Effective strategies applied to teach English to Grade 12 students in mixed-Ability classes

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the leaders of Thanh Hoa Education and Training Department for organizing this seminar and for giving me the precious chance to do it.
	Secondly, I am very grateful to all the teachers of English at Leviettao Upper Secondary School for offering me useful advice in realizing my ideas.
	Last but not least, I would like to thank you very much for your presence and observation. Your comments and advice would be highly appreciated all in all.
Thank you very much!
1. PREFACE
1.1. REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE THEME 
It’s the common knowledge that the more developed the society becomes, the stronger demands to widen international relations there are; therefore, it is indispensable for us to learn one foreign language. Since English is not easy to learn, students usually need to be taught with new methods. Many teachers of English have reformed the methods of teaching so far, but these methods are for good students so they are unsuccessful because they haven’t known how to organize the class and to plan the lessons so that they are suitable for each student in the mixed-ability classes. As a result, good students are getting more and more bored and weak students are becoming lazier and lazier. They are passive and afraid of learning English. To teach English more and more interestingly, effectively, communicatively and equally, every teacher must do their best, master their professional abilities, study without cease and apply active and suitable teaching methods, especially facilitate lessons.
 Throughout years’ time of teaching English in the period of general education renovation, I have myself thought that it is necessary to reform methods of organizing activities in teaching to motivate students. I have positively realized that only by motivating students can we interest them in English lessons. There are many ways to motivate students to learn but what a teacher should do is to plan the lessons and organize the activities so that they are suitable for students’ levels, ages, spirits and psychology. All that we should do is to equalize students in activities so we can unexpectedly happen to realize students’ talents because these activities are equal to students, easy to do, suitable for the whole class even weak students. The sense of equality, atmosphere of excitement, feeling of the assistance in students’ reach, spirit of solidarity, the factors of which help students to ignore their shyness which prevents them from speaking freely and actively. This has a great influence on teaching results. Students have chances to use their vocabulary, grammatical structures. Moreover, they feel satisfied when they know they can do as well as others.
 English is a language and it is a foreign language so it is too difficult for students, especially Grade 12 rural students to learn although they have been learning for several years. I have been thinking of how to change the methods but whatever new methods teachers may use, lazy and weak students will become bored, passive and inactive if teachers don’t interest them effectively. When we take on a class of different levels, it is difficult to find a common activity for the whole class. This will be unfeasible if we organize games or set students difficult exercises because they are too easy for this group but they are too difficult for the other ones. So, should we always follow each student or each group to give them private lessons?
 It is the reasons above that have been urging me to choose the theme: “Effective strategies applied to teach English to Grade 12 students in mixed-ability classes” for my own Seminar on methodology without cease.	 
1.2. AIMS OF RESEARCH 
From the matter of fact, as a teacher, I have endlessly been considering and researching for the methods to improve the quality of teaching English. Knowing that the students’ psychophysiology is doing what they enjoy, liking new things, indulging in pleasures rather than study, I give them a new method of learning in which they can work for both study and pleasure; realizing that students in a class have their different levels, both advanced and weak, I carefully plan suitable lessons in order to make these lesson easier for students and organize the class so that good students can help weak ones. Thanks to these ways, students are naturally absorbed in the lessons. Proper organization and suitable planned lessons highly motivate students and make their levels in a class equivalent. Throughout years’ time of teaching English for different students, especially students of the former Semi-state school where there are far more weak students than advanced ones, I would personally like to present Effective strategies applied to teach English to Grade 12 students in mixed-ability classes. Also, I would like to exchange my own experienced initiatives and methods of teaching for the colleagues so that we can find out new and interesting methods in the education socialization period by our Party and State.
1.3. OBJECTS OF RESEARCH
-Teachers at between junior and senior high schools
-Undergraduates and advanced students.
-Period of teaching English in Grade 12 at high schools
-Strategies applied to teach English to Grade 12 students in mixed-ability classes
1.4. METHODS OF RESEARCH
-Using the text-book to apply to each lesson and section.
-Using references to prove.
-Pictures and other materials.
-Investigating, surveying situations.
