Trang 1 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES NGUYEN THI NGOC ANH USING TASK- BASED LEARNING TO IMPROVE ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS'''' ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
English is a world language that is spoken everywhere As the English language has grown increasingly important in improving trade, travel, and education in many nations, the value of acquiring and using it in communication and study is growing Because the bulk of documents are written in English, we are unable to access this treasure of information due to a language barrier
Vietnamese individuals must always be able to converse effectively in English because of its importance as an international language As can be seen, the education department recognizes the importance of English in the future of Vietnam As a result, English has been taught for more than 20 years in all national schools However, there are several exceptions
In Vietnam, English is not widely spoken, especially in professional or international settings As a result, unlike other Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, Vietnamese people do not have perfect environment in which to study or use English Although elementary school students are required to learn English, their ability to utilize English as a Vietnamese is not highly appreciated in Vietnamese education Although grammatical patterns are clearly significant to Vietnamese pupils, the vast majority of them have not spoken or communicated in English since elementary school Many studies show that Vietnamese students are more interested with exam scores than with utilizing English in general, and that they are taught grammar rather than speaking
The researcher would carry out the research at an Upper Secondary school that is located in Thai Nguyen province, a mountainous province of Vietnam, set up in 1961 English is one of the compulsory subjects in the national curriculum at this Upper Secondary school Through the researcher’s observation in the English speaking classes at this upper secondary school, there are some problems in the
2 teaching and learning processes related to the researcher’s and students’ activities in the classroom that are explained as the following
The first problem is that the English teacher applied the conventional method in teaching such as grammar translation, audio-lingual and direct method in which she habitually directly asks them to create or memorize the conversations without giving enough time to practice in pairs or in groups and join speaking activities Moreover, Students also lack English speaking environment, and they do not have frequent opportunities to speak English so their speaking’ ability is not good enough Forty-five minutes in a speaking lesson is so short that the students had few opportunities to speak as well as to complete all speaking activities required in the textbook Consequently, there are a few students who had good ability in speaking Furthermore, due to the limited chances to speak English in their real-life situation that lead students to lack confident to speak Most of the students only listen and say nothing Last but not least, despite the importance of this skill, the teaching and learning programs in schools focus on reading, writing, and grammar at the expense of listening and speaking Even the most important university exam doesn't test speaking skills As a result, learners would pay more attention to reading as well as writing and disregard the speaking skill
Teachers should give students the chance to practice and design lessons on their own with the support of the teacher in order to create a positive environment in which students can enhance their speaking skills It may assist them in developing and expanding their abilities, as well as motivating them to learn English
From the reasons mentioned above, the researcher has decided to do M.A research on “using task- based learning to improve eleventh grade students' English speaking skills at a high school in Thai Nguyen province” The researcher hopes that this study can give a small suggestion for English teachers at high school
Theoretical and practical foundation
The research would conduct in an high school in Thai Nguyen province, a
3 mountainous province of Vietnam, which was established in 1987 At this high school, English is one of the mandatory topics in the national curriculum According to the researcher's observations in the English speaking courses at this upper secondary school, there are certain issues with the teaching and learning processes that are related to the researcher's and students' actions in the classroom
Teachers should allow students to practice and plan courses on their own with the teacher's help in order to create a good environment in which students can improve their speaking abilities It might help them grow and expand their skills while also motivating them to study English
We opted to perform an M.A research on " Using task- based learning to improve eleventh grade students' English speaking skills at a high school in Thai Nguyen province: An action research" for the reasons stated above "This is an action research project." We believe that this study may provide some guidance to English teachers in upper secondary schools
1.3 Aim and objectives of the study
In this study, we would like to examine the effectiveness of using task- based learning to improve the eleventh grade students' English speaking skills
The research was designed to achieve the following goals in order to achieve the desired goal: a, Uncovering the effectiveness of using TBL activities on the students’ speaking skills at an upper secondary school b) Exploring the 11 th grade students' opinions towards learning speaking skills through TBL activities.
Research questions
The research was intended to answer the following questions as follows:
1 What effects do Task-Based Learning activities have on the students’ speaking skills?
2 What are the students' opinions on using Task-Based Learning activities to learn speaking skills?
Object and scope of the study
The research would concentrate on using Task-Based Learning to teach speaking in high schools, specifically to 11th grade students at a high school, where the students would be exposed to a Task-Based Language Teaching Approach in their English classes
To begin, the study would be designed with the intention of increasing students' speaking abilities and altering their minds by encouraging them to communicate with one another through task-based learning Second, during the academic year 2021-2022, the researcher was in charge of teaching English to students in grades eleven who did not speak English well As a result, this study would be an action research project that focuse on task-based teaching and learning as a means of improving English speaking performance for students in grades 11 at the high School The study carried out in three weeks and participants of this study are
42 students from class 11 at a high school.
