Luận văn thạc sĩ VNU ULIS the effectiveness of using information gap activities to promote grade 10 students’ participation in speaking lessons at nguyen dang dao high school, bac ninh province

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES   NGUYỄN thÞ h-êng THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE GRADE 10 STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS AT NGUYEN DANG DAO HIGH SCHOOL, BAC NINH PROVINCE (Hiệu việc sử dụng hoạt động điền thông tin nhằm tăng cường tham gia học sinh lớp 10 học nói trường THPT Nguyễn Đăng Đạo, Bắc Ninh) M.A MINOR THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60.14.10 Hanoi, 2013 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES   NGUYỄN thÞ h-êng THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE GRADE 10 STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS AT NGUYEN DANG DAO HIGH SCHOOL, BAC NINH PROVINCE (Hiệu việc sử dụng hoạt động điền thông tin nhằm tăng cường tham gia học sinh lớp 10 học nói trường THPT Nguyễn Đăng Đạo, Bắc Ninh) M.A MINOR THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60.14.10 Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Nguyễn Văn Độ Hanoi, 2013 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DECLARATION This paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education I certify that this thesis is the result of my own research, and that it has not been submitted for any other degrees Hanoi, September 20th, 2013 Signature Nguyen Thi Huong i LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest thanks to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Van Do, for the wholehearted guidance he gave me while I was doing this research I am truly grateful to him for his ideas, comments and instructions, as well as encouragement and constant support Without these, the thesis could not have been completed I would also acknowledge my great gratitude to all the lecturers and organizers of the Faculty of Post- graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their valuable assistance during my study at the college My special thanks are expressed to my friends for their great help and comments Also, my attitude goes to my colleagues and ninety students taking part in my research Last but not least, I am deeply grateful to my family for their support, encouragement and love, which were extremely important for the completion of this thesis ii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ABSTRACT This study is majorly aimed at investigating the effectiveness of using information gap activities on grade 10th - students‟ participation for at Nguyen Dang Dao High School, Bac Ninh In order to achieve this aim, the quasi- experimental research was carried out in weeks with classroom observation, students‟ self report and interview as data collection instruments The sample of the study consisted of 90 grade 10th students from two intact classes The experimental group received the intervention of information gap activities in four speaking lessons while the control one did not The results indicated that experimental group‟s participation level increased significantly while the control group‟s stayed almost the same Hopefully, this study can raise teachers‟ awareness of using information gap activities in teaching speaking to enhance learners‟ involvement iii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES viii PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Purpose and significance of the study Research Questions Method of the study Scope of the study Overview of the thesis CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Teaching speaking 1.1.1 Definitions of speaking 1.1.2 Importance of teaching speaking in FLT 1.1.3 Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) 1.1.3.1 Notion and purposes of CLT 1.1.3.2 Characteristics of CLT 1.1.4 1.2 Characteristics of successful speaking activities Information Gap Activities (IGA) 1.2.1 Definition of Information Gap Activity 1.2.3 Types of Information Gap Activities 1.2.4 Benefits of implementing IGA in teaching speaking iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 1.2.4.1 Increasing students’ motivation to speak the target language 1.2.4.2 Ensuring students’ equal participation 1.2.4.3 Facilitating language acquisition 10 1.2.4.4 Improving students’ ability of negotiating meaning 10 1.2.5 The roles of teachers in IGA 11 1.2.5.1 Facilitator 11 1.2.5.2 Participant 11 1.2.5.3 Observer and learner 11 1.3 Students’ participation in speaking activities 12 1.3.1 Definition of students’ participation 12 1.3.2 Benefits of students’ participation 12 1.3.3 Factors affecting students’participation 13 1.3.3.1 Students’ personalities, language levels and motivation 13 1.3.3.2 Teachers’ roles, characteristics and methodology 14 1.3.3.3 Physical Classroom factors 15 1.4 Summary 15 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 16 2.1 The research method 16 2.2 Participants of the study 16 2.2.1 The teacher researcher 16 2.2.2 The observers 16 2.2.3 Samples for the control group and the experimental one 16 2.2.4 Samples for the interviews 17 2.3 Variables of the study 17 2.4 Data collection instruments 17 2.4.1 Classroom observations (Appendix A) 18 v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 2.4.1 Students’ interaction self-reports (Appendix B) 19 2.4.2 Questionnaire (Appendix C) 19 2.4.3 Interviews (Appendix D) 19 2.5 The intervention of IGA 19 2.6 Summary 23 CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 24 3.1 Data analysis 24 3.1.1 Students’participation before the experiment 24 3.1.1.1 Students’ on- task behaviour in two observed lessons 24 3.1.1.2 Students’ interaction times in two observed lessons 25 3.1.2 Students’participation at the experimental stage 26 3.1.2.1 Students’ on task behaviour 26 3.1.2.2 Students’ interaction times 27 3.1.3 Comparison of participation levels of the experimental group before and during the experiment 28 3.1.4 Comparison of the control group’s participation level and the experimental group’s at the experimental stage 30 3.1.5 Teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards the implementation of IGA in speaking lessons 31 3.1.5.1 Teachers’ attitudes 31 3.1.5.2 Students’ attitudes 31 3.2 Major findings 32 3.3 Discussion on the findings 32 PART C: CONCLUSION 34 4.1 Summary of the study 34 4.2 Recommendations 34 vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 4.2.1 For teachers 34 4.2.2 For students 35 4.3 The limitations and suggestions for further study 35 REFERENCES 37 APPENDICES .I Appendix A: Observation sheet .I Appendix B: Students’ interaction self-report III Appendix C: Questionnaire for experimental group IV Appendix D: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS V Appendix E : Speaking lesson plan (Experimental stage) .VI Appendix F : Handouts, cards, pictures for the sample plan lesson X vii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CLT Communicative Language Teaching IGA Information Gap Activities FLT Foreign Language Teaching LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES Table 1: Students' profile 17 Table 2: The data collection proce 23 Chart 1: On task time of the control and experimental group before the experiment 25 Table 3: On task time of the experimental group during the experiment 27 Chart 2: On task time of experimental group before and during the experiment 29 Chart 3: On task time of the control group and the experimental one during the experiment 30 