2. CONTENTS
2.1. Basis of theory:
	It’s the common knowledge that the more developed the society becomes, the stronger demands to widen international relations there are; therefore, it is indispensable for us to learn one foreign language. For this reason, English has been regarded as a main and compulsory subject at schools since 2009 and it has greatly direct influences on students’ results of General Certificate of Secondary Education, Entrance exams and future jobs. In order to get good jobs, to integrate into the world and to communicate with other people, the young must be proficient at using English. Learning English well at school will help students to get further success in their own career afterwards as well as to contribute to the industrialization and modernization of our country. Therefore, it is essential for a teacher to have his own strategies, techniques, enthusiasm and passion so as to find the best teaching methods in improving students’ study. However, it is not easy for an English teacher to choose what strategies and techniques to teach English for his multi-level class where there are both advanced and hardworking students and weak and lazy ones. As we know, English is too difficult for most students to learn, especially, weak rural students find it more difficult. The Former Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan said, “Up to now, we have only awarded advanced and talented students but we have forgotten weak students who make much progress in study. Besides, we must take the measures for improving weak students”. He focused “We must regard motivation as being the most important factor to reform our education and each teacher always has his own motivation to teach; each student to learn”
2.2. Basis of practice
2.2.1. Achievements
Thanh Hoa Education and Training Department has focused on teaching and learning English for recent years. We have organized many English advanced exams for teachers and students. Annually, we have a lot of conferences and workshops to reform teaching methods. We usually have discussions about professional knowledge. We have been trying to apply new methods to teaching flexibly and skillfully. In the last few years, we have carried out reduced curriculum of Ministry of Education and Training. Students are more hard-working, interested in English. Therefore, teaching and learning English has been enhanced effectively.
2.2.2. Some reasons for the disadvantages of teaching and learning English at high schools
English is one of the most important subjects at schools but it is not easy enough for any students to learn. Some students, especially the students who have no sense, no mood and no patience in learning can’t keep up with the new methods of learning. They have their puzzle in understanding and applying their knowledge to practice. Many students haven’t understood the significances of English in the International integration age. Some students learn English for their curiosity but when they have difficulties, they let things run. Some students lack their basic knowledge from the junior high schools. Therefore, students have no sense, no mood, no motivation to learn English effectively and actively.
2.2.3. For teachers 
Being a teacher of the foreign language, realizing a new method of teaching is a big problem. Personally, I see that many teachers haven’t given students any chances to practice vocabulary, grammar.., if there, they just mechanically check one or two students before the lesson, which makes students bored and passive. On the other hand, when teaching, teachers haven’t made full use of the students’ activities and creativeness so the lessons are usually uninteresting. Some teachers spend no time on the lesson plans, they don’t think much and plan the lesson carefully. Some teachers don’t encourage, award weak students who make much progress in study. Some just teach the lessons so that they are finished because they don’t organize any activities, therefore, the lessons are usually dull and the classrooms are boringly quiet. 
2.2.4. For students 
Since education reform, students have loved learning English but mainly advanced students. And weak students who understand the lesson slowly learn passively. They wait for the teacher’s or other students’ answers. Many of them have no opportunities or they don’t dare to practice speaking English in class. They are afraid they speak incorrectly. Many can not read, speak, listen and write, even they ignore paying attention to the lessons or taking any notes or doing any homework. In fact, we can see these students have no love for EnglishTherefore, the teaching qualities of English do not live up to our expectations. Following is the convey on the quality of English of 4 classes: 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E at the end of the second term in school year 2016-2017. 
