REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE TOPIC
The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected education, prompting a shift to online learning with the motto “stop going to school but not stop studying.” In Nghe An province, teachers and students adapted to this new reality, guided by the Ministry of Education and Training's document No 4040/BGD&ĐT-GDTrH 2021, which revised the National Curriculum for the 2021-2022 school year Consequently, many lessons were modified or omitted, particularly in English, where speaking and writing exercises were largely left for students to practice at home This approach hindered the development of students' communication and speaking skills, as not all students engaged with the material effectively To address these challenges, we are focusing on the topic: “Enhancing speaking skills through post-listening and post-reading activities for grade 10 and grade 11 students at Cua Lo Upper Secondary School.”
II AIM, OBJECTIVE, METHOD, SUBJECT AND RANGE OF THE STUDY
This study focuses on enhancing the speaking skills of grade 10 and grade 11 students, providing valuable resources for English teachers to improve their students' speaking abilities.
Through this study, the topic has helped the writers draw experiences of developing the students’ speaking skills
The writer’s experiences shown in this study may provide English teachers with a source of materials to improve students’ speaking skill In addition, students can
2 also use the methods illustrated in this study for their self-study in practicing speaking skill
- Studying the materials about improving speaking skills in reference books
- Analyzing and drawing experiences from the process of teaching
- Applying in the real teaching to self-evaluate
- How to motivate students to use the target language they learn in the reading and listening lessons to practice speaking in post activities
Developing students' speaking skills is a familiar topic in education; however, our focus is on empowering students to learn independently with teacher guidance, particularly in unique learning environments such as online classes.
The Study is made up of three main parts as follow:
The implementation of a new speaking method at Cua Lo Upper Secondary School has proven effective in boosting students' confidence in public speaking By allowing them to utilize language learned in reading and listening lessons, students can mimic native speakers without the anxiety of translating from Vietnamese to English This approach alleviates concerns about making mistakes, as they focus on imitation rather than original composition.
AIM, OBJECTIVE, METHOD, SUBJECT, NOVELTY, FEASIBILITY AND
Concept of speaking skill
Speaking is the act of delivering language through the mouth, utilizing various body parts such as the lungs, vocal tract, vocal cords, tongue, teeth, and lips Humans communicated verbally long before the invention of writing, with children typically mastering spoken language well before they learn to write Speaking is a crucial and intricate component of language acquisition, requiring knowledge of grammar, proper pronunciation, listening skills, and a broad vocabulary It encompasses a diverse range of topics aimed at educating, informing, entertaining, or influencing listeners.
Speaking skills refer to the ability to effectively communicate thoughts, demands, and ideas using language knowledge It is the second of the four essential language skills, which also include listening, reading, and writing.
The primary goal of teaching a foreign language is to equip students not only with knowledge but also with the ability to communicate effectively Mastery of a language is demonstrated through four essential skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing A proficient English learner excels not just in reading comprehension or writing but also in speaking fluently and understanding spoken English Unfortunately, many students focus excessively on rigid grammar rules and vocabulary, which hinders their ability to communicate naturally with others Effective speaking involves producing clear, intelligible sentences that facilitate meaningful conversations, highlighting the need for a more holistic approach to language learning that prioritizes practical communication skills.
The importance of speaking skills for learners
Among the four key language skills, speaking is deemed to be the most important skill in learning a foreign or second language Brown and Yuke (1983) say,
“Speaking is the skill in learning a foreign or second language Brown and Yuke
(1983) say, “Speaking is the skill that the students will be judged upon most in real life situations”
Speaking is often regarded as one of the most challenging skills for language learners, as highlighted by Bueno, Madrid, and McLaren (2006) Despite years of study, many learners struggle to speak fluently in real-time situations, as they need to construct sentences spontaneously This difficulty is particularly pronounced for foreign and second language learners who may lack a solid understanding of grammatical structures and sufficient vocabulary Consequently, students encounter significant challenges in forming grammatically correct sentences in English Given the critical importance of speaking skills in effective communication, individuals are motivated to develop these skills to engage with communities globally.
