Skkn cấp tỉnh applying shadowing technique to enhance speaking skill for mountainous students

APPLYING SHADOWING TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE SPEAKING SKILL FOR MOUNTAINOUS STUDENTS MÔN: TIẾNG ANH... SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO NGHỆ AN TRƯỜNG THPT QUẾ PHONG APPLYING SHADOWING TECHNIQUE TO ENH

APPLYING SHADOWING TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE SPEAKING SKILL

FOR MOUNTAINOUS STUDENTS

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO NGHỆ AN TRƯỜNG THPT QUẾ PHONG

APPLYING SHADOWING TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE SPEAKING SKILL

FOR MOUNTAINOUS STUDENTS

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH

Tên tác giả : Văn Thái Hoàng

Tổ: Ngoại Ngữ

Số điện thoại liên hệ: 0888 618 497 Năm thực hiện đề tài: 2023-2024

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 2

1 Rationale 2

2 Objectives 3

3 Research method 3

4 Scope of the study 4

5 New features in the study’s result 5

6 Design of the study 5

CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 6

2.1 Speaking Skill 6

2.2 Listening skill 6

2.3 Shadowing technique 7

2.4 Goldwave software 7

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION………14

3.3 Report on shadowing practice results 14

3.4 Implementation of shadowing technique on speaking skill 15

3.4.1 The exploitation of script 15

3.4.2 Using dialogue for students to interact 16

3.5 Students’ voices on shadowing techniques 17

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION 19

4.1 Recapitulation 19

4.2 Implication 20

References 22

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

In the contemporary landscape of global interconnectedness, international cooperation stands as a linchpin for fostering multifaceted development across economic, cultural, and social spheres Central to this paradigm is the ascendancy of English as the lingua franca of global discourse, assuming an indispensable role as

a conduit for cross-cultural communication, intercontinental collaboration, and the dissemination of knowledge Against the backdrop of a burgeoning digital age characterized by the ubiquitous dissemination of information, English emerges as a potent vehicle for facilitating access to diverse travel opportunities, educational resources, and cultural vistas, thereby catalyzing a burgeoning sense of global interconnectedness and intercultural exchange

Within the Vietnamese educational milieu, the contemporary educational landscape is characterized by a seminal shift towards the implementation of a new general curriculum spanning the continuum from primary to upper-secondary levels

A salient hallmark of this pedagogical reform endeavor lies in the statutory inclusion

of English as a compulsory subject from grade 3 to grade 12, underscoring its pivotal role as a cornerstone of holistic student development and future workforce readiness Beyond the rudiments of linguistic acquisition, the integration of English within the curriculum matrix serves as a catalyst for equipping students with a panoply of transferable skills essential for navigating the exigencies of an increasingly globalized and interconnected world

Integral to the overarching objectives of the English curriculum is the cultivation

of linguistic fluency and proficiency across the quintessential modalities of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, underpinned by a nuanced comprehension of overarching linguistic constructs and cultural nuances Empowered by the core tenets of the new educational paradigm, students are enjoined to assume an active and participatory role in their learning trajectories, thereby engendering a culture of self-directed inquiry, experiential exploration, and metacognitive reflection Facilitated by a pedagogical cadre vested with the role of mentors and facilitators, students are afforded the latitude to traverse a pedagogical landscape characterized

by flexibility, creativity, and pedagogical innovation, thereby fostering a symbiotic nexus between pedagogical exigencies and student-centered learning modalities Yet, amid the pedagogical transition engendered by the new educational paradigm, the imperative of nurturing students' speaking proficiency emerges as a salient pedagogical exigency In response to this imperative, the seminal study titled

"Applying Shadowing Technique to Enhance Speaking Skill for Mountainous Students" assumes prominence as a transformative pedagogical intervention aimed

at ameliorating students' speaking proficiency and bolstering their communicative efficacy Rooted in the strategic deployment of innovative software tools and

pedagogical guidance, this study endeavors to instill a sense of linguistic confidence and proficiency among students, thereby fostering a transformative trajectory towards proficiency attainment within the linguistic domain As students traverse the pedagogical odyssey undergirded by the ethos of the shadowing technique, they stand poised to transcend linguistic barriers, cultivate a burgeoning sense of self-efficacy, and harness the transformative potential of language acquisition as a conduit for holistic personal and academic development within the contemporary educational milieu

2 Objectives

The purposes of the study are aimed at:

- exploring how effectively shadowing technique helps students enhance their speaking skill

- devising learning and teaching methods for speaking improvement

3 Research method

The present research endeavor undertakes an experimental inquiry into the efficacious application of the shadowing technique as a pedagogical intervention within the domain of language acquisition Situated within an empirical framework, this study delineates a methodological trajectory comprising discrete phases aimed

at elucidating the transformative potential of the shadowing paradigm in fostering linguistic proficiency and communicative efficacy among student cohorts

The inaugural phase of this experimental inquiry is characterized by the didactic exposition of the shadowing technique to students, concomitant with an introduction

to the GoldWave software, thereby furnishing participants with requisite familiarity and procedural acumen essential for meaningful engagement with the practice This preliminary immersion phase serves as a foundational prelude to subsequent pedagogical endeavors, wherein students are imbued with the requisite cognitive schema and technical proficiency requisite for efficacious execution of the shadowing paradigm

The subsequent phase of inquiry unfolds as students are tasked with the submission of recorded vocal renditions, thereby affording a salutary avenue for pedagogical stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive evaluative appraisal of students' linguistic acumen and articulatory fidelity vis-à-vis native speaker norms Leveraging the sophisticated audio analysis capabilities endowed by the GoldWave software, educators undertake a meticulous comparative analysis of students' recordings vis-à-vis authentic native speaker exemplars, thereby affording granular insights into students' phonetic accuracy, prosodic fluency, and overall linguistic aptitude Importantly, the delineation of a proficiency threshold demarcated by a score threshold of 12 serves as a heuristic marker indicative of students' progress trajectory, wherein incremental diminutions in score metrics are construed as

emblematic of commendable efforts and pedagogical strides towards proficiency attainment

The third phase of this experimental inquiry assumes a multifaceted dimensionality, wherein the utilization of questioning strategies serves as a pedagogical modality for gauging students' comprehension prowess and expressive aptitude within the linguistic domain By orchestrating structured dialogic exchanges predicated upon thematic elements encapsulated within the shadowing material, educators afford students a salutary avenue for the evincement of their interpretive acumen and communicative efficacy, thereby fostering a more holistic appraisal of students' linguistic competencies

The culminating phase of this experimental inquiry is marked by the solicitation

of student feedback through the deployment of a Google Form survey, thereby engendering an avenue for qualitative reflection and retrospective introspection vis-à-vis students' experiential engagement with the shadowing technique Through the solicitation of nuanced testimonials and attitudinal appraisals, pedagogical stakeholders are afforded a veritable lens into students' perceptual landscapes and affective orientations towards the shadowing practice, thereby furnishing salient insights into its perceived efficacy and pedagogical utility within the linguistic domain

In summation, the delineation of a methodological trajectory undergirded by the experimental inquiry into the efficacy of the shadowing technique serves as a potent testament to the transformative potential inherent within innovative pedagogical modalities As pedagogical stakeholders’ endeavor to navigate the dynamic contours

of language acquisition pedagogy, the empirical insights garnered from this experimental inquiry stand poised to inform and enrich extant pedagogical praxes, thereby engendering a more efficacious and student-centered approach towards proficiency attainment within the linguistic domain

4 Scope of the study

This study focuses on 40 participants, all of whom are 10th graders at Que Phong High School Situated in the mountainous west of Nghe An province, Que Phong is

a district that shares a border with Laos and is located 173 kilometers from Vinh city The school caters to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who hail primarily from remote communes in the district and belong to ethnic groups such as Thai, Mong, and Kho Mu

Given the new requirements of the general education program, integrating the use of technology has emerged as a key factor in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning The English subject, for instance, places emphasis on honing listening and speaking skills, which must be practiced regularly by learners In light of the challenges faced by students, the shadowing technique presents a viable solution that

can aid them in developing a keen interest in English, gaining exposure to new cultures, and boosting their communication skills

To facilitate their practice, the participants receive a list of audio files from the Global Success textbook series, which includes monologue recordings designed to help them listen, repeat, and create their own recordings This approach to learning fosters a sense of autonomy and attentiveness in English practice Specifically, the study enlists 10th graders from normal classes who will participate in the academic year 2023-2024, with the implementation of the program slated for the first term of that period

