1. education

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Thought,
CD-ROM. ISSN: 2156-6992 :: 04(04):585–605 (2014)
c 2014 by UniversityPublications.net
Copyright WORK-INTEGRATED EDUCATION: A DIFFERENTIATING
METHODOLOGY FOR THE STUDENTS’ ORAL COMMUNICATIVE
COMPETENCE
Isel Ramirez Berdut, Dorcas Zuvalinyenga and Joyce Zivanai
Bindura University of Science Education, Zimbabwe
Pedro Ramirez Gueton and Maria del Rosario Freeman Suarez
University of Holguín, Cuba
Cuban language teaching has the purpose of preparing students in languages that enables their
social, professional and career progression to keep up the rapid development of the new
millennium, hence the great importance of learning English. All through its history various
methods for teaching English as a foreign language have been applied at different types of
schools. However, the quality of graduates hasn’t been the best, their communicative
competence, related to their socio-professional profiles has been poor. Then a research work
was carried out by the main author of this paper to develop the students’ English oral
communicative competence at language schools. The results provided a differentiating
methodology introduced in the teaching practice of a language school through a group of oral
communicative tasks according to the students’ socio-professional profiles. Their quality were
analysed by the experts, by the results of a pre-experiment, a group discussion and the
interview to students and teachers. Later, particularly, only the tasks for the Pedagogics Socioprofessional Profile were implemented in the Mathematics careers at the University of
Holguín in Cuba and at Bindura University of Science Education in Zimbabwe and the results
were published in a paper. Last academic course the differentiating teaching methodology and
its tasks were implemented by the Communication Skills lecturers of the Bachelors in
Agricultural Sciences and in Accountancy at Bindura University. The results presented in this
paper allow these lecturers to continue considering the proposal as pertinent since the learners’
oral communicative competence in English as a second language is fostered.
Keywords: Work-integrated Education, English for academic purposes, Tasks-based teaching,
Oral communicative competence, Differentiated teaching.
INTRODUCTION
Vocational Education is nowadays of great importance, mainly its two broad fields of
professional guidance and work-integrated education. “Recently, the World Association for
Cooperative Education (WACE) began using the term ’work-integrated education’, rather than
co-op or WIL1, since the term ‘education’ is more holistic (viz., both learning and teaching) [...]
(Coll and Zegward, 2012).
1
Co-operative or Work Integrated Learning
585
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Work-Integrated Education: A Differentiating Methodology for the Students’ Oral ...
Work-integrated education allows students to learn through work or work-like experiences
(Orrell,2004). Work-integrated education is conducive of an integral learners’ formation at
universities for them to be successful after graduation, working in different places in the current
world job market.
As it is known, curricula at those institutions comprise the necessary contents, skills and
values the learners need to master, develop and foster for their future work, according to their
different professional profiles. Among the skills all professionals should develop are the
communicative ones. But among them, the level of oral communicative competence of the
learners, related to the topics of their fields of specialization, is very important since this will
allow them to exchange and appropriate the most remarkable advances, for their own progress,
the progress of their professional work, as well as, the progress of society. That is why, any
research that makes contributions to the betterment of the teaching learning processes of the
Communication Skills courses in Tertiary Education is of value, mainly if they are related to
work-like experiences.
Traditionally, in the teaching of languages different models have been employed, but most
of them do not consider the diversity of students. The differences among the students because of
their different socio-professional profiles were not taken into consideration at language schools
and universities in Cuba, as it should be, and they graduate without accomplishing all their
expectatives, so their level of oral communicative competence in English, as a foreign language,
was poor. In Zimbabwe, at Bindura University of Science Education, the situation is similar. The
learners, after graduation, still have limitations in their level of oral communicative competence
of English as a second language.
A research work was carried out by the main author of this paper to develop the students’
English oral communicative competence at language schools in Cuba. The main practical
contribution was a differentiating methodology introduced in the teaching practice of a language
school through a group of oral communicative tasks according to the students’ socio-professional
profiles. Their quality was analyzed by the experts, by the results of a pre-experiment, a group
discussion and the interview to students and teachers.
Later, particularly, only the tasks for the Pedagogic Socio-professional Profile were
implemented in the Mathematics careers at the University of Holguín in Cuba and at Bindura
University of Science Education in Zimbabwe and the results were published in a paper. Last
academic course the differentiating teaching methodology and its tasks were implemented by the
Communication Skills lecturers of the Bachelors in Agricultural Sciences and in Accountancy at
Bindura University. The results of the application of the experience in both countries are
presented in this paper, not with the purpose of comparing them, but to show that the
differentiating methodology helps the development of the learners’ English oral communicative
competence according to their future professional profiles and with this, work-integrated
education is fostered.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Socio-professional communicative teaching profiles
Ramirez (2005)points out that a socio-professional profile is one that includes the
characteristics of the content of the profession or occupation and the system of relationships
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
587
involving the individual, properly inserted in its performance context, in society, responding to
his main demands, needs, interests and aspirations.
