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SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO NGHỆ AN
TRƯỜNG THPT PHAN ĐĂNG LƯU
--------

SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM
ENHANCING THE ENGLISH SPEAKING REFLEX
OF PHAN DANG LUU HIGH SCHOOL’S 11TH GRADERS
THROUGH THE COMBINATION OF HOT SEATING STRATEGY
AND IELTS SPEAKING PART 1 AND 3 QUESTIONS
MÔN: Tiếng Anh
Tác giả:
Triệu Thị Nghĩa
Tổ chuyên môn: Văn – Ngoại ngữ
Số điện thoại:
0986278778

NĂM HỌC: 2020-2021

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PART 1: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………..

1

PART 2: CONTENT……………………………………………………

3


I. LITERATURE REVIEW…….…………………………………….

3

1. Speaking Skill and Importance of the English speaking reflex

3

1.1. Speaking Skill ……………..…..…………………………...

3

1.2. Importance of the English Speaking Reflex….....….………

3

2. Hot Seating Strategy…….………………….…………………..

4

3. IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 ……….……….………………..

4

II. THE REALITY……………………………………………………..

5

III. THE OBJECTIVES AND THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY……….


6

1. The Objectives of the Study……………………………………

6

2. The Scope of the Study……..….……………………………….

6

IV. SOLUTIONS……………………………………………………....

6

1. Process of Applying the Initiative ….………………………….

6

1.1. Interaction …………………………………………………..

6

1.2. Assignment …………..…..…………………………………

7

1.3. Performance ….…...………………………………………...

7


1.4. Assessment…….………...….……………………………….

7

2. Detailed Solutions ………..……………………………………..

7

PART 3: CONCLUSION………………………………………………

41

I. FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS……………………..……………

41

1. Some Findings………….………………………………………..

41

2. Limitations……...…..…………………………………………...

41

II. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY………………………..

42

REFERENCES ……………………………………………..


43

APPENDICES ……….…………………………………….

44

Appendix 1. Class Observation Checklist…………….

44

Appendix 2. Pre-treatment Questionnaire ……………

45

Appendix 3. Post-treatment Questionnaire …………..

49

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PART 1: INTRODUCTION
In the era of the globalization and international integration, English has become a
‘lingua franca’, which, according to Jeremy Harmer (2001:1), can be defined as a
language widely adopted for communication between two speakers whose native
languages are different from each other’s, and one or both speakers are using it as a
second language. It has been used almost all over the world in many different fields
such as diplomacy, science, technology, business, culture, tourism, etc. There is no
doubt that English is one of the most important means of communication and access
to information. In this context, the ability to use English properly is more and more

highly appreciated.
In Vietnam, in recent years, English as a foreign language has gained considerable
attention. It has become a compulsory subject in the syllabus of most schools,
colleges and universities. It has been taught throughout the country, both urban and
rural areas. Even in the countryside, children now start learning English when they are
3 or 4 years old. However, the teaching and learning of English, especially in the
countryside, has not been really effective yet. There are still many people who cannot
use English well after English courses.
It is clear that keeping speaking and giving answers to others’ questions as fast as
possible is the key to a successful conversation. However, as a rural high school
teacher of English, the writer finds that most of her students, including the ones with a
good knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary, have great difficulty in
speaking English. They even cannot open their mouths to answer very simple
questions in this language. Therefore, it is important that there be a stimulus to enable
students to express their ideas orally.
After investigating the real situation and reviewing the related literature, the teacher
discovers that the students’ low level of motivation for speaking skill partly results
from their bad speaking reflex, which makes them unconfident about their spoken
English. Meanwhile, they do not have a favorable environment for practicing and
fostering this. On the other hand, some students whose English is good are studying
or have intention to study it for IELTS tests. If the teacher continues to deliver her
lessons in the conventional way and mainly focus on the goal of her students’ passing
the national exam, these students will feel bored and ignore the lessons in class.
Consequently, the learning atmosphere will become dull and students will not know
the real value of mastering an international language like English.
In the light of research, the teacher has realized that Question and Answer activity
with IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions is the approach that could work in
tackling her students’ problems. The International English Language Test System
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(IELTS) is undeniably one of the most reputable and popular English tests in the
world, which could be a kind of motivation to stimulate students to speak English. In
fact, some Vietnamese students today tend to use IELTS scores to be admitted to
universities. Especially, many IELTS speaking questions are of the same topics as the
textbook’s units. In addition, a strategy like Hot Seating could help to put students in
the lifelike situations, where students play roles relating to the lesson topics so that
they could use their English naturally. All of these things are the reasons why the
teacher has studied and worked on the initiative: ‘Enhancing the English speaking
reflex of Phan Dang Luu high school’s 11th graders through the combination of
Hot Seating Strategy and IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions’.

