SOME SUGGESTIONS TO TEACH ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR YEN DINH 2 SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO THANH HOÁ TRƯỜNG THPT YÊN ĐỊNH 2 SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM TÊN ĐỀ TÀI SOME SUGGESTIONS TO TEACH ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR YEN DINH 2 SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ONLI

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO THANH HOÁ

TRƯỜNG THPT YÊN ĐỊNH 2

SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM

TÊN ĐỀ TÀI SOME SUGGESTIONS TO TEACH ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR YEN DINH 2 SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ONLINE

ENVIRONMENT

Người thực hiện: Lê Thị Sáu

Chức vụ: Giáo viên Đơn vị công tác: Trường THPT Yên Định 2 SKKN thuộc lĩnh vực : Tiếng Anh

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2.1 Theoretical background of teaching English speaking skill

5

2.1 3 Advantages of teaching in online environment 7

2.3 Difficulties encountered by sts and teachers when being taught and 8

I Rationale

The globe has already closed schools in the wake of the coronaviruspandemic including those in Vietnam for nearly 2 months from January toMarch As a result, teachers were suddenly faced with the challenge of how

to not only continue their students’ education but also ensure safety forstudents Therefore, MOET implemented distance learning online and ontelevision Although teaching on the internet and television is a temporarymeasure in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, it was emphasized that theeducation sector would take this opportunity to accelerate the digitaltransition

However, teaching English on the internet is really challenging for highschool teachers In reality, a lot of them , especially in the countryside arefamiliar with the traditional method of teaching in classrooms.Consequently, it took them lots of time to adapt to the new method duringthe social distancing without the best result More seriously, most of Englishteachers dont know how to deal with speaking lessons in onlineenvironment because they often take place in a room with a live interactionincluding gestures and sounds for English learners to get the lessons easier,

so transition from the classroom to the web is a daunting task That’s why Ichose this study “ Some suggestions to teach English speaking skill for YenDinh 2 secondary school students in online environment ” I hope thatteachers can apply some strategies to bring students better outcomes inlong terms under any unexpected situations like pandemics or disasters

1.2 Purpose of the study

The main purpose of the study is to find out diffculties teachersencounter in teaching speaking skill online at YD2SS This also offers someappropriate strategies to better the current context.

Research questions:

1 What are difficulties of the teachers at YD2 SS in teaching speaking English on the internet?

2 How to find out some solutions to overcome this problem?

1.3 Scope of the study

This study was conducted among the English teachers , 11A1,11A2and 11A9 Sts at YD2SS during the school year 2019-2020

1.4.Methodology of the study

Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used First of all, for the

theoretical basis, a lot of reference materials on English speaking skill andhow to teach English speaking skill online have been collected, analyzedand synthesized carefully with the due consideration for the Ts’ teachingand sts’ learning situations

Secondly, Interviews have been carried out with Ts and sts to find out thecauses for teaching speaking English online ineffectively as expected Based

on what I have collected, I would like to give some ways to improve thisproblem

II DEVELOPMENT 2.1 Theoretical background of teaching English speaking skill

This second chapter provides readers with the relevant literature ofthe study by introducing some key concepts necessary for the bestunderstanding of this research There are some most crucial conceptschosen to be clarified in this part such as English speaking skill, onlineeducation

2.1.1 What Is "Teaching Speaking"?

What is meant by "teaching speaking" is to teach ESL learners to:

 Produce the English speech sounds and sound patterns

 Use word and sentence stress, intonation patterns and the rhythm ofthe second language

 Select appropriate words and sentences according to the propersocial setting, audience, situation and subject matter

 Organize their thoughts in a meaningful and logical sequence

 Use language as a means of expressing values and judgments

 Use the language quickly and confidently with few unnatural pauses,which is called as fluency (Nunan, 2003)

2.1.2 T and sts’role in speaking skill

2.1.2.1 Teachers’ Role According to Anuradha et al (2014), teachers play

significant role in stimulating interactionand developing speaking skills.The roles are as follows:

- The teacher must be fluent and accurate in spoken elements of language so

as to be a role model for the learners

- The teacher asks questions to stimulate learners to practice the targetlanguage Throwing questions and compelling them to answer something isone of the types of oral drills Further, encouraging students to askquestions to the teacher and peers is also a good technique to propeldiscussion and involve learners to speak

- The teacher brings chart containing pictures in the classroom Teachingaids like charts containing pictures are good stimulators of interaction in

the classroom The teacher highlights that part of the chart which breedsdiscussion in the class.

