Rationale of the study
In this globalization era, the importance of English is widely recognized since it is a mean of international communication; therefore, it is used through the world In Vietnamese education reform recent years, English national curriculum has been focused on developing English language competence which is expected in all four of the following skills: listening, reading, writing, especially speaking One of the most important parts of speaking skills is presentation skills Joan Van Emden, Lucinda M Becker (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, p.142): "The ability to present a case clearly, cogently and confidently is enormously valuable at every stage of student's lives, whatever the subjects they study; it will bring them success in academic work, job interviews and their future working life - it's the most transferable of all their skills and a critical part of their professional development."
Recognizing of the importance of developing English language competence for students, High Schools in Bac Ninh province have implemented in the system of seven – year English course books 10, 11, 12 to help students master four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking Experiencing five years teaching these course book programs, the researcher noticed the fact that one obvious and continuous weakness of most students is limited speaking skills, especially presentation skills Many students feel shy to present in front of other people The most serious problem is the lack of confidence
Meanwhile, the researcher considered project-based learning approach (or project-based teaching) as an appropriate and effective way to help students overcome the difficulties in speaking skills and increase students’ confidence in presentation skills Project-based learning refers to students’ designing, planning, and carrying out an extended project that produces a publicly-exhibited output such as a product, publication, or presentation (Patton, 2012) During doing projects, students have to use English and cooperate with their peers as well as building teamwork, group skills to get the best result in their final presentations Therefore, their confidence can be improved in presentation skills Moreover, students are encouraged to become independent workers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners
Considering the positive contribution of PBL, the researcher conducted a study on the implementation of project-based learning to improve students’ confidence in English presentation skills at a High School in Bac Ninh province.
Aims of the study
With the reason above, this study is aimed at:
- finding out the reasons why students lack confidence in presentations,
- exploring students’ and teacher’s attitudes toward the project-based learning,
- exploring how the PBL lessons help improve ten – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills.
Research questions
In order to achieve these aims, three following questions were proposed:
(1) What make students feel unconfident in presentation?
(2) What are students’ and teacher’s attitudes toward project-based learning?
(3) To what extent PBL lessons help improve ten – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills?
Significance of the study
Some studies claimed that PBL has been challenging for teacher to apply in spite of its positive benefits PBL may not work well with students who are not ready to this new approach (Levy, 1997) Teachers may have difficulty in the role of “facilitator”, especially if they haven’t grasped concept of PBL In addition, it is not easy to integrate all of the course material into a single, semester-long project, so teachers may not success to cover some of the core material for a particular course Besides, the group dynamic may make it difficult to determine which students contributed the most to the project, some students are lazy to cooperate and work for the final results, thus complicating student assessment Because of these potential problems, the researcher wants to provide an understanding into the benefits and effectiveness of applying PBL in English lessons The study will consolidate the theoretical understanding of PBL for colleagues and students at the researcher’s high school They will have appropriate teaching methods in applying PBL in their lessons Moreover, the findings of the study will help the ten-grade students improve their confidence in English presentation skills by using PBL.
Scope of the study
This study mainly focuses on improving ten – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills at a High School in Bac Ninh province by using PBL It includes 48 ten – grade students who are in the second semester of school year 2017 – 2018
Due to the limitation of time and scale of a minor thesis, the study only focuses on finding out the reasons that make students lack confidence in English presentations, investigating students’ and teachers’ attitudes toward using PBL and extent of the project that meets the project aims.
Methods of the study
The study was conducted as an action research with four key stages:
Planning, Acting, Observing, and Evaluation:
- A pre-test and a questionnaire were used to investigate the issues that make students lack confidence in English presentation skills The data collected from the questionnaires was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively
- Mapping out strategies for the lesson plans applied PBL to improve students’ confidence in English presentation skills
- PBL was adopted in the English lessons with fifteen hours over fifteen weeks in class 10A2 in the second semester of school year 2017 – 2018 with eight topics based on Basic English Textbook 10 (Hoang Van Van, 2006) to improve their confidence in presentation skills
- An experiencing teacher in English groups of the High School was invited to observe these lessons and evaluate the changes in the final results
- Class observation were made carefully and objectively based on the outcomes of students
- A post-test was given for students to evaluate their confidence in English presentation skills
- A questionnaire was carried out to get information from students’ and teachers’ attitudes toward using PBL in English lessons
- Documentary analysis was used to measure what the project met its objectives
- From the results of the post-test, questionnaire and class observation, some conclusions were made.
Design of the study
The thesis entitled “Using Project-based Teaching to Improve Students’
Confidence in English Presentation Skills at a High School in Bac Ninh Province” is divided into three parts:
Part A – Introduction shows the rationale, the aims for the research, the research questions, the significance, the scope, the methods and the design of the study
Part B – Development consists of three chapters:
Chapter 1 - Literature review includes an overview of background of the study
This chapter makes clear key concepts and theories of the research topic, and reviews previous studies of the field to reveal the research gaps which need filling
Chapter 2 – Methodology introduces the participants, instrumentation, research process and plan of the action
Chapter 3 – Findings and discussion gives detailed description of data analysis and presents some explanations and interpretations of the finding of the study
Part C – Conclusion summarizes the major findings, shows the limitations of the study and provides some suggestions for further study.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Presentation skills
On website Skillsyouneed, the formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication This study describes what an oral presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills
In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2005, p.1190), presentation is defined as the act of showing something or of giving something to someone, especially as part of a formal ceremony
“Oral presentation tends to present ideas and information in an interactive way…oral presentation is a particularly effective way to communicate your concept and complex ideas because the presenter can use overhead projector and other visual aid and the audience can ask for further clarification.”
In general, a presentation is a mean of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team
According to Whatley R P., presentation is divided into five main types named: Informative, instructional, arousing, persuasive, and decision-making
1 Information presentation: Keep an informative presentation brief and to the point
Stick to the facts and avoid complicated information
2 Instructional presentation: Your purpose in an instructional presentation is to give specific directions or orders Your presentation will probably be a bit longer, because it has to cover your topic thoroughly
3 Arousing presentation: Your purpose in an arousing presentation is to make people think about ascertain problem or situation
4 Decision-making presentation: Your purpose in a decision-making presentation is to move your audience to take your suggested action A decision-making presentation presents ideas, suggestions, and arguments strongly enough to persuade an audience to carry out your requests
5 Persuasive presentation: Your purpose in a persuasive presentation is to convince your listeners to accept your proposal
From five types of presentation above, it can be seen that Whatley characterized them based on the presenter’s purpose In spite of its own specific characteristics, they have a common in requirement: Presentations need a clear, formal and structured organization to deliver the messages to the listeners
To answer the question: “What is a good presentation?”, Powell, M (1996) states: “Many thing to contribute the success of a presentation – new and unusual content, a clear structure, a good sense of timing, imaginative use of visual aids, the ability to make people laugh…and think But above and beyond all of these is enthusiasm.”