Organization of the study
The study consists of five main chapters A brief summary of the content of each chapter is described as follows:
Chapter 1 – Introduction: Give a summary of why you choose this thesis, as well as the scope and goals of the study, as well as the research questions and significance of the study
Chapter 2 – Literature Review: This chapter discusses Task-Based Learning in the context of teaching English as a second language It examines the Task-Based Learning approach as it relates to the theory, the characteristics, and cognitive development of young learners, as well as teaching English in secondary school At the same time, the researcher compiled a list of studies on task-based learning in
5 language education from both other countries and Vietnam
Chapter 3 - Methodology: This chapter focus on the research design, participants, data collecting instruments and the procedure of conducting Task-Based Learning for the study The detailed results of the surveys and a critical comprehensive analysis on the data collected are presented
Chapter 4- Findings and Discussion: The part gives the data analysis from the Action Research results to make the foundation for giving the suggestion in Chapter
Chapter 5 – Conclusion: summarizes the study, suggestions some typical activities and practical tips for high teacher to improve 11 th grade students’ English speaking and examples for illustration, limitations of the study and suggestions for the study in further
LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview of TBL
A task, according to Breen (1987), is an organized plan that provides possibilities for the development of knowledge and capacities associated with a new language
According to Prabhu (1987), a task is an activity that demands learners to arrive at a result from provided knowledge through some kind of thought process, and that allows teachers to control and govern that process
Nunan (1989) points out that a communicative task is a piece of classroom work in which students grasp, manipulate, produce, or engage in the target language while their attention is primarily focus on meaning rather than form Furthermore, the task should have a sense of completion, allowing it to function as a standalone communication act
Wouldis (1996) defines that “a task is an activity where the target language is used by the leaner for a communicative purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome”
Skehan (1998) states that a task is an activity in which meaning is paramount, there is a communicative problem to address, there is a link to real-world activities, task completion is prioritized, and task evaluation is done in terms of outcome
"Tasks," according to Ellis (2003), are activities that are largely focused on meaning, as opposed to exercises that are mostly focused on form
In summary, there are many different methods to describe a task, and there has yet to be perfect consensus among scholars Tasks are defined in this study by Wouldis (1996) as "activities where the target language is used by the learner for a
7 communicative purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome" (p.23) This definition encompasses all components of task specification and was appropriate for the teaching environment
TBL is an educational approach that focuses on having students practice and apply their knowledge in a practical and meaningful manner It is designed to help learners hone their skills in a particular area or discipline and become proficient in using them This type of learning is often used in language classrooms, but can be used in any subject area
In TBL, learners are presented with a task or project that they must complete in order to learn the material The task may involve researching a topic, writing a report, or solving a problem This type of learning encourages students to think critically and develop their skills in problem solving and creativity
In addition to helping students learn the material, TBL can also be used to encourage collaboration and communication By working together on a project, students learn to work together as a team and develop their interpersonal skills They also learn to communicate their ideas effectively, which can be beneficial in their future careers
TBL can be a very effective way to teach students and help them acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed It encourages them to take ownership of their learning experience and be actively involved in their own education It also allows the teacher to assess their progress and identify areas where they need
According to Prabhu (1987), TBL is defined a task as an activity which requires learners to arrive at an outcome from given information through some process of though, and which allows teachers to control and regulate that process
TBL is an approach to second language situations that gives an option for language teachers and students In a Task-Based lesson, the teacher does not decide
8 which language would be studied ahead of time; instead, the session is built around the completion of a primary Task, and the language studied is chosen by what happens when students complete it According to Wouldis (1996), there are three basic stages: Pre-task, Task cycles, Language Focus
Because they mix meaning and form in communication tasks, these stages are thought to be effective Nunan (2004), on the other hand, based his theory on three macro functions: ideational or referential function, interpersonal function, and textual function Nunan's technique allows students to practice their grammar structure while concentrating on grammar and form Task-Based Learning can be divided into six stages, according to Nunan (2004): Schema building, Controlled practice embedded in a context, Authentic receptive skills work, A focus on form, A free practice, The communicative task
Information gap, reasoning gap, and opinion gap are three primary sorts of tasks, according to N S Prabhu
Task that entail the transmission of information from one person to another, from one form to another, or from one location to another are known as information gap activities Two students, for example, may have conflicting schedules, yet they want to get together for tea They must exchange pertinent information in order to identify when they are both available, as well as when their availability times coincide with the opening hours of a tea house This type of activity allows students to request information, ask for clarification, and negotiate both meaning and suitable task conclusions, especially when there are misconceptions
Task in which you ask your pupils to deduce some information from what you provide them are known as reasoning gap activities They must comprehend and transfer information, just like they would in an information gap exercise, but the information they must convey is not the same as the information they comprehend
They must select what information to transmit and what solution to build for the problem at hand using logic and reason You might, for example, challenge your pupils to choose between speed and cost or cost and quality in a given situation with a variety of limitations