The fundamental criterion for the classification of the socio-professional profiles is the
consideration of the needs, interests and aspirations of the learners related mainly to their future
specific performance contexts in their professions and / or occupations.
Ramirez (2005) provides a classification of socio-professional profiles; in this paper the
Technical Sciences Socio-professional Profile which includes engineers, technicians, architects,
accountants, economists, builders, agriculture specialists and workers is the main concern.
Based on the definition of socio-professional profiles, Ramirez (2005) also suggests the
socio-professional communicative teaching profile: A socio-professional communicative
teaching profile is one that understands what the learners need, they are interested in or wish to
know and master to communicate orally about the content or subject (topic), communicative
functions, grammatical forms and values, types of texts, language and relationships established
among the speakers in a context of use, the channel for the transmission of information that can
be visual and/or auditory, the possible communication strategies and the tasks to be performed.
All these come to meet the intentions of those persons involved in communication.
Thus, what learners need to know and master to communicate can be found in the socioprofessional communicative teaching profiles. In the socio-professional communicative teaching
profiles the learners get together because they share the same needs, interests and aspirations,
they also share the linguistic knowledge and skills common to the class. Here, while placing the
learners in specific performance contexts, and fostering oral communication through different
communicative tasks, a new quality emerges: the contextualization for the teaching of
communication.
Features of the Technical Sciences socio-professional communicative teaching profile
-Performance Context: Given, for example, in offices, in construction areas, in exhibition areas,
scientific exchange rooms, classrooms or elsewhere.
-Types of relationships established: Officials, determined by the levels of management and
unofficial among co-workers.
-Discursive Motivation: flows of communication needs on areas work content, basically.
-Transmission channels of information: auditory and visual
-Predominant language type: formal, mainly through dialogue, although them on longue is also
possible.
-Purpose: to speak, read and write.
-Predominant text type: interactional and transactional.
-Topic: related work content.
-Communicative functions: asking about what someone does / is doing or about where someone
works, talk about a present or past work, agree or disagree with any opinion, rate a possibility to
reach a conclusion, react to a situation, make a decision together with someone or groups,
describe people, objects, designs, submitting summaries and ideas, ask for specific aspects of
certain areas of different engineering or architecture among other topics related to their works;
discussion of graphics and text documents; inform an absent person about an activity and / or
event; describe the workplace and the activity performed, giving mini-lectures.
-Possible grammatical forms: simple, progressive and perfective tenses,comparative forms,
adjectives.
-Communication strategies: description, modelling, circumlocution, translation.
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Work-Integrated Education: A Differentiating Methodology for the Students’ Oral ...
-Possible techniques for performing tasks: problem solving, debates, role plays, oral reports,
presentation of the results of a research work, etc.
Examples of tasks for the Bachelors of Accountancy and Agricultural Sciences within the
technical sciences socio-professional communicative teaching profile
ACCOUNTANCY
1. 1- Role-playing
A: You are a customer and you are discontent with the work of the enterprise you are making
business with. Go to see the Bursarat his Department and discuss some aspects of their work that
are affecting your entity.
B: You are the acting Bursar in an enterprise. An important client comes to see you because he is
not happy with your work. Talk to him and try to solve the problem.
2- Debate
Corruption, which is present in our daily working life, can affect the economy and image of an
enterprise. Discuss on this topic.
3- Oral report
You are engaged in commercial relations with an enterprise and you want to get an allowance
from the entity. Present a whole exposition on how advantageous would be for them to give you
the allowance.
4- Mini-lecture
You are a specialist of the Bursar Department of your enterprise. You have been assigned by
your manager to offer some help with a group of technicians who are in their industrial
attachment period in the Bursar Department. Offer them a mini-lecture related to the presentation
of the financial statements at the end of each year.
5- Solution of problems
The last audit in your enterprise showed some difficulties in the work of your department
because people working there are not able to do it properly due to their non-professional
formation. One of the main problems is the work of an old technician who never wanted to
continue his studies and now due to the advance of technology he doesn't know how to work
properly with the computer that is necessary to register the financial operations that the
enterprise carries out. The management council got together and decided to hire a young
technician to do this job.
What do think that must be done with the old technician?
What do you think is the best solution to this problem?
If you were the old technician what would you do in this case?
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
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6- Round table
The American Accounting Association (AAA) has published in its magazine The Accounting
Review an interesting article about incomes and expenses in the modern business world. You
and your co-workers have analyzed the article and you are going to have a round table about it.
