Investigation into the role of interactive learning, aimed at increasing k40 studentsenglish speaking ability in hanoi pedagogical university n0 2

HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NO.2 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FACULTY TRINH THI HAI YEN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING, AIMED AT INCREASING K40 STUDENTS‟ ENGLISH SPEAKING ABILITY IN HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY N0. A MINOR THESIS FOR GRADUATION Supervisor: Rick Parfett HA NOI - 2015 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to take this chance to express my greatest gratitude to Mr. Rick Parfett, my supervisor, for his patience in providing continuous and careful guidance as well as encouragement, indispensable suggestions and advice. I wish to thank all the lecturers at Hanoi Pedagogical University Number 2, especially the lecturers in the Foreign Language Faculty for their dedicated instructions during my years of university work. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deepest thanks to firstyear English majors at Hanoi Pedagogical University Number for their help in completing the survey questionnaire. I am particularly grateful to my close friends for their kind assistance and their encouragement during my study. Last but not least, I owe a debt of gratitude to my beloved family, for their wholehearted encouragement and endless support. i ABSTRACT There has been a large amount of research indicating that interactive learning methods can help to improve students‟ English speaking ability. In Vietnam, however, tools such as games, plays and presentations are rarely used at high school, and only sporadically at university. While Vietnam is in the process of changing from a traditional, teacher-centred approach to education to a more flexible, student-centred approach, few studies have been undertaken regarding the use of interactive learning methods. It is important to investigate Vietnamese students‟ perceptions and preferences regarding interactive learning, as well as to evaluate its effectiveness in increasing speaking ability. This study investigates the attitudes towards, exposure to, and role of interactive learning in a class of first-year students at Hanoi Pedagogical University No.2 (HPU2). The first phase of the study consisted of 40 first-year students completing anonymous survey questionnaires to gauge their perceptions of interactive learning. The second phase consisted of statistical analysis of sequential mid-term test scores, the first after one months‟ exposure to interactive learning (semester one), the second after six months‟ exposure (semester two). Analysis of responses to the survey questionnaire reveal a student body that is enthusiastic about interactive learning despite a lack of previous exposure to these methods. Students are eager for more interactive learning tools to be incorporated into classes, and most feel that these methods improve their confidence and speaking ability. This perception is supported by analysis of the test scores, which demonstrate a significant improvement between semester one and semester two. This study suggests that interactive learning methods, while not traditionally a part of the Vietnamese educational system, are nevertheless popular and effective tools to improve students‟ English speaking ability. ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Title: INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING, AIMED AT INCREASING K40 STUDENTS‟ ENGLISH SPEAKING ABILITY IN HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NUMBER 2. (Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Degree of Bachelor of Arts in English) I certify that no part of this thesis has been copied from any other person‟s work without acknowledgements and that the thesis is originally written by me under the instructions from my supervisor. Date submitted: May, 2015 Student Supervisor TRINH THI HAI YEN RICK PARFETT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i ABSTRACT .ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP .iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv PART ONE: INTRODUCTION I. Rationale . II. Research presupposition III. Research objectives IV. Research scope . V. Research task . VI. Research methods . VII. Significance of the proposed research VIII. Design of the research work PART TWO: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND I. Literature review . II. Spoken English ability . II.1 The importance of speaking English II.2 Confidence and fluency in English speaking . 10 III. Interactive learning . 10 III.1 Definition of interactive learning . 10 III.2 Contrast between interactive learning and traditional learning 11 III.3 Types of interactive learning 12 III.3.1 Games 12 III.3.1.1 Benefits of games . 12 III.3.1.2 Types of games . 13 III.3.1.3. Important things to consider when using games in the classroom 14 III.3.1.4 Some examples of games teachers can use 15 III.3.2 Pictures 16 III.3.2.1 Benefits of pictures . 16 III.3.2.2 Important things to consider when using pictures in the classroom. . 16 iv III.3.2.3 Some examples of pictures teachers can use . 18 III.3.3 Student-led activities (plays and presentations) . 20 III.3.3.1 Plays . 20 III.3.3.1.1 Definition of role-plays . 20 III.3.3.1.2 The importance of role plays . 20 III.3.3.1.3 Tips on successful classroom role-play . 21 III.3.3.2 Presentations . 21 CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY . 23 I Survey questionnaire . 23 I.1. Rationale for the use of a survey questionnaire. . 23 I.2 Purpose of the survey 23 I.3 Population of the survey 23 I.4 Construction of the survey. . 24 II. Purpose of analysis of mid-term test scores . 24 II.1 Rationale for the use of mid-term test scores 24 II.2 Try-out . 24 II.3 Steps of data analysis . 24 CHAPTER THREE: THE RESULTS 25 I. The results from survey questionnaire 25 I.1 Analysis for pre-improvement 25 I.2 Analysis for post-improvement . 29 I.3 Results Analysis 33 II. The results from test-score . 36 PART THREE: CONCLUSION I. Summary of the study . 37 II. Implications for speaking lessons 37 II.1 For teachers 38 II.2 For classroom facilities 38 III. Limitations and suggestions for further studies 38 III.1 Limitations 38 III.2 Suggestions for further studies . 39 IV. Conclusion 39 REFERENCES I APPENDICES III v PART ONE: INTRODUCTION I. Rationale In Vietnam, many students begin learning English as early as elementary or middle school but few students speak the language fluently upon graduating from high school. Students are often unable to use English beyond simple greetings and interactions, such as „hello‟, „goodbye‟ and „What is your name?‟. As a result, many university students lack the confidence and fluency necessary to participate actively in English conversations. Students in Hanoi Pedagogical University No.2 (HPU2) suffer from this problem, like many of their peers; they are not used to active involvement and participation in lessons. Therefore teachers of first year English major students at HPU2 need to design learning strategies that address this problem. One of the key teaching approaches is interactive learning, which responds dynamically to the needs of learners. Interactive learning places an emphasis on student participation and shared understanding, instead of the traditional model of teacher-dominated discourse. It encourages students to play an active role in the lesson, encourages imagination and strengthens problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This thesis focuses on three areas of interactive learning: games, pictures, and student-led activities, such as plays, presentations and debates. Using games, pictures and student-led activities has many benefits. Firstly, games help students to feel motivated, included and like active participants in a class. They also allow students to work together in teams, thus improving classroom atmosphere and encouraging peer-to-peer learning. Games help to strengthen lingual skills, develop confidence and fluency and improve interpersonal relationships in the classroom. Pictures, are also an extremely effective tool in improving students‟ speaking performance. The more senses that are used to remember a representation, the more likely it is to be recalled with accuracy. Therefore vivid images play an important part in vocabulary recall. Pictures can be used to reinforce concepts in ways that words cannot, and to strengthen associative memory. The growing popularity of websites like memrise.com points to a trend towards learning based on association, and tailored to each student‟s individual learning style. Finally, student-led activities encourage students to become more confident and creative, increase the accessibility and interest of the material presented and encourage more active learning styles. This approach opens students‟ minds to new ways of thinking and enriches the learning process. Unfortunately, the learning style of first year English students at HPU2 is usually inflexible. They take no active part in lessons, and often struggle to engage with the material. One of the main reasons for this is that teachers sometimes not possess or make use of adequate teaching methods to engage their students interest. There are many games, pictures and student-led activities that teachers can use to improve English communication ability, such as Say the Question game, guessing topics from pictures, plays, debates or presentations. These activities are likely to make speaking lessons more effective, more dynamic and improve learning outcomes. Therefore, the thesis will consist of an “investigation into effective approaches to interactive learning, aimed at increasing K40 students‟ English communication ability”. II. Research presupposition When investigating effective approaches to interactive learning aimed at increasing K40 students‟ English communication ability, several questions are raised: 1. How much exposure have students had to interactive learning methods prior to university? 2. What difficulties students face when speaking English? 3. How interactive learning methods affect these difficulties? 4. Do students prefer traditional or interactive learning? 5. Which interactive learning tools students find most effective? III. Research objectives To give an overview and comparison of interactive learning tools that can be used effectively in speaking lessons in order to enhance students‟ English communication ability and increase their interest levels. IV. Research scope The study focuses on interactive learning and how to use interactive learning tools effectively in speaking lesson. The population of the study involved 40 English major students in K40 class (first year) of the Foreign Language Faculty of HPU2. V. Research task The study involves fulfilling the following tasks: 1. To provide an overview of interactive learning including definition and classification. 