Enhancing the english speaking reflex of phan dang luu high school’s 11th graders through the combination of hot seating strategy and IELTS speaking part 1 and 3 que

However, in this initiative, the teacher would like to utilize it in order to create a lifelike environment so that students could practice their speaking reflex and use their English la

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO NGHỆ AN

TRƯỜNG THPT PHAN ĐĂNG LƯU



SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM

ENHANCING THE ENGLISH SPEAKING REFLEX

THROUGH THE COMBINATION OF HOT SEATING STRATEGY

AND IELTS SPEAKING PART 1 AND 3 QUESTIONS

MÔN: Tiếng Anh

Tác giả: Triệu Thị Nghĩa

Tổ chuyên môn: Văn – Ngoại ngữ

Số điện thoại: 0986278778

NĂM HỌC: 2020-2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1: INTRODUCTION ………

PART 2: CONTENT………

I LITERATURE REVIEW…….………

1 Speaking Skill and Importance of the English speaking reflex

1.1 Speaking Skill ……… … ………

1.2 Importance of the English Speaking Reflex… ….………

2 Hot Seating Strategy…….……….………

3 IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 ……….……….………

II THE REALITY………

III THE OBJECTIVES AND THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY………

1 The Objectives of the Study………

2 The Scope of the Study…… ….………

IV SOLUTIONS………

1 Process of Applying the Initiative ….………

1.1 Interaction ………

1.2 Assignment ………… … ………

1.3 Performance ….… ………

1.4 Assessment…….……… ….………

2 Detailed Solutions ……… ………

PART 3: CONCLUSION………

I FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS……… ………

1 Some Findings………….………

2 Limitations…… … ………

II SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY………

REFERENCES ………

APPENDICES ……….………

Appendix 1 Class Observation Checklist………

Appendix 2 Pre-treatment Questionnaire ………

Appendix 3 Post-treatment Questionnaire …………

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PART 1: INTRODUCTION

In the era of the globalization and international integration, English has become a

‘lingua franca’, which, according to Jeremy Harmer (2001:1), can be defined as a language widely adopted for communication between two speakers whose native languages are different from each other’s, and one or both speakers are using it as a second language It has been used almost all over the world in many different fields such as diplomacy, science, technology, business, culture, tourism, etc There is no doubt that English is one of the most important means of communication and access

to information In this context, the ability to use English properly is more and more highly appreciated

In Vietnam, in recent years, English as a foreign language has gained considerable attention It has become a compulsory subject in the syllabus of most schools, colleges and universities It has been taught throughout the country, both urban and rural areas Even in the countryside, children now start learning English when they are

3 or 4 years old However, the teaching and learning of English, especially in the countryside, has not been really effective yet There are still many people who cannot use English well after English courses

It is clear that keeping speaking and giving answers to others’ questions as fast as possible is the key to a successful conversation However, as a rural high school teacher of English, the writer finds that most of her students, including the ones with a good knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary, have great difficulty in speaking English They even cannot open their mouths to answer very simple questions in this language Therefore, it is important that there be a stimulus to enable students to express their ideas orally

After investigating the real situation and reviewing the related literature, the teacher discovers that the students’ low level of motivation for speaking skill partly results from their bad speaking reflex, which makes them unconfident about their spoken English Meanwhile, they do not have a favorable environment for practicing and fostering this On the other hand, some students whose English is good are studying

or have intention to study it for IELTS tests If the teacher continues to deliver her lessons in the conventional way and mainly focus on the goal of her students’ passing the national exam, these students will feel bored and ignore the lessons in class Consequently, the learning atmosphere will become dull and students will not know the real value of mastering an international language like English

In the light of research, the teacher has realized that Question and Answer activity with IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions is the approach that could work in tackling her students’ problems The International English Language Test System

(IELTS) is undeniably one of the most reputable and popular English tests in the world, which could be a kind of motivation to stimulate students to speak English In fact, some Vietnamese students today tend to use IELTS scores to be admitted to universities Especially, many IELTS speaking questions are of the same topics as the textbook’s units In addition, a strategy like Hot Seating could help to put students in the lifelike situations, where students play roles relating to the lesson topics so that they could use their English naturally All of these things are the reasons why the

teacher has studied and worked on the initiative: ‘Enhancing the English speaking reflex of Phan Dang Luu high school’s 11 th graders through the combination of Hot Seating Strategy and IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions’

