A Likely language? Recorded input in language course books as a source of students' speaking skill

The present research originates from the consideration that the students' results in the acquisition of oral interaction at secondary level are, on average, far from the expected perfomance in relation to assessment parameters defined in theFramework of Referenceof the European Council (1998).
Researchers know only too well that the number of variables influencing the students' performance are often elusive and hard to come by, such as, among other things, the individual aptitude, the motivation for the learning of a particular language, the quantity and quality of practice, the methodology guiding the teacher, along with her/his professional skills.