(Skkn 2023) creating english space classroom based zone by project based activities to improve high school 4 students communicative competence

 A I TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENT INTRODUCTION REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS TOPIC Page 3 II OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY III DUTIES OF THE STUDY IV OBJECT OF THE STUDY V METHODS OF THE STUDY B CONTENT I THEORETICAL BACKGROUND English space - classroom-based zone The definition of English space - classroom-based zone The management in the space - classroom-based zone 5 Project-based learning The definition of Project-based learning Types of projects The steps of project method The advantages of project method Communication Competence The definition of Communication Competence The ways to develop the communicative competence PRACTICAL BACKGROUND 7 9 9 The current state of teaching and learning English at Le Loi Upper- Secondary school Creating English space_classroom-based zone by project based activities to improve high school students' 10 communicative competence 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3.1 3.2 II 2.1 Photo exhibitions 10 2.2 Class Mag 14 2.3 A day as a journalist 17 2.4 Poster design 20 2.5 Vocabulary desk labels 24 III FINDINGS AND EVALUATION 26 C CONCLUSION AND APPLICATION 27 I CONCLUSION 27 II APPLICATION 28 REFERENCES 29 APPENDIX 30 A INTRODUCTION I REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS TOPIC Today, English has proven to be an indispensable international language, and an essential factor for social integration and business development with countries around the world Vietnam has determined the importance of the English language, and English is considered as one of the compulsory subjects in the school curriculum in the early stage For this reason, English is taught throughout Vietnam, from urban to rural areas Recently, creating a positive learning environment outside of regular classroom hours to help learners use English in real-life situations has really attracted the attention of students, teachers, educational administrators and the whole society It has brought conditions for learners to practise language skills and apply knowledge learnt in real-life Therefore, They will improve gradually their skills such as confidence, dynamic, interest in learning and using English This is a key factor that has greatly affected the proficiency and fluency in English communication of learners They can develop the use of language in all aspects and areas of life, express their own abilities and passions, thereby raise awareness and positive learning attitudes towards learning spoken foreign languages in general and English in particular With the desire to help students have the opportunity to practice the language as much as possible, in the process of teaching myself, I have created an English space in the classroom through project-based learning activities Besides the regular class hours, The author has created an environment where students get "bathed" in the language with close real-life situations, so that students are not afraid of speaking English As a result, They can develop the habits of reacting quickly and flexibly to all situations in real life Being an English teacher at Le Loi Upper-secondary school, Tan Ky District, Nghe An Province and with 13 years working with the students, I truly understand the difficulties my high school students encountering when they learn a foreign language During the teaching process, I personally find that participating in project learning activities in the classroom space not only helps students develop language competence, but also develops the common competencies that the general education curriculum requires These are self-control, self-study, communication and cooperation capacity, problem-solving ability and creativity in the process of teamwork For the above reasons, I have summarized the creation of an English space in the classroom with engaging project-based activities in the experiential initiative That is also the reason why I chose the topic “Creating English space_classroom-based zone by project based activities to improve high school students' communicative competence” I hope it will be a useful way to help students and teachers improve the quality of teaching and learning English II OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the topic is to help students have more chances to interact and experience with English, create a language practice environment where learning and using English can take place at all times In this process, Students can react flexible in all situations by using topics, differents areas of knowledge being suitable for Vietnamese culture, customs and habits With simple activities and the simplest space like the classroom, students have the opportunity to experience, use foreign languages in real situations, actively support for the regular class time To teachers, using “English space_classroom-based zone” will help them solve difficulties in teaching reading effectively According to the theory of multiple intelligences (Theory of Multiple Inteligences), each student has a different type of intelligence, with different strengths such as: linguistic intelligence, mathematical logic intelligence, musical intelligence, physical intelligence, personal interaction intelligence, inner intelligence, natural intelligence and so on Therefore, when the children participate in activities with each other, work on different projects, students might have the opportunity to show their strengths and teachers assess students' abilities more accurately and fairly In addition, I personally want to share this teaching experience with my colleagues so that they can apply it in the teaching process to bring the highest efficiency