(SKKN 2022) How to programme Powerpoint interactive games with triggers to teach effectively grade 10 English lessons in multi-level classes

DONG SON I UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOLSEMINAR ON ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY HOW TO PROGRAMME POWERPOINT INTERACTIVE GAMES WITH TRIGGERS TO TEACH EFFECTIVELY GRADE 10 ENGLISH LESSONS IN MU

DONG SON I UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL

SEMINAR ON ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY

HOW TO PROGRAMME POWERPOINT INTERACTIVE GAMES WITH TRIGGERS TO TEACH EFFECTIVELY

GRADE 10 ENGLISH LESSONS

IN MULTI-LEVEL CLASSES?

Written by: Lê Đình Xô

Position: English teacher

Seminar on methodology: English

THANH HOA, 2022

2.3 Strategies applied to solve the situation 6

2.3.3 Salient features of Games designing on MS Power Point with Triggers 6 2.3.4 How to use Triggers on the MS PowerPoint in designing “Lucky numbers” Game in

details?

6

 LUCKY NUMBERS

2.3.4.1a Name of the game: “Lucky numbers” 6

2.3.4.1c Ways of organizing groups 6

2.3.4.1f.1 Designing common “Lucky numbers”(“Lucky stars”…) game 7

2.3.4.1f.2 Designing “Lucky numbers”(“stars”,…) game on the MS Power Point. 7

2.3.4.2 Applying the game “Lucky numbers” to teaching some parts in 10 Grade English lessons (Basic curriculum)

10

* For example: Unit 7: The mass media - Lesson 2: Speaking (Task 3) (Page 76) 10

 NOUGHTS AND CROSSES 12

2.3.4.3a Name of the game: “Noughts and Crosses” 12

2.3.4.3c Ways of organizing groups 12

2.3.4.3f Steps of design the game 13

2.3.4.3f.1 Designing common “Noughts and Crosses” game 13

2.3.4.3f.2 Designing “Noughts and Crosses” game on the MS Power Point. 13 2.3.4.4 Applying the game “Noughts and Crosses” to teaching some parts in 10 Grade

English lessons (Basic curriculum)

First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the leaders ofThanh Hoa Education and Training Department for organizing this seminar andfor giving me the precious chance to do it

Secondly, I am very grateful to all the teachers of English at Dong Son IUpper Secondary School for offering me useful advice in realizing my ideas

Last but not least, I would like to thank you very much for your presenceand observation Your comments and advice would be highly appreciated all inall

Thank you very much!

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE THEME

It’s common knowledge that the more developed the society becomes, thestronger demands to widen international relations there are; therefore, it is

indispensable for us to learn one foreign language For this reason, English hasbeen regarded as a main subject at schools So, to make learning environmentexciting plays an important role How can an English teacher give students newand interesting lessons which motivate students? There are many methods toexpress this idea but the most impressive one is designing Games in lessons,which teachers have been using for ages

However, to meet the factual demand, teachers must have modern lessonswith information technology This makes a lot of teachers worried and confused.Therefore, many teachers have a lot of difficulties because they either designsimple lessons which now hide, now appear or they plan lessons with excitingsounds of music or clips of video or activities of games on the MicrosoftPowerPoint which attract, interest and motivate students; and especially, Englishteachers have difficulties in using advanced effects on the Microsoft PowerPoint,such as techniques of using Trigger or programming objects…

As a teacher of English, throughout years’ time of teaching English in theperiod of general education renovation, I myself have met a lot of difficulties inapplying information technology to the interactive lessons, especially makinggames However, I have ceaselessly been studying by myself, learningpassionately from other colleagues, books, Internet to raise my standard As aresult, I have become skillful to have interesting lessons with such beautiful andprofessional games that my students and colleagues have appreciated highly sofar And, I would like to share my experiences in designing lessons on theMicrosoft PowerPoint, especially difficulties in making games to improve thequality of teaching English effectively

