Some measures to raise the effectiveness of Speaking lessons through pair work and group work activities for grade 10 students at Lam Kinh high school

PART A: INTRODUCTION
I. Reasons for choosing the topic.
	In the trend of global integration, English is considered as an international language.“English is now widely known as the major language of intercommunication, international commerce, business, science, culture, and so on. As a result, there has been a positive trend of teaching and learning English across the country. English is also introduced to the educational curriculum from primary education to tertiary education”[2]. However, their results of learning English are not really good. Many Vietnamese students cannot communicate in English, even though they spent 6-7 years learning English at schools. The problem is that they learn English just to pass regular tests or examinations, while they cannot use English in reality. Especially, many students got high scores from exams and tests, but they can only write grammatical sentences, while they are very bad at listening and communicating. 
	 Additionally, English is a language and it is a foreign language so it is too difficult for students, especially rural students to learn although they have been learning for several years. It would be too boring for teachers to teach and for students to learn English if teachers didn’t reform teaching methods to interest students. I have been thinking of how to change the methods but whatever new methods teachers may use, weak students will become bored, passive and inactive if teachers don’t interest them effectively.
In recent years, at Lam Kinh high school as well as the other high schools in rural and mountainous areas, teaching and learning English has been taken into consideration. Throughout years’ time of my teaching English in the period of general education renovation, I have myself thought that it is necessary to reform methods of organizing activities in speaking lessons to motivate students. I have positively realized that only by organizing pairwork and groupwork effectively can we interest students in English speaking lessons. These activities can be considered to be useful techniques which are suitable for the students’ psychology. They strongly do delight either learners or teachers when they have skillfully used traditional activities. Besides, they can raise the time and quality of speaking skill - one of the most important skill of learning and teaching English. 
 	It is all the reasons above that led me to the choice of the study “Some measures to raise the effectiveness of Speaking lessons through pair work and group work activities for grade 10 students at Lam Kinh high school”. This study is intended to make a modest contribution to an increased understanding of using pairwork and groupwork activities in teaching English speaking skill at high schools.
 Note: At this page, the paragraph “English is now widely. to tertiary education” is consulted from Reference number [2].
II. Aims of the study 
With the reasons above in my mind, the specific aims of the study, accordingly are:
To introduce pairwork, groupwork and show the advantages and disadvantages of working in pairs and groups.
To suggest how to organize pair and group work effectively and how to deal with initial problems that may arise.
To show how pairwork and groupwork can be used for various classroom activities.
To help teachers be confident in using pair and group work themselves.
III. Objects of the study
With the hope of improving the learning English through games, the study focuses on the Grade 10 students at Lam Kinh high school and English textbooks grade 10. 
IV. Methods of the study
 	To realize the aims of the study, a variety of methods used: collecting data, making personal observations, reading reference books, applying in teaching and drawing out experiences through attending classes.
V. New points of the study
Although the study has some similarities with the previous one, I draw my attention to measures to raise the effectiveness of Speaking lessons through pair work and group work activities for grade 10 students at Lam Kinh high school with the hope of investigating into ways to organise pairwork and groupwork more effectively in English speaking classes, which make lessons more interesting and stimulating. 	
PART B : DEVELOPMENT
 I. Theoretical background
Pair work and group work
Definition of pair work
	Pairwork is a classroom activity in which the whole class is divided into pairs by the teacher. Every student works with his or her partner in pairs and all the pairs work at the same time. In fact, a pairwork consists of two students working together at the same time.
Definition of group work
Groupwork is a group of students working together. A class can be divided into small groups to work together ( usually three or more students in each group), as in the pairwork, all the groups work at the same time. 
2. Advantages and disadvantages of pairwork and groupwork
 	Pairwork and groupwork have both advantages and disadvantages. These are mentioned below.
2.1. Advantages 
- To increase the amount of student practice: When students work in pairs or groups they have more chance to practise. By working in pairs or groups students often feel more willing to talk among themselves in a small group rather than with a teacher in a large group so that it dramatically increases the amount of talking for individual students.
- To increase learners’ confidence: The students feel much more comfortable to speak foreign language with one or two other students rather than with the whole class and the teacher. Especially shy students or ones who are not good at speaking language yet feel more relaxed and self-confident trying to put their language abilities to a test during the activity and seeing how to use them. This encourages students to cooperarte with one another. 
- To motivate students’ fluency: While working in pairs or group abilities, students can use the language freely and express their opinions and thoughts without any restrictions. It is difficult not to get the impression that fluency can be improved only during constant speaking practice in the atmosphere of independence and in the state of relaxation[5]. 
- To increase students’ motivation: While working in pairs or groups, the activities are available. As we know, a huge variety of activities influences the course of a lesson and its success. The more different activities the teacher use 
in the lesson, the bigger their motivtion is. In fact, students’ motivation increases
 Note: At this page, the section 2.1. “ advantages .in the state of relaxation” is consulted from Reference number [5].
because they are active and feel important during these activities. In keeping with this, the teacher is going to experiencesuccess in his/her work because motivated students are usually good languages learners and they always make progress.