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PART 2: CONTENT
I. LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Speaking skill and Importance of the English speaking reflex
1.1. Speaking skill
Of all the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), speaking seems to be
considered the most important. Penny Ur (1996:120) says that people who know a
language are referred to as ‘speakers’ of that language, as if speaking includes all
other kinds of knowing and many if not most foreign language learners are primarily
interested in learning to speak. In terms of the importance of speaking skill, Victoria
Fromkin, Robert Rodman, Peter Collins, and David Blair (1984: 103) also argue: ‘We
live in a world of language. We talk to our friends, our associates, our wives and

husbands, our lovers, our teachers, our parents and in-law. We talk to bus drivers and
total strangers. We talk face to face and over the telephone, and everyone respond
with more talk. Television and radio further swell this torrent of words. Hardly a
moment of our waking lives is free from words, and even in our dreams we talk and
are talked to. We talk to pets and sometimes to ourselves.’
In brief, the speaking skill is very important. It is a way of expressing ourselves and
exchanging information in whatever language we use. Besides, the fact is that a man
can learn to speak his first language naturally in his language environment in
everyday life before learning to read and write, which can need a lot of guidance.
1.2. Importance of the English speaking reflex
Biologically, a reflex is an automatic reaction involving nerve cells that is not
controlled by the brain, and, therefore, does not involve choice, for example, sneezing
or vomiting. According to Cambridge Dictionary, a reflex is a physical reaction to
something that you cannot control or it is the ability to react quickly. In other words,
as cited in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, it is an action or a movement of
your body that happens naturally in response to something or is something you do
without thinking.
With reference to languages, the reflex could be understood to be the way of your
thinking and expressing your ideas in those languages as soon as possible. This makes
your communication with your counterparts better and more effectively. In regard to
the importance of language reflexes, Zhanli Yang Department of Pre-school
Education Hebei Vocational College of Foreign Languages Qinhuangdao, China
email: argues in ‘Strategies of Improving Spoken
English for Learners’ that building up reflexes right from the beginning will help
people later when their skills are good enough to participate in a conversation.
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However, unlike some natural reflexes, which people are born with, it takes time and
practice to form and foster foreign language reflexes. Therefore, to have good reflexes
in spoken English, practice is considered to be one of the most effective methods.
2. Hot Seating Strategy
Hot Seating is a strategy in which a character or characters, played by the teacher or a
student, are interviewed by the rest of the group about their background, behaviour,
motivation and multiple perspectives/ experiences related to a theme, event, or idea.
Characters may be hot-seated individually, in pairs or small groups. The technique is
additionally useful for developing questioning skills with the rest of the group.
The traditional approach is for the pupil playing the character to sit on a chair in front
of the group (arranged in a semi-circle), although characters may be hot-seated in
pairs or groups. It is helpful if the teacher takes on the role of facilitator to guide the
questioning in constructive directions. To help students begin, the teacher can try hotseating children in pairs (e.g. a pair of street urchins) or in groups (e.g. environmental
protesters, refugees). Also, according to David Farmer ( />hot-seating/), it is important that the rest of the group be primed to ask pertinent
questions and not get bogged down in facts during hot seating, but concentrate on
personal feelings and observations instead. He also adds that characters to hot seat
include famous people such as Florence Nightingale, President Kennedy or
Tutankhamen as well as ordinary people like a chimney sweeper, a Roman soldier or
a Saxon farmer. Students can be asked to research historical characters with opposing
points of view then be hot-seated by the class as part of a debate.
3. IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most
popular English language proficiency test for higher education and global
immigration. More than 10,000 organizations globally trust IELTS, so when one takes
the test, he/she can be confident that it is recognized by educational institutions,
employers, governments and professional bodies around the world. As one of the
pioneers of four- skill (listening, speaking, reading and writing) English language
testing 30 years ago, IELTS continues to set the standard for English language testing
today. Governments in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom use
IELTS to process immigration applications.