Effective speaking skills are crucial for English learners aiming to boost their careers, enhance business opportunities, and build confidence Mastery of these skills opens doors to better job prospects, enables successful public speaking, and facilitates participation in interviews, debates, and presentations In today's interconnected world, strong communication abilities serve as a key to employment success By practicing speaking skills, students can excel in various activities both inside and outside the classroom.
The necessity of practicing speaking skills
Many individuals focus heavily on certain skills while neglecting others, with speaking often being the most desired yet least practiced skill This reluctance can stem from a lack of determination; some may give up when faced with challenges Although natural speaking ability varies among individuals, anyone can improve their speaking skills with the right knowledge and effort Consistent practice is essential, so it's important to engage in English conversations regularly Those who feel they lack opportunities to practice, whether due to geographical limitations or workplace environments, should explore alternative methods Techniques such as enhancing pronunciation, speaking to oneself in front of a mirror, thinking in English, retelling stories, and listening to music can significantly aid in developing speaking skills.
To improve your English skills, immerse yourself in the language by watching English news and programs on TV Engage in conversations with others, focusing on listening attentively to native speakers and practicing speaking with them whenever possible Make an effort to practice your English skills anytime and anywhere to enhance your fluency.
Regardless of your confidence level, practicing your speech is crucial for its effectiveness Common issues like shyness, poor organization, time management challenges, limited vocabulary, and insufficient topic knowledge can all be addressed through practice The more you engage in speaking exercises, the more obstacles you will overcome, leading to a more polished and impactful delivery.
Regular practice enhances speaking skills and boosts familiarity with presentations, leading to smoother delivery Students who engage in consistent practice can significantly improve their abilities, enabling them to excel in classroom discussions and debates As they gain experience, they will overcome their fears and confidently deliver presentations independently This ongoing practice not only prepares them for short speeches in class but also fosters self-confidence, empowering them in decision-making and problem-solving.
PRACTICAL BASIS OF THE TOPIC
Common problems during speaking activities
English teachers at our school face significant challenges in organizing speaking activities, primarily because students struggle to express their ideas in English Often, they think in Vietnamese and attempt to translate their thoughts directly, resulting in grammatically incorrect phrases Additionally, a limited vocabulary hampers their ability to communicate effectively Many students also feel too shy to speak up, fearing mistakes, which leads to them either mumbling a few words or remaining silent during speaking exercises.
English teachers face the challenge of students prioritizing vocabulary and grammar for high exam scores, which detracts from their speaking practice New teaching methods aim to foster initiative and creativity, yet many students become passive in communication Despite having a strong grasp of vocabulary and grammar, some lack confidence in speaking, leading to disjointed fluency This is often due to their reliance on translating from their mother tongue to find appropriate English expressions, highlighting the need for more dedicated speaking practice.
Many Vietnamese students struggle to develop speaking skills in English due to a heavy focus on memorizing vocabulary and grammatical rules for exams Despite years of study from primary to upper secondary school, they often find themselves unable to communicate effectively in English The complexity of the language, with its extensive vocabulary, stress, intonation, and various grammatical structures, adds to the challenge Additionally, students in rural areas face further obstacles, such as limited opportunities for English communication and local accents, which hinder their ability to present or engage in conversations in English.
Principles of teaching speaking skill
To foster student engagement in speaking activities, teachers should prioritize motivation and tolerance Motivation, defined as the combination of effort, desire to achieve learning goals, and positive attitudes towards language learning, is crucial for student participation (Nunan, 1999) When students understand the context, have ideas to discuss, and know how to articulate them, they are more likely to engage Additionally, teachers must practice tolerance by allowing students to make mistakes in pronunciation and grammar without interruption or harsh correction This patience helps create a supportive environment where students feel safe to express themselves, reducing the fear of making errors and encouraging them to participate more freely.
