Using information gap activities to improve 11th graders speaking skills masters thesis in education theory and methods of teaching english 60 14 01 11

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY CHU THỊ HỒNG THÚY USING INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE 11th GRADERS’ SPEAKING SKILLS MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION Nghe An – 2016 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY CHU THỊ HỒNG THÚY USING INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE 11th GRADERS’ SPEAKING SKILLS Field: THEORY AND METHODS OF TEACHING ENGLISH Code: 60140111 MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION SUPERVISOR: TRẦN BÁ TIẾN, Ph.D Nghe An – 2016 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby acknowledge that this study is mine The data and findings discussed in the thesis are true, used with permission from associates, and have not been published elsewhere Author Chu Thị Hồng Thúy i TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i TABLE OF CONTENTS ii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii ABSTRACT viii Chapter INTRODUCTION 1.1 Statement of the problem and the rationale for the study 1.2.Objectives of the study and research questions 1.2.1 Objectives of the study 1.2.2 Research questions 1.3.The significance of the study 1.4 The scope of the study 1.5 Research Methodology 1.6 Organization of the study Chapter LITERATURE REVIEW Error! Bookmark not defined 2.1.Speaking Skills 2.1.1 The nature of speaking 2.1.2 Characteristics of the communicative approach 2.1.3 The roles of speaking in language learning and teaching 2.1.3.1 Speaking creates motivation 2.1.3.2 Speaking releases students’ inhibitions 2.1.3.3 Speaking helps to improve other language skills 2.1.3.4 Speaking is fundamental to human communication 2.1.4 Teaching speaking 2.1.4.1 Principles for teaching speaking 2.1.4.2 Problems in learning and teaching speaking skill 10 2.1.4.3 Characters of successful speaking activities 11 ii 2.1.5 The evaluation grading scale of speaking skills 12 2.1.6 Classroom speaking activities 13 2.2 Information Gap Activities 14 2.2.1 The nature of information gap activities 15 2.2.2 Benefits of information gap activities 17 2.2.2.1 Increase students’ talk time in class 17 2.2.2.3 Promote students’ equal participation 18 2.2.2.4 Build students’ confidence 18 2.2.2.5 Develop students’ fluency and accuracy 18 2.2.3The teachers’ roles in the information gap activities 19 2.2.4 Speaking activities based on information gap activities 20 2.2.5 Factors affecting the choice of information gap activities 21 2.2.6 Strategies of implementing information gap activities 22 2.7 Typical procedure to conduct an information gap activity 25 Chapter METHODOLOGY 27 3.1 Research setting 27 3.1.1 An overview of Dien Chau high school 27 3.1.2 Teachers 27 3.1.3 Students 28 3.1.4 The English Language syllabus 28 3.2 Subject of the research 29 3.3 Research design 29 3.4 Research procedures 30 3.4.1 Planning 30 3.4.2 Action 31 3.4.3 Observation 31 3.4.4 Reflection 31 3.5 Research instrument 31 3.6 Data collection 32 iii 3.6.1 Observation 32 3.6.2 Interview 32 3.6.3 Questionnaire 32 3.6.4 Test 32 3.7 Data analysis 34 Chapter FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 36 A Description of data 36 4.1.Data of observation 36 4.2 Data of interview 37 4.2.1 The description of data from interview with English teachers of 11th grade of Dien Chau high school 37 4.2.2 The description of data from interviews with students of 11th grade of Dien Chau high school 38 4.3 The implementation of information gap activities in teaching speaking 39 4.3.1 Cycle 39 4.3.2 Cycle 42 4.4 The improvement of speaking skills after using information gap activities 45 4.5 Students’ responses to the implementation of teaching speaking by using information gap activities 48 Table Table of data showing the students’ responses in learning speaking though information gap 49 B Interpretation of data 51 4.1 Data of observation 51 4.2 Data of interview 51 4.3.The improvement of information gap to improve speaking ability 52 4.4 Students’ responses to the implementation of information gap in teaching speaking 52 Chapter CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS 54 iv 5.1 Conclusions 54 5.2 Implications 55 5.2.1 Preparing a good lesson plan 55 5.2.2 Organizing the class activities 56 5.2.3 Giving instructions 58 5.2.4 Creating real communication information gap activities in speaking lessons 59 5.2.5 Providing support 59 5.3 Limitations of the study 60 5.4 Suggestions for further study 60 REFERENCES I APPENDIX III