However, D’Arcy (1998) only gives five criteria in the set of evaluation to evaluate a presentation: organization and development of content, delivery, visuals, voice and volume, and comprehension He doesn’t emphasize on any elements, put them in the equal roles
Despite using different terms for the evaluation criteria, Powell (1996) and D’
Arcy (1998) both consider content and visual aids to contribute a successful presentation
Table 1.1: Summary of criteria for a good presentation
No Criteria for a good presentation Authors/ Researchers
1 New and unusual content Powell, M (1996)
4 Imaginative use of visual aids
5 The ability to make people laugh and think
7 Organization and development of content D’Arcy (1998)
12 Preparation The idea from researcher’s experience
Because of the ability of participants and the objectives of the research, the researcher only focused on some criteria as followed:
Table 1.2: Scope of criteria for a good presentation
No Criteria for a good presentation
6 Delivery (Posture and Eye contact)
1.1.4 The importance of presentation skills in language learning
Among the many benefit of designing oral presentations for students are (King J., 2002): bridging the gap between language study and language use; using the four language skills in a naturally integrated way; helping students to collect, inquire, organize and construct information; enhancing team work; helping students become active and autonomous learners Students are involved in their own learning process as active participants, they are engaged in real-world experience, and they build creative and critical thinking and problem-solving skills as important characteristics for success in the 21st century The final goal is to help students maximize their potential, both personally and professionally
In Alshare and Hindi’ study (2004), the importance of presentation skills is shown that “students are required to present in two classes per semester for an average of ten minutes … students and instructors agreed that critical objectives of presentations were to improve communicative skills and to train students to talk to a group of people.”
In brief, presentation skills play an important role in learning and teaching foreign language It consolidates four skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing; motivates the cooperation in team work; improves critical thinking and problem- solving skills as well as develops the confidence to communicate with other people.
Confidence
Confidence (in somebody/something) is defined in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary as the feeling that you can trust, believe in, and be sure about the abilities or good qualities of someone or something
Palmer (2011 – p.1) describes the term as:
The self-reliance is that people have in their own abilities and values It does not mean thinking that people are the best at everything; but feeling comfortable about themselves in something that they have to do
To sum up, confidence is a belief in your ability to do your best You don’t have to be the biggest, the best or the brightest to have confidence You just have to believe that you are capable of doing your best And you have to be willing to take risks
1.2.2 The importance of confidence in presentation skills
As language learners, confidence is one of the principal factors that have strong influence in the second language achievements
In language learning, Chen (2003) claims that confidence is a direct factor that effects students’ spoken English Similarly, Gander, S L (2006, p 13 -14) presents that many students feel satisfied and successful because they have achieved the independence and fluency levels of proficiency which make them feel confident in their work
Talking about the role of confidence in presentation, it is said that oral presentations require courage and confidence from presenters who are in front of their classmate
According to Professional Communication Skills Program,
“The Presentation Skills seminar provides participants with the techniques needed to prepare, plan and deliver professional presentations The seminar provides a supportive environment with ample opportunity to practice speaking on a variety of subjects Immediate feedback is provided by the facilitator, fellow participants and through review of recorded practice presentations Participants receive individual direction for improving presentation skills, increasing their confidence and comfort level when in front of an audience.”
Therefore, confidence is considered as the key in presentation skills
Confident students trust their abilities and they have specific goals in order to be achieved without worrying about the outcome
1.2.3 Factors affecting students’ confidence in presentation skills
Students’ confidence in presentation skills is affected by many factors discussed in the following:
1.2.3.1 Internal factors a Students’ language proficiency
Proficiency including skills, ability and experience is a major factor affects to student’s confidence in oral activity, especially presentation skills According to Rob, E (1985), proficiency can be considered as linguistic competence or communicative competence and second language proficiency is usually evaluated in relation to native speakers’ proficiency Scarcella, R & Oxford, R (1992) suggest that linguistic competence consists of vocabulary, grammar structures, and mechanics (such as basic sound of letters, syllables; the pronunciation of words, intonation and stress)
For this reason, students’ language proficiency has direct influence on students’ confidence in presentation skills in case presenting in front of their classmates, not being able to answer the questions b Students’ attitude
Chandrasegaran, A (1981) argues that attitude relates to states of emotion and thought for the English language, the learning of English and the culture of English-speaking people Gardner, R C and Larmbert, W.E (1972) point out that attitude has a close relationship to motivation Spolsky (1998:23) say that “a learner’s attitude affects the development of motivation” Obviously, attitude is an important part in speaking English in general and in English presentation skills in particular because it helps students develop their motivation c Students’ psychological factors
Some researchers, such as Nuna, D (1999) considers “this fear affects to make mistakes” Hieu, T (2011) presents that students fear of being laughed at by classmates and being criticized by their teachers T Kurtus, R (2001), similarly, adds that students care about the way other people see them and scare of being look foolish by other students
Besides, shyness is a psychological factor affect to students’ confidence during presenting English Baldwin, C (2011) adds that shyness in speaking in front of many people make mind blank and students may forget what to say Saurik
(2011) shows that most of students shy in presenting because they think they can make mistakes when talking
To sum up, fear of mistakes and shyness in front of others easily lead to lack of confidence in presentation skills Moreover, if students feel shy, they usually make mistakes
1.2.3.2 External factors a Inappropriate teacher’s correction and role
Brown, H D (2002 – P.205) agrees that students’ errors show their acquisition about the language in through strategies Teachers usually correct students’ errors to help them master the language Some students feel comfortable with gender and clever correction while the others prefer frank correction Ur, P
(2000) expresses that students may be unconfident and disappointed when teachers correct their error insensitively or criticize them in front of class Thus, teacher should be sensitive, enthusiastic and gentle in giving feedbacks and correction so that students are easy-going to recognize their errors and present their ideas confidently
According to Harmer, J (1999 – p.57), teachers’ role in classroom can be a controller, an organizer, an assessor, a prompter, a participant, a recourse, a tutor, and an observer
Byme, D (1986 – p.2) classifies the role of the teachers into three stages:
Firstly, the presentation stage, teachers present the plan, assign tasks and allocate time
Secondly, the practice stage, students work in groups under the teachers’ observation and guide
Lastly, the production stage, teachers encourage students to use the language freely and comment their performances at the end of the presentations For this role, if teachers are enthusiastic and gentle in guiding and giving feedbacks, students are very confident in their presentation skills b Teachers’ characteristics
Teachers’ characteristics have a great influence on students’ confidence For instance, teaching qualifications and competence will help teachers to become more professional rather than just a teacher Barry, K and King, L (1993) explains that teachers should be natural, warm, tolerant, pleasant and approachable in order to build close relationship with students It can create a comfortable atmosphere in the classroom and develop students’ confidence in presentation skills.
