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• Investigating the situation of using teaching aids of the teachers in teaching speaking English at K.T.H.S.. • Investigating students’ attitudes towards using teaching aids in speaking

PART A INTRODUCTION This part presents the rationale, the aims, the method, the scope and the design of the study

1 Rationale of the study

Nowadays, English has played an important role in our life It is broadly used in many different fields of life such as sports, politics, economy, science, technology… Therefore, teaching and learning English have become a necessity in every country

In Vietnam, in the recent years, English have been gaining significance because firstly it is an international language, secondly it is an effective means to intensify mutual understandings and cooperation between Vietnam and other countries As a result, there has been an explosion in teaching and learning English It is taught not only at schools but also at many foreign language centers In an industrialized and modernized society, communicative competence in English is very important For high school leavers, this competence can help them find a good job in a foreign company or do an oversea job Besides, when they graduate from universities with good results and have a good communicative competence in English, they will have a great deal of chances to be offered

a good job with a high salary and position in a both state and private company Moreover, high school leavers who can speak English well can be able to get a scholarship in a university in Britain, the USA, Australia, Canada, etc Therefore, it is obvious that being able to speak English well will bring about a better career

At K.T.H.S, like at many other high schools in Vietnam, English has been a compulsory subject in its curriculum for many years and the speaking skill is one of five official parts in a unit However, due to the demand of the high school graduation and university entrance examinations, the students’ focus is on grammar and vocabulary which means little attention has been paid to the speaking skill

For these above reasons, the researcher has decided to choose this thesis to increase the English speaking ability of students There are many ways of gaining this aim and using the teaching aids is one of the effective ways to intensify students’ participation in speaking activities

2 The aims of the study

This study is aimed at:

• Investigating the current situation of teaching and learning speaking English at K.T.H.S

• Investigating the situation of using teaching aids of the teachers in teaching speaking English at K.T.H.S

• Investigating students’ attitudes towards using teaching aids in speaking English class at K.T.H.S

• Suggesting the techniques of using teaching aids (objects, pictures, sub-boards, handouts, gestures, cassette players, PowerPoint) to intensify students’ participation

in speaking activities at K.T.H.S

3 The method of the study

In the study, the quantitative method is used including two questionnaires, one for the teachers and the other for the students The questionnaire for the teachers is to find out the current situation of teaching speaking English, and the situation of using teaching aids

of the teachers in teaching speaking English at K.T.H.S The questionnaire for the students includes two parts, the first is carried out to find out the current situation of learning speaking English at K.T.H.S and the second is administered after three sample lessons using some kinds of teaching aids to find out students’ attitudes towards using teaching aids in speaking English class at K.T.H.S

4 The scope of the study

There are many ways to intensify students’ participation in speaking activities However, in this study the researcher only focuses on using some types of teaching aids (objects, pictures, sub-boards, handouts, gestures, cassette players, PowerPoint) to intensify the 10 grade students’ participation in speaking activities at K.T.H.S

5 The design of the study

The study is divided into three parts:

Part A presents a general introduction of the study including the rationale, the aims, the method, the scope and the design of the study

Part B presents the development of the study including four chapters Chapter 1 mentions the theoretical background of the research with the focus on the following points:

definition of speaking, the importance of speaking, definition of teaching aids, types of teaching aids, the purposes of teaching aids, the advantages and disadvantages of using teaching aids, the principles of using teaching aids, and some items used as teaching aids in speaking class Chapter 2 involves the information of learners and their background, materials and facilities at K.T.H.S Chapter 3 presents the methodology and data analysis Chapter 4 mentions the findings and the suggested techniques for using teaching aids in process of teaching speaking

Part C is the conclusion of the study It gives the limitations of the study and some suggestions for further researches

PART B DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1 LITERATURE REVIEW

In order to fulfill the study, relevant theoretical concepts are presented: definition

of speaking, the importance of speaking, definition of teaching aids, types of teaching aids, the purposes of using teaching aids, advantages and disadvantages of using teaching aids, the principles of using teaching aids, suggesting some items used as teaching aids in speaking class

