The incidence of socioeconomic factors on the development of communicative competence.

Formato digital e impreso

Tesis - Facultad de Educación, Programa de Licenciatura en inglés y francés

Incluye bibliografía p. 71-73

This study was carried out to analyze the opinion of students of second semester of the University of Nariño in relation to the probable influence of the socioeconomic factors on the development of the communicative competence in English. The aspects analyzed were students’ socio-economic factors as well as students’ family factors such as the participation of students in activities or events, which allow them to interact and put into practice the language, labor situation of students, professional situation of students’ parents, and social level of them. Among the economic factors, the ones depicted were investment on education, above all on English materials, resources available in the university and in students’ house, additionally the family’s monthly incomes. For this purpose, some surveys allowed to analyze the judgments of students about their socioeconomic conditions and in this way to know if there is an influence of those factors on the development of the communicative competence in English. A number of interviews were also applied in order to pull out the information collected by the surveys, and to have a plainer vision about the possible problem. Finally, a classroom observation was pertained in order to face up to the opinion of students about the teacher’s methodology, the activities to get better a communicative competence, and the resources and materials used in the classroom.

The results let see that there is a moderate influence of the socioeconomic factors on the development of the communicative competence of students in English. Socioeconomic aspects limit students learning in many aspects included: acquirement of learning materials, imbursement of the career, participation in social activities; nevertheless, students find out options to avoid those limitations, for instance, they use the resources and the materials offered in the university, they work et cetera.


As well, the results showed that the resources in the university from time to time were not accessible in support of students; more to the point, there is no easy access to significant materials akin to computers or Internet in favor of the development of the communicative competence. To conclude with the socioeconomic situation of students in English-French and English-Spanish programs, the results did not show huge differences between both programs, because in keeping with them their socioeconomic condition does not consent to them to have an excellent level in the communicative competence; and students try to do their unsurpassed effort for attaining a good level. In view of the fact that along with them the good or bad level of a student does not depend too much on the socioeconomic aspects of students; furthermore, they depend on the quality, behavior, strength of character, and the willpower to pull off a meaningful learning.