Using project based teaching to improve students’ confidence in english presentation skills at a high school in bac ninh province

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYEN THI THUY DUNG USING PROJECT-BASED TEACHING TO IMPROVE STUD

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYEN THI THUY DUNG

USING PROJECT-BASED TEACHING TO IMPROVE

STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN ENGLISH PRESENTATION SKILLS AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN BAC NINH PROVINCE

Sử dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án để cải thiện sự tự tin của học sinh ở kỹ năng thuyết trình tiếng Anh tại một trường cấp III

ở tỉnh Bắc Ninh

M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Language Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

HANOI – 2018

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYEN THI THUY DUNG

USING PROJECT-BASED TEACHING TO IMPROVE

STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN ENGLISH PRESENTATION SKILLS AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN BAC NINH PROVINCE

Sử dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án để cải thiện sự tự tin của học sinh ở kỹ năng thuyết trình tiếng Anh tại một trường cấp III

ở tỉnh Bắc Ninh

M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Language Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Pham Thi Thanh Thuy

HANOI – 2018

DECLARATION

I, the undersigned, declare that this thesis is the result of my own research and has not been submitted to any other university or institution partially or wholly Except where the reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in text of the thesis

Hanoi, 2018 Student

Nguyễn Thị Thùy Dung

Besides, my sincere thank is also extended to all the teachers in Post-graduate Department, Ha Noi University of Language and International Studies for their lectures supporting this research; simultaneously, my thank to all the students who helped me take part in the research and fulfill the questionnaire

Last but not least, I am grateful to my family and friends who have given me much encouragement during the time I carry out this research

ABSTRACT

It is obvious that project-based learning plays an important role in language teaching and learning This thesis was conducted with the aims to find out the reasons why students lack confidence in presentations, explore students’ and teacher’s attitudes toward the project-based learning, and explore how the project-based learning lessons help improve ten – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills

The study was conducted as an action research focusing on improving ten – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills at a High School in Bac Ninh province by using project-based learning It includes 48 ten – grade students who are

in the second semester of school year 2017 – 2018

Hopefully, the results of the study can help students improve their confidence

in English presentation skills in future and teachers apply project-based learning in their language teaching

ABBREVIATION

PBL: Project-based learning

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

ABBREVIATION iv

TABLE OF TABLES viii

TABLE OF FIGURES, CHARTS ix

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale of the study 1

2 Aims of the study 2

3 Research questions 2

4 Significance of the study 2

5 Scope of the study 3

6 Methods of the study 3

7 Design of the study 4

PART B: DEVELOPMENT 5

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 5

1.1 Presentation skills 5

1.1.1 Definitions of presentation 5

1.1.2 Types of presentation 5

1.1.3 Criteria for a good presentation 6

1.1.4 The importance of presentation skills in language learning 7

1.2 Confidence 8

1.2.1 Definitions of confidence 8

1.2.2 The importance of confidence in presentation skills 9

1.3 Project-based learning (PBL) 12

1.3.1 Definitions of PBL 12

1.3.2 Salient features of PBL 12

1.3.3 Benefits of PBL 13

1.3.4 Types of PBL 14

1.3.5 A framework for PBL 15

1.3.6 The role of the teacher in PBL 18

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 21

2.1 Action research 21

2.1.1 Definition of action research 21

2.1.2 The process of action research 21

2.1.3 Rationale of using an action research 23

2.2 Context of the study 24

2.3 Participants 24

2.4 Data collection 25

2.4.1 Questionnaire 25

2.4.2 Teacher’s observation 25

2.4.3 The pre-test and post-test 25

2.5 Data analysis 26

2.6 The action research procedure 26

2.6.1 Initiation (week 1, 2) 26

2.6.2 Primary investigation (week 3, 4) 26

2.6.3 Hypothesis 26

2.6.4 Intervention (Implementing PBL in form of group-work in afternoon tutor lessons) (week 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) 26

