The use of gessing game in speaking lessons to improve speaking skill to the 11th graders at hau loc 4 high school

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The reason of selecting the topic
1.2. Aims of study
1.3. Research methods
1.4. Scope of the study
2. DEVELOPMENT
2.1. Theoretical background
2.1.1. Definition of speaking
2.1.2. Teaching speaking
2.1.3. Definition of guessing game
2.1.4. The benefits of guessing game
2.2. Reality
2.3. Solutions
2.3.1. Guessing game in teaching speaking skill
2.3.2. Demonstration
2.4. Findings
3. CONCLUSION AND PROPOSAL
3.1. Conclusion
3.2. Proposal
3.2.1. To teachers
3.2.2. To students
3.2.2. To infrastructure
REFERENCE BOOKS

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. The reason of selecting the topic
Nowadays, most of people in the world desire to master the English language
that is considered as a means of international communication. It is an important
language for inter – state communications. By mastering English, people can
communicate with other people especially with foreign people easily. Students who
want to go abroad for education will have to learn to know English well. Many
books about science, technology, engineer, medicine ect. are either written in or
translated into English. It will be easy for people who want to get a job if they
know English because any big company will hire their professional staff after

getting to know whether the people they are hiring are good at English or not.
Therefore, English becomes the first foreign language which is taught in Viet Nam.
Language is a tool for communication. We communicate with others to
express our ideas, and to know others’ ideas as well. Communication takes place,
where there is speech. Without speech we cannot communicate with one another.
The importance of speaking skills, hence is enormous for the learners of any
language. In order to become a well rounded communicator, one needs to be
proficient in each of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and
writing, but speaking skill seems to be the most important one of all because
people who know a language are usually referred to as speakers of that language.
The major goal of all English language teaching should be to give learners the
ability to use English effectively, accurately in communication. That is why
speaking must be practised regularlly in class by students. However, although
students have learnt English for years, many of them are still incapable of using
English orally. It means that they can not communicate in English after graduating
high school if they have a chance to meet a foreigner.
To solve these problems, in teaching speaking, teachers should use approriate
techniques. Teachers should create the situations that can encourage real
communication and help students confident in expressing their ideas in
English. Games is one of the techniques that can be applied in teaching
speaking because through games students are more interested in lessons so they are
free to express themselves in English. In this study, I only focus on the guessing
games which provide more opportunities to students to take turns in speaking in
class. This game is also easy to apply and flexible in terms of subject matter and design.
Based on the aboved – reasons and factors, I am going to present my
teaching experience entitled: “ The use of gessing game in speaking lessons to
improve speaking skill to the 11th graders at Hau Loc 4 high school”.

1.2. Aims of study

The study aims at:
- describing the use of guessing game in teaching speaking to the 11 th greaders at
Hau Loc 4 high school.
- describing the students’ progress after they are taught by using guessing game in
speaking lessons.
- finding out the problems and solutions in teaching speaking to the 11 th greaders at
Hau Loc 4 high school.
1.3. Research methods.
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- studying the theoretical background.
- using data collection techniques: observing and testing.
- using comparative methods
- reading reference books.
- discussing with other teachers.
- drawing out experiences.
1.4. Scope of the study
This study is concerned with the improvement of speaking skill to the students in
the 11th grade at Hau Loc 4 high school. The researcher is not planning in studying
a large population of all students at Hau Loc 4 high school, just on the students in
grade 11 in order to find out the problems experienced by these students and
teachers of English and then using guessing game to improve the students’ speaking
skill.
I apply my study to students in grade 11 such 11A1, 11A8, 11A9 (School year 2016
- 2017) at Hau Loc 4 high school.
2. DEVELOPMENT
2.1. Theoretical background
2.1.1. Definition of speaking
There are many definitions of speaking. Speaking is the act or skill of giving

a speech at a public event (Cambridge English Dictionary). In Oxford Learner’s
Pocket Dictionary, “ speak is be able to use a language to talk to somebody about
something”. Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that
involves producing and receiving and processing information (Brown, 1994; Burns
& Joyce, 1997). Johnson and Morrow (1981: 70) say that speaking which is
popular with term ‘oral communication’, is an activity involving two or more
people in which hearers and speakers have to react to what they hear and make
their contributions at a speed of a high level.
Based on the statements above, the writer concludes that speaking is an
activity of producing and proccessing information through a language. Thus it is
the one of the important language skill that must be mastered by any foreign
language learner.
2.1.2. Teaching speaking
According to Byrne 1986), the duty of language teacher is to develop
students’ ability to use the language for variety of communicative purpose.
Therefore, teaching speaking to young learners is an important thing in teaching
English language. Speaking has crucial role as language communication.
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Nevertheless, teaching speaking, as a foreign language is not easy because it
is usually affected by the mother tongue. Beside that, to be able to speak, students
have to organise their thought.
From the statement above, teaching speaking as a foreign languge is not to
make studentsto be able to speak in English but to make good impression to the
language.
2.1.3. Definition of guessing game
Guessing game is a game in which the player has to correctly guess the
answer often used figuratively ( Learners’ Dictionary)
According to Alex Case “guessing game is a game in which the object is to

