Using short stories to improve speaking skill of students at preintermediate level

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
VINH UNIVERSITY

HỒ THỊ HẢI YẾN

USING SHORT STORIES TO IMPROVE
SPEAKING SKILL OF STUDENTS AT PREINTERMEDIATE LEVEL

FIELD: THEORY AND METHODOLOGY IN ENGLISH TEACHING
CODE: 60.14.10
M.A THESIS IN EDUCATION
SUPERVISOR: TRAN BA TIEN, Ph. D

Nghệ An, 2013


Acknowledgements
First of all, I would like to express my very affectionate and deeply-felt
thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Tran Ba Tien, for giving effective instructions
and invaluable advice during the preparation and completion of this
graduation paper. I owe him a dept of gratitude that cannot be measured.
I also wish to acknowledge my debt to all the teachers of the Foreign
Languages Department at Vinh University as well as some teachers from
Vietnam National University, Hanoi – College of foreign languages, whose
lectures and ideas have inspired my thesis and who it is impossible to thank
individually.
My appreciation also goes to the students at ASEM Vietnam for their
valuable assistance in completing my survey questionnaire and providing me
with a lot of useful information.
Finally, I would like to send my great thanks to my family, my friends
who have directly or indirectly helped me with their encouragement and

advice.
On the whole, without all these help my graduation paper would not
have possibly been completed.
Due to limited scope, it is sure that in this graduation paper, mistakes
are in evitable, that is why I hope to receive further comments and advice to
make it better.

Vinh, August 2013.
Ho Thi Hai Yen

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Table of contents
Acknowledgements..............................................................................
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................
iii
TABLES AND CHARTS .................................................................................
vi
ABBREVIATION..............................................................................................
vii
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………..………...viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................
1
1. Rationale .........................................................................................................
1
2. The Purposes of the Study...............................................................................
2
3. The Scope of the Study ...................................................................................

3
4. The research questions....................................................................................
3
5. The Methods of the Study...............................................................................
3
6. Organization of the Study ...............................................................................
3
CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND ............................................
5

iii


2.1. Literature and language teaching .................................................................
5
2.2. Difficulties with using literature ..................................................................
7
2.3. Literature in ESL classroom ........................................................................
8
2.4. Short stories .................................................................................................
9
2.4.1. What is a short-story? ...............................................................................
9
2.4.2. Characteristics of short-story ....................................................................
9
2.5. Some commonly used approaches to teaching literature ............................
10
2.6. Speaking skill ..............................................................................................
12
2.6.1. Concepts of speaking.................................................................................

12
2.6.2. Characteristics of speaking........................................................................
13
2.7. Problems with speaking and speaking activities .........................................
14
2.7.1. Problems with speaking ............................................................................
14
2.7.2. Problems with speaking activities ............................................................
15

iv


2.8. Principles for speaking techniques ..............................................................
17
2.9. Stages of a speaking lesson .........................................................................
18
2.10. Short stories in ESL classroom ..................................................................
20
2.10.1. Why use short stories? ............................................................................
20
2.10.2. Problems of using short stories in pre-intermediate language class........
21
2.10.3. Choosing short stories ............................................................................
22
2.10.4. Short stories and speaking skill development ........................................
24
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY............................................................
25
3.1. Practical situation of teaching and learning English speaking skills at

ASEM Vietnam center........................................................................................
25
3.1.1. Description of the English courses and their objectives at ASEM
Vietnam center ....................................................................................................
25
3.1.2. Description of the Students at ASEM Vietnam center .............................
26
3.1.3. Description of the Teachers at ASEM Vietnam center ............................
26

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3.2. The Study .....................................................................................................
27
3.2.1. Participants ...............................................................................................
27
3.2.2. The Setting of the Study ...........................................................................
28
3.2.3. The data collection methods .....................................................................
28
CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .......................................
31
4.1. Students’ attitude towards literary texts ......................................................
31
4.1.1. Question 1: Which genre of literature do you prefer? ..............................
31
4.1.2. Question 2: Which topics are you interested in? ......................................
33
4.2. The effects of short stories in teaching speaking .........................................