2. To study the effectiveness of interactive learning 3. To design and implement a survey of student attitudes to determine which facets of interactive learning students find most effective and why 4. To propose effective strategies to improve the English communication ability of students VI. Research methods To obtain the results of this study, the following methods have been applied: • Questionnaire survey of the population of 40 students, investigating their exposure to and attitudes towards interactive learning methods. • Analysis and comparison of test scores obtained by the students in the first and second semesters of study at HPU2. VII. Significance of the proposed research Teaching English speaking can be difficult and disheartening for both teachers and students if teachers lack an effective strategy. If teachers restrict students to learning grammar rules or using set lingual forms, students not acquire the skills to speak freely and become anxious about making mistakes while speaking. This does not mean that grammar is important, or that it should be ignored. On the contrary, grammar is an essential area of language. Initially, however, teachers should direct students to focus on the function and use of a language. Using interactive learning activities and tools is a great way to improve student confidence and speaking ability. This research introduces several suggested interactive learning activities that teachers can incorporate into speaking lessons, and examines their effectiveness and popularity. It is hoped that they will be useful to teachers who are interested in creating effective lessons that stimulate student enthusiasm and participation. VIII. Design of the research work There are three main parts in this thesis: introduction, development, and conclusion. Part one is the introduction. This part consists of: the rationale, the presupposition, the aims, and the significance, the scope, the methods, and the design of the thesis. Part two is the development, which consists of chapters: - Chapter one: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND briefly presents the theoretical background of interactive learning, including a literature review - Chapter two: METHODOLOGY presents the methods used in the study - Chapter three: THE RESULTS shows the detailed results and analysis of the data collected from the survey questionnaires. Part three is the conclusion, which provides a summary and conclusion of the study, considers its limitations, and makes suggestions for further studies. Question 15 Which skills improve most when speaking listening Writing reading C % C % C % C % 34 77.5 20 2.5 teachers use interactive learning? Question 16: How does interactive learning affect your confidence and fluency? Chart C3: interactive learning affect confidence and fluency. The above pie chart shows how students felt interactive learning methods affected their confidence and fluency. The majority (65%) said that their „confidence and fluency had improved very much‟, while 30% of students said that their „confidence and fluency had improved a bit‟. 5% of students said that interactive learning methods „improved confidence but not fluency‟, and no one felt that interactive learning methods „had no effect‟, „decreased confidence and fluency‟ or „improved fluency but not confidence‟. 30 Question 17 Very effective Do you think that interactive effective A little bit Not effective C % C % C % C % 10 25 28 70 learning is an effective method for improving speaking skills? Question 18 Now I speak faster No change in speed Now I still speak slowly How has interactive C % C % C % 29 72.5 22.5 learning affected the speed of your spoken English? Question 19 Do you think teachers should use more Should use more Should not use more interactive learning interactive learning methods methods C % C % 40 100 interactive learning methods instead of traditional learning methods? 31 Question 20 Now I make more errors How has interactive learning affected you grammar? Now I make fewer errors C %% C % 10 36 90 Question 21: Which interactive learning activity you like best? Chart C4: interactive learning activity students like best. Question 22 Games pictures Student led activities (plays and presentations) Which activity makes you C % C % C % 10 25 28 70 speak the most English? 32 Question 23 games pictures Student led activities (plays and presentations) In your opinion, which activity is the C % C % C % 12.5 12.5 30 75 most effective ? Question 24: What teaching methods you want in speaking classes? You can choose more than one answer. Chart C5: Teaching methods students want in speaking classes According to the figures in the chart, 57.5% of the students want „more presentations and plays‟ in speaking lessons. „More vocabulary lessons‟ ranked as the second most-desired method (42.5%) followed by „more games‟(37.5%). Other responses were „more listening activities‟ (15%), „more grammar lessons‟ (10%), and „more writing/reading activities‟ (7.5%). I.3 Results Analysis 1. How much exposure have students had to interactive learning methods prior to university? Student responses to the questionnaire revealed that students had studied English for between seven and eight years, indicating a high degree of exposure to the language. 33 Many students had experienced a small amount of interactive learning (62.5%), but very few had been exposed to it as an everyday teaching technique (15%). Every student said that grammar is the skill focused on most heavily at high school, and most students spent only one or two hours a week speaking English in class (75%). We can conclude that Vietnamese high school teaching of English has a heavy grammatical focus and often fails to apply interactive learning methods in a systematic, everyday manner. 