The effects of using American idioms in the development of the speaking skill in L2 students

Abstract

There are thousands of non-native English speakers around the world. The use of a wide variety of dialects, registers, and other characteristics of language such as idiomatic expressions can cause lots of misunderstandings in people when they interact among one another. For that reason, American Idioms have to be taken into account as a crucial part in the development of English Language competence. It is a necessity that non-native speakers of English become aware and proficient in using English idiomatic expressions. However, many English learners, especially most of Ecuadorians, lack the competence to use them properly. This paper aims to show the effects of using American idioms in the development of speaking skills by L2 learners. Thereby, this research was carried out in a university in Ecuador with a population of 30 students. Quasi-experimental research was applied where one group was exposed to the language that native English speakers usually use. In addition, field research was carried out through instruments such as an observation checklist. Finally, the data analysis showed that those L2 students exposed to American idioms had subsequently increased their speaking skill.