Some certain suggestions to movitate speaking in speaking lesson of 10th grade students at Nong Cong 2 high school, Thanh hoa

Part I: INTRODUCTION
Rationale
With the development of society and the need to integrate into the international economy. Vietnam Government has set strategic goals for its own, in which education is considered as one of the leading goals. As a result, many changes and amendments to educational policies have made. The new set of textbooks, for example, has been modified and applied officicially in high schools nationwide. And up to now, the new textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10’ has been officially put in application for five years for 10th grade students. The pilot period may be long enough for administrators and teachers to draw out some suitable adaptations, especial speaking skill. 
However, we can not deny a fact that many Vietnamese students after seven years learning English at schools still feel confused when communicating with foreigners or they even could not say a simple utterance like an offer. Obviously, the ability to communicate in a foreign language clearly and effectively contributes to the success of the learner in school and success later in every phase of life.
At Nong Cong 2 High School (NC2.HS), like many high schools in Vietnam, English has been a compulsory subject in its curriculum for many years and the English speaking skill is one of five official parts in a unit. However, due to the demand of the high and get them involved in speaking effectively. 
Moreover, improving speaking skill for 10th form students proves essential because most students have not learned how to speak English when they were at lower secondary school and their speaking ability is extremely poor. 
All the above mentioned reasons lead to the choice of the study about exprerience initiative in teaching ‘Some certain suggestions to movitate speaking in speaking lesson of 10th grade students at Nong Cong 2 high school, Thanh hoa” , which means little attention has been paid to the speaking skill. Sometimes, they feel bored with the difficult and uninteresting topics in the textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10’. With 6 year – experience in NC2.HS, the author finds that the English lessons with speaking activities adapted or designed by teachers always motivate students 
Aims of the study
The aims of the study are:
- to investigate students’ difficulties in learning English oral skills and the current situation of teaching the speaking activities to the 10-form students by teachers at Nong Cong 2 High School.
- to adapt some speaking activities based on “Tieng Anh 10” to reduce 10th grade students’s difficulties in learning English oral skills at Nong Cong 2 high school.
Scope of the study
	This initiative is carried with no hope that can cover all kinds of English speaking activites because this is a board aspect investigated by many authors. The authors’s attempt is only to adapt some difficult speaking activities in “Tieng Anh 10” to reduce students’s difficulties and make them more interested and active in English lesssons, thus, improving their speaking ability. 
Research questions
What are students’ difficulties in learning the current English speaking activities in ‘Tieng Anh 10’?
Which speaking lessons (in 16 units of Tieng Anh 10) are difficult for the students at NC2HS?
What speaking activities in the textbook “Tieng Anh 10”should be adapted to reduce students’ difficulties?
Research methodology
	To achieve the aims mentioned above, the study employed survey questionnaire for students, interview for teachers and classroom observations to collect information on the the students’ difficulties and seeks a way to reduce those difficulties by adapting some unsuitable textbook pre-designed English speaking activities in “Tieng Anh 10”. 
Part II: DEVELOPMENT
I. The purpose of material adaptation.
	In reality, a textbook can never totally be an effective tool for teachers to follow without any adaptation because of its intrinsic deficiencies such as linguistic inaccuracies, out-of-datedness, lack of authenticity or lack of variety. Thus, I favor Madsen and Bowen’s (1978) and Tice’s (1991) view that is the purpose of material adaptation is to compensate for those deficiencies. This is important to all teachers of English because it can activate learners and stimulate their motivation, and increased motivation, in turn, is likely to create a more conductive classroom atmosphere.
II. Categories of English speaking activities
Discussion * Conversation
Storytelling 	 * Oral reports
Telephoning * Announcements
Role play * Interviews 
Informal Debate * Co-operative learning
III. Problems with English speaking and speaking activities
1. Problems with English speaking 
Everything has bad and good sides. Speaking also has its own problems.