In brief, the speaking skill is very important It is a way of expressing ourselves and exchanging information in whatever language we use Besides, the fact is that a man can learn to speak his first language naturally in his language environment in everyday life before learning to read and write, which can need a lot of guidance

1.2 Importance of the English speaking reflex

Biologically, a reflex is an automatic reaction involving nerve cells that is not controlled by the brain, and, therefore, does not involve choice, for example, sneezing

or vomiting According to Cambridge Dictionary, a reflex is a physical reaction to something that you cannot control or it is the ability to react quickly In other words,

as cited in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, it is an action or a movement of your body that happens naturally in response to something or is something you do without thinking

With reference to languages, the reflex could be understood to be the way of your thinking and expressing your ideas in those languages as soon as possible This makes your communication with your counterparts better and more effectively In regard to the importance of language reflexes, Zhanli Yang Department of Pre-school Education Hebei Vocational College of Foreign Languages Qinhuangdao, China email: yzl200519751001@126.com argues in ‘Strategies of Improving Spoken

English for Learners’ that building up reflexes right from the beginning will help

people later when their skills are good enough to participate in a conversation

However, unlike some natural reflexes, which people are born with, it takes time and practice to form and foster foreign language reflexes Therefore, to have good reflexes

in spoken English, practice is considered to be one of the most effective methods

2 Hot Seating Strategy

Hot Seating is a strategy in which a character or characters, played by the teacher or a student, are interviewed by the rest of the group about their background, behaviour, motivation and multiple perspectives/ experiences related to a theme, event, or idea Characters may be hot-seated individually, in pairs or small groups The technique is additionally useful for developing questioning skills with the rest of the group

The traditional approach is for the pupil playing the character to sit on a chair in front

of the group (arranged in a semi-circle), although characters may be hot-seated in pairs or groups It is helpful if the teacher takes on the role of facilitator to guide the questioning in constructive directions To help students begin, the teacher can try hot-seating children in pairs (e.g a pair of street urchins) or in groups (e.g environmental protesters, refugees) Also, according to David Farmer (https://dramaresource.com/ hot-seating/), it is important that the rest of the group be primed to ask pertinent questions and not get bogged down in facts during hot seating, but concentrate on personal feelings and observations instead He also adds that characters to hot seat include famous people such as Florence Nightingale, President Kennedy or Tutankhamen as well as ordinary people like a chimney sweeper, a Roman soldier or

a Saxon farmer Students can be asked to research historical characters with opposing points of view then be hot-seated by the class as part of a debate

3 IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test for higher education and global immigration More than 10,000 organizations globally trust IELTS, so when one takes the test, he/she can be confident that it is recognized by educational institutions, employers, governments and professional bodies around the world As one of the pioneers of four- skill (listening, speaking, reading and writing) English language testing 30 years ago, IELTS continues to set the standard for English language testing today Governments in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom use IELTS to process immigration applications

IELTS Speaking is a face-to-face, informal discussion with an IELTS examiner, and

is the same for both Academic and General Training The test is divided into 3 parts and is designed to test your pronunciation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary

IELTS Speaking Part 1 lasts between 4-5 minutes, includes around 8-10 IELTS Speaking questions, and about 2-3 familiar IELTS Speaking topics such as your job, your studies, your family, your hometown, your accommodation, etc Part 1 questions might best be described as questions that imitate small talk between two strangers or acquaintances They are not very in-depth It is considered to be a warm-up activity to provide examinees with relaxation and comfort to enter the rest parts

IELTS Speaking Part 3 is designed to give you the opportunity to talk about more abstract issues and ideas It is a two-way discussion with the examiner, and last 4-5 minutes In this part, the examiner will ask a broader range of questions based on the IELTS Speaking Part 2 He/ She will also expect answers with an explanation and examples in general The time will be strictly controlled in this part

II THE REALITY

At the beginning of the academic year 2020-2021, I conducted a survey among my students and colleagues, using the questionnaires, interviews and observations, and got some significant findings

First, the goal of all of the students (96.6%) is to pass the national examination, which

is designed in the format of multiple-choice questions and focuses mainly on vocabulary, pronunciation, reading comprehension and controlled writing, but not listening and speaking skills Many of them (70.5%) consider English to be a compulsory subject and the smaller number of students (43.2%) valued it as a means

of communication Consequently, they did not have much motivation to practise speaking English

