Servicios personalizados
Español (pdf)
Articulo en XML
Referencias del artículo
Enviar articulo por email
Citado por SciELO 
Similares en
SciELO 
Permalink
Introduction
The interest to develop a better communication among men has constituted for the society of teachers and researchers a challenge that transcends in time, transmitting and preserving the culture of the countries, adopting a different attitude towards the language, characterized by the conscience of what it is useful for and how to make an efficient use in any communicative situation that people are involved in.
Nowadays, exists agreement to consider the oral expression as one of the basic forms of communication. The development of the oral expression requires practice and exercising, and it is consolidated with experience and the continuity through the collective life; talking to others and exchanging ideas, emitting critical and auto-critic judgments to convince the ones who are listening to collaborate with the human cultural and ideological overcoming,all this is supported in the research works made by different authors such as: Cassany ( 1994 ); Guerrero ( 2013 ), and Morales ( 2021 ) who insist on the attention of the oral expression departing from the needs and potentialities that offer the oral text; based on different communicative situations to favor the process of communication.
In this direction, the mastering of the English language becomes an instrument which facilitates the integral formation of the professionals due to the growing insertion of Cuba in the international context;this is corroborated by some researchers such as : Ayala ( 2016 ); Ceballos ( 2016 ); Hijuelos ( 2020 ) and Olivé, Ronda and Rodríguez ( 2022 ), whose purposes go to the professionals in formation to training teachers and to students of the different teaching levels, but they have not taken into account the Technical and Professional Education; all these works privilege the didactics of the subject related to the development of general abilities, not the oral communication with specific purposes,which evidences the pertinence and importance of this investigation.
It is a hard task to fulfill the end of this Teaching level: to educate a patriot, integral, competent and of a wide profile middle level professional,who can fully integrate into the society and be an active agent of its improvement; such expectation holds in the objective 4, goal 4.3 of the 2030 Agenda, which purpose is to guarantee an inclusive and equitable education of quality and to promote opportunities of permanent learning to every person,and it is also stated in the RM/109 2009 which states, specifically for the Beauty Services specialty that the work object of its students, consists on the application of the procedures that are used for the cosmetology at institutions like: hairdresser's, barber shops and other beauty parlors.
Beauty Services specialty at the Professional and Technical Education demands the attention to the customer, expressed in offering a service of excellence, for that reason the mastering of the communicative skills in general, and particularly, the ones which belong to the English language, are essential.
This subject performs an essential role in guaranteeing the relation between Cuba and many countries of the world; that is why the Study Program of the General Polytechnical and Laboral Education has as an end the development of the communicative cognitive competence; it means, that the English teaching not only must contribute to the linguistic functional efficiency, but also to the ability of constructing and reconstructing new knowledge, which means developing the knowledge, habits and basic abilities of the students that allow them to communicate in the foreign language.
However, departing from the diagnosis made, the existence of insufficiencies in these students on the achievement of an adequate English oral expression could be corroborated. These insufficiencies can be stated of the following way:
Pronunciation, intonation and voice intensity mistakes.
Lack Of vocabulary.
Inadequate use of the lexical units in the speech organization.
Incorrect utilization of the extra-verbal language.
Limitations in methodological orientations that offer the syllabus of this specialty.
Low motivation towards the subject.
This reality imposes the teacher a great challenge of being completely conscious in his responsibility, not only to teach the language, but to educate, because the learning of a foreign language has a great educational potential, from the conception that the student acquires of the language as a social phenomenon and of its use to communicate in an effective way, as well as the potentialities of the contents to strengthen convictions, feelings and behavior.
Taking into account these reflections, this investigation has as objective to characterize the current state of the English oral expression of these professionals in training, at their educational context.
Materials and Methods
The information was obtained from the application of different methods; from the theoretical level: the historical-logical was useful for the evolutive analysis of the school orientation, as well as the historical development of the theoretic-methodological tendencies that have supported the teaching-learning process of the English oral expression; by means of the analysis and synthesis,and of the induction-deduction it was carried out the information processing for the characterization of the English oral expression teaching-learning process of the Beauty Services 3rd year students from the Technical and Professional Education, it was also determined the theoretical and practical foundations of the school orientation and their relation with the formative process of the Beauty Services students.
The empirical methods that were applied were:observation to lessons and evaluative activities to characterize the development of the oral expression of the students; the document analysis: the Technical and Professional Education normative documents,the subject preparation,lesson plans, attendance and evaluation records to determine regularities that affect the process of interaction and cooperation for the development of the English oral expression; the interview to teachers to know the problems that limit the development of the English teaching-learning process of the oral communication in the Technical and Professional Education students; the surveys to students, as well as pedagogical tests to get information on the level of motivation and the difficulties the students have on the oral expression in the English language at the specialty they are studying .
Results and Discussion
1,1. Oral expression conceptualization and its elements.
