Use handouts in learning and teaching english at nguyen xuan nguyen high school

Headlines

Page

A. INTRODUCTION

2

I . REASON FOR STUDY :

2

II. SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF THE THESIS:

3

1.Co rationale:

4

2. Practical.

4

3. The purpose of the initiative experience.

4

4. Research subjects:

4

5. Research scope:

4

6. Time to implement the project:

5

B. DEVELOPMENT

6

I. Definition

6

II. Why should handout be used in teaching English?

6

III. Types of Handouts

6






Uncompleted or gapped handout]
Skeletal notes
Worksheets
Information sheets

IV. Examples of handouts

7

1. Examples for reading

7

2. Examples for speaking

9 -12

3. Examples for listening

13

4. Examples for writing

14

5. Examples for language forcus

15 - 16

V. Steps to use handouts in class:

7

1 Presentation handout:

17

2 Photocopy the handout:

18

3 Diliver handout to pupils:
4. Table presentation.

9
20
1


5. Evaluation and scoring.

21

VI. Result

22

C. CONCLUSION

23

REFERENCE BOOKS

24

A. INTRODUCTION
2


I . REASON FOR STUDY :
We all know English is the most popular language in the world, and also the path to
the process of international integration. Knowing the importance of this language,
Ministry of education and training has chosen English as the main subject at schools,
and is one of three high school graduation exams required. So every student at high
school should have a certain level of English to prepare for exams and after graduating
they can communicate in simple constant level .
To do this we are constantly innovating teaching methods to achieve high results for
English in particular and other subjects in general. This contributes significantly to
future success
Teaching in a positive direction is specified by many different methods, in which the
use of suitable handouts in teaching is a method of bringing high efficiency. But how to
use handouts the most effective learning in order to achieve educational goals as well as
to constantly improve the quality of English teaching hours is a problem that the English
teachers have thought about.
English textbooks as well as other books have made innovation since 2006 and has
changed in both form and content. The content of the lessons varied and richer, more
beautiful forms and vivid images; however the lessons are longer and more difficult.
This is both advantages and disadvantages for teachers in the teaching process.
Therefore, besides good knowledge, teachers need to be creative in the teaching
process to create lessons gentle, effective, attracting the attention of students in learning

to help them achieve high results in their class.
Because of the reasons above I chose the theme: "Use handouts in learning and
teaching English at Nguyen Xuan Nguyen High School" in the hope that I can help
students acquire the lesson’s content the most effectively.
II. SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF THE THESIS:
1.Co rationale:

3


Handouts can be used in most of the lessons: Reading – speaking - Listening Writing - Language focus. It has a great effect in pairworks and groupworks, that helps
give students the opportunity to practice speaking more.
*With Reading: Reading Handouts are often used as Reading Adaptation in response
to questions or provide new words in Before you read.
*With Speaking: Handouts are used to provide more new words, new structures for
students to practice.
* With Listening: Commonly applied to all long and difficult lessons to hear. Teachers
use the handouts as a listening adaptation to suit each student .
*With Writing: Handouts are used for writings that textbooks do not provide specific
questions (eg Part D: Writing- Unit 1 English 11)
*With Language focus: Handouts are great help for teachers who want to adjust the
exercises in the textbook to suit the level of the students in the class or when they want
to provide additional exercises for students to practice.
2. Practical basis.
Handouts help teachers actively prepared the lessons which is suitable for each
student, help students more actively and more positively in the learning process.
Handouts can also make a small change from textbook, but it forces students to
learn, to think. Gradually,it will give students the habit of "self-reading understandable".
3. The purpose of the initiative experience.
- Helping teachers adjust the lesson contents appropriately to the students.

- Helping the students to practice the tasks in the textbook in the most efficient way.
- Providing students more new words and creating the habit of reading all the
information before doing tasks.
4. Research objectives:
-High school students
5. Research scope:
Classes: 10B4, 10B5, 10B8; 12A1; 12A4
4


Nguyen Xuan Nguyen High School
6. Time to implement the project:
1 year: Academic year: 2017-2018

5


B. DEVELOPMENT
I. Definition:
What is a handout?
According to Cambridge English dictionary a handout is something given free to a
needy person or printed information provided free of charge , especially to accompany a
lecture . (1)
II. Why should handout be used in teaching English?
There are several reasons for using a handout. It can:










provide definitions for the more jargon ridden subjects;
provide background information or detailed information, e.g. statistics, which are
not readily available elsewhere;
put forward a point of view;
outline a course of action;
pose conceptual questions;
provide a case study for problemsolving or discussion;
provide a complex diagram rather than students copying from the OHP;
give a step by step instruction for teaching a skill or running a laboratory exercise

(2)
III. Types of Handouts


Uncompleted or gapped handout: this is a handout with gaps which students fill
in.



