Output file vietnam national university, hanoi university of languages AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY of post graduate studies HOÀNG THỊ THU HOÀI Using language games to motivate the first year[.]
vietnam national university, hanoi university of languages AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY of post-graduate studies - - HOÀNG THỊ THU HOÀI Using language games to motivate the first year students in speaking classes at Thai Nguyen Medical College (Sử dụng trị chơi ngơn ngữ để khích lệ sinh viên năm thứ Trường Cao Đẳng Y Tế Thái Nguyên học nói) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 601410 HANOI, 2012 z TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY ……………………………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………… … ii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………… iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS …………………………………………… iv LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS …………………………………… … v TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………… vi PART A: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………… 1 Rationale for the study ………………………………………………… Aims of the study …………………………………………………….… Research questions ………………………………………………… … Scope of the study …………………………………………………….… Research methodology ……………………………………………… … Organization of the study ………………………………………… …… PART B: DEVELOPMENT ……………………………………………… CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW ……………………………… 1.1 A brief description of speaking ……………………………………… 1.1.1 What is speaking skill? ……………………………………… 1.1.2 Characteristics of a successful speaking activity ……………… 1.1.3 Problems with speaking activities ……………………………… 1.1.4 Principles in teaching speaking according to CLT approach …… 1.2 A brief description of language games ……………………………… 1.2.1 What are language games? ………………………………… … 1.2.2 Features of a quality game ……………………………… …… 10 1.2.3 Types of language games ……………………………… ……… 11 1.2.4 Some opinions on using games in teaching and learning process 12 1.2.5 Language games as a motivator for students to speak ……… … 13 1.3 Summary ……………………………………………………………… 15 iv z CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY ……………………………………………… 16 2.1 The context of the study ……………………………………………… 16 2.1.1 An overview of the research site 16 2.1.2 The course book ……………………………………………….…… 16 2.1.3 Description of the students at TMC 16 2.1.4 Description of the teachers at TMC …………………………….…… 17 2.2 Methods………………….…………………………………………… 17 2.2.1 Participants ………………………………………………………… 17 2.2.2 Data collection ……………………………………………………… 17 2.2.2.1 Data collection instrument ………….…………….…………… 17 2.2.2.2 Data collection procedures….…….…………………………… 18 2.3 Presentation of statistical results …………………………………… 18 2.3.1 Pre-task survey questionnaire ……………………………………… 18 2.3.1.1 Presentation of the data ……………………………………… 18 2.3.1.2 Data analysis …………………………………………………… 20 2.3.2 Post-task questionnaire ……………………………………….…… 23 2.3.2.1 Presentation of the data ……………………………………… 23 2.3.2.2 Data analysis …………………………………………………… 25 2.4 Summary ……………………………………………………………… 29 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS ……………………………………………… 30 3.1 Achievements from the questionnaire ………………………………… 30 3.2 Challenges in applying language games in teaching and learning…… 32 3.3 Sub-conclusion ………………………………………………………… 33 CHAPTER 4: SUGGESTIONS ON USING LANGUAGE GAMES TO 34 MOTIVATE STUDENTS IN SPEAKING CLASSES ………………… 4.1 Which games to use? ………………………………………………… 34 4.2 When to use a game? …………………………………………… …… 34 4.3 How to run a game? ……………………………………………… … 35 v z 4.4 Summary ………………………………………………………….…… 37 PART C: CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………… 38 Conclusions ………………………………….……………………….… 38 Limitations and recommendations for further study …………………… 39 REFERENCES …………………………………………………………….… 40 APPENDICES …………………………………………………………… … I Appendix 1: PRE - TASK SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ……………… I Appendix 2: POST - TASK SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ……………….… V Appendix 3: GAMES APPLIED IN SPEAKING LESSONS ……………… IX vi z List of abbreviations CLT: Communicative Language Teaching EFL: English as a foreign language TMC: Thai Nguyen Medical College z List of tables AND CHARTS Table 1: Data collected from pre-task survey questionnaire Chart 1; 2: Students‟ attitudes towards English learning Chart 3; 4: Students‟ attitudes and perspectives towards speaking lessons Chart 5: Students‟ opinions on the speaking topics in the course book Chart 6: Students‟ participation in speaking lessons Chart 7: Students‟ reasons for unwillingness to speak Chart 8: Students‟ preferences of teacher‟s techniques in speaking classes Table 2: Data collected from post- task survey questionnaire Chart 9: Students‟ attitudes towards language games applied by the teacher Chart 10: Students‟ participation in language games Chart 11: Students‟ participation in speaking lessons Chart 12: Benefits of using language games in speaking lessons Chart 13: Students‟ preferences for teachers‟ activities for the use of language games in speaking classes Chart 14: The frequency of applying language games z PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study In the globalization age today, English is considered as the most important mean of international communication Therefore, promoting oral skills in order to respond to the students‟ needs for effective communication is one of the important strategies of teaching and learning English in recent years Among the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) of English learning, speaking is considered the most important skill for the purpose of communication It is believed that speaking plays a vital role since it is the step to identify who knows or does not know a language Pattison (1992) confirms that when people know or learn a language, they mean being able to speak the language Similarly, Ur, (1996) shows that people who know a language are referred to as “speakers” of that language as if speaking included all other kinds of knowing However, teaching and learning speaking today does not meet the study objectives English teaching now in general and teaching speaking in particular is still far from satisfactory Although teachers have made great efforts to provide students with chances to improve their speaking skills, how to teach and learn speaking effectively is still a challenging question to both teachers and students at many colleges and universities At Thai Nguyen Medical College (TMC), all students are non- English majors who specialize in many different fields such as Nursing, Pharmacy, Midwifery, etc