(Luận văn thạc sĩ) using stimulating activities to improve 10th form students english speaking skill a case study at thuan an upper secondary school in thua thien hue

-1- VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES ĐỖ THỊ THANH BÌNH USING STIMULATING ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE 10TH FORM STUDENTS’ ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS: A CASE STUDY AT THUAN AN UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THUA THIEN HUE ( Sử dụng hoạt động khích lệ để nâng cao kỹ nói tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 10: Một nghiên cứu điển hình Trường THPT Thuận An tỉnh Thừa Thiên Huế) M.A MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY Code: 60 14 10 Cohort: MA 17 HANOI ,SEPTEMBER, 2010 -2- VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES ĐỖ THỊ THANH BÌNH USING STIMULATING ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE 10TH FORM STUDENTS’ ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS: A CASE STUDY AT THUAN AN UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THUA THIEN HUE ( Sử dụng hoạt động khích lệ để nâng cao kỹ nói tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 10: Một nghiên cứu điển hình Trường THPT Thuận An tỉnh Thừa Thiên Huế) M.A MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY Code: 60 14 10 Supervisor : Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân HANOI- 2010 -6- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES AND ABBREVIATIONS viii PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale of the study Aims of the study 3 Research questions 4 Scope of the study Significance of the study Research methodology -7- Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: Theoretical Backgrounds 1.1 General issues 1.1.1 What is ―speaking‖? 1.1.2 What is ―teaching speaking‖? 1.1.3 Factors affecting English speaking abilities 1.1.4 What a successfully speaking learner should 1.2 Stimulating activities 1.2.1 Definition of stimulating activities 1.2.2 Types of stimulating activities in teaching speaking skills 1.2.2.1 Role play 1.2.2.2 Simulation 1.2.2.3 Drama -8- 1.2.2.4 Games 1.2.2.5 Short stories 10 1.2.2.6 Discussion 10 1.2.2.7 Video 10 1.2.2.8 Group work 10 1.2.3 Three most stimulating activities used in speaking class 11 1.2.3.1 Games 11 1.2.3.2 Videos/ DVD in language teaching and learning 12 1.2.3.3 Role play 13 1.2.4 Prior studies related to teaching speaking 15 1.3 Summary 15 Chapter 2: The use of stimulating activities to improve 10th form students’ 16 speaking skill at Thuan An USS -9- 2.1 Current situation of teaching and learning English speaking skills at Thuan An USS 16 2.1.1 An overview of Thuan An Upper Secondary School 16 2.1.2 The English teaching and learning situation at Thuan An USS 16 2.1.2.1 Description of the students at Thuan An USS 17 2.1.2.2 Description of the teachers at Thuan An USS 17 2.1.2.3 The syllabus of teaching and learning 17 2.1.2.4 The English textbook ―Tieng Anh 10‖ 18 2.1.2.5 Classroom facilities 19 2.2 A research on the use of stimulating activities 2.2.1 Research Methodology 20 20 2.2.1.1 Participants of the study 20 2.2.1.2 Research instruments 20 2.2.1.2.1 Classroom observations 20 2.2.1.2.2 Questionnaire 21 - 10 - 2.2.1.2.3 Interview 2.2.2 Data collection procedures 21 21 2.2.2.1 Stimulating activities 21 2.2.2.2 Classroom observations through computer 21 2.2.2.3 Post-survey questionnaires for students 22 2.2.2.4 Post-observation interviews 22 2.2.3 Technique for analyzing data 23 2.3 Summary 23 Chapter 3: Findings and discussion 24 3.1 Data analysis 24 3.1.1 Analyzing result of post-survey questionnaire 24 3.1.2 Analyzing results of classroom observations 26 3.1.3 Result of post-observations interviews 29 - 11 - 3.2 Discussion 33 3.2.1 The use of three stimulating activities to intensify students‘ participation 33 3.2.2 The effectiveness of three stimulating activities used in class 34 3.2.3 The students‘ response on the use of three stimulating activities 34 3.3 Summary 35 PART C: CONCLUSION 1.Summary of the study 36 Recommendations on how to use three stimulating activities in class 37 2.1 For the student 37 2.2 For the teacher 37 2.3 For the administrator 38 Limitations of the study 39 Suggestions for further research 39 REFERENCES 40 - 12 - APPENDICES I Appendix 1: Post-survey questionnaire I Appendix 2: Post-observation interviews V Appendix 3: Lesson extract VI Appendix 4: Lesson extract XII Appendix 5: Transcribe video taped lessons (Unit 12+ Unit 13) XIII Appendix 6: Lesson plans (Unit 12+ Unit 13) XXVIII - 13 - LIST OF TABLES AND ABBREVIATIONS TABLES Table 1, 2, 3, 4: The students‘ attitudes towards the proposed stimulating activities Table 4, 5: The effectiveness of the stimulating activities used in 10A class ABBREVIATIONS MOET: Ministry of Education and Training CLT: Communicative Language Teaching EFL: English Foreign Language USS: Upper Secondary School R: Researcher Ss: Students St: Student - 105 - stick it on the board The quickest group and the best writing skill are the winners You use the suggestions below Do you agree? Ss: Yes R: goes around to helping Ss when necessary R: Now, time is up Pen down, please Ss: go to the board and stick their sub boards R: Who is the representative of your group? Now, come here to talk about the film of your group R: very good Ss: clap their hands to congratulate R: Who is the quickest? And which group has the best writing skill? - 106 - APPENDIX LESSON PLAN Lesson : Unit 12: Music - Speaking Class : 10 A - basic Time allotted : 45 minutes Aims : By the end of the lesson, students will be able to talk about music they like Vocabulary Skills Teaching aids : keep s.b happy, Cheer s.b up, band : listening, speaking : Projector - 107 -  Warm - up: shark attack Shark Attack MU S I C Ask students: ―What kind of music you know?‖ - pop, Guessing the kinds of music Unit 14 THE WORLD CUP - LISTENING Pop Hip2hop Jazz country Rock Music Rock folk Classical music - 108 - Teacher : - Divide the class into two groups: A and B - Ask each group to choose a number they want (from to 8), then say the kinds of music, based on the video clips on the slides - Give one mark for each correct answer * Checking understanding: - What will you first? – Choose a number - What will you after that? – Say the kinds of music The group with more marks will be the winners - 109 - Stage 1: PRE-SPEAKING Teaching vocabulary: Unit 12 MUSIC - SPEAKING New vocabulary: keep s.b happy : make s.b happy :Làm cho vui Eg: I was tired and bored So I listened to music It kept me happy Cheer s.b up : make s.b feel less sad :Làm cho đỡ buồn/phấn chấn Eg: Her mother tried to cheer her up with funny stories band (n) : a group of musicians who plays together : ban nhạc Checking vocabulary: Rub out and remember Stage 2: while- speaking Activity 1: Unit 12 MUSIC - SPEAKING Activity 1: Give the reasons why you listen to music Makes (someone) happy Helps (someone) forget troubles / the sadness Makes (someone) excited / feel relaxed Reduces (someone) stress Rousing/ pleasant/ lyrical/ serene and peaceful - 110 - Activity 2: Role play: Ask and answer about music taste Unit 12 MUSIC - SPEAKING Activity 2: Ask your partners questions to get information to complete the table below Partner Partner kind of music reasons for listening to music favourite band/ musician favourite song/ piece of music when listen to music Tell Ss that they are going to ask your partners questions to get information to complete the table below - Ask Ss to look at the first column of the table which includes items they should ask their friend about - Ask Ss what questions they can ask if they want to know about their friend‘s favourite kind of music , reasons for listening to music, favourite band…… Unit 12 MUSIC - SPEAKING Activity 2: Ask and answer about music taste Example: J: Good afternoon/,10A students My name/ Hung I/ a/ journalist/ MTV magazine I/want/ interview/ you/ their/ music/ taste Sts: Good afternoon/, Mr Hung Welcome/ class J: What/ names/? Tan & Mai: We/ Tan /and/ Mai J: What / kind / music / like? Tan & Mai: We/like / pop/ music - 111 - Role play: - Ask Ss to form groups of One of them will be a journalist who will interview their friends about their music taste The journalist has to ask two Ss some questions and complete the table Ss can change their roles if time permits Students work in groups of three, using the cues to practise - Go around to help Ss and collect the mistakes Stage 3: POST-speaking - Ask Ss to report what they have got from their friends to the whole class - Before Ss report T asks Ss to look at the example and elicits some structures they can use: + Both A and B like … + A likes…, and so does B + A likes …and B does , too + A likes…, but B prefers… - Ask Ss to prepare in one minute - 112 - Model: Both Nga and Lan like pop music Nga likes it because it makes her relaxed while Lan likes it because it‘s easy to listen Nga‘s favourite band is Westlife, but Lan likes Lam Truong very much Both Nga and Lan listen to music when they have free time - Let students work in groups of six, talking about two students‘ habits of listening to music - The representative of each group talks about the information in front of the class homework  Write a short paragraph about their friends‘ music taste  Prepare for the listening period - 113 - LESSON PLAN Lesson : Unit 13: Films and cinema - Speaking Class : 10 A - basic Time allotted : 45 minutes Aims : By the end of the lesson, students will be able to talk about the films they like or have just seen Vocabulary : moving, terrifying, horrible Structure : Prefer sb / sth to sb / sth Skills Teaching aids : listening, speaking : Projector, cards, funny pictures - 114 -  Warm - up: Hangman game English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking *Warm –up: F I L M S Ask students: ―What kind of films you know?