Some experiences in guiding students in grade 8 at nhu ba sy secondary school to learn english pronunciation part more effectively

1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Reason for choosing the reseach Vietnam is in the process of integration and cooperation with the world community That requires a lot of factors to successful integration One of those factors is the foreign language and English is an international language and it helps our integration success in all aspects In other words, English is the key to success The teaching and learning of English in secondary schools has its own advantages and challenges, requires teachers to constantly strive to improve the qualifications, expertise and pedagogical As an English teacher with over ten years of experience, I realize that there exist many problems in teaching and learning English, including Phonetics section of students Most students master knowledge of grammar well, but when doing homework about phonetics students are afraid and worried In my opinion, there are two basic reasons for this: first, theoretical part of learning about phoneics is very troublesome and confusing Second, students not have a favorable environment for communication or in other words the environment to practice what they just learned is weak It is also the root causes leading to poor listening and speaking skills of learners Fortunately, the program English textbooks (new) has a dedicated section for the pronunciation To teach and learn this part effectively, I boldly choose the theme: "Some experiences in guiding students in grade (new) at Nhu Ba Sy secondary school to learn Pronunciation part effectively " And I think that choosing my subject is necessary and appropriate at the time now when new textbooks are being taught in some schools in our district 1.2 Research purposes I chose this research topic to help teachers with the training tips section to teach pronunciation to achieve greater efficiency and help the learners more confidence in communication Since then communication will lead to success It is the output of the language and the best result of learning a language 1.3 Research objects This topic I will research on how to guide students in grade at Nhu Ba Sy secondary school to pronounce module in the program English textbooks effectively 1.4 Research methods I have chosen method Schroeder survey, collecting information to perform the subject CONTENTS: 2.1 The theoretical basic: Everyone knows the basis of the following reasoning: Tell me -> I will forget Show me -> I will remember Let me join -> I will understand While teaching English, teachers should let students participate in activities as much as possible For example, for students to participate in learning through games that will help students understand and remember it 2.2 The realities of the research issue: When I didn’t apply those methods in teaching students how to pronounce in grade term I (2015- 2016 school year) , I received unsatisfactory results, which is presented in the following statistical tables: School year 2015-2016 Term Grade Total students: 122 Classify Medium students 0,9% student Fairly good students 27 22,1% students Good students 94 77% students 2.3 Implementation and solutions: To solve this matter, I divide them into two parts The first is some cluters and the second is some rules of stress a Guiding students to learn some cluters: In English text book 8, students will master some clusters in couples: /br/ and/pr/; /bl/ and / cl/; /sk/ ,/sp/ and /st/ In unit 1, students will learn /br/ and /pr/ Firstly, teacher can ask students to give examples of words that contains the clusters: /br/ and /pr/ Teacher may divive class into or groups to play a game In minutes, which group can find more words will be the winner This help students feel eager to study /br/ /pr/ Brige, brown, bring, bread, bracelet, Prince, princess, president, present, brocoli, brick, brush, branch, broom presentation, apricot,prawns, prize After that, teacher let students listen and repeat those words according to tapecrips in text book There are some ways to check again these words Teacher can ask students to play jumble words or write the words under each picture 1.prince 4……………… 6…………… ……………… 3…………………… 5……………… 7………………… 8………………… 9…………… 10………………… 11………………… 12……………… 13………………… 14……………… 16…………… 15…………………… 17…………………… Teacher can the same stage with the clusters/bl/ and/ cl/ Students can call out those words in groups or individually: /bl/ /cl/ Blue, blossom, blackberry, blind, Class, clock, cloud, clown, clothes, bloom, blame, blast, block, clay, climb, close, club, claim, click, blow,blouse clue, clean To check again these words teacher can ask students to write again the words based on the pictures blue 2……………… 4……………… 3…………… 5………………… 6………………… 7………………… ……………… …………… 10………………… 11………………… 12……………………………… If any words we can’t express by pictures, teacher can ask students to play jumbled words: examples: lmbea ( blame), lsatb( blast), locbk( block), luec( clue), ealcn( clean)………… Another way to check is that teacher can ask students to make as many sentences as possible with the words they have learnt.