Using language games to improve speaking skill for the students in class 7A at dong tien secondary school

 THANH HOA EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT 
DONG SON DISTRICT EDUCATION AND TRANING DEPARTMENT 
TEACHING EXPERIENCE 
USING LANGUAGE GAMES TO IMPROVE 
SPEAKING SKILL FOR THE STUDENTS IN CLASS 7A 
AT DONG TIEN SECONDARY SCHOOL 
Writer : Nguyen Thi Duc 
Position: Teacher 
School : Dong Tien Secondary School 
Subject : English 
THANH HÓA NĂM 2017 
INDEX 
CONTENT Page 
A. Introduction 1 
B. Problem solving 3 
I. Basis reality (Reality) 3 
II. Basis of theory 3 
III. Solution 3 
1. Challenging game. 4 
2. Face to face game. 5 
3. Gossip game. 8 
4. Word – practicing game. 8 
5. Continuing a story. 10 
6. Mind map 11 
6. Car racing. 12 
IV. The tested results 13 
C. Conclusions and recommendtions 14 
D. References 16 
E. A list of innovation initiatives has been rated by the evaluation 
committee of the education and training department, the education and 
training department and the higher level ranked c or higher 
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 1
A. INTRODUCTION 
I. RATIONABLE OF THE STUDY 
 Nowadays English has played an important part in our life. It is an 
international language all over the world, it has become a compulsory subject in 
all secondary schools as well. It is the key for anyone who wants to get success 
in life. In fact, secondary students in particular and people learning English in 
general, despite many years of learning English, their ability to communicate is 
very limited. They can not know how to express what they want to say. They are 
shy and they are not confident enough to speak or communicate with the others 
in English even though they still understand vocabulary and the sentence 
structures. Students are learning self-contained method. They mainly focus on 
mastering grammar and forget speaking skill, the school speaking environment 
is little known even without. The reason for this is partly due to their limited 
vocabulary. On the other hand, because of the assessment requirements of the 
department, the students mostly have to take part in written test in favor of 
grammar rather than the oral test. Therefore, the students often learn conception 
to pass the exams, not learn to communicate. Besides, the students are often 
afraid of making mistakes when presenting dialogues or expressing their 
comments on the issues to be presented to the crowd. But perhaps, the basic 
cause is that the students are lack of communication environment: the teachers 
of English are Vietnamese, the class is also Vietnamese students, so Vietnamese 
should be used when they can’t express something in English. The majority of 
the teachers pay little attention, or rarely encourage the students to develop 
speaking skill, the students do not have the habit of speaking English. That is 
why, in the process of teaching, especially for English pilot program, I have 
been thinking about "How to improve the students’ speaking skill ?", "How to 
help students to be self confident enough to communicate with one another in 
English?" I have found out that the use of language games in teaching English is 
one of the most effective methods to get the students involved in speaking 
English. Moreover, using language games makes the lessons more interesting 
and the students more active in learning English. The speaking environment is 
promoted more and more. For the above reasons, I have chosen the theme 
"Using language games to improve speaking skill for the students in class 7A 
at Dong Tien Secondary School". Please be shared to consult colleagues and 
additional comments. 
 2
 II. AIMS OF THE STUDY 
 My study aims at, firstly, examining the impact of the using 
vocabularies, structures in speaking lesson of the 7th grade students at Dong Tien 
Secondary School, and secondly, determining effective techniques to teach 
speaking skill. 
 III. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 
 This study only focuses on the speaking skill to 7A class students at 
Dong Tien Secondary School. 
 IV. RESEARCHING METHODS 
 Reading reference books, discussing with other teachers, applying in 
teaching, observing and drawing out experiences. 
 3
B. PROBLEM SOLVING 
I. BASIS REALITY ( REALITY) 
 Today the use of English in communication is essential and important. 
English not only helps us to develop economic, society, but also helps us 
integrate with our friends throughout the world. English is useful for many 
different reasons: We may use English when traveling or working abroad. If we 
know English, we can find a good job easily, we can trade with other countries 
in English around the world to do business, economic development. Knowing 
English helps us understand the songs, read books, watch movies, watch TV 
programs in English. But in fact, secondary students in particular and people 
learning English in general have not learned English boldly and confidently to 
communicate in practice. In order to help the students use English to 
communicate in everyday life, the teachers need to innovate teaching methods, 
pay attention to promoting language environment at school. However this is not 
an easy matter for both the teachers and the students. It is important for the 
teachers to know how to select the specific language games in the appropriate 
classes of objects, the ability of the students to meet the efficiency. The teachers 
should always encourage the students to participate in learning activities and 
practice communicating to make the lessons exciting, lively, and attractive. 