Project-based learning (PBL)
Project-based learning (or project-based teaching) has been used in several of fields such as education, engineering, medicine,…for a long time Therefore, there are many definitions of project-based approach in learning Each definition reflects the underlying principles and perspectives of the author’ apprehension
PBL is an instructional approach that contextualizes learning by presenting learners with problems to solve or products to develop as what Moss and Duzer
Adderly, K et al (1975:1) defined PBL with some aspects:“ (1) [project] involve the solution of a problem; often, though not necessarily, set by the student himself, (2) They involve initiative by the student or group of students, and necessitate a variety of educational activities, (3) They commonly result in an end of product (eg: thesis, report,…), (4) Work often goes on for a considerate length of time, and (5) Teaching staff are involved in an advisory, rather than an authoritarian, role at any or all of the stages-initiation, conduct or conclusion.” Among five aspects, the first and third one play an important role in project-based learning
Fried-Booth (2002) has the same idea when presenting:
“Project work is student – centered and driven by the need to create an end-product
However, it is the route to achieving this end-product that makes project work so worthwhile The route to the end-product brings opportunities for students to develop their confidence and independence and to work together in a real-word environment by collaborating on a task”
From three definitions above, the one given by Adderly, K et al (1975) is seemingly the most obvious and adequate so that the study is based on this principle
In a great review of PBL research Thomas (2000) lists five essential features of project-based learning:
1 Projects are central to the curriculum, not add-ons to serious study
2 Projects focus on driving questions that lead students to encounter important concepts and content
3 Students take part in investigations that allow them to build their understanding
4 Students have more responsibility for their own learning than in traditional, teacher-driven instruction
5 Projects relate to the real world
In PBL, students must feel autonomous without directions and direct supervision from the teacher who really is considered just as a facilitator Projects should not have a predetermined outcome nor follow a predetermined path A project must resemble a real-world problem that is authentic (not simulation) capable of being transformed and implemented
Project-based learning offers a wide range of benefits to both students and teachers A growing body of academic research supports the use of project-based learning in school to engage students, cut absenteeism, boost cooperative learning skills, and improve academic performance (George Lucas Educational Foundation,
2001) For students, benefits of project-based learning include:
• Increased attendance, growth in self-reliance, and improved attitudes toward learning (Thomas, 2000)
• Academic gains equal to or better than those generated by other models, with students involved in projects taking greater responsibility for their own learning than during more traditional classroom activities (Boaler, 1997; SRI, 2000 )
• Opportunities to develop complex skills, such as higher-order thinking, problem- solving, collaborating, and communicating (SRI, 2000)
• Access to a broader range of learning opportunities in the classroom, providing a strategy for engaging culturally diverse learners (Railsback, 2002)
For many students, the appeal of this learning style comes from the authenticity of the experience Students take on the role and behavior of those working in a particular discipline Whether they are making a documentary video about an environmental concern, designing a travel brochure to highlight sites of historical significance in their community, or developing a multimedia presentation about the pros and cons of building a shopping mall, students are engaged in real- world activities that have significance beyond the classroom
For teachers, additional benefits include enhanced professionalism and collaboration among colleagues, and opportunities to build relationships with students (Thomas, 2000) Additionally, many teachers are pleased to find a model that accommodates diverse learners by introducing a wider range of learning opportunities into the classroom Teachers find that students who benefit the most from project-based learning tend to be those for whom traditional instructional methods and approaches are not effective (SRI, 2000)
There is a variety of projects, such as drawing pictures, making news, making records, carrying out interviews and surveys, portfolios,…thus, it is not easy to define what project is
Kilpatrick (1918) identifies four types of projects with procedures: Type 1, projects embody some external idea or plan (such as building a boat, writing a letter, or presenting a play); Type 2 involve enjoying an esthetic experience (such as listening to a poem, hearing a symphony, or appreciating a painting); Type 3, problem solving (include interpreting the effects of war or findings of an experiment); and Type 4 involve obtaining a certain item of skill or knowledge…
Haines (1989:1) classifies projects into three categories based on the final products and information delivery: Production projects which consists of the work with radio, video, wall newspapers,…; Performance projects including presentation, debates,…; Organizational projects involves parties, plays, drama,…
To sum up, because the participants are creative, dynamic and studious high school students, the researcher gave them many opportunities to express It means that the researcher implement various kind of projects in her teaching context, such as presentation, role - play, telling stories, making conversation, etc
Although projects are divided into many types, they have common characteristics and framework which will be discussed in the next part
Papandreou states that projects are created from a series of activities organized into a process and conducted by the students Thus, every project consists of certain stages There are many approaches to present the PBL in English teaching classrooms Fried Booth (1986) shows that a project usually covers three particular stages: beginning in the classroom, moving out into the world, and re- turning back to the classroom This model later develops into the eight stages of development
Papandreou (1994) in “An Application of the Projects Approach to EFL” introduces a model which illustrates the process of project work in six steps:
Step 1: Preparation: in this period, the teacher introduces the topic to the students, and asks them to discuss and ask questions
Step 2: Planning: in this period, the teacher and the students determine the mode for collecting and analyzing information, and different work are assigned
Step 3: Research: in this part, the students work individually or in groups gather information from different sources
Step 4: Conclusions: the students draw conclusions bases upon their analysis of the collected data
Step 5: Presentation: the students are supposed to present their final product to the whole class
Step 6: evaluation: in this part, the teacher makes comments on the students’ endeavor and efforts
In this model, Papandreou adds a new step into the whole process, namely evaluation, which is apparently a new initiative to the traditional model And this model is similar to the six-step model undertaken by Kaptan
Here are steps for implementing PBL, which are detailed below by (Korkmaz & Kaptan, 2000):
Step 1: Stating the subject and sub-subjects, organizing the groups
Students explore the resources and in order to create a frame for the project they state questions
Group members make a project plan They ask questions as “Where are we going?”,
“What will we learn?” vs they choose their roles in the project
Step 3: Application of the project
Group members are organized and analyze the data and information
Step 4: Planning of the presentation
The members define the essential points in their presentation and then decide on how to present the project
Presentations can be made in any (in different schools, classes, vs.) places
Students share the feedback of everyone on their project Both the students and the teacher share the project(s) with everyone