It is the reasons above that have been urging me to choose the theme: “How

to programme PowerPoint interactive Games with Triggers to teach effectively Grade 10 English lessons in multi-level classes?” for my own Seminar on

methodology without cease This methodology seminar, which is related to

applying the Games: “Lucky numbers” and “Noughts and Crosses” to basic

English textbook interactively, mentions the contents, the ways to design and tocarry out the games, especially, games designed on the MS PowerPoint and someexamples applied to 10 Grade English lessons

1.2 AIMS OF RESEARCH

From the matter of fact, as a teacher, I have endlessly been considering andresearching for the methods to improve the quality of teaching English Knowingthat the students’ psychophysiology is doing what they enjoy, liking new things,indulging in pleasures rather than study, I give them a new method of learning in

which they can work for both study and pleasure This method gives them the

feeling of delight and easiness when they learn English lessons through some newlanguage Games, exactly “Lucky numbers” and “Noughts and Crosses” on the

MS Power Point, which are considered to be the new teaching techniques in place

of the old ones (students played games on black board) that students are toofamiliar to and bored with These new language Games, in fact, are competitions.They require students’ quick decisions such as: How to act? What to speak? How

to win the games? To solve those questions makes students’ thoughts quicker,more sensitive and intelligent because they must make use of their intellectual

abilities for pleasure and excitement Thanks to this way, students are naturally

absorbed in the lessons. Games are highly motivating because they are amusingand interesting They can be used to give practice in all language skills and beused to practice many types of communication They can willingly apply theknowledge the teacher expects, which has worried them for ages

Throughout years’ time of teaching English for different students,especially students in mixed-ability classes where there are much more weak

students than advanced ones, I would like to present “How to programme

PowerPoint interactive Games with Triggers to teach effectively Grade 10 English lessons in multi-level classes?” Also, I would like to exchange my own

initiative experiences and methods of teaching with the colleagues so that we canfind out new and interesting methods in the period of education socialization ourParty and State laid down

1.3 OBJECTS OF RESEARCH

- Teachers at between junior and senior high schools

- Undergraduates and advanced students

- Period of teaching English in Grade 10 at high schools

- Strategies applied to teach English to Grade 10 students in mixed-ability classes

1.4 METHODS OF RESEARCH

- Using the text-book to apply to each lesson and section

- Using references to prove

- Pictures and other materials

- Investigating, surveying situations

2 CONTENTS

2.1 BASIS OF THEORY

It’s the common knowledge that the more developed the society becomes,the stronger demands to widen international relations there are; therefore, it isindispensable for us to learn one foreign language For this reason, English hasbeen regarded as a main and compulsory subject at schools since 2009 and it hasgreatly direct influences on students’ results of General Certificate of SecondaryEducation, Entrance exams and future jobs Learning English well at school willhelp students to get further success in their own career afterwards as well as tocontribute to the industrialization and modernization of our country Therefore, it

is essential for a teacher to have his own strategies, techniques, enthusiasm andpassion so as to find the best teaching methods in improving students’ study.However, it is not easy for an English teacher to choose what strategies andtechniques to teach English for his multi-level class where there are bothadvanced and hardworking students and weak and lazy ones As we know,English is too difficult for most students to learn, especially, weak rural studentsfind it more difficult Nevertheless, teachers should make full use of informationtechnology to make lessons easier We have carried out the 29th instruction on

“Applying and developing information technology in education and training will basically change the renovation of the contents, curriculums, methods in teaching, learning and administrating education” Especially, in the school year

2008-2009, we performed the 55th instruction 2008/CT-BGDDT on 30th September,

2008 on reinforcing teaching, training and applying information technology in

education branch between 2008 and 2012 with the topic: “Strongly apply

information technology, renew financial management and establish friendly schools, active students”.