2. What difficulties students face when speaking English? Most students rated their pre-university level of English as ‘average’ (65%) or ‘bad’ (20%); only 15% of students rated their level as ‘good’. These answers indicate a widespread lack of confidence in their lingual ability on the part of the students. This conclusion is supported by 50% of students saying that the main difficulty they face when speaking English is ‘lack of confidence’. Another 12.5% of students said that ‘feeling shy when speaking’ was their main difficulty. Other common problems were ‘not knowing how to express ideas’ (45%) and ‘not knowing enough vocabulary’ (40%). We can therefore conclude that confidence-related issues are the most common difficulty faced by students (62.5%), while inability to express ideas and a lack of vocabulary are also common problems. As speaking is the skill that the majority (75%) of students want to improve most as university, it is vital to address these difficulties. 3. How interactive learning methods affect these difficulties? Most students (95%) said that interactive learning is an ‘effective’ or ‘very effective’ method for improving speaking skills. 77.5% of students felt that, of the four skills, speaking was most improved by the use of interactive learning methods. Regarding confidence-related issues, the majority of students (65%) felt that interactive learning methods had ‘improved confidence and fluency very much’, while 30% said that their ‘confidence and fluency improved a bit’. Inability to express ideas is often evidenced by hesitation or slow speech, so it is also notable that 72.5% of students said that they ‘speak faster’ as a result of exposure to interactive learning methods. Most students (90%) said that they make fewer grammatical errors as a result of interactive learning. 4. Do students prefer traditional or interactive learning? 34 Every student surveyed said that they prefer interactive learning to traditional learning, with 77.5% of students evaluating interactive learning methods as ‘very attractive and interesting’. The vast majority of students (97.5%) ‘want teachers to use interactive learning methods during lessons’, and all the students felt that ‘teachers should use more interactive learning methods instead of traditional learning methods’. When asked which specific teaching methods they want in speaking classes, the most common answers related to interactive learning: ‘more presentations and plays’ (57.5%), more vocabulary (42.5%) and more games (37.5%). Few students chose methods associated with traditional learning methods, such as ‘more grammar’ (10%) or more writing/reading activities (7.5%) (although these can of course be taught in an interactive manner). 5. Which interactive learning tools students find most effective? 75% of students said that ‘student led activities’ (encompassing plays and presentations) were the most effective activity to improve their English, followed by ‘games’ (12.5%) and ‘pictures’ (12.5%). Student responses about the popularity of interactive learning tools showed a similar pattern: 70% liked ‘student led activities’ most, followed by ‘games’ (22%), and ‘pictures’ (8%). Students also said that ‘student led activities’ made them speak the most English (70%), followed by ‘games’ (25%) and ‘pictures’ (5%). The activities that involve most student participation and language use (plays and presentations) are the most popular interactive learning tool, suggesting that students value interactive learning for its participatory nature. Students believe the most effective activities for improving English speaking ability are those that make them speak and participate most in the class. 35 II. The results from test-score Chart C6: Mid –term test score The chart shows the mid-term test scores of the class from semester and semester 2. The number of students who achieved a score of between 8.0 and 10 is higher in semester (47.5%) than in semester (32.5%). The number of students with a score of between 6.5 and 7.9 is lower in semester (50%) than in semester 1(55%). Finally, the number of students with a score of 5.0 to 6.4 decreased from 12.5% in semester to 2.5% in semester 2. Despite the semester examination being comprised of harder questions than those featured in semester 1, student educational attainments increased at all levels. This suggests that prolonged exposure to interactive learning has helped to improve the students‟ English speaking skills. These results echo some of the results mentioned in the literature review regarding the effectiveness of interactive learning, particularly those derived in Tonya Hilligoss‟ study, where students who were taught in an interactive manner were shown to improve more quickly than those taught in a traditional manner. 