Use of digital resources as beginner adult teaching strategies as

complementary practical activities of the English language

teaching program

Thesis to opt for:

Master's Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Submitted by:

Monica Quiroga

FP_TEFL_2020-02_UNEATLANTICO

Director:

Costa Rica

December, 2022
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TABLES OF CONTENTS

TABLES OF CONTENTS.........................................................................................ii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.......................................................................................v
LIST OF TABLES.....................................................................................................vi
LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................vii
1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................8
2. JUSTIFICATION OF ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL INTEREST...................9
3. RESEARCH QUESTION AND OBJECTIVES..............................................12

3.1. Research question.......................................................................................12

3.2. Objectives of the study:................................................................................12

3.2.1. Main objective of the project:.................................................................12

3.2.2. Specific objectives:................................................................................12

4. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND..................................................................13

4.1. Information and communication technologies (ICT)....................................13

4.1.1. Services.................................................................................................14

4.1.2. Technology............................................................................................14

4.1.3. Networks...............................................................................................14

4.1.4 Equipment..............................................................................................14

4.1.5. Software................................................................................................14

4.2. ICT in the educational context.....................................................................15

4.3. Second language learning in the adult population.......................................17

4.4. Digital resources for teaching - English language learning..........................18

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4.5. Teaching and internship programmes: proposal to formalise complementary

activities..........................................................................................................................20

4.6. Definition of basic terms...............................................................................24

4.6.1. Individual learning.................................................................................24

4.6.2. Mobile learning......................................................................................24

4.6.3. Adult Education.....................................................................................24

4.6.4. Teaching strategies...............................................................................24

4.6.5. English Language..................................................................................24

4.6.6. Teaching innovation..............................................................................24

4.6.7. ICT.........................................................................................................25

4.6.8. Platforms...............................................................................................25

4.6.9. Teaching-Learning Process..................................................................25

4.6.10. Digital resources..................................................................................25

4.7. Theories on second language acquisition and learning...............................26

4.7.1. Piaget's theory.......................................................................................26

4.7.2. Skinner's theory.....................................................................................27

4.7.3. Chomsky's theory..................................................................................27

4.7.4. Krashen theory or monitor model..........................................................31

4.8. State of the art.............................................................................................32

5. METHODOLOGY.........................................................................................36

5.1. Description of the research approach..........................................................36

5.2. Description of the type of research..............................................................36

5.3. Description of research tools.......................................................................37

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5.4 Description of the target group......................................................................39

5.5 Description of the structure that surrounds the materials.............................40

5.6 Description of the creative process...............................................................40

5.7 Description of the typology of materials and/or activities..............................41

5.8 Description of the general learning objectives of the materials....................42

6. STUDY..........................................................................................................43
7. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.....................................................................44
8. CONCLUSIONS...........................................................................................45
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................................46
10. APPENDIX....................................................................................................52

10.1. Annex 1. Interview Guide...........................................................................52

 v

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
 vi

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Components of a study programme for language teaching....................22

 vii

LIST OF FIGURES
 8

1. INTRODUCTION
 9

2. JUSTIFICATION OF ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL INTEREST

The development of this research project is mainly due to the need to use digital
resources as a strategy for teaching the English language, by adapting them to the
beginner adult population that requires the realization of complementary activities
within the study program; consequently, there is a justification of an academic nature,
as well as personal, namely:

The teaching of English language generates difficulties in the adult population

when learning due to feelings such as fear and frustrations. The use of digital
resources can be of great help by allowing them to listen, write and promote a fluent
language; which implies the realization of significant changes in the procedures due to
the incorporation of didactic strategies or complementary practices of the study
program for the approach of different topics.

Likewise, complementary didactic or practical strategies facilitate students

access to digital resources and practice English, not only within the classroom, but also
in any other space, facilitating the learning process by not having limitations related to
access to them; On the contrary, being always available will contribute in students to
develop skills related to listening, reading, listening and written comprehension and
expression.

Digital resources in turn will facilitate the development of learning strategies or

complementary practices so that students when facing the realities in which English
language proficiency has become the language used in many spaces, allows them to
communicate directly with people or through any means.

The interest in developing this research for the benefit of adult beginners in the
process of learning the English language is to publicize the available digital resources
that allow routine language practices for the benefit of the student so that they
understand and jump the difficulties they present and favor the learning of English in
the adult population.

This project will contribute greatly to the improvement of the pedagogical

aspects to be applied in the adult learner population, especially in those interested in
learning a second language, as well as to teachers dedicated to teaching a second
 10

language willing to change their strategies by incorporating complementary practices

that adapt to the needs of the student when suggesting which ones to use, without
losing the function of guidance and leadership in the learning process; thus becoming
the teacher in a guide or facilitator for the motivated and efficient acquisition of a
second language, making use of digital resources that strengthen the deficiencies of
the students according to their level of knowledge, taking advantage of the fact that
currently the majority of the adult population has a cell phone and computational tools
that facilitate access to digital content and consequently to the realization of
complementary practices for the benefit of the teaching-learning process and therefore
of the students.

The use of digital resources is highly beneficial for the teaching of a language,
mainly in aspects related to pronunciation and listening by facilitating the practice of it
with the development of different activities, including routine activities, social and
personal aspects, aspects related to the environment and aspects related to
technology and interactions in general.

Not only the adult population is the only beneficiary of this type of teaching
strategies or complementary practical activities; but additionally, any type of population
that manifests interest in learning a second language under the premise of constantly
refining learning that involves oral and written comprehension and expression,
especially teaching staff specialized in teaching a second language.

On the other hand, this research will serve as a basis for the professional
development of teachers because theoretical bases are established that combined with
the use of strategies consisting of complementary practical activities will allow to
incorporate in the study programs a mechanism that will ensure the optimal learning of
a second language such as the English language.

The culmination of this project not only seeks to obtain an academic degree, but
also to become a guide for teachers and students that will allow them to complement
the learning of a foreign language, since the usefulness of complementary activities
through the use of digital resources during the teaching-learning process will be
appreciated; as well as the benefits of these to constitute meaningful learning in adult
students beginners of the English language.

Likewise, the project will allow to find concrete solutions to the problems
presented by both teachers and students by allowing to know new teaching strategies
 11

by incorporating complementary practical activities to the study program that

significantly affect the learning of the English language in beginner adults.
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3. RESEARCH QUESTION AND OBJECTIVES

3.1. Research question

The following are the following questions associated with the objectives set out
herein:

Which are the complementary practical activities for teaching the English language
in beginner adults making use of digital resources in Costa Rica?

Which contents are adapted to the needs of consolidation of the knowledge

acquired during the learning process of adult beginners of the English language?

How are the comprehension processes related to listening, reading, writing and
speaking classified according to complementary strategies and practices for adult learning
English language beginners?

3.2. Objectives of the study:

For the development of this project, the following general and specific objectives
are proposed:

3.2.1. Main objective of the project:

Propose complementary practical activities for the teaching of the English

language in beginner adults making use of digital resources in Costa Rica.

3.2.2. Specific objectives:

Determine contents that adapt to the needs of consolidation of the knowledge

acquired during the learning process of adult beginners of the English language.

