A study on the benefits and challenges of applying project based activities at a primary school in ha noi

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ********************* NGUYỄN HẰNG NGA A STUDY ON THE BENEFITS A

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES

*********************

NGUYỄN HẰNG NGA

A STUDY ON THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF

APPLYING PROJECT - BASED ACTIVITIES

AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HA NOI

(Nghiên cứu về những thuận lợi và khó khăn khi áp dụng các hoạt động dạy

học theo dự án tại một trường tiểu học ở Hà Nội)

M.A MINOR THESIS (Type I)

Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

Hanoi - 2020

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES

*********************

NGUYỄN HẰNG NGA

A STUDY ON THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF

APPLYING PROJECT - BASED ACTIVITIES

AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HA NOI

(Nghiên cứu về những thuận lợi và khó khăn khi áp dụng các hoạt động dạy

học theo dự án tại một trường tiểu học ở Hà Nội)

M.A MINOR THESIS (Type I)

Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

Supervisor: Ass Prof.Phạm Thị Thanh Thùy

Hanoi – 2020

IS MY OWN STUDY IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

Ha Noi, 2020

Nguyen Hang Nga

I also would like to thank to my lecturers who have taught QH2017.D1 for their lectures as well as their enthusiasms during the MA course I am extremely grateful to all the staff and faculty members for their assistance in all the problems that I encountered during my studying here

My sincere gratitude goes to three teachers of English and one hundred seven students at grade 3,4,5 at Phu Linh primary school for their contributing to the data collection presented in the research

-Lastly, I would like to express my thanks to my family, my colleagues for their care and encouragements during my time of fulfilling this study

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted with an attempt to examine the real situation of applying PBL in order to investigate the benefits and challenges of using PBL

in improving speaking skills as perceived by teachers and students

The subjects involved in the study are three English teachers and one hundred- seven in grade 3, 4, 5 chosen at random from sixteen classes The data were collected from questionnaires for students and teachers, classroom observation and interviews for students and teachers The results of the study have shown that PBL motivates students to speak English, helps them interact more frequently with other students and teachers, remember and use the target vocabulary and structures in the project lessons For teachers, PBL increases student-teacher interaction, helps teachers correct students’ mistakes in pronunciation and grammar and assess students’ understanding Also, the findings of the study point out PBL’s challenges for students: lack of confidence in talking in front of the big groups, slow reaction to questions from other students and teachers, time limitation and frequent use of mother tongue For teachers, teachers have problems with time, students’ error correction, related knowledge, experience and students of mixed levels, little motivation and interest Therefore, those findings may benefit schools and teachers that have the same problems in implementing PBL Additionally, the present study may provide valuable information for the researchers and teachers who are interested in cooperating PBL into their teaching

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii

LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES viii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale of the study 1

1.2 Aims of the study 1

1.3 Research questions 1

1.5 Scope of the research 2

1.6 Significance of the study 2

1.7 Structure of the thesis 3

CHAPTER II- LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 Theoretical background of project- based language teaching 4

2.1.1 Definition of projects and project- based language teaching 4

2.1.2 Features of project- based language teaching 5

2.1.3 Stages in conducting a project 5

2.1.4 Benefits of the project-based language teaching 7

2.1.5 Challenges of applying project-based language teaching 9

2.2 Related studies 11

2.2.1 In the world 11

2.2.2 In Vietnam 11

2.3 Summary 13

CHAPTER III- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 14

3.1 Setting of the study 14

3.2 Research procedures 14

3.3 Conduct a preliminary study 15

3.4 Description of the curriculum and the textbook 18

3.5 Participants 18

3.5.1 Students 18

3.5.2 Teachers 19

3.6 Data collection instruments 20

3.6.1 Questionnaires 20

3.6.2 Interview 21

3.6.3 Classroom observation 21

3.7 Pilot study 22

3.8 Data analysis 23

3.9 Limitations of the methods 23

3.10 Summary 23

CHAPTER IV: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 24

4.1 Real situation of PBL in improving speaking skills as perceived by students 24

4.1.1 Participation 26

4.1.2 Performance 27

4.1.3 Time 29

4.1.4 Language use 31

4.2 Real situation of PBL in improving speaking skills as perceived by teachers 32

4.2.1 Interaction 32

4.2.2 Feedback and correction 33

4.2.3 Time 33

4.2.4 Student management 34

4.2.5 Language use 35

4.2.6 Knowledge and experience 35

4.3 Summary of the benefits and challenges of using PBL in improving speaking skills 36

4.3.1 Summary of the benefits of using PBL in improving speaking skills 36

4.3.2 Summary of the challenges of using PBL in improving speaking skills 36

5.1 Summary and conclusion 38

5.2 Pedagogical implication for applying PBL in improving speaking skills 39

5.3 The limitation of the study 40

5.4 Recommendations for further related studies 40 APPENDICES II APPENDIX 1 II APPENDIX 2 V

APPENDIX 3 VI APPENDIX 4 VII APPENDIX 5 XI APPENDIX 6 XII APPENDIX 7 XIV APPENDIX 8 XXI

The first teacher The second teacher The third teacher Student

One student in grade 3 One student in grade 4 One student in grade 5 Students in grade 3 Students in grade 4 Students in grade 5

LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES

Charts

Chart 4.1.Spending time for PBL according to students’ questionnaires 29

Table Table 3.1 Summary of the benefits of using project- based learning in improving speaking skills (Source: Summary of the author) 16

Table 3.2 Summary of the challenges of using PBL in improving speaking skills (Source: Summary of the author) 17

Table 3.3 The information of English teachers 19

Table 4.1.1.Students’ motivation in PBL according to students’ questionnaires 24

Table 4.1.2 Students’ motivation in PBL based on classroom observations 25

Table 4.1.3 Students’ participation in speaking activitiesaccording to students’ questionnaires 26

Table 4.1.4 Students’ participation based on classroom observations 27

Table 4.1.5 Students’ performance from students’ questionnaires 27

Table 4.1.6 Students’ performance from class observations 28

Table 4.1.7 Students’ spending time for PBL based on classroom observations 29

Table 4.1.8 Students’ language use 31

Table 4.2.1 Teacher- student interaction according to classroom observations 32

Table 4.2.2 Feedback and correction according to classroom observation 33

Table 4.2.3 Time for PBL according to classroom observations 33

Table 4.2.4 Student management according to classroom observations 34

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale of the study

Many researchers and educators have studied the advantages of project- based language teaching (Haines, 1989; Thomas, 2000; Richards &Renadya, 2002; Smith, 2005; Markham, 2011) However, a number of schools are still struggling to implement it in their classroom (Thomas, 2000; Gallacher, 2004; Chen, 2010; Huyen, 2010; Trimble, 2017) Most related studies were conducted to investigate teachers’ perceptions of project- based learning and the role of teachers in implementing it(Huyen, 2010) and students’ perceptions of project- based learning were not concentrated on those studies In addition, although this approach has been applied for official textbooks at the state primary schools for several years in Vietnam, none of the studies discussed the problems occurring in project activities Moreover, few studies on project- based learning method in primary schools were conducted in Vietnam; previous researchers mainly focused on project- based approach to learning writing, in high schools or in colleges (Huyen, 2010) Last but not least, teachers and students at Phu Linh primary school have difficulties in doing project- based activities

Those concerns have led to the constitution of the study “A Study On The Benefits and Challenges Of Applying Project - Based Activities At a Primary School in

Ha Noi"

1.2 Aims of the study

The study aims at finding out the benefits and challenges of applying projected- based activities to students’ speaking skills at Phu Linh primary school

Question 2: What are the challenges of applying project- based language teaching in improving speaking skills encountered by students and teachers at

Phu Linh primary school?

1.4 Research objectives

(1) Identifying the benefits of applying project-based language teaching method

in improving speaking skills at Phu Linh Primary School as perceived by students and teachers

(2) Identifying the challenges of applying project-based language teaching method in improving speaking skills at Phu Linh Primary School encountered by students and teachers

1.5 Scope of the research

1) Benefits and problems of applying project- based language teaching in improving speaking skills at Phu Linh primary school

(2) Research scope: focuses on English teachers and students at Phu Linh Primary School

(3) Contents: project-based language teaching, speaking skills, its real situation and suggestions

(4) Time: 1st semester in the school year 2018-2019

1.6 Significance of the study

Once completed, the research is expected to find the current issues of applying project-based language teaching to speaking skills at Phu Linh primary school Teachers of English at Phu Linh primary will realize their challenges of utilizing PBL and ways to deal with those challenges More importantly, they could help their students to improve speaking skills at project-based learning activities Both teachers and students gain advantages in doing projects in their classroom and developing speaking skills Additionally, the study could be served as a referential source for teachers and researchers who take their interest

in implementing project-based language teaching Furthermore, it can be beneficial for teachers who have difficulty in conducting a project in the language classroom

1.7 Structure of the thesis

The study is divided into five chapters

Chapter I: Introduction – presents the rationale, the aims, the research

questions, the scope, the significance and the structure of the study

Chapter II:Literature Review – provides the theoretical background of

speaking skills, project-based learning and the previous studies relating to implementing project-based learning

Chapter III: Research Methodology – provides the research procedures, the

setting, the participants, the data collection instruments and the ways to analyze data

Chapter IV: Data Analysis and Discussion–presents the results from data

analysis basing on the research questions

Chapter V: Conclusion- includes the major findings, the limitations and the

suggestions for further studies

CHAPTER II- LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical background of project- based language teaching

2.1.1 Definition of projects and project- based language teaching

Becktt (2002) clarifies the meaning of this term by providing what could be included in the task Projects involve “a variety of individual or cooperative tasks such as developing a research plan and questions, and implementing the plan through empirical or document research that includes collecting, analyzing, and reporting data orally and/ or in writing” (Becktt, 2002, p.54) Therefore, projects could be done by individuals or in groups to complete many smaller tasks

