The impact of teachers quality on RUS students in terms of speaking skill

1 Vietnam national university, Hanoi University of Languages and international studies faculty of Post-graduate Studies ĐÀO XUÂN HÙNG The impact of teachers’ quality On rus students in terms of speaking skill (Tác động chất lượng giáo viên việc học nói học sinh trung học vùng nông thôn) M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: Hanoi, 2010 Vietnam national university, Hanoi University of Languages and international studies faculty of Post-graduate Studies ĐÀO XUÂN HÙNG The impact of teachers’ quality On rus students in terms of speaking skill (Tác động chất lượng giáo viên việc học nói học sinh trung học vùng nông thôn) M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: Cohort: Supervisor: Hanoi, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Headings Acknowledgment Abstract Table of contents List of Abbreviations CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Significance of the study 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Methodology 1.6 Organization of the study CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 An overview of speaking skill 2.1.1 Speaking definitions 2.1.2 Characteristics of beginning level learners 2.1.3 The MOET principles of teaching speaking skill 2.1.4 Principles for teaching speaking to beginning learners 2.1.5 Elements needed for speaking skill development 2.2 Language Teaching Methods 2.2.1 The Grammar Translation Method 2.2.2 The Direct Method and Audiolingualism 2.2.3.Communication in language teaching 2.2.4 Principles of the communicative approach 2.3 The language of the EFL teacher 2.3.1 Introduction 2.3.2 The main characteristics of the language used by the EFL teachers 2.3.3 The language for opening/closing the lesson 2.3.4 The language for instructions 2.4 Issues of teacher development in Vietnam CHAPTER THREE: THE STUDY 3.1 Research question 3.2 Design of the study 3.2.1 Data Collection Instruments 3.2.2 Participants 3.2.3 Data Collection Procedure 3.3 Analytical framework 3.3.1 The language for the opening of the lessons 3.3.2 The language for the closing of the lessons 3.3.3 The language for instructions 3.3.4 Principles for teaching speaking to beginners 3.3.5 Principles of the communicative approach 3.3.6 Elements needed for speaking skill development 3.4 Data analysis and discussion 3.4.1 The language for opening and closing of the lessons 3.4.2 The language for instructions 3.4.3 Principles for teaching speaking to beginners 3.4.4 Principles of communicative approach 3.4.5 Elements needed for speaking skill development CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION 4.1 Major findings 4.2 Implications 4.3 Limitations of the study 4.4 Suggestions for further study References Appendices Appendix A Appendix B Appendix Appendix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CLT Communicative language teaching CL Classroom language CSs Communication skills EFL English as a foreign language ESL English as a second language MOET The Ministry of Education and Training RUS Rural upper-secondary school TD Teacher development TEFL Teaching English as a foreign language UEE The University Entrance Exam UFE The upper-secondary final exam 10 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationales English has undergone many changes in teaching and learning in Vietnam over the last few decades Demand for learning English even becomes stronger when Vietnam applies its open door policy English turns out to be the leading factor in a smaller and smaller world Learners want to be able to master English to a high level of accuracy and fluency Employers too insist that their employees have good English language skills, fluency in English is a prerequisite for success and advancement in many fields of employment in today‟s world However, in rural upper-secondary schools (RUSs), though English is a compulsory subject, it fails to equip students with enough knowledge and skills, especially speaking skill Even, The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has developed new textbooks, equipped more facilities to better the teaching and learning English, the fact is not changed This is because: First, the goals of learning English and foreign language in general are set by the MOET It can be translated as follows: To provide some basic knowledge about foreign languages in order to help school students to communicate and to use them as a key to science and technology These goals are too general and vague to be easily put into