Some ways to practise listening skill for pupils in class 3b and 3d of quang chau primary school

PART I. OPENING
1. The reason for selecting topic
From the reality of teaching English for pupils at Quang Chau Primary School in many years, I have realized that Listening skill is still considered as one of the most difficult skills for English language learners although they have been learning English for few years. Most pupils have problems in listening because they still could not complete the basic listening skills in tests. Furthermore, most of them considered that listening classes are challenging for them due to some problems and difficulties during the teaching and learing activities. Besides that, there were five factors influenced pupils’ listening skill: lack of practice, limited vocabulary mastery, native speaker’s accent, pronunciation and uninteresting learning materials. 
Any languages when communicating we need to have a certain vocabulary for expressing presentation.On the other hand, with elementary age pupils acquire a deeper essence of language is too difficult. We just ask them to understand and know “the English” is what? English words means what in Vietnamese meaning? In addition, pupils also ought to learn the skills well: Listening - Speaking - Reading - Writing. In the four skills, Listening skill is one of the most difficult for pupils who are learning English.To hear and to understand the language is not their native language is not easy at all, so that pupils must also follow the inquirements of all listening tasks.This skill is considered to be difficult because pupils always have pressure for not understanding every word in the listening content.
This is also the reason I think and choose this topic for the purpose of giving the ways to help pupils, especially the pupils in grade 3 are no longer afraid of learning the periods which have the listening tasks, even more they can listen more effectively.
2. The purpose of researching this topic
English is a language that is used in many countries around the world.This is a period of intergration, communicate with foreign friends so to know and understand this language is extremely important.The purpose of this topic is to contribute to improve the quality of teaching and learning English, helps pupils learn better four skills in English in general and in particular listening skill. Listening well, understanding English will help pupils feel interested in studying and learning better. Also listening well will help pupils use this language competently, help them confident in communicating with international friends.
Moreover, the purpose of research of this topic also help improve my own pedagogical. After a period of teaching in a primary school and learning from friends and colleagues, I found that my pupils are often afraid of listening and achieve weaknesses a lot when they do listening tests. So I’ve done a number of ways to help pupils learn how to listen better.
 3. Object of researching of this topic.
This research aims to investigate the real state of teaching and learning listening skill of English in Class 3B and 3D of Quang Chau primary School and suggest solutions to practise listening skill for pupils to learn English better.
4. The methods of researching this topic. 
The study used mixed methods to find answers to the two questions. Tools for data collection in this study were questionnaire, interview (face-to-face), 
PART II. CONTENT
1. Theoretical basics
This is a narrow issue, with the aim to promote positive, creative abilities of pupils, to creative the ability to identify and solve problems for pupils, help pupils who are the subjects work actively, creative initiative strong in communication and have a good usage of foreign language in reading and searching.
To research the subject, I refer to the actual process of teaching myself and colleagues. In addition, I also rely on a number of specialized materials such as: English Book 3, Teacher’s Book, Work Book and Teach Young Learners English.
2. Real state
Through the teaching of English in primary schools. I noticed a common reality is that most pupils have not realized the importance of learning English. There are many pupils neglect, snobbery of English in primary schools so during learning they still have not concentrated on learning to reach a high result.
One of the common difficult realities is that the level of pupils is limited but duration for this course is too short. In addition specific class in Viet Nam is generally over crowded pupils so they focus on training and practising are limited.
Although the textbooks are very mordern in structure, thematic lessons, close to daily life with the aim of monitoring the needs of pupils’ interest, but through the lectures and contact with pupils I always think how to teach and learn more effectively, more creativity for pupils who can both understand and be excited, lessons are taught more quality in depth. A lesson is divided into several periods, intergrated instruction in vocabulary, grammar and practice in a period with forty minutes duration. But here I only mention one particular teaching listening in one period as appropriate to each object with pupils and teachers also easy to implement.
I have made a survey with pupils in class 3B and 3D by doing a test in the middle first term in fifteen minutes to survey and classify the pupils before I applying the techniques and procedures to teach listening
A. Questions
Question 1: . Listen and number.There is an example . 
 a0 b c  d  .. e 
Question 2: . Listen and tick. There is an example .
a
 0. A. B 
1. A. 	B B. 
 	B.