36 PART THREE: CONCLUSION I. Summary of the study It is widely acknowledged that speaking skills are very important in foreign language learning. The acquisition of these skills, however, is a complex process, and often causes embarrassment and difficulties for students. There is a wide variety of methods to help learner improve their English speaking skills, but new methods are often ineffectively or halfheartedly implemented. For this reason, the study focuses on investigating the role of interactive learning among K40 students at Hanoi Pedagogical University Number (HPU2). The study therefore begins by giving a theoretical background of interactive learning methods. The research introduces key concepts in the field, then focuses on definitions, types of interactive learning, the benefits of each type, and gives examples of each kind of interactive learning mentioned. During the study, a survey was conducted with the aim of investigating student attitudes towards interactive learning, and student evaluation of the method‟s effectiveness. According to the results of the research, students enjoy interactive learning, think that it is highly effective and speak more in class as a result. Remarkably, every student preferred interactive learning to traditional learning and believed that teachers should use more interactive learning methods in class. It is interesting to note that the activities involving most student participation and language use (plays and presentations) are the most popular method, and viewed as the most effective. This suggests that students value interactive learning for its participatory nature and the way it allows them to drive their own learning. Interactive learning was also evaluated as effective in improving speaking skills, with 95% of students saying that it helped to improve their confidence and fluency, and 95% believing it to be an effective way to improve speaking skills. This is backed up by the results of the mid-term test scores, where student educational attainment improved at all levels when comparing results from semester and semester 2. This suggests that prolonged exposure to interactive learning helped to improve the students‟ English speaking skills. II. Implications for speaking lessons 37 II.1 For teachers If a teacher wishes to implement interactive learning techniques in the classroom, several factors should be considered. Activities associated with interactive learning play an important role in speaking lessons because, if the teacher conducts this stage effectively, the classroom atmosphere will be positive, students will be engaged and motivated, and their speaking performance will improve accordingly. Teachers should prepare a detailed lesson plan, with a list of activities that stimulate language acquisition and student interaction, use effective visual aids to guide learning, be clear on the time management for each activity, and prepare clear instructions for the students when introducing the activities. It is also advisable to study the speaking topics mentioned in the textbook, and prepare ways to make them more interactive and interesting for students. Teachers should also vary the activities involved in interactive learning in order to motivate students, and should be careful to include the quieter students in the class. II.2 For classroom facilities In Vietnam, there are often 60 or more students in a language classroom at university. This causes difficulties for teachers conducting language lessons, and can make the implementation of interactive learning methods more challenging. While the situation cannot be changed over a short period of time, interactive learning has proved to still be effective in this setting. When possible, including a teaching assistant in each class has the potential to improve outcomes, giving the teacher the option of dividing the class during student led activities and paying more attention to individual students. Technological upgrades, such as interactive whiteboards and a strong wi-fi connection could also significantly improve learning outcomes. III. Limitations and suggestions for further studies III.1 Limitations This is the first time the study has been conducted in the context of Hanoi Pedagogical University Number 2, therefore mistakes and shortcomings are inevitable. Firstly, the sample size of the study consisted of 40 students. Although enough to show certain trends, this is a small sample size; the study would be more comprehensive and the conclusion more reliable if a larger group were surveyed. 38 Secondly, only two research methodologies were used; a survey questionnaire and mid-term test scores. Reinforcing these methodologies with a further analytical technique, such as long-term classroom observation would strengthen the validity of the study. Thirdly, the students were assessed by the same professor who taught them during the academic year. A language assessment conducted by a different professor or jointly with another professor would increase the objectiveness of the results. Finally, the study was only conducted with university-level students at HPU2. Therefore further studies analysing student attitudes and attainment relating to interactive learning at other universities and different education levels are necessary. III.2 Suggestions for further studies Other researchers who develop the interest in the same topic may find some of the following recommendations useful for their future work. Firstly, researchers should expand the number of students taking part in survey. Secondly, to improve the reliability of the research, more research methodologies should be used such as face-to-face interviews, long-term classroom observation and video recording of lessons. Thirdly, tests should be administered by a different professor than the students‟ main teacher, or by a team of professors. Finally, conducting studies relating to the topic at other universities and different education levels would be interesting and useful. IV. Conclusion This study was carried out with the intention of contributing to the knowledge of both teachers and students of English, and of providing an analysis of the effectiveness of different learning techniques, with a specific focus on interactive learning. The author hopes that the study has made some contribution to aiding the teaching and learning processes in Vietnam, and that it is of some value to both teachers and students of English. Although great efforts have been made to guarantee its validity, mistakes and shortcomings are inevitable. The author gratefully welcomes any comments from readers in order to improve the work. 39 REFERENCES Freire, P. (1996). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. London: Penguin. Hadfield, J. (1987). Elementary Communication Games. London: Nelson. Herron, C. (1991). 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Susan Revermann. Interactive Learning Definition. Retrieved February 2, 2015 from http://www.ehow.com/about_5494900_interactive-learning-definition.html Richard-Amato, P. A. (1998). Making it happen: Interaction in the Second Language classroom: From Theory to Practice. New York: Longman. Rivers, W. M. (1972). Talking off the Tops of Their Heads. TESOL Quarterly, (1), 71-81. Rivers, W. M. (1986). Comprehension and Production in Interactive Language Teaching. The Modern Language Journal, 70 (1), 1-7. Sessoms, D. (2008). Interactive Instruction: Creating Interactive Learning Environments Through Tomorrow‟s Teachers. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 4(2), 86-96. I Tomasello, M. and Herron, C. (1988). Down the Garden Path: Inducing and Correcting Overgeneralization Errors in the Foreign Language Classroom. Applied Psycholinguistics 9, 237-246. Werff, J. (2003, July). Using Pictures from Magazines. The Internet TESL Journal (7). Retrieved January 12, 2015 from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/WerffPictures.html Zenger, J. (1991). Picture Series Media. Jakarta: Malang. II APPENDICES Appendix SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE STUDENTS IN PRE – IMPROVEMENT STAGE 1. How long have you studied English? _________ years 2. Which you think is the most important of the four skills(speaking, reading, writing, listening)? A. Speaking B. reading C. writing D. listening 3. Before studying in university, did you experience interactive learning? A. Yes B. A little bit C. No 4. At your high school, which skill did teachers spend the most time teaching? A. Grammar B. Listening C. Speaking D. Reading 5. Before studying in university, what was your level of English speaking skill? A. Good B. Quite good C. Average D. Bad 6. At your high school, did your teachers use interactive learning methods (games, pictures, presentations)to practise speaking English? A. Often B. Sometimes C. Rarely D. Never 7. How much time per week did you spend speaking English in class at your high school? A. More than hours B. hours C. hour D. less than hour 8. What difficulties you have when speaking English? Circle all the answers that you agree with. A. Feel shy/ashamed when speaking B. Lack of confidence C. Don‟t know how to express ideas D. Not knowing enough vocabulary E. Using grammar correctly 9. In your opinion, what is the most effective method to improve your English speaking skills? A. Reading books B. Playing games in English C. Practising listening D. Making presentations in English 10. E. Studying grammar Which skill you most want to improve at university? III A. Speaking B. Listening C. Reading D.Writing 11. How you practise speaking English outside of class? (circle all that you do) A. I don‟t practise English outside of class B. Speaking with friends in English C. Speaking to foreign people in English D. Speaking to people on the internet E. Practising presentations alone F. Teaching English to other people IV Appendix SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE STUDENTS IN POST – IMPROVEMENT STAGE 12. Do you prefer traditional learning (teacher gives lecture to the class, students take notes) or interactive learning (presentations, games, pictures, activities)? A. Traditional learning 13. B. Interactive learning How you feel about interactive learning methods? A. They are very attractive and interesting B. They are quite attractive and interesting C. They are not very attractive and interesting D. They are very boring 14. Do you want your teachers to use interactive learning methods during lessons? A. Yes B. No 15. Which skills improve most when teachers use interactive learning? A. Speaking B. Listening C. Writing D. Reading C. All of them 16. How does interactive learning affect your confidence and fluency? A. Improves confidence and fluency very much B. Improves fluency a bit C. Has no effect on confidence and fluency confidence and fluency confidence D. and Decreases E. Improves confidence but not fluency F. Improves fluency but not confidence 17. Do you think that interactive learning is an effective method for improving speaking skills? A. Very effective B. Effective C. A little bit effective B. Not effective 18. How has interactive learning affected the speed of your spoken English? A. Now I speak faster B. No change in speed C. Now I still speak slowly 19. Do you think that teachers should use more interactive learning methods instead of traditional learning methods? A. Should use more interactive methods B. Should not use more interactive methods 20. How has interactive learning affected your grammar? A. Now I make more errors B. Now I make fewer errors 21. Which interactive learning activity you like best? A. Games B. Pictures C. Studentled activities (plays and presentations) V 22. Which activity makes you speak the most English? A. Games B. Pictures C. Student led activities (plays and presentations) 23. In your opinion, which activity is the most effective? A. Games B. Pictures C. Student led activities (plays and presentations) 24. What teaching methods you want in speaking classes? Circle each answer you agree with. A. More grammar lesson B. More vocabulary lessons C. More presentations and plays D. More games E. More writing/reading activities F. More listening activities VI [...]