Using some language games in some speaking lessons to create excitement and enhance learning english for grade 12 students

Through out five- year teaching experience, studying materials as well as observing the other teachers' class, I realize that stimulating students to practice speaking actively during En

TABLE OF CONTENT

2.3.9.Daily work 12

2.3.10 Exhibition 13

2.3.11.Guessing game 14

2.3.12 Stop the bus 14

References 17

1 Introduction

1.1 Reason for choosing the study

Learning a language is a complex and long process as anyone who has tried will agree One of the most difficult and frustrating things is making the transition from the classroom to the 'real' world In the classroom, everyone knows you are a student and mistakes are allowed, and the environment is contained and safe Speaking another language outside the classroom is completely different and often students are lost at sea as soon as they step outside the door Lists of memorized vocabulary are suddenly useless when ordering in a restaurant

The problem becomes more complicated when it comes to Vietnam setting English teachers in Vietnam have just adopted communicative approach for just a few years since the using of the new textbooks However, they have not paid enough attention to speaking skill The speaking tasks are simple, and more importantly, impractical

How to create excitement for students during English speaking lessons? Through out five- year teaching experience, studying materials as well as observing the other teachers' class, I realize that stimulating students to practice speaking actively during English lesson majorly bases on designing teaching-learning activities of each teacher in each lesson plan And, games in general and speaking games in particular are very useful in teaching and learning English speaking because it not only encourages, but improves and teaches students’ ability in using English fluently as well Therefore, I think this study is necessary and the result of using games in teaching speaking will bring many practical benefits to the students

As an English teacher, I really want to clarify the topic here with my knowledge to analyze, understand the situation of teaching and learning English at high school; the application of games in teaching English at the school Thanks to

it, I will find out lessons, experience for myself and make a small contribution to

enhancing the effectiveness in teaching this subject Thus, in this writing, I would like to present the study entitles:

"Using some language games in some speaking lessons to create excitement and enhance learning English for grade 12 students".

1.2 Aims of the study

The aims of this study are:

- To introduce some language games in teaching speaking

- To show how to organize games effectively and how to deal with initial problems that may arise

- To create excitement and enhance learning English for students

1.3 Objects of the study

This subject is concerned with ways of using some language games as well

as their effectiveness on teaching speaking

1.4 Methods of the study

Reading reference books, discussing with other teachers, applying in

teaching, observing and drawing out experiences

2 Content

2.1 Theoretical back ground

Speaking is "the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of contexts" (Chaney, 1998, p 13) Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching Despite its importance, for many years, teaching speaking has been undervalued and English language teachers have continued to teach speaking just as a repetition of drills or memorization of dialogues However, today's world requires that the goal of teaching speaking should improve students' communicative skills, because, only in that way, students can express themselves and learn how to follow the social and cultural rules appropriate in each communicative circumstance In order to teach second language learners how to speak in the best way possible, some speaking activities are provided below, that can be applied to ESL and EFL classroom settings, together with suggestions for teachers who teach oral language

Now many linguistics and ESL teachers agree on that students learn to speak

in the second language by "interacting" Communicative language teaching and collaborative learning serve best for this aim Communicative language teaching is based on real-life situations that require communication By using this method in ESL classes, students will have the opportunity of communicating with each other

in the target language In brief, ESL teachers should create a classroom environment where students have real-life communication, authentic activities, and meaningful tasks that promote oral language This can occur when students collaborate in groups to achieve a goal or to complete a task

There is an interesting movement towards teaching speaking with games It creates students’ motivation in learning English, especially speaking English g Just immage when coming in class the teacher annouces that it is time for speaking lesson with games instead of moans and whinning, the teacher and the students get

smiles and excitemment

Aydan Ersoz, author of "Six Games for the ESL/EFL Classroom" also explains more reasons why games do work for teaching speaking Learning a language requires constant effort and that can be tiring, but Ersoz outlines two good reasons why games should be included in the classroom:

* Games that are amusing and challenging are highly motivating

* Games allow meaningful use of the language in context

Students may wish to play games purely fo fun Teacher, however, need more convincing reasons “ Teacher need to consider which games to use, when to use them, how to link them up with the syllabus, textbook and programme and how, more specially, different games with benifit student in different ways” (Khan, J,1996) The key to a sucessful language games is that the rule is clear, the ultimate goal is well designed and the game must be fun

2.2 Real situation of teaching and learning English at Tho Xuan 4 high school

From applying new English teaching methods, "language games” have been become main activity in teachers' lesson plans, especially in speaking plans Some teachers have paid attention and prepared careful game They know how to make the class time pleasant and comfortable so they create excitement and motivate speaking English for their students However, some others are not aware much about the importance of language games as well as speaking skill They still think that these games for this part waste time and make class noisy Thus, instead of having better preparation for speaking period, they often explain the grammar rules and ask students to do exercises This makes students stressful and the class time boring

Moreover, for students at Tho Xuan 4 high school, they have approached new teaching methods, but they seem to be embarrassing when they take part in speaking activities To know exactly about this problem, I have investigated 90 students in 2 classes 12A5 and 12A6 by asking them the following questions:

Please tick your choice to answer the following questions:

1 Do you like speaking activities in English lessons?

Very like Like Normal Dislike

2 Why do (don't) you like speaking activities in English lesson?

And I get the bellow result:

Total very like like Normal Dislike

As can be seen from the result that most of good students are interested in speaking activities while lower students are shy because they have no ability to take part in Student's level of understanding is unequal in a class to cause difficulty for teachers to choose activities which are suitable for whole class Many activities can

be applied well in this period but they also are boring in the other ones Lots of speaking activities make good students excited while bad students could not participate in And vice versa, some activities attract lower students but make good ones bored

Besides, my school is located in half-plain and pure agricultural area so students `have less chance to communicate in foreign language in daily life They are so shy to speak as well as express ideas, so the lessons often end with chatting

in mother tongue

From those reasons, the study entitled ""Using some language games in some speaking lessons to create excitement and enhance learning English for grade 12 students" has been conducted with the hope to make teachers and

students have a good chance to practice speaking English

2.3 Some speaking activities applied in teaching English 12 (basic).

2.3.1 First riddle

Aims: find key word related to the topic of the lesson

Unit 1: Home life

Time: 4 minutes

Preparation: 6 pictures

Work arrangement: group work

Procedure:

- Teacher (T) divides class into 2 teams A and B

- T hangs the pictures prepared on the board and asks students (Ss) to find out the name of each picture and then take the first word of each word to make key word Which teams finding the key word fastest will be the winner

- Ss work in group and find the key word

- T declares the winner and leads in to the new lesson

* Key word: FAMILY

* 6 cue pictures:

Fish Armchair Mushroom

Ice cream Lamp Yard

2.3.2 Who takes on?

Aim: practice talking about house works

Unit 1 Home life

Time: 5 minutes

Preparation: handouts printed the information in the textbook

Work arrangement: group work

Procedure:

- T divides class into groups of 4 students

- T gives Ss handouts

- Each student in each group will go to other groups to interview about the information in the handout

- After 2 minutes, Ss return their group to report the information of the friend who they have interviewed

- T calls some groups to present their work in front of the class

- T gives feedback

*Model dialogue:

Student A: Can you tell me who works in your family?

Student B: Both my parents work My father is a doctor My mother is a worker Student A: Who does household chores?

Student B: My mother does most household chores.

Student A: What is your responsibility in the family?

Student B: I help my mother do the washing up and clean the floor I help my brother with his homework.

Student A: What interest do your family members share closely?

Student B: our schoolwork and TV programs are what we share closely.

Student A: Who do you often share your secrets with?

Student B: I often share my secrets with my mother

Student A: Who do you talk to before making an important decision?

Student B: I talk to my parents before making an important decision.

Report

I talked to Mai Both her parents work Her mother does most household chores but she helps her a lot Her responsibility is doing the washing up, cleaning the floor and helping her brother with his homework Her family members share the schoolwork and TV programs closely She often shares her secrets with her mother She talks to her parents before making an important decision.

