Using group work to improve speaking skills of the 10th grade students at yen phong 2 high school in bac ninh province

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES    LE THI DUNG USING GROUP WORK TO IMPROVE SPEAKING SKILLS OF THE 10TH GRADE STUDENTS AT YEN PHONG HIGH SCHOOL IN BAC NINH PROVINCE M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION) Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 THAI NGUYEN - 2020 ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ    LÊ THỊ DUNG SỬ DỤNG HOẠT ĐỘNG NHÓM ĐỂ NÂNG CAO KĨ NĂNG NÓI CHO HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT YÊN PHONG SỐ TỈNH BẮC NINH LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh Mã số: 8220201 THAI NGUYEN - 2020 DECLARATION Le Thi Dung, hereby certify that this M.A thesis entitled “Using group work to improve speaking skills of the 10th grade students at Yen Phong High School in Bac Ninh province” is the result of my own study in the fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master at School of Foreign Languages , Thai Nguyen university I commit that this thesis has not been submitted anywhere for any degree Thai Nguyen, 2020 Approved by Supervisor Student Dr Van Thi Quynh Hoa Le Thi Dung i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to acknowledge the debt of gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Van Thi Quynh Hoa for her helpful suggestions, invaluable critical feedback and encouragement in the writing of this study Without her guidance and help, this work would not have been completed My sincere thanks go to all the staff at the Department of Post-graduate Studies, Thai Nguyen University for giving me assistance and the lecturers who conducted the Master's course for providing me with valuable knowledge I would also like to express my deep sense of gratitude to my dear students, whose participation in and dedication to the research remain invaluable have been acknowledged Without their precious support, the thesis would not have taken shaped Finally, the support extended to me by the members of my family has been immeasurable I would also like to express my thanks to my parents and my husband for their wholehearted encouragement Bac Ninh, October 24th 2020 Le Thi Dung ii ABSTRACT Speaking skill is always considered an obstacle for most learners at Yen Phong High School It is showed more clearly in speaking skill learning process Therefore, the main purpose of the thesis is to provide effective speaking activities as well as to investigate the application of group work towards enhancing grade 10 students‟ speaking skill The survey questionnaires for students, class observation and T-test were used as the major instruments to collect data about the effectiveness of group work in developing their speaking skill The subjects involved in the study were 42 students in class 10A1 at Yen Phong High School They participated in the survey questionnaire, and T-test to help the researcher better in this research The results of the study showed that group work has positive influence on the development of students‟ speaking skill and has the potential to help students deal with some challenges that they may encounter in speaking lessons Based on the findings, some suggestions were given to both students and teachers to cooperate to improve grade 10 students‟ speaking skill iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii LISTS OF TABLES, FIGURES AND CHARTS viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Significance of the study 1.3.1 Theoretical aspect 1.3.2 Practical aspect 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Organization of the thesis CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Speaking skill and its related concepts 2.1.1 The importance of speaking skill in the classroom 2.1.2 Types of classroom speaking performance 2.2 Group work in a speaking lesson 2.2.1 Definition and description of group work 2.2.2 The advantages and disadvantages of using group work in the classroom 2.2.3 Group formation 2.2.4 Group –size 2.2.5 Teacher roles in group work activities 2.2.6 Common oral activities for group work 10 2.3 Previous study related to group work 15 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 18 3.1 Context and participants of the study 18 iv 3.1.1 The context 18 3.1.2 Student participants 19 3.2 Reasons to choose action research method 19 3.3 Phases of action research 20 3.4 Weekly schedules and research procedures 22 3.4.1 Weekly schedules 23 3.4.2 Research procedures 27 3.5 Data collection instruments 28 3.5.1 The questionnaires for students 28 3.5.2 Class observation 29 3.5.3 Test 29 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 31 4.1 Analysis of the information collected from the survey questionnaires 31 4.1.1 Students‟ perception on the difficulty of speaking skill 31 4.1.2 Students‟ interest degree in English speaking lessons in class 31 4.1.3 Students‟ interest degree in learning speaking English 32 4.1.4 Students‟ speaking English circumstances 33 4.1.5 Students‟ times speaking English in a forty-five speaking class 34 4.1.6 The students‟ opinion on the frequency of having problems when speaking English 35 4.1.7 Students‟ difficulties in speaking English 35 4.1.8 Students‟ participating in speaking activities in class 36 4.1.9 Students‟ interests in speaking activities 37 4.1.10 Students‟ perception on the importance of speaking skill 38 4.2 Analysis of the