There are many reasons but above are the main drivers for us to engage in this study entitled: Helpi...

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Name of the theme
A.Introduction
I. Reasons of choosing the theme
II.Purposes of the study
III. Scopes of the study
B. Contents of the theme
I.Theoretical basis
II.Practical basis
III.Applying some activities
IV.Results
C.Conclusion
I. Conclusion .
II.Suggestions
Reference books

SangKienKinhNghiem.net

Page
1-2

3 -19
3
3
3
20
21


A. INTRODUCTION

I.The reasons of choosing the theme
According to my teaching experiences, four language skills – listening,
speaking, reading, and writing should be fully stimulated during the course of
study to help the students communicate in the target language since the lack of
any skills will spoil the effectiveness of communication. However, learning
quality is still far from being satisfactory. Learners have faced many difficulties
in English learning, especially in the learning of speaking skills.
In fact, it is undeniable that many Vietnamese students after seven years
learning English at schools still feel confused when communicating with
foreigners or they even could not say a simple utterance like an offer.
Obviously, the ability to communicate in a foreign language clearly and
effectively contributes to the success of the learner in school and success later in
every phase of life.
Like many high schools in Vietnam,at Quang Xuong 3 high school,
English has been a compulsory subject in its curriculum for many years and
teaching new words always plays an important part in teaching the whole lesson.
Because words are the bricks that help students build their house of English.
However, many teachers have the habit of teaching isolated words. Actually,
they have used many techniques of teaching words, but the words presented by
the teachers are not in the same contexts with the words in the lessons.
Moreover, we all know that words and phrases have different meanings in
different contexts. As a result, it is difficult for students to understand the true
meaning of the words in the lessons. In addition, students feel that it is really
difficult for them to remember the words. This leads to the fact that students are
lack of motivation for learning new words. And they feel that learning words are
really boring because there is no linking between the words in the lessons and
the words presented by the teachers. Therefore, in each lesson I have tried my
best to help my students understand the meaning of words in the lesson context.

1

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


There are many reasons but above are the main drivers for us to engage
in this study entitled: Helping students understand the meaning of words in
context for “ Tieng Anh 11 “ .
II. In what ways were my activities carried out?
In the school year 2016-2017, I was responsible for teaching grade 11.
So, in this paper I would like to deal with the lessons only in Textbook “ Tieng
Anh 11” . Here are the description and the purpose of each activity.
Activity1:
At this state teacher led students to the context by giving the topic of the
lesson or the main content of the lesson to activate students’ background
knowledge. The reason for doing this was that students were motivated to get
interest in the topic and had ideas of words related to the topic.
Activity 2:
At this state students were given some suggested questions by the teacher, they
were step by step led to this context to another one by the teacher’s instructions.
The keys words in each lesson were underlined. And the lessons which I used “
the power point” to present, the keys words were both underlined and changed
the colour in red to make students easier to notice. In some cases, students
understood the contexts and the meaning of words, but they did not know how
to express in English, I myself helped them know what those words in English
were. As a result, their words were developed in a natural way. Therefore, they
were eager to learn new words because they found no difficulties in
understanding and remembering. Besides, this not only helped students
understand the new words but also helped students have the prediction of the
content of the lesson that they would learn.
The main technique I used for my activities were to brainstorm the ideas to fill

in the “mind map”
The following is the full description of how I helped my students understand the
meaning of words in context in some lessons in “ Tieng Anh 11”
III. Scope, object and researching the method
- Scope: Researching in the process of teaching English at Quảng Xương
III high school.
- Object: This subject is concerned with ways of organizing activities in
the class.
- Researching method: Reading reference books, discussing with other
teachers, applying in teaching, observing and drawing out experiences.

