Tài liệu ứng dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án nhằm phát triển kĩ năng nói tiếng anh cho học sinh lớp 10

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES VU THI HONG VAN APPLYING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING TO IMPROVE ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS FOR THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS (Ứng dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án nhằm phát triển kĩ năng nói tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 10) M.A. THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 THAI NGUYEN - 2020 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES VU THI HONG VAN APPLYING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING TO IMPROVE ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS FOR THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS (Ứng dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án nhằm phát triển kĩ năng nói tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 10) M.A. THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION) Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 THAI NGUYEN - 2020 DECLARATION I, Vu Thi Hong Van, certify that the thesis named “Applying Project-Based Learning to improve English speaking skills for the tenth-grade students” performs the result of my own study for Degree of Master of Art at School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University. I also declare that the thesis has not been submitted for any degree to any other universities or institutions. Thai Nguyen, 2020 Student Vu Thi Hong Van i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS But for the invaluable help and constant support from a lot of people, the thesis could not have been completed. First of all, I would like to sincerely thank my supervisor, Nguyen Thi Quyet, Ph.D for her persistent consideration, remarkable comments and enthusiastic encouragement. Secondly, I am also very grateful to all the teachers and tenth-grade students at Nguyen Hue High Scholl for their wholehearted support in my lessons, enthusiastic participation in tests and immediate reply to my survey questionnaires. Last but not least, I want to give my deepest gratitude to my family and friends who are always willing to help me in my writing process with their great sympathy and considerable encouragement. ii ABSTRACT In today’s trend of international integration, English is considered as a means for learners to have fastest access to the world’s cultures and knowledge. The teaching and learning of English need to be renewed in accordance with positive learning methods to be more suitable and meet the needs of society. Project-Based Learning is regarded as one of those effective teaching methods. In an effort to improve English speaking skills for students in grade 10 at Nguyen Hue High School by applying Project-Based Learning, this research solved two questions: (1) the attitude of students toward the use of Project Based Learning in their English lessons; (2) the effects of applying Project-Based Learning to students’ English speaking skills. There were two tests and questionnaires for the students in grade 10, an interview with six students to be selected as the tools for data collection and analysis of the study. Researching finding presented that the students taking part in lessons applied Project-Based Learning had positive attitudes. Besides, it was exposed the advantages of Project-Based Learning which offered benefits to improvement in the students’ speaking English skills. According to the findings, there would be some implications to be given for the teachers as well as the students. With all these data, this research is expected to be effective in helping both teachers and students in teaching and learning English speaking skills. Keywords: Project-Based Learning (PBL), speaking skills, high students iii LIST OF ABBRVIATIONS % Percent CEFT Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CLT Communicative Language Teaching Approach EFL English as a Foreign Language PBL Project-Based Learning Ss Students T Teacher iv LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES Table Table 1: The results of pre-test and post-test ............................................................ 35 Chart Chart 1.1: Students’ mean score of average mark ............................................... 37 Chart 1.2: A comparison of mean scores on pre-test and post-test by five criteria........ 37 Chart 2.1: Students’ attitudes towards Project-Based Learning .......................... 38 Chart 2.2.1: Students’ ideas on the advantages of Project-Based Learning ........... 39 Chart 2.2.2: Students’ ideas on the advantages of Project-Based Learning in learning speaking skills ....................................................................... 40 Chart 2.3: Students’ difficulties when implementing Project-Based Learning ......... 41 v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ......................................................................................................... i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ii ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF ABBRVIATIONS ...................................................................................... iv LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES ............................................................................ v TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................... vi PART 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1 1. Rationale of the study .......................................................................................... 1 2. Significance of the study ..................................................................................... 3 3. Research aim and objectives ............................................................................... 3 4. Research questions ............................................................................................... 4 5. Methods of the study ........................................................................................... 4 6. Scope of the study ................................................................................................ 4 7. Structure of the study ........................................................................................... 5 PART 2. DEVELOPMENT...................