2. A. 	B. 
 3 . A . 	B.
 4. A. 	B B. 
Question 3: Listen and write a word. There is an example. 
1. A: (0) Hello .I’m Mai.
 B: Hi, Mai .I’m Nam.
2. A: Is (1).........................Tom?
 B: No, it isn’t . It’s ( 2 ).....................
3. A: Who’s that? .
 B: It’s (3).............................
4. A: How old are you?
 B: I’m(4) ...years old.
B.Transcrips
Transcrips for question 1: Listen and number.
Example: 0. This is a tiger.
1. A: Is that Linda?
 B: Yes, It is
2. A: Is that Peter?
 B: No, it isn’t. It’s Tony.
3. A: Is that Peter?
 B: No, it isn’t. It’s Tony.
4. A: Is that Linda?
 B: No, it isn’t. It’s Mai.
 Transcrips for question 2:Listen and tick.
Example: This is my school.
1. Linda: How old is Mai?
 Peter: She’s eight years old.
2. Tom: Is that your friend?
 Mai : Yes, he’s Tony.
3. Mary: Is Linda your friend?
 Mai: Yes, she is.
4. Hello.I’m Nam.
 Transcrips for question 3: Listen and write a word
1. A: (0 ) Hello .I’m Mai
 B: Hi, Mai .I’m Nam.
2. A: Is (1) that Tom?
 B: No, it isn’t. It’s ( 2 )Peter.
3. A: Who’s that? .
 B: It’s ( 3 ) Linda.
4. A: How old are you?
 B: I’m(4) eight years old.
And here are the results I obtained:
The following chart will show the result: 
Class
The numbers
of students
Excellent
(A)
Good
(B)
Fair
(C)
Poor
(D)
Fail
(F)
3B
39
2= 5,2
8 =20,5%
19 = 48.7%
5= 12,8%
5 = 12,8%
 3D
38
 0
10=26,3%
17= 44,7%
5=13,3%
6= 15.7%
According to the survey result, I have classified the pupils and immediately applied the methods and experiences which I accumulated over the years to improve the teaching and learning quality. 
3. The solutions
3.1. To achieve the target related to listening skills, the teacher plays a very important role
3.1.1. First, the teachers need to be prepared for pupils before they listen. The teachers must ensure that
- Pupils must understand the requirements (in English) to complete the listening task assigned.
- Pupils have to know exactly what to do.
- Pupils should be able to determine that they do not need to hear all the words in the listening test.
3.1.2. The next important step is the teacher should encourage pupils to predict what they are prepared to listen
- Teachers should introduce the topics by using situation/ content of the lessons.
- This activity will help pupils to predict the content of the answers.
- Teachers can help pupils by:
+ Asking some questions related to the subject of listening test.
+ Using pictures to remind pupils to guess the answers, even before they hear the listening content.
3.1.3. While listening, pupils should focus on listening to understand the information from the listening test
 Teacher should give a chance for them to listen again regularly, especially for those who do not have the ability to perform task previously heard (have not listened and understood all to complete assigned task).
3.1.4. Finally when students finish listening exercises, teachers should check listening comprehension by asking students to answer questions
NOTE THAT:
- Teachers should not force pupils to answer individually when they are not ready.
- Teachers should ensure that an answer is right or wrong needs to be checked by aking pupils to listen to the tape again.
- Teachers list all the pupils’ answers on the board, then play the recording for pupils to listen again to choose the correct answer.
- Even if all pupils answer correctly the questions, teachers still should encourage them to listen to the entire test to check their answers.
3.2. Some techniques to help pupils in the process of listening test
3.2.1 Teachers should guide the principles of listening test
- Pupils do not know how to listen, of course they need to be guided to know.
- Many pupils can not concentrate on what the speaker is saying, they are easy to “interference” by other things happening around.
- Pupils do not know that when they focus on listening they must separate from the surrounding confounders.
- Teachers need have specific instructions (presented, listed on a large-sized paper) the main principles of active listening.
- The essentials for good listening:
+ Looking directly into speaker while listening.
+ Try to keep quiet.
+ Focus on what the speaker is saying.
+ Think about what the speaker is saying.
+ Make questions when you don’t understand.
+ Respect and appreciation of what the speaker has to say.