The approach of project-based language teaching deprived from the idea of learning

by doing which was initially promoted by Dewey(1897) He supposes that students not only learn from their teachers at school but also gain knowledge or skills from their surrounding communities through real- life activities Sharing the same opinion with Dewey (1897), Smith (2005) claims that children must start learning through real-life experience, which helps to set foundations for abstract notions According to Moss &Duzer (1998, p.1), project-based learningis an approach that “contextualizes learning by presenting learners with problems to solve or products to develop” In other words, project-based learning involves giving solutions to problems or creating something

Thomas (2000) defines that project- based language teaching is a model in which teachers organize learning through projects Projects are complex tasks, based on challenging questions or problems which involve students in designing, problem solving, decision making, or investigative activities Conducting projects also gives students “the opportunity to work autonomously over extended periods of time; and culminate in realistic products or presentations” (Thomas, 2000, p.1) The project is long-term, requires teamwork among students, and results in a final product (Thompson & Beak, 2007, as cited in Cruz &Vik, 2007)

Markham (2010) also defines this approach as a way of integrating knowing and

doing Students learn knowledge and then apply what they know to solve authentic problems and give results as well Therefore, in language classrooms, project-based language teaching allows students to use what they have learnt in real-life situations

From the definitions mentioned above, it could be concluded that PBL allows teachers and students to work collaboratively to solve authentic problems guided

by a driving question or create something and then make a presentation of the final production

2.1.2 Features of project- based language teaching

The core principal of project-based learning is to create an educational process that embraced the motivations and interests of individuals within a holistic approach to learning(Kozlowski, 2009)

Discussing the features of project-based language teaching, Thomas (2000) discusses five features associated with centrality, driving question, constructive investigations, autonomy, and realism

- PBL projects are central, not peripheral to curriculum

- PBL drives students to encounter the central concepts and principles of a subject

- Projects involve students in a constructive investigation

- Projects are student- driven to some significant degree

- Projects are realistic, not school- like

In addition, the features of project work are also discussed by Richards

&Renadya (2002) They are content-focused, student-centered, cooperative, motivating, empowering and challenging This approach also leads to an oral product like a presentation, a report and a stage performance

2.1.3 Stages in conducting a project

In terms of the process of project- based work, Chard (2001, as cited in Curtis, 2002) points out three phases in a project

Phase 1: Orientation and planning

The aim of this phase is to help students identify the topic for the project and develop a plan for it

Phase 2: Research and implementation

The phase asks students to do research and implement the project To be more specific, students need to gather information, read, write or draw Teachers can support learners with low language proficiency or little experience in working as part of a team

Phase 3: Sharing results

This phase is conducted after students have finished the given project Sharing results can be made in different forms such as presentation or disseminating the results in the larger community Moss and Van Duzer (1998), Chard (2001, as cited in Curtis, 2002), Gallacher (2004) share the same idea that the most common way of sharing results is the presentation of the project to an audience Besides, Gallacher (2004) suggests teachers give comments and evaluation after the presentation of the project Evaluation can be made on aspects of the project such as content, design, language work and the oral presentation

Zafirov (2013) identifies nine phases that shape the process of project-based learning These phases are example, responsibility, research, criterion creation, materials, project preparation, presentation preparation, presentation, reflection

In comparison with three phases suggested by Chard (2001, as cited in Curtis, 2002), steps suggested by Zafirov (2013) are similar to them Examples and responsibility are included in phase 1(Orientation and planning); research, materials and project preparation are included in phase 2(Research and implementation); presentation preparation and presentation are included in phase 3(sharing results)

Phase 6- project preparation is one of the most important phases since students need to create the project In this phase, teachers can play a role as classroom coaches Stix & Hrbek (n.d) suggest thatteachers should ask themselves the following questions

 Do the students have a clear understanding of the task?

 Does each student have ownership of her role within the group?

 Are the students attentive and working together cooperatively?

 Are the resources that students use geared to their comprehensive level

 Agree on a theme for the project

 Determine the outcome

 Structure the project

 Prepare students for the language demands of Step 5

 Gather information

 Prepare students for the language demands of step 7

 Compile and analyze information

 Prepare students for the language demands of step 9

 Present final product

 Evaluate the project

In short, there are four main steps of project- based learning: orientation & planning, implementation, presentation and evaluation In the first step, students understand what to do and make plans to implement the project Secondly, they conduct the project in their groups with the support from teachers Next, they make a presentation of their final product Lastly, teachers and students make an

evaluation of the result

2.1.4 Benefits of the project-based language teaching

Teachers’ benefits

Thanks to the implementation of PBL, disciplines in the classroom and teacher- student interactions are increased (Yang& Puakpong, 2016) In addition, Marisah

& Robiasih (2017) indicate that PBL gives teachers more opportunities to help and guide students to use vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation; correct mistakes related to word choice and pronunciation