4 New features in the study’s result

Incorporating the shadowing technique across the curriculum proves to be a highly effective strategy for both monitoring students' advancements and evaluating their enhancements in listening and speaking skills The use of this technique is instrumental in cultivating students' enthusiasm for the English subject and fueling their motivation to master English communication more adeptly Unlike alternative methods, the shadowing technique establishes a solid groundwork for reinforcing students' fundamental understanding of the English language, particularly for those who have not had substantial exposure to an English-speaking environment by the time they reach high school

5 Design of the study

This study contains three chapters:

Chapter 1 is Introduction consisting of rationale, objectives, research methods, scope

of the study, and design of the study

Chapter 2 is theoretical background providing general definition of speaking, listening skills and Goldwave software

Chapter 3 is Findings and Discussion illustrating results and effectiveness of shadowing method

Chapter 4 is Conclusion summarizing the results and releasing more solutions to enhance speaking skills

CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Speaking Skill

Speaking is the natural state of language, as all human beings are born to speak their native languages This verbal communication involves not only producing meaningful utterances but also receiving others' oral productions Speaking is thus regarded as a critical skill in learning a second or foreign language by most language learners, and their success in learning a language is measured in terms of their accomplishment in oral communication (Nunan, 1998; Nunan, 2001)

Even though acquiring oral skills is considered to be necessary, speaking did not have primacy in language learning and teaching in the past Historically, learning a structural language, rote memorization of sentence patterns and vocabulary and using literary language were considered superior to practising the spoken language These pedagogical activities were supported by the Grammar Translation Method (Richards & Rodgers, 2001) However, in the mid-nineteenth century, the importance of teaching grammar for grammar's sake decreased due to the existence

of opportunities for achieving conversational skills in learning a foreign language Europeans were travelling more and sought to build business and personal connections through learning and to use the languages of Europe Some language specialists, especially Frenchman F Gouin (1831-1896), developed new language teaching methods, which impacted language pedagogy Gouin supported the idea that language learning requires using spoken language related to a sequence of natural physical actions: walking across a room, opening a door, and so on (Richards

& Rodgers, 2001) Other innovations in language teaching encouraged ways of language learning using a speech-based approach to language instruction These innovations supported by a Direct Method of language teaching dominated language teaching in the 20th century

2.2 Listening skill

Howett and Dakin (1974) considered that listening is the ability to explore and recognize the content others saying This involves detecting speakers’ accents or pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary and grasp the messages

Wolgin and Coakley (1982) regarded listening as a process of receiving, attending to, and assigning meaning to aural stimuli

Pearson (1983) stated, “Listening involves the simultaneous organization and combination of skills in phonology, semantics, and knowledge of the test structure, all of which seem to be controlled by the cognitive process

Hirsh (1986) gave another definition that listening is an aspect of skills, including neurological response and interpretation of sounds to understand and produce meaning by reacting, selecting ideas, remembering, attending, analysing, and including previous experience

Bentley and bacon (1996) stated that Listening is an integral part of the second language learning process during which the listener constructs meaning from oral input

According to Brown (2001), listening is not solely a process of unidirectional receiving audible symbols He supposed that listening comprehension is the psychomotor process of receiving sound waves through the ear and transmitting nerve impulses to the brain

Listening comprehension is one of the most challenging skills to learn in a foreign language (Longman, 1987:156) Listening involves a sender (a person, radio, and television), a message, and a receiver (the listener) Listeners often must process messages as they come, if they are still processing what they have just heard, without backtracking or looking ahead Besides, listeners must cope with the sender's choice

of vocabulary, structure, and delivery rate The listening process's complexity is magnified in second language contexts, where the receiver also has incomplete control of the language

2.3 Shadowing technique

Defined by Lambert (1992), shadowing entails a paced tracking of the heard speech in parrot style, the word-for-word repetition of a piece of information in one language, through the headphones Originally, shadowing is a technique used by cognitive psychologists and neuropsychologists, and utilized as a method to improve simultaneous interpretation skills

However, Hamada (2011) argues that Lambert’s (1992) definition does not encompass cognitive processes, a significant concept of shadowing He claims that shadowing should be deemed as “an active and highly cognitive activity” (p 140) rather than the auditory repetition Jaramillo & Isaza (2016) describe shadowing as

a method to train interpreters in Europe, and it is widely applied in Japan to improve English skills nowadays