2.2 BASIS OF PRACTICE

2.2.1 Achievements

Thanh Hoa Education and Training Department has focused on teachingand learning English for recent years We have organized many English advancedexams for teachers and students Annually, we have a lot of conferences andworkshops to reform teaching methods We have been trying to apply newmethods to teaching flexibly and skillfully In the last few years, we have carriedout reduced curriculum of Ministry of Education and Training Students are morehard-working, interested in English Therefore, teaching and learning English hasbeen enhanced effectively

2.2.2 Some reasons for the disadvantages of teaching and learning English at high schools

English is one of the most important subjects at schools but it is not easyenough for any students to learn Some students, especially the students who have

no sense, no mood and no patience in learning can’t keep up with the newmethods of learning Many students haven’t understood the significances ofEnglish at the age of the International integration Some students learn Englishfor their curiosity but when they have difficulties, they let things run Others lacktheir basic knowledge from the junior high schools Therefore, students have nosense, no mood, no motivation to learn English effectively and actively

2.2.3 For teachers

Being a teacher of the foreign language, realizing a new method ofteaching is a big problem Personally, I see that many teachers haven’t givenstudents any chances to practice vocabulary, grammar , if there, they just checkone or two students before the lesson mechanically, which makes students boredand passive

Most teachers have a sense of the importance and benefit of applyinginformation technology to design plans as well as inserting games into Englishlessons, which need a lot of pictures, sounds and video clips to illustrate thelanguage used However, many teachers have hesitated to use their power pointlesson plans so far because they think it takes them a lot of time to prepare Someteachers prepare their lessons well but there are no projectors to show Others areafraid that students are absorbed in playing games without taking notes so theydon’t get any knowledge and make noise This prevents teachers from designinggames for English lessons on Power Point In addition, some teachers know littleabout information technology and Internet Besides, most important, teachersagree they usually meet difficulties in designing interactive games They don’tknow how to do and who to ask

2.2.4 For students

Since education reform, students have loved learning English but mainlyadvanced students And weak students who slowly understand the lesson learnpassively They wait for the teacher’s or other students’ answers Many of them

have no opportunities or they don’t dare to practice speaking English in class.

They are afraid they speak incorrectly Many can not read, speak, listen and write;

even they ignore paying attention to the lessons, taking any notes or doing anyhomework In fact, we can see these students have no love for English…Therefore, the teaching qualities of English do not live up to our expectations.Following is the survey on the quality of English among 2 classes: 10A1 and10A6 at the beginning of the first term in school year 2021-2022

(* Note: Q: Quantity)

As can be seen from the tables of the statistics above, the rates of thestudents who didn’t master the knowledge and those who applied all the skillsweakly are rather high It has shown that students didn’t master the methods oflearning English and they weren’t hard-working, active and creative in applyingthe knowledge the teacher guided them to communicate. These data have provedthat the number of students in a class is not equivalent and has dissimilar levels

Classes

Number of students

Listening Reading

Well mastered and Applied

Badly mastered and applied

Well mastered and Applied

Badly mastered and applied

10A1 39 7 17.9 32 82.1 8 20.5 31 79.5 10A6 44 8 18.2 36 81.8 10 22.7 34 77.3 Total 83 15 36.1 68 163.9 18 43.2 65 165.8

classes

Number

of students

Speaking Language focus Writing

Well mastered and Applied

Badly mastered and applied

Well mastered and Applied

Badly mastered and applied

Well mastered and applied

Badly mastered and applied

10A1 39 7 17.9 32 82.1 10 25.6 29 74.4 8 20.5 31 79.5 10A6 44 9 20.4 35 79.6 11 25.0 33 75.0 9 20.4 35 79.6 Total 83 16 38.3 67 161.7 21 50.6 62 149.4 17 40.9 66 159.1

2.3 STRATEGIES APPLIED TO SOLVE THE SITUATION

2.3.1 What are Triggers?

Triggers are the buttons which allow us to use the objects themselves onthe same slide to control animation for other objects instead of using the mouse,Next or Enter key and which help us to be more flexible and proactive duringpresentations We can also use Triggers to create special effects for PowerPointsuch as to press the clock buttons, activate the magic hat rotation, flip or open thecrossword and many other great applications in PowerPoint

2.3.2 What is a language Game?

A language game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun.There are two kinds of games: Competitive games, in which players or teams race

to be the first to reach the goal, and co-operative games, in which players orteams work together towards a common goal The emphasis in the games is onsuccessful communication rather than on correctness of language

