Organizing students’ work in pair, group to improve efficiency in teaching english courses in secondary schools

THANH HOA EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT
THANH HOA EDUCATION AND TRAINING OFFICE 
INITIATIVES
ORGANIZING STUDENTS’ WORK IN PAIR, GROUP TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN TEACHING ENGLISH COURSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Offer: To Thi Thu Huong
Position: Teacher
School: Tran Mai Ninh Secondary school
Subject: English
THANH HOA 2016 
I. INTRODUCTION
1. The rationale.
In recent years, in parallel with the development of technical sciences, information technology, tourism industry ...,learning a foreign languge has become a necessity for every community. With the opening mechanism, the views of "integration" Language has become the optimal means to help us reach out to the world civilization, cultural exchange and friendship join hands worldwide. 
Stemming from that goal, the teaching and learning of foreign languages in secondary schools has changed significantly. In recent years, English has become an important subject in schools because it not only meets the integration trend, but that creates strong and confident in the student's communication.
In general with the spirit and requirements of the renewal requires teaching methods through the innovation process rather textbook recent years, the majority of teachers explore learning and applying these methods varies in a process of transfer of knowledge to students. But also the influence of the old method in part, on the other hand is not used and is on track to innovation should gradually also many teachers who have not succeeded in demonstrating the role of organization, their guidelines, not to promote proactive role creative, active student. Especially in the organization of the students work in pair and group. 
To transfer knowledge to students effectively, be stimulating students' learning, students understand and acquire knowledge easily and apply well knowledge, all depends on the teachers’teaching methods . Through practice with these issues, to work in pair, group of students effectively in foreign language teaching in general and teaching English in particular should comply with these principles and ask what teachers, students have to do? That is why I chose the topic " ORGANIZING STUDENTS’ WORK IN PAIR, GROUP TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN TEACHING ENGLISH COURSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS”. 
2. Research purposes 
With the successful research topics and initiatives experience will help teachers get the experience the following:
a. Understanding the concept of “work in pair / group”.
b. How to organize pair / group effectively
c. The steps of conducting pair / group effectively.
d. Instructing students to practice, training for skills and communication in English mechanicality.
e. Some experience in applying to work in pair / group in teaching English in secondary school.
3. The object and subject of the study
3.1. The object of the study:
 Students of class 8C and class 6H at Tran Mai Ninh Secondary school, Thanh Hoa city.
3.2. Subject of the study:
Organizing students’ work in pair / group to improve efficiency in teaching English courses in Secondary schools.
4. Research Methods
4.1. Method of observation: The implementation of self-exploration theme study, conducted attend classes of colleagues.
4.2. Exchange method, discussion: After the hours of colleagues, colleagues who take time to implement the project, co-workers and the people who implement the project, conduct exchanges and discussions to draw from that experience for lesson
4.3. Experimental Methods: Teachers conducted experiments teach each specific purpose required some form applicable lessons in group, pair.
4.4. Investigation Method: Teachers ask questions to check understanding the content assessment of student lessons.
	This is the result table in September in the school year 2015-2016
 before applying the method.
Class
Total
Excellent
Good
Fair 
Poor
Weak
6H
43
100%
15
34,9 %
12
27,9 %
10
23,25 %
6
13,95 %
0
0%
8C
40
100%
15
37,5 %
10
25,0 %
11
27,5 %
4
10,0 %
0
0%
5. The range of the research 
Apply “Organizing students’ work in pair / group to improve efficiency in teaching English courses in Secondary schools ” is experienced research initiatives within given situations and some exercises fit to work in pair, or in group. At the same time a pair of organization, group and user control activities in pair, in group.
With the range of this research can be applied in the development of all the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing mainly communication activities.
II. CONTENT
Theoretical basis of the initiative experience 
The goal of the English is to form and develop in students’ the knowledge of basic skills in English and intellectual qualities needed to further education or enter working life. Therefore new secondary English textbooks from grades six to nine are compiled according to the same opinion building program, that is topic (thematic approach) and promote the active learning method of students.
We can say one positive expression, characteristics of the students in learning the foreign language, students need to acquire knowledge, apply skills to communicate, how to work in pair and group to cooperate with you as needed during practice speaking and writing actively present know his intentions through oral or written communication.
The organizing students’ work in pair is not difficult, but it is necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of the program which is to equip the learners the ability to communicate and exchange easily and fluently in the language. The advantage of this type of exercise is to give students the opportunity to practice speaking and communicating almost like in real life.
Actual situation before applying initiative experience
In Vietnam our circumstances, often crowded classroom of students, short school hours is not enough for the majority of students participate in contributing to the lesson. Except drill, the average per student in class only a total of ten - fifteen seconds to speak. Therefore, teachers must organize activities in pair / group for all students practice speaking in class. 