Classify the processes of listening, reading, writing and speaking according to the
strategies and complementary practices best suited for the learning of adult beginners of
the English language.
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Establish complementary practical activities for the teaching of the English

language in beginner adults making use of digital resources in Costa Rica.
 14

4. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

4.1. Information and communication technologies (ICT)

Information and communication technologies refer to the variety of computer

resources available that allow interaction and improve the processing, storage and
transmission of information; reducing the expenses and time involved in communicating
prior to the existence of these technologies, thus making communication more
comfortable and efficient (Bermejo, 2013).

These technologies are constituted by terminals, networks and services which

since their inception have been in continuous advancement sophisticating and
revolutionizing communications in different fields, allowing different equipment to be
interconnected through a series of services that facilitate the management of activities
linked to both public and private life, positively impacting society in general all thanks to
the use of the internet and different available utilities or services.

The ICT have been providing significant benefits in the information area by
reducing costs and significantly improving communications, influencing not only large
companies but also the world of interpersonal and commercial relationships in which it has
allowed markets to maintain greater fluidity by making interpersonal and consequently
commercial relationships between people located in different countries easier and more
comfortable latitudes, by eliminating barriers which has made its use a necessity
constantly present in daily work.

These technologies are limited to the tools and resources involved in the
processing, administration and distribution of information thanks to the use of computers,
televisions, telephones, among others that allow lightening communications and as
referred to reduce costs due to the digital use of information allowing downloading
material, the realization of commercial transactions among many others, therefore, ICTs
must be understood as the resources and tools that facilitate the realization of different
processes whose use has been increasing in consideration of the different utilities that
have been given (Guzmán, 2008).

In this sense, as referred to (Guzmán, 2008) technological tools have been

evolving notoriously since they began with writing to reach current technologies with the
 15

use of computers, cell phones and the internet that allow online interaction especially in
the current moments in which thanks to ICT they have become part and determinants in
the evolution of society in general, seeing a close relationship between the use of
technology and the human actor, thus generating new contexts that require the presence
of these in the day to day, becoming an overwhelming situation for society in general in its
different areas.

ICTs are integrated by services, tools and programs used to achieve

communication through the use of networks, each of the elements that make them up
include the following:

4.1.1. Services

The services are mainly related to telephony and the internet that together
constitute the support for the use of other services such as email, file transfer,
videoconferencing, chat, discussion forums, news or news groups, internet relay chat,
content transmission, social network services, among others.

4.1.2. Technology

Among the technologies, radio, television and the internet can be mentioned as
precursors; while today you can count on mobile communications that facilitate not only
the transmission of data but also voice and image.

4.1.3. Networks

They are made up of all those that use copper cabling, fiber optics, coaxial,
wireless connections, cellular telephony and satellite links, among which is fixed
telephony, mobile broadband, television networks, among others.

4.1.4 Equipment

The equipment is constituted by the hardware within which there is a wide range,
thus constituting all those equipment that are used for network connectivity and
communications, being able to mention personal computer, smartphones, smart
television, game consoles, among other fixed objects that contribute to connectivity.
 16

4.1.5. Software

Computer programs represent what is commonly called software, these being the
fluid of all elements, which materialize in the application and use of different areas such as
electronic commerce, electronic government, health services, education, business and
others.

As ICT is defined as referred to by the European Commission (2001), ICT is "a

wide range of services, applications and technologies using various types of hardware
and software that are often transmitted over telecommunications networks" (p. 3).

The aforementioned European Commission considers ICTs as agents of

transformation of society that promote the development of countries as it is immersed in
the different areas of life in society, including education, social and family relationships, as
well as commercial relationships in which they interact among others.

4.2. ICT in the educational context

Within the scope of interest of this research, the teaching of a new language
implies a challenge for the trainer not only because of the limitations that students present
when facing realities, but also because they must adapt their study programs to the use of
ICT, which consciously or unconsciously society in general uses them in their daily work;
however, they stand as resources that contribute to the teaching-learning processes
through the different resources available.

At present, technologies have been occupying a transcendental place within

educational institutions of all levels which has led in turn to the need for teachers to renew
the ways of teaching when they see that students have sought new mechanisms to learn
using technological tools for their learning processes inside and outside the classroom,
hence they develop technological skills making use of ICT such as virtual platforms
through which the learning management process is facilitated; as well as, systems,
processing devices, generation and communication of information with which teachers
and students are compelled to interact as a result of the growing development of the same
and the current situation within the different areas that has made technological tools a
determining means of communication.

In the process of teaching-learning a second language, scholars have determined

that aspects related to these such as grammatical translation, speech development and
 17

the appropriate use of the new language are favored with the use of ICT, making it
necessary to integrate them into the different educational processes in order to develop
the different skills associated with this knowledge, through the frequent use not only of
computers and other technologies that facilitate access to the internet and applications
that stimulate the learning of the second language in a guided and coordinated manner to
ensure that the effort made effectively bears fruit according to the objectives of the
different teaching programs (López, 2007).

In this sense, ICT adapt to the different contexts required, so they adjust to the
needs and interests of their users, so that according to Coll (2014) ICTs represent true
instruments that even in a rudimentary way have been used to think, learn, know,
represent and transmit knowledge to different generations through the use of oral
language, written, representative, musical among others as can be evidenced by the
cave paintings of the Paleolithic, but that at present are used tools loaded with technology
that facilitate the different communicational processes especially the transmission of
information in real time and to different latitudes to be characterized by being accessible
to the majority of the population, possess greater capacity and speed for the transmission
of information shortening the physical distance that could exist, thus being able to share,
distribute, gather information between groups or people who are interconnected through a
computer connected to a network.

This is how within the educational field they have demanded a special interest as
pointed out by Cono (2009) by:

Raise the quality of educational processes, breaking down barriers of

space and time allowing interaction and collaboration between people for
the collective construction of knowledge, facilitating access to quality
information sources and the development of individuals (p. 306).

Among the main technological devices used in the field of education is the
computer, the cell phone and the tablet because these are the ones that mainly allow the
recording, reproduction and dissemination of messages in a written, visual and sound
way, facilitating knowledge and learning in general; making use not only of their memory
capacity but also the use of different applications that contribute to the enrichment of
educational processes thanks to the wide use of them and the high levels of dissemination
they are able to achieve.

Based on the use of ICT, it is up to education systems to determine the tools that
are most appropriate to a program to incorporate learning strategies that allow all students
 18

to be included regardless of the abilities and abilities that they possess to have an
integrated group, even when they have individualities that could be represented by
difficulties in the teaching staff, in the use of appropriate resources and even in the
differences that may arise during the learning process.

The use of ICT has as an advantage the possibility that students learn at different
rates and precisely with the use of ICT enhance and improve their skills and thus enrich
the learning processes; in such a way that they are a "mediating tool of the constructive
mental activity of students and teaching processes" (Coll, Mauri and Onrubia, 2008, p.3).

4.3. Second language learning in the adult population

The acquisition of language is reached at an early age; However, when it comes to

a second language in many occasions it reaches adulthood, time in which such a task
seems somewhat more difficult; However, during adulthood the brain reaches its greatest
development, with motivational aspects becoming the main drivers of learning a second
language.

Learning a foreign language in the adult population is quite a favorable situation for
students by allowing them to keep their minds active; however, within these groups their
characteristics are quite peculiar being hand in hand with the styles and rhythms of
learning, so it is necessary for the teacher and the student to explore the resources that
adapt to the needs of the student (Fontanella and Sandmann, 2011).

