(SKKN 2022) Some effective post-reading activities to motivate the 11th grade-students at Hau Loc 4th Upper Secondary School in learning English

Using games in post-reading activities not only help students deepen knowledge but also make them impressed and remember its colorful picture and vivid sound so that students will easily

THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Opening of the theme 1

1.1 The reason to choose the theme 1

1.2 The purpose of researching 1

1.3 The research subject 2

1.4 The research methodology 2

2 The contents of the experience initiative 3

2.1 The rationale of the experience initiative 3

2.2 Current status of the problem before applying the experience initiative 4

2.3 The experience ideas in solving problem 4

2.4 The effect of the experience initiative for education training activities at school 13

3 Conclusion and recommendation 14

3.1 Conclusion 14

3.2 Recommendation 16

References 17

1 OPENING OF THE THEME.

1.1 THE REASON TO CHOOSE THE THEME.

Creating a lively and interesting learning environment plays an important role

in teaching and learning in high schools This environment is also the purpose of the teaching process Nowadays, games are used in teaching English over the world, which is regarded as a useful solution with a view to relieving stress and improving leaners’ motivation

Most students complain that they seem bored doing the same thing again and again from the beginning to end of a class when they learn reading texts Since they

do not feel engaged in class, they cannot make any considerable progress in learning a foreign language So how can a teacher bring students interesting lessons that stimulate students to be eager to learn English? Using games in post-reading activities not only help students deepen knowledge but also make them impressed and remember its colorful picture and vivid sound so that students will easily remember the lesson when prompted If games are amusing, challenging and surprising, lessons are clearly meaningful to them Thus, the meaning of the language they listen to, read, speak and write will be more vividly experienced, therefore, better remembered As a result, they are eager to wait for the next lesson Post-reading activities are activities done after the student has finished reading a text These are usually done in order to help the learner more deeply understand what they have read

Hence, those above reasons urged to me find the best way to encourage students to learn English I would like to express some effective games that I designed in the teaching process Hopefully, this study may bring some great benefits to learners as well as teachers That’s why I choose the theme “Some

effective post-reading activities to motivate the 11 th grade-students at Hau Loc

4 th Upper Secondary School in learning English”

1.2 THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCHING

The primary purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of using some fun activities applied in post-reading parts to teach students in grade 11th at Hau Loc 4th Upper secondary school It can’t be denied that effective games or fun activities play a vital part in encouraging students to learn English

Indeed, this study helps students to remember vocabulary better In fact, students have to encounter unfamiliar words while learning a second language, so they feel a high level of stress They even feel fear of being punished and criticized when we make mistakes Nevertheless, games are always enjoyable and interesting

and they play games freely Traditionally, vocabulary is not seen as a particular subject by students to learn, but they are taught in the speaking, listening, reading and writing lessons It is not easy for them to keep the new words in mind However, students can recall vocabulary easily via games without looking up a dictionary or learn in a mechanical way

Another important purpose associated with the study is that students are motivated to learn the language when they take part in a game It is obvious that games are always exciting, attractive and competitive Whether we are teaching adults or children, games will liven up our lesson and ensure that students will leave the classroom wanting more Students are easy to get absorbed in the competitive aspects of the games Moreover, they try harder at games than in other courses

This study was conducted with an aim to raise both teachers and students’ awareness of the importance of post-reading activities It is hoped that the findings from this study could stimulate learners’ interest and enable them to study English

in the most effective way

1.3 THE RESEARCH SUBJECT.

The research is carried out on the 11th grade students at Hau Loc 4th Upper Secondary School in the school year 2020-2021 The participants of the research consist of 120 students from 3 classes: 11A6, 11A8, 11A9

1.4 THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.

For having full and exact data to answer the question that is mentioned, I have

to combine three research methods:

- Observing students to take part in activities such behaviors, verbal reaction and feelings to understand how much the games stimulate them

- Analyzing and comparing the number of students taking exams through exercises relating to vocabulary before and after the research

- Using questionnaire such as:

 Have you enjoyed language games?

 How much do you enjoy language games?

 How do you find language games?

 Are you willing to play the language games in the classroom?