Second, the differences between the objectives of the syllabus and those of the final examination make the teachers waver, not knowing what and how to teach their students in order to gain the best results Therefore, the time and attention to the two important interactive skills (listening, speaking), which help students more self-confident in communicating in person with others, is little

Third, to learn English well, the environment for it, especially spoken English, is very important However, our students hardly have opportunities to use English outside English classes As a result, even the students who are good at English are also afraid

of speaking English and have difficulty in using it orally The majority of the students (84.1%) say that they cannot respond immediately when asked and 67% of the sample students say they are not willing to be involved in real conversations Clearly, the shortage of regular practice and the lack of self-confidence have led to our students’ bad English speaking reflex

Fourth, because some students (11.4%) want to use these tests’ results to be admitted

to some universities, at weekends or on summer holidays some students (11.4%) have

to travel a long distance to the city’s centres of English to study for IELTS tests Besides, there are some other students (378.6%) say that they are going to study for IELTS tests when they are at university All of these show the increasing demand for IELTS and the practicality as well as popularity of this form of assessment

III THE OBJECTIVES AND THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY

1 The objectives of the study

The Question and Answer activity combined with Hot Seating Strategy is expected to foster the students’ English speaking reflex The relevant questions related to the lesson topics are carefully selected from the IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions and the students are give a certain period of time to prepare for their answers

Hot Seating Strategy has long been used in language teaching methodology with various purposes However, in this initiative, the teacher would like to utilize it in order to create a lifelike environment so that students could practice their speaking reflex and use their English language as naturally as possible

2 The scope of the study

- The study subject: The participants in the study are 88 students from classes 11A1 and 11A5 of Phan Dang Luu high school in the academic year 2020-2021 They study English rather well (11A1: and 11A5: 69.3% good, 30.7% rather good); however, only 15.9% of the students say that they are confident of their spoken English reflex

- Due to the limited time, the teacher only focuses on exploiting and using IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions related to the lesson topics in the textbook ‘Tieng Anh 11’ by Vietnam Education Publisher The Hot Seating Strategy is used as a game with the questions incorporated in it as a guide to ongoing conversations This activity

is intended to be at the beginning of the lesson as a ‘Warm-up’ one or at the end of the lesson as a ‘post-’ one

1.2 Assignment

After Lesson A-Reading or lesson C- Listening of each unit, for homework, all students are asked to work in groups to answer all the given questions in the role of a famous or special person These questions are exploited from the question sets of IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 and related to the information of the given person as well as the topic they have just learnt

1.3 Performance

Each unit has a respective role concerned with its topic for students to play With a view to helping students have a constant practice, the teacher asks the students to perform this task almost every lesson after Lesson A-Reading or Lesson C- Listening The representative of each group is chosen to play the role in many different ways to motivate the students The groups and the students in each group may draw lots to decide who will do the task by each taking a piece of paper from a container Also, the teacher may use the game of passing the ball accompanied with the music to choose the performer When the music stops, the person with the ball in his/her hand will have to go to the board and do the task

The students of the other groups will use some questions on the list to ask him/her The performer is expected to give answers to questions as fast as possible The next person is chosen by the student just finishing his/her performance During the period

of time between 7 and 10 minutes, 2 or 3students take turns to answer 6 questions

including the ones about name, hometown, job and 3 others from the rest ones

1.4 Assessment

The teacher makes observations, records, takes notes and gives marks to students’ performance These marks will be recorded At the end of the term, each member will

be given a mark which is an arithmetic mean of the whole group The arithmetic mean

is used as a frequent mark for each student in each term of the school year This is motivation for all students to help one another and try as hard as possible Besides,

because the study aims at the students’ English speaking reflex, this factor is given the top priority when the teacher assesses the students’ speaking performances

2 Detailed Solutions

2.1 Unit 1 Friendship

a Role: Nguyen Tat Minh

In this unit, students play the role of Nguyen Tat Minh, the disabled student helped by his closest friend during the ten years of schooling and presently a student of Hanoi University of Science and Technology

Nguyen Tat Minh and his best friend, Ngo Minh Hieu

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘Friendship’ and practice the speaking reflex

c Time: 7-10 minutes, as ‘Warm-up’ or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson

C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus

d Preparation:

This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to

1 Could you tell me your full name please?

2 Where do you come from?

3 Are you a student or do you have a job?

4 What is your major?

5 Do you have many friends?

6 Do you think it is easy to make friends in Vietnam?

7 Can you talk about your best friend?

8 Do you think friendship is important?

9 What is the most important thing in friendship?

10 What makes friendship break up?

e Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Tat Minh at random

- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions

- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups

f Suggested Answers:

1 Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Minh Tat Nguyen

2 Well, I was born and raised in Thanh Hoa, which is an area of outstanding natural beauty and to me, one of the most beautiful places of the earth It has everything: fantastic beaches, rolling mountains, dense forests, and picturesque countryside

3 I am a freshman at Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Viet Nam

4 My major at university is computer science I choose it because I have a passion for programming

5 I have only one friend I would confide in I’m quite picky and more importantly, I have a somewhat irrational fear that none of my friends really like me and that I’m

a guy they can barely tolerate and it is hard for me to live in harmony with them

6 Yes, of course Nowadays, transportation and communication are easy and convenient We have more opportunities to meet all kinds of people and make friends with them

7 Yes, absolutely My best friend’s Hieu, whom I have known for roughly 10 years I

first met him at primary school when he was my classmate As you know, I am

disabled, I can’t walk Every day he carried me on his back to school Whenever I needed support, he was always there for boosting me up He is extremely honest towards our friendship and a trustworthy person as well

8 There is no doubt that friendships play a vital role in our life They make our lives interesting and wonderful They help us develop a sense of sharing whether they are tangible things or just inspirational or motivational words of wisdom

9 Maybe the most important things are that friends need to share common interests and be honest with each other Friends are people we spend a lot of time with, so it definitely helps if they enjoy doing the same activities or talking about topics as we

do, and of course we need to able to trust our friends, so honesty is vital for a good friendship

10 To me, misunderstanding can make friendship breakup For example, as I started

to study at university, one day, my roommate lost his watch He thought I had taken it At that time, I was very angry but I said nothing, and then I helped him look for it Finally, we found it in his pocket He apologized to me I forgave him for his rudeness So, I think trust is the most important thing between friends

2.2 Unit 2 Personal Experiences

a Role: Christina

In this unit, students play the role of Christina, a successful businesswoman in the listening text in Lesson C-Listening of Unit 2 - Tieng Anh 11

Christina and her mother in the fire

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘Family’ and practice the speaking reflex

c Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson D-Writing, lesson

E-Language focus

d Preparation:

This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to

1 Could you tell me your full name please?

2 Where do you come from?

3 What’s your job?

4 Do you enjoy your work?

5 Do you have a large family or small family?

6 How much time do you manage to spend with members of your family?

7 Do you get along well with your family?

8 In what way is your family important to you?

9 Who are you close to in your family?

10 Should we rely heavily on our families or is it better to try to be independent?

e Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Christina at random

- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions

- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups

f Suggested Answers:

1 Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Christina Smith

2 I was born and grew up in California, the most populous state and also the largest state by area of the United States

third-3 Well, I am currently working as a businesswoman with a chain of successful salons in New York, which offers me great opportunities to enhance my communication skills and negotiation skills

4 Absolutely, yes Although I have to work under high pressure, I feel that there is no other job I would rather do Moreover, the dynamic working environment in hospitality industry has brought me huge motivation to move up my career ladder

5 I come from a nuclear family with 4 members Since our family is not large, we get along pretty well and share the same interests

6 Since I got a job I’ve been having a lot on my plate I leave the house early in the morning and wouldn’t come back when the sun is down so I have to say I can’t spend as much quality time with my family as before Having said that, I still try

my best to make up for that by taking my parents out for dinner on the weekends I want us to enjoy every second we have together

7 Yes, I do get along well with my family members We have a strong bond among us and that makes us a happy family

8 Well, I remember when I was young, I was very selfish I always complained to my parents about how small my room was or how few clothes I had Then the fire came and destroyed everything we owned But slowly I began to realize that I didn’t need those things I just need my family After all, you can get new clothes any time, but a family can never replaced The fire took many things from me, but

it gave me something, too It taught me to appreciate my family more than things

9 I am close to every single family member in different ways However, it’s my mom

I am closest to when it comes to sharing my stories and secrets Maybe it is because I am a girl so talking to my mom makes me feel more comfortable

