The implementation of project based learning in the new english textbook to develop high school students’ speaking skill

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES LÊ THỊ CẨM VÂN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN THE NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOK TO DEVELOP HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL (Sử dụng phương pháp học dự án sách giáo khoa tiếng Anh thí điểm để phát triển kĩ nói học sinh trung học phổ thông) MA MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Hanoi – 2020 [ VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES LÊ THỊ CẨM VÂN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN THE NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOK TO DEVELOP HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL (Sử dụng phương pháp học dự án sách giáo khoa tiếng Anh thí điểm để phát triển kĩ nói học sinh trung học phổ thông) MA MINOR THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 8140231.01 Supervisor : Dr Vũ Thị Thanh Nhã Hanoi – 2020 [ DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby certify that the minor thesis entitled “The implementation of project-based learning in the new English textbook to improve high school students‟ speaking” is the result of my own work in fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts at Faculty at Post-graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University of Hanoi I confirm that I cited all references in the study This research has not been submitted partially or wholly for a degree or any other qualifications at other universities I am fully aware that should this declaration be found to be dishonest, disciplinary action and penalties in accordance with University policies and rules can be imposed i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of my MA thesis is an arduous but rewarding process in which I am fortunate to receive invaluable supports and encouragements from the family, supervisor, lecturers, friends, colleagues, students I would like to take this opportunity to express my immense gratitude to their time and assistance In particular, I am profoundly indebted to my thesis advisor, Dr Vu Thi Thanh Nha, who offered me the right orientation, constant advice to develop the thesis, the elaborate edition of my thesis, and ultimately a good role model of an effective instructor Her wit, confidence, knowledge, professional working style enable me to be mindful of priceless lessons which I can apply to my prospective teaching career Secondly, I am grateful to all lecturers in my postgraduate course who equipped me with the necessary research background knowledge as well as inspirations to complete this research Thanks to the learning opportunity in Vietnamese National University, I can approach many conferences and teaching forums to refresh myself, in one of which I had the chance to meet an expert in project-based learning, professor Fredricka Louise Stoller I am grateful to her timely assistance, constant responses to my inquiries coupled with precious reading materials and references Her act of kindness to an acquaintance like me makes the research road less challenging and more meaningful Besides, I want to express gratefulness to the colleagues and students in my school for their cooperation and their enthusiasm towards project-based activities Finally, but not least, immense gratitude goes to my whole family for their care, understanding and spiritual encouragement ii ABSTRACT In an effort to involve teachers in high school in applying project-based teaching and improve students‟ learning speaking through the project-based learning, this study aims at evaluating the impacts of the approach on high school students‟ speaking performance, their attitudes towards the approach An action research was conducted in a high school in a mountainous area in a semester Participants were 36 students from a non- English majored class Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through observations, questionnaires before the intervention, open-ended questionnaires, observations during the intervention, the close-ended questionnaire after the intervention The results of the data analysis indicated that students‟ speaking skills especially students‟ organization of ideas, delivery of information and fluency made significant improvement Over 60% of students had positive attitudes towards project-based learning Project-based learning was beneficial to students‟ accumulation of soft skills, content and character development Besides, there was a strong correlation between students‟ attitudes and students‟ performance For an effective implementation of projectlearning in the textbook, teachers can apply Stoller‟s five-stage project framework, set clear project requirements as well as cooperate with other English teachers or teachers of other subjects to optimize projects‟ effectiveness iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP .i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1.Rationale for the research 1.2.Aims and research questions 1.3.Scope of the research 1.4.Methods of the research 1.5 Significance of the research………………………….