SOME SUGGESTIONS OF HOW TO MAKE ACTIVE TEACHING METHODS MORE EFFECTIVELY IN SPEAKING LESSONS, ENGLISH 11(BASIC) UNIT 4 PERIOD 23, UNIT 6 PERIOD 30, UNIT 12 PERIOD 77

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HẬU LỘC UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL -o0o - THE RESEARCH SOME SUGGESTIONS OF HOW TO MAKE ACTIVE TEACHING METHODS MORE EFFECTIVELY IN SPEAKING LESSONS, ENGLISH 11 (BASIC ) UNIT 4: PERIOD 23, UNIT 6: PERIOD 30, UNIT 12: PERIOD 77 Writer : NGUYỄN QUỲNH ANH Position : A teacher of English Field : English Academic year : 2016 - 2017 THANH HÓA 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE A Introduction……………………………………………………… I Reason for choosing the research………………………………… II Aim of the research………………………………………………… III Scope, object and researching method…………………………… B Solving problems………………………………………………… I Theory basic……………………………………………………… II The fact of study problem……………………………………… III Solutions…………………………………………………………… Methods to carry out……………………………………………… 1.1 Brainstorming……………………………………………………… 1.2 Controlled speaking………………………………………………… 1.3 Two-tier task……………………………………………………… 1.4 Flash method……………………………………………………… 1.5 Free practice………………………………………………………… The solutions to carry out.………………………………………… IV The study results of problems……………………………………… 13 C Conclusions and proposals……………………………………… 14 A: INTRODUCTION: I.REASON FOR CHOOSING THE RESEARCH It is undeniable that English is an international language English is considered as the medium of communication in many different fields such as: science, technology, aviation, international sport, diplomacy, and so on English is also the official language of many international organizations, such as: ASEAN, WTO, WHO, UN, etc With the spread of globalization and the rapid expansion of informational and technologies, there has been an explosion in the demand for English worldwide Thanks to the innovation of ways in teaching English, English lessons are taught with four skills (speaking, reading, listening, writing) in one unit Moreover, there exists three stages – Pre - while – post - teaching in one lesson This really helps students improve their skills beside the grammar exercises to pass the exams In the process of fact teaching at Hau Loc Upper Secondary School, fact teaching in classes , I find that most teachers have been strongly influenced by the traditional methods Emphasis has been placed on the mastery of language structures rather than on how language is used Teachers as well as students are used to concentrating on grammatical items Some of them even ignore teaching speaking skill and focus only on grammar excercises for the exams As a result, this leads to the problem their English is not good enough to use in real communicating situations So, through the process of teaching and applying active teaching methods in the speaking lessons I found that students’speaking ability was improved They didn’t feel difficult to express their opinions in English they were confident in the knowledge and especially , they were also confident to present a problem in front of the class ,they use their own language in order to carry out the communication independently and confidently, So I choose this theme with the aim to exchange some experiences of myself in the process of teaching “ Speaking lesson” English 11 (basic) I am very glad to receive the sharing and contributing ideas of colleagues so that I can perfect in the process of applying and teaching facts II AIMS OF THE RESEARCH: -Giving out the principles for teaching speaking periods -Helping students to be more active in speaking lessons and they can speak English more confidently -Helping teachers to use active teaching methods in speaking lessons more effectively in different classes III.SCOPE, OBJECT AND RESEARCHING METHOD -Scope: Researching in the process of teaching English at Hau Loc Upper Secondary School -Object: This subject is concerned with ways of organizing activities in the class -Researching method: Reading reference books, discussing with other teachers, applying in teaching, observing and drawing out experiences B: SOLVING PROBLEMS I.THEORY BASIC: In recent decades, English has been more and more important in Vietnam The importance of English is not only in how many people speak it but also in what it is used for Beside the native language is popularly used in all fields of the society, English is now widely known as the major language of intercommunication, international commerce and business, science and technology and so on Thus, people with good English proficiency are extremely needed in any fields of society As a result, there has been a positive trend of teaching and learning English across the country People, from children to adults, learn English with different purposes Children learn English because of the requirement of their parents and school Students learn English to pass the exams, to study abroad or to find a good job in the future Adults learn English in order to be able to communicate with foreigners or business In general, despite deriving from different purposes, everyone wants to turn English to become their own instrument in their lives After every speaking lesson, the students have to be able to communicate successfully in social situations such as talking about life or career They have to take part in discussion, negotiation or explanation of social issues, agree or disagree with others’ opinions, They have to gain confidence in communicating successfully, using communicative