A study on listening and speaking teaching methods for secondary school students at bright smile academy

Trang 1 Student: Doan Thi Huong GiangGroup: CQ57/51.04Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Thanh ThanhEmail address and contact phone number:Mail: doanhuonggiang.work@gmail.comPhone number: 0335855352

Student: Doan Thi Huong Giang

Group: CQ57/51.04

Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Thanh Thanh

Email address and contact phone number:

Mail: doanhuonggiang.work@gmail.com

Phone number: 0335855352

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

A study on listening and speaking teaching methods for secondary school students at

Bright Smile Academy.

( Nghiên cứu về phương pháp dạy kỹ năng nghe-nói cho học sinh Trung học cơ sở tại

Trung tâm Anh ngữ Bright Smile Academy)

INTRODUCTION

1 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

A "world language" or a "global lingua franca" - English is the first choice of foreignlanguage in most other countries of the world, and it is that status that has given it theposition of a global lingua franca It is the world's most widely-used language ininternational business and telecommunications, newspaper and book publishing,scientific publishing, mass entertainment and diplomacy Worldwide, there are over 400million native speakers of English, and over one billion more people speak it as a secondlanguage English is probably the third language in terms of number of native speakers(after Mandarin and Spanish); and probably the most widely spoken language on theplanet taking into account native and non-native speakers

According to Patel: “To have a complete language skill requires learners to go throughfour steps of listening, speaking, listening and speaking If one of these four skills isignored, it is not possible to provide learners with an accurate language” Of the four

skills above, listening and speaking are classified as receptive skills; listening andspeaking are classified as communicative skills These skills are interrelated with eachother In particular, listening and speaking are an effective and essential means forstudents to master and consolidate language knowledge, expand vocabulary as well asunderstand more about the style and usage of the language they are learning.

Understanding the importance of these two skills in learning English, in Vietnam, manyparents have invested in their children learning English very early Not only do theystudy at school, but they also participate in extra classes at English centres LearningEnglish at the centres brings many benefits to students, they help them to reinforce classlessons as well as allow them to deepen their knowledge To help students learn this skillwell, centres and teachers need to have appropriate teaching methods, which are not easy

to create That has made English listening and speaking more difficult and will graduallylead to the fear of learning English in students

To develop appropriate teaching methods, it is necessary to first understand who thestudents are Especially for secondary school age, when students begin to have changes inpersonality as well as perception Every teacher is both a transmitter of knowledge and acompanion for children From there, it can help students and teachers understand eachother better, teaching and learning from there will also become easier

Aware of the essential role of building methods of teaching listening and speaking skill inconsolidating knowledge and learning English, as well as basing on the knowledge hadlearned in school and the practical experience gained from the internship, the researcherhas chosen the topic: “A study on listening and speaking teaching methods for secondaryschool students at Bright Smile Academy”

2 AIM OF THE STUDY

Firstly, the thesis provides knowledge and information about teaching methods of Englishlistening and speaking skill as well as the importance of teaching methods for students’acquisition knowledge

Secondly, the thesis provides information about the changes in the personality of children

in the age of 11 to 15, thereby summarizing the problems that are likely to beencountered when learning these two skills of children in this age group

Thirdly, the thesis analyses and evaluating the teaching methods of listening andspeaking skill at Bright Smile Academy

Finally, the thesis proposes solutions to improve and enhance the quality of teaching thisskill at Bright Smile Academy

3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted at Bright Smile English Center at 74 Ke Ve Street, Dong NgacWard, Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi City, Vietnam The thesis is based on data provided

by the Academy in the 2022-2023 school year The objective of the study is Methods ofteaching English listening and speaking skills for secondary school students at BrightSmile Academy and some solutions to improve them

4 METHODS OF THE STUDY

In the thesis, the writer used the data obtained from the survey for secondary schoolstudents at Bright Smile Academy The collected data includes the level of interest inlearning the listening and speaking skills, the level of understanding, the level of self-review, the ability to apply the two skills In this thesis, data will be provided by theacademy for the 2022-2023 school year

5 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

Besides the Declaration, Abstract, Acknowledgements, List of abbreviations, List offigures and tables, Table of contents, Introduction, Conclusion, References, andAppendix, the study will consist of 3 chapters:

Chapter 1 Literature Review

Information about teaching methods of English listening and speaking skills Overviewabout changes in the psychology of students from the age of 11 to 15

Chapter 2 The Study

Analyzing and evaluating the ways of teaching these two skills at Bright Smile Academy

Chapter 3 Recommendations

Proposing solutions to improve the quality of teaching English listening and speakingskills at Bright Smile Academy

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter provides an overview of teaching methods, the definitions and importance oflistening and speaking skills in learning English, methods of teaching listening andspeaking, difficulties in teaching these skills, and previous studies related to listening andspeaking teaching methods for secondary students these skills

1.1 Teaching methods

According to Author: B F Skinner in “Education in 1984” "Education is what surviveswhen what has been learned has been forgotten." Teaching is one of the maincomponents in educational planning which is a key factor in conducting educationalplans Despite the importance of good teaching, the outcomes are far from ideal To beable to fully convey knowledge, teachers need to stimulate students' interest in learning,and teaching methods play a vital role in helping teachers convey their knowledge tostudents

The term teaching method refers to the general principles, pedagogy and managementstrategies used for classroom instruction There might be several ways a teacher canorient his/her teaching depending on the nature of the subject matter and thecharacteristics of the learners According to Dr Ismail Al-Rawi (2013) in “TeachingMethodology and its Effects on Quality Learning”, teaching methods are described as themechanism that is used by the teacher to organize and implement several educationalmeans and activities to achieve certain goals Teaching techniques are the means thatreflect the success of the learning process and the competencies of the teacher Being ateacher, the author always needs to look for new ways to deliver knowledge to thelearners, and on many occasions, the author found that traditional teaching methodsbecome not effective as they used to be due to the current advancement in technology.Teaching becomes more effective when it is performed in a quicker response to the needs

of the learner so that blending various techniques to deliver knowledge and ideas becomenecessary

For a particular teaching method to be appropriate and efficient, it has to be about thecharacteristic of the learners and the type of learning it is supposed to bring about.Suggestions are used to be designed and selected for teaching methods must take intoaccount not only the nature of the subject matter but also how students learn In today'sschool, the trend is that it encourages much creativity It is a known fact that humanadvancement comes through reasoning.

1.2 Elements effect on teaching methods

1.2.1 Objective elements

1.2.1.1 Instability in family

The term "instability" is often used in social science research to reflect change ordiscontinuity in one’s experience; however, operational definitions of instability vary byfield and are often determined by the data and measures available for research Whereassome literature looks at the effects of change measured broadly, change itself can haveboth positive and negative implications depending on the context, including whether thechange is voluntary, planned in advance, and moving the individual or family to bettercircumstances For education purposes, instability is best conceptualized as theexperience of change in individual or family circumstances where the change is abrupt,involuntary, and/or in a negative direction, and thus is more likely to have adverseimplications for child development

Children thrive in stable and nurturing environments where they have a routine and knowwhat to expect Although some change in children’s lives is normal and anticipated,sudden and dramatic family disruptions can be extremely stressful and affect children’sfeeling of security Family instability refers to changes in parents’ residential andromantic partnerships, such as marriage, divorce, and romantic partners moving in or out

of the home As rates of cohabitation, nonmarital births, and divorce have increased overthe past 60 years, more children have experienced some degree of family instability This

increase in family instability can have a negative influence on children’s and adolescents’functioning and behavior

In education, a lack of security at home can have a detrimental influence on teachingmethods On average, children who live with both parents do better in school thanchildren who do not Academic achievement can be harmed by family disputes anddisturbance Divorce, the death of one or both parents, not living with or having contactwith the biological father or mother, often relocating from one house to another, andbeing or having been engaged with Child Protective Services are just some instances.For example, changes in family relationships include divorcing parents or blending twofamilies together Both instances can confuse or upset a child and lead to their acting out

or withdrawing at school Often, single parents are forced to work longer hours to makefinancial ends meet, which means less time at home with their kids this can cause a child

to feel neglected or unloved resulting in their misbehavior or withdrawal at school.Similarly, if two families merge together, a child might feel neglected or left out as his orher parents navigate new relationships with the new members