…… ………….……….3 1.6.Organisation of the thesis CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1.Project-Based Learning 2.1.1.Definition of PBL 2.1.2.Stages of PBL 2.1.3.Core principles of PBL 10 2.1.4.Features of high-quality project-based learning 13 2.1.5.Benefits of PBL 14 2.1.6.Challenges of PBL 20 2.2.Speaking 21 2.2.1.Definition of speaking 21 2.2.2.Affective factors 22 2.2.3.Approaches to teaching speaking 24 2.2.4.Classroom-speaking assessment 26 2.3.Summary 28 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 29 3.1.Context of the study 29 3.1.1.Research site 29 3.1.2.Participants 30 3.1.3.Material 31 3.2.Research method 33 3.3.Research procedure 35 3.3.1.Report of Cycle 35 iv 3.3.2.Report of cycle and 38 3.4.Data collection instruments 39 3.4.1.Observations 40 3.4.2.Questionnaires 41 3.4.3.Students‟ presentations 42 3.5.Data analysis 42 3.6.Summary 43 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 44 4.1.Summary of three cycles 44 4.1.1 Cycle 1……………………………………………………………… ……45 4.1.2.Cycle 46 4.1.3.Cycle 47 4.2.Students‟ speaking performance 48 4.2.1.The teacher‟s evaluation of students‟ speaking performance 48 4.2.2.Students‟ self-evaluation of their speaking performance 51 4.2.3.Comparison of teacher‟s evaluation and students‟ self-evaluation of speaking performance .52 4.3.Students‟ attitudes towards PBL 53 4.3.1.Students‟ attitudes drawn from the teacher‟s reflection 53 4.3.2.Students‟ attitudes drawn from questionnaires 54 4.3.3.Comparison of students‟ attitudes drawn from teacher‟s reflections and from students‟ responses in questionnaires .66 4.4.Discussion 66 4.5.Summary 72 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 74 5.1.Recapitulation 74 5.2.Implications 76 5.3.Limitations of the study 78 5.4.Suggestions for further study 79 REFERENCES 80 APPENDICES I v LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Figure 1: Stoller‟s five stage PBL framework (Stoller, 2020, p.31) Figure 2: Gold Standard PBL (Larmer, Mergendollar, and Boss, 2015) 13 Figure 3: A methodological framework for a holistic approach to teaching speaking (Goh & Burns, 2012, p 138) 25 Table 1: The research procedure for the implementation of PBL 39 Table 2.1: Group statistics of project and 48 Table 2.2: Independent samples test of project and 48 Table 3.1: The number of students in delivery, content, fluency in three projects 49 Table 3.2: The number of students in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation in three projects .50 Table 4.1: Students‟ self-evaluation of speaking performance after three cycles …51 Table 4.2: Students‟ speaking involvement and affective factors 54 Table 5.1: Students‟ opinions on PBL‟s benefits 55 Table 5.2: Students‟ favorite activities in three projects 57 Table 5.3: Students‟ dislikes in three projects 59 Table 5.4: Students‟ difficulties in three projects 61 Table 5.5: Students‟ expectations of the teacher‟s help in three projects 63 vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AR Action research EFL English as a foreign language PBL Project-based learning P1 Project P2 Project P3 Project SA Strongly agree SD Strongly disagree vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1.Rationale for the research In Vietnamese high school context, a vast amount of in-class speaking time is generally consumed by lecturing vocabulary, grammar rules, focusing on the accuracy of forms to prepare students for the exams rather than providing them meaningful tasks to stimulate their creation of meaning Moreover, the stress on forms breeds students‟ unwanted psychological impacts including the fear of mistake, the lack of confidence and demotivation Whenever uttering a word, students are worried about being subject to peers‟ humiliation Students, especially the one of low ability are even not confident to express themselves for fear of failing to make themselves understood, so they resort to silence in speaking period For those of higher ability, the repetition of form drills over years of learning English demotivates them, gives them no practical purpose of learning English However long and grueling their English learning process is, students‟ inability to use the language freely in the real life is a common sight Evidently, speaking incompetence is a disadvantage which hinders learners from expressing themselves, partaking in communication, widening the social networks, becoming global citizens, pursuing success In quest of an effective formula for teaching speaking, the emergence of the project period in the New English textbook as a different component compared