practice Second, Hubbard (1987, p.24, Burn, 1981, p.2, as cited in Thuoc, 1988, p.48) stated that “the teacher is a means to an end: An instrument to see that learning takes place As a human being, he is of course a subtle and sensitive instrument who cannot be satisfactorily replaced by a mechanical aid…” However, teachers‟ qualifications haven‟t been strictly considered and developed That is the reason why teachers have failed to meet the demand of teaching English in general and teaching speaking in particular In fact, teachers are the people who know the languages, select the new material to be learnt, and present it as clearly and memorably as possible Also, teachers work as conductors who give students opportunities to participate, to practise In addition, teachers act as guides in organising and motivating students‟ language activities The question is how teachers those without being equipped with proper knowledge and skills I think that it is essential to research on teachers‟ qualifications so I decided on choosing the topic “the impact of teachers‟ qualifications on RUS students in terms of speaking skill” 11 1.2 The aims of the study - The aims of this study are as follows: a) to examine the impact of teachers‟ instructions on RUS students in terms of speaking skill b) to suggest a possible basis for RUS teachers‟ ELT effectiveness 1.3 The significance of the study The study helps point out some impacts of teachers‟ instructions on RUS students in terms of speaking skill It would enable teachers to be aware of the necessity of their instructions to the students‟ speaking skill development It is also hoped that the study would make some suggestions for teachers‟ effectiveness which is considered by many linguists, educators and researchers as one of the most crucial ways to develop students‟ speaking skill 1.4 The scope of the study - Firstly, The impacts on students‟ development in terms of speaking skill is a very complicated problem, it composes of many factors Therefore, my thesis will focus mainly on rural Teachers‟ qualifications-those are teachers‟ instructions; the effectiveness of teachers‟ method practice The effectiveness here can be understood as the comparison between goal setting and goal achievement If the goal setting matches with the goal achievement, the teaching will be considered effective and vice versa - Secondly, more attention will be paid to the theory and description, which will make RUS teachers be aware of their problems and have directions to improve and develop in order to better the teaching - Thirdly, with the limitation of time and references, I shall only venture to suggest some theoretical solutions for RUS teachers‟ effectiveness in terms of CL and method practice 1.5 Method of the study - Classroom observation: Teachers‟ instructions - Guided interview 1.6 Organization of the study The study consists of four chapters: 12 - Chapter one: Introduction which contains rationale, scope, aims, significance, methodology and organization of the study - Chapter two: Literature review establishes the basic theoretical ground from the literature on speaking skills, principles of teaching speaking skills for beginning learners, the MOET principles of teaching speaking skill, principles in teaching using CLT, common methods and teachers‟ language instructions, and teacher development (TD) are clearly described - Chapter three: The study describes the overall picture of how the research was carried out from choosing the research question, the participants, the data collection instrument to gather data and analysis, results and discussion to make it more comprehensible - Chapter four: Conclusion reviews the main findings of the study, suggests some solutions, and ends with some suggestions for further research 13 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter discusses the theory and research into which this study bases on The chapter is divided into four sections The first section provides an overview of speaking skill The second section presents language teaching methods The third section is about the language of the English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher And the last section gives Issues of teacher development in Vietnam 2.1 An overview of speaking skill 2.1.1 Speaking definitions Bailey (2003, p.2) defined that speaking consists of producing systematic verbal utterances to convey meaning (Utterances are simply things people say) Florez (1999, p.1, as cited in Bailey, 2003, p.2) stated that speaking is “an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing and receiving and processing information” Bailey (2003, p.2) also pointed out that speaking is such a basic human behavior that we don‟t stop to analyze if there is not anything noticeable about it What we ignore is a number of physical, mental, psychological, social, and cultural factors that must all combine together when we speak People will have a great influence when they hear a lucid speaker in a second or foreign language 2.1.2 Characteristics of beginning level learners What does it mean to be a “beginning” or a “lower-level” language learner? According to the American council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (as cited in Bailey, 2005, p.30), beginning level students can be characterized as follows: - Oral production consists of isolated words and learned phrases within very predictable areas of need - Vocabulary is sufficient only for handling simple, elementary needs and expressing basic courtesies Utterances rarely consist of more than two or three words and show frequent long pauses and repetition of interlocutor‟s words - Speakers may have some difficulty producing even the simplest utterances This means that at this level speakers will be understood only with great difficulty Given these limitations, what can teachers to help beginning students develop their English speaking skill? In addition, if you are teaching EFL in your home culture, you are 43 suitable activities like role-play, information gaps, interviews… Moreover, the teachers were not aware of bad effects on learners through their using L1 in instructing In fact, by doing so, the teachers damaged students „interest and motivation in learning to speak 4.1 Major findings - The data showed that the language for the opening and closing the lessons were L1 The RUS teachers of English did not know how to open and close a lesson naturally and purposefully That is not only a waste of time, but also a reduction in students‟ learning motivation - Analysis of the data also pointed out that the RUS teachers use L1 mainly in instructing their students The data clearly stated that instead of setting the task or the exercise clearly, RUS teachers only named the task or the exercise In addition, the teachers neither give instructions about how to get into groups nor give clear guidance to enable students to work effectively Moreover, the teachers didn‟t use proper language in classroom - The data proved that three principles to teaching beginning level learners were broken That led to inefficiency of students‟ learning in term of speaking skills, such as: kLack of proper information to talk about; little access to English in the classroom-the only English environment to RUS students; little or inappropriate physical arrangements and pronunciation training - The results of the study pointed that activities organized by the RUS teachers did not reflect the characteristics of communication The students were neither closely related to what they really like to perform, nor made it lucid about the purpose of the activities That created passive English learning environments Teaching became not only boring but also ineffective In addition, part-skills were focused rather than the total skills No real speaking from reading, or writing from reading was applied That led to no real speaking practice Especially, mechanical activities dominated the lessons, but not communicative ones The classrooms became traditional lock-step environment Therefore, communication and skill development using skills were not focused Besides, integration of form focus and meaning focus for communicative purposes were not emphasized - The data gave evidence for the conclusion that students were equipped with enough communicative competence Among four elements of communicative competence, only linguistic competence were taught, but the way the teachers presented it showed that 44 it was far from meeting the demand of teaching this element Moreover, three other elements like sociolinguistic competence, strategic competence and discourse competence were not found in the RUS teachers‟ lessons The teachers try to apply some activities related to CLT to develop students‟ oral skills in speaking lessons However, as the improper understanding of principles to teaching speaking, especially, principles of CLT to beginners and incompetence in language skills, they nearly mismatch the goals set by The MOET and by themselves - The ineffectiveness of teachers‟ method and skill performance results in inefficiency of students‟ learning in term of speaking skill, such as: Lack of proper information to talk about; little access to English in the classroom-the only English environment to RUS students; little or inappropriate physical arrangements and pronunciation training 4.2 Implications The data revealed specific weaknesses in unbalanced lesson structure, lack of signals for transition, limited requested strategies to announce the tasks, insufficient instructions and so dependence on the commercially available materials These weaknesses may, to some extent, impair students‟ language learning efficiency So it is a must that RUS teachers of English should be trained in using English to conduct EFL classes through short-term courses or teacher training networks and centers, conferences Obviously, „using simple English‟ for a great variety of classroom situations is insufficient in both theory and practice In addition, teaching English by using L1 (Vietnamese) in speaking lessons may harm students‟ interest and demand in developing CS It is therefore essential to urgently seek ways and means to compensate the deficiency That might be the combination of using L1 and L2 (50/50) in language instruction Moreover, teachers need to adopt a more learner-centered perspective in making their pedagogical decisions through using communicative activities like conversations, controlled conversations and interviews; information gap and jigsaw activities, scripted dialogues, drama and role-play; logic puzzles, picture-based activities; and physical actions in speaking lessons It means that teachers should be equipped with principles of CLT in teaching, CS A rich source of TEFL materials with a specific focus on how to conduct EFL classes through English should be available for Vietnamese teachers of English At the moment, only one part in the EFL teaching method materials (Doff,1988) referring directly 45 to the language that EFL teachers use to conduct EFL classes is considered not proper Accordingly, some more course books on classroom language should be shortly added as well as recommended for improvements In fact, there are many kinds of course books as well as resource books which deal with this question from different perspectives For example, „Teaching English through English‟(Willis, 1981), „Using English in the Classroom‟ (Heaton, 1981) and „a handbook of classroom English‟ (Hughes, 1981) However, to suit different training situations in Vietnam, they should be selected and tailored as regards the contents and the time for each items of training as well 4.3 Limitations of the study It is perhaps inevitable that the study has certain limitations Firstly, the data of lessons were collected from teachers in a RUS in Hoa Binh province and such a number was too small to allow generalizations about the whole teaching situation in Hoa Binh province in particular and in other rural parts of Vietnam in general Secondly, the time to conduct the study is not long enough to observe all the teachers‟ speaking lessons Thirdly, only interview and class observation were conducted, so we couldn‟t have a variety of data Finally, the factors which may affect teachers‟ language, teachers and students‟ beliefs as well as practice were not explained in this study 4.4 Suggestions for further study This study has emphasized on the language used by RUS teachers of English for opening, closing, and instructions that have impacts on students‟ efficiency Future research can concentrate on the language for instructions, different kinds of questions and strategies for error correction, learning strategies, teachers‟ and students‟ beliefs and practice in large-scale research In addition, future research may examine which situations are more proper, what levels students should be reached to meet the learning innovation Research can be extended to a larger scale - the RUS teachers of English in the northern parts of Vietnam or the lower-secondary school teachers of English References 46 Allen, D.E., Valette M V (1972) Classroom Techniques: Foreign Languages and English as a Second Language: Harcourt Brace Javanovich Allright, D., Bailey, M.K (1991) Focus on the Language Classroom: An Introduction to Classroom Research for Language Teachers Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Arthea, J.S.R., V E B (2004) A Guide to Observation, Participation, and Reflection in the Classroom (Fifth ed.): Mc Graw Hill Bailey, M K (2005) Practical English Language Teaching Speaking: McGrawHill Brown, G., G Y (1983) Teaching the Spoken Language: An approach based on