I chose the tenth graders to illustrate my topic for several reasons Firstly, students who have just entered the grade 10 will have many difficulties in approaching new programs and study environment Secondly, the lessons in this textbook will be longer and more complicated than those they studied at Lowersecondary Schools Moreover, choosing these students will soon help them improve their critical thinking and develop language skills III DUTIES OF THE STUDY In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the following tasks need to be performed: - Research the requirements in the new high school program for English subjects - Learn and research the focus of knowledge and teaching topics in high school English - Research and design activities outside of regular school hours in an attractive and interesting way for students to have an environment to use English - Read documents related to the method of creating English space in the classroom, discuss with colleagues - Check and evaluate the results of students' acquisition of knowledge, so that there can be reasonable additional adjustments IV OBJECT OF THE STUDY The students of the Grade 10 at Le Loi Upper-secondary school, Tan Ky District, Nghe An Province V METHODS OF THE STUDY The research methods used in the study are: - Observation method: I research, collect, process, analyze, select and systematize documents related to the topic - Interview method: I have directly interviewed different types of students about their wishes when learning English - Method of exchange and discussion: From the moment I formed the idea, I and my colleagues conducted an exchange and discussion to draw effective implementation plans - Experimental method: I have carried out plans to create space and create an English environment for students in two experimental classes and two control classes outside of the regular classes - Method of investigation: I have examined and evaluated the results of the process of participating in activities in the English space - Method of collecting information: I have made questionnaires for students to comment and evaluate their satisfaction with the activities so that appropriate adjustments can be made B CONTENT I THEORETICAL BACKGROUND English space - classroom-based zone 1.1 The definition of English space - classroom-based zone The English space in the classroom is a place where teachers and students use English as much as possible to communicate in an optimal learning environment At the same time, students try their best to achieve knowledge effectively More than that, teachers and students apply practices to deal with communication situations Especially both teachers and learners make use of the use value of the classroom 1.2 The management in the space - classroom-based zone There are several ways teachers and administrators can ensure that both the classroom environment and curriculum are responsive to the increasing cultural diversity of our society These strategies will encourage all students’ cultural awareness, enhance each student’s sense of identity, and foster inclusion in the classroom community a Get to Know Your Students Teachers should ensure that cultural awareness is promoted in the classroom because of the understanding of teachers with each individual student They might take the time to learn about each student’s cultural background, hobbies, learning styles, ect Learning about each student and their culture will help establish trust and allow teachers to form a bond with them If students feel appreciated and comfortable with the teacher, they will feel more comfortable to talk in the class b Maintain Consistent Communication Teachers should also continue to maintain ongoing communication throughout the semester or school year Scheduling meetings with students will allow the teachers to consistently improve how accessible the classroom c Acknowledge and Respect Every Student It is also necessary for students to respect their own diverse backgrounds, as well as others’ In other words, teachers should encourage students to research and learn about their own ethnic and cultural backgrounds This allows them to better understand their own culture as well as the differences between cultures As a result, This will allow students to give presentations about their family traditions and culture Learning how to talk about other cultures in a respectful, mature way is essential for success in life outside the classroom d Practice Cultural Sensitivity Although It is important to keep an open dialogue amongst students, the teachers should make sure you are being sensitive to everyone’s culture, beliefs, and language.Time should be used to understand each student’s culture – from learning styles to the language they use This will help teachers easier to design their lesson plans e Incorporate Diversity in the Lesson Plan The classroom environment is important for fostering cultural awareness, but teachers also should ensure diversity is represented in their actual lesson plan Regardless of the subject, teachers ought to always try to present and connect lessons to real-world issues It’s easier to promote cultural awareness within the lessons when students can relate to a real example f Give Students Freedom and Flexibility As a teacher, you can act as a facilitator and encourage conversation and healthy debate between diverse opinions Group assignments are also a great way to expose students to diverse perspectives, allow them to work together to explore and solve a problem This will also help them become a diverse workforce where they will have to partner with a lot of people to accomplish their professional goals Project-based learning 2.1 The definition of Project-based learning Project-based learning is simply defined as “an instructional approach that contextualizes learning