A case study on confidence and fluency in teaching advanced speaking course via videoconferencing-based lessons

Abstract

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in Armenia, education swiftly transferred to videoconferencing (VC) mode and attracted significant interest for research purposes. The following case study aimed at investigating how speaking confidence and fluency are developed via VC mode, the types of activities that are used in VC and the attitudes of the learners and the teacher regarding VC speaking course. The research focused on a speaking course at the American University of Armenia Open Education Program managed remotely via Zoom VC platform. The study was based on a mixed-method research approach. Lesson observations, analysis of the course syllabus and the semi-structured interview with the teacher allowed understanding of how speaking confidence and fluency are taught and the types of activities that are applied in VC mode. The semi-structured interview also helped to understand the teacher’s perceptions of teaching speaking via VC mode, whereas the survey allowed gaining insights into the students’ attitudes towards improving speaking via VC mode. The statistical difference of fluency and speaking total grade between the placement speaking test and post-course speaking test aimed at revealing whether the students progressed due to the course. The research findings reveal that speaking confidence and fluency can be facilitated with the help of temporary scaffolding, meticulously planned student-centered CLT task-based activities and multiple modes of VC communication features (breakout rooms). The research study further recommends the application of flexible error-correction to improve fluency in VC mode as well as the importance of breakout rooms as valuable pedagogical VC tool to differentiate interaction types in VC mode.