INTERACTIVE GROUPS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRESS IN A SCHOOL IN VULNERABILITY SITUATION

This article presents the results of a study performed during the 2013 to 2014 period in a “vulnerable” school in Los Angeles, Chile. The study has consisted of the incorporation of interactive groups in first grade language classes. The aim was to determine increased learning outcomes in this area. A quantitative approach was used with a pre-experimental design and the application of reading comprehension and text production tests in the mentioned grade, before and after the intervention. Furthermore, this study also considered the incorporation of learning collaborators into the classroom: parents or guardians, students in higher grades in the same school, undergraduate students, and university professors. The interactive groups involve a paradigm change that leads to a strong social commitment. The results indicate that a significant increase was produced between the pre and post test, which led to an improvement in language learning.

Keywords:
Interactive Groups; Learning Collaborators; Dialogic Model; Language.