to the old English textbook offers teachers a guiding tool to change that vexed issue However, few teachers in the author‟s school take time and efforts to facilitate PBL Project lessons are even eliminated from the curriculum unofficially due to the inadequate understanding of project-based learning, the lack of feasible lesson plans with specific solutions to lessons in the textbook As a result, the topic of the implementation of PBL in teaching speaking was chosen with the aim of persuading the teachers like colleagues in the author‟s school to use PBL in their lessons by showing them the impact of this approach on specific aspects of speaking, students‟ attitudes towards project activities as well as providing the Appendix 2: Class observation sample Lesson plan Reflective notes Class: V Week: two (4), 10:10–10:50 AM Lesson: Unit Speaking: Family life Objectives develop the skill of speaking: present their ideas and attitudes towards housework create their own situations, make conversations about household chores develop their pronunciation Procedures 1.Warm up (10:10–10:15) T calls on four students, asks them to stand in a line in front of other classmates and take turns to speak out a household chore The winner is the last one standing 2.Activity 10:25) 1: Table-filling (10:15- - T asks students to work individually to fill in a given table with at least chore they like/dislike and add a reason, then work in pairs to compare their ideas Only a student volunteers to play the game The teacher has to call on the rest When four students take turns to name a household chore, some students in the class listen Some murmur the word to remind the players Some tease the tablemates and others look at the textbook This activity fails to involve the whole class Students follow the teacher‟s requirement Some finish the answer very quickly and sit still while some are busy chatting something with tablemates, leaving their notes blank When they work in pairs, they remain in their seat, read their notes aloud Some listen to their friends‟ notes Some look at other sides of the class, then they read their own notes Few pairs create natural conversations by responding to their friends‟ sharing Afterwards, the teacher calls on two students to read their notes Few students pay attention to what their III - T goes around and offers help friends are reading - T asks some students to say what they This activity has the same pattern with like and why the previous one, so the similar behaviors are repeated 3.Activity 3: Practicing the dialogue (10:25- 10:35) - T asks students to task in the textbook That is matching Mai‟s answers with Anna‟s question to create an interview about the household chores - T checks with class by saying the questions and students say the answer - Students listen to the T and repeat the dialogue then practice the dialogue in pairs - T asks 4/5 pairs to act the dialogue Activity 4: Further practice (10:35 10:50) Some students listen to their teacher and friend modeling the dialogue Two students lay tiredly on the table Some yawn and look sleepy Sometimes some look at the clock and count the time Students remain in their seat, talk to each other Instead of answering the questions with their own information, some read the dialogue in the textbook Some pairs talk in Vietnamese with each other When the teacher asks students to act their dialogue in front of the class, none responded to her The class is filled with the silent atmosphere They wait for the teacher pointing at them to the practice - T asks students to work in pairs One Finally, the teacher calls on two pairs learns the questions and one answers One pair performs very confidently but them with their own information still makes grammar mistakes and use basic vocabulary The other pair acts in a - T models a dialogue with a student reluctant way - T calls on two pairs to act the dialogue in front of the class to get marks - T gives comments on students‟ performance, summarises the lesson, give homework to students Evaluation: The teacher‟s activities follow the textbook instruction However, these activities are monotonous, thereby failing to involve the whole class IV Appendix 3.1: Speaking assessment in the project Full name: _ Group: Date: _ Topic: Assign number to each criterion to assess various aspects of the speaker’s presentation 4: excellent 3: Good 2: Fair CRITERIA 1: Poor POINT Delivery - The speaker relies on notes appropriately - The speaker uses gestures, body language, eye contact appropriately - The speaker‟s volume of speech was appropriate - The speaker is confident and enthusiastic Content - The introduction draws attention - The main idea or point is clearly stated toward the beginning - The supporting points are clearly expressed and supported by facts, arguments - The conclusion restates the main idea or purpose Fluency Speech is fluent