Skeletal notes: literally the bare bones of a session (key statement, a definition, a
diagram) with gaps/spaces and omissions to be completed by the student. The
advantages are similar to the gapped handout.]
Worksheets: questions, problems which the student must answer or solve
Laboratory sheet: a set of instructions to be followed.Briefing sheets: this could
cover how the students are to approach a case study, a role play or simulation.






Information sheets: there are several areas of the institution where a guide would
be useful, e.g. administration of the course (term dates, semester dates, assessment
hand-in dates etc.); a teaching scheme for the module; computer and library
information - the list is a long one! (2)
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IV. EXAMPLES:
1. Examples for Reading:
-Before you read is the part that teachers must provide students new words
because there often has a lot of new words in each passage or paragraph. Task 1 in
“While you read” often requires students to find the meaning of new words so it is very
difficult for students in low levels to understand the content of the text. Handouts will
help resolve these difficulties.
-With pretty students, the teacher asks students to use handouts to find the meaning
of new words ,find synonyms, antonyms, this will help students to increase their
vocabulary.
Eg: English 12 - Unit 1 – Reading
Handout 1: Match a word in A with its meaning in B
A

B

1.joinh ands
2.rush to…

3.garbage
4. household chores
5.mischievous

a. go very fast to…
b.rubbish
c.work together to solve problems
d.a very close- relationship
e. work at home such as washing the dishes,

6.close-knit

taking out the garbage
f.enjoy playing tricks or annoying others
sometimes.

-With average or low students, teachers use handouts to provide the Vietnamese
meaning to the new words that appear in the passage.
Eg: English 10 - Unit 10 – Reading
7


Handout: Match each word in A with its Vietnamese meaning in B

A
1. plough
2.harrow
3.plot of land
4.pump
5.do the transplanting

B
a.bơm nước/ máy bơm (n)
b.cày (ruộng đất) / cái cày
c.cấy lúa
d.bừa
e.thửa ruộng

-With this handout, teacher will let students work in pairs within 2 to 3 minutes
as the form teacher provides:
Example:
A: I think (1) …is / means (b) . ..
B: I don’t think so / Not true. I think it is…..
Then it will only take about 1 minute for teacher to test the and explain the meaning of
the new words if necessary.
*In most parts “While you read”: There often have many questions, so it takes time
for students to finish. Moreover, with their limited degree in knowledge, they will feel
embarrassing to express their ideas, result in they will not have time enough to finish the
tasks . This handout is used to adjust the content of the text and it also reduce the
pressure on students when doing tasks.
Example: Reading - Unit 1 - English 12
While you read: Task 2 - Reading Adaptation
Handout 1: Scan the text and put a tick in the right column
Work

Father

mother

Children

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Taking out the garbage
cooking
washing the dishes
mending things around the house
looking after younger children
Making breakfast
Handout 2: Read the text and choose the best option to complete the statements.
1. The parents in the passage are very busy. They have to ..
A. work long hours

B. work all day

C. work at night

D. both A and C

2. The mother is always the first one to get up in the morning to.
A. make sure that her children leave home
B. make sure that her children leave home for school
C. make sure that her children leave home for school having breakfast
D. make sure that her children leave home for school having breakfast and dressed in
suitable clothes.
3. The daughter in the passage attempts ..
A. to win a place at school

B. to win a prize

C. to win a place at university

D. to win a place at nursing school

4. The children feel safe and secure in their family because ..
A. they are veryclose-knit and supportive of one another
B. they often share their feelings
C. whenever problems come up, they discuss them frankly and find solutions quickly.
D. All are correct.
2. Examples for Speaking:
Handout help provide the necessary data for students to practice.
Eg1: English 10 Unit 2 - Speaking - Task 2:

9


Handout: Building up questions from suggestions
1. When/ where/ you/ born?

