1 UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE EDUCACIÓN Carrera de: Pedagogía de los Idiomas Nacionales y Extranjeros Using thinking routine strategies to develop students’ speaking skills in young adult learners from senior year of high school Trabajo de Integración Curricular previo a la obtención del título de Licenciado/a en Pedagogía del Idioma Inglés Autor: Sánchez Mizhquero Erika Estefania CI: 0150744571 Autor: Velásquez Ramirez Emilene Ariana CI: 0107182610 Tutor: González González Sandra Jazmín CI: 0302088729 Azogues - Ecuador Marzo, 2024 2 Acknowledgements I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my family for their unconditional support during this academic journey. Your encouragement, understanding, and constant faith in my abilities have been my pillars of strength. Also, I want to thank my beloved A girls, your friendship brought joy to my challenging moments, and I am grateful for the laughter and shared experiences that made this endeavour more meaningful. You are the people who were most there for me, being my emotional and mental support. Special thanks to my dedicated tutor, Jazmin, whose guidance and constructive feedback significantly contributed to the refinement of this thesis. Your commitment to my academic growth has been instrumental in shaping the outcome. To all my close friends who provided a listening ear, words of encouragement, and occasional distractions when needed, your presence has been invaluable. Your friendship definitely made this academic path more bearable and enjoyable. Also, your laughter, jokes, and even advice were the things that I carry with me the most. You all have such a special space in my life and heart. Finally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to God for granting me the wisdom, strength, and resilience to overcome obstacles. As I express my gratitude to each of these people, I am reminded of the interconnected web of support that has been woven around me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being an integral part of this transformative journey and I hope that we can achieve the success and goals we have, both together and individually. My best wishes to these incredible people Ariana Velásquez 3 First of all, I would like to dedicate this goal to my family. I would not have made it without all the support that you have provided me over the years. My parents, Lourdes and Juan, were with me all this journey, I will always remember the look in their eyes on my first day of university. Moreover, I would like to thank my uncle, even when you are not here anymore, your words will always be in my mind. I appreciate every single one of them as a precious gift that you left to guide my path. The teachers that I met over the last few years have been an inspiration, I will remember them with a smile on my face. Nevertheless, I will remember teacher Jazmin with a special part of my heart. She believed in us and this project from the beginning. Her suggestions and encouraging words have been a motor, even when we wanted to give up. In the near future, I hope to be able to teach and contribute to my students' lives as much as she did in mine. The laughs and jokes were not missing in every part of these four years. My friends were an indisputable part in achieving this goal. They have heard every single problem, offered solutions, or even a shoulder to cry. In particular, I would like to thank those ten years of friendship that have been a support not only in my professional career but also a light in my personal life. We have had a wonderful experience. Erika Sanchez __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 4 Resumen: Esta investigación tiene como objetivo desarrollar habilidades de comunicación en estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera mediante el uso de estrategias innovadoras. Particularmente, las rutinas de pensamiento de la categoria “digging deeper” se utilizan para alentar a los estudiantes a reflexionar, pensar críticamente y resolver problemas. Las cuatro estrategias específicas son: Hotspot, Layer, See-think-me-we and Unveiling stories. En este estudio de investigación-acción participaron veintiocho estudiantes de una escuela pública en Cuenca, Ecuador. Los principales instrumentos de investigación utilizados fueron lista de verificación, encuesta y prueba diagnóstica y final. En general, los hallazgos fueron alentadores, demostrando un crecimiento en las habilidades de expresión oral de los estudiantes, opiniones favorables sobre las rutinas de pensamiento y respuestas emocionales mayoritariamente positivas. La lista de verificación que evaluó la participación estudiantil durante las actividades mostró resultados positivos, indicando un aumento en la participación, la interacción y el intercambio de ideas. En conclusión, aunque el uso de rutinas de pensamiento demuestra un impacto positivo en el desarrollo de habilidades de expresión oral, se requieren mejoras y modificaciones continuas de acuerdo a las necesidades de los estudiantes. Los resultados de este estudio tienen implicaciones para los profesionales de la enseñanza de idiomas, futuros proyectos de investigación en el desarrollo de habilidades comunicativas y la necesidad de adaptar estrategias de rutinas de pensamiento para una integración exitosa en la enseñanza de idiomas. Palabras claves: Rutinas de pensamiento, habilidades de expresión oral, interacción, estudiantes de inglés. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 5 Abstract: This research aims to develop communication skills in EFL students by using innovative strategies. Particularly, thinking routines from the category called “digging deeper” are used to encourage students to reflect, think critically, and solve problems. The four specific strategies are Hotspot, Layer, See-think-me-we, and Unveiling stories. In this action research study, twenty-eight students from a public school in Cuenca, Ecuador, took part. The primary research instruments used were checklists, surveys, and diagnostic and final tests. Overall, the findings were encouraging, demonstrating growth in students' speaking skills, favourable opinions of the thinking routines, and primarily positive emotional responses. The necessity for further strategy development is highlighted by the constraints and improvement opportunities that have been found. Positive results were shown by the checklist evaluating student involvement during activities, which showed improved engagement, interaction, and idea-sharing. In conclusion, even if using thinking routines demonstrates a positive impact in developing speaking skills, continuous improvements and modifications are required to fulfil the necessities of the students. The results of this study have implications for language teaching professionals, future research projects in communicative skill development, and the necessity of tailoring and optimising thinking routine strategies for successful integration into language education. Keywords: Thinking routine strategies, speaking skills, interaction, EFL students. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 6 Table of contents CHAPTER I 9 1. Introduction 9 1.1. Problem 10 1.2. Justification 10 1.3. Context 11 1.4. Research question 12 1.5. Objectives 13 CHAPTER II 14 2. Literature Review 14 2.1. Related Studies 14 2.2. Theoretical Framework 16 CHAPTER III 23 3. Methodology 23 3.1. Research design. 23 3.2. Techniques and Instruments 24 3.3. Sample 28 3.4. Procedure 30 3.5. Data Analysis 32 CHAPTER IV 37 4. Results 37 4.1. Diagnostic test and final test 37 4.1. Survey 43 4.2 Checklist 58 CHAPTER V 65 5. Discussion and findings 65 5.1. Diagnostic and Final Test 65 5.2 Survey 66 5.3. Checklist 68 CHAPTER VI 70 6. Conclusion 70 6.1 Limitations 72 6.2 Recommendations 73 References 74 __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 7 Annexes 78 Annexe 1. Diagnostic test 78 Annexe 2. Final test 79 Annexe 3. Rubric 80 Annexe 4. Survey 81 Annexe 5. Checklist 82 Annexe 6. Letter Consent for the school director 83 Annexe 7. Parents’ Consent Letter 84 Annexe 8. First Lesson Plan 85 Annexe 9. Second Lesson Plan 91 Annexe 10. Third Lesson Plan 95 List of tables Table 1 38 Table 2 39 Table 3 40 Table 4 42 Table 5 54 Table 6 60 Table 7 62 Table 8 63 List of Figures Figure 1 24 Figure 2 30 Figure 3 33 Figure 4 44 Figure 5 47 Figure 6 49 Figure 7 51 Figure 8 52 Figure 9 54 __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 8 Figure 10 56 Figure 11 57 __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 9 CHAPTER I Using thinking routine strategies to develop students' speaking skills in young adult learners from senior year of high school. 1. Introduction Over time, schools worldwide have become interested in developing students' critical thinking, and in Ecuador, the situation is not different from the rest of the world. According to Ministerio de Educación (2019), “The curriculum is designed to stimulate linguistic intelligence through language analysis and the comprehension of oral and written texts, which require critical thinking skills such as inference, analysis, and synthesis” (p. 197). It means that one goal of the English curriculum (2019) is the development of the foreign language with the implementation of activities that promote at the same time students’ problem-solving skills through analysis, comprehension, and critical thinking. However, hardly any has been talked about the development of thinking skills as a meaningful skill for foreign language learning in Ecuador. The results of the last test of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) taken in Ecuador show a deficiency in Reading Performance. As stated by PISA (2018), “Level Two” relates to students’ reading ability to associate data, draw conclusions, and connect the text with their experiences and personal knowledge, even when it is not expressed explicitly (p. 12). The data gathered by PISA concluded that the level of the Ecuadorian students’ skills is less than the “Level Two” or “Basic Level”. As it can be inferred, the development of thinking skills is connected directly with the reading skill since it involves the general concepts of thinking __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 10 development. Nevertheless, the implementation of critical thinking activities can help in the learning process of other areas such as speaking skills. 1.1. Problem Building students' speaking abilities is a fundamental part of language learning in the classroom. Since speaking helps people build their learning, personalities, and characteristics, teachers typically concentrate on helping students develop effective speaking skills such as pronunciation, language, interaction, and oral development (Jaya et al., 2022). The capability of the efficient communication of ideas is a fundamental skill to achieve successfully in several areas of life. Specifically, the Ecuadorian academic sector aims for students to be B1 independent users of the English Language (Ministerio de Educación, 2019, p. 193). As stated in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), B1 learners can provide a clear description of diverse subjects of interest fluently (CEFR, 2022). The development of the same in an accurate manner is essential in the Ecuadorian context. The problem related to speaking was observed during the pre-professional practicum in which researchers realized the lack of communication in English that students had during the activities and assessments. This observation underscores the critical need to address the deficiency in students' speaking skills, hindering their ability to achieve the desired proficiency level. As a result, the importance of the component of speaking skills should be noted. 