and rarely hesitant Ideas are linked in a logical sequence Speech is generally fluent with occasional lapses while student searches for the correct manner of expression Can occasionally link ideas together in a logical sequence Speech is frequently disrupted by students‟ search for the correct manner of expression The student is hesitant, makes repeated long pauses searching ways to express him/herself Vocabulary The speaker uses appropriate terms and words, has a broad knowledge of vocabulary In general, the speaker uses appropriate terms and words, occasionally must rephrase ideas because of vocabulary limitation The speaker frequently uses the wrong words Words are often repeated V NOTE The speaker misuses words and has very limited vocabulary Pronunciation The speaker is always intelligible, uses appropriate intonation Errors in pronunciation are rare The speaker is intelligible most of the time, though a definite foreign accent is noticed in his/her speech Occasionally uses inappropriate intonation The speaker makes him/herself understood but occasionally leads to misunderstandings, frequently uses inappropriate intonation The speaker is very hard to understand because of pronunciation problems, consistently repeat words or sentences, rarely uses appropriate intonation Grammar The speaker rarely makes grammar, word order and verb tense errors The speaker makes occasional grammar, word order, verb tense errors which not obscure meaning The speaker frequently makes grammar, word order and verb tense errors, uses simple grammatical structures Grammar, word order and verb tense errors make comprehension difficult The speaker uses the simplest grammatical structures, isolated words to express meaning Total Peers‟ comments VI Appendix 3.2: Speaking Assessment (McNamara, 1996, p.100) LANGUAGE COMPONENT Fluency Level D Level C Level B Hesitant, makes repeated long pauses searching for ways to Speech is frequently disrupted by the student‟s search for the correct manner of expression Frequently has problems linking ideas together in a logical sequence Speech is generally Speech is fluent and express him/herself Often forced into silence by language limitations Discourse is disconnected Level A fluent occasional with speech is rarely hesitant Ideas are lapses student searches correct while linked in a logical the sequence for manner of expression Can on occasion link ideas together in a logical sequence Vocabulary Misuse of words and very limited vocabulary make comprehension quite difficult Resorts to L1 Frequently uses the wrong words Conversation is somewhat limited because of insufficient vocabulary Words are VII In general, uses appropriate and words Choice of words terms indicates a broad knowledge of to fill in vocabulary gaps often repeated Occasionally must ideas vocabulary Uses rephrase appropriate terms and because vocabulary words of ideas to express limitation Pronunciation Very hard to understand because of pronunciation problems Consistently needs to repeat words or sentences to be understood Rarely uses appropriate intonation Makes him/herself understood, though pronunciation problems necessitate concentration on the part of the listener and occasionally lead to misunderstandings Frequently uses inappropriate intonation Intelligible most of Always intelligible, the time, though a although a foreign definite foreign accent that does accent is noticed in not impede his/her speech communication is Occasionally uses noticeable in his/her inappropriate speech Errors in intonation pronunciation are rare Almost always uses VIII appropriate intonation Grammar Grammar, word order, and verb tense errors make comprehension difficult Restricts him/herself to the simplest grammatical structures or leaves sentences unfinished Uses isolated words to express ideas Makes grammar, word order, and verb tense errors, which frequently obscure meaning and impede communication Restricts him/herself to simple grammatical structures Makes occasional grammar, order, Rarely makes word grammar, word order, and verb tense errors and verb errors, which always tense that obscure meaning not Shows some degree of sophistication in the obscure meaning sequencing of tenses IX Appendix 4: Students’ Speaking Performance in Three Projects No 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Delivery P1 P2 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,5 2 3 3 2 3 2 2 2,5 3 3 3,5 3 P3 4 3,5 3 3 3 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,5 Content P1 P2 2,5 2,5 2,5 2 3 2,5 2 3,5 2 2,5 3,5 2 2,5 2 2,5 2,5 3 2,5 3 P3 3 2,5 2,5 2,5 3 2,5 2,5 3 2,5 3 Fluency P1 P2 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,5 2,5 2,5 3 2,5 2,5 3 3,5 2 2 2,5 3 3 2,5 3 2,5 3,5 Vocabulary P3 P1 P2 P3 3 3 3,5 3 3,5 3 2 2 3 3 3 2,5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3,5 3 3,5 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 