SKKN APPLYING “FLIPPED CLASSROOM MODEL” TO HELP STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH COMMUNICATION AND SOFT SKILLS AT NHU THANH HIGH SCHOOL

Therefore, in this study I present a subject “Applying FLIPPED Classroom Model to help students improve their English communication and soft skills at Nhu Thanh High School” Coronavirus

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION

I RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

Traditional systems of teaching and learning are not necessarily providing young people with the skills they need to make it in the modern world Many of the more traditional classroom forms of learning are ill-equipped to improve the skills needed for developing creative solutions to complex problems Traditional schooling addresses problems of the past, not issues in the future

Due to the rapid changes in the economic and social contexts it is imperative that educators redesign their teaching methods, create an innovative learning experience and support their students in acquiring the 21st century skills (Council of the European Union, 2018) Today’s students seem to have boundless and free access to information, therefore the key for their education, is not the memorization of information but the ability to search and manage information Also, the advancement of new technologies provides teachers with the opportunity to alter their methodology in order to promote their students active participation in the learning process Since teachers are no longer expected just to provide students with knowledge but to help them develop a set

of skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, metacognition, effective communication and social skills so that they can meet the challenges of the modern world, their role is more crucial than ever in achieving the desired learning outcomes

Since every student is unique, teachers are challenged to organise a learning environment that meets the differing needs of each student so that they can provide them with the opportunity to learn, regardless their abilities and their cultural, social and economic backgrounds Therefore, reshaping education

is the medium to provide students with equal access to knowledge, skills and competencies, to promote their social and professional inclusion, their well being, so that they can have a positive impact in society

Taking under consideration the above, it comes as no surprise that in recent times there is a move from the teacher-centered to the student-centered learning model (Kennedy, 2006, Kennedy, Hyland & Ryan, 2007) This paradigm shift in education has resulted to the development of new learning models and methods such as the flipped classroom, where the teacher does no longer provide just a lecture but becomes the students' guide and supporter at their educational path to learning

Therefore, in this study I present a subject “Applying FLIPPED Classroom Model to help students improve their English communication and soft skills at Nhu Thanh High School”

Coronavirus has changed the way that students have been learning Many students have been learning solely at home, while others have experienced a mixture of school and home, but life is not as it was Huge efforts and changes have been made in school to prepare videos and resources for learners to learn with at home

As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and the closure of many schools

children were unable to attend school and pupils have been forced to try a new

form of learning – whether that was through an ipad, the radio, the television, or using interactive lessons

We have found a new way to educate, which doesn’t rely on pupils attending a school and getting their source of education from one teacher Now

is the perfect time to harness what we have learnt from the remote learning experience and build this into our learning experience for pupils, rather than ignoring all the good work teachers, pupils and families have been putting in to support this approach

II AIMS OF THE STUDY

I do the research to know about the fact of teaching and learning communication skills in Nhu Thanh High School more clearly This study also

investigates whether the “FLIPPED Classroom Model” can have positive

impact on process among students and can develop their communication and

soft skills or not Bearing in mind, I decide the research with title “Applying FLIPPED Classroom Model to improve the students’ English communication and soft skills at Nhu Thanh High School”

III RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study aims at finding answer to the following research question:

How can “FLIPPED Classroom Model” help the students at Nhu Thanh High

School improve their English communication and soft skills?

The question has been addressed to two of the classes (A1, A2) that I have been teaching in Nhu Thanh High School with the aim to examine how

“Flipped Classroom Model” affect the process of communication here.

IV SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study investigates applying Flipped Classroom Model to help

students practice so that they can improve their communication and soft skills

V METHODS OF THE STUDY

In this study, I use some research tools to collect and analyze the needed data

Recording is used to record the process of using Flipped Classroom Model

The second tool used in this study is interviews with students at the end of the

research to study whether Flipped Classroom Model is really suitable for them

or not

Surveying through the answer sheets is used to know the practical situation of teaching and learning English communication skills

PART TWO: DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

I.The definition of Flipped Classroom Model

In the traditional classroom model, teachers first explain each topic, and then assign homework

In flipped classrooms, also known as inverted classrooms, students review lecture materials before class as homework In-class time is dedicated to discussions, interactive exercises, and independent work that would have previously been completed at home - all under the guidance of the teacher, who

is present and available to respond to any questions that may arise The materials reviewed prior to class can take the form of recorded lectures, curated videos, reading assignments, video broadcasts - any material that the instructor assigns

as relevant to the topic at hand

II The definition of soft skills

Soft skills are things like:

*Communication: Written, listening, verbal, body language, and business etiquette

*Strategies: Problem-solving skills, critical thinking, the ability to use information appropriately, creativity, and decision-making skills

*Self-management: Emotional intelligence, time management, professionalism, being predictable, integrity, persistence, and attitude

*Teamwork: Collaboration and empathy

*Leadership: Conflict resolution, the ability to delegate effectively, and collaboration