guess some kinds of information, such as : a word, a phrase, a title, and the location
object”.
According to Klippel “ the basic rule of guessing games is eminently simple;
one person knows something that onather one wants to want to find out”
Based on the definition, it can be concluded that guessin game is a game in
which a person or participant knows something and competes individally or in a
team to identify or find out the answer.
Some kinds of guessing game:
- Twenty questions
- Guess what is
- Who am I?
- Taboo
- I spy
- Guess my job.
- Hangman …..

2.1.4. The benefits of using guessing game.
- Guessing games make students more pleasure from regular activities in class. It
creates a relaxing atmosphere in the classroom. It can also motivate students to
speak English in class because of the fun and excitement of the games.
- “Guessing games can be used to teach about animals, profession or people in
different age groups(baby, child, teenager, young adult, elderly person)”( Rechard
– Amato, 1988, p. 156 as cited in Dwiyanti, 2009, p.17)
- “Real guessing games provide students with much needed practice in formulating
questions, an essential skill that always receive sufficient attention” (Silver, 19801983, p. 244, as cited in Dwiyanti, 2009, p.17.
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- “Guessing games can be used to develop or reinforce concepts, to add diversion to
regular activities or just to break the ice. However, the most important function is to

give practice in communication.( Rechard –Amato, 1988, p. 156 as cited in
Dwiyanti, 2009, p.16). It means that guessing games help students not to feel bored
during learning process and the most mportant thing is to give students lots of
chances in practising their English.
2.2. Reality
Since the open – door policy adapted to Viet Nam, English teaching and
learning have become very important to our country’s modernization and
industrialization. However, teaching and learning mainly focus on the grammatical
rules and structures and students can not use English in real – life communication.
To help students improve their communicative skill, it is the need for oral
competence in English that has turned the teachers’ emphasis from teaching
grammar into teaching communication. Therefore, speaking skill nowaday plays a
much more important role in modern English than ever before. Nevertheless, in
spite of teachers’ efforts to provide students with opportunities to develop their
communicative skills, how to teach and learn speaking effectively is still a
challenging question to both teachers and students at many high schools in
Vietnam.
At Hau Loc 4 high school, all of the students and the teachers know about
the importance of speaking skill in learning English but how to help students speak
fluently is still a great challenge . Speaking activities do not work in classes
because of many factors. Students are afraid of making mistakes. They always
think that they are going to be failed in speaking English. Others are not confident
because of feeling to be laughed at by their friends when they pronounce a word
incorrectly. Some of them lack of vocabulary so that they can not answer teachers’
questions or have a talk with their friends. Furthermore, students have the
limitation of oppoturnity to practise speaking English.
How to improve students’ speaking skills? Using guessing game helps me to
do this.
2.3. Solutions
2.3.1. Guessing game in teaching speaking skill

A teacher of English should have interesting methods to teach the students
effectively. Especially in teaching speaking, teachers should help students absorb
the lesson properly. Therefore the use of games in teaching is needed and guessing
games is one kind of games that teachers can apply to develop students’ speaking
skill.
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To use guessing games effectively, teachers have to make lesson planning
carefully. They need to define the aim and content of the lesson clearly and should
be flexible to choose suitable guessing games for each lesson.
Guessing games can be used in different stages of one speaking lesson: pre –
speaking activities, while - speaking activities or post speaking activities.
- In pre – speaking activities: Teachers can use guessing games to build the
students’ background knowledge related to the lesson.
- In while – speaking activities: Guessing games can be used to motivate students
to speak English according to the topic of each lesson.
- In post - speaking activities: Students may feel free to play guessing games to
consolidate the lesson.
2.3.2. Demonstration
Example 1:
Unit 1: Friendship
Lesson B: Speaking (period 4)
- The lesson is aimed at helping students be able to describe people’s physical
characteristics and personalities.
- Guessing game is used in post – speaking stage.
- The game is called: : “Twenty questions”
- Time: 10 minutes
- Procedure:
+ Students are divided into two groups: Group A and group B