Adults usually learn a second language by listening to the sentences of several

words for which they require their segmentation; However, for these this learning is much
easier to have more developed their cognitive system not being decisive age as an
influential factor for it; on the contrary, learning a second language helps them to socialize
and acquire a new culture; however, for this whole teaching-learning process to require
the design of strategies that allow them to develop their skills and abilities (Traña and
Díaz, 2014).

The acquisition of a second language depends on a variety of factors that

influence the learner to learn and the different situations in which they are subjected; in
this sense Wode (1983) cited by Tello (2006) points out that:

On the one hand, man's language learning system constitutes a special

type of cognitive capacities which are especially geared to the acquisition
of language structures. The details of these capacities cannot be equated
with cognitive concepts, the development of logical thinking, of perception,
 19

of pragmatics, or how to handle the complexities of social interaction, and

the like. On the other hand, man's language learning system seems to
agree at least some of the general properties of other learning systems. (p.
200).

In this same order of ideas, it is the pragmatism that is developed in the different
activities that will allow to effectively reach levels of precision both from the linguistic and
grammatical point of view, which has been demonstrated by different studies that
incorporate within the curricular design practices and didactics that allow effectively
achieving the objectives of the training program (Tello. 2006).

In such a way that pragmatism is the tool that allows to realize and understand the
new language that is hand in hand with a true social interaction that allows the expression
of a reality within a cultural context.

4.4. Digital resources for teaching - English language learning

The digital resources destined to the learning refer to the material that is destined
by the teacher to transmit to the student the knowledge in a participative and pedagogical
way so that they can achieve the objectives of the teaching-learning processes; these
tools can be represented by a number of elements that allow convenient the coupling of
the group and which could vary from one group to another, since it seeks to keep the
group constantly active so that through them they achieve meaningful learning (Ricoy,
2016).

The tools most used for teaching-learning processes that have a favorable
influence on the different contexts of learning, especially subjects related to computer
science and technology, is the internet; however, at present its use has been integrated
into the different curricular designs to improve relations between institutions, teachers and
students by breaking the exclusive monopoly between teachers and students as the main
enriching factor of knowledge by expanding it practically autonomously (Bonilla, Morales
and Buitrago, 2014).

In the same way, the extension of the internet to mobile devices has further
favored that people have access to the internet in a constant and continuous way so that it
is possible to socialize with both family and friends, constituting this one of the main
primary socializing agents influential in the actions of the individual.

Web 2.0 allows the creation of applications that improve as people use them; Such
is the case of blogs that in the field of education are of great interest in supporting e-
 20

learning in such a way that personal and collective intelligence is integrated into it; In this
sense, technological tools in general are positioned as facilitating means of teaching-
learning processes.

This is how technology has been evolving giving timely responses to society, in
addition to incorporating them as a mechanism for access to knowledge of information
that otherwise could not be accessed and when used in a correct way support the
cognitive and social processes that help develop the human potential that interacts in the
aforementioned media.

In this sense, social networks within networked learning advocate this, but outside
the context of virtual platforms; However, it is these that through their members allow
group communication exchanging messages at a distance and socializing their products,
making use of the four types of learning (learn by learning, doing, learning by interacting,
learning by searching and learning by sharing), which is enjoyed by those who make up
the different communities.

Becoming online resources the main tools that teachers use for teaching the
English language when they become part of the educational process; in this sense, the
study carried out by Nuñez (2017) refers that the main digital resources for learning the
English language have been YouTube, Skype, Twitter, instant messaging, the use of
apps, web pages, computer programs, virtual platforms, blogs, wikis, iPad, interactive
whiteboards, video games, films and music, even when the aforementioned digital
resources do not serve for the development of all the competences that must be taken
into account for the Learning a second language.

The popularity of networks has made them a tool of valid inclusion in the education
sector, so English teachers resort to digital resources that allow them to create online
lessons even in real time, incorporating sound, images and video to the lessons to be fun
and interesting for students.

These resources can be visualized through the use of electronic devices that adapt
to the learning objectives proposed by teachers such as videos, PDFs, presentations,
animations, podcasts, digital books, among others that took their greatest boom during the
pandemic period by becoming a great ally for teaching staff and therefore for students;
which together with social networks in general contribute to group language learning and
even carry out collaborative activities.
 21

Evidently, students obtain results depending on the way they think and process
information which will depend on the experiences accumulated by brain structures, since
students accumulate different experiences according to the generation to which they
belong.

4.5. Teaching and internship programmes: proposal to formalise

complementary activities

In general, educational institutions dedicated to the teaching of a second language

have study programs that respond to the creation of a profile that responds to the
curricular design established by the competent bodies, the institutions establish their
programs so that the student at the time of graduation responds to the institutional
philosophy embodied in the curriculum aimed at the teaching-learning process of the
students regardless of their level and age; many times these do not incorporate practical
activities that contribute to their training so that when they graduate they can face a social
reality without limitations that could generate inconveniences to sustain fluid
communication (Fragoso, 2009).

The study programs are defined by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) cited by
Manrique (2014), as that statement of what has to be learned through the different
contents to which the students or apprentices have been subjected, thus constituting the
program that guides the teacher and the student to achieve the objectives that have been
set in the program.

In the current programs, complementary activities have been incorporated,

especially when it comes to the teaching of a foreign language, without this not being
prevented from completing any academic course, they are necessary to bring students
closer to professional life; However, these are carried out informally because they are not
incorporated into the curricula, which implies that since educational institutions and
therefore teachers and students are not part of these plans, they tend to lose their efforts
on many occasions as there is no true transmission of knowledge in students, Obviously
these activities demand the interest of these as well as teachers who should guide in its
entirety the process of maximum learning if it is the learning and mastery of a second
language.

In any case, the programs that are based on the contents of the same allow them
to maintain contact with the foreign language and even deal with relevant topics so that
 22

the student acquires a true mastery in certain situations that can even be selected by the
student (Martínez, 2014).

For its part, UNESCO has established a series of activities to be incorporated

within the different educational levels, which are not necessarily aimed at the teaching of a
foreign language but could be adapted within these schools and according to the context
in question, requiring the realization of the respective diagnosis that effectively allows to
determine the needs within each context so that they are adapted to the true learning
needs (Valdez, Llivina, Abreu, Miranda and Reinoso, 2014).

For the purposes of this it is intended to establish the incorporation of

complementary activities both face-to-face and distance through the use of information
and communication technologies and consequently of digital resources as a means within
the teaching-learning process so that the use of these resources has as its north to
achieve a balance that allows generating a favorable feedback for all involved and even
urge the Students themselves to select which activities and materials suit their interests
with a minimum of orientation.

A study program corresponding to a foreign language can be defined as the

reflection of what has to be learned in terms of interpretation and performance in a new
language; which corresponds to the objectives that are pursued to be achieved when the
students or apprentices are subject to the goals proposed in it (Márquez, 2014).

For this it is necessary to consider the different components that must be taken
into account for the design of a foreign language course, which do not imply that they are
hierarchical, they must only concur for the purposes of it, requiring to define the context,
beliefs and needs, and then conceptualize the content, formulate the goals and / or
objectives that will allow to organize the course together with the materials to be used and
the respective plan of evaluation.

