(SKKN 2022) MEASURES TO IMPROVE ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS FOR STUDENTS THROUGH PRESENTTING TOPICS, CURRENT ENGLISH PROGRAM OF GRATE 7TH AT THI TRAN NUA SECONDARY SCHOOL

However, my students lack neccessaryskills and confidence as well to communicate, they are always worried that they may make mistakes in pronunciation or language choice, they feel asham

1 Introduction

1.1 The reason to choose a topic.

Nowadays English has become an international language because it

is widely used in many parts of the world In the tendency of integration of the global economy, English is one of the effective communicative tools for everybody The role of English is considered to be very important in the fields

of economics, politics, science, culture and education Especially, Vietnam’s official membership of WTO on 7th November 2006 opened a new door for integrating into the world economy, and more and more people want to learn English for communicating with foreign partners, tourism, study tours, etc

Moreover, English is now a compulsory subject which must be taken in every examination, so learning English is becoming more and more important with all students Thanks to the innovation of ways in teaching English, English lessons are taught with four skills (speaking, reading, listening, and writing) in one unit

However, the majority of students cannot communicate in English although they have learnt it for many years, even from pre- school It is because they focus too much on grammar, structures and vocabulary just to prepare for written tests Moreover, only those who get high marks in written exam are appriciated As a result, they don’t spend enough time and effort on speaking English There is no surprise that students even some good at English are not confident in speaking it

- Before applying the method in my school:

I have taught the new English textbook curriculum in which speaking is considered a compulsory test I see that the new textbooks provide a variety of knowledge, vocabulary, structures appropriate to improve speaking skills However, my students lack neccessaryskills and confidence as well to communicate, they are always worried that they may make mistakes in pronunciation or language choice, they feel ashamed when others cannot understand what they mean

After days and nights I have spent on studying language teaching methods, trying some with my students, I find an efective method

Today I would like to share with you what I have done and what I and my students have achieved I am interested in this assignment which lists out some ways that I have been using in teaching to improve their speaking skills and make them interested in learning I hope that my assignment will be useful to any learner, teacher of English and anyone who pay attention to this problem

1.2 Research purposes

By successfully studying the topic, this experiential initiative will help teachers gain the following experience:

1 How to develop effective speaking skills

2 Guide students to train themselves to have English speaking skills

3 Some skills lessons, 7th grade English textbook, Vietnam Education Publishing House) as examples

4 Suggestions for building and improving students’ English speaking skills

1.3 Research Objects

- 7th grade student, I am teaching current English program

- Class 7 B at Thi Tran Nua secondary school Number of students: 40 students

- Class 7C at Thi Tran Nua secondary school Number of students: 41 students

1.4 Research Methodology

- Attend training classes; learn from colleagues and some of my own experiences

- Observe students' acquisition of knowledge in the teaching process

- Listen to the students pronounce and observe the students for communication

- Research from teaching materials, reference books and resources on Internet teaching methods

2 Content of experience initiatives

2.1 Rationale of innovative experience.

Nowadays in Vietnam, it is very important to learn one or more foreign languages to use everyday English speaking and at work, especially in English English is used everywhere, anytime However, the question is why many people learn English for a long time but when they interact with native speakers; they do not understand or misunderstand what native speakers are saying The answer is due to the ability to communicate in English So, how to communicate better in English?

As we all know; communication is the way of communicating information between different individuals in the same society However, communication is not simple, instead is an art that requires people to have the skills hone carefully So, what methods help us to communicate effectively?

In communication, there are many ways to convey information, but in the scope of this research, I only focus on verbal communication through: audio and language

Communication is not just a way for two-way communication between speakers and listeners It is the expression of culture, lifestyle, and behavior of each person Therefore, the author would like to send useful methods to use in communication so that everyone can learn and apply effectively, especially English communication skills for 6th grade students For students, communicating as much as possible is very helpful and necessary Because they remember the vocabulary, they can hear and understand what the teacher is saying, so that they can easily answer the teacher's questions, thereby interacting with the teacher and the learner

Determining the importance of learning English communication skills, the Ministry of Education and Training has implemented the National Foreign Language Project 2020 to improve English language skills of English teachers throughout the country to develop communication skills for students especially

in the context of integration today

In the new textbook of the Ministry of Education, teaching communication skills is integrated in the communication class To teach this part

of a lesson is not only my concern but also many of my colleagues

2.2 Actual situation before applying experience initiatives

In order to implement methods to teach students to communicate well, and to correct errors for students during communication, I conducted a survey

on the communication ability of the 6th grade from the beginning of the school year, 2020 – 2021,sixth grade students at Thi Tran Nua secondary school in Trieu Son district and obtained the following result:

0

11 27,

5

21 52,5

6

12 29,

3

22 53,7

When I first started the school year, I gave my students the first test by communicating, greeting and encouraging them to talk a lot about themselves, their families and personal interests I found that their communication is very poor and they are afraid to speak English They do not remember the vocabulary, do not focus on learning how to pronounce the words, not even learn the vocabulary, so it is too difficult for them to express a problem in English although it is very simple

