SKKN Creating English space_classroom-based zone by project based activities to improve high school students’ communicative competence

1. INTRODUCTION
2. REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS TOPIC

Today, English has proven to be an indispensable international language, and

an essential factor for social integration and business development with countries

around the world. Vietnam has determined the importance of the English language,

and English is considered as one of the compulsory subjects in the school curriculum

in the early stage. For this reason, English is taught throughout Vietnam, from urban

to rural areas.

Recently, creating a positive learning environment outside of regular

classroom hours to help learners use English in real-life situations has really attracted

the attention of students, teachers, educational administrators and the whole society.

It has brought conditions for learners to practise language skills and apply

knowledge learnt in real-life. Therefore, They will improve gradually their skills

such as confidence, dynamic, interest in learning and using English. This is a key

factor that has greatly affected the proficiency and fluency in English

communication of learners. They can develop the use of language in all aspects and

areas of life, express their own abilities and passions, thereby raise awareness and

positive learning attitudes towards learning spoken foreign languages in general and

English in particular.

With the desire to help students have the opportunity to practice the language

as much as possible, in the process of teaching myself, I have created an English

space in the classroom through project-based learning activities. Besides the regular

class hours, The author has created an environment where students get “bathed” in

the language with close real-life situations, so that students are not afraid of speaking

English. As a result, They can develop the habits of reacting quickly and flexibly to

all situations in real life.

Being an English teacher at Le Loi Upper-secondary school, Tan Ky District,

Nghe An Province and with 13 years working with the students, I truly understand

the difficulties my high school students encountering when they learn a foreign

language. During the teaching process, I personally find that participating in project

learning activities in the classroom space not only helps students develop language

competence, but also develops the common competencies that the general education

curriculum requires. These are self-control, self-study, communication and

cooperation capacity, problem-solving ability and creativity in the process of

teamwork. For the above reasons, I have summarized the creation of an English

space in the classroom with engaging project-based activities in the experiential

initiative. That is also the reason why I chose the topic “Creating English

space_classroom-based zone by project based activities to improve high school

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students’ communicative competence” I hope it will be a useful way to help

students and teachers improve the quality of teaching and learning English.

1. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the topic is to help students have more chances to interact and

experience with English, create a language practice environment where learning and

using English can take place at all times. In this process, Students can react flexible

in all situations by using topics, differents areas of knowledge being suitable for

Vietnamese culture, customs and habits. With simple activities and the simplest

space like the classroom, students have the opportunity to experience, use foreign

languages in real situations, actively support for the regular class time.

To teachers, using “English space_classroom-based zone” will help them

solve difficulties in teaching reading effectively. According to the theory of multiple

intelligences (Theory of Multiple Inteligences), each student has a different type of

intelligence, with different strengths such as: linguistic intelligence, mathematical

logic intelligence, musical intelligence, physical intelligence, personal interaction

intelligence, inner intelligence, natural intelligence and so on. Therefore, when the

children participate in activities with each other, work on different projects, students

might have the opportunity to show their strengths and teachers assess students’

abilities more accurately and fairly.

In addition, I personally want to share this teaching experience with my

colleagues so that they can apply it in the teaching process to bring the highest

efficiency.

I chose the tenth graders to illustrate my topic for several reasons. Firstly,

students who have just entered the grade 10 will have many difficulties in

approaching new programs and study environment. Secondly, the lessons in this

textbook will be longer and more complicated than those they studied at Lower-

secondary Schools. Moreover, choosing these students will soon help them improve

their critical thinking and develop language skills.

III. DUTIES OF THE STUDY

In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the following tasks need to be

performed:

–

Research the requirements in the new high school program for English

subjects.

–

Learn and research the focus of knowledge and teaching topics in high

school English.

–

Research and design activities outside of regular school hours in an attractive

and interesting way for students to have an environment to use English.

Read documents related to the method of creating English space in the

classroom, discuss with colleagues.

–

Check and evaluate the results of students’ acquisition of knowledge, so that

there can be reasonable additional adjustments.

1. OBJECT OF THE STUDY

The students of the Grade 10 at Le Loi Upper-secondary school, Tan Ky

District, Nghe An Province.

1. METHODS OF THE STUDY

The research methods used in the study are:

–

Observation method: I research, collect, process, analyze, select and

systematize documents related to the topic.

–

Interview method: I have directly interviewed different types of students

about their wishes when learning English.

–

Method of exchange and discussion: From the moment I formed the idea, I

and my colleagues conducted an exchange and discussion to draw effective

implementation plans.

–

Experimental method: I have carried out plans to create space and create an

English environment for students in two experimental classes and two control

classes outside of the regular classes.

–

Method of investigation: I have examined and evaluated the results of the

process of participating in activities in the English space.

–

Method of collecting information: I have made questionnaires for students

to comment and evaluate their satisfaction with the activities so that appropriate

adjustments can be made.