They can form the habit of communicating in English. 
 II. BASIS OF THEORY 
In fact, in teaching and learning a foreign language, the students will learn 
more effectively if they are learnt in an atmosphere of learning fun, relaxation 
and have more opportunities to communicate in the context of the real world. 
The use of language games in teaching a foreign language can increase 
motivation for the students, one of the decisive factors for the students to get 
success in their language learning. At the same time, the teachers can help and 
encourage the students to learn and maintain their interest in learning. In 
addition, language games also help the teachers create the context in which 
language practice is very useful and easy. “Games can involve all the basic 
language skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and a number of 
skills are often involved in the same game” (Lee, 1995) (5). The students would 
like to participate in the games, they have to understand what the others are 
saying, and they have to say these things to present their own opinions or to 
present information to the others understand. So, in this theme, I want to 
mention some games organized to encourage, promote and improve speaking 
skill for the students in class 7A at Dong Tien secondary school. 
 III. SOLUTION 
 4
In every period of teaching process I often have the students play games 
such as Networks, Slap the board, Matching, Simon says, Lucky numbers, 
Lucky stars, Who is the millionaire?, Hang man, Car racing, Survey, Chain 
game. But in this theme, I would like to introduce some following language 
games I find most effectively in motivating the students in class 7A at Dong 
Tien secondary chool to practice speaking skill. 
1. Challenging Game. 
Purpose: Review the thematic vocabulary and practice speaking skill. 
The teacher devides the class into two teams, then takes out the topic of 
vocabulary. Two teams huddle within 30 seconds and turn to challenge your 
team. Which team is more challenging than the number of words will have the 
right to speak first. If any team says enough and the right amount of challenge 
wil be scored 1 point. If the team says one wrong word or says one word that 
does not belong to the topic or does not say enough times challenged, the team 
will lose the challenge and points. The prize will belong to the other team.The 
game will be resumed with different themes. The game will stop when the set 
time has expired or the teacher has checked all the required test scores. 
Example 1. Unit 2: Health – Lesson 2: A closer look 1. (1) 
(7 English Pilot Curriculum). 
The teacher gives the topic “Health problems” and devides the class 7A 
into two groups. Then the teacher asks the students to play “Challenging game” 
to warm up the class and lead in the new lesson. 
(The students are really keen on this game because the students like 
challenging and they are afraid of leaving behind their friends. They have 
expressed their quickness and liveliness in speaking English than ever before) 
 5
Example 2. Unit 3: Community service – Lesson 1: A closer look1. 
 (7 English Pilot Curriculum). 
 6
The teacher gives the topic “Problems in the society” such as “homeless 
people”. Then the teacher devides the class 7A into four groups and asks the 
students to play “Challenging game” to consolidate the lesson. 
(In this game, I really felt pleased because the students were excited to 
talk about the “Problems in the society” and the speaking environment is 
improved as well). 
2. Face to face game. 
Purpose: Practice the students’ reflexes and agility skills in 
communication. 
In this game, the students work in pairs, stand face to face with their 
partner, think about the topic of the lesson, the new words they have learned 
above. To start the game, S1 says a new word and S2 says the first related word 
that comes to mind, keeps the words going back and forth as quickly as possible 
until the teacher says “stop”. 
Example 1. Unit 2: Health – Lesson 2: A closer look 2. 
(7 English Pilot Curriculum). 
- The teacher asks the students to play a game “Face to face” to 
consolidate the lesson. Whole class stand up. In pairs, stand face to face. One 
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mentions to Health problem and the other mentions to Health tip. The students 
take in turns. 
 (In this game, not only good students but also weak students are involved. 
The whole class take part in the game and pairs by pairs complete their task. 
So, this game makes the lessons interesting, exciting and makes the whole class 
enthusiastic. They have to think of what to say how to respond their partner ). 
 Example: 
S1: Obesity. 
S2: Eat less junk food. 
S3: Sunburn. 
