Rationale
In recent years, there have been significant advancements in language teaching, often termed communicative language teaching (CLT) These innovations focus on enhancing communication skills and engaging learners in meaningful interactions, as highlighted by Nolasco and Arthur.
In 1988, a significant shift in language education emphasized student autonomy in communication, allowing learners to express themselves independently rather than relying solely on teacher direction This approach, known as Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), highlights the importance of encouraging students to freely articulate their thoughts in a foreign language.
Group work is a key technique in communicative language teaching that fosters social interaction among students In this approach, the teacher assumes the crucial role of a facilitator, guiding students as they collaborate to solve problems or explore questions This strategy can be implemented at any time and in classes of any size, allowing teachers to assess student understanding, encourage the application of learned concepts, and introduce a dynamic shift in the learning environment.
For my thesis, I have chosen to explore group work as a potential solution to encourage student participation in language lessons While I frequently implement this interactive method in my teaching, I sometimes interrupt students during their discussions, which seems to make them uncomfortable To better understand this dynamic, I plan to observe student behavior and how it varies with different teacher roles My primary objective is to analyze the actions of teachers at various stages of group work and to assess students' perceptions and reactions to these roles Through observations in my own classroom, I aim to identify the different roles a teacher assumes during a single activity stage.
Aims of the study
This research aims to explore the roles of teachers in managing group work activities in the classroom and to understand how students respond to these roles By gathering valid information on the effective implementation of group work under teacher supervision, the study seeks to foster innovation in educational practices The emphasis is placed on enhancing collaborative learning experiences in the classroom.
The specific purpose of the study was to:
- evaluate the different roles of teacher in group work activities
- find out the behaviors of the students towards the teacher‟s roles in some group work activities.
Significance of the study
The study's findings offer valuable insights for English teachers on effectively utilizing their roles in group work activities It highlights strategies to enhance student learning in collaborative settings and emphasizes the importance of maximizing the benefits of group work under their guidance.
Research questions
The study aims to answer the following research questions:
(i) What are the roles of teacher in group work in grade 10 at Phuc Tho high school?
(ii) What are behaviors of 10 th grade students at PhucTho high school toward the teacher‟s roles in implementing group work activities?
Method of the study
This study will utilize both qualitative and quantitative methods to achieve its objectives Class observations will be conducted, focusing on students' behaviors regarding the teacher's roles during six group work activities, with detailed notes taken Additionally, a survey questionnaire will be distributed to 120 randomly selected tenth-grade students at Phuc Tho High School The analysis of the collected data will inform all comments, recommendations, and conclusions drawn from the study.
Scope of the study
This study aims to explore the roles of teachers and the behaviors of tenth-grade students regarding these roles in group work within the context of communicative language teaching at PhucTho High School As part of a minor thesis, the researcher provides a concise overview of the teacher's roles and student behaviors in group work Due to time constraints, the research focuses on a limited number of tenth-grade students at PhucTho High School.
The thesis is composed of three main parts:
Part A – Introduction: In this part the rationale, the aims, the research questions, the scope, the method, and the design of the study are presented
Part B – Development: This part is divided in to three chapters
This chapter provides a theoretical foundation for the study, focusing on communicative language teaching and the dynamics of group work It distinguishes between group work and pair work while outlining various forms of group activities Additionally, it discusses effective strategies for organizing group work in the classroom, including student grouping methods and the teacher's positioning Furthermore, the chapter emphasizes the teacher's role during group work, which will be explored in greater detail in the following chapter.
This chapter of the study is divided into two main parts The first part provides an overview of the study's setting, while the second part details the participants, data collection methods, and data analysis procedures This second part is further segmented into three sections: the first section outlines the participants and research methods, the second introduces the activities employed in the research, and the third focuses on observations from six group work activities The primary objective of these observations is to examine the various roles of the teacher during group work and to analyze student behaviors in response to the teacher's interventions throughout the activities.
Chapter III: Findings and Discussion
This chapter presents some main findings from the observations and students‟ questionnaire and the relevant discussion
This part summarizes the study, states the concluding remarks, the limitation of the research and offers suggestions for further research
PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I – LITERATURE REVIEW I.1 Communicative language teaching (CLT)
I.1.1 An overview of communicative language teaching (CLT)
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is the leading methodology in language education, gaining prominence in the 1970s and 1980s Today, it is the most popular and widely adopted approach in English language classrooms Since its inception, CLT has inspired numerous definitions and interpretations, reflecting its evolving nature in language teaching practices.
