Chuyên đề xếp giải Xuất sắcHow to teach speaking skill to English majored students Họ và tên: NGÔ THÙY DUNG THPT Chuyên Bắc Ninh PART ONE : INTRODUCTION Undeniably, English is a global l
Trang 1LỜI NểI ĐẦU
Trong hành trỡnh phỏt triển của nền giỏo dục Việt Nam, hệ thống cỏc trường THPT
chuyờn ngày càng khẳng định được vị thế quan trọng của mỡnh trong việc phỏt hiện, tuyển chọn và bồi dưỡng nhõn tài, chắp cỏnh những ước mơ bay cao, bay xa tới chõn trời của tri thức và thành cụng Đối với cỏc trường THPT chuyờn, cụng tỏc học sinh giỏi luụn
được đặt lờn hàng đầu, là nhiệm vụ trọng tõm của mỗi năm học Hội thảo khoa học cỏc trường THPT chuyờn Khu vực Duyờn Hải và Đồng bằng Bắc Bộ là một hoạt động bổ ớch
diễn ra vào thỏng 11 thường niờn Đõy là dịp gặp gỡ, giao lưu, học hỏi, trao đổi kinh nghiệm giảng dạy, phỏt hiện, tuyển chọn và bồi dưỡng đội tuyển học sinh giỏi Quốc gia, Quốc tế giữa cỏc trường THPT chuyờn trong khu vực Năm năm qua, cỏc hội thảo khoa học đều nhận được sự hưởng ứng nhiệt tỡnh của cỏc trường, bước đầu đó đem đến những hiệu ứng tốt, tỏc động khụng nhỏ đến cụng tỏc bồi dưỡng học sinh giỏi và chất lượng đội tuyển học sinh giỏi quốc gia của cỏc trường Chuyờn.
Năm 2013 là năm thứ 6, hội thảo khoa học của Hội cỏc trường THPT chuyờn Khu
vực Duyờn hải và Đồng bằng Bắc Bộ được tổ chức tại Thỏi Bỡnh - mảnh đất quờ lỳa, mang trong mỡnh truyền thống yờu nước và truyền thống hiếu học Tại hội thảo lần này, chỳng tụi chủ trương tập trung vào những vấn đề mới mẻ, thiết thực và cú ý nghĩa đối với việc bồi dưỡng học sinh giỏi, để quý thầy cụ đó, đang và sẽ đảm nhiệm cụng tỏc này tiếp tục trao đổi, học tập, nõng cao hơn nữa năng lực chuyờn mụn của mỡnh.
Tập tài liệu của Hội thảo lần thứ VI bao gồm những chuyờn đề khoa học đạt giải của quý thầy cụ trong Hội cỏc trường THPT chuyờn Khu vực Duyờn hải và Đồng bằng Bắc bộ Cỏc bài viết đều tập trung vào những vấn đề trọng tõm đó được hội đồng khoa học trường THPT chuyờn Thỏi Bỡnh thống nhất trong nội dung hội thảo Nhiều chuyờn đề thực sự là những cụng trỡnh khoa học tõm huyết, say mờ của quý thầy cụ, tạo điểm nhấn quan trọng cho diễn đàn, cú thể coi là những tư liệu quý cho cỏc trường trong cụng tỏc bồi dưỡng học sinh giỏi.
Xin chõn thành cảm ơn sự cộng tỏc của quý thầy cụ đến từ cỏc trường THPT chuyờn Khu vực Duyờn hải và Đồng bằng Bắc Bộ cựng cỏc trường THPT chuyờn với vai trũ quan sỏt viờn Chỳng tụi hy vọng, sẽ tiếp tục nhận được nhiều hơn nữa sự phản hồi, đúng
gúp, trao đổi của quý thầy cụ để cỏc chuyờn đề khoa học hoàn thiện hơn.
Thỏi Bỡnh, thỏng 11 năm 2013
TRường THPT Chuyên thái bình
Trang 2Chuyên đề xếp giải Xuất sắc
How to teach speaking skill to English
majored students
Họ và tên: NGÔ THÙY DUNG
THPT Chuyên Bắc Ninh
PART ONE : INTRODUCTION
Undeniably, English is a global language crossing many international boundaries In fact,the English language is so popular, it is spoken in more than a hundred countries and has morethan a million words English is considered as the medium of communication in the fields ofscience, technology, diplomacy, and business, and so on English has an inherent simplicity andflexibility allowing it to be learnt quickly, cementing English as a global language
In addition, the political and economic changes have great positive impact on the teachingmethods of teachers of English in Vietnam They have realized that students can only improvetheir language competence through communication It is the need for oral competence in English
that has turned the teachers’ emphasis from teaching grammar into teaching communication
Therefore, speaking skills nowadays play a much more important role in modern English than
ever before In every English class, teachers would like to develop students’ speaking skills by
applying the communicative language teaching method known as one of the most effectiveapproaches that help students speak
However, in some places in Vietnam, English teaching has been strongly influenced by thetraditional methods Teachers as well as students pay much attention to the grammatical items
In these classes, teachers mainly focus on explaining the grammatical rules and structures tostudents who are considered as passive recipients As a result, those students might bestructurally competent but communicative incompetent That causes a lot of difficulties in usingEnglish in real-life communication
To meet the demand of learners of English, teachers of English have been trying to find outthe most suitable and effective method of teaching English Speaking Therefore, theCommunicative Language Teaching Approach (hereafter CLT) is applied to teach English tolearners of all levels They hope that by using this teaching method, they can help their learners
Trang 3improve their English and use it effectively and fluently in communication That is also the ideasuggested by many linguists and methodologists such as Nunan (1991) and Das (1985).