S4: Wear a hat when going out. 
S5: Spots 
S6: Wash your face regularly. 
S7: Stomachache. 
S8: Be careful with what you eat and drink. 
S9: Flu 
S10: Wash your hand more 
 .. 
Example 2: Unit 3. Community service – Lesson 1: Getting started. 
 (7 English Pilot Curriculum). 
- The teacher asks the students to play a game “Face to face” to 
consolidate the lesson. Whole class stand up. In pairs, stand face to face. One 
mentions to a noun and the other mentions to a verb to make meaningful word 
phrases related to 
the topic “Community service”. The students take in turns. 
 Example: 
 S1: Blood. 
 S2: Donate. 
 S3: Homeless people. 
 S4: Help. 
 S5: Donate. 
 S6: Books. 
 S7: Poor children. 
 S8: Teach 
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3. Gossip game. 
- The teacher reads a statement that only the student who sits at the top of 
each group can hear but the others can not. 
- The first Student repeats the teacher’s sentence to the other student, so 
on until the last student of the group hears and repeats the teacher’s sentence. 
Which 
one reads the complete sentence aloud will win the game. 
Example: “Non-renewable energy” means that it will run out if we use it. 
(This game requires the students to say the whole sentences, so it helps 
them drill two skills: Listening and speaking. Moreover, this game helps the 
students form the habit of speaking the long sentences in English and 
encourages them to be self-confident to communicate with the others in English) 
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4. Word – practicing game. 
The teacher gives any English words, using their letters to create 
meaningful words. In this game, the students have the opportunity to "scour all 
of the words" in their heads, avoid forgetting, and they will be able to enlarge 
vocabulary from the game which their partners have created. The teacher can 
ask the students to make up sentences, using the words created if there is 
enough time. 
(In this game, I am very surprised because the students are so intelligent 
that they can create too many words from the letters of any words given. 
Therefore, this game helps the students become quick-minded, consolidate 
vocabulary and develop speaking skill, These are some examples to show the 
students’ result) 
Example 1: Unit 10. Sources of Energy - Lesson 1: Getting started 
 (7 English Pilot Curriculum). 
- The teacher asks the students to create meaningful words from the word 
“Resource”. 
S1: Use. 
S2: Reuse. 
S3: Source. 
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S4: Sour. 
S5: See. 
S6: Our. 
S7: Seer. 
S8: Course. 
 ............. 
- The teacher asks the students to make up sentences, using above new 
words. 
Example 2: Revision Lesson (7 English Pilot Curriculum). 
- Ask students to create meaningful words from the word “Celebration” 
(It is incredible that the students can create too many meaningful words from 
the letters of the word “Celebration”) 
Can 
On 
Rat 
Tire 
Tear 
Bear 
Rate 
Been 
None 
Ear 
Tie 
Race 
Ban 
Bee 
Ice 
It 
Tea 
Lie 
Lent 
Rent 
Rice 
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Rain 
Learn 
Table 
Boat 
Bat 
Bar 
Cat 
Car 
Beat 
Beer 
Bore 
Bet 
Center 
Nice 
Role 
Note 
Ten 
Teen 
Enter 
Cable 
Air 
Clean 
Clear 
Able 
5. Continuing a story. 
The Teacher will give out a topic for the story and the beginning sentence 
(which can take even the theme of the lesson that day). In turns, the students will 
add a sentence to the story and they have to ensure the logic as well as sticking 
to the theme of the story. 
(In this game, I require good stusents make up new sentences and weak 
students repeat the sentences. So the students don’t find this game too difficult at 
all and this game helps the students improve their speaking skill considerably) 
Example 1: Topic: Traffic (Unit 7: Traffic – Lesson 4: Communication) 
 (7 English Pilot Curriculum) 
Nowadays, there are many kinds of means of transport. 
 S1: It is very convenient for us to travel. 
 S2: But too many means of transport mean too much pollution. 
 S3: There are often traffic jams during rush hour as well. 
 S4: The more vehicles there are, the more polluted it is. 
 S5: We should use public transport instead of our own private ones. 
S6: We should go to school on foot or by bike. 
Example 2. Topic: Saving energy. (Unit 10: Sources of energy – Lesson 
4: Communicatio) (7 English Program Pilot) 
There are two types of energy. 
