Skkn improving soft skills through some activities in english speaking clubs for 10th graders (1)

Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders NGHE AN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUYNH LUU UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL    TEACHING EXPERIENCE TITLE Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders Teacher: Vũ Thị Kim Sự Group: English Tel: 0972018305 Email: levubaoan@gmail.com March, 2021 skkn Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENT Page Part A Introduction I Reasons for the study II Aims of the study III Methods of the study IV Scope of the study Part B Content I Theoretical and practical background Theoretical background 1.1 What are soft skills? 1.2 When to use soft skills activities? 1.3 Why should teachers introduce soft skills activities? 1.4 Advantages of teaching soft skills through English speaking clubs 1.5 Disadvantages of teaching soft skills through English speaking clubs Practical background II The solutions Classification of soft skills activities Tips for using soft skills activities Samples of helping improve soft skills through some activities in English speaking club for 10th graders Findings and evaluation 47 Part C Conclusion 49 Part D Reference 50 skkn Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders PART A: INTRODUCTION I Reasons for the study The prevalence of English has been a growing concern in the past few years It is an indisputable fact that, English is the dominant business language and it has become almost a necessity for people to speak English if they are to enter a global workforce Research from all over the world shows that cross-border business communication is most often conducted in English English is an important language for all kinds of professional and personal goals Its importance in the global market place therefore cannot be understated Learning English really can change your life Although learning English can be challenging and time consuming, we can see that it is also very valuable to learn and can create many opportunities! Nowadays, studying English at all levels is not expectedly effective since the students are still used to a traditional teacher-centered method of teaching and learning Students have to learn in a passive way and most of them get bored at keeping sitting and taking notes every day At The Asian International School, the International English Program has adopted new teaching methodology applied to all skills and subjects The students not only learn English in class but also get acquainted with this language through soft skills activities This is necessary to students’ development of English skills, independence and interest in language Students can learn helpful lessons necessary to their growth now and then They will know how to organize group activities as well as independently making their own decisions The most important thing is that students learn how to cooperate and get along with their peers Besides, they will learn new commands in learning, new vocabulary, and spoken English as foreign teachers’ expectation Why in recent years, the proportion of children committing crimes, children getting involved in social evils and leaving home and damaged are increasing quickly? Why many students dare leave their families, and find it difficult to get along with as a group? The above problems are all caused by their severe lack of life skills Not a small part of high school students are spoiled, and neglected to study Bad children seem to be getting younger and younger It is a sad situation nowadays Female students go to school but dye their hair and wear the wrong skkn Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders uniform or especially swearing We were shocked to hear our children are middle school students saying: "Teen sex early, everyone knows only parents don't know" Alternatively, they consider this a very normal thing Students increasingly have more complicated relationships at school, class, and outside friends Small conflicts that occur in everyday life make them easily agitated There are instances when high school students beat a classmate All of the above phenomena are due to their serious lack of life skills such as self-control, emotions, communication skills and skills to protect themselves from negative harm, behavioral skills Life skills are not a few of the skills we often hear, but include many skills that need to be equipped for children Learning life skills has been put into different levels of education, by age, and at each educational level Moreover, facing the challenges of the times and the new demands of integration, soft skills have become extremely important equipment To survive, develop, master and manage work, modern life with an increasingly dynamic working environment, more pressure and competitiveness, soft skills are an indispensable factor Being a teacher of English for a long time and from my personal experience, I myself find out that soft skills are an essential part of improving students’ ability to work with others and can have a positive influence on furthering their career If they are a small business owner or self-employed, soft skills can help them find, attract, and retain clients Highly developed presentation skills, networking abilities, and etiquette awareness can help students win new clients and gain more work from existing clients Honing their abilities to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and provide excellent customer service can lead to stronger relationships with colleagues, vendors, and other professional contacts Ultimately, strong soft skills can help them gain confidence-an invaluable trait in the business world On the other hand, a lack of soft skills can limit their potential, or even be the downfall of their business By developing strong leadership, teamwork, and communication abilities, they can run projects more smoothly, deliver results that please everyone, and even positively influence their personal life by improving how they interact with others Therefore, teaching soft skills in English not only helps students improve their English but it is also a significant way to lead them to success in their lives As a result, it is very necessary for us to introduce soft skills in school Having applied these soft skills activities, my students have studied more actively and effectively and they can gain a lot of emotional intelligence or the skkn C.33.44.55.54.78.65.5.43.22.2.4 22.Tai lieu Luan 66.55.77.99 van Luan an.