2.3.3 Salient features of Games designing on MS Power Point with Triggers

In the restriction of the theme, I would like not to discuss the uses of thegames in English lessons any more but I am eager to express my experiences ofhow to design some popular games on MS Power Point with Triggers to teachEnglish at high schools First, in comparison with the effects of other softwares,Power Point has outstanding with its form and technology application to makelesson plans Second, when designing games on Power Point, most of us usetechniques of “Trigger” and “Visual basic” supported by Power Point Therefore,only MS Office in our computer is alright Third, newness “interaction depending

on the objects” is one of the effects on Power Point This is not a new issue but it

is new and strange for teaching Fourth, the experience I would like to share is thetopic many teachers who is unskilled can consider and use it to motivate students

to learn English more effectively, especially weak students Following is twopopular games I am looking forward to presenting They were carried onsuccessfully and effectively in Grade 10 English lessons

2.3.4 How to use Triggers on the MS PowerPoint in designing “Lucky

numbers” Game in details?

2.3.4.1- Ways of conducting the game

2.3.4.1a Name of the game: “Lucky numbers”

(Teachers can conduct similarly for other names, such as “Lucky stars”,

“Lucky flowers”, “Lucky pictures”, “Lucky animals”, “Lucky singers” )

2.3.4.1b Contents of the game

All tasks in the text book as WH questions, sentence making

2.3.4.1c Ways of organizing groups

Teachers can divide the class into 2, 3, 4 groups (it depends on the number

of students) Each group appoints a leader who can choose the numbers (stars,pictures ) and ask other students to discuss and give the answers

2.3.4.1d Rules of the game

Teachers can give more 2 or 3 lucky numbers (stars, pictures ) Each groupcan choose one time in turns, time allowance can be 10 or 20 seconds If the time

is over, this group can’t have the answers, or give incorrect answers, the other cananswer the question They choose the numbers (stars, pictures ) in turns Eachcorrect answer is one point If the group opens the lucky numbers (stars,pictures ), they have one point without having to answer the question

2.3.4.1e Ending of the game

When they finish answering the question, the group having the most (more)points without making mistakes will win the game

2.3.4.1f Steps of design the game

2.3.4.1f.1 Designing common “Lucky numbers”(“Lucky stars”…) game

The teacher writes numbers, colours… and “lucky numbers” (luckycolours…) on the extra-board or pieces of papers and asks the leaders of thegroups to choose them Groups must do the requests as prepared on eachnumbers, colours they get to have scores If they choose the “Lucky numbers”

(“colours”…), they will still have scores without doing the requirements

2.3.4.1f.2 Designing “Lucky numbers”(“Lucky stars”, “Lucky pictures”…) game on the MS PowerPoint.

Teachers should carry out the game “Lucky numbers” on the following steps:

(Picture 1)

First, notice that whatever forms we design, we should programmeskillfully so that students choose any boxes, they will disappear or have a symbolafter chosen, which lets students know that box has been chosen in order to avoidmistakes and arguments In fact, this happened to some teachers who are

unfamiliar with Triggers Therefore, to do as the Picture 1, I carry out designing

as follows: For example, in the Picture 1, I have 3 questions and 5 numbers (2

lucky numbers) The game can be designed on the same slide or slideshyperlinked (I use hyperlinked slides This means 3 slides contain 3 questions andanswers, 2 slides are lucky numbers and 1 slide is the master slide When studentschoose the different numbers, hyperlink will run to slides which contain questions

or “lucky” of those numbers), then teacher returns to the master slide so thatstudents can continue choosing the numbers Concretely:

+Step1: Designing the master slide: Create boxes or any forms which we can

insert numbers

* Open MS Power Point 2003, from Power Point, open Slide Show, choose Action Buttons and then click the square as the arrow in the Picture 2 We can draw the

squares as we like and then there is a hyperlink table Action Settings (Picture 3).

