INTRODUCTION
Rationale
English plays a crucial role globally, serving as a primary means of communication in various aspects of life In Vietnam, it is recognized as a foreign language and is a mandatory subject in educational institutions, starting from Junior High School through to university.
Oral communication competence, or speaking skills, is a primary focus in English language education at many schools, as it serves as a foundational skill that enhances other communication abilities like reading and writing However, fostering speaking skills among non-major students can be challenging due to the status of English as a foreign language, which limits its use in everyday national and social contexts.
With over five years of experience teaching English at VXUT, I have observed that students are required to study English for four semesters, primarily during their first two years At the end of each semester, students take both written and spoken tests; however, their spoken test results consistently fall short of their written scores Through my teaching experience and observations of my colleagues, I have identified several reasons for students' unsatisfactory performance in spoken English.
1 There are too many different levels of ability in the class
2 As soon as we put them in groups, our students speak Vietnamese not English
3 The students always make too much noise
4 We would like to do more speaking, but our students just won’t co-operate
5 The students make so many mistakes that we cannot correct them
6 We do not have time to give them enough speaking practice
7 The topic is not interesting
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an effective method for enhancing students' speaking skills by engaging them in designing, planning, and executing projects that result in publicly exhibited outputs, such as presentations or products (Patton, 2012) This innovative teaching approach emphasizes learning by doing and encourages students to tackle challenging questions or problems, fostering skills in design, problem-solving, and decision-making (Jones, Rasmussen, & Moffitt, 1997; Thomas, Mergendoller, & Michaelson, 1999) In Vietnam, PBL is utilized across various subjects, including English, Mathematics, Geography, Physics, and Informatics in both high schools and universities As noted by Nguyễn Văn Cường (2006), this method allows learners to demonstrate their abilities and creativity through project completion.
The facts above explain the reasons why the author conducts the study
This study explores the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in enhancing speaking skills for first-year non-English major students at VXUT The findings aim to provide valuable insights for both teachers and students, facilitating more effective speaking lessons in the classroom.
This study is carried out to meet the following aims:
1 To investigate the current English speaking teaching and learning situation at VXUT in order to find out the difficulties in learning and teaching English speaking
2 To find out the students’ attitudes towards applying PBL to teaching speaking at VXUT
3 To evaluate the effectiveness of the application PBL in teaching speaking at VXUT
4 To give suggestions for the teachers to overcome the difficulties when they applied this method in teaching speaking skill
This study particularly aims to answer the following questions:
1 What are the students’ attitudes towards applying PBL to teaching speaking in VXUT?
2 How effective is PBL in teaching English speaking in VXUT?
3 What are difficulties that teachers meet when applying PBL in teaching speaking to non-English majors?
This study examines the use of Task-Based Learning (TBL) by language teachers at VXUT in enhancing English speaking skills The research involved eight teachers and 87 first-year students, highlighting the practical application of TBL in the classroom despite time constraints.
This thesis is divided into five chapters:
Chapter 1 serves as an introduction to the study, outlining its rationale, aims, scope, significance, and organizational structure, while also providing essential definitions of key terms In Chapter 2, the literature review explores critical concepts related to the research topic, including the Grammar Translation Method, Direct Method, Communicative Language Teaching Approach, Project-Based Learning, and the development of speaking skills.
Chapter 3, Methodology, presents the situation analysis, participants, data collection instruments, and data collection procedures
Chapter 4, Findings and Discussion, presents the results of the study, offering a comprehensive overview of the data and an in-depth analysis It includes explanations and interpretations that illuminate the significance of the findings.
Chapter 5 presents a comprehensive summary of the findings and highlights the implications of the study, offering specific techniques to enhance speaking skills among students at VXUT Additionally, this chapter addresses the limitations encountered during the research and proposes recommendations for future studies.
Research questions
This study particularly aims to answer the following questions:
1 What are the students’ attitudes towards applying PBL to teaching speaking in VXUT?
2 How effective is PBL in teaching English speaking in VXUT?
3 What are difficulties that teachers meet when applying PBL in teaching speaking to non-English majors?
Scope of the study
This study explores the utilization of Task-Based Learning (TBL) by English language teachers at VXUT to enhance speaking skills The research was conducted with a sample of eight teachers and 87 first-year students, highlighting the practical application of TBL in the classroom despite time constraints.