strategies to express their ideas, and feelings appropriately and fluently II THE FACT OF STUDY PROBLEM The fact of teaching and learning problem at Upper Secondary Schools We are living in the global world in which English language has rapidly become an international language To meet this requirement, English has been taught almost everywhere in Vietnam, especially in schools, colleges, universities, English is a compulsory subject However, how to speak English well is a problem for many learners of English, especially for the students of upper secondary schools Despite the fact that most of the students have been learning English since they were at lower secondary or high school, they are deficient in English speaking As a teacher of high school, from our observation and our own teaching experience, we see that during the speaking lesson classroom interaction is restricted Only some students get involved in the activities conducted by the teacher while others keep silence or other things Thus, one of the challenges to the teacher is to find out the answer to the question “Why don’t many students of English get involved actively in speaking lesson?” To find the answer to this question it is necessary to investigate what motivates and de-motivates students in English learning in general and in speaking in particular And the teachers ask their students to be willing to speak They speak a lot and understand what other people speak, they can reach the aims of learning foreign language The fact problem of learning foreign language at Hau Loc Upper Secondary School Hau Loc Upper Secondary School belongs to six north west communes of Hau Loc, including Dai Loc, Thanh Loc, Cau Loc, Dong Loc , Chau Loc and Trieu Loc The economic condition is not good and the social learning is also not good so teaching and learning of teachers and students are having many difficulties The approaching with books, newspapers and modern communication media is limited Otherwise, the class is crowded level is uneven Most students are in the status “losing basic knowledge” of Primary and Lower Secondary School’s knowledge Besides, they consider English a difficult subject, so they are worried of learning In the English period , the students are not confident in communicating because they are worried of speaking wrong or pronouncing not very exactly, so the application of communication practice method in teaching is very difficult III: SOLUTIONS Methods to carry out Some active teaching methods in speaking lessons, English 11 ( basic) 1.1 Brainstorming It is suggestion method for students to contribute general ideas for speaking lesson The teacher lets students work in pairs/ teams or the whole class, they discuss and list ideas, after that they contribute with the whole class 2.1 Controlled speaking It is a required speaking method and uses the things or given vocabulary and structures The teacher let students work in pairs / groups to save time and practise speaking the most 3.1 Two-tier task This method is used for group students who have unequal levels Sometimes it is due to unequal levels, the time for group students complete of the requirement of practice is uneven So the teachers use this method to supply further requirement for better students For example, after finishing speaking , they write in brief or find out causes , they are statistic quantity,compare… 4.1 Flash method It is the method with the aim to mobilize the students’ involvement about any theme, or to get reactive information or to improve communication status and the learning atmosphere in class, through the things that the members in the class give quickly ideas about a theme or mission of the lesson 5.1 Free practice In this stage, the teachers only give general requirement, don’t limit ideas as well as language, they let students speak freely The students speak about their own experiences , friends , relatives or about hometown they live In this stage , students still work in pairs/ teams The solutions to carry out In this part , I give some examples about applying above methods in the process of some speaking lessons basic English 11 : Unit four: VOLUNTEER WORK Lesson: Speaking Aims: Helps students to master the words related to volunteer work , talk about different kinds of activities related to volunteer work and express their ideas about volunteer activities Warm up: In this part , I use “brainstorming” to lead students into the lesson.The teacher gives some pictures with some phrases related to the theme such as : Teaching the poor children, Taking part in a Blood Donation activity and Collecting the rubbish Teaching the poor children Taking part in a Blood Donation activity Collecting the rubbish Students can discuss and speak easily and give some other phrases such as: Taking part in directing the traffic Taking care of the disadvantaged children Helping people in mountainous area Through the activities , students can know the aim of the lesson Task 1: Decide which of the following activities are volunteer work In this task , I use “ controlled speaking” method I ask students to work in pairs to ask and answer the questions : one student asks and another answers ,then change the role The teacher moves around the classroom to give help and jot down students’mistakes in pronunciation and grammar for later correction After that , the teacher calls on some pairs to act out the dialogues: Questions: Have you ever helped people in remote or mountainous areas/ joined the Green Saturday Movement/ given care and comfort to the poor and the sick…? When you take part in these activities? Do you think that taking part in an excursion and participating in an English speaking club are volunteer work ? Why? How you help people in remote or mountainous areas? ………………… Answers: Yes, I have/ No, I haven’t Last summer/ When I have free time No, I don’t think so because we take part in these activities for ourselves, not to help other people ………………………………………………… Task 2: Practise the dialogue and then make similar conversation, using the activities that follow Teacher asks students to read the model conversation of the task, the list of volunteer activities and the exact things related to them In this task, I use “ controlled speaking method” so that students can ask and answer fluently about the volunteer activities based on page 50 (textbook) Example: S1: What kind of the volunteer work are you participating in ? S2: We’re helping people in mountainous areas S1: What exactly are you doing? S2: Well, We’re teaching the children to read and write/ giving them money S1: Do you enjoy/ like/ the work? S2: Yes, I like helping people ………………………………………………… Task 3: Talk about a kind of volunteer work your friends and you usually to help people In this task I use “two-tier task” With weak and average students , I ask them to ask and answer ( with other partner) , using questions such as: How often you do/ take part in the volunteer work? How long have you spent for the work? With better students, I arrange them to work in groups of four or five and encourage students to use transition signals such as also, besides, moreover, to make their talk more coherent When I use this method , I find that all students can speak very well I call one group to present in front of the class Suggested ideas: - We usually take part in helping people in mountainous areas We teach the children to read and write, we also give them money We enjoy the work very much because we like helping people Mai usually takes part in directing the traffic She directs vehicles at the intersections Besides, she helps old people and young children to cross the road She enjoys the work very much because she like helping people……………… - ………………………………………………………… Unit six: Competitions Lesson : Speaking Aim: Help students to master the words related to competitions, to ask for and give information about types of competitions, and then express their ideas about the competition Warm-up: In this part , Teacher can use “brainstorming method” to lead students into the lesson.Teacher shows competitions’ pictures and ask students to match the words with their names exactly: Sao Mai Television Singing contest English Competition 10 Art competition London Marathon Thanks to the activities , students can know the aim of the lesson about the competitions Task 1: Which of the competitions/ contests below you like or dislike? Put a tick(v) in the right column Then compare your answers with a partner’s In this task, I use method “ free speaking” I ask students to work in pairs to ask and answer the questions : one student asks and another answers ,then change the role The teacher moves around the classroom to give help and jot down students’mistakes in pronunciation and grammar for later correction After that , the teacher calls on some pairs to act out the dialogues: Example: S1: Which competitions/ contests you like ? S2: I like the General knowledge quiz / the English competition/ the poetry reading S1: Why you like it? S2: Because it’s an opportunity to test my general knowledge/ it makes me cheerful……………… Task 2: Work in pairs Ask your partner how he / she feels about each type of the competitions/ contests in Task For the requirement of the task , I can choose some methods such as controlled speaking, two-tier task, flash method , free speaking In this part , I use “ flash method” to motivate students as well as to insure time After students find out the task’s requirement, I ask some students to list some adjectives that students can use to talk about the competitions such as 11 interesting / great / stimulating/ hilarious / good fun / wonderful/ boring / exciting/ amusing/ silly/ dull…… The teacher sticks the handout with the model prepared at home on the board: Example: A: What you think about/ What’s your opinion about / Do you like/ How you feel about…….? B: Oh, I think It’s great/ good fun/ boring/ … It’s an opportunity/ a good chance for my creative activities/ my physical training/ It makes me / cheerful/ feel happy/ sleepy…………… The teacher asks students to work in group of in five minutes with both the good and the bad in a group to support each other base on the model to practise I always move around the class to control and give help if necessary and then calling some groups to act out the conversations With this method , I find that students are excited about speaking and the class is exciting Task 3: Personalization For me, in this task , I use “ two-tier task” and “ free speaking method” With weak and average students , I ask them to ask and answer ( with other partner) , using questions suggested below Question: Where and when did you see or take part in it? What type of competition or contest was it? Who organized it? Who participated in it? Who won the competition/ contest? Did you enjoy it ? why/ why not? Answers: I saw / took part in it ………………… It was ……………………………… Our English teachers/ The HochiMinh communist youth union of our school ………………………………………………… For better students , I put students to work