We can link to any slides containing questions or “lucky numbers” by choosing

Hyperlink to  slide… look for the slides containing questions or “luckynumbers” OK After drawing and linking the boxes, we number them Click theright mouse into boxes, choose Add Text and write numbers on them Do it inturns from number 1 to 5

For instance, we creat effect to  in the box number 1 (as Picture 4) Click the left

mouse into the symbol , choose Slide Show  Custom Animation  Add Effect 

Entrance  Penwheel  OK.(as Picture 5) At the effect of , which we have been

made, click as direction and choose Timing (Picture 6)

* Design the symbols  so that students can

recognize that the boxes have been chosen

Open Drawing, choose AutoShapes  Basic

Shapes  click  From Drawing, fill  with

colours Next, put 5  onto 5 numbers Now

give effects to  as follows:

Click here

Picture 2 Picture 3

Picture 4

* From Timing, click Trigger Choose Start

effect on click of And then look for the

address we need to link For example, we are

programming the symbol  of the box

number 1, we will choose “1”( The symbol 

of the box number X, we will choose “X”)

We do the same for other boxes

* At the master slide, we shouldprogramme a button to press it whenstudents choose all the numbers Thisbutton will link into any slideshaving the contents we are going topresent The symbol can be takenfrom: Slide Show  Action Buttons

We can do it as follows (Picture 8):

After drawing the button, click theright mouse to it and choose Action Settings  Hyperlink to  Slide…look for the slide we need to link to

 OK.When presenting, just press thisbutton, it will link to the slide wewant

For instance, when we create some new slides (as Slide 4, picture 11),

choose Slide Show, select Action Buttons and then click the button “reverse” as the

arrow in the Picture 11 And there is a table Action Settings (Picture 12) We can

link it to the master slide by choosing Hyperlink to  slide… look for thenumber of the master slide OK

Therefore, when showing, if we want to return to the master slide so thatstudents can choose the numbers, just press the button we have programmed

Notice that slides containing questions must be given effects in order thatthe questions will appear before their answers in the next click Avoid the casethat questions and their answers appear at the same time We can make other newslides in the same ways as above

2.3.4.2 Applying the game “Lucky numbers” to teaching some parts in 10

Grade English lessons (Basic curriculum)

+Step 2: Designing other slides: (slides

containing questions and lucky numbers)

which are linked to the master slide.

Notes: Each question together with their

answers and lucky numbers are designed

separately For example, Picture 9 is a

slide “Lucky number” We can do it as

follows:

Click the left mouse to the master in the

list of slides on the left of the screen,

press Enter to create other new blank

slides (as Picture 10) (they depend on

how many boxes the game has) In the

blank slides, we can make some slides

with questions and “lucky numbers” We

programme these slides in the same

ways as that in the master slide (Picture

- Aims: To practice vocabulary, grammatical structures, especially to solve the

questions in Tasks of Reading; Speaking; Listening; Writing; Language focus and Test yourself.

- Time: 7-10 minutes (it depends on the questions)

- Teaching aids: Chalks, black board, extra-board, hard covers, or Power Point

- Steps:

+ First, teacher should let students comprehend and answer the questionssmoothly in pairs And then, teacher divides the class into 2 teams and starts thegames so as to check students’ asking and answering

+ Teacher gives the rules of the game: Each team can choose and answer thequestions in turns After 10 seconds, the team having the correct answer willscore 1 point; those who can’t answer the questions or have incorrect answer willhave no points and the other will give the answer The team choosing the “Luckynumber” will have 1 point without giving the answer

+ Teacher gives the numbers, controls the activity and asks 2 teams to select thenumbers And the leaders give the answers

+ Teacher corrects the answers and decides on the scores

+ Teacher consolidates: The team having more scores will win the game

* For example: English 10 (Basic curriculum) (page 76)

(The lesson for the examination of the best provincial level teachers)

Unit 7: The mass media - Lesson 2: Speaking (Task 3)

- Aims: Answering the questions in order to consolidate the lesson about Themass media

+ Teacher gives the rules of the game: Each team can choose and answer thequestions in turns After 10 seconds, the team having the correct answer willscore 1 point; those who can’t answer the questions or have incorrect answer willhave no points and the other will give the answer The team choosing the “Luckynumber” will have 1 point without giving the answer

+ Teacher gives the numbers, controls the activity and asks 2 teams to select thenumbers And the leaders give the answers

+ Teacher corrects the answers and decides on the scores

+ Teacher consolidates: The team having more scores will win the game