2. Where/ you/ live?

3. What/ your parents/do?

4. Have/you/ any brothers or sisters?

5. Which primary school/ secondary school/ you/ go to?

6. How/ you/ work at school?

7. What/ your/ favourite subject?


8. Have/ you / ever( won any prizes/ been the monitor/ taken part in any school clubs/
?)
Eg2: English 10 – Unit 3 - Speaking
Handout 1: COMPLETE AND PRACTISE THE DIALOGUE
Journalist: Hello, nice to meet you,……………………………..!
Student: ……………………………………………….…, too.
Journalist: ………………………………………………………
Student: I was born in………………………..…on…………………….…….
Journalist: How many people are there in your family?
Student: ………………………………………………………..……..
Journalist: what do your parents do?
Student: My mother is…………………..and my father ………………………………
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Journalist: do you have any brothers or sisters?
Student: ………………………………………..………..
Journalist: Which secondary did you go to?
Student:…………………………………………………..
Journalist: what subjects do you like best? Why?
Student: ………………………………………………………………..
Journalist: have you ever joined any school activities?
Student: …………………………………………………………………
Journalist: thank you for giving me time
Student: ……………………………………………………
Handout 2: COMPLETE AND PRACTISE THE DIALOGUE
Journalist: Hello, nice to meet you,………….!
Student: ………………………………..………, too.
Journalist: ……………………………………

Student: I was born in…………………………on……………….
Journalist: How many people are there in your family?
Student: ……………………………………………..
Journalist: what do your parents do?
Student: My mother is………………………….…...and my father …………………
Journalist: do you have any brothers or sisters?
Student: …………………………………………………………..
Journalist: Which secondary did you go to?
Student:…………………………………………………..
Journalist: what subjects do you like best? Why?
Student: ………………………………………………………………..
Journalist: have you ever joined any school activities?
Student: …………………………………………………………………
Journalist: thank you for giving me time
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Student: ………………………………………………
Handout 3: INTERVIEW FORM
ORDER

ITEMS

INFORMATION

1

NAME

2

DATE

OF

3

BIRTH
PLACE

OF

4

BIRTH
NUMBER

OF

FAMILY
5

MEMBERS
PARENTS

6

BROTHERS/
SISTERS

7

PRIMARY/
SECONDARY

8

SCHOOL
FAVOURITE

9

SUBJECTS
EXPERIENCE

- Handout can also help expand vocabulary for students, and consolidate more
structures for the children to express their views, think of yourself as already mentioned
in Reading part above.
Eg3: English 12 - Unit 11 - Speaking - Task 3
12


Handout: Match an adj in A with its opposite in
A

B

1-generous
a.reserved
2.wise

b.obedient
3.open hearted
c.mean
4.easy-going
d.silly
5.naughty
e.hard to please
In general, handouts help students not only reproduce the use of questions of tenses
in English but also develop their speaking ability- an important skill for people to learn
foreign languages.
3. Examples for Listening:
Listening skills is a difficult skill to students, especially the lower level children. They
often depend on good textbooks to get answers to answer questions, so that the school
studying has become no longer effective. Handout contribute significant in helping the
children try to listen to the tape and then they will hear better through Listening
Adaptation. The answers are available presented so that children can pay attention to the
lessons visually and aurally , gradually they will hear better.
Eg4: English 12 - Unit 2 - Listening - Task 2
Handout: Listen again and choose the best answer.
1. The most important thing the groom's family has to do on the wedding day is
.
A. to buy a lot of food
B. to have a big banquet
C. to go to the bride's house bringing gifts wrapped in red paper
D. to invite many guests.
2. During the wedding ceremony, the groom and the bride would.
A. pray, asking their ancestors' permission to get married
13

B. exchange wedding rings
C. offer their guests drink
D. thank their guests.
3. The groom and the bride exchange their wedding rings after they
A. have a party
B. pray and ask their ancestors' permission to get married
C. ask their parents' permission
D. have a drink.
4. The wedding banquet is often held .
A. at a hotel

B. at the bride's

C. at the groom's

D. at the groom and bride's home or at a hotel or a restaurant
5. At the wedding banquet, the groom, the bride and their parents often..
A. stop by each table to thank their guests.

B. drink a little wine

C. offer the guests food and drink

D. welcome guests

3. Examples for Writing:
Like Reading, handout help decrease the difficulty of the lessons. Most of students have
little vocabulary, they don’t also know the structures well so they have many difficulties
in the process of writing. Teachers should provide them the questions in particular
through the handouts so that they can discuss their answers. Once they have a full

answer and teacher correct their mistakes, they will easily complete their writing.
Eg: English 11 - Unit 1 - Writing
Handout: Work in group: Discuss and answer these questions about one of your
friends.
1. What is your friend's name?...................................................................
2. How old is he/ she? ..
3. Where does he/ she live? 
14


