Skkn applying task based approach in teaching english grammar for the grade 10 students of basic curriculum at yen dinh 1 high school thanh hoa province

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS I PART A INTRODUCTION 1 1 Rationale 1 2 Aims of the study 1 3 Scope of the study 2 4 Methods of the study 2 5 Significance of the study 2 PART B CON[.]

TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS I PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Aims of the study Scope of the study Methods of the study .2 Significance of the study .2 PART B: CONTENT CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1.1 The Importance of Grammar in Language Teaching and Learning 1.1.1 Definitions of English grammar .3 1.1.2 The importance of teaching English grammar 1.2 Definition of tasks .3 1.3 What is task-based language teaching? 1.4 Task-based grammar teaching 14.1 Why we use Task-based grammar teaching? 1.4.2 Steps in Task-based grammar teaching 1.4.2.1 Pre-task 1.4.2.2 While- task .5 1.4.2.3 Post-task CHATER 2: THE CURRENT SITUATIONS IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN GRADE 10 STUDENTS AT YEN DINH HIGH SCHOOL 2.1 An overview of the current situation of teaching and learning English at Yen Dinh High school 2.2 Findings from the current situations 2.2.1 Results from questionairs .7 2.2.2 Results from observation .8 2.2.3 RESULTS FROM THE PRE-TEST i skkn 2.3 Solution 11 CHAPTER 3: EXPERIMENT AND RESULTS 13 3.1 Participants .13 3.2 Data collection instruments .13 3.3 Results 13 3.4.1 Results from questionnaires 13 3.3.2 Results from observation .16 3.3.3 Results from post-test 17 3.3.3.1 A comparison of the tests before and after experiment 17 3.3.3.2 Data analysis after experiment 18 3.4 Findings .18 PART C: CONCLUSION .20 Suggestions for further research 20 Conclusion of the study .20 REFERENCES I APPENDIXES II APPENDIX 1: PRE-TASK SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE II APPENDIX 2: POST-TASK SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES IV APPENDIX 3: PRE-TEST .VI APPENDIX 4: POST-TESK .VIII APPENDIX 5: POSSIBLE ANSWER KEYS X APPENDIX XIII APPLYING TECHNIQUES IN TEACHING XIII A model of lesson plan XIII ii skkn PART A: INTRODUCTION Title: “Applying task-based approach in teaching English grammar for the grade 10 students of basic curriculum at Yen Dinh high school- Thanh Hoa province” Rationale One of the most challenging tasks constantly facing English teachers is how to capture the interest and stimulate the imagination of their students so that they will be more motivated to learn, especially in grammar lessons In my school, teachers usually use PPP models to teach their students We can not deny that this is a current popular method and it contains a lot of advantages But it seems that students have to what they are asked and have to a lot of exercises Frankly speaking, they become quite passive, only listen and write They have little chance to interact, to communicate Teaching grammar does not mean so passive It should involve four skills and student should really be motivated to learn I have decided to choose this topic with the hope that it will make certain contributions to the existing knowledge of the field under the study and help the grade 10 students at Yen Dinh high school- Thanh Hoa province master English grammar well to use it confidently in four skills and get good marks in the exams Aims of the study The specific aims of this study are as follows: - Investigating the present situation of learning grammar, especially finding out problems facing students in language focus lessons - Suggesting useful techniques for the possibility of task-based introduction in order to increase the students’ motivation in grammar learning as well as heightening the effectiveness of English language teaching skkn Scope of the study This research focuses on investigating how Yen Dinh language teachers exploit TBA in teaching English grammar in their classes in grade 10 students at Yen Dinh high school Methods of the study To gain effectiveness of the aims the researcher has just mentioned above, the following methods were used: - Survey questionnaire for students in class 10A7 and 10A13 at Yen Dinh High School to collect information about their views of the current situations and their feelings about lessons which are used language games - The results of tests to check the grammar ability of the students in class 10A7 and 10A13 at Yen Dinh High School -Beside these instruments, classroom observation is used to record more information from teachers and students during lessons - Constant discussions with the supervisor and colleagues are of great significance Significance of the study Theoretical significance of the study: the study will supply the English language teachers with the understanding of grammar and task-based approach, advantages when employing this method Practical significance of the study: the research will help the teacher of English use task-based approach effectively, which will make language focus lessons more successful as well as help students in the grade 10 improve their grammar skkn PART B: CONTENT CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1.1 The Importance of Grammar in Language Teaching and Learning 1.1.1 Definitions of English grammar According to Richards and Platt (1992) in their Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching & Applied Linguistics: Grammar is a description of the structure of a language and the way in which linguistic units such as words and phrases are combined to produce sentences in the language It usually takes into account the meanings and functions these sentences have in overall system of the language It may or may not include the description of the sound of a language 1.1.2 The importance of teaching English grammar Firstly, teaching grammar helps students understand how the language works Apart from vocabulary, students need to know grammar to understand how it is written or how words are combined together to understand the proper meaning Without grammar or with a poor knowledge of grammar, they may get confused with complicated expression Secondly, according to Smith (2001), if teachers neither pay attention to grammar nor create opportunities for learners to improve grammar, learners are likely to stand the risk of fossilization or reach a point where they can cope with level of communication that is demanded of them by making use of their existing grammatical resource and communication strategies and probably with sufficient fluency 1.2 Definition of tasks Nunan (1989) gave a definition of task: “is a piece of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing, or skkn interaction in the target language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form The task should also have a sense of completeness, being able to stand alone as a communicative act in its own right” Prabhu (1987), one of the first methodologists raising interest and support for TBA, defined: “a task is an activity which requires learners to arrive at an outcome from given information through some process of thought, and which allowed teachers to control and regulate that process” He emphasizes the process of learning, and he confirms that when following