34
4.2.1. Question 3: What are your difficulties when speaking about the text?.....
34
4.2.2. Question 4: What are your reactions towards pre and while speaking
activities in class? ...............................................................................................
35
4.2.3. Question 5: What is the activity you like most in post-speaking
phase? .................................................................................................................
42

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4.2.4. Question 6: After doing speaking activities in the premise, what do
you find? .............................................................................................................
44
4.2.5. Question 7: Your suggestions about methods of teaching and
learning speaking with short stories. ..................................................................
45
4.3. Suggestive approaches to using short stories to teach speaking...................
46
4.3.1. Selecting and evaluating literary texts ......................................................
46
4.3.2. Anticipating students’ problems ...............................................................
49
4.4. Suggested techniques for integrating short stories in the teaching of
speaking skills.....................................................................................................
52
4.4.1. Pre and while speaking activities .............................................................
52

4.4.1.1. Brainstorming.........................................................................................
53
4.4.1.2. Picture activities ....................................................................................
55
4.4.1.3. Discussion ..............................................................................................
57
4.4.1.4. Making survey .......................................................................................
59
4.4.1.5. Information-gap .....................................................................................
60

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4.4.1.6. Improvisation .........................................................................................
61
4.4.1.7. Role-playing...........................................................................................
62
4.4.3.8. Story telling ...........................................................................................
64
4.4.2. Post- speaking activities ...........................................................................
64
4.5. A sample lesson …………………………………………………………...65
Conclusion .................................................................................................
69
Suggestions for further research ...............................................
70
REFERENCES ...................................................................................................
71
APPENDIX ........................................................................................................

73

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TABLES AND CHARTS
- Chart 4.1: Retelling the story............................................................................
38
Chart 4.2: Discussion.........................................................................................
39
Chart 4.3: Role – playing...................................................................................
40
Chart 4.4: Information – gap.............................................................................
41
Chart 4.5: Brainstorming...................................................................................
42
Chart 4.6: Improvisation....................................................................................
43
Chart 4.7: Picture activies..................................................................................
44
Chart 4.8: Making survey..................................................................................
45
- Graph 4.1: Post – speaking activities................................................................
46
- Table 4.1: Students’ preference towards certain genres of literature................
34
Table 4.2: Topics students are interested in......................................................
36
Table 4.3: Aspects that cause difficulties when speaking literature..................
37

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Table 4.4: Students’ reactions after speaking about short story........................
47
Table 4.5: Students’ suggestions about method of teaching and learning
speaking with short story.....................................................................................
49

ABBREVIATION

ESL: English as second language
EFL: English as foreign language

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ABSTRACT
This research investigates the attitudes of students towards short stories
and the benefits of using short stories in teaching speaking skill for students at
pre-intermediate level as well as effective techniques for teaching English
speaking skill with short stories.
The related theories and approaches are read carefully and included in
the second chapter of the study. The investigation focuses on what students
find about short stories and what topics they prefer to read. Furthermore, the
research studies how suggestive techniques effect on their learning and what
students find about their speaking skill developing process after learning with
short stories.

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The findings of the research indicate that short stories which are
selected carefully and appropriately will be a useful source of teaching,
increase students’ interest. In addition, teaching methods also should be
considered before utilizing in three stages of a lesson.
To conclude, if teachers know how to use short stories with effective
methods such as brainstorming, storytelling, picture activities or informationgap will make more exciting studying atmosphere and help students have
better speaking skill.

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Rationale:
People nowadays do not think that English is only a compulsory
subject at schools. It is known an essential and important subject. They do not
feel to be forced to study it any more but rush and want to learn English for
many purposes, such as to enrich their knowledge, to have a chance working
at a foreign company or just to communicate with foreigners in English. That
is why more and more people enroll English courses in centers.
To achieve English mastery, people need to be well-trained all four
skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, Vietnamese
students seem to learn written form better than spoken form. Affected from
the traditional teaching and testing, teachers seem focus on how students can
do grammar and their speaking and listening abilities were ignored. Seeing
the mistakes and the requirement to innovate the education ways, four English
skills are being taught more equally.
As a teacher in ASEM Vietnam center, I see that most of students

wish to get fluent speaking skill because they do not have much time and
many chances to develop it at schools. It is clear that if students have a stock
of vocabulary, study in a comfortable environment, know about some aspects
of national cultures in the world, they will be more confident to speak. Much
research has been done to motivate students to speak, such as peer interaction,
competition or using activities with short stories.
Among them, short stories have many benefits because they are not
only a source of teaching but also include language knowledge and cultural
aspects of the countries where they are from. It was discovered that literature
is a valuable and interesting material for enhancing students’ language ability.

