VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ********************* NGUYỄN THÚY HẰNG AN EXPLORATORY INTO TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SPEAKING ENGLISH SKILL TO 12th GRADE STUDENT AT QUẢNG XƢƠNG I UPPER – SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THANH HÓA Nghiên cứu việc dạy học kỹ nói Tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 12 trƣờng Trung Học Phổ Thông Qủang Xƣơng I Thanh Hóa M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 60140111 Hanoi, 2014 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ********************* NGUYỄN THÚY HẰNG AN EXPLORATORY INTO TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SPEAKING ENGLISH SKILL TO 12th GRADE STUDENT AT QUẢNG XƢƠNG I UPPER – SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THANH HÓA Nghiên cứu việc dạy học kỹ nói Tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 12 trƣờng Trung Học Phổ Thông Qủang Xƣơng I Thanh Hóa M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 60140111 SUPERVISOR: Dr LÊ VĂN CANH Hanoi, 2014 DECLARATION I certify that the thesis entitled “An exploratory into teaching and learning of speaking English skill to 12th grade students at Quang Xuong I Upper – Secondary school in Thanh Hoa” and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts is the result of my work, except where otherwise acknowledged, and that this minor thesis or any part of the same has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other university or institution Hanoi, September 2014 Signature Nguyễn Thúy Hằng i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First of all, I would like to acknowledge and express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Le Van Canh, for his enlightening lectures in the Methodology and Materials Development Courses, greatly enthusiastic guidance, encouragement, and constructive comments in-depth along the way with my project Without his support, this thesis would not be able to be completed properly My sincere thanks go to all the lecturers of the Faculty of Post Graduate Studies, Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, whose instructions have laid foundation for my work I would also like to express my special thanks to all the staff for their constant assistance while my work was in process My thanks also go to my colleagues and students at Quảng Xương Upper- Secondary School in Thanh Hoa province for their cooperation and help in classroom observation, interviews, and their willingness to share their ideas on teaching and learning English Finally, I wish to thank all my friends and colleagues for their support during my completion of this study Hanoi, September 2014 ii ABSTRACT In English classess in non- gifted upper- secondary school the teaching and learning English speaking skill is considered as unimportant as the students‟ aim is to pass the General Certificate Education exam The research, which explored the teaching and learning of speaking skill to grade 12 students at Qủang Xương I Upper – Secondary school, aimed to have better understanding of this reality The subject of the study was 144 students from three different classes and three teachers teaching in 12 graders at Qủang Xương I Upper – Secondary school in Thanh Hoa Three lessons were observed, four students and three teachers were interviewed The data collected from class observations and the interviews were transcribed and analyzed The picture of reality of the teaching and learning speaking at the school included the procedure of the speaking lessons, classroom interaction patterns the task types and the effectiveness of the teaching speaking at Quảng Xương Upper- Secondary School The results of the study revealed that the teaching and learning of speaking at Quang Xuong school were not satisfactory Two recommendations on how to improve this situation were made to both teachers and students at the school iii ABBREVIATIONS WTO World Trade Organization CLT Communicative Language Teaching 3.GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education 4.WWF World Wild Fund WHO Worl Health Organization IRE Initiative Response Evaluation UNICEF United Nation International Children‟s Emergency Fund TEFL Teaching English as second language iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii ABBREVIATIONS iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v PART A: INTRODUCTION 1.Statement and problem Aims and objectives of the study Research questions Methods of the study Organization of the thesis PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Theoretical background of speaking in second language teaching and learning 1.1.1 Definitions of speaking 1.2 Role of speaking in second language acquisition 1.2.1.The input and output hypothesis 1.2.2 The interaction hypothesis 1.3 Approaches to the teaching of speaking skill 1.4 Approaches to the learning of speaking skill 1.5 Input, feedback, and output in foreign language learning 11 1.6 Speaking tasks 11 v 1.7 Classroom Interactions 12 1.7.1 Participants in classroom interraction 13 CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY 17 2.1 Research setting 17 2.1.1 An overview of the researched school 17 2.2 Research approach 18 2.3 Research method 18 2.3.1 Data collection method 18 2.3.2.Classroom observation 18 2.3.3 Post observation Interviews 19 2.4 Data analysis method 19 2.5 Procedure of the study 20 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 21 3.1 Procedure of speaking lessons at Quảng Xƣơng Upper-Secondary School 21 3.2 Classroom interaction patterns in the speaking lessons 23 3.3.Common task types used by the teachers in speaking lessons 25 3.4 The effectiveness of the teaching of speaking at Quảng Xƣơng Upper- Secondary School 27 PART C: CONCLUSION 29 Summary of major findings 29 Concluding remarks 30 Reflections 31 Hesitance or unconfidence of students 31 vi 3.2 Lack of vocabularies, structures 31 3.3 Lack of language environment 32 3.4 Difficulties from the teachers 32 3.5 Other difficulties 32 3.5.1 Classroom size 32 3.5.2 Time constraint 32 3.5.3 Lack of reference materials 33 3.5.4 Lack of facilities 33 3.5.5 Poor background knowledge 33 3.5.6 Bad group work controls 33 3.6 Suggestions for support for teachers 34 3.6.1 Motivate students to participate in the speaking skills lessons 34 3.6.2 Vary the teaching techniques 34 3.6.3.Create a warm class atmosphere 35 3.6.4 Redesign the task for some topics 35 3.6.5.Options of correcting errors for students in speaking lesson 35 3.6.6 Overcome time constraint problem 35 3.6.7 Provide teaching facilities 36 3.6.8 Help students to be confident 36 3.6.9 Create opportunities for students to use English in real life 36 3.7 The teacher’s self-improvement of speaking skill 36 3.8 Monitor group work activities 37 Limitations of the study 37 vii Suggestions for further research 38 REFFERENCES 39 APPENDIX I viii Ss: WHO‟s objective, as set out in its Constitution, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health T: What are its main activities? Ss: WHO‟s main activities are carrying out research on medical development and improving international health care T: Very good! ( em viết câu trả lời vào cho cô) {Vậy thông qua task em biết thêm tổ chức y tế giwois không?) ( T repeat the main idea the task is talk about) Task 2: T: Now we task 2, which organization are we going to talk about?( Bây giwof nói tổ chức nhi? UNICEF vàWWF.) {I divide the class into two group, G1 talk about UNICEF, G2 talk about WWF (T writes some key words on the board: objective,,aim, attainment,carry out, headquarters, ( head office) (After that T asks ss to read in chorus) em muốn hỏi UNICEF viết tắt chữ nào, ta có câu hỏi Tiếng Anh? Ss: make a discussion T: ( asks one of the students to answer) T: Tổ chức UNICEF thành lập vào nảo nói Tiếng Anh? Ss: when was it established? T: Tiếp theo trụ sở đâu?( bạn hỏi cho nào?) Ss:Where is íts headquarter? T: Các em hỏi tiếp mục đích ta hỏi nào? Ss:What is its main objective? T: ( T repeated and give compliment) Ss:( Listen and write down) III T: Vậy ta muốn hỏi hoạt động hoạt động ta đặt câu hỏi Tiếng Anh? Ss: What are its activities? T: ( Các em làm việc theo cặp với câu hỏi nhé) Ss: Work in pairs freely(5min) T: ( Call some representatives of the pairs to give answers) Ss: ( show their dialogues) (15min) T:Which organizations did you study? Ss: UNICEF, WFF and WWF T ( Hôm ta kết thúc học em nhé) IV APPENDIX Lesson : Date 29th March 2014 The lesson was conducted by Mrs Phan Thị Quỳnh Mai - Class 12C6- Quảng Xƣơng Upper Secondary School - Period 91: Unit 15: Part B: Speaking T: Good morning! Ss: Good morning, teacher! T: Ok, thanhk you Sit down, please!