Students’ benefits

When it comes to the advantages of project – based learning, Gallacher (2004) indicates the benefits related to motivation, language skills, autonomous learning, end product, authentic skills, interpersonal relations through group

work, a context balancing the need for fluency and accuracy

Yang & Puakpong (2016) lists a number of benefits related to students’ motivation, participation and performance Students enjoy the project, want to speak more, feel confident to speak and spend time for speaking practice after the lessons PBL also helps students interact more with other members, learn new knowledge and information from other members, speak fluently and use longer sentences after the lessons

Trimble (2017) also points out the benefits of project-based learning at Bate Middle School These benefitsincluded an increase in student engagement, an increase in the sense of pride that students had in their work, an increase in student self-efficacy, an increase in student attainment and practice of 21

st

century skills,

an increase in student attendance rates and a decrease in behavior issues

Regarding improving speaking skills, Ha (2014) indicates that students have positive attitudes towards PBL and using PBL helps improve their performance

of speaking skills Similarly, Marisah & Robiasih (2017) point out that PBL increase students’ motivation and performance since students are interested in project activities and can apply the lexical and grammatical items to the projects They also indicate that their pronunciation is improved as well with the help of teachers Anh (2017) finds out that PBL helps students develop integrated language skills, improve critical thinking and problem- solving competence Her research findings also indicate that PBL makes students more flexible by letting them take different roles, increases students’ confidence, communication skills and provides good chances of experiencing real-world situations

2.1.5 Challenges of applying project-based language teaching

Regarding to the disadvantages of project-based learning, Thomas(2000) finds out three kinds of challenges concerning students, teachers, school factors Students have difficulties in generating meaningful scientific questions, managing complexity and time, transforming data and developing a logical argument to support claims.In addition, Huyen(2010) also studies some students’ problems of project-based learning They are conflicts among group members and lack of strategies to work in groups According to Anh(2017), students have difficulties in working with real-life tasks, determining and narrowing topics, working in teams, searching for information on the internet

According to Thomas (2000), challenges encountered by teachers are time management and the role of teachersin directing activities Sage (1996) on a descriptive study of elementary and middle school classes points out the difficulties

of developing problem scenarios, aligning problem scenarios with curriculum guidelines, taking much time, using authentic problems and managing groups with students of varying abilities Marx et al (1997) also discovers problems related to time, classroom management, control, support of student learning, technology use and assessment

Time: projects take longer time than anticipated

Classroom management: teachers need to balance the need to allow students to

work on their own groups and the need to maintain the order of the class

Control: teachers need to control the flow of information while at the same time

believing that students' understanding requires that they build their own understanding

Support of student learning: teachers have difficulty in scaffolding students'

activities, sometimes giving them too much freedomor too little modeling and feedback

Technology use: teachers find it difficult to incorporate technology into the

classroom

Assessment: teachers find it difficult to design assessments that require

students to demonstrate their understanding

Gallacher (2004) also points out the disadvantages related to the excessive use of the first language and classroom management with students of different levels and characteristics

Sharing the same idea with Marx et al (1997), Sage (1996) & Gallacher (2004), Hoa(2010) proposes some problems related to organization, monitoring and personal problems She states that projects can create extra work, so it is difficult for teachers to keep up with lessons, preparation and marking For example, teachers take time to prepare suitable materials for projects Teachers also have difficulty in monitoring students when they conduct projects Regarding personal problems, teachers may have to face students who lack interest or motivation

Regarding challenges associated with school factors, Edelson et al (1999) lista number of factors They consist of fixed and inadequate resources, inflexible schedules, and incompatible technology Marx, Blumenfeld, Krajcik, & Soloway (1994) add classsize and composition, and district curricular policy to this list Hertzog (1994) points out the difficulties related to school facilities and time limitation Chen (2010) finds out that a large number of schools fail to implement project-based learning in the classroom This could be due to the lack

of innovative change to the “absence of political support, bureaucracy in our schools, preservation of the status quo, and high stakes assessment” (Chen, 2010, p.3) The findings support a need for teachers and administrators to have more training and support

In brief, project-based language teaching poses several problems concerning teachers, students and school factors While teachers have problems with time, classroom management, student management, control, support of student learning, technology use and assessment, students have difficulties in generating meaningful questions, managing complexity and time, transforming data, developing a logical argument, dealing with conflicts and using L1 Schools also face some challenges related to inadequate reso urces, schedules, technology, class size, composition, policy, time and facilities

2.2 Related studies

2.2.1 In the world

Maulany(2013) carried out action research on the use of project-based learning improving the students’ speaking skills at a primary school The findings of the study showed that PBL could improve the students’ speaking skills To be more specific, five aspects of speaking skills including comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, fluency and pronunciation could be improved Of all the aspects, comprehension and vocabulary were improved most significantly Those elements were used to design items in the questionnaire of the present study

Ali & Henawy (2015) carried out a study on using PBL for developing English oral performance Research findings showed that the students were positive about the benefits and usefulness of using PBL Learners also showed great development in their oral communication skills