In Vietnam, the number of students in the classroom are often crowded,
short school hours is not enough for the majority of students to participate in contributing to the lesson. Per student in class has only a total of ten- fifteen seconds to speak. To increase the time for students practice speaking in class, we must organize activities to all students can speak.
Those standpoint learner-centered is often said that if all students in the class speak at the same time, it will make the class noisy, disorderly, uncontrollable. But reality is not quiet right: With the guidance of teacher control and the establishment of regulations to work in group, pair, the noise of language exchange is a positive noise, is a manifestation of the education.
To work in pair, group of students work effectively in learning foreign language in general and teaching English in particular need to understand how the work in group, pair; need to comply what principles and ask what teachers and students to do? On this topic I strongly collected to make the organizing students’ work in pair, group so that it is the effective
3. Solutions and implementations used to solve the problem
3.1. Research to work in pair, in group
a. Work in pair ( pair work)
* The role of teachers when students participate in practicing in pair.
Previously, teachers always hold leadership, control of all activities in the classroom, but now need to have a different view because their role has changed over the period of this new practice of students. Now teachers have two functions. The first function was monitored: Teachers go from one group to another to listen and acknowledge the repeated errors in the students but let them speak naturally, extremely interrupt them unless absolutely necessary. The serious error will be addressed at another time may be early or late session after training session. The second function is the provision, documentation, help, answers to difficult questions about general knowledge or corpus.
In the teaching process, to promote actively the activities of pupil pair, is a form of group learning activities well. Through this form of learning they have conditions present, discuss and express their thoughts about the amount of information on the lessons that I understand, I feel. The amount of information each student may be true or may be false in part. Since then teachers grasp the extent of thinking, their understanding. This process takes place in a two-way relationship. In terms of teaching theory, this is a dialectical relationship. Also when exchanging pair, group of students are trained more in skills and habits of thought, expression and presentation of a problem before a collective. Through this activity, the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing of students is increasingly high.
*Recommend ways to practice in pair
When using this type of exercise for the first time, you should explain to students the advantages and reasons to use it. The explanation can be done in the mother tongue of the students. Additionally, the pupil should agree with the following principles:
	- Do exercises in pair is not the time to chat.
	- Upon completion of homework tasks, students can switch roles and do it again exercise.
	- If time runs out and the students are not done, there is no need to worry, because even more important is that they are practice activity, not necessarily the result of a task specific area.
	- After doing all of the time, teachers must necessarily examine and evaluate the results of the work the students have performed in pair.
	- All students are required to participate in this activity in a certain folder. When the odd, the pupil can participate with their briefcases sit near the best. If requested assignments are exchanged between two people, the 3rd person sit track, then join the exchange in practice round Monday with one of the other two.
	- They could ask the teacher for help if needed. While students practice hoi- said, teachers must cover and track grades to comment pair, listen and fix them, note the pair of weak students.
* Practical steps to work in pair
+ Step 1: Preparation
Need to prepare very carefully through the introduction and practice of language, how to make all of them are confident when using the language data. After the introduction and practice of language should save all the information on the table.
+ Step 2: The teacher model with a student
The teacher with a student in the class act as an exemple so that all students understand the requirements and know how to do
+ Step 3: The two students perform
 	Ask two good students to perform before the class again. If the teacher allows students to stand at their seats, ask studentss to speak loud enough for the whole class to hear.
+ Step 4: Regulation Time
Tell students that they will have how much time to perform this exercise (normally between 2- 3 minutes).
+ Step 5: Students work in pair
Out commands for all students start doing all at once. While students work, the teacher goes away from the other pair to the other pair, track and help them when necessary but avoid interfering in the activities of the students can see whether they have the wrong place.
+ Step 6: Check the class	
When the time is over, almost pair finished their work, ask all students to stop. Choose a few pair and ask two students then presented back to the class. This test is important because it makes the students must work more seriously in the later workout. Students will become more industrious, more self-aware to know that teachers will examine and evaluate the individual point of their learning activities.
b. The type of exercise in pair
* Conversation
After attending a dialogue form, students have some structures and understand all the issues including grammar, teachers can ask students in pair played all but replaced some more information (eg, name, hometown, occupation, hobbies ...) to transform their lines about themselves or about the issues that concern them.
*Alternative exercises
After introducing the sample sentences and to be trained quickly, teachers write the suggestion to replace the board asking students to exercise in pair. So to many gaps in the clue to the students to promote their creative abilities. For example, write on the board:
When do you have history?
( music, English, literature?
* Grammar practice
 After students have grasped the grammar problems and was able to practice (by the repeated exercise or convert ...), divide the students into pair and ask them to talk to each other (note choose thematic closeness, familiarity). For example, talking about themselves or things have actually related to the lives of students. The suggestions above table are still ideal for this exercise.
