Skkn cấp tỉnh solutions to enhance english self study skills for 10th graders at ngoc lac ethnic boarding high school

THE THANH HOA EDUCATIONAL AND TRAININGDEPARTMENT NGOC LAC BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL THE EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE ENGLISH SELF-STUDY SKILLS FOR 10th GRADERS AT NGOC LAC ETHNI

THE THANH HOA EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING

DEPARTMENT

NGOC LAC BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL

THE EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE ENGLISH SELF-STUDY SKILLS FOR 10th GRADERS AT NGOC LAC ETHNIC

BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL

The author: Nguyen Thi Thu

The position: Teacher

The aspect of the initiative: English

TABLE OF CONTENT Page

HANDOUT 1 Vocabularies and applying exercises 4 HANDOUT 2 Collocations/phrases and applying exercises 5 HANDOUT 3.Word-formation and applying exercises 7

HANDOUT 7 Speaking skills and model speaking test 12

PART I THE INTRODUCTION

1 The reasons for choosing the theme

In the context of ongoing educational reforms in Vietnam, developingstudents’ ability to study independently has become a vital objective, especially

in language learning For ethnic minority students in particular, this skill is notonly necessary for academic success but also crucial for bridging gaps inlearning conditions and access to resources compared to their urban peers

Ngoc Lac Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities serves studentsfrom various remote areas, many of whom face challenges such as limitedEnglish exposure outside the classroom, lack of parental support in learning, andlow confidence in using the language While teachers strive to deliver effectivelessons, classroom time alone is not sufficient to ensure students’ long-termprogress Therefore, cultivating self-study habits through structured support isessential.However, it has been observed that many Grade 10 students at ourschool struggle with how to study English independently They often lackdirection, motivation, or access to suitable practice materials that match theirlevel and learning context The existing textbooks provide core content but arenot always enough to reinforce learning outside class or cater to individuallearning paces

Recognizing these challenges, I have chosen the theme "Solutions to enhance English Self-study Skills for 10th Graders at Ngoc Lac Ethnic Boarding High School" for my initiative These materials aim to empower

students by offering clear guidance, practical tasks, and opportunities for assessment More importantly, they are adapted to the learning needs andcultural context of ethnic minority students, making them more relevant andengaging.By developing this initiative, I hope to foster students’ independence

self-in learnself-ing English, improve their foundational skills, and promote a morepositive and confident attitude toward language learning This theme is bothtimely and necessary, as it aligns with the national emphasis on learnerautonomy and inclusive education for all students, regardless of theirbackground

2 The objective of the initiative

This project aims to provide students with supplementary exercises that

closely follow the content of the lessons in the English 10 Global Success

textbook Therefore, after each lesson, the teacher assigns a specific task usingcarefully prepared learning worksheets Students are encouraged to developactive and responsible learning habits by completing assigned tasks while alsopreparing for the upcoming lesson, as each worksheet connects the content ofthe previous lesson with preparation for the next one After each unit, studentshave the opportunity to practice communication skills through asking andanswering questions related to the lesson topic, become familiar with thestructure of an English oral test, and approach national high school graduationexam formats appropriate to their own abilities Moreover, the exercise system

in each lesson revolves around a single topic, allowing students to practicevocabulary more effectively and retain it better

3 The researched subjects.

The primary subjects of this study are Grade 10 students at Ngoc LacEthnic Boarding High School during the academic year 2024–2025 Thesestudents come from various ethnic backgrounds and remote areas, and they oftenhave limited access to additional English learning resources outside the schoolenvironment English teachers who are involved in teaching Grade 10 classesare also indirect participants, as their feedback contributes to the design andrefinement of the supplementary materials

4 The method to do the research.

To conduct this research effectively, the following methods were applied:

- Survey Method: A questionnaire was designed and distributed to students in

10 grades to collect data on their current English self-study habits, difficulties,motivations, and preferred learning strategies The survey included bothmultiple-choice and open-ended questions to gain both quantitative andqualitative insights

- Observation Method: The teacher observed students during their self-study

sessions, homework activities, and classroom participation to assess their learning behaviors and attitudes Notes were taken on the frequency,consistency, and effectiveness of their self-study practices

self Interviews: Informal interviews were conducted with selected students and

English teachers to gain deeper understanding of students’ challenges and togather suggestions for feasible solutions

