Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1849
https://doi.org/
10.69639/arandu.v13i1.2016
The
Use of Communicative Methodology for the Development
of
Speaking Skills in A1 Level Learners
El uso de la metodología comunicativa para el desarrollo de las destrezas orales en
estudiantes de nivel A1

Jovanna
Denisse Muñoz Briones
jdmunozb_a@ube.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0009
-0003-8623-1052
Universidad Bolivariana del Ecuador

Ecuador – Duran

Bianka Madelyne Macanchí Araujo

bmmacanchia@ube.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2321-5904

Universidad Bolivariana del Ecuador

Ecuador – Duran

Johnny
Segundo Campoverde López
jscampoverdel@ube.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000
-0003-0108-4755
Universidad Bolivariana del Ecuador

Ecuador – Duran

Josué Reinaldo Bonilla Tenesaca

jrbonillat@ube.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6748-2345

Universidad Bolivariana del Ecuador

Ecuador – Duran

Artículo recibido: 10 enero 2026 -Aceptado para publicación: 20 febrero 2026

Conflictos de intereses: Ninguno que declarar.

ABSTRACT

Second
language learning processes have changed considerably over the years, and CLT is partly
a
response to these changes. Previous approaches to language learning focused primarily on
mastering
grammatical competence. This approach integrates communicative tasks such as:
dialogues,
expositions, interviews, and role-plays, where students have to interact with each other
with
these activities inside and outside the classroom. This study focuses on exploring the use of
communicative
methodology for developing speaking skills in A1-level English learners. The
purpose
of this study is to use the communicative approach to language teaching to improve oral
expression
skills in 10-year-old students at a private educational institution. This research also
aims
to analyze how communicative methodologies foster fluency, motivation, and confidence in
students.
The study seeks to demonstrate that language learning is strengthened through authentic
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1850
communication,
in which students use English to express real ideas, needs, and opinions, moving
away
from the rote memorization of vocabulary or isolated grammatical structures.
Keywords:
communicative methodology, speaking skills, learning process, motivation,
strategies

RESUMEN

Los procesos de aprendizaje del idioma inglés han cambiado considerablemente a lo largo de los
años, y CLT es en parte, una respuesta a estos cambios. Los enfoques anteriores para el
aprendizaje de idiomas se centraban principalmente en el dominio de la competencia gramatical.
Este enfoque integra tareas comunicativas como diálogos, entrevistas y juegos de rol, donde los
estudiantes deben interactuar entre sí mediante estas actividades dentro y fuera del aula. Este
estudio se centra en explorar el uso de la metodología comunicativa para el desarrollo de la
expresión oral en estudiantes de inglés de nivel A1. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo aplicar
el enfoque de la Enseñanza Comunicativa de Lenguas para desarrollar la expresión oral en
estudiantes de 10 años de edad pertenecientes a una institución de educación primaria privada.
Además, este estudio busca identificar cómo las metodologías comunicativas promueven la
fluidez, la motivación y la confianza en los estudiantes. La investigación pretende demostrar que
el idioma se aprende mejor a través de una comunicación significativa, en la cual los estudiantes
utilizan el inglés para expresar ideas, necesidades y opiniones reales, en lugar de hacerlo mediante
la repetición mecánica de palabras o estructuras gramaticales aisladas.

Palabras claves:
metodología comunicativa, habilidades de expresión oral, proceso de
aprendizaje, motivación, estrategias

Todo el contenido de la Revista Científica Internacional Arandu UTIC publicado en este sitio está disponible bajo
licencia Creative Commons Atribution 4.0 International.
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1851
INTRODU
CTION
The
communicative methodology, also known as Communicative Language Teaching
(CLT)
, is considered a method that focuses on learning English in a real-life situation. In recent
years,
communicative methodologies have transformed the way students communicate, learn, and
improve
their speaking abilities to interact with others. According to Purba and Zaki (2021) in
CLT
diverse number of communicative activities allow learners to achieve oral communicative
language
learning competencies, such as information gap activities, group discussions, and
debates.
Those activities are essential to continually develop and expose students to |the target
language.

