Resumen:
The objective of the present study consists of finding suitable strategies to develop
the speaking skills while learning English as a foreign language through
communicative activities in the classroom based on the Communicative
Approach. Oral communication is of great importance in the process of learning
English. In order to achieve the objective set in the present study, the interaction
between the main participants will be presented: the students and the teacher. The
Communicative Approach together with other updated methods for the teaching
of English contributes to the students` development of the speaking skills, and not
the traditional grammar methods centered on accuracy of structures; it helps
students to communicate easily if the content is closely related to real life and to
the students´ needs and interests, being the main problem detected in this
investigation. The type of investigation is the descriptive one. Different
theoretical, empirical and statistical methods of investigation such as analysis,
synthesis, induction, deduction, hypothetical, interviews, surveys, pedagogical
tests and scientific observation were used in the different stages of this work to
determine the theoretical bases that support the development of speaking skills of
eighth graders at ESCUELA DE EDUCACIÓN BÁSICA “ALFA Y OMEGA”,
La Libertad, Santa Elena Province, academic year 2015-2016 in order to improve
the learning of a foreign language at this level. The present research paper will
also be useful to identify the existing difficulties regarding the development of the
speaking skills and sub-skills in the foreign language and to confirm the
effectiveness of the implementation of the communicative activities designed. The
results obtained are the improvement of the speaking skills of eighth-grade
students, who were the direct beneficiaries.