1.2.1.2 Peer relationships

Peer relationships are thought to play an important role in children’s development Theyoffer unique opportunities for getting acquainted with the social norms and processesinvolved in interpersonal relationships, and for learning new social skills They alsoprovide contexts in which capacities for self-control may be tested and refined.Childhood peer relations are also multi-faceted: children experience peer interactionsthrough their participation in group activities, as well as through their dyadic (i.e one-on-one) associations with friends These different facets of peer experiences are seen asproviding age-related developmental opportunities for the construction of the self, withpeer group experiences progressively gaining in importance and culminating in middlechildhood, before giving way to friendships as the most central feature in late childhoodand adolescence

As children become older, the impact of their friends grows as well Although school isgiven to students to receive an education, it can also be a place where they can developrelationships with many different people, activities, and participate in a variety ofdifferent sports This can make four years as a secondary school student filled withmany different emotions, including happiness, anger, sadness, jealousy, isolation,stress, and a numerous amount more This is also a time where peer pressure is mostcommonly put upon a vast majority of them.

Peer pressure is something that causes conflict in an individual's life The feeling ofnot fitting in, not being good enough, and not being a part of the “group” overwhelmsand takes over the mindset of a regular teen High stress and hurtful experiences seem

to always be the result to giving to peer pressure because of the endless amount ofnegative aspects that can come with it Statistics say between 20% – 30% ofadolescents report symptoms of depression because of peer pressure

According to Joan Saslow & Allen Ascher in Teen 2 teen (2014) “For teens who havelow self esteem, challenges can become sources of major anxiety and frustration Teenswho think poorly about themselves have a hard time finding solutions to problems Teenswho think poorly about themselves are more inclined to engage in high risk behaviors,such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and using illicit drugs.”

Despite the fact that peer pressure is most commonly seen as a very negative issue, itcan be seen positively in some situations This can involve pressuring your peers to behonest, avoid drugs, avoid alcohol, respect others, work hard, exercise, be kind, beresponsible, and more

In “How Positive Peer Pressure Works” by SecureTeen website (2013) “Positive peerpressure can help you reflect on your actions and amend your ways to become a betterindividual Observing others working hard to achieve their goals will definitelyencourage you to step up your game and strive towards something positive.”

1.2.1.3 Learning environment

In “A Study of Students’ Perception of The Learning Environment: Case Study ofDepartment of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota Ogun State Learning” by EziyiIbem, Oluwole Alagbe and Abraham Owoseni (2017), learning environment refers to thediverse physical locations, contexts, and cultures in which students learn Since studentsmay learn in a wide variety of settings, such as outside-of-school locations and outdoorenvironments, the term is often used as a more accurate or preferred alternative toclassroom, which has more limited and traditional connotations a room with rows ofdesks and a chalkboard The term also encompasses the culture of a school or class it ispresiding ethos and characteristics, including how individuals interact with and treat oneanother as well as the ways in which teachers may organize an educational setting tofacilitate learning, by conducting classes in relevant natural ecosystems, grouping desks

in specific ways, decorating the walls with learning materials, or utilizing audio, visual,and digital technologies And because the qualities and characteristics of a learningenvironment are determined by a wide variety of factors, school policies, governancestructures, and other features may also be considered elements of a “learningenvironment"

In an engaged learning environment, classrooms become communities wherein learninghappens This sense of community allows students to feel connected to one another andtheir teachers and to engage in collaborative, active learning Students do not just learnthrough logical thinking but get to explore learning in a way that engages their relevantfeelings and interests It also allows for more individualized learning, with each studentbeing working at a developmentally appropriate pace

1.2.1.4 Facilities

There are many factors that determine the success of students at school Parents oftenmeasure their child’s success based on grades, but the quality of a school’s teaching andlearning environment and its facilities have a vital influence on a child’s overalldevelopment