IELTS Speaking is a face-to-face, informal discussion with an IELTS examiner, and
is the same for both Academic and General Training. The test is divided into 3 parts
and is designed to test your pronunciation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary .

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 lasts between 4-5 minutes, includes around 8-10 IELTS
Speaking questions, and about 2-3 familiar IELTS Speaking topics such as your job,
your studies, your family, your hometown, your accommodation, etc. Part 1 questions
might best be described as questions that imitate small talk between two strangers or
acquaintances. They are not very in-depth. It is considered to be a warm-up activity to
provide examinees with relaxation and comfort to enter the rest parts.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 is designed to give you the opportunity to talk about more
abstract issues and ideas. It is a two-way discussion with the examiner, and last 4-5
minutes. In this part, the examiner will ask a broader range of questions based on
the IELTS Speaking Part 2. He/ She will also expect answers with an explanation and
examples in general. The time will be strictly controlled in this part.
II. THE REALITY
At the beginning of the academic year 2020-2021, I conducted a survey among my
students and colleagues, using the questionnaires, interviews and observations, and
got some significant findings.
First, the goal of all of the students (96.6%) is to pass the national examination, which
is designed in the format of multiple-choice questions and focuses mainly on
vocabulary, pronunciation, reading comprehension and controlled writing, but not
listening and speaking skills. Many of them (70.5%) consider English to be a
compulsory subject and the smaller number of students (43.2%) valued it as a means
of communication. Consequently, they did not have much motivation to practise

speaking English.
Second, the differences between the objectives of the syllabus and those of the final
examination make the teachers waver, not knowing what and how to teach their
students in order to gain the best results. Therefore, the time and attention to the two
important interactive skills (listening, speaking), which help students more selfconfident in communicating in person with others, is little.
Third, to learn English well, the environment for it, especially spoken English, is very
important. However, our students hardly have opportunities to use English outside
English classes. As a result, even the students who are good at English are also afraid
of speaking English and have difficulty in using it orally. The majority of the students
(84.1%) say that they cannot respond immediately when asked and 67% of the sample
students say they are not willing to be involved in real conversations. Clearly, the
shortage of regular practice and the lack of self-confidence have led to our students’
bad English speaking reflex.
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Fourth, because some students (11.4%) want to use these tests’ results to be admitted
to some universities, at weekends or on summer holidays some students (11.4%) have
to travel a long distance to the city’s centres of English to study for IELTS tests.
Besides, there are some other students (378.6%) say that they are going to study for
IELTS tests when they are at university. All of these show the increasing demand for
IELTS and the practicality as well as popularity of this form of assessment
III. THE OBJECTIVES AND THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1. The objectives of the study
The Question and Answer activity combined with Hot Seating Strategy is expected to
foster the students’ English speaking reflex. The relevant questions related to the
lesson topics are carefully selected from the IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions
and the students are give a certain period of time to prepare for their answers.

Hot Seating Strategy has long been used in language teaching methodology with
various purposes. However, in this initiative, the teacher would like to utilize it in
order to create a lifelike environment so that students could practice their speaking
reflex and use their English language as naturally as possible.
2. The scope of the study
- The study subject: The participants in the study are 88 students from classes 11A1
and 11A5 of Phan Dang Luu high school in the academic year 2020-2021. They study
English rather well (11A1: and 11A5: 69.3% good, 30.7% rather good); however,
only 15.9% of the students say that they are confident of their spoken English reflex.
- Due to the limited time, the teacher only focuses on exploiting and using IELTS
Speaking Part 1 and 3 questions related to the lesson topics in the textbook ‘Tieng
Anh 11’ by Vietnam Education Publisher. The Hot Seating Strategy is used as a game
with the questions incorporated in it as a guide to ongoing conversations. This activity
is intended to be at the beginning of the lesson as a ‘Warm-up’ one or at the end of the
lesson as a ‘post-’ one.