2.6.5 Evaluation (week 13 - 15) 29

2.6.6 Dissemination 29

2.7 Summary 29

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 30

3.1 Factors affecting students’ lack of confidence in English presentation skills 30

3.1.1 Internal factors 30

3.1.2 External factors 34

3.2 Attitudes of students and teachers to project-based learning 35

3.2.1 Attitude of students 35

3.2.2 Attitude of teacher 37

3.3 Effect of project-based learning 38

3.3.1 Effect of project-based learning in presentation skills 38

3.3.2 Effect of project-based learning in improving confidence in presentation skills 39

3.4 Summary 41

PART C: CONCLUSION 42

1 Summary of the study 42

2 Major findings and discussion of the study 42

3 Limitations of the study 44

4 Suggestions for further studies 44

REFERENCES 46 APPENDICES I

Appendix 1 I Appendix 2 V Appendix 3 VI Appendix 4 VIII

TABLE OF TABLES

Table 1.1: Summary of criteria for a good presentation 7

Table 2.1: Project topics 28

Table 3.1: Students’ result in the pre-test of presentation 33

Table 3.2: Students’ feeling about topics of project carried out in the semester 36

Table 3.3: Students’ result in the post-test of presentation 40

TABLE OF FIGURES, CHARTS

Figure 2.1: Steps in the action research cycle 22

Chart 3.1: The role of presentation skills 30

Chart 3.2: Students’ interest in English presentation skills in class 31

Chart 3.3: Factors causing students’ lack of confidence in English presentation skills 32

Chart 3.4: Teacher’s guide 34

Chart 3.5: Factors motivating students’ confidence in English presentation 35

Chart 3.6: Effect of PBL in presentation skills 38

Chart 3.7: Effect of project-based learning in improving confidence in presentation skills 39

PART A: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale of the study

In this globalization era, the importance of English is widely recognized since it is a mean of international communication; therefore, it is used through the world In Vietnamese education reform recent years, English national curriculum has been focused on developing English language competence which is expected in all four of the following skills: listening, reading, writing, especially speaking One

of the most important parts of speaking skills is presentation skills Joan Van Emden, Lucinda M Becker (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, p.142): "The ability to present a case clearly, cogently and confidently is enormously valuable at every stage of student's lives, whatever the subjects they study; it will bring them success

in academic work, job interviews and their future working life - it's the most transferable of all their skills and a critical part of their professional development."

Recognizing of the importance of developing English language competence for students, High Schools in Bac Ninh province have implemented in the system of seven – year English course books 10, 11, 12 to help students master four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking Experiencing five years teaching these course book programs, the researcher noticed the fact that one obvious and continuous weakness of most students is limited speaking skills, especially presentation skills Many students feel shy to present in front of other people The most serious problem is the lack of confidence

Meanwhile, the researcher considered project-based learning approach (or project-based teaching) as an appropriate and effective way to help students overcome the difficulties in speaking skills and increase students’ confidence in presentation skills Project-based learning refers to students’ designing, planning, and carrying out an extended project that produces a publicly-exhibited output such

as a product, publication, or presentation (Patton, 2012) During doing projects, students have to use English and cooperate with their peers as well as building

teamwork, group skills to get the best result in their final presentations Therefore, their confidence can be improved in presentation skills Moreover, students are encouraged to become independent workers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners

Considering the positive contribution of PBL, the researcher conducted a study on the implementation of project-based learning to improve students’ confidence in English presentation skills at a High School in Bac Ninh province

2 Aims of the study

With the reason above, this study is aimed at:

- finding out the reasons why students lack confidence in presentations,

- exploring students’ and teacher’s attitudes toward the project-based learning,

- exploring how the PBL lessons help improve ten – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills

3 Research questions

In order to achieve these aims, three following questions were proposed: (1) What make students feel unconfident in presentation?

(2) What are students’ and teacher’s attitudes toward project-based learning?

(3) To what extent PBL lessons help improve ten – grade students’ confidence in English presentation skills?