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With effort of the educators, literature will “be an effective tool for
stimulating and achieving language learning and equipping learners with
relevant linguistic and socio-cultural competences” (Sell, 2005).
Many researchers claimed that short stories will be a powerful
source if it goes with a proper teaching method. That leads to an effective
result in teaching English, especially, speaking skill. Duff and Maley (1990)
presented the efficiency and necessity to teach literature with an integrated
approach. From the linguistic perspective, teachers can do the purpose of
language classes that is to help students acquire structures and meanings of
authentic texts. Methodologically, literary lessons enable learners to be skilled
and understandable reading texts by knowing some strategies. The last reason
is due to motivation. That teachers use the integrate method with short stories
can warm the interest and makes learners enjoy the lesson as long as selecting
the texts which are worth teaching.
As its significance, short stories may be utilized to teach all four
English skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, in a limited

time and papers and framework permit, the author has attempted to conduct
the study entitled “Using short stories to improve the speaking skill of
students at pre-intermediate level”. It is hoped that the study may contribute
on students’ success at ASEM Vietnam center and further more.
1.2. The purposes of the study:
The study has the following purposes:
• Studying the values of literature in language teaching.
• Integrating short stories and teaching English speaking.
• Introducing techniques to use short stories in teaching speaking
effectively.

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3. The scope of the study:
There are many types of literary genres, such as novels, poems, dramas,
short/long stories or non fiction. They can be used to teach all four skills:
listening, speaking, reading and writing. This study is aimed to focus on only
the use of short stories in improving English speaking skill. The short stories
can be cut into parts to suitable for teaching goals. The topics of short stories
chosen are based on students’ interest. This study will be done with students
who are at pre-intermediate level and take evening classes in ASEM Vietnam
center.
4. Research questions:
1. What is students’ attitude towards short stories?
2. What are the benefits of short stories for students’ speaking skill?
3. What are effective techniques for teaching English speaking skill with
short stories?
5. Method of the study:
In order to achieve the purposes mentioned above, the method applied in

this study is quantitative method. All data is collected from questionnaires.
There are two sets of questionnaires. The first one is to investigate the
students’ attitude toward different genres of literature which is given at the
beginning of the course to know what genre of literature they prefer and
decide the literary type to teach and study. The second set is to collect
students’ feedbacks towards certain techniques. It is conducted after speaking
lessons with short stories using the techniques. After collecting and analyzing
the data, effective recommendations about teaching speaking skill integrating
short stories are found and given.
6. Organization of the study:
The study consists of five chapters:

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Chapter 1 entitled “Introduction” outlines the background of the study. In
this part, the author presents the reasons for choosing the topic, the purposes,
the scope, the research questions, and the organization of the study.
Chapter 2 with the title ‘Theoretical background’ presents an overview of
what is literature, its values in language teaching and how literature relates to
speaking skill.
In Chapter 3, “Methodology”, the author presents the detailed procedure
of the study: the methodology, population selection, data collection and
analysis.
Chapter 4 is the “Findings and Discussion” in which provides data
description and analysis with findings.
The last chapter, “Conclusion and Recommendations”, summarizes
main points and contents of the study based on the results of the study;
suggests some techniques for teaching and presents the recommendation for
further research.

The study ends up with “References” providing a list of sources of
materials which are used during the process of writing the study and
"Appendix" with the survey questionnaires for students.