2

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


B. Contents of the theme
I. Theoretical basis
In reality, a textbook can never totally be an effective tool for teachers to
follow without any adaptation because of its intrinsic deficiencies such as
linguistic inaccuracies, out-of-datedness, lack of authenticity or lack of variety.
Thus, I favor Madsen and Bowen’s (1978) and Tice’s (1991) view that is the
purpose of material adaptation is to compensate for those deficiencies. This is
important to all teachers of English because it can activate learners and stimulate
their motivation, and increased motivation, in turn, is likely to create a more
conductive classroom atmosphere.
II. Practical basis
Part of reading comprehension involves using the other words in a
sentence or a passage to understand unknown word. An author often includes
hints, or clues, to help the reader expand vocabulary and crasp the meaning of

the passage. Skill in using context clues enables a reader to comprehend advance
texts.
Basing on these views, an action research is to caried out on adapting
some activities for the ‘Tieng Anh 11 to help the learners to understand the
lessons more.
III.Applying some activities

UNIT 1: FRIENDSHIP
A. READING:
In this lesson, students were led to the context of “ THE FRIENDSHIP”. From
the context, I asked students some questions to activate their background
knowledge of friendship to complete a mind map.
Question 1: Do you have any friends?
From the word “ friend”, I taught my students the word “ acquaintance”.
Question. 2: What qualities are necessary for true friendship?
Students gave some qualities of true friendship. However, some words were
only given in Vietnamese, I helped my students understand what those words in
English were.

3

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


 The mind map

friends

acquaintance

FRIENDSHIP

mutual
understanding

qualities for true
friendship

give-and-take

not
suspicious

loyal
unselfish

UNIT 2: PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
A. READING:
From the fact that teenagers tend to have their own idols, I led students to the
context by asking questions:
1.Do you have your own idol?
2. Do you immediate his/ her in different ways?
Students answered my questions about her/ his own idol and in what ways they
liked to immediate her own idol. After that I said that in this lesson they would
read a story about a girl who wanted to have a hat like her idol’s one. Her father
4

SangKienKinhNghiem.net

knew this and gave her some money so that she could buy the one for herself.
Next, students were divided into groups and were asked to build a story based
on the pictures in the textbook. Each student in the group who was chosen to
tell the story completed the story they had built. During the time students told
the story I helped them to understand the meaning of some new words based on
the pictures.
Picture d: --> idol
Picture b: --> floppy cotton hat
Picture f: --> glance--> sneaky; not making a fuss --> take the money back

C. LISTENING:
In this lesson students were led to the context of a fire. They were told to listen
to Christina who would tell the audience about her unforgettable experience that
she had witnessed. The experience was that her house caught fire during the
night time when she was very small. Then students were asked to look at the
picture in the textbook and to answer some questions to complete the “mind
map”.
Question 1: What do you think were the causes of the fire?
Question 2: How did she feel when she saw the fire?
Question 3: Who do you think she was the first person that she called when she
saw the fire?
Question 4: What did her mother do to save her?
Question 5: Was the fire a forgettable experience?

5

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


* The mind map

terrified
scream
memorable
experience
her feeling

A HOUSE CAUGHT FIRE

protect
her
gas stove

her mother
causes of the fire

help her to
escape
electricity problems

6

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


UNIT 3:

A PARTY

A. READING:
In this lesson, students were led to the context by looking the pictures in the

textbook and answering the teacher’s questions to complete the “mind map”.
Question 1:
1. On what occasions are parties held?
2. What is the relationship between the people in the pictures?
3. What are they doing?
* The mind map

a birthday party

A PARTY
celebrate

a wedding
anniversary

silver anniversary

golden anniversary

7

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


C. LISTENING:
In this lesson, students were led to the context by answering the questions in the
textbook to complete the “mind map”.
Question 1: What do you usually do to prepare your birthday party?
Question 2: What foods and drinks are often severed at your birthday party?
Question 2: What activities do you often have at your birthday party?

8

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


* The mind map
preparing the birthday cake with
icing

putting flowers

decorating the house

prepare for a
birthday party
prizes
for
winners

inviting guests

games
A BIRTHDAY PARTY
sing songs

activities
birthday cake
fruits

foods and drinks

candies

saying “
happy
birthday
to the
host”
cutting the
birthday cakes
into slices

coke
open
presents

wine

UNIT 4: VOLUNTEER WORK
C. LISTENING:
In this lesson, students were told to listen to a talk about a school for
disadvantaged children in Ho Chi Minh city. Then students were asked to
answer the teacher’s questions to complete the “mind map”.
Question 1: Who are students in Spring School?
9

SangKienKinhNghiem.net

Question 2: How is money raised to support charities in Spring School?
Question 3: Who set up classes in Spring School?