4 Significance of the study

Some studies claimed that PBL has been challenging for teacher to apply in spite of its positive benefits PBL may not work well with students who are not ready to this new approach (Levy, 1997) Teachers may have difficulty in the role

of “facilitator”, especially if they haven’t grasped concept of PBL In addition, it is not easy to integrate all of the course material into a single, semester-long project,

so teachers may not success to cover some of the core material for a particular course Besides, the group dynamic may make it difficult to determine which students contributed the most to the project, some students are lazy to cooperate and work for the final results, thus complicating student assessment Because of these potential problems, the researcher wants to provide an understanding into the

benefits and effectiveness of applying PBL in English lessons The study will consolidate the theoretical understanding of PBL for colleagues and students at the researcher’s high school They will have appropriate teaching methods in applying PBL in their lessons Moreover, the findings of the study will help the ten-grade students improve their confidence in English presentation skills by using PBL

5 Scope of the study

This study mainly focuses on improving ten – grade students’ confidence

in English presentation skills at a High School in Bac Ninh province by using PBL It includes 48 ten – grade students who are in the second semester of school year 2017 – 2018

Due to the limitation of time and scale of a minor thesis, the study only focuses on finding out the reasons that make students lack confidence in English presentations, investigating students’ and teachers’ attitudes toward using PBL and extent of the project that meets the project aims

6 Methods of the study

The study was conducted as an action research with four key stages: Planning, Acting, Observing, and Evaluation:

Stage 1: Planning:

- A pre-test and a questionnaire were used to investigate the issues that make students lack confidence in English presentation skills The data collected from the questionnaires was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively

- Mapping out strategies for the lesson plans applied PBL to improve students’ confidence in English presentation skills

Stage 2: Acting:

- PBL was adopted in the English lessons with fifteen hours over fifteen weeks in class 10A2 in the second semester of school year 2017 – 2018 with eight topics based on Basic English Textbook 10 (Hoang Van Van, 2006) to improve their confidence in presentation skills

- Documentary analysis was used to measure what the project met its objectives

- From the results of the post-test, questionnaire and class observation, some conclusions were made

7 Design of the study

The thesis entitled “Using Project-based Teaching to Improve Students’ Confidence in English Presentation Skills at a High School in Bac Ninh Province”

is divided into three parts:

Part A – Introduction shows the rationale, the aims for the research, the research

questions, the significance, the scope, the methods and the design of the study

Part B – Development consists of three chapters:

Chapter 1 - Literature review includes an overview of background of the study

This chapter makes clear key concepts and theories of the research topic, and reviews previous studies of the field to reveal the research gaps which need filling

Chapter 2 – Methodology introduces the participants, instrumentation, research

process and plan of the action

Chapter 3 – Findings and discussion gives detailed description of data analysis

and presents some explanations and interpretations of the finding of the study

Part C – Conclusion summarizes the major findings, shows the limitations of the

study and provides some suggestions for further study

PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2005, p.1190), presentation is defined as the act of showing something or of giving something to someone, especially as part of a formal ceremony

Scott (cited in Jing L 2009, p.4-5):

“Oral presentation tends to present ideas and information in an interactive way…oral presentation is a particularly effective way to communicate your concept and complex ideas because the presenter can use overhead projector and other visual aid and the audience can ask for further clarification.”

In general, a presentation is a mean of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team

3 Arousing presentation: Your purpose in an arousing presentation is to make people think about ascertain problem or situation

4 Decision-making presentation: Your purpose in a decision-making presentation is

to move your audience to take your suggested action A decision-making presentation presents ideas, suggestions, and arguments strongly enough to persuade

an audience to carry out your requests

5 Persuasive presentation: Your purpose in a persuasive presentation is to convince your listeners to accept your proposal

From five types of presentation above, it can be seen that Whatley characterized them based on the presenter’s purpose In spite of its own specific characteristics, they have a common in requirement: Presentations need a clear, formal and structured organization to deliver the messages to the listeners

1.1.3 Criteria for a good presentation

To answer the question: “What is a good presentation?”, Powell, M (1996)

states: “Many thing to contribute the success of a presentation – new and unusual

content, a clear structure, a good sense of timing, imaginative use of visual aids, the ability to make people laugh…and think But above and beyond all of these is enthusiasm.”

