Some experiences of promoting the activeness in learning english for students in grade 8

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO THANH HÓA
PHÒNG GD&ĐT THÀNH PHỐ THANH HÓA

SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM

SOME EXPERIENCES OF PROMOTING THE ACTIVENESS
IN LEARNING ENGLISH FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE 9

Người thực hiện: Nguyễn Thị Tường Vân
Chức vụ: Giáo viên
Đơn vị công tác: Trường THCS Minh Khai
SKKN thuộc lĩnh vực (môn): Tiếng Anh

THANH HÓA NĂM 2017
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I. BACKGROUND :
1. The reason for choosing the topic:
In the modern world, when the economy is going up, the exchange of cultural economic meeting between the countries is increasingly expanding, the
communication of humans in various countries requires people must know how to use
the common language besides their mother tongue.
In the common language of communication on the world, English is now being
considered as the most common languag. For years, there have been a lot of people
interested in teaching and learning of English at schools as well as in life in our
country.
As an English teacher in a secondary school, I thought about the way : How to
teach English with quality and effectively?
First of all, I always master the aims that the Ministry of Education proposed the
English course in secondary schools is: to help students practice on the basis of four
skills of listening - speaking - reading - writing abilities achieve reading English at

secondary level, creating favorable conditions for learning and understanding of
modern science and technology and cultural treasures of the rich world.
The innovation of textbooks and teaching methods is an objective requirement
in order to help learners acquire knowledge system, more dynamic, more creative,
intellectual development capacity at a higher level, requiring teachers must invest
more research to help students get the basics. Meanwhile, students in many subject
areas unbalanced conditions and learning abilities , such as in rural and mountainous
areas, they are not in a position to participate in the English course, not yet in a
position to communicate with foreigners, media, reference books needed less. To
meet the above requirements , the tutors soon find appropriate solutions to overcome
these difficulties and provides for effective teaching and learning of English.
Looking at the actual Minh Khai Secondary School students, beginning in
their very modest, their English skills are limited, most of them do not feel confident
when learning English. Teachers to teach, I have seen them in English or how, but
want to do this then requires students to actively take initiative in learning. On that
basis, with these thoughts, I applied some solutions and created learning atmosphere
lively student in the English lessons.
Arriving at school with the concern , brought the hope that my experience will
help passionate teachers in the practical application and more successful in teaching,
so I’m trying to give " some experiences of promoting the activeness in learning
English for students in grade 9".

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2. Rationale :
In order to promote active learning for students, first we must understand that a
positive pedagogical phenomenon, expressed high exertion activity in many aspects
of learning and it comes true positive learning substance is said to be positive
perception, it is expressed: students wishing to acquire knowledge, skills and applied

skills to communicate, inspire learning, from here you will learn self-discipline
training, mobilization all cumulative experience ( vocabulary, grammar rules ... ) to
imitate, reproduce, searching behavior and conduct innovative communication
situations. Students actively select and manipulate knowledge thought proper to take
the necessary language behavior, consistent with the circumstances of
communication, awareness and knowing reveal their understanding verbally article
through language. They know how to work in pairs, in groups, to cooperate with you
when necessary in the course of language training at the request of the teacher.
Students who wish to contribute new information acquired from various sources,
sometimes beyond ... Three lessons expression level learning is positive:
Explore - Creative - Mimic
From positive thinking towards creative thinking is the result of non-stop
activities you and your students. Should require teachers to find appropriate teaching
methods, which are geared towards teaching how to learn , help people learn
cognitive activities to promote positive, proactive, creative, make it enable learners to
explore, discover, discovered knowledge against passive learning habits. NQTW2
(VIIIth) stated: " Innovation powerful educational methods and training, overcoming
a one-way path to indoctrinate, train sticky creative thinking of students. Step by step
application of advanced methods and modern methods in the teaching process,
ensuring conditions and time study, self- study students. Development of self-learning
movement, self-training routine and widespread in the entire population. " It was the
encouragement of active teaching perspective, expressing thoughts of teaching and
learning " learner - centered "
To make this possible, the teacher should build collective self learning class.
From here you can see the importance of self-discipline in learning and feeling
studious, efforts to emulate each other in learning. The success of a lesson depends
very much on students.
2. Reality matters:
Perhaps none of us deny the importance of English for Vietnam in economic
integration, political and cultural world, especially when the process of globalization

