ENHANCING ORAL FLUENCY WITH THE DESCRIBING PICTURE STRATEGY IN CHILEAN HIGHER EDUCATION
N. Castillo Torres, A. Quintanilla Espinoza
This action research centered on features of oral fluency among Chilean higher education students, focusing on the "describing picture strategy" innovation. Set in the context of the Advanced English II course, the study pays attention in determining the effects of the strategy in boosting oral fluency. The intervention of this investigation, was enhanced by the integration of the technological tools such as a projector and a computer, provided a dynamic and interactive learning environment, which contributed to positive outcomes in speech rate and repairs. However, the results also highlighted other indicators, such as hesitation, where participants showed similar results. While this research points out the potential of the strategy in this specific Chilean context, it also emphasizes the challenges of generalizing the findings due to the unique cultural, technological and pedagogical particularities of the setting. This study wraps up with the recommendation of adopting a holistic approach to fluency development and suggests further research, especially in exploring the long-term effect of the strategy and its adaptability to different educational settings.
Keywords: Chilean higher education, Describing picture strategy, Oral fluency.