Present some of the new and advanced ideas, emphasizing on how this can help your enterprise.
7- Presentation of the results of a research work
You have been invited to an important workshop with the most prestigious accountants of the
country in the capital city. In the meeting you will discuss the new tendencies on the field and
you will give solutions to some problems. Present there the results of your investigation about
the revenue accounts and how they worked out in your enterprise.
8- Simulation
At the end of each year, the enterprise approves a budget to buy clothes and shoes for the
workers. This year, the management council has curtailed the budget to buy some other things
that are not so necessary for the enterprise. Due to this curtailment the clothes and shoes will be
of lesser quality to those they bought last year. Some members of the management council do not
consider necessary this curtailment and they want to keep the former budget. But the purchases
are almost done and the accountant has already registered the operations.
However, there is a possibility of changing everything. How can this situation be managed?
Roles to play: Different members of the Management Council, the Bursar, the staff member
in charge of the purchases and some workers.
9- Oral report
You have worked as an accountant for a long time. A young recently working at your enterprise
is interested in knowing more about the work of an accountant. Prepare a brief presentation of
the functions and characteristics of an accountant; particularize in the case of auditors.
10- Debate
There are some things an accountant should do and there are some others that he/she can never
do. Discuss on the "do's" and the "don’ts" of an accountant.
11- Round table
It is said that an account's personality is not a common one. Do you agree with this assertion?
Why? Why not?
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
1- Oral Report:
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Based on the knowledge you have on the latest technologies applied in agriculture make a small
report where you explain how these scientific methods are environmentally used in our country.
Take into account the preservation and development of crops and animals.
2- Mini-lecture:
Research and get prepared to talk to your class about organic agriculture and its development in
our country. Consult different materials in the library, especially the most recent articles on the
field in magazines, newspapers, etc. Make sure you include and explain in your presentation the
main concepts of the topic, as well as examples.
3- Presentation of the results of a research work:
You have made a research on the conditions of the soils in your locality, their productivity and
fertility. Present the results of your report.
4-Debate:
The current tendency to solve the lack of renewable energy resources in some countries is to use
food to generate energy. This polemic issue has generated serious debates around the world.
Give your personal opinion on the topic and discuss it with your classmates.
6-Solution of problems:
The newest species of bananas introduced in some areas of the country is being attacked by an
unknown agent. Research on the possible suspects affecting these crops and propose some
countermeasures to solve this situation. You may bring pictures, written materials, etc. to support
your proposal. In the end, the group should arrive to an agreement and choose the best proposal.
6- Presentation of the results of a research work:
You have made a research on the current tendency of sustainable communities, their
development and the advantages they provide. Make a brief presentation of the results of the
investigation.
7- Debate:
Several international meetings have taken place during the lasts years to discuss environmental
and social problems. The most advanced proposals regarding environmental sustainability in the
21st century have been achieved in the Summit of Rio, Brasil and the Conference of Kyoto, Japan.
Debate with your classmates on the matter; make sure you give your personal opinion.
8- Solutions of problems:
The current irrigation system in our province has proved to be insufficient, provoking a delay in
some areas of agriculture that should provide the basic food products for the local people.
Research on the different methods you could apply to solve the problem. Be ready to discuss it
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
591
with your classmates. You can bring pictures, written materials, etc. to support your proposal.
The class should come to an agreement and select the most suitable method.
9-Presentation of the results of a research work
In the last decade molecular methods have permitted the deletion of genes or chromosomal
regions bearing commercial interest genes on several species of livestock. The development of
genetic maps highly saturated with molecular markers, allows the identification of accurate
position where genes affect quantitative traits, or where Qt are located. In the salmon species the
map development has been slower than on domestic animals, therefore the QTL identification
has been slower too.
You have been working on an actualized revision of all genetic map published for salmon
fishes until this date. Present the result of this investigation.
10- Mini-lecture
You are going to participate in the Fourth International Congress of Animal Improvement. You
have to deliver a lecture about the biotechnological methods to increase the efficiency of
reproductive processes on cattle and feeding and reproductive management strategies to obtain
better fertility results. Before delivering the lecture at the Congress, offer part of it to some
members of the organizing committee.
11- Oral Report
Some producers, technicians and professionals of animal production were missing to a workshop
where the different sustainable strategies for the development of cattle production, digestive
physiology and intermediate metabolism of ruminants were discussed. Present a report to those
persons for them to know.
12-Debate
The Department of Animal Production of the University of Chile carried out an investigation in
order to quantify the effects of soybean meal and wet corn gluten feed treated with formaldehyde
and the effects of including them in dairy cow diets. The studies show that the formaldehyde
treatment reduces luminal protein degradability and the inclusion of these treated products
increases milk yield and modifies milk composition.
