Estrategias de aprendizaje para fortalecer el Inglés como competencia genérica en estudiantes de la Universidad La Gran Colombia

Abstract

This article is the result of a research conducted by students belonging to the research seminar-workshop at the University “La Gran Colombia” (UGC). The purpose of this research is to identify what learning strategies improve the English language as a generic competency for those students who study English level second and third at the Language Centre of the University “La Gran Colombia” (UGC). This study consisted in developing a Likert-type survey, based on the SILL Strategy inventory for language learning questionnaire, Oxford version 7.0 (1990). The questionnaire consisted of categories according to the Common European Framework for the analysis of the English competencies, the implementation of which allowed establishing and knowing the frequency of use of the learning strategies for each English competency. This was done with the aim of encouraging students to overcome their communication weaknesses in English, facilitating the understanding of a second language and contributing to a better academic performance. Nevertheless, knowing and selecting learning strategies that better encourage students to develop their communication skills in English, will make the learning process easier and improve the competency of the English field by means of different ways of learning and practising. It was concluded that it is necessary to implement more the usage of learning strategies in learning spaces within the University. Furthermore, it is also necessary to enrich oral communication competencies by means of learning strategies in order to facilitate the learning capacity and produce spoken expressions in a second language