According to Brown (1994: 256), the characteristics of spoken language can make oral performance easy as well as in soe cases difficult. There are following problems with speaking: 
Clustering * Redundancy
Reduced forms * Colloquial language
Stress, rhythm and intonation * Affective factors
Interaction
2. Problems with English speaking activities 
It is more difficult to design and adminster such activities than to do so for listening, reading or writing. Teachers often come across the problems that Ur (1996:121) lists out:
Inhibition 	 * Nothing to say: 
Lows or uneven participation 	 * Mother-tongue use: 
Basing on these views, an action research is to caried out on adapting some English speaking activities for the ‘Tieng Anh 10’ to reduce these difficulties.
PART III – DATA ANALYSIS
1. Questionnaires.
The questionnaires for teachers and students consist of 5 and 7 questions respectively to collect information focusing the following categories: (see appendix 1 and appendix 2).
The effectiveness of communicative activities in the textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10.
Students’ perceptions of their difficulties in English speaking skills
Necessity of changing or adding English speaking activities
Students’ attitudes towards applying changing or adding English speaking activities and their effectiveness.
Changing or adding English speaking activities applied by teachers and the ones chosen by students.
2. The effectiveness of communicative activities in the textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10.
Question 1 in both questionnaires asks about the teachers’ and students’ viewpoints on the effectiveness of the speaking activities presented in 16 units of ‘Tieng Anh 10’.
Chart 1. The effectiveness of communicative activities in the textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10.
Most of the teacher (81.25%) and the students (72%) agree that they are not very effective when being taught at NC2. HS, although the new textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10’ is interesting. According the teachers, there are some reasons for this. First, some activities in the text book are not suitable to rural students of NC2. HS, for example some topics are unfamiliar to them. 
3. Changing or adding English speaking activities applied by teachers and the ones chosen by students.
The next two questions in the questionnaire for students aim to investigate the types of changing or extra oral activities the teachers have applied in the classroom with the textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10’ and the types students believe to be effective when applied in this textbook.
Types of English speaking activities
Changed by teachers (%)
Supported by students(%)
Games 
13
34
Information gap
33
41
Discussion
32
46
Role play
49
47
Story telling
7
11
Oral report
9
14
Telephoning
6
15
Drama in context
1
0
Informal Debate
8
12
Co-operative learning
12
33
Solving – problem
7
13
Announcements	
1
1
Interviews
27
40
Table 4: The English speaking activities adapted by teachers and the changing
activities in tasks of speaking lessons in ‘Tieng Anh 10’ chosen by students.
The table reveals that the teachers have applied most categories of the speaking
activities above. This is very helpful because students can provide the designer with
helpful information about the effectiveness of each activity when applied in ‘Tieng
Anh 10’. As seen in the table, students show their most interest in the categories of 
information gap, discussion, role play and interview 
4. Changing or adding English speaking activities chosen by teachers and their reasons. 
Question 3 and 4 in the questionnaire for teachers were designed to get their advice on the types of changing or extra speaking activities for the textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10’ and the reasons for these.
Types of English speaking activities
Reasons 
Supported by teachers(%)
Games 
It is very interesting but time-consuming and not profitable.
12.50%
Information gap
It is easy to prepare and carry out. It is also reasonable for students’ language level.
56.25
Discussion
Many students can participate in speaking activities. Students like this way. It gives students high motivation of brains.
68.75
Role play
This activity is very useful. Students can practice English phrases or structures in certain situations.
75.00
Story telling
It is time-consuming to prepare and practice at class.
10.50
Oral report
It takes much time to prepare and carried out.
8.25 
Telephoning
It is time-consuming and difficult.
12.25
Drama in context
It is difficult for students and they have to cope with the lack of vocabulary.
0
Informal Debate
It is time-consuming and difficult.
0
Co-operative learning
It helps students work together and support each other.
45.50
Solving – problem
It is quite interesting and give students high motivation of brains but students sometimes lack vocabulary of English and social knowledge.
12.50
Announcements	
It is difficult.
0 
Interviews
The activity is profitable and it makes students more confident. It is a good way to provide students chances to practice speaking English.
56.25
Table 5: The English speaking activities for ‘Tieng Anh 10’ chosen by teachers.