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW ....... 6 1. Speaking skills ..................................................................................................... 6 1.1. Definition of speaking skills ......................................................................... 6 1.2. Functions of speaking ................................................................................... 7 1.3. The importance of teaching speaking skills ................................................. 8 2. Communicative Language Teaching Approach .................................................. 9 3. Project-Based Learning ..................................................................................... 11 3.1. Definitions of Project-Based Learning ....................................................... 11 3.2. Key features of Project-Based Learning..................................................... 12 3.3. Stages in project work ................................................................................ 14 3.4. Teacher’s and students’ roles in Project-Based Learning .......................... 15 4. Project-Based Learning in speaking skills ......................................................... 17 5. Previous studies ................................................................................................. 18 vi CHAPTER 2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................. 22 1. Methods of research ........................................................................................... 22 2. Setting of the study ............................................................................................ 23 3. Participants......................................................................................................... 25 4. Research design ................................................................................................. 25 5. Data collection procedure .................................................................................. 26 6. Data collection instruments ............................................................................... 31 7. Data analytic method ......................................................................................... 33 CHAPTER 3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ................................................... 35 1. Analysis of the speaking tests ............................................................................ 35 2. Students’ evaluation of the application of Project-Based Learning .................. 38 2.1. Students’ attitudes towards Project-Based Learning .................................. 38 2.2. Students’ ideas on the advantages of Project-Based Learning ................... 39 2.3. Students’ opinions on the difficulties when implementing ProjectBased Learning ................................................................................................. 41 3. Analysis of the interview ................................................................................... 42 3.1. The benefits of Project-Based Learning ..................................................... 42 3.2. Students’ opinions on the drawbacks of Project-Based Learning .............. 43 4. Discussion of the findings ................................................................................. 44 4.1. Achievement ............................................................................................... 44 4.2. Students’ review of the application of Project-Based Learning ................. 45 5. Summary ............................................................................................................ 47 PART 3. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................ 49 1. Recapitulation of the research ........................................................................... 49 2. Recommendations of the study .......................................................................... 50 2.1. The teachers ................................................................................................ 50 2.2. The students ................................................................................................ 50 2.3. The school administrators ........................................................................... 50 3. Limitations of the study ..................................................................................... 51 4. Suggestions for further research ........................................................................ 51 vii REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 53 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................. I Appendix 1 - A SAMPLE DESCRIPTION OF A PROJECT ................................ I Appendix 2 - THE PRE-TEST FOR STUDENTS ............................................ XIII Appendix 3 - THE POST-TEST FOR STUDENTS ........................................... XV Appendix 4 - RATING SCALE FOR SPEAKING TEST ............................... XVII Appendix 5 - THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS ..............................XXI Appendix 6 - INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ...................................................... XXV Appendix 7 - TRANSCRIPTS OF THE INTERVIEWS ................................ XXVI viii PART 1. INTRODUCTION In this part, the writer mentions the background to the problems and the reasons for choosing the topic. As a consequence, the necessity of delivering the research and the importance of the application of project-based teaching in teaching English speaking skills is revealed. The aims and the significances of the study are also stated. The final section will show the scope and methods of the study which presents the number of participants and the time of the intervention. 