Teaching speaking: Activities to promote speaking

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO THANH HOÁ
TRƯỜNG THPT YÊN ĐỊNH 1
SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM
TEACHING SPEAKING: ACTIVITIES 
TO PROMOTE SPEAKING 
Người thực hiện: Lê Thị Hà
Chức vụ: Giáo viên
SKKN thuộc môn: Tiếng Anh
THANH HOÁ NĂM 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART A: INTRODUCTION
Title: “Teaching speaking: Activities to promote speaking”.
1. Rationale
As you know education plays an important part in developing society. Learning a foreign language is necessary in a modern world. Every student has to learn a foreign language when they are studying at college or university. Nowadays more and more people learn English because it is thought to be an “international language”. Most of high schools in our country teach English. Is teaching English effective in the Upper Secondary schools? Are pupils interested in learning English? What is the aim of teaching English? There are so many questions that we-the teachers of English -have to answer. Teaching English not only teach pupils how to read a word or how to speak a sentence in English but also provides pupils knowledge about English people, England, culture, famous people, some problems that the world are facing with .v.v.
There are many things to teach in teaching English. Beside three aspects: pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, there are four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. All these things are very important in teaching and learning English. Among these, speaking is the most distinguishing feature of human beings from the other living creatures because it is the natural state of language that all human beings are born to speak their native language. In learning a second or foreign language, most of the learners find speaking the most difficult skill to have a success because it needs oral communication that consists of both speaking and listening
In the part speaking was not considered much in language learning and teaching. Primarily, learning structures, rote memorization of sentence patterns and vocabulary, and using literary language were of great importance. Grammar Translation Method defends this. However, in the mid-nineteenth century, by the travelling, the trade and interpersonal connections of Europeans, the primacy of grammatical and literacy language decreased, and the use of conversational skills increased. Nowadays, with the rapid development of economy and technology which makes people in the world closer and closer, more and more people recognize the importance of speaking skill.
I have been teaching English in a Upper Secondary School for a few years. As far as I observed, most of the language teachers’ lessons are taken up with grammar. We teach grammar and we think that our students have learnt it. In examinations we test what we taught in written English so the results become very well. The students can answer all the written questions about the grammar topic. However, when you ask a simple question orally, they have difficulty in answering it. They cannot use their knowledge of grammar for their verbal communication.
Generally speaking, language is a tool of communication. If you cannot speak, all your effort is in vain. Thus we have to give importance to seeking in our English lessons right from the beginning because there is no use of knowledge about of a language without having the skill of using it.
As I stated. I have been teaching English for a few years and during this time period I have observed that many of the students have difficulty in speaking English although they are very successful in grammar. Most of the students are silent and do not want to say anything or cannot say anything. Participation may be dominated by certain students. Therefore, the question came to my mind. Why? Why are the students successful in grammar but not in speaking. Then I wanted to have a research on this topic with the hope to build up the habit of speaking for students and design activities to motivate their students to learn in the most efficient ways.
2. Aims of the study.
	The specific aims of this study are as follows:
Give out the principles for teaching speaking skill.
Put forward some activities that promote speaking.
Apply these techniques in some specific lessons to do my bit in innovation English Teaching methodology and raise the quality of English teaching and learning.
3. Scope of the study
This study aims to examine the effective techniques on the development of learner’s communicative skills in speaking English in Yen Dinh 1 school, which is located in the countryside where teaching and learning conditions are limited. My students pay much attention to other subjects, but not English. So I only choose some methods that I think can apply to the students in the Secondary Schools in the countryside as my school.
4. Methods of the study 
 To gain effectiveness of the aims the researcher has just mentioned above, the following methods were used: 
- Survey questionnaire for students in class 10A3 and 10A5 at Yen Dinh 1 High School to collect information about their views of the current situations and their feelings about lessons which are used motivated activities.
- The results of tests to check the speaking ability of the students in class 10A3 and 10A5 at Yen Dinh 1 High School.
-Beside these instruments, classroom observation is used to record more information from teachers and students during lessons.
- Constant discussions with the supervisor and colleagues are of great significance.
PART B: CONTENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Review of Language Skills
 For the purpose of analysis and instruction, language has been divided into different skill areas. These can be discussed in the framework of how we learned our first language. A child first learns to practice language through the skill of listening. Later, a child uses language by speaking, combined with listening. Then, when school begins, children learn the skills of reading and writing. The first two skills, listening and speaking, are called the oral skills. The last two, reading and writing, are called the literacy skills. 
 As learners grow in their language ability and use, the different skills are often integrated with each other so that they are being used in coordination with each other. In conversation, when one person is speaking another is listening. After listening and understanding, the hearer respond by speaking. In an academic setting, while students are listening, they may also be writing notes or reading a handout. 
 However, for the purpose of teaching language, we may divide language into the various skill areas and concentrate on one at a time. This study focuses on teaching the skill of speaking. I begin with speaking because second (foreign) language learners often neglect or have difficulty with oral production (speaking). Some learners have memorized hundreds of words and many grammar rules, but they still cannot speak well. Many learners can read better than they speak. This is very much unlike a child who learns to listen and speak long before learning to read and write.