{Today, there is Mrs Hằng coming to our class to attend ( lớp vỗ tay hoan hô)} T; Now I have some questions for you Who can answer my questions? How many people are there in your family? Ss: There are six people T: Who are they? Ss: They are parents, a sister, two brothers and me T: Who usually your housework in your family? Ss: My mother T: Do you and your sister help your mother? Ss: Yes T: What you usually ? Ss: Clean houses, cook dinner, T: oh, yes What else?( T asks some others with the above questions) Ss: T: Why you small house work? Ss: I don‟t have much time because I spend time doing homework T: Do your father and brothers help your mother housework/ Ss: Sometimes T What does your father to help your mother? Ss: cooking T: Your mother is a happy woman After that, T retell what the ss narrated) Ss: ( Listen) V T: Now, in our lesson today we are talking about the role of women and men in our family and in this lesson you‟ll give your opinion about your own the role of women and men in your family Now let‟s start our lesson today Task1: First, giving your opinion ( T is writing enclosing its meaning while explaining some structures within the lesson such as: point of view,nonesense,what nonesense agree, disagree, sympathetic, temper, loose one‟s temper, neglect, look down) T: Have you finished? Ss: Yes T: read Ss: read in chorus ( 3times) T: look at task one, please! Ss: ( You have some usefull expressions and opinions) T: Look at the table ( T read the question of the task and asks to repeat what the task require) Ss: ( explain the question) T:Asks ss to read some pharses expressing personal opinion Ss: I agree with , for me, I am afraid … I don‟t agree… That‟s wrong.Nonesense Rubbish!i completely disagree Task 2: ( T read the question and asks ss to expalain its requirement) T: (asks ss to read and translate some suggestions after each sentence is repeated by the T) Ss: Read individually and translate T: T sometimes ask” What you think… ? ( with each suggestion) Task 3: ( T read the question) T Married women should not go to work? ( and you agree or disagree) Ss: (translate) T: Look at the suggestions in the table ( for/against) VI (Asks representatives to read an example in the textbook) Ss: Read by playing the role T: Who can like that example?( One is A, B and the last is C) Ss: Nam: Married women should not go to work Lan Anh: I agree because they stay at home, looking after their children and husbands ( bạn giáo viên chỉ): I disagree because they are slaves at home T : ( call some other groups making similiarly) ( Gần hết nhà trường có thơng báo lịch thi thử Tốt nghiệp xuống lớp ) VII APPENDIX Lesson : Date 16th April, 2014 The lesson was conducted by Mrs Nguyễn Thị Hồng - Class 12 T2- Quảng Xƣơng Upper Secondary School - Period 91: Unit 15: Part B: Speaking T: How many people in your family? Ss: six people in my family T: Who are they? Ss: My parents,my brother, my young brother, my young sister and me T: Who all of the house work in your family Ss: Me T: Accroding to you who should all of the housework Ss:Me T: Do you agree or dis agree? Raise your hands! Today we are going to learn how express your opinions agree or disagree.( em có hiểu opinions không nhỉ?) Ss: ý kiến T: ( express gì? Ss: đưa ý kiến T: Now, who can give me some express the opinions ( Ss: according to me, I think , I don‟t think… T: ( wrote on the board) ( be interrupted by the school‟s notice) T: (repeat the sorts of expressing opinions and ask some of the retell) T: Work in group, look at the task T; read each suggestion and ask Ss to agree or disagree Ss: ( answer) T: let‟s choose three ideas to work in group of three people Ss:Thanh Hà: Women are usually carefull than men VIII Sơn Anh: I agree that women are usually carefull than men T: Ok Thank you ( And call some couples) Task 3: ( T read the questions and the expample with its translations) T: Phụ nữ không nên làm Các em có đồng ý khơng?) Ss: ( Some say “Yes” some say “No” T: ( Instruct the table in which there are two collmn “ For” and “ Against” Ss; ( 1hs nam:không nhớ tên): Married women should not go to