Besides, facilities, teaching materials for children have not been fully invested such as dictionaries, practice materials, radio, cassettes, etc At the same time, there are many English classes but only one room to practice language, in addition to the large number of students in a class, so it is difficult for both teachers and students to learn a communication lesson Moreover, most students do not have the opportunity to interact with native speakers, so they also have some limitations in communicating in English In addition, students have difficulty pronouncing and distinguishing between similar sounds when teachers speak In addition, they are lazy when chatting in English with classmates

Foreign language is a subject that requires students to work hard Study regularly, study anytime, anywhere can develop vocabulary Memorize a lot of vocabulary; Students can apply that knowledge to their daily communication without being confused Moreover, it is also important and necessary to guess the vocabulary of a lesson Previously, in the old method, teachers often refer to new lessons without stimulating students' thinking ability, so they are very passive in absorbing new lessons, so the effectiveness of the lesson is not high

The need to innovate in teaching methods, how to improve the quality of lessons, how to use methods to promote student ownership, initiative and creativity is always a concern of teachers, who are willing to devote their entire lives to education Therefore, each teacher must constantly explore, create and learn from colleagues to find the best teaching method that best suits their students

From the above reality, I myself think that it is necessary to help my students learn to communicate more, so I have taught myself, researched myself, gathered knowledge and created a method of “Measures to improve English

speaking skills for students through presenting topics, current English programar of grade 7 th”

2.3 The solution used to solve the problem

2.3.1 Building ideas:

Many students want to speak English They have ambition to speak and they are willing to communicate to “real foreigners” However, they face many difficulties Some even don’t know what to say about one topic And the solution for this is “building ideas”

When they first read the questions, they should ask themselves questions like:

+ What?

+ How?

+ Why?

+ Where/ when?

Then try to answer them, at first they can give short answers and gradually longer ones with explanations, examples to make it clear

At the begining, teachers may provide some sample questions or guide them how to ask and answer They can also discuss with their friends to find out suitable questions

(I attatch some samples at the end of this assignment)

Example: Unit 1 of English 7: “ My hobbies ”

To build ideas, students need to answer some questions:

1 What’s name of your hobby?

2 When did you start your hobby?

3 Is your hobby easy or difficult? Why?

4 Is your hobby useful? Why/Why not?

5 Do you intend to continue your hobby in the future?

TOPIC 1: MY NEW SCHOOL

1) What is you new school's name?

2) Is it in the country or in the city?

3) It is big or small?

4) Are there any trees in your new school?

5) Are there any flowers in your new school?

6) Is the school yard big or small?

7) How many teachers are there in your new school?

8) How many classes are there in your new school?

9) How many students are there in your new school?

10) Is your new school near or far from your house?

11) How do you go to your new school everyday?

12) What do you do to keep your new school pretty everyday?

13) Do you love your new school?

14) Do you study well to become a good student?

TOPIC 2: MY NEW FRIEND

1) What is your new friend?

2) How old is he?

3) Is he in your classmate?

4) Does he sit next to you?

5) What is his favourite subject?

6) Do you have the same favourite subject as you?

7) Do you go to school with him everyday?

8) Are you best friends together?

9) Do you help together study well?

10) What do you and he do together in your free time?

11) Are you and him best friend forever?

12) Are you happy to be his best friend?

2.3.2 Writing an outline:

- Why outline?

+ Outlines help maintain the speech’s focus on the thesis by allowing the speaker to test the scope of content, assess logical relationships between ideas, and evaluate the relevance of supporting ideas

+ Outlines help organize a message that the audience can understand by visually showing the balance and proportion of a speech

+ Outlines can help you deliver clear meanings by serving as the foundation for speaking notes you will use during your presentation

The paragraph should include the following things:

- Your hobby ( name of your hobby): “ Today, I would like to talk about

my hobby My hobby is ”

- When your hobby started

- How your hobby has been built up

- Why you had this hobby

- Your feelings about the hobby.

2.3.3 Providing neccessary words:

Vocabulary is central to English language teaching because without sufficient vocabulary students cannot understand others or express their own ideas Wilkins (1972) wrote that “ while without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed” This point reflects my experience with different languages; even without grammar, with some useful words and expressions, I can often manage to communicate Lewis (1993) went further to argue, “lexis is the core or heart of language” (p 89)

Teaching vocabulary helps students understand and communicate with others in English They can express their ideas and make them understandable Vocabulary can show their English ability and talents because there are many expressions to talk about one idea

For reasons above, it is neccessary to provide students vocabulary before they present a topic Our teachers should use different ways and methods in order to

attract their attention and help them learn Some tips for conveying vocabulary related to the topic: My hobbies

*Brainstorming

-Students work in two groups (A & B)

-Students think of vocabulary which relates to the topic hobby

-Students write on the board

-T gives remarks and gives more words words effectively

*Matching:

-Students work in groups of 5 or 6

-Students match the words in column A with the correct pictures in column B -Students presents the answers on the board

-Teachers gives feedbacks

2 planting trees b

3 bird-watching c

5 making models e

6 going sailing f

7 having a picnic g

 Keys: 1a; 2d; 3c; 4d; 5f; 6e; 7g

*Bingo!

