Development of oral communication through collaborative activities in high school students.

Abstract

The research, titled "Development of Oral Communication Through Collaborative Activities in High School Students," adopted a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative). Its objective was to analyze the impact of collaborative activities on oral communication skills through the implementation of role-playing games, debates, and group presentations in high school classrooms, with the aim of improving students' fluency, accuracy, and communicative confidence. Methodologically, the research follows a descriptive and correlational design, as it seeks to analyze the relationship between the implementation of collaborative strategies such as role-playing games, debates, and group presentations and the development of oral competence. Data collection techniques included pre- and post-intervention oral assessments using a standardized rubric, student surveys to measure motivation and self-confidence, and semi-structured interviews with teachers to explore teaching practices and perceptions. The population consisted of teachers and students from a private educational institution located in La Concordia. The sample comprised 47 high school students and 5 English teachers. The results indicate a notable improvement across all evaluated dimensions of oral communication. The most significant increase was observed in confidence (+1.6), followed by fluency and vocabulary range (+1.2 each). In conclusion, the research demonstrates that the integration of well-designed collaborative activities constitutes an effective pedagogical strategy for improving oral communication skills in students of English as a foreign language.