Many subjects and specialities are dependent on facilities, and if a school cannot providethe right environment, there may be little to no opportunity for a student to pursue that

subject A school that can provide a range of high-quality facilities can offeropportunities students may not be able to find at another school For example, a studentlooking to pursue their interests in the performing arts would benefit from a studio and atheatre to perform in This is the same for sports; state-of-the-art facilities can presentstudents with the opportunity to take their talents to a level they may not reach elsewhere.Facilities should be an important consideration for students looking to study a specialistsubject or who have real ambitions of pursuing a career in sports or the performing arts.The quality of facilities a school provides impacts class sizes, which are proven toinfluence student learning According to an article by Penn State University,overcrowded classrooms have been consistently linked to increased levels of aggressionand decreased levels of learning Alternatively, classrooms with ample space provide alearning environment that increases student engagement and learning Spaciousclassrooms allow for seating arrangements that best suit the individual needs of eachstudent and can create the option of private study areas where students can work

uninterrupted, free from distractions

1.2.2 Subjective elements

1.2.2.1 Content of the lesson

Because content knowledge is seen as fundamental to what schools do, the standards inevery subject area list, sometimes explicitly, what content students should grasp to beconsidered knowledgeable Words like “understand,” “identify,” “memorize,” and

“recognize” are used to describe the content that students should be able to work with.The key to content learning is to understand how content is learned, including what skillsare needed and how technology can help

Content knowledge is essential for students in order to meet student learning goals such

as problem-solving and effective communication Teachers should first understand thepurposes, importance of content learning and then how it can be learned and supported bytechnology while students work toward learning goals Next, teachers need to see howideas connect across fields and to everyday life And this kind of understanding provides

a foundation for pedagogical content knowledge that enables teachers to make ideasaccessible to others

1.2.2.2 Teacher quality

Many Studies show that teacher quality is the key central in student performance Themost questions arising on teacher characteristic is what kind of teacher attributeimproving student quality This question explored by Darling-Hammond (2000),Milanowski (2004), Rockof (2004), and Dobbie 2011 Rivkin Hanushek and kain (2005),and Kane, Rockoff, Staiger (2008) All of this study has the same findings that teachercharacteristic significantly affect the student performance Teacher characteristic such as,education background, experience, certificate status, leadership experience, perseverance,teacher evaluation score, preparedness course work are the variables that much payattention by the scholar in relation to student achievement

Dimensions of teacher characteristics that matter:

Teacher experience: Several studies have found a positive effect of experience on teachereffectiveness; specifically, the “learning by doing” effect is most obvious in the earlyyears of teaching

Teacher preparation programs and degrees: Research suggests that the selectivity/prestige

of the institution a teacher attended has a positive effect on student achievement,particularly at the secondary level This may partially be a reflection of the cognitiveability of the teacher

Evidence suggests that teachers who have earned advanced degrees have a positiveimpact on high school mathematics and science achievement when the degrees earnedwere in these subjects Evidence regarding the impact of advanced degrees at theelementary level is mixed

Teacher certification: Research has demonstrated a positive effect of certified teachers onhigh school mathematics achievement when the certification is in mathematics Studiesshow little clear impact of emergency or alternative-route certification on student

performance in either mathematics or science, as compared to teachers who acquirestandard certification

Teacher coursework: Teacher coursework in both the subject area taught and pedagogycontributes to positive education outcomes Pedagogical coursework seems to contribute

to teacher effectiveness at all grade levels, particularly when coupled with contentknowledge The importance of content coursework is most pronounced at the high schoollevel While the studies on the field experience component of teacher education are notdesigned to reveal causal relationships, they suggest positive effects in terms ofopportunity to learn the profession and reduced anxiety among new teachers

Teachers’ own test scores: Tests that assess the literacy levels or verbal abilities ofteachers have been shown to be associated with higher levels of student achievement.Studies show the National Teachers Examination and other state-mandated tests of basicskills and/or teaching abilities are less consistent predictors of teacher performance.The findings from the literature suggest that there is no justification for the widespreadabolition of all credentialing requirements since numerous aspects of teachercharacteristics—including preparation in both pedagogy and subject content, credentials,experience, and test scores—matter Therefore, maintaining the status quo is unlikely toresult in increases in teacher quality Instead, teacher policies must acknowledge thatteaching is a complicated activity that is influenced by a variety of factors related toteacher quality

1.2.2.3 Teaching environment

The learning environment, which includes the classrooms, libraries, technical workshops,laboratories, teachers' quality, school management, teaching methods, peers, etc are variables that affect students' academic achievement (Ajayi, 2001 and Oluchukwu, 2000).Hence, the learning environment remains an important area that should be studied and well managed to enhance students' academic performance.

