Cultura local y aprendizaje de la lengua: su impacto en la motivación de la producción verbal en el aula secundaria de inglés

Abstract

Given the relation between language and culture, the incorporation of local culture topics in the EFL classroom can serve as a means of fostering greater comfort among students when speaking in public. Therefore, the present study aimed to provide a closer look at EFL learners’ speaking performance by introducing local culture topics to speaking assignments in class. This paper reports the findings of a mixed methods study on the effect of local culture topics on speaking skills and motivation of a group of students at a high school in Cuenca, Ecuador. Quantitative data was collected through a pre-test and post-test based on the Attitude Motivation Test Battery (Gardner, 1985). Qualitative data was gathered through speaking rubrics, class observations, student questionnaires and teacher interviews to gauge students’ level of comfort during speaking activities and their perceptions on the incorporation of local culture as a focal point. While the quantitative results showed no statistical differences between the students’ pre and post motivation scores, classroom observations showed increases in their oral production and appreciation for local culture topics. Further research with a longer period of intervention time is recommended.