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Nguyen Thj Que Tgp chf KHOA HQC & CONG NGH? 94(06) 73 77 THE EFFECTS OF LANGUAGE GAMES ON ENGLISH ORAL COMPETENCE OF THE SELECTED FRESHMEN STUDENTS AT COLLEGE OF SCIENCES THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Nguyen[.]
Nguyen Thj Que Tgp chf KHOA HQC & CONG NGH? 94(06): 73 - 77 THE EFFECTS OF LANGUAGE GAMES ON ENGLISH ORAL COMPETENCE OF THE SELECTED FRESHMEN STUDENTS AT COLLEGE OF SCIENCES - THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Nguyen Thi Que College of Sciences ~ TNU SUMMARY In recent years, the studies on the use of language games to help motivate learners' participation and cooperation in leaming foreign languages have been very popular among educational researchers in the world and in Viemam However, whether these innovative activities really enhance students' competence in oral communication in the Northern mountainous region of Vietnam like in Thai Nguyen province has not been fully investigated by researchers Therefore, this paper introduces a preliminary study on the effects of language games on English oral competence of the selectedfreshmenstudents of University of Sciences - Thai Nguyen University in the second semester of the academic year 2010-2011 Two groups of students experienced two different teaching methods namely Uaditional teaching method and language games participated in the study Pre-test means scores showed no significant difference between the control and experimental groups while comparisons of the post-test means scores showed significant differences in the achievement The study concluded that use of various language games in teaching English helps improve EFL students' leaming and mastery of English oral communication Key words: Effects, significant difference, language games, oral competence, freshmen students University ofSciences, Thai Nguyen University external academic conferences to news reports and popular music lyrics It is used not only for communication between native speakers and non native speakers of English but also for communication between non native speakers And in Vietnam, English has also become a popular language, especially since the government began to cany out the open-door policy in 1986 This new policy has brought good chances to foreigners to invest in Vietnam Thus, the need of using English as the main language in study, work and business has been extremely important Those are the reasons why English cannot help being widely taught and learnt in If I can use two languages, I can help as two Vietnam and around the world today It comes as no surprise that some men improvements of curriculum as well as But if I can use all nine languages, then I can methods that Ministry of Education and work as nine men " Training set forth have brought a nation-wide Among languages, English is considered as positive movement in teaching and learning the dominant international language in English for recent years [2] As we know, a communications, science, business, aviation, few years ago, the grammatical and structural entertainment, radio, diplomacy and so on It methods were widely used Teachers played is used for so many things from in- and an importantly main role in imparting English knowledge to learners In turn, students had Tel: 0963 888 288 Email: quenguyentnu@gmail com INTRODUCTION As globalization, mobility and communications are bringing the world ever close together, it is increasingly necessary for people to know other languages apart from their mother tongue Indeed, knowing foreign languages nowadays is of great importance because it helps bridge the gap among cultures, increases global understanding, and offers more opportunities for not only individuals but also national socioeconomic development etc Thus Jasone Cenoz and Fred Genesee [3] quoted: "If I speak only one language, I can help my country as one man 73 Nguyin Thj Qui Tgp chl KHOA HQC & C N G N G H $ no more chances to develop four skills fully but Just simply mastered the structural and grammatical rules of English This made the studying atmosphere in classroom become more boring and tense As a result, some recent changes in language teaching have shown that organizing activities or creating an appropriate English environment in classroom can help learners to have intrinsic motivation Moreover, boredom and tiredness can be limited by bringing fun to learners in lessons Among new methods of teaching and learning English, game-based leaming is currently getting attention as an upcoming educational method because of its benefits [I] and using language games can obtain satisfactory results Funny language games are funny potential means to help students acquire knowledge the best because games with both interesting and challenging nature can generate and increase motivation, a vital factor to students' success in language leaming Besides, games can increase the amount of students' practice and participation As games are often played in pairs or teams, they create favorable conditions for pair work or group work to take place Most importantly, games give meaningful practice in any of the language skills at any level of ability or in any stage of the teaching process To all four language skills, language games prove to be particularly effective in motivating students' participation in oral communication since students have to discuss with their friends to solve the problem presented by the game They have to use the language they are leaming to express their opinions and to exchange ideas to reach their goal Most of the time, their communication is based on an information gap or opinion gap, thus replicating real life communication Games are therefore said to provide meaningful oral practice as students have many opportunities to talk and discuss in the target language [4] Consequently, using language games is really an appropriate approach in teaching speaking skills to 74 94(06): 73-77 students The application of this method in teaching - leaming process is expected to enhance students' achievement in English With the hope of finding suitable methods in teaching English to students as well as testing the effectiveness of this method in this disadvantaged region, the researcher bravely experiments language games in her teaching The question to rise when applying these communicative language games in teaching English is that what particular games are considered appropriate to most students in a speaking class Since there is no single language game that is claimed best for all students and all teaching fields, hence, the combination of varied communicative language games is taken into serious account in teaching English here Of all the aforementioned observations, together with the researcher's own interest in teaching English, the effects of language games on English oral competence of the selected first year students of University of Sciences - Thai Nguyen University in the second semester of the academic year 20102011 has been chosen as her study SUBJECT AND METHODOLOGY An experimental design specifically the matched groups design was used to find out the effects of language leaming in teaching English Two comparable sections of university freshmen with total numbers of 60 students were used as respondents of the study The results of their English scores in the first semester of the first year 20I0-20I1 as well as their age and gender were used for matching purposes The control group was subjected to the traditional teaching method while the experimental group was exposed to Language games The study was conducted at University of Sciences, Thai Nguyen University during the second semester of the first year Bachelor in the Academic Year 2010-2011 A teacher-made achievement test was validated and administered as a pre-test and post-test to both groups Nguyen Thi Que Tap chi KHOA HQC & CONG NGHE The t-test of dependent sample means was employed to compare the pre-test mean of the two groups and post-test mean of the two groups The t-test of dependent sample means was also used to compare the pre-test and post- test mean of each group FINDINGS The following are the findings of the study: The mean score in the pre-test of students in the control group does not differ significantly from that of students in the experimental group 94(06): 73 - 77 Table clearly shows that the mean scores of the experimental group is 7.38 which is higher than the mean scores of the control group which is 6.8 The t-test indicates that there is a significant difference in the post-test of the two groups as shown equal to 0.58 The result proved that language games is more effective in improving students' competence in English oral skills than those taught with traditional teaching The mean score of students in the post-test differs significantly from that in the pre-test being taught with the traditional method The control group obtained the mean score of The pre-test mean score of the control group 5.91 while the experimental group gained was 5.91, while the post-test mean score of 5.76 in the mean score When subjected to tthis group was 6.8 The low scores in the pretest, the result revealed that there was no test was due to the fact that the students had significant difference between two groups in little knowledge about the subject matters that the pre-test Therefore, the two groups were were still to be discussed And the gain scores homogeneous at the beginning of the study somewhat revealed their acquisition of There is a significant difference in the postprevious study When subjected to t-test, the test mean scores of the two groups: result showed that there is a significant experimental group exposed to language difference between pre-test mean scores and games and control group taught with post-test mean scores of the respondents in traditional teaching method the control group Table T-test Results of the Pre-test Scores of the Control and Experimental Groups Groups Control Experimental Mean Scores 5.91 5.76 Mean Difference t-compuled t-lab -0.05;df^58 Not Significanl Note: l-lab: t value tabulated; df: degrees of freedom T-test Results of the Posl-lesI Scores of the Control and Experimental Groups Groups Control Experimental Mean Scores 6.8 7.38 Mean Difference t-computed t-lab - 0.05; d ^ 58 Significant Note: l-tab: t value tabulated; df; degrees of freedom T-test Results on the Pre-test and Post-test Scores of the Control Group Control Group Pre-test Post-test Mean Scores 5.91 6.8 Mean Difference t-computed -6.65 t-tab a-0.05;df^29 Significant Note: t-tab; I value tabulated; df; degrees of freedom Nguyin Thj Qui Tgp chf KHOA HQC & CONG NGH$ 94(06): 73-77 the traditional method is supported It is evident that the mean score of students using language games is significantly higher than that of students using the traditional method The hypothesis indicating that there is a significant difference between the pre-tesl scores and the post-test scores of the control group using the traditional method is also supported in this study The hypothesis that the mean gain scores in the post test significantly differ from those in the pre-tesl of students using language games is supported And the hypothesis that students in the experimental group using language games perform better than those in the control group using the traditional approach is also supported RECOMMENDATIONS There is a significant difference between the mean score in the pre-lcsl and post test of students being taught with language games The pre-test mean score of the experimental group was 5.76, while the post-test of this group was 7.38 When subjected to t-test, it was revealed that