Classes
Number
of
students
Listening
Reading
Well mastered and 
applied
Badly
mastered
and 
applied
Well mastered and 
Applied
Badly
mastered
and 
applied
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
11B
40
17
42.5
23
57.5
19
47.5
21
52.5
11C
41
17
42.5
24
57.5
19
47.5
22
52.5
11D
38
18
52.6
20
47.4
20
52.6
18
47.4
11E
42
19
46.5
23
53.5
20
46.5
22
53.5
Total
161
71
47.1
90
52.8
78
48.7
83
51.2
classes
Number
of
students
Speaking
Language focus
writing
Well mastered and 
applied
Badly
mastered
and 
applied
Well mastered and 
applied
Badly
mastered
and 
applied
Well mastered and 
applied
Badly
mastered
and 
applied
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
11B
40
15
37.5
25
62.5
18
45.0
22
55.0
17
42.5
23
57.5
11C
41
15
37.5
26
62.5
18
45.0
23
55.0
17
42.5
24
57.5
11D
38
17
50.0
21
50.0
18
57.9
20
42.1
19
50.0
19
50.0
11E
42
18
41.9
24
58.1
20
46.5
22
53.5
18
41.9
24
58.1
Total
161
65
42.9
96
48.7
74
49.5
87
50.4
71
44.6
90
55.3
 (* Note: Q : Quantity )
As can be seen from the tables of the statistics above, the rates of the students who didn’t master the knowledge and those who applied all the skills weakly are rather high. It has shown that students didn’t master the methods of learning English and they weren’t hard-working, active and creative in applying the knowledge the teacher guided them to communicate. These data have proved that the number of students in a class is not equivalent and has dissimilar levels.
2.3. Strategies applied to solve the situation
2.3.1. Some notions: 
- What is a mixed-ability class? 
In Vietnamese context, a mixed-ability class is the one in which the students are on dissimilar levels with different abilities. Some students are fairly proficient in the language, some are of average proficiency level, and others are weak. 
- What are learner differences?
Generally, students in a mixed-ability class can be categorized into 3 groups:
HEP (High English Proficiency) , SEP (Some English Proficiency), LEP (Low English Proficiency)
2.3.2. What strategies to teach?
From the point of view, I have been thinking of many methods and applying a lot of strategies to effectively teach English to 12th Graders in multi-level classes. As a matter of fact, I have been using the following strategies:
1. Planning lessons carefully especially warm-up stage to attract students’ attention at the beginning of the class.
2. Asking students to learn vocabulary by heart in class.
3. Making tasks easy for students to do.
4. Encouraging students to speak English in class by giving them high marks.
5. Using projectors to teach.
6. Making proper plans to give weak students extra-class help.
7. Organizing extracurricular activities (Based on “ring the golden bell” or “who is the millionaire” game shows.
8. Discussing then electing the pairs who help each other in study for improvement in each month.
2.3.3. How to use the strategies in details?
2.3.3.1. Planning lessons carefully especially the warm-up stage to attract students’ attention at the beginning of the class.
Planning lessons carefully is one of the most important factors to the successful lessons. And planning the warm-up stage has the same importance. This is the first important stage to help students avoid being confused, be in a good mood and curious about the new lesson. Teachers should spend between 3 and 5 minutes each lesson on Warm-up stage by playing language games. When they play games, they all feel equal because games are equivalent, suitable for the whole class even weak students. This has a great influence on teaching results. Following are some new language games I have used for Grade 12 lessons
Using Games in Warm-up stage to check, revise vocabulary or grammatical structures or lead students to the new lessons:
Game 1: Number matching
* For example: English 12( Basic curriculum) ( page 145,146,147)
 Unit 13: The 22nd SEA Games - Lesson 5: Language focus ( Exercise 1)
-Aims: To lead students to the new lesson in pre-teaching Grammar stage: Double comparison for “ comparative + and + comparative”.
-Time allowed: 7 minutes.
-Material preparation: I prepare a table of phrases and clauses (exercise 1)in advance and stick it on the board.
-Steps:
+I divide the class into 2 teams: Team A and Team B and ask each team to choose 6 couples( for 6 sentences).
+I ask couples in the 2 teams to come to the board and stand on 2 sides.
+I number each member of 2 teams: Team A: 1-a,2-b,3-c,4-d,5-e,6-f
 Team B: 1-a,2-b,3-c,4-d,5-e,6-f.
 Students in Numbers
 Students in Letters
1.Travelling is becoming
a. more and more nervous
2.As I waited for my interview, I became
b. bigger and bigger
3.That hole in your pullover is getting
c. more and more talkative
4.As the conversation went on, he became
d. more and more expensive
5.The suitcase seemed to get
e. better and better
6.Her English is improving; it’s getting
f. heavier and heavier as I carried it upstairs
+I show couples in the 2 teams the pairs of phrases and clauses:
+I ask couples to find and match each other in their own team.