Yang & Puakpong (2016) did a study concerning the effects of project-based learning on speaking abilities of non-English major Chinese students The results revealed that PBL had positive effects on non-English major students’ speaking ability and students’ opinions Yang & Puakpong (2016) used a five-point rating scale questionnaire to get students’ opinions about PBL The statements regarding the use of PBL in improving speaking skills were used

to design items in the questionnaire of the present research

In short, those studies measured the effectiveness of using PBL for developing students’ speaking skills Nevertheless, the problems of PBL that might take place and the roles of teachers during PBL lessons have not been touched upon

2.2.2 In Vietnam

Hoa(2010) conducted a study related to improving students’ speaking skills at Sao Do college She found out some advantages and disadvantages of project work as perceived by teachers and students Regarding the advantages, using PBL helps encourage students to speak and promote autonomous learning

Interpersonal relations are also developed through project work In terms of the disadvantages, the author of the research points out that organization, monitoring and personal problems are the main problems during the process of doing a project To be more specific, teachers may find it struggling to plan and prepare projects-related lessons They also have difficulty in keeping track of what students are doing, what they have learnt and what they have understood Dealing with students who lack interest and motivation, have the fear of being unable to cope with new language demands and feel disappointed with the project are some of the personal problems Other problems listed in this study are related to students First, students use the first language a lot Second, the difference in student levels may cause problems during the project when some students finish the project faster than others and they have nothing to do

Ha (2014) carried out a study on developing students’ speaking skill through Project- Based Learning for 10th grade students at An Lao High School In the paper, she investigated two main issues related to students’ attitudes toward PBL and the impacts of using PBL for students’ English speaking Her research findings show that students have positive attitudes towards PBL in English lessons As a result, PBL helps students to improve speaking skills, collaborative skills and computer skills

Anh (2017) did a study on improving English speaking competence through project-based learning at a school of foreign languages in Vietnam She investigated the benefits and challenges of using PBL in learning language In terms of PBL’s benefits, PBL develops integrated language skills, improves critical thinking, problem-solving competence and makes students more flexible

by letting them take different roles In addition, students’ confidence and communication skills are increased; students are provided good chances of experiencing real-world situations Regarding students’ difficulties in working with PBL, the researcher found out the difficult factors related to dealing with real-life tasks, determining and narrowing topics, working in groups, searching for references on the internet

In hence, those previous studies pointed out that PBL helped develop students’ speaking skills However, few studies investigated students’ motivation and interaction during PBL lessons In addition, few studies measured the implementation of PBL at a primary school in Vietnam As a result, the findings from the study could help both teachers and students realize the real situation of using PBL at a primary school and then develop its strong points and limit weaknesses

2.3 Summary

The literature review provides a framework for the research topic of implementing project-based learning in improving speaking skills Each section reviews a topic that is relevant to the study and builds the relationship of each topic to the study The literature review includes key information of speaking skills and project- based learning It is also divided into sections that are relevant

to research questions addressed by the researcher

CHAPTER III- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Setting of the study

The study was conducted at PhuLinh primary school in Hanoi, where the researcher works as an English teacher, which facilitates the process of administering research instruments to collect data The school is situated in Soc Son District on the outskirt of Hanoi city In terms of school facilities for learning English, each class is equipped with one projector Besides, two private English rooms with interactive panels and TV are provided for teaching and learning English In the school year 2018- 2019, there are 30 classes from grade 1 to grade 5 with

1141 students in total For the scope of the study, the research carried out the study with 614 students from grade 3 to grade 5 who are experiencing the PBL and three teachers of English at Phu Linh primary school.Since there are not any gifted classes in the school, classes include mixed English level students To make the results of the research objective, the researcher does not participate in the study as a participant.This setting also offers real teaching environment for conducting PBL, which is appropriate for the objectives of this study

3.2 Research procedures

In chapter 3- research instrument, the research procedure, setting, participants, data collection method; tools, technique and processes supporting analyzing data are presented to answer the research questions The entire procedure of the study

is illustrated by the following steps

Step 1: Conduct a preliminary study to identify the benefits and challenges of PBL

Step 2: Determine Participants and Sample of the study

Step 3: Build scale and design questionnaires

Step 4: Design interview questions, and classroom observation form

Step 5: Pilot questionnaire, interview and classroom observation

Step 6: Conduct survey, interview,classroom observation and collect data

Step 7: Analyze data based on research questions

Step 8: Provide conclusion

3.3 Conduct a preliminary study

Firstly, the researcher lists out all benefits and challenges of using PBL in improving speaking skills and consults previous researchers about the real situation of applying PBL in improving speaking skills

The following tables list out the summary of the real situation of implementing PBL in improving speaking skills as perceived by teachers and teachers

Students’ benefits of applying project- based

Gallacher (2004) Yang& Puakpong(2016) Want more opportunities to speak in

Be willing to speak in their small groups The hypothesis of the

author Spend more time practicing speaking

Talk about the projects without hesitating

The hypothesis of the author

Make questions for other groups Learn new words and phrases from other students

Yang& Puakpong(2016)

