Starting the skill lessons in grade nine with the language focus part effectively at boarding ethnic junior high schoo

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Reason
I have chosen this subject to research because of the following reasons. Firstly, the
aim brought the teaching and learning English at secondary schools is how new methods
to promote the positive, proactive students, to create optimal conditions for their
development and skills training ability to use language to communicate the purpose of
not only providing pure language knowledge. In other words, the ultimate aim of the
process of teaching and learning is communicative competence rather than linguistic
competence.
Secondly, the difficulties that English teachers face while teaching both two
skills; Listening and Speaking in a lesson according to the old program. In recent years
the education and training of Thanh Hoa has adjusted by separating two skills; Listening
and speaking into two separated items. At the same time integrating the grammar
practice sessions of the language focus in Speaking and Listening lessons with the aim to
create favorable conditions for teachers in developing the skills for students. This change
is a really suitable solution and almost teachers sympathy and support.
Finally, however, looking at the reality of each lesson, the problem posed is that
how we should integrate the practice sessions of that language focus on the steps in
reasonable speaking – listening skill lessons . How just be stimulating for the children in
class skill, just not too mired in a grammar exercise more? This has always puzzled me
in the teaching process. With teaching experience of yourself as well as references from
colleagues, I have explored and researched the solution and I have applied on the
research subject is my students in grade 9 to teach.
In conclusion, with the framework of this writing, let me share with my colleages
about some experiences integrate language focus on the starting part of skill lessons in
English 9 through the topic: "Start the skill lessons with a part of language focus
efficiently in grade 9 at Ba Thuoc Boarding Ethnic Minority Junior High School"
1.2. Research purpose
As you probably already know, there are many reasons why my research is done.
But what are its purposes. I have conducted this initiative in order to help them learn
English better in the skill lessons.

1.3. Research subjects
Students are in grade 9 at Bording Ethnic Junior High School, in school year
2016-2017.
1.4. Research methods
There are three methods which I have used in my initiative:
- Method of investigation
Investigation survey methodology is a broad-based audience to discover the law
of distribution and the characteristics of the object.
- Method of empirical science
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A method of scientists actively impact on the audience and the course of events
that the participants are guided in the development of its planned target.
- Method of analysis summed up the experience
1.5. New points of experience initiative
- Students use language focus to practise skill lessons.
- To make skill lessons more interesting and more exciting
2. THE CONTENT
2.1. Theoretical basis
Though it's a new language lesson or a skill lesson they are indispensable to the
beginning of the lesson, starting (warm-up). With the aim to stabilize the class, allowing
students to adapt to the new unit, creating a favorable environment for new lessons.
Especially created a need to communicate or make an operational purpose for the next
communication, each teacher should be based on the purpose and characteristics of
lessons, depending on the object and its specific students, teachers 1 staff can design
appropriate activities. Typically, teachers often ask ex post in the boot in order to test
their knowledge of the language of the student. However, this job really pressured and
created tension for students when preparing to receive new knowledge.
By new program of Thanh hoa educational and training office has enabled to

integrate Language focus lessons on speaking and listening skills. As we have already
known, "Language Focus" is a part to help consolidate and codify exercise the functions
of language, the grammar and vocabulary has appeared in each unit. It is usually given
in the form of exercise and relatively dry. So integrate it into which section is suitable
without time consuming. This requires inquiry, creativity and exploitation of each
teacher. Through each lesson of myself, I found that using an exercise part of Language
focus on the "Warm-up" of skill lesson has created more remarkably effective.
2.2. Status of the research problem
2.2.1. Advantages
- With separating two skills; speaking - listening into two separated lessons helps
teachers easily orientate the main focus of the skills that I have to teach them and then
design appropriate activities in three steps: pre- While- Post for each individual skill.
- There are currently reference books as well as professional training curricula
positive auxiliary teaching method of renewing foreign language teachers. Besides, each
year the Department, the Department of Education also organizes professional training
classes for teachers, organized the professional stage cluster activities, organized sports
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instructors, thematic reports going into in professional matters,... to help teachers to
teach foreign languages to access and use the most effective new method. However,
teachers at the school can not use stereotypes to actual conditions of teaching, which
requires teachers to know to perform selectively to suit the student level, student age,
body school facilities and classrooms.
- The application of information technology in teaching can help teachers to easily
design the game, collect pictures without losing much time and create remarkably
effective.
2.2.2. Disadvantages
- According to the psychological age, students in grade 9 are in the mature stage so
their study is no longer as lively excitement anymore in class 6,7. Besides, they are very

