I reseach this topic to give some effective methods which help students to learn and use English better

TABLES OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Reasons for choosing the study
 All the languages are used as a mean of communication. Therefore, it is very important to equip students with English- an international language. How can they use it to communicate with other people after graduating from high school is a question for many educators. To do it, we – english teachers- have to change the teaching methods as well as the curiculums .
 Many students cannot communicate well inspite of having known clearly about grammatical rules. That means we are teaching english in ineffective ways. Why are they afraid of using English to talk with other people while they can get high marks in written tests? Working as an English teacher at a high school, I realise that there are many difficulties which prevent students from communicating by English. Therefore, I reseach this topic to give some effective methods which help students to learn and use English better.
2. Objectives of the study 
I research this topic because of some following purposes.
First, students can learn speaking lesson more effectively.
Second, students can use simple words, phrases and structures to communicate . 
Third, teachers can apply some other ways to teach the speaking lessons effectively
3. Object of the study
- The English communication skill of students
4. Scope of the study
- Speaking skill
5. Methodology of the study
- Conducting a survey
- Observing
- Doing experiments
- Checking the results	
II. DEVELOPMENT
1. Theoretical background of the speaking skill
1.1 The Importance of Speaking Skills. 
 Language is a tool for communication. We communicate with others, to express our ideas, and to know others’ ideas as well. Communication takes place, where there is speech. Without speech we cannot communicate with one another. 
 In-order to become a well rounded communicator one needs to be proficient in each of the four language skills viz., listening , speaking, reading and writing, but the ability to speak skillfully, provides the speaker with several distinct advantages. The capacity to express one’s thoughts, opinions and feelings, in the form of words put together in a meaningful way, provides the speaker with these advantages.
 An effective speaker can gain the attention of the audience and hold it till the completion of his message. Speaking skills are important for career success, but certainly not limited to one’s professional aspirations. Speaking skills can also enhance one’s personal life.
( Theo https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/.../Speaking_Skill)
1.2. Some skills and strategies in communication
a. Remember word skill
	Remember word is one of the most important and helpful skills for a speaking lesson. Remember word skill allows students to remember many words and the content of the lesson rapidly.
b. Speak Clearly and Slowly
c. Prediction skill
Student will predict what is the lesson about before practising speaking and what will happen next.	
d. Using dictionary
Students can look up some new words to understand the lesson easily.
e. Infering skill
Students can communicate and infer others’ opinion, attitude or implicity
1.3. Phases in the speaking learning process
- Before you Speak (5-7mins): The purpose of this part is attracting students to the lesson, preparing some knowledge relates to the topic for them. It solves the problems of knowledge, culture or countries. It also helps students to predict the information relates to the lesson. 
- While you Speak(20-25mins): This part aims to develop the students’ speaking competence and comprehension. It contains three to four tasks. Students are asked to read and do the tasks in order to widen their vocabulary and improve communicative skills. Then, they get the content of the lesson.
- After you Speak (5-10mins): This part helps students to review the lesson and develop the communicative skills through connecting the lesson with the fact. Teacher also test the students’ results and then he or she can appreciate the whole lesson in this part.
2. Real situation.
We- English teachers- have to cope with the fact that students speak English very badly today. Majority of students cannot use English to communicate. It is paid much attention to by both English teachers and educators.
 	 After conducting a survey at my school, I can determine some following factors which prevent students from communicating fluently.
Difficulties
Rate
+ Boring topics.
72%
+ ineffective activities
55%
+ opportunity to speak English is limited
77%
+ Students prefer writing to speaking
88%
+ Some students talk more than others
45%
+ students are afraid of making mistakes
87%
+ teachers’ teaching methods are not really suitable
43%
	The result of the survey conducted in the 2016-2017 new school year for 129 students from class 10A2; 11B2 and 12C2 shows the rate of students who can use English to communicate is on the following table
Class
number
excellent
good
average
Below average
poor
10A2
47
0%
21%
32%
43%
4%
11B2
40
2,5%
30%
37,5%
25%
5%
12C2
42
0%
24%
60%
16%
0%
	 	3. Problems 
There are many problems that limit the students’ communication 
- Text books
+ Some reading passages are too long and they contain many new words
+ Some exercises are too difficult for most of students
- Teachers: 
+ 45 minutes is not enough time to teach a speaking lesson so some teachers often quit the warm-up part, hardly organize pair or group activities while they are very important to bring the excitement for students.
