APPLYING SMALL GROUP WORK ACTIVITIES IN SOME ENGLISH LESSONS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE 10

CATEGORY CONTENT PAGE PART A: INTRODUCTION I Reasons for choosing the topic II Aims of the study III The object of the study IV Methods of the study PART B: CONTENT I Rationales II State of the problem III Solution and implementation Process Roles of teacher in group work activity Using group work activities in some lessons in class 10 B IV Testing 17 PART C CONCLUSION 18 REFERENCES: 19 Experience Initiative “Applying small group work activities in some English lessons for students in grade 10” PART A: INTRODUCTION I Reasons for choosing the topic English is becoming more and more essential to meet the demands of the globe development In Vietnam that is also under no exception Enthusiastic educationers have been trying their best to find out and experiments about new learning methods such as: Teaching in a positive orientation” or “students – centred”… A very important question introduced is that “ how should we to encourage students to learn English with excitement?” and “how should we to promote students’ language skills?” One of the methods that brings us the possibility is “cooperative teaching in small groups” To this method, tasks are not solved by individuals but they are done by groups There must be a coordination not only between teacher and students but also among students This gives learners chances to exchange and get knowledge from each other; to assert themselves in front of the others It is in the groups that students can train and practise their independence, selfcontrol, ability to express, reasoning the problems, mutuality, discipline, senses of community, ect… Working as a teacher for nearly 20 years, I myself understand the difficuties and restricted things that both teacher and students in rural areas (like my school) have to face I try my best to this research with a view to getting my students and colleges to benefit from it in order to better English For all above reasons, I have decided to conduct my initiative on the topic: “Applying small group work activities in some English lessons for students in grade 10” II Aims of the study Each task has its own aims, so does this study The aims of my study are: - To help students master English more and develop skills of group – work - To promote posibility, activeness and creativity of students - To have a part in improving learning and teaching quality of my school - To fulfill my career passion and raise my own teaching skills III The object of the study - Class 10B with 40 students - The ways of cooperation in small groups in teaching and learning English in secondary school IV Methods of the study - Studying the documents dealing with the theme (getting datas on the google, references…) - Using analytic methods - Observing and asking colleagues for ideas and experiences - Practising the applications of the study in reality PART B: CONTENT I Rationales Research prolem history Recenty, with the trend to make learning positive, researchers of teaching theory have given four basic characteristics: - Teaching by organising independent detivities for students Attaching practising self-learning method Reinforcing individual learning in combination with cooperative learning Co-ordinating evaluating from the teacher and self-assessing from other students Of all the researchers studying about group-work methods, PhD Vu Hao Quang mentioned one way of sub-grouping and group management in the book named “Management Sociology” In which, the author expresses his method by making following graphic image: A b’ c’ B a’ C The picture shows us that in a group, A has a relationship with B and C; a’,b’,c’ are also in the group under the interaction in turn with A, B, C This can’t be lack in activities that help improve English comunicational skills Advantages and disadvantages of group work  Advantages: In a group, each individual has balance chances to express their ideas and fulfill the given tasks together English communicational skills such as listening, speaking, writing… are developed Cooperative ability is practised All of these help bring English into use among students in a very practical way  Disadvantages: We can’t deny that it is easy to arise conflicts among members in a group when they not meet common ideas Moreover, there are some students who not work as much as the others, they only wait for the result of the whole team II State of the problem In the process of teaching English in Tong Duy Tan upper