Large class management to improve students participation in speaking lesson an action research

M INISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING H A N O I U N IV E R S IT Y N GU Y EN T H I P H U O N G LAN LARGE CLASS MANAGEMENT TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS: AN ACTION RESEARCH SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN TESOL S U P E R V IS O R : N G U Y E N N G U Y E T M IN H , M.A f w i y -~ TRUNG TÀM TH Ú N G TIN TI N 1Ĩ H Ư V I Ệ N THỒNG FO E VĨL Hanoi, October 2007 A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S v A B S T R A C T vi L IS T O F A B B R E V I A T I O N S vii L IS T O F T A B L E S .viii L IS T O F F I G U R E S viii L IS T O F G R A P H S viii C H A P T E R I N T R O D U C T I O N 1.1 Background to the study and statement o f the problem 1.2 Scope o f the study 1.3 Aims o f the study 1.4 Overview o f the th esis C H A P T E R L IT E R A T U R E R E V I E W 2.1 Large classes 2.1.1 Advantages o f large classes 2.1.2 Disadvantages o f large classes 2.2 Large class m anagem ent 2.2.1 The definition of class m anagem ent 2.2.2 Approaches to large class m anagem ent 10 2.2.2.1 Conventional Approach to the Management o f a Large C lass 10 2.2.2.2 Alternative Approaches to the Management o f Large Classes 11 2.2.3 Keys aspects o f large class management in speaking classes 13 2.2.3.1 Getting attention and participation 13 2.2.3.2 Giving and checking instructions 16 2.2.3.3 Personalizing a large c la ss .18 2.2.3.4 Developing good discipline 21 2.2.3.5 Managing pair and g ro u p w o rk 23 2.2.3.6 Giving feedback 25 Sum m ary 28 C H A P T E R T H E M E T H O D O L O G Y 29 3.1 Research m eth o d s 29 3.1.1 Action research 29 3.1.2 Action research procedure 31 3.1.2.1 Identifying the problem (weeks - ) 31 3.1.2.2 Collecting initial data (weeks - ) 31 3.1.2.3 Analyzing data and generating hypotheses (week ) .32 3.1.2.4 Planning action (week ) 32 3.1.2.5 Implementing action (weeks - 13 ) 33 3.1.2.6 Collecting data to monitor change (weeks - 13) 33 3.1.2.7 Analyzing and evaluating students’ participation after action plan (weeks 14 - ) 33 3.2 Data collection instrum ents 34 3.2.1 Survey q u estio nn aire 34 3.2.1.1 Rationale behind the use o f survey questionnaire 34 3.2.1.2 Description o f questionnaires 35 3.2.1.2.1 Questionnaire (Appendix A ) 35 3.2.1.2.2 Questionnaire (Appendix B ) 35 3.2.2 Teaching d ia r y 36 3.2.2.1 Rationale behind the use o f teaching diary 36 3.2.2.2 Teaching diary (Appendices D, E and F ) 37 3.2.3 Classroom observation 38 3.2.3.1 Rationale behind the use o f classroom observation .38 3.2.3.2 Observation sheet: on-task behaviour (Appendix C ) 39 3.3 The participants 40 3.3.1 The teacher researcher 40 3.3.2 The observers 40 3.3.3 The student subjects 40 3.4 S um m ary 41 C H A P T E R T H E R E S U L T S 42 4.1 Initial d a t a .42 4.1.1 Students' on-task b eh av io u r .42 4.1.2 Students’ interaction self-report 43 4.1.3 Students’ attitudes to speaking and text b o o k 44 4.1.4 Ways to learn speaking and problems encountered in speaking sessio n s 45 4.1.5 Reasons for poor participation 46 4.1.6 Students’ attitudes to large class 47 4.1.7 Preferences for speaking activities 48 Sum m ary 49 4.2 Planning action s te p s 49 4.2.1 Getting attention and participation 50 4.2.2 Giving and checking instructions 51 4.2.3 Improvements in managing pair and groupwork 52 4.2.3.1 G rou ping 52 4.2.3.2 Circulating the class 53 4.2.3.3 Muni lining tim e 54 4.2.4 Personalizing the large class .54 4.2.5 Giving feedback 55 4.3 Data collected in the action s ta g e .56 4.3.1 Students’ on-task b ehaviour 56 4.3.2 Students’ interaction self-report .59 4.3.3 Students' participation as perceived by the te ach er 63 4.3.4 Students' opinions on the action im plem ented 64 4.4 Action research evaluation 65 4.4.1 Students' on-task behaviour before and after the action p la n .66 4.4.2 Students’ interaction before and after the action p l a n 67 4.4.3 Summary o f major findings .68 C H A P T E R C O N C L U S IO N AND R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S 70 5.1 A summary o f the action research 70 in 5.2 Recom m endations 71 5.3 The limitations and suggestions for further research 72 R E F E R E N C E S 74 Appendix A: Questionnaire 78 Appendix B: Questionnaire 83 Appendix C: Observation sheet 85 Appendix D: Teaching diary .87 Appendix E: Teaching diary 91 Appendix F: Teaching diary 95 Appendix G: Students’ interaction self-report 99 Appendix H: Speaking lesson plan (Action stage) .100 Appendix H l: Additional material 105 Appendix H.2: Additional pictures 106 Appendix I: Speaking lesson plan (Pre-action sta ge) 110 Appendix 1.1: Pictures for students to describe 114 Appendix J: Speaking feedback form 116 A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest thanks to