- Data Analysis: The collected data from surveys, observations, and interviews

were analyzed to identify common patterns, major problems, and possiblefactors affecting students’ self-study skills This helped form the basis forproposing targeted solutions

- Experimental Application: After identifying appropriate strategies, selected

solutions were applied to 10th graders over a specific period Students’ progresswas monitored and compared with previous performance to evaluate theeffectiveness of the applied methods

PART II THE CONTENT

1 The theorical foundation of the theme

The 2024–2025 academic year marks the first nationwide implementation

of the 2028 General Education Curriculum, which is widely considered to besignificantly more challenging than the previous one This is especially true forthe English subject, where vocabulary is broader and more unfamiliar In thiscontext, numerous publishers are rushing to release supplementary referencematerials However, many of these materials either fail to fully utilize thevocabulary from the official textbook content or continue to focus on outdatedexercise types that are no longer used in the 2025 exam format Some materialsare even overwhelming and unfocused, leaving students unsure about whichbook to choose for effective learning

Moreover, the students at Ngoc Lac Ethnic Boarding High School forEthnic Minorities mostly come from ethnic minority backgrounds, whereeconomic conditions remain difficult They lack access to modern devices as

well as reference materials to support their learning Therefore, it is the teachersthose who work directly with the students who best understand what theirstudents lack and need, and are in the best position to provide them with trulyuseful and appropriate materials.

2 The current situation of the theme

In the context of the strict nationwide implementation of Circular 29,students no longer attend extra classes but only go to school in the morning Theafternoons and evenings are now the time for students to develop their self-studyabilities However, not all students are self-disciplined or know how to studyindependently, nor do they fully take advantage of the availability of devicessuch as smartphones, tablets, and laptops for learning purposes Many parentsare concerned that, without the guidance of teachers and the supervision ofparents or family members at home, students may become negligent in theirstudies, get immersed in video games, or simply lie around sleeping withoutknowing how to study effectively Therefore, providing supplementary exercisesfor students after each official lesson is extremely necessary These exercises notonly help students consolidate the knowledge learned in class but also contribute

to their preparation for the upcoming lesson This is particularly important forthe subject of English, which requires daily vocabulary accumulation, regularpractice of test-taking skills, and the ability to apply learned vocabulary andstructures in real-life communication This initiative fully meets those essentialneeds for students

However, within the scope of this initiative, I will present in detail only the

learning worksheets designed for the first unit of the English 10 Global Success

textbook The worksheets for the remaining units will be attached assupplementary materials through provided links, making them easily accessiblefor both students and teachers to reference and apply

3 The solutions to the problems

When researching this theme, I have spent much time researching theobjectives of national curriculum 2018 as well as all kinds of textbooks whichare in use in our country so that I can better understand the structure, goals andintentions of the author in the preparation of this curriculum In addition, I alsofound additional resources, training materials of this book as well as many othernew English 10 books I have researched the format of the GCSE in 2025 and alot of English tests for gifted students all over our countries I also collectnumerous new reference books by famous authors and documents from famousEnglish learning Websites With the plentiful materials, I have designed specifichandouts for each unit in English 10 textbook for students as consolidationexercises Thanks to these valuable assignments, students can practice with thevocabularies, expressions and grammatical structures they have learned in theclass, They also save time and money to attend extra class More importantly,the students’ self-study skills are considerably improved

3.1 Set up the handouts for each unit

Handout 1 - Listing new words of each unit and - find out the meaning of

designing applying exercises the words and do the

Handout 3 - Listing collocations used in each

unit and designing applying exercises

- find out the meaning of the words and do the exercises at home

Handout 4 - Designing advertisement-related

tasks based on the topic of the unit

- Do the task at home

Handout 5 - Designing leaflet-related tasks

based on the topic of the unit

- Do the task at home

Handout 6 - Designing reordering exchanges

tasks on the topic of the unit

- Do the task at home

Handout 7 - Designing speaking question and

model speaking test on the topic of the unit

- Do the task at home

Handout 8 - Designing the full unit test

simmilar to the form GCSE test

- Do the task at home

3.2 The specific handouts for each unit

3.2.1.UNIT 1 FAMILY LIFE

VOCABULARY

No Word Part of

speech

Pronunciation Meaning

HANDOUT 1

20 object (n) /ˈɒbʤɪkt/ đồ vật

Exercise 1 Choose the word, phrase or expression that best complete each

sentence below.