afraid to communicate, this makes the lesson often becomes heavy.
- Most of the Language focus lessons, teachers often teach grammar heavily and
they are always anxious that their students can not complete the exercise without
classificating and selecting activities, instructional techniques to appropriate use in each
unit. So students will feel no excited if teachers are not flexible in planning and how to
organize classroom activities, the review session will follow the old pattern, tedious.
- After a period of teaching and researching in new program, I noticed that there are
speaking – listening lessons which conjunct with Language focus Listening focus but the
language knowledge is not similar with language focus. For example:
* Unit 3: Lesson2: Speak – Language 1-4
+ Speak: - Use the present tense to talk about his hometown
+ The Language Focus: - Exercise of wish sentence with the past simple (Lf 1)
Practise connective "so" (Lf 4)
* Unit 5: The media: Lesson 3: Listen – Language focus 1-3-4
+ Listen - Listening to all kinds of media mass and past tense is used
+ The Language Focus: - Practice the question tag, gerund followed by the verbs.
* Unit 6: The environment: Lesson 3: Listen – Language focus 1-3+ Listen - Listening to the ocean so contaminated
+ The Language Focus: - Exercise of adjectives and adverbs can only ways (Lf 1)
- Train the adjective comes with clause (Lf 3)
- Exercise of conditional sentences 1 (Lf 5)
The disjointed in the knowledge of this language makes difficult the integration
of the teachers of Language Exercises focus on more skills as well as using it to link
with the content of the post.
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- Besides, as the example mentioned above, there are all too many amount of
knowledge in a more practiced. This requires teachers to integrate how reasonable
medium just does not take much time for warm-up activities. By activity warm-up
usually takes 5 to 10 minutes in a lesson

2.2.3. Survey details:
In the process of teaching, with just sense the situation to study the characteristics
of the study subjects had students conduct drawing experience. Right from the beginning
of the school year I had estimate orient yourself a plan and specific methods to actively
investigate the situation of their students learning to teach. Through investigation I have
found that most students did not manipulate the knowledge of language focus to practice
speaking and listening. Survey results as follows:
Grade
9

poor

Weak

Average
%

Number

%

Number

%

Number

5

8.34

10

16.67

35

58.33

Quite

Good

Total

Number

%

Number

%

8

13,33

2

3,33

60

2.3. The performance measures.
From the advantages and difficulties, after the language focus lessons I have
taught at schools before and now I am working at Boarding Ethnic secondary school,
I've redesigned the Language focus exercises into fun games for the startups of listening
or speaking skill lessons. Detail as follows:
2.3.1.“ Snake and ladder” game
Unit 3 of English 9: Speak- Language focus 1:
Warm-up: Language focus 1
- Objective: In this activity students can:
+ Practise the simple past tense with "Wish"
+ Identify the topic of skills you're going to learn
- Preparation: + A poster with the picture of a snake and a ladder
(Photo illustration below)