Appendix 1: Questionnaires for students III Appendix 2: Pre – test IV Appendix V Appendix XIV Appendix XVI v LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure Action research cycles by Kemmis and McTaggart 30 Table Scoring Rubric of Speaking Performance 33 Table The table of data showing the students’ progressing score in speaking after being taught through information gap activities 45 Table Table of data showing the students’ responses in learning speaking though information gap 49 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I especially would like to express my endless gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Tran Ba Tien, for his helpful encouragement, constructive comments and precious advice at all stages of the development of this graduation paper There is no doubt that the study would be impossible to be accomplished without his constant assistance I would also like to express my appreciation to all lecturers at department of post graduate studies of Vinh university for the knowledge, guidance and encouragement they give during my study I also address my gratitude to the principal of Dien Chau high school for giving me permission to conduct the research in the school and the English teacher for help, assistance and cooperation Many thanks are also given to the students of grade 11A2 for being cooperative during the research My sincere thanks also go to my beloved family who always become my motivation especially to finish this thesis Finally, I realized that this thesis is still far from being perfect Therefore, any criticisms, ideas and suggestions for the improvement of this thesis are highly appreciated vii ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to improve the speaking skills of the 11th graders of Dien Chau high school by using information gap activities In conducting this research, the researcher used Classroom Action Research as the method of the research This research consisted of two cycles and each cycle consisted of four elements, they were: planning, action , observation and reflection To collect data, the researcher used instruments of observation, interviews, questionnaires and the students’ achievement in pre test and pot test in order to support the data collected The data obtained was presented in two ways: qualitatively and quantitatively The research findings showed that the information gap activities were effective in improving the speaking abilities of the student in class Information gap activities can motivate the students to speak English This can be seen from the improvements after each cycle This can be seen by the rise in the students’ mean scores in the test results: 48,97 in the pre test and 68,3 in the post test The improvement was also seen based on the result from the students’ responses that showed positive and good responses from the students viii APPENDIX Appendix 1: Questionnaires for students This questionnaire is designed for my research into “using information gap activities to improve in speaking lesson” To have the data for my study, please answer the following questions by putting an “X” in the box of the appropriate choice Your answer is used for research purposes only Thank you for cooperation Strongl Questions y agree 1.I enjoy doing information gap activities very much 2.I am satisfied with my performance at information gap activities 3.I put a lot of effort into information gap activities 4I felt comfortable while working on information gap activities Information gap activities change my habit in memorizing dialogue Information gap activities created the real need for me to communicate Information gap activities helped me to develop my speaking ability Information gap activities offered me a chance to talk in English for a long time Information gap activities helped me to practice what I have learnt in real conversation 10 Information gap activities offered me a chance to contribute fairly even to the discussion III agree Somewh at agree Disagree Appendix 2: Pre – test Please choose one of the following topic , then describe it to your friends in front of the class in to three minutes 1.My best friend My daily activity My family 4.My school IV Appendix Lesson plan Date: April, 14th, 2016 Time: 45 minute Topic: Source of energy ( unit 11: lesson speaking) A Objectives Students will be able to :  study words about advantage and disadvantage of source of energy  Know more about sources of energy  Talk about the sources of energy and how to use sources of energy in life effectively B Materials  Tieng anh 11 course book  Pictures  Handouts C.Teaching procedures Warm up ( group work) * Ask students to watch a video of sources of energy (Video nationalgeographic com/ video/ alternative – energy ) and answer the following questions : - Name the sources of energy in video - List out the adjectives that used to describe the energy in the video Pre speaking - Give students new words Radiation (n) : Sự xạ Renewable (adj) : thay Nonrenewable (adj) Exhausted (adj) Plentiful( adj) Available( adj) V Check up: Rub out and Remember While- speaking Activity 1:Sample activity Teacher prepares six pictures of sources of energy The teacher gave a student one picture of sources of energy while she had six ones Her duty was to ask and describe about these sources of energy in order to find out which one is student’s energy picture Activity 2: Students practice Teacher asks students to work in pairs The partner given six pictures, the other given one picture Ask students to practice speaking like the sample action Post - speaking * Ask students to perform in front of the class * Give feedback Homework Ask Students to write a paragraph about one of the sources of energy that they learnt VI Lesson Plan Date: April, 19th, 2016 Time : 45 minute Topic: Hobbies ( unit 13: speaking lesson) A Objectives Students will be able to talk about their hobbies B Materials: *Tieng anh 11 course book *Handouts C Teaching procedures Pre - speaking a Miming game ( group work) Ask students to go in front of the class and mime some activities that they would like to Others students guess what their friend hobbies Swimming Playing computer games Fishing Reading books Stamp collection Watching TV Mountain climbing Chatting with friend on the phone b Give new words Category Organize Make pen friend Broaden Check up: What and where While speaking The teacher asked students to work in pairs Each student had pieces of paper on that the teacher wrote hobbies that people often like to VII Student A arranged the pieces of paper in his/her way and the student B had to rearranged his/her paper the same sequences as student A but he/she may not see student A’ papers Student A’s duty is to instruct and direct student B by describing, asking questions so that student B can arrange the same sequence as student A’s If they finished , they could change the turn to each other * Ask students to practice with their partner Post - speaking * Ask students to perform in front of the class * Give feedback VIII Lesson Plan Date:April, 26th, 2016 Time : 45 minute Topic: Space conquest ( Unit 15 : speaking) A Objective Students will be able to talk about the important events in space exploration B Materials * Tieng anh 11 course book * Pictures/ papers C Teaching procedures Pre - speaking - Quiz game about space conquest ( group work) a Who is the first man to set foot on the moon? b Can you name the first humans to fly into space? c Who is the first woman in space? d What was placed on the moon’s surface after the moon landing? - Provide new words Launch (v): ném, phóng Spacecraft (n): tàu thoi Milestone (n): cột mốc - Check up: Slap the board While - speaking - Ask students to work in groups - hand out 10 important events in space exploration which are cut up into pieces of paper to students ( events in the book) - Each group has to decide the original sequence of the event then discuss and create a story without writing it Post - speaking - students perform in front of class - Teacher gives feedback IX Lesson Plan Date: April,28th, 2016 Time : 45 minute Topic : The wonder of the world ( unit 16: speaking lesson) A.Objective Students will be able to know more some wonders of the world and talk about them B.Material * Tieng anh 11 course book * Pictures/papers C Teaching procedure Pre - speaking * Brainstorming the wonders of the world ( Group work) Halong bay The Great Wall The Great Pyramid of Giza Tai Maha India ……… * Provide new words World Heritage Construction: cấu trúc xây dựng Feature: đặc điểm Visible (adj): nhìn thấy Man made: nhân tạo * Check up: Rub out and remember While - speaking * Ask students to work in pairs * hand out the lists of wonders , and the lists of their characteristics to students X * Students have to decide which characteristics belong to which wonders by describing and asking questions Sample cards Student A: Wonders Pyramid of Giza Eiffel tower The Great wall The statue of liberty Country? France America Construction? In 1889 In 1886 Be Attraction? Be seen from considered as almost anywhere a masterpiece in paris of the human spirit The length : Special features? 