( or play chain game) EX: S1 Look at the clear blue sky S2: Look at the clock It’s time for you to go to bed S3: Close the door S4: Do you want to see a clown S5:…………………………………………… In unit students will learn clusters: /sk/, / sp/, /st/ Teacher can use exercise in Exercise book 8( page 16) to elicit this phonetic Teacher asks students to use the correct spelling for sounds /sk/, /sp/, /st/ under each picture: 1. ateboard _ation ool _adium _orts fe ival 6. aceship ilt house _icky rice di _lay In page 40 English 8, students will learn clusters : / spr/ and / str/ To help students remember the words which has these two clusters, teacher can ask students to play a game Students can work in pairs One student take a picture as below, another one has to call out its name in English All the words have the cluster /spr/ or / str/ 1. straw 3. 2. _ 4. _ 5. _ 7. _ 9. 6. 8. _ 10. 11. _ 12 _ The other students listen and comment whether their classmates are right or wrong If they are wrong, other students can correct.Teacher is a guide or a council b Guiding students how to mark stress correctly and pronouce them exactly Most students are worried to learn the rules about stress and exercises about this Teacher can help students to have some small tips so that they can be confident to learn this part In unit English text book 8, students will learn the rules of the stress of the words ending in – ion and – ian To help students to master this part well, teacher can let students work in groups so that they can find as many words which have ending –ion or –ian as possible Ex: competition, preservation, commemoration, procession, confusion, magician, electrician, technician, companion, historian, congratulation, celebration, vegetarian, production, librarian, polictician, attention, participation…… Teacher takes note that most of the words ending in –ion or – ian are usually nouns Furthermore, to mark the stress of these words: stress the syllable immediatetly before the suffix: - ion or – ian After that, teacher may ask student to work in pairs to mark the stress of the words they have found: compe’tition, preser’vation, commemo’ration, pro’cession, con’fusion, ma’gician, elec’trician, tech’nician, com’panion, his’torian, congratu’lation, celeb’ration, vege’tarian, pro’duction, lib’rarian, polic’tician, a’ttention, partici’pation…… To check again the words teacher may ask students to complete the words below the pictures with – ian or – ion then mark stress syllable in each word 10 ma’gician _ 3. 2. 4. 6. _ 11 7. _ 8. _ In Unit 7, students will learn the stress of the words endings in - ic and al Teacher may as above or another way is that: Teacher ask student to work in pairs to write down as many words that have ending in –ic , -al After that, teacher collect them and ask students to work in groups to write the word from the box in the correct column based on the stress pattern:The rule for the words ending in –ic or –al is that: The word ending in –ic or ical, stress the syllable immediately before the suffix Ex: dra’matic, bo’tanic, ‘medical, ‘physical If a word can take both suffixes, both words have the stress on the same syllable Ex: eco’nomic, eco’nomical After that, to check their understanding, teacher gives them exercises below: Classify the words into correct column according to their stress position scientific, dramatic, medical, national, athletic, chemical, artistic, physical medical, classical, historic, logical, grammatical, political 12 0o 0oo o0o o0oo oo0o The next lesson ( unit 9), students will learn the stress in words ending in –ese and –ee Teacher can the same stage as above to ask students to find out as many words as possible Teacher should divide class into two groups: group find thwe word ending in – ese and group finding the ending in –ee.Students may find these words: Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Nepalese, employee, adoptee, addressee, interviewee, refugee, guarantee, agree, degree, examinee, obese, disagree……… Teacher ask student to find out the rule of the stress: we put stress on