DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES
APPLIED LINGUISTICS IN
ENGLISH PROGRAM
THEME
Incidence of Recreational Techniques to Reduce Attrition and Improve Learning
English as a Second Language on Students of Elementary and Pre-Intermediate
levels at “Lincoln College of Foreign Languages Institute” during April – July
2008
AUTHOR:
JUAN CARLOS DAVILA HERRERIA
ADVISORS:
DIRECTOR:
MSC. MARIA EUGENIA ARCOS
CODIRECTOR: MSC. EDGAR BOLAÑOS
QUITO – ECUADOR
OCTOBER- 2008
What is Recreation?

To feel motivated
during a learning
process at any stage.
Kind of fun to ease the
press of work or study
What is Attrition?

It is an emotional
state of a student in
which he feels very
tired of studying, and
doesn’t want to
continue any more
SUMMARY
 Negative aspects in
the English classes
 Lack of interest for
learning English
 Attrition of students
 Importance of
recreational
activities
INTRODUCTION
 Education: important and complex




human endeavor
Learners should feel motivated to learn
Motivation is like a motor that moves us
externally and internally
Learning involves adoption of new socialcultural behavior and has a social impact
on the learner: cognitive - affective
Recreational Activities are composed of
interest on teaching, curiosity, playing,
and desire of having fun.
INTRODUCTION
 Chapter I: Problem Identification
 Chapter II: Theoretical Frame
 Chapter III: Methodology
 Chapter IV: Analysis-Interpretation of Results
 Chapter V: Conclusions - Recommendations
 Chapter VI: Proposal
 Chapter VII: Bibliography and annexes
CHAPTER I
PROBLEMATIC SITUATION
Problem Identification
Problem Setting
Variables Working Out
Objectives
Justification
Problem Identification
ATTRITION
OF STUDENTS
ENGLISH IS
JUST ANOTHER
BORING
SUBJECT
LEARNERS
DON’T WANT
TO LEARN
LACK OF
RECREATIONAL
TEACHING
TECHNIQUES
STUDENTS ARE
NOT TREATED
AS PEOPLE
POOR
ENGLISH
LEARNING
TEACHERS USE
THE SAME OLD
TECHNIQUES
Causes and Effects of the Problem
CAUSE
Lack of recreational English
teaching techniques
EFFECT
Learners refuse to participate
in class, they hide and reject to
be part of it
Attrition on students during the Good students lose the interest
process
for the new knowledge
Poor English learning as a
second language
Students don’t need to learn a
new language; they are just
compelled during their studies
Problem Setting
• Lack of recreational
teaching techniques
to reduce attrition and
improve
learning
English as a second
language on students
of “Lincoln College of
foreign languages”
I’m
Tired
Secondary Problems
• Lack of recreational teaching
methods makes learners refuse
activities to participate in class,
• Attrition on students makes
them lose the interest for the
new knowledge”
• Poor English learning makes
students reject to learn a new
language;
Variables Working Out
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
RECREATIONAL TEACHING TECHNIQUES
• Instructive Play; Teaching by Playing; Environments
for Learning; Recreational Materials
DEPENDENT VARIABLES
REDUCTION OF ATTRITION
• Keeping Students Busy; Work Groups; Interest of
Students; Participation of Learners
LEARNING IMPROVEMENT
• Cooperative learning; Applying knowledge in real
situations
Objectives
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
• To determine the level of incidence of
using recreational teaching techniques to
reduce attrition and improve learning
English as a second language on students
of elementary and pre-intermediate
levels at “LINCOLN COLLEGE OF
FOREIGN LANGUAGES INSTITUTE
Objectives
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
• To analyze the different characteristics
of using recreational English teaching
techniques
• To determine the reduction of attrition
during the English learning process on
students
• To improve the learning English process
on students
Justification
 Necessity to use new
playful activities for
teaching English
 Students won’t feel
bored and reduce their
attrition for the
language
 Students feel confident
and develop their skills
and competences
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAME
Theoretical and
Conceptual Focus
Structure
Relation Dependant
Independent Variables
Hypothesis System
Theoretical and Conceptual Focus
 Attrition is one of the
hardest things to
reduce
 Recreation is a
powerful tool to teach
 Teacher’s mission is to
educate students
 Learners need to feel
competent and
successful
STRUCTURE
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
RECREATIONALTECHNIQUES
Instructive Play
Teaching by Playing
DEPENDANT VARIABLE
REDUCTION OF ATTRITION
Keeping Students Busy
Work Groups
Interest of Students
Environments for Learning
Participation of Learners
Recreational Material
LEARNING IMPROVEMENT
Cooperative Learning
Application of English
RELATION BETWEEN INDEPENDENT
AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Recreational Techniques
• Set of playful procedures,
methods and ideas for
teaching
• Face those tired, and
unmotivated students
• Link them with the syllabus,
• Look for benefits for students
• Students assume
responsibility for interacting
with information,
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Instructive Play
Games for teaching-learning process are good if they
promote the physical, mental, emotional, social, and