in groups of four or five, each group has a poster and a board marker I assign the groups to speak about the competitions given in the posters With this method , students learn effectively and the learning atmosphere is exciting Unit twelve: The Asian Games Lesson : Speaking Aim: Help students to master the words related to the Asian Games , to ask for and give the information about the Asian Games Warm-up: In this lesson , I use some pictures about sports and ask students to match the sports with the pictures (free practice) 12 Bodybuilding Bodybuilding Shooting Billiards 13 Through asking and answering the questions related to the theme of the lesson , the atmosphere of the class will be exciting and lead students to the lesson easily Task 1: Work in pairs Ask and answer questions about the Asian Games, using the information from the table below Teacher asks students to read the requirement of the task In this task, I use “ controlled speaking method” so that students can ask and answer fluently about the Asian Games based on page 139 (textbook) Example: S1: When and where were the 1st Asian Games held ? S2: (They were held) in 1951 in India S1: How many countries took part in the Games? S2: Eleven ……………………………………………… Task 2: Personalization For me, in this task , I use “ two-tier task” and “ free speaking method” With weak and average students , I ask them to ask and answer ( with other partner) , The teacher sticks the handout with the model prepared at home on the board Model: A: How many medals did Vietnamese athletes win in bodybuilding? B: Two medals A: What kinds of medals did they get? B: One gold medals and one bronze medals For better students , I put students to work in groups of four or five I require them to talk much more, depending on their opinion and understanding Example: As can be seen, at the 14th Asian Games held in Bussan, Korea, in bodybuilding, the Vietnamese athletes won one gold medal and one bronze medal Ly Duc and Pham Van Mach were our heroes In billiards, they won one gold medal and one silver medal….The best billiard snooker was Tran Dinh Hoa… I always move around and help if necessary I find students can speak very well Of course, I will correct mistakes if students make IV THE STUDY RESULTS OF PROBLEMS Using some active teaching methods in speaking lesson textbook 11 really have its effects because the students are active, enthusiastic, excited to learn By using this method, the students who are always afraid, shy, lazy now are active in learning , makes the speaking period more and more exciting In the school years of 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 I carried out my theme in 14 11grades at Hau Loc Upper Secondary School , the general results of students when they the English tests are following: Kind excellent Object Don’t apply in 0% 11B4, 11B6 in the school year of 2016-2017 Apply in 11B4, 5% 11B6 in the school year of 2016-2017 good average weak Bad 25% 30% 35% 10% 40% 40% 15% C CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS This is suitable theme for teaching and learning of teachers and students This theme can apply to all students but if it is applied to good students , the effect is better Learning English , communication atmosphere is very important If the students can approach the facts, always use what they learn , their communication and knowledge are more and more stable So, my theme can have good results and can be carried out widely and deeply for students I have some opinions to put forward: - For school managers, it is necessary to invest more consulted documents for teachers, to have abundant library for students to study documents, to have expenditures to help and encourage teachers - Giving time condition to train weak, bad students; improve excellent and good students In order to that , the theme can be applied widely and give better results - Organizing more special subjects to innovate teaching methods for all teachers of English to attend and they can have themselves the best teaching method At the same time , those special subjects should have concrete teaching period in each grade for us to learn They are some my above experiences through process of teaching in the last school year 2016-2017 However, due to limit of documents and time, there will be some shortcomings I hope to receive sincere advices from leaders and colleagues Thankyou for your attention to my study 15 The head master’s confirmation Thanh Hoa, 23th May , 2017 Undertaking not to copy Nguyễn Quỳnh Anh 16 REFERENCES Harmer, J 1984 The Practice of English Language Teaching London: Longman Practical handbook of language teaching (David Cross) A course in language teaching - Practical and Theory (Penny Ur) Cambrige university press Giao trinh giao hoc phap (Khoa ngôn ngữ và văn hóa Anh - Mĩ - Úc – Trường đại học quốc gia Hà Nội) 5.Phương pháp dạy tiếng Anh Trung học phổ thông (Nguyễn Hạnh Dung) 17 ... teaching speaking periods -Helping students to be more active in speaking lessons and they can speak English more confidently -Helping teachers to use active teaching methods in speaking lessons more. .. explosion in the demand for English worldwide Thanks to the innovation of ways in teaching English, English lessons are taught with four skills (speaking, reading, listening, writing) in one unit Moreover,... Methods to carry out Some active teaching methods in speaking lessons, English 11 ( basic) 1.1 Brainstorming It is suggestion method for students to contribute general ideas for speaking lesson