First, I created on the observation to realize the problem in teaching and learning English Next I applied all the practices in teaching post-reading parts Finally, I examined the results

2 THE CONTENT OF THE EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE.

2.1 THE RATIONALE OF THE EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE.

Here is the rationale of the experience initiative

Games can be used to warm up the class before your lesson begins, during the lesson to give students a break when you’re tackling a tough subject, or at the end

of class when you have a few minutes left to kill Games can be also found to give practice in all the skills such as reading, writing, listening and speaking There are literally hundreds, probably thousands, of games that you can play with your students Language games are used to test vocabulary, practice conversing, learn tenses - the list is endless For maximum comprehension of a text, it's crucial to fully engage before, during, and after reading Post-reading strategies help learners summarize their learning, check for understanding, and organize their thoughts and ideas English as a second language, teachers really want to make the content more comprehensible for them This list of some language games every teacher should know will help students get indulged in learning English Some effective post-reading activities make lessons run smoothly and things get a little out of control, you’ll be able to pull back the attention of the class in no time

* Based on motivation

- Motivation is generally defined as an abstract concept used to describe the

willingness of a person to expand to reach a particular goal According to Yiltanliar and Caganaga (2019) using a game for language learners is a kind of encouragement by supporting them hinder their negative feelings like fear, hesitation, anxiety by creating a flexible and warm learning environment for them

* Based on background of games

- When collecting games, teachers have to note what language need only be

understood by the players what language must be used by them If teachers can create games in the classroom and the language is appropriate, then they are useful Whenever a game is to be conducted, the number of students, proficiency level, cultural context, timing, learning topic, and the classroom settings are factors that should be taken into account

* Based on techniques to design and organize games.

- Teachers acquire how to design games It means teachers are good at using visual materials as well as making power-point lesson plans Moreover, teachers know how to organize games Games are normally introduced in the following:

- Explanation by the teacher to the class about how to play a game and its rule

- Demonstration of parts of the game by the teacher and one or two players

- Trial by a group or a pair in front of the class

- Declare the winner

- Teachers have to control students’ noise

In brief, teacher grasps some basic principles for simple reading strategies: pre-reading activities, while-pre-reading activities, and post-pre-reading activities Those above steps are very necessary for teaching reading comprehension, and may help students read the text more effectively The classroom settings are factors that should be taken into account

2.2 CURRENT STATUS OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE APPLYING THE EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

Vietnamese students in general, as well as students of Hau Loc 4th Upper secondary school in particular, also have many difficulties in using English My students come from different secondary schools, some students knew English quite well but some knew English a little, which lead to imbalance in knowledge when they go to Upper secondary school

Besides, the lack of the attention from their families about their studying makes teacher encounter difficulties in helping students study and develop their skills in studying English as well as using English in some fields

In addition, many students might be reluctant to play games I also acknowledge that students are often so anxious to learn English in order to pass examinations or to improve their employment prospects that they look on games as unnecessary

In fact, many teachers are hesitant to use these language games because they think language games are time-consuming Because it will take a long time to prepare for a lecture, design the content and the form of the game that suits the content of each lesson Teachers think that the lesson is too long, not enough time for them to organize games Some people say games only reduce stress but they are not really useful They are confused when designing or organizing games Many teachers say they do not control students because playing games makes so much noisy

To find out the appropriate way to solve those problems, teachers must work hard and find the best way to attract students and help them study better Below are some ways that I used to help my students to solve those problems and help them study better and get better marks in examinations

2.3 THE EXPERIENCE IDEAS IN SOLVING PROBLEM.

Here are the experience ideas in solving the problem

2.3.1 Some principles are applied in teaching language games

One of the difficulties that most of teachers encounter while using the games is the time taken Usually games held in the classroom do not take much time, which only takes 3 minutes to 5 minutes, or 7 minutes In Vietnam, classrooms contain the

large number of students Therefore, using language games in groups or in pairs is suitable and effective for all the students in the class to practice the language This shows that the selection of appropriate language games is very important, which helps the students overcome the difficulty in learning English

We remember that students need complete clarity about post-reading activities they are being asked to complete We need to deal with the following questions:

 What is the purpose of this assignment?

 How is it going to help students learn?

 How will students be able to tell they are learning? Does this game make growth visible?

 Is the game relevant to students? Can teacher use it to tie in students’

interests?

 When will students receive teacher’s feedback? Without meaningful and timely feedback, games typically are less effective

 Can the game be shared with a wider range of students?