- Every time, the pupils should focus on a principle. Discuss what does that principle mean and why it is important.
- Applying that principle right to practise in pairs (For example: “work in pairs to ask your partner what is he/ she doing?” and report the result before the class after the survey)
3.2.2. Teachers try to model as a good listener
3.2.3. Organizing listening games
3.2.4. Teachers read for pupils to listen
- Teachers avoid reading directly from the textbook have the pictures illustrated. Pupils should have an opportunity to “imagine about these pictures by themselves” while they listen to a poem or a story.
- Teachers begin with a poem/ prope piece, then talk about the “pictures” to help pupils understand more clearly about the content they’ve heard.
3.2.5. Using music and songs
- Music helps to train spors audio according to the standard’s quality.
- The song is particularly important bacause the rhythm of the songs help pupils remember words easily.
3.2.6. Using tape/ CD
- Using tapes/ CDs need to be in multiple different voices.
- Sometimes note before for pupils know that they will not be listened to the tape again (listen only once).
- If pupils know they listen to the tape many times, they will not listen carefully from the beginning.
3.2.7. Using spelling
- Spelling help train pupils phonics, correct spelling and hand writing practice.
- Spelling allows pupils to focus on listening to words and rewrite on paper.
- Articles should be short spell, simply follow the content of the topic.
3.3. Developing listening skill for pupils (in conjunction with speaking skill).
3.3.1. Organizing for pupils to participate in daily conversation.
3.3.2. When reading aloud for pupils to listen, teachers should encourage pupils
- Guess what is going to happen in the story which they are going to listen.
- Listen and comment about the story they’ve heard.
- Contact the content of the story they’ve heard with personal experience.
3.3.3. Organizing games to help pupils focus attention to the important part while listening carefully. For example
- Head down and close eyes.
- Listen carefully.
- Do you hear the lawn mower outside?
- Do you hear dripping faucet?
- Do you still hear other noise?
3.3.4. Consolidating and strengthening pupils’ listening and speaking skills through daily activities
3.3.5. Teachers should take advantages of every opportunity for pupils to practise listening and speaking in conjunction with the guidance of teachers
4. Some ways of teaching listening in textbook English 3
LESSON 1: PART 4: LISTEN AND TICK
LESSON 2: PART 4: LISTEN AND NUMBER OR LISTEN AND WRITE LESSON 3: PART 2: LISTEN AND WRITE
- In essence, the target of teaching these three parts are the same: All the parts train and develop listening skill for pupils.
- The differences among the three lessons are: length requirement and the level (degree of difficult of the listening content) there is a difference:
+ The listening task in Lesson 1. Listen and Tick have the short content, the sentences are usually simple (3 or 4 questions), seperately, to test the ability to listen and reccognize vocabulary they have learned in the previous lesson. This task is a simple form, usually used and easy for pupils to understand and it is effective in the teaching process.
+ The listening task in Lesson 2. Listen and Number or Listen and Write have content longer (at least 4 sentences), the questions in this task are mounted forming the small context and communicative. This type of exercise is more difficult because it is used to test about vocabulary, this task is also examine the sentence structures and the content of the topic. Furthermore, all pupils must listen to the whole task, understand the task follow the logic, finally they could provide the answers (numbered 1- 2- 3 - 4). Or write the correct words to complete the sentences.Example: Unit 4- Lesson 2- Grade 3.
+ The listening task in lesson 3.Listen and write have only two sentences. This section helps pupils practise the phonics they have learnt through a dictation task.Pupils listen and fill the gaps.
4.1. The process of teaching for two lessons
“LESSON 1: Part 4. LISTEN AND TICK
LESSON 2: Part 4. LISTEN AND NUMBER”
- Specify task (ask students what going to do).
- Introduce the theme, situations of the listening task
+ Take pictures, photos, from the textbook which are enlarge.
+ Use simple English for presentation and introduction.
+ Suggestive questions should be raised, leading to pupils self-evaluation and comment (based on personal knowledge of them).
+ Individual pupil guesses the answer (the answer is right or wrong does not matter because the purpose of this work is to interest the initiative for pupils before listening).
- Play the tape twice:
+ The first time: Listen to encompass and understand the content of the entire article.
+ The second time: Pupils not only have to listen but also to select information to answer follow specific requirements (listening and marked or listening and numbered in the picture is saying).