Question 1: In our family, my older brother often has to _ the heavy lifting

Question 2: It’s important for everyone in the family to take responsibility _ keeping the house clean and tidy

Question 3: Even though we live far apart, our family _remain strong thanks to regular video calls and visits

A. holidays B. separations C. values D.bonds

Question 4: Although my father is the main , my mother also

contributes significantly by managing our home efficiently

Question 5: Family vacations are a great way to family bonds and escape the stresses of daily life

Question 6: Parents should engage in activities that help develop children's to family members and others around them

Question 7: Family help ensure that children get enough sleep by setting consistent bedtimes

A. values B.routines C. gatherings D. bonds

Question 8: It is important that both parents are involved in raising their children

A. equalize B.equally C. equality D. equal

Question 9: My father is the main in our family; he works hard to

support us all

A. homemaker B breadwinner C object D connection

Question 10: We should our parents for all the sacrifices they’ve made

COLLOCATIONS/ PHRASES

No Word Part of

speech

Pronunciation Meaning HANDOUT 2

1 a wealth of (n) /welθ/ số lượng lớn, nhiều

2 family routine (np) /ˈfæmɪli/ /ruːˈtiːn/ thói quen gia đình

3 family value (np) /ˈfæmɪli/ /ˈvæljuː/ giá trị gia đình

4 heavy lifting (adj, n) /ˈhevi/ /ˈlɪftɪŋ/ việc mang vác nặng

5 household task (np) /ˈhaʊshəʊld/ /tɑːsk/ việc nhà

6 table manner (np) /ˈteɪbᵊl/ /ˈmænə/ Phong cách bàn ăn

17 prepare dinner (v, n) /prɪˈpeə/ /ˈdɪnə/ chuẩn bị bữa tối

18 put out the

Question 1: Parents should teach their children to housework from a young age to build responsibility.

Question 2: It’s important to family bonds by spending quality time together

Question 3: Doing the laundry and cleaning the house are common chores in every family

Question 4: During dinner, we often ideas and opinions to stay

connected as a family

Question 5: Teaching children to _ the rubbish helps them develop good habits

A. prepare B.put out C cheer up D. take care of

Question 6: In our culture, it’s essential to respect to elders during family gatherings

Question 7: Learning to _ success takes hard work, determination, and patience

Question 8: As part of their daily routine, many families for groceries every weekend

Question 9: One of the best ways to strengthen family bonds is to

birthdays together

Question 10: Parents often their children’s character by teaching them life skills and values

WORD FORMATION

No Word Part of

speech

Pronunciation Meaning

1 grateful (adj) /ˈɡreɪtfʊl/ biết ơn

3 respect (n,v) /rɪsˈpekt/ sự tôn trọng/tôn trọng

4 respectively (adv) /rɪsˈpektɪvli/ lần lượt

5 responsibility (n) /rɪˌspɒnsɪˈbɪləti/ trách nhiệm

6 responsible (adj) /rɪsˈpɒnsəbᵊl/ chịu trách nhiệm

Exercise 1 Choose the word, phrase or expression that best complete each

sentence below.

HANDOUT 3

Question 1: She showed her _ by writing a heartfelt thank-you letter.

A. respectful B.gratitude C. grateful D. responsibility

Question 2: We are very to have such supportive parents

A. respectful B. gratitude C.grateful D. responsible

Question 3: Each student presented their project and received comments _

A. respect B. respectfully C.respectively D. responsible

Question 4: Taking care of a pet helps children develop a sense of

A. respect B.responsibility C. respectful D. responsibly

Question 5: Parents should teach children to be _ for what others do for them

A. gratitude B.grateful C. respectfully D. responsible

Question 6: In any strong relationship, _ is the foundation of communication

Question 7: He is a very_ person who always tells the truth and keeps promises

A. respect B.trustful C. responsible D. gratitude

Question 8: She was praised for being a student who never forgot her duties

Question 9: In addition, doing chores together helps _family bonds, creating special moment between children and parents

Question 10: Children are taught to tell the _all the time

ADVERTISEMENT-RELATED TASKS

Read the advertisement and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet

to indicate the correct word or phrase for each blank from 1 to 6.