The context is shaped not only by the physical spaces, but also by the participants,
the nature of the institution and the course, in addition to the resources and time available
for the teaching-learning process; In this sense, contextualization refers to the process of
unraveling what the student wants to learn within the course in order to organize the
content of the course and make the decisions that are appropriate to the purposes
referred mainly to the objectives, materials, sequence and evaluation.
 23

The purposes of the course refer to the goals, that is, to the achievement of the
objectives by the student and these in turn correspond to the objectives set that are hand
in hand with the expectations of the students and consequently with the aspects to be
evaluated for decision-making related to the needs that students wish to cover (Jury,
2012).

The person involved in the design of the course considers the materials and
contents that will allow to achieve the objectives of the student and consequently to cover
the expectations of these so that it gives meaning and structure to the different contents
and materials that are directed to the complete course and even to certain units, modules
or lessons: in the understanding, That the materials will be used so that they allow them to
effectively achieve a process of true meaningful learning for the student and therefore
meet their expectations, which can be subdivided into different modules that allow
continued progress within learning so that everyone identifies with it.

The evaluation of a course has the same importance as the design itself, which is
related in such a way that it allows to determine the scope of the objectives proposed at
the time of design and even the effectiveness of this in terms of the student's learning
process; In this sense, the factors that influence it are different such as: the participants
who answer the question who evaluates and who is evaluated; the contents that refer to
what is evaluated, the reasons that respond to why it is evaluated; the forms that
correspond to the question of how it is evaluated, the time when to apply the evaluation
and the results it responds to what to do with the evaluation.

The following is taken from Graves (2000) cited by Jurado (2002); The different
components that have been previously stated but that are necessary to consider for the
purposes of the design of a language course:

Table 1. Components of a study programme for language teaching

Component Factors and considerations

Students (age, number, gender, culture, other
languages, education, experience, profession)
People
Teachers
Administrative
Contextual Location
Place Lounges
Spaces
Nature of the Type of course
course and Purpose of the course
 24

Obligation
institution
Teaching Materials
Resources Equipment
Hours per level
Hours per class
Time
Hours per week
Days
About language
About the social
context of What is language and what is being competent?
language About How do people learn? What is the role of the
Beliefs
learning and student? What is teaching? What is the role of the
students About teacher?
teaching

Skills
Topics
Competences
Language
Conceptual Tasks
emphasis
Contents
Situations
Communicative functions
Emphasis on Affective goals
student and Interpersonal skills
learning Learning strategies
Sociolinguistic skills
Emphasis on the
Goals and social context Socio-cultural skills
objectives Socio-political skills
Activity
Participation
Performance art
Domain
Critical thinking

Needs Decisions Actions Collection of information Interpretation of

assessment Reflections information Taking action with respect to
information Evaluation and effect of effectiveness
of action
Organization Organizational Units
of the course principles Modules
Relevant to your experiences, context, needs
Promotion of problem-solving, analysis and
Students Learning research
Language Social Development of specific skills and strategies
Materials
context Aim at relevant aspects (grammar, functions,
development
Activity/task types vocabulary, etc.)
Materials Integrates speaking, listening, writing and reading
skills
Use and understanding of authentic texts
 25

Provides an intercultural emphasis

Develops critical social awareness
Target authentic tasks
Varies groups and roles
Varies activities and purposes
Authentic and varied
Performance art Student Placement
Evaluation Progress Identification of needs
Achievements Promotion
4.6. Definition of basic terms

Next, the closest concepts for the understanding of this research are presented.

4.6.1. Individual learning

This corresponds to the student who decides to participate in ICT-mediated

environments through the use of digital resources according to their skills and
competencies, through the use of any software that allows learning that in turn meets the
needs and expectations of the student.

4.6.2. Mobile learning

It is one of the best positioned technologies for learning in consideration of the

versatility they present in facilitating communication, becoming a mediating tool for
learning by stimulating and making academic learning more flexible (Cobo, 2011).

4.6.3. Adult Education

Morentin (2006), refers that "Adult education is a multidisciplinary process aimed at

promoting lifelong learning and effective lifelong learning" (p.113).

4.6.4. Teaching strategies

According to Mendoza et al. (2012), they are procedures or resources used by the
teacher, which allow promoting significant learning developed on the basis of cognitive
strategies and in which the teacher is a mediator of learning.
 26

4.6.5. English Language

According to Alcaraz (2000), English is a foreign language, West Germanic of

Anglo-Saxon origin, which is incorporated into the curricula of different educational
institutions being the most studied worldwide due to its predominance.

4.6.6. Teaching innovation

It refers specifically to the actions carried out by the teacher that will allow to
implement changes in the educational processes according to the new technologies; In
others, these words represent the improvement actions in the different educational
processes in a planned manner so that their objectives are achieved by allowing to cover
the needs of the student body.

4.6.7. ICT

They refer to the set of hardware and software that makes it possible to interact
with data that facilitate the execution of the actions of editing, creating, storing or
transmitting through different means of computing, telecommunications or networks that
allow interaction and facilitate knowledge (Cobo, 2011).

4.6.8. Platforms

They represent the elements that allow the implementation of academic spaces so
that the student fulfills activities that allow them to complement traditional teachings
making use of a tentatively real scenario within which the actors participate fulfilling
different roles thus achieving the participation of the whole team.

Thus, the platforms are the virtual environments that represent an educational
institution in which the methods, practices and activities proposed by both those who
teach and learn are reflected so that the knowledge transmitted through them is acquired
without borders.

4.6.9. Teaching-Learning Process

The teaching-learning process "is one that guarantees in the individual the active
and creative appropriation of culture, promoting the development of their constant self-
improvement, autonomy and self-determination, in intimate connection with the necessary
 27

processes of socialization, commitment and social responsibility". (Castellanos, 2001, p.

49)

4.6.10. Digital resources

These are related to any technological tool that contributes to communication so

that it does so that it is made more attractive and allows in turn to make the teaching-
learning process easier by allowing an easier understanding reinforced in turn with
practical situations (Sánchez, 2021).

4.7. Theories on second language acquisition and learning

In this section there will be a compilation of the most important theoretical currents
that influence the acquisition of the native language which in turn are those studied for the
acquisition of a second language; namely:

4.7.1. Piaget's theory

Piaget's work represents one of the cornerstones of the research and development
of fully structured instructional programs that have inspired the reach of advanced
education (through practice and active exploration, learning games, use of the
environment, evaluation of progress) Even if your contribution is not designed for the field
of teaching because cognitive development is related to the knowledge which It is the
process by which you learn to use memory, language, perception, problem solving and
planning. Cognitive development is given from the innate capacity of the subject, this
being a genetic theory of human beings, especially children who have a tendency to reach
and develop certain abilities that can be identified at specific moments of their growth and
development. Being thus an innate ability, it is clear that the way in which human beings
understand the world changes with time and experience, which to be processed and
understood is organized (Pons, 2015).