Developing speaking skills through post reading and post listening activities at upper
The communicative teaching approach is a modern and effective method for teaching foreign languages, emphasizing the enhancement of students' speaking skills across various activities, including reading, listening, and writing Particularly, post-reading and post-listening activities prioritize speaking, enabling students to recall and creatively use newly acquired vocabulary This approach allows educators to assess students' comprehension during reading or listening tasks To facilitate effective practice, teachers should foster an active and encouraging environment, providing ample opportunities for students to engage in speaking.
However, the national Curriculum has been omitted to cope with the policy
During the Covid-19 pandemic, teaching and learning methods underwent significant changes, particularly in speaking lessons, which shifted to self-study formats Teachers now provide guidelines to enable students to practice independently at home Emphasizing four effective teaching techniques through post-reading and post-listening activities has proven beneficial, as they align well with the self-study process, allowing students to enhance their skills during this challenging time.
Role-play is an engaging educational method where students embody specific roles through verbal and physical actions, enhancing their motivation to learn a foreign language Defined by Blank (1985) as an activity requiring physical involvement, role-playing allows participants to act out scenarios, such as conversations or email exchanges, relevant to their discipline Students receive guidance on their roles, whether as an aggressive client or a patient in denial, and engage in reflections and discussions post-activity to explore alternative responses This enjoyable teaching technique not only boosts speaking skills but also enhances body language and facial expressions, fostering self-confidence as students perform in front of peers Ultimately, role-play immerses students in realistic situations, helping them become more comfortable in an English-speaking environment.
In post-reading and post-listening activities, teachers encourage students to recount the stories they've just learned, allowing them to engage with the material By utilizing various sources of information, students grasp the content and learn to apply diverse vocabulary and structures relevant to different contexts The key is for students to transform the language materials into their own words, rather than simply memorizing the lessons This practice enables them to incorporate these ideas and expressions into real-life situations, enhancing their language skills and comprehension.
Students can enhance their interviewing skills by adapting the provided story into a practical exercise, where one student poses questions while the other responds using information gathered during the activities.
To effectively participate in interviews, students must have a clear understanding of the topic Strong students can rephrase content from reading or listening lessons into their own words, thereby improving their speaking skills Conversely, weaker students can benefit from imitating or repeating vocabulary and structures from the lessons While creativity in responses is not essential, the goal is to build confidence and enhance fluency in weaker students Ultimately, any effort to engage is preferable to remaining silent and struggling to articulate thoughts.
This activity is ideal for lessons focused on significant events involving key figures The teacher can present a word or number from the lesson, prompting students to create sentences related to the event These numbers serve as cues, helping students recall details and encouraging them to engage with the material For instance, after studying the life of a notable individual, the teacher might display important years, such as their birth year, graduation year, or the year they received a prestigious award like the Nobel Prize Recognizing these years allows students to connect them to specific events, stimulating their participation and enthusiasm.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION IN TEACHING
Role-play
English 10- Unit 14: The World Cup - Post listening activity ( Listening lesson)
After listening to a passage about Pelé, the world's greatest football player, students engage in an interactive role-play where they embody Pelé and discuss his life While some students portray Pelé, others provide feedback on their performances, making the activity both engaging and educational This exercise is particularly exciting for students, as Pelé is a well-known figure to them, fostering enthusiasm and participation Additionally, it offers students the opportunity to utilize vocabulary related to life, education, and various professions.
Moreover, this helps students practice their speaking skills naturally and effectively
- Ask students spend one minute arrangering the information about Pelé
- Have students work individually playing the role of Pelé
- Check students to make sure they know what they have to do and how they have to perform
- Give them some cues such as the year of birth, name of the home city, hobby, the times of World Cup he participated…
- Select some students to perform and ask the others pay attention to “these actors” and give remarks
- Try to arrange the information about Pelé according to what they have heard
- Play the role as being required
- Respond to the requirement of the teacher
- Use the suggestions to act as the role of Pelé
- The selected students perform and the others listen and give remarks
- Encourage students to practice and comment on the presentation of all the students
Feel more confident and stimulated after pretending to be a very famous football player
English 10- Unit 4: Special education - Post reading activity ( Reading lesson)
The article discusses Ms Thuy, a dedicated teacher of a special class for disabled children While the reading passage about her is meaningful and educational, it lacks appeal for the students To enhance engagement, the teacher needs to modify the content or create a more captivating context By allowing students to role-play as Ms Thuy, they can discuss her work, which not only makes the passage more memorable but also provides an opportunity for them to practice vocabulary from the text.