there is a significanl difference between the pre-test and post-test scores at 0.05 probability level Students in the experimental group exposed to language games performed better than those in the control group taught without language games The mean gain scores of the control and the experimental groups were 0.88 and 1.62 respectively The t-test proved that there is a significant difference in the mean gain scores between two groups The results also revealed that the students being taught with language games performed better than those being exposed to the traditional method of teaching English Based on the conclusions of this study, the following recommendations were drawn: The results of the study infer that success in teaching English to students may depend not so much on the teachers' competency or the students' capability but more than the approaches and strategies that the teacher may use CONCLUSIONS Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn: The hypothesis that there is a significant difference in the pre-test scores of the two groups using language games and traditional method without language games is not supported in this study The study reveals that there is a significant difference between the pre-test scores and the post-test scores of the control group using the traditional method Hence, this method is still favorable for teachers to integrate in their teaching The hypothesis that the mean gain scores in the post test of students using language games significantly differ from those using Table T-tesI Results on the Pre-test and Post-test Scores of the Experimental Group Experimental Group Pre-test Post-test Mean Scores 5.76 38 Mean Difference l-computed t- t-tab = 0.05; df=29 -9.766 Significant Note: l-lab: I value tabulated; df: degrees of freedom Table T-iestfor Two Independent Samples for Mean Gain Scores Groups Control Experimental Mean Gain Scores 0,88 1,62 t-computed t-tab a = 0.05;df-58 Significant Note: t-lab: I value tabulated; df: degrees of freedom Nguyen Thi Que Tgp chi KHOA HQC & CONG NGHE The results of the study also prove that the mean scores of students using language games is significantly higher than those of students using the traditional method Therefore, it obviously indicates that language games make significant contributions to students' leaming in oral communication skills The value of language games lies not only in the great number of games that have been invented or in the variety of levels they serve but in the useful and purposeful language practice they provide, That is why teachers should make optimal use of games in their language teaching to increase students' work and motivation and to offer them meaningful practice Provided that teachers can select or design and organize good games In terms of language and type of participation, they will achieve these worthy aims 94(06): 73 - 77 REFERENCES [1] Aydan Ersoz (2000) Six Games for the EFL/ESL Classroom The Intemet TESL Journal, Vol VL No [2] Bui Thi Thu Huong (2010) A study on using language games lo help develop speaking skills for Ihe non-english major freshmen al ihe College of Sciences Thai Nguyen University Scientific research paper College of Sciences, TNU [3] Jasone Cenoz and Fred Genesee (1998) ''Beyond Bilingualism: Multilingualism and Multilingual Education" Multilingual Matters Ltd Publisher [4] Languagel23 The beneficial effects of games on language learning, www.language 123.com (retrieved May 2011) TOM T A T HIEU QUA CUA VIEC SU" DUNG CAC TRO CHOI NGON NGU" DOI VCtt KHA NANG GIAO TIEP BANG TIENG ANH CUA SINH VIEN NAM THU" NHAT TRU"CJNG DAI HOC KHOA HOC, DAI HOC THAI NGUYEN Nguyen Thi Qui* Trudng Dai lioc Khoa hoc - DH Thai Nguyen Cho den nay, nhUng nghien cuu lien quan den viec su dung c^c tro chai ngSn ngtt nham lao dong luc giiip nguai hpc lich cue tham gia va cpng tac vcri qua trinh hpc ngoai ngiJ dS tra nen rat bien giai nghien cuu ve giao due tren the gioi cung nhu o Viet Nam Tuy nhien, chua CO nghien cuu nao chiing minh dugc lieu rang nhung hogt dpng dii moi c6 thyc sir cai thien duoc kha nang giao tiep bang tiing Anh ciia sinh vien khu vuc miin ntii phia BSc Viet Nam, vi du nhu a tinh ThSi Nguyen hay khong Do do, bai vilt nhim gioi thieu mpt nghiSn curu kha moi me vl hieu qua ciia vifc sir dung cac tr6 choi ng6n ngCf dii voi viec cai thien kha nang noi tiing Anh ciia sinh vien n3m thir nhit, tru&ng Dai hoc Khoa hoc, Dgi hpc Thai Nguyen cua hpc ky II nam hpc 2010-2011 Hai nhdm sinh viSn duoc giang day bing hai phuang phap truyln thing va phuong phap dgy hpc sii dung cac Iro choi ng6n ngiJ da tham gia thu nghiSm nghien cuu Diem trung binh trucrc thii nghiem ciia nh6m khSng c6 sir khic biet ddng ke diem tmng binh sau thii nghiem phuong phap the hiSn su khac biet kha Ion Uong kha n^ng su dung tieng Anh ciia nhdm Kit qua cua de tai cho Ihay viec sii dung da dgng cac tro chai ngon ngir giang day liing Anh thuc su nang cao kha nang giao tiep bang tieng Anh ciia sinh vien Tu khoa.' Hieu qud, su khdc biet ddng ke, tro chai ngon ngir, khd ndng giao liip, sinh vien ndm thu nhdt trudng Dgi hoc Khoa hgc - Dai hgc Thdi Nguyen Ngdy nhgn: 17/05/2012; Ngdy phdn bien:2 7/05/2012; Ngdy duyel ddng; 12/06/2012 Tel- 0963 888 288 Email- quenguyenlnu@gmail c, ... dung tieng Anh ciia nhdm Kit qua cua de tai cho Ihay viec sii dung da dgng cac tro chai ngon ngir giang day liing Anh thuc su nang cao kha nang giao tiep bang tieng Anh ciia sinh vien Tu khoa. '' Hieu... CHOI NGON NGU" DOI VCtt KHA NANG GIAO TIEP BANG TIENG ANH CUA SINH VIEN NAM THU" NHAT TRU"CJNG DAI HOC KHOA HOC, DAI HOC THAI NGUYEN Nguyen Thi Qui* Trudng Dai lioc Khoa hoc - DH Thai Nguyen Cho... voi viec cai thien kha nang noi tiing Anh ciia sinh vien n3m thir nhit, tru&ng Dai hoc Khoa hoc, Dgi hpc Thai Nguyen cua hpc ky II nam hpc 2010-2011 Hai nhdm sinh viSn duoc giang day bing hai phuang