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- How to conduct this activity.
+ The teacher divides the class into two teams: team A and team B.
+ Suggestions for topics of the picture: It's a place
+ Ask the students to repeat the knowledge of the wish sentence with the past
simple.
a- Ba/ can have/ new bicycle
Ba wishes he could have a new bicycle
b- Hoa/ can visit/ parents
c- I/ pass/ exam
d- We/ it/ not rain

e- He/ can fly
f- They/ stay Hue
Handout: (for class with weak students)
a- Ba ( wish).... wishes.......... he (can)..... could.......have a new bicycle
b- Hoa (wish).............. she (can)..............visit her parents
c- I (wish)...............I (pass)................... the exam
d- We (wish) ...........it (not rain)..................
e- He (wish).................. he (can)..................fly
f- They(wish)....................they (stay)...................... in Hue
+ Asks students to work in groups and put the Convention with suggestions
+ Students in groups will give their answers one by one, that team will be opened a
letter in word of the theme with each correct answer and help the snake climbing a
ladder’s step. Each correct answer corresponds to one piece of the puzzle which is
uncovered will get 1 points and the team which guesses the theme word will get 3
points
+ Teacher adds points of 2 teams, the team will win with more points.
+ Teacher relies on that topic word to lead to new lesson
- Time for activity: 10 minutes
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* Conclusion: - The game actually stimulates for students and easier for teachers to
lead to new lessons with the village theme.
2.3.2. Run for flag on the moon game: ( Unit 10 of English 9: Listen- Language focus
3-4) :
* Warm-up: Language focus 3
- Objectives: After the activity students can
+ Understand the structure of conditional sentences 2
+ Identify the theme of listening skills you're going to learn.
- How to conduct activity:

+ Preparation: Handout: (for classes with good students)
- A poster fantasy moon and flag

1- Mr Loc/ have/ car// drive to work
2- Lan/live/ Ho Chi Minh city// visit/ Saigon Water Park
3- Nam/ arrive/ school/ on time// have/ alarm clock
4- Hoa/ live/ Hue// see/ parents/ every day
5- Nga/ own/ piano//play/ well
6- Tuan/ get/ better/ grades// study/ harder
Handout: (For weak students)
1- If Mr Loc (have)…………….a car, he (drive)……………………. to work
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2- If Lan (live)…………in Ho Chi Minh city, she ( visit)……… Saigon Water Park
3- Nam (arrive)…………………….at school on time if he (have) …………………..an
alarm clock
4- If Hoa(live)…………………..in Hue, she (see)……………………her parents every
day
5- If Nga (own) ……………………a piano, she (play)…………………….. well
6-Tuan (get)………………………… better grades if he (study)………… harder.
+ Students can be divided into 3 groups (group A, B,C) and handout for each group
+ Ask the students stated the conditional sentence structure 2 that they have learned
+ Teachers show the following photo.
+ Students in the groups will make sentences with the suggested words in the form
of the second conditional sentences . The team which complete first, then present their
answers and the other groups will give comment. If correct, that team will get the flag
and become the winner
+ Teachers rely on the moon image in the game and lead to new lesson
- Time for activity: 10 minutes.

- Conclusion: With the relatively short time that the object mountainous student
teachers need to simplify the exercise of textbooks to create opportunities for students to
solve exercises in a short time but still be deepened grammatical content
- This activity can be adapted for assignments such as:
Unit 4: Learning a foreign language - Language focus 1
Unit 8: The environment- Language focus 4
2.3.3. Guessing picture game: ( Unit 10 of English 9: Speak- Language focus 1-2) :
-Warm-up:Language focus 2.
- Objective: In this activity students can
+ Exercise the first conditional
+ Identify the topic of new lesson
- Preparation: + a picture about Mars

+ Four cards write sentences in exercise
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Language focus 2( page 90)
b-Lan(miss) ……….. the bus
if she(not hury)………..

d- Mrs Nga(join)…………us if she
(finish) …………..her work early

c-If Ha(not be) …… careful,
he( drop) …………the cup

e-If Mrs Binh(write)………
a shopping list, she(not forget)……..