Students are asked to express their own personal preferences, thoughts, or views about a problem in opinion gap activities On a higher level, you could invite them to participate in a debate or discussion regarding a political or social issue On a more basic level, you may ask them to finish a story There is no right or wrong response in these types of exercises, thus there is no objective way to measure outcomes other than whether or not what the students do or say is relevant to the work at hand You might ask them to speak or write for a given length of time (words or time) and use specific constructions Otherwise, rather than being objective, judgement is subjective
Teaching speaking skills for high school
Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing, receiving and processing information (Brown, 1994; Burns & Joyce,
1997) This indicates that the speaker employs acquired language to convey a message to others through speaking Because persons who know a language are commonly referred to as speakers of the language, speaking appears to be the most significant of the four macro skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) (Ur,
1996) People can freely and spontaneously convey their views, ideas, and thoughts by speech Speaking is a way for people to interact and communicate with one another Furthermore, the ability to communicate in a language that is not one's native tongue is viewed as a predictor of success or failure in that language (Manurung) In speaking a foreign language one can know that he/she is successful in that language Despite the importance of speaking as one of the four macro abilities listed above, learning or mastering this skill in a second language remains difficult It is commonly regarded as one of the most challenging components of language learning (Brown &Yule, 1983) Many language learners, in reality, find it challenging to express themselves in the target language As a result, the researcher is interested in assisting English as a foreign language students in improving such an important yet challenging skill
2.2.2 The role of speaking skills in language teaching and learning
Speaking is one of the four skills that learners are most interested in when learning a language It is one of the most commonly used talents, and foreign teachers and students must pay close attention to it
According to H D Brown (1994) and Burns and Joyce, speaking is an interaction process of creation that includes producing, receiving, and digesting information (1997) Speaking is vital in communicating between speakers and listeners because it allows speakers to communicate their views and helps listeners
14 understand what they are saying As a result, effective communication considers voice to be an essential component
In summary, speaking is an interaction in which the speaker uses proper vocabulary and structure at the appropriate time to help the listener understand what they want to communicate (the content and goal of speech) The speaker should be given the opportunity to enhance his or her ability to speak English accurately and eloquently over time
Language learners believe speaking ability to be the most significant skill Learners usually evaluate their progress in a language by their ability to converse in English Nonetheless, this is one of the most underappreciated skills in language learning The majority of students are unable to communicate in or out of class In addition, most language courses do not require students to speak as part of the exam Because many experts agree that the greatest way to learn a foreign language is to connect with others, teachers should provide opportunities for pupils to communicate in English while learning the lesson in class Classroom activities should be planned to increase oral fluency since many language learners wish to be able to communicate fluently in both formal and informal circumstances However, in terms of speaking ability is a complex process in and of itself; many students are frightened to speak in front of a group in the classroom or outside owing to various social or psychological reasons, therefore they remain mute As a result, language teachers must employ natural strategies to fight shyness and reluctance to speaking English, such as role plays, group work, activities, and others As a result, a language teacher's primary role is to encourage pupils to use English not only in the classroom but also in their everyday contacts with classmates, teachers, and, if possible, native English speakers The goal of this research is to look into how teachers influence the development of students' speaking abilities As a result, Task-Based Learning can help students become more engaged in the classroom while learning English They can also improve their speaking abilities and gain confidence when communicating in English
2.2.3 Different viewpoints of teaching speaking skills
Flohr and Paesler (2010, p.10) claim that "Speaking is the most significant skill in learning a foreign language The goal of learning a foreign language is to become a fluent speaker, and the focus is on communication activities and expressive talents."
Despite the fact that speaking skill is a crucial element of the language acquisition process, it was obvious that students in Vietnam did not place a high value on it While we focus entirely on grammar in order to pass the exam, we forget the importance of speaking abilities By utilizing minimal responses, detecting scripts, and using language to talk about language, teachers can help children increase their speaking confidence They can also use language to help themselves improve their understanding and confidence in the language These techniques can help students improve their English skills
2.2.4 The implementation of TBL in speaking lesson
The task-based teaching approach is one of many modern ESL teaching methods and focuses on setting a goal for students — this could be a report, a video, or a presentation - and then following three main steps to achieve that goal
The teacher introduces the work to the pupils and motivates them to complete it during this stage, which can take up an entire lesson if necessary After everyone has been involved, the teacher should explain what the task entails
A teacher's example or a former student's work might be used to support spoken explanations If necessary, the teacher might provide additional instructions as well as suggestions on how to approach the assignment
This is the most important step of task-based learning, in which students begin working on the activity in groups or pairs This step is conducted in the target
16 language to make students feel compelled to utilize the language they are learning to complete the assignment
In most cases, the teacher did not participate in the work process Instead, he or she would keep an eye on the students and provide guidance if they truly require assistance
• The review (or post-task)
The review stage, also known as the post-task, begins once the pupils have completed the work and have something to share
It's a good idea to let students grade one other's work and just have an instructor review the task's most common faults Comments, feedback discussions, or a checklist with additional space for free input could all be used for peer correction
The review stage allows students to reflect on and examine their work in order to enhance their skills in the future.