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IV. SOLUTIONS
1. Process of applying the initiative
1.1. Interaction
At the beginning of the school year, the teacher divides the class into 6 groups with 6
assigned leaders. The students in each group have to help one another actively
because each member’s marks may affect the ones of the rest and vice versa.
1.2. Assignment
After Lesson A-Reading or lesson C- Listening of each unit, for homework, all
students are asked to work in groups to answer all the given questions in the role of a

famous or special person. These questions are exploited from the question sets of
IELTS Speaking Part 1 and 3 and related to the information of the given person as
well as the topic they have just learnt.
1.3. Performance
Each unit has a respective role concerned with its topic for students to play. With a
view to helping students have a constant practice, the teacher asks the students to
perform this task almost every lesson after Lesson A-Reading or Lesson C- Listening.
The representative of each group is chosen to play the role in many different ways to
motivate the students. The groups and the students in each group may draw lots to
decide who will do the task by each taking a piece of paper from a container. Also,
the teacher may use the game of passing the ball accompanied with the music to
choose the performer. When the music stops, the person with the ball in his/her hand
will have to go to the board and do the task.
The students of the other groups will use some questions on the list to ask him/her.
The performer is expected to give answers to questions as fast as possible. The next
person is chosen by the student just finishing his/her performance. During the period
of time between 7 and 10 minutes, 2 or 3students take turns to answer 6 questions
including the ones about name, hometown, job and 3 others from the rest ones.
1.4. Assessment
The teacher makes observations, records, takes notes and gives marks to students’
performance. These marks will be recorded. At the end of the term, each member will
be given a mark which is an arithmetic mean of the whole group. The arithmetic mean
is used as a frequent mark for each student in each term of the school year. This is
motivation for all students to help one another and try as hard as possible. Besides,

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because the study aims at the students’ English speaking reflex, this factor is given the
top priority when the teacher assesses the students’ speaking performances.
2. Detailed Solutions
2.1. Unit 1. Friendship
a. Role: Nguyen Tat Minh
In this unit, students play the role of Nguyen Tat Minh, the disabled student helped by
his closest friend during the ten years of schooling and presently a student of Hanoi
University of Science and Technology.

Nguyen Tat Minh and his best friend, Ngo Minh Hieu
b. Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge
relating to the topic ‘Friendship’ and practice the speaking reflex.
c. Time: 7-10 minutes, as ‘Warm-up’ or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson
C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus.
d. Preparation:
This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to.
1. Could you tell me your full name please?
2. Where do you come from?
3. Are you a student or do you have a job?
4. What is your major?
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5. Do you have many friends?
6. Do you think it is easy to make friends in Vietnam?
7. Can you talk about your best friend?
8. Do you think friendship is important?
9. What is the most important thing in friendship?

10.What makes friendship break up?
e. Procedure:
- Choose the performers to play the role of Tat Minh at random.
- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions.
- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups.
f. Suggested Answers:
1. Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Minh Tat Nguyen.
2. Well, I was born and raised in Thanh Hoa, which is an area of outstanding natural
beauty and to me, one of the most beautiful places of the earth. It has everything:
fantastic beaches, rolling mountains, dense forests, and picturesque countryside.
3. I am a freshman at Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Viet Nam.
4. My major at university is computer science. I choose it because I have a passion
for programming.
5. I have only one friend I would confide in. I’m quite picky and more importantly, I
have a somewhat irrational fear that none of my friends really like me and that I’m
a guy they can barely tolerate and it is hard for me to live in harmony with them.
6. Yes, of course. Nowadays, transportation and communication are easy and
convenient. We have more opportunities to meet all kinds of people and make
friends with them.
7. Yes, absolutely. My best friend’s Hieu, whom I have known for roughly 10 years. I
first met him at primary school when he was my classmate. As you know, I am
disabled, I can’t walk. Every day he carried me on his back to school. Whenever I
needed support, he was always there for boosting me up. He is extremely
honest towards our friendship and a trustworthy person as well.
8. There is no doubt that friendships play a vital role in our life. They make our lives
interesting and wonderful. They help us develop a sense of sharing whether they
are tangible things or just inspirational or motivational words of wisdom.