On
the other hand, oral expression skills include fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, and
pronunciation,
all of which promote authentic communication. Heras and Camino (2022)
explain
ed that fluency is the ability to speak with few grammatical errors and express ideas
without
hesitation, while accuracy refers to the correct use of grammar and pronunciation when
speaking.
According to Roeder et al. (2020) fluency is the primary goal and accuracy is secondary.
By
focusing on important communication instead of isolated grammar skills, this method
stimulates
learners to engage in conversations, enhancing their confidence.
While
the right communicative methodologies have relevant results on students’ learning,
concerns
have been raised about the inefficiency of the correct methodology used in the
communicative
skills learning process on students, since students don't receive the right
motivation
to improve their speaking skills. Alharbi (2021) argued that most EFL learners are
unable
to use English for communicative purposes. Even if the policies and curricula support the
adoption
of CLT, there are many factors that could contribute to the failure of CLT adaptation in
EFL
classrooms. Learners often struggle with oral expression because of a lack of confidence and
engaging
in speaking activities.
Traditional
teaching practices still dominate, despite the emphasis on communicative
competence
in modern curricula, which limits students’ ability to participate effectively in real-
life
conversations. Therefore, a reevaluation of classroom methodology is necessary. According
to
Dos Santos (2020) although many teachers attempt to employ the CLT approach in their
classroom
environments as much as possible, they still do not fully understand how to apply and
manage
the approach effectively for their students. This is because CLT involves different
classroom
activities. For this reason, the main objective of this article was to explore how the
communicative
methodology used for English teachers can effectively improve the development
of
speaking skills in A1 level learners, highlighting its strategies and potential advantages in early
language
acquisition.
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MATERIAL
S AND METHODS
This
study adopted a quantitative research paradigm, as it aims to explore and understand
how
the communicative methodology impacts A1 learners' speaking skills development.
Quantitative
research allows for statistical analysis of learners' speaking skills, classroom
interaction,
and instructional practices.
Techniques
for Data Collection
To
collect meaningful and relevant data, the following technique was used: a survey. This
tool
was used to collect quantitative data from students’ answers, based on their attitudes,
confidence,
and thoughts about communicative activities in English class.
Population,
Sample, and Sampling Technique
The
population of this study consisted of A1-level students of English as a foreign
language
(EFL) who were studying at a private educational institution. These learners are 10 years
old
and are in the initial stages of language acquisition according to the Common European
Framework
of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The
sample consisted of 10 A1-level learners from a single intact class. The group was
chosen
considering their availability and willingness to participate in the application based on the
Communicative
Approach to Language Teaching (CLT). The teacher of the selected class was
also
involved as both facilitator and participant in the study.
Purposive
sampling was employed to ensure that the selected group meets the study’s
criteria,
particularly in relation to their level (A1) and access to or openness toward
communicative
methodology. This non-random sampling technique allows the researcher to
select
a context in which the intervention can be meaningfully observed and evaluated.
Data
Analysis
Quantitative
data: It was collected through a structured survey using Likert-scale
questions.
According to South et al. (2022) Likert scales are often used to produce quantitative
estimates
of subjective attributes. The survey measured students’ attitudes, confidence, and
perceived
improvement in speaking skills. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive
statistics
to summarize students’ responses and determine whether the communicative
methodology
had a significant effect on the development of speaking skills. This approach
allow
ed the research to provide measurable evidence of the effectiveness of communicative
activities
in improving oral competence in A1-level learners.
This
research aimed to examine the implementation of the communicative methodology
as
a means of enhancing oral expression in A1 level students, who were distinguished by their
ability
to use simple phrases and sentences to communicate basic needs. The study primarily
focuse
d on specific communicative strategies, such as task-based learning, role-playing, pair and
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1853
group
work, and dialogues contextualized in real-life situations, which contribute to the
development
of fluency, confidence, and active participation in the oral use of English.
Type
of Research
This
research adopted a quantitative approach to analyze the use of communicative
methodology
in developing speaking skills among A1-level English learners. The study was
conducted
from a practical perspective to provide measurable evidence of how specific
communicative
strategies impact students’ oral performance in a real classroom context.
Ethical
Considerations
This
study was conducted following ethical research principles. The participants were
minors;
for that reason, the data collection was obtained with the company of the students’ parents
or
legal guardians. The participation of the students was voluntary, and confidentiality was
guaranteed;
no personal identifying information was collected. The data were used exclusively
for
academic purposes. Authorization was also obtained from the educational institution to
conduct
the research.
RESULTS