Previous studies
In recent years, there has been a lot of research and discussion about diverse perspectives on TBLT Undeniably, has a number of advantages, including boosting speaking skills, promoting learner "autonomy," increasing motivation, being effective in oral tasks, and changing teachers' perceptions In terms of researching the effects of TBL on speaking learning, the findings from those earlier studies are relevant and valuable to the current investigation
Comparing task-based learning approach to other traditional approaches of teaching English, research has shown that the former has more advantages over the latter In this connection, Tanasarnsanee (2002) compared teaching Japanese language using the 3Ps and task-based learning approaches The result indicated that learners who learned Japanese language through task-based learning demonstrated a higher competence in Japanese language for communication than
17 those who studied using the 3Ps approach These findings are consistent with Wouldis’s (1998) that task-based learning supports learners in using language for communication more effectively than the 3Ps approach
Similarly, Lochana and Deb (2006) backed up Tanasarnsanee (2002) and Wouldis (2002) findings (1998) As demonstrated in their research effort with a group of second language learners at a school in Bangalore, India, task-based learning outperforms traditional teaching techniques
The project was founded on constructivism's assumptions Even with current limits, classroom education can be given a communicative emphasis, allowing learners to express themselves creatively through language With a stronger emphasis on the learning process, teaching may be made more learner-centered Any text can be transformed into a variety of chores and activities As a result, task- based learning helps learners improve their language skills
Nam (2015), a case study looked into the impacts of TBL as well as teachers' attitudes toward it in a Vietnamese upper secondary school Six instructors who were implementing task-based curriculum in an upper secondary school participated in this study, and the data collection devices were class observation documents Teachers were aware of the relevance of using task-based activities curricula for the success of their classroom practices, according to the study's findings It was discovered that instructors had favorable attitudes regarding TBL, and this study established the importance of TBL in teacher cognition
Pongsawang (2012) looked at the impact of task-based learning on the speaking abilities of Prathom Suksa 5 pupils at Klongbanprao School in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand The participants were 40 Prathom Suksa 5 students who were randomly chosen from a convenience sample Three Task-Based Lesson Plans, Students' Behavior Forms, English Speaking Rating Scale, and Students' Perception Questionnaires were among the instruments used For the dependent,
18 mean scores, standard deviation scores, and t-test scores were used to assess the data from the speaking exams The results of the speaking observation and open- ended questionnaires were qualitatively described The findings of this study revealed that students' English speaking skill increased significantly after learning English speaking using task-based learning, with a statistical significance at 05 level, than before encountering the instructional method based on doing tasks
Thanghun (2012), like the previous researcher, used task-based learning to improve the English speaking skill of 6 Prathom Suksa students at Piboonprachasan School Simple random sampling was used to pick 30 students for this investigation Five lesson plans were employed to collect data, as well as a pre- post speaking test For dependent samples, the data were statistically examined using the mean, standard deviation, and t-test This study took a total of twenty hours to complete The results showed that after the experiment, 6 Prathom Suksa pupils studying through task-based instruction had considerably higher English speaking ability than before at the.05 level
As we can see from the research above, in teaching English for communication, task-based learning is an important strategy Several studies have looked into students' overall attitudes on their autonomy and motivation for TBL, but nothing has been written regarding how they feel about teachers organizing learning activities Although some researchers employed a pretest and a posttest in their studies, an interaction test was not used to assess the students' improvement
Furthermore, no research has been conducted to date at this Upper Secondary School to investigate the effects of TBL on students' speaking competence, despite the fact that TBL can be a viable approach for improving students' speaking ability
In conclusion, previous studies' findings and debates have provided strong support for using TBL and for the solution to the problem chosen in this study Nonetheless, as previously stated, there are certain flaws in these investigations To
19 fill in these gaps, the researcher decided to conduct an action research study to see how TBL affects students' speaking abilities and attitudes toward classroom task- based activities Hopefully, this research would help to promote TBLT in English education at this Upper Secondary School and across Vietnam, enabling for better teaching and learning of English speaking
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
3.1.1 Rationale for doing action research
Using Task-Based Learning activities, this research would use action research to help treat the learners' speaking issues This is because action research has recently acquired popularity in ELT Over time, traditional teacher preparation that does not emphasize student-centered classrooms begin to lose its use, and there is a sense that something is lacking To put it another way, in the past, teacher education did not value action-based learning, and education was unfortunately conducted outside of the classroom by researchers
After the lessons, the students would be given a survey to gauge their feelings about the Task-Based Learning technique
To answer the two research topics, the researchers used both qualitative and quantitative approaches in this action research Survey questionnaires, observations, and tests are used to collect data In addition, the researcher assessed the students' speaking ability using the speaking band descriptors (Published Version and the frame of Harris'oral English rating scale)
Kurt Lewin (1946) is widely regarded as the inventor of action research In
1944, he invented the term "activity research." His model is a planning, acting, observing, and reflecting action-reflection cycle
Figure 3.1 Kurt Lewin’s action research model design
Kemmis and Mc Taggart designed model using spiral system start from plan, action, observation, reflection and it consists of 2 cycles
Figure 3.2 Kemmis and Mc Taggart classroom action research model design
The action research process, according to Nunan (1992), included seven steps, as shown in the steps below: Identification of the problem, preliminary
22 investigation, hypotheses, interventionnd evaluation are all steps in the process Dissemination and follow-up are two important aspects of the project
MacIsaac (1995) developed a simple model of the cyclical nature of most action research processes (Figure 3) The model is divided into two cycles, each with four steps: plan, action, observation, and reflection