is occurring at breakneck speed. Good command of the English language will help us
feel more confident in communication . However, in every class I always see the
bewildered eyes, strange, sad, bored to learn, this is a matter of concern as I have.
Being assigned to teach the ninth-form students, I always worry about the previous
year when the forecast 8th grade now I found that the 9th graders learned very quietly,
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in the class there were only a few active students, others sitting rest, making classroom
atmosphere very boring. Through practical teaching, I found them quite level
difference, in the first class, only the relatively older children or speech all remaining
construction will not participate in the activities, some school student refuses to copy
all, sometimes bored school children to sleep well in class.
II. RESOLUTIONS:
Here are some solutions that I have applied in the teaching process 9th grade
English subject in the school year 2015 - 2016 and the first semester of the 2016-2017
school year at Minh Khai Secondary School.
A. For the teacher :
a. Preparation :
Teachers need to have invested a lot of effort and time to collect documents
and images related to the topic, constantly up-date information to support lectures.
Before preparing a lesson, teachers have studied in post content , then add and expand
their knowledge of content instructors need to prepare some teaching materials that
teachers towards to develop post. Today, with the advancement of science and
technology , the visual media can increasingly modern applications to serve as
teaching many pictures of beautiful colors, or other electronic means, information art
as language learning tapes, video tapes, movies, lights, computers ... in addition,
teachers can use other means to search the school, or family can do to use in the
teaching. With the preparation of new teachers so they can make up all class as people
suggest, catalysis, motivate, mentor, referee in activities to explore exciting, hotly

contested by students.
b . In the article ( Getting started )
In English 9, in all parts shown in the Getting started section. The purpose of
this section is to get students excited to be learning in all subject and also to review
the practice of knowledge related to post or to teachers create the necessary
communication needs necessary for the operation of the post.
Warm-ups ( Getting started ) typically accounts for a short period of time
compared to the lesson, but extremely important. Its aim is to prepare psychological
knowledge to new lessons, arouse the available knowledge of students related the
need for new lessons, inspire new lessons , creating a pleasant atmosphere between
teachers and students. Therefore, to do this teachers need flexibility to use various
tricks such as using pictures, real objects instead collected in the book to cause
controversy attractive, ask the relevant knowledge Oldest to post, play some mini
games to exploit the available knowledge of the students and lead to new post . When
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doing this, teachers need to pay attention to the following points: It can be used both
in English and Vietnamese, should provide an opportunity for students to ask the
teacher or ask each other to inspire, promote active students. Always interested in
psychology of students’ age and interests of the student to make the appropriate
procedure.
For example, to teach “gettting started” in Unit3 - English 9, I have
photocopied zoom 6 pictures in the book, and guided the students to play the game:
Kim 's game
( What are they doing in each picture ? )

- By the way I get the attention , concentration and stimulate students need to
communicate in English to the children . You can look at the picture and think of
activities in English , was quickly put out the question :

- A woman is watering vegetable. – Some boys are swimming. – A girl is
collecting eggs. – Some women are cutting rice.
- A man is feeding his pig. – A boys is flying a kite. – Some boys are playing
soccer.
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c. Introduction : ( Listen and read )
Teachers can introduce content related with the topic, can introduce vocabulary,
grammar, or language functions through conversation. Teachers should collaborate
with paintings , visual aids to clarify the situation , the context of the conversation,
through which clarify the meaning of new words or function, using the new structure.
Note enabling students to discover new information through the elicitation procedure
to help students understand the lesson better.
When introducing new words and structures, teachers can use some different
games to get more attention from students and to make them more active.
For example: To help student remember the new words and structures in “Listen and
read” ( Unit 1- English 9) teacher can guide student to play the game
*“ Noughts and crosses”
impressed