Will it be profitable to analyze the effects of including these products in dairy cow diets in
our country?
Discuss on the pros and cons of application of this project in our cow production.
13-Role-Playing:
Student A: You are a foreign specialist on insemination techniques on cattle, buffalos, sheep,
goats, swine, horse, rabbits, poultry, and dogs. You are interested on evaluating the proceedings
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Work-Integrated Education: A Differentiating Methodology for the Students’ Oral ...
for collection and conservation of semen and the proper act of insemination in his region. You
have to visit laboratories and agro ecological farms around the world.
Student B: You are a producer of horses. Show the foreign specialist the methods and the
procedures you use in your farm while putting into practice the different reproductive
biotechnologies: artificial insemination, embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, cloning and
transgenesis, genetics, pastures and forages. Provide him/her with explanations.
14-Round Table:
A group of American producers, technicians, and professionals on Biotechnology for feed
production and reproduction are invited to the Fifth Symposium on Biotechnological Processes,
Reproduction and Utilization of Animal Feeding. Before participating on this event they are
going to visit different centers of animal production located in countries such as: Canada,
Jamaica, United States of America, Venezuela, Cuba, Spain, and Italy among others. Present
some of the experience and ideas they are going to deal with during the conference.
15-Solution of problems
Nowadays thousands of pigs around the world are dying because of the proliferation of the well
known swine fever. It actually constitutes a big risk for animals. In the South part of Canada the
swine production has been affected for this disease.
Irresponsibly, the animal producers of this region continue exporting infected semen; they
also continue breeding these animals who still suffer from this disease. What it is more, they do
not want to kill the infected animals and even having knowledge about the existence of
Colvasan, an effective and new vaccine against this illness, they have not decided to vaccinate
their pigs or put them under any other medical treatment.
What do you think about this disease?
Does it constitute a risk for swine producers in the world?
Could it be effective to vaccinate them?
What happens with the Canadian Animal Production’s managers?
What is your opinion about the situation in the region? Is it good for their future production
to continue raising infected animals?
What could you suggest for the solution of this situation?
16-Debate
Nowadays there is a need of having more supplies for the nourishment of the people in the city.
Some Vietnamese are helping the production of rice in your province. Will it be profitable to
develop a similar plan in other regions of the country? Discuss on the pros and cons of a similar
project in another province.
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
593
Differentiating methodology
Traditionally, teachers and lecturers have been teaching in the same way all the students/ learners
at schools; they have been teaching thinking that “one size fits all”. In the case of language
schools and universities, English for Academic Purposes and English for Specific Purposes have
been taught mainly in relation to reading comprehension texts. This has permitted the learners to
develop their reading comprehension abilities, as well as written and translation skills. Nowadays,
these two last skills can be assisted by the use of technology, so that already graduated learners
may receive this support in case of any limitation. However, the learners’ oral communicative
competence should be developed since previous levels and particularly when getting their
formation at universities, in order to get well trained in the oral communication about the issues
related to their future professional profiles.
Theheterogeneityoftheclassesinschoolsduetothelearnersdifferences related to their unique
and non-repeatable personalities characteristics, needs, interests and aspirations, personal
experiences, learning styles and strategies, prior knowledge, etc., generally, places the language
teacher in a disjunctive position: to take the risk of teaching them differently or not? And this is
precisely the answer: the teacher/lecturer should experiment, as much as possible, with different
tasks to meet the needs, interests, aspirations and general expectations of each learner.
The demand is satisfied, then, with a methodology that respects the personalities of the
learners, their previous knowledge, abilities, needs, interests and aspirations, as well as the type
of grouping they prefer for working in the classroom. And if this is done at universities, then, the
methodology to apply should consider the learners’ future professional profiles too.
Various definitions for the term methodology have been given, from the analysis of its
etymology (in which he meanings of method and of the particle -logy are combined). Milan,
M.E, 2003 pointed out that a methodology is a way to achieve a goal, a group of procedures or
stages that order the activity leading to a certain goal.
Following this definition, Ramirez, 2005 defined a differentiating methodology as that
series of stages that the language lecturer has to consider to facilitate a learner centre and
meaning-making teaching learning process, so that learners’ learning and socio-professional
profiles should be taken into consideration in order to help them to accomplish the oral
communicative competence level their future job demands.
Characteristics of the differentiating methodology
The theoretical bases of the differentiating methodology are found in Psychology, Linguistics
and Methodology for the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language mainly. Psychology and
specifically the humanist theories believe that learners are the centre of the educational process;
the consideration of their needs, interests and aspirations in relation to their future work, as well
as, the stimulation of their responsibility in learning are fundamental. From Vygostky and the
Socio-cultural Theory, the fostering of the Zone of Potential Development is taken into account.
