APPLYING SMALL GROUP WORK ACTIVITIES IN SOME ENGLISH LESSONS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE 10

Experience Initiative“Applying small group work activities in some English lessons for students in grade 10” PART A: INTRODUCTION I.. For all above reasons, I have decided to conduct my

PART A: INTRODUCTION

PART B: CONTENT

III Solution and implementation

3 Using group work activities in some lessons in class 10 B 7

1

Experience Initiative

“Applying small group work activities in some English lessons for students

in grade 10”

PART A: INTRODUCTION

I Reasons for choosing the topic

English is becoming more and more essential to meet the demands of the globe development In Vietnam that is also under no exception

Enthusiastic educationers have been trying their best to find out and do experiments about new learning methods such as: Teaching in a positive orientation” or “students – centred”… A very important question introduced is that “ how should we do to encourage students to learn English with excitement?” and “how should we do to promote students’ language skills?” One of the methods that brings us the possibility is “cooperative teaching in small groups” To this method, tasks are not solved by individuals but they are done by groups There must be a coordination not only between teacher and students but also among students This gives learners chances to exchange and get knowledge from each other; to assert themselves in front of the others It is

in the groups that students can train and practise their independence, self-control, ability to express, reasoning the problems, mutuality, discipline, senses

of community, ect…

Working as a teacher for nearly 20 years, I myself understand the difficuties and restricted things that both teacher and students in rural areas (like my school) have to face I try my best to do this research with a view to getting my students and colleges to benefit from it in order to better English

For all above reasons, I have decided to conduct my initiative on the topic:

“Applying small group work activities in some English lessons for students in grade 10”

II Aims of the study

Each task has its own aims, so does this study The aims of my study are:

- To help students master English more and develop skills of group – work

- To have a part in improving learning and teaching quality of my school.

- To fulfill my career passion and raise my own teaching skills

III The object of the study

- Class 10B with 40 students

- The ways of cooperation in small groups in teaching and learning English

in secondary school

IV Methods of the study

- Studying the documents dealing with the theme (getting datas on the google, references…)

- Using analytic methods

- Observing and asking colleagues for ideas and experiences

- Practising the applications of the study in reality

PART B: CONTENT

I Rationales

1 Research prolem history

Recenty, with the trend to make learning positive, researchers of teaching theory have given four basic characteristics:

- Teaching by organising independent detivities for students

- Attaching practising self-learning method

- Reinforcing individual learning in combination with cooperative learning

- Co-ordinating evaluating from the teacher and self-assessing from other students

Of all the researchers studying about group-work methods, PhD Vu Hao Quang mentioned one way of sub-grouping and group management in the book named “Management Sociology” In which, the author expresses his method by making following graphic image:

3

A

The picture shows us that in a group, A has a relationship with B and C; a’,b’,c’ are also in the group under the interaction in turn with A, B, C

This can’t be lack in activities that help improve English comunicational skills

2 Advantages and disadvantages of group work

 Advantages: In a group, each individual has balance chances to express their ideas and fulfill the given tasks together English communicational skills such as listening, speaking, writing… are developed Cooperative ability is practised All of these help bring English into use among students in a very practical way

 Disadvantages: We can’t deny that it is easy to arise conflicts among members in a group when they do not meet common ideas Moreover, there are some students who do not work as much as the others, they only wait for the result of the whole team

II State of the problem

In the process of teaching English in Tong Duy Tan upper secondary school for many years, I have known that students are weak in practising multiple skills Most of the students are afraid of speaking, lack of ability when using vocabularies, they do not concentrate on listening… After a long period of consideration I have found out the causes of these problems They are:

- Lack of confidence

- Having no chance to show strengths

- New to the surroundings and not familiar with new learning environment (because they are in grade 10)

At the beginning of academic year 2020 – 2021, I have been assigned to be

a teacher of English in class 10 B with 40 students On taking over the duty I asked the pupils to do two small tests of speaking and writing and obtained the

Skills Total

Numbe r

8,0 -10 pts 6,5 - 7,9

pts

5,0 - 6,4 pts

< 5,0 pts

Speakin

g

In order to overcome situations, increase the nunber of good students and limit their weaknesses, I have applied some initiatives of group work activities and have achieved some certain success

III Solution and implementation

1 Process

1.1 Step 1: Subgrouping

- Grouping at random or on purpose depends on the aims of the requirements of the tasks

- The number of members bases on the attainments of tasks, supported equipments and time limited

- Students have to be active and prompt under the guides and orders of the teacher