- Give the students the duty which they are going to do
- Check some students whether they are clear about the task
- Help the students to remember the main points of the passage and some key words
+ disabled + dumb + deaf +mentally retarded + opposition
+ make great efforts + time-consuming + how to add and subtract + be proud of
- Pay attention to what the teacher explains
- Respond to the teacher’s request
- Try to use the useful ideals to practice
- Ask the students to work by role playing of Ms Thuy
- Select some students to present their talks
To enhance engagement in our activity, we are hosting a competition featuring teachers as participants Each teacher will assume the role of Ms Thuy and discuss her profession, adding an interactive and educational element to the event.
- Comment on the students- competitors’ performances to praise their efforts
The competition concludes with the judges announcing the winner, who is celebrated with applause from classmates and awarded prizes such as a packet of candy or a hand-made poster.
- Practice playing the role of Ms Thuy as required
- The selected students present their talking as the competitors
- The students appointed to work as the judge pay attention to their presentation to evaluate
* The expected speech should be:
+ clear + fluent + expressive + moving + energetic + accurate
- Pay attention to the teacher’s comments
- Listen to the judge’s evaluation and respond to their requests.
Story telling
English 11- Unit 1: Friendship - Post listening activity (Listening lesson)
Engaging activities significantly motivate students to enhance their speaking skills, particularly when teachers randomly select students to draw cards The anticipation of picking a card, especially one featuring a smiling face, adds an element of excitement and eagerness to the learning process.
- Ask students to work in pairs, take turns to talk
8 minutes about Lan and Long’s best friends
- Go round and help students remember the details
To enhance classroom engagement, teachers can utilize tools like the random wheel feature in PowerPoint or lucky cards to randomly select students to stand up and share their stories with the class.
The random wheel is preferable to online classrooms while lucky postcards are more suitable for offline ones
- Teacher lets students practice in pairs for 2 minutes and then teacher shows the same sides of three cards to students
One card has the word
In the story, Lan and Long are central characters, each representing different experiences, while a smiling card symbolizes a unique opportunity for students to skip questions.
Think about what they have just listened
- Choose a postcard from the teacher
- Each time teacher calls a student to choose a card
Teacher then turns over the card to see if it is a word or a smiling face Students have to talk about Lan and Long’s friends
Below are some of the students’ presentations recorded
- About Lan’s best friend: Lan’s best friend is Ha They used to live in the same residential area in Hanoi, but Lan’s family moved to Hai Phong in
In the summer of 1985, Ha took a two-day trip to Do Son, a place where she had no acquaintances Seeking companionship, she reached out to Lan, who welcomed her warmly and offered her hospitality Ha traveled to Do Son by motorbike and stayed with Lan during her visit.
Ha Lan introduced Ha to some of her friends there They have become best friends since then
Long's best friend is Minh, whom he met in college A talented guitarist, Minh frequently accompanied Long during their musical performances, fostering a strong collaborative bond between them With a great sense of humor and numerous shared interests, Minh has been a constant source of support, always ready to help Long through challenging times.
English 11- Unit 2: Personal Experiences - Post reading activity (Reading lesson)
- Ask students to work in groups of four Give them some pictures illustrated the story in the reading passage
Group leaders should organize an engaging activity by distributing random pictures to each member Every student is then required to articulate one or more sentences that relate to the assigned images, fostering creativity and communication skills within the group.
The teacher circulates around the classroom to monitor student engagement during the activity Subsequently, the teacher invites one group to the board, distributing a picture to each student and prompting them to share their interpretation of a segment of the story.