X Pronunciation P1 P2 P3 3,5 3,5 3 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,5 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 2,5 2,5 2,5 2,5 2,5 2 2,5 3 2,5 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3,5 3,5 3,5 2 3 3,5 Grammar P1 P2 4 4 3,5 4 3 2,5 3 3 3 2,5 2,5 2,5 2 3 2,5 3 3 1,5 3 3 3,5 3,5 2,5 3 P3 4 4 3 2,5 3 3 3 3,5 3 3,5 2,5 Total P1 18,5 19 17,5 19 12 16 11 17 16 16 15,5 16 12 15 15 12 17,5 10,5 17 17 18 14,5 16,5 P2 20 21,5 20 22 17 13 19 16 18 17 16 15 19,5 12 15,5 18,5 17 20 13 17,5 18,5 21 16,5 19 P3 23 20 21 21 15,5 13,5 18 16,5 16 19 17 17 18,5 17,5 17 20 17 20 12,5 20 18,5 19 19 18 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Mean 3 3 2,5 2 2,53 3,5 3 4 2,91 3 4 3 3,17 2 2 2,5 2 2,5 2,26 3,5 2,5 3 3 3 2,84 2,5 4 2,5 4 3,06 3 3 3 3 2,54 3,5 3,5 2,5 3,5 3 3,13 3,5 3 3 3 3,5 3 3,1 3 3 3 2,5 2,7 3 3,5 3 3 3 2,96 XI 3 3,5 4 2,5 3 3,5 3 2,99 2,5 3 2,5 3 2,5 2,5 2,63 3 4 3 2,5 2,97 3 3,5 3 2,5 2,91 3 3 3 2,5 2,78 4 4 3 3 3,16 3,5 3,5 4 2,5 3 3,5 3 3,17 18 16,5 12 17 17 12 17,5 17 17 13,5 16 15,43 20 21 16 21,5 19,5 15,5 20 18,5 20 16,5 18 17,97 19 17,5 19 23,5 21 14 19 17,5 22,5 18,5 18 18,4 Appendix 5: Open-ended questionnaire REFLECTION Full name: Group: _ What did you learn to in this project? What learning activities you like in this project? Why? What you dislike in this project? Why? What are your difficulties in doing this project? What you think the teacher should to help you speak better? Appendix 6: Close-ended questionnaire result Statements I participated in project activities enthusiastically (Tôi tham gia vào hoạt động dự án nhiệt tình) I get more involved in speaking activities with the use of project-based learning (Tôi tham gia vào hoạt động nói nhiều với cách học dự án) After participating in project activities, I can speak English more confidently (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, tơi nói Tiếng Anh tự tin hơn) After participating in project activities, I not feel anxious about speaking English (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, khơng cịn lo lắng nói Tiếng Anh) After participating in project activities, I not feel afraid of making mistakes and SA 40% Agree Undecided Disagree SD 54,3% 8,6 20% 65,7% 11,4% 2,9% 34,3% 65,7% 11,4% 48,6% 28,6% 8,6% 2,8% 14,3% 37,1% 40% 8,6% 2,9% XII being laughed at by classmates When I speak English (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, không sợ phạm lỗi hay bị bạn cười chê nói Tiếng Anh) After participating in project activities, I feel more motivated to learn speaking English (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, tơi có động lực học nói Tiếng Anh nhiều hơn.) After participating in project activities, I can develop my ideas logically, appropriately and easily to understand (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, biết cách triển khai ý lô gic, dễ hiểu.) After participating in project activities, I can speak English generally fluently with only rare repetition, selfcorrection, pauses and hesitations (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, tơi nói tiếng Anh tương đối trơi chảy, bị vấp váp.) After participating in project activities, I improve my vocabulary (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, cải thiện vốn từ vựng mình) 10 After participating in project activities, I improve my pronunciation (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, cải thiện phát âm mình.) 11 After participating in project activities, I improve my 11,4% 74,3% 11,4% 2,9% 14,3% 74,3% 11,4% 25,7% 68,6% 5,7% 11,4% 77,1% 8,6% 2,9% 8,6% 51,4% 34,3% 5,7% 62,9% 34,3% 2,8% XIII grammar (Sau tham gia vào hoạt động học tập dự án, cải thiện ngữ pháp mình.) 12 I want to have more 17,1% 42,9% project activities in my English class (Tôi muốn có thêm hoạt động dự án lớp học Tiếng Anh mình.) Appendix 7: Project in Unit in the textbook (English 10, volume 2, p.15) XIV Appendix 8: Project in Unit (English 10, volume 2, p.25) Appendix 9: Lesson plans in project (English 10, volume 2, p.47) XV Appendix 10: PHOTOGRAPHS Students‟ participation in project activities Students presented their product XVI Students presented their product in video Students reported in the polluted area Students played the role of “Thầy giáo” and “Lao Hac” XVII ... does the use of project- based learning in the new textbook influence high school students‟ speaking skill? What are high school students‟ attitudes towards project- based learning? 1.3.Scope of the. .. effort to involve teachers in high school in applying project- based teaching and improve students‟ learning speaking through the project- based learning, this study aims at evaluating the impacts of. .. result, the topic of the implementation of PBL in teaching speaking was chosen with the aim of persuading the teachers like colleagues in the author‟s school to use PBL in their lessons by showing them