1.2. Justification The speaking skill development should be analyzed; as a result, specific strategies and tools are selected to achieve the goal. Project Zero Visible thinking is based on the idea that by __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 11 making thinking visible, learners can better understand and engage with complex ideas and develop critical thinking abilities. One tool that has been developed in the same research approach is the Thinking Routines (TR) toolbox, which aims to expand the thinking of students. The implementation of TR to enhance students' speaking could improve; not only their general proficiency, but also their ability to collaborate, think critically, and solve problems.  It is crucial to enhance reflection because, as stated before, it will develop the dominion of the Foreign Language Learner (FLL). The comprehension of the thinking routines as tools to improve students' communication and use their speaking skills is of great importance. The achievement of this aim is fundamental for Ecuadorian students due to the necessity to obtain the level to finish their High School Education. The implementation of thinking skills will help students have a deep understanding of the First Language topics and enhance the Foreign Language. As a result, students should be able to develop this strategy to learn the Foreign Language accurately and support the learning goals of the Ecuadorian curriculum. Consequently, this research aims to analyze the use of thinking routines to enhance students' speaking skills. In particular, researchers want to investigate its influence and the possible effects that the strategy can have on oral development. 1.3. Context This study took place in a public school located in Cuenca, Ecuador. The school had technological and infrastructural facilities, such as projectors, an English laboratory, one teachers' room, an auditorium, a computer laboratory, and others; all of these facilities were in fine fettle. Inside the English laboratory, there were some posters in English; it also had a __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 12 projector and a whiteboard. There was a desk for the teachers and tables for students. Normally, classes were not taught in the laboratory but in their classroom.  The study went thought different process in order to be approved. Firstly, the different component such as questions and theoretical framework were questionated to understand the basis in which the study was based. Moreover, different authorities such as principal and teacher approved the implementation of the strategies in the classroom. Finally, the legal guardians of the students sign a consent letter that inform every technique and instrument to be applied. The class in which the researchers were working was the second year of high school. It was formed by thirty-one students of which twenty-six are female and five are male. They were mixed-race, and most of them belonged to the lower middle class and middle class. The students had three hours and ten minutes of English classes per week, and they were studying in the morning shift. The class size was big enough for this group of students; therefore, they could move around, and the teacher could monitor students while doing activities. It was well-ventilated because it had two windows on the side, and it also had good lighting. 1.4.  Research question Main question:  ●  How do the thinking routine strategies influence the development of students’ speaking skills in an EFL classroom?  Sub questions:  ● What are the students’ perceptions regarding the use of thinking routine strategies on the development of speaking skills? __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 13 ● What are the effects of using thinking routines on students' interaction during the development of speaking activities? 1.5. Objectives General objective: ● To analyze the influence of the thinking routine strategies on the development of students’ speaking skills in an EFL classroom. Specific objectives: ● To identify the students’ perspectives regarding the use of thinking routine strategies on the development of speaking skills.  ● To explore the effect that thinking routines have on students’ interaction during the development of speaking activities. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 14 CHAPTER II 2. Literature Review To guide and influence the production of this paper, the literature review section critically reviews relevant studies. The studies actively analyze the influence that the Thinking Routines can have on the different skills of the English Language. The previous national and international studies provided significant background and insights by drawing on a wide range of sources. As a result, numerous significant research gaps were identified by the researchers for the study.  2.1. Related Studies Although there are few papers about thinking routines applied in high school (Manurung et al., 2022, pg. 642), some studies on the effectiveness of thinking routines in improving different English language skills have been done. Warren (2021), for example, emphasizes the use of visible thinking routines in English language classrooms to foster communication and help students develop their critical thinking abilities. Similar findings were made by Alshammari and Alshammari (2020), who discovered that by encouraging critical thinking and metacognition, thought routines can help students' writing abilities. Additionally, it has been discovered that thinking routines help students increase their capacity for explanatory reasoning, research, and active reasoning (Ritchhart et al., 2020). Thus, using a thinking routine is a potential way to help learners improve a variety of English skills. The study conducted by Balboa & Briesmater (2018), used the “Claim-Support-Questions” routine to develop the coherence of the speech. The results show that the routine promotes coherence since students were able to understand and confirm the __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 15 message from their classmates. As stated by Gholam (2018), the use of thinking routines created an engaged environment for the students, enhancing students' communication and collaboration to conclude the problem stated. All these previously conducted studies have similarities regarding the use of thinking routines such as Thinking Routines are easy-to-use mini strategies that can be frequently applied in the classroom across a variety of subject areas and academic levels.  In the Ecuadorian context, there have been studies related to the implementation of the strategy. Lascano & Altamirano used the “Think-Pair-Share” strategy to develop the speaking skill. The students were expected to collaborate with their classmates to achieve oral communication (Lascano & Altamirano, 2023). In particular, the pronunciation, interactive communication, grammar, and vocabulary criteria improved compared to the initial diagnostic. As a result, the researchers concluded that the use of the strategy helped to enhance the verbal communication skills of the students. Nevertheless, the “digging deeper” category has not been researched in the Ecuadorian context. Results from international studies on the use of thinking routines to improve English skills offer valuable insights to address the specific needs of Ecuadorian EFL learners. These studies highlight key benefits such as improved communication, critical thinking and writing skills, fundamental aspects of language teaching. Additionally, they demonstrate how thinking routines can strengthen students’ reasoning skills and engagement. Applying these findings in the Ecuadorian educational context requires careful adaptation and more localized research to __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 16 address deeper aspects of language learning. It is essential to adapt and optimize these strategies to meet the specific needs of EFL learners in Ecuador. 2.2. Theoretical Framework This section takes center stage in the study, highlighting important elements that are essential for a sophisticated understanding of the findings. It carefully dissects cognitivism theory, emphasizing how cognitive processes are central to learning. The goal of the Visible Thinking technique is discussed; as well as the thinking routines toolbox and how it might be used in practice. Furthermore, it emphasizes how crucial speaking abilities are to the learning process. This part lays out the fundamental ideas for the clear and complete further investigation. 2.2.1. Cognitivism theory. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) dictionary (2023), cognitive psychology concentrates on the higher mental processes such as perceiving, attending, thinking, language, and memory. The previous statement can let us infer that cognitivism focuses on knowledge development through mental processes. In the educational field, cognitive theory focuses on the student’s learning process and how they receive, organize, store, and retrieve information from the mind (Al-Jarrah et al., 2019). According to Al-Shammari et al., (2019), this can be achieved by the attributes of the students such as thinking, memory, self-reflection, and motivation to learn with memory, thinking, abstraction, reflection, and other metacognitive processes. As a result, students will be able to obtain meaningful new knowledge with a prior one.  Cognitivism involves the visible thinking approach since human cognition has dominated the program with features such as creativity, intelligence, understanding, and providing __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 17 perspectives on thinking (Cognition, thinking & understanding, 2018). Building upon that given cognitivism is concerned with interior mental processes, understanding how people learn requires an examination of the mind, in the same manner the thinking routines try to develop. According to Alahmad (2020), “ It defines the very act of acquiring information through observation, thinking, imagination, memory, and judgment, problem-solving and selective attention” (p. 1584). Learners are viewed as living systems that process information (Clark, 2018), and the integration of visible thinking fits well with this cognitive framework. Cognitive processes significantly influence the acquisition and use of oral English language among EFL learners. In cognitive theory, learners actively process linguistic information through processes such as perception, thinking, memory, and attention. These cognitive processes allow students to organize and develop linguistic structures, facilitating the understanding and production of oral language. Furthermore, the ability to reflect on one's own learning process, motivation and the selection of appropriate oral communication strategies are key aspects influenced by cognitive processes. Therefore, understanding and applying these cognitive processes is essential for effective oral learning of English for EFL learners. 