information collected from class observation 39 4.2.1 Meeting 1: 13/ 12/2019 39 4.2.2 Meeting 2: 10/3/2020 39 4.3 Analysis of the information collected from pretest and posttest 40 4.3.1 Distribution of Pre-test Scores 40 4.3.2 Distribution of Post-test Scores 41 v 4.3.3 Comparison of Data on the Pre-test and Post-test Scores of the Students 42 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 43 5.1 Summary of major findings 43 5.2 Recommendations 44 5.3 Limitations 45 5.4 Recommendations for further research 46 REFERENCES 47 APPENDIX I vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Cont :Continue F :Frequency %/ P :Percent Ss :Students vii LISTS OF TABLES, FIGURES AND CHARTS TABLES Table 3.1: The timetable of the action implementation 23 Table 3.2: Analysis and Statistical tools 30 Table 4.1: Students‟ perception on the difficulty of speaking skill 31 Table 4.2: Students‟ interest degree in learning speaking English 32 Table 4.3: Students‟ times speaking English in a forty-five speaking class 34 Table 4.4: The students‟ opinion on the frequency of having problems when speaking English 35 Table 4.5: Students‟ participating in speaking activities in class 36 Table 4.6: Students‟ perception on the importance of speaking skill 38 Table 4.7: Distribution of Pre-test Scores 40 Table 4.8: Distribution of Post-test Scores 41 Table 4.9: Test of Difference between the Pre-test and Post-test Scores of the students 42 FIGURES Figure 3.1: Action research spiral (Kemmis & McTaggart, 2000:564) 21 Figure 3.2: Action research framework (adapted from Lewin, 1946) 21 Figure 4.1: Students‟ speaking English circumstances 33 Figure 4.2: Students‟ difficulties in speaking English 35 CHARTS Chart 4.1: Students‟ interest degree in speaking lessons 32 Chart 4.2: Students‟ interests in speaking activities .38 viii Distributive period: 91 * Preparing date: 20/5/2020 * Teaching date: 25/5/2020 * Class: 10A1 UNIT 9: PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT Lesson 8: LOOKING BACK AND PROJECT A Aims and Objectives: - To help Ss pronounce correctly three -syllable nouns in isolation and in context - To teach Ss some lexical items related to preserve the environment - By the end of the lesson Ss are able to: + Pronounce correctly three -syllable nouns related to the topic the environment + Use some key words of the topic the environment + Do the exercises on reported speech B Preparations: - Teacher: Handouts, textbook, pieces of papers and cassette - Students: Textbook C Methods: - The whole lesson: Integrated, mainly communicative D Procedures: Teacher’s activities Time/Stages I Warm-up (3 minutes) Students’ activities * Checking - Ss recall what they - Ask students to recall what they have learnt in Unit have learnt in Unit - Speak out their ideas and opinions, knowledge that they have learnt in Unit XLIII Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities II New lesson Pronunciation Pronunciation: + Activity + Activity (5 minutes) - Play the recording, pausing after - Ss work each word for Ss to repeat chorally individually to the and individually task as required + Activity + Activity (5 minutes) - Play the recording again, pausing - Ss work after each word for Ss to listen, and individually to the put a stress mark (‟) before the task as required stressed syllable - Check answers as a class - Ask different Ss to read out the words to the rest of the class Key: po’llution e’rosion ’energy ’animal con’sumption a’wareness ’poverty de’pletion so’lution 10 pro’tection 2.Vocabulary: Vocabulary: + Activity Activity 1: (7 minutes) - Ask Ss to focus on the instruction individually then in - Ss work XLIV Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities and the words in the box Tell them pairs to the task as that these words are nouns or verbs required Encourage Ss to re-read Do you know…?on page 40 in the student‟s book to help them identify the class of the words - Check answers as a class Activity 2: - Allow time for Ss to read the instruction and the sentences individually - Check comprehension and offer help with any unfamiliar vocabulary if necessary - Ask Ss to work individually and encourage them to share the answers - Sts work with their partners individually to the - Check Ss‟ answers as a class task as required Key: preserve pollution Awareness protect consumption depletion Grammar Grammar: + Activity Activity 1: (5 minutes) - Ask Ss to read the instructions and look at the photo Elicit some - Sts work descriptions of the photo from the individually to the class by asking: Where are the task as required people in the photo? What are they XLV Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities doing? Why are they doing it? - Give SS time to read the text and the task individually Go round and offer help with any unfamiliar vocabulary Check comprehension - Check answers as a class Key: ‘All this rubbish is killing fish and other sea creature’ ‘We can clean the beach together’ ‘I will ask our friends and neighbours to come and help us’ ‘I’m happy to hear that, children’ ‘protect yourselves from germs’ + Activity Activity 2: (5 minutes) Focus Ss‟ attention on the instruction and sentences Check comprehension, and remind Ss to reread Do you know…?on page 40 - Ask Ss to the task individually Go round and offer help if necessary - For peer review, call on different Ss to write their sentences on the board for the class to comment Key: Mr Jones was