* The mind map
fund-raising activities

disadvantaged
children

SPRING SCHOOL

Organisation for
Educational Development
co-operates with Spring
School set up the classes

10

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


UNIT 6:

COMPETITIONS

A. READING:
In this lesson, students were told that they would read a passage about an
English competition in a high school. Then students were led to the context by
answering the questions to complete the “mind map”.
Question 1: How often is the English competition held in your school?

Question 2: What is the purpose of the competition?
Question 3: What do we call in English the students who are chosen to take part
in the competition?

* The mind map
to stimulate the spirit of learning
English among students

the purpose

ENGLISH
COMPETITIO
N

representatives

every two years
students chosen to
take part in the
competition
how often

every year
( yearly)

11

SangKienKinhNghiem.net

UNIT 7: WORLD POPULATION
A. READING:
In this lesson, students were told that they would read a passage about WOLRD
POPULATION. Then students were led to the context by answering the
questions to complete the “mind map”
Question 1: Do you know what the population of the world in 1850, 1950, 1985,
and 2000?
Question 2: Can women in the world limit the size of their families?
Question 3: How does the government help them in family planning?

12

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


* The mind map

6,600,000,000

1,300,000,000
in 1850

safe birth-control
methods

the population
reached the figure
of

2,510,000

,000 in 1950

WORLD
POPULATION

the
government
help the
women limit
the size of
their families

13

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


B. SPEAKING:
In this lesson, students were told that they would talk about WOLRD
POPULATION. Then students were led to the context by answering the
questions to complete the “mind map”
Question 1: What are the causes of population explosion?
Question 2: Can you list the problems facing poor and overpopulated countries?
Question 3: Can you suggest the solutions to the problems of overpopulation?

14

SangKienKinhNghiem.net

* The mind map
not aware of the problem of
overpopulation

a large family is
a form of
insurance

religion
causes of population
explosion

WOLRD
POPULATION
raise awareness

solutions

poor conditions

use birth-control
method

problems
facing

lack/ shortage of school/
hospital/ teacher/ doctor......

implement reward and

punishment policies

15

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


C. LISTENING
In this lesson, students were told to listen to a world population expert talking
about the world population. Then students were asked to answer the teacher’s
questions to complete the “mind map”.
Question 1: Which country has the population ranked the first?
Question 2: What problem does population explosion cause to the world?
* The mind map

China ranks the first

illiteracy

problems population explosion
cause to the world

WOLRD POPULATION

lack of hospitals and schools/ shortage of
food / poor living conditions particularly in
developing countries

UNIT 8: CELEBRATIONS
A. READING:

In this lesson, students were watched to a video clip about Tet. Then students
were asked to answer the teacher’s questions to complete the “mind map”.
Question 1: When is Tet?
16

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


Question 2: What activities do people usually do at Tet?
Question 3:What are special things at Tet?
Question 4: What do people prepare for Tet?

 The mind map

visit
relatives

activities

for agrarian people,
the start of a new year

eating special
foods

receiving
lucky money

when

go to pagoda to
pray

grandest
and most
important
occasion

between 19th
January and 20th
February

TET

flowers ( apricot
blossom, peach
blossom)

streets decorated with
colored lights and red
banners

preparations

special
things

Banh
chung

decorating the house

candied
fruits (
sugared
apples,
plums

17

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


B. SPEAKING:
In this lesson, students were told that they would talk about popular holidays and
celebrations in Vietnam and in the world. Then students were asked to look at
the pictures in the textbook and answer the teacher’s questions to complete the
“mind map”.
Question 1: What are the holidays and celebrations?
Question 2: What is the purpose of each celebration?
Question 3: What are main activities in each celebration?

18

SangKienKinhNghiem.net


* The mind map
celebrate the
harvest

Thanks giving

celebrate the
largest full
moon
a large meal
with roast
turkey

POPULAR CELEBRATIONS
IN VIETNAM AND IN THE
WORLD

Mid- Autumn
Festival

children wear
masks, parade in the
streets

valentine’s Day

express their love

give chocolates, flowers or
gifts to the people they
love

19

SangKienKinhNghiem.net