Nevertheless, there still exist many difficulties facing English Language teachers inVietnam Many Vietnamese learners can write and read English quite well but they cannot speakfluently and correctly in communication Certainly there are many reasons for this As oneteacher of English I realized that although both teachers and learners try their best to reach theirgoals to teach and study English speaking skills effectively, up to now the results have been stillfar from satisfaction
This has given me the desire to conduct this study to examine the teaching and learningEnglish speaking skill as well as to find techniques and activities to improve the quality of theteaching of speaking skill and motivate the students to talk in English speaking lessons
PART TWO: DEVELOPMENT
I Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
It is known that the history of language teaching has shown the change on methods, whichhave reflected recognition of changes in the sort of proficiency learners needs What haschanged in a second language teaching is not the way we teach but in the aim of languageteaching and learning (Le, 2004)
Teaching a second language used to aim at enabling learners to read and appreciate class ofliterature Therefore, any teachers who were able to reach this aim were thought to be goodteachers (Le, 2004) For a long time traditional methods - Grammar translation and Audio-lingual were used to teach English that made learners become structure competent andcommunicative incompetent
It is undeniable that most learners of English nowadays desire to be able to communicatewith others in the language they learn Parallel with this change in the aims of learning English,methods of teaching had to be changed For a long time, a number of language teachingmethodologists have constantly looked for the most appropriate way to teach Englisheffectively As a result, some teaching methods came into being such as:
* Grammar-translation method
* The Direct method
* The Audio-lingual method
* The Audio-visual method
* Communicative Language Teaching
Trang 4Mackey (1965) remarks that most methods, which have ever developed, still continue toexist in one form or another as each method has its advantages and disadvantage For example,grammar-translation is easy to implement and cheap to administer which makes it still be used
in many classroom situations in large classes
General speaking, it is hard to say which method is the most effective and appropriatewithout considering the circumstances in which it is applied The question of which methodshould be used in Vietnam depends most on the background of English language teaching andlearning in the country, sources of materials, teachers' proficiency, learners' needs and facilitiesfor teaching and learning
II Using CLT in Teaching Speaking Skill
When using communicative activities, it is important to make students feel comfortableand confident, feel free to take risks and have opportunities to speak According to Pica, Youngand Doughty (1987), there are two kinds of classroom available to second language learners:Input has been modified or simplified such as a traditional "teacher-fronted" classroom;and authentic students-to-student interaction is emphasized It provides the learners moreopportunities for speaking since the learners try to achieve mutual understanding and modifytheir language according to the demand of the situation
Objectives for speaking are often given by the particular program in which the teachermust work In some cases, the syllabus will consist of a list of grammar structures to be taught.The teacher needs to be flexible in making best use of what is available for teaching purpose Inother words, the teacher must have some freedom in deciding what objectives to meet, whatcontent to cover, and what activities to use In this case, the teacher can go beyond the morespecific goals and objectives of the particular program to the speaking needs that the studentshave in the "real world"
There are many speaking activities can be used in classroom such as scrambled sentence,language games, role-plays, problem-solving, discussion, cued story, picture story etc
III Speaking skill
III.1 Concepts of speaking
As mentioned above, speaking is the productive, oral skill Speaking consists of producingsystematic verbal utterances to convey meaning (utterances are simply things people say).Speaking is "an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing andreceiving and processing information" (Florenz, 1999, p.1) It is "often spontaneous, open-endedand evolving" (ibid., p.1), but it is not completely unpredictable
Trang 5Speaking is such a fundamental human behavior that we don't stop to analyze it unlessthere is something noticeable about it For example, if a person is experiencing a speechpathology (if a person stutters or if his speech is impaired due to a stroke or a head injury), wemay realize that the speech is atypical Likewise, if someone is a particularly effective or lucidspeaker, we may notice that her speech is atypical in a noteworthy sense What we fail to notice
on a daily basis, however, are the myriad physical, mental, psychological, social, and culturalfactors that must all work together when we speak It is even a more impressive feat when wehear someone speaking effectively in a second or foreign language
According to Brown and Yule's opinions (1983), spoken language consists of shortfragmentary utterances in a range of pronunciation However, speaking is a skill, which deservesattention as much as literacy skills in both first and second language because our learners oftenneed to speak with confidence in order to carry out a lot of their most basic transactions (Bygate,1991) Furthermore, speaking is known with two main types of conversation called dialogue andmonologue
Brown and Yule (1983) point out the ability to give uninterrupted oral presentation(monologue) is rather different from interacting with one or more other speakers fortransactional and international purposes It is much more difficult to extemporize on a givensubject to a group of listeners That explains why speaking skill generally has to be learnt andpractised carefully before giving a presentation
A comprehensive discussion of the nature of speaking is provided by Bygate (1987), whoshows that in order to be able to speak a foreign language, it is obviously necessary to havemicro-linguistic skills, that is, to understand some grammar, vocabulary and the rules governinghow words are put together to form sentences However, these motor-perceptive skills, asBygate calls them, are not sufficient since while producing sentences, we often have to adaptthem to the circumstances He then presents the second set of speaking skills: the interactionskills, which involve using knowledge and basic motor-perception skills in deciding what to sayand how to say it, while maintaining the intended relation with others
III.2 Characteristics of speaking
As for Bygate M (1987), in most speaking the person to whom we are speaking is in front
of us and able to put right if we make mistakes He/ She can also generally show agreement andunderstanding - or incomprehension and disagreement Unlike readers or writers, speakers mayneed patience and imagination, too While talking, speakers need to take notice of the other andallows listeners chance to speak it It means that we take turns to speak Brown (1983) and hercolleagues point out that a listener helps speakers improve their performance as a speakerbecause being a listener gives learner models to utilize when acting as a speaker In addition,
Trang 6being a hearer first helps the learner appreciate the difficulties inherent in the task It is clear thatgiving speakers experience in hearer's role is more helpful than simple practice in task in which
a speaker is having real difficulties in appreciating what a particular task required
Speaking has the following characteristics:
Firstly, its form and meaning are dependent on the context in which it occurs, including theparticipants themselves, their collective experiences, the physical environment, and the purposesfor speaking It is often spontaneous, open-ended, and evolving However, speech is not alwaysunpredictable Language functions (or patterns) that tend to recur in certain discourse situationscan be identified and charted
Secondly, speaking requires that learners not only know how to produce specific points oflanguage such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary ("linguistic competence"), but also thatthey understand when, why, and in what ways to produce language ("sociolinguisticscompetence")
Thirdly, speech has its own skills, structures, and conversations different from writtenlanguage A good speaker synthesizes this array of skills and knowledge to succeed in a givenspeech act
Finally, Bygate (1987) considers speaking as an undervalued skill in many ways Thereason is that almost all people can speak, and so take speaking skill too much for granted Healso asserts that speaking skill deserves attention every bit as much as literacy skills Learnersoften need to be able to speak with confidence in order to carry out many of their most basictransactions Bygate also highly appreciates speaking by stating that speaking is the mediumthrough which much language is learnt
In conclusion, it is undeniable that speaking is key to communication By considering whatgood speakers do, what speaking tasks can be used in class, and what specific need learnersreport, teachers can help learners improve their speaking and overall oral competency
III.3 The development approach of speaking skill
Byrne (1991, p 22-31) points out that there are three phases to develop learner’s oralability, which are as follows:
Phase 1: The Presentation Phase (when you introduce something new to be learned)
In this phase, teachers are centre It means that they work as information provider, sincethey know English, select materials to teach and present the material in such a way that themeaning of the new language is as intelligible and memorable as possible while the learners aremotionless As far as we know, oral materials are written mainly in two forms in every course-
Trang 7book They are dialogues and prose And obviously these two forms must be presented indifferent ways.