- How to conduct:
+ The teacher divides the class into two teams: The Moon and The Sun
+ Suggests about topics of picture: It's a planet
+ Hangs (slideshow) 4 cards are numbered 1,2,3,4 and painting is covered under 4
cards.
+ Asks the students to refer to the knowledge of the first conditional sentence
+ Students in groups will in turn choose the number and exercise in deep behind
those numbers. Each correct answer corresponds to one piece of the puzzle is uncovered
will be 10 points and team guessed the contents of paintings dedicated team will be 30
points.
+ Teacher sums of 2 teams, which team will win more points.
+ Teacher relies on that picture to lead to new lessons.
- Time for activity: 10 minutes.
* Conclusion: The game actually stimulates for students and easier for teachers to
lead to new lessons with topics Mars
2.3.4. Stepping stone game: ( Applied to the Language focus 3 at Speak and Language
focus 2- 3 of Unit 7)
- Objective: In this activity students can:
+ Exercise structure "Suggest"
+ Identify new lesson topics
- Preparation:
+ 8 suggestions given in textbooks and 2 posters painted the rocks on a river
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- Steps:
+ The teacher divided the class into two groups A, B and each group with a
poster.
+ The teacher mentioned the first suggestions. Students discuss and write a
sentence with the structure "Suggest" in two situations given a) and b)

+ Teachers collect the writing of two groups and ask two students to represent each
group and read aloud. The group with the correct answers will be setting foot on the first
stone. Incorrect groups from there, standing still
+ In turn such rock groups up front will cross the river 8 minutes ago and was the
winning team.
+ Teachers rely on newly implemented operational structure to enter the new
lesson.
2.3.5. Shark attack game: (Applied to the Language focus 1 I Speak and Language
focus 1 lesson – Unit 8)
- Objective: In this activity students can:
+ Exercise of the relative clause
+ Identify new topic lesson "compliment"
- Preparation:
+ Draw a poster with pictures and theme of the lesson
+ Teachers prepare 9 cards with 9 sentences at the Language focus 1
Topic: “Well done!”- This is a……..

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a- Tet is a festival. Tet occurs in late January and early February
b- Auld Lang Syne is a song. Auld Lang Syne is sung on New Year’s Eve.
c- This watch is a gift. The watch was given to me by my aunt on my 14th birthday.
d- My friend Tom can compose songs. Tom sings Western folk songs very well.
e- We often go to the town cultural house. The town cultural house always opens on
public holidays.
f- I like reading books. Books tell about different people and their culture.
g- On my mom’s birthday my dad gave her roses. The roses were very sweet and
beautiful.
h- Judy liked the full- moon festival very much. The festival is celebrated in mid- fall.

i- Tomorrow I’ll go to the airport to meet my friends. My friends come to stay with us
during the Christmas
Handout: (For weak students)
* Please finish the following sentences with relative pronouns who, which appropriate:
a- Tet is a festival .................. occurs in late January and early February
b- Auld Lang Syne is a song......................... is sung on New Year’s Eve.
c- This watch is a gift .....................was given to me by my aunt on my 14th birthday.
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d- My friend Tom, .............. sings Western folk songs very well, can compose songs.
e- We often go to the town cultural house................ always opens on public holidays.
f- I like reading books ............... tell about different people and their culture.
g- On my mom’s birthday my dad gave her roses................. were very sweet and
beautiful.
h- Judy liked the full- moon festival.................. is celebrated in mid- fall very much.
i- Tomorrow I’ll go to the airport to meet my friend,................., come to stay with us
during the Christmas
+ The teacher divided the class into two groups (group A, B) and handout for each
group
+ Ask the students to repeat the knowledge of relative clauses which they have
learned
+ Teachers image sequence after (or hang poster)
+ Students in the group will connect the pair of sentences using relative clauses.
Teachers turn screened pairs and ask each question in turn connecting pairs team
sentences with relative clauses. Which team will turn the connections between topics
and stand in place. Which team made the wrong answer will be down 1 degree. The
team that found a topic from which the winning team
+ Teachers rely on from topic to enter the new post
- Time for activity: 10 minutes.