However, D’Arcy (1998) only gives five criteria in the set of evaluation to evaluate a presentation: organization and development of content, delivery, visuals, voice and volume, and comprehension He doesn’t emphasize on any elements, put them in the equal roles

Despite using different terms for the evaluation criteria, Powell (1996) and D’ Arcy (1998) both consider content and visual aids to contribute a successful presentation

Table 1.1: Summary of criteria for a good presentation

No Criteria for a good presentation Authors/ Researchers

Because of the ability of participants and the objectives of the research, the researcher only focused on some criteria as followed:

Table 1.2: Scope of criteria for a good presentation

1.1.4 The importance of presentation skills in language learning

Among the many benefit of designing oral presentations for students are (King J., 2002): bridging the gap between language study and language use; using

the four language skills in a naturally integrated way; helping students to collect, inquire, organize and construct information; enhancing team work; helping students become active and autonomous learners Students are involved in their own learning process as active participants, they are engaged in real-world experience, and they build creative and critical thinking and problem-solving skills as important characteristics for success in the 21st century The final goal is to help students maximize their potential, both personally and professionally

In Alshare and Hindi’ study (2004), the importance of presentation skills is

shown that “students are required to present in two classes per semester for an

average of ten minutes … students and instructors agreed that critical objectives of presentations were to improve communicative skills and to train students to talk to

a group of people.”

In brief, presentation skills play an important role in learning and teaching foreign language It consolidates four skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing; motivates the cooperation in team work; improves critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as develops the confidence to communicate with other people

1.2 Confidence

1.2.1 Definitions of confidence

Confidence (in somebody/something) is defined in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary as the feeling that you can trust, believe in, and be sure about the abilities or good qualities of someone or something

Palmer (2011 – p.1) describes the term as:

The self-reliance is that people have in their own abilities and values It does not mean thinking that people are the best at everything; but feeling comfortable about themselves in something that they have to do

To sum up, confidence is a belief in your ability to do your best You don’t have

to be the biggest, the best or the brightest to have confidence You just have to believe that you are capable of doing your best And you have to be willing to take risks

1.2.2 The importance of confidence in presentation skills

As language learners, confidence is one of the principal factors that have strong influence in the second language achievements

In language learning, Chen (2003) claims that confidence is a direct factor that effects students’ spoken English Similarly, Gander, S L (2006, p 13 -14) presents that many students feel satisfied and successful because they have achieved the independence and fluency levels of proficiency which make them feel confident

in their work

Talking about the role of confidence in presentation, it is said that oral presentations require courage and confidence from presenters who are in front of their classmate

According to Professional Communication Skills Program,

“The Presentation Skills seminar provides participants with the techniques needed to prepare, plan and deliver professional presentations The seminar provides a supportive environment with ample opportunity to practice speaking on a variety of subjects Immediate feedback is provided by the facilitator, fellow participants and through review of recorded practice presentations Participants receive individual direction for improving presentation skills, increasing their

confidence and comfort level when in front of an audience.”

Therefore, confidence is considered as the key in presentation skills Confident students trust their abilities and they have specific goals in order to be achieved without worrying about the outcome

1.2.3 Factors affecting students’ confidence in presentation skills

Students’ confidence in presentation skills is affected by many factors discussed in the following:

1.2.3.1 Internal factors

a Students’ language proficiency

Proficiency including skills, ability and experience is a major factor affects

to student’s confidence in oral activity, especially presentation skills According to Rob, E (1985), proficiency can be considered as linguistic competence or

communicative competence and second language proficiency is usually evaluated in relation to native speakers’ proficiency Scarcella, R & Oxford, R (1992) suggest that linguistic competence consists of vocabulary, grammar structures, and mechanics (such as basic sound of letters, syllables; the pronunciation of words, intonation and stress)

For this reason, students’ language proficiency has direct influence on students’ confidence in presentation skills in case presenting in front of their

classmates, not being able to answer the questions

b Students’ attitude

Chandrasegaran, A (1981) argues that attitude relates to states of emotion and thought for the English language, the learning of English and the culture of English-speaking people Gardner, R C and Larmbert, W.E (1972) point out that

attitude has a close relationship to motivation Spolsky (1998:23) say that “a

learner’s attitude affects the development of motivation” Obviously, attitude is an

important part in speaking English in general and in English presentation skills in particular because it helps students develop their motivation

c Students’ psychological factors

Some researchers, such as Nuna, D (1999) considers “this fear affects to make mistakes” Hieu, T (2011) presents that students fear of being laughed at by classmates and being criticized by their teachers T Kurtus, R (2001), similarly, adds that students care about the way other people see them and scare of being look foolish by other students