147 metres more than high 6000km The height: 11m Student B: Wonders Country? Pyramid of Giza Eiffel tower Egypt China In 1368 2560 BC Construction? Took 200 Built over a years to 20 year period Attraction? The Great wall complete The tallest To be visible structure on from the moon XI The Statue of liberty earth more than 43 centuries 1665 steps 20.000 light bulbs on the Special features? tower Over 30 replicas of the Eiffel tower around world Post - speaking * Student perform in front of the class * Teacher gives feedback XII A present of France to America Post - test The researcher asked students to work in pairs Then , she gave a student in each partner a paper consists of 10 provinces, while the other was given a paper consists of 20 things that may be found in these provinces Then, the researcher asked them to work with their partner to decide things that might be found in each province by discussing and arguing After practicing, the researcher called students’ name two by two She selected the name randomly Then she gave them two papers as the papers that had been given to them before The researcher also invited the English teacher to assess students’ performances The test run for 45 minutes The aspects will be assed by the researcher are: grammar, comprehension and fluency XIII Appendix Scoring Rubric of Speaking Performance Categories Grammar Scores The Criteria of scoring The student makes no mistakes in speaking and it is acceptable The student sometimes makes some mistakes but it does not influence the meaning The student often makes grammar mistake that influence of meaning The student makes a lot of grammar mistakes that block the meaning and often rearrange the sentence The student has bad grammar mistake so it becomes so hard to understand Comprehension The student can express and understand the monologue well and the content is clear The student comprehends the monologue in all although there is repeating in certain part The student comprehends the monologue but there are some repetition The student is difficult to follow what he/she said The student does not comprehend although in simple monologue Fluency The student is able to continue speech without too much hesitation The student’s fluency is having a little disruption by language problem The student makes a lot of mistake in language problem The student often doubts and stops because of limited language XIV The student often breaks off and stops while doing a monologue Pronunciation Has few trace of foreign language Always intelligible, thought one is conscious of a definite accent Pronunciation problem necessities concentrated listening and occasionally lead to misunderstanding Very hard to understand because of pronunciation problem, most frequently be asked to repeat Pronunciation problem to serve as to make speech virtually unintelligible Vocabulary Use of vocabulary and idioms is virtually that of native speaker Sometimes uses inappropriate terms and must rephrases ideas because of lexical and equities Frequently uses the wrong words conversion somewhat limited because of inadequate vocabulary Misuse of words and very limited vocabulary makes comprehension quite difficult Vocabulary limitation so extreme as to make conversation virtually impossible ( Adapted from Brown,2004,p.147) XV Appendix List of students at 11A2 grade of Dien Chau high school No Name of the students Sex Lê Tuấn Anh M Thái Thị Vân Anh F Nguyễn Lương Bằng M Đặng Thị Châu F Lưu Thị Lệ Chi F Đặng Thị Duyên F Trịnh Xuân Đạo M Cao Trung Đức M Lê Nguyễn Minh Đức M 10 Cao Bá Hạ M 11 Nguyễn Đức Hiếu M 12 Nguyễn Xuân Hoàng M 13 Đặng Khánh M 14 Nguyễn Thị Khuyên F 15 Phan Thị Khuyên F 16 Cao Thị Loan F 17 Đoàn Thị Loan F 18 Đặng Thị Lý F 19 Cao Thị Mai F 20 Đặng Hoàng Nam M 21 Nguyễn Văn Năng M 22 Hoàng Thị Nhàn F 23 Đoàn Thị Ngân F 24 Trần Hữu Ngọc M 25 Nguyễn Thị Phú F XVI 26 Lê Thị Phượng F 27 Cao Văn Quang M 28 Hoàng Quân M 29 Nguyễn Thị Soa F 30 Đậu Thiên Sơn M 31 Cao Tài M 32 Cao Duy Thành M 33 Nguyễn Thị Thắm F 34 Cao Thảo F 35 Lê Thị Thơm F 36 Lưu Tính M 37 Hồng Thị Yến F 38 Hoàng Thị Thảo Vân F 39 Cao Hải Yến F 40 Lưu Hải Yến F XVII ...MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY CHU THỊ HỒNG THÚY USING INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE 11th GRADERS? ?? SPEAKING SKILLS Field: THEORY AND METHODS OF TEACHING ENGLISH. .. implementation of information gap activities in teaching speaking 39 4.3.1 Cycle 39 4.3.2 Cycle 42 4.4 The improvement of speaking skills after using information gap activities. .. responses to the implementation of teaching speaking by using information gap activities 48 Table Table of data showing the students’ responses in learning speaking though information gap