Khóa luận tốt nghiệp: The effects of group work activities on motivating first-year English language students in speaking lesson at Hanoi Law University

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI LAW UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI THANH TU 443044 THE EFFECTS OF GROUP WORK ACTIVITIES ON MOTIVATING FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS IN SPEAKING

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HANOI LAW UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI THANH TU

443044

THE EFFECTS OF GROUP WORK ACTIVITIES

ON MOTIVATING FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS IN SPEAKING LESSONS

AT HANOI LAW UNIVERSITY

GRADUATION PAPER

Hanoi-2023

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HANOI LAW UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI THANH TU

443044

ũ

THE EFFECTS OF GROUP WORK ACTIVITIES

ON MOTIVATING FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS IN SPEAKING LESSONS

AT HANOI LAW UNIVERSITY

Major: English Language

SUPERVISOR PHAM THI THANH HOA, MA

Hanoi-2023

I hereby state that I: Nguyen Thi Thanh Tu- 443044, being a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of bachelor’s Graduation Paper deposited in the library

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in the library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of the paper

Pham Thi Thanh Hoa April , 2023

In the process of doing the graduation paper, I have received a lot of help, assistance, guidance, encouragement and contributions from my teachers, family, and friends

My great gratitude goes to my supervisor Pham Thi Thanh Hoa (M.A) for her enthusiastic guidance, very helpful ideas and instructions for the preparation and her corrections during the completion of this graduation paper

It would be a mistake if I did not mention the first-year English majors at Hanoi Law University who took part in my survey questionnaire enthusiastically and my interview Thanks to their participation, I had a data survey, and analysis and gave the appropriate solutions

Finally, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to my family and friends who always encourage and inspire me to complete this graduation paper

Hanoi, April 2023 Student Nguyen Thi Thanh Tu

Motivation is an influential inner drive that compels individuals to accomplish whatever they must do, especially in the process of learning to speak English, which requires a lot of practice and effort To learn speaking skills effectively, support tools are indispensable and one of them is group work activities Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of group work activities on motivating first-year English language students in speaking lessons at Hanoi Law University The participants of this study are 75 first-year English language students

at Hanoi Law University Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews The results of the study are highly valuable for both students and their learning process It was found that group activities have both positive and negative effects on student motivation, but the positive impacts were more prevalent than the negative

ones

Table 1: Summary of the questionnaire

Table 2: Descriptive statistics for positive effects of group work on students'motivation

Table 3: Descriptive statistics for negative effects of group work on students'motivation

17

vi

CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ch q6 tia 22

3.1.1 Student's attitude towards using group work in the speaking class 22 3.1.2 Effects of Group Work on student’s motivation in speaking lessons 24

3.2.1 Current situations and students’ belief about group work 27 3.2.2 The effect of group work activities on motivating students in

APPENDIX I QUESTIONNAIRES 572555 ccccerece xlix APPENDIX IH INTERVIEW QUESTIONS lv APPENDIX II INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS lvi

1 Rationale for the study

In this current era of globalization, English has become a pervasive language

of communication, both domestically and internationally It has become the medium

of intercultural communication, taking the leading role in world business, science, popular culture, mass media, etc (Mohammed, 2020) Moreover, English not only promotes financial growth but also provides a means of communication among people of different cultural backgrounds and creates a new community where people may join and share their cultures and beliefs with a broader audience (Johnson, 2009, p 138)

As a result, teaching and studying English is necessary for communicative purposes to meet the demands of global economics, particularly in acquiring speaking abilities Teachers should give their students as many opportunities as possible to practice speaking in the target language so that they can engage with others in a variety of linguistic and social situations using such language subsystems appropriately and spontaneously This is comprehensible in the sense that for many pupils the prime goal of learning a foreign language is to be able to speak it

Bygate (1987) claimed that speaking is the most crucial of the four language abilities since it is one of the reflexive skills that help learners use foreign languages

to express opinions, thoughts, and feelings to listeners Moreover, it can highlight the mistakes and accuracy that a language learner makes (Khamkhien, 2010)