According two Byrne (1991, p.22) 10 different steps are used to present a dialogue Theyare the following:
- Establish setting by using pictures At this phase English should be used as much aspossible
- Draw out learners’ experience related to situation
- Explain some key words
- Set listening task by asking key information of the dialogue
- Ask learners listen without looking at the books
- Allow learners to have a look at their book when necessary for them
- Ask the learners to listen and repeat
- Ask learners to pick up difficulties (good chance for them to speak) and explaindifficulties
- Ask them to practice (role-play)
- Ask them to dramatize the dialogue
It is known that this procedure is perfect and logically arranged However, it is dependent
on learner’s competence so some steps can be left out It is quite hard for Vietnamese learners to
conduct the step 10 because they are generally shy and time is limited 9 other steps are used topresent a prose Byrne (1991, p.26) suggests that teachers should use the following steps topresent a prose
- Introduce the topic by asking to look at the picture or asking them about the related thing
- Introduce the text New words and structures are given
- Provide relevant practice
- Set the reading task: make questions
- Ask the learners to read the passage in silence and find the answer
- Explain difficulties they still have
- Do silent reading again because the learners need to go on with the step 9
- Get the learners to talk about what they have to learn based on the previous answers
Phase 2: The Practice Phase (when you allow the learners to work under your direction)
Trang 8Unlike the presentation phase, this phase learners have to do most of talking Teachersprovide maximum amount of practice Practice is usually in the forms of activities to improvefluency of speaking At this phase, pair work or group work is used.
Phase 3: The Production Phase (when you give learners opportunities to work on their own)
At this phase learners need chances to speak English freely A real chance to speak Englishtakes place when the learner is able to use English naturally for themselves, not for theirteachers Group work plays an important part in making learners practice speaking here Doinggroup work, all learners can have chance to participate in talks Time can be saved and learnersseem more confident
Byrne (1988, p.2) concludes that in order to improve speaking ability of learners Thesethree phases should be followed orderly But in fact, they might not be applied as expected due
to time limitation, types of learners and materials in use
IV Some suggested classroom techniques and activities for teachers to motivate English majored students
Below are the most commonly used techniques and activities to motivate reticent students
to communicate in English speaking lessons However, before putting into use, teachers ofEnglish need to take a serious consideration into what is appropriate for particular subjects inparticular situations The effectiveness of these techniques and activities varied from contexts tocontexts
IV.1 Some suggested techniques in teaching speaking
IV.1.1 Teaching speaking strategies
Many people believe that effective teachers teach students speaking strategies which theycan use to help themselves expand their knowledge of the language and their confidence inusing it According to Burkart (1998), speaking strategies including: using minimal response,recognizing scripts and using language to talk about language
•Using minimal responses
Language learners who lack confidence in their ability to participate successfully in oralinteraction often listen in silence while others do the talking One way to encourage suchlearners to begin to participate is to help them build up a stock of minimal responses that theycan use in different types of exchanges Such responses can be especially useful for beginners.Minimal responses are idiomatic phrases that conversation participants use to indicateunderstanding, agreement, doubt, etc They are very useful for unconfident students who oftenlisten in silence while others do the talking They can build a stock of minimal responses that
Trang 9they can use in different situations Possessing a stock of minimal responses enables students tofocus on what the other participants are saying as they do not have to plan responses.
Trang 10* Recognizing scripts
Some communication situations are associated with a predictable set of spoken exchanges
– a script Greetings, apologies, compliments, invitations, and other functions which are
influenced by social and cultural norms often follow certain patterns or scripts In these scripts,
the relationship between a speakers’ turn and the one that follows it can often be anticipated
Teachers can help students develop speaking ability by making them aware of the scriptsfor different situations so that they can predict what they will hear and what they will need tosay in response Through interactive activities, teachers can give students practice in managingand changing the language that different scripts contain
* Using language to talk about language
Language learners are often too embarrassed or shy to say anything when they do notunderstand another speaker or when they realize that a conversation partner has not understoodthem Teachers can help students overcome this reticence by assuring them thatmisunderstanding and the need for clarification can occur in any types of interaction, whatever
the participants’ language skill levels Teachers can also give students strategies and phrases to
use for clarification and comprehension check
By encouraging students to use clarification phrases in class when misunderstandingoccurs and by responding positively when they do, teachers can create an authentic practiceenvironment within the classroom itself As they develop control of various clarificationstrategies, students will gain confidence in their ability to manage the various communicationsituations that they may encounter outside the classroom
IV.1.2 Base the activities on easy language
Generally, the level of language needed for a discussion should be lower than that used inintensive-learning activities in the same class The language required for a discussion should beeasily recalled and produced by students so that they can speak fluently In some cases, pre-teaching or reviewing essential vocabulary and grammatical structures before the activity starts
is a good idea
IV.1.3 Use language in authentic ways
In learning speaking, it is the best if students have frequent chances to hear and read the
language as native speakers use it Teachers can give students these chances through teachers’
talk and materials
As for teachers, they should try to use the language as naturally as possible It is advisablethat teachers should: speak at normal rate; use vocabulary and structures that students arefamiliar with; state the same idea in different ways to aid comprehension
Trang 11Authentic materials can be found in magazines, newspapers, TV and radio broadcastings,etc Besides proving students with the chances to see how communication is carried out in reallife, authentic materials also help introduce social and cultural aspects of language use tostudents.
IV.1.4 Design activities with a purpose
Normally, every real-life communication has a purpose-to convey information Activities
in the language classroom simulate communication outside the classroom when they arestructures with such a purpose In other words, the clearer the purpose of the discussion is, themore motivated students will be In such classroom activities, students use the language to fill aninformation gap by getting answers or expanding a partial understanding
IV.1.5 Use pair work and group work
The use of pair and group work can help teachers in dealing not only with large classes, butalso with mixed ability classes By using pair and group work a teacher can maximize studenttalking time and minimize teacher talking time going on in a limited period of classroom time.This helps to change classes from being more teacher-centered to being more student-centered
In so doing, teachers can use students to teach other students; this will make learning lessintimidating to students who may be shy and unwilling to express and exchange their own ideaswith their classmates when working in pairs and groups Moreover, this kind of activities givesstudents an opportunities to rehearse their responses in pairs or small groups before being asked
to speak in front of the whole class Pair work and group work benefits not only students butalso teachers because, as mentioned, it minimizes teacher talking time in the class This meansthat organizing pair work and group work in class helped teachers escape from the hard andboring work of knowledge transmitters who spend their whole talking time in explainingeverything and then calling students to answer questions or do exercises At that time, duringpair work and group work activity, teachers play the new roles as organizers and facilitators.Teachers must select appropriate pair and group work activities and monitor themcarefully For example, effective pair and group activities have the following characteristics: (1)communication gap: each student has relevant information that the other don’t; (2) taskorientation: an activity has a defined outcome such as solving a problem; (3) time limit:students have a preset amount of time to complete the task In case the task is based on groupdiscussion, the teachers should include instructions about participation when introducing it
On the other hand, pair work and group work has its disadvantages, too Using pair andgroup work, it may be more difficult for teachers to manage and control the class at thebeginning of the course It may also take time and the class may be noisy Moreover, somestudents may use Vietnamese instead of English during discussion or even chat with each other
Trang 12and the best way to prevent students from speaking Vietnamese during discussion or even chatwith each other and the best way to prevent students from speaking Vietnamese is that theteachers should try their best to put an eye on all groups, remind students and model them thelanguage use However, students will gradually get used to this method and will be interested in
it as they themselves can realize the benefits which pair and group work brings about to them
IV.1.6 Adjust feedback/ Error correction