+ Each group thinks of one of the famous person ( a singer, an actor, an actress, an
astronaut, a musician…) and write in a paper, then tell the other group one clue.
+ If group A in charge , group B has to find out the answer by asking “yes- no”
questions (Teacher should encourage students to use the adjectives they have learnt
to make questions).
+ Group A can answer questions in complete answers or short answers (Yes/No). +
If Group B can find out the answer in twenty questions or less, they get point.
+ They will get 20 points if they can find out the answer in or less than five
questions. They will get 10 points if they can find out the answer more than five
questions.
Example:
Group A says: “I am a famous singer now”.
Group B has to find out the answer by asking “yes- no” questions such as:
1. “ Are you a girl?”
2. “ Are you Vienamese?”
3. “Do you live in Ha noi?”
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4. “Are you tall?”
5. “ Do you have an oval face?”
6. “ Are you thin?”
7. “ Is your hair curly?” etc.
Group A can answer: “Yes or No”
If group B can find out the answer in twenty questions or less, they get point.
They will get 20 points if they can find out the answer in or less than five
questions. They will get 10 points if they can find out the answer more than
five questions.
+ In turns, group A then group B plays role a famous person.
+ The group gets more points, they win the game.

Example 2:
Unit 12: Asian Games
Lesson B: Speaking (period 77)
- The game is used in pre – speaking activity.
- The aim of using the guessing game in this lesson is to check the knowledge of
the last lesson (part A: reading) about the names of the sport and help students use
these sports to practise speaking in new lesson (part B: speaking)
.- Time: 10 minutes
- The game is called: “ Guess what sport is”
- Procedure:
+ Students are divided into two groups: Group A and group B
+ Each group has two representatives. One stands in front of the class. The other
stand at the end of the class. Both of them stand in a line face to face.
+ Teacher gives the person standing in front of the class 5 names of the sports that
have learnt in lesson A such as: soccer, fencing, weightlifting, bodybuilding,
shooting. This student has to use the gestures or body language ( not verbal
language) to explain these sports. The other has to look at the gestures or body
language and guess to call out the names of the sport. ( other people in this group
can help to find out the answers)
+ The group will get one point for finding out one right answer. Total point is 5.
+ If the group gets more points, they will win.
Example 3:
Unit 13: Hobbies
Lesson B: Speaking (period 83)
- The game is used in pre – speaking activity.
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- The aim of using the guessing game in this lesson is to remind students some
names of hobbies such as: swimming, singing, fishing, stamp – collecting, reading

book, lisening to music etc.
.- Time: 10 minutes
- The game is called: “ Taboo”
- Procedure:
+ Students are divided into two teams: Team A and Team B ( Each team should has
even number of students with even skill level)
+ Teacher prepares a pile of cards with names of hobbies (swimming, singing,
fishing, stamp – collecting, reading etc. )
+ Each team has representatives to pick up the cards ( each time is one student for
one card).
+ Make sure that each time the student pick up the cards, no one on his/her group
can see the card. If one of your teammates does see it, he/she must take it out of
play, but the other group does not get the point for it.
+ Each player has a certain amount of time to get their teammates to guess as many
words as they can.
+ The representative of the group looks at the card with the name of hobbies and
gives their teammates clues about the guess – words. He/she can’t use any part of
the word or any of the taboo words that are listed. (If the word is “stamp
collecting”, you cannot say “ collect”).
+ If he/she gets to a word that he/she doesn’t know, or the teammates are having a
hard time guessing it, you can skip the card. However, if you do skip a card, that
point goes to the other team.
+ The team scores points when your teammates guess the words in limited time.
+ Take turns having each player on each team be the one to hold the buzzer and
keep track of taboo word use.
+ The team gets more points, they win.

2.4. Findings.
Through the process of applying guessing games in teaching listening to
improve English listening skills to the 11 th graders at Hau Loc 4 high school, I have

found out that the majority of students are interested in speaking in English class.
Not only advanced students but also weak ones are eager to take part in speaking
activities. Through the assessment in class 11A2, 11A8, 11A9, the students’
speaking ability has improved. Students are not passive in speaking lessons any
more. They express their ideas in English naturally through playing the games. It
seems that they do not feel to be forced to speak English. They are attacted to
spaeking activities in class.
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Sometimes I conduct a poll about opinion of students through the question:
How do you feel about English- speaking lessons in Grade 11 English curriculums?
A. Interest

B. Average

C. Boredom

For three classes 11A2, 11A8, 11A9 (total: 120 students), I have achieved the
following results:
Before applying
Total of
students of
three classes
120

Interest
Munber of
%
students

10

Level
Average
Munber of
%
students

8.3

30

Boredom
Munber of
%
students

25

80

66.7

After applying:
Total of
students of
three classes
120

Interest

Munber of
%
students
40

Level
Average
Munber of
%
students

33.3

72

Boredom
Munber of
%
students

60

8

6.7

The students’ speaking ability has improved better than the first, in detail:
In the speaking lessons at the beginning of the school year.
Fluency
Total of

students Munber
of three
of
%
classes students

Accuracy
Munber
of
%
students

Vocabualy
Munber
of
%
students

Pronunciation
Munber
of
%
students

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120

10

8.3

8

6.7

15

12.5

8

8.3

In the speaking lessons at the end of the school year.
Fluency
Total of
students Munber
of three
of
%
classes students
120