The quality of education not only depends on the teachers as reflected in the performance

of their duties, but also in the effective coordination of the learning environment (Ajao 2001) learning environment which include instructional spaces planning, administrative places planning, circulation spaces planning, spaces for conveniences planning,

accessories planning, the teachers as well as the students themselves are essential in the teaching-learning process The extent to which student learning could be enhanced

depends on their location within the school compound, the structure of their classroom, availability of instructional facilities and accessories It is believed that a well planned school will gear up expected outcomes of education that will facilitate good social,

political and economic emancipation, effective teaching and learning process and

academic performance of the students

Relating this study to international occurrences are the assertions of Williams, Persaud, and Turner (2008), quoting Marsden (2005), which reported that safe and orderly

classroom environment (aspect of instructional space), School facilities (accessories) were significantly related to students' academic performance in schools The three

researchers also quoted Glassman (1994), asserting that a comfortable and caring

environment among other treatments helped to contribute to students academic

performance

1.2.2.4 Classroom management

Classroom management optimization is one strategy for maximizing studentachievement Classroom management is when a teacher exhibits complete control overtheir classroom through a series of strategies and techniques that encourage positivestudent behaviour The practice of effective classroom management turns your classroom

into the optimum learning environment where students can engage with their studies andwork to the best of their ability.

Classroom management was often viewed as the same with discipline in the past.Historically management research focused teachers’ reactions to students’ misbehavior.However, many researchers claim that they are not the same; classroom management ismuch more than controlling the students and preventing misbehavior Evertson, & Neal,(2005) and Emmer & Stough (2001), state that classroom management is broader than thenotion of students’ discipline It includes all the things teachers and school managementmust do to enhance student involvement and cooperation in classroom tasks and toestablish a productive learning environment

Similarly, Brophy and Good (2003) defines classroom management as a teacher’s efforts

to establish and maintain the classroom as an effective environment for teaching andlearning Brophy and Good (2003) discusses the importance of the close and mutuallysupportive relationships between effective classroom management and effectivecurriculum and instruction Good classroom management implies good instruction “Allresearch results show that in addition to dealing with the misbehaviors and problemseffectively, to prevent them from occurring is an important aspect of efficient classroommanagement” (Brophy and Good, 2003)

Establishing effective classroom management takes time, and differs from teacher toteacher based on their personality and preferred teaching style It is also impacted by thesubject and age group that is being taught There are in fact many different types ofclassroom management, just as there are many different approaches to pedagogy

1.3 Overview of listening and speaking skills

1.3.1 Definitions of listening and listening comprehension 1.3.1.1 What is Listening and Listening Comprehension?

Among the basic skills we need for success in life, listening is primary Developmentally,

we listen before we learn to speak, read, or write Brown, one of the pioneers of listening

research has noted that “Of foremost importance is the role of listening in languageacquisition, [itself] the basis of all subsequent communication, the foundation of all life–long reading, writing, speaking and listening activities” (1987, p 5) Heidegger,considered one of the 20th century’s greatest philosophers, recognized the primacy oflistening in creating meaning and in developing our relationships with one another (1962,

p 204)

Listening has been defined by many researchers Thomlison (1984) and Hamouda (2013)defined listening as the ability to recognize and understand what others are telling Thisprocess includes understanding a speaker's pronunciation, the speaker’s grammar andvocabulary, and understanding of meaning Morley (1972) said listening involvesauditory discrimination, aural grammar, selecting necessary information, remembering it,and connecting it to the process between sound and form of meaning (as cited inPourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2016)

Bowen, Madsen, and Hilferty (1985) demonstrated that listening is understanding the orallanguage Students hear oral speech, divide sounds, classify them into lexical andsyntactic units, and comprehend the message (as cited in Pourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri,2016) Listening is a process of receiving what the speaker says, making and showingmeaning, negotiating meaning with the speaker and answering, and creating meaning byparticipation, creativity, and empathy Listening is a complex process of interpretation inwhich listeners match what they hear with what they already know (Rost, 2002 as cited inPourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2016)

According to Goss (1982), listening is a process of understanding what is heard andorganizing it into lexical elements to which meaning can be allocated (as cited inPourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2016) According to Purdy (1997), listening is theprocess of receiving, making meaning from, and answering to spoken and/or nonverbalmessages Rost (2009) told that listening is an active and important mental ability It aids

us to understand the world around us and is one of the necessary elements in creatingsuccessful communication (as cited in Pourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2016)