Students’ benefits of applying project- based

Use the structures learnt from the previous lessons

Pronounce the words correctly thanks to and students’ comments and teachers’

guide Respond quickly to teachers’ and students’ questions in the evaluation

Marisah&Robiasih (2017)

Speak English fluently after PBL lessons Yang& Puakpong(2016)

Speak longer sentences after PBL lessons

Teachers’ benefits of applying project- based learning in applying PBL

Improve discipline in the classroom and then have more

time for speaking practice

Yang& Puakpong(2016)

Increase teacher- student interaction

Assist and guide students in terms of vocabulary,

structures and pronunciation

Marisah&Robiasih (2017)

Correct students’ mistakes in word choice,

pronunciation

Marisah&Robiasih (2017)

The hypothesis of the author

Table 3.1 Summary of the benefits of using project- based learning in improving speaking skills (Source: Summary of the author)

Students’ challenges of using PBL Researchers

Understand the requirement of the project Hoa (2010)

Express ideas in English Yang&

Puakpong(20016)

Use L1 language too much Gallacher (2004)

Have time for speaking practice before the presentation

Teachers’ challenges of using PBL

Manage time Marx et al (1997)

Hoa (2010) Manage classrooms (different students

Support students’ activities (scald folding students’

activities: giving them too much freedom or too little

modeling

Face students who lack interest or motivation Hoa (2010)

Have enough knowledge and experience in the projects

to guide students

The hypothesis of the author

Table 3.2 Summary of the challenges of using PBL in improving speaking

skills (Source: Summary of the author)

Secondly, the author chooses eight people to ask from their opinions and comments about the real situation of using PBL from the list above These people include three English teachers from Phu Linh Primary school, twoEnglish teachers from Le Quy Don Primary School, two English teachers from Wellspring Primary School, one English teacher from Nguyen Binh Khiem high school

Before interviewing these people, the researcher emails the benefits and challenges of using PBL to them so that they can have a look The result of the

preliminary study will be the basis to build up research model, questionnaire, interview and observation form

3.4 Description of the curriculum and the textbook

Regarding the curriculum, there are four periods of English per week for students in grade 3, 4 and 5 Each 35-minute period covers one lesson of the textbook

The official textbooks for students at Phu Linh primary school are Tieng Anh

3, 4 and 5 which are published by the Ministry of Education and Training The book follows a systematic, cyclical and them-based syllabus, approved by the Ministry of Education and Training which takes a thorough development

of skills, but gives particular emphasis to listening and speaking at the early stage The whole textbook reflects the carefully sequenced pedagogy of warm-up, presentation, practice, application and assessment to develop language and developmental skills through four macro themes – Me and My Friends, Me and My School, Me and My family and Me and the World Around There are 20 units in the course book Each unit contains six lessons

in total There is one project activity in one unit The first five lessons provide students with vocabulary and structures, which supports the project activity in the last lesson PBL activities used for students in the textbook consist of designing cards, drawing and making a presentation, interviewing, acting, introducing the school/family, collecting things and presenting about them.(See Axpendix 9)

The current curriculum and textbook have been applied at Phu Linh primary school for about 5 years English teachers are trained in terms of the curriculum, textbooks and teaching method annually

to convenience and randomly pick up Firstly, they are familiar to the use of PBL

in the classroom 40 students in grade 3 have been experiencing PBL since September 5th2018; 35 students in grade 4 have been experiencing PBL for more than one year; 32 students in grade 5 have been experiencing PBL for more than two years According to the curriculum, 107 students mentioned above conduct from two or three projects every month Therefore, chosen students are appropriate since it enables the researcher to manage and work with the collected data Three students from different grades are chosen randomly to take part in the interviews They are coded as S1, S2 and S3 S1 is from grade 3 S2 is from grade 4 S3 is from grade 5

3.5.2 Teachers

Three teachers of English at Phu Linh Primary School are coded as T1, T2 and T3 They are invited to participate in the study The following table provides their information

8- 12 projects 8- 12 projects 8- 12 projects

Table 3.3 The information of English teachers

As can be seen from table 3, three teachers have differences in teaching experience and experience in PBL Two of them (T1, T2) have been teaching English for nearly 10 years, while the other (T3) for 2 years They are in charge

of teaching the same numbers of classes and conducting the same numbers of projects Therefore, they are given the equal opportunities of carrying out PBL at their classrooms

3.6 Data collection instruments

3.6.1 Questionnaires

Questionnaires are popular research instruments in order to gather data for research in many fields such as education, psychology and sociology Lumley and Brown (2005) used questionnaires in language testing research to assemble background data on test candidates, to provide data for needs analysis, to promote the growth of test and to evaluate the tests Creswell (2002) also pointed out the advantages of using questionnaires to collect data First, questionnaires are suitable for teachers to gather data on what your learners think or believe about certain issues Second, the respondents do not have to write their names or any personal information in questionnaires This helps reduce the teacher’s influences on the results of questionnaires Finally, a questionnaire can be used

to survey a class or groups of classes Since questionnaires give exact data, their results are objective and using them helps the researchers collect data from a great number of participants, the researcher decided to choose questionnaires as the main instrument

