Some practice activities help students learn language focus part in english 11 (basic) effectively

TABLES OF CONTEN TS
Contents
I. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Reasons for choosing the topic:
1.2. Purpose of the topic:
1.3. Research subjects:
1.4. Research Methods:
II. CONTENTS OF THE STUDY
2.1. Rationale of the study
2.2. Current status of the problem before applying the study
2.3. Some practice activities help students learn language focus

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effectively in English 11 (Basic).
2.3.1. Practice activities’ pronunciation part
2.3.1.1. A young woman:
2.3.1.2. Try two drums:
2.3.1.3. Gap fill:
2.3.2. Activities to practice grammar.
2.3.2.1. Collocate me.
2.3.2.2. Sentence completion.

2.3.2.3. I enjoy singing.
2.3.2.4. Listen, look and say.
2.4. Effectiveness of the study for educational activities, with myself,

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the colleagues and the school
III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1. Conclusions
3.2. Recommendations
REFERENCE BOOKS

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I. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Reasons for choosing the topic:
In recent years, the Ministry of Education and Training has introduced a

seven-year English textbook program to be implemented in high school
nationwide in order to meet today's new practical needs. Each unit of study is
compiled in five basic sections:
Part A: Reading
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Part B: Speaking
Part C: Listening
Part D: Writing
Part E: Language focus
Throughout the teaching process we can clearly see that in sections A, B,
C, and D, the design of relatively well-defined training activities makes it easy
for both teachers and students. Capture your tasks through specific tasks in the
textbook while still enhancing your students' high-level communication skills
through activities such as: Asking, answering, pairing, group works,
interviewing, reheating ...
However, over the years of teaching, I found that the organization of
teaching the language focus part at high school has encountered many
difficulties, obstacles. The amount of knowledge in a Language focus course
should be relatively high, the practice of new grammar knowledge is poor,
purely grammatical, lack of communication. Therefore, the results of knowledge
acquisition in a small group of students is low. Students take part in this class is
not natural, passive, which makes the lesson becomes tedious, lack of depth.
In the academic year 2016-2017, I was assigned by the school to the 11th
grade classes, myself trying to learn and explore ways to effectively teach
language focus, especially language focus classes in textbook grade 11 ( basic).
How to create many easy-to-remember activities to help students practise this
dry, hard-to-learn, language focus session is something that I personally
concern, worry, think. Therefore, in this experience initiative I would like to

share with my colleagues: "Some practice activities help students learn
language focus part in English 11 (Basic) effectively ."
1.2. Purpose of the topic:
In this initiative, I want to find out how to practise the language focus part
of the textbook program 11 in a simple and effective way. Besides that giving
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out a number of typical activities that apply to the 11th grade language focus to
improve problem solving skills in the language focus section for students in
particular and the quality of teaching this skill in general.
1.3. Research subjects:
This study focuses on the student's interest in language focus and provides
a number of activities to help students effectively practice this content element
of English books 11 (basic).
1.4. Research Methods:
Methods to build the theoretical basis: Learn the reality of the problem
then find out the solutions to solve the problem.
Methods

actual

survey,

gathering

information:

Distributing

questionnaires learning attitude of students towards subjects in English before
performing the subject. Then gather information to grasp the spirit of their
learning
Statistical methods, data processing: After applying the theme will be the
result statistics about the level of student progress to evaluate the success of
your project.

II. CONTENTS OF THE STUDY
2.1. Rationale of the study
The Language Focus section of English textbooks in Class 11 consists of
two main sections, Pronunciation and Grammar. Each topic requires that
teachers and students access to a variety of contents. In Pronunciation, grade 11
textbooks ask students to practice the pronunciation of pairs or bunches of
consonants in vocabulary and in pronunciation of language. This knowledge is
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considered to be very important as it helps to practice the language of
communication in practice and in adapting to the learning of listening, speaking
and reading skills. In addition, Grammar also requires teachers and students to
work with a greater amount of knowledge. This section deals with the grammar
issues of each unit and the grammar of the entire program. Teaching Language
Focus is becoming more important as it occupies a significant portion of the
current national exam. However, we can see that these items are simply designed
in the form of boring exercises, lack of communication and therefore often do
not create interest in learning for students. From this fact, teachers have to find
more effective teaching methods to solve the above problems.
2.2. Current status of the problem before applying the study
2.2.1. For students:
To know exactly about the excitement of learning English and whether

they like learning language focus or not. I conducted the questionnaire with 90
students in 2 classes 11A1 and 12A2. Sample survey forms are as follows:

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Please tick your choice.
1.You like or dislike studying English?
Like very much
Like
Normal
Dislike
2.You like learning language focus part?
Like very much
Like
Normal
Dislike
3.Why do you like (dislike) to learn language focus
lesson? ..........................................................
Thank you for your cooperation !
And this is the result:
T otal

Like

very Like

90 hs
Before

much
Sl
%
Sl
10
11.1 15

Normal
%
Sl
16.7 25

%
27.8

Dislike
Sl
40

%
44.4

applying the
study
From the above results, I find that: Most students are not interested in
learning English in general and language focus in particular. Most students think
that English is a difficult subject, most of them are afraid to learn this subject.
The number of students with knowledge of skills is minimal. They also said that
language focus courses are difficult to grasp, abstract and difficult to understand.
Forms of textbook practice are poor, boring and monotonous. The lessons in this

skill are usually tedious, theoretically theoretical, and there is no communicative
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activity for the student to participate. Because of the above reasons, they are
very passive in class, not interested and ineffective.
In addition, the high school that I teach myself is the one located in rural
and sparsely populated area with alot of economic difficulties. The main income
of the people is based on agriculture, so the investment for children's education
is not paid attention by parents. Therefore, students face many difficulties in
studying, even children do not have enough materials for learning.
2.2.2. For teachers:
The majority of teachers who teach the language focus, especially the
English 11 (basic) program, find that: They are very upset when they start a
language focus session for the following reasons:
- The amount of knowledge given for one lesson is too much. Each period
Teacher must address two main areas, Pronunciation and Grammar (and
vocabulary).
- The form of the design of the exercises is very monotonous, poor in content,
grammatically, abstract and difficult to understand, and lack of communication
skills, one of the most important skills must be achieved after each language
lesson ...
Because of the above reasons, teachers are having a hard time teaching
this part of language. Usually the language focus lesson is very tedious, not as
exciting as the other skills.
2.3. Some practice activities help students learn language focus effectively in
English 11 (Basic).
2.3.1. Practice activities’ pronunciation part
2.3.1.1. A young woman:
Unit 4: Volunteer work

Purpose: Practice the consonant / w / and / j /
Time: 5 minutes
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Preparation: Picture of a girl and printed drawings
Organization: Teamwork
Process:
Step 1: The teacher divides the class into groups of 6 students
Step 2: Teacher hangs a picture of a girl, A YOUNG WOMAN to introduce two
consonants / w / and / j /
Step 3: Teachers give each group a set of printed drawings
Step 4: Each group wrote the words based on the drawing of the sub-table,
divided into two columns according to the pronunciation of consonant / w / and /
j/
Step 5: Timeout, the teams paste the results on the board
Step 6: The teacher selects the best group for bonus points and pronunciation
exercises.
Picture: A YOUNG WOMAN

Picture card:
1

1

Mục 2.3.1.1 hoạt động do tác giả tự biên soạn sau khi nghiên cứu các nguồn TLTK 1,2,3,4,5. Hình ảnh từ
TLTK số 6

7

365

DAYS

=

1...............

Answer:
/w/
/j/

worker, waiter, watch, whale, worm, wine
yoga, the USA, yacht, year, computer, yawn

2.3.1.2. Try two drums:
Unit 6: Competitions.
Purpose: practice the consonant / tr /, / dr / and / tw /
Time: 5 minutes
Preparation: one word table for each group
Organization: Teamwork
Process:
Step 1: The teacher introduces 3 consonants / tr /, / dr / and / tw / through the
phrase try two drums by sticking them up on the board.2

2

Mục 2.3.1.2 và 2.3.1.3 hoạt động do tác giả tự biên soạn sau khi nghiên cứu các nguồn TLTK 1,2,3,4,5. Hình
ảnh từ TLTK số 6

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Step 2: The teacher divides the class into groups of 6 students, giving each group
a word.
Step 3: Discussing, the groups find the missing words to make meaningful
words
Step 4: Underline extra words with the remaining words.
Step 5: The teacher grades the group with the quickest and the best performance.
Step 6: Teach the whole class to pronounce the words in the table
Word table:
......ousers
con......ol
......eam
.......in
.......agon

.......ee
......ink
......opical
........elve
........agedy

........affic
........ess
en......ance
.......ill
.......unk

.......iver
.......op
.......ial
......enty
........um

traffic
dress
entrance
drill
drunk

driver
drop
trial
twenty
drum

Answer:
trousers
control
dream
twin
dragon
2.3.1.3. Gap fill:

tree
drink
tropical
twelve

tragedy

Unit 8: Celebrations
Purpose: Introduce and distinguish three sounds / fl /, / fr / and / θr /
Time: 5 minutes
Preparation: Photocopying handouts
Organization: Teamwork
Process:
Step 1: The teacher divides the class into 4 groups and handouts the groups
Step 2: The task of the groups is to find the word with one of the three sounds /
fl /, / fr / or / θr / replace the hints in the given sentences.
Step 4: The team that finds the correct word is the winning team
Handout:
Missing Suggested sentence
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word
1..........

