IMPROVING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR STUDENTS OF TO HIEN THANH HIGH SCHOOL

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

TO HIEN THANH HIGH SCHOOL
------------------------------

EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

IMPROVING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR STUDENTS
OF TO HIEN THANH HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH THE
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

IMPLEMENTED BY: LE THI THU LOAN
POSITION: TEACHER
WORKPLACE: FOREIGN LANGUAGE GROUP
SCHOOL: TO HIEN THANH HIGH SCHOOL

THANH HOA, NĂM 2018
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Reason of choosing the theme.
1.2. Purpose of choosing the theme.
1.3. Researched Participants:
1.4. Methods of conduct the theme.
2. ISSUE RESOLUTION
2.1. Argument foundation.
2.2 Real situation of the issue.

2.2.1. Real situation of the school.
2.2.2. Real situation of students in learning English speaking.
2.3. Solution and implementation organization.
2.3.1. Survey of speaking skill quality of 10th grade students.
2.3.2. Implementation organization.
2.3.3 Using well, flexibly the skills in a period of teaching the
speaking skill.
2.3.3.1.Pre- speaking
2.3.3.2. While - speaking.
2.3.3.3. Post- speaking.
3. Speaking practice in overtime period and
outdoor activities.
4.TEST.
4.1.Requirements and skills used for speaking test
4.1.1. For average and weak students:
4.1.2. For good and excellent students:
4.2. Free talk part:
4.3. Achieved result:
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. Conclusions.
5.2. Recommendations.

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Reason of choosing the theme.
As you know, English has been one of the most popular languages and a
means of communication in the world. In the modern society, the world is
changing quickly - with the explosion of information, science, technique and
technology which develop like rain and storm. Many countries have been
entering our country in general but Thanh Hoa in particular to cooperate and
develop the economy and tourism.
Being aware of the actual importance of learning English with the purpose
of communication, nowadays, the students, parents, teachers, education sector
and the whole country attach special importance to English, especially in the
city areas. In recent years, Thanh Hoa is also a province where many groups
inside and outside the country come to invest, develop strongly in economy and
tourism such as Nghi Son Economic, Sam Son tourist area of FLC group and in
the coming time, Thanh Hoa will be invested into the construction of the biggest
tourist area of South East Asia by Sungroup in Ben En in Nong Cong district,
etc. Therefore, there are many students who have tendency of studying
according to the specialty of tourist guide, interpretation but in fact I realize that
the students of To Hien Thanh high School where I am teaching are very timid,
lack of confidence and weak in using English for communication. The students
of To Hien Thanh High School naturally are ones who have very low input
quality of English. At secondary school level, they did not orient the purpose of
learning English. Their vocabularies were little, the practice of speaking and

presentation was very limited during the learning. In the process of directly
teaching English for students at 10 th grade of To Hien Thanh School, I teach and
study, observe the students, I realize that the speaking ability of the pupils is still
very limited. Most of students did not know how to practice speaking skill, the
speaking ability of the students was very slow.
The program of English textbook at present has been deployed the
implementation all over the country for many years. The outstanding renovation
point of this program content is to create the maximum opportunity for the
students to practice 4 skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing on the
topics and situations or contents of communication relating to many fields of the
life domestically and abroad. However, in reality, the practice of English skills
for students and teachers meets many difficulties, especially the speaking skill.
Therefore, I would like to write this subject of experience initiative with the
hope that it will be applied well and efficiently during the teaching. Sharing this
method to the colleagues to facilitate the students to have more opportunities to
communicate to the friends and teachers in order to practice the language, be
active in participating in the actual situations.
1.2. Purpose of choosing the theme.
How to help the students apply their vocabulary and grammar structure to
speak efficiently. During the teaching process, I myself searched some simple,
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practical methods to create the interest and develop the speaking ability of the
students. Therefore, I am brave to put forth the feasible methods in order to have
an experience initiative for students of To Hien Thanh high School,namely: “
IMPROVING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR STUDENTS OF TO
HIEN THANH HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH THE OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES.”
1.3. Researched Participants:

10th grade students.
1.4. Methods of conduct the theme.
1.4.1. Surveys
1.4.2. The teaching periods at my school.
1.4.3 The outdoor activities lessons.
2. ISSUE RESOLUTION
2.1. Argument foundation.
The method of teaching and learning had basic changes “take the learner
as center” for many years. The teacher is not the unique person to grasp the
knowledge and transmit the knowledge, the teacher is only instructor, supporter,
adviser, checker, etc. The learner is no longer the person who passively acquires
the knowledge, the learner is the center of teaching process, active, creative in
the process of learning to achieve the teaching purpose of the teacher. For
teaching foreign language in general, English in particular, the renovation of
teaching method is very clear and especially important in communicating by
language. From the arguments above, the students directly participate in the
learning process, specifically playing the role and using the dialogue naturally
and flexibly will create the joy and excitement in learning English.
For High School students, learning English, to achieve good result in the
learning to speak English is more difficult due to specific difficulties such as
ability of pronunciation, stress and standard sound connection; furthermore, they
do not have confidence, this is also a very important factor during the process of
learning to speak English for communication development. In fact at my school,
as starting to learn English, most of the students learn actively, but gradually the
students are not interested in learning.
2.2 Real situation of the issue.
2.2.1. Real situation of the school.
Foundation, material and expenditure of the school are still limited, there is
no separate listening room for the pupils learning foreign language, the students
are difficult in economy, it leads to the fact that it is difficult to support the

teachers to hold the visit to economic areas, tourist areas for students.
Most of students are in rural areas, they did not contact to the language
environment, the classroom often has from 40 students or more, the quantity is
over-crowded for a period of learning foreign language.

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Although the teacher has applied a lot of skills to support the teaching
hours, used e-lesson plan at some teaching hours, in general it is still traditional,
not bring many channels vividly for students to practice effectively.
2.2.2. Real situation of students in learning English speaking.
Through observing the students’ English learning, it shows that most pupils
do not have effective learning style, the students still learn to deal with them,
just learn new words, do not create situations to practice with friends, there is no
sentence structure commonly used by native speakers, not apply to the situations
in life, it is only restricted to books, during the lessons. Their sense of learning is
still limited, and most of them are not interested in learning English.
The method of learning is not scientific, modern: In learning new words,
the students often have the habit of learning vocabulary in a single learning type,
writing and rewriting it many times, not have habit of practicing the words in the
context or in combination with other words. This way of learning takes a lot of
time, but the effect of remembering the words is very limited, it does not
promote the thinking, creativity and long memory.
The attitude and sense of participating in practice activities during the
lesson, activities outside class time, learning to speak are still rigid, not flexible,
depend on a predefined topic.
In general, with the way of preparation and practice of communication
activities like that, they will lose their swift wit as well as their reactions, which
affect the ability to think in English of the students.

2.3. Solution and implementation organization.
2.3.1. Survey of speaking skill quality of 10th grade students.
At the beginning of the school year, to understand the situation, learning
ability, speaking skill of 10th grade students, I did a step of experiment survey at
the beginning of school year as follows:
I choose 2 forms of test : Writing test and speaking test.
Writing test: I gave them the writing test from English exercise book of
th
10 grade
Complete the following dialogue:
Mary: .....................................................................................................?
Peter: I have ever gone to Ha long Bay in Quang Ninh,Ba Na hill in Da
Nang, Ho Guom lake in Ha Noi and Lam Kinh in Tho Xuan district Thanh Hoa
province .
Mary:......................................................................................................?
Peter: I often go with my family and sometimes with my classmate .
Mary: ......................................................................................................?
Peter:They are beautiful places.
Mary: ...........................................................................................................?
Peter: We often have a lot of activities, you know.
Mary: ..........................................................................................................?
Peter: They are very friendly.
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Mary: ...........................................................................................................?
Peter: Well, I prefer Sai gon. Because Sai Gon is exciting and people there
are very friendly.
Through the test, I achieved the result as follows:
No. of Excellent

Good
Average
Weak
Very weak
Class student
Q.ty % Q.ty % Q.ty % Q.ty % Q.ty %
s
10C5
41
0
0
5 12,1 20 36,5 10 29,2 6
14,3
10C7
42
3 6,0
7 16,3 23 53,5 7 16,3 2
4,7
The above results show that the number of students with speaking skill at
weak levels is very high, while the good level is very low and there is no
excellent level.
Speaking test: Speaking according to the topics to be drawn lot with prior
notice about the topics and direct communication with the teacher without prior
preparation.
The speaking topics include:
- Talk about a location which you have ever gone to in Thanh Hoa
- Introduce about the place where your family is living.
- Talk about the one of your working days.
- Talk about the specail holidays in the years.
- Talk about the career which you wish to do in the future.

