Using language games to increase motivation in english speaking class for grade 8 students at nguyen binh khiem boarding school

Trang 1 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES DUONG QUYNH NGA USING LANGUAGE GAMES TO INCREASE MOTIVATION IN ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASS FOR GRADE-8 STUDENTS AT NGUYEN BINH KHIEM

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DUONG QUYNH NGA

USING LANGUAGE GAMES TO INCREASE MOTIVATION IN ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASS FOR GRADE-8 STUDENTS AT

NGUYEN BINH KHIEM BOARDING SCHOOL

M.A THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN - 2023

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DUONG QUYNH NGA

USING LANGUAGE GAMES TO INCREASE MOTIVATION IN ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASS FOR GRADE-8 STUDENTS AT

NGUYEN BINH KHIEM BOARDING SCHOOL

M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION)

Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201

Supervisor: LE THI THU HUONG, Ph.D

THAI NGUYEN - 2023

ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ

DƯƠNG QUỲNH NGA

SỬ DỤNG TRÒ CHƠI NGÔN NGỮ ĐỂ NÂNG CAO ĐỘNG LỰC TRONG CÁC GIỜ HỌC NÓI TIẾNG ANH CHO HỌC SINH LỚP 8

TRƯỜNG PTDT NỘI TRÚ NGUYỄN BỈNH KHIÊM

LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ (Định hướng ứng dụng)

Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh

Mã số: 8220201 Cán bộ hướng dẫn: TS Lê Thị Thu Hương

THÁI NGUYÊN - 2023

been published in any other research work

Thai Nguyen, March, 2023

Approved by SUPERVISOR

Le Thi Thu Huong, Ph.D

Author’s signature

Duong Quynh Nga

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to thank my thesis advisor - Dr Le Thi Thu Huong - My direct instructor Thank you that the door to your office is always open when I run into trouble or have questions about my research problem The teacher always allowed me to freely express my views and gave me comments and suggestions, leading me in the right direction during my research and implementation of my master's thesis

I would also like to thank the teachers in the Faculty of Foreign Languages - Thai Nguyen School of Foreign Languages for imparting to me in-depth specialized knowledge during my study period so that I have a great supporting knowledge base for my students I am in the process of doing my master's thesis

Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for their continued support and encouragement throughout my years of study and through the research and writing of this thesis This achievement would not have been possible without them

Sincerely!

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ABSTRACT

The article presents findings of a recent study which investigated language games to increase motivation in English speaking class for grade 8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem boarding school Language games were applied for 12 weeks during the English lessons of grade 8 class with 40 students Two survey questionnaires, class observation and interview were used to collect data for analysis Results of the study showed that students’ motivation for learning speaking was much improved with the employment of frequent language games in the teaching and learning process Most students found language games make speaking lessons more enjoyable and more fun Especially, language games can help to create more chances and more talking time for students They felt more relaxed and enjoyable in learning speaking; while their level

of anxiety was lowered, their confidence was enhanced when language games were integrated in their class sessions

Keyword: Language games, motivation, English speaking skills, grade 8 students.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents

DECLARATION I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II ABSTRACT III TABLE OF CONTENTS IV LIST OF TABLES VII LIST OF FIGURES VIII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS IX

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Research aims 2

1.3 Research questions 2

1.4 Scope of the study 3

1.5 Method of the study 3

1.6 The significance of the study 3

1.7 Design of the thesis 3

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 5

2.1 Speaking 5

2.1.1 Definition of speaking 5

2.1.2 The importance of speaking 5

2.1.3 Teaching speaking 6

2.2 Motivation 7

2.2.1 Definitions of motivation 7

2.2.2 Types of motivation 8

2.2.3 The role of motivation in foreign language learning 12

2.2.4 Methods to enhance motivation in learning 13

2.3 Language games 14

2.3.1 Concept of language games 14

2.3.2 Benefits of using language games 15

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2.3.3 Main types of language games 17

2.4 Previous Studies 18

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 20

3.1 Data collection 20

3.1.1 The data collection instrument 20

3.1.2 Procedures and methods of data collection 21

3.2 Research design 22

3.2.1 Game content 22

3.2.2 Game organization 22

3.2.3 Scoring and healthy competition 23

3.2.4 Game Instructions 23

3.2.5 Participation of learners 23

3.2.6 Playtime 23

3.3 Materials 23

3.4 Action plan 24

3.4.1 Guessing game 24

3.4.2 Hangman game 24

3.4.3 Noughts and Crosses (Unit 5: New development) 25

3.4.4 Interview (interview form) 25

3.4.5 Word square: (crossword) 26

3.4.6 Warm-ups 27

3.4.7 Pre-speaking stage 30

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 32

4.1.1 Prequestionnaire 32

4.1.2 Post questionnaire 39

4.1.3 Interview 43

4.1.4 Observation 44

4.1.5 The positive factors and the challenges of using games in speaking lessons45 4.1.5.1 Positive factors 45

4.1.5.2 Challenges 46

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4.1.5.3 Sub-conclusion 47

4.1.5.4 Summary 48

4.2 DISCUSSIONS 49

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS 51

5.1 Conclusions 51

5.1.1 The current situation in the teaching of English speaking for grade 8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School 51