2.3.2 Some useful techniques are applied in teaching language games

* Time selection

- Games can be used to at the end of class when you have a few minutes left to kill

It takes 3 minutes to 5 minutes, or 7 minutes

* Game selection

- Games can be obtained from many sources, but not all of them apply to the classroom I designed games so that they were modified to suit the actual situation, the needs, interests and concerns of students as well as related to content of the lesson I used software such as power point, Google forms As a result, the games designed very richly proceed through tools as computers, smartphones and tablets Teachers should choose wisely about which games can be used for learning English most effectively What’s more, to choose a suitable game, I considered some important factors as age, the language level, background It is essential that the learners are totally familiar with the games they are asked to play

* Process of applying games

- I regularly conduct a game in 3 steps as follows:

The first step: Before playing, giving instructions

First, introduce the purpose of the game Second, explain the rules of the game, the maximum amount of time Third, provide a sample game for students to imitate if they don’t understand it well

To ensure success, all instructions in this phase should be clear, concise, precise and as simple as possible Teachers should let students play in groups or teams because working in groups or teams definitely create competitive atmosphere If there is to be challenge between groups, they should be mixed ability If there is to

be no such challenge, the teacher might choose groups according to ability

The second step: While playing games

Teachers should control as little as possible to create comfortable atmosphere for students, which enable them to take advantage of the opportunity to participate actively in the game Teachers observe them take part in groups Even teachers may participate in activities with students if necessary

The third step: Finishing games

Teachers declare the winner and prize, then give feedback and comments The main point here is to bring out the best for students and show them that all they have done and experienced with interesting language

2.3.3 Useful language games are applied in some lessons

Being fully engaged in a lesson, even afterward it ends, is important for full reading comprehension In every period of teaching process, I often have the students play a variety of games I often help English language learners get the most out of a text with post-reading activities, including story re-telling, summary writing, doing a class project and using visual methods such as making a video, art and graphic organizers Because the limit of this study, so in this study, I would like to introduce some following language games are applied in the post reading stage with aim at stimulating students to learn English Some games conducted are really appropriate with the post reading stage such as “Slap the board”, “Who is the millionaire?”, “Name poem”, “Hot seat, Nodding and shaking chairs”, “Crossword puzzle”, ‘Miming game”, “The tied and blind men game”, “Tongue Twisters”, “I spy”

Indeed, here are some games that I have taught in Units of the 11th grade English textbook make students become eager and willing to learn

Unit 1: Friendship Part A: Reading (Period 2)

After you read: Game: Name poem

Objectives:

- By the end of the games, students consolidate some words related to the lesson

Time: 5 - 7 minutes

Procedure:

- Ask students to work in groups of 5

- Give the rule: Each group uses classmates’ names to write an acrostic poem on a sheet of the paper and draw your friends they describe You have to use the adjectives beginning with the letters of the name to describe your friends’ personality or quality A group writes more poems and draw well will be the winners

Model: Tien is my friend

Talented

Intelligent

Easy-going

Nice

- When the game finishes, the teacher declares the winners

Picture 1: Students work in groups to write an acrostic poem on a sheet of the

paper

Possible solutions:

- If students are too confused to make a sentence, teacher will suggest by giving a

model.

- Teacher encourages students to play the game.

Unit 8: Celebrations Part A: Reading (Period 42)

After you read: Miming game:

Objectives:

- By the end of the games, students consolidate some words related to the lesson

Time: 5 minutes

Procedure:

- Teacher prepares pieces of paper containing some words related to the lesson (grand, agrarian, banner, pray, sugared apples, excitement)

- Divide the class into two groups Each group nominates one representative

Picture 2: Students play the game in pairs

Picture 3: Key for the game

Possible solutions:

- If students are too confused to choose right answers, teacher will suggest by

giving definition of words or explanations.

- Teacher encourages students to play the game.

Unit 12: The Asian games Part A: Reading (Period 74)

After you read: Crossword puzzles

Objectives:

- By the end of the games, students consolidate some words related to the lesson

Time: 5 minutes

Procedure

- Teacher prepares a slide about crossword puzzles

- Declare the rule of the game: For each correct answer to the crossword, students will get 1 point If the answer is not right, the other group has the chance to say the