The Use of Monologue Speaking Tasks to Improve First-Year Students’ English-Speaking Skills

Irina Karpovich,Tatyana Krepkaia,Larisa Voronova,Oksana Sheredekina

doi:10.3390/educsci11060298

Irina Karpovich, Tatyana Krepkaia + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060298

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Abstract

A significant number of studies are devoted to the psychological and social adaptation of students to the educational process at university. This research contributes to the solution of the problem of first-year students’ academic performance in the framework of studying a foreign language by working with monologue speaking tasks. The study offers an analysis of the improvement of academic performance in this particular type of language activity. The study took place at Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, Russia, and involved 274 first-year students enrolled in undergraduate programs. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to collect and analyse data for the study. The research included the qualitative content analysis of monologue speaking tasks. Results of the study make it possible to conclude that the use of monologue speaking tasks paired with peer interaction and peer assessment can improve first-year students’ English-speaking skills.

Highlights

The issue of adaptation is complex and multi-faceted
There are a large number of scientific papers on various aspects of first-year students’ adaptation, they tend to look at this process on a global scale [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]
Many articles analyse the experience of first-year students’ academic success gained by various universities. They mainly cover issues related to the sociopsychological sphere of adaptation, for instance, the influence of stress and social anxiety on first-year students’ academic performance [6,7,8,9]

Summary

Introduction

The issue of adaptation is complex and multi-faceted. In this study, we pay special attention to overcoming the problems of academic adaptation, i.e., the improvement of academic achievements of first-year students. At the initial stage of the academic studies, first-year university students face several problems, entailed by the need for adjustment to the requirements of the new educational environment. These obstacles derive from the increased workload, new responsibilities, greater independence, autonomy from a teacher, and personal difficulties, which include building new relationships, adjusting to new living arrangements, coping with homesickness, etc. Many articles analyse the experience of first-year students’ academic success gained by various universities They mainly cover issues related to the sociopsychological sphere of adaptation, for instance, the influence of stress and social anxiety on first-year students’ academic performance [6,7,8,9].

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Conclusion