S1: They are renewbale and non-renewable sources. 
S2: Renewable sources of energy are wind, hydro, solar or biogas. 
S3: Non- renewable sources of energy are coal, oil, natural gas. 
S4: Renewable sources of energy are plentiful and unlimited. 
S5: But non- renewable sources of energy are limited. 
S6: We are using up non- renewable sources of energy. 
S7: It is necessary that we should save non- renewable sources of energy. 
S8: We can save non- renewable sources of energy by using alternative 
sources. 
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 S9: We can use Solar energy instead. 
 S10: Solar energy doesn’t cause pollution. 
 S11: Solar energy can be cheap, clean and effective. 
6. Mind map 
Mind mapping is a highly effective way of getting information in and out 
of your brain. Mind mapping is a creative and logical means of note- taking and 
note- making that literally “map out” your idea. 
Example : Topic: Health (Unit 2: Health– Lesson 5: Skills 1) 
 (7 English Pilot Curriculum) 
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7. Car racing. 
(This is a great game to help the students learn and play as well. It is an 
effective method to help the students review vocabulary. The teachers can apply 
when starting or ending or reinforcing the lessons. Playing time is from 3 - 5 
minutes). 
Make three lines to create two parallel tracks and the tracks are divided into 
equal rectangular areas (The students can perform on rough paper) to play a long 
time, depending on who makes it possible to add multiple lines different race. 
Initially two "riders" (Ex rider 1 writes "car", rider 2 "train") then draw 
ballot to choose the team go ahead. The students have to write the word whose 
first letter is the last letter of the enemy’s words. 
The race will end when a rider is "flat tire" that means he/ she gives the 
wrong words or the word already given before or can not find the word any more. 
In this game teachers can act as an arbitrator, give the points and divide 
the class into two teams together or two individuals together. 
Example: 
Racer I 
Donate 
phone 
draw 
teach 
photo 
rise 
nail 
eagle 
nose 
Racer II 
help 
end 
eat 
wrap 
hear 
origin 
enlarge 
learn 
enrich 
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IV. THE TESTED RESULTS 
In this school year, I have been teaching English in class 7A. In every 
period of teaching, I always use language games to improve speaking skill for 
the students. I found that these language games have provided the students with 
the comfortable and effective way of learning English not only in the classroom 
but also in anywhere. The students feel excited and they are eager to wait for 
English classes. They can understand the lessons more deeply and more 
naturally. They have become better and better at speaking skill and more self 
confident in communicating in English with each other. They either speak 
English in the class or outside the school confidently. They not only take part in 
language games organized by the teacher but also by themselves. They even 
take use of their recess to communicate in English by playing language games. 
Their speaking skill has improved so quickly. Based on the results of the 
students’ learning, I have the results of classification ability of speaking and 
communicating of the students in class 7A at Dong Tien secondary school in 
this school year as the followings: 
Early year Late year 
Ability 
Number Percentage Number Percentage 
Excellent 1 2,3 8 18,2 
Good 6 13,6 26 59,1 
Average 11 25 10 22,7 
Bad 23 59,1 0 0 
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C. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDTIONS 
Learning a language is a process that requires students’ continuous efforts 
and language games create fun learning environment, enhance relaxation and 
maintain their interest in learning. At the same time, they increase the 
motivation, encourage the students to be active to participate in learning 
activities. 
Language games are useful for the students to enrich vocabulary and 
develop the language elements such as pronunciation, spelling, reading, 
listening, speaking .... These factors are very important to them before practicing 
communication skills. The language games provide the students with the 
opportunities to communicate in the context of real communication to improve 
their speaking skill. 
One of the difficulties that most of the teachers of foreign languages in 
general, and the teachers of English in particular have experienced while using 
the games, It is the time taken. Usually the games held in the classroom does not 
take much time, which only takes 3 minutes to 5 minutes, or 7 minutes. 
Featuring that, classes in Vietnam are often very crowded, whether using 
language games in groups or in pairs is suitable and effective for all the students 
in the class to practice the language is a problem. This shows that the selection 
of appropriate language games is very important, which helps the students 
overcome the difficulty in speaking English. 
In short, using the language games brings efficiency in teaching and 
learning English. The teachers should use the games as an indispensable part of 
the teaching process, constantly organize language games for the students to 
participate in class, create the atmosphere of Englis