mosque

wishes

pen pals

correspond

visit

keep in touch

modern

used to

- Teacher asks students to close their books.
- Teacher makes a sentence.
Maryam was really impressed by the beauty of Hanoi.
- Teacher divides the class into two groups: One group is “Noughts” (O) and another
is “ Crosses (X)
- The groups choose the words in the table and make sentences in turn. The group
that makes a correct sentence will get an “O” or an “X”
Example: Group " Noughts" chooses the word " impressed”, if one student from
the group can make the sentence "Maryam was really impressed by the beauty of the
city/ Ha noi”, the group will get an “O”.
Group " crosses" chooses the word "used to", if one student from the group can make
the sentence, " Lan used to walk past the mosque (on Hang Luoc street/ on her way to
primary school)" the group will get an “X”.
O
X
- The group that has three "O" or three "X" in vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines
will win the game..
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*Lucky Number.
- Teacher writes 7 numbers on the board and tell students each number is for a
question but 2 of them are lucky numbers. If students choose a lucky number, they do

not have to answer any questions but they get two points and they can choose another
number.
- Teacher divides the class into two teams.
- The team having more points wins the game.
Questions for Lucky Number: Listen and read –Unit 6- English 9
1/ What does group 2 have to do?
2/ Lucky Number
3/ Mr Brown has to give out the bags. ( Is this sentence T or F?)
4/ Complete this sentence: If they work hard today, they ...................
5/ Lucky Number
6/ What do we call a person who works to protect the environment from damage or
destruction?
7/ Give the names of the two pictures:

*Suggested answer:
1/ The group 2 has to check the sand.
3/ It's True.
4/ If they work hard today, they will make the beach clean and beautiful again.
6/A conservationist.
7/ garbage dump/ water pollution.
* Activity 10- square.
Teacher shows the squares on the board. Teacher tells students that they are going
to retell the content of the lesson by choosing any numbers on the squares. The
contents of the squares are hidden. Teacher divides the class into two teams. The team
having more correct sentences will win the game. After the game, teacher asks some
students to look at all the squares and retell the content of the lesson.

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conservationists/be/
beach.// going/clean.

1

Group 3/ check/ rock.

4

Group1/walk/the shore. 2 Group2 /check/ sand.

Mr Jones/ collect/bags/
take/ garbage dump.

3

5 Mrs Smith/provide/ picnic
lunch.
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d . Teach Speaking ( Speak ) :
Teachers should collaborate frequently used forms of practice speaking in pairs
(pairs) or in groups (groups) so they have more opportunities to use English in class. In
addition, teachers should organize activities to the competition between groups, creating
exciting learning atmosphere. With what words students want to express in English but
not, may allow students to use the special Vietnamese students say false, incorrect
pronunciation is not interrupted. Teacher should let pupil speak naturally, then correct
for weak students, teachers need to give a lot of suggestions, questions or simply close
small problem for students not lose confidence when answering.
For example, to teach part Speak at Unit 6 - 9 , I used cardboard to write the

conversation to which the purpose is to focus the attention of the students to look up the
table, handing pairs student activities rearrange the position of the sentence into a
logical conversation , the teacher easily be handled all subjects to students if they look
at the books, they will easily be dominated by pictures other by vivid pictures , colors
look beautiful or neglect look. Besides, it’s very convenient for students to look up the
table to practice conversation in pairs .
e . Teach listening skills ( Listen )
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Teachers should take three steps to teach listening ( listening before, during and
after listening listening ) and should be grouped according to student performance,
combined with photos, listen more games to be gentle. Now students should listen to
through out a single turn and not interrupt. The simple listening ( name, age,
classification ) should be to the average student, weak , poorly detected, the complex
listening for strong students to answer ( describe , explain , compare ... ).
For example: Listen To teach part -Unit 3 - English 8, I have prepared some
utensils follows: stereo- tapes, garlic, green peppers and some pictures of dishes
collected from magazines " Happiness family " and " Women of Vietnam ", ... With this
preparation, when I give things out, the students can learn the lesson content today is
what attracted me and the right to post a gently.
f . Teaching reading comprehension skills (Read )
Teachers also perform three steps to teach reading ( before reading , during
reading and after reading ). Teachers should simplify reading by giving some simple
exercises like article provides some questions correctly identify false (T/ F statements),
rearrange the sentence position due course content questions story ( Ordering ), painting
and taking questions for students to guess the content , ask students to put a few
questions that I hope all readers will respond ... to avoid boredom, teachers should
change the procedure technology to match the content and the type of exercise . The
article read in class 9 relatively new term with ample amount of preparation so the