Therefore, numerous students who are learning English desire to study and frequently practice enhancing their speaking abilities, which will aid them in their future studies and employment However, Vietnamese students in general, and English language students at Hanoi Law University in particular, still face multiple difficulties while studying speaking skills Especially for first-year English language learners, who have just entered the university will undoubtedly face significant challenges in adapting to the university's pedagogical culture Many

college (Simpson & Frost, 1993) For a lot of them, this is their first time away from home, where they have the authority to make their own decisions Additionally, they may have to overcome numerous limitations in time management and completing tasks, as well as dealing with other people's expectations (Brooker, 2017) This can be even tougher when they are removed from their family, friends, and the people they are used to being around (Buote et al., 2007) According to Magembe (2018), first-year students regularly experience considerable challenges

in adjusting to a new environment and handling the workload

When faced with such a predicament, students may experience feelings of apathy and difficulty being motivated How do freshmen overcome those obstacles? The researcher thought that the students needed to be motivated enough in their lessons According to Ellis (2008), numerous factors influence students' success in learning foreign languages such as age, attitude, aptitude and intelligence, cognitive style, motivation, and personality, of which motivation of the learners is the key to creating individual differences in effective language learning Motivation assists learners in improving self-discipline and interest in learning Without motivation, learners may lack enthusiasm in their studies, so they cannot learn efficiently There are numerous techniques to increase student motivation, of which group work is an effective method Numerous researchers are studying using group-work activities to improve speaking capability during speaking classes However, the different activities or techniques are appropriate for participants from other regions Thus, the researcher wants to examine whether the approach of instructing Speaking English through using the utilization of group work has a beneficial influence on the motivation of First-year English language students at Hanoi Law University

Therefore, all the afore-mentioned reasons encourage the author to conduct a research paper entitled “The effects of group work activities on motivating first- year English language students in speaking lessons at Hanoi Law University”

recognize the influence of group work activities on first-year English major students’ motivation in speaking classes at Hanoi Law University The other is to determine the student's attitude towards utilizing this method in the speaking class

Accordingly, this study will address the following research questions:

1 What are the effects of group work activities on first-year English major students’ motivation in speaking class?

2 What is the student's attitude towards using group work in the speaking class?

3 Scope of the study

In respect of the scope of this paper, the study focuses on examining how group-work techniques influence first-year English language learners! motivation in speaking lessons at HLU Participants in this research were 75 English language learners, including 36 males and 39 females The data was collected through interviews and questionnaires The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with the students who took part in group work in speaking lessons

4 Significance of the study

This study was carried out with the expectation that its findings will provide readers with informative information Although it was conducted on a small scale, the researcher hopes that once completed, the study, to some extent, can help first- year English language students at Hanoi Law University can utilize all the advantages of group activities to invigorate the enthusiasm for learning and raise the quality of English-speaking classes Investigating how group work activities influence student motivation could guide learners in making effective learning styles to improve their speaking abilities This would facilitate teachers to plan group activities that are suitable for each group of students, which could enhance the quality of lessons, increase student involvement in the subject, and strengthen

maximize student participation Lastly, this research also provides a reliable source for researchers who are interested in this topic

5 Method of study

To achieve the objectives stated, the author used both qualitative and quantitative methods The qualitative data collected for the study comes from semi- structured interviews The quantitative data comes from a questionnaire

6 Organization of the study

INTRODUCTION: Introduction includes the rationale, aims, scope, significance, and method of the study

DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 1: Literature review presents literature related to the study including the theoretical background of speaking such as definitions of speaking skill, teaching speaking in a classroom The theoretical background of group-work elaborates the definition of group-work, the advantages, and disadvantages of group-work The theoretical background of motivation and the last part of the literature review is review of previous works

Chapter 2: Methodology shows the procedure for carrying on the research such as semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and methods of data analysis

Chapter 3: The results of the study report the main findings obtained from the data collection and discuss the prominent aspects

Chapter 4: Recommendations

CONCLUSION: Conclusion is the summary of the whole study The limitations

CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

1.1 Theoretical background of speaking

1.1.1 Definitions

There are numerous definitions of the term "speaking" proposed by language learning researchers In Webster New World Dictionary, speaking is to say words orally, to communicate by talking, to make a speech According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (P 1479), “Speak” means “to talk to somebody about something; to have a conversation with somebody” Nunan (2006) argued that speaking is “the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of contexts” It is created through the collaborative activities of the contribution, assumptions, expectations, and interpretations from participants in each regular situation (Situjuh, 2011) Consistent with this view, is Nunan’s description of what teaching speaking involves According to him, teaching speaking means to teach language learners to:

* Produce English speech sounds and sound patterns

* Use word and sentence stress, intonation patterns, and the rhythm of the second language