The questionnaire was designed with two main parts

Part 1 was to collect students’ opinions about the real situation of applying PBL

in improving speaking skills Questions in part 1 were designed according to the preliminary study(see Table 3.1 & table 3.2) to measure the benefits and drawbacks of PBL Likert- 5 – scale was applied to construct the questionnaire Scale 1: totally disagree

Scale 2: disagree

Scale 3: neutral

Scale 4: agree

Scale 5: totally agree

In addition to the Likert - 5 - scale statements, students are encouraged to provide more different benefits and problems which they have experienced in doing project - based activities

Part 2 was to collect the personal information of teachers and students (name,

age, gender, experience, class)

The questionnaire was designed for 107 students in order to investigate their opinions about the benefits and challenges of using PBL in improving speaking skills In part 1 of the questionnaires, there are 19 items Items from 1 to 5 indicate motivation; items from 6 to 9: participation; items 10 to 14: performance; items 15

to 17: time; items 18 & 19: language use (see Appendix 1)

3.6.2 Interview

In addition to questionnaire, semi- structured interviews were conducted in this study to get teachers, students’ opinions about the real situation of PBL This instrument allows the researcher to collect data qualitatively and compare answers from different participants In addition, it helps to investigate situations which are not directly observable and to collect data from those who are not comfortable in other ways(Mackey & Gass, 2005) Therefore, the results of interviews in this study were ultilized to support those of questionnaires All interviews in the research were conducted individually and recorded to support the step of data analysis

The first interview was designed for three English teachers at Phu Linh primary school to investigate their opinions about the benefits and challenges of PBL In this interview, there are two questions related to PBL (see Appendix 2)

The second interview was designed for three students who come from grade 3, 4,

5 to investigate their opinions about the benefits and challenges of PBL In this interview, there are three questions related to the benefits and challenges of PBL (see Appendix 3)

3.6.3 Classroom observation

Classroom observation was conducted for following reasons First, this allows the researcher to collect live data from real situation(Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2007) Second, data collected from observations facilitates the researcher in terms of understanding the situation (Patton, 1990, as cited in Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2007) Thirdly, this instrument was used along with questionnaires to avoid the subjectivity of teachers and students in the

questionnaires Last but not least, structured observations with a rating scale were ultilized in this study with the aim of facilitating the recording of details such as when, where, and how often certain types of phenomena occur and allowing the researcher to compare behaviors across research contexts(Mackey

& Gass, 2005)

Three classroom observations were carried out in three classes in grade 3,4,5 which are taught by T1, T2 and T3 respectively The researcher used observation forms to observe students’ and teachers’ behaviors during PBL lessons

The classroom observation form with two main parts(see Appendix 4) was designed according to the preliminary study(see Table 3.1 & table 3.2) to observe students' and teachers' behaviors during project lessons

Part 1 was to get observers’ opinions about students’ behaviors related to using PBL in improving speaking skills

Part 2 was to get observers’ opinions about teachers’ behaviors related to using PBL in improving speaking skills

Likert- 5- scale was used to design items

1: Does not at all reflect what went on

2: Only marginally reflects what went on

3: Neutral

4: Describe rather well what went on

5: Is a totally accurate reflection of what went on

There are 28 items in this part Items from 1-14 show observers’ opinion about students’ behaviors in the classroom; items from 15- 28 show observers’ opinion about teachers’ behaviors in the classroom

3.7 Pilot study

After designing research instruments, the researcher conducted a pilot study to 30 students( ten students in grade 3, ten students in grade 4, ten students in grade 5) and three teachers, which helps determine the feasibility of the study and test the appropriateness of data collection instrumentsand techniques In addition, this could help the researcher test whether the format, the content of research instruments is

comprehensible and whether the tools are suitable for the target population After receiving feedback from students and the teacher, the researcher made necessary changes in the content and the format of research instruments before they were delivered to all participants

3.8 Data analysis

After collecting data from questionnaires, interviews and observations, the researcher analyzed the data There are two types of data in the research The researcher gave 107 survey sheets to the students and received 107 survey sheets from them After that, the mean of descriptive statistics was calculated by Excel software to identify the common trend and pattern of response The researcher used the data to make comparison about the elements of PBL and the use of PBL

in different groups of participants.The qualitative data from three student interviews and three teacher interviews were analyzed based on the themes

The researcher used the data from questionnaires as the main source and the data from classroom observations and interviews as additional sources to support the results of the study

