Productive skills in B1 EFL/ESL students: Reassessment of learning needs and proposals for improvement

Abstract

The variety of resources and strategies of EFL/ESL learning in B1 level, particularly in the Spanish university context, has been traditionally associated with textbook-based syllabuses. However, the nature of language institutions and the diversity of learnership requires a thorough reassessment of materials, resources and strategies. This study is intended to examine the specific needs of B1-level English groups, with special interest in students of “Comunicación eficaz en inglés I” and “Comunicación eficaz en inglés II” (Faculty of Humanities, University of Alicante). A questionnaire has been applied in various language centers and university courses in Alicante. The questionnaire is aimed at finding an account of these students’ preferences and attitude towards the learning experience, the most challenging tasks and activities, the use of resources, and above all, the degree of usefulness and applicability of some of the strategies used in class. The findings show that the majority of students that study English are driven by personal motivations, rather than academic or professional interest. Informants seem to agree on the fact that both writing and oral production activities differ in the levels of difficulty and motivation. Whereas writing activities are connected to self-study practice, oral production remains an in-class request.