* Select appropriate words and sentences according to the proper social setting, audience, situation, and subject matter

* Organize their thoughts in a meaningful and logical sequence

* Use language as a means of expressing values and judgments

* Use the language quickly and confidently with few unnatural pauses, which is

process of constructing meaning that involves producing and obtaining, and processing information (Burns and Joyce, 1997) It implies that when people speak, they interact and use language to convey their ideas, feelings, and thoughts They also communicate with others and share their expertise with them Similarly, Bygate (1987) also claimed that speaking skill is the ability to use oral language to explore ideas, intentions, thoughts, and emotions with other people to make the message clearly conveyed and well understood by the hearer Furthermore, according to Fulcher (2003), speaking is the use of language to interact with others It means that there is more than one individual in this activity, each of whom has a specific purpose or set of intentions Participants in this activity are both hearers and speakers and they need to react to what they hear quickly

In the context of language teaching and learning, speaking refers to students repeating sentences or dialogues or chanting English words (Baker & Westrup, 2003) Speaking in a classroom involves the interaction between teachers and students or among the students which depends on how classroom activities are organized (Brown, 2004) Speaking skills play an essential role in language learning because it represents students' communicative ability and the skill to express ideas orally in a subject area (Abidin, 2015) Therefore, speaking is one of the skills that students must master when studying English According to Richard (2008; 19), when we speak, we are usually getting something done, exploring ideas, figuring out some parts of the world, or simply being together If the students can converse

in English fluently, they will be able to explore their ideas more easily Speaking English well also enables students to gain access to current information in areas such as science, technology, and health, among others

In short, the researcher considers speaking as the interaction between two or more people in expressing their ideas in particular contexts It is also the ability to produce language to communicate one's ideas, feelings, and thoughts to others It

the speaker's previous experiences, physical setting, and the purpose of the speech

1.1.2 Teaching speaking in a classroom

Some experts have opinions about the meaning of teaching speaking According to the Oxford Dictionary, teaching is an activity to give a lesson to somebody Teaching speaking is also considered the practice of skill activities and how we can manage the atmosphere of teaching activities conductively The students need more examples and practice applied in the classroom Therefore, they can accept the lesson or instruction nicely Hayriye Kayi (2019) also defined teaching speaking as teaching the English language to produce English speech sounds and sounds pattern People will use words, sentences stress, intonation patterns, and the rhythm of the second language, and then choose the appropriate words and sentences to organize their thoughts in a meaningful and logical sequence Teaching English is not only the ability to use the language quickly and fluently but also a means of statements values, and judgments The main goal in teaching the productive skill of speaking will be oral fluency: the ability to express oneself intelligibly accurately, and without undue hesitation (otherwise communication may break down because the listener loses interest or gets impatient) (Byrne, 1984) Fluency and accuracy are essential aspects that need to

be developed in classroom interaction because learning to speak entails learners’ engagement in communicative situations so that they will activate their speaking capacity As a result, the development of oral skills requires students to make active use of the language that is correct in its grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation

Now, many linguistics and teachers agree that students learn to speak in a second language by "interacting" According to Brown (2014), speaking in a classroom involves the interaction between teachers and students or among the

students which depends on how classroom activities are organized Therefore,

instructors should organize activities that encourage student participation and establish a classroom environment in which students can have real-life

language According to O'Malley and Pierce (1996), various types of speaking activities are appropriate at varying levels of proficiency As a result, teachers should provide sufficient practice in the classroom at all levels so that students can express themselves in circumstances where they can utilize spontaneous language

By using appropriate activities in speaking lessons, students will have the opportunity of communicating with each other in the target language That may activate the students’ interest to communicate their ideas in the oral form naturally They will enjoy their communication process created without much interference from the teacher Negotiation and management of interaction in their speaking activities will automatically occur well (Susanto,2012)

Ur (1996) suggests activities for speaking in the classroom as follows:

a Use group work

b Base the activity on easy language

c Make a careful choice of topic and task to stimulate interest

d Give some instructions or training in discussion skills

e Keep students speaking the target language

In this study, the researcher utilized group-work activities with the intent of increasing motivation among learners; accordingly, they can build confidence and interest in speaking and improve their speaking skills Pairwork and group work activities can be used to increase the amount of time that learners get to speak in the target language during lessons Besides, topics were chosen carefully to stimulate learners’ interest and motivate a great deal of discussion among group members To accomplish these goals, chosen topics should not be too difficult for them because