Constructivism asks teachers/ lecturers to consider the previous knowledge of the learners (in
this case, the linguistic knowledge and the ones of each of their specialities), and the roles they
acquire in constructing their new knowledge. Linguistics provides teachers/ lecturers, for
example, with the Communicative Competence Theory and the theories of Text Linguistics. The
Methodology for the Teaching of Languages offers the new approaches in the teaching and
learning process of languages, for instance, the Communicative Approach and Language Task
Based Teaching.
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This methodology guides the teacher/lecturer in his teaching activity, shows that’s /he can
work in another way (the student/ learner is the centre of the process while the teacher/ lecturer is
a facilitator), with other strategies and learning styles and allows changing the design of the
teaching learning process of the oral communication at schools/ universities, contextualizing the
English oral communication to the different socio-professional profiles of the students/ learners.
The differentiating methodology, directed to teachers for their educational assistance to the
language students, should not be considered as something rigid and imposed. On the contrary,
the differentiating methodology is characterized by the flexibility in its application and adequacy
in accordance with the initial and daily diagnosis of the results of the students’ learning and the
ever-changing needs, departing from their actual and potential levels of oral communicative
competence.
Stages of the differentiating methodology
The differentiating methodology has four stages: Diagnosis, General Agreement, Exercises and
Assessment and Evaluation.
The Diagnosis stage comprises the initial diagnosis to determine the learners’ need, interests
and aspirations and the level of communicative competence they have, as well as, the everyday
analysis of these needs.
The stage of General Agreement comprises a process of negotiation between the learners
and the teacher about the linguistic and thematic content to teach, the teaching strategies to
apply, the media to use and the assessment and evaluation process to carry out.
In the Exercises stage everything agreed in the previous two stages is put into practice. Here
a favourable psychological environment should be created in order to establish good
relationships between the learners and the teacher and to place them in the activity as such; this
should allow the integration of them within each teaching communicative socio-professional
profile permitting the development of the tasks according to their profiles. This is the stage
where the socio-professional contextualization of the oral communication is materialized.
The Assessment and Evaluation stage is present all through the process. It is based on the
negotiation with the learners of how errors are treated, the inclusion of self-assessment, peer
assessment and group assessment to involve learners in a process of learning to learn. As a
consequence, assessment and evaluation should be seen as a process and not as a final result.
METHODOLOGY
Assessment of the application of expert judgment method
The experiences that are going to be presented here have their antecedents in the research work
developed by the main author for getting her Ph.D. in Cuba, at a language school, teaching
English as a foreign language. Later, among the main practical contributions, the tasks proposed
for the Exercise Stage of the Differentiating Methodology were implemented at the University of
Holguin, in Cuba for the teaching of English, also as a foreign language; in the Mathematics
career, as well as, in the teaching of Spanish as the mother tongue (Spanish for Academic
Purposes).The group of tasks applied at the language school proved to be efficient in a
heterogeneous classroom, where the students were workers of different occupations and
professions.
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
595
In its initial conception, for the empirical evaluation of the methodology and the tasks, the
expert judgment method was applied, seeking for consensus among experts on it, to ensure
success in its introduction in the social practice in Cuba. There, the survey (APPENDIX 1) for
the consultation of experts was sent to a total of 36 specialists, with experience in the field of
teaching related to the English language at universities, in several provinces in Cuba, in teaching
adults and in Higher Education, but only 27 were considered experts since their coefficient levels
were greater than or equal to 0.80. From the experts selected, the 55% are Ph.D., Masters
30%and15%specialists with an average of 20 years experience in teaching English.
After wards, the statistical processing of the results from the consultation of the experts was
carried out, calculating the observed frequency matrix, where the opinions of experts on the issue
under their valuation were quantified. Then, it went on to determine the cumulative frequency
matrix, and cumulative relative frequency matrix, which was the value array abscissa, to finally
determine the cut off points that determine each of the categories in the given intervals: VR
(Very Relevant), QR (Quite Relevant), R (Relevant), LR (Less Relevant) and NR (Not
Relevant).