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9. Maybe the most important things are that friends need to share common interests
and be honest with each other. Friends are people we spend a lot of time with, so it
definitely helps if they enjoy doing the same activities or talking about topics as we
do, and of course we need to able to trust our friends, so honesty is vital for a good
friendship.
10. To me, misunderstanding can make friendship breakup. For example, as I started
to study at university, one day, my roommate lost his watch. He thought I had
taken it. At that time, I was very angry but I said nothing, and then I helped him
look for it. Finally, we found it in his pocket. He apologized to me. I forgave him
for his rudeness. So, I think trust is the most important thing between friends.
2.2. Unit 2. Personal Experiences
a. Role: Christina
In this unit, students play the role of Christina, a successful businesswoman in the
listening text in Lesson C-Listening of Unit 2 - Tieng Anh 11.

Christina and her mother in the fire
b. Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge
relating to the topic ‘Family’ and practice the speaking reflex.
c. Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson D-Writing, lesson
E-Language focus.
d. Preparation:
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This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to.

1. Could you tell me your full name please?
2. Where do you come from?
3. What’s your job?
4. Do you enjoy your work?
5. Do you have a large family or small family?
6. How much time do you manage to spend with members of your family?
7. Do you get along well with your family?
8. In what way is your family important to you?
9. Who are you close to in your family?
10. Should we rely heavily on our families or is it better to try to be independent?
e. Procedure:
- Choose the performers to play the role of Christina at random.
- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions.
- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups.
f. Suggested Answers:
1. Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Christina Smith.
2. I was born and grew up in California, the most populous state and also the thirdlargest state by area of the United States.
3. Well, I am currently working as a businesswoman with a chain of successful
salons in New York, which offers me great opportunities to enhance my
communication skills and negotiation skills.
4. Absolutely, yes. Although I have to work under high pressure, I feel that there is no
other job I would rather do. Moreover, the dynamic working environment in
hospitality industry has brought me huge motivation to move up my career ladder.
5. I come from a nuclear family with 4 members. Since our family is not large, we get
along pretty well and share the same interests.
6. Since I got a job I’ve been having a lot on my plate. I leave the house early in the
morning and wouldn’t come back when the sun is down so I have to say I can’t
spend as much quality time with my family as before. Having said that, I still try
my best to make up for that by taking my parents out for dinner on the weekends. I
want us to enjoy every second we have together.

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7. Yes, I do get along well with my family members. We have a strong bond among us
and that makes us a happy family.
8. Well, I remember when I was young, I was very selfish. I always complained to my
parents about how small my room was or how few clothes I had. Then the fire
came and destroyed everything we owned. But slowly I began to realize that I
didn’t need those things. I just need my family. After all, you can get new clothes
any time, but a family can never replaced. The fire took many things from me, but
it gave me something, too. It taught me to appreciate my family more than things.
9. I am close to every single family member in different ways. However, it’s my mom
I am closest to when it comes to sharing my stories and secrets. Maybe it is
because I am a girl so talking to my mom makes me feel more comfortable.
10.I believe that being independent does not mean we have to live separately from
each other. We all need either financial or emotional support from our family in
certain phases of life. If being independent means breaking the bond with my
family, I do not want such independence and freedom.
2.3. Unit 3. Party
a. Role: Lisa
In this unit, students play the role of 25-year-old Lisa, the girl who had the 7th
birthday party in the reading text of Unit 3 in the textbook Tieng Anh 11.

Lisa and their family and friends
at her 7th birthday party
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b. Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge
relating to the topic ‘Party’ and Birthday and practice the speaking reflex.
c. Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson
C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus.
d. Preparation:
This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to.
1. Could you tell me your full name please?
2. Where do you come from?
3. What’s your job?
4. Do you enjoy your birthday?
5. Is it important to celebrate one’s birthday? Why?
6. How are birthdays of children celebrated in your country?
7. What types of parties do people have and why parties are important?
8. Is it true that everybody likes parties? Why?
9. Is music important to a party?
10. Do you think parties will become more popular in the future?
e. Procedure:
- Choose the performers to play the role of Lisa at random.
- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions.
- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups.
f. Suggested Answers:
1. Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Lisa Brown.
2. I was born and raised in the most densely populated major city in the United
States.
3. I have joined the world of employment for over 3 years since I graduated from
university. Currently I am working as an administrative assistant for a U.S
company providing consulting services.
4. I used to love them a lot, but now that I’m getting older and older they aren’t as

much fun as they used to be. It’s simply another day like any other day in the
year.