Besides, shyness is a psychological factor affect to students’ confidence during presenting English Baldwin, C (2011) adds that shyness in speaking in front of many people make mind blank and students may forget what to say Saurik (2011) shows that most of students shy in presenting because they think they can make mistakes when talking

To sum up, fear of mistakes and shyness in front of others easily lead to lack

of confidence in presentation skills Moreover, if students feel shy, they usually make mistakes

1.2.3.2 External factors

a Inappropriate teacher’s correction and role

Brown, H D (2002 – P.205) agrees that students’ errors show their acquisition about the language in through strategies Teachers usually correct students’ errors to help them master the language Some students feel comfortable with gender and clever correction while the others prefer frank correction Ur, P (2000) expresses that students may be unconfident and disappointed when teachers correct their error insensitively or criticize them in front of class Thus, teacher should be sensitive, enthusiastic and gentle in giving feedbacks and correction so that students are easy-going to recognize their errors and present their ideas confidently

According to Harmer, J (1999 – p.57), teachers’ role in classroom can be a controller, an organizer, an assessor, a prompter, a participant, a recourse, a tutor, and an observer

Byme, D (1986 – p.2) classifies the role of the teachers into three stages:

1.3 Project-based learning (PBL)

1.3.1 Definitions of PBL

Project-based learning (or project-based teaching) has been used in several of fields such as education, engineering, medicine,…for a long time Therefore, there are many definitions of project-based approach in learning Each definition reflects the underlying principles and perspectives of the author’ apprehension

PBL is an instructional approach that contextualizes learning by presenting learners with problems to solve or products to develop as what Moss and Duzer (1998) defined

Adderly, K et al (1975:1) defined PBL with some aspects:“ (1) [project]

involve the solution of a problem; often, though not necessarily, set by the student himself, (2) They involve initiative by the student or group of students, and necessitate

a variety of educational activities, (3) They commonly result in an end of product (eg: thesis, report,…), (4) Work often goes on for a considerate length of time, and (5) Teaching staff are involved in an advisory, rather than an authoritarian, role at any

or all of the stages-initiation, conduct or conclusion.” Among five aspects, the first

and third one play an important role in project-based learning

Fried-Booth (2002) has the same idea when presenting:

“Project work is student – centered and driven by the need to create an end-product However, it is the route to achieving this end-product that makes project work so worthwhile The route to the end-product brings opportunities for students to develop their confidence and independence and to work together in a real-word environment by collaborating on a task”

From three definitions above, the one given by Adderly, K et al (1975) is seemingly the most obvious and adequate so that the study is based on this principle

2 Projects focus on driving questions that lead students to encounter important concepts and content

3 Students take part in investigations that allow them to build their understanding

4 Students have more responsibility for their own learning than in traditional, teacher-driven instruction

5 Projects relate to the real world

In PBL, students must feel autonomous without directions and direct supervision from the teacher who really is considered just as a facilitator Projects should not have a predetermined outcome nor follow a predetermined path A project must resemble a real-world problem that is authentic (not simulation) capable of being transformed and implemented

1.3.3 Benefits of PBL

Project-based learning offers a wide range of benefits to both students and teachers A growing body of academic research supports the use of project-based learning in school to engage students, cut absenteeism, boost cooperative learning skills, and improve academic performance (George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2001) For students, benefits of project-based learning include:

• Increased attendance, growth in self-reliance, and improved attitudes toward learning (Thomas, 2000)

• Academic gains equal to or better than those generated by other models, with students involved in projects taking greater responsibility for their own learning than during more traditional classroom activities (Boaler, 1997; SRI, 2000 )

• Opportunities to develop complex skills, such as higher-order thinking, solving, collaborating, and communicating (SRI, 2000)

problem-• Access to a broader range of learning opportunities in the classroom, providing a strategy for engaging culturally diverse learners (Railsback, 2002)

For many students, the appeal of this learning style comes from the authenticity of the experience Students take on the role and behavior of those working in a particular discipline Whether they are making a documentary video about an environmental concern, designing a travel brochure to highlight sites of

historical significance in their community, or developing a multimedia presentation about the pros and cons of building a shopping mall, students are engaged in real-world activities that have significance beyond the classroom