1.2.1 Definitions

Working in a group is considered an excellent method or a suitable environment for learners to study English Group work activities have a variety of definitions which are mentioned below by the researcher According to Jennifer Morris (2016), group work is a student-centered way of teaching that emphasizes collaboration, cooperation, and teamwork When working in a group, students can

do some tasks by themselves without any teachers’ help Similarly, Johnson (2012) also described group work, in a language class, as a cooperative activity, during which students share aims and responsibilities to complete a task assigned by the teacher The authors mean that in group work, the students feel more confident and independent when collaborating with their friends They can complete both easy and difficult tasks without any teachers’ support All the group members have chances for greater independence as they take some of their own learning decisions without the teacher controlling every move They gain skills in negotiating and listening to opposing viewpoints They engage in the activity more equally, and they frequently feel comfortable trying new things and using the language In addition, Bennett (2015) also described group work as a way of learning in which two or more students work together towards a common goal Students work in teams to construct knowledge and accomplish tasks through collaborative interaction (Rance-Roney, 2010) The members brainstorm, share information, discuss, interact, and learn from each other (Hassanien, 2006) Students of different levels form small groups and work together towards a specific objective They take responsibility for their learning and for those in the group so the success of one member is the success of all members (Badache, 2011)

If in conventional teaching, the only interaction between teachers and students is promoted, group work encourages multiple interactions including interactions between students and interactions between teachers and students Moreover, unlike the teacher-fronted classroom where learners just receive systematic instruction in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation of the language,

students can work together to produce language through speaking and given appropriate materials to work with or problems to solve, they can engage in the creative language use and develop communicative competence in the English language (Meng, 2009)

According to Davis (1993), there are three general types of groups work informal learning groups, formal learning groups, and study teams Informal learning groups are temporary clustering of students within a single class session Informal learning groups can be initiated by asking students to turn to their neighbors and spending two minutes discussing the question that the teacher has posed The teacher can also form a group of three to five to solve the problem Informal groups can be formed at any time in a class of any size to check on students’ understanding of the material, to allow students to apply what they are learning, or to provide a change of pace Formal learning groups are teams established to complete a specific task, such as performing a lab experiment, writing

a report, or carrying out a project This group may carry out their work in a single class session or over several weeks Typically, students work together until the task

is finished and their project is graded Study teams are long-term groups (usually existing over a semester) with stable membership whose primary responsibility is to provide members with support, encouragement, and assistance in completing course requirements and assignments Study teams serve a broader purpose They can last the entire semester or several semesters

To sum up, working in a group is one of the most useful methods for students to learn, especially in the self-study process, it provides a lot of benefits including the development of their knowledge and skills Group work is also a useful tool to increase the quality of lessons, and students' participation in lessons and improve the learning spirit that motivates students to learn effectively

Group work in language learning is a powerful educational approach principally because it is hugely beneficial to students when used effectively Numerous researchers have found that group work strategies have several advantages that have an impact on students' academic performance, skills, and behavior (Linda Martine, 2006)

Firstly, group work possesses an enormously beneficial impact on students’ speaking skills According to Nair and Alwee (2012), group projects allow students

to interact and communicate freely with their peers, giving them numerous chances

to practice and strengthen their oral language skills In speaking lessons, students participate and communicate with one another to discuss the subject or issue in small groups without the teacher frequently interjecting By participating in group projects, all students can work together and get the opportunity to express their ideas, feelings, and thoughts Additionally, working in groups enabled students to benefit from and impart knowledge to one another, and save time on preparation (Pardede, 2020) Learners can discuss their learning challenges and even suggest useful tips to learn English as well as other subjects effectively (Eva Hammar Chiriac, 2004) They can support each other in vocabulary, and grammatical structure as well as how to express sentences, and words and especially can correct each other's mistakes From group work, students can combine diverse perspectives, thereby developing communication and teamwork skills (Johnson and Johnson, 2009) Student interactions are therefore encouraged and fostered in group work, allowing all students to develop and exercise their social skills

Moreover, cooperative group learning promotes student engagement and academic performance (Kuh et al., 2007) (Berge, 1990) showed that students who had studied in a small cooperative group were more likely to receive higher achievement than students who had studied in large groups Regardless of the subject matter, students who work in small groups learn more and retain it longer than when the same material is presented in other instructional formats In addition, students who work in collaborative groups appear to be more satisfied with their

on a given task to produce an outcome that they all agree upon (Chiriac & Frykedal, 2011) This allows all types of learners, including English language learners, the opportunity to be in an environment where they can work together to discuss their ideas and share and listen to their peers’ thinking processes