2.2. Disadvantages
- To speak native language: One of the disadvantages is that students often speak in their native language. If the class is really big with too many students, it is very difficult for the teacher to listen to all pairs or groups at the same time. However, the teacher can still do something to change situation. The teacher should estabilish certain rules at the beginning of the school year and be very strict about them.After sometime the good habit of speaking only English may be established.
- To make mistakes: An other problem is incorrectness. While students work in pairs and groups, the teacher usually do not disturb them, even if he/she notices some mistakes they have made, but we should not forget that errors or mistakes are an indissoluble element of the process of learning. Besides, students try to correct each other rather than learn the mistakes. One of the main points of having learners speak to each other is to help them increase their confidence and reduce the anxiety that is often found in a purely teacher-centered classroom. Pairwork and groupwork activities are usually geared to fluency enhancement rather than accuracy practice.
- To eliminate shy and weak students from the practice: Some shy and weak students can be eliminated from the practice, because of individuals who always tend to dominate. It is not a problem when they work in pairs, but as far as the groups are concerned, the teacher should assign roles to avoid one or two learners taking over the activity and others becoming passive observers.
- To make noise and indiscipline: Working in pairs and groups in a large class makes noise and indiscline, the teacher have more troublesome than the learners have. Participants in a pairwork or groupwork activity are normally unware of the noise and of what other pairs or groups are doing. The only possible here could be solved if the classroom had particularly thin walls[5].
II. Practical background
1. Difficulties from students
1.1. Passive learning style
	The students are still deeply affected by the old methods such as Grammar Translation or Audio-lingual Method and the learning environment at lower secondary school where speaking was not encouraged and focused. They get used to listening to the teachers, taking notes and doing exercises, not speaking. 
1.2. Low level of English language proficiency
	While working in pairs or groups, some students can not express ideas in 
English because of their poor vocabulary, grammar, and even pronunciation.
 Note: At this page, the section 2.2. “disadvantages particularly thin walls” is consulted from Reference number [5].
Some of them do not have any knowledge to present the given topic. All these
factors prevent them from participating in pairwork and groupwork. Gradually they will lose their interest in working in pairwork and groupwork.
1.3. Learners’ fear of making mistakes
	Many students are afraid of making mistakes because of their low level of proficiency and their lack of ideas. They are not confident enough to express their ideas for the partners.
2. Objectives factors	
2.1. Large-sized classes
	All classes in Lam Kinh high school consists of more than 45 students, so that it is very difficult for teachers to organize pairwork and groupwork , to control the class and to put an eye on every student. During the time working in pairs or groups, only good and talkative students make use of the chances to raise their voice, shy and less able students can not be given enough care, attention and encouragement.
2.2. Lack of reference books and teaching aids
	In the school library, reference books are not avalaible. There are only some reference books for doing exercises. Teachers must self-prepare for their lesson without school’s helping.
	The lack of teaching aids like video recorders, multi-functions projectors lowers the effectiveness of working in pair and group. Teachers can not show the pictures or conversations in real life by showing them video clips or TV programmes.
III. SOLUTIONS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
1. Solutions
1. 1. Steps of organizing pair and group work
* Select the activity: An activity that is best suited for group work may meet the following criteria:
- The activity has multiple tasks that can be shared among group members or a single task, such as generating ideas, that benefit from the participation of all individuals within a group.
- The activity involves problem solving and discussion
* Presentation: It is advisable to give the instructions before giving out materials of dividing the class into groups. Try to foresee what language will be needed, and have a preliminary quick review of appropriate grammar or vocabulary. Finally before giving the sign to start tell the class what the arrangements are for stopping: If there is a time limit, or a set signal for stopping, say what it is; if the groups simply stop when they have finished, then tell them what they will have to do next. It is wise to have a reserve task planned to occupy members of groups who finish earlier than expected.
* Preparation of materials: The teacher will need to personally collect, or organize students to collect, physical specimens for investigation. For example, if the teacher anticipates doing a lesson on the role of the media, she or he might ask the students to bring into class examples of newspapers and magazines. There should be materials sufficient for each group.
* Size and selection of group: Group size normally ranges between 3-5 students. Group size can sometimes go larger, although groups larger than 8 do not ensure that everyone will participate. 
- Group membership can be determined in different ways. A random selection might be done by "counting off" with students (go around the room systematically having students count 1, 2, 3, etc, with each numbers representing a group) or selecting groups on the basis of birth date.
- In a nonrandom selection, groups will be selected based on the teachers' prior knowledge. Usually, groups are selected to maximize diversity within the group, since diversity enhances learning. Such groups often have a balance of girls and boys, and students with differing ability levels. Teachers can also use their best judgment about personality mixes that would enhance the work of the group.