5. Follow-up class observation
In 8 speaking periods which author visited, English speaking activities such as information gap, role playing, describing pictures and co-operative learning always applied (7 periods) instead of task 2, or 3 in textbook. 
The class observation also reveals that teachers need to have good preparation for pre-speaking to make the speaking activities more effective such as providing students key words relating to the topic, giving clear instructions... 
6. Feedback of students towards applying changing or adding English
speaking activities and their effectiveness.
Chart 3. Students’ feedback towards applying changing or
adding English speaking activities and their effectiveness.
PART IV - SUGGESTED ADAPTATIONS OF TEXTBOOK ENGLISH SPEAKING ACTIVITIES
In this part, some most common and effective activities such as role play, discussion, information, telephoning, co-operative learning, interviews are presented. The author’ own experience suggests that these activities work effectively when applied to textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10’ to motivate the 10th form students at NC2.HS in speaking lessons.
V.1. ROLE PLAY
V.1. 1.Activities 1
Application: Task 3 - Unit 6: An excursion 
Aims: Giving opinions, expressing agreement and disagreement 
Class time: 20 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 66 
Source: Section cards and role cards (See Appendix 6)
Procedure:
1. Copy and cut the 4 role cards of each people and the 6 section cards. 
2. Divide the class into group of four (or three if there are only three students left). Give each group one set of role cards and one set of situation cards (for group of three, leave out role card D)
3. Ask the students to sit round the table with the situations cards face down in a pile in the middle of the table. The cards should be in order from 1 to 6. Each student should have a role card 1, 2, 3 or 4.
4. Tell the students that it is Sunday morning and Tim’s class is going on a boat on Lake Michigan in Chicago. Read the seat plan. You suggest the best seat in each section for each person.
5. The object of the game is using structures ‘ think ‘should’ or should not because’. Or giving opinions via answers ‘Yes’, ‘No’. basing on the content of textbook ‘Tieng Anh 10’.
6. The game is finished when they have successfully decided on each people’s seat. Ask groups their decision on some sections and check with the whole class. 
V.1.2. Activities 2
Application: Task 2 – Unit 3: People’s background 
Aims: to encourage students to find out information related to their friends’ background for their presentation next task.
Level: Elementary
Class time: 10 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 35 
Source: English Textbook 10, Education Press, 2006 (See Appendix 7)
Procedure:
The teacher elicits situation and ask students to make questions basing on given information, for example:
The teacher introduce some special expression for students to do the natural conversation.
Students work in pairs to do the interview
Teacher walks around to encourage and help students if necessary
Teacher calls some pairs to do the interview before class. 
After doing this task, students can collect information to talk about the friend they have interviewed for reporting at the end of the lesson. Most students are eager to do the task because they can do it in role of the interviewers. 
V.2. INFORMATION GAP
V.2.1. Activities 1
Application: Task 3 – Unit 1: A day in the life of  
Aims: Talking about daily activities. 
Class time: 10 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 14 
Source: Role cards (See Appendix 8)
Procedure:
1. Copy the two role cards. They are the same but some information is missing from each.
2. Ask students to work in pairs. Give each pairs the 2 role cards.
3. Tell the students to complete the form by asking and answering their partner’s questions.
e.g. A: What does Tom do after school?
B: He often does exercise.
4. Tell the students to write the answers in the boxes or draw the picture.
5. Ask the students to write his/ her partner’s name in the last box and ask him/ her the same questions to complete the boxes.
6. The activity is finished when students have completed all the missing information. Tell students to stand up and make full sentences about the characters in the cards. 
V.2.2. Activities 2
Application: Task 2 – Unit 15: Cities
Aims: Comparing two cities
Class time: 15 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 159 
Source: Role cards – Cities (See Appendix 9)
Procedure:
1. Copy the two role cards - cities. They are the same but some information is missing from each.
2. Ask students to work in pairs. Give each pairs the 2 role cards.
3. Tell the students to complete the form by asking and answering their partner’s questions.
e.g. When was New York founded?
What is population of New York?
How many national holidays are there in New York?