+ Some teachers often ask students to read and do all the exercises one by one individually. It takes so much time.
- Students: 
+ The majority of students lack basic knowledge , vocabulary, structures
+ They cannot concentrate thoroughly on the speech 
+ They are passive in gaining knowledge
+ They lack speaking skills, they often imitate the dialogue, so they have difficulties with hard dialogue.
+ They speak so slowly that it takes so much time to practice a dialogue. 
4. Some solutions for these problems.
4.1. Applying some skills in speaking lessons
4.1.1. Disappearing text.
- What is “Disappearing text” ?
- This is controlled activity or less controlled depends on students’ ability. 
“ This can be done with a list of vocabulary items or phrases, a short text or a dialogue at any level. 
 	+ Write up the text on the board. Read out the text and drill. 
 	+ Rub off a small part of it. Students have to say the whole text again. 
 	+ Gradually rub off more and more in bits and each time get the students to say the whole text.
This provides intensive drilling practice as the students have to repeat it so many times. However, the game factor also increases motivation to get it right and that gets more challenging as the activity continues”.
( Theo 
a. Applying process
- To use this skill, after warm-up part and lead –in part , teacher introduces the topic of the lesson and do the following steps:
+ Elicit for students to make a dialogue (if they are good average students) or give an available dialogue (if they are below average students). This dialogue should be written on the other board at home or can be presented through PowerPoint. 
 + Practise reading out loud several times
+ Teacher chooses some good students to practise as examples
+ Students practise in pairs several times
+ Teacher checks some pairs
+ Teacher erases some key words or phrases in each sentences
+ Ask students to practise in pairs the dialogue several times 
+ Teacher continue checking some pairs.
+ Teacher erases all sentences gradually
+ Ask students to practise in pairs the dialogue several times
It is very useful if teacher uses the PowerPoint to teach the lesson in that way.
b. Apply this skill in the lesson
- In English 12, I applied this skill in an activity. The topic of the lesson is ask and answer the questions about the application process to tertiary study in Vietnam. This is an activity whose content is formal so it is suitable for applying this skill. After teaching some new words and providing some structures for students, I lead to the topic of the lesson like that.
- T says: Now suppose that you have got a friend in England and he / she wants to study at a university in Viet Nam but he don’t know anything about Universities in Vietnam. He / She wants to ask you for some information.
- T elicits to build the following dialogue:
 Y: - Hello. Can I help you ?
YF. -I was wondering if you could tell me about the application process to tertiary study in Vietnam?
Y. - Sure, I can
YF. - Well. What do I have to do first ?
Y. - You have to fill in the application form.
YF. - And when do I have to send it?
Y. - In March
YF. - And what about the GCSE ?
Y. - You have to take the GCSE exam in late May
YF. - And how long will I have to wait to get the result?
Y. - About 2 weeks.
YF. - Do I have to take the entrance examination?
Y. - Yes, you do . It takes place in July
YF. - When will I get the entrance examination result?
Y. - In August
YF. - Thank you
Y. - Not at all!
After finishing students’ practice and checking some pairs, teacher continues asking students to practise the dialogue which was omitted some key words
 Y: Hello. Can I .. ?
YF. -I was . if you could .. the  process to ..study .Vietnam?
YF. -I was _____ if you _____ about the ____ process to tertiary ___in Vietnam?
Y. - Sure, ____
YF. - Well. What ___ I have to ____ ?
Y. - You ____to fill ___the application ____.
YF. - And when ____I ___ to send ___?
Y. - In ____
YF. - And what _____ GCSE ?
Y. - You _____take GCSE ___ in _____May
 YF. - And ____ long will ____ wait to get ____ result?
Y. – About _____.
YF. - ___I have to _____ the entrance _____?
Y. - Yes, ___. It ____ place ___ July
YF. - When will____ get __________examination result?
Y. - In ____
YF. - _____
Y. – Not ___! 
And then continue to do the same with the dialogue which has more words omitted
YF. -_______ if you _____ about ____ process _______ Vietnam?
Y. - Sure, ____
YF. - Well. What ___ I have ____ ?
Y. - You ______ the application ____.
YF. - ____when ____ to ____ it?
Y. - In ____
YF. - ____what _____ GCSE ?
Y. - You ________ GCSE ____ in _____
YF. - And ____________ wait to ____ result?
Y. - About _____.
YF. - ______to ______ entrance _____?