- Conclusion: With the relatively short time that the object mountainous student
teachers need to simplify the exercise of textbooks to create opportunities for students to
solve exercises in a short time but still be deepened grammatical content
2.4. The efficiency of the experience initiative
2.4.1. Learned lessons
During implementation of the method applied lessons I have drawn on a number
of lessons as follows:
- The exercises are done in the form of the game to make interest in learning for
students as well as ensuring the principle students central role with appropriate methods
psychoactive students. Other assignments have also included in the same game. Even
applying this game in some extra exercise in step consolidation (Post- teaching) in class.
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And we not only use these games in class 9 lessons that can apply to the integrated
lesson with Language focus in grade 8.
- Although there may be old games which have been applied very much teacher
applies as: Shark attack, pelmanism ..... but at each specific lesson with the intention of
each teacher, it re-creates the effective difference.
- In the process of implementing the game, I see that the teams follow the naming
vocabulary related to the topic of the newly created excitement in the lesson, students
just helps them inculcate vocabulary in topic there. Example: Unit 3: A trip to the
countryside
- teachers when organizing games can be named as the banyan tree teams played
and the bamboo or in Unit 9: Life on the planet- other teachers can name two the Sun
and the Moon is the
2.4.2. Achievements
According to the survey results of the class that I applied the solution on, I found
the results of student learning is improved remarkably. A detailed exam of the class after
I apply this solution is higher than the previous test

Grade
9

poor

Weak

Average
%

Number

%

Number

%

Number

0

0

6

10

30

50

Quite

Good

Total

Number

%

Number

%

18

30

6

10

60

That is the lesson I designed to apply in my lessons and feel satisfied with the
achieved results in teaching language focus and skill lessons.
English 9: Period 63:

UNIT 10: LIFE ON THE OTHER PLANET
Lesson 2: SPEAK & LANGUAGE FOCUS 1-2
A- Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
+ Talk about vents or existence on other planets
+ Practice the modal verb: may/ might and the conditional sentence:
Type 1
B- Language contents:
+ Vocabulary: words about substance on another planets
microorganism (n); little creature (n); gemstone (n); trace (n);
precious (n); sparkling ; spot (n)
+ Structures: Modal verbs: might/ may. The conditional sentence: Type 1
C- Techniques: matching, dialogue build, discussion
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D- Preparation: poster showing drawing things
E. Procedures
1. Warm - up (10 minutes)
Teacher’s activities
+ Greeting
* Game: Guessing picture:
- Shows the poster with 4
pieces of paper
- Gives the topic of the
picture hidden under the
pieces: It’s a planet
- Has sts give the structure
and the usages of the first
conditional sentence
- Divides class into 2 groups

and sts choose the numbers
and answer the questions.
Which group gives right
answer will get 10 marks,
the one finding the topic of
the picture will get the
marks
- Shows the answers
- Uses the picture and leadin the lesson

Students’
activities
+ Greeting

Content

- Listen and
answer
- Play the game

- Write the
answers

1

3

2

4

* Language focus 2:
1- b-Lan(miss) ………. the bus
if she(not hury)………..
2- c-If Ha(not be) …… careful,
he( drop) …………the cup
3- d- Mrs Nga(join)…………us if
she (finish) …………..her work
early
4- e-If Mrs Binh(write)………
a shopping list, she(not
forget)...