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CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1. Literature and language teaching:
Readers nowadays seem to use literary texts for entertainment only.
Even some people rarely touch a literary book as they have other ways of
entertainment. At schools, the main goal of an ESL class mostly focuses on
grammatical accuracy. In fact, not many language teachers dare use literature
for teaching skills in their classes. Because if they do not know how to modify
them, that may let to difficulty in teaching, students’ bore and time over. So
questions are brought out that why should a language teacher modify literary
texts for his teaching language class, especially if no examiner specifically
requires doing so and there is little extra time available? What works are
suitable for the ESL classes? How can teachers change the way presenting
literary texts and involve learners in studying?
There are good reasons to use literary works in language teaching:
Firstly, literature is valuable authentic material. Most of literary works
reflect the living reality. With rhetorical arts, authors bring the world onto
papers with vivid colours, bountiful pictures and especially, truthfully the
culture and life styles all around the world. There are so many interesting and
significant themes and contexts which we can not find in lots of books. These
topics and conventions are “readily recognizable to foreign language learners
from their mother-tongue experience” (Marley and Duff, 1989, p. 8).
Furthermore, literature “transcends the time and culture to speak
directly to a reader of a different country at a different period of time” (Collie

& Slater, 1987). Nothing is forever, but lots of literary works are, such as
“Romeo and Juliet” of Shakespeare, “Gone with the wind” of Margaret

5


Mitchell, “The old man and the sea” of Ernest Hemingway or “The thorn
birds” of Colleen McCullough (listed in English only).
Secondly, literature aids to enrich language and culture. Literature is a
path way to language improvement. Different from textbooks which is
designed for studying purposes, literary works are “things which mattered to
the author when he wrote them” (Marley, 1989, p. 12). That is why words in
textbooks are not as varied and rich as in them. By learning literature,
students can discover the different norms of the language use, forms or
conventions. That is really helpful for their language development and
sensitiveness to the features of it. Not stop at that, authors use many ways to
express their ideas, to describe things, to create multiple layers of meaning.
Hence, literature encourages interaction. Through discussions and sharing
feelings or opinions, readers can enrich their vocabulary, broaden their mind,
and improve their sense of speaking and reading skills.
Besides that, literature is also a doorway into other cultures. Each
work contains its national characters in society, politics, history and cultural

events. Learning literature enables students “to understand and appreciate
cultures and ideologies different from their own in time and space, and to
come to perceive traditions of thought, feeling and artistic form within the
heritage the literature of such cultures endows” (Carter and Long, 1991, p.
2). If readers do not have chances to travel to many places, thanks to
literature, they still can know and perceive the cultural colours of countries
all around the world. Thus, literature is the best material for enhancing

students’ knowledge about national cultures.
Thirdly, literature involves persons. Literature expands language
awareness and educates persons. By exploring whole meaning of works,
intends of authors, readers can broaden their mind with new looks about the

6


world, new experience and new knowledge. They may relate the philosophies,
events and things found in the works to their own lives. That will contribute
“to stimulate the imagination of our students, to develop their critical abilities,
and to increase their emotional awareness” (Lazar, 1993, p. 19). Furthermore,
if teachers well motivate and “the experience of engaging with literature is
kept sufficiently interesting, varied and non-directive to let the reader feel that
he or she is taking possession of a previously unknown territory” (Collie &
Slater,1987), it is believed that students’ reading skill will be improved
efficiently.
2.2. Difficulties with using literature:
Using literature in teaching is interesting and effective. However, hardly
can all students understand and enjoy the materials. According to Lazar
(1994), there are some difficulties with using literature for low level students.
Language grading
Firstly, there is the issue of language grading. Many literary texts,
whether prose or poetry, are written in language which includes vocabulary,
grammatical structures, and syntax considered too complicated to be included
in the syllabus for learners at lower levels. There may be rhetorical or literary
devices in the text (such as complex metaphors) which students might find
difficult to unravel, or the language in the text might be markedly ‘deviant’ in
the way it breaks the usual norms of language use (Leech 1973: 29-33). A
well-known example of a ‘rule breaking’ literary usage is found in Dylan

Thomas’s poem ‘A Grief Ago’, where the word ‘ago’ is made to collocate
with the abstract noun ‘grief’ rather than with a noun denoting a period of
time (Thomas 1978: 49). Teachers often express concern about using
‘deviant’ language with students when these students have not yet even fully
acquired the basic rules of English grammar, syntax, and word formation.