This
section presented a summary of survey results regarding on student’s view and
experiences
related to speaking skills and Communicative methodology at the A1 level learners,
with
the purpose of developing the speaking abilities. The results showed that they felt very
motivated
to speak in English through activities by their teacher.
Table
1
Student
Perception of Interactive Activities on Speaking Skills
Response Category
Scale Rating Frequency Percentage (%)
Strongly agree
5 9 90%
Agree
4 0 0%
Neutral
3 0 0%
Disagree
2 0 0%
Strongly Disagree
1 1 10%
Total
10 100%
Source:
Own elaboration based on collected data.
The
survey data highlighted a significant positive perception among A1 level learners
that
the use of interactive activities, such as roleplays, games, or dialogues, positively impacts
their
speaking abilities.
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1854
Figure
1
Distribution
of Students Answers
Note.
The graph showed the distribution of responses from 10 A1-level English learners regarding the impact of
communicative
activities on their speaking skills.
Source:
Own elaboration.
Table
2
Student
Perception of Motivation by their teacher on Speaking Activities
Response Category
Scale Rating Frequency Percentage (%)
Strongly agree
5 8 80%
Agree
4 0 0%
Neutral
3 1 10%
Disagree
2 1 10%
Strongly Disagree
1 0 0%
Total
10 100%
Source:
Own elaboration based on collected data.
Figure
2
Student
Perception of Motivation Results
Note.
Survey results show that 80% of students agreed to feel motivated by their teacher to participate in speaking
activities.

Source:
Own elaboration
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1855
Table
3
Student
Understanding the Use of English in Real Situations through Communicative Activities
Response Category
Scale Rating Frequency Percentage (%)
Strongly agree
5 7 70%
Agree
4 2 20%
Neutral
3 0 0%
Disagree
2 1 10%
Strongly Disagree
1 0 0%
Total
10 100%
Source:
Own elaboration based on collected data
Figure
3
Student
survey results of Communicative Activities
Note.
70% of students show how the communicative activities help them to use English in real situations.
Source:
Own elaboration based on collected data.
DISCUSSION

The
results of this study indicated a high level of students’ approval in respect of the use
of
communicative methodology to improve their speaking skills. According to Table 1, 90% of
the
A1 level learners ‘’Strongly Agree’’ that communicative methodologies, such as games, role
plays,
and dialogues, positively impact their ability to speak English.
According
to Ramos (2023) the role-play technique, where groups of students assume
given
roles and negotiate meaning to solve a particular problem or situation, resembles how
language
is used in real life to communicate. This shows that for beginner-level students,
interactive
activities are not only supplementary but are perceived as essential tools of linguistic
development.

Th
e high frequency of ‘’Strongly Agree’’ responses highlight a very strong relationship
between
communicative teaching methods and learner motivation. According to the previous
result
s, students feel more motivated when engaging in English through activities, such as
roleplays
or games, rather than traditional, passive learning methods.
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1856
CONCL
USIONS
The
communicative language teaching method (CLT) has proven to be an effective
method
for promoting oral proficiency at the A1 level. Its application strengthens confidence,
fluency,
and motivation, emphasizing the importance of adopting learner-centered methods in the
initial
stages of language teaching to optimize speaking competence. The application of CLT has
a
positive effect on the development of oral skills in English language learners at the A1 level.
A
ccording to the results of this research, students consider communicative activities to be
effective
tools for improving their oral expression, particularly in terms of participation and
confidence
when using the target language.
T
he quantitative approach provided measurable evidence of the effectiveness of
communicative
activities in improving oral competence in A1-level learners. In addition, a survey
was
used; this technique allowed the researcher to select a context in which the intervention can
be
meaningfully observed and evaluated. Based on the positive results obtained, this research
study
could contribute to future teaching practices in Ecuador, shifting focus from traditional
teaching
methodologies to active and real-life tasks, fostering learner autonomy, and taking
ownership
of their learning process.
The
findings of the survey also demonstrated that interactive tasks such as games, role
plays,
and dialogues create a supportive learning environment that significantly increases
students´
motivation and encourages students to actively use English, reducing hesitation and
anxiety
commonly observed at beginner levels. To sum up, the research revealed that promoting
authentic
communication where students were able to relate classroom activities to meaningful
contexts
supports the development of functional language and helps learners understand and apply
English
in real-life situations rather than rote memorization of isolated grammatical structures.
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1857
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