 After learning to speak, it is easier to develop reading and writing skills in the foreign language classroom. However, language teachers have found it difficult to develop their student’s speaking skill.
What is speaking and Why teach speaking skill?
What is speaking?
Speaking is “the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of contexts” (Chaney, 1998, p.13) 
Why Teach Speaking Skill?
 In today’s teaching climate, it is easy to forget the importance of oral language, or speaking and listening skills. With all the focus on reading and writing to prepare for students to take part in GCSE examination, sometimes teachers neglect this more basic aspect of language! Yet students need to learn speaking skill and have opportunities to practice making their voices heard in a safe and constructive environment. Speaking skill is important because:
 Skilled speakers can effectively present their own points of view.
Skilled speakers are often better readers and writers.
Skilled speakers are more confident participants in a variety of contexts- both in and out of school.
Skilled speakers are able to advocate for themselves and get their academic and emotional needs meet.
Elements of successful speaking
	 To speak English well, a learner must know (knowledge) and know how to do (skills) many things.
Inputs:
interesting topic
ideas and questions to respond to
teacher’s and students’ enthusiasm
personal experiences
listening
readings
short video clips
memories
Skills:
being able to pronounce clearly
being able to organize and develop ideas in real time
being able to produce chunks (phrases)
being able to ask for clarification
being able to check understanding.
Knowledge:
knowledge of grammar systems.
knowledge of appropriate language.
knowledge of suitable exchange patterns.
knowledge of phonology.
knowledge of topic.
awareness of what the listener knows and is interested in.
Principles in teaching speaking.
 The following principles are divided into two groups: Beginning Levels, and Intermediate and Advanced Levels . It is important to remember that the goal in language use is natural communication and the principles for the beginning levels point to and prepare for the principles given for the intermediate and advanced levels. It is all too easy to be satisfied with unnatural or repetitive speech. But the goal is natural communication in which real information is transferred through speech.
1.4.1. Beginning Levels.
1.4.1.1 Limit the objectives to avoid overwhelming the learners
 - Provide the students with enough structured practice so they can begin interacting at a basic level.
 - This will reduce students fear and encourage more speaking.
 - Later, more free conduction can come after structured practice.
Example of structured practice for a beginner:
 Teacher asks: What is he wearing?
 Student answers: He is wearing ___________
Example of a non-structured assignment:
 Teacher asks: Please describe what he is wearing.
 Student: ???
 (Such an open-ended question can overwhelm a student if they have not first been prepared through adequate practice)
1.4.1.2. Mix the speaking activities with comprehension work
 - When the students listen before they speak, it leads to more natural speech.
 - Comprehension work fosters an interaction between speaking and listening.
 - Remember, we listened first before we began speaking, so speaking should involve listening as well.
Example using comprehension work:
 Teacher has students first listen to or read a dialogue. The class can discuss the meaning of difficult words. After understanding the text, they can practice the dialogue. (Speaking, or rather reading aloud, without understanding has very little benefit. There is often no comprehension involved in reading aloud.)
1.4.1.3. Provide activities which involve dialogues and functional use of the language.
 - Focus on language use rather than knowledge about language .
 - Functions involve a focus on meaning.
 - Dialogues are more concrete and controlled than less structured drills.
Example of knowledge about a language:
 A student can describe the structures and parts of speech in a language.
Example of knowing how to use a language:
 A student can introduce himself or herself, great others, request information, apologize, etc.
1.4.1.4. Do not emphasize the significance of mistakes.
 - This encourage students to speak without fear of correction.
 - This increases focus on meaning and communication rather than grammatical correctness (though such structural errors can also hinder communication.)
 - Corrections should especially focus on problems affecting clear communication or language already taught to the students.
1.4.1.5. State the purpose/ goal of the activity to the student.
 - This provide a context or focus to help comprehension.
 - It also allows the learners to concentrate on the task and understand why they are doing it.
Examples of purposes in speaking.
 “Now we will practice describing our friends”
 “ In this exercise we will learn to talk about clothing.”
 “ In this activity we will practice asking for information.”
1.4.2. Intermediate and Advanced Levels.
1.4.2.1. Focus on and work toward real spontaneous speech:
 - Avoid form-bases drills (repetitious or grammar- based exercises)
 - Remember real speech is most often unrehearsed or unpracticed
Examples of questions leading to real spontaneous speech:
 What did you do last night?
 What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
 What do you think about the new television program?
1.4.2.2. Design activities which encourage natural interaction between speakers.
 - Human speech most often involves interaction. (Monologues are rarely used).
 - Interaction integrates speaking and listening.
1.4.2.3. Place students in pairs , triads or small groups.
 - Smaller groups, and pairs are student-centered.
 - This increases the quantity of speech spoken by students.
 - This decreases the vulnerability of the students and lowers their anxiety level.