In this study, the researcher adopted MacIsaac (1995)’s model and conducted the research within four steps: Plan, Action, Observe, and Reflect since the procedures in his model make conducting the research easier and more convenient for the teacher-researcher Furthermore, it could accurately reflect the actions made during the research If the research questions were dealt with, I would stop at the cycle 1 I would continue with cycle 2 If I didn’t solved the research question
Step 1: Plan (To collect preliminary data that identifies the most pressing issues and to devise a strategy for dealing with them.) (from the first to the fifth week): The traditional technique of instruction is used in the second speaking lessons After that, the researcher utilizes a pretest to assess the students' speaking abilities The students were given a pre-questionnaire to investigate their difficulties in learning to talk
Step 2: Action (to gather information on the action plan's impact) (weeks 6 and 19):
Writing a lesson plan and getting ready to implement it (week 6)
The speaking lesson plans for five units (unit 11, unit 12, unit 13, unit 15, unit 16) from English 11 textbooks were designed focusing on information-gap activities
Table 3.1 A schedule of applying tasks in speaking lessons
Units Name of unit Functions
Talking about advantages and disadvantages of energy sources
Asking for and giving information about the Asian Games
Unit 13 Hobbies Talking about a hobby and collections
Unit 15 Space conquest Talkig about historical events in the space conquest
The wonders of the world
Distinguishing and using facts and opinions to talk about features of man-made places
Five speaking lessons of the newly designed lesson plan which implemented TBL were taught
To pique students' interest in the topic of the speaking classes, the researcher used non-task preparation activities such as brainstorming, mind maps, and visuals in the pre-task phase, with the goal of activating students' content schemata and giving background knowledge
In unit 11, teacher asked students to express their belief on the increasing use of alternative sources in the future, using their ideas Teacher calls some of the students to present their ideas
In unit 12, teacher asked students to work in pairs to answer some questions about the Asian Games, using the information from the table below “1 When and where were the first Asian Games held? 2 How many countries took part in the Games?; How many sport were there at the Games?” and then teacher asks students to list the volunteer activities as much as possible in three minutes
In unit 13, teacher asked student to talk about their hobbies
In unit 15, teacher asked students to work in group of three or four to talk about the important events in space exploration and then call out some groups to express their point of view
In unit 16, teacher showed some pictures, asked students to look at them and match them with appropriate phrases Then teacher asks some questions relating to the topic of the lesson
In summary, the teacher introduced and defined the speaking subjects and assisted the students in learning certain key topic-related terms and phrases through the non-task preparation activities employed in the pre-speaking task, causing the students to become more eager and interested in the lesson These activities also assisted the trainees in overcoming their cognitive and language challenges
Throughout the task cycle stage, students are needed to communicate in the target language and negotiate meaning in order to achieve the work's aim The focus throughout this stage is on meaning rather than language, and it "serves as an opportunity for children to gain fluency in communication rather than language accuracy" (Zhang, 2008, p.53)
The teacher assigned numerous assignments and instructed the students to work with a partner or in groups to complete the speaking activities At the same time, the teacher was eager to assist pupils as needed Furthermore, time constraints on a project would be adequately structured so that students are aware of them After completing the work, the students were given time to create as well as prepare their assignment report With the help of their friends and the teacher, the students strove to arrange and improve their language Finally, the students presented their results to the class and debated their points of view As a consequence of this practice, students were able to use language in a natural way to express meaning Throughout the task cycle stage, students are needed to communicate in the target language and negotiate meaning in order to achieve the work's aim The emphasis throughout this stage is on meaning rather than language, and it "serves as
25 an opportunity for children to gain communication fluency rather than language accuracy."
In unit 11, students were first taught words and phrases related to the topic Then asked students to read news articles about the benefits and harms of energy sources Then completed the table with notes from each program, and then compared and contrasted that information with your classmates Next, students worked in groups, using their imaginations to make a story about energy sources Then call on representatives of different groups to present to the class
In unit 12, the teacher provided students with words and phrases related to the topic Then the teacher asked students to observe the pictures in the textbook and name the activities in the pictures Students gave their opinion whether these activities are useful to the community or not Next, asking students to work with a partner to observe some of the Olympic development activities and combined them with why they are important Participants continued to work with a partner to discuss why the activities in activity 1 are important for community development Students might have different points of view The teacher asked students to prepare ideas to illustrate their Olympic activities and asks them to come up with different ideas, provided that they illustrate their understanding appropriately Next, students were encouraged to discuss to make decisions about the three most important things to do to prepare for the Olympics and to explain why A presenter was selected from each group to present the group's decisions to the whole class Other students in the class could ask the presenter questions for further explanation The teacher asked the class to vote for the group with the best presentation
In unit 13, the teacher first taught the students words and phrases related to the topics in advance Then they practiced a dialogue (in the textbook) about unique inventions
Participants
The researcher of this study was also the teacher, intervener The researcher wanted to find a way to help the students to learn English, particularly learn speaking skill more effectively
The participants of this research were 42 students from a class 11 at a high school in the academic school year of 2021 – 2022 They were in their second year at the high School To those students, English was a compulsory subject at school Besides, such students had been learning English since they were in grade 3; however, their ability to speak English was not good enough The researcher applied tasked - based learning for class 11
The researcher hoped that after participating in this study, students could find a way to improve their speaking skill, which can help them a lot in the oral English test, their further studies as well as their life in the future.