OBSERVED FREQUENCY MATRIX
STAGES
VR
QR
R
LR
NR
TOTAL
Diagnosis (1)
15
9
2
1
0
27
General Agreement (2)
10
10
6
1
0
27
Exercises (3)
18
8
1
0
0
27
Assessment and Evaluation (4)
16
9
2
0
0
27
CUMULATIVE FREQUENCY MATRIX
STAGES
VR
QR
R
LR
NR
Diagnosis (1)
15
24
26
27
27
General Agreement (2)
10
20
26
27
27
Exercises (3)
18
26
27
27
27
Assessment and Evaluation(4)
16
25
27
27
27
CUMULATIVE FREQUENCIES MATRIX (ODDS)
STAGES
VR
QR
R
LR
NR
Diagnosis (1)
0.56
0.89
0.96
1.00
1.00
General Agreement (2)
0.37
0.74
0.96
1.00
1.00
Exercises (3)
0.67
0.96
1.00
1.00
1.00
Assessment &Evaluation (4)
0.59
0.93
1.00
1.00
1.00
MATRIX VALUE ABSCISSA
STAGES
VR
QR
R
LR
SUM
AVERAGE
SCALE
Diagnosis (1)
0.14
1.22
1.79
3.00
6.15
1.537
0.160
General Agreement (2)
-0.33
0.65
1.79
3.00
5.10
1.275
0.421
Exercises (3)
0.43
1.79
3.00
3.00
8.22
2.054
-0.358
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Work-Integrated Education: A Differentiating Methodology for the Students’ Oral ...
Assessment and Evaluation (4)
0.23
1.45
3.00
3.00
7.68
1.920
SUMS
0.47
5.10
9.57
12.00
27.14
LIMITS
0.12
1.27
2.39
3.00
6.79
-0.224
1.697
As it can be observed the scale values of stages 1 and 2 are placed in the second interval
(QR) and the stages 3 and 4 in the first interval (VR), as it is shown in the graphic below:
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Ϭ͕ϭϮ
sZ
YZ
ϯĂŶĚϰ
ϭĂŶĚϮ
Ϯ͕ϯϵ
Z
ϯ͕ϬϬ
>Z
EZ
So, it can be concluded that the experts had a general consensus about the differentiating
methodology.
Group Discussion in Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe a group discussion was carried out in order to determine the possibilities of
implementing the differentiating methodology in the teaching and learning process of the
Communication Skills course in some of the programs at Bindura University of Science
Education. The 7 Zimbabwean lecturers main concerns were related to the General Agreement
Stage and how it was going to be developed, since the principles of the Negotiation Pedagogy2,
the fact of agreeing with the students about the types of tasks to develop and the topics to talk
about were not a general practice there. They also care about the contextualization of the tasks to
the Zimbabwean society, the analysis of the course outline to allocate the tasks, as well as, the
study of the ways of assessing the learners.
Description of the pre-experiments and analysis of their results
Inthissection,thequalitativeandquantitativeresultsoftheapplicationofthedifferentiatingmethodolog
y through the application of the oral communicative tasks in Cuba and Zimbabwe are presented.
-Pre-experiment realization
Of the three experiences analyzed here, the first described was realized at a language school, in
Cuba, then the two others in the Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences (Honours) Degree and the
Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours) Degree at Bindura University of Science Education, last
academic year.
To verify the feasibility of the differentiating methodology and the tasks for both careers and
at the language school, a pre-experiment was performed with a pre-test and a post-test in intact
groups with a design as shown in the diagram G O1 X O2, where G represents the group, O1 the
application of the pre-test, the treatment is X and O2 the application of the post-test. The results
were analysed by the Non-parametric Test of Signs.
2
See Giovanni, A y otros, Profesor en Acción, Colección Investigación Didáctica, Grupo Didascalia, S.A, 1996
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
597
The pre-test is an initial reference point that enables the researchers to know the
development of the learners’ oral communicative competence in English before submitting it to
treatment with the differentiating methodology and the tasks for each career. This also showed
how the oral communicative competence of the learners evolved to the final measurement or
post-test, both in Cuba and Zimbabwe.
-Pre-experiment sample analysis
At the language school, the pre-experiment was developed in 2012. The group had been already
formed naturally from the first year of study; the total sample was 19 learners who were workers
and professionals having different specialties. At Bindura University of Science Education the
experiences were carried out in 2014 also in two intact groups, one of 48 learners and the other
of 25.
-Application of the initial diagnosis
The researchers, in both countries, applied an interview to students in order to know why the
learners would like to develop their level of oral communicative competence in English, what
level they would like to achieve, how they learn better, which type of activities they would like
to develop in the classroom, among other aspects. After this, the lecturers asked them to get
prepared for an oral report on any topic they liked to talk about, just to have another opportunity
of appreciating how they communicate orally, so that they could have an idea of their level of
oral communicative competence.
-Pre-test
The pre-test was applied through a group of tasks for the development of oral communication
(dialogued and monologue tasks) about the topics of the students’ occupations and professions
and, in the case of the university, about the learners’ future professional work, in order to
determine their level of oral communicative competence according to their socio-professional
profiles.