themselves or the stress in put on the last syllable Then asks students to listen and repeat those words After that, teacher calls some students come to the board to mark the stress of those words All the class can check and corret themselves Vietna’mese, Taiwa’nese, Chi’nese, Portu’guese, Nepa’lese, employ’ee, adop’tee, addre’ssee, intervie’wee, refu’gee, guaran’tee, a’gree, de’gree, exami’nee, ob’ese, disag’ree……… To check students’ understanding, teacher can give them some exercises For instance: Complete the sentences below with the words you have learnt: The temperature today is only one…………higher than yesterday The people of Nepal are called the……………… Russel is the last ………….to be tested in my class today When people don’t get enough exercise, they will become………… When you … , you say ‘No” In unit 9, students will learn the stress of the words ending in –logy and – graphy Teacher asks students to play a chain game to find the words ending in –logy or – graphy Ex: S1: technology S2: photograhy S3: ecology S4: biology ………………………………………………………………………… 13 The game continues until students can’t find any more words.Teacher summarizes and writes down those words in the board After that teacher can asks students to give the rules for marking the stress Students may say: For words ending in –logy and –graphy, place the stress in the third syllable from the end( or the stress is immediately placed before the suffixes) Teacher asks some student to come to the board and mark stress of some words: a’pology, ge’ography, soci’ology, psy’chology, bi’ograhpy, de’mography, tech’nology, pho’tography, e’cology…… In unit 10, students will learn the stress in words ending in –ity and –tive Teacher asks studentns to finf out the words ending in –tive and –ity( students may work in pairs or groups) competitive, infinitive, repetitive, positive, ability, possibitity, curiosity, nationality, opportunity, quality, creativity, sensitive, community, interactive, active……… Teacher can asks students to give the rules for these words: For words ending in ity or tive, place the stress on the syllabe before the suffix To check students’ understanding, teacher can ask students to play a game: Teacher prepares some cards, on each card, teacher writes down one word Teacher can call each student to come to the teacher’s table to pick up one card If he/she chooses any word, he/she has to mark its stress Ex: generosity attractive creativity active interactive opportunity quality sensitive community possibility In unit 11, students will learn the stress in words starting with un and im Teacher can ask students to play a game called “ Face to Face” It means that Teacher have to prepare some cards which contain the words on And students can work in pairs For example, student A picks up the card “ friendly”, student B has to look at it and say “ unfriendly”.They can the same with: 1.“ fair>< unfair” pure>< impure foreseen>< unforeseen 4.mature>< immature 14 possible>< impossible natural>< unnatural polite>< impolite healthy>< unhealthy limited>< unlimited 10 wise>< unwise After that teacher can give the rule for marking the stress of the words starting with un or im: When adding the prefix un or im to a root word, the stress of the word does not normally change When adding the prefix un or im to one syllable word, the stress falls on the root word Then teacher asks students to work in pair or groups to put those words above in the right column o0 unwise ………………… ………………… ………………… o0o unlucky ……………… …………… ……………… oo0 unforeseen ……………… ……………… ……………… o0oo Unlimited ……………… ……………… ………………… Teacher asks stuents to give comments, listen and repeat those words In unit 12, students will learn stress in words ending in – ful and – less Teacher gives some words and asks students to add –ful or –less to a noun or verb to form adjective.( students may work in pairs, in minutes which pair finishes first will be the winner) Ex: water-> waterless hope-> hopeless/ hopeful forget-> forgetful thought-> thoughless/ thoughtful meaning-> meaningless/ meaningful help -> helpful/ helpless use> useless/ useless plenty-> plentiful air-> airless weight-> weightless resource-> resourceful/resourceless wonder-> wonderful beauty-? beautiful emotion-> emotionless ambition-> ambitionless The rules for stress of the words ending in ful or less is: The stress of the words when adding suffix ful or less remain unchange Ex : for’get->for’getful ‘beauty-> ‘beautiful 15 To check students’understanding, teacher may give them one exercise: Put those words above in the correct column below: 0o airless ………………… ………………… ………………… o0o resourceful ……………… …………… ……………… 