5.1.2 The kinds of games could be used to increase students’ speaking motivation 52

5.1.3 How students’ motivation was improved after they are engaged in language games in speaking classes 52

5.2 Implications 52

5.3 Limitations 53

5.4 Recommendation 53

REFERENCES 54 APPENDIX 1: PREQUESTIONNAIRE I APPENDIX 2: POST-QUESTIONNAIRE IV APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS VI APPENDIX 4: TEACHER’S OBSERVATION SHEET VII

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LIST OF TABLES TABLE 4.1: STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS ENGLISH LEARNING 32 TABLE 4.2: STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES AND PERSPECTIVES TOWARDS SPEAKING LESSONS 33 TABLE 4.3: STUDENTS’ PREFERENCES OF TEACHER’S TECHNIQUES EXPLOITED IN SPEAKING CLASSES 35 TABLE 4.4: CURRENT METHODS AND TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO TEACH SPEAKING SKILLS 36 TABLE 4.5 CURRENT IMPLEMENTATIONS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS

TO SPEAK ENGLISH 37 TABLE 4.6: STUDENTS’ FEELING AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS LANGUAGE GAMES EXPLOITED BY THE TEACHER 39 TABLE 4.7 STUDENTS’ EVALUATION OF THE USE OF LANGUAGE GAMES IN SPEAKING CLASSES 40 TABLE 4.8 STUDENTS’ EXPECTATIONS TO THE TEACHER WHEN USING GAMES IN SPEAKING LESSONS 42

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 4.1 Students’ attitudes toward language games 34Figure 4.2: The frequency of using language games 43

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ARSC Attention, relevance, satisfaction, confident

IMMS Instructional Materials Motivation Survey

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the rationale for conducting the study a longing with its aims,

research questions, methods, significance, and design

1.1 Rationale

With its underlying foundation, language is just a means of inter-person communication This occurs whenever using the language becomes necessary, every time you read, or you are having a discussion with the other people When you watch a movie, you are in communication with all the performers, directors, screenwriters, and other individuals who contributed to its creation Even when you speak to yourself, you are communicating with several aspects of yourself One could say that as life progresses, this language has become increasingly engrained in every facet of our existence The importance of English in the modern, globalized world cannot be disputed The number of people learning English has substantially increased during the last few decades

It was found that local secondary school students still lack all four skills listening, speaking, reading, and writing Especially in speaking skills, they seem to be afraid of speaking English in class due to various reasons such as shyness, reticence, and fear of laughter when they say it wrong Moreover, the number of students spares teachers little time to check and practice speaking skills for all students Hence, a good organization of speaking practice will help both teachers and students overcome these limitations Teaching and learning English requires learners to have certain components such as social knowledge, aptitude for learning foreign languages, ability

to perceive languages, intelligence, agility, thinking, logical reasoning, and persistence However, successful English learning does not depend solely on the effort of the students but also depends greatly on the level and ability of the teacher to impart In order to successfully conduct an English lesson in class, the teachers’ application of teaching methods and art plays a very important role For students to quickly absorb knowledge, deepen and apply it well, as well as develop skills, and form quick reflexes, creating a foreign language environment in the classroom is very important It requires teachers to make an ideal English environment in speaking classes

The researcher has found that the use of language games is one of the most effective methods of teaching language and teaching English is not an exception The researcher strongly believed that games can help teachers to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful It can be realized that the common tendency of these methodology writers is that teachers should be more active in using classroom activities to help students recycle lexical items One of the most recommended activities is games For students, games are highly motivating, competitive, and fun All the above-mentioned reasons and factors have inspired the writer to conduct

the research titled: “Using language games to increase motivation in English speaking

class for grade-8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem boarding school”

1.2 Research aims

The English instructional games are also expected to improve the students’ speaking ability in exciting ways In general, the study is intended to find suitable English instructional games to teach speaking and to explain the students’ responses to the English

instructional games to teach speaking

The aim of this research is to investigate the use of language games to increase motivation in English speaking class for grade-8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem boarding school The research objectives consist of a) investigating the current situation of teaching English speaking to grade-8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School; (b) finding out the kinds of games that can be used to increase students’ speaking motivation; c) determining how the students’ motivation were improved after they were engaged in games in speaking classes

1.3 Research questions

To achieve the above aim, the research was expected to find the answers to the following research questions:

1) What is the current situation of teaching English speaking to grade-8 students

at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School?

2) How is student’ motivation improved after they are engaged in games in speaking classes?