- The teacher narrates a story or a joke in the classroom and evokes thelearners to do the same The narration is corrected by the students and theteacher if mistake is done This way the interest to speak may be kindledamong students

- The teacher uses minimal pairs (pairs of words differing by one singlesound) to teach some difficult sounds in the classroom with the help offamiliar sounds of the students

2.1.2.2 Learners’ Role

Speaking is an art and to achieve it, students should:

- Be conversational and courteous in conventional greetings and otherexpressions

- Ask questions and answer them too to maintain dialogue with otherclassmates and the teacher - Strive for building vocabulary, acquiringfluency and achieving accuracy

- Make an attempt for better pronunciation, appropriate intonation andstress in the expressions of ideas and feelings

2.1 3 Advantages of teaching in online environment

Continuity: The clearest advantadge of teaching in online environment we

can see from Covid 19 pandemic is that it helps education uninterupted inunexpected disasters or social distancing

Greater focus on learning In a traditional classroom, there are lots of

distractions that may take away your student’s attention and then will taketime to bring it back It’s more difficult to do so online when a student isworking on a task

Wider range of materials, easily accessible on all devices There are

plenty of resources on the internet, and that makes your materials moreversatile and customized

The time saving and comfort factor There is no commuting involved into

online teaching It’s comfortable, convenient and easy for everybodyinvolved That increases the happiness factor, which makes the environmentmore conducive to teaching and learning

2.2 The setting of the study

The study was conducted at YD2SS in Yen Dinh district, Thanh Hoaprovince among English teachers and students in grade 11

2.2.1 The teachers’ English levels and their facilities at home for teaching online

All of the teachers graduated from universities in English major, atleast 10 years’ experience They are qualified enough to teach secondaryschool sts Moreover, everyone has a computer or a laptop to faciliate theironline teaching besides class room time (and in social distancing )

2.2.2 The Sts’ English levels and their facilities at home for learning online

Although they all know that speaking skill is the final goal to master inlearning a language, they dont have spend enough time on it so theirspeaking level is quite unsatisfactory

Luckily, all of the students have their own smartphones or computersconnected with Internet service They can join online class as required Most

of their parents are favor of online free classes from T so that their childrenwill have more chance to practise English at home

2.3 What are challenges when Ts teach sts English speaking skill in online environment?

2.3.1 Technical problems

Technical problems are one of the significant challenges in teaching

online They deal with Wi-Fi interruptions, equipment failures, computer

updates and power outages Not only do we tutors have to deal with ourequipment issues, but we also rely on our students' equipment

2.3.2 Neophobia: second is neophobia, fear of new things closely followed by technophobia

Teachers are complex humans in the sense that while we arecreatures of habit but we also enjoy challenges and adventure Teachers ofthe last decade are not very comfortable handling technology as well as thenet gen This challenge was definitely overcome within the first few days as

we got used to the modalities of connecting with students and deliveringlessons

2.3.3 Isolation

Learning from home can be lonely Without the buzz of the classroomsetting and the company of their peers, it’s no surprise that some studentscan begin to feel a strong sense of isolation that slowly erodes their desire

to learn

Despite what they say, many students will find that they miss school

when the alternative is to be desk-bound at home Isolation can alsoundermine many of the instructional strategies that we take for granted inour classrooms Group work, class discussion and collaborative activity candisappear from the program entirely if we aren’t careful, and with them gothe associated levels of student engagement and rich learning that thoseexperiences provide

