Institutional and pedagogical actions that impact the English learning process of 3rd and 5th grade students from two educational institutions in the city of Neiva

Abstract

Objective and textual typology. This article describes the investigative process developed in two schools –one public and one private– of the city of Neiva. The main objective of this study was to identify the institutional and pedagogical actions that foster the process of learning English in students of third and ­fifth grades of primary school.
Methodology. The study was conducted following a qualitative-descriptive model with a population of 99 students, three teachers and two managers. The data collection instruments used for this study consisted mainly of surveys, semi-structured interviews and class observation notes. The data were analyzed and classifi­ed according to four categories: institutional actions, pedagogical activities, didactic resources and limitations to the process.
Results. The results are presented according to the concepts provided by the directors, teachers and students of each of the schools, and supported by the class observation notes.
Conclusions. Although, historically, public and private institutions are perceived as having signifi­cant differences, both at the institutional level and in the classroom, actions can be generated that reduce these differences, in many cases of budgetary and curricular nature, in such a way that result in an effective process of learning English. The implementation of various pedagogical strategies, a more constant use of the target language and a more efficient use of available resources contribute towards this purpose.