For teachers, additional benefits include enhanced professionalism and collaboration among colleagues, and opportunities to build relationships with students (Thomas, 2000) Additionally, many teachers are pleased to find a model that accommodates diverse learners by introducing a wider range of learning opportunities into the classroom Teachers find that students who benefit the most from project-based learning tend to be those for whom traditional instructional methods and approaches are not effective (SRI, 2000)

1.3.4 Types of PBL

There is a variety of projects, such as drawing pictures, making news, making records, carrying out interviews and surveys, portfolios,…thus, it is not easy

to define what project is

Kilpatrick (1918) identifies four types of projects with procedures: Type 1, projects embody some external idea or plan (such as building a boat, writing a letter, or presenting a play); Type 2 involve enjoying an esthetic experience (such as listening to a poem, hearing a symphony, or appreciating a painting); Type 3, problem solving (include interpreting the effects of war or findings of an experiment); and Type 4 involve obtaining a certain item of skill or knowledge…

Haines (1989:1) classifies projects into three categories based on the final

products and information delivery: Production projects which consists of the work with radio, video, wall newspapers,…; Performance projects including presentation, debates,…; Organizational projects involves parties, plays, drama,…

To sum up, because the participants are creative, dynamic and studious high school students, the researcher gave them many opportunities to express It means that the researcher implement various kind of projects in her teaching context, such

as presentation, role - play, telling stories, making conversation, etc

Although projects are divided into many types, they have common characteristics and framework which will be discussed in the next part

to the classroom This model later develops into the eight stages of development

Papandreou (1994) in “An Application of the Projects Approach to EFL” introduces a model which illustrates the process of project work in six steps:

Step 1: Preparation: in this period, the teacher introduces the topic to the students,

and asks them to discuss and ask questions

Step 2: Planning: in this period, the teacher and the students determine the mode

for collecting and analyzing information, and different work are assigned

Step 3: Research: in this part, the students work individually or in groups gather

information from different sources

Step 4: Conclusions: the students draw conclusions bases upon their analysis of the

collected data

Step 5: Presentation: the students are supposed to present their final product to the

whole class

Step 6: evaluation: in this part, the teacher makes comments on the students’

endeavor and efforts

In this model, Papandreou adds a new step into the whole process, namely evaluation, which is apparently a new initiative to the traditional model And this model is similar to the six-step model undertaken by Kaptan

Here are steps for implementing PBL, which are detailed below by (Korkmaz & Kaptan, 2000):

Step 1: Stating the subject and sub-subjects, organizing the groups

Students explore the resources and in order to create a frame for the project they state questions

Step 2: Groups create projects

Group members make a project plan They ask questions as “Where are we going?”,

“What will we learn?” vs they choose their roles in the project

Step 3: Application of the project

Group members are organized and analyze the data and information

Step 4: Planning of the presentation

The members define the essential points in their presentation and then decide on how to present the project

Step 5: Making the presentation

Presentations can be made in any (in different schools, classes, vs.) places

Step 1: Students and instructor agree on a theme for the project

Step 2: Students and instructor determine the final outcome

Step 3: Students and instructor structure the project

Step 4: Instructor prepares students for the language demands of information

gathering

Step 5: Students gather information

Step 6: Instructor prepares students for the language demands of compiling and

analyzing data

Step 7: Students compile and analyze information

Step 8: Instructor prepares students for the language demands of the culminating

activity

Step 9: Students present final product

Step 10: Students evaluate the project

In this revised framework, steps 4, 6 and 8 are newly designed to differentiate it from the traditional one The two models are different in that the language demands related to each step are taught in a different way

The revised model is easier to handle and manage, which may help the teachers and students in the real application of the project Thus the students’ language skills, creative thinking and content learning can be facilitated The final objective of the project work can be achieved