2.3.3 How much do you know about this?

Aims: practice talking about diverse culture

Unit 2: Cultural diversity

Time: 5 minutes

Preparation: 8 pictures

Work arrangement: group work

Procedure:

- T divides class into 8 groups Each group chooses a representative

- T lets groups choose one of 8 pictures in random Each picture expresses one

of different cultural features which are concerned in the textbook page 22,23

- Ss will observe the picture and express the their ideas about the cultural feature in it

- After 2 minutes, T calls representatives of groups to present their ideas in front of the class

- T gives comments

*8 cue pictures

1 2

3 4

5 6

7 8

*Answer

1 People go shopping once a week

2 Lovers hold hands and kiss in public

3 Children sleep in their own bedrooms

4 Three generations live under the same roof

5 People ask questions about age

6 people celebrate their birthdays

7 Christmas is a national holiday

8 Marriage is based on love

2.3.4 How you say in this situation?

Aim: practice giving and responding compliments

Unit 3: Ways of socializing

Time: 5 minutes

Preparation: some situations

Work arrangement: group work

Procedure:

- T divides class into 2 team (A &B)

- T gives some situations on the board

- One student in group A will give a compliment following the situation given by teacher and one student in group B will respond After that, one student in group B will give compliment and student in group A respond

- This response must be done continually in turns Whoever stop s in 5 seconds (the whole class counts one, two, and three….) has to stand up Which team has less students standing up will be the winner

- T gives feedback

Example:

Situation 1: a girl is wearing a new dress

Student A: You look very nice in your new dress.

Student B: Thank you That’s a nice compliment…

2.3.5 Win her heart

Aims: warm- up activities for talking about the topic of the lesson

Unit 4: School education system

Time: 3 minutes

Preparation: pictures about kinds of school

Work arrangement: group work

Procedure:

- T divides class into 2 teams "Son Tinh" and "Thuy Tinh"

- T hangs 6 pictures in turn on the board

- 2 teams raise hand to have right to guess "what is kind of school?" in the picture

If guessing is correct, they will one step to win Mi Nuong's heart If wrong, they will spend right to answer to the left team Which team stepping to the top first will

be the winner

- T gives feedback for each guessing and marks for each team

- T declares the winner and leads in to the lesson

*Cue pictures: Kindergarten, Primary school, Secondary school, High school

2.3.6 Which school?

Aim: practice talking about school education system in Vietnam and England

Unit 4: School education system

Time: 5 minutes

Preparation: a note of vocabulary cards for each pair

Work arrangement: pair works

Procedure:

- T lets Ss work in pair

- T puts vocabulary cards on the desk and covers them

- Ss take turn to choose card and talk about the tissue in it Student A will talk about school education system in Vietnam and student B will school talk about education system in England After that, two students will find the similarities and differences between two school education systems

- T asks Ss to discuss in 3 minutes and then calls some pairs to present their work

in front of the class

- T gives feedback

• Vocabulary cards

Levels of education The age at which children start grade 1

Academic year The grades at primary school

School system National examination

2.3.7 Magic wheel

Aim: practice talking about the process of applying to a tertiary institution in

Vietnam

Unit 5: Higher education

Time: 5 minutes

Preparation: a wheel of 12 numbers (from one to twelve) indicating 12 months in a

year

Work arrangement: group work

Procedure:

- T divides class into teams

- Each team will take turn to choose the number by turning the wheel Then, Ss will

have to talk about what they will do in that month to prepare for going to university

- Ss can using the cues in task 2 page 55

- Each presentation will get one point Which team has more points will be the

winner

- Ss plays game and T gives feedback

*Expected answer:

October Learn for the first semester at high school

Do 15 minute and one period tests November Learn for the first semester at high school

Do 15 minute and one period tests December Take first term examination

January Get first term results

Start second semester February Attend meetings introducing universities

Choose the favorite university or college March Fill in the application form

Send the application form

July Take the entrance examination to the university of

August Get the entrance examination result

September Get a letter of acceptance from the university

Go to university as a university student

2.3.8 Complete the words.

Aim: review some vocabularies related to job

Unit 6: Future jobs

Time: 7 minutes

Preparation: handout

Work arrangement: group work