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Literary competence
A second objection to using literature at lower levels relates to the
literary competence of the students, and hence their ability to generate valid
interpretations of a text. By literary competence is meant an implicit
understanding of certain conventions of interpretation which skilled readers
draw on when reading literature (Culler 1975: 113-15). For example, skilled
readers of a poem may be highly sensitive to the way the formal properties of
the text (such as metre, rhyme scheme, etc.) can be said to reinforce the main
themes or underlying meanings of the poem.
Students who do not read literature in their own language, or whose language
has a literature very different from literature in English, may remain mystified
or intimidated by the formal properties of the literary text, without being able
to suggest any interpretations of its meanings. And even if students at lower
levels do reach their own interpretation of a text, they often lack sufficient
proficiency in English to express it.
Motivation
A further problem with using literature at lower levels is that it is
considered too highly specialized an activity to be of interest to less advanced
students. In addition, many teachers often have very limited time in which to
complete a syllabus, and consider including literary texts in the lessons an
unnecessary and time-wasting distraction, while students themselves

frequently lack the interest and motivation to work with such texts.
2.3. Literature in EFL classroom:
In the nineteenth century, The Grammar Translation Method was
the dominated teaching method at schools. At this time, literature was one of
the main materials in classroom. However, the method was soon replaced by
Structuralism Approach, Direct Method, the Audiolingualism, Community

8


Language Learning, Suggestopedia, the Silent Way, Total Physical Response,
the Natural Approach, and then Communicative Approach in the late 70`s and
very early 80`s. During that era, the main purpose of teaching in ESL
classroom was to teach usably, practically and enable students communicative
orally. Thus, literature was ignored because of its complexity. Until the
1980s, the different consideration about using literary in teaching was
researched, that was to improve language and culture awareness and point out
“a springboard for the development of critical thinking and aesthetic
appreciation” (Bretz, 1990: 335-338). Due to a stock of benefits of literature,
it can be exploited for many teaching purposes in all four English skills:
listening, speaking, reading and writing.
2.4. Short stories:
2.4.1. What is a short story?
A short story is, in some ways, like a photograph- a captured moment
of time that is crystalline, though sometimes mysterious, arresting, though
perhaps delicate. But while a photo may or may not suggest consequences, a
short story always does. In the story's moment of time something important,
something irrevocable has occurred. The change may be subtle or obvious,
but it is definite and definitive.” (Marilyn Singer 1998). He had an interesting
comparison: “while it is the audience that supplies the back story for a photo,

it is the writer who must give the audience a beginning, middle, and end of a
short story. Without that structure, the piece is not a short story at all but a
scene, a vignette, a fragment-evocative, yes, but not emotionally or
psychologically satisfying.”
2.4.2. Characteristics of short stories:
A short story is often opened arrestingly, built interesting plot, well
developed and has appropriate structure. It is formed with action, tension,

9


clearly recognizable climax and satisfying ending. The use of language in
word choice, narrative voice and imagery is effectively. According to
Sumarjo and Saini (1997), “short story is fiction, narrative and having a single
impression”. Lubis pointed out in the Tarin (1985) that “short stories should
contain the author’s interpretation of the conception of life, either directly or
indirectly”. Short stories should have become an actor or a main character.
Short stories should be one interesting effect or impression.
A short story is “a piece of prose fiction” which we can sit and read for
awhile. It usually constructs description of real objective and poetic
atmosphere. It needs to present a unified impression of tone, colour and
effect, "unity of effect" (Poe, 2008). Mostly a decisive moment of life is
shown. A short story often has a challenging opening and surprise ending. A
short story is allocated to one setting only (fixed place and time, social
surroundings).
2.5. Some commonly used approaches to teaching literature:
It is really important to choose suitable approaches to teach in a
language class, especially, when we are teaching literature due to its complex
level. It depends in each situation, students’ level or specific lesson that
teachers should apply a specific method. There are three main approaches to

the teaching of literature which were described by Carter and Long (1991):
The cultural model
This model is considered as a traditional procedure in teaching. Students
learn with the model often have to search and interpret the specific contexts of
society, politics, literature and history. The texts and teachers supply the
universality of knowledge about national specific traits, thoughts or ideals.
This model is not supported largely because it goes on teacher-center way and
does not encourage students to focus on language.