Organization of the study
This thesis is divided into five chapters:
Chapter 1 introduces the study by outlining its rationale, aims, scope, significance, and organization, while also providing definitions of key terms Chapter 2 offers a literature review that explores essential concepts related to the research topic, including the Grammar Translation Method, Direct Method, Communicative Language Teaching Approach, Project-Based Learning, and the development of speaking skills.
Chapter 3, Methodology, presents the situation analysis, participants, data collection instruments, and data collection procedures
Chapter 4, Findings and Discussion, presents the results of the study, offering a comprehensive overview of the data along with an in-depth analysis This section also includes interpretations and explanations of the findings, providing valuable insights into the research outcomes.
Chapter 5 presents the conclusions and implications of the study, summarizing key findings and suggesting effective techniques to enhance speaking skills among students at VXUT It also addresses the study's limitations and offers recommendations for future research.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Grammar Translation Method
The classical language teaching method, one of the earliest approaches, aims to enable students to read, understand, and appreciate target literature In this framework, teachers serve as primary knowledge providers, while students are seen as containers of information, learning rules related to various parts of speech Although this method emphasizes receptive skills such as reading, grammar, and translation, it has notable limitations, including a lack of real communicative activities and listening exercises Consequently, pronunciation often remains unaddressed, as instructors primarily use the native language for explanations.
Mother tongue is the score means of instruction and teaching grammar deductively is a tremendous character of this method.
Direct Method
Teachers aim to help students communicate effectively in the target language by encouraging them to think in that language According to Larsen-Freeman (1986), this approach is essential for successful language acquisition.
Classroom instruction is conducted exclusively in the target language
The teacher's demonstration replaces traditional explanation or translation methods Vocabulary is emphasized as students practice using new words in complete sentences, supported by context, realia, and visuals Grammar knowledge is acquired through induction rather than explicit rules, promoting a more intuitive understanding of language.
The teacher plays a crucial role in guiding class activities, fostering student participation, and promptly correcting mistakes, while also acting as a partner in the learning process This collaborative approach offers significant benefits, such as improved speech fluency and pronunciation However, it is important to acknowledge the method's drawbacks, including the potential time wastage caused by the teacher's refusal to translate and the necessity for the teacher to be highly skilled to ensure lesson success Additionally, this method may not be suitable for large classes, as it fails to meet individual student needs.
The audio-lingual method
The audio-lingual method, rooted in linguistics and psychology, emerged in the 1950s and 60s, emphasizing behaviorism as its psychological foundation This approach views language learning as a process of mastering elements and rules, focusing on listening and speaking skills over reading and writing It employs dialogues and practice techniques like pattern drills and mimicry, utilizing tape recordings and language labs to enhance learning While the method aimed to make language learning accessible to ordinary learners and emphasized syntactical progression, it faced criticism for its theoretical foundations and practical limitations, particularly its failure to foster communicative competence in real-world situations.
Communicative Language Teaching
The origin of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is to be found in the changes in the British language teaching tradition from the late 1960s (Larsen,
In the 1980s, British applied linguistics recognized the importance of prioritizing communicative proficiency in language teaching over mere structural mastery Linguists noted that while students could accurately produce sentences in lessons, they often struggled to use them appropriately in real-life situations Widdowson (1978) highlighted that students might understand linguistic rules but fail to apply them effectively This observation led to the development of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), an approach designed to enable students to communicate effectively and fluently in the target language CLT emphasizes not only linguistic forms but also the meanings and functions of language, acknowledging that understanding a language's structures is essential for meaningful communication However, its primary focus remains on practical language use rather than extensive grammar study Nunan (1991) identifies five key characteristics of CLT that further define its approach.
• An emphasis on learning to communicative through interaction in the target language
• The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation
• The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on the 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
Richards and Rodgers (2001: 76-77) emphasize that the variety of exercises and activities in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is vast, as long as they actively involve learners in meaningful communication This communication should have a clear purpose, such as purchasing an airline ticket or composing a letter to a newspaper.
In Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the teacher plays a crucial role in facilitating communication by promoting interaction and acting as an advisor during activities Students engage in various communicative tasks, such as games and role-plays, which incorporate essential features of true communication: an information gap, choice, and feedback An information gap occurs when one participant in a conversation possesses knowledge that the other does not, while feedback from the listener confirms the speaker's message is understood Despite its effectiveness, CLT faces challenges and limitations in language teaching, leading to the emergence of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) as an adapted approach TBLT is recognized for its effectiveness in fostering communication, with a distinction made between its "weak" and "strong" versions.
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is founded on the belief that communicative competence components can be systematically identified and taught A more robust approach, known as Task-Based Language Teaching, asserts that language acquisition occurs through real communication experiences This article will delve into the strong version of CLT while also discussing the PPP (Present, Practice, Production) model, commonly associated with its weaker variant The PPP model, favored by novice teachers for its simplicity and clarity, is a modified form of Audiolingualism, where language is taught within clear situational contexts In this approach, the teacher first introduces the language in context, followed by its presentation, after which students engage in practice activities like choral repetition and cue-response drills, ultimately leading to independent sentence creation using the new language.
Project Based Learning
2.5.1 Definition of Project Based Learning
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an innovative teaching method that emphasizes learning through hands-on experiences This approach engages students in tackling challenging questions or problems, fostering skills in design, problem-solving, decision-making, and investigation PBL encourages meaningful communication with the community within a set timeframe and culminates in the creation of realistic products or presentations, enhancing the overall learning experience (Jones, Rasmussen, & Moffitt, 1997; Thomas, Mergendoller, & Michaelson, 1999).
2.5.2 Stages of Project Based Learning
According to Kiwis (1999), there are four stages to implement a project They are shown below:
At this stage, the teacher can select a topic that aligns with students' interests, or students may have the option to choose their own topic However, for beginner or lower-level students, it is often more effective for the teacher to choose the topic themselves This approach ensures that the content is appropriate and accessible, facilitating better understanding and engagement among students.
“the students in beginner or lower level do not have the language or confidence to develop project themes” (Gaer, 1998) The topic is suggested by the questions
To foster a motivating learning environment, teachers can utilize the "how, what, where, who, why" framework to engage students in project implementation By forming groups and setting clear deadlines and milestones, educators can effectively guide students towards successful project completion.
Stage 2: Designing the project activities
In this stage, each group member is assigned a specific role, and the method for exploring the project is determined For instance, some students may choose to visit companies, schools, and parks to gather information and data, while others may prefer to stay at their computers to collect relevant documents related to the topic.
The better organized and more analytical the structuring of the activities, the easier and faster the research will be conducted (Fragoulis, 2008)
Stage 3: Conducting the project activities
After collecting the data, students collaborate to process and categorize the information This involves sharing the insights gathered in the previous stage The next step is to synthesize and analyze the collected data, after which each group submits their findings.
Stage 2: Designing the project activities
Stage 3: Conducting the project activities
Stage 4: Evaluation agreement to present and display their project in the classroom by presentation, performance, product, publication
The evaluation process begins with self and peer assessments, followed by teacher evaluations using checklists and rubrics to assess student implementation This stage enables students to effectively apply and showcase their acquired knowledge.
Unlike traditional teaching methods, the teacher's role is not dominant in the classroom According to Papandreou (1994), teachers act as orchestrators, facilitators, and monitors In implementing projects, educators must create a learning environment that includes global projects, flexible tasks, and collaborative activities to engage students in deeper learning.
In this approach, students actively engage in solving real-world problems that align with their interests, moving beyond traditional classroom learning By collaborating with teachers and community members, they negotiate project ideas and assessment criteria, fostering a hands-on exploration of applicable knowledge.
2.5.5 Benefits of Project Based Learning
Project-Based Learning (PBL) offers numerous advantages for both students and teachers According to Fried-Booth (2002), students gain confidence and independence upon completing projects, as they engage with the community in English and have the freedom to ask questions for information gathering This approach fosters social learning and enhances collaborative skills Stoller (2006) highlights that students experience increased self-esteem and positive attitudes towards learning Furthermore, PBL facilitates progress in language skills; motivated by authentic activities, students use English in real contexts, which not only develops their listening and speaking abilities but also enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for life beyond the classroom (Brown et al., 1993).