... students remain unaware of the value of such an approach This thesis is an attempt to partially rectify the situation, through an INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING, AIMED AT INCREASING K40 STUDENTS‟ ENGLISH SPEAKING ABILITY IN HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NUMBER 2 II Spoken English ability II.1 The importance of speaking English Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and... Definition of interactive learning There are many definitions about interactive learning Interactive learning is a pedagogical model that encourages students to be part of the lesson instead of passive observers, quietly sitting at a desk taking notes or memorizing information Students interact with the material, each other and the teacher in an active way This teaching model is learner-centered rather... CHAPTER ONE: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND I Literature review Interactive learning methods have been proposed as the solution to many issues facing educational establishments, including lack of student focus, inability to retain information and failure to engage with the teaching material In language teaching in particular, there has been a great deal of interest in the potential of interactive learning to transform... 19 72, p. 72) In his discussion of the use of new technology in interactive learning, Sessoms noted that, “one complaint about current teaching is that it is lecture based (didactic), thus creating a teacher centered learning environment Interactive teaching is not void of lecture; rather, lecture is used in combination with active demonstrations… students interact with the content through a combination... validity of the data gathered in the survey questionnaire, providing a quantifiable measurement of changes in student ability II .2 Try-out The survey was conducted on April 28 th, 20 15, in the Foreign Language Faculty of HPU2 The K40 students were allocated 30 minutes to complete the 23 questions of the survey questionnaire The questionnaires were then collected by the researcher for statistical analysis The. .. learner-centered rather than teacher-centered, encouraging imagination and strengthening the students‟ critical thinking and problem-solving skills” (Revermann, 20 15) Interactive learning is a pedagogical model that encourages students to be part of the lesson instead of passive observers, quietly sitting at a desk taking notes or memorizing information III .2 Contrast between interactive learning and traditional... good baseline from which to study the role of interactive learning in increasing speaking ability From a student population of around 20 0 K40 students, the sample size of 40 students is enough to ensure a reasonable confidence level within the margin of error 23 I.4 Construction of the survey The survey consists of two sections: part one (questions 1-11) relates to the preimprovement stage, and focuses... by the teacher on the interactive board and the student, either verbally or physically, interacts with the interactive board In the definitions of Interactive Teaching, an example was given about students “dragging” words to compose a sentence that described a digital image This is a form of interactive learning because students interact with the content through a combination of the abstract and the. .. snapshot of K40 students’ attitudes towards interactive learning and evidence about their previous level of exposure to interactive learning methods The survey investigates which interactive learning tools are seen as most effective, which are most popular, and which make students speak the most This data will be extremely helpful in measuring the effects of interactive learning on English speaking ability. .. spend the most time teaching? 25 Question 5 Before studying in university, good Quite good average bad C % C % C % C % 1 2. 5 5 12. 5 26 65 8 20 what was your level of English speaking skill? Question 6: At your high school, how often did teachers use interactive learning methods to practise speaking English? Chart C1: frequency of use of interactive learning methods at high school The majority of students . remain unaware of the value of such an approach. This thesis is an attempt to partially rectify the situation, through an INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING, AIMED AT INCREASING. HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY N O .2 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FACULTY TRINH THI HAI YEN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING, AIMED AT INCREASING K40 STUDENTS‟. nevertheless popular and effective tools to improve students‟ English speaking ability. iii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Title: INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING, AIMED AT INCREASING