1.4.2.4. Provide topics of interest to the students.
 - Interesting topics increase student motivation.
 - This also fosters a focus on meaning (and their personal feelings and thoughts).
 - It is good to ask students what they are most interested in. 
1.4.2.5. At the advanced level, especially in free production , allow only speech in the target language (English).
 - This greatly increases the amount of English spoken.
 - Having a clear guideline reduces the temptation of students to “hide” in their native language.
 - Students may dislike this but should be discouraged from using their own language without the teacher’s permission
CHAPTER 2: THE CURRENT SITUATIONS
IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING AT YEN DINH 1 HIGH SCHOOL
2.1. An overview of the current situation of teaching and learning English at Yen Dinh 1 High school.
The study was conducted with students in grade 10 at Yen Dinh 1 high school. Most of them have been learning English for at least 4 years at secondary schools. 
2.2. Findings from the current situations.
To find out some current situations in teaching and learning English speaking at Yen Dinh 1 high school, the researcher surveys the current situations by asking questions and observation. The researcher found out some following results.
2.2.1. Results from asking questions
Most of the students did not know what to say. They could not get the ideas. Besides, they had so few words to express their opinion. Some students were always silent in class and did not want to say anything. In speaking lesson, many students might be inhabited by fear of making a language mistake. Some of them complained that they did not understand what to do in speaking activities. They also had difficulty in pronouncing, they were afraid of mispronunciation. Sometimes, they got trouble in grammar, they could not put the verbs in the correct tenses. Besides a small number of the students believed that they were very bad at English when they were at lower high school. And they thought that they cannot put the words in correct order. In addition, a number of the students could not remember all structures ,students could not apply all structures correctly. Besides, having a small number of the students said that the lack of teaching aids at school is other difficult of them.
The researcher asked students about the main causes of these difficulties 
Most of the students said the method that teacher used is not suitable. In addition, they don’t know the good way to learn English structure, English vocabulary, pronunciation . Meanwhile some them were bad at English speaking when they studied at lower school and they also thought that the lack of learning aids at school is other main reason that they have difficulties in studying English speaking.
2.2.2. Results from observation
Results from the teacher
	Most of the teachers think that speaking is not very important. They only teach grammar and the meaning of words to prepare the students to take part in GCSE in which speaking skill is not tested. Almost the teacher applied the traditional methods such as: translation, audio-lingual or using PPP model. Besides, the teacher used extra-board or handout. However, the applying of these traditional method hasn’t been done effectively yet.
About classroom management. The teacher asked the students to work individually most of the time. Sometimes, the teacher asked them to work in pairs. Sometimes they had to work in groups. There were no leader of groups, as a result, every member in the group was not appointed particular requires.
Results from the students
	In my observation, I realized that most of the students never raised their hands in lessons. They were not willing to practice. They only practiced when being asked. They sat in silence and the teacher usually took notices of better students. 
	Moreover, most of the students felt unconfident when being asked to practice. They showed their worry. Nobody wanted the teacher to call his/her name in practice speaking.
 In summary, from the results of asking questions and observation, the researcher found out some problems in teaching and learning English speaking at Yen Dinh 1 High School.
	Firstly, almost the teachers do not pay great attention to teach speaking skill so they use traditional method in teaching English speaking.
	Secondly, most of the students do not feel interested in learning speaking. They think they need to be good at grammar. They do not pay attention to studying because they do not have opportunities and motivation to study. The classroom’s atmosphere makes them feel uninterested in the lessons. According to the classroom observation, very few students contribute to the lessons. They only practice when the teacher asks. When being asked, all students want the teacher to change the teaching method by applying variety of activities to make the lesson become more interesting
2.3. Solution
In this part, the researcher provided some activities to help students study English speaking more effectively. Because of limited time, I only give some activities that I have used during my teaching and I see that these activities are very useful. They help my students become more active in speaking lesson. 
CHAPTER 3: ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE SPEAKING.
3.1. Always present yourself as an English speaker, right from the start.
 Teachers have to present themselves as an English speaker right from the start because firstly students have taped new teachers from the first meeting. Teachers should not give up to speak in English anyway, even if students did not understand the teacher, teachers have to use pictures, gestures, facial expressions and etc. to get their message across, to wit to make incomprehensible things clear to students, but in English.
 Teacher can ask students some questions before starting any English lessons. For example:
Who is in duty today? (if students cannot understand the question, teacher can explain in another way or use some gestures to make students understand)
Who is absent today?
What’s the weather like today? What activity do you like doing most in this hot/cold/warm/nice weather?
Did you watch a very exciting football match on television last night? (if student answer “yes”, teacher can ask: please tell your friends something about that football match (teacher can ask questions and student answer the questions about the football match)
(After Tet holiday, teacher can ask students ) How was your Tet holiday? What did you do during Tet holiday? What is your most favorite activity?..... 
Teacher can ask students some questions about the events happening in the school, the neighborhood, in their country, or in the world