students are all extremely important , teachers should guide students to do specific tasks
before learning something new all the teacher's intentions such as composing new kind
words from , find the reading theme , the actual contact ...
For example: To teach part Read - Unit 8, I do not use the usual tricks such as T / F
statements, comprehension question ( Lucky number), but I guess for students in the
form of lesson content Networks. Have students work under the 2 groups, the board
wrote. After reading the contents of the two groups continue to post additional
comments to the above table to complete and each group can only be written on a turn
table. Thus attract most students participate in positive activities.
g . Teaching writing skills ( Write )
Teachers also perform three steps to teach writing ( prewriting, writing, and
later in writing ). Teachers can stimulate students' interest in using post visual aids,
paintings illustrating themes write , set up a situation for the article, the article discusses
types: a leaf letter, a story ... a good teacher should do the tutorial sample through
reading assignments for students by talking in pairs and groups through a number of
questions, to play a language game, tell a story Thereby teachers ... outline ( Out line) or
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a key expressions on the board, ask students to use an outline or table as part of the
basic key to write. Besides the preparation of students prior equally more important in
writing so teachers should suggest questions before students go home to have time to
think. Ask more problems related topics. User vocabulary for students to serve content
to be written. Assigned to the students about the specific exercises to improve writing
skills for children.
For example: Before teaching part - Write Unit 8 - English8 , I ask students to
prepare in advance: - Name the parts of a letter, prepared words and phrases to describe
the home village. The base material in my village. What I like most in my village.Why?
For the preparation of students, teachers can give students to write one
component quickly and do not need to review the students write in Unit 5. So teachers

can save time and students can participate to answer questions by a lively proactive and
prepared for teachers and students how to answer questions, said before writing very
fluently because they have capital from which the preparation I made.
B. The combination of teachers and students:
a. Understanding and classifying student performance:
Firstly, to make sure that the measure is effective to contact the school, I want
to learn the location of the class in the past year combined with survey data early to
know the learning status of students. Next, I classified the qualified students in groups
arranged for convenience later.
b. Divide groups in the class :
When I have known the students’ ability, I contact with their form teacher and
presented the status of their knowledge of English subjects. I divided the class into
groups, each group has arranged them quite good academic from the poor, between the
educated groups were similar ( not the difference ) to avoid encroaching groups the
other group surfing leads to a classroom speech is not uniform in all construction. Each
group may nominate an academic leader best. The leader is responsible for:
- Managing your team in the process of English learning.
- Helping and guiding the practical difficulties that the team does not understand
and you do not.
- Contacting the teacher and ask the teacher explained the problem in learning the
English department of the group.
The group learning in the classroom is very useful, they have weak or bored
school student's English language entrance requirements, I have joined in the movement
of the group, giving them more confidence in speaking, discussion with you in the
group with the desire to contribute their ideas for the group to emulate with other
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groups. During the lesson, I also care about the children weak, prioritize them easy
answer questions and encourage them to speak by giving instant point to encourage