Expression. (From the latin. expressĭo, -ōnis). f. Specification, declaration of something to have an understanding. || Word or expression. || Effect to express something non-verbal. || Smartness and property that the affections in arts and in declamation, performance or realization of the artistic works are manifested with. || Thing that it is given in demonstration of affection to whom it is wanted to give. || Ling. That, which in a linguistic enunciate shows the speaker's feelings (Encarta Encyclopedia, 2018)
Therefore, the oral expression constitutes a manifestation of the oral language that the subject uses to communicate with himself (monologue) and with the others (dialogue), in it, words, phrases, augmentatives, diminutives, gestures, intonations, among other resources are used.First, this process takes place in the structuring of mental actions, which reveals the level of intelligence and creativity that a person has or can get about a given content.
According to Chuchuca (2018), the elements that are considered necessary for an efficient process of communication are:
a) Pronunciation: In order to get a message, it is necessary to listen to the words pronounced correctly, with the corresponding sounds to each syllable and letter and, with the strength voice emphasis at the exact syllables.
b) Diction: It is the certain use of the text message terms, with variety and pertinence, so that ambiguities, doubts and confusions are not perceived.
c) Lexicon: Having a good lexicon means, the diverse and select use of the words in a text, which must have coherence with the meaning of the message. A good election of the words adds interest and understanding in the message's receiver.
d) Positive attitude: Thanks to the psychic predisposal to think with objectivity and without any prejudice, an approach among participants from a colloquium is started, and it propitiates an emotional, participative and positive communication, because that mood is the inside world reflex and way of being, and when a message is sent, it carries out the perspective of the contextual reality. The tone of the message is fundamental for good social relationships.
García (1992) for his part, declares the following dimensions:
1. Phonic: it is referred to the pronunciation, intonation and the voice intensity; directed to the formation of habits, abilities and to the correction of prosodic elements which affect the communication.
2. Lexicon: it makes reference to the use of words, to the recognition of the students´ active vocabulary formed by the words which can be used without difficulty, to preserve them in memory and having of each one of them a conceptual image or a set of images.
3. Structural: It is referred as well as to the organization of the thought, as the general structure of the expression (rhetoric) and particularly of its evolutive mechanism (grammar). This must be joined with the previous ones in order for the student to express himself/herself correctly and know how to talk, explaining in a clear way the organization of his expression, considered as an oral composition.
Besides these three dimensions, Álvarez and Parra (2015) add a fourth dimension: The non-verbal language (kinesis and proxemia).
There are four abilities in the communicative act according to Cassany (1994), the speaker should master the use of the language to be able to communicate in an assertive form in any situation. These abilities, as for the native language, as for the second tongue and the foreign language are: speaking, listening, reading and writing, which is corroborated by Olivé, Ronda and Rodríguez (2022) when they analyze the professional skills in the English teaching at the specialty with pedagogical profile.
In the teaching-learning of the English oral communication exists an approach of great value and utility for many professors of this foreign language, such is the case of theEnglish with specific purposes approach, which is based on the study of the students´ needs, that is, what the foreign language is needed for. The application of this approach brings as consequence the differentiation of the teaching process according to the professionals in training occupational intentions, and which must be taken into account in the relation that exists between production and the speech understanding. Oral understanding is the first ability that happens in the acquisition of the mother tongue and it is one of the most complex abilities for the students who want to learn a foreign language,since they are not exposed to a context in which the language develops itself constantly and spontaneously; the oral expression, for its part,gathers different aspects of the language, for example: articulation,pronunciation, the lexicon, the grammatical structures mastering and sociocultural knowledge so the individuals can manage themselves in different communicative situations.
The learning of the Foreign Languages as the second tongue takes place in a determined context by necessity, due to the everyday relationships which can occur between people of a certain community or at the school context. The teaching of English in Cuba comprises all the subsystems of education and in which the oral communication has a remarkable place.
1.1.1 The Applied English subject or English with specific purposes.
For the professionals of the Beauty Services specialty of the Midd- Level Technician, the oral expression allows to communicate in a conscious and fluently way, through the use of a specialized vocabulary, the meanings that are required to fulfill the specific needs of communication during the development of the actions and diligences where foreign and nationals citizens participate; for that reason, the Study Program of the General Polytechnical and LaborEducation has as an end the development of the cognitive communicative competence; which means that the English teaching not only must contribute to the linguistic functional efficiency but also to the ability of constructing and reconstructing new knowledge which means developing the knowledge, habits and basic abilities of the students that allow them to communicate in the foreign language,endorsed by an important principle of the communicative approach, the lesson in terms of the students´ needs.
The general objectives in the English syllabus that these professionals receive are directed:
1. To achieve an oral expression which allows the communication in the English language at the labor activity area, such as in real communicative situations at this level.
2. To understand oral texts related to the unit or lesson topic, according to the interests, needs and the linguistic level reached by the students.
3. To summarize information obtained from oral and written texts.
4. To understand the social character of the language and its relation with the thought and the culture, by means of the study of the linguistic contents and the presented subject matters.