1.1 Nature of speaking

1.1 1 Definition of speaking

Speaking is one of four necessary skills to use a language successfully According

to Chaney (1998:13), speaking is “the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non- verbal symbols, in a variety of contexts” (as cited in Kayi, 2006) Speaking is not a sudden speech Speakers have to consider using the suitable verbal or non- verbal symbols to create the valuable utterances And it is not easy for hearers to understand speakers’ implication if speakers do not put their utterances into the concrete contexts

According to Fowler & Thompson (2000), speaking is “the action of conveying information or expressing one’s thoughts and feelings in spoken language” This definition shows that speaking is also a process because it contains speakers’ thoughts and feelings However, speakers only use the verbal symbols to create utterances

Orwig (1999) also defines that speaking is the productive skill in the oral mode It

is complicated and involves more than just pronouncing words

In conclusion, speaking is the oral action which is prepared carefully before being uttered in a variety of contexts It is difficult to understand an utterance if both speakers and hearers are not in the same context

1.1.2 The importance of speaking

In recent years, communicative approach has become the main one in teaching and learning foreign languages The ability to communicate in a second language “contributes

to the success of the learner in school and later in every phase of life”(Kayi, 2006) Therefore, it can not be denied that speaking is very important Bailey and Savage (1994: vii) define that “Speaking in a second or foreign language has often been viewed as the

most demanding of the four skills” Teachers should pay great attention to teaching speaking However, teaching speaking is not easy Thus, a lot of studies relating speaking have been carried out to help learners speak with confidence

1.2 Teaching aids

1.2.1 Definition of teaching aids

With the growth of English teaching, more and more teaching resources and aids are developed The use of teaching aids, therefore, becomes an important issue Many studies have been carried out to find out the suitable ways to use teaching aids in the teaching and learning process A plenty of teaching aids with high technology have been invented recently Therefore, the effect of using teaching aids in education has been increased Teaching aids have become an essential element of a lesson So, what are teaching aids?

Teaching aids are “any device, object, or machine used by a teacher to clarify or enliven a subject.” (Collins , 2000)

Based on Farlex (2003 - 2008), teaching aids are materials and equipment which are used in teaching

According to Croket & Foster (2005), teaching aids are “items used in the classroom to aid teaching and training.”

In brief, teaching aids are anything teachers use in teaching to gain their aims Teachers should have expertise as well as interest to use teaching aids in their classes so as

to make their teaching effective and facilitate learning to a considerable extent

1.2.2 Types of teaching aids

There are many different ways in which a teacher can make the learning experience more interesting and memorable for learners One technique is to use teaching aids Nowadays, teaching aids are widely used in teaching and learning Depending on teachers’ aims, they can choose different kinds of teaching aids to enliven their lessons There is a variety of teaching aids However, they are often divided into three main kinds: visual aids, audio aids and audio- visual aids According to Wright & Haleem (1991), visual aids are anything the learners can see used for different teaching purposes in a language class Visual aids are simple teaching aids that include boards, pictures, objects, handouts, teacher’s and learner’s gestures, actions, and performance, etc Visual aids can make presentations more interesting, more dynamic, and more effective if you use them right

They can also be distracting, and they can undercut your message Audio aids can be defined as “models and devices that can be heard and give an image of something, somebody, and some situations” ((Akanbi, 1988) as cited in Maniruzzaman, 2008) They include recorded materials, radios, cassette players, cassettes, etc Audio- visual aids are combined between audio aids with visual aids They are “devices that can be used in teaching for their appeal to the ear and the eye” (Gaunge, 2008) Botham (1969) shows that various types of audio- visual aids are considered: non-projected aids, projected aids, tape recorders and recording, and mass media and rural campaigns Each aid is carefully described, with illustrations, and details are offered for effective presentation Videotapes, films, and computer multimedia are typical types of audio- visual aids

1.2.3 The purposes of using teaching aids

Teaching and learning is a complex process Maniruzzaman (2008) shows that to carry out their job successfully and ensure the learners’ maximal benefit, the teachers have

to use teaching methods, techniques as well as materials in a manner that are consistent with the learners’ needs and interest And the appropriate use of teaching aids can be substantially helpful in this aspect to make the teaching methods, techniques, and materials considerably effective and interesting, and to help the learners have maximum benefit ((Akanbi, 1988) as cited in Maniruzzaman, 2008) Teaching aids enable the teacher to modify the teaching method and techniques, change the classroom situation quickly They also attract the learners’ attention, reduce their exhaustion, motivate them and increase their interaction and active participation in the learning process