Teachers experience numerous advantages, such as improved professionalism, increased collaboration with colleagues, and strengthened relationships with students (Thomas, 2000) They appreciate a teaching model that supports diverse learners by offering a broader spectrum of learning opportunities Notably, project-based learning is particularly beneficial for students who struggle with conventional instructional methods (SRI, 2000).
While implementing project-based learning (PBL), several drawbacks have emerged Many students are unaccustomed to this approach, leading to an imbalance in participation where some dominate the tasks while others contribute minimally Additionally, the use of their mother tongue for communication can hinder teacher oversight The lengthy duration required to complete projects often results in diminished motivation and boredom among students Furthermore, a study by Gulbahar and Timaz (2006) indicates that students struggle with managing deadlines due to semester overload, causing them to invest excessive time and effort into their individual projects.
Teachers often face challenges in selecting curriculum-aligned topics that meet student needs, as highlighted by Marx et al (2000) Time constraints can hinder in-depth project exploration, with teachers expressing concerns about their roles in setting task requirements, scaffolding activities, creating rubrics, and assessing student projects Additionally, Okolo and Ferretti (2001) found that some educators struggle with managing goals and addressing the needs of student groups during individual learning activities, which can result in chaotic classroom environments and negative student behavior.
The nature of speaking
Speaking is a productive oral skill that involves systematic verbal utterance to convey meaning, as noted by language learning experts like Nunan Widdowson (1978) further defines speaking through the concepts of use and usage, emphasizing that it is an active process that utilizes an aural medium This perspective highlights that speaking encompasses not only linguistic features but also nonlinguistic elements, such as gestures and eye contact, which play a significant role in effective communication.
Brown and Yule (1983) differentiate between spoken and written language, highlighting that spoken language is characterized by short utterances, frequent repetition, and overlapping dialogue among speakers They emphasize that spoken language features loosely organized syntax, the use of non-specific words and phrases, and the incorporation of fillers.
Words like "well," "oh," and "uhuh" contribute to making spoken language less dense compared to other forms of communication According to Brown and Yule, there are two primary functions of spoken language: the transactional function, which focuses on conveying information, and the interactional function, which serves to maintain social relationships.
According to Tarigan (1990:15), speaking is the skill of articulating sounds and words to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings This complex ability encompasses various elements, including grammar, pronunciation, fluency, and vocabulary Speaking serves multiple purposes, such as discussions, speeches, debates, dialogues, and conversations, making it a vital tool for social interaction and control.
Every skill has a component to fulfill it is needs Speaking also needs many components According to Vanderkevent (1990:8) there are three components in speaking
Speakers play a crucial role in producing sound and expressing opinions or feelings to listeners Without speakers, the ability to communicate thoughts and emotions would be lost, highlighting their importance in effective communication.
Listeners are people who receive or get the speaker’s opinion or feeling If there are no listeners, speakers will express their opinion by writing
Utterances are verbal expressions made by speakers to convey their opinions In the absence of utterances, both speakers and listeners resort to non-verbal communication, such as signs, to express their thoughts and ideas.
Effective speaking involves articulating language to convey messages, and students require ample practice to enhance their speaking skills Engaging in small group and pair activities creates a supportive environment for students to take risks in their communication Additionally, encouraging practice among classmates outside of class can boost their confidence When facilitating speaking exercises, it is essential to provide students with motivation and relevant information to encourage interaction While students may share the same information, they will express and communicate it in unique ways, fostering diverse conversations.
What is meant by "teaching speaking" is to teach ESL learners to:
- Produce the English speech sounds and sound patterns
- Use words and sentence stress, intonation patterns and the rhythm of the second language
- Select appropriate words and sentences according to the proper social setting, audience, situation and subject matter
- Organize their thoughts in a meaningful and logical sequence
- Use language as a means of expressing values and judgments
- Use the language quickly and confidently with few unnatural pauses which is called as fluency (Nunan: 2003)
2.6.5 The importance of teaching speaking skill
Teaching speaking is crucial in second language acquisition, as effective communication significantly impacts students' academic and life success Language teachers should focus on creating a rich environment that fosters meaningful communication rather than relying solely on memorization Project-Based Learning (PBL) plays a vital role in helping students develop essential speaking functions while also cultivating necessary life skills By engaging in PBL activities, students become more active participants in their learning, making the process both meaningful and enjoyable.
