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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES A STUDY ON THE USE OF DISCUSSION TECHNIQUES IN THE ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASSES AT TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNIVERSITY IN NHA TRANG MA RESEARCH THESIS THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING HUE, 2018 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES A STUDY ON THE USE OF DISCUSSION TECHNIQUES IN THE ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASSES AT TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNIVERSITY IN NHA TRANG MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CODE: 60.14.01.11 SUPERVISOR: PHAN THI THANH THAO, PHD HUE, 2018 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ NGHIÊN CỨU VIỆC SỬ DỤNG KỸ THUẬT THẢO LUẬN TRONG CÁC GIỜ HỌC NÓI TIẾNG ANH TẠI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC THÔNG TIN LIÊN LẠC NHA TRANG LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ LÝ LUẬN VÀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC BỘ MÔN TIẾNG ANH MÃ SỐ: 60.14.01.11 NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA HỌC: TS PHAN THỊ THANH THẢO HUẾ, 2018 STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself Date: 25 / 10 / 2018 Signature Pham Ngoc Dung i ABSTRACT From 2000, English has become a key subject in training program of Telecommunications university (TCU) in Nha Trang, and it is one of the compulsory subjects for all students from different majors at our school In addition, since all students have to take an English exam before their graduation That means English plays a more important role during their training course at TCU Therefore, teaching and learning English always receive the deep consideration of both English teachers and students Especially, due to the demand for acquiring B1 level before graduation, students need to use quite fluently four language skills; however, speaking is considered the most difficult skill among three other skills like reading, listening and writing This research was conducted to explore the issues of using discussion techniques in the English speaking classes for 56 freshman students at Telecommunications university in Nha Trang Based on both quantitative and qualitative approaches with questionnaire and pre and post tests in the study method, data were collected and analyzed data to achieve some results relating to students’ difficulties in communicating in English, pronouncing correctly English words being lack of English grammar knowledge, and teacher’s challenges in teaching English speaking skills and their ways of using discussion techniques in English classes To carry out our teaching experiment, lesson plans were designed focusing on the use of discussion techniques in teaching English speaking skills Despite the limited number of participants and schools in our study, the findings of this study are also involved in some solutions to deal with difficulties in teaching English speaking skills and the implications on using discussion techniques to enhance the teaching quality of this skill for English teachers at Telecommunications university in Nha Trang ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, with regard to my assistance, I would like to thank all teachers at Hue University of Foreign Languages, who have offered me the training courses on theory and methodology of English language teaching I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Phan Thi Thanh Thao, for her willingness to guide and give valuable corrections and suggestions during the writing of this thesis I am also grateful to the Dean of English Department, all the lecturers and staff of Hue University of Foreign Languages for their support and friendly help during my study In addition, I would like to offer the sincere gratitude to the Headmaster and English teachers in Telecommunications university, Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa for their permission and support of my MA course at Hue University of Foreign Languages I also acknowledge the kind assistance of students in Class ĐH 24E and ĐH 24H during the process of gathering data for the our study Personally, I am grateful to my family, my parents, my sisters and my brothers who have given me their love and support in my study and implementation of this thesis Lastly, I would like to thank all my friends and people concerned who have helped me during my two-year study in Hue city Hue, October 25th, 2018 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Pages STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY……………………………………………….i ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii LIST OF TABLES viii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION .1 1.1 The rationale of the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Scope of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 Significance of the study 1.6 Structure of the study CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Discussion techniques 2.1.1 Definition of discussion techniques 2.1.2 Kinds of discussion techniques 2.1.3 Benefits of discussion techniques .8 2.2 Speaking skills 2.3 Teaching speaking skills 10 2.3.1 The teacher’s role in using discussion techniques 10 2.3.2 Difficulties in teaching speaking skills 12 2.3.3 Difficulties in the students’ learning of speaking skills 13 iv 2.3.4 Techniques of teaching speaking skills 14 2.3.5 Types of discussion techniques used in teaching speaking skills 16 2.4 The use of discussion techniques to deal with students’ difficulties in learning English speaking skills 18 2.5 Previous studies on using discussion techniques in teaching speaking skills20 2.6 Chapter summary 23 CHAPTER 24 METHODOLOGY 24 3.1 Methodology 24 3.2 Participants 24 3.3 Research instrument 25 3.3.1 Lesson plan .25 3.3.2 Questionnaire 25 3.3.3 Classroom observation 26 3.4 Research procedure 26 3.4.1 Teaching experiment .27 3.4.2 The post test .28 3.5 Data collection 29 3.6 Data analysis 29 CHAPTER 30 