Most students find speaking especially important yet most challenging one For most of them, it is difficult to speak English naturally As a result, in speaking lessons, they often feel bored and frightened How to motivate and encourage students to speak is really necessary, and is a big question to almost teachers Also, teaching techniques exploited during a speaking activity, for example, role plays, simulations, discussions, etc not bring much effectiveness Thus, it is necessary to find an effective technique used in teaching speaking Moreover, in language teaching, language games have proved themselves as an important factor which can z create more chances and interest to motivate students to speak Language games not only banish boredom, provide learners with enjoyable environment but also supply them with chance to use language and constitute a bridge between the lesson and the real world (Greenal, 1984) For all the reasons mentioned above I have decided to choose the topic “Using language games to motivate the first year students in speaking classes at Thai Nguyen Medical College” for my minor thesis with the hope that it might be helpful to both teachers and students in teaching and learning speaking Aims of the study The study is carried out in order to: Investigate the current situation of teaching and learning speaking to the first year students who are non-major English students at Thai Nguyen Medical College Explore the effects of language games in teaching speaking to the first year students who are non-major English students at Thai Nguyen Medical College Provide some suggestions and implications of using language games for the improvement of speaking teaching at Thai Nguyen Medical College Research questions The research is to seek answer to the following questions: What is speaking teaching and learning reality to the first year non- major English students at Thai Nguyen Medical College? How can language games help to improve students‟ motivation in speaking classes? What are the suggestions and implications of using language games in speaking lessons? Scope of the study For the limitation of time, conditions, and materials, in this minor study, the researcher focuses specifically on the use of language games in teaching speaking to z the first year student‟s non - English majors at TMC So the study limits itself to the teaching and learning speaking only, and the subjects of the study are 90 nursing students from two classes studying new “Headway” course book at Thai Nguyen Medical College Research methods In order to realize the aims of the study, quantitative method is used The survey questionnaire is used to collect information and evidence for the study The survey questionnaire including pre-task survey questionnaire and post task survey questionnaire is for 90 first year students non - English majors from two classes of Thai Nguyen Medical College, both specialize in Nursing All comments, remarks and recommendations given in the study are based on the data analysis Organization of the study This minor thesis is composed of three parts as follow: Part A -INTRODUCTION In this part, the rationale, the aims, research questions, as well as scope of the study, methods of the study and also its design are presented Part B – DEVELOPMENT This part includes chapters Chapter deals with some theoretical background that is relevant to the purpose of the study: speaking skill and language games Chapter investigates the situation of teaching and learning speaking and the feasibility of using language games in teaching speaking to the first year students non- English majors through the analysis of collected data Chapter consists of some findings concluded from the data analysis Chapter provides some suggestions on using language games as well as some sample language games exploited during all stages of speaking lessons Part C – CONCLUSION In this part, the summary of the study, limitations of the study and suggestions for further study are mentioned REFERENCES and APPENDICES are presented in the last pages of the study z PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter provides the essential review of the related literature and studies which are meaningful in carrying out this study In this chapter, the author discussed issues and aspects concerning to the topic of the study The concepts and ideas relating to speaking skills have been discussed Moreover, the most important thing mentioned in this study is an overview of language games which has also been introduced basing on some typical definitions by some different researchers and educators 1.1 A brief description of speaking 1.1.1 What is speaking skill? According to Nunan (1991: 39) “speaking is the single most important aspect of learning a second language or foreign language, and success is measured in term of ability to carry out a conversation in the language” It can be inferred from Nunan‟s viewpoint that speaking is a very important skill among the four basic ones The term „speaking” catches much attention of linguistics Therefore, many definitions have been offered to this term so far Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing and receiving information (Brown, 1994b) Chaney and Burk (1998: 13) also argue that “speaking is the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of contexts” Referring to speaking or communication in language teaching and learning, Brown (1994b) affirms that interaction is the heart of communication; it is what communication is all about Bygate (1997: 115) emphasizes that “interaction is the use of language for maintaining communication between participants” and “interaction skills are the skills of deciding what to say, when to say it and how to say it clearly” Therefore, in speaking process, learners are required to know not only how to produce specific points of language such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary (linguistic competence), but also when, why and in what ways language is produced ( sociolinguistic competence) z ... of the study: speaking skill and language games Chapter investigates the situation of teaching and learning speaking and the feasibility of using language games in teaching speaking to the first. .. English students at Thai Nguyen Medical College Explore the effects of language games in teaching speaking to the first year students who are non-major English students at Thai Nguyen Medical College. .. language games to motivate the first year students in speaking classes at Thai Nguyen Medical College? ?? for my minor thesis with the hope that it might be helpful to both teachers and students in teaching