1 VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** LÊ THỊ THÙY DƯƠNG SOME POSSIBLE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING STUDENTS’ TALKING TIME IN CLASS AT HOANG VAN THU HIGH SCHOOL, NAM DINH (Một số gợi ý có tính khả thi nhằm mục đích tăng cường thời gian nói học sinh lớp học trường THPT Hoàng Văn Thụ, tỉnh Nam Định) M.A Minor Programme Thesis Field: English Methodology Code: 60 14 10 Hanoi – 2010 VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** LÊ THỊ THÙY DƯƠNG SOME POSSIBLE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING STUDENTS’ TALKING TIME IN CLASS AT HOANG VAN THU HIGH SCHOOL, NAM DINH (Một số gợi ý có tính khả thi nhằm mục đích tăng cườngthời gian nói học sinh lớp học trường THPT Hoàng Văn Thụ, tỉnh Nam Định) M.A Minor Programme Thesis Field: English Methodology Code: 60 14 10 Supervisor: VŨ THỊ BÍCH ĐÀO, M.A Hanoi - 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Candidate’s statement i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Table of contents iv List of abbreviations viii List of tables ix List of figures x PART I INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Aims of the study Research question Scope of the study Methodology of the study Significance of the study Design of the study PART II DEVELOPMENT Chapter I - LITERATURE REVIEW I.1 Communicative Language Teaching I.1.1 Definition of CLT I.1.2 Characteristics of CLT I.2 Student talking time and second language acquisition I.2.1 The theory of student talking time and second language acquisition of some linguistics I.2.1.1 Krashen’s comprehensible input I.2.1.2 Swain’s output hypothesis I.2.1.3 Long’s interaction hypothesis I.2.2 Perspectives on student talking time I.2.3 Studies on student talking time 12 I.3 Factors affecting student talking time in speaking lessons 12 I.3.1 Motivation 12 I.3.2 Attitudes of the learners 13 I.3.3 Psychological factors 13 Chapter II – THE STUDY 15 II.1 An overview of English teaching and learning at Hoang Van Thu high school, Nam Dinh …………………………………………………………………… .15 II.1.1 Hoang Van Thu high school 15 II.1.2 English teachers at Hoang Van Thu high school 15 II.1.3 The 11th-form students and observation classes 11 15 II.1.4 Tieng Anh 11 textbook and its speaking lessons 15 II.2 Research method 16 II.2.1 The subjects of the study 16 II.2.2 The instruments 16 II.2.3 Procedures 16 II.2.4 Method 17 Chapter III - STATISTICAL RESULTS AND DATA ANALYSIS 18 III.1 Data analysis from learners’ questionnaires 18 III.1.1 Students’ opinions about speaking topics in the new text book “Tieng Anh 11” 18 III.1.2 Students’ attitudes towards learning oral skill 18 III.1.3 Students’ and teachers’ talking time in speaking lesson 19 III.1.4 Reasons making students reluctant to speak in English speaking lessons … 20 III.1.5 Teachers’ current methods applied at Hoang Van Thu high school 21 III.1.6 Students’ expectation towards their teachers 23 III.2 Data analysis from teachers’ questionnaires 23 III.2.1 Teachers’ assessment of the new text book “Tieng Anh 11” 23 III.2.2 Teachers’ perception of CLT 24 III.2.3 Teachers’ current teaching methods 24 III.2.4 Difficulties teachers have encountered in their teaching process 26 III.2.5 The ways teachers use to motivate students at Hoang Van Thu high school 26 III.2.6 Teachers’ assessment on student talking time in a speaking lesson 28 III.3 Observations 29 Chapter IV - FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 31 IV.1 Findings 31 IV.1.1 Current teaching methods 31 IV.1.2 Learners’ difficulties in getting involved in speaking lessons 32 IV.1.2.1 Students’ prior learning experiences 32 IV.1.2.2 Low level of English language proficiency 32 IV.1.2.3 Anxiety or shyness in class 33 IV.1.2.4 Low motivation 33 IV.1.3 Teachers’ difficulties in teaching speaking in speaking lessons 33 IV.1.4 Student talking time and teacher talking time in speaking lessons 34 IV.1.5 Learners’ expectations towards teachers 34 IV.2 Recommendations for teachers to improve students’ talking time 34 IV.2.1 Suggestions for the teachers 34 IV.2.2 Activities for improving students’ talking time in class 35 IV.2.2.1 Pair work and group work 36 IV.2.2.2 Role-play 37 IV.2.2.3 Topic discussion 38 IV.2.2.4 Oral presentation 38 PART III CONCLUSION 39 III.1 Summary of the study 40 III.2 Limitations and suggestions for further study 41 REFERENCES 42 APPENDIX I APPENDIX IV APPENDIX VII APPENDIX VIII 10 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ***** CLT: Communicative Language Teaching STT: Student talking time TTT: Teacher talking time ELT: English language teaching L1: first language L2: second language 11 LIST OF TABLES - ***** - Table 1: Students’ and teachers’ talking time in speaking lesson Table 2: Teachers’ current methods applied at Hoang Van Thu high school Table 3: Teachers’ current teaching methods Table 4: The ways teachers use to motivate their students Table 5: STT and TTT in observations 12 LIST OF FIGURES ***** Figure 1: Students’ opinions about speaking topics in the new text book “Tieng Anh 11” Figure 2: Students’ attitudes towards learning oral skill Figure 3: Reasons for the students’ reluctance to speak in English speaking lessons Figure 4: Students’ expectation towards their teachers Figure 5: Teachers’ assessment of the new text book “Tieng Anh 11” Figure 6: Teachers’ perception of CLT Figure 7: Difficulties teachers have encountered in their teaching process Figure 8: Teachers’ assessment on students’ talking time in a speaking lesson Figure 9: STT and TTT in class 11A1 Figure 10: STT and TTT in class 11A2 Figure 11: STT and TTT in class 11A3 Figure 12: STT and TTT in class 11A4 13 Part I: INTRODUCTION Rationale of the study It is undeniable that English, the main language of many countries in the world, has become a language for global communication It is considered as the medium of communication in many different fields such as: science, technology, politics, economics, aviation and so on In fact, with the spread of globalization and the rapid expansion of information and technology, English has become more and more important for any countries in the world At upper secondary schools Vietnam, English is now a compulsory subject for all students Due to its importance, English has received a lot of attention from students As for them, the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing are very important but speaking skill is the top priority among the four “Speaking in a second or foreign language has often been viewed as the most demanding of the four skills.” (Bailey, Kathleen M & Savage, Lance, 1994:vii) For that reason, speaking is the direct communication helping learners achieve their learning and working However, one of the problems people care most in a speaking lesson is talking time Studies of classroom discourse in ELT consistently show that teachers talk more than learners In particular, most questions in the classroom are asked by teachers, these tend to be of the display type, and learners‟ responses to them tend to be short Most teachers readily agree that students should receive as much opportunity to speak as possible when learning English as a foreign ... AT HOANG VAN THU HIGH SCHOOL, NAM DINH (Một số gợi ý có tính khả thi nhằm mục đích tăng cườngthời gian nói học sinh lớp học trường THPT Hoàng Văn Thụ, tỉnh Nam Định) M.A Minor Programme Thesis... speaking lessons This actually drives the researcher to carry out the study “Some possible suggestions for improving students’ talking time in class at Hoang Van Thu high school, Nam Dinh.” Aim... acquire by understanding language a bit beyond their current level of competence This is done with the help of context Third, spoken fluency emerges gradually and is not taught directly The last point