The effectiveness of using information gap activities to promote grade 10 students’ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao high school, Bac ninh province Nguyễn Thị Hường Trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ Luận văn ThS. Chuyên ngành: English teaching methodology; Mã số: 60 14 10 Người hướng dẫn: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Van Do Năm bảo vệ: 2013 Abstract: This study is majorly aimed at investigating the effectiveness of using information gap activities on grade 10th - students’ participation for at Nguyen Dang Dao High School, Bac Ninh. In order to achieve this aim, the quasi- experimental research was carried out in 8 weeks with classroom observation, students’ self report and interview as data collection instruments. The sample of the study consisted of 90 grade 10th students from two intact classes. The experimental group received the intervention of information gap activities in four speaking lessons while the control one did not. The results indicated that experimental group’s participation level increased significantly while the control group’s stayed almost the same. Hopefully, this study can raise teachers’ awareness of using information gap activities in teaching speaking to enhance learners’ involvement. Keywords: Kỹ năng nói; Hoạt động điền thông tin; Phương pháp giảng dạy; Tiếng Anh Content PART A: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale This research is carried out for the following reasons: the increasing important role of English in our present life, students’ weakness in speaking skill, the reality of learners’ poor participation and the motivation created by imformation gap activities(IGA) in speaking lessons. Firstly, it is undeniable that English has been playing a crucial role in our modern life. It is the most effective means of global communication with a dramatic increase in number of users. It also shows progressive effects in various aspects of life. Anyone, no matter where he lives, is likely to be aware of the fact that having a good command of English helps him achieve the latest information on science and technology. Therefore, it is English that enables him to improve his study and work as well as betters his present life. Secondly, Nguyen Dang Dao high school students seem to be worse at speaking skill than other English skills whereas being good at it enables them to get a good job in the local region. Nguyen Dang Dao high school is newly established and located in Tien Du district, where Tien Son industrial Park is located with a variety of factories and companies, many of which require employers’ good command of English. Young people in the local province have the priority to be offered jobs provided that they can fulfill their requirements, one of which is English speaking skill. However, most students in Bac Ninh, after graduating from high school and even a university have difficulty speaking English in real situations. In fact, learners’ poor participation is one of the factors responsible for their low speaking proficiency. Most students at Nguyen Dang Dao School are reluctant to speak the target language because of the lack of motivation. Many of them keep silent or chat in speaking lessons while others make noise using their mother tongue. Therefore, language teachers should provide their learners with continuous motivation to use English in class and the use of information gap activities in speaking lessons is an excellent solution to improving the quality of students’ participation in oral lessons. The application of information gap activities in English speaking lesson greatly encourages students to use the target language in class in some ways. First, in this activity, one person has certain information that must be shared with others in order to solve problem, gather information or make decisions. This gives the students opportunity to speak English for an extended period of time. In addition, speaking with peer is less intimidating than presenting in front of the entire class and being evaluated. Another advantage of information gap activities is that students are forced to negotiate meaning because they must take what they are saying comprehensible to others in order to accomplish the task. Therefore, information gap activities are of great use in English speaking lessons. Making full use of these activities will definitely result in successful speaking lessons. The aforementioned reasons have urged the researcher to conduct the study entitled “The effectiveness of using information gap activities to promote grade 10 students’ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao high school, Bac Ninh province”. It is hoped that the research will provide a better view to the effectiveness of these activities on students’ participation in speaking lessons. 2. Purpose and significance of the study The study aims at: + investigating the effectiveness of using information gap activities on students’ participation level in English speaking lessons. + Raising language teachers’ awareness of exploiting these activities. The study can be beneficial to both students and teachers. First, it enables teachers to confirm the importance of information gap activities in teaching speaking skills. Hence it promotes teachers’ using of these activities in class, which creates a natural and highly motivational environment for students to speak the target language to their partners. 3. Research Questions In order to achieve the above- mentioned purposes, the following research questions were formulated and needed to be answered: 1. Does the implementation of information gap activities really increase grade 10 students’ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao high school? 2. What are students and teachers’ attitudes towards IGA? 4. Method of the study The study was carried out using quasi- experimental research method with the use of classroom observation, questionnaires students’ self- reports, and interviews as data collection instruments. Two intact classes were samples of the study. Forty five students from class 10A5 were chosen for the control group while the same number of students from class 10A6 was the experimental group that receives the treatment of IGA. To collect data for the study, classroom observations were conducted together with students’ self reports and interviews to confirm the information from observers. All the comments, remarks, recommendation and conclusions presented in the thesis were based on the analysis of the study. 5. Scope of the study There are various activities for teachers to promote students’ participation in classroom activities. However, within the limitation of research time and the allowed length of a minor research, this study only focuses on exploring the effectiveness of information gap activities on 10 grade students’ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao High School, Bac Ninh. 6. Overview of the thesis This study consists of three main parts: Introduction, Development and Conclusion. Part A: Introduction. The introduction part briefly presents the rationale of the study, the aims, research questions, methods, scope, the significance and the overview of the study Part B: Development The development part consists of three chapters. Chapter one provides essential literature review relevant to the study including teaching speaking, IGA, students’ participation. Chapter two presents the methodology underlying the research. It deals with the research method, the participants of the study, the variables, the intervention, the instruments and procedure for data collection. Chapter three is devoted to presenting how data was analyzed, what are the findings of the study and the discussions about the study results. Part C: The thesis ends with the conclusion and recommendation part which gives a summary of the main issues that have been discussed, the limitations of the study, some recommendations and suggestions for further research as well. REFERENCES Bailey,K. M (2005). Practical English Language teaching: Speaking:McGraw- Hill Companies,Inc Barry, K. (1993). Beginning Teaching (2 nd ed). Wentworth Falls: Social Science Press. Brown, G & Yule,G (1991)Teaching Spoken Language. Cambridge: Cambridge. Byrne, D (1998) Teaching Oral English. New York: Longman Cathart, R. (1986). Situational Differences and the Sampling of Young Children’s Classes, Heinle & Heinle Chaney, A.L.B , & Burk, T.L (1998). 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The effectiveness of using information gap activities to promote grade 10 students’ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao high school, Bac Ninh province . It is hoped that the. The effectiveness of using information gap activities to promote grade 10 students’ participation in speaking lessons at Nguyen Dang Dao high school, Bac ninh province Nguyễn. to the effectiveness of these activities on students’ participation in speaking lessons. 2. Purpose and significance of the study The study aims at: + investigating the effectiveness of using