2.3.4 Lesson plans and what educational aids

Next challenge was the lesson plans and what educational aids to

be used and how to incorporate them There is an ocean of online sites withnumerous interesting and exciting lesson plans, activities, and teaching-learning systems in the internet It is difficult to choose the right thing, but it

is more challenging to mould it according to the needs of the students Onehas to consider one’s own comfort level too

2.3.5 Lack of motivation in students

As hard as distance teaching might be for us, it’s likely even harder forour students They’ve gone from classrooms explicitly designed to supportlearning, to bedrooms and kitchen tables where distractions are plentifuland expert support isn’t always on hand

2.4 Suggestions for teachers

2.4.1 Choose your platform and teaching tools

There are some issues that you need to be aware of:

Assess whether your students have reliable access to technology before

you even start Not every home will always have a reliable internetconnection or readily available device for students to use An initial email,message or text to parents will give them the opportunity to flag theseissues so that you can prepare to accommodate such students ahead of time

It’s also important to remember that, for all the talk of our students being

‘digital natives’, many of them aren’t that proficient when it comes totackling unfamiliar software or using it in a responsible manner An initial

‘onboarding’ session for students is therefore a good idea, and you shouldconsider giving parents a brief orientation too via email Whatever systemsyou have in place, just ensure that you also have a clear ‘hotline’ wherestudents can report technical issues That’s not to say you’ll take on a full-time role in IT support – you can’t fix everything – but it will, at the veryleast, alert you to students who might need alternative arrangements.Below are some common choices of many English teachers

Vocaroo (http://vocaroo.com): Through Vocaroo, students and teachers canrecord their voice and create voice files of any length Students can sharetheir voice files with others by creating and sharing a link or embed code ontheir respective websites Vocaroo is a free web based application and doesnot demand any registration It works on any web browser Through thisapplication, students can be asked to record their assignments and uploadthem into the common website created by the teacher, for sharing andevaluation purpose

Fotobabble (http://www.fotobabble.com/): Fotobabble is a simple sharing platform where photos can be shared along with audio recording.This application useful in doing activities where students have to see apicture and describe it or else tell a story based on it Students can recordtheir voice and save in an embed code to share with others Audioboo(https://audioboom.com/): Audioboo lets users to easily record and sharepodcasts with others Audioboo is available free of cost but one has to getregistration to use it Other registered users can listen to and comment onthe recordings posted Duration of recordings on this application can be fiveminutes only This app has accessibility on both computer and mobilephones Its feed has subscription facility in iTunes similar to any podcasts.Further, sharing of the recordings on social networking sites is very easy

photo-Voki (http://voki.com): It is a free application where teachers and studentscan create their own customised animated avatar which delivers themessage Students can create recording up to a minute in Voki The audiorecordings in Voki can be embedded into personal blogs or wikispace

Skype: It is a well-known video chat and messaging app used by many Thestudents can register free in this application by using their email id orphone number Students can video chat with one another while performingtasks in pairs or groups They can also interact with native speakers toimprove their skills under teacher’s guidance WhatsApp(https://www.whatsapp.com/): WhatsApp is a free messenger used by over

1 billion users in 180 countries around the world Meanwhile, “ICT basedlanguage learning allows for widespread classrooms that providequalitative, quantitative, and economical advantages” (Thamarana 2015,p.232) Apart from sending text messages and sharing photos thisapplication also has features of free calling, video chat and record and shareaudio messages The registration for this app has to be done throughpersonalised phone numbers Students can do tasks by creating WhatsAppgroup from where they can take instructions and share their work Thisapplication can be used on both mobiles and computers The audio files can

be created for any duration These audio files are saved in form of MP3audio clips, which can be uploaded to any websites

Teams Microsoft

Teams allows communities, groups, or teams to join through a specific URL

or invitation sent by a team administrator or owner Teams for Educationallows admins and teachers to set up specific teams for classes, professionallearning communities staff members, and everyone

Within a team, members can set up channels Channels are topics ofconversation that allow team members to communicate without the use ofemail or group SMS (texting) Users can reply to posts with text as well asimages, GIFs and custom made memes