the analysis of conversational English: Campridge University Press Brown, G., K M., J W (1996) Performance and competence in Second Language Acquisition: Cambridge University Press Brown, H D (2007) Principles of Language Learning and Teaching San Francisco: Pearson Longman Byrne, D (1987) Techniques for Classroom Interaction London-New York: Longman Canh, L V (2004) From Ideology to Inquiry: Mediating Asian and Western Values in ELT Practice The Journal of Asia Tefl, 1(1), pp.167-183 10 Doff, A (1988) Teach English: A training Course for Teachers Cambridge: Cambridge University Press&The British Council 11 Huang, J (2006) Understanding Factors That Influence Chinese English Teachers' Decision to Implement Communicative Activities in Teaching The Journal of Asia Tefl, 3(4), pp.165-191 12 Helen, J.C., R J K., J.D.P (1998) Teacher Development: The World Bank and Project ABEL (Advancing Basic International development and Literaacy) 13 Hong, N T (1986) Towards a Professional Development Program for Teachers of English in Vietnamese High Schools The Hanoi Foreign languages Teachers Training College, Hanoi 14 Iwai, Y (2009) Toward Communicative Competence in the Japanese Context: The Challenges facing Japanese English Teachers The Journal of Asia Tefl, 6(2), pp.77-99 47 15 Kumaravadivelu.B (2006) Tesol Methods: Changing tracks, challenging Trends Tesol Quartly, 40(1) pp 59-81 16 Lee, J.F, Vanpatten, B (2003, p.53) Making communicative language teaching happen Mc Graw Hill 17 Minh, N T T (2007) The Textbook evaluation: The case of English Textbooks currently in use in Vietnam's upper-secondary school Seomeo regional language center, pp.2-67 18 Park, J.K (2006) Professionalization of Tefl in Korea: The Road behind and ahead * The Journal of Asia Tefl, 3(4), pp.113-134 19 Phuc, V V (1986) A Consideration of How the Communicative Approach May Be Used in Language Teaching in Vietnam 20 Thuoc, B D (1988) Teaching Functional Spoken English at the Hanoi Foreign Languages Teachers' Training College the Hanoi Foreign Languages Teachers' Training College, Ha Noi 21 Willis, J (1984) Teaching English Through English: A Course in Classroom Language and Techniques: Longman Appendices Appendix A 48 Interview questions for Teachers Tại anh/chị lại sử dụng tiếng Việt hướng dẫn học sinh? Anh/chị có nghĩ giáo viên tiếng Anh vùng nơng thơn cần khóa tập huấn phát triển giáo viên? Tại ? Theo anh/chị phần kiến thức quan trọng : Phương pháp dạy học, kỹ kiến thưc ngôn ngữ? Tại sao? Để phát triển giáo viên, theo anh/chị năm giáo viên cần tập huấn bồi dưỡng bao lâu? Transcript Why you use Vietnamese in your instructions? Do you think we-RUS teachers of English need teacher development courses? Why ? What is the order of priority among three items: Methodology, skills, and language knowledge? why? How much time per year you think it is enough for teacher development ? Appendix B Teachers’ answers for the Interview questions Teacher one 49 Câu Bởi học sinh địa phương tơi cịn gặp nhiều khó khăn việc học ngoại ngữ, kỹ học em cịn chưa tốt, em cịn nhút nhát nói Câu Theo tập huấn giáo viên cần thiết lần tập huấn lại học hỏi nhiều kinh nghiệm trường bạn đồng nghiệp Câu Tập huấn kỹ năng, phương pháp, ngôn ngữ cho giáo viên cần thiết bổ ích cho giáo viên cơng tác giảng dạy Theo tập huấn kỹ phục vụ công tác giảng dạy quan trọng Câu Theo thời gian tập huấn phù hợp thời gian hè (3-5 ngày, khoảng tháng 7) Teacher two Câu cần hạn chế dùng tiếng Việt để hướng dẫn, giải thích cho học sinh nhiệm vụ tiết học Tuy nhiên hướng dẫn tiếng Việt cần thiết vì: - Trình độ nhận thức, hiểu biết học sinh tiếng Anh hạn chế - Thời gian phân bố cho bước lên lớp không cho phép kéo dài - Một số cấu trúc, tượng ngữ pháp khó Câu Việc tập huấn giáo viên tiếng Anh THPT cần thiết vì: - Củng cố kiến thức, phương pháp dạy học - Tích lũy kinh nghiệm - Tiếp thu thông tin - Học tập phương pháp Câu Việc tập huấn kỹ năng, phương pháp, ngôn ngữ cần thiết Cả ba phần quan trọng Tuy nhiên kỹ quan trọng kỹ dạy học giáo viên đa số hạn chế, kỹ tiếp thu phát triển học sinh yếu Cầu Thời gian tập huấn từ 5-7 ngày sau năm học ( tháng hàng năm) Teacher three Câu Bởi đối tượng học sinh vùng sâu từ vựng, tư nhạy bén em hạn chế thời lượng giảng 45 phút Vì vậy, lần làm hướng dẫn tập, hay câu hỏi ngồi sử dụng ngôn ngữ tiếng Anh ra, thường kèm 50 theo hướng dẫn em tiếng Việt, để em hiểu rõ yêu cầu để đáp ứng kịp thời lượng giảng Câu Theo em tập huấn giáo viên cần thiết, với chương trình sách giáo khoa bây giờ, khối lớp có chủ đề rộng, với tư kiến thức hiểu khía cạnh Nhưng thơng qua lớp tập