1.4 Scope of the study

The study focuses specifically on using games in teaching speaking to the 40 grade-8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School in Vo Thai, Thai Nguyen The study limits itself to teaching and learning speaking only, and the participants of the study are 40 students from grade 8 studying the “English 8” textbook at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School

1.5 Method of the study

This is action research with the participants of the 40 grade-8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School in Vo Nhai, Thai Nguyen The purpose of this thesis is

to conduct action research to tackle the problems of their low motivation in learning vocabulary through the use of language games for duration of 3 lessons The whole process of the research was divided into five steps:

+ surveying

+ implementation

+ observing

+ reflecting on progress

The methods used were: Quantitative as well as qualitative research, classroom

observation, survey questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews

1.6 The significance of the study

The study has practical and significant implications for the use of language games

as an active teaching strategy with a learner-centered focus Each player must interact with one another and hold group discussions with one another in order to determine the game's outcome As a result, the player must utilize language to fill in the gaps and convey the information required to win the game This research not only helps the 40 grade-8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School in Vo Nhai, Thai Nguyen improve their interest and motivation in speaking and using English, but also helps teachers find different effective ways to teach speaking skill

The study also serves as a personal assessment of whether or not the essay paper will be an important source for future students' research project

1.7 Design of the thesis

This thesis consists of five parts:

Chapter 1: Introduction - presents the rationale for conducting the study a

longing with its aims, research questions, methods, significance, and design

Chapter 2: Literature Review - conceptualizes the framework of the study

including the key concepts A brief overview of the related studies is also provided

Chapter 3: Research methodology - presents the context and the methodology

used in this study including the objects, data collection instruments, data collection procedure, and analysis

Chapter 4: Results and Discussions - presents, gives a comprehensive analysis

of the data and discusses the findings of this study

Chapter 5: Conclusions – offers, implications, limitations, recommendations,

and reflection of the researcher

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter conceptualizes the framework of the study including the key concepts A

brief overview of the related studies is also provided

2.1 Speaking

2.1.1 Definition of speaking

Speaking, as Bygate (1987) defines, involves not only the use of the right sounds

in the patterns of rhythm and intonation, but also the choice of words and inflections in the

right order to convey the right meaning

Speaking, a productive skill, is known to have two main types of conversation, namely dialogue and monologue, which are rather different In a monologue, you give an uninterrupted oral presentation while in a dialogue you interact with one or more other

speakers for transactional and interaction purposes

It is noticeable from the two productive language skills that speaking is different from writing in both processing conditions and reciprocity conditions “First, spoken language is affected by the time limitations, and the associated problems of planning, memory, and production under pressure Second, it is reciprocal activity, which has crucial effect on the

kinds of decisions to be made” (Bygate, 1987: 11-12)

In addition, according to Hybel (2001:45), “speaking is any process in which people share information, ideas and feeling, it involves all of body language mannerism and style-

anything that adds meaning to a massage”

2.1.2 The importance of speaking

Speaking is the most crucial skill because it is required to carry on a conversation Speaking English requires speakers to have a thorough understanding of many key aspects, including pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension In order to communicate with others successfully and simply, English language learners should have sufficient knowledge of the language In the study of language use outside of the classroom, Rivers (1981) discovered that speaking is used twice as much as reading and writing combined Speaking and listening are two of a

learner's language tools, according to Brown (1994)

Speaking has been claimed to be of major importance for human interaction by Efrizal (2012 who stated that people speak every day and everywhere Speaking is the

spoken method of conveying thoughts and messages If we want to encourage students to

communicate in English, we should use it when we speak to one another

According to Richards and Rodgers (2001), speaking skills were neglected in classes using traditional teaching approaches since reading and writing abilities were prioritized Speaking is the most significant and crucial of the four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—that are essential for efficient communication, according to Ur (2000) Speaking is important outside of the classroom as well Therefore, language speakers have a greater opportunity of being employed by various businesses and organizations According to Baker and Westrup (2003), students who speak English very well stand a better chance of receiving a better education, getting a decent job, and moving

upwards in their careers

2.1.3 Teaching speaking

Byrne (1988) identified three stages for improving learners' oral competency:

Teachers are at the center of learning and teaching activities throughout the presentation phase As an information source, they are employed In this phase, students often observe and listen to the teacher, passively absorbing information At the end of this phrase, they are typically merely asked to role-play and dramatize a dialogue or discuss

what they need to learn from prose based on the prior replies

In contrast to the presentation phase, the practice phase requires students to speak the majority of the time since they are given the greatest practice opportunities through carefully monitored and supervised exercises that aim to increase their vocabulary, grammar proficiency, and speaking fluency At this phase, the students respond to the teacher's guided questions and engage in partner discussions to generate fresh insights into the subject Ur (1996) stated that the teacher should work on improving the learners' speaking fluency after the practice phrase The students must first pay full attention The target language also has to be heard loudly or repeatedly Thirdly, new information must be understood by the students, and finally, the material must be stored in the student's short-

term memory for use in the lesson

Learners are provided opportunities to speak English freely during the production phase, which is the final stage of speaking development In a real-world setting, students

use English independently rather than relying on the assistance of the teacher

Free activities can also take the shape of the group, pair, or individual work However, due to the fact that all students can participate in discussions and they appear more self-confident and motivated, pair work and group work are very significant and effective Additionally, this can save a lot of time If these three phrases are used in the correct order when teaching speaking, speaking skills will improve However, given the

time constraints, learner types, and available resources, they might not be used as intended 2.2 Motivation