by presenting learners with problems to solve or products to develop” (Moss & Van Duzer, 1998, p.1) Project-based learning is different from traditional instruction because it emphasizes learning through student-centered, interdisciplinary, and integrated activities in real world situations (Solomon, 2003) In particular, PBL activities can be characterized as follows (Srikrai, 2008) (Stoller, 2002): • focusing on content learning rather than on specific language patterns, • being student-centered so the teacher becomes a facilitator or coach, • encouraging collaboration among students, • leading to the authentic integration of language skills and processing information from multiple sources, • allowing learners to demonstrate their understanding of content knowledge through an end product (e.g., an oral presentation, a poster session, a bulletin board display, or a stage performance) 2.2 Types of projects According to structure and size, project can be into the following suggested categories Individual and Social projects: In each project, all students solve their problems in their own interests, capacity, attitude and needs In group projects the problem is solved by the group of pupils in the class As a results, the social, citizenship qualities and synergism are develops Simple and Complex project: In the simple projects, the students are completing only one work at a time It gives the deep information about the project in a one angle The students get deeper and broader knowledge about the problem In the complex project, the students carry out more than one work at a time They focus on the work in various subjects and angles Consequently, the students get the knowledge about the work in various activities and dimensions 2.3 The steps of project method The Nine Steps of Project-Based Learning The teacher-coach sets the stage for students with real-life samples of the projects they will be doing Students take on the role of project designers, possibly establishing a forum for display or competition Students discuss and accumulate the background information needed for their designs The teacher-coach and students negotiate the criteria for evaluating the projects Students accumulate the materials necessary for the project Students create their projects Students prepare to present their projects Students present their projects Students reflect on the process and evaluate the projects based on the criteria established in Step 2.4 The advantages of project method a As students get proper freedom to execute the project in accordance with their interest and abilities, because of which they get their psychological needs satisfied to considerable extent b This method is not only subject centered, but due importance is being provided to the students also c Through this method, students are provided with various opportunities by which they can satisfy their interests and desires d Habit of critical thinking gets developed among the students through this method e With this method, students get the ample chances in which they can develop coordination among their body and mind f Through this method, teacher can lead a well-balanced development of the students g Through this method, science teaching can be done with considerable success, as science is a practical subject and this method is also scientific and practical in nature h This method helps in promoting social interaction and co-operation among the students, as they have to work in a group and have to interact with various persons for gathering information i As students gain knowledge directly through their own efforts, thus, they acquire permanent kind of information, which is retained by them since a long period of time j Mostly the projects are undertaken in classroom as classroom assignments, because of which load of homework from the students get reduced to considerable extent j It helps to widen the mental horizon of pupils k It sets up a challenge to solve a problem and this stimulates constructive and creative thinking Communicative competence 3.1 The definition of communicative competence Communicative competence of English is the ability to use language knowledge (phonetics, vocabulary, grammar) to participate in communication activities (listening, speaking, reading, writing) in interesting situations Context means with different communication objects to meet their own communication needs or the communication requirements of society 3.2 The ways to develop the communicative competence There are many factors that influence the development of the communicative competence The first things are external factors such as classroom space, teacher’s instruction and teacher’s teaching style, students’ level, teaching’s materials, lesson plan The second factors are innovative activities including Power Point presentation, warm-up activites, Video Clip, Games ect In these factors, classroom and the management II PRACTICAL BACKGROUND The current state of teaching and learning English at Le Loi UpperSecondary school I am currently working as a teacher at Le Loi High school in a rural area There are a lot of dificulties for learning and teaching in many subjects in general and in English in particularly First of all, There are too many students in a class Actually, It has more than 40 students with different English entrance scores It is not easy for teachers to promote the language for each student It usually takes me a long time to stabilize the order as well as cover all the students especially the students at the back of the class Therefore, many students not have the opportunity to practice and develop language skills These cases mainly fall on passive, shy, and self-conscious people Consequently, They can not have enough chance to practise and develop all aspects of learning Secondly, In our country, most of classes