3.9 Limitations of the methods

Although using questionnaires helps the researcher collect data from a large number of respondents, this method may have following problems First, students may not feel encouraged to provide accurate and honest answers Second, they may not be fully aware of their reasons for any given answer because of lack of memory on the subject or their boredom In order to limit the disadvantages of the methods, the researchers delivered the questionnaires right after the project - based activities to instruct students to do the survey and then allowed them to take the questionnaires home to answer

3.10 Summary

Chapter III provides seven steps in the research procedure and key information about the setting, the participants, the data collection instruments, data analysis and the limitations of the research

CHAPTER IV: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

The result of the study is presented as the following frame:

 The real situation of PBL in improving speaking skills as perceived by students

 The real situation of PBL in improving speaking skills as perceived by teachers

 The summary of the benefits and challenges of using PBL in improving speaking skills

4.1 Real situation of PBL in improving speaking skills as perceived by students

4.1.1 Motivation

To measure the real situation of PBL in improving speaking skills as encountered by students, the data from questionnaires were mainly used to analyze students’ motivation, participation, and performance In addition, the data from classroom observations and interviews were used to support the results

4.46 4.13 4.14 4.24

I am interested in the project activities 4.78 4.51 4.47 4.59

I want more opportunities to speak English 4.73 4.51 4.19 4.48

I feel confident to speak in front of the class 3.83 3.51 3.47 3.60

I am willing to speak in my group 4.63 4.06 4.53 4.40

I spend more time speaking English after PBL

and in speaking English To be more specific, students in grade 3(4.46) are more interested in PBL than other students This could be explained that PBL is new for students in grade 3 and their topics of projects are simpler and closer in real life than those of students in grade 4 and 5, so they are more excited in PBL In addition, although students are willing to speak English in their groups(4.40), they are not confident to perform in front of the whole class(3.60) Students are not only motivated to speak in class but also after PBL lessons(4.13), which shows that they are encouraged to practise speaking English thanks to PBL Similarly, the results from classroom observations show that students have high motivation for PBL

4.33 4.00 4.00 4.11

Be interested in the project 5 4 4 4.33

Feel confident to speak English in front of the

The results from student interviews show that students are all engaged in the project lessons and feel confident to speak English in the groups They really want to have much time for the project lessons One of students said“I really want to have such a lot of PBL lessons because I can learn and do what I like such as drawing, talking about my school, class and making cards”

In brief, the results from questionnaires, classroom observations and interviews all show the benefits and challenges of PBL related to motivation The first and foremost advantage is that students are encouraged in the project lessons

Students in grade 3 are more encouraged in those in grade 4 and 5 Additionally, students are ready to speak English in the project lessons and practise speaking English after their lessons; they also show their confidence of using English in the smaller groups However, one difficulty for students is to present the projects

in the whole class

4.1.1 Participation

3.75 3.77 3.83 3.78

I interact more frequently with other students 4.00 4.11 4.13 4.08

I can give feedback on other students’ presentation 3.93 3.86 3.63 3.80

I can talk about the project without hesitating 4.15 3.86 4.03 4.01

I can make questions for other groups 2.93 3.26 3.53 3.24

Table 4.1.3 Students’ participation in speaking activitiesaccording to

students’ questionnaires

From the table 4.1.3, students’ participation is 3.78 and the participation of students in grade 3, 4, 5 is 3.75, 3.77 and 3.83 respectively This shows that students’ participation in PBL is much lower than their motivation, which could

be explained that students cannot give feedback(3.80) and make questions(3.24) for other students Unlike motivation, the involvement of students in grade 5 is higher than other students This could be due to the fact that students in grade 5 have done more projects and have more experience in PBL than other students in other grades

Similar to the results from questionnaires, students’ participation in PBL is not high(3.25) and the participation of students in grade 5 is higher than other students Students do not pay attention to giving feedback and making questions for other students

Participation G3 G4 G5 Average

3.00 3.25 3.50 3.25

Interact frequently each other 4 4 5 4.33

Give feedback on other students’

Present the project fluently 4 4 3 3.67

Make questions for other groups 2 2 3 2.33 Table 4.1.4 Students’ participation based on classroom observations

In the same way, the result from the interviews also present that students could interact with other students more frequently in the project Two students (S2 and S3) said they did not give comments and did not know how to make questions and give feedback on others’ performance S2 said “I don’t give comments and don’t know how to comment”

In short, the results from questionnaires, classroom observations and interviews all point out the pros and cons of using PBL related to students’ participation On the one hand, PBL helps increase the interaction between students and teachers

or among students On the other hand, during the projects, students did not give

comments and make questions for others’ presentation

4.1.2 Performance

Averag

e 4.05 3.93 3.83 3.94

I use the words learnt from previous lessons 4.60 4.17 4.31 4.36

I use the structures learnt from previous

lessons 4.68 4.06 4.13 4.29

I answer quickly teachers’ and other

students’ questions 3.88 3.94 3.97 3.93

I speak English fluently after PBL lessons 3.85 3.97 3.97 3.93

I speak longer sentences after PBL lessons 3.23 3.51 2.78 3.17

Table 4.1.5 Students’ performance from students’ questionnaires