- Individual pupil compares the result with the predictions of their answers before listening and then reports the results of his or her work to the class. Another pupil commented (pupils can discuss and compare individual assignment in pairs).
- Teachers have pupils listen the third time to check the result (to confirm the answer why it is right or wrong). Pupils can listen to the sentences or the paragraphs that relate to the questions.
- After listening: Ask pupils to look at the pictures and repeat the listening content. The purpose of this activity is just to check out the comprehension of the test, just reinforce the knowledge of language they’ve learnt.
NOTE: Pupils can relate the topic of the listening task to their own reality.
4.2. Teaching procedures 
	Practicing listening skill in listening lesson is carried out through 3 stages:
a. Pre-listening
Pre-listening would be the first stage, where the context is established. The teacher creates motivation and pupils do some activities with the purpose of preparing them for what they will hear. The purpose of this stage is to involve pupils’ attention in the topic, especially is to predict the information that they will be heard. In order to limit the difficulties when listening, teacher should present the topic or set the situation of the listening. Teacher lets pupils think and predict the things they are going to hear in a context. Present some new words, let pupils guess the meaning of the new words. Use some pictures or illustrations that are useful for listening. 
Some techniques can be used in this stage such as: 
+ Open prediction 
+ Ordering statements
+ True/False predictions
+ Pre questions
+ Ordering
* For example: 
In English grade 3 book 2 (Unit 19: They’re in the park. Lesson 2 - Activity 4. Listen and number) 
I proceed the following: 
Open prediction
Set the scene: You are going to listen to the dialogues between Mai and Nam about the weather in the pictures. Look at the pictures in the book and Can you guess the number of the pictures and then compare with your partners? 
 a b c d
b. While-listening
While-listening activities can be shortly defined as all tasks that pupils are asked to do during the time of listening to the text. The purpose of these activities is to help pupils to practice listening skill for meaning that is to elicit a message from spoken language.While-listening exercises should be interesting and challenging.They should guide the pupils to handle the information and messages from the listening text. 
Some techniques can be used in this stage such as: 
+ Check the correct answer
+ Answering comprehension questions
+ Selecting
+ Listen and draw
For example: 
In English grade 3 book 2 (Unit 19: They’re in the park. Lesson 1 - Activity 4: Listen and tick) Check the correct answer
I proceed the following:
Teacher plays the record for pupils to listen twice and do the task, then asks them to check their predictions with the answers.
1 a b 2 a b
Teacher gives feedback and key:
1. b
2. a
c. Post-listening
The purpose of post-listening activities are to check whether the pupils have understood what they need to understand and whether they have completed the while-listening tasks effectively; reflect on why some pupils have failed to understand or missed parts of the message; give pupils the opportunity to consider the attitude and manner of the speakers in the listening text; expand on the topic or language of the listening text, and perhaps transfer things learned to another context. 
Some techniques can be used in this stage such as: 
+ Questions and Answers
+ Transformation writing
+ Write it up...
*For example: 
In English grade 3 book 2 (Unit 20: Where’s Sapa? Lesson 1 - Activity 3: Listen and tick) Questions and Answers 
I proceed the following:
To help pupils to understand more about the content of the exercise, teacher asks pupils to listen again, then ask and answer in pairs.
1. A: Where’s Ha Noi?
 B: It’s in north Viet Nam.
2. A: Where’s Ho Chi Minh City?
 B: It’s in south Viet Nam.
3. A: Where’s Hue?
 B: It’s in central Viet Nam.
5. Implementation results
These are the results obtained through a test in class 3B and 3D in the middle second term and the second term.
By applying the techniques and the procedures that I mentioned above, I found that When learning listening skill, pupils no longer have fears and achieve better results. I gave them fifteen minutes to do test 1 and twenty minutes to do test 2:
 Test 1 
A. Questions
Question 1: Listen and number. 
 a. b. c. d.
 Question 2: Listen and tick.
 1. a. b. c. c.
 2. a. b. c. 
 3. a. b. c. 
 3. a. b. c. 
Question 3: Listen and write the words or numbers.
1. Lan: Who’s that?
 Nam :She’s my ...
2. Lan: How old is she?
 Nam :She’s.
3. Phong: Is ther