‖ - Cartoon, Guessing the kinds of films English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking *Warm –up: Cartoon Love story Science fiction Detective Thriller Action War Vocabulary Vocabulary - 115 English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking *Warm –up: Love story Cartoon Science fiction Detective Thriller War Action Vocabulary Vocabulary Teacher : - Divide the class into two groups: A and B - Ask each group to choose a number they want (from to 7), then say the kinds of films, based on the pictures or films on the slides - Give one mark for each correct answer * Checking understanding: - What will you first? – Choose a number - What will you after that? – Say the kinds of films The group with more marks will be the winners Stage 1: Before speaking Teaching vocabulary: English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking Before speaking Vocabulary: • moving (adj) • terrifying (adj) • horror : cảm động : khiếp sợ, kinh hải (adj) : ly kỳ, rùng rợn • to prefer sb / sth to sb / sth : thích ……hơn …… Ex: I prefer cartoons to thrillers Game Checking vocabulary: Translation - 116 - English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking Before speaking Put the following words in the suitable columns interesting moving exciting good fun terrifying Like very much violent boring Don’t like very much / don’t like at all - Teacher writes the given words on cards, the delivers them to students - On the blackboard, teacher sticks two funny faces with the words: Like very much, Don’t like very much / don’t like at all - The students go to the blackboard and stick the given words under the suitable column English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking Before speaking  How much you like each kind of films? Put a () in the right column Kinds of films Very much Not very much Not at all Cartoon Love story Detective Action Thriller War Science fiction Vocabulary Stage 2: - while speaking Activity 1: - 117 English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking Activity 1: Find out what your friends feel about each kind of film (pair work) Example: Tan: What / think / horror films? Mai: Oh, I find / them / terrifying Tan: (agreeing) - So I - I quite agree with you - I think so, too Tan: (disagreeing) -Neither I -I don’t quite agree I find them very interesting with you - I don’t think so - Students use the cues to ask and answer - Practise the language to express agreeing or disagreeing  Whole class  Half class - half class  Closed pairs  Opened pairs Activity 2: English 10 Unit 13 - Speaking Activity 2: Find out your friends’ preferences for films (pair work) Example: Tan: Which / prefer,/ detective films / science fiction films? Lan: Well, it / difficult / say But I suppose I / prefer / science fiction films  / detective films Prompts:    horror films or detective films love story films or cartoons your ideas … - Students work in pairs, using the cues to practise  Whole class  Half class - half class  Closed pairs  Opened pairs - 118 - Stage 2: - after speaking Talk about a film you have seen Use the suggestions below (group work) Where did you see it? What kind of film is it? What is it about? Who is / are the main character(s)? How you feel about it? Why you prefer it to other films? Model: I saw the film ’Titanic’ on television last week It is a tragic love story film It is about the sinking of a luxury ship on its first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean The main characters are Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater Jack is a young and generous adventurer He saved Rose from killing herself on board, and although she has already been engaged, the two fall in love I find it very interesting and moving I prefer it to other films because it tells me what the true love is - Teacher shows some important parts of the film TITANIC on the slide to help students know how to choose the main details of a film to talk about - Let students work in groups of three or four, choosing one film they know well to talk about - The representative of each group talks about the film in front of the class homework - 119 -  Write a paragraph about the film you like best  Prepare for the listening period ... skills at Thuan An USS 16 2.1.1 An overview of Thuan An Upper Secondary School 16 2.1.2 The English teaching and learning situation at Thuan An USS 16 2.1.2.1 Description of the students at Thuan An. .. 10th form students speaking skills at Thuan An USS - 33 - CHAPTER THE USE OF STIMULATING ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE 10TH FORM STUDENTS? ?? ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS AT THUAN AN USS In this chapter an attempt... (2) To what extents are they effective? 2.1 The current situation of teaching and learning English speaking skills at Thuan An USS 2.1.1 An overview of Thuan An Upper Secondary School Thuan An Upper