my supervisor, Mrs Nguyen Nguyet Minh, (M.A) for the wholehearted guidance she gave me while I was doing this research I am truly grateful to her for her ideas, comments and instructions, as well as encouragement and constant support Without these, the thesis could not have been completed My special thanks are sent to Mrs Nguyen Thai Ha, (M.A) from the Department o f Post Graduate Studies o f Hanoi University for her valuable guidance and advice would also acknowledge my great gratitude to all the lecturers and organizers o f this Master Course at Hanoi University My special thanks are expressed to my friends for their great help and comments Also, my attitude goes to my colleagues and fifty-five students taking part in my research I ast hut not least I am deeply greatful to my parents, my husband, my sister and my son for their support, encouragement and love, which were extremely important for the completion o f this thesis ABSTRACT Improving students' participation in large speaking classes o f 40 - 50 students is a challenge for any teachers In order to address this issue, many authors have documented different management methods to increase learners’ involvement This study attempts to investigate some key aspects o f large class management to engage students in speaking sessions To this, an action research with fifty-five first-year English majors at HPU No was carried out in term The data in both pre and post stages were collected using questionnaires, teaching diaries, classroom observation and students’ self-report The pre-action stage revealed that poor management was the major cause o f students' low participation The hypothesis formed was im proving class m anagem ent will im prove stu den ts' participation in speaking lessons f o r large-sized classes The evaluation o f the action plan implementation proved that since the teacher employed the new techniques o f managing large speaking classes, students’ participation has gradually increased The results o f the study confirm that new rules in class management help to enhance students’ involvement in speaking activities HPU N° Hanoi Pedagogical University N° AR Action Research EFL English as a Foreign Language ESL English as the Second Language LI The first language L2 The second language Table page Table Speaking in six semesters Table Students' interaction in lesson 42 Table Students' interaction in lesson 57 Table Students'interaction in lesson 58 Table Students' interaction in lesson 10 58 Table Students' interaction in lesson 11 59 Table Students'interaction in lesson 12 60 Table Students' interaction in lesson 13 60 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Action research cycle 29 LIST OF GRAPHS Graph Students’ on-task behaviour 65 Graph Students’ interaction in a 10-minute groupwork 66 Graph Students’ interaction in a 45-minute speaking lesson 67 Vlll CN O (D pÍ-H ~2 >1 cá ca.ú cd E < u -C ♦0— *) X C s _c o j2 £ ọ X) C3 co öi) c 15 H a c (cU ¿J -C ■ 4— » -*— » Ồ D c 00 0s3 ü >% 03 < 1C -H d (D -* — C d* Ọ,Dh ■ ♦— » Ư) (DU 9« o 5b ■*—> Ọ ĨJỊ c Ê = rC Ê - 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C /3 /2 C /5 d> O 03 C/5 cu — ^ *■ C-£ > QJ • •—< O TD D C d> C /5 d> d> X ■4— * > 2* Q _) O C C /5 d> Q 03 }-> 4c^ — » C o a£j ~o X) d> J2 *n a C5 S d> u W ) c O 2CJ X) «o X H u 03 C /5 Qh D O v- o a OX) Ui 03 o K c^ Î- d) d> '3 x£"3 o a c a, *o < o a d) 13 o o C /5 03 C /5 03 Cu T3 TD < Appendix I: Speaking lesson plan o cx • »— I rv Name: Class: Grades: Limited Modest Competent Grade Clear speech Speech is chunked W ord stress is clear Sentence stress is clear All syllables are spoken Beginning/end consonants are clear N on-verbal com m unication Posture is relaxed and gestures are appropriate Eye contact with interviewer/ facial expressions are appropriate Content The c o n tc n t is i n f o r m a t i v e and informed The content is interesting 10 The content is appropriate for the task G ram m ar/ V ocabulary 11 The structures convey meaning accurately (G ram m ar is appropriate and accurate?) 12 The vocabulary conveys meaning accurately (The vocabulary is appropriate and accurate) Overall mark Good Very Good C o m m en t a n d exam ple ... Table Speaking in six semesters Table Students' interaction in lesson 42 Table Students' interaction in lesson 57 Table Students' interaction in lesson 58 Table Students' interaction in lesson. ..M INISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING H A N O I U N IV E R S IT Y N GU Y EN T H I P H U O N G LAN LARGE CLASS MANAGEMENT TO IMPROVE STUDENTS? ?? PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS: AN ACTION RESEARCH. .. in large speaking classes, the main aspects o f large classrooom management in speaking sessions are presented in the following sections 2.2.3.1 Getting attention and participation In order to