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .30 4.1 Students’ attitudes toward learning English speaking skills before using discussion techniques 30 4.1.1 Students’ attitudes toward learning English skills .30 4.1.2 Students’ attitudes toward learning English speaking skills .32 4.2 Students’ feedback after the use of discussion techniques 34 4.2.1 Students’ opinions on the use of discussion techniques 34 v 4.2.2 Students’ attitudes toward the benefits of discussion techniques .37 4.3 Pre-test and Post-test of speaking skills 38 4.4 Taking notes of the teacher 40 4.4.1 Teacher’s talking time and students’ talking time .40 4.4.2 The role of teacher and students in speaking class 41 4.5 Chapter summary 42 CHAPTER 44 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 44 5.1 A summary of key findings 44 5.2 Recommendations 45 5.3 Limitations 46 5.4 Further research 46 REFERENCES 47 APPENDICES 50 APPENDIX 1: LESSON PLANS 50 APPENDIX 76 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS’ AT TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNIVERSITY IN NHA TRANG vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS N : Number Ss : Students STT : Students’ Talking Time TCU : Telecommunications University TTT : Teacher’s Talking Time vii LESSON PLAN UNIT 5: HEALTH School: Telecommunications University Course book: Four Corners 2A Class: ĐH 24E, 24H Unit 5: Health Teaching period: Speaking Lesson B4: I’m not feeling well Teaching time: 45 minutes I Objectives: Educational aims: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - Use vocabulary about health - Say how they feel and wish someone well Knowledge: - General knowledge: Ss practise talking about their health and ask someone’s health - Language: Vocabulary of health, Wh-question with simple present to talk about health Skills: Communicative skills by talking about health II Method and teaching aids:  Method: Integrated, mainly communicative  Teaching aids: projector, textbook, blackboard, chalk III Teaching and learning materials IV Teaching steps: Classroom procedures (5’): Greetings and checking attendance 65 New lesson (45’): Teacher’s activities Student’s activities Contents PRE-SPEAKING (5’) Health problems The pictures - Ask Ss to look at pictures - Look and listen and listen to the tape - Ask a student to act out as if - Act out and guess he/she had a health problem and ask another student to guess it - Listen - Correct WHILE-SPEAKING (25’) Task 1: Part A “We’re not feeling well” Role-play these situations Then change roles ( “Hot-Seat” technique) - Divide Ss in groups of - Ask one student in each Listen teacher - Role-play group to assume the role of a 66 to the doctor and the other students are patients -“the doctor” will ask his/her - Demonstrate the The sample dialogue patients how they feel sample - Provide the sample of with another dialogue A: How are you? B: I don’t feel so good dialogue that helps Ss role- - Practice A: oh? What’s wrong? play well B: I have a stomachache - Go around the class and - Listen give his/her help to many A: I’m sorry to hear that I hope you feel better groups - Give his/her feedback POST-SPEAKING (13’) Task 3: Pair work “Giving advice” - Ask Ss to work in pairs to - Work in pairs give advice for their partner’s Health problems and health problem Remedies - Provide some health - Listen and take - cold problems and the remedy for notes  use garlic, red onion, each ginger, chicken soup - Use some expressions for - Listen and take  drink honey, spice tea, giving advice for Ss milk notes - Provide a sample dialogue - cough - Ask Ss to practice based on - Practice the example  use ginger, termeric, - Go around the class to give his/her help - Ask some pairs to oinon, garlic - Ask for help as  drink hot lemon juice, milk and honey necessary - Practice 67 the - headache demonstrate their conversation conversation in  rest and sleep, front of class meditation, exercise, massage - Give his/her feedback  use peppermint oil, Expressions for ginger tea, hot water giving advice bottle You should……… - toothache You shouldn’t……  Do ……………… ginger Don’t…………… and clove oil use garlic, power  drink peppermint tea, warm water Homework (2’): Learn by heart all the new words Make a new conversation with a partner about health Prepare the next lesson Nha Trang, date……./……/2018 Rector Teacher 68 LESSON PLAN UNIT 6: WHAT’S ON TV? School: Telecommunications University Course book: Four Corners 2A Class: ĐH 24E, 24H Unit 6: What’s on TV? Teaching period: Speaking Lesson D4: Reality shows Teaching time: 45 minutes I Objectives: Educational aim: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - Use some kinds of TV shows to talk about types of TV shows they like - Apply expressions of Agreeing with an opinion and Disagreeing with an opinion to give their opinions about popular TV shows Knowledge: - General knowledge: Ss practise talking about their TV shows - Language: Vocabulary of reality shows, simple present to talk about TV Shows Skills: Communicative skills by talking about Reality shows II Method and teaching aids:  Method: Integrated, mainly communicative  Teaching aids: projector, textbook, blackboard, chalk III Teaching and learning materials IV Teaching steps: Classroom procedures (5’): Greetings and checking attendance 69 New lesson (45’): Teacher’s activities Student’s activities PRE-SPEAKING (5’) - Ask Ss to name some of - Listen reality shows in Vietnam or in the world they know + give an example: master chef + let Ss work in groups of - Work in group to give names of reality shows - Speak out - Call on Ss from different groups to speak out names of reality shows as many as - possible - Ask questions to lead in the Answer the question lesson: “ Which one you like best?” WHILE-SPEAKING (20’) Task 1: Part A “Snowball discussion” - Show a slide of structure of “Snowball discussion” + students begin in pairs, + ask some responding to a discussion questions about the question only with a single technique if they partner have + after each person has had a 70 Contents chance to share their ideas, the