In this part, the students almost did not have ability to speak, they only
spoke some simple sentences.
On part of direct communication exam: The teacher will base on the topics
which the students draw lots to ask, widen the information or suddenly ask any
question according to the topics which the pupils learn. The levels of questions
raised by the teacher are average, normally met and the pupils learnt them.
2.3.2. Implementation organization.
In each class, the level of knowledge and thought of the students cannot be
even absolutely, as applying the active teaching method, it is forced to accept the
division on strength, level, progress of completing the learning task, especially
as the lesson is designed in a series of independent activities. Therefore, the
divided teaching method in combination to the cooperative learning is very
important in the school. The classroom is teacher - pupil and pupil - pupil
communication environment, it creates the cooperative relation among the
individuals on the way of occupying the learning content.
The teaching according to renovated method like present attaches much
importance to the initiative and creativeness of pupils. The majority of
communication time is the time when they think actively, practice English. In
order to have a good learning hour, the pupils must prepare the lesson at home
carefully. Furthermore, to learn well a speaking hour, they must speak much. In
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addition, English is also a difficult subject, the knowledge volume is much,
learning time is little, and during the speaking, they are actually active in the
speaking situations. The speaking skill also depends largely on listening skill,
especially when there are many new words, word stress, sentence stress, the
intonation is very different and it is difficult for the pupils to understand the
content. On the other hand, because they are in rural area, the English
communication environment is still limited. Therefore, they have few

opportunities to practice speaking.
Therefore, to overcome the weaknesses above to contribute to improving
the quality of learning the speaking skill, help the pupils be more confident in
communication, fluent in each word, sentence, especially for pupils of our
school, to achieve a highly efficient speaking learning hour, the teacher should
instruct the pupils according to the steps as follows:
- Prepare new lesson: receive the topic, exploit new words, new structures,
practice the speaking at home.
- Approach, study new lesson: new words, structures, sample dialogue
- Discuss, practice according to the information outlines studied by the
pupils and provided by the teacher.
- Extended practice: Active in speaking, way of processing new words, new
structures in the speaking lesson.
Each speaking lesson has a different teaching method. The key matter is to
create high interest for the pupils in acquiring new knowledge and more
importantly, help to be engraved on pupils’ memory in the operation sessions of
the club and develop their English language ability flexibly and efficiently.
2.3.3 Using well, flexibly the skills in a period of teaching the speaking skill.
The practice of speaking skill in a learning period is implemented through
3 periods.
2.3.3.1.Pre - speaking
The purpose of the activities in this period is to help the students
concentrate in the topic, especially predict the information of the topic to be
spoken. To overcome the difficulties as speaking during the learning period, the
teacher needs to introduce the topic, context, content situation relating to the
speaking lesson, exploit whether the students have known yet and what they
have known about the content to be spoken, create the demand, interest in
presenting or speaking for the activities of the lesson.
Teaching the vocabulary, sentence structure according to the topic,
however, pay attention to not introducing all new words, or sentence structures

in a rambling way, let the students guess the meaning of words in the context as
well as be flexible in expressing the their intention of speaking.
Provide the speaking purpose, prepare the task requirements and exercise
about the speaking content.
While introducing the topic of speaking lesson, should be natural, not rigid
like grammar learning lesson. With difficult topics, the teacher should have
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images, video clip to help the students see that the speaking period is attractive
and stimulates the aspiration of participating in the activities of students.
2.3.3.2.While speaking:
Some teaching technical in this period: Students make small talks on the
following topics by using some teaching skills in this period on the class.Teacher
can do in different ways to arouse students’interest by using variuos teaching
technique such as discussion,chatting, brainstorming.
Pictures and visuals. As carrying out the speaking activities, the use of
visuals, illustrative pictures will support very well the clarification of context,
suggest the content to be spoken. The picture is also means to test the
explanation level of the students. The teacher let the students look at the pictures
or questions in the exercise to predict the topic, necessary information for
speaking.
For example in unit 6 in the text book of grade 10, topic about the
excursion, I gave the pictures, the students looked at the pictures and spoke in
groups.
Groups of weak and very weak students will have direct instruction of the
teacher and the teacher will mutually participate.The students will be divided
into small groups.
Group of average students will have sample questions.
Example:

1. Do you often go for a picnic ?
2. Which of the place would you like to visit?
3. How many people take part in?
4. What activities will you organize?
5. Have you ever come to there ?
6. What do you think of the.................?
7. Where is it located?
8. Do you like Tet holiday in VietNam? Why?
9. What are some popular activities at Tet?
10. Which of activities do you enjoy doing most at Tet?
Group of good and excellent pupils can ask and answer together and the
teacher may have extended questions.
Discussion: Let the students discuss in groups, or in pairs about the
information to be spoken, it is possible to practice to speak quickly to each other.
Chatting: The teacher and students chat a bit according to a topic which
the teacher intends to organize in the speaking lesson.
Braintormings. The students can put forth the activities according to a
certain topic so they can focus on the structure of speaking lesson.
For example, the teacher gives the speaking topic about the activities of Tet
holiday in Vietnam then show the picture. The students have topic, then think,
remember to develop the topic.
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Celebration