1.2 Step 2: Assigning

- The group’s mission needs assigning specifically Teacher should give tasks for groups through hand outs If not, he/she has to write the tasks on board

or show them on the screen clearly

- Timing is also very important, it must be enough – not too long, not too short for discussion

- Giving the direction for students to know how it works

- Giving requirements about the way of showing results such as: wrting, drawing, talking or role playing

- Verifying students’ understanding

1.3 Step 3: Working in group

Teacher gives duties to each member of the group All members work together and there often may be leader, vice leader, secretary, interviewer, presenter, explainer… in each group

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1.4 Step 4: Reporting

Representatives of groups present their products in turns There are many ways to express such as: witing on board, drawing on board or on large papers, characterizing, giving lecture ect…

In this initiative, I would like to introduce two of them: “exhibition” and

“role playing”

- Exhibition: Divided groups write and draw their works on small given boards vividly When the time is over each group shows their product on the solemn position of their group At that time, the class looks like an exhibition room All of the students can go round to observe the prentations of the others, listen to the explainations and can make questions This activity is suitable in wrting lessons

- Role playing: Students can comfortably show their skills in conversations with friends They can talk about themselves or they can even “act” This way is necessary in speaking lessons

1.5 Step 5: Summary

Students can self-summarize or teacher gives feedback to come to conclusion

2 Roles of teacher in group work activity

- Collecting information about students about their abilities, their needs, their dreams; consider their posibilities of English, their back ground… From those datas, teacher gives each student suitable tasks

- Selecting knowledge objectives of the lessons, skill attainment of group work

- Determining:

+ the number of students in each group + the preparation of materials, teaching aids…

+ the room for each group + the role, mission of each group, individual…

- Supervising and interfering:

+ teacher can support students in their fullfilment

+ oversee the students’ acts such as paying no attention, chatting with others, being lazy …

+ encourage students

- Evaluating:

+ the awareness, the behaviour of groups + the results, the effectiveness of work

3 Using group work activities in some lessons in class 10 B

Example 1: Unit 7 - THE MASS MEDIA

Lesson D: Writing Task 2 (Advantages and Disadvantages of Mass Media)

 Step 1: Subgrouping

- Teacher divides the class into 6 groups, each of which contains 6 to 7 members This is under the teacher’s appointment with the purpose of making balance among groups based on their English level

This is the task table that I showed on the screen:

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF USING INTERNET

Members Postions Members Postions

3.Nguyen Doan

Khanh Linh

secretary 3.Le Thi Bao Tham secretary

4.Vu Thi Thu Thuy explainer 4.Hoang Ngoc Dung explainer 5.Le Thi Quynh Anh member 5.Le Thi Dieu Linh member 6.Tran The Phong member 6.Nguyen Thi Tinh member 7.Pham Thi Huong member

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF USING NEWSPAPER

Members Postions Members Postions 1.Do Xuan Long leader 1.Nguyen Hoang Hue leader 2.Chu Thi Huyen Trang vice 2.Trinh Thien Ngoc vice 3.Pham Khanh Vy secretary 3.Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen secretary 4.Nguyen Le Dieu Ly explainer 4.Trinh Hai Yen explainer

6.Pham Huyen Trang member 6.Nguyen Thu Trang member 7.Le Thi Ngoc Thuy member

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ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF USING RADIO

Members Postions Members Postions 1.Do Thi Xuan Mai leader 1.Pham Thi Hai Yen leader

3.Le Thi Duyen secretary 3.Le Thi Mai Linh secretary 4.Trinh Dinh Tho explainer 4.Tran Thi Tho explainer

6.Ha Thi Lan Nhi member 6.Hoang Ngoc Cham member

- Teacher shows the list on the screen

- Students make groups in a hurry by matching 2 desks surrounded by benches

 Step 2: Assigning

- Teacher gives tasks to each group on board: “Discuss advantages and disadvantages of mass media then present your products on given boards”

Group 1 + 2: about “The Internet”

Group 3 + 4: about “Newspapers”

Group 5 + 6: about “Radio”

- Time allowed is 8 minutes for discussion and performance; 2 minutes for presentation and 1 minute for explaination

- Teacher gives each group a small white board with the size of an A0 paper, pencils, some brushes with different colors and crayons

 Step 3: Working in group

All members have to work together by giving opinion about advantages and disadvantages of mass media The secretaries note down on boards They can decorate the works to make them more attractively

Due the affection of Covid-19 outbreak, in the video clips that are attached

in this experience initiative I only emulate the working progress of group 1 in class 10B

(Video 1)

 Step 4: Reporting

In this lesson, I choose “Exhibition” as the most suitable way of reporting All the six groups exhibit their products at their own positions

Here are the students’ products that I took photographs when teaching this lesson

Group 1:

Group 2:

Group 3:

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Group 4:

Group 5:

Group 6:

13

Members of other groups can go round to contemplate and make questions

if considering

(Video 2)

Example 2: Unit 12 – MUSIC

Lesson B: Speaking

Task 2: Work in groups - Ask your partners questions to get information about music hobbies

 Step 1: Subgrouping

Teacher divides the class 10B into 10 groups based on 10 desks in the classroom That means students stay on their own seats and each group has 4 members

 Step 2: Assigning

Teacher gives tasks for all groups: “Ask your friends about his / her hobby

of music”

- Hints: Teacher shows the model on the screen:

A: What kind of music do you like?