Y. - Yes, ___. It ____ place ____ July
YF. - ______ get the ___________examination____?
Y. - In ____
YF. - _____
Y. ______! 
Students have to remember the words to practise the dialogue. It is very good if they can remember all the dialogue. 
c. Some lessons can be taught in this way
 This skill is suitable for the activities such as job interviews, tertiary institutions, etc. Therefore, we can apply it into these following lessons: 	
 - English 10: 
+ Unit 3 - Speaking - task 2.
+ Unit 4 - Speaking - task 1 
+ Unit 16 - Speaking - task 1
 - English 11: 
+ Unit 4 - Speaking - task 2.
+ Unit 9 - Speaking - task 1 
+ Unit 13 - Speaking - task 1
+ Unit 16 - Speaking - task 1
 - English 12: 
+ Unit 4 - Speaking - task 1
+ Unit 5 - Speaking - task 2.
+ Unit 11 - Speaking - task 1 +task 3
d. Some notes when using this skill
 This skill is suitable for the class most students of which are average. They cannot develop a dialogue base on the given topic by themselves. Therefore, depending on the students’ ability, we can	
+ elicit for students to make a dialogue
+ give them an available dialogue
+ use it as an activity in pre-speaking or while-speaking
+ use PowerPoint to support the lesson
+ use it in the formal dialogue such as job interviews or tertiary institutions.
4.1.2. Information gaps
- What is “Information gaps” ?
- This is less controlled activity and it focuses on students’ fluency more
“Information gap activities are often designed to provide highly controlled practice of particular structures. By swapping information which requires use of a particular language pattern, the students have to solve a problem. This problem solving provides a communicative purpose to what is essentially a drill”.
Example: 
The students have a shopping list of fruit they need to buy (6 oranges, 1 kilo of apples etc.) 
Student A has the prices of various fruits in one shop, student B has the prices in another shop. 
They have to ask each other and answer about the prices and complete a grid with the information. 
The task is then to decide which shop will be the cheaper one for them to buy their fruit in.
( Theo 
a. Applying process
 	This skill is used to develop communicative demand when people exchange the information. To use this skill, after warm-up part and lead –in part, teacher introduces the topic of the lesson and do the following steps:
+ Deliver handouts (prepared at home). 
+ Instruct students to work in pairs
+ Ask students to work in pairs ask and answer the questions about the information in the handouts
+ Check some pairs.
b. Apply this skill in the lesson
 I applied this skill in task 2 – speaking lesson – unit 13 – English 12. This activity talks about some of the records at the 22nd SEAGames. After reviewing some new words and providing some structures for students, I lead to the topic of the lesson like that.
- T says: You are going to ask for some information about the records of the 22nd Sea Games. Let’s do it.
- Students work in pairs practise these sentences
+ What is the name of the athlete who won the ( Men’s 200 meters ) ?
+ His / her name is  
+ Where is he/ she from ?
+ He/ She is from ( Thailand ) 
+ What was his / her record?
+ He/ She. ( ran 200 metres in 20.14 seconds )
Handout A:
Record of the 22nd SEA Games
Sports
Name of the athletes
Country
Records
Athletics -Men’s 200 m 
Women’s Marathon -42 km 
Erni
Indonesia
2 h 52 m 28 s
Men’s Long Jump
Women’s High Jump
Ruphai
Thailand
1.86 m
Swimming -Men’s 1500 m 
Cycling -Women’s 25 km cross- country 
Maria
Philippines
1 h 29 m 35 s
Handout B:
Record of the 22nd SEA Games
Sports
Name of the athletes
Country
Records
Athletics - Men’s -200 m 
Boonthung
Thailand
20.14 seconds
Women’s Marathon -42 km 
Men’s Long Jump
Amri 
Malaysia
7.76 m
Women’s High Jump
Swimming -Men’s 1500 m 
Yurita
Indonesia
13 m 19.26 s
Cycling -Women’s 25 km cross- country 
c. Some lessons can be taught in this way
We can apply it into these following lessons: .
 - English 10: 
+ Unit 1 - Speaking - task 1.
+ Unit 14 - Speaking - task 2
+ Unit 15- Speaking - task 2
+ Unit 16- Speaking - task 2
 - English 11: 
+ Unit 4 - Speaking - task 2.
+ Unit 12 - Speaking - task 1
+ Unit 16 - Speaking - task 1
 - English 12: 
+ Unit 4 - Speaking - task 1
+ Unit 5 - Speaking - task 2.