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5. Well, everyone, regardless of their age, deserves to have a meaningful birthday
celebration not only to mark another milestone of their life but to share wishes
and happiness with their beloved ones. Even though some might claim that
birthday doesn’t matter much and it only reminds them of how old they are,
they still probably secretly enjoy the warmth and attention from others on their
special day.
6. Basically, we are all going to throw a party with birthday cake which could be
varied in shapes and flavors and, most importantly, express our love and
support for our kids on their every stage of life.
7. People have parties to celebrate special occasions like birthdays, weddings, or
the beginning of a new year. I think it's important to celebrate these things
because they are landmarks in our lives. Parties are a good way to bring
people together, and they're an opportunity to let off some steam.
8. No, I don’t think everybody likes parties. Some people don’t like being
surrounded by a large number of people. Also, parties usually cost money, so
some people might think they are wasteful and unnecessary.
9. Yes. Everyone loves music. People feel good when they listen to songs they like
and sway to the music. Sometimes there’s a lull in conversations and music is
there to fill in that gap.
10. No, I don't think anything will change. People have always had parties,
and I'm sure they will always be the same in the future. Humans need
to socialize and enjoy themselves, and parties are one of the best ways to do

that.
2.4. Unit 4. Volunteer Work
a. Role: Mother Teresa
In this unit, students play the role of Mother Teresa, a nun, who was awarded The
Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work of bringing help to suffering humanity.
b. Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge
relating to the topic ‘Volunteer Work’ and practice the speaking reflex.
c. Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson
C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus.
d. Preparation:
This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to.
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1. Could you tell me your full name please?
2. Where do you come from?
3. What’s your job?
4. Would you like to work as a volunteer?
5. What could you do to help if you didn’t have money?
6. Why do people help others?
7. How do you define volunteer work?
8. Is volunteering worth the time it takes?
9. Do you think people would volunteer to help people outside their community?
10. How do you feel after you have helped someone?

Mother Teresa with the children she looked after
in Kolkata, India
e. Procedure:

- Choose the performers to play the role of Mother Teresa at random.
- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions.
- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups.
f. Suggested Answers:

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1.

Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Agnes Gonxha
Bojaxhiu.

2. I was born in Skopje, the current capital of the Republic of Macedonia.
3. As you know, my mother, a pious and compassionate woman who instilled in
me a deep commitment to charity and at the age of 18, I decided to become a
nun and set off for Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto in Dublin. From then
on, I have been able to carry out the thing I always desire, which is to devote
myself to helping people.
4. Absolutely yes! I am really into working as a volunteer for an organization
related to education, because I do feel that this is something that every
individual has a right to have, but very few are able to get the quality
education. Hopefully, with my knowledge, I can help some unfortunate
children to have a promising future.
5. From my perspective, helping has nothing to do with money. There are an
abundance of things we can help our community with our knowledge,
experience, the things that we have learnt. It is great to be able to share your
knowledge and for the one who receives it. It is surely a pure joy to know that

you are helpful and can contribute something to making a better world.
6. I think it’s the kindness that exists in most human hearts. Many of us have
needed some help ourselves from time to time, and we know what it feels like to
need something. We know it feels good to receive support from others when we
need it. So we want to help others in the same way. Also, it is the happiness that
we get from helping others in some way.
7. I would define it simply as any kind of philanthropic work for which you do not
get paid. The difference between volunteer work and any other kind of
employment is that you do the tasks willingly without any financial
incentive or hopes of economic gain.
8. Yes it is. I believe it’s more of two way relation where the more you give, the
more you gain. There’s so much of experience that comes along with it, so
much you get to learn and so much of excitement that it makes up for the effort it
takes.
9. Definitely yes. Volunteering or for that matter helping has nothing to do with
community. If I can help anyone I will be more than happy to do it.
10.Usually, I feel very good when I’ve helped someone, even if the help I offered
was beyond my limits. If it was a sacrifice, it seems that I am happier than when
I began, and sometimes I seem to have more energy or time left for myself. It
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may sound funny, but sometimes it looks a little like magic how I end up with
more time or more money or whatever after I’ve given some away to others.
2.5. Unit 6. Competitions:
a. Role: Nguyen Van Nam
In this unit, students play the role of Nguyen Van Nam, a former student of Phan
Dang Luu high school, the champion of the 4th quarter of the 13th Road to Mount

Olympia.