Data collection instruments
In this section, the researcher refered to the description of research, research methods were chosen, and instruments and data collection procedures
This study would employ both qualitative and quantitative research approaches This was a common method for improving evaluations by balancing the strengths of one type of data with the limitations of another Quantitative research aimed to collect numerical data and generalize it across populations (Muijs, 2010)
A qualitative method, on the other hand, uses descriptive data rather than statistical procedures Action research would carry out to investigate a specific teaching situation or practice when the teacher in charge wants to find a solution to that situation or practice
This action research would conduct in an attempt to find out answers to the improvement of students' speaking skills It would conduct by the teacher- researcher with the students in a whole class
Questionnaires for students and teachers were used as one of the key tools for data collection in the scope of this study since they reduce time and effort for both researchers and participants In pre-questionnaires, it aided the researcher in determining the student's problem, and in post-questionnaires, it aided the researcher in determining the students' attitudes toward the use of TBL
Survey questions were chosen because they enable the collection of a large amount of data in a short period of time During the first week of the study, 42 students were given the pre-action questionnaire The survey's goal was to learn about students' opinions toward speaking ability, as well as their self-evaluation of their performance and the challenges they encountered When the results of the questionnaire were combined with the results of the pre-action assessment, the researcher might be able to identify potential issues with the students' speaking ability
The post-action questionnaire was administered after the intervention period was completed This was done to see how students reacted to new speaking styles The questionnaire was divided into two sections: the first was used to assess students' attitudes toward new methods, and the second was used to demonstrate your assessment of the benefits of TBLT
The utilization of pre-test and post-test at this upper secondary school is one of the key instruments used in the research to collect data on students' English speaking proficiency A pre- and post-test approach is used to examine the students' English speaking competence before and after the action
The pre-test and post-test are both conducted using the same framework and at the same level The tests, which are separated into three parts, are designed by the researcher Students respond to three personal questions about their names, hobbies, lifestyle, personality, and future expectations in the first section In the second,
30 students are given photos and are asked to describe the pictures as well as answer three questions about them Finally, pupils respond to the questions
The researcher enlisted the help of two English instructors who would serve as examiners
Finally, the researcher could assess the improvement of students' speaking abilities before and after the intervention by conducting tests They could also help the researcher answer inquiries regarding how the pupils' speaking skills are improving
In terms of the study observation approach, two colleague-teachers act as the observer, recording everything that occurs during the teaching learning process The collaborator observed the teacher's activities and the students' engagement in the first five speaking lessons in which the researcher used task-based learning The collaborator used the designed criteria and checklists, which provide a list of distinct parts of a course, to observe, analyze, and assess The teacher would then be able to see how TBL activities were carried out and how future speaking classes could be improved
The observation sheet had eight items on it, each item is scored on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) The observer used a total score of eight items to determine the pupils' levels of motivation; the maximum score was 40.
Data collection procedures
Table 3.2: Schedules of the data collection procedures
Phases of the action Research
To collect preliminary data that
31 identifies the most pressing issues and to devise a strategy for dealing with them week 3 - week 8
(using task based) - Observation collect information on the impact of the action plan week 9- week 10
To collect information on the impact of the action plan
To analyze the changes and describe the main findings by comparing the data before and after the treatment
The test's mean scores and standard deviations would be calculated and compared, and the statistical differences between the results would be confirmed using a paired sample t-test To discover whether the students did better in the post- test after using TBL, the pre-test and post-test mean scores were compared, and a paired sample t-test was employed to see whether there were any significant differences in the results
A percentage count was calculated for the statements in the questionnaires Agree and strongly agree are combined into a category to show the percentage of agreement to the statements for ease of comparison The percentage of participants who rate 1 or 2 to the statements were calculated and added up to represent the percentage of participants who disagree with the statements, while the percentage of participants who rate 4 or 5 to represent the percentage of participants who agree with the statements is calculated and added up to represent the percentage of
32 participants who agreed with the statements The percentage of individuals who score 3 were determined, and those who score 3 were consider to have no ideas of the statements.
Data analysis
The analysis would conduct using the data acquired from the questionnaires, and tests While assessing, the researcher should keep his subjective opinions out of the research results and judgment The material gathered, categorized, and analyzed came from the students' test result and, questionnaires To gain information about the students' growth in speaking, pre-test and post-test data are collected and analyzed using the classification of the score before and after therapy
These data sources showed the students' reactions to the Task-Based Approach as well as their progress in the speaking class
All forms of data would be analyzed to match the study's needs The researcher would use both qualitative and quantitative approaches to study the data, which come in the form of questionnaires, and student speaking ratings The quantitative data, which include the students' outcomes on the speaking pre-test, speaking post-test, and questionnaire, is analyzed using excel The observation's qualitative data were evaluated using a method base on O'Connor and Gibson's analytical phases (2003)
The results of the tests were analyzed with the Microsoft Excel program In terms of descriptive statistics and pair sample T-test statistics, the treatment group's analytical results are shown below
Calculating mean scores to check if there are any significant variations between the pretest and posttests was one of the stages in the data analysis process
Tables are used to present the facts in a straightforward and understandable manner The researcher uses the following score interval to evaluate the papers from the three examinations in her study
The following is the formula for calculating percentages:
Percentage (%) = (Obtained Value/Maximum Value)*100%
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Chapter 4 summarizes the research's findings and discusses the most important findings.The data from the results of the pretest and post test is shown there were improvements in the speaking performance of the students before and after the intervention The questionnaire results showed that students' motivation and self-confidence increased after the intervention The observations revealed that students were more woulding to take part in class activities and could speak more fluently and clearly
