Do students of fourth semester have second language interaction?

This article presents the results of a research study about the speaking interaction (understood as the time used by the student to speak in class). Particularly the reasons students might have to speak or not to speak in a second language in class. Interviews, observations and questionnaires were applied in order to understand why there could be a lack of speaking interaction in English and French classes. The population were students of fourth semester from La Salle University’s Bachelor Program in Spanish, English and French. Data was collected during the period of two years. The research problem of the present article emerged from life experience of the authors within English and French classes where the possible lack of speaking interaction was a common interest. It presents the methodology to proceed to identify, analyze and understand the reasons students may have to speak or not into the class, and how it may affect the language learning process in class. Finally, the results obtained reflected the different notions students have about teacher and students’ role; the autonomous work needed to help increase the language learning of the students; students use different kinds of ‘‘self’’ and ‘‘other’’ regulated activities and students tend to show a language preference at the moment of coursing the 4th semester of the B.A. languages progra