Nguyen Van Nam – the champion of the 4th quarter,
the 13th Road to Mount Olympia
b. Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge
relating to the topic ‘Competitions’ and practice the speaking reflex.
c. Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson
C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus.
d. Preparation:
This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to.
1. Could you tell me your full name please?

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2. Who gave you your name?
3. Where do you come from?
4. What’s your job?
5. Do you have a lot of friends where you are working?
6. Do you miss being a high school student?
7. What kind of activities/competitions people like to take part in?
8. There are many competition programs on TV nowadays. Why?
9. Are awards always good for winners?
10. What do you think of those who lose in a competition?
e. Procedure:
- Choose the performers to play the role of Nguyen Van Nam at random.
- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions.
- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups.

f. Suggested Answers:
1. Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Nam Van Nguyen.
2. When it came to choosing my name, it was my dad who had the final word.
Actually, most of my family members including my mom and my grandparents
agreed with the name as well.
3. I was born and raised in Nghe An, Vietnam’s largest province by area, which
is located in a central position in North Central Coast.
4. I am part of the geophysical survey team. I am a geologist. I work for the
Energy Development Corporation (EDC); it is a company that focuses on the
development of renewable energy.
5. Yes I do. I kinda get along well with everyone in my workplace. I was
impressed by their enthusiasm and professionalism right from the start. After
that, I realized that they are all very understanding of me and willingly give me
a hand when I am in need.
6. I miss student life once I got involved in the workplace. I think when I was a
high school student I had someone to guide me, whereas at work you must
guide yourself. The academic environment was a comfort zone, and I
struggled to fit in the working environment. On the top of that, those are

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memorable days also because I became the champion of the 4th quarter of the
13th Road to Olympia.
7. People like to compete in singing, dancing, painting, sports, quizzes and many
more types of competitions.
8. I think people nowadays love watching reality television instead of fiction and
dramas. The competition programs are more real compared to the dramas

which have become boring and are predictable. In reality shows there is an
element of surprise and real human emotions which make them more popular.
9. Yes, I think awards are good for winners as they keep them motivated and
focused. Awards are the mementos for winners to cherish and remember their
victory for lifetime.
10. I think losing and winning are both important parts of our life. Someone has
rightly said that we do not learn much by winning but losing teaches us the
most important lessons in life. So people who lose in the competition should
take it positively and learn from the experience they gain. Based on this
learning they should try to improve themselves.
2.6. Unit 7. World Population
a. Role: António Guterres
In this unit, students play the role of António Guterres, who is currently the Secretary
General of the UN.

António Guterres – Secretary-General of the UN
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b. Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge
relating to the topic ‘World Population’ and practice the speaking reflex.
c. Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson
C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus.
d. Preparation:
This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to.
1. Could you tell me your full name please?
2. Where do you come from?
3. What’s your job?

4. What are your responsibilities?
5. What is the world population at present?
6. What are the causes of population explosion in the world?
7. What are the major results of overpopulation?
8. What do you think of the ‘one couple, one child’ policy in China?
9. What is the birth control situation in the cities?
10.Apart from the one-child or two-child recommendation, are there any other
measures to reduce the population?
e. Procedure:
- Choose the performers to play the role of Mr. António Guterres at random.
- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions.
- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups.
f. Suggested Answers:
1. Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is António Manuel de
Oliveira Guterres.
2. I was born and raised in Lisbon, the capital and also the largest city of Portugal,
which is recognised as an alpha-level global city because of its importance in
finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and
tourism.
3. I am a Portuguese politician and diplomat. I used to serve as Prime
minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and I am currently working as Secretarygeneral of the United Nations.
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4. While conflict resolution and peacekeeping continue to be among its most visible
efforts, the UN, along with its specialized agencies, is also engaged in a wide array of
activities to improve people’s lives around the world – from disaster relief, through
education and advancement of women, to peaceful uses of atomic energy.