2.2.1 Definitions of motivation

The process of initiating, leading, and sustaining purposeful behaviors is known

as motivation The act of being motivated is what drives us to act, whether it's getting a drink of water to satisfy our thirst or reading a book to learn more Motivation is a crucial component of human resource management since it motivates people to get involved obtain the greatest performance and support corporate objectives Strong positive motivation will boost an employee's productivity at work, while weak and negative motivation will weaken their performance

The biological, emotional, social, and cognitive motivational aspects that lead to behavior are related to motivation The word "motivation" is frequently used in common speech to refer to the reasons behind someone's actions The theory of motivation has so far been the subject of numerous studies Each author has a different way of defining motivation since they approach the topic from various perspectives However, motivation is typically described as an abstract idea used to explain a person's readiness to increase effort in order to achieve a certain objective Mastery of

a language may be a goal for language learners Numerous models of language learner motivation have been proposed in the fields of linguistics, sociolinguistics, and second language acquisition

A key affective factor in second language acquisition is motivation It has a positive relationship with second language success and precedence, i.e., high levels of motivation frequently result in high L2 achievement and proficiency While unmotivated students are more likely to cause disruptions in the classroom, motivated students are typically more involved in their studies However, it can be quite challenging to identify and quantify motivation Atkinson defined motivation as “a

cluster of factors” that “energize” the behavior and give it “direction” (quoted in Arnold, 2000:13) Therefore, from Atkinson's perspective, the term "motivation" refers

to the factors that spur on an individual's activity, energy, and direction While Dörnyei (2001:9) saw motivation as an aspect of one's thought processes, the author also described it as "the dynamically changing cumulative aroused in a person that initiates, directs, coordinates, amplifies, terminates and evaluates the cognitive and the motor processes whereby initial wishes and desires are selected, prioritized, operationalizes and acted out"

In his word, Ellis stated that “motivation involves the attitudes and effective states that influence the degree of effort that learners make to learn an L2” (Ellis,1997:75) Woolfolk (2001:366) also defined motivation as “an internal state that arouses, directs and maintains behavior” Similarly, Brown (2000: 160) indicated that

“motivation is some kind of internal drive which pushes someone to do things in order

to achieve something”

It is clear that different researchers approach the definition of motivation in various ways However, they all agree that motivation includes effort, desire, and favorability with the idea that it happens as a result of a mix of internal and external factors As a result, this study will adopt Gardner's (1982: 132–147) definition of motivation, which holds that it can be divided into three parts Included in them are affect, desire, and effort An effort is defined as the amount of time and motivation put into learning a language The learner's level of desire to master the language is shown

by their level of desire, and their emotional responses to language learning are shown

2.2.2 Types of motivation

The concepts of instrumental and integrative motivation were first articulated by Gardner and Lambert (1972) When it comes to language learning, instrumental motivation is the desire of the learner to acquire a language for practical reasons (such

as employment or travel, or exam purposes) The desire to learn a language in order to successfully integrate into the target language community is known as integrative motivation, on the other side

An individual who is motivated to learn through integration has a sincere desire

to engage with speakers of second languages To better connect with them and

understand their culture, he wants to learn their language in order to converse with them An individual who is motivated by instrumental factors is more concerned with how learning a second language might help them achieve other objectives, such as enhancing their ability to obtain a necessary credential or finding better employment

It can be seen that the two kinds of motivation do not exclude each other Most learners are motivated by a mixture of integrative and instrumental reasons In later research studies, Crook’s and Schmidt (1991), and Gardner and Tremblay (1994) explored four other motivational orientations: (a) reason for learning, (b) desire to attain the learning goal, (c) positive attitude toward the learning situation, and (d) effortful behavior Motivation can also be divided into “intrinsic” and “extrinsic” ones

in general learning theory (Arnold, 2000:14)

Intrinsic motivation is what learners bring to the learning environment that is

their internal attributes: attitudes, values, needs, and personality factors

Extrinsic motivation involves performing a behavior as a means to an end, that

is, it originates outside the individual and is concerned with external environmental factors that help shape Students’ behavior (Dornyei, 2001:27)

Extrinsic motivation comes from the learner’s desire to get an external reward or the cognition of the peers and parents, or the avoidance of punishment While intrinsic motivation comes from the learner’s internal factors because the learner regards second language learning as a means to acquire knowledge and satisfy his curiosity and interest Studies show that - learning, especially long-term learning, is mostly influenced by intrinsic motivation, though extrinsic motivation is also beneficial to learning”