spiritual maturation
•Educational Toys (blocks, clay, dolls, paste, paint)
•Finger Plays (verses and rhythms with their fingers)
•Puzzles and Contests (quizzes, crossword puzzles)
•Values (observe the child in a natural situation)
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Teaching by Playing
‘Meaningfulness‘: learners respond to the content in a
definite way. If they are amused, angered, intrigued or
Surprised the content is clearly meaningful to them
•Should learning be serious?
•Why to Use Games in Class?
•How to Choose Games?
•General Benefits of Games
Affective, Cognitive, Class
Dynamics, Adaptability
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Playful Activities
• Playful activities are used as
short warm-ups or at the end
of a lesson; for example:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Point to it
Put the cards in order
Numbered list
Shopping
Snakes and ladders
Don’t take the last card
The hang man
Three card shuffle
Me against me
It takes two
Join the dots; etc.
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Environments for Learning
• Get them interested in you as a
person and teacher. If they feel
respect they’ll have confidence and
motivation
• Keep Yourself Motivated
• Be an Individual
• Have Fun and Be Silly
• Play Games
• Get Them Moving
• Stick to a Schedule
• Variety is the Spice of Life
• Give Them Options
• Plan an ending term program
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Use of Recreational Material
• A teacher has to update
and bring up new ideas
for teaching and
entertaining students
• We can find material on
internet, videos, video
games, magazines,
photographs,
television, billboards
• Students must keep an
English dairy
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Reduction of Attrition
 Attrition is boredom:
students get tired of
everything
 Kind of depression, and
anger inside
 The professor should help
learner-learner integration
and collaboration
 High attrition rates have a
negative impact in schools
 Attrition is a measure to
determine education quality
of an institution
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Keeping Students Busy
• A bored student, does
not learn very well
• A busy student learns
faster and better and
feels useful and helpful
• Role Playing or Skills
Practice
• In-Class Writing
• Debates
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Work in Group
 Group work, encourages
peer learning and support
Advantages
 Each member has something
to contribute
 You can learn more, and
understand things better
 It makes the assignment or
project more fun
 Students really like groups
 Teamwork improves social
skills and provides a more
"real-life" work scenario
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Interest of Students
• What students want in a
teacher: clarity, command,
knowledge sincerity, involvement
• How students respond
positively: interaction, effort,
examples, real issues, use of
material, organization
• Tips for keeping
students interested:
expectation, clarify the aim, good
comments, feedback, assistance,
encourage them, be punctual.
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Participation of Learners
• Make them talk using all the knowledge acquired
• Your challenge is to engage students, keep them talking to
each other
• General Strategies: know them, make circles, come early to
talk informally, no comments
• How to Increase Participation: they speak in turns,
icebreaker activity, divide students into small groups, assign
roles
• How to Keep Students Talking: talk to them outside, use
nonverbal signs, encourage quiet students, sit next to them,
discourage excessive ones, give the same time to all students
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Learning Improvement
• Good learning increases
the capacity for effective
action
• As a good teacher do
something interesting in
class, and have fun
• As an engaged student:
• Motivate yourself
• Set achievable goals
• Improve your skills
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Cooperative Learning
 Strategy: small teams, use
learning activities to improve
their understanding
 Why cooperative learning?
 Positive interdependence
 Face-to-face interaction
 Individual & group
accountability
 Interpersonal & small-group
skills
 Group processing
 Activities: jigsaw, think pair,
3 step interview, number
heads together
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
Applying English in Real Situations
• Attitude: be positive, know your
students, understand them
• Application of English: English is
demanded everywhere you go
• We use English and internet for:
• Looking for information, doing
homework, chatting with friends,
sending e-mails, designing
projects, playing and amusement
Relation Independent – Dependant Variables
• The use of recreational techniques will reduce the
attrition on students, and they will be interested in
learning; in addition, they can improve learning by
increasing their knowledge
• All the strategies and techniques developed have
one great objective that is to determine the level of
incidence of using these techniques to reduce the
attrition of students and improve their learning
HYPOTHESES SYSTEM