To conclude, teaching aids are equipped to make the teaching and learning process more effectively

1.2.4 Advantages and disadvantages of using teaching aids

1.2.4.1 Advantages of using teaching aids in teaching speaking

Teaching aids are plentiful and each kind of teaching aids has its own advantages

In this study, the researcher gives some common advantages of using teaching aids Firstly, using teaching aids is a means to motivate the students in speaking lessons There are many ways to motivate the students and using teaching aids is an effective way Depending on the speaking topics, the teachers can use different types of teaching aids in games such as: Cross-word, Bingo, Noughts and Crosses, etc to warm up the atmosphere of the class Objects, pictures, cassette players are the most frequently used Secondly, teaching aids are

the tool to suggest the speaking ideas The students often have difficulty in brainstorming the speaking ideas The teachers should use teaching aids to provide the language input (vocabulary items, structures) to help the students express their ideas Finally, the teaching aid is a factor of interactions Using teaching aids improves not only the students’ speaking ability but also their writing, reading, and listening competence For example, cassette players can help the students listen and speak better

1.2.4.2 Disadvantages of using teaching aids in teaching speaking

Although using teaching aids in teaching speaking has many advantages, there are some disadvantages when using them It can not be denied that the amounts of teaching aids for teaching and learning languages at high schools in Vietnam are limited The teachers themselves must prepare most of teaching aids in advance Besides, it is not difficult for the teachers to find the sources of teaching aids However, making teaching aids costs the teachers a lot of money For instance, teachers can exploit the pictures from internet, but in order to use them the teachers have to print them, or buy them from the bookshops Moreover, it takes much time to use teaching aids in class if the teachers do not choose the suitable teaching aids for the lesson Last but not least, management of a large class is another problem When teaching speaking to such a large class, the teachers have

to cope with the difficulty that is not only how to conduct the class (to reduce noise, to raise interest) in general, but also how to exploit the benefits of using teaching aids to the students in the learning process

1.2.5 The principles of using teaching aids

Teaching aids have many advantages Using them appropriately will bring the high effect in the teaching and learning process and vice versa Therefore, the teachers should pay attention to some principles when using them:

1 Find or make suitable teaching aids

2 Experiment and practise with teaching aids so that you know how to use them

3 Test them and revise them if necessary

4 Remember to use them whenever they are appropriate

(Trudy, 1999) 1.2.6 Some items used as teaching aids in speaking class

There is a variety of teaching aids to use in the teaching and learning process Each teaching aid has its own advantages and using it reasonably will help the teachers gain

their teaching aims In this study, the researcher suggests using some kinds of teaching aids

to intensify the students’ participation in speaking activities

1.2.6.1 Sub-boards

The simplest teaching aid of all is the board, black or white It is used in all lessons

by all the teachers However, the teachers have to spend a lot of the class time writing on the board There is not enough time for the students to practise speaking Therefore, the researcher suggests that the teachers should use the sub-boards which are prepared at home

to save time The teachers can use the white large papers as the sub-boards, or the old posters which have a white side in stead so they can save money The sub-boards can be used in all stages of the speaking lessons to play games such as: Noughts and Crosses, Cross-word to motivate the students, or to provide the students with the language input such as: new words, grammar structures, or examples

Sample: In Task 2 of Unit 12, due to the students’ limited words about music, the teachers should provide them with some new phrases before asking them to speak It makes the students feel less difficult to do this task

Suggested words about music

- rousing/ lyrical/ peaceful/ pleasant

- help someone forget troubles

- make someone excited/ feel relaxed

Using the sub-boards is not only cheap, easy but also effective It makes the difficult tasks become easier and the students will be confident to take part in them

• Workcards and worksheets: workcards (about 15 cm x 20 cm) and worksheets are for individual student use or for use by students working in small groups They provide an extremely useful base for the development of four skills without the teachers’ immediate involvement