10 I believe that being independent does not mean we have to live separately from each other We all need either financial or emotional support from our family in certain phases of life If being independent means breaking the bond with my family, I do not want such independence and freedom

2.3 Unit 3 Party

a Role: Lisa

In this unit, students play the role of 25-year-old Lisa, the girl who had the 7thbirthday party in the reading text of Unit 3 in the textbook Tieng Anh 11

Lisa and their family and friends

at her 7th birthday party

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘Party’ and Birthday and practice the speaking reflex

c Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson

C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus

d Preparation:

This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to

1 Could you tell me your full name please?

2 Where do you come from?

3 What’s your job?

4 Do you enjoy your birthday?

5 Is it important to celebrate one’s birthday? Why?

6 How are birthdays of children celebrated in your country?

7 What types of parties do people have and why parties are important?

8 Is it true that everybody likes parties? Why?

9 Is music important to a party?

10 Do you think parties will become more popular in the future?

e Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Lisa at random

- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions

- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups

f Suggested Answers:

1 Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Lisa Brown

2 I was born and raised in the most densely populated major city in the United States

3 I have joined the world of employment for over 3 years since I graduated from university Currently I am working as an administrative assistant for a U.S company providing consulting services

4 I used to love them a lot, but now that I’m getting older and older they aren’t as much fun as they used to be It’s simply another day like any other day in the year

5 Well, everyone, regardless of their age, deserves to have a meaningful birthday celebration not only to mark another milestone of their life but to share wishes and happiness with their beloved ones Even though some might claim that birthday doesn’t matter much and it only reminds them of how old they are, they still probably secretly enjoy the warmth and attention from others on their special day

6 Basically, we are all going to throw a party with birthday cake which could be varied in shapes and flavors and, most importantly, express our love and support for our kids on their every stage of life

7 People have parties to celebrate special occasions like birthdays, weddings, or the beginning of a new year I think it's important to celebrate these things because they are landmarks in our lives Parties are a good way to bring people together, and they're an opportunity to let off some steam

8 No, I don’t think everybody likes parties Some people don’t like being surrounded by a large number of people Also, parties usually cost money, so some people might think they are wasteful and unnecessary

9 Yes Everyone loves music People feel good when they listen to songs they like and sway to the music Sometimes there’s a lull in conversations and music is there to fill in that gap

10 No, I don't think anything will change People have always had parties, and I'm sure they will always be the same in the future Humans need

to socialize and enjoy themselves, and parties are one of the best ways to do that

2.4 Unit 4 Volunteer Work

a Role: Mother Teresa

In this unit, students play the role of Mother Teresa, a nun, who was awarded The Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work of bringing help to suffering humanity

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘Volunteer Work’ and practice the speaking reflex

c Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson

C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus

d Preparation:

This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to

1 Could you tell me your full name please?

2 Where do you come from?

3 What’s your job?

4 Would you like to work as a volunteer?

5 What could you do to help if you didn’t have money?

6 Why do people help others?

7 How do you define volunteer work?

8 Is volunteering worth the time it takes?

9 Do you think people would volunteer to help people outside their community?

10 How do you feel after you have helped someone?

Mother Teresa with the children she looked after

in Kolkata, India

e Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Mother Teresa at random

- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions

- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups

f Suggested Answers:

1 Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Agnes Gonxha

Bojaxhiu

2 I was born in Skopje, the current capital of the Republic of Macedonia

3 As you know, my mother, a pious and compassionate woman who instilled in

me a deep commitment to charity and at the age of 18, I decided to become a nun and set off for Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto in Dublin From then

on, I have been able to carry out the thing I always desire, which is to devote myself to helping people

4 Absolutely yes! I am really into working as a volunteer for an organization related to education, because I do feel that this is something that every individual has a right to have, but very few are able to get the quality education Hopefully, with my knowledge, I can help some unfortunate children to have a promising future

5 From my perspective, helping has nothing to do with money There are an abundance of things we can help our community with our knowledge, experience, the things that we have learnt It is great to be able to share your knowledge and for the one who receives it It is surely a pure joy to know that you are helpful and can contribute something to making a better world