5. The activity is finished when students have completed all the missing information in their cards. 
6. Ask some students to stand up and talk about the person they have asked their partners to get the information about their cities.
V.3. CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING 
V.3.1. Activity 1
Application: Task 1 – Unit 5: Technology and You 
Aims: Asking for and giving information about the uses of modern inventions. 
Class time: 10 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 56
Source: Modern inventions Cards (See Appendix 10)
Procedure:
Copy and cut out the 18 modern invention cards above
Divide the class into groups of six (or five if there are only five students left). Give each group one set of job cards. 
Tell the students to put cards face down on the table
Ask students to take it turn to pick up a card and ask and answer about the uses of modern inventions. Put some helpful language on the board for them to refer to:
A: Can/ Could you tell me what  is used for?
B: It is used to ....
The activity is finished when each student has said at least one thing about each of the cards.
Ask one group to stand up and say about one of the modern inventions in the cards. Ask the other groups to add more information.
V.3.2. Activity 2
Application: Task 2 – Unit 11: National Parks 
Aims: Expressing regrets. (using the conditional sentence type 3)
Class time: 15 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 115
Source: Situation cards - List of wishes (See Appendix 11)
Procedure:
Copy the list of wishes and the situation cards, cut out the situation cards
Divide the class into groups of six (or five if there are only five students left). Give each student a list of wishes and two situation cards . 
Tell the students to complete their list of wishes by saying according to model others in their group:
e.g. If we had not ., we wouldn’t have  
When students have completed all the missing information in their list of wishes, ask them to tell their group the most interesting or surprising wisher they have known. 
V.4. DISCUSSION
V.4.1. Activity 1
Application: Task 3 – Unit 8: The story of my village 
Aims: Talking about plans and possible results (in the village).
Class time: 10 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 85
Source: Question Cards (See Appendix 12)
Procedure:
Copy, cut out and shuffle question cards.
Divide the class into groups of four (or three if there are only three students left). Give each group one set of question cards
Ask students to sit round the table with the question cards face down in a pile in the middle of the table. One student starts by turning up the top card, reading it out to the group and discussing their plans and possible results. The next student now picks up a card, reads it out  and the activity continues.
Stop the students at the end of the time limit.
Ask each group in turn which question card gave rise to most discussion.
V.4.2. Activity 2
Application: Task 3 – Unit 9: Undersea World
Aims: Reporting on discussion results
Class time: 15 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 97
Source: Situation Cards (See Appendix 13)
Procedure:
Copy and cut out the 5 situation cards.
Divide the class into groups of four (or three if there are only three students left). Give each group one set of situation cards
Ask students to turn up the first card and compare four situations on the card to find out solutions. Encourage them use ‘should’ and ask groups exchange situations, then discuss again.
When the time is over, find out the best solutions.
V.4.3. Activity 3
Application: Task 2 – Unit 14: The World Cup
Aims: Asking and answering questions about the World Cups
Class time: 20 minutes 
Source: Handouts (See Appendix 14)
Procedure:
Copy handouts.
Divide the class into groups of six (or five if there are only five students left). Give each group two handouts
Tell students to complete their handouts by asking and answering the others in their group such as:
A: Where was the first World Cup held?
B: It was held in Uruguay.
A: Which teams played in the final match?
B: Uraguay and Argentina.
A: Which team became the champion?
B: Uraguay
A: What was the score of the match?
B: 4 - 2
When students have completed all the missing information in their handouts, ask them add more information about famous football team if they know.
V.5. INTERVIEWS 
5.1. Activity 1
Application: Task 2 – Unit 4: Special Education 
Aims: Making an interview.
Class time: 20 minutes 
Materials: English textbook 10, page 48
Source: Handouts (See Appendix 15)
Procedure:
Copy and cut out the six handouts.
Divide the class into groups of six (or five if there are only five students left). Give each student one of the six handouts.
Explain that each student has some questions in their handout, ask them to interview four other people in their group and make a note of answer they get.
Stop the students at the end of the time limit whether they have finished or not. Ask some students to stand up and present their work.
PART V: REACHED RESULTS 
All in all, the teaching experiences help the reseach