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The language model
This is a popular model and used commonly. It is a ‘language-based
approach’ (Carter and Long, 1991) and as its name, the approach helps
students explore a text systematically and methodically in order to simplify
literary structures. This approach allows teachers do many activities, such as
cloze procedures, brainstorming, summarizing, jigsaw reading, etc. which
play a part in helping learners understand the text.
The personal growth model
In this approach, personal experience is a decisive orientation of
teaching and learning in order to engage students in literary works (Lazar,
1993). Teachers hold activities to exploit learners’ knowledge about the life
and encourage them to give out their thoughts and ideals and integrate their
real-life experiences and those expressed in the text. The more prominent
thing of this model is that it helps learners improve their admittance about life
as well as their knowledge.
The three approaches are presented and exploited base on the
functions of literature. The first model focuses on the developing cultural
competence. The second one aims to improve learners’ language competence.

And lastly, the third model concentrates on growing personal experiences for
students. A problem is taken out is to find out an approach to integrate these
models in an alternative approach that enables learners to develop all three
dimensions.
An integrated model for teaching literature
According to Duff and Maley (1990), there are three main reasons for
merging the models namely linguistic, methodological and motivational. The
first one is linguistic competence building. The purpose of language classes is
to help students acquire structures and meanings of authentic texts. The
second one is appropriate method using. Teaching every linguistic item need

11


to have a suitable method. That helps learners acquire knowledge quickly and
efficiently. The last reason is motivated atmosphere. Teaching method needs
to wake up the learning enthusiasm and make learners interested in the lesson.
Timucin (2001) claimed that an integrated approach includes languagebased approach and stylistics in contexts. He did a study on students’ attitudes
towards the integrated model and pointed out that there is a positive
relationship between the approach and their interest, enjoyment as well as
understandability.
In short, each teacher has his own method to make his lesson
interesting and understandable. However, searching a suitable and universal
approach is important for improving the teaching skill. Using integrated
approach for teaching literature in the language classroom gives chances for
second language learners to enhance both their linguistic and cultural
competence and personal experience.
2.6. Speaking skill
2.6.1. Concepts of speaking
Speaking is the productive skill in the oral mode. It is crucial to human

communication. Different linguistics have different concepts of speaking:
Brown (1994) defines speaking as a process of constructing meaning that
involves producing, receiving and processing information. Brown and Yule
(1983) also pointed out that spoken language consists of short, fragmentary
utterances in a range of pronunciation, adding that spoken language is made
by using the loosely organized syntax, and non-specific words, phrases and
filters such as oh, well, uhuh etc. Speaking requires learners to use grammar,
vocabulary or pronunciation to produce speech and understand when, where,
why and in what ways to produce language.
2.6.2. Characteristics of speaking

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Spoken and written language makes different demands on language
producers, (Brown, 1983). Unlike readers or writers, speakers may need
patience and imagination. They take turns by turn in a conversation. After a
speech, the speaker should let a gap of time for the listener to say.
Communication rarely works when two or more people are speaking at the
same time. To have an integral and equal relationship, each person needs to
feel that others are listening to their problems and speech, and they need to be
able to do the same for others.
The following are characteristics of speaking:
The context in which it occurs creates its form and meaning, “including the
participants

themselves,

their

collective

experiences,

the

physical

environment, and the purposes for speaking” (Maryann, 1999). It is often
unlimited, open-ended, and evolving. Nevertheless, speech may be
predictable. Language roles that tend to repeat in some discourse contexts can
be recognized and painted.
Speaking offers that participants know how to use and give out certain points
of language called “linguistic competence” such as vocabulary, grammar,
intonation, as well as that they understand when, why, and in what ways to
produce language (“sociolinguistic competence”).
Not as the same as written language, speech has its own colors, structures,
and conventions. A good speaker unifies the statistics of skills and knowledge
to get through a given speech act.
Bygate (1987) confirms speaking as an undervalued skill in many ways. As
the fact that almost all people can speak, and so take speaking skill too much
for granted. He also asserts that speaking skill deserves attention every bit as
much as literacy skilled. Learners often need to be able to speak with

13