5. The current world population is 7.9 billion according to the most recent United
Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometer.
6. Overpopulation results from the fact that the world’s birth rates are rising while
death rates are falling as medical advances have made it possible for people to
live longer than before. Besides, people in some countries, especially developing
ones, still hold the traditional idea that the more children one has, the happier he
will be in the future.
7. I think that if the world’s population goes on increasing at the present rate, the
world’s energy resources will be used up sooner or later. Overpopulation is the
root of unemployment, increasing rubbish, lacking resources, and reduced green
land. As far as I’m concerned, a lot of Vietnam’s problems stem from
overpopulation.
8. Well, China has the largest population in the world now. This policy may not be
ideal when it comes to educating the only child in the family. But there is no other
better way. Ever since they implemented this policy, they have seen a great
reduction on the birth rate. In this sense, China has made great contribution to
the world population control.
9. The situation in the urban areas is much better than in the rural areas. The city
dwellers are comparatively better educated. They are fully aware of the severity
of depopulation problem in the world. They are happy with one child, either a boy
or a girl.
10.More men and women are waiting longer to get married and are using birth
control devices and methods to prevent or delay pregnancy. Well, of course, some
people delay having children, because they’re making great efforts to achieve
self-fulfillment first.
2.7. Unit 8. Celebrations
a. Role: Do Thi Ha
In this unit, students play the role of Do Thi Ha - Miss Vietnam 2020.
b. Aim: This activity helps students revise some useful language and knowledge
relating to the topic ‘Celebrations’ and practice the speaking reflex.

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c. Time: 7-10 minutes, as a Warm-up or a Post-activity of lesson B-Speaking, lesson
C-Listening, lesson D-Writing, lesson E-Language focus

Do Thi Ha- Miss Vienam 2020
d. Preparation:
This is the question list for students to work in groups to prepare the answers to.
1. Could you tell me your full name please?
2. Where do you come from?
3. What’s your job?
4. Do you like celebrations?
5. What is your favourite festival?
6. Are there many celebrations in your hometown?
7. How do people in Vietnam value traditional festivals?
8. How people celebrate public events?
9. Do you think it is wrong for young people not to celebrate traditional festivals?
10. Do you think festivals are important?
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e. Procedure:
- Choose the performers to play the role of Do Thi Ha at random.
- The performers take turns to go to the board and answer the questions.
- When the time is over, the teacher comments and gives marks to the groups.

f. Suggested Answers:
1. Well, it is my pleasure to introduce that my full name is Ha Thi Do.
2. I was born and raised in Thanh Hoa, a province in the North Central
Coast region of Vietnam
3. Currently I am studying business law at the prestigious National Economics
University in Hanoi.
4. Yes, absolutely. I love the atmosphere of excitement and joy when everyone
comes together to celebrate a special occasion. It’s the perfect excuse to let your
hair down, forget about all of your usual commitments and spend time with your
beloved ones.
5. Lunar New Year has got to be my most favored festival. It normally lasts for a
week or more allowing us a pretty long time to recharge our batteries. As well
as this, New Year always brings a fresh feeling of the start of something new.
No matter what has happened, you always have a second chance to make it
great again in the New Year. We all can celebrate New Year with great joy,
hope and festivity for the upcoming year.
6. Yes, Vietnam hosts a diverse array of festivals throughout the year. The most
common ones are New Year, Hung King’s Festival or Vu Lan festival. These
types of festivals are celebrated as a crucial part in our tradition. On those
special occasions, we all have a great time enjoying mouth-watering cuisine,
music and dance of the people and magical firework displays which
are memorable for people.
7. Of course, they play a crucial role in our culture. Most Vietnamese people,
especially older adults place great emphasis on preserving traditional customs
and practices and passing them down to future generations. A growing number
of people, however, tend to pay less attention to practicing old traditions. For
example, during Tet, some may prefer to travel abroad instead of celebrating
this significant traditional festival.
8. I would say a gathering with food, alcohol, friends, and family is the most
common way to celebrate an event across the world. More specifically, for

events such as New Years, people like to crowd a central area, such as the main
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×