work Phương: I don‟t agree Women are not housewife all their lives Trinh: In my opinions they should go to work to earn money to share their life and have chances to look after their children… A boy: I disagree because they can‟t to jobs well at the same time: reading children and working at the offices T: bạn nói cho hơm học Ss: Very good ( T repeat what ss answer) IX Students’s interviews APPENDIX Interview 1: Lê Quỳnh - Lớp 12T2 T: Do you like learning English speaking leson today? Ss: Yes I like it very much T:Why? Ss: because we have a lot ò activities and it‟s funny T: What make you raise your hand so much? Ss: Because my lesson ….bổ ích T: What activities you like best in the lesson today? Ss: I like working in group best T: Well Why?( Why you like working in group?) Ss: because I can share with each other and My friends can correct my mistakes T: Have you ever met any difficulties in the English speaking lesson? Ss: Yes, sometimes there are difficult topics or difficult sentences that I can‟t understand T; Does your teacher often design the lesson by herself or from the textbook? Ss: Sometimes my teacher design the lesson by herself and sometimes from the textbook T: Do you remember which lesson did your teacher design by herself? Ss: Hm hm Unit 14 and unit 16 T: Do you feel confident whenever you raise your hand? Ss;Yes, but sometimes I am not very good at speaking and I have no vocabulary X Students’s interviews APPENDIX Interview Phỏng vấn em thứ hai: Student: Nguyễn Văn Dƣơng - Lớp 12T1T: Do you like learning English speaking lesson? Ss: Yes T: What makes you raise your hand very much? Ss: Because ( em khơng biết nói ạ) T: Is the lesson today interesting? Ss: Yes, it is T: What activities you like best in the English speaking lesson? Ss: I like (it is) groupwork T: ( Groupwork?) Why you like groupwork? Ss: Because i I my friends can talk speak English together T: Do you feel comfortable to work in group? Ss: Yes I feel comfortable to work in group T: Can you share with your friends? Ss: Yes T: Do you think working in group is a relaxing way for students? Ss: Yes T: Do you know your teacher design the lesson from the textbook or by herself? Ss: My teacher often design the lesson from the textbook, but sometimes by herself? T: Whenever your teacher design by herself you think it is interesting? Ss: Yes Ss: Do you like desining by herself or from the textbook T: I like …by herself Ss: Because it is ( phong phú cố ạ) làm cho em tư nhiều a T What dificulties you have in English speaking lesson? Ss: because ( thưa có số chủ đề khó, mà em khơng nghe có số cấu trúc khó nhớ ạ, em nhiều từ vựng XI APPENDIX Interview 3: Students’s interviews Phỏng vấn em thứ ba: (Unrecorded) Em Nguyễn Thị Hà Tiên - Lớp 12T1T: Are you happy to learn English today? SS: No T:Why? Ss: Because I like but it‟s dificult T:Which activities you like bét in English speaking leson? Ss: I like groupwork T:Why? Ss: Bởi khơng phải làm việc mà ngồi chơi T:Why don’t you raise your hand? Ss: Bởi khơng biết nên em khơng giơ tay T: Cố giáo em hay thiết kế lấy từ sách giáo khoa hay tự cô thiết kế? Ss: Em không để ý T; Em thử tự nhớ lại xem giáo có tự thiết kế hay từ sách giáo khoa? Ss: Từ sách giáo khoa T: Thế em thấy học nói có khó khăn nhất? Ss: Em nghĩ thi viết nên không cần để ý đến nói T: Do you think English is very important? Ss: Yes T: But English speaking isn’t important? Ss: Yes XII APPENDIX Students’s interviews Interview 4: T: Are you happy to learn English today? Ss: yes T: Do you like English in English speaking lesson? Ss: Yes T:Why? Ss: Because it‟s interesting T: What make you raise your hand so much in the lesson today? Ss: hơm nói Việt nam a T: oh, em nói sai trọng tâm hơm rồi.Bài hơm cố dạy nói vấn đề dân số, diện tích, tơn giáo tiền tệ số quốc gia khu vực Đông nam Á Ss: …Uhm thưa cô hôm nói nhiề kiến thức bổ ích nên em thích T: …có gần gũi khơng? Ss: Có T: What activities you like best in English speaking lesson? Ss: Em thích hoạt động theo nhóm work in group, hoạt động theo cặp T: ( Hoạt động theo nhóm này, hoạt động theo cặp…) T:Why you like working in group? Ss: hoạt động theo nhóm hay hoạt động theo cặp giúp em trao đổi kiến thức với bạn bè nhằm nâng cáo kiến thức cho T: Thế cịn work in pairs? Ss:Work in pairs