Here are the results of the activity organised in class 11A1.1 and 11D1.1 First of all, teacher gives students one
Each student receives a picture and report the details related to the picture
-Picture a: She showed her father the new red hat that she has just
7 minutes picture at a time and students make sentences:
The teacher attentively listened and provided feedback, but her father noticed a stack of dollars on the table He questioned her about how she had paid for the hat, as the money he had given her remained untouched on the table.
- Picture b: Her father knew her dream so on her birthday, he gave her some money so that she could buy the hat she liked
- Picture c: She wore the new hat and she held the money in her hand and felt very embarrassed
(Another student gave a better answer like this: Wearing the new hat, she picked up the money and felt really embarrassed.)
- Picture d: She watched a video clip and saw her idol wearing a floopy cotton hat She liked to have a hat like that as she thought she would look great in it
- Picture e: She went to the shop and bought the hat of her dream
On the bus, she sat beside a schoolboy her age, noticing his open bag that revealed a bundle of dollars resembling the one her father had given her.
In situations where time is limited, teachers can assign students to practice narrating the entire story at home and record their presentations to share via platforms like Zalo or Padlet To avoid creating a scene, she chose to discreetly return the money without mentioning it, simply reaching into her bag to retrieve it.
English 11- Unit 1: Friendship- Post reading activity ( Reading lesson)
In English 11, the first topic is Friendship, a crucial aspect of life that students explore When asked about the most important quality for true friendship, many students struggle to articulate their thoughts in English, often resorting to listing qualities without providing reasons Some even request to express their ideas in Vietnamese due to difficulty in translation To address this challenge, a post-reading activity is introduced in the second lesson, where students receive suggestions and are encouraged to conduct interviews, fostering better expression of their ideas in English.
- Ask students to work in pairs
- Give students some suggestions so that they can make questions and answers
1 What/ most important quality/ true friendship?
3 You/ think/ you/ good friend?
- Make questions and prepare the answers based on
- Let students discuss in 3 minutes Students may use the information they have learnt in the reading passage to answer the questions or they can speak out their ideas
- Call some pairs to go to the board and make an interview
- One student raises the questions and the other gives answers
Below are some sample interviews from students in class 11A1.1 and 11D1.1: the suggestions given
- Student A: Hi, thank you for joining our programme Our topic today is about
The first question for you is “What is the most important quality for true friendship?”
- Student B: In my opinion, the most important quality is unselfishness
- Student A: Why do you think so?
- Student B: Because a person who is
18 concerned only with his own interests and feelings cannot be a true friend
He or she never pay any attention to others’ emotion
Therefore, the others will soon feel disappointed
- Student A: Do you think you are a good friend?
- Student B: Yes, I always care about my friends’ thoughts and feelings
- Student A: Thank you for your sharing
- Student A: What is the most important quality for true friendship?
- Student B: I think sympathy is the most important quality
- Student A: Why do you think so?
Because friends must sympathize with each other’s aims, likes, joys, sorrows and happiness
- Student A: Do you think you are a good friend?
After two periods of focused reading lessons, students have gained a clear understanding of the content, enabling them to express their ideas effectively during related activities While proficient students may paraphrase and adapt the material, those with varying skill levels might simplify or replicate the structures to participate Ultimately, the emphasis lies not on the originality of their responses but on fostering their confidence in speaking English This activity also equips students with the ability to discuss the qualities essential for maintaining lasting friendships, enhancing their communication skills for real-life conversations.
English 10- Unit 13: Films and cinema - Post reading activity ( Reading lesson)
The reading passage provides students with a concise history of cinema, covering its origins and evolution as a significant form of entertainment To facilitate clear and fluent discussions about the passage's content, we focus on the post-reading activity of "describing events through cues." This approach aims to enhance students' understanding and communication skills regarding the material.