Direct messages allow users to send private messages to a specific userrather than a group of people Meetings can be scheduled or created ad-hocand users visiting the channel will be able to see that a meeting is currently

in progress Teams also has a plugin for Microsoft Outlook to invite othersinto a Teams meeting This supports thousands of students that can connectvia a meeting linkcreated by T

Microsoft Teams allows teachers to distribute, provide feedback, and gradestudent assignments turned-in via Teams using the Assignments tab,available to Office 365 for Education subscribers Quizzes can also beassigned to students through an integration with Office Forms

Think of below problems when you decide to start teaching online

Checklist for online teaching: Make sure you are familiar with the online

platform you are using

• Have you tested your microphone and camera in the platform to makesure they work with it? A headset with a mic is usually better than a device’sin-built speakers and mic

• Do the learners need a URL or code to join the class? Do they all have this?

• Do you know how to share what is on your computer screen so that thelearners can see it?

• Do you know how to mute the learners’ microphones if you need to?

• Do you know how to use the ‘breakout rooms’ if the platform has thisfacility? Is this enabled? • Does the platform have a ‘raise hand’ button thatthe learners can use to indicate they want to speak? You can also use thisfunction to get them to indicate if they can hear you or see what you’reshowing on the screen, or to hold a quick vote!

• Do you know what the platform looks like from a learner’s perspective? Itmay look different or have slightly different functions compared to theteacher’s view If you use screenshots to explain to learners where to click

on something, make sure they’re taken from a learner’s perspective

• Do you know how to troubleshoot some of the technical issues that you oryour learners might experience with the platform? Does it make a difference

if they are accessing the platform from a mobile device or a certainbrowser?

• Have you considered safeguarding and child protection issues? Forexample, you may wish to insist that learners do not record the lessons

• Most online platforms have support videos or tutorials available online.Have you looked at these?

2.4.2 Technology requirements

As a teacher, you’ll need to administer your course, create materials,broadcast your class, interact with your students and grade their work Forefficiency, you’ll need a laptop, a desktop computer or a professional tablet

Your students will also need a laptop or computer if they want to fullyparticipate in your classes However, smartphones or tablets with aninternet connection can be used when there’s no alternative.

General tips before starting a lesson

• Make sure you have explained to your learners (and ideally a parent oranother adult if they can be around during lessons) about how to use thebasic functions of the platform, how to troubleshoot issues and how tocheck their settings This could be done in an initial lesson where youpractise using the different buttons and teach them the things to try if thereare technical or connection issues This is also a good opportunity to teachthem the language connected with the platform, such as ‘mute’, ‘breakoutroom’, ‘refresh’, etc., which they will need each lesson in order to follow yourinstructions

• Make sure you have explained to your learners the rules and thebehaviour you expect during lessons, such as patience, respect for eachother, writing only relevant things in the chat, etc

• Always check your microphone and camera before each lesson and checkwith each learner at the start that you can hear and see each other, and thatthey can see what you share on the screen

• Make sure all the learners know they must arrive on time and what theymust bring, such as their notebook and pencil case Many online learningplatforms have a virtual waiting room It’s a good idea to tell your learners

to join the class at least five minutes before it begins to avoid disruption

2.4.3 Privacy and safety online

When delivering any kind of class online, you needa to take safety andprivacy seriously The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ruling inEurope means teachers (and their schools) have the responsibility to treattheir students’ data carefully, safely and with respect GDPR may also affecteducators who work outside of Europe if their students live abroad

The regulations provide sensible guidance for managing personal data soare well worth reading up on Our article covering What you need to know

advice on safety

2.4.4 Training

Dedicate a portion of your first class to helping your students get to gripswith the technology Even if you spend half of the first session doing so, itwill save you time explaining things to individuals over and over again.Many online teaching and conferencing platforms also have guides andvideo explainers to help you get started.