Additionally, working in pairs or groups is considered one of the important factors to improve learners' behavior Group work creates harmony between the group members regardless of the difference in type or class because everyone works together Work brings them together and drives them to achieve their goals (Zaitoun, 1995) Working in groups also facilitates effective group communication, accepting others' views without being intrusive, aiding those who request it, and staying away from selfishness (Mohammad AI Balushi, 2004) Besides, pairs and group work also help learners feel safe and stimulate learners' emotions (Yu, 2010) Chang (2010) expressed that class groups impacted learners’ motivation, and they felt relaxed with their motivated classmates When working in pairs or groups, students find it less embarrassing, more confident, and not afraid of making mistakes, comments, or mocking (Diu, 2019) Therefore, it is clear that to maximize the opportunities to learn in your classroom, student teachers should not just learn

on their own, but engage in collaborative learning and support one another

1.2.3 Disadvantages of group work in speaking lessons

Working in groups, on the other hand, has various disadvantages If these challenges are left unresolved, they can prevent effective learning and result in poor-quality products, unequal distribution of workload, and escalating conflict among team members (Feichtner and Davis, 1984) According to Taqi and Al-Nouh (2014), there are several drawbacks to collaborative work First, some students in a group may work with their friends and abandon others It makes evaluating each group member more challenging Second, several learners in a group may receive praise for doing very little work while others do the majority of the work It also highlights the fact that some students work harder than others Third, individuals might not enjoy following directions from their fellow group members due to

discourage many teachers from using group work

In the opinion of Erkens and Bodemer (2019), requirements for cooperative learning success include individual awareness of their group peers’ previous knowledge and the aggregation of knowledge in the work group through conscious integration of the members However, individuals are sometimes unaware of their groupmates' skills, thereby increasing the student's emotional exposure Moreover, Martin Parrott (1993) also makes remarks on the difficulties teachers encounter when assigning group projects There are numerous commotions among students The pupils frequently speak in their native tongue Some pupils state that they prefer to listen to the teacher's voice over their classmates' voices more frequently Additionally, Vu Dinh Bac (2018) indicated some restrictions on collaborative projects First, he assumed that the whole activity could be time-consuming when working in groups because this activity needs all members of a group It is exceedingly difficult to gather because of learners’ different timetables; therefore, it

is a waste of time Additionally, it is very challenging to have general ideas because everyone has various perspectives and opinions, which could cause conflict among the group members Furthermore, it is difficult for the teacher to identify which language they use when working in groups They tend to explain some difficult things in their mother language, which hinders their ability to speak English

1.3 Theoretical background of motivation

According to Stipek (1998) Motivation encompasses all human behavior and expectations The situation of being motivated involves the behaviors that are sourced from desires A motivated person merges his/her knowledge and convictions with successful behaviors Despite being dependent on expectations, motivation also covers a person’s perception of self-competencies and control over his or her efforts Motivation urges the organism to react in a specific way and to

Gardner (1985) defined motivation in second language acquisition as ‘‘the combination of effort plus desire to achieve the goal of learning the language plus favourable attitudes toward learning the language Despita (2021) explained motivation as the learner’s orientation regarding the goal of learning a second language According to the definition of Keller (2000), motivation is the principal power and the direction of the goal that causes the student to be eager to learn A motivated student is more likely to pay attention in class, make increased efforts to learn, and display greater fortitude in the face of challenges (Zimmerman & Schunk, 2008)

Motivation can be classified into intrinsic motivation and _ extrinsic motivation (A.-M Masgoret & R.C Gardner, 2002) Intrinsic motivation is defined

as the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfactions rather than for some separable consequence When intrinsically motivated a person is moved to act for the fun or challenge entailed rather than because of external prods, pressures, or rewards (White, 1959) For instance, a child might play outside by running, skipping, and jumping simply because it is fun and innately satisfying

Conversely, extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of a behavior that

is fundamentally contingent upon the attainment of an outcome that is separable from the action itself In other words, extrinsic motivation is instrumental in nature

It is performed to attain some other outcome For instance, a teenager might wash dishes at home in order to receive an allowance A student who does the work because she personally believes it is valuable for her chosen career is also extrinsically motivated because she too is doing it for its instrumental value rather than because she finds it interesting

