Second language acquisition through verbal communication: a study of how senior high school students acquire the English language

Abstract: The aims of the study were to find out how Senior High School students think that they learn English best and to see how teachers work with oral exercises and to analyze the reasons behind their choice of work. In order to do so, information about language acquisition in general, second language acquisition and oral language acquisition in particular were accounted for and discussed. A study was carried out at a Senior High School in the northern part of Sweden by means of a questionnaire, observations, and interviews with both teachers and students. During five weeks oral exercises were performed with the students in order to build up their confidence and make them feel more comfortable communicating in English and at the same time support them in their second language acquisition. The result of this study shows that students think they learn English best by reading and talking, although they do not feel that they have gained more confidence in speaking English through the oral exercises. The teachers work actively with oral exercises in English and believe that it is an important part of second language acquisition.