Based upon the above models, Stoller puts forward his initial eight steps framework, which is, to some extent, an improvement to the previous studies In order to keep pace with time, this model is revised later Stoller (2006) summarizes the revised ten-step process in “maximizing the Benefits of Project Work in Foreign Language Classrooms”
Step 1: Students and instructor agree on a theme for the project
Step 2: Students and instructor determine the final outcome
Step 3: Students and instructor structure the project
Step 4: Instructor prepares students for the language demands of information gathering
Step 6: Instructor prepares students for the language demands of compiling and analyzing data
Step 7: Students compile and analyze information
Step 8: Instructor prepares students for the language demands of the culminating activity
Step 9: Students present final product
Step 10: Students evaluate the project
In this revised framework, steps 4, 6 and 8 are newly designed to differentiate it from the traditional one The two models are different in that the language demands related to each step are taught in a different way
METHODOLOGY
Action research
Action research has been defined in many ways Ferrance (2000) and Corey (1953) states that action research is a process of systematic inquiry and a small-scale investigation undertaken by a class teacher to find effective solutions to real problems encountered in daily life and inform future practices Tsui (1992, p.33) shows that: “Action research is a very effectiveness way of helping teachers to reflect on their teaching and to come up with their own alternatives to improve their practice”
According to Kemmis and McTaggart (1988, p 5-6), action research is defined as
… a form of collective self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices, as well as their understanding of these practices and the situations in which these practices are carried out
2.1.2 The process of action research
Nunan (1992, p.19) and Nunan (1993, p 41-42) described the process of action research as follow steps:
Step 7: Follow-up (Revise for next circle)
Step 6: Dissemination investigation Step 2: Preliminary
Figure 2.1: Steps in the action research cycle
Step 1 - Initiation (Problem identification): From teaching experience, the researcher identified the problems that students had faced in the classroom
Step 2 – Preliminary (Preliminary investigation): The researcher investigated students’ feelings to these problems and discussed with other classes about their problems
Step 3 – Hypothesis: The researcher formed the hypothesis that most students are not confident in presentation skills because they had negative attitudes towards presentation skills in previous lessons and their teacher’s teaching method
Step 4 – Intervention: The researcher planned the lessons and found out techniques solving the problems defined by the hypothesis after classroom observation and hypothesis
Step 5 – Evaluation: The researcher along with the colleagues worked through some stages such as action, observation, reflection, and revision to evaluate the results of activities, material, classroom’ atmosphere and the role of teacher
Step 6 – Dissemination: Results was reported
Step 7 – Follow-up: The researcher revises for next circle
Because of limited time, in spite of seven steps in an action researcher cycle, the researcher carried out 6 steps below:
2.1.3 Rationale of using an action research
The benefit of action research is given in the definition of Milss (2003-p.4)
“an action research is … any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers to gather information about the ways that their particular school operates how the teach, and how well their students learn The information is gathered with the goals of gaining insight, developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school environment and on educational practice in generals, and improving student outcomes” Action researches conducted in schools, colleges and universities usually solve practical problems which teacher researchers experience everyday
Therefore, they are carried out by teachers themselves to change, improve teaching methods and learning environment effectively Tsui (1992) suggests three reasons why teacher researchers should use action research as follow:
- to solve own problems in a scientific process an improve own practice,
- to adapt theory ( findings of conventional research) to practice (own problems),
- share the results of action research with other teachers
Because of above reasons, action research makes a part in teacher’ profession If he wants to be a better teacher, he has to find out and solve teaching problems himself scientifically It proves that he is dynamic, active, and modern in his teaching.
Context of the study
The study was carried out at Nguyen Van Cu High School, Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province where the researcher is teaching English in the afternoon tutor course of the second semester The duration of the course is 15 hours over 15 weeks Students attend the class about 2 hours each Wednesday afternoon tutor, so the researcher spends 1 hour each week conducting the research The book used in this course is Basic English Textbook 10 (Hoang Van Van, 2006) It is designed to develop some skills and language aspects, including grammar, vocabulary and reading, speaking, listening, writing skills The content covers interesting topic, such as environment, mass media, music, films and cinema, etc
After observing at the first semester, the researcher saw that students faced some problems in their presentation skills in speaking lessons The researcher tried to give solutions for these problems but the reality cannot be improved Therefore, the researcher decided to use PBL for group-work activities to enhance students’ confidence in English presentation skills.
Participants
The researcher is the teacher at Nguyen Van Cu High School, Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province The participants are 48 students in class 10A2 where the researcher is responsible for teaching English in 2017-2018 school year They include 18 boys and 20 girls who are 16 years olds They come from different communes in Tu Son district and have been learning English for 9 years They must get at least 5 for English to pass the High School entrance exam Therefore, they are quite homogeneous in their level of English proficiency.
Data collection
The result of this study was based on the data collected from pre-test, post- test, questionnaires, and teachers’ observation The stage of data collection was happened in the second semester of school year 2017-2018
Because this study was conducted as an action research, questionnaire was employed during the process of data collection Questionnaires were delivered to 48 students of class 10A2 at Nguyen Van Cu High School in the second semester of school year 2017 -2018 It consists of 8 questions divided into 2 main parts to find out students’ attitude towards presentation skills and PBL which was applied in the afternoon tutor course after 15 weeks as well as the factors of PBL affect students’ confidence in presentation skills Specially, questionnaires were translated into Vietnamese to help students understand clearly
Classroom observation, along with questionnaires, was done to collect data for the study The observation covered the classroom activities, students’ behavior and performance in lessons to collect the data about the effect of PBL
During the research, the researcher took notes in a teaching journal after each lesson
2.4.3 The pre-test and post-test
* The pre-test was given to check students’ presentation level in the oral test
* The post-test was given to check students’ presentation level after applying PBL through group-work activities After that, the results of pre-test and post-test were compared to make clear how effective the use of PBL in presentation skills was
The pre-test was carried out at the beginning of the course while the post-test was carried out at the end of the course
* To be objective, the researcher invited a colleague, also a teacher of English named Chu Thi Thuan as an outside researcher She along with the researcher took part in the pre-test and post-test to check students’ presenting level.
Data analysis
The researcher used Microsoft Excel to analyze data and calculate figures from questionnaires, pre-test and post-test, class observation.