• Maps, plans, and charts are very useful for the statistics and analysis exercises Generally, pictures are effectively used to motivate the students at the warm-up stage,

to provide the language input such as: new vocabulary items to suggest the speaking ideas

at the pre- speaking stage and the while- speaking stage For example, to introduce the speaking topic in Unit 11 about the excursion to Huong Pagoda, a picture about Huong Pagoda is used to help students know some information about it

To use pictures more effectively, the teachers should make pictures in colour to attract the students It is very easy to have beautiful pictures They can be exploited from internet, text books, magazines, newspapers, business brochures, etc, or painted by the teachers 1.2.6.3 Gestures

According to Alton (2002), “A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication made with a part of the body, used instead of or in combination with verbal communication.” At K.T.H.S, the teachers always feel shy of using their gestures in class In the researcher’s opinion, they are very useful and the students are excited with them Gestures should be used to illustrate new words and phrases relating to the speaking topic in order to help the students have enough the language input for speaking For instance, to help the students understand the meaning of the phrases “food poisoning”, “carsick” in Task 1 of Unit 11

and “keep someone happy”, “cheer someone up” in Task 1 of Unit 12, the best way is using gestures

1.2.6.4 Objects

There are two types of objects: Real objects and representational objects Real objects are anything available in teaching such as tables, chairs, pens, books, hats, umbrellas, etc Representational objects are models that can replace real objects which the teachers can not prepare for use in class

Using objects to motivate the students and introduce new vocabulary items at the warm-up and pre- speaking stages is interesting and effective The teachers should prepare the objects at home For example, to suggest the answer of the question “What do you have

to prepare for an excursion?” at the warm- up stage of Unit 11, the teachers should give the real objects: bread, an orange, a bottle of water, a cucumber, an umbrella, a raincoat and the students feel easier to give the answer: food, fruits, drinks, vegetable, an umbrella, and

a raincoat Using objects not only makes the students interested in the topic but it also gives the students the new vocabulary items relating the excursion before speaking

of the class and provide the students with the language input

Sample: In Task 2 of Unit 12, handouts are used to help the students interview their partners They make the task easier and the students feel confident to speak

1 What kind of music do you like best? Classical music

2 Why do you listen to music?

3 What is your favourite band/ musician?

4 What is your favourite song?

5 When do you listen to music?

1.2.6.6 Cassette players

The cassette player is the effective audio aid in teaching listening skill, but it is rarely used in teaching speaking skill at K.T.H.S The teachers only use it to play some English songs to motivate students in the warm-up stage In this study, the researcher suggests using cassette players at all stages of the speaking lesson Cassette players not only help the students relax by listening the songs but they also improve the students’ speaking ability (both accuracy and fluency) To use cassette players successfully, the teachers

should know the software of reading, and recording CDs such as “Text Aloud MP3”,

“Nero Burn” to make their own CDs in order to practise speaking based on the text book For example, the teachers can use the cassette player to play the song “Get down” sung by Backstreetboys to warm up the students and introduce the speaking topic of Unit 12 Besides, the teachers make their own CDs to help the students feel confident to take part in speaking activities At the pre- speaking stage of Unit 11, instead of the teachers’ voice, students listen to the cassette player twice to pronounce words in Task 1 correctly The students are very interested in English voice At the while- speaking stage of Unit 11 and

12, due to the students’ poor speaking ability, the teachers ask them to listen to the examples with the cassette players to catch the pronunciation and intonation of the sentences, even a part of the speaking model to help them know how to do the tasks In order to help students check their speaking at the post-speaking stage, a speaking model which was prepared at home in a CD should be played (see Appendix 3 and 4)

Using cassette players in speaking class will not only reduce the teachers’ workload, but also make the students interested in speaking activities

There are many ways to make the PowerPoint lesson plans dynamic and exploit the advantages of PowerPoint One of them is using films and sound, for example in the speaking lesson of Unit 13 (see the appendix)