+ Unit 13 - Speaking - task 2
d. Some notes when using this skill
 This skill is suitable for most of the students. However, depending on the students’ ability, we can ask them to practise the dialogue in other levels. 	
+ We have to design the background activities logically.
+ It is necessary to use some teaching tools.
+ This skill is suitable for Post speaking
4.2. Give students more chance to communicate by English.
- Why do students prefer speaking Vietnamese to English?
- With whom do they speak English? What do you speak English for?
 In my opinion, beside the factor of using language, environment for using language is one of the most important factors. We cannot communicate without objects or purposes. For English, we need to widen communicative opportunities without limiting it in the speaking lesson.
a. In teaching - skills lessons
There are five periods in a unit, four for teaching skills and one for teaching language focus. We have 45 minutes for a speaking lesson so we have to combine speaking activities with other activities of other skills.
b. The important role of the class language 
 	Many teachers hardly pay attention to the class language. This is one of the problems which prevent students from communicating by English. A good teacher will make good class language. According to British Council, class language consists of:
- Starting and Finishing a Lesson 
- Presenting New Language 
- Giving Instructions 
- Asking Questions and Eliciting 
- General Classroom Management 
- Correcting Learners 
- Pronunciation 
- Giving an Accurate, Clear Spoken Model for Learners 
- Using language in the English Classroom.
c. Apply this skill in the lesson
 	* English 12- UNIT1: HOME LIFE
 Reading
 	Post-reading. Talk about your family's household chores.
- Instruction: Basing on the reading text, work in group of 4 or 5 to tell your friends about your family's household chores
- Modeling: I live with my parents and two sisters...............................
-> Move around to give help
-> Call some students to present in front of the class.
 	-> Give feedback.
In this kind of activity, students will take part in excitedly because it is quite easy and close to them. Besides, they know well what to say, with whom and how to say
 * English 12- UNIT 4: SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM
 Listening
 	Post-listening : Talk about your school days
- Instruction: Work in groups of four or five to talk about your school days, using suggested questions in task 1
* Suggested questions:
Did you always work very hard?
Did you always listen carefully to your teachers?
Did you always behave well?
Did you pass your exams easily?
Did you always write your homework slowly and carefully?
Did you think school days are the best days of your life?
-> Move around to give help
-> Call on some students to present in front of the class.
-> Give feedback.
d. Some notes when using this skill
- Both teacher and students have to practise these skills regularly and improve it gradually.
- These activities are close to the life.
5. Results:
	After applying some above skills in teaching three classes 10A2, 11B2, 12C2, the quality of students’ tests is better. 
Class 
number
excellent
good
average
Below average
poor
10A2
0%
21%
32%
43%
4%
0%
before
11B2
2,5%
30%
37,5%
25%
5%
2,5%
12C2
0%
24%
60%
16%
0%
0%
10A2
4%
32%
43%
21%
0%
4%
after
11B2
7,5%
50%
25%
17,5%
0%
7,5%
12C2
2%
43%
48%
7%
0%
2%
6. Experience lessons:
In oder to have effective speaking lessons, we have to pay attention to some following points:
- We have to spend time preparing teaching tools such as pictures, board, electronic lesson plan
- We shouldn’t omit warm-up part
- We have to organize pair and group activities regularly.
- Students can check each other
- We have to change the skills to make the lesson more interesting.
- Teacher should focus on teaching students ‘communicative skill
- Teacher should pay more attention to poor students to help them improve their English
III. CONCLUSION
 From the experience of teaching English in a high school, I have found that a great variety of students in my school are afraid of learning English especially speaking which is considered to be the most important inputs to maintain conversations . With a view to helping students improve their speaking ability , I have conducted this research . Although I have tried best to offer some insightful findings through the study; however, the limitations are unavoidable , I hope to receive the sincere contribution from my colleagues about my research to help me perfect my study and enhance the teaching English skills in my school
Approved by the headmaster
Le Thanh Ha
Thanh hoa, May 21st 2017
I confirm that this research is written by me. I don’t copy from others
Written by
Cao Thi Toan
REFERENCES
- Penny Ur, A Course in Language Teaching, Cambridge University Press, 1992
- Richard R. Day, New ways in teaching Speaking, Illinois USA, 1993
- SGV, SGK của Bộ GD - ĐT.
- Sách “ Một số vấn đề về đổi mới phương pháp dạy học bậc THPT môn tiếng Anh của