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is widely recognized for its emphasis on language as a system for expressing meaning, as highlighted by Nunan (1989) This approach prioritizes oral communication and meaningful tasks, ensuring that activities resonate with learners' needs, including both functional and linguistic skills In this process, learners act as negotiators and integrators, while teachers serve as facilitators Importantly, language is viewed not merely as a set of rules but as a dynamic resource for creating meaning, reinforcing the principles of CLT.
Richards and Rodgers (1986) view Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) as an approach rather than a method, encompassing two key theoretical frameworks: what to teach and how to teach The primary goal of language instruction within this approach is to cultivate "communicative competence," a fundamental concept defined by Hymes (1972) as the knowledge required for effective communication within a speech community Consequently, CLT aims to enhance learners' ability to communicate effectively and meaningfully in real-life contexts.
1 To make communicative competence the goal of language teaching
2 To develop procedures for the teaching of the four language skills that acknowledges the interdependence of language and communication
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is interpreted differently by various authors, yet it is primarily understood through its weak version, which highlights the significance of using English for communicative purposes Essentially, CLT is regarded as an approach rather than a strict method, often described through a set of general principles or characteristics A notable framework is provided by David Nunan (1991: 279), who outlines five key characteristics of CLT that are widely recognized in the field.
- An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language
- The introduction of authentic texts in to the learning situation
- The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on language but also on the learning process itself
- An enhancement of the learner’s own personal experiences as important contributing elements to classroom learning
- An attempt to link classroom language learning with language activation outside the classroom
To enhance student participation in communicative activities within a language classroom, teachers should focus on key characteristics that guide their approach The following section will explore various ideas related to effective communicative activities.
Communicative activities, as defined by Littlewood (1981), are essential for fostering whole task practice and enhancing student motivation These activities promote natural learning and establish a supportive context for educational growth In this framework, the teacher designs a situation and initiates an activity, while learners take charge of guiding the interaction to its conclusion.
According to Harmer (1991), communicative activities engage students by providing them with motivation and a clear purpose for communication These activities are highly beneficial, as they encourage students to actively utilize the target language, ultimately leading to improved proficiency.
Harmer (1991) categorizes communicative activities into oral and written forms Oral activities encompass communication games, problem-solving tasks, consensus-building discussions, instruction replay, and role-playing In contrast, written communicative activities include writing reports and advertisements, collaborative writing, letter exchanges, and journaling.
According to Littlewood (1981), communicative activities are categorized into two main types: functional communication activities and social interaction activities Functional communication activities focus on helping learners use their language skills to convey meanings effectively, involving tasks such as identifying pictures, finding identical pairs, and following directions In contrast, social interaction activities emphasize both the functional and social aspects of communication, encouraging learners to consider the social context of their interactions Techniques like simulation and role-playing are essential for fostering diverse social relationships and situations Nolasco and Arthur (1993) further elaborate on the characteristics of communicative activities.
- They involve using language for a purpose
- They create a desire to communicate This means there must be some kind of
“gap” which may be information, opinion, or reason that students seek to bridge
- They encourage students to be creative and contribute their ideas
- They focus on the message and students concentrate on “what” they are saying rather than “how” they are saying it
- The students work independently off the teacher
- The students determine what they want to write and say The activity is not designed to control what the students will
Group work is a powerful method for teachers to enhance students' language skills, significantly transforming classroom dynamics through student-centered teaching According to Nunan and Lamb (1996: 142), it is recognized as a major advancement in fostering interactive learning environments.
Group work is an effective method for organizing classroom activities, where students collaborate on assignments provided by the teacher The success of group work relies on the participants' equality and mutual engagement in the task It is commonly defined as "pupils working together as a group or a team" (Blatchford et al., 2003) or simply "students working together in small groups" (Lumpe & Haney, 1998).
Adrian Doff (1988:137) describes group work as a collaborative process where the teacher organizes the class into small groups, typically consisting of four to five students each, allowing them to work simultaneously on tasks.