Spoken Production at B1 Level in German Through the Oral Guided Tour

Abstract

Objective:  This research paper analyzes how oral guided tour exercises help to achieve better oral communication in German, while putting in practice the oral productions descriptors for the B1 Common Reference Level (sustained monologue), describing an experience, giving information and Addressing audiences, taking into account speaking primary aspects such as fluency, grammar, vocabulary, cohesion, and coherence.

Methods:  A bibliographical study was carried out in the English Language Major at Universidad de Oriente including German as Second Foreign Language. The analysis-synthesis and hermeneutic methods were used to evaluate the sources and to point out the main aspects of oral production and communicative skills in German, to make valuable interpretations around these processes. A descriptive study with a qualitative approach was also developed using the interview, and the observation techniques. The interview was applied to Curriculum D second-year students, during the 2019-2020 academic year of the English Language Major of the Universidad de Oriente.

Results: The results reflect that students were able to fulfill the descriptors of the communicative strategies at the B1 level stated within the design of the exercises.

Conclusions: The exercises based on the oral guided tour characteristic allow developingthe communicative production strategy descriptors for the B1 common reference level (sustained monologue). They strengthened the professional sphere related to international tourism of the English Language Major, where the future professionals would be language and cultural mediators in English and German.