are mixed level students Therefore, in the class, there are both high and low level students Applying teaching method in the class is mainly dependent on students’ level and their interest Students with different levels make it difficult for teachers to make progress as well as use measures that are appropriate for all students Because students' entry scores are in other subjects, there is a difference in English proficiency As a result, some students who are good at it will find it very boring if the activity is too simple while low level students will feel frustrated if the activity is too difficult and will be more selfconscious in the process of learning English As a result, I have felt difficult to design suitable activities for all students in class Last but not least, time and facilities are also obstacles Although the classrooms have already installed TVs, there are no networks or projectors Facilities for English classes are limited, there are no specialized rooms, and are not fully equipped with a projector system, which is really necessary for illustrating specialized activities during the lesson Students will be more interested in the lessons with lectures through vivid and realistic images Students not have enough ideal conditions to learn English In addition, when the children complete the products and display them in the classroom space with the specified positions, it also takes time for the groups to present and evaluate the projects In conclusion, It is necessary to create an English communication environment for students outside of regular school hour Therefore, I will introduce some ways to create an English space in the classroom with some project-based learning activities that are simple, easy to implement for teachers Creating english space-classroom-based zone by project-based learning activities to improve high school students' communicative competence 2.1 Photo exhibitions *Activity description: Students collect or draw and take the pictures on their own following the topic given by the teacher, then name and annotate their own pictures in English * Purpose of the activity: - To help students strengthen with English outside of regular school hours, improve reading and writing ability in English - To help students practice the skills of searching, selecting and synthesizing information, expand basic knowledge and enhance creative thinking *Time and scope of exhibition: Students have about days to prepare and a week-long exhibition in the classroom space *Implementation plan: (1) Grouping: The teacher divides students into groups, gives them a topic and guides them in how to it (2) Forming ideas: Students collect pictures, draw/take pictures following the creative ideas of the group 10 REFERENCES English 10 textbook (Global success) – Education Publisher English 10 teacher book (Global success) – Education Publisher “Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary” – 8th edition - Cambridge University Press Brunettti, A., Petrell, R & Sawada, B 2003 Team project-based learning enhances awareness of sustainability at the University of British Columbia, Canada International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 4, 210-217 5.https://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/about_communicative_competence.ht ml https://egov.hufi.edu.vn/phuong-phap-day-hoc/project-based-learningphuongphap-hoc-tap-cua-the-ky-21-182.html https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/a-class-magazine LittleWood, W (1981) Communicative Language Teaching Cambridge: Cambridge University Wilder, A & Clark, M (2004) Factors Affecting the Motivation and Performance of General- level 11 Grade Students EDRS 681 Running Head: Motivation and Performance Retrieved May 10 2007, from http://mrswilder.org 10 Nunan, D (1991) Language Teaching Method Prentica Hall Regents 29 APPENDIX APPENDEX 01: Students’ and teachers’ questionnaire towards the importance and the effectiveness of the topic The aims of the survey The survey is aimed at searching for the attitudes of teachers and students towards creating an English space in teaching and learning English It also tries to find out to how effective teachers and students think to apply the solutions given in creating an English space Description of the Survey Questionnaires 2.1 The content of survey  For teachers: There are questions served for the survey of teachers Question reveals the teachers’ attitudes towards creating an English space in teaching for levels (very necessary, necessary, little necessary and not necessary) The second question shows the teachers’ attitudes towards skills which may be developed when using an English space For question 3, the teachers are free to express their opinions about the effectiveness of solutions with levels (very effective, effective, little effective and not effective) The specific survey is on the link: https://forms.gle/Md3xUvrnP5NH3TUh9  For students: There are questions served for the survey of students Question reveals the students attitudes towards creating an English space in learning for levels (very necessary, necessary, little necessary and not necessary) The second question shows the students’ attitudes towards skills which may be developed when using an English space For question 3, The students are asked to express their opinions about the effectiveness of solutions with levels (very effective, effective, little effective and not effective) The specific survey is on the link: https://forms.gle/phECSA7h1qrXC3PYA The following table will present the marks between the levels: The urgency of Mark the topic Average ̅ 𝑿 The effectiveness Mark of the solutions Average ̅ 𝑿 Very necessary 3.5 – 4.0 Very effective 3.5 – 4.0 Necessary 2.5 – 3.4 Effective 2.5 – 3.4 Little necessary 1.5 – 2.4 Little effective 1.5 – 2.4 Not necessary < 