The whole orientation process of English with specific purposes of the Beauty Services specialist is directed towards the following communicative functions:
Describing people physically using the parts of the body.
Talking about products and utensils at the hairdresser`s or barber shop.
Offering help when a customer arrives at a beauty parlor.
Asking for a service at a beauty parlor.
Making compliments when finishing the service.
Complaining about a service.
Asking for and offering pieces of advice on the services that are offered at a beauty parlor.
The program is structured in six units: Parts of the body; Utensils and products used at a beauty parlor; The manicure and the pedicure; At the hairdresser's; At the barber shop, and At the gym.
For the achievement of the objectives of this program it is necessary that the teacher takes into account a diagnosis about the development level of the communicative abilities in general, and particularly the ones that belong to the English oral expression, and based on the obtained results elaborate the orientation strategy directed to the opportune combination of the different forms of the oral expression in which expressions, conversations and activities related to the technical vocabulary to communicate at their job environment, applying the vocabulary of the beauty area .
1.2 This study is made at Panchito Gómez Toro Polytechnical Institute, located in Vista Alegre Neighborhood, Holguín city. It has a general list of 488 students, from it 292 belong to Qualified Workers and 196 to Mid-Level Technicians, the majority of them belong to the Beauty Services specialty with 242 students between both levels.
The review of the document evidence that the study program contains the objectives, contents and dosage for the English subject and within it the oral expression, however the specialty does not have a program of English with specific purposes, that is why the orientations that teachers receive together with the poor treatment at the methodological preparations affect the development of this ability.
With the observation to lessons and the teachers´ interview, besides to corroborate this opinion, it could be verified the fact that teachers in a general way fulfill the requirements of the lesson, though it is not always possible to motivate the students, the bigger difficulties are focused on fluency, lack of vocabulary and pronunciation.
In the survey applied to students they refer they don´t always like the English subject and they recognize that the activity which they feel more motivated to is the reading comprehension and the most difficult one is the oral expression because they do not master the vocabulary and they feel stage fright.
By means of the pedagogical test it could be known that from 22 students of3rd year, only 5 are able to express themselves correctly, the other ones are not enough communicative and carry out the activities very slow, it is hard for them to use the oral language to communicate and to interchange ideas.
Among the most general aspects that characterize these students' oral expression, the 77 % ( 17 ) does not achieve the adequate communication; evidenced in the affectation of one or more dimensions; in the phonic dimension 13 students make an inadequate use of the voice volume, the articulation and the pronunciation; in the lexical dimension 10 students have poverty of vocabulary;at the structural dimension, 8 students do not use the lexical units for the connection and the organization of the ideas, that is why they make coherence mistakes.Regarding the non-verbal language, 6 students use exaggerated and inopportune gestures,they do notdominate the space and the scenery, they do not establish visual contact with the audience neither have a correct posture;summarizing; 5 students (22 %)are at the high level; 8 (36 %) in the middle level and 9(40%) in the low level.
To contribute to the fulfillment of the objectives of the English syllabus at the Beauty Services specialty, the following exercises are recommended
1.Oral description
Think about a person loved by you. Describe her/him physically using the parts of the body. You can use the following questions as a guide:
What's his/her name and the relationship you have?
How old is she/he?
What is his stature?
What is the color of his/her eyes?
How is his/her hair?
What is its color?
How are his/her eyebrows?
Does she/he have long or short fingernails?
With the application of this exercise the students of this specialty will get familiar with the parts of the body, content that belongs to the first unit of study, which is necessary in the vocabulary related to beauty services.
2. Monologue
Last week you went for the first time to your job training parlor. Present a report to your classmates and professors describing it, departing from the utensils and products that are used, as well as the services they offer there.
3. Role-Play
Communicative situation: A customer arrives at your beauty parlor asking for a service:
-Greet him/her
-Offer him/her help.
-Provide him/her with information about the services that are offered there.
-Make a compliment.
-If the customer is not pleased, apologize
-Say good-bye.
Conclusions
To summarize, the oral expression in descriptive terms is the capacity developed by men to establish concepts, ideas and terms with specific meanings; it is also related to the ability that some people have to get to some specific audience by means of the word.
In this sense, modern didactics definitely focuses the school task in achieving a bigger participation, which should be active and direct, of the student in his own formation through an adequate educative orientation so the student talks about what he knows and understands, and that way he can interact efficiently with other individuals in any circumstance.
Beauty Services specialty from the Technical and Professional Education demands the attention to the customer, expressed in offering a service of excellence, for that reason the mastering of the communicative abilities in general and in particular of the English language is indispensable, nevertheless the limitations that exist in the English oral expression learning constitute a current problem that requires special attention.
The proposed activities for the oral expression learning evidence that they may contribute to a well performance of the Beauty Services professionals, because they are directed to the development of the phonic, lexical, structural and the extra-verbal language dimensions.
