The Didactics of the Literacy Process of English to Refugee Children in Esmeraldas

Abstract

To analyze the didactics of the Literacy process of English to refugee children in Esmeraldas, a qualitative investigation was carried out with the analytical-synthetical and dialectic-hermeneutic methods, and the techniques of observation and interview, applied to a sample of six children who participated in the English lessons, as part of the Programme of Connection with the Community “Socio Economic Protection: Reduction of Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and Promotion of Sustainable Means of Life”, developed by the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador in Esmeraldas. The results revealed that the teachers prioritize the Ludic Methodology, with the presentation of videos, the use of pictures, drawings, plays, combined with the Grammar-Translation, the Audio-Lingual and the Total Physical Response methods. The techniques used were questions and answers, dialogue memorization, pattern repetition, substitution drills, among others. The contents were organized at the beginner and basic-elementary levels, taking into consideration that it was a multilevel class and some students had just begun to study English, whereas others had started learning this language at school. The students increased their level of participation and learned basic communicative functions and vocabulary. It was concluded that the Ludic Methodology is necessary in the Literacy process of English to refugee children, combined with other methods to activate learning.