huấn học hỏi nhiều kinh nghiệm, kiến thức sáng tạo cho giảng Câu Theo em tập huấn phương pháp quan trọng Bởi giáo dục ngày cấp học nâng cao hiệu “ Đổi phương pháp giảng dạy” bên cạnh với chương trình sách bây giờ, cần phương pháp học Vì tập huấn phương pháp quan trọng Câu Theo em năm học cần tập huấn lần, với thời gian khoảng từ đến ngày Nhưng đợt tập huấn giáo viên hướng dẫn phải đổi phương pháp để giáo viên tập huấn có hứng thú học tập, để họ tiếp thu cung họ phát huy tính sáng tạo cho giảng APPENDIX Anectotal Record Form for Observing Teachers or Instructional Events ( Arthea J.S Reed, Verna E Bergemann (2004) A Guide to Observation, Participation, and Reflection in the Classroom (Fifth ed.): Mc Graw Hill.) 51 Form 1: Anecdotal Record Form for Observing Teachers or Instructional Events-1 Name of Oberver: Date and time of obervation: Length of observation: _ Person and/or event observed: _ Grade level and/ or subject: _ Objective of observation: _ _ Instructions to the Observer: As completely and accurately as possible, describe the person or the event, If approprate, include direct quotes and description of the location or individual Try to avoid making judgement _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ APPENDIX TRANSCRIPTS OF THE SPEAKING LESSON T=Teacher, S=Student, Ss = Students T: Cả lớp trả lời cho hai câu hỏi 52 What you know about New York city? What you know about London? T: Đặc điểm có gì? It has the largest … and finest … harbour which is … S: Cannot answer T‟s questions T: Calls a S T: Calls another S ( Hue) to write on the board at the same time S: Writes on the board While two Ss are writing on the board, T guides the whole class to task T: Reads Task and asks – Which word in column B ( Từ bên cột B) S: Answers : D ( founded) T: Asks- What is the … like ? S: Answers : F ( transport) T: Asks- What does it mean ? ( Nghĩa gì?) T: How many … are there ? ( Suggests: Số nhiều, từ có số nhiều) S: E ( parks) T: What is the … of the city? S: C ( population) T: ( the last one) What is it …? T: Now, we are going to task 2, as the sample ( Hỏi theo mẫu), Works in pairs T: Ss: Asks Ss to work in pairs, ask and answer about New York and London Work in pairs orally Pair 1: A: What is … ( The S cannot make question) B: (no answer) T: ( T: Suggests) A: What is the population of the New York city B: It has million … ( S cannot answer) (Suggests- It has…) Pair 2: A: What is the area of the New York city? 53 B: Its area is 946 sq ( T: Suggests) A: What about London? B: Its area is 1,610 sq Pair 3: A: How many national holidays ? (T asks) B: ( How can I answer? – Trả lời ?) ( T answers) A: What about London ? (Tasks) B: It has 14 days T: Bây chữa thêm động từ : is thêm giới từ: for, of thêm tính từ sở hữu: its T: Ai nhận xét bạn Ss: (no answer) Ss: Translate into Vietnamese T: Che cks ( S2) Add a verb: is S2 write Halan: T -> Duch Ss: T: Gives Ss Marks T: Ta tiếp tục làm tập Đọc dịch sang tiếng Việt Work in pairs Pair 1: A: S cannot read ( T: Guides and supports- five hundred sq km) B: S cannot read T: A: S reads in English again B: S translates into Vietnamese Dãy tạo thành đoạn hội thoại câu diện tích, dân số kỳ nghỉ That row does exercise ( Dãy bên làm tập 4) T: ( Write a structure on the Board, translate into Vietnamese) S+prefer … To … Because T: Tiếp tục lên bảng viết cho theo mẫu T: Calls Thanh+Hue to talk at the same time Ss:(no answer) 54 T: Supports S: can answer T: Writes on the Board - The national holidays of London is more than that of New York T: Translates into Vietnamese - Word order ( Trật tự từ) : transport + convenient Area + large T: Các em nắm học, ngữ pháp gì? S: (No answer) T: Bài tập nhà Về nhà đọc, dịch làm tập T: I explain you some new words in Unit 16 (Tôi hướng dẫn trước số từ 16) T: Give Ss some new words - - - - - T: Explains, translate into Vietnamese T: Calls S to translate one paragraph S: Translates into Vietnamese (T guides) T: Về nhà chuẩn bị ... point out some impacts of teachers? ?? instructions on RUS students in terms of speaking skill It would enable teachers to be aware of the necessity of their instructions to the students? ?? speaking. .. research on teachers? ?? qualifications so I decided on choosing the topic ? ?the impact of teachers? ?? qualifications on RUS students in terms of speaking skill? ?? 11 1.2 The aims of the study - The aims of. .. examine the impact of teachers? ?? instructions on RUS students in terms of speaking skill b) to suggest a possible basis for RUS teachers? ?? ELT effectiveness 1.3 The significance of the study The