*Check unofficially
     	The regular testing also serves as teaching. When allowing students work together to do a test, teachers can encourage the learning of the pupil because of the weak students will be students rather than help. Some should have a short test last for hours and then point too. The test does not need to include all the knowledge students learn in all that may focus on any aspect of the use of language. Requirements of homework should be very clear, write the form on the board and control the time to train the students ability to react fast and flexible in the use of language. Last done can be checked mouth or the pair of cross checking and marking each other.
*Description of the pictures
Pictures can be used as triggers for a wide variety of exercises in pair. For example, looking at a picture accompanied an article read, a student in the pair of right and wrong in finding out where the students raised controversy is endorsed or opposed (compare against reading). Or two students with two panorama same but the details in the various paintings (such as object positions in painting, color, type of clothing, outward appearance of people, ...). One pupil described the details in his paintings and the other to find out the differences in the second picture.
*Find headers for reading
Before both a reading class, ask each pair of students read, ask each pair of students skim then set for reading a cautionary statement. Depending on the length of all the fixed time, but note the time spent in this activity not so much because of the fact this is the type of exercise skill skim for main ideas. Moreover, this activity is great because it gives students a chance to read the actual purpose, reading for real information. The results read can be checked mouth with each pupil or class.
*Ask and answer
End the readings often have questions. Students can discuss to find answers to these questions in pair. Students do oral first, then teachers call a few students any checking. Or make this activity varies by oral discussion and write answers on paper, the pair crossovers dot the answers to each other under the control of the teacher.
*Write sentences illustrations
After learning and practicing new words, at the end of class, still new to the words on the board, just remove the illustrations go before asking students to rewrite the other to illustrate that the new word to check school students have really understood meaning and usage of new words that are not.
c. Group Activity (Work in group / group work)
     	In our class, we can not move the seats around the classroom easily, so in this situation, teachers can only ask students’ desks facing down on the table below to form a group to practice . It is a good idea to form group of four - six students but sometimes the number of students in each group will depend on the number of students sitting at each table.
 	After finishing the group split up or to appoint members of the self-elected group leader or group secretary. This person will direct contact with teachers when the group encountered difficulties in implementing the requirements of the exercise. This makes controlling all group of teachers in the classroom quietly, easier. It should be specified or guide students with oral and vivacious appeal more to do this. But sometimes also need to change: students choose a pretty but shy to facilitate pupil training to become bolder. Or perhaps to the members of the group take turns as leader. It is important that this work needs to be done quickly and decisively students must be informed immediately who was the leader of them so they can get to work, no wasted time. The group can share in your native language, in English if it is first necessary for students to know and understand commands like: “ The first row, turn and face the second. The third row, turn and face the fourth please. Now work in group”.
*The role of teachers
     Teachers are people who manage all activities in the classroom. Therefore they have to plan for it, organize it, start it, monitor it, watch time for it and finish it. Taboo especially after asking students to work in teams, teachers sit or work on personal goals such as is done here. Teacher necessarily have to manage, monitor, supervise, help students practice. Teachers can go from the other group to another group, check that students have to comply with requirements of the exercise or not. Teachers need to be active and sensitive to the classroom atmosphere and rhythm work of the party, remembering the repeated errors in students to adjust their lesson later. If we recognize that the majority of students have difficulty in carrying out the tasks of the exercise, to stop all the group, explained the request of exercise, structural or grammatical problem, or for a whole class train back problem then continued teamwork.
*The type of exercise in group
The group activities tend freer communicative and interactive activities rather than in pair. Many activities are easy to carry, even with the least experienced teachers.
* Game
       	The games guess information to practice questions Yes - No. The simplest one is guessing game Who am I thinking of ? What’s my profession ? Hoặc Guess what I did ( last night/ during the weekend). Write the title game on the board, provided a number of suggestions, vocabulary, background knowledge, then the new model for the students themselves and play.
+ Make questions
Ask group to read texts then questioned about all that. After a few minutes the group closed the book, turn the group leader or secretary stood up to put a few questions, the members of the other group has the task to answer. For students more interested in activities, should organize it as a contest: the answers are scored based on accuracy of language and communication.
+ Guided Practice
     	After using alternative exercises for students to become familiar with the structure and function of it should organize further exercises more meaningful communication with group activities in nature game and creativity.
 	For example, after teaching structure with should/ shouldn’t with that admonition: 
 You should/ shouldn’t + verb
 ( You should eat more fruit)
 	Teachers give some suggestions for students to work in teams. Someone raised the issue of their own and other people in the group to give advice. One problem may have many different advice. To engage students more actively to turn this activity into a contest: see many group offering advice puffs and most enlightened advice can not refute.
Examples of suggestions:
 Wallet/ lost bad marks for science
 Shirt/ torn	 have headache/ toothache
 Watch/ broken	 etc
 	May take a few minutes for students to raise real issues that practitioners met in his life, and the other group you give advice. Or vice versa, the students in this group read some of his advice while students in other group to try to guess whether it is advice on problems.
+ Reading and spelling