Seo & Takeuchi shared the same opinion when it comes to the use of shadowing among the simultaneous interpreters They stated that shadowing was originally regarded as a technique for training concurrent interpreters, but it is adapted in language classrooms by high school students and teachers They believed that this practice enables learners to develop their mental resources and memorial abilities From the above definitions, we can define shadowing is an advanced learning technique where one listens to a text in your target language, and then speaks it aloud

at the same time as the native speaker

2.4 Goldwave software

GoldWave stands as a versatile and comprehensive audio editing software that transcends mere music alteration, offering a plethora of features tailored to meet the

diverse needs of audio enthusiasts, professionals, educators, and language learners alike

At its core, GoldWave empowers users to manipulate audio files with unparalleled precision and flexibility From extracting lyrics to seamlessly merging disparate audio tracks, the software facilitates a myriad of editing operations essential for crafting polished audio compositions Whether it entails remixing existing tracks, creating mashups, or composing original soundscapes replete with novel effects, GoldWave provides an intuitive platform equipped with a suite of tools for realizing creative visions with unparalleled ease and efficacy

Beyond its utility as a conventional audio editor, GoldWave assumes a pivotal role in language learning and teaching contexts, owing to its robust set of features conducive to phonetic analysis, pronunciation assessment, and language acquisition

By leveraging its waveform visualization capabilities in conjunction with advanced spectrogram analysis tools, educators and students can elucidate subtle nuances of pronunciation, identify areas for improvement, and track progress with empirical precision

Of particular significance is GoldWave's capacity to facilitate comparative analysis between personal recordings and audio samples sourced from native speakers This functionality not only enables learners to benchmark their pronunciation against authentic linguistic models but also fosters a deeper understanding of phonetic distinctions and intonational patterns inherent to the target language Through iterative cycles of recording, playback, and self-assessment, students can iteratively refine their articulatory precision and phonological accuracy, thereby catalyzing the attainment of communicative fluency and proficiency milestones

Moreover, GoldWave's versatility extends to its utility as an instructional tool within pedagogical contexts, wherein educators can curate bespoke learning materials tailored to meet the specific needs and learning objectives of their students

By harnessing the software's audio editing capabilities, instructors can craft interactive listening exercises, design immersive speaking activities, and develop engaging multimedia resources that foster active engagement and facilitate meaningful language acquisition experiences

In summary, GoldWave transcends its designation as a mere audio editing software, emerging as a indispensable asset for music enthusiasts, professionals, educators, and language learners seeking to harness the transformative power of sound Whether it entails sculpting sonic landscapes, honing pronunciation proficiency, or facilitating immersive language learning experiences, GoldWave stands as a testament to the convergence of technology and pedagogy, empowering users to unlock their creative potential and realize their aspirations with unparalleled precision and efficacy

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Students’ difficulties in speaking

The 2022-2023 academic year witnessed the introduction of the Global Success textbook series within the educational landscape, heralding a transformative paradigm shift in pedagogical approaches aimed at cultivating a diverse array of skills and competencies among 10th-grade students This pedagogical transition was underpinned by a novel educational curriculum, reflective of an earnest endeavor to foster holistic development and proficiency attainment within the student cohort However, notwithstanding the concerted efforts towards educational reform, students hailing from remote locales encountered a constellation of impediments in their endeavors to acquire English language proficiency, thus bespeaking a poignant narrative of instructional exigencies and learner challenges

Foremost among the challenges encountered by students in remote areas was the manifestation of linguistic deficits, notably characterized by a paucity of lexical resources, syntactic deficiencies, and a conspicuous dearth of opportunities to engage in authentic communicative exchanges within the target language milieu As

a corollary, the deleterious impact of these deficits reverberated through the domain

of oral proficiency, precipitating pronounced difficulties in phonetic articulation and

a concomitant impediment to auditory comprehension of spoken English discourse This poignant reality underscored the formidable hurdles confronting learners in their quest for linguistic mastery and communicative efficacy within the English language domain

Moreover, a palpable manifestation of students' linguistic struggles was discernible in their conspicuous lack of confidence and reticence in expressing themselves fluently and cogently in English, notwithstanding the provision of diligent pedagogical guidance and instructional scaffolding Evidently, the psychological dimensions of language acquisition assumed salience, wherein learners grappled with an amalgam of apprehensions, self-doubt, and linguistic insecurities, thus engendering a palpable reluctance to engage in communicative endeavors and linguistic experimentation