4. When and where did you meet him/ her?

5. How tall is he/ she? 
6. How does he/ she look like?
.
7. What kind of clothes does he/ she often wear?
..
8. What is he/ she like? ( helpful, sincere, open-hearted, hard-working)

9. What do you like about him/ her?

5. Some handouts for Language Focus:
Handout can be used as the Warm-up part for teacher to introduce the descriptions of all
new language or teacher will provide additional training for students practice.
Eg1: English 12 - Unit 1 - Language Focus
Pronunciation: The pronunciation of the ending "s" ( Warm-up)
Handout 1: Odd one out
1. A. bats

B. books

C. taps

D. pens

2. A. things

B. laughs

C. cars

D. knees

3. A. photographs

B. days

C. hits

D. tops

4. A. months

B. bags

C. apples

D. schools

Handout 2: Choose the best option

1. Before I  , I had done all my homework.
A. went out

B. was going out

C. had gone out

D. have gone out

2. She phoned while we dinner.
A. were having

B. are having

C. had

D. had had

3. She ..to me two weeks ago.
15


A. was writing

B. wrote

C. had written

D. writes

4. We .him for three days now.
A. don't see

B. won't see

C. didn't see

D. haven't seen

Eg 2: English 11 - Unit 1 - Language Focus - Grammar( Further practice)
Handout: Supply the correct verb form.
1. They have too many things .. (do) today.
2. You've got something important .(tell ) me, haven't you?
3. There is an essay for him .(complete) by Monday.
4. I didn't have enough time .( do) that .
5. They have decided ..(move) to the city.
6. I would like you ..(teach) me how .(operate) this machine!
7. .(close) the windows! It's quite cold here.
8. We must (obey) traffic laws.
9. He often makes me (wash) his clothes and never lets me
(go) out with my friends.
* Indeed, without preparing the lessons, we will be able to neither apply any
creative forms nor help our students acquire the lessons in the most effective. To make
the lessons more attractive and more effective, teachers must prepare the lessons
carefully before teaching.
V. Steps to use handouts in class:
(Prepare handout, instructions and handout for students)
1. Presentation handout:
*Depending on the tasks, handouts will be presented on a half sheet of A4 (2sided) or both sheets but the title should be clear, the answer must be exact and
presented suitablely to make it easy for student to understand.

16


Eg: English 12 - Unit 2 - Listening - Task 2
Handout: Listen again and choose the best answer.
1. The most important thing the groom's family has to do on the wedding day is …….
A. to buy a lot of food

B. to have a big banquet

C. to go to the bride's house bringing gifts wrapped in red paper
D. to invite many guests.
2. During the wedding ceremony, the groom and the bride would
A. pray, asking their ancestors' permission to get married
B. exchange wedding rings
C. offer their guests drink
D. thank their guests.
3. The groom and the bride exchange their wedding rings after they
A. have a party
B. pray and ask their ancestors' permission to get married
C. ask their parents' permission
D. have a drink.
4. The wedding banquet is often held .
A. at a hotel

B. at the bride's

C. at the groom's

D. at the groom and bride's home or at a hotel or a restaurant

5. At the wedding banquet, the groom, the bride and their parents
often..
A. stop by each table to thank their guests.

C. drink a little wine

B. offer the guests food and drink

D. welcome guests

2. Photocopy the handout:
After being presented clearly in the lesson, the teacher will be conducted in and
photocopy handout for students.
17


Greater or lesser number of handout based on class sizes, or on
active couples, groups in each task.
3. Deliver handout to pupils:
Handout are used for each part separately, so teacher only gives handout to students
when there is a content teacher need to be adjusted after the clarification task they
need to do.
Eg: English 12 - Unit 1 - Reading
While you read - Reading adaptation
Handout 1: the text and put a tick in the right column
Work
Taking out the garbage
Cooking
Washing the dishes
Mending things around the house

Looking after younger children
Making breakfast

Father

Mother

Children

T: Now, you have 5 minutes to scan the text and put a tick in the right
column in Handout 1.
Teachers should limit the time for students during delivering handout for
them. The handout is an adaptation which is made by the teacher, so it will be
certaindifferent from the requirements in the textbook. Therefore, I will present the
solutions insection 3.3 below so as not to cause confusion to
students.
4. presentation.
As noted above, in order not to confuse the students, with classes in which hanhdouts
are used, I changed the title to suit adjusting contents as follows:
Eg1: English 12 - Unit 1 - Reading
18


Unit 1: HOME LIFE
Period 3 - Part A: Reading
Before you read
1. Ask and answer the questions
2. New words( Handout 1)
1.c