2..........

You should buy a

to keep the food fresh longer.

The

to Ha Noi was delayed, so I had to

wait at the airport for 30 minutes.
3.........
4.........

5.........

Many people became homeless after the
A sore

is a popular illness to teachers

Hold a true

6.........

Eternal

7.........

A

8........

Use colourful

with your both hands

is my favourite song.

is an animal having beautiful eyes.

to embroider this dress
Answer :

1. fridge
5. friend

2. fight
6. flame

3. flood
7. frog

4. throat
8. thread

2.3.2. Activities to practice grammar.
2.3.2.1. Collocate me.
Unit 1: Friendship
Purpose: Practice using To-infinitive after noun, adjective....

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Time: 5 minutes
Preparation: handouts of 5 incomplete sentences
How to organize: Group activities.
Process:
Step 1: The teacher divides the class into groups of six students and handouts the
groups

Step 2: The task of the groups is to complete each statement at least by a Toinfinitive or a cluster containing To-infinitive. Students give as many answers as
possible.
Step 3: The groups submit the results, the teacher checks, comments and awards.
Example:
I have some letters ...........this morning. ( to write/to type/ to send....)
Handout:
Number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Hint sentences
The next train .................................is the 2.30 train
I have something ...........................today
I am very glad...............................the news
He is looking for a flat...................................
I am sorry ...........................................you

2.3.2.2. Sentence completion.
Unit 1: Friendship
Purpose: Practice using Bare-infinitive after noun, pronoun, adjective.
Time: 7 minutes
Preparation: handouts of 6 incomplete sentences
How to organize: Group activities.
Process:
Step 1: The teacher divides the class into groups of six students and handouts the
groups

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Step 2: The task of the groups is to observe 6 pictures and choose suitable
pictures for 6 sentences with the verbs see, watch, let .... The groups then write
the sentences in six meaningful sentences
Step 3: The groups read the results, the teacher checks, comments and awards.
Sheet1:

A

D

B

C

E

F
Sheet 2:

1. We heard them...........................................
2. She watched her son...................................
3. His parents let him......................................
4. Her mother made her..................................
5. I saw him....................................................
6. Do you feel the earth.................................?
Answer:
1. C. We heard them sing Happy Birthday to their friend

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2. B. She watched her son fly the kite in the yard
3. A. His parents let him go to school by bike
4. D. Her mother made her do the housework
5. E. I saw him play computer game in his room
6. F. Do you feel the earth move?
2.3.2.3. I enjoy singing.
Unit 4: Volunteer work
Purpose: Practice using the verb add -ing
Time: 5 minutes
Preparation: drawing board and incomplete sentences
How to organize: Group activities.
Process:
Step 1: The teacher divides the class into groups of six students and handouts the
groups
Step 2: The task of the groups is to observe, discuss and complete the sentences
in the table by combining the figures.
Step 3: The groups read the results, the teacher checks, comments and awards.
Table of incomplete sentences:
1. She is good at both.....................................
2. Since he retired, Mr Pike has spent most of his time....................................
3. ......................................................., she won the prize.
4. The man enjoys..............................................
5. ............................................................is her favourite job
6. The two boys are............................................................
7. She is decorating the cake after.........................................
8. the boy feels like...................................................................
9. .........................................................., the man is talking about it happily

Picture Table:

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1

4

7

2

3

5

6

8

9
Answer:

1. She is good at both singing and playing the guitar
2. Since he retired, Mr Pike has spent most of his time working in the garden
3. Having caught the biggest fish, she won the prize.
4. The man enjoys having a good meal in the open/outdoors
5. Teaching Maths is her favourite job
6. The two boys are talking while they are having cake

7. She is decorating the cake after having baked it
8. the boy feels like sleeping at his desk
9. Having bought a car, the man is talking about it happily
2.3.2.4. Listen, look and say.
Unit 13: Hobbies