very sad and said that all that rubbish was killing fish and other sea creatures Nick said that they could clean the XLVI Time/Stages Teacher’s activities Students’ activities beach together Mary told them she would ask their friends and neighbours to come and help them Mr Jones told his children were so happy to hear that Mr Jones gave the people gloves and told them to protect themselves from germs Project Project (Using group discussion) + Activity Topic: Imagine your area in which (10 minutes) your school is located has suffered from the environmental pollution Work in groups and give a - Do the project as presentation to your class required - Discuss one type of pollution and its causes and effects on the natural environment and the health of the local people - Find some pictures/ photos to illustrate the pollution problem - Give some practical advice on how - Work in group of to reduce this type of pollution and discuss - Ask Ss to read the instructions and check understanding of the activity Point out that they should first select a typical pollution problem that they want to discuss Then they should XLVII Teacher’s activities Time/Stages brainstorm all the Students’ activities necessary information, and arrange it in a logical order Finally, they should discuss, and decide on some practical advice - Their presentation - Encourage Ss to search for some pictures or photos to support their ideas - Call some pairs to give their presentation and ask other groups to give comments III Consolidation - Ask Ss to consolidate the main - Ss consolidate the (3 minutes) contents main contents IV Homework - T asks Ss to learn the structures and - Listen and take (2 minutes) vocabulary notes - Prepare for the next lesson E Experience (Teaching notes): XLVIII Distributive period: 98 * Preparing date: 30/5/2020 * Teaching date: 6/6/2020 * Class: 10A1 UNIT 10: ECOTOURISM Lesson 4: SPEAKING A Aims and Objectives: - To teach Ss to talk about different activities in ecotourism - To teach Ss to practise sharing ideas about eco-tourism in groups - By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: + Make their own conversation about the tourist destinations + Learn more vocabulary about ecotourism B Preparations: - Teacher: Handouts, textbook and pieces of papers - Students: Textbook C Methods: - The whole lesson: Integrated, mainly communicative D Procedures: Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities - Ask Ss what they think the heading of I Warm-up (5 minutes) the speaking section (“Travel and - Guess the topic of enjoy”) means and guess the topic the speaking Suggested answer: Tourism and what activities tourists can enjoy doing while travelling - Practise speaking II New lesson Activity 1: + Activity - Ask Ss to practice the conversation in the conversation in (8 minutes) pairs pairs XLIX Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities - Go around the class and give help if - Practise reading necessary - Listen carefully - Call some pairs to practice reading - Correct mistake of pronunciation for Ss + Activity Activity 2: (10 minutes) - Have Ss identify the main ideas in the - Identify the main dialogue Ask them to complete the ideas to complete table with the information from the the table conversation + Where Peter will go + What he will and see + What else he will if he has more time + Where else he may visit - Ask Ss to choose one destination from -Work in pairs to three destinations for eco-tourists ( Lao make similar Cai provine, Central highlands and Can conversation Gio Biosphere Reserve in Ho Chi Minh) and make a similar conversation as in - Go to the board They should you the four questions in and practise the table speaking - Go around the class and give offer help - Call some pairs to practice and give - Listen to teacher‟s comments explanation carefully L Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities Activity Activity (Using group discussion) - Work in groups to (15 minutes) Topic: Work in group Choose one discuss and point ecotourism destination in Viet Nam and out the information prepare a presentation about what for their tourists can see and there Then presentation report to other groups - Present in front of - Ask Ss to work in groups of the whole class - Have each group choose one - The other groups destination and information about it, give comments to and introduce his place to other groups their friends‟ Their presentation presentation interesting should information include about the destination and ecotourism activities there - Give Ss 10 minutes to prepare - Go around the class and give offer help - Call groups at random to give their presentation - Ask other groups to give their comments - Give feedback to the groups which have just presented III - Summarize what they have learnt by Consolidation asking Ss some questions: - Ss consolidate the (5 minutes) What have you learnt today? What can main contents you now? - Suggested answers: LI Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities + I have learnt about some interesting activities for eco-tourists in different places in Viet Nam I can talk about these destinations and eco-tourists’ activities IV Homework - Ask students to learn by heart the - Listen and take (2 minutes) expressions notes - Prepare for the next lesson E Experience (Teaching notes): LII Distributive period: 102 * Preparing date: 11/6/2020 * Teaching date: 17/6/2020 * Class: 10A1 