2.a

3.b

4. e

5. f

6. d

While you read
Activity 1( Task 1): Choose the sentence that is nearest in meaning to the sentence
given.
1. B

2. C

3. A

4. B

5. A

Activity 2( Handout 2): Scan the text and put a tick in the right column
Activity 3 (Handout 3): Read the text and choose the best option to complete the
statements.
1.D

2. D

3. C

4. D

After you read
VD2: English 11 - Unit 1 - Writing
Unit 1( cont.)
Period 5 - Part D: Writing
Activity 1: Discuss and answer the questions about one of your friends.
1. His name is 
2. He is ..years old.
3. He lives in .
4. I met him at .school years ago
5
.
* Further structures
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- one year( two years) older/ younger than.
- What I like about him/ her is that he/ she .
..
Activity 2: Write a passage about the friend in Activity 1.
5. Evaluation and scoring.
Handout help reduce the difficulty of the lesson to the maximum so that students can
get knowledge easily and efficiently. Therefore, teachers must pay attention to their
practice ,otherwise, the lower level children will just copy of the better sstudents’
handouts.
After students complete their practice, teacher should check and give them
appropriate mark then it will be a good measure to stimulate the spirit of their learning.

Eg: English 12: Unit 1: Reading
Activity 2:
T: Who takes out the garbage?
S1: Children
T: Good! Who washes the dishes?
S2: Children
……………………………………………………………
Activity 3:
T: Now, tell me the answer for number 1!
S1: I think D.
T: In which paragraph?
S1: The first paragraph.
T: That’s good. Thank you!
IV. RESULT :
1. Results The first test :
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Total number of students

Number

Percent

120
5 scores or more
81
67.5 %
Scores below
39

32.5%
According to data compiled in the table shows a total of 120 students participated in
grammar test before entering the study. Of these 81 students achieved 5 or more
points, accounting for 67.5%; 39 students score below average, accounting for
32.5%.
2. Results The second test:

Total number of students
120
5 scores or more
5 Scores below

Number

Percent

116
04

96.66 %
3.33 %

According to data compiled in the table shows a total of 80 students participated
test on grammar after participating in the study . Of these 116 students achieved 5 or
more points, accounting for 96.66%; only 4 students score below average, only 3:33%
occupancy rate.
3. Chart 02 compares the results of tests

21

120

116

110
100
90
80

81

70
60

From 5 or more

50

under 5

40

39

30
20
10

4

0
Before participating in

After participating in

As the chart above shows before joining the main research students on language
focus. Number of pupils not achieving very high grade point average. But after 4
weeks of study participants, we can see the progress students have markedly. Since
only 81 students scored between average and above (67.5%) increased to 116
students (96.66%). Meanwhile, the number of participating students scoring below 5
dropped significantly, from 39 students (32.5%) to only 4 students (3:33%).

C. CONCLUSION
I. Experience lessons:

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After a few lessons taught using handout, I find students more exciting and more
actively in studying, including the lower level students, their marks increased
significantly. This encouraged me a lot .
Although I took more time to prepare the lesson, I got the progress of the students
which every teacher wants to.
Through the theme that I have presented above and with my teaching experiences;
with the aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning, I have applied an
innovative way of my experiences and I have achieved good results. On the other hand I
also noticed that in teaching foreign language in general and in teaching English in
particularly, the teacher needs to present and explain any issues concisely and easily to
understand through concrete examples and vivid, avoiding making problems

complicatedly that makes students acquire knowledge passively.
II. Recommendations:
To be successful in helping students learn English well, We can’t help having
enthusiasm, passion for this job, and qualifications of each teacher. Besides, we need to
have the support, encouragement, timely attention of the school and the leaders. In the
next school year I wish we would apply this experience initiative in total grades 10 ,11,
and 12 so that students in these three grades have no longer difficulties in learning
English.
Evaluation of the scientific council:

Quang Xuong, May, 2018
I swear this is my study, do not copy
other people’s contents
Writer
Đỗ Thị Hoa

23


Reference meterials
(1) Cambridge English Dictionary
(2) mc Share, dalence ( 1998) Presenting information visually( EIC guide)

24


THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
NGUYEN XUAN NGUYEN HIGH SCHOOL
*************************

EXPERIENCE INNOVATION
TOPIC:
HOW TO USE HANDOUTS IN TEACHING ENGLISH
AT HIGH SCHOOL

SUBJECT: ENGLISH
TEACHER: DO THI HOA

Thanh Hoa, May 2018
25