Soft skills, essentially, are the social skills that a person learns to communicate effectively at school and in the workplace, show empathy to others, and to work independently as well as alongside others

Although none of the above skills are a focus onto themselves in schools, the atmosphere of any Flipped Classroom Model is rooted in learning essential soft skills through collaborative, hands-on project

III Benefits of Flipped Classroom Model

There are many benefits to a Flipped Classroom Including…

* There are no more long, frustrating homework sessions Students have more time for family, friends, play, and extra curricular activities

* A flipped classroom promotes student collaboration and concept mastery exercises

* Flipping your classroom will create a student-centered environment

* Video lectures are short - typically under ten minutes - keeping students

engaged

* Teachers are available for more one-on-one interaction with students in a flipped classroom

* The flipped classroom provides flexibility - everyone works at their own pace Students take on the responsibility for their learning

IV The four pillars and 11 indicators of F-L-I-P

Flexible Environment:

*The teachers establish spaces and time frames that permit students to interact and reflect on their learning as needed

*The teachers continually observe and monitor students to make adjustments as appropriate

*The teachers provide students with different ways to learn content and demonstrate mastery

Learning Culture:

*The teachers give students opportunities to engage in meaningful activities without the teacher being central

*The teachers scaffold these activities and make them accessible to all students through differentiation and feedback

Intentional Content:

*The teachers prioritize concepts used in direct instruction for learners to access

on their own

*The teachers create and/or curate relevant content (typically videos) for their students

*The teachers differentiate to make content accessible and relevant to all students

Professional Educator:

*The teachers make themseves available to all students for individual, small-group and class feedback, in real time, as needed

*The teachers conduct ongoing formative assessments during class time through observation and by recording data to inform future instruction

*The teachers collaborate and reflect with other educators and take responsibility for transforming their practice

CHAPTER 2: PRACTICAL SITUATIONS

I METHODS OF THE STUDY

The research is done qualitatively in the context of two English classes (Class A1, A2 In this survey, I use the survey questionnaire for students This survey is designed to collect information for the study on “An investigation into the Reality of teaching and learning English communication skill at Nhu Thanh High School”

II THE REALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS AT NHU THANH HIGH SCHOOL

The whole procedure of teaching and learning is implemented similarly to all students of the class after all of them give consent to be part of the research However, due to the limit of the study, I only focus to collect information from the learning engagement of two classes (A1, A2) during this process as the data for analysis Below is the survey of the practical situation of learning English Communication skill at Nhu Thanh High School

Survey no.1 Practical Situation of learning English comminication Skill at Nhu Thanh High School.

Questions for

students

1 How difficult is

communication

skill in new

curriculum?

Too easy 5%

Not difficult 10%

Difficult 30%

Really difficult 55%

2 What is your

improving English

communication

skill at your

school?

Very essential 12%

Essential 16%

Not really essential

47%

Not essential at all

25%

3 What do you

think of your skill

classes at Nhu

School?

Really interesting 3%

Interestin g

7%

Boring 41%

Really boring 49%

4 What do you

think of the

methods used for

teaching skills at

Nhu Thanh High

School?

Difficult and boring 51%

Difficult but interestin g

8%

C Interesting and

stimulating 9%

Easy and boring 32%

5 Have your

teacher ever

applied Flipped

learning to

improve your

communication

skills?

Always 2%

Sometime s

4%

Rarely 5%

Never 89%

From the survey number 1, we can see that communication skills are poorly improved at Nhu Thanh High School, this may not make it attractive to learners as a classroom activity The students often see communication as hard work, boring, unrewarding Moreover, students don’t know how to learn English

and improve communication skills effectively

Students often sit in individual desks facing the front while their teacher gives lectures, students sit at tables or desks pushed together or are off by themselves doing work Students are out of their seats, accessing books, computers and others students for information

This could cause major problems in the future, especially for rapidly expanding and developing companies that will be driving forward and progressing technology in the future

CHAPTER 3:

RECOMMENDATIONS

TO IMPROVE THE STUDENTS’ ENGISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND SOFT SKILLS

I RECOMMENDATIONS

According to the data analysis from the survey, it can be personally concluded that the most important feature that makes my students to engage more in the real world is the kind of learning activities which forces them to learn through the meaningfulness of tasks

Therefore, I have applied FLIPPED Classroom Model to improve my students’ English communication and soft skills

Unlike the traditional classroom model, a Flipped Classroom puts students in charge of their own learning By providing lectures online, educators give students the opportunity to learn at their own pace Once a student masters

a concept, he can move on Also, students who need more time to master a concept won’t get left behind

This means that all students are not working on the same area at the same time in and out of the classroom In the Flipped Classroom environment, the teacher becomes the guide off to the side, acting as more of facilitator, helping and guiding small groups and individuals toward learning success

( Graphics of Flipped classroom model )

II PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

The flipped classroom is a pedagogical model in which the typical lecture and

homework elements of a course are reversed Short video lectures are viewed by students at home before the class session, while in-class time is devoted to exercises, projects,or discussions The video lecture is often seen as the key ingredient in the flipped approach, such lectures being either created by the instructor and posted online or selected from an online repository

1 Models of Flipped Classrooms

Standard flipping

Lectures are recorded (either as video or as narrated screencasts) Students are required to watch these lectures as homework and then spend class time to do problem-solving or other highly interactive, structured activities, usually in groups and with guidance from teachers

One-day-a-week flipping

If a standard flip seems overwhelming, or not appropriate for your class, try flipping one lecture a week During class students work in groups to complete tasks where they solve real analytical problems; answers are presented in class and students are asked to correct their own work and reflect on their understanding

Selected-content flipping

Lecturing does not have to be completely eliminated from your class time Instead, be selective and strategic about what you record for students to watch in advance You might record only a subset of lecture materials, and reserve some of your class time for lecturing on advanced topics Are there particular topics or concepts on which students routinely get stuck? Try designing in-class activities around these ideas or concepts Or, consider recording lectures that cover content that’s likely to be reusable in future semesters, and plan on some in-class microlectures covering “hot-off-the-presses” topics, leaving plenty of time for active learning

Flipping without recording video lectures

It’s a common misconception that instructors can only flip if they pre-record their lectures, which admittedly can be a time-consuming process Instructors can, instead, find other ways for students to get content that might typically be delivered in a lecture: readings can be used, as well as other content such as powerpoint presentations, podcasts, or videos or animations that others have recorded

Full hybrid flipping

Eliminate some in-class lectures completely and replace those in-class hours with time students are expected to complete online activities, typically watching the lecture

2 Simple steps of a flipped classroom model

* Pick a standard Teachers review the scope and sequence or state standards,

and select the standard that teachers would like to start with for their first flipped classroom lesson

* Develop an assessment Now that the teachers know what they want their

students to learn, the next step is determining what mastery of this standard looks like and how to assess to what extent students have achieved it

* Locate instructional content Teachers think about how teachers would teach

this concept to their students face-to-face, and then find instructional content on the Web to replace their direct instruction

Tip: If some of the students don't have access to the Internet at home, teachers

locate content resources that can be downloaded and have students download them to their devices before they leave school.

* Plan in-class activities Now that students will be receiving the initial direct

instruction at home, the flipped classroom offers two major benefits First, students receive direct instruction on their own terms and at their own pace so that they can reread, go back and review, or fast-forward as they want in order to build understanding The second major benefit of flipping the classroom is that

it allows more class time for working on activities that require higher-order thinking These are activities in which students practice and apply concepts, and doing these in class instead of at home allows teacher to be there to provide assistance when students need it, which leads to deeper learning Choose a few different short practice/application activities for students to complete-some individual and some with a partner or a group-teachers are sure that each activity they choose guides their students toward mastery of the standard Additionally, they are sure to select a mix of activities designed to develop deeper understanding (for students who demonstrate mastery on the first assessment) along with activities designed to build up to mastery (for students who don't demonstrate mastery on the first assessment

* Roll it out

Once teachers have this document created, give their students a short explanation of what the flipped classroom model is and why teacher are trying

it Then, they can send their students the document through email or post it on a server they can access Teachers are sure that every student has the document downloaded to his device or a copy of document before leaving school

* Evaluate To reflect the flipped classroom experiment, jot down the answers

to these questions:

- Did most of the students consume the assigned content? If not, why? How can you fix this issue?

- How did students perform on the first assessment? Were the questions at the right level? Did the content adequately cover the standard?

- How did the in-class activities work? Did all of the students have an activity

or assignment that allowed them to develop their mastery of the concept?

- Did you gain more time to spend with your students individually or in small groups?

Teachers remember that they don’t expect perfection They should continue doing the things that worked well, and change the things that didn't; they make adjustments along the way until they find a method that works for them

III SOME PRACTICAL EXAMPLES AFTER APPLYING FLIPPED CLASSROOM MODEL AT NHU THANH HIGH SCHOOL.

Physically, a flipped classroom is the same as a normal classroom But instead of paying attention to lectures while in class and applying the new knowledge in their homework after school, students will watch ,listen to or read the lectures at home, before the class starts, and use the time in the classroom to

do their homework Instead of telling students what to learn, how to learn, when

to learn and how to prove that they learned, teachers support them in becoming self-directed learners

The flipped classroom seems to create a win-win situation for both students and teachers

Example : English 11- Unit 6 Global Warming

Part: Project

English 11- Unit 6 Global Warming

Part: Project

Flipping without

recording video

lectures

powerpoint

presentations of the

lessons and asks

them to finish the

tasks assigned

During in-class time,

students discuss

some questions in

individual, in pairs or

in groups

Task 1: Read the paragraphs and answer the questions

( at home)

Task 2.Discussion Causes and effects of global warming

causes

littering burning forest

deforestation Industrial emissions

Effects in Vietnam

Solutions :