Pedagogical and Social Factors that Influence the Learning Process of English as a Foreign Language in Ecuador

Abstract

Abstract: In the present research, emphasis will be placed upon investigation of pedagogical and social aspects affecting the process of English language acquisition. The main goal of this research is to identify key facilitators and barriers to this process. The research was conducted in a institución educativa privada in Ecuador. The sample of participants included 33 people: 30 high school students and 3 English teachers. The methodological basis of data collection was represented by mixed methods approach and inductive-deductive reasoning. In terms of data collection methods, 19 questions on the Likert scale and semi-structured interviews were the main instruments. According to this research, personal mediation of a teacher through personalized comments as well as interactions with media technologies are the most powerful factors motivating language acquisition. On the other hand, social inequality and existing approach to designing tasks are the main barriers preventing students from being engaged in the process of language acquisition. Consequently, one can state that while pedagogical intervention and interaction with a foreign culture facilitate the process of second-language acquisition, it is very sensitive to socio-material conditions in which it occurs.