2.2.2 Visible Thinking. Its initial stages started as a research-based approach at Lemshaga Akademi in Sweden. According to Lemshaga Akademi (2023), Visible Thinking's core concepts of thought are understanding, truth, justice, and creativity, which involve natural goals, aspirations, or interests that will get students to think deeper. Visible thinking is based on the idea that by making thinking visible, learners can better understand and engage with complex ideas and promote critical thinking abilities. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 18 The investigation created great interest in reflections; as a result, other projects have been developed from it. Harvard Project Zero has become the most potential Visible Thinking developer through the research and creation of different materials. Consequently, Project Zero has elaborated a toolbox divided into categories to support thinking, such as observing and describing current situations, building explanations and interpretations, reasoning with evidence, creating connections and explanations, analysing viewpoints and perspectives, identifying the main idea and conclusion, wondering and asking questions, and exploring the complexity and digging deeper into the meaning of things (Ritchhart & Church, 2020). That is how these toolbox categories were incorporated into the concept of visible thinking. The strategies inside the toolbox are called thinking routines, and those are considered as a set of scaffolding questions or steps to follow used to expand the students thinking and englobe richer content learning (PZ’s Thinking Routines Toolbox | Project Zero, 2023). Those steps may be useful in developing student thoughts since thinking routines are systematic, recurring mental processes that assist people in interpreting and interpreting information, problems, or situations. Manurung et al. (2022) stated that by creating a thinking culture, thinking routines give students time and space to reflect. Students with this condition can think critically when posing and responding to inquiries. In educational environments, such strategies are frequently employed to foster deeper learning, introspection, and critical thinking. 2.2.3. Types of Thinking Categories. According to Project Zero (2023), there are ten types of thinking routines. Some categories that can be found are Introducing & Exploring Ideas, Investigating objects & Systems, perspective-taking, Considering Controversies, Dilemmas, and __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 19 Perspectives, among others. Nevertheless, this study is focused on the second category Digging Deeper. 2.2.3.1. Digging deeper category. The digging deeper category, as stated before, is about routines that assist students in gaining a deeper grasp of subjects or situations by having them assess, analyze, look for complexity, and draw connections. This category was chosen because it encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and establishing connections between ideas, thoughts, topics, and experiences. There are twenty-nine strategies inside this category (Project Zero, 2023). For this study, four strategies have been chosen such as “Layers”, “Hotspot”, “See-think-me-we”, and “Unveiling stories”. Firstly, the “Layers” thinking routine gives students a structure for critically examining creative works by using a range of "layers" or frameworks. Students choose the layer they wish to examine in this routine. Students might be more familiar with some layers than others. Students' comprehension of the work may be expanded and deepened by choosing previously unexplored layers (Project Zero, 2023). It encourages individuals to examine a concept or topic in a layered manner, gradually adding complexity and depth to their understanding. According to Project Zero (2023), in the “Hotspot” spotting routine, students are asked to identify "thinking hotspots"—places where a topic or circumstance deserves additional attention—about the truth. Consequently, it makes them more aware of truth hotspots going forward. Additionally, by asking students the importance of an opinion or perception, you might elicit from them the features that contribute to an idea more or less uncertain and more or less __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 20 important. This routine was chosen because it encourages individuals to identify and focus on a significant aspect or key point within an extensive topic or subject. The third strategy is See-think-me-we and it involves four steps in the process: SEE, THINK, ME, and WE. Students are expected to pay close attention and describe what they see in the SEE stage, holding off on making interpretations or voicing opinions until the next step. To deepen the SEE stage, use techniques from the Viewing Moves. In the THINK stage, students discuss their ideas regarding the assignment while being led by questions. The ME phase entails establishing personal connections, necessitates a secure environment, and may involve facilitator modelling. Pairs or trios can do, with the added assistance of Dialogue Moves. By requesting 'greater stories,' the WE step encourages students to look beyond themselves and connect the personal connections they found in the ME step to more general themes of the human experience. Facilitators can assist with this step by providing response models (Project Zero 2023). This routine encourages individuals to share their observations, thoughts, and interpretations, fostering collaboration and collective understanding. Finally, In Project Zero (2023) is stated that the “Unveiling Stories” strategy helps students investigate the multiple layers of meaning in texts and images, explores aspects of human experience, systemic issues, and examine the power and limitations of news portrayals. When you use this technique with students, you can see how "the story" is interpreted in two different ways: 1) as it is expressed in the material, article, or image that they have come across, or 2) as a story that is proposed to explain or contextualize the event that is being portrayed. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 21 Also, it involves sharing personal or fictional narratives that hold deeper meanings or moral lessons.  2.2.4. Speaking skill. According to Rao (2019), speaking is regarded as the most important of the four English language skills. Burns (2019) states that the speaking skill involves several simultaneous processes such as cognitive, physical, socio-cultural, and the speaker’s knowledge and skills, which is a highly complex and dynamic performance to be done. Even after years of language learning, learners still struggle to communicate when necessary in real-world settings. According to Wael et al, (2018), speaking skill is a productive oral skill in which people convey information by the pronunciation of words. Meaning that this skill allows learners to communicate and express feelings, emotions, thoughts, perspectives, and more. Nevertheless, to improve speaking skills, it is essential to distinguish the speaking sub-skills that are specific behaviours that language users develop to be effective in each of the skills (Sub-skills, 2023). Crowther and Gass (2019) state that fluency refers to the speech rate, hesitation, and pausing phenomena related to spoken production, meaning pauses, fillers, and other strategic devices. Moreover, students need to develop the accuracy of the grammatical and lexicon features to be used, and in the same manner, it is essential to develop communication strategies to compensate for the lack of language (Burns, 2019). Consequently, students need to monitor and use a variety of vocabulary systems, and words, accurately to accomplish the sub-skill range of words and grammar, and some discursive markets. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 22  These skills combined with an accurate length, turn-taking, responding, and initiation conversation can help one another to promote verbal communication skills in a natural and native form. It can be seen that to be able to communicate, the FLL should be able to perform several features to the production of speech. In particular, interaction skills can be considered as an essential factor that will help students develop communicative and collaborative skills. Discursive markets can be achieved through the interaction between teacher-student and student-student. Consequently, Aiming for accurate language learning, teachers should integrate peer interaction moments in the classroom. Peer interaction will not only promote more chances to talk in the target language, which will allow them to learn and apply what they learn; but also, a less stressful environment and the chance to socialize (Adam, 2018). 2.2.4.1. The importance of developing students’ speaking skills. It is of great concern for the output in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. As stated by Crowther and Gass (2019), the use of language in a productive manner will encourage the learner to join from sounds to words to produce them in order. Having the meaning that once learners start to use the skill daily, language development could be improved more meaningfully. The improvement of the students’ verbal communication skills is fundamental in every context. In Ecuador, EFL students are asked to develop a B1 level at the moment of graduating from High School. According to the CEFR (2022), the spoken interactor can communicate with some confidence by exchanging, checking, and confirming information from familiar and unfamiliar topics. Ecuadorian students should be able to express their thoughts by being independent users. The __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 23 development of the same in an accurate manner is essential in the Ecuadorian context. As a result, the importance of the component of speaking skills should be noted. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 24 CHAPTER III 3. Methodology 3.1. Research design. An action research design was applied during the execution of this study. This design was ideal for the study's objectives because it not only tries to gather data on what was used and the expected results but also to analyze the data and develop a plan for how to improve the situation that was discovered. Along with assessing the outcomes of the plan's execution and generating conclusions in line with the improvement. This study used an action research design, which involves a cyclical process of planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting on interventions to bring about improvements in practice. According to Smith & Rebolledo (2018), the exploratory level, which combined exploratory and action research, was advised for action research in educational settings (p. 25). The researchers created an exploration plan for the exploratory phase and carried it out to collect data that was then examined to identify the context for the research's action phase. The action phase of the process sought to implement a change based on the data gathered before. The second stage required teachers to develop an action plan based on their context, which should have contained detailed procedures and data collection techniques. Following the sequence, the teacher carried it out and assessed the results of the intended change. The researcher needed to analyze the data from the action phase to conclude. It was quite likely that the teacher continued the procedure to enhance more facets of their instruction because this design necessitated a lot of reflection from the researcher. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 25 3.2. Techniques and instruments This action research study intended to collect extensive and multi-dimensional data using three instruments: diagnostic and final test, survey, and checklist. The instruments went throught a extensive validation in which several professionals examined and provided feedback of the instruments. Most of the expertise had a third level degree that was related to the teaching of English. Firstly, the techniques were evaluated in order to be linked with the methodology used. Secondly, the instruments were designed according to the needs of the investigation. Later on, they were send to be examinated during the initial stages of the investigation; as a result, there were coments that changed some aspects of the instruments such as questions, staments, and other. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 26 Figure 1 Techniques and instruments to gather data. 3.2.1. Diagnostic and final test technique. The initial and final test results gave essential information about the intervention's achievement, and aided researchers in determining how well the anticipated outcomes have been accomplished. As Alkin and Ellett (2019) assert, as a diagnostic tool, the initial test shows participants' starting proficiency levels before the intervention starts. After the action phase was applied, researchers implemented the final test, which allowed us to compare the first grades obtained with the second ones. As Kemmis & McTaggart (2005) stated, when treated descriptively, quantitative data can provide useful insights into the changes occurring within the action research setting, adding to a __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 27 fuller and more complex knowledge of the researched phenomena. It entails evaluating the knowledge, abilities, or attitudes of participants, both before and after the application of the treatment, by contrasting the participants' performance or reactions before and after the intervention, and the test seeks to determine its impact. Researchers can measure the changes brought about by giving the same test before and after the implementation.   3.2.1.1 Oral Proficiency Interview Instrument. The primary tool used to evaluate participants' speaking skills is the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Regardless of when, where, why, or how a speaker learned the language, the Oral Proficiency Interview evaluates language competency in terms of a speaker's capacity to use the language appropriately and successfully in naturalistic, unrehearsed settings (ACTFL OPI, 2023).  In this study, the OPI assessed how well thinking strategies like Hotspot, Layers, See-Me-Think-We, and Unveiling Stories improved students' oral skills. The diagnostic evaluation (see Annexe 1) was taken before the intervention to know students’ speaking proficiency, and it was a face-to-face test. At the end of the intervention, a final test (see Annexe 2) was taken to compare and analyze the data gathered at first glance and at the end to know whether thinking routine strategies influence the development of verbal communication skills. This final test was taken online due to situations beyond the control of the researchers. In the diagnostic and final evaluation part, students have to answer four questions. Each question was created according to what the thinking routine strategy used stands for.  Furthermore, a rubric (see Annexe 3) was created to grade students’ answers in this Oral proficiency interview. The criteria evaluated are the following: Fluency and Coherence, __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 28 Vocabulary and Language Use, Pronunciation and Intonation, Content and Organization. This instrument aimed to investigate the impact of thinking routines on students' ability to express their thoughts and ideas in English by creating OPI questions that incorporate these thinking strategies, offering insightful information to the changing field of language instruction. 3.2.2. Survey technique. A survey was used to gather information about participants' perspectives regarding the use of the thinking routines. As stated by Efron & Ravid (2019), surveys collect experiences, opinions, and attitudes through a series of scripted questions, which can be open-ended or unstructured, and closed-ended or structured questions. Structured questions allow researchers to acquire quantitative data that can be statistically examined since they provide a standardized method for data gathering.  In addition, surveys can be conducted in person, online, or via paper-based forms, depending on the preferences and accessibility of the respondents. The survey used unstructured responses because researchers wanted to gather responses regarding the perceptions of the participants. Moreover, this facilitated the process of analysis and acquisition of answers. Unstructured questions such as three specific open-ended questions (see Annexe 4) were used to gather in-depth data. It is essential to note that the survey questions were formulated in Spanish, the mother tongue of the participants, to ensure better comprehension and authentic responses. This survey was implemented at the end of the action phase, at the same time as the final test; and in an online-based format. The perspective of the students was of great concern since with it, we can know the importance of the usage of a thinking routine to increase students’ speaking skills.  __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 29 3.2.3. Observation technique. An essential tool in action research is observation, which entails documenting participants’ behaviours, interactions, and the setting in which they take place (Efron & Ravid, 2019). In particular, quantitative observation, with established predetermined categories or behaviours to examine before the intervention. During observations, researchers may opt to be overt, participants are aware they are being watched; or covert, participants are not aware. As a consequence, it was determined that the observation was participatory; moreover, it will be a quantitative observation since researchers want to know predetermined aspects of the interaction of students. 3.2.3.1. Checklist instrument. The checklist instrument provides records regarding the behaviour observed in the lesson. One template was adapted to determine the behaviour of the students in which features such as activity being developed, time, group, date, and the number of students were considered important. In particular, the specific characteristics observed were adapted from the interaction sub-skill of the speaking skill. The interactionist approach states that the length of the interaction, engagement of interaction, and negotiation for meaning as aspects to be considered in the Interaction process (Gass & Mackey, 2006; Youn, 2019). As a result, the previous aspects were adapted to be integrated into the checklist (see Annexe 5).  This technique was applied during the speaking activity since researchers wanted to analyze whether thinking routines enhanced students' peer interaction. In particular, researchers aim to document the different behaviours that students present during the use of thinking routine strategies. Consequently, this helped us to analyze and complement the information gathered by the survey provided us with precise information related to the performance of the students. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 30 3.3. Sample  A purposive sampling technique was employed to select a diverse group of participants. The study included students from a specific educational institution based on the feasibility and practicality of the research context. In specific, the sample for this research was from a public school located in Cuenca, Ecuador. The class in which the researchers were working was the senior year and an age range from 17 to 18 years old. This class was formed by thirty-one students of which twenty-six are female and five are male. However, there were three who were not able to be part of the research. The participants were mixed-race, and the majority of them belonged to the lower middle and middle status.  The observation phase was done when the students were in the eleventh year of high school, in which researchers gathered information related to the difficulties of the students in the development of speaking skills. However, the school year of the students did not allow us to follow the research in the same school year. As a result, researchers continued the Action plan when the students were in the next year of education, which means senior year of high school. For this reason, there were some changes related to the year of schooling and age. Finally, nine groups were created to observe the interaction of the students during the speaking activities. Aiming to analyze the data, the researchers randomly selected; consequently, groups one, three, five, and eight data helped to determine the interaction. 3.3.1. Ethical considerations. A formal letter of consent has been sent to the major director, and the school principal seeking approval for the planned implementation (see Annexe 6). The rights and welfare of the subjects were scrupulously protected throughout the entire __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 31 research procedure by providing them numbers as pseudonyms. All volunteers gave their informed consent after being fully informed of the study's goals, the voluntary nature, and any possible risks or advantages (see Annexe 7). Participants received assurances that they had the freedom to leave the study at any moment without repercussions. To protect the privacy and anonymity of participants, all identifying information was eliminated or anonymized during data processing and reporting. The study also followed ethical standards for treating participants fairly, with respect, and with cultural sensitivity, taking into account their varied backgrounds and viewpoints. Any possible conflicts of interest were noted and transparently handled. The highest standards of ethical behaviour were preserved throughout the research process by conducting this investigation following ethical principles. 3.4. Procedure According to Efron y Ravid (2019), “Action research is constructivist, situational, practical, systematic, and cyclical” (p. 7). Over the years, there have been designed different interpretations of the action research cycle. The following illustration (Figure 1) shows Carr & Kemmis (1986) initial stages. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 32 Figure 2 Carr & Kemmis action research cycle Note. From “Becoming Critical: Education, Knowledge and Action Research” by Carr, W. and Kemmis, S, 1986, Falmer Press. It can be inferred that the four stages of the action research process are reflect, plan, act, observe, and then the same cycle begins. As a result, during the first cycle, researchers planned to observe and gather information. In the exploratory phase, the researchers' main goals were to analyze and reflect on the student's speaking skills. Researchers followed an observation protocol in which descriptive notes related to the physical setting of the classroom were described. Consequently, researchers found that the equipment of the institution was in good condition. Moreover, the reflective notes allowed investigators to notice the development of oral activity and the actions that the students did. For instance, it was noticed the lack of use of the target language, the prolonged use of the first __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 33 language in English lessons, the strategies used, problems in the classroom, and students’ behaviours toward some tasks. Consequently, the researcher noticed the difficulties that students had when communicating in the target language, in particular, the speaking skill. The researchers concluded the need to find different strategies, whose main goal was the communication and use of the second language; consequently, the thinking routines were considered.  In the second cycle, researchers developed a plan in which the “Hotspot”, “Layers”, “Unveiling stories”, and “See-Think-Me-We” were the center of the lesson. These thinking routines were carefully selected to fulfil the target that the investigation has. Firstly, researchers implemented the diagnostic test, which acknowledges the level of the students. The intervention plan involved the creation of three comprehensive lesson plans, each corresponding to the content from the unit of the text. The first lesson plan incorporated five interventions of the thinking routines (see Annexe 8), the second lesson integrated six interventions (see Annexe 9), and the last one five (see Annexe 10). Each of the thinking routines was implemented four times during the treatment process, and its duration was one month and one week. The goal of this plan was to foster an environment of enhanced learning where students can strengthen their speaking skills while developing their critical and analytical thinking capabilities. While engaging in various strategies to reinforce their skills, the checklist played a crucial role in understanding students' interactions during the implementation of the strategy. Furthermore, a survey was administered to gain insights into students' perceptions regarding the development of activities, the effectiveness of the strategy, and the overall results. In the last __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 34 stages of the Action phase, researchers examined the data gathered to understand if the implementation of the thinking routines influenced the students’ speaking skills. 3.5. Data Analysis The collected data was analyzed using qualitative analysis methods. To provide a higher knowledge of the study problem or phenomenon being studied, it seeks to find patterns, trends, correlations, or themes that emerge from the data. The data analysis component of an action research approach entails methodically going through, analyzing, and reflecting on the data gathered to produce insightful findings, guide decision-making, and inspire action for change. Throughout the entire study process, it blends the use of quantitative tools and qualitative analysis. Figure 3 Analysis of data collected. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 35 3.5.1. Diagnostic and final test analysis. The diagnostic and final test results were compared and analyzed descriptively. Ali and Bhaskar (2016) state that the planning, designing, data collection, analysis, inference of meaningful interpretation, and reporting of the research findings in a descriptive way. This analysis method was crucial for this research because it led researchers to determine the extent of improvement in students’ speaking skills using an oral proficiency interview tool and a speaking-focused rubric.  In helping to identify the qualities to be evaluated, this speaking rubric provides details on the characteristics or standards to look for in student performance. As Chowdhury (2019) stated, by establishing specific evaluation criteria for completing a task, instructors can employ rubric-based analysis to indicate the levels of expectations they have for their students. Based on well-established frameworks for language assessment (Brown & Abeywickrama, 2010), the __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 36 rubric outlines standards for vocabulary usage, pronunciation, fluency, coherence, and communication techniques. The diagnostic and final interviews were examined by analyzing each participant's performance against the rubric descriptors, using a representative table of these criteria, and comparing the first and last tests. The comparative research provided a deeper knowledge of the impact of thinking routines on speaking skills by revealing noticeable alterations in proficiency levels. This is consistent with the qualitative evaluation approaches proposed by Creswell (2013), providing a comprehensive investigation of the experiences of the participants. Furthermore, adding quotes to the rubric-based analysis enhances the story by highlighting the subtle differences in the language used by the participants. As will be shown in the following sections, the analysis's results not only advance our theoretical knowledge of how thought patterns affect oral skills but also provide useful information for language teachers. 3.5.2. Survey analysis. The data gathered under various conditions at various periods can be accurately analyzed using thematic analysis to determine the relationship between concepts and rank them concerning the material as a whole based on how frequently they repeat (Jnanathapaswi, 2021). It is noteworthy that despite the survey being conducted in Spanish for a better understanding of the participants, the coding process was performed in English. Jnanathapaswi (2021) claimed that reading and rereading the raw data while making notes on concepts allows the researcher to first become "immersed" in it. The researcher determines the meaning and concepts associated with words or phrases that are relevant to the research __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 37 environment. It allowed for a thorough comprehension of the perspectives of the participants and made it easier to find recurring patterns.  Then, codes were created to capture topics that appeared repeatedly in the survey answers. For instance, codes were created to indicate different support or resistance levels when examining participant opinions on the thinking routines intervention. In addition to providing a thorough understanding of the phenomenon under study, the following theme analysis serves as the foundation for practical insights and suggestions that can be implemented in the framework of action research. 3.5.3. Checklist analysis. The primary objective of improving speaking proficiency is furthered by a fuller knowledge of how thinking routines appear in the subtleties of participants' interaction behaviours. In the context of this action research study, the data from the checklist was analyzed comparatively, which compares cases to recognize conditions for an outcome (Mello, 2021). In particular, pattern matching was done since researchers compared a predicted theoretical pattern with an observable pattern (Bouncken et al., 2021). As Kemmis & McTaggart (2005) stated, when treated descriptively, quantitative data can provide useful insights into the changes occurring within the action research setting, adding to a fuller and more complex knowledge of the researched phenomena. To compare the data, researchers analyze and compare the relative outcomes through cases. Moreover, the researchers analyzed a randomly selected sample from the nine groups of students. Consequently, the data recovered from groups one, three, five, and eight were compared to understand the interactional behaviours that students presented in the digging deeper routines. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 38 __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 39 CHAPTER IV 4. Results 4.1. Diagnostic test and final test The diagnostic test was applied at the beginning of the intervention to determine the students' speaking skill level. The test consisted of four questions related to regular topics such as movies, favorite animals, description of a picture, and the situation in specific. On the other hand, the assessment tool was a rubric with four levels: Excellent, good, fair, and poor. Moreover, the criteria to be taken into account were Fluency and Coherence, Vocabulary and Language use, Pronunciation and Intonation, and Content and Organization.  All of these aspects were evaluated in the diagnostic test. The results show that half of the students received scores in the two lowest categories for every component that was reviewed, suggesting that their placement and current level are not aligned. These results point to possible obstacles to the students' speaking skill development. After a few weeks of implementation, the final test was done in a virtual modality due to the problematic situation that the country was going through. The students participated in a virtual meeting in which the four questions with the Thinking Routines were taken. The questions ask topics related to hobbies, past experiences such as last vacations, and the description of an image. The rubric contained the same features and criteria to be evaluated. The following tables provide a visual aid and show the data gathered. Moreover, the table provides the diagnostic and final placement of participants according to the different criteria. It can be seen that the number of participants was the same as in the diagnostic evaluation. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 40 Table 1 Diagnostic and final results in fluency and coherence Note. Fluency and Coherence: number of students who achieve the different criteria. It is clear from the diagnostic test of the students' speaking skills that none of them scored an "Excellent" score in Fluency and Coherence, showing a general lack of proficiency in these areas. With occasional hesitancies, the majority of responses fell into the "Good" and "Fair" categories. Notably, eight students who struggled with frequent hesitations and a lack of coherence fell into the "Poor" group, which had the highest frequency. It shows that 37.93% of students had frequent hesitations and lack of coherence at the moment of delivering the messages. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez Fluency and Coherence Diagnostic test Final test Excellent 0 5 Good 9 11 Fair 9 11 Poor 10 1 41 In contrast with the diagnostic test, the gathered data showed a new distribution of the students over the different criteria of the rubric. In Fluency and coherence, nine of the students that before qualified in the “Poor” features were ubicated to a new one since the amount decreased to one student in the category. Consequently, researchers can infer that the fluency of the students increased by 32.14%. In particular, there was an increase of 17.86 % in the “Excellent” category with five students. Meanwhile, the missing 14.28% were distributed in the “Good” and “Fair” features with eleven students each. Table 2 Diagnostic and final results in Vocabulary and Language Use. In the initial test, no student achieved an "Excellent" level in vocabulary and language use, while the majority of performances fell into the "Fair" category, indicating difficulties with __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez Vocabulary and Language use Diagnostic test Final test Excellent 0 10 Good 7 10 Fair 12 6 Poor 9 2 42 vocabulary recall and significant errors in language use. Consequently, the results allow us to infer that there is difficulty at the moment of remembering vocabulary related to regular topics such as movies, animals, colors, shapes, and experiences. However, the final test shows an increase of 35.71% in the Excellent category was seen in the Vocabulary and Language use; in contrast with the 0.00% of the diagnostic test. Simultaneously, the “Good” feature had an increase of 10.71% from the previous percentage with ten students placed in the category. The last two features of the rubric had a decrease in their quantity with 21.43% and 25% each; meaning six students were situated in “Fair”, and two students in “Poor”. The result shows that 71.42% of the students are in two categories with the most achievable difficulty. It can be inferred that the students demonstrated a varied vocabulary and appropriate language use. Table 3 Diagnostic and final results in Pronunciation and Intonation __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez Pronunciation and Intonation Diagnostic test Final test Excellent 1 11 Good 7 10 Fair 9 6 43 The students' performance in the first test in terms of pronunciation and intonation was varied; only one student received an "Excellent" score, seven displayed "Good" pronunciation, and a significant percentage. Even when some students performed with clear pronunciation and minor errors in intonation, the majority showed significant errors that affected the comprehension of the speech. On the other hand, in the final test like the previous one, the pronunciation and intonation had a similar result in the “Good” and “Fair” aspects. Considering that ten students were scored in the “Good” category and six in the “Fair”. Nevertheless, there was a diminution of 35.72% in the “Poor” feature, leaving it with only one student in the category, and 10.71% in the “Fair” with six students. These quantities are distributed in the “Good” with 35.71% and “Excellent” __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez Poor 11 1 44 with 39.29%. As a consequence, it shows that the pronunciation and intonation of some students have increased to a clearer and more general intonation than before. Table 4 Diagnostic and final results in Content and Organization Responses varied in terms of organization and coherence in the diagnostic evaluation; two students performed well, seven had well-structured solutions, and several were disorganized and did not sufficiently address the topics. On average, 41.38 % of students presented answers with a lack of organization; moreover, they did not address the questions as expected. In the last test taken, the categories that decreased their quantity were the “Poor” with 32.15%, leaving it with two students who had a lack of organization in answering the question. The “Fair” category counts with five students, meaning it was a decrease of 10.71%. The amount was distributed to the other two categories since we can see an increase in contrast with the diagnostic test. In particular, the majority was placed in the “Good” which achieved 60.71% of __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez Content and Organization Diagnostic test Final test Excellent 2 4 Good 7 17 Fair 8 5 Poor 11 2 45 the total. Finally, the “Excellent” duplicates the quantity that the first test had with four students in the category. The results show us an improvement in the criteria of the rubric. 4.1. Survey This section shows the results of an online survey that was conducted to find out more about the perspectives of students regarding the use of thinking routine strategies to enhance their speaking skills. The survey comprised three open-ended questions, and the analysis employed a thematic approach in which codes and themes were derived from the respondents' answers.  4.1.1. Question 1. The first question was related to the perspective of the students about their proficiency. In particular, researchers wanted to recollect data about the thinking routines' utility in the development of speaking skills. As a result, the following question was asked; “Considering your previous and current level of English, do you find that using the thinking routines strategies are useful to develop your speaking skills? Why?”   Figure 4 First question, theme 1: "Positive answers" __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 46 __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 47 The first theme was “Positive answer” in which it can be inferred that the students believe that the use of thinking routines helped them develop their speaking skills. There were five subthemes: Speaking sub-skill, Grammar, Academic performance, Strategy, and Communication.  4.1.1.1. Speaking sub-skills. Students expressed that after the development of thinking routines; they were able to speak with more facility than they used to do. As mentioned by Participant 8, “Yes, because in this way we can express in a clearer and precise manner in a situation like a conversation…” (Participant 8, virtual communication, January 12th, 2024). Moreover, the participants stated that after repetition they were able to use the correct grammar structure, as well as the pronunciation. As one participant said “... I had problems with the pronunciation, nevertheless, with the techniques used by the teachers. I have improved in a large proportion” (Participant 11, virtual communication, January 19th, 2024). 4.1.1.2. Grammar. It was developed by the students since they were able to communicate easily after getting familiar with the grammatical structure they needed to use. Also, students expressed that their grammar accuracy was developed: “... better organize the English words that were known to me and thus be able to formulate the sentences” (Participant 3, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.1.3. Communication. It was also seen as an improved ability. Also, some feelings decreased after the communication of the students as mentioned; “It does help me because the use of thinking routine strategies can be useful to improve English speaking skills. Because by __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 48 practicing these routines you can strengthen the ability to express yourself effectively in various situations…” (Participant 1, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). “It seems to me that they are useful, because having constant routines makes us lose fear and express ourselves correctly either in a classroom, in an auditorium, or when communicating something” (Participant 9, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). “I think it has helped, also the fact that the activities are in groups has contributed to the fact that we can share our knowledge with our classmates…” (Participant 7, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024) 4.1.1.4. Academic performance. The “English proficiency” was revealed by the students as a general aspect that was improved during the action phase of this research. Moreover, the “linguistic skills” code relates not only to speaking skills but to being able to communicate a message successfully. As mentioned by one participant: “Yes, because it has helped me to improve my academic performance a little, such as in-class activities” (Participant 26, virtual communication, January 16th, 2024) “It is very important as we improve our English language ability, to be able to act in cases of interaction with foreigners and have better communication and it is important to have an oral expression routine” ( Participant 25, virtual communication, January 16th, 2024). 4.1.1.5. Strategy. The thinking routines made students feel comfortable with the activities since they have an established “Routine”: “Yes, because thanks to these routines we could learn __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 49 more about a subject that we don't know” (Participant 2, virtual communication, January 19th, 2024). Moreover, they stated the strategy as a method that offers something new for them; even when they use previous knowledge: “Yes, because it's a bit more advanced than what I was learning before.” (Participant 16, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024) The second theme was “Uncertain answers” that respond to the previous question; Considering your previous and current level of English, do you find that using the thinking routine strategies is useful to develop your speaking skills? Why? The answers provided show that some students were not completely satisfied with the use of thinking routines.  Figure 5 First question, theme 2: "Uncertain answers" __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 50 4.1.1.6. Difficulty. One student expressed that even when the implementation helped a little, the language was still difficult to learn: “It is still a little difficult for me but this has helped me a lot and with the teaching to be able to talk a little more” (Participant 17, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). As a result, it can not be stated that the English proficiency of the student improved. 4.1.1.7. Little knowledge. Another participant expressed insecurity about the level of their English: “Yes, since I feel that I use my little learning in English when talking …” (Participant 28, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.1.8. Certain aspects have improved. The subtheme was used by students whose answer did not fully assure their perspective: “I think that in some ways it improves my English skills, and helps me in moments such as making presentations.”(Participant 10, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). The students only provided the example from which the codes were acknowledged: “Yes, it has advanced a little, the strategies that the girls put in place are very good for our reasoning.” (Participant 6, virtual communication, January 19th, 2024). 4.1.2. Question 2. Three main themes emerged from an analysis of responses provided by participants to question 2, “What do you think were the challenges that thinking routines posed to your expression during the development of a speaking activity?” The first theme, "Language Proficiency Challenges," addressed vocabulary usage, concept expression, and pronunciation issues. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 51 Figure 6 Second question, theme 1: "Language Proficiency Challenges" 4.1.2.1. Speech and Vocabulary. This subtheme captures the difficulties that participants had pronouncing words correctly and using terminology, as stated: “It was difficult for me to look up words and form immediate answers to the questions…” (Participant 25, virtual communication, January 16th, 2024). “When we did activities that involved speaking, my biggest challenge was when it came to pronunciation and correctly structuring sentences.” (Participant 1, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). Moreover, "Speech Hesitation Impacting __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 52 Communication" emphasizes the negative effects of hesitancy on successful communication: “The lack of knowledge of some words in English as it prevented me from performing sentences correctly.” (Participant 10, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.2.2. Expression and Communication Skills. It indicates the difficulties participants had putting their ideas into words, delivering thorough descriptions during speaking activities, and organizing their thoughts. It draws attention to barriers that prevent students from fully participating in spoken exchanges. “The challenges of the thinking routines that we practiced in each class were at the time of forming and organizing the ideas in each sentence or thought on the topic raised, but in themselves, the other activities were interactive and easy to understand.” (Participant 22, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.2.3. Grammar and Language Structure. This sub-theme is concerned with problems of language structure and grammar use that interviewees encountered when engaging in speaking exercises. As one mentioned: “I think it was the lack of knowledge of terms as well as the lack of knowledge of the times in which the situations developed.” (Participant 10, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). The second theme is "Psychological and Social Factors". This theme explores the difficulties that arise when speaking activities are developed and are influenced by psychological and social factors. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 53 Figure 7 Second question, theme 2: "Psycological and Social Factors" 4.1.2.4. Psychological Barriers. It focuses on the emotional and mental difficulties that people face. This concern might impede confidence and spontaneity during speaking exercises, as said by one participant: “I think that fear, even though I know it's normal, makes me afraid of making mistakes, so sometimes I doubt my answers and simply avoid participating in classes” (Participant 7, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.2.5. Group Dynamics and Collaboration. This investigates difficulties resulting from interpersonal relationships and teamwork in group environments. One participant stated that: “The group work is good but not all days, but it was nice also I don't usually talk much in class but I was able to get along well” (Participant 15, virtual communication, January 12th, 2024). __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 54 "Adaptation and Practice" is the third theme. The difficulties that arise when participants adjust to new activities and the need for speaking practice when creating speaking activities are covered in this theme. Figure 8 Second questions, theme 2: "Adaptation and Practice"  4.1.2.6. Adaptation to Activities. Participants in this subtheme encountered difficulties acclimating to novel tasks or activities. As one mentioned: “At first, the challenge I faced was that I wasn't used to doing this type of activity, but over time I got used to it.” (Participant 3, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.2.7. Speaking Practice. One major problem that the interviewee pointed out was a lack of speaking practice, highlighting the critical role that regular practice plays in developing language competency. The participants' acknowledgement that their overall experience with __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 55 thinking routines and speaking activities was impacted by a lack of speaking practice is highlighted by this code: “For me, the challenge was that I don't practice much talking and it was difficult for me to speak and make myself understood, but with the guidelines that the teachers gave me, it helped me a lot in that weakness” (Participant 24, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.3. Question 3. In this question, three main themes were created based on an analysis of responses provided by participants to question 3, " From your perspective, what is the predominant feeling during the development of thinking routines?”  The first theme, "Communication Feelings" reflected the dynamic emotional landscape that emerged from individuals' feelings as they developed thought routines.  __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 56 Figure 9 Third question, Theme 1: "Communicative Feelings" 4.1.3.1. Expression and Confidence. It express a range of emotions that participants had while the thinking routines were carried out. It makes it seem as though certain people had trouble expressing themselves. Also, some responses suggest a confident and pleasant communication experience. It discusses the difficulties students had in expressing their opinions __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 57 on particular topics or circumstances as some participants said: “My feeling was a little fear since I could understand what they were telling me but my strong point was not speaking and it was a little panic, fear and a little shyness too.” (Participant 23, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024).“What predominates in these activities is self-confidence and knowing how to express yourself correctly so that your performance in speaking English is much more fluid and correct.” (Participant 10, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). 4.1.3.2. Fear and Anxiety. It highlights concerns that are particular to speaking engagements. Concerns with overall performance were found to be associated with broader worries. Participant 5 claimed: “Sometimes the fear of not being able to say or know a word in English and worry about not remembering simple things.” (Participant 5, virtual communication, January 19th, 2024). It shows a complex interplay of feelings, including uneasiness, times of freedom of expression, and a sense of support. Moreover, this subtheme illustrates situations in which initial nervousness changed into gratifying feelings of interest and satisfaction: “...Afterwards, I was a little more calm and confident when speaking in English and understanding.” (Participant 5, virtual communication, January 19th, 2024) 4.1.3.3. Engagement and learning. It shows good feelings about learning and involvement. It reveals a broad consensus about participants' general interest in the activities, process satisfaction, and routine clarity: “The predominant feeling was enthusiasm since I was getting better and better at speaking and had more knowledge. The feeling of improvement prevailed since my practicum __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 58 teachers when we needed their help, did so in a satisfactory way that helped me improve and learn” (Participant 1, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024). This sub-theme also represents increased curiosity, enthusiasm, improvement, and knowledge gain as some participants stated: “The excitement of learning new things.” (Participant 8, virtual communication, January 12th, 2024) The second theme, "Emotional States and Well-Being," explores the emotional states and general well-being of individuals as they establish thought patterns. Figure 10 Third questions, Theme 2: "Emotional States and Well-being" 4.1.3.4. Emotional well-being. It reports emotions of serenity and relaxation in emotional health. It indicates that the interviewee connected pleasant feelings with their whole experience inside the class, pointing to a favorable viewpoint specifically regarding the classroom environment: “I felt relaxed and calm” (Participant 14, virtual communication, January 12th, __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 59 2024). “My feelings in classes are very positive….” (Participant 6, virtual communication, January 19th, 2024) 4.1.3.5. Mixed emotions and awareness. It explores the intricacy of emotions, emphasizing the presence of different emotions and the students' increased awareness of their need to get better at speaking English. Participant 25 said: “I was able to realize that my English is not good and that I must improve, I developed feelings of nervousness and surprise when carrying out speaking activities in another language” (Participant 25, virtual communication, January 16th, 2024) The third theme, "Responsibility and Collaboration," explores how participants see their duties in a group context when engaging in thought patterns. Figure 11 Third question, Theme 3: "Responsibility and Collaboration" 4.1.3.6. Accountability and Collaboration. It indicates that they were concerned about how the dynamics in their cooperative group would affect the efficacy of their thought routines as a whole. This implies that they are more cognizant of the interpersonal dynamics and possible __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 60 difficulties in their collaborative learning setting: “... I felt worried because my group was slow and they didn’t work” (Participant 13, virtual communication, January 11th, 2024) 4.2 Checklist The students' behaviours concerning the interaction were observed during the first implementation of the thinking routines and compared with those observed in the last implementation. 4.2.1. Hotspot strategy checklist. The first thinking routine to be implemented was the “Hotspot”, which allows students to state the truth or false information. The application of the “Hotspot” thinking routine showed us four interactional features such as taking turns, following peers’ opinions, use of acknowledgement expressions, and confirming responses. Table 5 Hostspot: First and last implementation __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 61 During the first implementation of the “Hotspot thinking routine”, the group presented different interactional features. The first relates to the turn-taking of the students during the conversation, in which all the groups perform it. In only one group the students were able to follow the comments and opinions of their classmates. As a third feature presented, students used acknowledgement expression this was performed by three out of the four groups analyzed. Finally, one group of students used confirmation responses during their interaction. In contrast, during the last implementation, there were some differences in the interactional behaviours that the students achieved. The turn-taking feature remained the same since all four groups presented it. The students were able to follow their classmates' opinions __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 62 since the features were performed by all the groups. Acknowledgement expressions remained the same quantity; however, the features were not performed by the same groups. Finally, students executed actions related to active engagement, which represents an increase of a hundred percent. 4.2.2. See-think-me-we strategy checklist. The “See-think-me-we” thinking routine is used with the help of visual aids. Here the student has to watch and process all the information in stages. Features such as turn-taking, following peers’ comments, use of acknowledgement expressions, and confirmation responses. Table 6 See-think-me-we: First and last implementation. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 63 The interactive aspect of taking turns was evident in the first implementation of the "See-Think-Me-We" thinking routine. It's interesting to note that only group number three continuously exhibited the interactive feature, showing how students actively followed peer opinions. By measuring the students' knowledge with acknowledgement expression, the researchers evaluated this interaction; a pattern was seen in groups one and eight. In the active engagement and confirmation responses features, there was no group using them. Only groups one and five used self-initiated confirmation in this first intervention. In the final implementation, all four groups maintained the interactive functionality of switching roles. There had been a noticeable improvement, as three groups were now more likely to not only accept but also build upon the ideas of their peers, indicating a higher degree of impact and participation inside the groups. In three of the four groups, acknowledgement expressions made in answer to questions stayed constant. In three groups, the final implementation showed an increase in active engagement, indicating a positive change in group dynamics. There was variation in the methods used by students to validate their contributions, though, since not every group showed the same level of self-confirmation or response confirmation. 4.2.3. Layer strategy checklist. Examining the first use of the “Layer” thinking routine, which was intended to provide light on how engaged the students were with the material, and compare the data gathered with the last implementation. Table 7 __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 64 Layers: First and last implementation When the layer thinking routine was first implemented, Groups 1 and 3 demonstrated good turn-taking behaviours. Although cooperation was prompted by this convergence, issues with individual expression and the diversity of viewpoints surfaced. The use of acknowledgement expressions by Group 5 was particularly noteworthy. Nonetheless, there appears to be space for improvement in creating more dynamic student exchanges, as evidenced by the absence of active involvement behaviours, such as making and rejecting recommendations, across all groups. It was observed that groups one and eight were using self-initiated confirmation properly. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 65 On the other hand, interactional behaviours varied noticeably in the last phase. Every group displayed the ability to take turns. It was shown that three of the four groups were more synchronized in their capacity to follow the opinions of their classmates. Expressions of acknowledgement were seen in every group, indicating a 100% rise in behaviours associated with active participation. However, none of the groups used self-initiated confirmation, and only Group 5 used confirmation answers, indicating a change in the dynamics of the encounter. 4.2.4. Unveiling Stories Strategy Checklist. In exploring the first implementation of thinking routines during the "Unveiling Stories strategy" session, the focus was on understanding how students engaged with the process. Table 8 Unveiling stories: First and last implementation __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 66 Turn-taking behaviour was seen in Groups 1 and 3 during the first application of the "Unveiling Stories" thinking routine. Nonetheless, a noteworthy trend surfaced in Group 8, where students repeated the points made by their colleagues. Group 3 demonstrated a distinctive communication style by skillfully utilizing acknowledgement expressions, which enhanced the positive atmosphere inside the group. However, there was a clear lack of active engagement behaviours in all groups, which points to a need for development. Group 5 demonstrated positive communication patterns, which were typified by the frequent use of affirmative words and promoted a favourable group atmosphere. The self-initiated confirmation that groups 1, 3, and 8 displayed showed a high degree of participation and teamwork as participants actively looked for agreement and clarification.  After the final implementation, every group showed better turn-taking behaviour, which helped the discourse flow more naturally. Groups 1, 3, and 8 persisted in respecting the views of their peers, sustaining a cooperative environment. However, only groups 5 and 8 utilized acknowledgement expressions, demonstrating a variation in communication methods. As the only group actively interacting with peers, group 8 stood out and reinforced the positive dynamics of communication. Interestingly, during the last implementation, none of the groups displayed confirmation answers or self-initiated confirmation, indicating a persistent lack of these features. __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 67 CHAPTER V 5.  Discussion and findings 5.1. Diagnostic and Final test  Casamassima & Insua (2015) pointed out that the development of the overall oral performance; in particular the routines supported them to structure responses. Following the result, the analysis of the last criterion of the rubric showed differences between the first and final results. Most students scored in the "Good" range, which suggests a notable improvement in how they arranged and composed their answers. This improvement indicates that students' ability to properly answer questions and provide well-organized solutions was influenced by the use of the thinking routines. Moreover, the research assures that the Thinking Routine benefited the overall performance of the speaking skills of the students (Casamassima & Insua, 2015). In agreement with the idea, the implementation of the thinking routine strategies developed the different sub-skills of speaking skills. Firstly, the final exam results show a notable improvement as more students received "Excellent" and "Good" scores; meanwhile, the last features decreased. This improvement implies that using thinking routines improved students' speech in terms of fluency and coherence, resulting in a better-organized way to present ideas. Finally, it was observed that students' pronunciation and intonation were positively impacted by thinking routines, resulting in speaking that was clearer and easier to understand. Manurung et al. (2022), researched the use of thinking routines to improve the reading and writing skills of elementary students. The result showed that the reading skills did not __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 68 improve with the use of the routines. However, the writing skill had a positive effect; in particular, the vocabulary block was pointed out as a beneficiary of the thinking routines. In the final exam of this study, more students got "Excellent" grades, and fewer made significant errors. The data indicate that thinking routines facilitated a better comprehension of vocabulary, resulting in improved language use during the speaking activity. Furthermore, all criteria showed improvements in the final test. It shows how significant thinking routines were in helping students reduce the achievement gap between their starting point and their expected level, emphasizing how advantageous these strategies are for improving speaking skills. 5.2 Survey The purpose of the survey was to find out how students felt about the importance of thinking routine strategies to enhance their speaking skills. Students' viewpoints were examined using three main questions, which produced a range of answers. Balboa & Briesmater (2018), used the “Claim-Support-Questions” routine to develop the coherence of the speech; nevertheless, one open-ended question was asked. The students answered that they find the routines useful to organize ideas and interaction. The digging deeper routines also provided similar results since students affirmed that their academic performance, grammar, speaking sub-skills, and communication improved. However, there were three ambiguous responses, citing obstacles to language acquisition and limited advancement. Balboa & Briesmater's (2018) results show that four students claim a varied vocabulary to better use of the routines. However, an understanding of students’ challenges is essential for the improvement of the strategies used in class. Consequently, the second question asked about __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 69 the challenges faced by the students when using thinking routines. The results provide insight into language proficiency problems, such as grammar structure and formation, expression, and pronunciation concerns. Social and psychological factors were also noted, including difficulties with group dynamics and the fear of making mistakes. These factors made students reluctant to participate when the activities were carried out. Gholam researched the perceptions of student teachers related to thinking routines. Gholam (2018) affirms that it has a positive impact on the students’ attitudes and involvement in the classes. In accordance, positive emotions, enhanced interest, and the desire to learn were seen. The students' emotional states varied; some were calm and upbeat, while others went through complicated emotional phases associated with language development. Learners expressed worry about group dynamics as well as a sense of accountability in group situations. Because of this, they were feeling nervous and worried about their performance in the activities. Finally, the survey results show how differently learners with thinking routines have developed their capacity for speaking. Positive answers suggest possible advantages, but ambiguous ones highlight the need for ongoing support and advanced approaches. Future instructional strategies that are adapted to the particular requirements of students in senior EFL classrooms can benefit from an understanding of individual perspectives. 5.3. Checklist The research aimed to explore how students' interaction during speaking activities was impacted by four different thinking routines: Hotspot, See-Think-Me-We, Layer, and Unveiling Stories. Gholam asked about the visual thinking routines implementation; consequently, the __________________________________________________________________ Trabajo de Integración Curricular Erika Estefanía Sánchez Mizhquero Emilene Ariana Velásquez Ramirez 70 answers pointed out that the students' engagement increased. Gholam (2018) claims students were actively involved in the learning process by asking questions, thinking, reflecting, analyzing, interpreting, discussing, and sharing. According to the findings of this research, students' interactions during speaking activities have improved as a result of the thinking routines application. The activities encourage taking turns, participating actively, and listening to peers' viewpoints. The noted enhancements suggest that these practices may be effective in creating a dynamic, cooperative learning environment. According to Lascano & Altamirano (2023), students showed difficulties establishing interactive communication by the use of Think-Pair-Share. Nevertheless, the analysis of the checklist of the digging deeper routines reflects that the students were able to ask and suggest questions regarding the topic. Moreover, they have an active engagement that is reflected in their making suggestions and counter-suggestions. Youn's (2019) work provides results related to the interaction o