Teachers should use different ways of giving feedback or correcting errors for differentlessons For lessons that focus on form like grammar lessons, direct and immediate feedback anderror correction are needed and expected However, in communicative lessons like speaking, theflow of talk should not be interrupted by the teachers’ corrections Teachers should only givefeedback and correction errors after students already finish their task When giving feedback,teachers should give feedback on both form and content It is advisable that teachers shouldencourage students to self-correct Giving feedback and correcting errors is also a good way tomotivate students as it is a useful comprehension for students and it shows that he teachers reallylisten to what they say
IV.2 Categories of English speaking activities
Many researchers discuss classroom activities and a lot of activities are adapted ordesigned based on the theory and characteristics of CLT
Littlewood (1981) distinguishes between “functional communication activities” and “social
interaction activities” In his views, the former includes such tasks as learners noting similarities
or differences in sets of picture, discovering missing features in a map or picture, one learnercommunicating behind a screen to another learner and giving instructions on how to draw apicture or shape, or how to complete a map, following directions, and solving problems fromshared cues The latter includes conversation and discussion sessions, dialogues and role- plays,simulation, improvisations and debates
Richards and Rodgers (1986: 165) discuss that the range of exercise types and activitieswith a communicative approach is unlimited, provided that such exercises and activities enablelearners to attain the communicative objectives of the curriculum, engage learners incommunication and require the use of such communicative processes as information sharing,negotiation of meaning, and interaction In their views, classroom activities should be designed
to focus on completing tasks that are mediated through language or involve negotiation ofinformation and information sharing
Trang 13Activities may be classified as activities for accuracy that aim at learners’ competence inproducing right words, phrases or sentences and activities for fluency that aim at learners’
capacity to sustain the flow of speech with ease and comfort
In short, speaking activities are various and can be found in a great number of resources.However, in this minor thesis, the author would introduce some most applicable types whichhave proven the most effective
IV.2.1 Conversation
Conversation serves many functions People use conversations to establish relationshipsthrough personal expression, to find out information, and to compare views with other.Conversation provides a means for sharing experiences and solving problems
Teachers can capitalize on the critical role of conversation in students’ lives and use it to
enhance their language learning Through, experiences with the language processes, students candiscover a steadily expanding series of topics and purposes for conversation Students shouldhave opportunities to talk about a variety of topics such as projects, books, characters, televisionprograms and videos In conversation, it is important for students to have useful vocabulary.Clarity and precision are the keys to effective word choice in conversation Teachers should notexpect perfection from students in the use of unfamiliar or difficult words, but rather shoulddevelop a supportive environment and group rapport the encourage students to experiment withunfamiliar words
IV.2.2 Discussion
Discussion differs from conversation in that it generally has an identifiable purpose, such
as coming to clearer understanding of characters’ roles in a drama or exploring the possibilities
for publishing student writing Discussion is similar to conversation with regard to listeningcarefully, considering what others say, being courteous, and speaking so that all can hear Many
of students’ conversational abilities will transfer to discussion situations
Discussion assists students in the development of reasoning, critical thinking, andproblems-solving skills It gives them practice in expressing ideas orally in an organized mannerand enables them to arrive at conclusions, clarity or modify ideas, resolve differences, and findalternative solutions In group discussions, students many encounter viewpoints different fromtheir own They come to see that there are many problems for which no one finds appropriatesolution As well, discussion can serve as a means of building consensus among group members.Groupings of three to five are good for effective discussion Everyone is able to contribute
to the discussion as a listener and as a speaker In addition, a small group draws out quieterstudents who many not contribute to larder group discussions
Trang 14IV.2.3 Storytelling
Storytelling is an oral sharing of a personal or traditional story, told using the essence ofthe tradition from which it originates As a shared experience between teller and listener, itoffered natural language experiences for students
Storytelling allows students to internalize important aspects of story beginnings andendings, settings, characters, and plot lines It provides practice in expressing ideas in thoughtunits, using colorful and descriptive language, developing ideas in sequence, and choosingeffective action words
The speech abilities needed for storytelling are essentially the same as ones required for allspeaking activities Storytelling encourages students to experiment with voice, tone, eye-contact,gestures, and facial expressions It also lets them practice techniques for holding audienceattention
IV.2.4 Oral reports
In preparing reports, students develop the ability to select material appropriate toclassroom topics and to the audience, and the ability to collect and organize material (requiringskills in reading critically, taking notes, summarizing, and outlining) Often a report can be mademore meaningful to the audience through the use of visuals such as charts, maps, diagrams, andoverhead transparencies
Oral reports should emerge from other English language arts processes If some studentsare not comfortable with reporting, they can develop more confidence by taking part in otheroral activities before they are ready to give a report
IV.2.5 Telephoning
The telephoning is an important tool for personal, school, and business use because of therapid communication it permits Therefore, there is need to reinforce personal speaking andlistening abilities regarding telephone use
The students should be provided with functional and helpful vocabulary and they musthave authentic reasons for telephoning when they are practicing their skills in the Englishlanguage arts classroom
IV.2.6 Announcements
Making announcements can serve as useful oral speaking practice at any grade level Aswith other types of speech activities, criteria for making announcements should be developed by
Trang 15the class These criteria should address the recommended format and manner of presentation andserve as guidelines for the students.
After the announcements are made, peers or the teacher might write the student announcer
an informal note, commenting on the strengths of the presentation and including one suggestionfor improvement
IV.2.7 Role play
Role play provides the opportunity for students to develop and revise their understandingand perspectives by exploring thoughts and feelings of characters in given situations Theteacher may take a role, becoming an active participant in promoting independent thinking andco-operative learning
Role play helps students to develop empathy as they examine others’ ideas, feelings, and
points of view as well as oral expression and interpretation skills as they use language todescribe perceptions, emotions, and reactions In addition, it also helps students to improvedecision-making, problem-solving skills as they gain experience independence thinking and co-operative learning
IV.2.8 Interviews
An interview is a good way to gain information and provide the participants with practice
in proving speaking and listening skills Results of interviews can be prepared for publication inreports or in the school newspaper, thus supporting the writing component of the language artsprogram
Students might interview people from the community who have firsthand knowledgeregarding topics being studied at school or they might interview visitors, fellow students orteachers It is important that the interview has a definite purpose
IV.2.9 Informal Debate
Students who participate in debates have an opportunity to explore, listen, and enjoy
learning Debates gave students additional opportunities to hear their classmates’ views and to
express opinions regarding topics that matter to them They also help students make importantdecisions and become critical listeners The informal debate helps students to work together tounderstand common problems
Informal debate reflects the learning process Debating allows students to explore ideasand arguments in a non-threatening atmosphere, because presentational guidelines are provided.Debating is an effective method of acquiring knowledge, as arguments need to be supported byrelevant, accurate, and complete information Students who debate informally learn to recognizethe elements of a good argument and to develop further their abilities to speak confidently
Trang 16IV.2.10 Co-operative learning
Co-operative learning involves students in group collaboration in order to achieve a goal or
to complete a project Although students do not necessarily work together at one tablethroughout the project, participation by each group member is necessary to accomplish the task.Success and assessment are based on the performance of the group, as well as on individualcontributions and performance within the group
Co-operative learning experiences are particularly effective at the Middle Level, wherestudents have an innate desire to be accepted Competitive, individual efforts are appropriate attimes, however, co-operative learning experiences have the advantage of helping students worktogether and support each other
To sum up, communicative output activities give students the opportunities to experiment,
to see how far they can communicate in situations where they themselves are the people whochoose the language and to practise using the language they know fluently These activities alsocreate a supportive atmosphere that allows students to make mistakes without making fear ofembarrassment These activities also motivate students and make they fell more confident tospeak
V A sample speaking lesson
Lesson: Unit 12 – Hobby – Talking about preferences
Game: Find someone who
- Explain the rule+ Each student has a list ofactivities
+ All students have to goround the class and interview their
- Listen to the explanationand do the task
Trang 17friends by asking the questionsabout whether they like or dislikedoing these activities in their freetime.