In conclusion, there are many kinds of teaching aids and each of them has its own advantages Using them effectively is not easy It depends on the teachers’ ability In this study, the researcher only suggests using some types of teaching aids (five types of visual aids, one type of audio aids, and one type of audio-visual aids) to intensify the tenth form students’ participation in speaking activities at K.T.H.S To measure the effect of using teaching aids in speaking class, three speaking lessons of Unit 11, 12, and13 are carried out

at four classes 10C2, 10C12, 10C13, and 10C14

CHAPTER 2 ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING CONTEXT AT K.T.H.S

Success or failure in learning a foreign language (for example, English) depends on many factors, such as: teacher’s knowledge, teacher’s role in class, learners’ background, learners’ need, motivation, aims, learning environment, materials, facilities, etc In this chapter, the researcher presents an overview on learners and their English background knowledge at K.T.H.S Materials and facilities for teaching and learning English language are paid attention there

2.1 Learners and their English background knowledge:

K.T.H.S is located in Kien Thuy district which is in the rural areas of Hai Phong It

is a poor district because agriculture plays the main role in its economy This heavily affects people’s thinking here According to them, being able to speak their mother tongue (that is Vietnamese) correctly is enough, so it is not necessary for them and their children

to learn to speak English Although learning a foreign language (for example, English) at lower secondary schools and high schools has been considered an official subject among Maths, Literature, Chemistry, Physics, and others, it is not appreciated at lower secondary schools in Kien Thuy English is not included in any entrance or final exams Therefore, teachers and students’ attitudes towards teaching and learning English are negative They consider English a minor subject at schools As a result, students do not pay attention to learning English They learn it very badly

When these students enter K.T.H.S, they have to take part in exams in three subjects: Maths, Literature, and English at the beginning of the school year They often gain high scores in Maths and Literature but most of them get low scores in English This

is also the common situation in Kien Thuy district All students at lower secondary schools

in Kien Thuy district have learned English for four years but most of them have not paid any attention to learning it Thus, it is very difficult for teachers at K.T.H.S to teach them English because the new English textbooks at high schools now are written based on the English textbooks at lower secondary schools Teachers have no time to reteach all the English knowledge students have learned at lower secondary schools They have to follow the syllabus Day by day, both teachers and students feel tired and bored when having to teach and learn English So, it is essential to find out the way to improve students’ English ability

2.2 Materials and facilities:

It can not be denied that syllabus plays an important part in teaching and learning process In order to achieve the aim of a syllabus, materials and facilities are two of the necessary factors in teaching and learning process

K.T.H.S is a poor school Therefore, facilities for teaching and learning foreign languages are still limited Firstly, only one cassette player is equipped with some tapes, so most of the teachers have to read the listening passages when teaching the listening skill Secondly, one overhead projector and four PowerPoints are equipped for forty classes As

a result, they are not frequently used especially for teaching English except for the special occasions Thirdly, there are only five computers which are connected to Internet for all teachers Finally, other types of teaching aids such as pictures, English newspapers, sub-boards to teach and learn English are not equipped

In the recent years, the English textbooks have gradually been changed They are very difficult for both teachers and students Therefore, they need some books of reference before teaching and learning However, the library cannot provide any other books for reference except the textbooks

In conclusion, to teach English successfully at K.T.H.S is very difficult Teachers have to find out the ways to overcome students’ poor background knowledge about English and the lack of materials and facilities

CHAPTER 3 THE STUDY This chapter will present the four main points of the study: situation analysis, data collection instruments, data collection procedure, and data analysis

3.1 Situation analysis

3.1.1 The setting of the study

The study was conducted at K.T.H.S, Hai Phong, in which the 10th form students are learning basis English with the new text book TIENG ANH 10 by Hoàng V n Vân – Hoàng Th Xuân Hoa - Tu n Minh- Nguy n Thu Ph ng - Nguy n Qu c Tu n This text book is theme- based, which includes 16 units and 6 Test Yourself sections Each unit has its own topics and is divided into 5 sections: Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing and Language Focus

3.1.2 Subjects

The subjects of the study consist of 185 students and 10 teachers of English at K.T.H.S

Of the ten teachers, six are from 30 to 35 years of age with more than seven years

of teaching experience The others are quite young (aged from 24 to 27) with only about two years of teaching experience All of them graduated from universities and they have been teaching English based on Communicative Approach