2.2.2.1 Integrative and instrumental motivation

Integrative motivation

Integrative motivation occurs when the learner has “the desire to identify with and integrate into the target language culture” (Ur,P.1996:276) “Sharing the same point of view is Falk (1978) who states that students with integrative motivation are those who like the people that speak the target language, admire the culture and have a desire to become familiar with or even integrate into the society in which the target language is used When someone becomes a resident in a new community that uses the

target language in its social interactions, integrative motivation is a key component in assisting the learner to develop some levels of proficiency in the language It becomes

a necessity in order to operate socially in the community and become one of its members” It is also theorized that “integrate motivation typically underlines successful acquisition of a wide range of registers and native like pronunciation” (Finegan,1999:568) and an integrative orientation involves an interest in learning an L2 because of “a sincere and personal interest in the people and culture represented by the other language group” (Lambert 1974:98 - cited in Ellis,1997)

Integrative vs Instrumental motivation

While both integrative and instrumental motivation are essential elements of success, “it is integrative motivation which has been found to sustain long-term success when learning a second language (Ellis 1997) Those who do support an integrative approach to language study are usually more highly motivated and overall more successful in language learning

However, it has been found that generally students select instrumental reasons more frequently than integrative reasons for the study of language One area where instrumental motivation can prove to be successful is in the situation where the learner is provided with no opportunity to use the target language and therefore, no chance to

interact with members of the target group Lukmani (1972) found that an instrumental orientation was more important than an integrative orientation in non- westernized female learners of L2 English in Bombay” (cited in Ellis, 1997) Therefore, “a learner with instrumental motivation is more interested in how the language can be a useful instrument towards furthering other goals, such as gaining a necessary qualification or improving employment prospects” (Littlewood, W.1998:57)

2.2.2.2 Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation

Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic Intrinsic motivation, generally, refer to fact of doing an activity for itself, pleasure and satisfaction derived from participation (Deci and Ryan,1985) “Contrast to intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation pertains

to a wide variety of behaviors that are engaged in as a means to an end and not for their own sake (Deci and Ryan,1985) Schulz (1991:18) said that the concept of extrinsic motivation referred to the extent to which the learning environment (i.e the teacher, materials, curriculum, learning tasks etc.) contributed to or detracted from intrinsic motivation of the learner to acquire a language

Intrinsic motivation is processed by people having personal interest in doing something and helping to set their goals People are intrinsically motivated not because accomplishing the activity they do to bring a reward, but because doing the activity itself is a reward Some linguistics noted that a student with intrinsic motivation participated in his/her learning for its own shake, for the enjoyment it provided, the learning it permitted, or the feelings of accomplishment it evoked The feelings of competence and self - determination are significant factors of intrinsic motivation Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, derives from an anticipation of rewards such

as praise, awards, prizes, evaluation and fear for punishment An extrinsically motivated student does the activity in order to obtain some reward or avoid some punishment external to the activity itself, and this kind of motivation refers to learning situations where the reason for doing a task is something other than an interest in the task itself In addition, undertaking the task may be something the person feels pressured to do rather than genuinely wants to do Deci and Ryan state that learners will lose motivation and reason to do something when rewards are no longer available and that giving external rewards to them previously with intrinsic motivation can harm

the good effect of it However, some researchers show that extrinsic motivation is effective for those with no motivation, and when it is a positive feedback”

2.2.2.3 Regulative motivation

In some cases, motivation is the result of learning Hermann (1980) stated that

“it is success that contributes to motivation rather than vice-verbal” (cited in Ellis, 1997)

Ellis (1997) also concluded that “the relationship between motivation and achievement is an interactive one A high level of motivation does stimulate learning, but perceived success in achieving L2 goals can help to maintain existing motivation and even create new types Conversely, a vicious circle of low motivation = low achievement = low motivation can develop”

2.2.3 The role of motivation in foreign language learning

Many terms and expressions come to mind when we read or hear the word

"motivation," including goal, desire, will, effort, ambition, energy, persistence, achieve, inspire, and reward In actuality, motivation plays a significant role in both our daily personal and professional lives This is also true of learning and teaching English as a second or foreign language

Over the past three decades, research has repeatedly highlighted the crucial role that motivation plays in effective language acquisition Many academics believe that one of the key factors affecting proficiency in learning a second or foreign language is motivation It establishes the degree of active, personal involvement in learning a second or foreign language (Gardner &Lambert, 1972; Oxford & Shearin, 1994; Ushioda, 1996; Dornyei 2001)

Oxford and Shearing (1994) points out that motivation is important because it directly influences how often use L2 learning strategies, how much students interact with native speakers, how much input they receive in the language being learnt (the target language), how well they do on curriculum-related tests, how high their general presidency level becomes, and how long they preserve and maintain L2 skills after language study is over…”

Besides, Kanfer (1998) states that motivation is psychological mechanisms governing the direction, intensity, and persistence of actions not due solely to individual differences in ability to overwhelming environmental demands that coerce

of force action

This means that every human behavior is motivated When we consider how to

motivate slow learners to work harder, how to establish a welcoming learning environment, or how to recognize the hard-working students, we are dealing with motivation, which is an inner condition that energizes and guides people towards purposeful conduct Since motivation is key for learning a second or foreign language,

it is crucial to comprehend what drives our students Emotions are the basis of motivation, which are based on avoidance, unpleasant emotional experiences, and the

pursuit of positive emotions

2.2.4 Methods to enhance motivation in learning

Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are required for the processes of learning and teaching Shodiqin (2015) offered the following forms and strategies for increasing students' motivation during language-learning activities in the classroom:

Giving score: In this context, a score is a representation of the worth of learning

activities To achieve a high grade, many students work very hard Strong motivation among students is a positive indicator

Competition: It is possible to use competition to encourage students to work hard

in their studies Competition, whether it be between individuals or groups, can help students learn English more effectively

Giving test: If students know there will be a test tomorrow, they will study

diligently A test's administration requires strong motivation However, the teacher must keep in mind that students would get bored if tests are given frequently (every day) The teacher in this situation needs to be opened In other words, if a teacher wishes to administer a test, they must first provide the students with knowledge

Reward: Reward is classified into two categories, including:

Giving a praise: Giving praise is vital when a student succeeds and successfully

completes their assignment Praise-giving is a form of positive reinforcement

Punishment: Punishment is a form of negative reinforcement that, if used

properly by the teacher, can serve as a tool for motivating students

2.3 Language games

2.3.1 Concept of language games

The word "game" can be described in a variety of ways According to the Oxford Dictionary, a game is "an action or sport with rules in which individuals or teams play against each other."

Games are an essential component of a teacher's equipment, according to Harmer (1991:101), not just because they offer language practice but also because of the therapeutic impact they have Any time during a lesson, they can be used to offer a fun and challenging break from other in-class activities related to their English class

A game is an activity that has rules, a goal, and a fun element, according to Hadfield (1990:4) Gamers have more opportunities to express their thoughts in unique ways while adhering to the rules because to the enjoyment factor in gaming

Language games are believed to boost students' self-esteem, which helps them do better academically Due to the fact that they bring context-based meaning into the classroom, language games are crucial for vocabulary learning By engaging with words and letters, they may keep young minds active while also honing their communication abilities

Language games are exercises that students perform in pairs or groups that are used by teachers to motivate their involvement in vocabulary learning throughout each cycle Although its benefits were proposed and supported as early as the 1970s, the idea of incorporating games into instruction does not appear to be widely accepted or mandated Games are a crucial tool for making the classroom enjoyable They are especially helpful to novices since they provide a source of cognition that helps with both language understanding and sound and rhythm adaptation Byrne (1995) defined a game as a form of play that is governed by rules They may be enjoyable and soothing They provide more than just a diversion or pause from daily tasks Additionally, they enable the student to use the language while playing the game A game, according to El Shamy (2001:15), is a “competitive sport played according to rules within a given

context, in which players face a competition to reach a goal and win.” There are many

different components to language games, including rules, rivalry, relaxation, and, most significantly, learning To avoid difficulties, the rules must be straightforward, few, and well-explained They should be structured at a variety of levels and topics that are appropriate for the various student levels, for them to enjoy themselves and achieve the best results

2.3.2 Benefits of using language games

2.3.2.1 Language games - attractive learning environment

Lee (1979) said that language games can eliminate the boredom of the classroom, and instead create a happy learning environment that increases students' interest in learning, making them ready to attend class

Many language games require students to work in pairs, in groups, or require the participation of the whole class to work together to fulfill the requirements of the game, and to score as many points as possible the better In fact, most students love

to score At the same time, through these games, students have a natural motivation

to review what they have learned, as well as to receive new knowledge in an exciting way In addition, in order to win the game, or to solve a problem, each player must contribute his or her own understanding or opinion The teacher's job is to encourage all his students to really enjoy the game In the relaxed, relaxed atmosphere created

by the game, real acquisition takes place, and learners use the languages they have learned and practiced before

In summary, language games are beneficial for language learners It helps teachers know if their students understand more or less the ideas or problems they raise Besides, it saves teachers a lot of time for testing and assessment; meanwhile, feedback right after the teacher lectures is effective In addition, through their observations, teachers can recognize the strengths and weaknesses of students as well

as gaps that need to be supplemented in the process of absorbing their knowledge

2.3.2.2 Language games - active learner-centered teaching methods

Language games are an interactive, learner-centered education strategy Each player must interact with one another in order to complete the game's objective, which

entails group discussion to determine the result Because of this, the player must utilize language to fill in the gaps and convey the information required to win the game

To finish the game and win, students will need to brainstorm and come up with solutions In order to share their viewpoint or provide information to another team, they must speak or write This indicates that games provide students a chance to interact with one another, and even reserved, insecure students are drawn to this kind

of engagement In addition, teachers no longer play the role of controlling and dominating all classroom activities, specifically what students have to present In the language game, they only act as guides, organizers, game controllers, and information providers According to Rixon (1981), teachers should be there as information providers about vocabulary, and new structures encountered, or as suggesters, helping players better understand something by other explanations that are easier to understand

In short, using games is a way to create a learner-centered classroom environment, giving students more opportunities to be proactive and autonomous so that they can master themselves in communication activities