the tasks, the learner will get effective communication The definitions of tasks vary in TBA However, all of them have a common characteristic They all suggested the tasks are concerned with communicative use In other words, they refer to undertakings in which the learner comprehend, interact, produce in the target language in the contexts and focus on meaning rather than form 1.3 What is task-based language teaching? Littlewood (2004) indicated that TBA is a development within communicative approach It is not at all, Brown (1994) also claims that “TBA is a perspective that can be taken within a CLT framework” Besides, he stated that what various understandings of TBLT emphasize is the centrality of task itself in a language course and, for TBLT as an overall approach, the importance of organizing a course around communicative tasks that learners need to engage in outside the classroom Also, Foster (1999) pointed out that there are different task-based approaches, which share a common idea: giving learners tasks to transact, rather than items to learn, providing an environment, which best promotes the natural language learning process skkn 1.4 Task-based grammar teaching 14.1 Why we use Task-based grammar teaching? Task-based language teaching approach can be viewed as within the framework of communicative teaching and the study of task-based language teaching stems largely from communicative language teaching (Nunan, 1989) It puts tasks at the center of the methodological focus It considers the learning process as a set of communicative tasks that are directly linked to the curricular goals It emphasizes the development of students' communicative ability and communication takes place through using the grammatical system of the language It combines the teaching of language forms with teaching of language skills Therefore, it may have significance or it may be effective in grammar teaching 1.4.2 Steps in Task-based grammar teaching According to Willis (1996) there are three main steps in task-based grammar teaching 1.4.2.1 Pre-task Aim: To prepare student for the task, to engage their attention Topics and tasks are introduced in the pre-task stage Teachers introduce tasks to learners They present necessary knowledge, explain the requirements and procedures of the task in detail and help learners familiarize with the topic, vocabulary and expressions In this stage, teachers should take the individual differences among learners into account 1.4.2.2 While- task  Planning the task: Aim: for the Ss to discuss about the works related to grammar points in group of six Set a limited time of three or four minutes to discuss this skkn Circulate and listen to the Ss doing the task, but not correct any language at this moment  Doing the task: Aim: For students to prepare an oral report of their task Stop the task Tell the students to work together preparing a summary of their discussion for later report to the whole class They must write notes for this summary and be prepared to report this orally to the rest of the class Set a time limit of five minutes for them to this When the students are ready, ask a spokesperson from each group to report Rest of the class listens carefully  Presenting the product of the task: Aim: For students to get a provision of useful language input 1.4.2.3 Post-task  Language focus : Aim: To raise students’ awareness about the target language Let the students look at the passage again, picking out those sentences which contain grammar points and write them on the board Check that the Ss understand the meaning of sentences (if necessary) ask Ss to write down the rules of form for grammar point  Language practice Aim: To give the students some restricted written practice in the target language skkn CHATER 2: THE CURRENT SITUATIONS IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN GRADE 10 STUDENTS AT YEN DINH HIGH SCHOOL 2.1 An overview of the current situation of teaching and learning English at Yen Dinh High school The study was conducted with a total of 84 participants of Grade 10 in two classes – experimental class, 10A13 and control class, 10A7 at Yen Dinh high school Most of them have been learning English for at least years at secondary schools, from Grade to Grade 9, and they used the new English textbooks designed by MOET 2.2 Findings from the current situations To find out some current situations in teaching and learning English grammar in class 10A7 and 10A13 at Yen Dinh high school, the researcher surveys the current situations by using questionnaires, interview questions and observation The researcher found out some following results 2.2.1 Results from questionnaires Table 1- Students’ difficulties in studying English grammar No Difficulties Number Percentage I cannot apply the proper tenses 50 60,9% I cannot put the words in correct order 45 54.8% 37 45.1% I was very bad at English when I was at lower high school I cannot remember all structures 71 86.5% I cannot apply all structures correctly 36 43.9% There is a lack of teaching aids at school 15 18.2% This can be shown that, 60.9% of the students said they could not put the verbs in the correct tenses Besides 45.1% of the students believed that they skkn were very bad at English when they were at lower high school And 54.8% of them thought that they cannot put the words in correct order In addition, the number of the students who could not remember all structures was 86.5% and 43.9% of students could not apply all structures correctly Besides, having a small number of the students (18.2%) said that the lack of teaching aids at school is other difficult of them In the second questions the researcher asked students about the main causes of these difficulties Table 2- The main causes of students’ difficulties in learning English grammar Main causes Number of students % I was bad at English grammar when I was at 37 45.1 The lack of learning aids at school 15 18.2 Teacher’s teaching method is not effective 72 87.8 I don’t know the good way to learn effectively 60 primary and secondary school 73.1 As they can be seen in the table, 87,8% of the students showed the method that teacher used is not suitable In addition, 60 of them (73.1%) don’t know the good way to learn English grammar Meanwhile 45.1% of them were bad at English grammar when they studied at lower school and 18.2% of them thought that the lack of learning aids at school is other main reason that they have difficulties in studying English grammar 2.2.2 Results from observation  Results from the teacher With the aim of helping students get knowledge about grammar structures, almost the teacher applied the traditional methods such as: skkn ... grammar in class 10 A13 at Yen Dinh high School after experiment After applying task- based approach in teaching English grammar lessons in class 10 A13 at Yen Dinh High School, most of the students. .. 2.2 Findings from the current situations To find out some current situations in teaching and learning English grammar in class 10 A7 and 10 A13 at Yen Dinh high school, the researcher surveys the. .. TBA in teaching English grammar in their classes in grade 10 students at Yen Dinh high school Methods of the study To gain effectiveness of the aims the researcher has just mentioned above, the