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.33.44.55.54.78.655.43.22.2.4.55.22 Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders ability to interact amicably with others They are more excited to access the lesson My students are encouraged and they are eager to learn as well From these activities, they can draw many lessons in life and no longer feel stressful and bored during classes To be honest, I feel satisfied with what I have done I would like to recommend some soft skill activities in English speaking clubs so that my colleagues can apply them to help their students be successful in life The topic is “Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders” Of course, this study cannot be perfect in limited time I hope that the contribution of my colleagues will bring it to perfection and be widely applicable II Aims of the study The aims of this study are: - To give a brief overview on soft skill activities and introduce samples of helping improve students’ soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs - To increase students’ creativity and activeness - To help students learn in free and flexible ways - To boost students’ confidence and help develop a learner-centred dynamic - To produce a dynamic and stimulating environment - To reduce students’ stress and pressure - To achieve the highest achievement in learning a foreign language III Methods of the study - Base on my personal teaching experience - Study a variety of documents and share experience with my colleagues - Carry out surveys and interviews among 10th graders as well as having small discussions about the effectiveness of the application - Apply and adapt some essential knowledge from the workshops and classes I have participated in before IV Scope of the study 10th graders Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhd 77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77t@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn.Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhddtt@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn skkn C.33.44.55.54.78.65.5.43.22.2.4 22.Tai lieu Luan 66.55.77.99 van Luan an.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.33.44.55.54.78.655.43.22.2.4.55.22 Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders PART B: CONTENT I Theoretical and practical background Theoretical background 1.1 What are soft skills? Soft skills are character traits and interpersonal skills that characterize a person's relationships with other people In the workplace, soft skills are considered a complement to hard skills, which refer to a person's knowledge and occupational skills Sociologists may use the term soft skills to describe a person's emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) as opposed to intelligence quotient (IQ) Soft skills have more to with who people are, rather than what they know As such, they encompass the character traits that decide how well one interacts with others and usually are a definite part of an individual's personality In a competitive labor market, employees who demonstrate they have a good combination of hard and soft skills often see a greater demand for their services Soft skills, like the ability to communicate and work together, are some of the most sought-after employee skills In fact, 92% of recruiters say soft skills are critical tools they look for in their applicants Unfortunately, soft skills not come naturally to everyone Activity-based soft skills training gives you the opportunity to instill these desirable qualities in new hires Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhd 77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77t@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn.Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhddtt@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn skkn C.33.44.55.54.78.65.5.43.22.2.4 22.Tai lieu Luan 66.55.77.99 van Luan an.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.33.44.55.54.78.655.43.22.2.4.55.22 Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders 1.2 When to use soft skills activities? At the high school level, life skills education is integrated in the main subjects, activities to salute the flag at the beginning of the week, weekend homeroom activities, extracurricular activities, cultural activities, sports, youth radio programs Many schools have actively organized soft skills activities for students throughout the school year, forging student skills to participate in collective activities, handicraft village sightseeing activities, historical relics, English festival In Quynh Luu high school, our English group sets up monthly English speaking clubs with various combination of soft skills activities in the aim of: + Improving students’ soft skills through activities + Giving students opportunities to practice listening skills and practice speaking interactively real English within the students’ community + Increasing fluency, reducing accents and building confidence to think and speak English + Providing opportunities for students to express opinions and debate issues and thereby encourage critical thinking + Learning English in a fun way in a natural and authentic English speaking classroom community English speaking club plan: Time Soft skills Note September, 2019 Ability to work under pressure and time management October, 2019 Negotiation and conflict resolution November, 2019 Communication December, 2019 Self – motivation and leadership April, 2020 Responsibility and problem solving May, 2020 Flexibility and decisiveness 1.3 Why should teachers introduce soft skills activities? Most interactions with other people require some level of soft skills At a company, you might be negotiating to win a new contract, presenting your new ideas to colleagues, networking for a new job, and so on We use soft skills everyday at work and developing these soft skills will help you win more business and accelerate your career progression Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhd 77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77t@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn.Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhddtt@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn skkn C.33.44.55.54.78.65.5.43.22.2.4 22.Tai lieu Luan 66.55.77.99 van Luan an.