1 minute - Have students to scan the passage again to be sure about
- Look at the passage again to be clearer about the passage
- Explain the duty for the last part of the lesson
- List the cues from the passage and make a model
Model: + 19 th century -> The history of cinema began in the early 19 th century
( focus on the verb tense as well)
- Ask students to continue describing the events using the others
- Observe and help them to finish their duty
- Have some students present their talks by choosing the ticket requiring their presentation or allowing them to get a gift ( This step makes the atmosphere more exciting and attractive)
- Listen to their presentation and give remarks to encourage them to practice more enthusiastically
- Pay attention to the teacher’s explanation and think about the activity
- Note down the cues and try to connect with the events
- Pay attention to the model
- Practice describing the events with the cues
Try to connect the events to have a talk about the cinema
- Be eager to choose the ticket
- Respond to the requiring task
- Feel more stimulated and motivated
As mentioned above this activity is useful for students to talk about the events logically and closely The students are encouraged to practice naturally They seem
21 to become more confident when speaking in front of the class which helps them overcome the shyness to get used to public speaking
I RESULTS OF THE EXPERIENCE APPLICATION:
Implementing this teaching method has yielded positive results, as students exhibit increased interest and engagement in their studies, actively enhancing their English communication skills The atmosphere in speaking classes has become more dynamic, with students feeling less anxious about speaking English This improvement stems from their ability to focus on the lesson rather than translating from Vietnamese, allowing them to express their ideas more freely with the vocabulary and grammatical structures provided Additionally, this approach fosters quick reaction skills in conversation, enabling students to maintain the flow of dialogue across various topics Ultimately, it cultivates greater confidence and a more natural communication style among students.
We can see the differences between the quality of the same classes before and after adapting the method in the two tables below
* The quality of students speaking before applying the method
Good level Fair level Average level Weak level
After one year of applying the method, our students not only enjoyed themselves in our speaking classes but also made good progress in learning English I think this is partly
The speaking test, which constitutes 20% of the total term assessment, reflects students' strong interest in English, as evidenced by the results at the end of the first term.
* The quality of students speaking after applying the method
Good level Fair level Average level Weak level
SUMMARY
Language acquisition begins with listening to sounds, words, phrases, and sentences in the environment, followed by speaking, as widely recognized in linguistic studies (Anuradha, Raman & Hemamalini, 2014).
In upper secondary education, incorporating English speaking practice into the curriculum significantly enhances students' skills for higher education However, the process of teaching and learning to speak English presents various challenges.
Both teachers and students face significant challenges, particularly in enhancing speaking skills that have been overlooked in textbooks due to the Covid-19 pandemic This article aims to assist English teachers and students in overcoming these difficulties We value the input and support of our colleagues as we work to complete this project.
One of the key benefits of this topic is that it helps students overcome their fear of speaking English, leading to increased satisfaction when they practice As a result, students become more engaged in listening and speaking activities, which not only enhances their language skills but also expands their vocabulary Ultimately, this topic has played a significant role in fostering a greater interest in learning English among students.
Despite the writers' diligent efforts to address the topic, some unavoidable errors may remain We welcome feedback and comments from both colleagues and students to enhance the content further Our goal is to assist students in improving their speaking skills and boosting their confidence.
PROPOSALS
Having applied this teaching method for a school year successfully, we have got some results as well as precious experiences as follow:
Teachers should foster a foreign language environment in the classroom by using English as the primary means of communication, helping students acclimate to an "English environment." Additionally, educators can encourage language production tailored to the varying proficiency levels of their students.
…… To do all these things well, teachers have to keep on studying to broaden their knowledge and improve their speaking skills
2 Teachers also try to encourage students to use English to communicate
Teachers should focus less on correcting students' mistakes during English speaking practice Allowing students to express their thoughts and ideas naturally encourages fluency and confidence Interrupting them can hinder their ability to communicate effectively, so it’s important to prioritize listening and speaking over immediate corrections.
26 may make them feel bad and stressed when they listen and speak English
4 Teachers should ask students to practice speaking at home and record their presentations to teachers through media available like Zalo, Messenger, Padlet,…
SOME IMAGES OF SPEAKING ACTIVITIES