In assessing the performance of those tasks for the development of oral communication, it
was noted that the current level of development of oral communicative competence of the
learners from their socio-professional profile was very limited.
They had difficulties in the use of the terminology, the grammar characteristic of the type of
language according to the situation, whether formal or less formal (omission of the subject, verb
tense conjugation, the use of article and prepositions, among others), that is learners had
limitations in handling the grammatical forms and the communicative forms typical of their
professional profiles. On the other hand, they did not count with the communicative strategies
needed to communicate their ideas, so not only accuracy was affected, but also fluency.
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-Application of the tasks for the oral communication according to the learners’ socioprofessional communicative teaching profiles
It was observed during the Exercise Stage how learners employed some of the learning strategies
suggested by the lecturers like using dictionaries, glossaries and magazines, producing other
sentences on the basis of what was already learned, finding relationships among words,
developing graphics, practicing before, studying in pairs, among others, so they were developing
their independence, their autonomy and responsibility in their learning.
All this allowed the communication through both monologue and dialogued tasks and it was
noted that the interest of the learners and the atmosphere created were good.
-Post-test
To determine the level of the learners’ communicative competence after the implementation of
the differentiating methodology and the tasks, a post-test or final measurement was applied,
through different tasks with a higher level of complexity in relation to the communicative tasks
implemented in the pre-test.
The results and the changes noted in the level of oral communicative competence of the
learners in both experiences in Cuba and in Zimbabwe, particularly in relation to their socioprofessional profiles are presented in this section.
-Assessment of the results
From the pre-experiments of intact groups in Cuba and Zimbabwe, with a pre-test and a post-test,
the level of change of each learner was analyzed, establishing a sign (+) for those that increased
their rating, a sign (-) for those that decreased their qualification and (0) for those who
maintained their rating; all this allowed to apply the Non-parametric Test of Signs.
Results of the pre-experiment in Cuba3
Learner
Pre-test
Post-test
Sign
1
2
4
+
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
3
2
5
3
3
5
4
3
4
4
2
5
3
5
4
4
4
5
4
3
5
5
+
+
0
+
+
+
+
+
+
3
Cuban Higher Education evaluation system establishes the following marks: 2 fail, 3 pass, 4 good and 5 excellent.
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
4
2
3
4
3
4
3
4
4
5
5
4
3
4
599
0
+
+
+
+
+
In relation to the pre-experiment in Cuba, in tabulating the amount for each sign it took the
following results:
Quantity
Sign
14
+
3
-
2
0
As it can be seen, 73, 6 % of the sample (19 students) increased their marks and accordingly,
their level of oral communicative competence.
Results of the pre-experiments in Zimbabwe4
BACHELOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE (HONOURS) DEGREE (ZIMBABWE)
Learner
1
Pre-test
41
Post-test
68
2
61
52
-
3
47
68
+
4
71
71
0
5
56
65
+
6
80
76
-
7
52
47
-
8
81
80
-
9
65
65
0
10
37
69
+
11
72
72
12
65
70
+
13
53
51
-
14
71
71
0
15
45
53
+
16
55
55
0
17
70
67
-
18
82
82
0
19
35
59
+
20
43
60
+
4
Sign
+
The pre-test and the post-test were marked on the bases of 100 percentages
0
600
Work-Integrated Education: A Differentiating Methodology for the Students’ Oral ...
21
51
70
+
22
30
51
+
23
28
53
+
24
34
60
+
25
46
67
+
In relation to the pre-experiment in Cuba, in tabulating the amount for each sign it took the
following results:
Quantity
Sign
15
+
4
-
6
0
From the 25 learners of the group of the Agricultural Sciences Career, 60% increased their
marks and accordingly, their level of oral communicative competence.
BACHELOR OF ACCOUNTANCY (HONOURS) DEGREE (Zimbabwe)
Learner
Pre-test
Post-test
Sign
1
40
58
+
2
61
53
-
3
37
68
+
4
73
73
0
5
56
65
+
6
84
76
-
7
53
47
-
8
71
80
+
9
65
65
0
10
47
69
+
11
72
72
0
12
66
70
+
13
55
65
+
14
71
71
0
15
33
45
+
16
48
64
+
17
83
83
0
18
72
78
+
19
81
87
+
20
39
37
_
21
44
63
+
22
29
56
+
23
31
58
+
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
Learner
Pre-test
Post-test
Sign
24
46
69
+
25
27
49
+
26
48
48
0
27
35
33
-
28
64
83
+
29
67
79
+
30
51
85
+
31
42
58
+
32
61
54
-
33
37
61
+
34
72
72
0
35
51
65
+
36
83
76
-
37
50
69
+
38
57
80
+
39
65
65
0
40
44
69
+
41
71
71
0
42
66
70
+
43
55
66
+
44
71
71
0
45
32
44
+
46
45
64
+
47
83
89
+
48
70
78
+
601
In relation to the pre-experiment in Zimbabwe, in the Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours)
Degree in tabulating the amount for each sign it took the following results:
Quantity
Sign
31
7
10
+
0
In this group of Accountancy learners, 65% of all the learners increased their marks proving
that their level of oral communicative competence was higher.