6 I think it’s the kindness that exists in most human hearts Many of us have needed some help ourselves from time to time, and we know what it feels like to need something We know it feels good to receive support from others when we need it So we want to help others in the same way Also, it is the happiness that

we get from helping others in some way

7 I would define it simply as any kind of philanthropic work for which you do not get paid The difference between volunteer work and any other kind of employment is that you do the tasks willingly without any financial incentive or hopes of economic gain

8 Yes it is I believe it’s more of two way relation where the more you give, the more you gain There’s so much of experience that comes along with it, so much you get to learn and so much of excitement that it makes up for the effort it takes

9 Definitely yes Volunteering or for that matter helping has nothing to do with community If I can help anyone I will be more than happy to do it

10 Usually, I feel very good when I’ve helped someone, even if the help I offered was beyond my limits If it was a sacrifice, it seems that I am happier than when

I began, and sometimes I seem to have more energy or time left for myself It

may sound funny, but sometimes it looks a little like magic how I end up with more time or more money or whatever after I’ve given some away to others

2.5 Unit 6 Competitions:

a Role: Nguyen Van Nam

In this unit, students play the role of Nguyen Van Nam, a former student of Phan Dang Luu high school, the champion of the 4th quarter of the 13th Road to Mount Olympia

Nguyen Van Nam – the champion of the 4th quarter,

the 13th Road to Mount Olympia

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘Competitions’ and practice the speaking reflex

c Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson

C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus

d Preparation:

This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to

1 Could you tell me your full name please?

2 Who gave you your name?

3 Where do you come from?

4 What’s your job?

5 Do you have a lot of friends where you are working?

6 Do you miss being a high school student?

7 What kind of activities/competitions people like to take part in?

8 There are many competition programs on TV nowadays Why?

9 Are awards always good for winners?

10 What do you think of those who lose in a competition?

e Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Nguyen Van Nam at random

- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions

- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups

f Suggested Answers:

1 Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Nam Van Nguyen

2 When it came to choosing my name, it was my dad who had the final word Actually, most of my family members including my mom and my grandparents agreed with the name as well

3 I was born and raised in Nghe An, Vietnam’s largest province by area, which

is located in a central position in North Central Coast

4 I am part of the geophysical survey team I am a geologist I work for the Energy Development Corporation (EDC); it is a company that focuses on the development of renewable energy

5 Yes I do I kinda get along well with everyone in my workplace I was impressed by their enthusiasm and professionalism right from the start After that, I realized that they are all very understanding of me and willingly give me

a hand when I am in need

6 I miss student life once I got involved in the workplace I think when I was a high school student I had someone to guide me, whereas at work you must guide yourself The academic environment was a comfort zone, and I struggled to fit in the working environment On the top of that, those are

memorable days also because I became the champion of the 4 th quarter of the

9 Yes, I think awards are good for winners as they keep them motivated and focused Awards are the mementos for winners to cherish and remember their victory for lifetime

10 I think losing and winning are both important parts of our life Someone has rightly said that we do not learn much by winning but losing teaches us the most important lessons in life So people who lose in the competition should take it positively and learn from the experience they gain Based on this learning they should try to improve themselves

2.6 Unit 7 World Population

a Role: António Guterres

In this unit, students play the role of António Guterres, who is currently the Secretary General of the UN

António Guterres – Secretary-General of the UN

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘World Population’ and practice the speaking reflex

c Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson

C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus

d Preparation:

This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to

1 Could you tell me your full name please?

2 Where do you come from?

3 What’s your job?

4 What are your responsibilities?

5 What is the world population at present?

6 What are the causes of population explosion in the world?

7 What are the major results of overpopulation?

8 What do you think of the ‘one couple, one child’ policy in China?

9 What is the birth control situation in the cities?

10 Apart from the one-child or two-child recommendation, are there any other measures to reduce the population?

e Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Mr António Guterres at random

- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions

- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups

3 I am a Portuguese politician and diplomat I used to serve as Prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and I am currently working as Secretary- general of the United Nations

4 While conflict resolution and peacekeeping continue to be among its most visible efforts, the UN, along with its specialized agencies, is also engaged in a wide array of activities to improve people’s lives around the world – from disaster relief, through education and advancement of women, to peaceful uses of atomic energy

5 The current world population is 7.9 billion according to the most recent United Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometer

6 Overpopulation results from the fact that the world’s birth rates are rising while death rates are falling as medical advances have made it possible for people to live longer than before Besides, people in some countries, especially developing ones, still hold the traditional idea that the more children one has, the happier he will be in the future

7 I think that if the world’s population goes on increasing at the present rate, the world’s energy resources will be used up sooner or later Overpopulation is the root of unemployment, increasing rubbish, lacking resources, and reduced green land As far as I’m concerned, a lot of Vietnam’s problems stem from overpopulation

8 Well, China has the largest population in the world now This policy may not be ideal when it comes to educating the only child in the family But there is no other better way Ever since they implemented this policy, they have seen a great reduction on the birth rate In this sense, China has made great contribution to the world population control

9 The situation in the urban areas is much better than in the rural areas The city dwellers are comparatively better educated They are fully aware of the severity

of depopulation problem in the world They are happy with one child, either a boy

or a girl

10 More men and women are waiting longer to get married and are using birth control devices and methods to prevent or delay pregnancy Well, of course, some people delay having children, because they’re making great efforts to achieve self-fulfillment first

2.7 Unit 8 Celebrations

a Role: Do Thi Ha

In this unit, students play the role of Do Thi Ha - Miss Vietnam 2020

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘Celebrations’ and practice the speaking reflex

c Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson

C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus

Do Thi Ha- Miss Vienam 2020

d Preparation:

This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to

1 Could you tell me your full name please?

2 Where do you come from?

3 What’s your job?

4 Do you like celebrations?

5 What is your favourite festival?

6 Are there many celebrations in your hometown?

7 How do people in Vietnam value traditional festivals?

8 How people celebrate public events?

9 Do you think it is wrong for young people not to celebrate traditional festivals?

10 Do you think festivals are important?

e Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Do Thi Ha at random

- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions

- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups

f Suggested Answers:

1 Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Ha Thi Do

2 I was born and raised in Thanh Hoa, a province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam

3 Currently I am studying business law at the prestigious National Economics University in Hanoi

4 Yes, absolutely I love the atmosphere of excitement and joy when everyone comes together to celebrate a special occasion It’s the perfect excuse to let your hair down, forget about all of your usual commitments and spend time with your beloved ones

5 Lunar New Year has got to be my most favored festival It normally lasts for a week or more allowing us a pretty long time to recharge our batteries As well

as this, New Year always brings a fresh feeling of the start of something new

No matter what has happened, you always have a second chance to make it great again in the New Year We all can celebrate New Year with great joy, hope and festivity for the upcoming year

6 Yes, Vietnam hosts a diverse array of festivals throughout the year The most common ones are New Year, Hung King’s Festival or Vu Lan festival These types of festivals are celebrated as a crucial part in our tradition On those special occasions, we all have a great time enjoying mouth-watering cuisine, music and dance of the people and magical firework displays which are memorable for people

7 Of course, they play a crucial role in our culture Most Vietnamese people, especially older adults place great emphasis on preserving traditional customs and practices and passing them down to future generations A growing number

of people, however, tend to pay less attention to practicing old traditions For example, during Tet, some may prefer to travel abroad instead of celebrating this significant traditional festival

8 I would say a gathering with food, alcohol, friends, and family is the most common way to celebrate an event across the world More specifically, for events such as New Years, people like to crowd a central area, such as the main

square, usually for a concert or some sort of speaker or count down Furthermore, people tend to like using fireworks, bells, air-horns or even just shouting when they feel excited about something

9 Absolutely not The way I see it, cultural preservation should be encouraged but not be mandated The first reason is that people must have the freedom to decide how they live their life as long as they don’t violate the laws Additionally, I believe that certain behaviour can only be regarded as ‘socially unacceptable’ if it causes harm to other people

10 Without a doubt, I mean, festivals are of great importance to any culture They all bring us golden opportunities to express our respect to the country’s ancestors and heroes Most people enjoy these precious times to get away from

it all Even more, with prayers being associated with each of the festivals, they bring about so much positivity in life

2.8 Unit 9 The Post Office

a Role: Ms Bui Thi Minh

In this unit, students play the role of Ms Bui Thi Minh - the Director of Nghe An Post Office

Ms Bui Thi Minh - the Director of Nghe An Post Office

b Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge

relating to the topic ‘Post office’ and practice the speaking reflex