Cognitive development unfolds in different stages, in a first period skills of the

sensorimotor system are developed which by boat from the birth of the individual to two
years of age, and learning is carried out through imitation, in this period of two years the
subject goes from being a reflex subject to form their first behavioral schemes. In the pre-
operational period that develops from the age of two to seven, egocentric thinking
develops that focuses on expressing that he is the center of the world and all his thinking
transcends from this perspective that imagination develops at this stage and language
 28

becomes an important means of self-expression and influence of others. From 7 to 11

years the subject goes through a stage called period of concrete actions which is
characterized by the development of the ability to reason through logic but on present
and concrete situations, distinguishes between reality and fiction and begins to know
morality, the child understands and applies operations or logical principles to be able to
interpret objectively and rationally therefore their thinking You are limited by what you can
hear, touch, and experience personally. During the period of formal operations that is the
last stage of cognitive development and that is present in human beings from 11 to 15
years the individual develops the ability to formulate hypotheses and carry out problem
solving, begins the interest in human relationships and personal identity in which other
types of thinking are developed such as the constructivist in which It is understood as
there is an interrelation between the social and physical environment with cognitive
capacity, in which from this relationship they produce an effect on the cognitive
development and intelligence of the child; while in adulthood the brain maintains its
functions even if it presents cognitive changes that do not necessarily imply the
deterioration of brain functions.

4.7.2. Skinner's theory

For Skinner, learning is a process in which behavioral habits are formed, that is,
when a stimulus is received, a response is obtained that is later reinforced through a
praise that will denote the success or failure in the learning process; In the case of
learning a foreign language, it consists of mastering the linguistic habits of the native
language and contrasting them with the new habits so that through repetition and
continuous practice these can be reproduced automatically, without the native language
interfering in the latter, which is achieved through practice and reinforcement of the
structures so that correct answers are given to the different situations of the day by day;
However, the process of learning a foreign language is much more complex than that
established by the theory of behaviorism.

4.7.3. Chomsky's theory

Noam Chomsky (2014) from research on language acquisition, has defended the
hypothesis that children at birth, are biologically endowed with an innate ability to speak,
being possible to acquire and assimilate communicative and linguistic structures of their
speech community. For this he proposed the theoretical model of the First Generative
Grammar, thereby establishing a new paradigm that explains how language development
 29

occurs. Among the fundamental theses postulated by this theory is that all the languages
that human beings speak have as a characteristic the presence of a common basic
structure.

Based on this evidence of linguistic fact, Chomsky deduces that language

development during childhood occurs because of the innate ability that human beings
bring to acquire and assimilate the basic structure of language, which constitutes the
essential basis of learning any language. In this regard, Barón and Müller (2014) point out
"This theory postulates an innate mental structure that allows the production and
understanding of any statement in any natural language" (p. 12).

This theory of language posits that during childhood, human language reaches its
development thanks to a genetically determined program, and that congenital structure is
the basis for the modular functioning of the mind. According to Barón and Müller (2014), it
is a rationalist approach to the process of acquisition and functioning of language. This
thesis is diametrically opposed to environmentalist theories, which highlight the influence
exerted by the environment on the individual and the ability he has to adapt to the different
social contexts where he lives.

This innate ability that the child brings to understand the grammar of language, is a
skill that they develop through their experiences and learning, in any family or cultural
context. For this reason, Chomsky uses the term Universal Grammar (GU), to identify this
innate artifact that allows us to understand the grammar that is common in all language
systems known so far.

This explains why the process of acquiring spoken language can occur naturally
and quickly, since the presence of this innate mental structure facilitates its development
that occurs almost automatically, with little linguistic input from the speaking community,
easily deducing the implicit norms of language, including notions of syntactic structure.

Based on this, Chomsky argued that, by having a language acquisition device in

our brain, we can develop speech during childhood, which enables us to learn the norms
and recurrences that constitute the grammar of language. This organ located in the
human brain is a structure that guides us in the production of the sentences of the
language itself.

In this way, Chomsky conceives language as an organ, the "organ of language",

responsible for us to acquire and develop any language, in this sense he establishes a
 30

distinction between linguistic capacity defined in terms of a biological potential and

capacity in terms of the development or development of these skills. We come into the
world with a language faculty that reacts and develops automatically to the linguistic
stimuli of the speaking community. This happens unconsciously acquiring the
transformational grammar of their mother tongue.

Based on the synthesis exposed by Barón and Müller (2014), the language
acquisition device described in Chomskian theory is composed of three elements:

Syntactic component: constituted by a set of categories or lexical entries that allow

conceptualizing reality. Rewriting sentences based on a set of ahormationaly rules, from a
superficial structure made up of a simple phrase (phonological component), we can derive
a string of words revealing the natural order of the thoughts that underlie it, until we reach
the deep structure. Conversely, through transformational rules, changes can occur in the
deep structure (chain structure), until it is simplified into a surface structure (semantic
component).

Semantic component: constituted by a set of semantic rules (not clearly specified

by Chomsky) that assigns meanings, through the meaning or sense that a word can take
in a context. This allows him to postulate: a) the existence of an innate, universal semantic
alphabet, made up of traits such as: animate-inanimate, cold-heat and others; (b) a binary
code indicating the existence or absence of such traits; c) innate forms of more complex
concepts, such as pride, responsibility; d) terms considered as labels of pre-existing
concepts, which confer strings of sounds to chains of meanings, which can be enriched by
searching for information in the belief system.

Phonological component: composed of morphophonemic rules which allow

translating morphemes into phonemes, establishing a regularity in the pronunciation of
words and statements. These rules regulate the fanons, among whose traits we find:
nasalid, position of the lips and others, which are considered innate and universal
elements of language.

Throughout his research, Chomsky revised and enriched his theory including the
analysis of principles and parameters of language, in relation to the acquisition of
language during childhood, developing what he called: theory of principles and
parameters. The principles are defined by the existence of a grammar and several
universal syntactic rules, which are present in all languages. On the contrary, there are
other elements that they called parameters, whose variation depends on the specific
 31

language, reflecting the limited ways in which languages can be differentiated from each
other syntactically. The parameters are over-specification and lexical only. An example of
this is found in the Spanish language, where sentences can be created with null subject
parameter, but not in English and French.

From these new distinctions, Chomsky (1998) cited by Barón et al, (2014),
considers that language acquisition in childhood is interpreted as the initial process of
setting parameters in some certain permissible forms, so that the placement of the
parameters determines the acquisition of one or another language. In this sense, the
theory of principles and parameters reformulated the Chomskian model, language ceased
to be understood as a set of rules and the explanation of linguistic processes in terms of
surface and deep structure was displaced by the configuration of parameters that respond
to a set of universal principles.

The language acquisition device was made up of three components: 1) a cognitive

system responsible for computing and storing information, composed in turn of a
computational system and a lexicon; and two systems for action that exchange
information permanently with the cognitive system, these are: 2) the conceptual-
intentional system, and 3) the articulatory-perceptual system.

In its evolution, the model came to establish a distinction between linguistic

meaning, understood as a totally mental meaning, not referential; and complete meaning,
composed of a kind of enrichment of the first (of linguistics) in relation to other information
stored in the cognitive system, such as beliefs. However, Chomsky in his theory, fails to
explain how such beliefs allow a more complete meaning to be achieved. This aspect has
been highly controversial by its critics.

Finally, in his latest theoretical reformulations, Chomsky tried to unveil the

architecture of language that we have in the brain by proposing the model of bio-linguistic
minimalism. We have interface systems that allow us to perceive, think and feel the world,
in sensory-motor terms, and also in conceptual-intentional terms assigning meaning.