70

58.3

Accuracy

Munber
of
%
students
60

50

Vocabualy
Munber
of
%
students
85

70.8

Pronunciation
Munber
of
%
students
80

66.7

After applying guessing game in speaking lessons, I have found out that the
number of students excited about speaking lessons have increased remarkably.
Through this method students are more pleasure than regular activities in
class, it creates relaxed atmosphere in the classroom. By using the game activities,

students are more interested in the lesson so the teacher doesn’t have difficulty in
encouraging them to follow the lesson.
The game activity encourages students to speak in English. When they are playing
this game, their ability in speaking appears. They are not shy to speak in English
any more, because they enjoy the game and want to become the wninner of the
game.
Using guessing game in teaching speaking fluently and effectively will bring
good results and encourage the students' learning methods and teachers’ teaching
methods. Students are more active and confident in learning and expressing his
opinion in front of the public, enhancing the autonomy, creativity and promoting
thinking, they are going to practice more carefully to work with partners, this is the
working skills of the 21st century. If the teachers know how to use guessing games
ingeniously and reasonably, they will save time, increase the flexibility of the
lectures.
3. CONCLUSION AND PROPOSALS
3.1. Conclusion
This study was aimed at improving the students’ speaking skills through
guessing games. Based on the result after using the games, it could be concluded
that the implementation of the games and the supporting action successfully
improved the speaking skill to the 11 th graders at Hau Loc 4 school. The researcher
and the teachers of English observed that there was improvement of the English
teaching learning process. Before the action was conducted, some students were not
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active in the class, especially in the speaking lesson. They felt shy and afraid of
making mistakes. It was different from another student in the same class who did
not care about it. Fortunately, this condition could be solved by using guessing
games. It could change the shy and afraid students to become active in the class,
and became brave to speak English. All students liked to learn speaking by using

guessing games. As a result, guessing games made them more motivated to learn
English in the speaking lesson. The English teaching learning process could
improve since there were some effective and interesting treatments and activities
related to game techniques. The students were more interactive and relaxed in the
class activities. They were more motivated and more active to give responses
physically or orally.
3.2. Proposals
Based on the conclusion above, I would like to give some suggestions as follow:
3.2.1. To teachers
- Teachers need to spend a lot of time on preparing the lesson and designing
teaching activities to fit with topic of the lesson, in accordance with the specific
qualifications of students.
- Teachers should enrich the knowledge about games that can be one of the
successful techniques in improving students’ speaking skill.
- Teacher must be selective and creative in choosing and designing many kinds of
games as guessing games that can help to improve the English teaching learning
process. The teachers also need to use guessing games in every lesson to make
students more motivated to speak English.
3.2.2. To students:
- Students are suggested to be accustomed to playing guessing games in speaking
lessons because guessing games are true communicative situations and stimulate
them to participate in activities naturally and freely.
- If students find difficulties in understanding the games, they should ask teacher
for clearer explaination.

3.2.2. To infrastructure
The Language learning is to learn specific skills that have its own characteristics
so a suitable foreign language environment is very important:
- Comfortable spaces for teachers and students with an adequate temperature,
lightning, ventilation, electricity, Internet servives, sanitary services are needed.

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- Spaces for the development of rehearsals and practices such as libraries, natural
science, information technology, labs are necessary.

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THỦ TRƯỞNG ĐƠN VỊ

Thanh Hóa, ngày 17 tháng 05 năm 2017
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Nguyễn Trà Giang

RFERENCES
1. Teacher’s book written by the Ministry of Education.
2. Amir, Fahmi (2010). The Use of Guessing Game to Improve Students’ Speaking
Skill.
3. Buzani. (2008). The Use of Guessing Game to Improve Students’ Speaking
Ability At the Second Year Students of MTS Ikhtiyaral Ummah Pamekasan.
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4. Dwiyanti.(2009). The Improvement Students’ Speaking Skill Through guessing
Games Technique. Jakarta: English Department School of Teacher Training and
education Kusuma Negara.
5. Jareperpus. (publisher). Skiripsi The Use of Guessing Games in Teaching
Speaking.

6. Klippel, Friederike. 1984. Keep Talking: Communicative Fluency Activities for
Language Teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press.
7. Brown, H. Douglas. 1994. Teaching by principle: an interactive approach to
language pedagogy. Englewood. Cliffs, NJ. Prentice- Hall regents.
8. Oxford. 1995. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. New York: Oxford
University Press. Malang: Institute of Teacher Training of Education Budi Utomo.
9. Cambridge Eglish Dictionary.
10. Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary.

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