Experiential Learning to enhance the oral production in the EFL Learning

Abstract

Introduction: experiential Learning approach focuses on the idea that individuals learn best by experience, reflection, and practice. It motivates learners to foster English language skills through collaborating and cooperating on specific tasks that engage students in real situations that allow them to face real-life challenges. Objective: this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Experiential Learning on developing students’ ability to communicate. Methodology: this research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative elements. The population consisted of 63 students from the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages Major at Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo in the city of Riobamba. The Cambridge Preliminary English Test on speaking B1 was administrated before and after the intervention. This examination was utilized to evaluate the proficiency of the participants. The treatment was structured around the incorporation of the four phases of Experiential Learning, as suggested in Kolb's cycle. Subsequently, a series of lesson plans were designed to address topics aligned with the B1 level. Additionally, a semi-structured interview was conducted to elicit the insights and perspectives of the learners concerning their experiences with the application of the Experiential Learning approach. The Shapiro-Wilk and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were applied to analyze the data from the pre and posttests. Findings: the findings show that learners notably improved their ability to communicate. Conclusion: the experiential Learning cycle plays a significant role in connecting students’ experiences to foster practical language usage in real-life contexts.