In general, motivation plays a significant role in the process of learning a language Motivation is the power to stimulate desire, love, need, pressure, or psychological mechanisms that motivate a person or group to achieve their desired results It is a contributing factor in encouraging students to study to score well in assignments and tests (Liu, 2005) Besides, Jin Jun (2012) also concluded that,

clear learning motivations Motivated individuals exhibit many behaviors, emotions, perceptions, etc., which unmotivated individuals do not A person who is motivated will devote effort, persistence, and attention to the task at hand They have objectives, aspirations, and ambitions, and they appreciate experiences and activities They know how to use strategies to assist in achieving their goals (Sichler, 2014) When undertaking a task, motivated students will think about its implications and meanings rather than just concentrating on meeting the requirements They want to comprehend the material presented, be able to connect

it to prior knowledge, and "make it their own" by being able to speak about it in their own words (Rifai, 2010)

1.4 Review of Previous Works

In this part of the study, some previous studies relating to this study will be reviewed The first one that should be mentioned is the research "Enhancing Students' Motivation on Learning English Through Student Teams-achievement Divisions Method (STAD)" by Cycas Lucky in 2014 This mixed research utilizes both quantitative and qualitative instruments including questionnaires, interviews, observations, and tests The findings showed that the motivation of students improved when teachers apply STAD in teaching English

Similarly, the research “Improving students’ speaking skill through communicative group techniques” (An action research by the eighth-year students

of SMP Negeri 1 Bojonegoro High School in the academic year of 2008/2009)" by Siti Nurkasih in 2010 is also a good demonstration The study indicated that group- work techniques could create a free atmosphere during the learning process, make the classroom situation more alive, and help improve both the teaching-learning situation in the classroom and students’ speaking skills Group techniques also contributed to increasing students’ motivation and participation

Next, an investigation by Ehsan Namaziandost instructed on "The Impact of Cooperative Learning on Developing Speaking Ability and Motivation Toward

learning in English language classrooms to enhance Iranian students’ speaking skills and motivations In the study process, questionnaires and oral tests are used as instruments to collect the data The findings showed remarkable development in the students’ speaking skills after the introduction of cooperative learning techniques Moreover, the findings suggested significant differences in favor of cooperative learning for improving intrinsic motivation, but no differences were found in other aspects of motivation

Besides, the research “Motivating students to learn english speaking through collaborative activities” by Sirajuddin Kamal in 2021 is also a great instance The study accentuated delineating students' motivation for the implementation of collaborative teaching activities during learning English speaking The participants were ten students at a university in Banjarmasin, Indonesia The data were gathered

by administering an open-ended questionnaire and analyzed with Thematic Analysis The findings reported that students were motivated to learn English speaking through collaborative activities

1.5 Summary

In this chapter, the author will supply information about such concepts as the theoretical background of speaking, group - work, and motivation The reviewed literature has also made an immense contribution to the study A number of researchers have attempted to study the impact of group work activities on students' ability and performance in studying speaking skills so as to find out effective methods of teaching and learning for both teachers and learners However, there are very few studies in Vietnam in general and in Hanoi Law University in particular, studying the influence of applying group activities to students’ motivation in speaking class Meanwhile, motivation is a critical component to help students acquire speaking skills in the most efficient manner To address this major gap, the writer of this thesis carried out an examination on first-year English major students

at Hanoi Law University about the effect of the group work method in motivating students in speaking classes

In this chapter, the researcher provides a detailed description of the method employed in the study including such features as research design, research questions, participants, instruments, and producer as well

2.1 Restatement of research questions

This research aims to answer the following questions:

What are the effects of group work activities on first-year English major students’ motivation in speaking class?

nN What is the student's attitude towards using group work in the speaking class?

2.2 Participants

In order to find out the influences group work activities have on students’ motivation The author has conducted research on 75 English-majored first-year students at Hanoi Law University, of which 39 are females and 36 are males They were selected randomly Most of them had the age of nineteen The others are from

20 to 23 years old They all came from various places in Vietnam and learned English at different intervals, so they had different English levels, learning motivations, and learning methods Some students have a good command of English while others can not master English very well They speak Vietnamese as their mother tongue and English is considered their foreign language Most of them come from rural areas and they have learned English for at least seven years Through the research, an overall awareness of how group work activities influence the student’s motivation is to be investigated and the corresponding teaching strategies are to be explored The study is made in the following steps