* Organize students within the group: A highly structured approach would be that the teacher assigns a specific role to each group member. Depending upon the task, the roles might include 'materials handler', 'scribe', 'reporter to the large group' and so on. A semi-structured approach might be that the teacher recommend certain roles, but leaves it to the group to assign roles.
	A more structured approach, with rotation of tasks within a group, is often used with younger children. A less structured approach can be used with students with experience in group work or for simple tasks that do not require that students take on different roles.
 * Control the class during students’ working time: Teacher goes from group to group, pair to pair, monitor, and either contribute or keep out of the way whichever is likely to be more helpful. If you do decide to intervene, your contribution may take the form of :
 	- Providing general approval and support;
 	- Helping students who are having difficultly;
	- Keeping the students using the target language(in many cases your mere presence will ensure this!)
 	- Tactfully regulating participation in a discussion where you find some students are over dominant and others silent.
* Time the group work: The teacher should anticipate student questions about timing, the task results, sharing with the whole group, and so on. After giving clear instructions to the students, the teacher should be available to answer questions, but not interfere with the groups' activities. 
	It is common in many classrooms that a small group activity constitutes 20 minutes of a 40 minute-period, with 10 minutes allowed for sharing small group work with the whole class. 
* Give feedback: A feedback session usually takes place in the context of full-class interaction after the end of the group work. Feedback on the tasks may take many forms:
 	- Giving the right solution, if there is one. 
	- Listening to and evaluating suggestions.
 	- Pooling ideas on the board.
 	- Displaying the meterials the groups/ pairs have produced.
1.2. Some difficulties of pair work and group work and suggested solutions
* High noise level: If pair work is successful, it's noisy. In a normally crowded classroom equipped with easily movable desks or tables, the problem can be alleviated by keeping as much distance as possible between the pairs. The best ‘solution,’ however is simply to keep pair-work sessions short — twenty minutes is probably a reasonable maximum. A high level of noise can be tolerated for approximately that amount of time. If the session lasts longer, the noise will become distracting and annoying.
* Furniture: The best furniture for an ESL classroom is small, light tables, and simple, light chairs; these can easily be rearranged for pair work. But, of course, many classrooms are not ideally furnished for ESL work. Large tables are difficult to move and to arrange but if they are accompanied by light, movable chairs, they can often be left in place and chairs placed opposite each other on both sides. 
* Partners with no information to offer: Since information exchange is essential to pair work, if one student in a group has no information to exchange, the activity will fail. When pair work is preceded by an ‘information-acquiring activity’, this problem can be largely eliminated by making sure that everyone understands their material well. And of course it is also important to make sure that the information and the method of conveying it are appropriate for the students’ level.
	The best way to alleviate this difficulty is by ‘rotation’- having students change partners - once, twice, or more - during the activity. Doing this means that each of the conversations will have to be kept quite short in order to keep the whole activity within the twenty-minute time span, but that, it is to be hoped, will bring a healthy intensity to the conversations.
2. Methods for implementation
	In order to organize pairwork and groupwork more effectively, the teachers and students should do the following things :
2.1. To the teachers
* Teachers should have a good preparation: They should prepare a various materials for lessons with pictures and information, then teachers should create a good atmosphere for students to take part in pairwork or groupwork by noticing something such as creating pairs and groups. Teachers have to decide how to put individual students into pairs or groups and with which of their classmates. The teachers can base such decisions on any one of the following principles: friendship (to put friends with friends), streaming (mixture of weaker and stronger students), chance (for no special reasons of friendship, ability or level of participation), changing groups (to change parners often).
 * Teachers should design activities with a purpose: Normally, every real life communication has a purpose to convey information. Activities in the language classroom stimulate communivation outside the classroom when they are structured with such a purpose. In other words, the clearer the purpose of the discussion is the more motivated students will be. Moreover, teachers should base the activities on easy language. Generally, the level of language needed for a discussion should be lower than used in intensive learning activities in the same class. The language required for a discussion should be easily recalled and produced by students so that they can speak fluently. In some cases, pre-teaching or reviewing essential vocabulary before the activity starts is a good idea.
 * Teachers should use task-based activities: In real life, people use language to perform tasks such as solving problems, developing plans or teaching. The use of similar task-based activities inside the classroom will encourage students to use the language.
* Teachers’ attitude towards students: During the time of working in pairs and groups, teachers’ attitude towards students will decide the success of the lesson such as: observing, listening and how to help students, giving encouragement and even giving feedback. Teachers should use different ways of giving feedback or correcting errors for different lessons. For lessons that focus on form like grammar lessons, direct and immediate feedback and error correction are needed and expected. However, in communicative lessons like speaking, the flow of talk should not be interrupted by the teachers’corrections. Teachers should only give feedback and correct errors after students already finish the task. When giving feedback, teachers should give feedback on both form and content. It is advisable that the teachers should encourage students to self-correct. Giving feedback and correcting er