In this way, beyond principles and parameters, in this reformulation of the model
universal grammar was structured by features, a lexical set with phonetic-phonological,
syntactic and semantic attributes, which allow to communicate thought. But we humans
do not speak with single words, but articulate from a set of assembly operations that allow
us to unite and relate traits. The possibilities of assembly are limitless, which is why we
can put together countless sentences.
 32

The speech production process described by Chomsky (1998) in the theoretical

reformulation of bio-linguistic minimalism synthesized by Barón and Müller (2014) who
present the sequence of the three moments. First, a structure is generated starting from
the items of the lexicon, through an operation that manages to combine them. Then, in a
second moment, the structure is sent to the conceptual-intentional interface system to
determine the semantic relationships of meaning and finally in a third moment, there is an
ordering of the structure to externalize in the form of words through the sensory-motor
interface system.

In fact, there is ample evidence that children use language in a very specific way:
they invent words, deform others, construct sentences in their own way, mix concepts,
and in this game of trial and error, the brain progressively assimilates the parameters,
norms and rules of the language, reducing errors and using with greater property the wide
range of possibilities offered by language.

This model maintains that human language has the possibility of allowing us to
express a great variety and infinity of ideas, information, knowledge and emotions, which
is why language is considered as a social construction that evolves continuously. Each
society in its temporal and spatial dimension, is establishing different guidelines on the
common uses of language, as well as norms and rules in both oral and written versions.

The theory of Universal Grammar in Chomskian terms, does not have the
unanimous acceptance of the scientific and academic community. Among the most
outstanding criticisms is the excess of generalization in its postulates, since it does not
focus on the use of language at a particular and concrete level, on the contrary, it is
formulated with such a high level of abstraction, that it almost completely neglects the
influence of environmental and cultural factors.

In addition, it is a model elaborated based on the reference of an idealized

speaker-listener, who does not make mistakes, who acts linguistically as if he knew the
language perfectly, without being affected by the limitations presented by the context, in
this sense his excessive innatism is criticized. The postulate of the language acquisition
device (language organ) has also been questioned, arguing that this idea does not
present empirical evidence (Escobar, 2000).
 33

4.7.4. Krashen theory or monitor model

This theorist follows Chomsky's theories and points out that under this model the
learner does not need to speak or write to learn a new language; rather, it is automatically
learned when they hear or read the target language; developing its model on the basis of
five hypotheses, namely:

4.7.4.1 Acquisition versus learning

This hypothesis points to the existence of two ways of acquiring the competence of
a second language, which is achieved by using this and the second is the cause of an
unconscious process similar to that which occurs in children when they learn their mother
tongue; language acquisition being the natural way to learn a language without the need
for formal teaching and explicit knowledge of rules (Ramírez, 2015).

4.7.4.2. Natural order of acquisition

Under this hypothesis the language structures maintain an order that is predictable
for all speakers and are acquired constantly from the initial moment that the language is
acquired including when the student is in more advanced states of the language.

4.7.4.3. Monitor hypothesis

According to this, learning is carried out consciously in which there is a constant

correction of the productions of the acquired system, provided that conditions are given
that the speaker has the necessary time to reflect; the speaker should focus on the form;
You must also know the rules; which usually occurs when writing or preparing a
conversation but not when speaking without having its internal correction device active,
leading it to make mistakes (Krashen, 1977).

4.7.4.4. Understandable input

According to this, the foreign language is acquired once the messages that are at
a higher level than the one actually acquired, which is called input + one, are understood;
which is palpable only at the moment that the language is acquired and the exchange of
language becomes a necessity.
 34

4.7.4.5. Emotional filter

Under this hypothesis the emotional factor of the learners is directly linked to
motivation, security and anxiety that when the levels of motivation and security are high
and the levels of anxiety are low, better results will be obtained because they would be
much more open to learning and therefore more prone to the development of a new
language.

4.8. State of the art

The development of ICT has undoubtedly benefited the different areas of society
and of course in the learning processes by facilitating access to content thanks to the
breadth of resources that can be used, which in recent times have taken a vertiginous
leap developing multiple contents and resources that facilitate learning at different levels
of education that although it is not enough to have access to them because it requires the
establishment of certain strategies that effectively guide the teaching-learning process.

Currently, children have been born into the world of technologies, which implies
that it is implicit in the various processes in which they participate; but not so the vast
majority of adults who have had to learn and adapt to them to achieve their own goals
because it is technologies through the use of digital resources that set the guidelines to
achieve development; In the case of English language learning, there have been
numerous investigations whose results have favored the use of digital resources to
achieve true and effective learning, since this has been closely related to the use of this
through the different digital resources.

In this sense, García and Muñoz (2018) in their research article related to digital
resources for the improvement of teaching and learning, pointed out that digital resources
represent new opportunities and were incorporated into the teaching-learning process as
means that allowed interacting with images and sounds and therefore contributed to the
reinforcement of knowledge learned by having been tools such as: video, digital
television, video games, gamification, augmented reality, mobile devices, interactive
technologies among other true sources that facilitated educational processes according to
the needs of students.

Likewise, Quintero (2016) referred to the importance of technological resources in

the different educational processes, especially when it comes to enhancing
communicative and auditory skills in learning the English language and promoted
 35

strategies that facilitated its development, so it involved in its study the use of digital
resources as a learning tool that allowed to capture the interest and concentration of
students. thus establishing in response to the study conducted by Soto (2020) that the
use of digital educational resources were necessary for the strengthening of English
language learning processes, proving this hypothesis by submitting two groups to said
study: one experimental and another control group, obtaining better results with the
experimental group compared to the control group, in this same sense, González (2020),
concluded that in the presence of an experimental group and a control group, both reach
an interrelation that contributed to their tendency to quality education.

On the other hand, as reported by Avello and Duart (2016), the incorporation and
evolution of ICT has had a decisive influence on the emergence of e-learning as well as
mobile learning, the Flipped Clasroon model, MOOCs, personal learning environments,
game-based learning and learning analytics mediated by collaborative learning. In
addition, the authors referred in their research to the negative effects of the superficial use
of collaborative activities and identified key aspects for their design, especially those
related to the formation of groups, selection, clarity, flexibility and significance of tasks and
their monitoring and control.

In response to the importance that different researchers have been referring to

when incorporating ICT for the teaching-learning process of a foreign language and
following the study carried out by González (2017), didactic strategies have been
proposed that allow involving the different authors who participate in the teaching-learning
process making use of information and communication technologies (ICT) especially the
use of mobile devices such as A tool that facilitates the creation of collaborative
environments improving the experiences of the learning process, in addition to the
incorporation of environments with free and accessible software tools; that require
minimum computer skills according to educational needs, constituting the cell phone one
of the tools that par excellence has a fully functional use and to be incorporated for the
realization of new research.

As part of the research carried out by authors such as Lizcano (2019), who has
established in his research the theoretical, procedural and technological aspects
associated with collaborative learning with the incorporation of ICT as instrumental
objects, it has been understood that the techniques, resources and strategies for group
educational development and understood that the experiences of the student cease to
 36

have the character of individual becoming collective to the note that ICTs favored the
interaction that is evident in the exchange of knowledge and practices.

In response to what was pointed out by the aforementioned authors, Hernández

(2014), in research carried out on the influence of b-learning on the academic
performance of students, it showed that the b-learning model reached levels of favorable
satisfaction for teachers and students, even when teachers required continuous training;
However, it undoubtedly recognizes the positive contribution of the incorporation of the
digital resources model to strengthen self-learning, cooperative learning and the
development of skills in general, so that this is coincident for the development and
incorporation of digital resources to achieve a target language, constituting these part of
the useful methodological strategies within the teaching-learning process.

