Browsing by Author "Torres Ortiz, Rosita Monserrath"

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The effects of project-based tasks on international baccalaureate diploma programme students’ writing skills
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2020-08-27) Segarra Matute, Tania Karina; Torres Ortiz, Rosita Monserrath
This exploratory case study aims at investigating the effectiveness of Project-Based Tasks on International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Students’ Writing Skills. The participants were 9 second-year IBDP students at Manuela Garaicoa de Calderón School. The students were part of a 32-hour treatment where project-based tasks were incorporated in their English ab Initio classes. A mixed methods research design was used for data collection. In order to collect quantitative data, IBDP a pre-test and a post-test were administered to analyze the students’ writing skills before and after the intervention, and a Wilcoxon SignedRank Test was employed to examine the effect of project-based tasks on students’ writing skills. The qualitative data were collected with the purpose of obtaining information about the students’ perceptions toward writing as a result of the implementation of Project-Based Tasks. Thus, a teacher’s journal was kept during the whole phase of intervention, while interviews with students were conducted at the end of it. These instruments were employed to triangulate what the researcher perceived during the intervention and how students felt about writing after the implementation of Project-Based Tasks. Results from the study indicate that students presented improvement in their writing skills after the implementation of ProjectBased Tasks. Additionally, the students presented a positive attitude toward writing, where collaborative work was a key element for writing improvement. In light to the findings, Project-Based Tasks should be adopted in English ab Initio classes since they not only help learners improve their writing skills, but also their motivation toward it.
English for specific purposes, an approach to improve the reading comprehension level of psychology students at University of Cuenca
(REDU, 2017) Torres Ortiz, Rosita Monserrath
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a student-centered learning approach based on covering learners’ needs and interests, since it focuses on their field of study. The goal of this research was to improve the English reading comprehension level of Psychology students at the University of Cuenca through ESP. The participants were 25 first level students. To gather information, this study used both quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments. From the data analysis, it can be said that students were motivated in reading texts related to their needs and interests because, according to their own perceptions, they improved their reading comprehension level. As a conclusion, ESP in EFL teaching- learning process can be significant for students since through the application of this approach they can become more competitive and independent in order to face the challenges of this globalized world.
ESP an approach to motivate and enhance the reading comprehension level of EFL students at the University of Cuenca
(CIDE Editorial, 2017) Torres Ortiz, Rosita Monserrath
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a learner-centered approach to teaching English as an additional language, which focuses on developing English communication skills in a specific discipline, such as accounting, management, education, law, engineering, technology, health, medicine and so on. ESP is based on designing courses to meet specific learners' needs and interests. In this context, the purpose of the present study was to establish the effects ESP had over the English reading comprehension level in a class of 25 Psychology students at the University of Cuenca. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments were used to gather information for this research. Results show there was evidence of an improvement in the reading comprehension level as well as in the development of the other language skills. Furthermore, according to the students’ perceptions, they felt motivated and interested in reading texts related to their needs and interests. In sum, to apply ESP approach in EFL contexts can be meaningful for university students in order for them to become more competitive and independent professionals; therefore, it is the English teacher’s responsibility to be sensitive to learners’ needs and their learning contexts.
Multiple Intelligences: strategies for the language learning process for children from nine to ten years old in Asunción elementary school
(2010) Astudillo Sarmiento, Andrea; Astudillo Sarmiento, Paola; Torres Ortiz, Rosita Monserrath
The effects of english for specific purposes on the english reading comprehension level of psychology students at university of Cuenca, Ecuador
(2017-10-25) González Fernández, Lourdes Alexandra; Torres Ortiz, Rosita Monserrath
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a student-centered learning approach based on covering learners’ needs and interests, since it focuses on topics related to their field of study. ESP is more involved in language in context, because there is a close relationship between the learner and the specific authentic material used in class. In this context, the goal of this research study was to establish the effects ESP had over the English reading comprehension level of Psychology students at the University of Cuenca, where English teaching at its mandatory levels is only focused on General English. By using a convergent parallel mixed method, the intervention was carried out with a group of 25 students registered in the First Level of English credits from the School of Psychology during the semester March-August 2016. To gather information, this study used both quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments such as a pre-test, a post-test, students’ journals, personal interviews, and a closed-question survey. Although, this study was not statistically significant, there was evidence of an improvement in the reading comprehension level as well as in the development of other language skills. Also, based on the students’ perceptions it can be said that the students were motivated and interested in reading texts in line with their needs and interests. In sum, to apply the ESP approach in the English teaching-learning process can be very useful for students, since they can get meaningful learning that let them cope as future professionals in a competitive and challenging world.
The use of webquest to enhance the reading skill of EFL students at the University of Cuenca Institute of Languages
(2018) Stadelhofer de Martínez, Sonja; Torres Ortiz, Rosita Monserrath
Over the years, the use of technology in the EFL classroom has demonstrated to be beneficial and has become increasingly prominent in literature. The goal of the present mixed-method study was to determine whether the use of two researcher designed WebQuests enhanced the reading competence in a class of 21 A2 EFL level students at the University Language Institute at the University of Cuenca in Ecuador. The participants received two WebQuests based on the principles of task-based instruction to provide them with more reading opportunities within an integrated-skill syllabus. A pre-test and a post-test were used to determine the students’ reading comprehension level. Later, a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was used to analyze this data. In addition, three Likert scale questionnaires were applied at different phases of the intervention, and two focus groups were conducted which made it possible to explore students’ perceptions about the effectiveness of the intervention. In order to triangulate the data, a teacher's journal was kept to obtain information from the teacher's perceptions about the students’ attitude towards the use of WebQuests in the EFL classroom. Despite the fact that the reading comprehension test did not demonstrate a statistical enhancement of the reading skill, the analysis of the questionnaires with the Mann-Whitney U Test indicated there was significant potential to promote reading comprehension in the EFL classroom. Thus, a WebQuest gives the teacher the possibility to prepare EFL students for a competitive and challenging world.