Regarding the mentioned notions of confidence and oral presentations, project-based learning is presented as an instructional approach situated also in the epistemological paradigm of social constructivism in which learners have the opportunities to interact with peers for the purpose of discussing, generating, and sharing knowledge (Roessingh & Chambers, 2011, p 62) Besides, it is considered

as a "comprehensive teaching approach that holds potential to motivate and engage learners in tasks that support deep learning and allow them to exercise choice and control regarding what to work on, how to work, and what products to generate” (Blumenfeld, Soloway, Marx, Krajcik, Guzdial, & Palincsar , 1991, p 376) Furthermore, project-based learning, as oral presentations, is also learner-centered and flexible, that is, learners have the possibility and the motive "to work their way

to the solution in their own idiosyncratic way" that allow them to develop autonomy, to learn how to work in groups, and to construct their knowledge integrating the skills in their immediate context. Lastly, an important aspect of project-based learning is that it provides students opportunities to develop confidence and independence (Fried-Booth, 2002, p.6) which become more positives attitudes towards learning, reducing anxiety and increasing motivation

To conclude, project-based learning improves students’ oral presentation skills as Iakovos Tsiplakides (2006) supports:

Students are more personally involved, so they usually have increased motivation They do not feel that they are constantly assessed It is easier for them

to focus on communication, rather than on accuracy, and is less concerned with language errors and the consequences of "imagined failure" An additional advantage of project work is that students have an active role and responsibilities in the implementation of project work, which can boost their confidence and reduce the effect of perceptions of low ability in the target language (As cited in Alahem,

2013, p 42)

1.3.6 The role of the teacher in PBL

Ideally, it is the students who choose projects, but since in lower-level classes students often do not have the required language skills or confidence to develop project themes, the teacher must listen to them and try to identify some underlying issues that are meaningful to the students, paying special attention to their needs, interests, cultural background, jobs, etc

With beginner level students, the teacher may have to take a fairly active role, providing examples of previously completed projects to encourage the students

to produce their own With more advanced classes, however, it is easier to get the class to develop a project that meets a need they have identified In these situations, the teacher takes the role of a facilitator (Gaer 1998)

Projects that students choose to do may be based on some topic in their textbook or may merely be a source of entertainment and a break from routine classroom activities

As Wentzel and Brophy (2014) state, student motivation should be at the center of project design as the students must see value in a project in order to be willing to enroll in it

When outlining a project, teachers must always keep in mind the linguistic objectives and the content standards that will be addressed The choice of the topic

is also of huge importance, it must be up-to-date, motivate the students and keep them interested throughout the project It is important to involve the students in

planning and decision making since this will help them develop a feeling of ownership of the project After agreeing on the theme of the project and determining the final outcome of the project (e.g., written report, brochure,

performance), the teacher must also design a timeline for project components and help the students define a specific flexible schedule to accomplish the project

The teacher’s initial role in PBL is to develop realistic and authentic problems and materials, and as soon as this task has been fulfilled, the teacher fades into the background while students engage in solving the problem

The students take on the role of whatever person is solving the problem, generate a list of learning issues and whenever a new learning issue arises, the students must create an action plan to tackle this issue

The teacher can help by directing the students to information which will answer their questions, but should not answer the questions per se Students must regard the teacher as a guide so the teacher should not try to control everything and must leave some autonomy to the students Finding the proper balance between teacher guidance and student autonomy enhances the advantages of project work in the language classroom The teacher designs language-improvement activities to help students successfully present the final outcome of the project Those activities may focus on skills for successful oral presentations, persuasive debates, editing, and so forth

After engaging in teacher-guided preparatory activities, students start to compile and analyze the gathered data They work in groups to organize the information and then discuss the value of the data that they have collected, keeping some and discarding others

Another role of the teacher is to monitor the students and the progress of the project, as well as to assess the final outcome The teacher should not forget to ask the students to provide feedback on the project experience and to reflect on the language and the subject matter acquired during the project This will help the

teacher see the drawbacks of the project and make it more elaborate each year In this last stage of project work teachers also provide students with feedback on their language and content learning

One of the most important things the teacher should not forget when using project based learning is to ask the students to provide feedback on the project experience This will help the teacher see the drawbacks of the project and make it more elaborate each year

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY

In the first chapter, some information about the context of the study is given The second chapter will clarify the participants and the research methods which consist of the instruments for the study and the methods of data analysis