them. Besides the leader is responsible for checking your knowledge in the study group
as well as tubers, prepared for class post. During these group discussions, team leader
guides the discussion members, each member must contribute an opinion, depending on
the level of students.
c. Learning in group:
After the distribution of each group in the residential area, I guide them to
arrange a two week group sessions to learn without affecting the formal sessions. They
work together on homework , write a new post ....
In addition to the content in class, I have plans for the team, which is selected
topics simpler and closer and closer to learning knowledge to the group so that students
can choose and write. After choosing the topic, discussion in groups, contribute ideas to
build a post office. In the process of writing topics students can contact me for more
words, difficult phrases, I give them about a week 's time , then collect all of the group
and the individual. When I put the record on a specific error and put the paper back for
additional help groups complete article and write in their notebooks every two weeks I
made a new topic.
d. Self- examination, self-regulation:
For the English-language, students, the self-examination, self-regulation is
incredibly important. So, I always create opportunities for student self-assessment and
mutual assessment, said comparing, compare your opinions with our results. Any
activity that my students also made comments before coming to a conclusion.
e. Summary - Commendation - Awards
At the end of each semester, teachers shoud use statistics on class quality and
learning of students in each group in the English department to celebrate and reward
high-achieving groups and individuals to encourage best morale of their learning.
4. Testing :
Above are some solutions to promote positive student learning English 8th
graders that I have applied in the 2015-2016 school year and the first semester of the
2016-2017 school year at Minh Khai Secondary School. The results are as follows:
School year 2015-2016:

Class

total

7A

45

Fail

Poor

amount

% amount

% amount %

0

11

0

5

Fair
15

Good

33

amount
13

Excellent
% amount %
28

12

26
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The first term of the school year 2016-2017:
Class t total
8A

45

Fail
amount
0

Poor
%

Fair

Good

Excellent

amount % amount % amount % amount %
0

4

9

14

31

15

33

12

26

They have better outcomes, reducing the number of weak students, the number of
strong students increased. Have you started the academic year average, but last year
achieved good results. The positiveness help them achieve their desired results. There
are situations where I felt very surprised about their achievements, first in class when I
asked them some simple questions they bewildered but only after a semester they
answered the questions more fluently.
* Lessons Learned:

- To create a positive learning environment, the teacher plays a very important
role. On the class, students are the main activities, but earlier when preparing all
teachers have to invest a lot of effort and time to prepare teaching aids, navigation
methods, organization of learning activities stars to suit every student object.
- Teachers should focus on classroom practice self-learning method for students:
If you exercise for students to get the skills, methods, study habits, said flexible
applications on the learning situations new, self- discovery and said addressing the
issues raised will give them the desire to learn, evoked potential inherent in every
human being.
- Need flexibility to coordinate the organization of learning activities in the
classroom, enhance individual learning, in collaboration with cooperative learning.
- Combined with the assessment of teacher self-assessment of role: To promote
positive student, the teacher must guide students to develop self-assessment capacity
and to facilitate student participation evaluation each other.
III . CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:
Positive education for students learning English in particular and 8th grade
students are generally basic contents in innovation of teaching methods available today.
From the first day at school we have trained for creative self-discipline in learning,
making them visible role itself is extremely important. They always put yourself in the
initiative to promote comprehension and knowledge from teachers. To the teachers must
be dynamic, enthusiastic and approachable to students. Always create a lively
atmosphere for students to direct the ultimate aim is to equip them with basic
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knowledge. For this teacher not only have extensive knowledge which requires a lot of
methods to use in specific situations and the most suitable. The above method should
always be " grinding, sharpening , filing .. " in teaching practice. Teachers must know
how to encourage their students in learning, and then make students parents feel more
confident of the teachers so that they can help our teachers successfully implement our

growth strategy of national education. Besides the physical facilities of the school are
basic elements for teachers to fulfill this task.
Through the lessons from experiences and accumulated some experience
from my colleagues I have some experiences of promoting the activeness in learning
English for 8th graders that I have applied and got certain results. I hope these
experiences will be read and my colleagues will supply it more feasible to develop
content and be of practical use to teachers of English throughout the district.
I sincerely thank you !

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