Hence, as stated by Crawford (2012) there is a need to create comprehensive

resources aimed at language teaching, preferably created by teachers themselves in
order to make them consistent with the pre-existing realities between them and students,
so these must be motivators for the latter according to Thomas (2014) so that the material
is adapted to everyday life, to the interests and needs of the students, to make known a
variety of topics, motivate the student and connect the classroom with the outside world.

This is how the tendency is to adapt the contents to authentic, familiar and
attractive situations so that they comply with the postulates of Krashen and Terrel, that is
why the need for it to correspond to superficial issues related to the contexts and
especially with contents referred to restaurant, cooking recipes, location of places or
location, greetings and presentations, occupations or professional trades, interpersonal
conversations, asking for help, tourism, films, literature, performing arts and visual arts,
conversations about games among other content making use of digital resources and to
maintain the use of target language as referred to by Cortina and Solano (2013), even
outside the classroom.

That is why the incorporation of ICT within the classroom has been maintained as
learning strategies that facilitate the teaching of a target language and therefore must
refer especially to experiential situations so that the student effectively has sufficient
confidence that it will be useful for their harmonious development in society.
 37

5. METHODOLOGY

This project was carried out as a contribution to its possible implementation in

educational institutions by teachers and students who are dedicated to the teaching-
learning process of a foreign language, especially the English language and seek
alternatives to achieve in students the mastery of it.

The methodological section refers to the explanation of all those methods,

procedures, strategies, technique and instruments used that were carried out during the
research process and that allowed the construction of knowledge.

5.1. Description of the research approach

This research was developed under a qualitative approach, to respond to the

needs of humanistic research and characterized by its flexibility and ease of generalizing
situations based on specific facts or contexts, thus guaranteeing high quality results when
considering the phenomenon as a whole.

In the case under study this approach undoubtedly allowed the approach to the
social environment of the subjects under study and their different experiences that gave a
true meaning to the study on the basis of the approach made to the participants who
provided their experiences and the daily life they presented during their teaching process
learning the English language. Added to the theory that served as support for the
development of the present.

In this sense, Hernández, Fernández and Baptista (2010), point out that "the
qualitative approach collects data without any numerical measurement to discover or
refine research questions during the interpretation process" (p. 225).

Therefore, the approach assumed allowed to present a proposal of complementary

practical activities for the teaching of the English language in beginning adults through the
use of digital resources.

5.2. Description of the type of research

This was based on an action research through which it was sought to improve a
practice and therefore establish complementary practical activities making use of digital
 38

resources for the teaching of the English language in beginner adults in Costa Rica for
which the respective proposal was presented.

In this sense, action research according to Sagastizabal and Perlo (2002), "is a
sequence of diagnoses that try to explain reality and redirect actions to achieve its
change" (p. 25), providing knowledge and responding to the objectives set with the active
participation of all involved in the teaching-learning process.

Thus, the action research not only proposed an approach and reflection on the
reality that was investigated, but also the participating subjects promoted changes so that
they became actors of the new realities for the presentation of complementary practical
activities through the use of digital resources for the teaching of the English language in
beginning adults.

All of which was based on a field research of character or descriptive level, thus
defining the character or descriptive level according to Méndez (2004) as that study that
allows to identify the characteristic features of the population subject to the investigation,
referring to the forms of behavior, to the determination of behaviors; as well as, discover
and check association between variables.

Obtaining results that allowed to determine the contents adapted to the needs of
consolidation of the knowledge acquired during the learning process of adult beginners of
the English language, likewise, allowed to classify the processes of listening, reading,
writing and speaking according to the most suitable complementary strategies and
practices in order to establish the complementary practical activities for the learning of the
English language aimed at beginning adults through the use of digital resources in Costa
Rica.

5.3. Description of research tools

This research used tools that allowed to guarantee the quality of the information
obtained as these were the most suitable for the moment in which the project was
developed, these tools were used in consideration of the different sources of data
according to the type of information that was required to be obtained.

For this, primary and secondary sources were used, the first being, according to
Méndez (2004), all oral or written information collected directly by the researcher through
stories or writings transmitted by the participants, including observation, surveys,
questionnaires, interviews, among others.
 39

The interview consists of the dialogue between two or more people, an interviewer
who questions and one or more interviewees who answers, the interview according to
Arias, (2006), is a simple interrogation, is a technique based on dialogue or conversation
"face to face", between the interviewer and the interviewee about a previously determined
topic, so that the interviewer can obtain the information (p.73).

Consequently, the interview is a dialogue that was developed in order to obtain

information from adults who, using practical activities and complementary content,
achieved English language proficiency.

The instrument is applied to obtain information and allow to correspond to the

objectives set, according to Arias, (2006), "are material means used to collect, record and
store information" (p. 69).

In consideration of the above, an interview guide was designed that, according to

Méndez, (2004), is the collection of information directly, face to face, that is, the
researcher "obtains from the interviewee, following a series of preconceived questions
and adapted to the circumstances that the interviewer's answers present him" (p. 210).

In this sense, an "Interview Guide" was designed containing a series of questions

related to the use of digital resources as complementary practical activities for learning the
English language in beginning adults.

In the aforementioned interview guide, 11 items were incorporated, the first three
referring to simple selection questions, such as: sex, age, and level of education and the
subsequent items correspond to open questions in order to collect information in a
broader way referring mainly to language proficiency and the use of digital resources
among other relevant questions for the study of the phenomenon that is presented and
finally a section corresponding to notes and comments of the interviewer (See annex 1).

On the other hand, secondary sources were used referring to all written
information collected and transcribed by other people such as documents, magazines,
texts among others (Méndez, 2004), for these different sources that were closely linked to
the complementary practical activities for the teaching of the English language in beginner
adults using digital resources were reviewed.

Clocking tools were used such as a digital folder and electronic registration. The
folder allowed once located the bibliographic information to organize it in a methodical and
orderly manner allowing to establish the necessary connections, between the information
 40

obtained and the plan that is intended to be achieved to respond to the objectives set, in
an electronic way, making use of the computer storing said information in previously
established folders.

While the electronic recording tool consisted of electronically saving the Link or the
paths of the Internet pages that contain the documents of interest, allowing access to the
documents depending on their characteristics, such as title, author, year, country among
others, in an easy and fast way, in addition to being a practical tool for the reproduction
and transport of the material, since it is stored inside a digital storage device.

These tools became the main option in the present research since it reduced
operating costs (paper expenses, printing expenses, among others), also facilitated the
classification of information in an orderly manner, which implied a gain in time for data
analysis.

This set of research tools was used to determine the contents that allowed to
consolidate the learning of the English language by beginning adults, classify the
processes of listening, reading, writing and speaking and finally present a proposal
relevant to the objectives set out in the present.

5.4 Description of the target group

For the project it was important to have an objective group that provided the
information of interest for the realization of the respective diagnosis and consequently
present the proposal regarding the complementary practical activities for the teaching of
adult beginners of the English language as it was considered a real group of people who,
having studied to learn English, reached the mastery of it with the incorporation of
complementary activities that contributed with significant improvements in their learning
process.