+ The winner is the one whofirst finishes the task or have themost interviewed friends after 3
feelings about + st / V-ing?
5 Does + st / V-ing + appeal to/fascinate/intrigue you?
6 Have you got any interest in + st./V-ing?
like/prefer … + st / V-ing?
LIKE
- I like / love … + st / V-ing
- Answer the questions
- Listen and take note
Trang 18- I’d like / love to … + V
- I’m interested in / fond of /
keen on / crazy about / mad about / nuts about … + st / V-ing
- I have a great interest in / a
passion for + st / V-ing
- My main interest / hobby / favourite / preference … is + st / V-ing
- I have a particular fondness
- I’m not interested in / fond
of / keen on / crazy about / mad about / nuts about … + st / V-ing
- I don’t have a great interest
in / a passion for + st / V-ing
- … does not + interest /
fascinate / intrigue / appeal me a lot
Trang 19Task 2: Work individually to
talk about what you like and dislike
to do Give the reasons for your preferences.
- Give the students theinstruction
Task 3: Work in groups of
three to talk about your hobby.
- Give the students theinstruction
INTRUCTION:
- Student 1 is the interviewerand student 2 is the intervieweewho will discuss about the hobby
- Student 3 is the secretarywho has to take note the answers ofstudent 2 and fills in the map
- Work in groups of 4 tomake a list
Activities that students often like to do:
- Watching films
- Hanging out with friends
- ……
- Work individually
Eg: I like playing football in
my free time because it is fun and not expensive at all But I don’t like taking photographs because
it takes time and costs money.
- S1: Really? That soundsinteresting When did you startyour hobby?
- S2: Well, one year agowhen I was in grade 10
- S1: When do you oftenplay basketball?
- S2: I often play afterschool from about 5 p.m to 6.30
Trang 20- S1: Why do you like it?
- S2: Because it is good for
my health and I make a lot offriends through playing this sport
- S1: Thanks a lot Wishyou more fun with this sport inthe time to come
- S2: Thank you very much4
-speaking
Report what you haveinterviewed your friend about herhobby, using the map you havefilled
Work individually andpresent the report
5
Homework
Do the task in the handout Take note
PART THREE: CONCLUSION
1 Overview
This study set three purposes: to give an overview of the current situation of teaching andlearning speaking skill in our province, to find out the difficulties which the teachers andstudents encounter in teaching and learning speaking as well as suggest some techniques andactivities to the better teaching and learning speaking skill
Concerning the teachers’ difficulties, the researcher revealed some typical challenges
which hindered the teachers in teaching speaking skill These are the students’ low level ofEnglish proficiency, and low motivation as well as the large and multi-level class and the lack of
class time In terms of students’ difficulties, it is obvious that their low level of English
Trang 21proficiency, low motivation of communicative competence, resistance to participating in class,and passive learning style were the important factors which demotivated the students in learningspeaking skill The study is concluded with several suggestions for the teachers For theteachers, they need to improve CLT knowledge, adjusting teaching time and using suitabletechniques for error correction in English speaking lessons Based on the findings of the study, anumber of suggestions for alleviating the difficulties in teaching the skill of speaking to Englishstudents were given to teachers of English in our province.
2 Recommendations
2.1 Some coping strategies for teachers
According to the findings in the study, it is clear that the difficulties in teaching speakingskill was caused by the teachers of English; therefore, teachers play a very important role inreducing the problems happening in English speaking lessons A number of suggestions forteachers will be discussed below
Improving CLT knowledge for teachers
From the survey and interview, it is clear that many teachers in Bac Ninh province aredeficient in English communicative competence To solve this problem, the English Divisionshould organize training courses for the teachers to improve their knowledge on CLT, self-training proves to be more practical and immediate approach to teachers of English In mostcases, professional teachers of English can train themselves, learning as they go Many otherteachers are doing the same, for lack of teachers of English do not allow them to have any pre-service or in-service training
Adjusting teaching time and using suitable techniques for error correction inEnglish speaking lessons
At present, most of the teachers of English are working under pressure of time Since there
is no way to change the allotted time for the English subject, teacher must adapt themselves tothis new timeframe For example, it is advisable for them to reduce the amount of time spent onitems that students find easy, and more time on problematic areas that students face with.Moreover, teachers should always bear in mind that the utmost purpose in teaching English is to
improve students’ communicative competence, so the course should be designed to promote the
active use of language, to encourage the students to participate, and to give confidence and a feelfor communicative value of language Next, teachers had better have a tolerant attitude towards
students’ errors During communicative activities teachers should not interrupt students in
mid-flow to point out grammar, lexical or pronunciation error All the errors of the students should
be treated tactfully Teachers should correct serious mistakes or just stop if students’ answers areunclear Another better way to correct students’ errors is to write common errors and correct as a
Trang 22class discussion at the end of activities It is important to help students fell that making mistake
is something unavoidable, and thus, they fell free and self-confident to speak It is important thatteachers select the right time to correct students’ errors, preferably at the end of their speech assuggested by the student respondent in this study
Trang 23Bailey, K.M and Savage, L (1994) New ways in teaching Speaking Teachers of
English to speakers of other languages, Inc
Bailey, K.M & Nunan, D (eds.) (2005) Practical English Language Teaching
McGraw-Hill ESL/ELT
Brown, H.D (1994) Teaching by principles: An Interactive Approach to Language
Pedagogy New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents.
Brown, G and Yule, G (1983) Teaching the spoken Language Cambridge University
Press
Brumfit, C (1984) Communicative Methodology in Language Teaching – The role of
fluency and accuracy Cambridge University Press.
Burkart, G.S (1998) Spoken Language: What is it and how to teach it Washington, DC:
Center for Applied Linguistics, 1998 Retrieved from www.nclrc.org
Burns, A (1990) Quantitative and Qualitative Collaborate Action Research for English
language Teachers Cambridge University Press.