B: I like pop music

A: Why do you like it?

B: Because it is interesting and easy to listening

A: What is your favourite band or musician?

B: My favourite band is Blackpink

A: What is your favourite song?

B: It is “How you like that”

A: What is your favourite singer?

B: I am in favor of many singers but the one I like best is Lisa

A: When do you often listen to music?

B: I often listen to music when I have free time

- Each group has 2 turns of asking and answering

Turn 1: member 1 – interviewer

member 2 – secretary members 3 and 4 – interviwees Turn 2: member 3 – interviewer

member 4 – secretary members 1 and 2 – interviwees

- Time limited for this step is 2 - 3 minutes for each turn

- Teacher gives each group 4 papers for the secretaries to take note:

Name (interviewed): ………

- Reasons for listening to music:

………

- Favourite band / musician: ………

- Favourite song / piece of music:

………

- Favourite singer: ………

- When listen to music:

………

 Step 3: Working in group

In this initiative I emulate the work of a small group in my video clips Group 3: member 1 - Hong Nhung

member 2 - Dieu Ly

member 3 - Dieu Linh

member 4 - Xuan Long

Turn 1: Dieu Ly - interviewer

Dieu Linh - secretary

Hong Nhung and Xuan Long - interviewees

Turn 2: Xuan Long - interviewer

Hong Nhung - secretary

Dieu Ly and Dieu Linh - interviewees

(Video 3 – turn 1 and 4 – turn 2)

Here are the papers that I received after the performance of group 3

Name (interviewed): Trinh Xuan Long

- Kind of music: US – Uk music / pop music

- Reasons for listening to music:

Relax after studying / improve English skills

- Favourite band / musician:

- Favourite song / piece of music: Many songs such as: Blank

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space; Lover; We are never getting back together

- Favourite singer: Taylor Swift

- When listen to music: Ater studying / in free time

Name (interviewed): Do Hong Nhung

- Kind of music: Pop music

- Reasons for listening to music: To relax in free time

- Favourite band / musician: Alan Walker

- Favourite song / piece of music: Until You

- Favourite singer: Shayne Ward

- When listen to music: While drawing or before sleeping

Name (interviewed): Nguyen Le Dieu Ly

- Kind of music: EDM (electrical dance music)

- Reasons for listening to music: Relax, help brain work more

effectively

- Favourite band / musician: Alan Walker

- Favourite song / piece of music: Faded

- Favourite singer: Taylor Swift

- When listen to music: While studying, before sleeping

Name (interviewed): Le Thi Dieu Linh

- Kind of music: R&B / Pop

- Reasons for listening to music: Music is medicine for hurt soul

- Favourite band / musician: Galaxy / Justin Timberlake

- Favourite song / piece of music: Blue - Troy Sivan H Alex Hape

- Favourite singer: Sutjan Stevens

- When listen to music: Whenever have free time

After interviews, teacher collects papers

 Step 4: Reporting

Teacher chooses one of the papers in a group and appoints the representative of that one to introduce about their partners’ music hobbies

Representative of group 3: Xuan Long

Name (interviewed): Nguyen Le Dieu Ly

- Kind of music: EDM (electrical dance music)

- Reasons for listening to music: Relax, help brain work more

effectively

- Favourite band / musician: Alan Walker

- Favourite song / piece of music: Faded

- Favourite singer: Taylor Swift

- When listen to music: While studying, before sleeping

Long’s presetation:

(Video 5)

 Step 5: Teacher evaluates the results of each group Gives them compliments and may give them marks

IV Testing

After applying group work activities in the process of teaching English, the results show that students have learned more actively, they feel more confident

in communicating with the others: it is easier for them to express ideas and the most important thing is that they have improved their English skills and got better marks in both writing and speaking tests

Specific results of class 10B in the second mid term of school year 2020 – 2021:

Skills N 0 of

student s

8,0-10 pts 6,5-7,9 pts 5,0-6,4 pts < 5,0 pts

Speakin

g

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