The target group with which we worked was made up of subjects selected at the
convenience of the researcher and those who applied the questionnaire to facilitate
access and proximity between the subjects and the researcher, for this it was proposed as
an inclusion criterion to be a graduate of an English program with an excellent command
of the language.

Therefore, the target group was represented by eight (8) adults who mastered the
English language graduated from different educational institutions, who expressed that
this mastery was achieved by making use of practical activities and complementary
 41

content during and after the training process; additionally, research developed by different
authors and information and data collected through print media were used, audiovisual
and electronic, which referred to situations of adults who, making use of practical activities
and complementary content, achieved mastery of the English language.

5.5 Description of the structure that surrounds the materials

The educational materials designed aimed to lead the student to investigate,

discover and build a dynamic learning that led to the opportunity to enrich the experience,
bring them closer to a reality, offering them an alternative that would allow them to use
tools and resources that guaranteed them an effective learning of the English language.

Within the educational materials there is a number of digital resources that can be
used for the teaching of the English language, which are currently available on the web,
being able to mention the main use of audios and videos; From these, as part of the
establishment of complementary practical activities, it was proposed to incorporate the
aforementioned in order to be used and of course adapted to the identity, diversity and in
general to the cultural level of the target group.

Within the proposed complementary activities, different aspects related to the

human being are shown in which topics of interest are taken into consideration, which
allow students to link and interact in different scenarios and for multiple purposes, by
making use of oral and written resources to be worked not only within the classroom, but
also outside them by serving as stimulators of the teaching-learning process.

On the above, activities that include discursive, lexical and grammatical aspects
were incorporated so that beginning adult students who are studying English as a second
language can use the most appropriate resources based on their learning needs.

5.6 Description of the creative process

For the purposes of the creative process of the digital resources raised in the
proposal of complementary activities, a process was initially carried out that allowed the
diagnosis of the needs to be covered in the students who graduated from the English
language, referring to the general understanding of the language, under the different
modalities that include listening, reading, speaking and writing.

Additionally, it was treated that the strategies used with the use of the different
digital resources will be adapted to real uses of the language so that the construction of
 42

the language is truly meaningful for the student, also, for the ideation of the activities the
cultural aspects were considered, which is useful for the purpose of establishing the
context within which the English language is explored.

In the same way, in the search for the appropriate materials, the pedagogical
aspects were considered in the sense that they would allow the transmission of
knowledge regarding the target language, in the sense, that they inform the student
general aspects related to it, guide the practice, allow the exploration of the language and
make use of it in a meaningful way, as well as discovering the use of the language in a
natural way; However, even though not all students have the same pace and mode of
learning, varied activities were considered that incorporated the use of audio and video
whose extension and format would allow the development of activities that adapt to the
students and thus achieve effective practices.

Based on the above considerations, a series of activities and/or tasks were

proposed to explore each component of the proposal so that they would meet the needs
of the students and in turn allow them to develop the necessary skills for mastering the
English language (listening, reading, speaking and writing).

5.7 Description of the typology of materials and/or activities

The types of materials and / or activities that were proposed in the research
constituted a series of aspects or elements that were used not only to facilitate but to
conclude the learning of the English language, within which are the digital resources that
are within the classification of types of resources and didactic materials, whose
importance comes from the teaching strategy that the teacher develops, as well as the
conceptual and operational typology that they facilitate.

The resources that were considered correspond mainly to widely used materials in
which resources related to new technologies for the teaching-learning process were
involved, which promise great changes in the way of teaching and learning, as is the case
of traditional non-printed resources and audiovisual and computer resources; which in turn
allow to be support of traditional resources comprised by texts and others.

This is how, they were incorporated into the typology of resources and didactic
means, within which are audiovisuals represented by projection of images, sound material
and audiovisual material and new technologies that constitute computer programs,
telematic services, television, video animations among others.
 43

Creating digital resources and activities for ESL adult beginners is important, but
equally essential is evaluating their effectiveness to ensure that your teaching methods
are meeting your students' learning needs. Here are some digital resources and activities
for ESL adults beginners, along with suggestions for evaluation:

1. **Online Vocabulary Quizzes:**

- Resource: Quizlet, Kahoot, or Google Forms.

- Activity: Create quizzes on essential vocabulary.

- Evaluation: Track quiz scores and analyze which words your students struggle
with the most.

2. **Interactive eBooks:**

- Resource: Canva, Book Creator, or Google Slides.

- Activity: Design interactive e-books with embedded audio and comprehension

questions.

- Evaluation: Collect feedback on the clarity and usefulness of the e-books from
your students.

3. **Grammar Exercises:**

- Resource: Google Forms, Grammarly, or interactive grammar websites.

- Activity: Develop interactive exercises covering grammar topics.

- Evaluation: Review submitted exercises and provide feedback on areas

needing improvement.

4. **Online Picture Dictionaries:**

- Resource: Personalized PDFs or interactive websites.

- Activity: Create or recommend picture dictionaries with audio pronunciations.

- Evaluation: Ask students to provide feedback on the usefulness of these

resources.
 44

5. **Virtual Conversation Partners:**

- Resource: Tandem, ConversationExchange, or Zoom.

- Activity: Facilitate virtual conversation sessions with native speakers.

- Evaluation: Conduct surveys or interviews to gauge improvements in

conversational skills.

6. **Podcasts and Audiobooks:**

- Resource: Podcast apps, audiobook platforms.

- Activity: Assign listening tasks using ESL-focused podcasts and audiobooks.

- Evaluation: Have students summarize the content and share their

comprehension.

7. **Online Forums and Discussion Boards:**

- Resource: Online platforms or social media groups.

- Activity: Encourage students to participate in English discussions.

- Evaluation: Assess the quality and quantity of their contributions.

8. **Blogging or Journaling:**

- Resource: WordPress, Blogger, or Medium.

- Activity: Have students maintain a blog or journal in English.

- Evaluation: Review their writing and provide feedback on language

improvement.

9. **Digital Storytelling:**

- Resource: Storybird, Book Creator, or Google Slides.

- Activity: Create and share digital stories.

- Evaluation: Assess their storytelling skills, use of vocabulary, and creativity.

 45

10. **Google Docs for Collaborative Writing:**

- Resource: Google Docs.

- Activity: Collaboratively write and edit documents.

- Evaluation: Review their collaborative efforts and the quality of the final
document.

Other evaluations methods are surveys, self-assessment, observation, long-term

progress tests.

5.8 Description of the general learning objectives of the materials

With the use of the learning materials indicated above, it was sought that students
reach levels of comprehension, listening, reading, writing and speaking so that such skills
implied the mastery of the English language.

In this sense, the different components contained in the proposal that was made
use as a whole audios, videos, chats with natives, movies, web management, Google
forms, podcasts, among others.

In this way, the use of the aforementioned materials was raised as an achievable
objective with them, the following:

Lead students to real experiences within the environment making use of digital
resources that allow the recognition of the world around them and changes within the
context, achieving this by making use of audios, videos and chats that allowed them to
approach a reality to correct bad practices and interact with natives.

In this sense, the conjunction of the set of resources allowed the student to
improve their learning process of the English language with the incorporation of
complementary activities suggested by the teacher so that he internalizes the native
language in order to achieve fluency in speech and understanding of the language.
 46

6. STUDY
 47

7. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

 48

8. CONCLUSIONS
 49

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10. APPENDIX
10.1. Annex 1. Interview Guide
56