- T presents somes words (8 to 10 words) about hobbies

- Students repeat the words

- Students choose 4 or 5 words form the list above to write down on their small pieces of paper

- Teacher reads the words in random

- Students tick the words they have in their paper

- Ss win the game when they have all the words ticked

- Examples words/phrases:

+ watching TV

+ listening to music

+ playing soccer

+ playing badminton

+ shopping

+ mountain-climbing

+ chatting

+ surfing on the internet

+ gradening

+ running

*Lucky Number

-Teacher gives the questions (with 9 numbers in which there are 3 numbers called Lucky Numbers)

-Students work in 2 groups (A & B)

-Students choose the number and answers the questions to get marks when the numbers are questions and students also get marks when they choose the lucky numbers

-Some example numbers:

1) Lucky Number

2) What is your hobby?

3) Do you like listening to music?

4) Lucky Number

5) Lucky Number

6) Do you like reading?

7) Do you hate collecting stamps?

8) Is cycling your hobby?

9) Do you often have a picnic with your family?

*Kim’s game

-Teacher presents a poster of words about hobbies

-Students read and try to remember as many words as possible

-Teacher hides the poster

-Students rewrite the words in 2 groups

-Example words/phrases:

+listening to music

+shopping

+playing soccer

+watching TV

+playing badminton

+running

+chatting with friends

+playing volleyball

+surfing on the internet

+gradening

*Find someone who

-Students go around to interview their classmates

-Students write the names in the grid

-Who finishes the grid first is the winner

-Teacher gives students the model sentences or examples

Find someone who likes Names

read books

watch TV

listen to music

climb mountain

plant trees

do the housework

collect coins

Let’s take a look at the presentation of a grade 7 student to see how important it

is to master a wide range of vocabulary and how the ideas were organized

“Firstly, making models can help me relax after studying hard because I can play with them and I sometimes make models with my parents, brothers, sisters, my friends and my classmates and so on We really have good fun together when we make models Therefore, making models brings me a lot of happiness I feel really relaxing when I make models.

Secondly, making models is not difficult because there are a lot of easy models for me to make such as pot, teapot, pan, bike and so on I can easily choose a topic to make the models because there are a lot of normal things around me For example, one day, on the way to my school I saw cat eating a fish I like this view very much, so I make a model of a cat, a model of a fish I put the fish in the cat’s mouth That helps my remember about the day I saw them

Finally, making models is cheap because the materials for making them are not very expensive We can use many kinds of materials to make models They can be clay, stones, tree leaves, tree branches, paper and so on I can collect them every where around me.

I don’t pay a lot of money for buying the materials Moreover, using recycled things to make models is one of the best ways to keep our environment clean and healthy.”

+ In the Firstly section, there are words "my parents, brothers, sisters" on the topic "Unit 1: My home" and the words "my friends and my classmates" belong

to the topic "Unit 3: My friend" of 10-year 6th grade English program

+ In the Secondly part, there are words "pot, teapot, pan" on the theme "Unit 1:

My home" and the words "difficult, normal, easy, view" under the theme "Unit 5: Natural wonders Of the world ” of the 10-year Grade 6 English program + In the Finally section there are the words "clay, stones, tree leaves, tree branches, paper" on the theme "Unit 10: Our houses in the future" and the words

"recycled things, environment, clean, healthy" belong to the theme "Unit 11: Our Greener World" of 10-year sixth grade English program

2.3.4 Using appropriate structures:

Sentence Structure is important because it provide us with the framework for the clear expression of our ideas

The aim in speaking is always to express in complete sentences which are correctly pronounced The variety of structures can make the presentation more interesting, more beautiful

Teachers may provide them some basic structures and some students can use the same ones For better students, they can replace or mix with other structures For example, to talk about hobby, we can provide them some structures:

+ My hooby is listening to music

+ My interest is listeing to music

+ My favorite thing is listening to music

+ My favorite thing to do in my free time is listening to music

+ I am into listening to music

+ I love listening to music

+ I enjoy listening to music

+ I like listening to music

+ I am interested in listening to music

+ I am keen on listening to music

+ I am fond of listening to music

+ I am a big fan of music in general

+ Listening to music is one of my favourite free time activities

+ Listening to music is the thing I often do in my free time

2.3.5 Using conjunctions:

Conjunctions are words that link other words, phrases, or clauses or ideas together Without conjunctions, the presentation becomes unclear, illogical and