The action research procedure
From the five-year experience of a teacher of English at Nguyen Van Cu High School, the researcher realized some problems students are facing in presentation skills They are seemly reluctant to speak English and present in the classroom Therefore, they are not interested as well as motivated in presenting
They lack language, humor, eye contact, body language, energy and enthusiasm As a result, they are shy and not confident in presentation skills Most of them are not active
The researcher gave the pre-questionnaire to 48 students in class 10A2 to confirm the problems that what caused lack of confidence in presentation skills It made clear the importance of presentation skills and what made them not confident in presenting
Based on the analysis and discussion of previous data, a hypothesis was formed:
Using PBL for group-work activities will be able to improve 10-grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills at Nguyen Van Cu High School, Bac Ninh province
2.6.4 Intervention (Implementing PBL in form of group-work in afternoon tutor lessons) (week 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
After the problems had been identified, the researcher planned for a 8-week course to solve these problems The course was based on the observation and analyses of Ngo Huu Hoang (2014): Project – People – Process – Product:
2.6.4.1 Project: The study course is conducted
Based on the literature review about PBL in presentation skills (discussed in Chapter 1), the researcher designed a lesson plan for 8-week afternoon tutor course in Basic English Textbook 10 (Hoang Van Van, 2006) as form of PBL Projects applied in the presenting lessons with the same groups There are 8 topics in the second semester that students have used in speaking skill lessons in class, such as undersea world, conservation, national parks, music, films and cinema, the world cup, cities, and historical places
2.6.4.2 The people: Those who do the project
48 ten-grade students participated in the project and they were divided into 8 groups Six students in each group had mixed ability (good and weak students) based on the pre-test marks
The research is also the teacher of the course belonged to project people because the teacher plays an important role in guiding, making inspiration and encouragement Because of using PBL, he is only a “facilitator” not a knowledge
“provider” as traditional teaching in the past
2.6.4.3 The process: The arrangement of ways, things, venue, and time that the project was conducted
There are four main steps in the project course as follow:
(1) Structuring the project work: general instruction of presentation skills; arrangement of project groups with members; choosing topics based on student’s interests
(2) Gathering appropriate information from many sources
(4) Presenting and discussing the final report
In the afternoon tutor course of the second semester, presentation skills were designed as a part of the curriculum within 15 weeks with about 1 hour per week
After preparing lesson plans and adapted project, they were applied in class 10A2 for 8 weeks from week 5 to week 12 Eight groups with six members had 8 macro- project topics as detailed:
Weeks Macro – project topics Micro – project topics
1 Presentation about a kind of sea animals such as sperm, whale, dolphin… or the life beneath the ocean
1 Presentation about the zoo of the new kind learned in the speaking lesson
2 Role play as endangered animals
1 Presentation about some famous national parks in Vietnam and in the world
2 Telling a story about a trip to a national park
1 Presentation about types of music such as folk music, rock and roll, pop music, classical music, jazz…
2 Presentation about your favorite type of music, song, singer, music band or musician…
Week 9 Unit 13: Films and Cinema
1 Presentation about the history of cinema
2 Presentation about kinds of film, such as science fiction, cartoon, horror, detective, thriller,…
3 Role play based on a favorite film
Week 10 Unit 14: The world Cup
1 Presentation about the history of the World Cup
2 Discussing about a World Cup tournament
1 Presentation about some well-known cities in the world such as New York, Paris, London,…
2 Brief introduction about your city / place you are living
1 Presentation about some historical places in Vietnam such as Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, Hue Imperial City, Hoi An ancient town,…
2 Telling about your trip to visit a historical place in Vietnam
Each member of each group carried out his/her project outside the classroom to do step (2) and discussed the whole group each week to do step (3) in cooperation each week (perhaps in classroom or other places but they had to inform the meeting places for the researcher) From week 5 to week 12 was the time for all groups to present and discuss their reports what they had done each week To show their products in front of the class, students can use some activities such as role play, presentation, conservations, telling stories, etc Week 13, 14, 15 were for evaluation
During 15 weeks, students tried to learn about knowledge and elements of the core curriculum required and they could observe and acquire from real life not only in textbook or classroom Whereby, students could see, compare and contrast global problems with national ones such as conservation, environment, entertainment Therefore, they thought and suggested the solutions or development for them
The result collected from the data about products or post activities The data was interpreted how students could improve their confidence in presentation skills (detailed in Chapter III) The evaluation would inform how effective PBL in students’ confidence in presentation skills for the researcher and the limitations he/she need to improve in next lessons
The researcher shared the plan of this study with other English teachers in the same school In the plan, the researcher made clear the aim, produce and result of the action research From that, other teachers may share, help, give feedback and feelings about the sample If the research is successful, they can implement PBL in lessons for their students.
Summary
In this Chapter 2, the researcher covered all the significant elements of the research including brief definitions of action research and some reasons for the choice The researcher also revealed the context of implementing PBL in classroom to 10-grade students at Nguyen Van Cu High School, Bac Ninh province Finally, the chapter presents the method applied in the study, participants, research produce, instruments, the data collecting produce and data analysis.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Factors affecting students’ lack of confidence in English presentation skills
Chart 3.1: The role of presentation skills
The result from chart 3.1 shows that when students were asked about the importance of presentation skills, most of them believed presentation is important
More half of students (54,2%, 26 students) thought that presentation skills is very important as long as 35.4% (17 students) reckoned that presentation skills is rather important Only 6.3% (3 students) responded that presentation skills is little
Very importantRather importantLittle importantNot important at all important and 4.1% (2 students) found presentation skills is not important at all In short, it could be said that most of students are aware of the importance of presentation skills in modern learning methods nowadays
Chart 3.2: Students’ interest in English presentation skills in class
It is very clear from the chart that when being asked about the interest in English presentation skills, there are only 3 students (6.3 %) said that it is very interesting 18.8 % of them thought that they are rather interesting Whereas, 45.8% said that Little interesting and 29.1% considered Not interesting The fact showed that most of students are not interested in presentation skills, especially in English
To sum up, from these above chart, we can see that students are fully aware of the importance of English presentation skills However, the percentage of the students who are interested in presenting English in class is still small Therefore, a question raised: “What make students lack confidence in presentation?”