secondary school for many years, I have known that students are weak in practising multiple skills Most of the students are afraid of speaking, lack of ability when using vocabularies, they not concentrate on listening… After a long period of consideration I have found out the causes of these problems They are: - Lack of confidence - Having no chance to show strengths - New to the surroundings and not familiar with new learning environment (because they are in grade 10) At the beginning of academic year 2020 – 2021, I have been assigned to be a teacher of English in class 10 B with 40 students On taking over the duty I asked the pupils to two small tests of speaking and writing and obtained the results as follow: Skills Speakin g Writing Total Numbe r 40 40 8,0 -10 pts N0 % 0 6,5 - 7,9 pts N0 % 7,5 12,5 5,0 - 6,4 pts N0 % 22 55 21 52,5 < 5,0 pts N0 15 % 37,5 14 35 In order to overcome situations, increase the nunber of good students and limit their weaknesses, I have applied some initiatives of group work activities and have achieved some certain success III Solution and implementation Process 1.1 Step 1: Subgrouping - Grouping at random or on purpose depends on the aims of the requirements of the tasks - The number of members bases on the attainments of tasks, supported equipments and time limited - Students have to be active and prompt under the guides and orders of the teacher 1.2 Step 2: Assigning - The group’s mission needs assigning specifically Teacher should give tasks for groups through hand outs If not, he/she has to write the tasks on board or show them on the screen clearly - Timing is also very important, it must be enough – not too long, not too short for discussion - Giving the direction for students to know how it works - Giving requirements about the way of showing results such as: wrting, drawing, talking or role playing - Verifying students’ understanding 1.3 Step 3: Working in group Teacher gives duties to each member of the group All members work together and there often may be leader, vice leader, secretary, interviewer, presenter, explainer… in each group 1.4 Step 4: Reporting Representatives of groups present their products in turns There are many ways to express such as: witing on board, drawing on board or on large papers, characterizing, giving lecture ect… In this initiative, I would like to introduce two of them: “exhibition” and “role playing” - Exhibition: Divided groups write and draw their works on small given boards vividly When the time is over each group shows their product on the solemn position of their group At that time, the class looks like an exhibition room All of the students can go round to observe the prentations of the others, listen to the explainations and can make questions This activity is suitable in wrting lessons - Role playing: Students can comfortably show their skills in conversations with friends They can talk about themselves or they can even “act” This way is necessary in speaking lessons 1.5 Step 5: Summary Students can self-summarize or teacher gives feedback to come to conclusion Roles of teacher in group work activity - Collecting information about students about their abilities, their needs, their dreams; consider their posibilities of English, their back ground… From those datas, teacher gives each student suitable tasks - Selecting knowledge objectives of the lessons, skill attainment of group work - Determining: + the number of students in each group + the preparation of materials, teaching aids… + the room for each group + the role, mission of each group, individual… - Supervising and interfering: + teacher can support students in their fullfilment + oversee the students’ acts such as paying no attention, chatting with others, being lazy … + encourage students - Evaluating: + the awareness, the behaviour of groups + the results, the effectiveness of work Using group work activities in some lessons in class 10 B Example 1: Unit - THE MASS MEDIA Lesson D: Writing Task (Advantages and Disadvantages of Mass Media)  Step 1: Subgrouping - Teacher divides the class into groups, each of which contains to members This is under the teacher’s appointment with the purpose of making balance among groups based on their English level This is the task table that I showed on the screen: ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF USING INTERNET Group Group Members Postions Members Postions 1.Tran Thi Dung leader 1.Vu Hong Nhung leader 2.Le Thi Ha vice 2.Vu Viet Anh vice 3.Nguyen Doan secretary 3.Le Thi Bao Tham secretary Khanh Linh 4.Vu Thi Thu Thuy explainer 4.Hoang Ngoc Dung explainer 5.Le Thi Quynh Anh member 5.Le Thi Dieu Linh member 6.Tran The Phong member 6.Nguyen Thi Tinh member 7.Pham Thi Huong member ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF USING NEWSPAPER Group Group Members Postions Members Postions 1.Do Xuan Long leader 1.Nguyen Hoang Hue leader 2.Chu Thi Huyen Trang vice 2.Trinh Thien Ngoc vice 3.Pham Khanh Vy secretary 3.Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen secretary 4.Nguyen Le Dieu Ly explainer 4.Trinh Hai Yen explainer 5.Le van Ngoc member 5.Trinh Duc Huy member 6.Pham Huyen Trang member 6.Nguyen Thu Trang member 7.Le Thi Ngoc Thuy member ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF USING RADIO Group Group Members Postions Members Postions 1.Do Thi Xuan Mai leader 1.Pham Thi Hai Yen leader 2.Tong Le Vinh vice 2.Hoang Minh Quan vice 3.Le Thi Duyen secretary 3.Le Thi Mai Linh secretary 4.Trinh Dinh Tho explainer 4.Tran Thi Tho explainer 5.Le Thi Linh member 5.Trinh Thi Hong member 6.Ha Thi Lan Nhi member 6.Hoang Ngoc Cham member 7.Trinh Thi Nga member 7.Do Tat Dat member - Teacher shows the list on the screen - Students make groups in a hurry by matching desks surrounded by benches  Step 2: Assigning - Teacher gives tasks to each group on board: “Discuss advantages and disadvantages of mass media then present your products on given boards” Group + 2: about “The Internet” Group + 4: about “Newspapers” Group + 6: about “Radio” - Time allowed is minutes for discussion and performance; minutes for presentation and minute for explaination - Teacher gives each group a small white board with the size of an A0 paper, pencils, some brushes with different colors and crayons  Step 3: Working in group All members have to work together by giving opinion about advantages and disadvantages of mass media The secretaries note down on boards They can decorate the works to make them more attractively Due the affection of Covid-19 outbreak, in the video clips that are attached in this experience initiative I only emulate the working progress of group in class 10B (Video 1)  Step 4: Reporting In this lesson, I choose “Exhibition” as the most suitable way of reporting All the six groups exhibit their products at their own positions Here are the students’ products that I took photographs when teaching this lesson Group 1: 10 Group 2: Group 3: 11 Group 4: Group 5: 12 Group 6: 13 Members of other groups can go round to contemplate and make questions if considering (Video 2) Example 2: Unit 12 – MUSIC Lesson B: Speaking Task 2: Work in groups - Ask your partners questions to get information about music hobbies  Step 1: Subgrouping Teacher divides the class 10B into 10 groups based on 10 desks in the classroom That means students stay on their own seats and each group has members  Step 2: Assigning Teacher gives tasks for all groups: “Ask your friends about his / her hobby of music” - Hints: Teacher shows the model on the screen: A: What kind of music you like? B: I like pop music A: Why you like it? B: Because it is interesting and easy to listening A: What is your favourite band or musician? B: My favourite band is Blackpink A: What is your favourite song? B: It is “How you like that” A: What is your favourite singer? B: I am in favor of many singers but the one I like best is Lisa A: When you often listen to music? B: I often listen to music when I have free time - Each group has turns of asking and answering Turn 1: member – interviewer member – secretary members and – interviwees Turn 2: member – interviewer member – secretary members and – interviwees - Time limited for this step is - minutes for each turn - Teacher gives each group papers for the secretaries to take note: Name (interviewed): …………………………… - Kind of music: …………………………………………… 14 - Reasons for listening to music: ……………………………………………………………… - Favourite band / musician: ………………………………… - Favourite song / piece of music: ……………………………………………………………… - Favourite singer: …………………………………………… - When listen to music: ………………………………………………………………  Step 3: Working in group In this initiative I emulate the work of a small group in my video clips Group 3: member - Hong Nhung member - Dieu Ly member - Dieu Linh member - Xuan Long Turn 1: Dieu Ly - interviewer Dieu Linh secretary Hong Nhung and Xuan Long - interviewees Turn 2: Xuan Long interviewer Hong Nhung secretary Dieu Ly and Dieu Linh interviewees (Video – turn and – turn 2) Here are the papers that I received after the performance of group Name (interviewed): Trinh Xuan Long - Kind of music: US – Uk music / pop music - Reasons for listening to music: Relax after studying / improve English skills - Favourite band / musician: - Favourite song / piece of music: Many songs such as: Blank 15 space; Lover; We are never getting back together - Favourite singer: Taylor Swift - When listen to music: Ater studying / in free time Name (interviewed): Do Hong Nhung - Kind of music: Pop music - Reasons for listening to music: To relax in free time - Favourite band / musician: Alan Walker - Favourite song / piece of music: Until You - Favourite singer: Shayne Ward - When listen to music: While drawing or before sleeping Name (interviewed): Nguyen Le Dieu Ly - Kind of music: EDM (electrical dance music) - Reasons for listening to music: Relax, help brain work more effectively - Favourite band / musician: Alan Walker - Favourite song / piece of music: Faded - Favourite singer: Taylor Swift - When listen to music: While studying, before sleeping Name (interviewed): Le Thi Dieu Linh - Kind of music: R&B / Pop - Reasons for listening to music: Music is medicine for hurt soul - Favourite band / musician: Galaxy / Justin Timberlake - Favourite song / piece of music: Blue - Troy Sivan H Alex Hape - Favourite singer: Sutjan Stevens - When listen to music: Whenever have free time After interviews, teacher collects papers  Step 4: Reporting Teacher chooses one of the papers in a group and appoints the representative of that one to introduce about their partners’ music hobbies Representative of group 3: Xuan Long Paper chosen: 16 Name (interviewed): Nguyen Le Dieu Ly - Kind of music: EDM (electrical dance music) - Reasons for listening to music: Relax, help brain work more - effectively Favourite band / musician: Alan Walker Favourite song / piece of music: Faded Favourite singer: Taylor Swift When listen to music: While studying, before sleeping Long’s presetation: (Video 5)  Step 5: Teacher evaluates the results of each group Gives them compliments and may give them marks IV Testing After applying group work activities in the process of teaching English, the results show that students have learned more actively, they feel more confident in communicating with the others: it is easier for them to express ideas and the most important thing is that they have improved their English skills and got better marks in both writing and speaking tests Specific results of class 10B in the second mid term of school year 2020 – 2021: Skills Speakin g Writing N0 of student s 40 40 8,0-10 pts N0 % 6,5-7,9 pts N0 % 5,0-6,4 pts N0 % < 5,0 pts N0 % 17 42.5 12 30 11 27.5 0 12 30 18 45 10 25 0 17 PART C: CONCLUSION Group work activity is one of essential interactions in learning English Knowing clearly about the important of this method, I have applied some kinds of group work activities in speaking and writing lessons and have obtained some certain successes I am myself interested in this co-operating approach and never stop studying and finding out new teaching initiatives to fullfil my career I’m sure that in this subject, it can not help making mistakes although I have attempted to finish it Therefore, I would like to express my deep thank to all of you for your precious ideas to make my teaching session more perfect Sincerely thank you! THE CONFIRMATION OF THE HEADMASTER Thanh Hoa, May 20 th, 2021 I hereby declare that this is my experience initiative and that no parts of the initiative have been copied or reproduced by me from any other’s work without acknowledgement Writer MA NGUYEN VAN TINH TRAN TO UYEN 18 REFERENCES: English Text Book - grade 10 (Vietnam Education Publishing House) English Teacher’s Book - grade 10 (Vietnam Education Publishing House) Teaching methods and checking reviews’students’assignments renovation for English at upper secondary schools (Ministry of Education and Training ,2008 ) 4.Teaching Practice Handbook (Roger Gower, Diane Phillip, Steve Walter) The Internet (Google) 19 ...Experience Initiative ? ?Applying small group work activities in some English lessons for students in grade 10? ?? PART A: INTRODUCTION I Reasons for choosing the topic English is becoming more and... Teaching by organising independent detivities for students Attaching practising self-learning method Reinforcing individual learning in combination with cooperative learning Co-ordinating evaluating... order to better English For all above reasons, I have decided to conduct my initiative on the topic: ? ?Applying small group work activities in some English lessons for students in grade 10? ?? II Aims