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Purpose: practice emphasizing structure with It
Time: 5 minutes
Preparation: two sets of cards for two groups3
How to organize: Group activities.
Process:
Step 1: The teacher divides the class into two groups and hands out a card to
each student from the two groups of cards.
Step 2: Teacher reads a word, students with relevant cards raise their hands.
When invited, the student reads one or two sentences as suggested in the card.
The group will score a point in the accepted statement. If the student placed two
or three sentences from the figure, the team scored two or three.
Step 3: Teacher comments, gives praise and points.
Teacher’s word table:
1. 3 children
5. cooking

2. football
6. house

3. dog
7. bags

Picture card:

4. newspapers
8. book

Suggested answer:
3

Mục 2.3.2.1; 2.3.2.2;2.3.2.3;2.3.2.4 hoạt động do tác giả tự biên soạn sau khi nghiên cứu các nguồn TLTK
1,2,3,4,5. Hình ảnh từ TLTK số 6

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1. The three children are singing.
it is the three children who are singing...
2. The boy is playing football
it is the boy who is playing football
3. The dog bites the man
it is the man that the dog bites........
4. ........

2.4. Effectiveness of the study for educational activities, with
myself, the colleagues and the school
Thanks to the good use of the above activities, the achieved results during
the past school year in Grade 12 I taught are very positive. Comparing the
results of the questionnaire from the begging to the end of the study, we can the
following results:
Total

Like very Like

much
90 studens(11A1,11A2) sl
%
sl
After applying the 25
27,8 40

Normal
%
sl
44,4 15

Dislike

%
sl
16,7 10

%
11,1

study
The majority of the children are interested in the subject, ready to
participate in the activities required by the teacher during a period "language
focus" in particular and English in general. With this experience I have
promoted students' positiveness and creativeness in learning activities. A large
number of students gain the knowledge, skills and solve language problems for
themselves enthusiatically. The majority of students do not like this subject at

first, they have become confident in their capabilities. And the results of their
study have more positive change.
Results 2016-2017 academic school year: (Before applying the study)
Total
90 students
(11A1,11A2)

Excellent
sl
%
3
3,3

Good
Fair
sl
%
sl
15 16,7 30

%
33,3

Very bad
sl
%
42
46,7

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Results 2016-2017academic school year: (After applying the study)
Total
90 students

Excellent Good
sl
%
sl
%
10 11,1 30
33,3

Fair
sl
40

Very bad
%
sl
%
44,5 10
11,1

(11A1,11A2)
III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1. Conclusions
Teaching English at high schools, especially those located in areas where

the economy is difficulty is a hard work, however, that is not an impossible
mission. To solve these problems, the first thing that requires teachers to have
the mind to the job, hard to explore teaching methods to suit each student
audience, gradually resolve the difficulties, discipline problems of a most
efficient way.

3.2. Recommendations
Through this study, I want to contribute a small part in helping students
practice language focus through specific training activities most effectively, and
also the desire to share a bit of teaching experience I taught in English 11 with
all colleagues. I really hope that it will be a useful resource for the teaching of
language focus parts most efficiently
XÁC NHẬN CỦA THỦ TRƯỞNG ĐƠN VỊ Thanh Hóa, ngày 25 tháng 5 năm 2017

Tôi xin cam đoan đây là SKKN của
mình viết, không sao chép nội dung
của người khác.
(Ký và ghi rõ họ tên)

Nguyễn Thị Đan

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REFERENCE BOOKS
1. English 10,11,12 (Hoàng Văn Vân, Hoàng Thi Xuân Hoa, Đỗ Tuấn Minh,
Nguyễn Thu Phương, Nguyễn Quốc Tuấn)-Nhà xuất bản giáo dục.
2. English 10,11,12-Teacher book (Hoàng Văn Vân, Hoàng Thi Xuân Hoa,
Đỗ Tuấn Minh, Nguyễn Thu Phương, Nguyễn Quốc Tuấn)-Nhà xuất bản
giáo dục.

3. Thiết kế bài giảng Tiếng Anh 10,11,12 (Chu Quang Bình) –Nhà xuất bản
Hà Nội
4. Giới thiệu Giáo Án Tiếng Anh 10,11,12 (Vũ Thị Lợi, Đồng Thị Yến
Trang, Nguyễn Thị Ý, Võ Thị Minh Hồng, Tôn Nữ Hạnh Trâm, Nguyễn
Thị Kim Dung)-Nhà xuất bản Hà Nội.
5. Hướng dẫn thực hiện chuẩn kiến thức, kĩ năng môn Tiếng Anh THPT –
Nhà xuất bản Giáo Dục Việt Nam
6. Hình ảnh minh họa từ nguồn Internet

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