2.1 Action research

2.1.1 Definition of action research

Action research has been defined in many ways Ferrance (2000) and Corey (1953) states that action research is a process of systematic inquiry and a small-scale investigation undertaken by a class teacher to find effective solutions to real problems encountered in daily life and inform future practices Tsui (1992, p.33) shows that: “Action research is a very effectiveness way of helping teachers to reflect on their teaching and to come up with their own alternatives to improve their practice”

According to Kemmis and McTaggart (1988, p 5-6), action research is defined as

… a form of collective self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices, as well as their understanding of these practices and the situations in which these practices are carried out

2.1.2 The process of action research

Nunan (1992, p.19) and Nunan (1993, p 41-42) described the process of action research as follow steps:

Step 7: Follow-up (Revise for next circle)

Step 1: Initiation

Step 4: Intervention

Figure 2.1: Steps in the action research cycle

Step 1 - Initiation (Problem identification): From teaching experience, the

researcher identified the problems that students had faced in the classroom

Step 2 – Preliminary (Preliminary investigation): The researcher investigated

students’ feelings to these problems and discussed with other classes about their problems

Step 3 – Hypothesis: The researcher formed the hypothesis that most students are

not confident in presentation skills because they had negative attitudes towards presentation skills in previous lessons and their teacher’s teaching method

Step 4 – Intervention: The researcher planned the lessons and found out

techniques solving the problems defined by the hypothesis after classroom observation and hypothesis

Step 5 – Evaluation: The researcher along with the colleagues worked through

some stages such as action, observation, reflection, and revision to evaluate the

results of activities, material, classroom’ atmosphere and the role of teacher

Step 6 – Dissemination: Results was reported

Step 7 – Follow-up: The researcher revises for next circle

Because of limited time, in spite of seven steps in an action researcher cycle, the researcher carried out 6 steps below:

Step 1 - Initiation (Problem identification)

Step 2 – Preliminary (Preliminary investigation)

Step 3 – Hypothesis

Step 4 – Intervention

Step 5 – Evaluation

Step 6 – Dissemination

2.1.3 Rationale of using an action research

The benefit of action research is given in the definition of Milss (2003-p.4)

“an action research is … any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers to gather information about the ways that their particular school operates how the teach, and how well their students learn The information is gathered with the goals

of gaining insight, developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school environment and on educational practice in generals, and improving student outcomes” Action researches conducted in schools, colleges and universities usually solve practical problems which teacher researchers experience everyday Therefore, they are carried out by teachers themselves to change, improve teaching methods and learning environment effectively Tsui (1992) suggests three reasons why teacher researchers should use action research as follow:

- to solve own problems in a scientific process an improve own practice,

- to adapt theory ( findings of conventional research) to practice (own problems),

- share the results of action research with other teachers

Because of above reasons, action research makes a part in teacher’ profession If he wants to be a better teacher, he has to find out and solve teaching problems himself scientifically It proves that he is dynamic, active, and modern in his teaching

2.2 Context of the study

The study was carried out at Nguyen Van Cu High School, Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province where the researcher is teaching English in the afternoon tutor course of the second semester The duration of the course is 15 hours over 15 weeks Students attend the class about 2 hours each Wednesday afternoon tutor, so the researcher spends 1 hour each week conducting the research The book used in this course is Basic English Textbook 10 (Hoang Van Van, 2006) It is designed to develop some skills and language aspects, including grammar, vocabulary and reading, speaking, listening, writing skills The content covers interesting topic, such as environment, mass media, music, films and cinema, etc

After observing at the first semester, the researcher saw that students faced some problems in their presentation skills in speaking lessons The researcher tried

to give solutions for these problems but the reality cannot be improved Therefore, the researcher decided to use PBL for group-work activities to enhance students’ confidence in English presentation skills

2.3 Participants

The researcher is the teacher at Nguyen Van Cu High School, Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province The participants are 48 students in class 10A2 where the researcher is responsible for teaching English in 2017-2018 school year They include 18 boys and 20 girls who are 16 years olds They come from different communes in Tu Son district and have been learning English for 9 years They must get at least 5 for English to pass the High School entrance exam Therefore, they are quite homogeneous in their level of English proficiency