Bridging Students´real world exposure to English: A material design project.

Abstract

The low levels of English of Chilean students have been identified as a problem for our country, taking into consideration the growing global importance of the English language (Mydans, 2007). In a country where it is believed that there is little exposure to English on a daily basis, it is important to be aware of the real exposure that students have to the language, with the purpose of adapting our practices as teachers to our students’ necessities. This study was conducted in two educational establishments: a public primary rural school in Trehuaco, and a semi-private primary school in Concepción. It was designed with the purpose of getting to know the level and kind of exposure that Chilean students have to the English language. Students that participated in the study were from fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade. The intervention consisted in applying a survey that inquired about the quantity and kinds of audio visual exposure to English that students had outside the classroom. The results obtained showed that most of the students are exposed to the English language through various sources of exposure, such as music, video games, movies, series, internet, etc. From the data obtained, a kit of materials was created with the purpose of bridging students’ real world exposure to English within the classroom. Finally, some of the activities created were implemented and assessed.