Incorporating reflective learning and oracy skills framework to teach English online: An exploratory study

Abstract

The positive effects of implementing Reflective Learning (RL) activities and Recorded Videos (RVs) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) have been widely reported. However, studies investigating regional learners’ perceptions of oracy skills development remain sparse. This qualitative case study explores the perceptions of ten regional Vietnamese learners regarding the use of RL and Native-English Speaker’s Recorded Videos (NESRVs) to develop their oracy skills in a ten-week online English course. The NESRVs consisted of recordings in which a native-English speaker read either learners’ written work (NESRVLWWs) or descriptions of fictional yet realistic student personas (NESRVPs). The study demonstrates how RL and NESRVs can be integrated into learning activities to scaffold the development of learners’ oracy skills. The learning activities were grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and guided by Mercer et al. (2017)’s Oracy Skills Framework (OSF). Learners’ reflections on their learning experiences suggest that from the perspectives of regional Vietnamese students NESRVLWWs can support the development of oracy skills when incorporated into RL activities. Analysis of 3,389 words of reflective data revealed that participants perceived NESRVLWWs as particularly valuable for improving pronunciation, increasing motivation, and enhancing confidence in speaking. This study contributes to the literature on learners’ perceptions on sociocultural and reflective theories of learning in relation to oracy skills development within TESOL contexts. The findings also have implications for curriculum development through the integration of RL and OSF into online learning activities.