UNIT 10: ECOTOURISM Lesson 8: LOOKING BACK AND PROJECT A Aims and Objectives: - To help Ss review some pronunciation rules for words ending in -ity, -ic,ical, -tion - To review Ss some lexical items related to ecotourism - By the end of the lesson Ss are able to: + Pronounce words of more than three syllables with correct stress patterns + Use conditional sentences Type and to talk about present or future activities and events that are real / probable or unreal/ not probable + Do a survey on eco tour in their class and report the result B Preparations: - Teacher: Handouts, textbook, pieces of papers and cassette - Students: Textbook C Methods: - The whole lesson: Integrated, mainly communicative D Procedures: Teacher’s activities Time/Stages - Recall what they *Checking I Warm-up (3 minutes) Students’ activities - Ask students to recall what they have have learnt in unit learnt in Unit 10 10 - Speak out their ideas and opinions, knowledge that they have learnt in Unit 10 - Lead Ss into new lesson LIII Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities II New lesson Pronunciation Pronunciation: - Ss work (5 minutes) - Help Ss review the pronunciation individually to rules for words ending in –ity, ic, ical, the task as required tion Key: - Ss work ac’tivity, eco’nomic ,conser’vation individually to eco’nomical, tra’ditional, the task as required under’standing desti’nation, degra’dation 2.Vocabulary Vocabulary: (5 minutes) - Ask ss to work individually to - Work individually the task, then compare the answers in pairs Key: conservation destinations impacts/ environment ecology - Read through the eight cues exotic Grammar: - Write if sentences Grammar Activity 1: with given cues + Activity - Let Ss read through the eight cues to (5 minutes) grasp the general ideas of the story they are going to create - Ask Ss to make sentences, with the main clause of the previous sentence (the effect) becoming if clause and (the cause) of the next sentence - Go around the class to give offer LIV Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities help - Sts work Key: individually to If I miss the lesson, I will not the the task as required test well If I don‟t the test well, I‟ll feel sad - Read the situations If I feel very sad, I‟ll go to the gym and example If I go to the gym, I‟ll keep fit carefully If I keep fit, I‟ll look attractive If I look attractive, I will be very happy + Activity Activity 2: (8 minutes) - Ask Ss to read the situations and example carefully and write the conditional sentences with the same meaning - Ss work - Give Ss minutes to finish individually then in - Go around the class to give offer pairs to the task help as required Key: If I could swim, I‟d go scuba-diving with you I‟d go on an eco-tour to Phu Quoc National Park if I had any holiday left Is Sue had Tony‟s email address, she would send him a message I‟d make a cake for you now if there were eggs in the fridge LV Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities Phong would travel abroad if he had enough money If I drove too close to the animals - Listen on safari, they would get scared I could/ would go to the concert if I + Activity didn‟t have so much homework to (5 minutes) If Nam had a camera, he‟d take - Study some hints pictures of his trip Activity - Explain the requirement to Ss - Take notes Give Ss some hints about how to explain each type of conditional sentences Hints: For type 1, the modal verb “might” should be used because it expresses - Take notes probability Example: If your test score is high…=> The test score might be high - Work individually For type the verbs “is” “isn‟t” in minutes should be used to express a present activity or event that is unreal or not probable Example: If your test score was high…=> The test score isn‟t high If the air was not polluted…=> The air LVI Teacher’s activities Time/Stages Students’ activities is polluted - Give Ss minutes to finish Key: The computer isn’t working It might snow tonight This golden block might be made of pure gold My father isn’t here now The air is polluted Project John might call -Work in designed (9 minutes) Project (Using group discussion) groups at home Topic: work in groups of to 10 Carry -The other groups out a survey to find out who in your give comments on group has been on an eco-tour and who their friends‟ has never been on one Use the survey presentation table (in the textbook) as a guide - Ask Ss to work in groups and prepare for their presentation at home, then present in front of the whole class - Ask the other groups to give comments III Consolidation - Ask Ss to consolidate the main - Ss consolidate the (3 minutes) contents main contents IV Homework - T asks Ss to learn the structures and - Listen and take (2 minutes) vocabulary notes - Prepare for the next lesson E Experience (Teaching notes): LVII ... ? ?Using group work to improve speaking skills of the 10th grade students at Yen Phong High School in Bac Ninh province? ?? is the result of my own study in the fulfillment of the requirement for the. .. data about the effectiveness of group work in developing their speaking skill The subjects involved in the study were 42 students in class 10A1 at Yen Phong High School They participated in the. .. as to how to find the best way to improve speaking skills of the of 10th grade students at Yen Phong High School, hence this study is conducted 1 .2 Aims of the study The aim of this study is to