1.5 Not effective < 1.5 30 ̅ is the average mark calculated on excel software between total marks  𝑿 and total objects 2.2 The methods of survey - Investigating methods - Analytic and synthetic methods - Comparative and contrastive methods Objects of the survey Number Objects of the survey Total Teachers Students 100  108 The objects of the survey The results and findings of the teachers’ and students’ questionnaire 4.1 The results of the teachers’ and students’ questionnaire Number Parameters Teachers’ and students’ attitudes ̅ Average 𝑿 Level Teachers 3.9 Very necessary Students 3.8 Very necessary Teachers’ and students’ attitudes of creating English space_classroom Teachers Number Solutions Average Level ̅) (𝑿 Students Average Level ̅) (𝑿 Photo exhibition 3,9 Very effective 3,8 Very effective Class mags 3,5 Very effective 3,5 Very effective A day as a journalist 3,6 Very effective 3,7 Very effective 31 Poster design Vocabulary desk labels 3,8 Very effective 3,6 Very effective Very effective 3,9 Very effective Teachers’ and Students' opinion on the effectiveness of the solutions The data collected from the survey reveal clearly the teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards creating English space classroom Most of the teachers and students think that creating English space classroom in teaching is very necessary (3.8 marks for students) and (3.9 marks for teachers) They show that it can create the motivation to help students practise English naturally They also listed some skills which can be improved such as: speaking skill, reading, writing, listening and even life skills With five solutions given in the survey, both teachers and students have thought that the solutions in the questionnaires are really effective in teaching and learning All of them can get the marks more than 3.5 marks, especially vocabulary desk labels can get maximum score at 4.0 marks In conclusion, both the teachers and the students appreciate the importance of creating English_Space classroom 32 APPENDIX 02: SCORE SHEET FOR “PHOTO EXHIBITION” SCORE SHEET FOR “PHOTO EXHIBITION” Catergory Criteria Points Points possible earned The photos/pictures are 10 sharp and outstanding The photos/pictures are realistic and relevant to the 10 The quality of the subject photos They are creative 10 photos/pictures Suitable layout 10 The photos/pictures contain 10 The message of a message the photos The massage is unique and 20 meaningful The commentaries bear profound meanings and 20 The quality of highlight the meaning of the photos/pictures commentaries English is used accurately, 10 clearly and understandably TOTAL APPENDIX 03: SCORE SHEET FOR “CLASS MAG” SCORE SHEET FOR “CLASS MAG” Category The “class mag” is entirely presented in English The “class mag” has at least different sections Each section has at least items The “class mag” is decorated beautifully and creatively Points possible Points earned 10 10 10 10 33 The “class mag” shows the group’s 20 unique identity The material of the “class mag” is 10 available, environmentally friendly There are no mistakes or a few small ones 20 in vocabulary, grammar The presentation on the “class mag” in 10 English is fluent, coherent TOTAL 100 APPENDIX 04: SCORE SHEET FOR “A DAY AS A JOURNALIST” SCORE SHEET FOR “ A DAY AS A JOURNALIST” Category Criteria Points Points possible earned The content 1.The clip is informative, authentic and relevant to of the video the given topic clip 2.The content of the clip is meaningful with a profound message 3.The clip conveys the massage to viewers and inspire them with it 1.The clip is outstanding with impressive images The presentation and clear sound of the video 2.The report is easy to follow with clearn layout clip (the introduction, the body and the conclusion) 10 3.English used in the clip is clear, accurate and understandable 4.It is a creative clip 5.The images used in the clip are relevant to the content of the report The length The video clip is not too short or long with of the video maximum time10minutes clip 10 10 10 10 20 10 10 10 34 APPENDEX 05: Score sheet for “poster design” SCORE SHEET FOR “POSTER DESIGN” Category Points Layout and decorations 10 Variety of information 15 Presentation 45 Creativity 20 Answering audience’s questions 10 TOTAL Points earned 100 APPENDIX 06: FEEDBACK FORM One-minute survey Please answer the following questions by putting a tick () in the appropriate box to show your satisfaction feedback on the program’s activities Your feeback will be helpful data for us to improve the quality of the next program(s) Date of evaluation: Program’s name: ………………………… The program Tick where Comments appropriate ( In English or Vietnamese) helped me use my creativity helped us improve our competences of communication and collaboration helped me practise my skills fit my English level fit me needs engaged many students helped me like English more should be organized frequently 35 APPENDIX 07: FEEDBACK ABOUT “VOCABULARY DESK LABELS” ONE-MINUTE SURVEY FOR STUDENTS Please answer the following questions by circling the answer you agree with: Do you like this activity? YES NO NORMAL   Explain why: _ Do you want the event to be organized frequently? YES  NORMAL NO  Explain why: _ How many words can you remember through this activity? Thank you very much! 36 APPENDIX 08 – Some products of students TOPIC – The place you want to work (Poster design)  The presentation is on the link: https://www.facebook.com/100004322921651/videos/589193399832503/ Students display the products in class 37 Group 1: NASA Group 2: WORLD WILDLIFE OF NATURE 38 Group 3: WOURLD HEALTH ORGANISATION Group 4: WOURLD HEALTH ORGANISATION Some topics of class mag 39 Topic: Learning english through the songs 40 Topic: TET HOLIDAY 41 Topic: THE HALLOWEEN 42 students post their products on Fanpage A day as a journalist 43