2.3.2.3 Language games - increase learning motivation for learners

Games are a great way to motivate students to study and are frequently seen as the first step in drawing their attention to the context of foreign language instruction It's also regarded as a way to maintain order in the classroom According to Kamra (2010), utilizing games to teach English in the classroom is an effective strategy You achieve the finest classroom outcomes by using this approach The motivation of the students is raised Playing games helps young learners develop positive social attitudes and life skills Playing games teaches cooperation, sharing, and teamwork Some emotions, including the joy of winning and the dread of losing, may surface while playing games This provides the teacher with insight into the character of the student That is the reason why games are a must-have activity for hardworking teachers This

is in line with Buckingham (2003)

The competitiveness between players and teams in most games serves as a strong learning motivator and entices players to take part The majority of students become interested in and involved in gaming for the most significant reason, which is also this

Few students can actually concentrate on learning when they are spending hours practicing their language skills However, relatively few students actually benefit from this method of instruction One of the best methods to give students comfortable and pleasurable classroom hours so they can stay motivated to learn is to use games in the classroom Additionally, students will be urged to select friends to play with when they have the chance to participate in games in class This fosters a welcoming learning environment and motivates people to assist one another Better students in the group gave the less fortunate students support so they may grow in confidence and learn to speak out with confidence All of the class's students thus experience greater interest and motivation to engage in the game, and learning motivation is a crucial element in the process of knowledge acquisition It largely determines whether they succeed or fail Success and learning motivation are intertwined; if students learn something, they will be more eager to put that knowledge to use by completing the actions required by the learning process According to Byrne (1995), learning motivation makes student learning worthwhile and efficient

2.3.3 Main types of language games

Communicative Language Teaching Games are grouped into the following categories, which are made up of both linguistic and communicative types: This game

is designed to give students an opportunity to communicate in a real communicative context They must work together to achieve a specific goal of the game through the use of language Therefore, through communicative games, students are adapted to real-world communication contexts Here are some games to practice communication (Thuy, 2019:6):

Information- Gap Games: Big clock Games (practice telling the time), Bandits

and Sheriffs (describe classroom objects), Casanova's Diary (Practice asking and telling about past and future events), Family Portrait (practice describing someone)…

Guessing Games: Actions by One Person (practice retelling a sequence of events

using the past continuous), Guess the Jobs (talk about careers using the present simple), Hiding and Finding (practice asking questions) , and make suggestions)…

Matching Games: Computer Dating (practice asking and talking about hobbies),

Flat Mates (Questions and answers about habits), Home, Sweet Home (Describe a house or apartment), My Home Town (Describe a place) place)…

Role- Play Games: Animal Noise (Ask for direction), Fashion Shows (Describe

people and clothes), The Lost Property Office (Practice making suggestions, requests and apologies) …

Fajariyah (2009) in Improving Students’ Speaking Proficiency Using Games (A Classroom Action Research on the Eight Grade Students of SMP N 2 Baki Sukoharjo

in 2008/2009 Academic Year) studied how games improved the students’ speaking proficiency The research also identified the situation of implementing in the speaking class Based on the findings, students’ speaking abilities improved in terms of orally responding to the teacher’s questions, selecting grammar and vocabulary in their expressions, making correct sentences using suitable grammar and vocabulary, and the way they express their ideas Besides, the atmosphere of the classroom was improved

as the students became more active in taking part in the activities, discussing their difficulties with their teachers, and communicating with friends Moreover, their learning motivation was greatly enhanced

Trang and Hien (2018) carried out the research to find out the relationship between using language games and developing students’ English-speaking skills as well as the way to use language games for this purpose effectively The research claimed that language games have a powerful impact on developing students’ speaking skills by creating an alive learning environment The study results also indicated that language games can enhance students’ motivation

In summary, all of the reviewed previous studies confirmed the benefits of using

language games in improving students’ motivation to learn speaking skills However, the researcher would like to investigate deeply the use of language games in the setting

of a secondary school with students at different English levels in a class

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the context and the methodology used in this study including the objects, data collection instruments, data collection procedure, and analysis

3.1 Data collection

3.1.1 The data collection instrument

a Questionnaires

Questionnaires were chosen because they were allowed to collect a large amount

of data in a relatively short time

The questionnaires included pre-task questionnaires and post-task questionnaires with closed and open-ended questions used for students of grade 8 The data from the survey questionnaires were analyzed based on this target population

The prequestionnaire includes fourteen questions It was expected to collect information on how the students think of the necessity of English in the school course, how they like English, the most difficult skill, the importance of speaking, the speaking topics and activities introduced in “English 8” textbook, the willingness to speak in speaking classes, what teachers should do to encourage students to speak and get them more involved in speaking activities, the reason for using language games in speaking classes, the willingness to join language games in speaking lessons, the teacher’s talking time, the teacher’s behaviour when students make mistakes in speaking, what the teacher usually does to encourage students to practice speaking, and how group work and pair work help students in speaking