Rather interested inLittle interested inNot interested in
Chart 3.3: Factors causing students’ lack of confidence in English presentation skills
Chart 3.3 pointed out many problems and difficulties students had to face in English presentation skills Most of them (70.8%) found that they fear of being laughed at presenting by other friends in front of class Because of this reason, 58.3% unconfident students are unable to present loudly, clearly, fluently Many students (60.5%) agreed limited pronunciation and 50% of them also assume that lack of vocabulary and grammar are their difficulties This fact can be explained easily that most of English classes in Vietnam are taught by Vietnamese teachers, so students did not have chance to practice English with native teachers in real environment and this prevented them from developing English language competence Furthermore, Boring topics also discouraged them from presenting with 54.2% Besides, Lack of preparation (52.1%); Limited knowledge (43.8%);
Lack of time for presenting (45.8%); Fear of presenting incorrect topics (47.9%) were also students’ difficulties in English presentation skills Finally, lack of teacher’s guide before presenting is the least problematic with 37.5% of students
Because of above factors, the researcher gave student the pre-test to investigate and the results as follow:
Table 3.1: Students’ result in the pre-test of presentation
No Mark Number of students Percentage
From above table, we can see that in the pre-test, 4.2 % of students got mark 3; 25 % got mark 4, 27 % got mark 5, 31.3 % got mark 6; point 7 and 8 accounted for only 12.5 % There are no students who got mark 0, 1, 2 and 9, 10 Major students got mark 4, 5, 6 It can be easily explained that after the first term in English 10 syllabus, students usually completed basic speaking tasks in textbook, they did not have chance to practice speaking, especially learn how to present about something They were very embarrassed, lack of confidence to present in front of class because of many problems and difficulties in English presentation
The data in chart 3.3 and the result of pre-test in table 3.1 showed that a half of students in the class weren’t well-prepared for their presentations Perhaps, they hadn’t know how and where to collect the information for the topics and their collaboration with peers was limited As a result, they didn’t really comprehend the content of the topics they were presenting, they couldn’t arrange the time reasonably Therefore, their delivery including posture and eye contact were still embarrassing and unconfident, the voice was not clear and not smooth, low volume
External factors mainly come from teacher When being asked about the teacher’s guide, students gave the answer:
The statistics in chart 3.4 reflected the current teaching methods that teachers are applying in English presenting lessons in Vietnam 19 students (39.6%) said that their teacher often gives them vocabularies and structures which relate to presentation topic Nearly this number, 17 students (35.4%) supposed that their teacher is willing to give them main ideas of presentation topic Only 14.6% of them agreed that the teacher encourages them making outline for the topic in groups while 10.4 % students said that their teacher asks them to discuss and prepare for the presentation topic by themselves This proves that Vietnamese students are still passive in English lessons, especially speaking or presenting activities The teacher only gives vocabularies, useful structures or main ideas for students They have not guided their students the ways to get information, the instruments to collect data or
Gives you vocabularies and structures which relate to presentation topic
Gives you main ideas of presentation topic
Encourages you making ouline for presentation topic in groups
Asks you discuss and prepare for presentation topic by yourselves
Percentage of students (%) technique to present in front of class, Vietnamese students are used to waiting the suggestions from their teacher, not active to discover the knowledge.
Attitudes of students and teachers to project-based learning
Chart 3.5: Factors motivating students’ confidence in English presentation
A Comfortable and exciting learning atmosphere
B Various leaning activities, materials and exercises
E You are able to plan, discuss and cooperate in groups
F You are more dynamic, independent and creative
G You get more information and knowledge, improve vocabulary by yourself
H You can improve other skills (finding information, collecting and analyzing data, applying information technology)
Looking at chart 3.5, we can see that most of the students found some factors motivating their confidence in English presentation The greatest part of students (81.3%) felt more dynamic, independent and creative after PBL lessons.79.2% of students were able to plan, discuss and cooperate in groups when studying with project work 70.8% of students assumed that “Teacher always encourages you” is
Factors motivating students’ confidence the positive factor supporting them more confident in presenting 66.7% shared Comfortable and exciting learning atmosphere also motivated their confidence
Besides, “Various leaning activities, materials and exercises” also attracted students a lot (54.2%) Moreover, after PBL lessons, students had a lot of opportunities to improve other skills, such as getting more information and knowledge, improve vocabulary by themselves (58.3%); finding information, collecting and analyzing data, applying information technology (52.1%) The smallest percentage of students (35.4%) thought projects motivated their confidence because they are interesting and familiar to their hobbies and daily life
Table 3.2: Students’ feeling about topics of project carried out in the semester
No Macro – project topics Like Dislike
From table 3.2, we can see most students were fond of topics for projects given in this semester 93.8% of students excited about topic Music The number of students liked Films and Cinema also reached 83.3 % 79.2% of students were interested in The World Cup Perhaps, these topics were familiar with their hobbies in daily life, such as music films and sports, so they were easy to find the information, enthusiastic to make projects and confidents to present Besides, National parks; Cities; and Undersea world also attracted their discovery with 62.5%; 56.3%; and 47.9% However, Conversation and Historical places may be difficult and unattractive for some of students because the seriated percentages are 16.7% and 20.8%
The attitude of teacher was expressed by her class observation, as detailed:
(1) Well-prepared with appropriate objectives of the class
(2) Various and suitable information for the content
(3) Effective mutual collaboration with peers
(4) Clear and smooth presentation with clear voice and high volume
(5) Confident appearance with flexible eye contact
(9) Students are interesting, enthusiastic, and active
(10) Students are attentive and involved
(11) Students are encouraged to ask questions and express their own ideas
The class observation was conducted with 8 groups of project It shows that all the groups prepared their presentations carefully; the lessons occurred smoothly and logically Most of students expressed their positive attitude and personal characteristics In students – students interaction, they play role as communicator and they are encouraged to ask questions as well as express their own ideas As a result, project work had a great influence on students Especially, teacher made effort to motivate students in presenting lessons Besides, teacher also applied reward and punishment policies during the course to promote their confidence in presentation There is only one limitation is the unreasonable time distribution
Students didn’t still divide the suitable time into parts of the presentations.
Effect of project-based learning
3.3.1 Effect of project-based learning in presentation skills
Chart 3.6: Effect of PBL in presentation skills
Chart 3.6 shows the effect of PBL in presentation skills after lessons 87.5% students now can completely prepare and obviously rehearse in front of class 91.7% students agreed that they can collaborate with peers while 85.4% of them are willing to answer accurately most all questions posed by classmates Because of their comprehension about the contents of topics with good preparation, 79.2% of students have clear and fluent voice, loud volume in crowed listeners Besides, 72.9% of them have good delivery with natural posture and flexible eye contact to stand up straight, look relaxed and be confident while presenting However, perhaps, they only focus on the content of the topic and delivery, they are still embarrassed in distributing the time Only one-third (35.4%) of them can distribute reasonable time in the parts of the presentations, two-third students admitted having difficulty with the time
3.3.2 Effect of project-based learning in improving confidence in presentation skills
Chart 3.7: Effect of project-based learning in improving confidence in presentation skills
A You aren’t anxious and shy when presenting
B You integrate eye contact and body language when presenting
C You can make the listeners laugh and think when presenting
D You are willing to present if you have topic
E You are able to answer any questions about the topic quickly and accurately
In chart 3.7, we can see the effect of PBL in improving confidence in presentation skills After PBL lessons, 81.3% of students aren’t anxious and shy when presenting Besides, 83.3% students now are willing present if they have topic While presenting, 79.2% students can integrate eye contact and body language when presenting After presentations, 85.4% of them are able to answer any questions about the topic quickly and accurately However, only 20.8% students can make the listeners laugh and think when presenting Perhaps, this factor depends on the confidence and sense of humor of each student
Pe rc en tage of stu de n ts (% )
Table 3.1: Students’ result in the pre-test of presentation
No Mark Number of students Percentage
Table 3.3: Students’ result in the post-test of presentation
No Mark Number of students Percentage
Table 3.3 indicates that only 6.3% of students got mark 4; 14.6% got mark 5 in the took 16.6%; mark 8 was 10.4% Mark 9 had 6.3%.There no students who had mark
To sum up, we can see clearly from the tables 3.1 and 3.3 that in the second semester when PBL was applied in teaching English presentation skills, the result changed credibly For example, noone got mark 3 in the 2 nd term while there were 2 students in the 1 st term Besides, the number of students got mark 4 and 5 also decreased less than the first term Mark 6, 7 increased remarkably with over half of students The most credible change exists in the number of students get mark 8 It over doubled from 2 students (4.2%) in the 1 st term to 5 students (10.4%) in the 2 nd term Especially, if no one got mark 9 in the first term, there were 3 students (6.3%) in the second term Clearly, students made fast progressing English presentation skills with their confidence to discover 8 interesting topics.