2.3 Data collection instruments

structured interview These instruments were very helpful in collecting essential information from students

2.3.1 Interview

Because interviews can provide valuable information about speaking classes,

6 freshmen were invited for a semi-structured interview to get a better understanding of student perspectives about group work activities in English- speaking lessons Magaldi and Berler (2020) defined the semi-structured interview

as an exploratory interview It is generally based on a guide, and it is typically focused on the main topic that provides a general pattern The interview questions for students covered such aspects as personal information, behavior, and attitude when participating in collaborative tasks in English-speaking classes, reasons for students’ reticence or active participation, and strategies to help the students become more motivated To avoid misunderstanding, all the interview questions were translated into Vietnamese before being implemented

2.3.2 Questionnaires

The questionnaire was used as a suitable instrument because large amounts

of information could be collected from a huge number of people in a short period of time In addition, the outcomes of the questionnaires can be quickly and easily quantified using the software package The survey questionnaire is designed for 3 main purposes: To know the effect of group work activities on students! motivation

To find out the students' attitudes toward group work activities To have the best ideas to solve problems for the students while taking part in collaborative tasks in speaking lessons The questionnaire embraces 4 questions and 20 statements

Part 1 consisted of 4 questions (numbered from one to four) which required the students' personal information and their general view of group work activities The participants were required to choose the most appropriate answer Besides, part 2 was 20 statements (numbered from 5 to 25) illustrated in a table with the 5-degree

tick on the relevant column next to each statement In general, the questionnaire was classified into the following sections:

Table 1: Summary of the questionnaire

Questions/Statements Statement’s content

a Question | to 4 Students! personal information and their general

view of group work activities

c Question 5 to 17 Positive influence of group work toward students’

attitude and speaking skill

c Question 18 to 24 Negative influence of group work toward students’

attitude and speaking skill

2.4 Procedure for conducting the questionnaire survey

The questionnaires were designed on February 25 The researcher consulted the instructor for her comments on the questionnaire to validate it Then the questionnaire was revised On March 28, the researcher delivered the questionnaire link to freshmen at Hanoi Law University The author clearly explained the purposes of administering the questionnaire and gave oral instructions and explanations in detail to the participants before they answered the questionnaire to avoid any misunderstandings Then, completed questionnaires were collected

2.5 Procedure for conducting the interview

The study was conducted during the second term of the academic year 2022-

2023 During the first two weeks of the speaking course for freshmen, the semi-

Six students participated in the interview Each student interview lasted around 10 minutes with a focus on collaborative activities Besides, due to the late start of K47's speaking class, the author requested the freshmen to share their motivation when studying presentation skills - a subject very close to speaking

2.6 Data analysis

The data obtained from the questionnaire will be analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel software to find out the mean figures for different items These results will then be used for the interpretation of the findings In addition, to answer the two research questions, descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages were used The qualitative data was derived from the interviews The interviews were conducted in Vietnamese, recorded, transcribed, and translated into English

2.7 Summary

To sum up, this chapter has briefly presented the research method, the data collection instrument, the research participants, the data collection procedures, and the data analysis procedures Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in this research to answer the research questions formulated in Chapter 1 The data collection instruments of the thesis were questionnaires and interviews There were

75 participants taking part in this study All are first-year English major students at Hanoi Law University

3.1 The results of interviews

3.1.1 Student's attitude towards using group work in the speaking class

According to the data, the participants’ attitudes towards group work changed over time, from initial reluctance or disapproval to eventual adaptation or approval Their initial reluctance was mainly caused by several factors, including their limited proficiency in speaking and listening to English, differences in teaching methods between high school and university, lack of confidence, and having nothing to say

5 participants in the interview said that their “insufficient proficiency in speaking and listening to English" was the primary obstacle to their active participation in group work These language barriers contributed to their minimal speaking or passive involvement in group discussions

One participant shared: “Due to my poor oral English, I was not familiar with the group The challenge for me was expressing myself in English, which often left me feeling ashamed and apologetic as I was unable to contribute effectively to

my group.”

Her inability to speak well prevented her from effectively communicating, which left her feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with her performance in group settings Similarly, one male participant shared his experiences: “For me, it was a very difficult period You see, the teacher and the other students spoke English so quickly that I was unable to keep up I seldom spoke because I spoke slowly."