bạn sửa lỗi cho có trao đổi bạn bè T: ( em có hội nói chuyện Tiếng Anh với bạn gì?) Ss: ( ạ.) T: Do your teachers often design the lesson by herself or from the textbook? Ss: by herself T: Thế em có nhớ mà giáo tự thiết kế không? XIII Ss: Bài mười bốn mười sáu T: Em thấy khác kiểu gì? Ss: 16 nói nước thủ đơ, ngồi nước khu vực Đơng Nam Á cho biết thêm tên nước thủ đô nước Nhật Bản thủ đô Tokyo, Hàn Quốc thủ đô Seoul T: Xa nƣớc Đông Nam Á Nƣớc khu vự Đông Nam Á gần nhất? Ss: Việt Nam T: What dificulties you have in English speaking lesson? Ss: Thưa cô việc học từ vựng, chủ đề 15 nói phụ nữ từ vựng khó học 12 nói mơn thể thao xa lạ không gần với bọn em XIV Teachers’s interviews APPENDIX Interview 1: Mrs Mai thị Vân Mrs Hang: Of all the skills in the English textbook 12, which skill is the most important? Mrs Vân: I think all of the skills are important, but the most important skill is speaking skill Mrs Hang: What is your opinion about speaking topic in the textbook English 12? Mrs Vân: Some topics are interesting and useful for students, but some topics are difficult such as unit 14,unit 15 and 11 Mrs Hang: What activities you have in teaching speaking skill in the textbook English 12? Mrs Vân: I use many activities They depend on objectives of each unit such as pair work,group work and individual activities and games Mrs Hang: Which techniques you often use when teaching speaking skill in the textbook English 12? Mrs Vân: Oh,I think there are many techniques we can use but I often use brainstorming, facts and findings,matching Mrs Hang: Do you think which activities get students‟ attention in the English speaking lesson? Mrs Vân: I think groupwork and pairwork XV APPENDIX 10 Interview 2: Teachers’s interviews Mrs Nguyễn Thị Hồng Mrs Hang: Of all the skills in the English textbook 12, which skill is the most important? Mrs Hồng : I think speaking skill is the most important Mrs Hang: What is your opinion about speaking topic in the textbook English 12? Mrs Hồng : It‟s very long, especially unit 14 and 15 Mrs Hang: What activities you have in teaching speaking skill in the textbook English 12? Mrs Hồng : Um… Group work and pair work and it depends on the aim and the content of the lesson Mrs Hang: Which techniques you often use when teaching speaking skill in the textbook English 12? Mrs Hồng : Brainstorm, facts and finding and matching Mrs Hang: Do you think which activities get students‟ attention in the English speaking lesson? Mrs Hồng : I think I often prepare the content of the lesson carefully, I know the aim of the lesson and know how to organize and motivate students XVI APPENDIX 11 Interview 3: Teachers’s interviews Mrs Phan Thị Quỳnh Mai Mrs Hang: Of all the skills in the English textbook 12, which skill is the most important? Mrs Mai : I think speaking skill is the most important Mrs Hang: What is your opinion about speaking topic in the textbook English 12? Mrs Mai : It‟s quite familiar with students and teachers, but some topics and some languages used are difficult, for example unit 14 and unit 11 Mrs Hang: What activities you have in teaching speaking skill in the textbook English 12? Mrs Mai : I often use group work, pair work and warm – up activities Mrs Hang: Which techniques you often use when teaching speaking skill in the textbook English 12? Mrs Mai : There are many techniques when we teach speaking skill,for examples, brainstorming, facts and figures, comparing It depends on the level of students Mrs Hang: Do you think which activities get students‟ attention in the English speaking lesson? Mrs Mai : I think it depends on the level of students, I often use brainstorming, network For good students, I use games for them XVII ... exploratory into teaching and learning of speaking English skill to 12th grade students at Quang Xuong I Upper – Secondary school in Thanh Hoa? ?? and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements... speaking in second language teaching and learning 1.1.1 Definitions of speaking Speaking is "the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety... reality of classroom teaching and learning speaking English at a secondary school in Thanh Hoa pronvince The following objectives are set out for the study: - To gain understanding of how speaking