1. Rationale of the study As globalization has an enormous influence on the world’s economy, politics, culture, society and education, English has become the most important international language and widely used all over the world. In Vietnam, English has been known as a vital foreign language which improves Vietnamese people’s life style as well as living standard with greater employment and job promotion with high salary, especially overseas study opportunities. Recognizing the importance of English, the Vietnam government has planned to introduce English to be taught from elementary school to university and to be a compulsory subject in General Certificate Secondary Education. Besides, Ministry of Education and Training has had many solutions in order to improve the quality of English teaching and learning. We have carried out many changes and renovations in national curriculum, teaching methodology, testing and assessment as well as other conditions to assert these tasks to be done successfully. The core content of English teaching and learning helps students build and develop communication skills through practicing listening, speaking, reading, writing and linguistic skills (phonetics, vocabulary, grammar). Hence, one of the main approaches in English general curriculum is the communicative approach. The goal of communicative language teaching is to develop learners’ communicative competence (Nunan, 1988). It is clear that to communicate effectively in one language; English speaking skills should be developed along with the other skills so that these integrated skills will enhance communication achievement both with 1 English native speakers and other members of the international community. Due to the significant role of speaking in learning English, Bailey (2005) described how to enhance the development of speaking by means of syllabus design, principles of teaching, types of tasks and materials, and speaking assessment. Methodology used in teaching second language has experienced many changes for decades; however there is no single best method, and no one method that is best for a particular classroom. Each classroom has distinct goals and learners; therefore there are lots of foreign language teaching methods to be applied with different approaches and different purposes. As a result, the best language teaching methods depends on learning styles, particular contexts, stages of teaching, learning process and the goals of learning (Brown, 2000). Among the numerous methods based on communicative language teaching, Project-Based Learning (PBL) has been considered to be an effective method in enhancing learners’ motivation. This method lets students explore actively, creates authentic language and uses language in real life situations. The method also encourages student-centered classes that focus on developing skills for lifelong learning and collaboration among students working on either small groups or as a class. In Nguyen Hue High School - a small school in a low living standard mountainous commune, a seven-year English teaching program for students has been implemented since 2007. The Ministry of Education and Training sets the goal for junior high school students in English proficiency to reach Level 3 according to the 6-level foreign language competence framework for Vietnam, which means that students are able to communicate in everyday situations with commonly-used expressions and elementary vocabulary. However, teachers’ and students’ remarkable difficulties, such as: no integration of the four skills in teaching and learning, insufficient practice time allowed, teachers’ lack of training in the practical skills of teaching to English as a foreign language learners, students’ poor practice skills and low confidence or inadequate teaching equipment and facilities, and etc. Hence, it is vital to apply a new and effective technique to improve students’ English learning, particularly enhance their speaking skills. 2 Based on the explanation above, the writer is engrossed in conducting an experimental research entitled: “Applying Project-based learning to improve English speaking skills for the tenth-grade students” to stimulate the English speaking skills for the tenth-grade students at Nguyen Hue High School. 2. Significance of the study Theoretically, this study is a small contribution to the theory of English Language Teaching on the effects of applying Project-Based Learning on improving students’ language competence of speaking skills at a high school. Several previous studies have also demonstrated that Project-Based Learning has positive effects on students’ speaking skills. Hopefully, this research supports the theory of ProjectBased Learning as well as achieves rewarding results. Practically, the study is firstly hoped to be an effective alternative way to let out students to more student-centered classrooms, and to help them improve their English competence, cooperation and their motivation in these classes. The researcher expects to provide useful information and experience with English teachers whether or not Project-Based Learning becomes one of the most effective methods to develop students’ speaking skills. With optimistic expectations, it might possibly be widely applied at a high school in order to make students interested in English speaking and more confident to communicate with each other in the target language. To sum up, this study is built up to explore previous related theories to get background knowledge of Project-Based Learning along with to change and promote educational situations. 3. Research aim and objectives The aim of this study is to enhance speaking skills for the tenth grade students by applying Project-Based Learning. To achieve the above objectives, the present research attempts to set the following objectives: - To find out whether Project-Based Learning can encourage the 10th form students to improve their speaking skills or not. - To investigate the attitudes of the tenth-grade students towards the application of Project-Based Learning to their English speaking lessons. 3 4. Research questions This research tries to explore the usefulness of applying Project-Based Learning in teaching to improve speaking skills for senior high schools. The areas of investigation are formulated in the following research questions: 1. To what extent does Project-Based Learning improve the students’ speaking skills? 2. What are the students’ attitudes towards Project-Based Learning? 5. Methods of the study The method employed in the study is action research, in which ProjectBased Learning would be used directly in the class that the researcher is teaching. Besides, both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods are applied into this research. In term of qualitative method, the researcher use interviews to gather students’ opinions toward PBL activities in class. In term of quantitative method, questionnaires and tests are applied. The results from the questionnaire and interviews will be regarded to the students’ general attitude toward PBL, their perception on the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning on their speaking levels as well as speaking skills. Means of pre-test and post-test scores would be counted to decide the effects of Project-Based Learning on the students’ speaking scores. Both the methods are cooperative to each other. At the same time, the results from the speaking scores would be compared with the data collected in the interviews and questionnaire. 