SHARING FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES – A MODERN APPROACH

Are you tired of carrying all the household duties on your own? Whetheryou are a full-time parent or the family’s main (1) _, it's time to rethinkhow we share responsibilities at home

Join our “Share the Care” workshop and learn practical strategies to build

a (2) _ routine that keeps your home running smoothly

Led by family experts, the course includes activities (3) _ couples toidentify tasks they can do together

You’ll gain insights into communicating clearly and working effectively(4) _ your partner

This program also explores common (5) _ such as “invisible labor”and “mental load” to deepen understanding between family members

Don't miss your chance (6) _ a happier, more balanced family life!

1: A. housemaker B. homebuilder C.

D. cooker

2: A. daily cleaning simple  B. cleaning simple daily

3: A. which help B. helping   C. help   D. are helping

HANDOUT 4

D. discussions 

6: A. to achieve  B. achieve   C.

achieving  

D. to achieving

Read the advertisement and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet

to indicate the correct word or phrase for each blank from 1 to 6.

BUILDING STRONGER FAMILY CONNECTIONS

Looking for ways to improve communication and strengthen your

relationships at home? Our course, “Family First,” is designed to help you build

(1) _ that last a lifetime

Through engaging workshops and group activities, you'll discover how to(2) _ each person’s role in the family and promote empathy

We offer practical guidance for creating a healthy daily organized (3) _ thatfits your household’s needs

You'll also explore effective parenting strategies (4) _ help childrendevelop emotional resilience

Moreover, our etiquette sessions will focus on essential table (5) _,teaching children respect at home and in public

Join us now and give your loved ones the tools (6) _ in harmony andmutual respect!

1: A. strong family links   D. family strong bonds  

2: A. valued   B. value   C. valuable

5: A rules B. styles   C. manners D. ways

LEAFLET-RELATED TASKS

Read the leaflet and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 6.

LIFE SKILLS START AT HOME!

As teenagers, learning to manage yourself at home is just as important asdoing well at school Some family members do the cooking while (1) _ takecare of cleaning, shopping, or fixing things

In our life skills class, you'll practise how to (2) _ small tasks likewashing dishes, folding clothes, or helping siblings with homework These mayseem simple, but they help develop real-life (3) _ like time managementand teamwork

(4) _ relying only on parents, you should learn how to share the workload

HANDOUT 5

There are (5) _ things you can do daily to make your home a better place:set the table, water the plants, or even plan a simple meal.

These everyday (6) _ build confidence and independence — skills you’llneed for life

1: A. another   B. others    C the others    D. other

2: A. go over B. hold back C. carry out    D. break up

3: A. strategies B. competencies C. movements D. behaviors

4: A Instead of B. Although

C. As soon as     

SECRETS TO A HAPPY FAMILY

A happy family doesn’t happen by chance - it takes love, effort, andshared values One key tip is to (1) _ small wins together, like birthdays,good grades, or even finishing chores on time

Parents and children should (2) _ one another to try new things and speaktheir minds

(3) important value is being honest even if it’s hard, telling the truthbuilds trust over time

Each family member has a (4) _ to contribute, whether it’s cooking,studying, or simply listening

(5) _ of age, everyone has something to give

And don’t forget to create traditions — family meals or game nights —that strengthen your connection These daily (6) _ bring joy and creatememories that last

1: A.

cheer   

B. notice   C support    D. celebrate

4: A. position B.duty    C. choice

D. mission  

5: A Regardless B. Unless    C. Instead D. Because

6: A decisions B. secrets    C habits     D. patterns

REORDERING THE EXCHANGES 1.1 Reordering 3-sentence conversation

Question 1

a Minh: Wow, sounds healthy! What are you going to cook?

b Nam: Hi Minh! I just came back from the market I bought lots of fresh

vegetables for dinner

c Minh: Hi Nam! Where have you been? You’re carrying a lot of bags

Question 2

a Nam: I totally agree When everyone shares the work, it creates a happier HANDOUT 6