You can even use these introductory videos as listening activities and playgames on the whiteboard to try out functionality

2.4.5 Space and resources

Where possible, set aside a dedicated area in your home or office to teachfrom Make sure you have all the visual aids and materials you need to hand.This will help you feel you are in a classroom and will help you be morespontaneous and creative during your lessons This is especially important

in young learner classes, where you might need to change the pace of theclass using flashcards, puppets or even costumes!

Encourage your learners to do the same and set up a designated study area

If your students are very young, ask their parents to help This will helpthem get in the right frame of mind to focus on learning

Additionally, ensure that nothing in view of the camera can identify yourhome address, any sensitive information like bank details, any book titlesyou wouldn’t want to be associated with, any information about yourchildren, etc If this information is accidentally (or purposefully) sharedonline it can be a security risk

2.4.6 Learning objectives

It can be difficult for students to adjust to online learning, especially whenthey’re joining your class from their homes Bring them into your lessons bystarting all your classes with learning objectives

Use your chat box or interactive whiteboard to share what you will coverduring the class and explain what you expect from your students This willhelp students focus and feel like they are in a regular classroom At the end

of the class, you can reflect on what you’ve done together and whether youhave achieved what you set out to do

2.4.7 Create a routine

Do your best to develop a routine in the classroom This will help yourstudents feel they’re in a safe learning environment and makes givinginstructions faster and more efficient.

For example, you can start with a warmer activity that involves all thestudents (for example, a game, a review or a few student-centred discussionquestions), then go into your class objectives and review homework orproject work Also, make sure you mix study with energising games or mini-breaks and have students share their ideas

2.4.8 Delivering instructions

Online teaching lets you deliver instructions to all your students verballyand in written format You can also ask students to confirm theirunderstanding in chat boxes and speak to individuals if they are unclearabout what to do Unlike in a physical class, every student can do this at thesame time – so you can check everyone is on track

Depending on which platform you use, there’s a good chance you’ll also beable to share your materials, documents and presentation slides, anddisplay and use other activities like online quizzes and games with the class,which will help them follow along with ease

2.4.9 Classroom management

Online classrooms can be easier to manage than physical ones It’s unlikelythat you’ll be interrupted by students whispering at the back of the class,passing notes or running around However, you might be interrupted ifstudents have their microphones on while you’re speaking – and they cantalk to each other via chat box and get distracted with irrelevant onlinecontent

It’s a good idea to have students mute their microphones while you aredelivering input and have them close all other windows on their computers,

so they are only focused on your class Some platforms will allow you tomute participants’ microphones too This can be a good idea – it ensures thelesson runs smoothly and avoids unnecessary distractions and backgroundnoises But be sure to let your students know why you are doing this, sothey don’t feel like they are being forcibly silenced Tell students they canask you questions in the chat box – either publicly or privately – so they feelcomfortable and supported throughout the lesson Read more of our toptips on keeping students’ attention when teaching English online

2.4.10 Student engagement

It’s harder to engage with your students when teaching over a webcamconnection It pays to be a little larger than life on camera Exaggerate yourexpressions and tone of voice slightly so they stay alert and interested inwhat you have to stay (just don’t overdo it).

You can also keep them on their toes by having every single student in theclass respond to your questions by typing in the chat box That will ensurethey pay attention Incorporating fun digital tools such

You could also use a spinner to nominate students for tasks and questions tobuild a sense of fun and suspense – or get students to nominate each other!Remember, just because they’re quiet doesn’t mean they’re not learning

2.4.11 In-class group work

Mix up your activities to keep things interesting Just because you’re online,

it doesn’t mean students can’t collaborate Many platforms allow you to putstudents in pairs or groups to work together in designated chat rooms As ateacher, you can drop in and out of these rooms to monitor how things aregoing, and give feedback just as you would in a regular class

suitable for older learners) and Dropbox Paper allow your students to work

on collaborative writing

You can also make use of your students’ webcams Flipgrid, for example, letsstudents record and share their own videos, which is great for makingonline presentations

2.4.12 Grading and progress tests

Just as in any regular classroom, you’ll need to track your students’ progress– both during class and throughout their course

Have students present their own ideas to the class using their webcams, andoffer them progress tests through online forms and writing assignments