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.33.44.55.54.78.655.43.22.2.4.55.22 Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders On the other hand, a lack of soft skills can limit your potential, or even be the downfall of your business By developing strong leadership, delegation, teamwork, and communication abilities, you can run projects more smoothly, deliver results that please everyone, and even positively influence your personal life by improving how you interact with others Outside of the office, soft skills like communication is used to build friendship groups and meet potential partners You might be negotiating the price of your new house renovation, or mentoring your neighbours’ children on the weekend Soft skills are useful both in our professional and personal lives 1.4 Advantages of teaching soft skills through English speaking clubs By participating in the soft skills activities, students are more active, selfconscious and creative to explore the great variety of environments outside the classroom Life skills education activities have contributed to change students' perception and actions They know how to control their own behavior, have skills in conflict resolution, are more confident in communication, and participate in collective activities with more enthusiasm and quality From that, they create and develop the values of living and necessary skills These activities also help students grasp knowledge, strengthen solidarity, contribute to educating them about ethics, lifestyle, compassion, awareness of environmental protection, nature, and behavior skills with friends, teachers especially contributing to promoting the activeness, initiative and creativity of students Since then, it contributes to personality orientation, career future orientation for students in the future 1.5 Disadvantages of teaching soft skills through English speaking clubs Although being aware of the importance of soft skills education for students, at present, the introduction of soft skills education in schools is still limited, proactively integrating soft skills education in just one number of teachers, has not yet become a requirement like some other integration content - Soft skills training needs to be done through active and practical activities, while many students are still accustomed to passive learning Most of the students of the school come from rural areas, so their ability to adapt to modern society is still weak, and their understanding of soft skills is almost nonexistent The above factors show that integrating education to educate soft skills for students in current school hours is very important and necessary - There is no doubt that learning English by using soft skills activities can take more time to prepare for the lesson Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhd 77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77t@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn.Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhddtt@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn skkn C.33.44.55.54.78.65.5.43.22.2.4 22.Tai lieu Luan 66.55.77.99 van Luan an.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.33.44.55.54.78.655.43.22.2.4.55.22 Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders - Disadvantaged and handicapped students generally have fewer opportunities to learn academic content outside of school They cannot catch up with their classmates - Students may be lack of detailed knowledge of the locality and lack of skills Practical background According to the research results, there are many reasons affecting the current status of students' soft skills: from teachers, from students themselves, from the school and from the society + Teachers: Despite the fact that soft skills activities have so many outstanding advantages, some teachers feel it new and strange They hesitate to apply these activities because they are familiar with the traditional hard skills activities + Students: Among the reasons from the students themselves, the most prominent one is that students not know how to choose a reliable "source" to learn the soft skills and have not invested adequate time and effort to practice the soft skills + School: On the school side, it is mainly not focused on training soft skills for students as a long-term activity + Society: On the social side, communication on soft skills is still quite sporadic, with no methodical and elaborate investment and there is no regular and continuous training program II The solutions Classification of soft skills activities Below are some typical soft skills activities teachers usually use in teaching English Ability to work under pressure and time management Negotiation and conflict resolution Communication Self - motivation Leadership Responsibility Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhd 77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77t@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn.Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhddtt@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn skkn C.33.44.55.54.78.65.5.43.22.2.4 22.Tai lieu Luan 66.55.77.99 van Luan an.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.33.44.55.54.78.655.43.22.2.4.55.22 Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an.Tai lieu Luan van Luan an Do an Improving soft skills through some activities in English speaking clubs for 10th graders Problem solving Flexibility Decisiveness 10 Teamwork Tips for a successful soft skills lesson We can teach soft skills in many ways such as organizing social activities, clubs, and charities Alternatively, stimulating the passion of reading, developing skills in sport activities In addition, it is possible to take courses for proper awareness So what determines the success of soft skills teaching? It is not because of the miracle from the skills learned through the courses, but the progressive attitude in each person and personal perception of each individual "Awareness" and changing perceptions of learning along with training skills are the most important today Soft skills can be learned and practiced anytime, anywhere and are not confined to just that many standards For each person, when the sense of wanting to be a good communicator with determination, there will definitely come a time when that person becomes a good communicator Success is not achieved in a day or two Hard training, collision life, plus wisdom and luck There are lucky people who have the conditions to be successful overnight, but there are also people who struggle to make a living for a lifetime - To have an effective and successful English speaking club, teacher has to prepare the plan well, know abilities and characters of each member clearly so that he can assign tasks reasonably - Soft skills activities should be closely related to the learning theme, each lesson content, time, place and it clearly shows the methods and measures to ensure the safety of teachers and students - Soft skills activities must be meaningful, safe and thrifty, - Teachers must be expected the time to organize soft skills activities at the beginning of the school year as part of the plan to implement the tasks of the school year, to ensure the systematic of the lesson - Make full use of most of the existing facilities, use school space, classrooms that are all practical and useful, extend classroom space, enhance classrooms outside the school - The subject of each soft skills activity must be derived from the interest and excitement of the students, must be closely linked or derived from the life and Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhd 77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.77.99.44.45.67.22.55.77.C.37.99.44.45.67.22.55.77t@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn.Stt.010.Mssv.BKD002ac.email.ninhddtt@edu.gmail.com.vn.bkc19134.hmu.edu.vn skkn 10