Byrn, D (1988) Focus on the classroom Hong Kong: Modern English Publications Bygate, M (1987) Speaking Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bygate, M (1991) Speaking Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Canale, M and Swain M (1980) Approaches to communicative Competence Singapore:
Harmer, J (1991) The practice of English Language Teaching Longman.
Johnson, K (1982) Communicative Syllabus Design and Methodology Oxford: Pergamon
Institute of English
Larsen-Freeman, D (1986) Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching Oxford
University Press
Trang 24Le Van Canh (2004) Understanding Foreign Language Teaching Methodology National
University Publishing House
Littlewood, W (1981) Communicative Language Teaching Cambridge University Press Mathews-Aydinli, J & Van Horn, R.V (2006) Promoting the Success of Multilevel ESL
Classes: What teachers and Administrators Can Do Center for Adult English language
Acquisition (CAELA) Retrieved fromwww.cal.org/caela/esl_resourses
Nunan, D (1989) Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom Cambridge
Sagvinon, S.J (1983) Communicative Competence: Theory and classroom Practice.
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
Chuyên đề xếp giải A
HOW TO TEACH SPEAKING SKILL FOR ENGLISH MAJORED CLASS
Họ và tên: Trương Thị Nhung- Lê Thị Cẩm Vân
Tổ chuyên môn: Khoa học xã hội
Trang 25Trường: THPT chuyên Nguyễn Tất Thành- Yên Bái
TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I Introduction
1 Rationale for choosing the study ?
2 Aims of the study
Part II Development
Chapter 1: Theoretical background
Issues for teaching and assessing speaking
1 Approaches to the teaching of speaking in the classroom
2 Models and standards of teaching speaking
2.1 The problems of the communicative approach in relation to accuracy
2.2 Social aspects of fluency and pronunciation
2.3 The current scene in materials to teach speaking
3 Components in assessing speaking
3.1 TOEFL (Testing of English as a Foreign Language) speaking test
3.2 IELTS speaking test
Chapter 2 : Teaching speaking integrated with other skills
1 Suggested activities for pre-speaking
2 Suggested activities for while-speaking
3 Suggested activities for post-speaking
Part III Conclusion
Reference
Yên Bái, tháng 8 năm 2013
Trang 26PART I INTRODUCTION
1 Rationale
It is evident that by virtue of the prevalence of globalisation alongside the dominance ofEnglish on international communication level, mastering this language in the real life becomesthe top priority of every education system including Vietnam Learners of this second languageare supposed to display the command of English in communication, not just the master ofgrammar rules Therefore, the past few years have witnessed significant transitions fromtextbooks focused on receptive skills and grammar-based assessments to skill-based textbooksand assessments of different skills in exams A telling example is the addition of speaking skill
to the National English contest for excellent students Speaking is a dynamic, interpersonalprocess and one that has a tremendous impact on how we are perceived by others in a range offormal and everyday contexts Despite this, the importance of teaching speaking is normallytreated with neglect and this skill is taught as if it is simply writing delivered in a differentmode This familiar approach to speaking is not only partly the culprit of learners’ shyness,
inconfidence as well as breakdown in communication but also fails to develop students’language command to the fullest This is especially the case for English majored students whoalmost accummulate collosal aspects of language but often have difficulty expressing them inspeech.Therefore, it is necessary for teachers and learners to pay worthy attention to this skill inteaching and learning English
2 Aims of the study
This study focuses on:
1 analysing the principles and components of teaching speaking effectively
2 providing teachers and learners with useful materials for carrying out speaking activities
in an English majored class
Trang 27PART II DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: Theoretical background
A Issues for teaching and assessing speaking
1 Approaches to the teaching of speaking in the classroom
Historically, the attitude towards the status of spoken interaction in teaching language hasnot remained static, which greatly affects the choice of methods and techniques in the languageclassroom As a rule, the spoken form is variously conceived of as:
• the primary mode in which natural accummulation of language can occur (as in ‘The Natural Method’ or ‘The Oral Approach’ prevalent in the early years of the last century until the early 1960s)
The Natural Method relied on introducing language items systematically and almostentirely through speech, and then on the accurate oral practice of explicitly taught language rulesand features
• a powerful tool for developing automatic and fluent output, together with consolidation
of grammatical patterns (as in ‘The Direct Method’or ‘The Audio-lingual Approach’)
This method also relied heavily on oral input, exposure to native-speaker models, and
repetitive oral work (‘drilling’) which could be carried out with very little reference to meaning
or context A focus on structured practice and decontextualised tasks was the norm in materials
produced to develop speaking skills Very few exercises to generate ‘free’ talk or allow students
to negotiate meaning between themselves were evident and pattern practice would take placethrough a highly structured and constrained set of exer-cises
• the ideal medium for the exploration of language and one that allows a focus on communication (a fundamental aspect of ‘The Communicative Approach’ and later developments such as ‘Task Based Language Teaching’).
The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach that was developed around theidea of meaningful interaction and the focus on communication rather than linguistic facts Itencourages students to engage in large amounts of spoken language in the classroom Anotherinfluential development in CLT that places great emphasis on the spoken mode has been theTask-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) “This was done by designing tasks that promoted theuse of authentic language and required active engagement by the student in their completion,generally with a high level of spoken interaction being required A typical pattern for a lesson
Trang 28would be to provide an introduction to the task in the form of a ‘warm-up’ discussion to focus
the attention of the students on the topic in question and help to generate some of the languagerequired, a phase introducing the task and checking that students have fully understood the taskand their roles, a phase in which the students carry out the task with the teacher taking the role
of facil-itator and interlocutor, and a phase of rounding up and reflection on the task and thelanguage used One of the aspects that teachers found refreshing was that the typical pattern ofstructured input and very constrained practice of particular items was abandoned In the task-
based classroom students are placed in a role of greater independence.” In task-based languageteaching (TBLT), the teacher’s role focuses on
a) motivating the learner to invest intensive mental energy in task completion
b) interactionally supporting task performance in such a way as to trigger processes such asthe negotiation of meaning and content, the comprehension of rich input, the production ofoutput and focus on form, which are believed to be central to second language learning
Van Avermaet et al.(2007: 175)
2 Models and standards of teaching speaking
2.1 The problems of the communicative approach in relation to accuracy
With its emphasis on communication, [the communicative approach] stresses earlyvocabulary development while largely ignoring language structure, whether it be phonological,morphological or syntactic Most second-language-acquisition-through classroom-communication/interaction advocates do not seem to care that students mispronounce sounds,use wrong stems or endings, or construct sentences following faulty rules – all of these problemsare sup-posed to disappear, eventually, through communicative classroom interaction.Well,there is no reason why they should, and it is clear that most don’t
(Hammerly, 1991: 9)
2.2 Social aspects of fluency and pronunciation
It needs to be said at the outset that the aim of pronunciation improvement is not to achieve
a perfect imitation of a native accent, but simply to get the learner to pronounce accurately
enough to be easily and comfortably comprehensible to other (competent) speakers ‘Perfect’
accents are difficult if not impossible for most of us to achieve in a foreign language anyway,and may not even be desirable Many people – even if subconsciously – feel they wish tomaintain a slight mother-tongue accent as an assertion of personal or ethnic identity
Trang 29(Ur, 1996: 52)There is also some evidence that learning background may affect the sort of fluencybehavior a learner manifests Shin (1989) studied two learners of Japanese at similar proficiencylevels at a British university Both were native speakers of English Subject A had spent only afew months in Japan whereas Subject B had been born in Japan and had lived there until aged 12years Subject A had six years of formal study of Japanese, and Subject B only three years,however To Shin (a native speaker of Japanese), Subject B appeared the more fluent inconversation Analysis revealed she used more colloquial forms than did Subject A, longersentences, fewer and more appropriate fillers and fewer repetitions Although Subject A actuallypaused less than did Sub-ject B, Subject B’s pause positioning seemed more appropriate.Interestingly, Subject B actually made more mistakes than did Subject A, but corrected fewer ofthem In particular, she tended to let her grammatical mistakes go quite uncorrected.