The postquestionnaire consisted of nine questions The postquestionnaire aimed

to collect students’ opinions on whether they like language games given by your teacher during speaking lessons, what they do while playing games, how they feel after playing games, their willingness to speak during speaking lessons, whether the use of language games to motivate students to speak effectively, the benefits of language games to your speaking skill, the reasons why the use of language games in speaking classes is ineffective (if any), what the teacher did to make the use of language games

in speaking classes more effective, the stage(s) students think the teacher should exploit language games, and how often students want to play language games

For students’ convenience, all of the questions were translated into Vietnamese It was estimated that students took no more than fifteen minutes to complete each of the questionnaires

b Interview

Because of being performed orally, a semi-structured interview type is preferred

in this study The first reason to select the semi-structured interview type is that it could enable the researcher to collect more detailed information compared to the structured interviews, as they consist of investigations in order to collect further exploratory information concerning the questions The other reason for employing semi-structured interviews is the in-depth understanding of the interviewees’ perceptions, attitudes, and feelings Interviews were used because of the need to see factors that could not be observed directly such as students’ attitudes, perceptions, and opinions (Mackey & Gass, 2005)

In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students to reveal their views about using language games in speaking lessons Bearing this aim in mind, the researcher developed the interview questions After finishing all of the related activities to the game, the interviews were conducted with five participants To help interviewees stay confident, they were informed that all of their information would be used for research purposes only

To get as many detailed answers as possible, the interviews were conducted in the Vietnamese language The researcher then transcribed and translated it into English

c Observation

The observation aimed to find out information on students’ involvement in the lesson The Variables consisted of Physical Environment, Materials, Language games, and Students’ behavior There are certain indicators for each variable and for each indicator, the observer, also the researcher, made descriptions, comments, and summaries for each week

3.1.2 Procedures and methods of data collection

The methods used were quantitative as well as qualitative research

Before the intervention, the researcher had forty participants complete the prequestionnaire survey After analyzing the input information, the researcher adapted

speaking activities given in the textbook by supplementing them with a variety of language games for 12 weeks

During the intervention, the researcher carried out observation every week to assess how using games can motivate students in speaking lessons

After three months, the post-task survey questionnaire was distributed to the participants to find out the effectiveness of the use of language games in speaking classes In addition, five selected students participated in the semi-structure interview

to collect in-depth information

3.2 Research design

The aim of this research is to investigate the use of language games to increase motivation in English speaking class for grade-8 students at Nguyen Binh Khiem boarding school This is action research with the participants of the 40 grade-8 students

at Nguyen Binh Khiem Boarding School in Vo Nhai, Thai Nguyen The whole process

of the research was divided into four steps (Kemmis and McTaggart, 1988:11-14): + planning

is specified that each person on the team can only answer questions once so that many

people can participate

3.2.3 Scoring and healthy competition

As a competitive game, a scoring section is indispensable However, the scoring method can be changed to make the game more interesting For example, the score for two pairs can be represented as two ladders and you two are climbing those two ladders It is also possible to draw a picture of two ladders, the team that scores points will go up a step, and the team that loses points will go down Another way is to show the score of each team or group with simple drawings of animals , fruit I always try to make sure that all students have a chance to succeed in scoring so no one gets upset Students love to see their progress along the way, so I usually save my scores the students to compare with the next time

3.2.4 Game Instructions

Students need to know well how the game is played or they will be lost in the first place Instructions can be written on the board or modeled by a good student so that everyone in the class knows what they need Instructions should be well-prepared, concise, clear, and easy to understand Students also need to know the game What is the purpose of play being done? Without understanding the reason, many students will

think the activity is not important and give up or participate enthusiastically

3.2.5 Participation of learners

Not all students easily participate in the game right away There are students in the class who are shy or slow to progress So how can they also volunteer to participate? Sometimes teachers give them a few minutes of silence to prepare - also called thinking time In addition, the teacher can also give some suggestions on the

board in advance, or ask a student to pretty born management game

3.2.6 Playtime

Since the duration of a lesson is only 45 minutes, the warm-up game should also

be done within suitable time The games implemented in this topic usually take place

in 5-10 minutes at the beginning of the speaking period of the class per unit

3.3 Materials

The main material used was the English 8 Other materials consist of English 8

online practices, Handouts, PowerPoint slides, and audio tapes

Example unit 7: Describing and comparing

Guessing game: What is it?

a It is rectangular

b It is made of plastic

c It is eight centimeters long and five centimeters in width

Answer: Telephone card

3.4.3 Noughts and Crosses (Unit 5: New development)

The teacher prepares 9 cards, the outer side has an index from 1 to 9 and the inside has pictures showing human activities, the teacher sticks the cards on the board and outlines the following:

The teacher divides the class into 2 teams; Noughts and crosses Each team chooses the numbers on the card and makes sentences using the words on the cards For each correct sentence, the teacher marks the symbol of that team in the selected box The team that scores 3 (x) or 3 (o) forming a straight line wins the game

3.4.4 Interview (interview form)

(Unit 1: your company)