+The couple who have the perfect match will score one point for their team.
+I translate the meaning of the words, phrases or clauses each couple matched.
+I correct the answers.
+I sum up: The team having more points will win the game.
à Students in 1 go with d, 2 with a, 3 with b, 4 with c, 5 with f, 6 with e
@ After students understand the meanings of the sentences above, we can ask them to give the form of Double comparison “ comparative + and + comparative”
* (Note: We can do the same in Exercise 3_Unit 13_Language focus, page 147; in Exercise 1_Unit 16_Language focus, page 182.)
Game 2: Sentence Arranging (like : Jumbled sentence game)
* For example: English 12 (Basic curriculum) ( page 49)
 Unit 4: School education system - Lesson 4 : Writing
-Aims: To present the suggestions for ideas, grammar, structuresin Pre-writing stage (before students do the task 1).
-Time allowed: 6 minutes
-Material preparation: I prepare 5 pieces of paper in the large size. 
-Steps: 
2
1
5
4
3
+I prepare 5 sentences I need to suggest for the Writing lesson about Education system in Vietnam and write each jumped word on the pieces of the paper and stick them on the board (as shown).
1. The children/at the/going/of/primary education/age/to/in Vietnam/start/6.
2. during/Compulsory/years/lasts/9/education /from primary to lower secondary.
3. in Vietnam/9/from Sept to May/The academic year/lasts/months/during
4. terms/A school year/into/2/divided/is/in Vietnam.
5. in Vietnam/at the/finish/of/The children/17/upper secondary/age.
+I divide the class into 2 teams: Team A and Team B.
+I call 5 students in each team to come to the board.
+I jump the words in each sentence. Then give each student one jumped sentence. 
+Within limited time (for example, 45 seconds), these students finish putting the correct orders of the words in each sentence so that these sentences are perfect.
+I correct and sum up: The team having fast, correct sentences will win the games.
àTeams’ answers:
1. The children in Vietnam start going to primary education at the age of 6.
2. Compulsory education lasts during 9 years from primary to lower secondary.
3. The academic year in Vietnam lasts during 9 months from Sept to May.
4. A school year in Vietnam is divided into 2 terms.
5. The children in Vietnam finish upper secondary at the age of 17.
@After students finish playing the Game, we can use these answers as the suggestions for ideas and grammatical structures to write a paragraph on the formal school education system in Vietnam.
àNote: (We can do the same in Unit 10_Writing, page 113 ; Unit11_Writing, page 124,125; Unit 12_Writing, page 134,135; Unit 13_Writing, page 143,144,145 ; Unit 15_Writing, page 168,169).
 Games 3: Relay
* For example: English 12 (Basic curriculum) (page 159,160,161)
 Unit 14: International Organizations - Lesson 5 : Language focus
-Aims: To check and practice phrasal verbs in Production-stage (after students do the exercises) in Language focus lessons.
-Time allowed: 6 minutes.
-Material preparation:
+I draw 2 tables of words on the board. Each table is divided into 2 columns. The table A, which includes 10 verbs is for team A; the table B, which includes 10 prepositions is for team B
-Steps:
+I divide the class into 2 teams: Team A and Team B.
+I call the representatives of 2 teams to come to the board. These students are asked to stand in 2 rows.
+I give the instructions that I will say a word or phrase in Vietnamese, and in turn, each student in 2 teams will write the words on the right column as required.
 Verbs
Prepositions
up
in
over
off
after
back
out
on
off
up
 Team A Team B 
 Verbs
Prepositions
Look
Put
Take
Give
Go
Try
Get
Turn
Fill
Hurry
+After finishing writing a word on the right column, this student quickly hands the chalk over to the next student in the team and, in turn, finishing all the words given. One point for the correct answer.
-I correct and sum up: The team having more points will win the game.
à When I say:
“chăm sóc”: Team A should write: look after; Team B should write: look after.
“mặc vào”:	 Team A should write: put on; Team B should write: put on.
“cởi ra”:	 Team A should write: take off; Team B should write: take off.
“từ bỏ”:	 Team A should write: give up; Team B should write: give up.
“nổ, ôi thiu”: Team A should writ