(Lennon, 1990: 398)
2.3 The current scene in materials to teach speaking
Available speaking materials mostly focus on prompts for discussions, role plays, and tasks
to generate interaction which aim at preparing learners for the speaking elements of the majorinternational tests of English According to a calculation based on web searches, in terms ofmaterials for speaking/listening, around 50 new titles were produced for the two most widelyknown tests of English: the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and theTest of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Components in assessing speaking
3 Components in assessing speaking
This part focuses on discussing the key elements underlying the marking and assessment ofspeaking in two prestigious testing systems namely TOEFL and IELTS
3.1 TOEFL (Testing of English as a Foreign Language) speaking test
Trang 30Categories underlying the speaking construct (from Xi et al., 2008: 29)
3.2 IELTS speaking test
The test often assesses the command of speaking based on four criteria
1 Fluency and Coherence
This criterion refers to the ability to talk with normal levels of continuity, rate and effortand to link ideas and language together to form coherent, con-nected speech The key indicators
of fluency are speech rate and speech con-tinuity The key indicators of coherence are logicalsequencing of sentences, clear marking of stages in a discussion, narration or argument, and theuse of cohesive devices (e.g connectors, pronouns and conjunctions) within and betweensentences
2 Lexical Resource
This criterion refers to the range of vocabulary the candidate can use and the precision withwhich meanings and attitudes can be expressed The key indicators are the variety of wordsused, the adequacy and appropriacy of the words used and the ability to circumlocute (get round
a vocabulary gap by using other words) with or without noticeable hesitation
Trang 313 Grammatical Range and Accuracy
This criterion refers to the range and the accurate and appropriate use of the candidate’sgrammatical resource The key indicators of grammatical range are the length and complexity ofthe spoken sentences, the appropriate use of subordinate clauses, and the range of sentencestructures, especially to move elements around for information focus The key indicators ofgram-matical accuracy are the number of grammatical errors in a given amount of speech andthe communicative effect of error
4 Pronunciation
This criterion refers to the ability to produce comprehensible speech to fulfil the Speakingtest requirements The key indicators will be the amount of strain caused to the listener, theamount of the speech which is unintelligible and the noticeability of L1 influence
(IELTS, 2007: 12)
4 Teaching speaking integrated with other skills
According to Florez, (1999: 2) good speakers must be able to anticipate and then producethe expected patterns of specific discourse situations They must also manage discrete elementssuch as turn-taking, rephrasing, providing feedback or redirecting (Burns and Joyce, 1997).Besides, they are capable of
• producing the sounds, stress patterns, rhythmic structure, and intonations of the language;
• using grammar structures accurately;
• assessing characteristics of the target audience, including shared knowledge or shared
points of reference, status and power relations of participants, interest levels, or differences inperspectives;
• selecting vocabulary that is understandable and appropriate for the audience, the topic
being discussed, and the setting in which the speech act occurs;
• applying strategies to enhance comprehensibility, such as emphasizing key words,
rephrasing or checking for listener comprehension;
• using gestures or body language; and paying attention to the success of the interaction
and adjusting components of speech such as vocabulary, rate of speech, and complexity ofgrammar structures to maximize listener comprehension and involvement (Brown, 1994)
It is manifest that speaking is not simply a matter of developing accurate mastery ofstructure and vocabulary but also carrying the multitude of tasks simultaneously for the talk to
Trang 32occur Furthermore, when conducting a classroom speaking activity, the teacher might haveother objectives related to speaking For example, an activity can be carried out to help thestudent practise some aspect of linguistic knowledge such as a grammatical rule or developproductive skills like rhythm, intonation or linking or raise awareness of some socio-linguistic,say, how to interrupt politely, respond to a compliment appropriately Therefore, speakingactivities need to be managed and fostered through careful planning and direction by the teacher,and through a choice of suitable tasks to stimulate speech.
It is also recommended that language-focused exercises in the classroom has a positiveeffect on speaking It is the lexical ability that makes a difference between strong and weakEnglish speakers Stronger students are more fluent as they have a greater variety of phrases atthe tips of their tongues The selection of expressions and phrases in context through reading andlistening, then focus on practising them in meaningful and enjoyable ways proves to be anefficient way to develop this fluency in the classroom
2 Suggested components of a speaking class for English majored students
Activity 1: ENGLISH PUZZLE
Students are divided into teams to answer the puzzle The winner is the team which hasmore correct answers
1- What are two things people never eat before
breakfast?
Lunch and supper
2- Why did the man throw a bucket of water
out the window?
He wanted to see thewaterfall
Trang 333- Why did the man put the clock in the safe? He wanted to save
time
4- What has two hands and a face, but no arms
and legs?
A clock
5- What has a neck, but no head? A bottle
6- Where is the ocean the deepest? On the bottom
8- How many legs does an ant have? Two, the same as an
uncle9- What can't be used until it's broken? An egg
10- Why is number six afraid ? Because seven eight
nine (seven ate nine)11- What did number 1 say to 7? Nice hair
12- Which is the most self-centered letter of the
15- What letter can do the work in one day that
you can do in two days?
W (Double u- Doubleyou)
16- Why is the A like a flower? Because the B is after
it
17- Why is the letter "A" like noon? Because it's in the
middle of the day
18- "What letter of the alphabet has got lots of
water?"
"The C"
Trang 3419- What has two heads, four eyes, six legs and
a tail?
A horse and its rider
20- What is as big as a horse but doesn't weigh
anything?
The horse's shadow
21- What begins with T, ends with T and has T
in it?
A teapot
22- What did zero say to eight? Nice belt
23- Do you know why birds fly to south in the
winter?
Because it's too far towalk there
24- Which letters do Tuesday, Thursday,
Friday and Saturday have in common?