Working Hypothesis
The lack of recreational teaching techniques is
affecting the learning-process and causing
attrition on students

Alternative Hypothesis
The use of recreational teaching techniques wake
up students´ interest, reduce attrition and
improve their learning process

Null Hypothesis
The lack of recreational teaching techniques is
not affecting the learning-process and it does not
cause attrition on students
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Research Type
and Design
Population and Sample
Variables Working Out
Instruments for
Data Collection
Processing Information
POPULATION
Population
Male
Female
Total
%
Students
108
72
180
95%
Teachers
6
4
10
5%
114
76
N: 190
100%
Total
n
s2

2
2

2
s

n  104
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
OF RESULTS
Previous
Analysis of Surveys
Analysis of Results
Conclusion
SURVEY FOR STUDENTS
Question 4: Does your teacher use recreational material in
English class, such as, cards, puzzles, building games, etc?
Alternative
Frequency
Percentage
Yes
15
14%
No
71
68%
Sometimes
18
17%
Total
104
100%
Question 4: Recreational Material
Question 4: Recreational Material
0,8
Yes
14%
Sometimes
17%
0,7
0,6
No
68%
0,5
0,4
No
68%
0,3
0,2
Sometimes
17%
Yes
14%
0,1
0,0
Yes
Yes
No
Sometimes
No
Yes
No
Sometimes
Sometimes
INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS
Use of Recreational Techniques in the Learning Process
Students’ Survey
N°
QUESTION
YES
NO
SOMETIMES
2
Does your teacher use playful activities like
games in class to teach English?
19
61
24
4
Does your teacher use recreational
material in English class, such as, cards,
puzzles, building games, etc?
15
71
18
5
Does your teacher use technological
resources to develop the English classes, like
music, videos, computers, internet, ipod, and
flash memory?
12
76
16
163
675
202
16.30
67.50
20.2
TOTAL
AVERAGE
INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS
Use of Recreational Techniques in the Learning Process
Teachers’ Survey
N°
QUESTION
YES
NO
SOMETIMES
2
Do you use playful activities like games in
class to teach English?
6
1
3
4
Do you use recreational material in
English class, such as, cards, puzzles,
building games?
8
0
2
5
Do you use technological resources to
develop your English classes, like music,
videos, computers, internet, ipod, and flash
memory?
3
4
3
73
11
16
7.30
1.10
1.60
TOTAL
AVERAGE
OBSERVED AND EXPECTED FREQUENCIES
RESEARCHED
OBSERVED FREQUENCIES
EXPECTED FREQUENCIES
SUBJECTS
YES
NO
SOMETIMES
TOTAL
YES
NO
SOMETIMES
STUDENTS
16.30
67.50
20.20
104
21.53
62.58
19.89
TEACHERS
7.30
1.10
1.60
10
2.07
6.02
1.91
TOTAL
23.60
68.60
21,80
114
CHI-SQUARE CALCULATION
X2 = ∑ (O - E)2
E
O
E
0-E
(O-E)2
(O-E)2 /E
16.30
21.53
-5,23
27,35
1,27
7.30
2.07
5,23
27,35
13,21
67.50
62.58
4,92
24,21
0,39
1.10
6.02
-4,92
24,21
4,02
20.20
19.89
0,31
0,10
0,00
1.60
1.91
-0,31
0,10
0,05
CALCULATED CHI SQUARE
18,95
Theoretical Chi-square
•
•
•
•
GL = (N0 Rows -1) (N0 Columns -1)
GL = (2-1) (3-1)
GL = 2
Significance Level: 0, 01
Statistical Decision:
With 2 degrees of freedom and a level of significance of 0, 01, it
corresponds to a Theoretical Chi Square of 9,210 established in the chi
square statistical table
Conclusion:
Once calculated Chi Squared (18,95) higher than the theoretical Chi
Squared (9,210), the null hypothesis “Ho” (The lack of recreational