Summary
This chapter has presented the data analysis to find out the answers for research questions All the data were analyzed based on the study instruments, including survey questionnaire and classroom observations The result shows that most of the students had positive attitude towards the application of PBL activities in presenting lessons and the teacher made a great effort to promote students to take part in projects As a result, PBL has significant attributions in improving students’ confidence in English presentation skills However, there is a limitation about time distribution in the presentations which need improving
Summary of the study
The idea of using Project Based Learning in improving students’ confidence in English presentation skills derived from the real difficulties in English lessons of the researcher To find ways which help improve 10 – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills at a High school in Bac Ninh, she tried her best to carried out the research to reach what she aimed The researcher has found PBL approach to be a promising solution for her class after reading the literature She studied a lot of references and researches about PBL approach The researcher focused on literature review in Part B with theories related to the study: presentation skill, confidence, and PBL approach The second chapter is practical research in which the researcher conducted an action research in the time of fifteen weeks The first two weeks were for finding out the issue of students’ difficulties The next stage confirmed the problem and explored the causes based on questionnaire analysis as data collection instrument After that, a hypothesis was raised that if students are practiced the tasks with PBL approach, they will improve their confidence in English presentation An action plan was formulated and new teaching method was applied (Project – People – Process – Product) The result showed that the action plan was successful in improving students’ confidence in English presentation skills.
Major findings and discussion of the study
After conducting the research successfully on using PBL approach to improve ten-grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills, the researcher comes to the conclusion with majored finding and discussion as followed:
Obviously, there are many difficulties affecting to students’ confidence in English presentation skills They are limited of knowledge, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation; boring topics; lack of preparation and time for presenting; fear of being laughed at and presenting incorrect topic; unable to present loudly, clearly, fluently; and lack of teacher’s guide before presenting Besides, some factors also affect to students’ confidence are listed, such as comfortable and exciting learning atmosphere; various leaning activities, materials and exercises; interesting and familiar projects; teacher always encourage students; students are able to plan, discuss and cooperate in groups; students are more dynamic, independent and creative; students get more information and knowledge, improve vocabulary by themselves; and students can improve other skills (finding information, collecting and analyzing data, applying information technology)
Furthermore, most of the students have positive attitude towards the application of PBL activities in presenting lessons They are aware of the importance of English presentation skills Students are interested in topics and they are enthusiastic to cooperate with the others, complete their projects Students can completely prepare and obviously rehearse in front of class They can show a full understanding about the content of the topic and be willing to answer accurately most all questions posed by classmates Because of their comprehension about the contents of topics with good preparation, students have clear and fluent voice, loud volume in crowed listeners Besides, they have good delivery with natural posture and flexible eye contact to stand up straight, look relaxed and be confident while presenting However, they are still embarrassed in distributing the time because they only focus on the content of the topic and delivery The teacher is brave to study a new approach which can help her students improve their difficulties The teacher attempts to guide and promote students to take part in projects As a result, she achieves success based on the positive attitudes of both the teacher and the students
In addition , the application of PBL approach in lessons was successful in improving students’ confidence in English presentation skills After PBL lessons, students aren’t anxious and shy when presenting They are willing to present if having topic While presenting, students can integrate eye contact and body language After presentations, they are able to answer any questions about the topic quickly and accurately However, the limitation is that students haven’t made the listeners laugh and think while listening to the presentations due to the limited sense of humor of each student The success of this study is demonstrated through the students’ marks in their post-test Most of students gained the higher marks in comparison with the marks in the pre-test The results are objective because they are evaluated by two teacher independently based on a form of rubric
Lastly, the success of application of PBL approach in lessons to improve students’ confidence in English presentation skills in this research can help teachers apply on a large scale, especially for students who are not good at speaking and presenting in English.
Limitations of the study
Although the researcher made effort to carry out this study, such as in data collection methods, class observation, survey questionnaires, etc., due to the limitation of time, lack of resources and researcher’s ability, there are some shortcomings
First, the study was carried out in a very small scope The number of students and teachers is still limited Therefore, if the study is extended, the findings may not be generated to all students at the High school
Second, the researcher only used two main instruments for data collections: survey questionnaires and classroom observation To make the results more reliable, different instruments for data collection should be applied
Third, the research have not improved the time distribution in presentations and the confidence to make the listeners laugh and think while presenting
Hopefully, these problems will be solved in the future researchers to see how effectively PBL works in language learning and teaching.
Suggestions for further studies
Further researchers who wish to conduct further studies on PBL in teaching English can develop this topic by expanding and varying the participants of the study Moreover, apart from speaking skill, PBL approach can be applied feasibly in listening, reading and writing skills or the combination of pairs, such as listening and speaking skills, reading and writing skills Therefore, English teaching and learning will be more interesting, effective and motivating for both teachers and students Further investigations of this field can help to find out significant implications for effective methods to improve students’ English competence in Vietnam
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APPENDICES Appendix 1 CÂU HỎI ĐIỀU TRA NGHIÊN CỨU DÀNH CHO HỌC SINH (Học sinh trả lời trước và sau khi sử dụng phương pháp dạy học theo dự án PBL)
Nhằm phục vụ cho Đề tài nghiên cứu: “ Sử dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án để cải thiện sự tự tin của học sinh ở kỹ năng thuyết trình tiếng Anh tại một trường cấp III ở tỉnh Bắc Ninh” , người nghiên cứu soạn những câu hỏi sau đây Mong các em học sinh trả lời các câu hỏi theo suy nghĩ của mình một cách nghiêm túc
Cảm ơn sự cộng tác của các em!
