Constructing social interaction by enhancing the communicative competence through authentic tasks at IED La Belleza - Los LIbertadores

Abstract

This research was carried out with 22 EFL ninth graders at IED La Belleza – Los Libertadores. Ninth graders have been told that by means of learning English they will have a better future. However, the economic situations that students have, take out validity to that argument, and make students understand that English is not really necessary for their conditions of life. Additionally, students` reluctance to participate and the lack of opportunities to practice the language make even more difficult the learning process in the students. That is why, the main purpose of the research was to identify and describe the social interaction that students constructed when working on authentic tasks whose focus was to put in practice the English language. Data were collected from the artifacts produced by the students, the analysis of field notes, and qualitative interviews. And, during 28 lessons students were constructing social interaction by using previous knowledge of the target language, generating strategies to compensate breakdowns in communication and support communicative practices, and by using spontaneous reactions and behaviors to follow up interaction processes.