Habits that contribute to the development of speaking and listening skills in English as a Second Language contexts / Hábitos que contribuem para o desenvolvimento de habilidades de fala e escuta em Inglês como Segunda Língua

The aim of this study is to discuss habits that contribute to the development of speaking and listening comprehension skills in a group of Brazilian English language students. A theoretical framework within the field of Applied Linguistics concerning language skills development was used as basis for the design of a 23-item survey of evaluation of study and language exposure habits, which was applied to a sample of 201 students divided into groups according to their levels of proficiency, based on feedback provided by 31 teachers. Resulting data matrix was analyzed through descriptive statistics. A ranking of habits considering their usefulness in the perspective of fluent students was obtained. Differences in terms of effectiveness as well as relationships between these habits are discussed. Results also comprise contributions to English language teaching classroom practices and help filter and define study habits debated in the field of Applied Linguistics which are more relevant and effective for local learners