pair joins another pair, creating a group of four Pairs share their ideas with the pair they just joined + next, groups of four join together to form groups of eight, and so on, until the whole class is joined up in one large discussion - Highlight or explain more the key points in this structure - Ask Ss to read loudly reality shows in part A and - Listen and focus Vocabulary: maybe explain some new on their book and + race words take notes new + compete words + cleaning tips - Show a slide with the question + let Ss work in pairs to Question: - Focus on the + question “Which ones interesting? Why?” respond this question + then, ask these pairs to + discuss in pairs join another pair to form a group of so that they can + discuss in group share their own ideas in group + Ask groups of four to + discuss in group join together to form groups 71 sound of eight in order to share ideas until the whole class is joined up in one large group to make discussion - Ask Ss to share their ideas - Share ideas in front of class after they have a large discussion + Give his/her feedback and students’ correct mistakes + Give his/her opinions Task 2: Part B “Concentric Circle” technique - Pay attention and Slide - Show a slide of structure of listen to the teacher “Concentric Circle” + Students form two circles, one inside circle and one outside circle + Each student in the inside circle is paired with a student in the outside; they face each other +The teacher poses a question to the whole group and pairs discuss their responses + Then the teacher gives signals for students to rotate: 72 of “Concentric Circle” technique Students in the outside circle move from one space to the right so they are standing/ sitting in front of a new person - Move to form into - Ask Ss to form into 2 circles circles + Number Ss in each circle from to 14 + Ask Ss with number to work in pairs + Continue with other numbers for the rest pairs - - Read out the question discussion the question in pairs Question: + ask Ss discuss the question “Which reality shows in pairs you often watch on TV?” - Ask Ss in the outside circle to rotate Ss on the right in - Discuss the Question: + ask second question for Ss second question in “Why you often watch new pairs these reality shows on to discuss in their new TV?” order to form new pairs partners POST-SPEAKING (15’) Task 3: Talk about favorite reality show Cards: - Number the whole class from to 7, repeat until the 28th student 73 + ask Ss to work in groups of ( there are groups in total) + Label each group with a small card that helps them to identify this card Question: “What’s your favorite reality show? Why? Tell your partners - Answer the question - Listen + set time for groups to discuss the question 74 - Pick up randomly a card and let that group talk about the question - Continue with other groups - Give his/her comments Homework (5’): Learn by heart all the new words Make a new conversation with a partner about the favorite TV show Prepare the next lesson Nha Trang, date……./……/2018 Rector Teacher 75 APPENDIX STUDENTS’ QUESTIONNAIRES ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS AND THE USE OF DISCUSSION TECHNIQUES IN ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASS This questionnaire is designed for students at Telecommunications university to collect data for the topic “A study on discussion techniques in the English speaking classes at telecommunications university” of my MA TESOL dissertation I would like you to provide all the useful information and complete this questionnaire related to your difficulties and attitudes and the use of discussion techniques in English speaking class Your collaboration is of importance in my study success Instructions: the questionnaire is made of parts Please read the questions/items carefully and then tick your answer in the right box Part I: Personal information Name: ……………………………………………………………………… Hometown: ……………………………………………………………………… Age: 18 19 Gender: Male Female 20 Major: ……………………………………………………………… Class: ……………………………………………………………… Part II: Students’ attitudes toward learning English skills How long have you learned English? 1-2 year(s) 2-3 years 76 4-7 years Which language skills you find the easiest to study? speaking skills listening skills reading skills writing skills Which language skills you find the most difficult to learn? speaking skills listening skills reading skills writing skills Part III: Students’ attitudes toward learning English speaking skills Which language skills you like best? speaking skills listening skills reading skills writing skills Do you think speaking skills and its learning are ……………… difficult easy neither difficult nor easy How much you like learning speaking skills? a lot quite a bit not at all How often you learn English speaking skills at class? 1-2 periods/week 2-3 periods/week more than periods/week Do you want to improve your speaking skills? Yes No 77 No idea Which speaking activities you in class? discussion role - play brainstorming interview What you think about speaking tasks in the textbook (Four Corners 2A) interesting I don’t know boring Part IV: Student’s opinion on discussion techniques used in English speaking class Are you interested in using discussion techniques in English speaking class? Yes No No idea Do you think using discussion techniques in speaking class is……………… suitable not suitable No idea Have you ever used discussion techniques in learning Listening, Reading and Writing skills? Yes No No idea Have you ever used discussion techniques in learning Speaking skills? Yes No No idea Does your teacher use discussion techniques in English speaking class? Yes No No idea How often does your teacher use discussion techniques in Speaking class? always sometimes often rarely 78 never What can discussion techniques for you? it enables you to speak more it gives you more opportunities to express your own ideas it makes you speak English more naturally and creatively Do you think discussion techniques are necessary for your English speaking skills? Yes No Thank you ! 79 No idea