185 students from classes 10C2, 10C12, 10C13, and 10C14 were randomly selected from 700 the tenth form students at K.T.H.S Obviously, it was difficult to select a random sample of individuals because the tenth form students have already been assigned to different classes from 10C1 to 10C14 and classified into three groups according to their choice of favourite subjects (students from 10C1 to 10C8 are interested in natural science subjects whereas students from 10C9 to 10C12 enjoy learning social science subjects and 10C13 and 10C14 are basic classes) Therefore, I have chosen four classes from three groups to study The result will be more reliable

3.2 Data collection instruments

To address and explore the research questions, a quantitative method which includes two questionnaires, one for the teachers and the other for the students, was exploited The first questionnaire was to find out the situation of teaching speaking English and teachers’ attitudes towards using teaching aids in speaking class at K.T.H.S

The second questionnaire was divided into two parts (pre- questionnaire and post-

questionnaire) The pre- questionnaire was to find out the situation of learning speaking

English at K.T.H.S (before the students attend three sample lessons) The post- one was to

find out students’ attitudes towards using teaching aids in speaking class at K.T.H.S (after

the students attend three sample lessons)

3.3 Data collection procedure

The data for the study was selected from 185 students as well as 10 teachers The

first questionnaire was delivered to 10 teachers of English at K.T.H.S The second

questionnaire to the students was distributed to 185 students They were asked to complete

the questionnaire before and after using teaching aids in speaking class Data would be

analysed for conclusions and suggestions

3.4 Data analysis

3.4.1 The situation of teaching and learning speaking English at K.T.H.S

In order to find out the solutions to any problem, the researcher has to base on the

fact In this study, before suggesting using some teaching aids to intensify students’

participation in speaking activities the researcher pointed out the situation of teaching and

learning speaking English at K.T.H.S

3.4.1.1 The situation of learning speaking English at K.T.H.S

s (%) How do you feel in learning speaking English?

Question 1

Why do you learn speaking English?

A it is one of the compulsory skills in the textbook 62

B it helps you listen and sing English songs and know the

D it helps you go abroad to study or find a good job in a

What factors make you unwilling to speak English in class?

A the speaking topics are too difficult 42

Question 5

E speaking skill is not examined in the exams 18 Table 3.1: The situation of learning speaking English at K.T.H.S

Question 1 The statistics show that 48% of the subjects pay a little attention to learning speaking English, even 22% of the respondents are not interested in learning it at all The number of students who think that learning speaking English is interesting accounts for only 30% These findings reveal that the teachers should find out the effective ways to make students interested in learning speaking English

Question 2 The statistics in Table 1 point out that 62% of the informants learn speaking English as it is one of the compulsory skills in the text book The number of the students who learn speaking English to gain their own aims is only about 34% whereas 4%

of them have no aim to learn speaking skill because it is not examined in the exams Obviously, the aims to learn speaking English of the tenth form students at K.T.H.S are not positive They have not recognized that English plays an important role in the recent life and the good communicative competence in English will help them succeed in their future jobs

Question 3 Because of having no positive aims to learn speaking English, most of the respondents (71%) in the research do not spend time on practising English whereas only a small number of them (29%) pay attention to speaking English after class

Question 4 The statistics show that only 10% of the learners frequently take part in speaking activities in class Question 4 also gives an amazing result, that is, 84% of the participants pay a little attention to speaking discussion in class Surprisingly, 6% of the subjects have never participated in speaking English Therefore, the teachers should find out the reasons why their learners keep silent in speaking class

In question 5, the researcher gives the reasons to explain question 4 The researcher found out that the speaking topics in the text book are difficult and boring for 42% and 12% of the learners to discuss 10% of them do not take part in speaking activities as the teaching way is boring and according to 18% of the respondents, it is not necessary to speak English because it is not included in the exams The statistics also point out that more than half of the students (59%) are afraid of losing face in front of the teacher and their classmates due to their poor speaking ability, thus they are not ready for participating

in speaking activities in class

From the statistics, the researcher realized that the tenth form students at K.T.H.S are not interested in speaking English They do not pay much attention to practising it as they