viii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Scan number Student number 10 11 12 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 II LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Appendix B: Students’ interaction self-report Please write down the number of times of your interacting in speaking English in the lesson you have just attended Please answer as honestly as possible This task is done only with the hope to evaluate your participation in speaking English Thank you very much in deed The number of times you spoke English in the lesson you have just attended ………… III LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Appendix C: Questionnaire for experimental group The purpose of this survey is to explore your opinions on information gap activities that have been used in your class during the last weeks Please answer the questions by circling the appropriate choice a strongly agree b agree d disagree e strongly disagree c neither agree nor disagree During the last six weeks You have been more interested in the speaking sessions a b c The learning atmosphere was good d e a b c d e The teacher‟s instructions before and while speaking activities were clear a b c d You were encouraged to speak English e a b c d You were confident to speak to the whole class e a b c d e The times you participated in speaking activities have increased a b c d e Information gap activities are beneficial to increase students‟ participation a b c d e You are willing to take part in more information gap activities in the coming lessons? a b c d IV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Appendix D: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Interview Questions for students What you think of students‟ participation in the four speaking lessons you have observed in class 10A6 during the last six weeks? What you think are the benefits of information gap activities in speaking lessons? Will you implement information gap activities in your coming lessons? Interview questions for teachers How often you participate in the last four lessons? What you think of your classmates‟ participation level in these lessons? Do you like information gap activities applied in your class? Why (not)? Are you willing to take part in information gap activities in coming speaking lessons? V LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Appendix E : Speaking lesson plan (Experimental stage) Lesson plan, lesson 13 Teacher: Nguyen Thi Huong Lesson title: Films and cinemas Time: 45 minutes Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - Ask and answer questions about the plot of a film based on prompts - Tell what kinds of film they like and dislike - Express their attitudes about films, using attitudinal adjectives Teaching materials: Chalkboard Text book: Tieng Anh 10 Handouts Pictures Procedure: Stages Teacher’s activities Greeting Warm-up Students’ activities Greeting Answer the teacher‟s questions Whole-class discussion Teacher ask students : Did you see any film on TV last night? Do you like the film? VI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Time 2‟ What kind of film is it” Who is the main actor/ actress? Whole class activity - Generate students‟ interest by telling sts they are going to discuss and talk about the topic “films” today - View some pictures and ask sts to tell what kind of films are they Prespeaking Whilespeaking Discuss and find the answers 5‟ - love story film -detective film - action film - thriller film - cartoon film - science fiction film Activity 1- task 1:Pair work - Ask sts to ask his/ her partner how much he/ she like each kink of film - Models the conversation with an able student Example: A: How much you like science fiction films? B: + I like them very much + I don’t like them very much + I don’t like them at all - - - Interview partners and complete the table Change roles Distribute handouts of tables (Handout 1- Appendix) Ask students to report the result of the interview VII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com - Activity 2- Pair work- Vocabulary - Distribute handouts to pairs (Handouts 3) - In pair, one has a picture, another has a word and vice versa - Ask sts to work in pair to fill in the table Report the result: “My partner likes….He does not like….” Work in pair - Match the picture with the right word Activity 3- task - Group work: Find out what your friends feel about each kind of film - Distribute handouts (Handouts 4) Ask sst to work in groups of five interacting to complete the gaps of the table with adjectives expressing their attitudes towards kinds of films Walk around the class and move toward every group, observe students‟ work and give students any assistance and correction Ask two groups to present Give students feedback and comment Activity 4- task 3-Pair work: Find out his/ her preference for films - Presents the structure: Prefer St to St - Ask Sts to work in pair - Gives a model: - - Work in groups to discuss Present Work in pair to fin out the partner‟s preferences VIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 10‟ Postspeaking A: Which you prefer, detective films or science fiction films? B: Well, it’s difficult to say But I suppose I prefer science fictions films to detective ones A: Why? B: Because………… Activity 5- Task 4: Group work and whole class - Ask sts to work in groups of five and think about a film they like - Ask them to talk about the film but not mention the title No title mentioned Kind of film Plot Main characters Your feeling about the film The reason you prefer it to other films Ask sts from groups to ask questions to exploit the information about the film that the contrast group is taking about Other groups guess the name of the film - - Work in group, talk about the film Present Ask questions Take notes Guess the name of the film they talked about Summarizes main points of the lesson Review IX LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Appendix F : Handouts, cards, pictures for the sample plan lesson Kind of film Very much Not very much Not at all Science fiction Cartoon Horror Detective Thriller Handout movin g excitin g borin g Handout Good fun interesting boring Violent Handout X LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Good fun moving interesting exciting Terrifying boring violent Answer key to handout Names of partner→ Detective films Science fiction films Love story film Cartoon films War films thrillers Action films Handout XI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Title Kind f film Plot Main character Your feeling Reasons for your preference Handout 4: The film you have seen XII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com XIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com XIV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com XV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com XVI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ... effectiveness of using information gap activities to promote grade 10 students’ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao high school, Bac Ninh province? ?? It is hoped that the research... aimed at investigating the effectiveness of using information gap activities on grade 10th - students‟ participation for at Nguyen Dang Dao High School, Bac Ninh In order to achieve this aim, the. .. the effectiveness of information gap activities on 10 grade students‟ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao High School, Bac Ninh Overview of the thesis This study consists of three