2.6.6 The goal of teaching speaking
The real challenge for foreign language students arises during actual communication, as highlighted by Thornby (2005), who identified two primary difficulties: knowledge factors, where learners lack essential language aspects for effective production, and skill factors, where their knowledge is not automated enough to ensure fluency Additionally, affective factors such as low confidence and high anxiety further hinder fluency, leading to decreased speaking production To address these challenges, teachers should provide ample practice opportunities and focus on meeting learners' needs to enhance their speaking skills.
2) A core vocabulary of at least 1000 high-frequency items
4) A core “phrasebook” of multi-word units (or chuck)
5) Formulaic ways of performing common speech acts (such as requesting or inviting)
6) Mastery of those features of pronunciation that inhibit intelligibility
In order to enable speech production, the goal of teaching speaking cover learners’ knowledge, sufficient vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency and discourse competence
Assessing students' speaking levels is essential in language courses, and it should be conducted systematically According to Brown, effective speaking assessments encompass six key categories: grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, pronunciation, and task performance.
Thornbury (2005:127) proposed four categories of speaking assessment criteria as follows: grammar and vocabulary, discourse management, pronunciation, interactive communication
Based on those theories, the researcher used several indicators of speaking skill Those were grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency, and confidence It was listed below:
1) Use correct grammar to make well-formed utterances
2) Use appreciate vocabulary to express idea
3) Perform acceptable pronunciation to express comprehensible utterance
4) Make correct dialogue or speech fluently
5) State the content of the speech clearly and confidently
The scoring rubric for speaking skills ranges from one to five, with five indicating nearly perfect proficiency across all indicators A score of four reflects minimal mistakes, showcasing a strong speaking ability An average score of three signifies a moderate level of speaking competence, while a score of two indicates poor skills that require significant improvement The lowest score of one denotes a critical need for development in speaking abilities.
Maximum has 4 mistakes & not change meaning 4 Have> 5 mistakes & not change the meaning 3 Have> 5 mistakes & change the meaning 2
Little or no language produced 1
Adequate but not rich vocabulary 3
Little or no language produced 1
Maximum has 3 mistakes & can be understood 4 Have> 4 mistakes & can be understood 3 Have> 4 mistakes & difficult to be understood 2
Little or no language produced 1
4 Fluency Speech on all professional and general topics as 5 effortless and smooth as a native speaker’s
Speech is effortless and smooth, but perceptibly non-native
Very hesitant and brief utterances Sometimes difficult to understand
Very confidently, loudly and naturally and uses gesture
Fairly confidently, loudly and naturally and occasionally uses gesture
Quite confidently, quite loudly and quite naturally and occasionally uses gesture
Does not speak confidently, a lot of pause, speech is absolutely a memorization of text, no use of gesture
The participant did not deliver his/her speech 1
Table 2.1 Score Rubric of Speaking Test
All of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), speaking seems intuitively the most important: people who know a language are referred to as
‘speakers’ of that language, as if speaking included all of other kinds of knowing and many if not most foreign language learners are primarily interested in learning to speak
Incorporating classroom activities that enhance learners' speaking skills is crucial for any language course However, creating and implementing these activities can be more challenging than those focused on listening, reading, or writing Before exploring the specific difficulties involved, it is essential to identify the key characteristics that define a successful speaking activity.
Effective learning environments prioritize learner talk, utilizing the majority of the allotted time for student interaction While it may seem evident, it is common for teacher talk or pauses to consume much of this time, hindering active participation Encouraging more dialogue among learners enhances engagement and fosters a collaborative learning atmosphere.
Participation is even: classroom discussion is not dominated by a minority of talkative participants; all get a chance to speak and contributions are fairly event distributed
High motivation among learners drives them to engage in discussions, fueled by their interest in the topic and a desire to share new insights or contribute to achieving specific task objectives.
Language is of an acceptable level: Learners express themselves in utterances that are relevant, easily comprehensible to each other, and of an acceptable level of language accuracy
In practice, however few classroom activities succeed in satisfying all of these criteria
2.6.9.Problems with speaking activities and solutions
Speaking in a foreign language often poses challenges for learners due to the need for real-time interaction with an audience Many students experience inhibition in the classroom, fearing mistakes, facing potential criticism, or feeling shy about the attention their speech may draw.