None! None of themhave "c", "o","m" or
"n" in them
Activity 2: BALL GAME
*Procedure:
- There is a ball that can be bounced off the floor from one student to another
- Twelve to fifteen students standing in a circle with enough space so one person canbounce the ball off the floor across to another student
- The first student holds the ball and asks a question like:
1 How many children are there in your family?
2 What's your mother's age?
3 What is your favorite sport?
4 What's your favorite colour?
5 What is the capital of the USA?
6 What kind of movies do you like?
7 How much do you weigh?
- As the first student is asking the question, she bounces the ball on the floor over to afriend who in turn must answer the question before touching the ball to catch it
Trang 35- If the friend hesitates for too long, or is too slow and hasn’t finished answeringbefore she touches/catches the ball, then she is ineligible and must leave the circle.
- The next student on her right takes the ball, and asks another question whilebouncing it to another girl, who in turn must answer before her hands touch the ball
Activity 3: SIMON SAYS
*Procedure:
- The students stand in a big circle, and there is a leader who gives commands like
Simon says, “Close your eyes.”
Simon says, “Put your fingers in your ears.”
Simon says, “Hold your nose.”
Simon says, “Tell me your mother’s maiden name.”
Simon says, “Tell us how many children you have.”
Simon says, “Please tell us what kind of car you would like to own.”
- If the command begins with the words, “Simon says,” all persons in theclass/group
must follow the order If there is a command that does not begin with “Simon says,” the listeners
should not perform the action Anyone who does perform the action is unqualified and must getout of the circle
- The circle keeps getting smaller and smaller until only one person is left, who willthen be declared and applauded as the winner
Activity 4: IT’S IN THE BAG.
*Procedure:
- Find a durable plastic shopping bag that is big enough to contain about twenty sized items Then, using your imagination and creativity, put a selection of suitable items foryour student group into the bag :
suitably-Ex: a rubber snake, tube of lipstick, perfume bottle, comb, paper clip, ballpoint pen, eraser,calculator, door key, mobile phone, cassette tape, alarm clock, battery, orange, apple, banana,peach, pear, guava, paper cup, coffee cup, etc
- Students take turn choosing the items and describe what they feel The rest of the classwill guess what it is
Trang 36Activity 5: TWENTY QUESTIONS
*Procedure:
- Think of a word that the other students should be able to guess if you give them acouple of hints and then allow them to ask twenty questions If they can guess the word in lessthan twenty questions, they win If they cannot, they lose
Ex: Let’s suppose you have chosen “Egypt” as the word they must guess
+ First, you must give a couple of hints, say, it is a very old country It has an old history.+ The students can then ask questions to help them guess which country it is
Only yes or no answers may be given For example,
1 “Is this country in Asia?” “No.”
2 “Is it in Europe?” “No.”
3 “Is it in the Middle East?” “No.”
4 “Is it in Africa?” “Yes.”
5 “Is it in North Africa?” “Yes.”
6 “Is there a lot of desert in this country?” “Yes.”
7 “Do they have camels?” “Yes.”
8 “Do they have many pyramids?” “Yes.”
9 “Is this country Egypt?” “Yes.”
Activity 6: THE ONE-MINUTE GAME
*Procedure:
- This game has two teams of individuals who try to compete against one another byhaving one member from one side speak for one full minute The speaker has had no chance to
prepare beforehand An example might be: “What do you think about sex before marriage?”
- The point of the task is to speak without any grammar mistakes ,stopping or hesitation,mispronunciation ,misuse of words , being off topic , or any mistake of any kind
- The members of the opposing side must listen carefully and stop the speaker themoment they recognise any mistakes The student who has caught the error will be the next to begiven a different topic upon which he/she must speak for one minute absolutely free of anyerror
Trang 37- Any speaker who succeeds in talking fluently for one minute scores one point forhis/her side Some appropriate topics for your game might be:
1 How can we improve the quality of life in your country?
2 What would you do if the world would end tomorrow?
3 What would you do if we gave you one million dollars?
4 If I could change one thing about the world I would
5 Everybody in the world should speak only one language
6 The waitress forgets to charge you for one item on your bill
7 You can kill people just by wishing their death
8 You witness another student cheating on a test
9 Would you marry someone whom you love suddenly become paralyzed?
10 You could be a superstar like Madonna if you agreed to pose in the nude
11 Would you get an abortion if you got pregnant before marriage?
12 The police are looking for your brother and you know where he is
13 You have to lie to get the job you want
14 Someone asks to borrow your money and you know he won’t pay it back
15 Your husband can get money if he commits an act of corruption
16 You are falling in love with someone who will die within one year
17 You hate your husband and hear someone want to kill him
18 Your father has a girlfriend Should you tell your mother?
19 Your boss wants to beat you at golf Would you let him win?
20 You fall in love with a girl, but she is a drug addict
21 Your daughter wants to marry a boy that you do not like
22 Your boyfriend tells you to give him what he wants or he will leave you
23 A cancer victim suffering terrible pain asks you to help them die now
Activity 7: WRITE A STORY
* Procedure:
- Kick off the task by providing a beginning sentence to get the story started, and
Trang 38then go around the classroom from student to student, getting each one to add a newsentence to keep the story going This task should be done spontaneously, allowing only a littletime for thinking while the other student write down the sentences in order.
Ex : There was once a law student who was looking for a job after graduation
Activity 8: CAN YOU GUESS WHO I AM?
*Procedure:
- This is a game where a student pretends to be someone or something and the othershave to guess who he/she is playing the role of First, the teacher gives one person a piece ofpaper with the name of a very famous personality (like Superman) on it and puts that person atthe front of the room for questioning
- The class members are given only one hint to guide their questioning, for example,
“This is a famous Hollywood comic strip movie figure.” Then, the other students have to ask
questions to find out who is being impersonated Only yes/no answers may be given :
1 Do you travel in outer space?
2 Do you live in a big city?
3 Do you have a family?
4 Do you like to eat spinach?
5 Do you wear a mask?
6 Do you live in an ancient castle?
7 Do you like to suck people’s blood?
8 Can you climb up the sides of buildings?
9 Are you human?
10 Do you sometimes talk to animals?
11 Can you blow fire out of your nostrils?
12 Have you lived for thousands of years?
13 Do you have horns?
14 Can you make yourself invisible?
15 Are you a child?
Activity 9: WHISPERING WORDS ALONG THE LINE
Trang 39finally writes the word on the board It’s surprising how the words can change in the process.
Some examples to use might be :
1 Has never had an operation Have you
ever had an operation?
2 Has never smoked a cigarette Haveyou
ever smoked a cigarette?
3 Has never been kissed
4 Has never learned to dance
5 Has never been to a nightclub
Trang 406 Has never been in the hospital.
7 Has never had a boyfriend
8 Has never won in the lottery
9 Has never played badminton
Has never lied to the teacher
Activity 11: BEAUTY CONTEST QUESTIONS
*Procedure:
- You are a pretty girl in a beauty contest to see who will be chosen as Miss Universe.One of the categories you will be judged upon includes thinking, intelligence, and the ability toexpress yourself clearly and freely with charm, personality in an understandable way
Here are some of the sorts of questions that you might be asked :
1 If you won a lot of money what would you like to do for your family?
2 If you were really, really rich, what would you do to help humanity?
3 Where would you like to travel and why?