When analyzing the results of the introduction of the differentiating methodology and the
tasks applied in its Exercise phase, in the teaching and learning process of the careers object of
study, it can be stated that they contribute to the development of the oral communicative e
competence of the learners in relation to their socio-professional profiles.
Learners’ interview
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Work-Integrated Education: A Differentiating Methodology for the Students’ Oral ...
For these researchers the opinions of the students are of great value; that is why an interview
(APPENDIX 2) was applied to the 87% of the sample in each group (16, 22 and 42 learners,
respectively) with the purpose of knowing their expectations at the end of the application of the
differentiating methodology and the tasks, as well as, their opinions on the degree of oral
communicative competence achieved. The majority of the learners expressed their satisfaction
with the new way of teaching and the tasks developed by them, which involved them in
situations similar to the ones they are going to be involved once they are graduated and already
working. They stated they were feeling that their communicative level was better and that they
continued learning about their specialties through the study of the English language, so they are
going to be better professionals in the world of jobs.
Summing up, it can be stated that, qualitatively and quantitatively, the changes appreciated
by applying the differentiating methodology and the tasks within its Exercise stage, in both
experiences are evident in a higher level of oral communicative competence in English,
according to the technical socio-professional communicative teaching profile of the learners and
the use of communication strategies that allow them to communicate about Accountancy and
Agricultural Sciences. A higher level of autonomy of the learners in their individual learning and
the development of cooperation, mutual aid, solidarity and responsibility of the learners,
supported by group and/ or individual work is also seen.
CONCLUSIONS
Through the application of the differentiating methodology and the group of tasks according to
the students’ / learners’ socio-professional profiles, they are “engaged with a work experience
and learn about professional work, possible careers and themselves.” (Orrell,2004).
The tasks have a strong communicative character and students/ learners spend a lot of time
communicating about the contents of various courses of their programmes, so this is another
opportunity they have for rehearsing on what they have learned and they will need for their
future work. Therefore, an interdisciplinary work is developed.
The differentiating methodology fosters not only accuracy and fluency in the level of oral
communicative competence, but also values that every professional should have as part of his/
her personality: autonomy in learning, responsibility and the feeling of cooperation among
colleagues. That is why, as Coll and Zegward, 2012 state: “We thus encourage researchers and
curricular developers to focus on developing sound pedagogies that enable integration on the
workplace experience into the on-campus learning and advocate for co-op/WIL programs to be
central to the degree of study, supported primarily by educators not administrators.”
APPENDIX 1
SURVEY TO THE EXPERTS
Names: ______________________________________________.
Institution to which you belong: ____________________________.
Position: ______________________________________________.
Degrees: _____________ .
Master: _____.
Isel Ramirez Berdut et al.
603
Ph.D. : _____.
Years of Teaching Experience: ________________.
Years of experience in Research Works: ________________
Dear specialists,
This researcher is elaborating a differentiating methodology for the development of the students’
English oral communicative competence, departing from their socio-professional profiles. This
proposal for the students in the fourth level at language schools is presented to you, since your
opinions are of great importance.
Instructions:
Below there appears a chart that contains the stages of the differentiating methodology we want
you to analyse. On the right, there appears the scale.
VR: Very relevant QR: Quite relevant R: Relevant
LR: Less relevant NR: Not relevant
–Tick on the cell that correspond with the grade of relevance that you give to each stage of the
differentiating methodology
STAGES OF THE DIFFERENTIATING METHODOLOGY
VR
QR
R
LR
about
the
NR
Diagnosis (1)
General Agreement (2)
Exercises (3)
Assessment and Evaluation (4)
-Any other suggestion you would
methodology_____
We really appreciate your help. Thanks.
like
to
provide
differentiating
APPENDIX 2
Interview applied to the students after the implementation of the differentiating methodology
Objective: To know the opinion of the learners about the methodology and the tasks applied
Dear student,
After the application of the new methodology and the tasks for the development of your oral
communicative competence, it is very important to know your opinions about them and if you
consider they really help you in your oral communication skills.
Aspects to ask about:
-Different types of tasks
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Work-Integrated Education: A Differentiating Methodology for the Students’ Oral ...
-Development of the oral communicative competence related to their needs, interests and
aspirations according to their professional profiles.
-Satisfaction of their expectatives.
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