The research also found that there were some challenges in the implementation of the intervention The students had difficulty understanding the instructions, lacked confidence in their speaking abilities, and had difficulty expressing their ideas
The overall results of the research showed that the intervention was effective in improving the speaking performance of the students The findings suggest that a more structured approach to teaching speaking is necessary in order to promote speaking fluency, accuracy, and confidence The study also provides insights into the challenges faced in the implementation of the intervention and indicates that further research is needed to identify effective strategies for teaching speaking
4.1 Results of the pre-test and post-test
As stated in section 3.4 above, the pretest and posttest were used before and after the intervention to determine how TBL affected students' speaking ability The following subsections include computer-generated pre-test and post-test data analyses and descriptions
4.1.1 Results of the pre-test
Table 4.1: Frequency of the pre-test scores
Figure 4.1: Results of the pre-test scores
The chart displayed the outcome of a pre-test conducted before to therapy In total, 38,1% of participants received poor grades, making up the largest percentage overall, while no student received an excellent grade Evidently, 30,9% of students received average scores, or nearly one third of the class Very poor grades came in
36 second, accounting for 16.7% of the total Last but not least, there were 14,3% of pupils who earned high marks The data from the pretest results generally demonstrates that the students' speaking ability was below the expected level
The results of the pre-test provide important insight into the success of the treatment If the treatment was successful, the post-test should show an improvement in the results In particular, there should be an increase in the number of students who score good and excellent marks, while the number of students who score average, bad and very bad marks should decrease
4.1.2 Results of the post-test
Table 4.2: Frequency of the post-test scores
The bar chart showed the post-test scores of the students’ speaking ability after the treatment Overall, the number of students got average scores made up the highest proportion with 42.9% whereas no participant obtained very poor marks The number of participants achieved good marks which accounted for 30.9%, while poor scores accounting for 21.4% Lastly, only one student who got excellent score with 4.8%
Figure 4.2: Results of the post-test scores
4.1.3 Comparison of the pre-test and post-test
A comparison of the participants' scores from the pretest and posttest was shown that the treatment was effective in improving the pupils' language proficiency In speaking sessions, 54.8% of pupils typically received below-average grades prior to the use of TBL However, following the intervention, the percentage of kids who received these kinds of scores dropped quite significantly by 21.4% Additionally, from 30.9% to 42.9% more participants received average scores Additionally, the data in the graph shows how many students received good and exceptional marks on the post-test they took The gathered information also demonstrated that the scores dramatically increased following the therapy In other words, compared to the results of the pre-test, the students' speaking skills significantly increased during the post-test
Figure 4.3: Comparison of the pre-test and post-test scores
The table of test results showed how much higher the pupils' scores were after the intervention The participant's maximum benefit was 2.5, while the student received the lowest gain of 0.5
The data gathered shows that after seven speaking classes using TBL, the post-test scores improved as compared to the pre-test results This showed that TBL was successful in enhancing speaking ability because the results of the post- test were higher than those of the pretest
The results also showed that the students improved significantly in terms of fluency, pronunciation, and grammar Furthermore, the results indicated that the students' attitudes towards the TBL method were positive and that they experienced more enjoyment in the speaking post-test
Overall, the results of the tests demonstrate that the use of the TBL method helped to improve the students' speaking performance Therefore, the researcher can conclude that the TBL method was effective in this case
In order to respond to the first and second research questions, a quantitative analysis of the student survey responses was carried out 42 students from a high school received questionnaires, which they all filled out and returned
The purpose of the pre-questionnaire was to investigate students’ opinions about learning to speak English before the treatment The pre-questionnaire consisted of 15 statements
Table 4.4: The opinions of the students towards learning to speak English (N = 42)
(%)for those who agree/ strongly agree
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree
The table above compared the percentages of students who responded to each of the ten questions in term of learning to speak English In statements 1 and 2, the researcher was interested in knowing how interested the students were in learning and using English In general, the majority of students answered that they interested in learning English, making up 57.1% while there were 8 students who strongly disagreed and disagreed with these points The number of responders who gave neutral idea account for 23.8% A half of students showed their would ingness to speaking in English speaking lessons The, item 3 is related to ability of students’ speaking The statistics gathered indicated that just 11.9% of students had good speaking abilities Students have to improve their speaking skills as a result Item 4 displayed pupils' interactions with foreigners while speaking English Only 15 students, or 35.7% of the class, indicated that they were enthusiastic about participating in these speaking exercises The participation of pupils in class speaking exercises is addressed in item 5 A total of 19.0% of respondents actively and enthusiastically engaged in speaking activities It was evident that students learned these speaking exercises weren't suitable for them Therefore, it was
42 necessary to plan and implement more engaging activities in the classroom in order to improve students' speaking skills
The remaining 5 items are about the problems that students encountered when learning English speaking lessons In general, the majority of students had difficulties in speaking English Item 6 is about the students’ worry about the lack of listening skill when speaking English More than half of responders, with 64.3%, showed that they lacked of listening skill so they felt worry when speaking Item 7 is about the students’ worry about the lack of vocabulary when speaking English The data from the table above revealed that 57.1% of the participants did not have good vocabulary so that they spoke English well Item 8 concerned students' bad pronunciation According to the statistics in the table above, 64.3% of the participants did not have adequate pronunciation, hence they spoke English hesitantly and unconfidently Item 9 and 10 discuss the pupils' difficulty speaking English due to a lack of grammar and prior knowledge of the relevant areas According to responses to items 9 and 10, 59.5% and 64.3% of participants, respectively, did not have sufficient grammar and background knowledge of the topic, causing pupils to be anxious when speaking English
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION
The findings were summarized in this chapter along with their implications, restrictions, and suggestions for further study
This small study examined whether TBL was effective in improving the speaking skills of 11th graders at a high school Additionally, it learned what the students thought of TBL's use in speaking courses Two questions were addressed by the researcher in this study:
1 What effects do Task-Based Learning activities have on the students’ speaking skills?
2 What are the students' opinion on using Task-Based Learning activities to learn speaking skills?
The results of the tests, questionnaires, and observations revealed that task- based learning had increased the learner's speaking skills, answering the study's initial question First, compared to the pre-test results, the post-test results revealed a considerable improvement in the students' speaking ability Second, after studying five lessons and putting them into practice through task-based activities, the students' speaking criteria, including grammatical vocabulary, discourse management, pronunciation, and interactive communication, were greatly enhanced Thirdly, task-based activities improved students' attention, relaxation, motivation, and self-assurance when speaking English, according to the questionnaire results The research's findings suggest that task-based learning may significantly help pupils improve their speaking abilities
In order to respond to the second research question, according to the results of the post-surveys, the majority of students expressed satisfaction with the task- based instruction employed in speaking sessions First off, it is apparent from the post-test findings that the majority of the students found the teacher's task-based
50 exercise planning to be interesting and effective in boosting their speaking skills The teacher's clear instructions, her highlighting of beneficial words, phrases, and languages, her encouragement, coaching, and feedback, as well as the students' pair and group discussions, have all contributed to the students' speaking skill improvement In addition, many students appreciated the usage of TBL since it provided them with more chances to participate in pair or group conversations with their teacher, according to the results of the post-questionnaires Their communication abilities would be improved, and speaking English would ignite their interest and motivation The results of the pre- and post-questionnaires also demonstrated that TBL offered students many benefits because it is communication- based Tasks encouraged students to actively engage in English speaking activities while also assisting in language acquisition Last but not least, students said they felt more motivated, at ease, confident, and engaged in participating in task-based English speaking activities According to the students, the exercises were interesting, practical, and allowed pupils the chance to work in pairs or groups to effectively use newly taught vocabulary and language
The adoption of TBL at a high school was successful, according to the study's findings, and can improve pupils' speaking skills The results were in line with the literature review and validated earlier studies on the application of TBL It might be stated that the results of the current study aided the researcher in coming up with answers to the problems the students encountered during the teaching process Therefore, further study on TBL needed to be conducted with more people, on a larger scale, and under more conditions
5.2 Implications for the teachers and students
First and foremost, it is advised that teachers develop more tasks and carefully construct lesson plans to promote student interaction in the classroom Based on this, teachers should consider how to teach new language items The
51 questions and the activities should be chosen carefully They would assign them to their learners to help them elicit the new vocabulary from the subject, and how to clearly explain to the students what they are hoped to perform at each stage of the assignment
Secondly, teachers should add certain speaking exercises that let students communicate with others to ready-designed activities to make them more pertinent The teachers should give the students a various engaging speaking assignments that have an impact on their learning and attitudes about the lessons
Lastly, it is important to create a classroom atmosphere that encourages students to be comfortable speaking in front of their peers Teachers should provide a space for the students to practice speaking in a relaxed atmosphere Additionally, teachers should provide instruction on how to correctly and effectively communicate in the language
The implications for students who have used task-based learning include the following:
1 Increased motivation: Task-based learning promotes student engagement and active participation in the learning process By providing meaningful and relevant tasks, students are more motivated to learn and apply what they have learned to real-life situations
2 Improved language proficiency: Task-based learning helps students improve their language proficiency by focusing on communication and language use in context Through the use of tasks, students have the opportunity to practice and apply language skills in meaningful and authentic situations
3 Enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Task-based learning requires students to think critically and problem-solve as they complete
52 tasks This helps students develop these essential skills and transfer them to other areas of their lives
4 Increased confidence: Task-based learning provides students with opportunities to practice and apply language skills in a supportive and low- risk environment This can help students build confidence and develop a positive attitude towards learning
5 Better preparation for real-life situations: Task-based learning helps students develop the skills they need to communicate effectively in real-life situations By providing opportunities to practice and apply language skills in authentic contexts, students are better prepared for future academic, personal, and professional situations
Despite the study's shortcomings, it was hoped that it would give future research on TBL in the teaching of English speaking some guidance The results of the study had shown that TBL is a promising approach for improving English speaking skills, particularly when it is used in conjunction with other teaching methods It had also highlighted the importance of providing adequate scaffolding and guidance for learners in order to facilitate their success Future research should focus on investigating the effects of TBL on other aspects of language learning, such as grammar, writing, and reading Additionally, further research could investigate the potential of TBL in addressing the needs of specific learners, such as those with learning disabilities or those from disadvantaged backgrounds
Despite the fact that the study had some implications for all researchers, it nevertheless had serious problems:
Time and cost: Implementing TBL in the classroom can be time-consuming and expensive, particularly if technology is involved This could be a limiting factor for some schools and teachers
Teacher training: Teachers need to be adequately trained in order to use TBL effectively They also need to be familiar with the technology that is used in the classroom, if any
Student motivation: TBL relies heavily on student motivation and engagement If the students are not motivated to participate, then the effectiveness of the method is reduced