Hãy khoanh tròn vào ý kiến em lựa chọn:
1 Kỹ năng thuyết trình quan trọng với em như thế nào?
2 Em thấy giờ học thuyết trình bằng Tiếng Anh trên lớp thú vị như thế nào?
3 Em gặp phải khó khăn gì khi học kỹ năng thuyết trình Tiếng Anh? Đánh dấu tích (✓) vào ô trống phù hợp nhất với em
Không chắc chắn Đồng ý Cực kỳ đồng ý
Hạn chế về kiến thức
Hạn chế về từ vựng và ngữ pháp
Hạn chế về phát âm Các chủ đề thuyết trình nhàm chán, không thú vị
Thiếu sự chuẩn bị Thiếu thời gian thuyết trình
Sợ nói sai chủ đề
Sợ bị các bạn ở dưới chê cười Không có khả năng nói to, rõ ràng, trôi chảy
Giáo viên không hướng dẫn trước khi thuyết trình
4 Trong những giờ học thuyết trình bằng Tiếng Anh, sau khi đưa chủ đề, giáo viên của em thường:
A Cung cấp cho em từ mới, cấu trúc liên quan đến chủ đề thuyết trình
B Cung cấp cho em những ý chính của chủ đề thuyết trình
C Khuyến khích các em tự lập dàn ý cho chủ đề theo nhóm
D Yêu cầu các em tự thảo luận và chuẩn bị cho chủ đề thuyết trình
5 Phương pháp dạy-học theo dự án giúp em tự tin hơn trong thuyết trình Tiếng Anh vì yếu tố nào? Đánh dấu tích (✓) vào ô lựa chọn Em có thể chọn 1 hoặc nhiều đáp án
Không khí lớp học thoải mái, sôi nổi Hoạt động học, tài liệu học tập, bài tập đa dạng, phong phú Các dự án có nội dung thú vị, gần gũi với thực tế
Giáo viên luôn khuyến khích, động viên học sinh Học sinh có khả năng lập kế hoạch, tổ chức làm việc, hợp tác theo nhóm tốt hơn Học sinh phát huy được tính năng động, tự chủ, sáng tạo
Học sinh tự khai thác được nhiều thông tin, trau dồi thêm vốn từ, tích lũy nhiều kiến thức Ngoài thuyết trình, học sinh còn cải thiện được nhiều kỹ năng (tìm kiếm thông tin; thu thập, xử lý số liệu; ứng dụng công nghệ thông tin; ) Ý kiến khác (đề nghị ghi cụ thể):
6 Phương pháp dạy-học theo dự án giúp em trong việc thuyết trình Tiếng Anh như thế nào? Đánh dấu tích (✓) vào ô lựa chọn Em có thể chọn 1 hoặc nhiều đáp án
Chuẩn bị: Em có thể hoàn thành tốt bài chuẩn bị trước khi thuyết trình Nội dung: Em có thể nêu rõ được toàn bộ sự hiểu biết của mình về chủ đề Hợp tác với bạn: Em luôn lắng nghe, chia sẻ và ủng hộ sự nỗ lực của các bạn trong nhóm để cùng nhau làm việc
Giọng và âm lượng: Bạn có giọng thuyết trình rõ ràng, trôi chảy; âm lượng đủ nghe
Thời gian: Em có thể phân phối thời gian hợp lý giữa các phần trong bài thuyết trình
Diễn đạt (Cử chỉ và ánh mắt): Bạn đứng thẳng, nhìn thư giãn và tự tin Nhận thức: Bạn có thể trả lời đúng các câu hỏi được đưa ra cho chủ đề bạn thuyết trình Ý kiến khác (đề nghị ghi cụ thể):
7.Phương pháp dạy-học theo dự án giúp em tự tin trong việc thuyết trình Tiếng Anh như thế nào? Đánh dấu tích (✓) vào ô lựa chọn Em có thể chọn 1 hoặc nhiều đáp án
Bạn không còn lo lắng và sợ sệt khi thuyết trình Bạn kết hợp được ánh mắt và ngôn ngữ cơ thể thuyết trình Bạn có thể làm người nghe mỉm cười và suy nghĩ trong khi thuyết trình Bạn sẵn sàng thuyết trình khi có chủ đề
Bạn có thể trả lời các câu hỏi về chủ đề thuyết trình một cách nhanh và chính xác Ý kiến khác (đề nghị ghi cụ thể):
8 Trong những chủ đề đã được thực hiện trong kỳ học này, em thích chủ đề nào? Đánh dấu tích (✓) vào ô lựa chọn
Week 9 Unit 13: Films and Cinema
Week 10 Unit 14: The world Cup
1 Well-prepared with appropriate objectives of the class
2 Various and suitable information for the content
3 Effective mutual collaboration with peers
4 Clear and smooth presentation with clear voice and high volume
5 Confident appearance with flexible eye contact
9 Students are interesting, enthusiastic, and active
10 Students are attentive and involved
11 Students are encouraged to ask questions and express their own ideas
Appendix 3 ORAL PRESENTATION RUBRIC Topic:
Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed
Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals
The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking
Student does not seem at all prepared to present
Shows a full understanding of the topic
Shows a good understanding of the topic
Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic
Does not seem to understand the topic very well
Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group Tries to keep people working well together
Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group
Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group but sometimes is not a good team member
Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group Often is not a good team member
Voice is clear and fluent
Volume is loud enough to be heard by all audience members throughout the presentation
Voice is clear and fluent
Volume is loud enough to be heard by all audience members at least 90% of the time
Voice is clear and fluent
Volume is loud enough to be heard by all audience members at least 80% of the time
Voice is clear and fluent
Volume often too soft to be heard by all audience members
Presentation is less than 3 minutes OR
Reasonable time distribution in the parts distribution in some parts time distribution in
Unreasonable time distribution in parts
Delivery (Posture and Eye Contact)
Stands up straight, looks relaxed and confident
Establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation
Stands up straight and establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation
Sometimes stands up straight and establishes eye contact
Slouches and/or does not look at people during the presentation
Student is able to accurately answer almost all questions posed by classmates about the topic
Student is able to accurately answer most questions posed by classmates about the topic
Student is able to accurately answer a few questions posed by classmates about the topic
Student is unable to accurately answer questions posed by classmates about the topic
Adapted from http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
A SAMPLE OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING LESSON PLAN
By the end of the lessons, students will be able to:
- enrich their background knowledge about the topic they present;
- make the habit of self-studying and improve their presentation skills considerably through the process of project implementation;
- improve some soft skills focusing on the use of English in the future such as communication, group-work, problem-solving;
- develop other skills such as finding information, collecting and analyzing data, applying information technology
- Students work in groups of 6 on a given topic and they are to give a presentation in front of the class Each member must be responsible for a certain part and assessment will be based on the criteria on Appendix 3
III Topic for group projects:
Weeks Macro – project topics Micro – project topics
1 Presentation about a kind of sea animals such as sperm, whale, dolphin… or the life beneath the ocean
1 Presentation about the zoo of the new kind learned in the speaking lesson
2 Role play as endangered animals
1 Presentation about some famous national parks in Vietnam and in the world
2 Telling a story about a trip to a national park
1 Presentation about types of music such as folk music, rock and roll, pop music, classical music, jazz…