0oo wonderful ……………… ……………… ……………… o0oo Ambitionless ……………… ……………… ………………… At the end of each lesson teacher may give students some exercises to revise what they have learnt These are some model exercises: Find the word that has the different stress pattern in each line: a A unkind B kindness C impure D machine b A imbalance B unable C unhealthy D impolite c A unexpected B unforeseen C untidy D immature d A.impossible B unnatural C unrelated D unbearable e A unlimited B undeveloped C unsuccessful D unaffacted f A classic B nature C degree D debris g A examinee B electronic C scientific D preparation h A classical B poisonous C logical D pollution i A dramatic B tornado C historic D injury j.A national B physical C arrival D natural Put these words into correct column in the table below to show its stress position: apology, archaeology, economic, technician, biology,zoology,activity, delightful,emotionless, regardless,authority, opportunity, powerful, unhealthy, dramatic, priority, stability, immature, creativity, illogical, preparation, classic, historic, untidy o0 o0o oo0o o0oo oo0oo Teacher lets students to work in pairs or groups, after that call other students to give comments Finally, teacher feedback and give students mark I have introduced some of my experiences in guiding students how to learn pronunciation part in textbook ( new) 2.4 The results of the research 16 After one term to change the method, the ways to teach, I see the confidence, love of students while studying this section Students have a strong in communication and the results of the tests have made marked progress Statistical specification in the following table: School year 2015-2016 2015-2016 Term Grade Term Grade Total students: 122 Total students: 122 Classify Medium students student Fairly good 0,9% 0 students Good 27 students 22,1% 20 students 16,4% students 94 students 77% 102 students 83,6% Comments: From the above table we see progressive change than when not applied this method We can see the results are changed for the better and we can compare the difference of results before using this experiment( in the school year 2015-20016, term 1) and the results of the students after I applied this method ( in the school year 2015-2016), term are:good and fairly good students increase and medium stuents decrease considerably 3.CONCLUSION AND PETITION I thought about this topic a few months ago and I have already applied it into my teaching and I see that I have got a lot of success My students are eager to learn, my lessons are more lively and effectively This is a good chance for me to share you what I think about it Teaching and learning English effectively is a big thing that teachers, students and experts have to think and work forever I think all of us have to integrate together to find out the best solution and ways to help learners study English perfectively With twetve–year teaching experience at Nhu Ba Sy school, it’s not a long time but it isn’t a short time so I think it is long enough for me to have some experiences to share with you I think I can’t avoid mistakes, so I hope after reading this topic you can help me find out mistakes that I haven’t found I also hope you can consider this topic as a reference that may help you something in teaching and I will be very happy and grateful to you for that If 17 you have any ideas please don’t hesitate to contact me so that we can discuss more about this topic I am looking forward to receiving ideas about my issue from other teachers Thank you very much for reading ! Principal Confirm Hoang Hoa, 15th May 2016 Written by I swear this is my own experience Initiative, I not copy from others Nguyễn Trọng Hoan Lê Thị Hạnh 18 REFERENCE BOOKS Giáo trình giáo học pháp ( Trường đại học q́c gia Hà Nội) Sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh lớp tập Sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh lớp tập Sách Bài tập Tiếng Anh lớp tập Sách Bài tập Tiếng Anh lớp tập Cách phát âm và cách đánh dấu trọng âm Tiếng Anh ( Xuân Bá) 19 ... call other students to give comments Finally, teacher feedback and give students mark I have introduced some of my experiences in guiding students how to learn pronunciation part in textbook... them into two parts The first is some cluters and the second is some rules of stress a Guiding students to learn some cluters: In English text book 8, students will master some clusters in couples:... that they can be confident to learn this part In unit English text book 8, students will learn the rules of the stress of the words ending in – ion and – ian To help students to master this part