teaching techniques isn’t affecting the English learning-process and it
doesn’t cause attrition on students), is not accepted.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusions
Recommendations
CONCLUSIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
Teachers don’t use recreational
techniques or material to teach
English, creating on them attrition
and boredom
Teachers Should use recreational
techniques (instructive play, teaching
by playing, good environments or
extra material) to teach English, in
order to reduce attrition and
boredom
Using traditional teaching
techniques, students are not
developing their language skills
correctly, and don’t learn enough
about the language
Teachers Should look for new
teaching techniques, if they want to
develop students’ language skills
correctly, and they will learn more
about the language
Most young people are not too
interested in learning another
language (English), since they are
not motivated and don’t feel
confidence
Teachers should gain their students’
interest in learning English, by using
playful activities and treating them as
individuals with confidence
CHAPTER VI
Proposal
A two day, four hour daily Seminar on: “Use of Recreational
English Teaching Techniques”, for English teachers of “Lincoln
College of Foreign Languages” Institute.
Objectives
• To show the importance of applying Recreational Teaching
Techniques in the teaching-learning process;
• To show how recreation helps teachers and students reduce
attrition and improve learning on students
• To realize that English can be learned and taught in a funny way
• To understand that “Ignorance of new teaching methods is not
an excuse for not improving the way of teaching
RECREATIONAL ENGLISH TEACHING TECHNIQUES
DAY 1
• Goals/Objectives of the Seminar
• Recreational Teaching Techniques:
• Instructive Play:
• Teaching by Playing:
• Environments for Learning
• Recreational Material and Graphic Tools
DAY 2
• Attrition of English Learners
• Why to keep your students busy
• Why and How to work in groups
• Interest and participation of students in the learning
process
• How to improve English learning on your students
• Questions from the teachers present
• Analysis of the seminar by the teachers present
• Comments and Suggestions
DAY 2
Subject: Seminar on Recreational Techniques
Responsible: Mr. Juan Carlos Dávila
Topic: Reduction of Attrition of Students
Period: Four hours (60 minutes each)
CONTENTS
OBJECTIVES
ACTIVITIES
 Attrition of
Learners
 Keep your
students busy
 Why to work in
groups
 Interest and
participation
 How to improve
English learning
on your
students
 Applying the
English
knowledge
 Questions from
the teachers
 Analysis of the
seminar
 Comments and
Suggestions
 Know the
importance of
recreational
techniques
 To show how
recreation helps
them and their
students reduce
attrition and
improve
learning
 Realize that
English can be
taught and
learned with fun
 To understand
that “To ignore
new methods is
not an excuse
for not
improving my
teaching”
 Lecture
 Workshop
 Teachers’
participation.
 Role Play
 Comments and
suggestions
from the present
teachers
RESOURCES








Projector
Computer
Slides
Pictures
CD player
CD’s
Paper
Pencils
Year: 2008- 2009
EVALUATION
 Class
development
 Teachers criteria
 Group work
 Attitude towards
imaginary and
real problems