In response to the exigencies precipitated by students' linguistic challenges, high school educators embarked upon a concerted pedagogical endeavor characterized by the implementation of multifarious teaching methodologies tailored to address the exigent needs of the student cohort Particularly poignant was the emphasis placed upon the provision of foundational linguistic scaffolding, wherein educators endeavored to furnish students with rudimentary linguistic competencies and procedural knowledge essential for navigating the intricacies of the upper-secondary English curriculum This strategic pedagogical intervention assumed heightened significance within impoverished areas, where historical disparities in educational

access and resource allocation engendered formidable obstacles to English language acquisition at the primary and lower-secondary levels

In summation, the narrative of students' difficulties in speaking English during the 2022-2023 academic year underscores the formidable confluence of instructional challenges, learner deficits, and socio-economic disparities inherent within the educational landscape This poignant tableau serves as a clarion call for sustained pedagogical innovation, equitable resource allocation, and targeted intervention strategies aimed at ameliorating the linguistic inequities afflicting marginalized student cohorts, thereby fostering a more inclusive and efficacious educational milieu conducive to holistic learner development and proficiency attainment within the English language domain

3.2 Procedure of applying shadowing technique

There are 5 steps in carrying out shadowing technique

Step 1: students listen to a textbook recording file of native speaker

Step 2: students repeat the speech in their own way

Step 3: Students record their voice and send their recording to the teacher

Step 4: Teacher compares the progress by using Goldwave software and provide feedback on pronunciation

Step 5: Teacher checks students’ understanding by setting questions about the listening

The shadowing technique, comprised of five distinct steps, serves as a structured approach to fostering language acquisition, particularly in the realm of spoken proficiency This methodological framework delineates a systematic process wherein learners engage in iterative cycles of auditory perception, articulatory emulation, self-assessment, feedback integration, and comprehension validation Each step in this sequence plays a pivotal role in scaffolding learners' linguistic development and facilitating incremental progress towards communicative fluency and proficiency

Step 1 entails the foundational stage of the shadowing technique, wherein students are exposed to authentic linguistic input in the form of recorded speech uttered by native speakers This auditory immersion serves as a catalyst for attuning learners' auditory perception to the phonetic intricacies, intonational contours, and prosodic features inherent to natural speech production By interfacing with these auditory stimuli, students lay the groundwork for subsequent stages of the shadowing process, wherein they endeavor to emulate and internalize the target linguistic structures

Step 2 marks the transition from passive auditory reception to active articulatory emulation, wherein students endeavor to replicate the speech patterns

and utterances encountered during the listening phase Through iterative cycles of repetition and refinement, learners strive to approximate the native speaker's pronunciation, rhythm, and cadence, thereby honing their articulatory precision and phonetic accuracy This stage not only fosters motor skill development but also cultivates a heightened awareness of phonological distinctions and articulatory mechanics crucial for proficient oral communication

Step 3 represents a pivotal juncture in the shadowing process, wherein students harness technology-enabled recording capabilities to document their own speech productions By recording and scrutinizing their vocal renditions, learners engage in metacognitive reflection and self-assessment, discerning discrepancies between their own articulatory output and the target linguistic norms embodied by native speakers This self-monitoring process engenders a sense of agency and ownership over one's linguistic development, empowering learners to identify areas for improvement and chart personalized learning trajectories

Step 4 introduces an element of pedagogical scaffolding, wherein the instructor assumes a facilitative role in providing targeted feedback and guidance to students based on their recorded speech samples Leveraging specialized audio analysis software such as GoldWave, teachers conduct detailed phonetic analyses to assess students' pronunciation accuracy, intonational patterns, and prosodic fluency

By leveraging empirical data derived from waveform visualizations and spectrogram analyses, instructors offer nuanced feedback tailored to individual learners' needs, thereby catalyzing targeted skill development and remediation efforts

Step 5 culminates in a comprehensive assessment of students' linguistic comprehension and communicative competence, wherein teachers evaluate learners' understanding of the auditory input through the formulation of targeted comprehension questions By probing students' comprehension of key linguistic structures, vocabulary items, and contextual nuances embedded within the recorded speech samples, instructors gauge the efficacy of the shadowing technique in facilitating not only phonetic mastery but also broader communicative proficiency across listening, comprehension, and speaking domains

In synthesis, the shadowing technique represents a multifaceted pedagogical approach to language learning and teaching, characterized by its systematic integration of auditory perception, articulatory emulation, self-assessment, feedback integration, and comprehension validation By delineating a structured framework comprising five iterative steps, this methodology empowers learners to engage in active, experiential learning experiences conducive to the cultivation of communicative fluency and proficiency in the target language