Several other participants also mentioned that they were “unwilling to raise their voice” to discuss with others in the group because of their limited oral English proficiency

Besides, 5 out of 6 students shared that they lacked ideas to exchange with their peers while engaging in group assignments One interviewee said that:

"Learning speaking skills is very challenging for me , I'm confused about what to

topic” Moreover, about 4 of students said they lacked the confidence to give a presentation in front of their peers because they were afraid of making mistakes in their speeches and being ridiculed by others

In addition, pedagogical differences between high school and university are another factor that makes learners initially dislike group work The interviewees mentioned that the teacher-centered approach employed in high school limited their opportunities for discussion As a result, when they encountered group work in university, they faced difficulties due to their previous learning experiences For instance, one female participant shared that: “Zo be honest, I didn't like group discussions In high school, the teacher was the one who instructed us, and we were the ones who just listened We needn’t say anything” The speaker’s statements revealed that he was not accustomed to working in a team or understanding its purpose Several other participants also shared similar mindsets regarding group work, implying that they were accustomed to the teacher-centered approach as the sole means of learning When placed in a cooperative learning environment, they could not adapt themselves to group work immediately

However, after several speaking lessons, guided by the teacher on how to cooperate effectively in group work and practice teamwork in each lesson, these participants' behaviors and attitudes towards group work changed drastically Through practice, they became proactive in group activities by initiating conversations, gathering information, and providing feedback to their peers They even showed interest in leading the group to complete tasks The participants recognized the benefits of group work, including developing team skills, making new friends, enhancing knowledge, and improving English communication One female participant stated that: “Working in groups helps me make more friends that

I have never talked to before Besides, I learn a lot of new words from them I also feel lucky that my friends are willing to point out my pronunciation mistakes and help me correct them” The above statement implies that they were able to adapt to the teaching methods and practices of the university

According to the data collected and synthesized by the author, group activities have a significant influence on student motivation When it comes to speaking lessons, collaboration tasks play a crucial role in promoting various factors including motivating students' interest in participating in speaking class, fostering relationships among students and between students and teachers, and enhancing students’ speaking abilities

In the speaking class, group activities can be considered as a source of motivation that can help students become more engaged and interested in the lesson

A K47 pupil stated that: “/ fee/ more attentive towards their studies when working

in groups In case of any distraction or loss of focus, my group members remind me

to stay focused Participating in group activities during speaking class also makes

me feel comfortable when communicating." Another male student expressed the same opinion: “Working in groups makes me feel more interested in the speaking class I find I have more ideas for completing assignments than when working alone"

Besides, cooperative activities also contribute to improving the relationship between students One interviewee reported “7 have made many new friends in my class Sometimes, although we may have differing opinions on certain matters, it helps us gain a better understanding of each other's work styles and abilities." The majority of students who participated in the interview had positive feedback about their groupmates Everyone in the group was willing to share their opinions, including both praise and criticism, with the common aim of achieving the best possible outcomes for the assigned tasks

Group activities are beneficial not only for enhancing the bond between students but also for strengthening the relationship between teachers and students One student shared that they were more confident when their teachers praised and encouraged their learning The comments and evaluations of teachers also help them to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses, thereby drawing many

direction are crucial in motivating students and fostering their interest in group work

Additionally, group discussion is also a tool to promote students’ speaking skills With the help of group members and the teacher, the participants were able to identify their pronunciation errors They then made a conscious effort to improve their pronunciation by mimicking the intonation, stress patterns, and pronunciation

of their group members Additionally, the participants reported significant improvement in their vocabulary usage, with many attributing their progress to the new words, phrases, idiomatic expressions, and slang they learned from their group members The small group discussions also helped them “recall many words or phrases” from the previously learned vocabulary

The majority of participants reported that group work not only enhanced their pronunciation and vocabulary but also improved their ability to construct sentences in both speaking and writing Through group discussions, they acquired new ways of conveying the same message A male participant mentioned that sometimes, group members repeated his sentences to confirm the intended meaning, and he noticed that their sentence structures were superior This realization made the participant understand that there were better ways to express ideas

However, after several speaking lessons, they acknowledged that this way hindered their conversations and caused misunderstandings among other group members For example, one student in communication revealed: "At first, J usually avoided talking much about the issues that were difficult for me to express I just listened Everything seemed good But some group members misunderstood that I had no interest in the topic I also realized that remaining silent would not help

me better my English "

His words reflected that avoiding certain topics during speech helped him avoid trouble, but also prevented him from practicing his oral English and developing better communication skills in the long term Another participant had