Teachers and students´ perceptions of teaching English in small classes in Ecuador /

Abstract

This research addresses the topic “teachers and students perceptions of teaching English in small classes in Ecuador”. The action investigated in this study is based on teachers’ and students’ perceptions related to the statement which attends as a means to find the difficulties or benefits occurring in the teaching of languages in small classes. I observed five teachers and 60 students in two English institutes in Quito where teachers worked with a small number of students, from ten to fifteen per class. Students were of different ages and English language levels. They were asked 42 questions divided in four groups A, B, C, D, according to the purpose of the research. As a complement, extensive bibliographic materials were gathered from physical and virtual books. To gather authentic information, all questions were analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods which allows statistical measurement based in confident criteria. The research results show that English teachers prefer working in small classes because it allows them to apply and practice techniques and strategies between teacher and students which aids their self-esteem and knowledge. Key words: research, small classes, teachers, students, perception, English, quantitative, qualitative, tabulation, questionnaire, questions, answers, to find out.