6. Scope of the study The study mainly focuses on the influence of Project-Based Learning on speaking skills of students within the context of teaching and learning English as an optional subject at Nguyen Hue High School. This research is carried out in English-specialized class with 40 tenth grade students at Nguyen Hue High School in the second term of the school year 2019-2020. 4 7. Structure of the study The study is divided into three parts. Part 1 - Introduction relates to the rationale for the research. Besides, it shows the significance of the study, the aims and objectives, research questions, the scope, the methods and the design of the study. Part 2 - Development has three chapters. Chapter 1 - Theoretical background and literature review supplies an overview of theoretical background and previous studies involved in the research topic. Chapter 2 - Research Methodology describes the methods used for this study, data collection instruments, data collection procedures and data analysis procedure. Chapter 3 - Findings and Discussion provides the findings and discussion of the research based on results of the action research methodology. Part 3 - Conclusion comes up with the summary and limitations of the study and adds some suggestions for further studies. 5 PART 2. DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, the literature on speaking skills, Communicative Language Teaching Approach and Project-Based Learning is described briefly. In addition, it also mentions how Project-Based Learning helps promote students’ speaking skills in the classroom. 1. Speaking skills 1.1. Definition of speaking skills Out of the four language skills, speaking is regarded as the means which learners can communicate with others in order to gain certain aims or to express their ideas, intentions, wishes, viewpoints and so on. Besides, people who know a language are referred to as speakers of this language. Therefore, many authors have come up with different definitions of speaking. Byrne (1984:8) states that speaking is oral communication. It is a two-way process between speaker and listener and involves productive and receptive skills of understanding. Hence, there must be at last two participants in the process of speaking; they are a speaker who gives information and a listener who receives information. Meanwhile, Chaney (1998:13) considers speaking as “the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and nonverbal symbols, in a variety of contexts. Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching.” This indicates students are able to communicate with other so as to get or share information as well as express what they think or feel. Moreover, Wilson (1983:5) defines speaking as “development of the relationship between speaker and listener. In addition speaking determining which logical linguistic, psychological a physical rules should be applied in a given communicate situation”. It implies that speaking is one of the central elements of communication of an interactive process in which an individual alternately takes the roles of speakers and listeners used to communicate information, ideas, and emotions to others using oral language. Consequently, the quality of students’ speaking is 6 influenced by the situation of students’ emotion; whether it is fluency or structure. The primary object of speaking is to communicate. Therefore, to deliver the opinion efficiently the speaker is supposed to understand the meaning of all information that will be conveyed, he has to evaluate the impact of communication on the listener, and he has to comprehend the principle that makes up the basis of communication. Other perception originates from Brown (1994) of which speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing, receiving and processing information. There are three significant points within the definition of speaking skills. First, by productive skill is concerned with the ability of a person to actively produce the language by matching the organs of speech such as the lips, tongue, teeth, vocal cords, larynx, pharynx, etc. Second, to express meaning refers to the purpose of producing language in verbal communication is to give opinions and experiences in order that the speaker can convey meaning to the listener and others. Third, being able to be directly and empirically observed means that the implementation of speaking can be directly heard or seen and empirically measured in the speaking process by looking at the accuracy and efficiency of the speaker. From experts’ statements detailed above we can draw a conclusion that speaking is a process of oral activities produced in daily life as an important part of communication in which verbal and nonverbal signs are used in sending and receiving messages. 1.2. Functions of speaking According to the standard competence of speaking, learners are able to express the meaning of formal and constant transactional and interpersonal conversation in their daily life. Transactional conversation as well as interpersonal conversation is called interpersonal functions of speaking, in which it helps to build and maintain social relations, and the transactional functions, which concentrates on the exchange of information. Therefore, Jack C. Richards (2008: 21) states three functions of speaking to succeed a communicative goal through speaking, they are: talk as interaction, talk as transaction and talk as performance. In terms of form and functions, each of these communication activities is different and obviously needs different approaches of teaching. Brown and Yule (1983) defines that as follow: 7  “Talk as interaction refers to what we normally mean by “conversation” and describes interaction that serves a primarily social function. The focus is more on the speakers and how they wish to present themselves to each other than on the message.”  “Talk as transaction refers to situations where the focus is on what is said or done. The message and making oneself understood clearly and accurately is the central focus, rather than the participants and how they interact socially with each other.”  “Talk as performance refers to public talk, that is, talk that transmits information before an audience, such as classroom presentations, public announcements, and speeches.” In English classes, three main issues are necessary to be solved in designing speaking activities, and the researcher detected that PBL was actually an opportunity for students to achieve all types of talks. 1.3. The importance of teaching speaking skills In this globalized world, speech plays a great role in our daily lives, for instances if we want to fulfill our desires and deeds; there is a need to share our ideas and thoughts with the people living around the world. Particularly, in classrooms where students’ ability to speak second or foreign languages fluently with the target language is the first priority, speaking is an important skill which deserves more attention in both first and second language because it reflects people’s thoughts and personalities. Speaking is an interactive task and it takes place under real time processing compulsions, which means that learners will be able to use words and phrases fluently without very much conscious thought. Harmer (2001: 271) states that effective speakers need to be able to process language in their own heads and put it into coherent order so that it comes out in forms that are not only comprehensible, but also convey the meanings that are intended. One of the reasons for including speaking activities in language lessons is to help students get accustomed to oral use of language in English conversation. Speaking activities supply exercise opportunities in real life speaking in the safety classroom. 8 Furthermore, teaching speaking is a very important part of second language learning. The ability to communicate in a second language clearly and efficiently contributes to the success of the learner in school and success later in every phase of life. Therefore, it is important that language teachers take notice of teaching speaking, rather than leading students to pure memorization, providing a rich environment where meaningful communication takes place is desired. With this aim, ProjectBased Learning can contribute a great deal to students in term of getting successful in three core functions of speaking. Additionally, Project-Based Learning assists students in improving basic skills necessary for life. These activities in Project-Based Learning encourage students become more active in the learning process and at the same time keep their studying more meaningful and enjoyable. 2. Communicative Language Teaching Approach Throughout the history of learning and teaching languages with many distinct approaches, such as: Grammar - Translation Method, Audio lingual Method, the Total Physical Response, the Natural Approach, and so on, Communicative Language Teaching is the latest effect on teaching methodology which has been worldwide applied as an innovative and efficient approach to teach English as a second or foreign language. Since the 1970s when CLT emerged as an approach to second language pedagogy, there have been a number of researchers, educators and language practitioners began reflecting and discussing the notion of communicative competence. According to Savignon (1984), CLT means different things to the different people who practice it. Savignon along with other language teachers started looking for an alternative to the Audio-lingual Method in the 1970s and gradually moved towards CLT. In his research made in 1972, he showed that students who had some regular amount of CLT in addition to audio-lingual teaching learned better than students who had audio-lingual teaching only. The audio-lingual method proposes that students learn from repetition and habit formation, but it includes very little, if any, chances for real communication. Then CLT has become a favored research area, yet there is a limitation on understanding and practice among teachers and learners. 9 Nunan (1989: 194) also considers this method as a system for the expression of meaning. Activities involve oral communication, carrying out meaning tasks and using language, which is meaningful to the learners. Objectives reflect the needs of the learners; they include functional skills as well as linguistic objectives. The learner’s role is as a negotiator and integrator. The teacher’s role is as a facilitator of the communication process. Materials promote communicative language use; they are task-based and authentic.” Additionally, Brown (2007: 378) states CLT as “an approach to language teaching methodology that emphasizes authenticity, interaction, studentcentered learning, task based activities, and communication for the real world, meaningful purposes”. Furthermore, Brown (2007: 241) also gives four interrelated features of CLT:  Classroom goals are focused on all of the components of CC (communicative competence) and not restricted to grammatical or linguistic competence.  Language techniques are designed to engage learners in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purposes. Organizational language forms are not the central focus but rather aspects of language that enable the learner to accomplish those purposes.  Fluency and accuracy are seen as complimentary principles underlying communicative techniques. At times fluency may have to take on more importance than accuracy in order to keep learners meaningfully engaged in language use.  In the communicative classroom, students ultimately have to use the language, productively and receptively, in unrehearsed contexts. In brief, CLT is affirmed to be the most used and well-known approach to help students communicate effectively. Among many distinctive characteristics, learner-centered and experience-based teaching process becomes one of the most outstanding features. Through CLT, students develop fluency and accuracy, use the four skills interchangeably as they exist together in the real world, and generate and discover grammatical rules. Additionally, students learn the target language through listening to other members in group activities. Students also learn more vocabulary items and grammatical patterns as well as enjoy increased motivation levels in pair or group work activities rather than in a teacher-centered classroom. 10