Identifying the oral communication strategies utilized by eighth graders at a state-subsidied school in Talcahuano, Chile

Abstract

Learning a second language involves the use of different strategies on the part of the learner. This qualitative study focuses on the speaking ability, especially, the use of Oral Communication Strategies (OCSs). This study aims to identify the OCSs employed by a group of eleven eighth-grade students at a subsided school, and aims at revealing the use of OCSs by successful learners. Four different communicative situations were analyzed over a period of two weeks. The current study uses participant observation to collect the data, and the OCSs identified were classified based on Nakatani’s (2010) taxonomy. Results showed that eight-grade learners use a varied array of OCSs; out of the fifteen categories, subcategories and domains presented in Nakatani’s taxonomy, only three were not used. In relation to successful students, results showed that Achievement Strategies were highly employed. Teachers of English can benefit greatly from this study by acknowledging a greater understanding of OCSs’ nature, taxonomies, and use. Key