understand anything.

Idea.The origin of my idea is what I have been explaining before. As I come from a foreign country and many times people comes to visit us from Iceland. When they come we have a big problem, my friends here in Spain can’t speak to any of my friends or family from Iceland because they don’t know. Often it is that their English is very bad, we speak to fast for them and they don’t understand. So manytimes this question has come to my mind. What can I do for the children now so they won’t have this problem when they get old? How is it possible to solve the problem that Spanish people can talk English or express themselves at least a little bit, for example the most basic things in life?

Improving future practice.

In my research project I try to mix up some different things to have awider seen over what really affects children’s listening. For example I have tried to put one theme that they really like. We asked them in class what they really like and preferred. The other theme I use is something basic like food or traveling that they don’t care so much about. It is a little complicated with a class with many kids to find subject that everybody likes and has very much interestin, but I choose sports because that was majority that liked that. If we are able to find some magic spot where the motivation is located in children we don’t have to worry anymore, but it’s not that easy. From my point of view there should be much more listening in schools to get the practice for the children and as well there should be an exam in listening so they really force themselves to try.Then they get the practice that is one of the most important things for the listening.

Literature Review.

In our learning we spend a lot of time listening, more than reading, writing and speaking, so it is very important for our EFL. There exist many ways to practice our listening; at home we can see the TV in English, a good idea is to put the subtitles at first in Spanish to help us to...