2. Pre - speaking(10 minutes)
- Sets the scene:
- Pre- teach vocabulary

- Pay attention
- Listen and
answer
- Write

I- New words:
- microorganism (n): sinh vật
( picture)
- little creature (n): sinh vật nhỏ
(picture)
- gemstone (n): đá quý
( picture)
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- Gets sts to read in chorus
- Calls some sts to read
* Check vocabularies:
Jumbled words
- Gets sts to match the
pictures and words in the
map
- Introduces the situation
between Hung and Nam and
gets sts to talk about the
grammar in the dialogue

- Read in chorus
- Read

- trace (n): dấu vết (translation)
- precious (n): quý giá (situation)
- sparkling (n): lấp lánh( picture)
- spot (n): điểm, chấm

- Match

- Give idea about
the grammar

II- Grammar:
Modal verb: May/ might
Form: May/ might + infinitive

Meaning: Có lẽ, có thể
The usages: Diễn tả sự suy đoán ở
hiện tại hoặc tương lai
( may chắc chắn might)

3 – While - speaking (10 minutes)
( Controlled - speaking)
- Introduces a Gap - filling
- Observe and
(On the poster)
dialoge
make dialogues in
1- Make similar dialogues about
- Makes model with a good pairs.
the drawings using the cues in
student
section (a)
Nam: What do these ______ say?
Hung: There may be _______
Nam: And what about ________ ?
- Calls some students to give
Hung: Well, there might be
ideas.
________
- Present the
There may be _____________
- Comments and corrects.
dialogue
- Remark
14

- Sets task
-Model

-Has students give their
ideas in pairs
-Feed back

b. Free-speaking (5 minutes)
- Listen and work 2.Work with a partner. Tell what
in pairs
you think there might be on Mars,
on the moon and on other planets
- Present their
Ex: I think there might be water on
answers
the moon

- Comment and correct
4. Post - speaking(8 minutes)

- Set the scene:
- Introduce the game

- Listen
- Play the game

Game: The magic hat
* Language focus 1

- Listen and
memorize.

- Write - it - up.

5. Homework (2 minutes)
- Assign task:
+Learn by heart the
vocabularies
+ Write a similar dialoge
+ Do exercise 2,3,4 in
workbook
+ Prepare Listen and
Language focus 3,4

3. CONCLUSION
Teaching is an art, the way of teaching in class can be an art as it was conducted
under the direction of teacher skill. Therefore, every teacher is always constantly
learning to find its own ways to lead their students to the shores of knowledge. In the
narrow scope of this solution I just wish I could help shorten the distance of his students
approached the shores of knowledge. Besides, I hope that my work will contribute to
gradually improve and perfect the general teaching methods and class methods in
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particular. To sum up, I also wish to refer to the research of colleagues to ever-improving
their teaching skills more.
CONFIRMATION OF HEADMASTER

Ba Thuoc, May 25th , 2017
I assure that this is my experience
initiative. I do not copy from other
people's content.

AUTHOR

Trịnh Ngọc Viên

INDEX
1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………..…….…………………Page: 01
2 .THE CONTENT…………………………………………………..…………………….……Page: 02
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2.1. Theoretical basis………………………………………….………….……………….……Page: 02
2.2. Status of the research problem ………………………………………………..…...Page: 02
2.2.1. Advantage…………………………………………………..………………….…..………Page: 02
2.2.2. Disadvantages…………………………………………………. ……………….……… Page: 03
2.2.3. Survey details ……………………………………………………….……..….…………Page: 04
2.3. The performance measures……………………...……………….…..…..…..………Page: 04
2.4.The efficiency of the experience initiative ……………………........……….…Page: 11
2.4.1. Learned lessons………………………………………………………….… …………..Page: 11
2.4.2. Achievements …………………………………………………………….…..………… Page: 12
3. CONCLUSION……………………………………………..……………..……….………….Page: 15

REFERENCES
1. Hoàng Thị Diệu Hoài- Phan Thị Như Ý- 2009
17

HOẠT ĐỘNG LUYỆN TẬP TIẾNG ANH 9( Nhà xuất bản giáo dục)
2. Pattison,P
DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Cambridge : Cambridge University Press
3. Tứ Anh - Phan Hà - May Vi Phương - Hồ Tấn- 2005
HƯỚNG DẪN GIẢNG DẠY THEO CHƯƠNG TRÌNH TIẾNG ANH
MỚI( Nhà xuất bản Giáo dục)

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