Tet Holiday in Viet Nam

Excellent students can speak correctly the requirement or expand, but for
average, weak and very weak students, they can speak moderately, the teacher

even encourages weak and very weak students to speak each sentence, provided
that they can speak complete sentences.
The selection of activity to implement in this period depends on some
factors such a time of carrying out the speaking exercise,document,whether the
information is available or not, level and habit of the students.
To lead in the speaking, I show some pictures connected to the topics and
provide the students with information.

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Ben En National Park, one of the most relaxing parks in the North of Viet Nam.
Location:……………………………………………………………………….
Characteristics:…………………………………………………………………
Biodiversity:……………………………………………………………………
The best time to visit:………………………………………………………….
Activities for Visitors:…………………………………………………………

Vinh Lang stele.
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Lam Kinh Relic Site
Location:…………………………………………………………………………
When and where recognized:……………………………………………………
Characteristics:…………………………………………………………………..
Activities for Visitors:…………………………………………………………
.

Citadel of the Ho Dynasty.

Location:…………………………………………………………………………
When and where it was built:……………………………………………………
Number of tourists visit every year:……………………………………………..
Characteristics:…………………………………………………………………..

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Sam Sơn beach.
Location:……………………………………………………………………….
How about the sightseeing :……………………………………………
Attractive Tourism Spot:…………………………………………………………
Sea food:………………………………………………………………………….
People here:………………………………………………………………………
The best time to have a holiday:………………………………………………….

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Tet in Viet Nam
The meaning of Tet holiday:……………………………………………………
Activities before and after Tet:…………………………………………………
Traditional food:…………………………………………………………………
2.3.3.3.Post- speaking.
In this period the students make their own talks,using the information that
was given by the teacher and the given cues above..
The first students called are the captains of the groups they will present in
front of the class then the others.
After the students complete the talks teacher can correct clearly to them
how pronounce, press the stress of the words and the sentences.

3. Speaking practice in overtime period and outdoor activities.
After students prepared the steps of speaking through the periods in the
class such as the vocabulary, the content of topics.The students will take part in
the outdoor activities at the school and have practical experiences in the relics of
historical sites or in the farm in the countryside.The students will have
opportunities to be spoken and encouraged oral interaction.
It is possible to hold the extra-circular activity sessions, facilitate the
students to practice English communication to each other more.

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Students of To Hien Thanh high school in the outdoor activities in Lam Kinh
Tho Xuan, Thanh Hoa.

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Students of To Hien Thanh high school in the outdoor activities in the field
in Quảng Xương

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The students are talking about their future jobs in the outdoor activity at
To Hien Thanh high school.
4.Test.
In testing the students, I give speaking exam part in the tests to force the
students to implement so that they will realize the importance of this skill. The
purpose of speaking test is:

-Testing the language reaction of the students: listen and answer, listen and
follow the order.
-Testing the ability to provide the information.
-Testing the phonology of students.
To test, evaluate the speaking ability of the students, I achieve the
requirements above, I implement by the forms of testing, evaluating according
to some following evaluation forms:
4.1.Requirements and skills used for speaking test
4.1.1. For average and weak students:
For this object, they are very timid, inferiority complex, especially not
good in recognizing the information and speaking skill. Therefore, to encourage
them to participate fully and confidently, create their enthusiastic for this test
part, the teacher can give the communication question bank according to some
predetermined topics (in the revision sessions) so that the students can practice
at home according to the predetermined frame. As testing, the teacher can ask
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them according to the topics or change another topic, however, it should be
within the revision frame so they feel confident and learn more actively.
Requirements to be met: The students listen, determine the question and
answer correctly, fully the requested information, ensure the pronunciation, the
teacher may not heighten the stress, ability to interact to the teacher as speaking
at average level.
4.1.2. For good and excellent students:
For these objects, they need to grasp the grammar relatively well and their
vocabulary is rather plentiful. Therefore, the teacher can expand more forms of
testing so that can promote their ability.
Requirements to be met: The students can communicate, have dialogue
with the teacher as speaking to the teacher smoothly, fluently. Ensure the

correction of pronunciation, have stress, good reaction while speaking, not be
wrong in grammar structure, vocabulary.
4.2. Free talk part: The exam part requires 2 students to take exam at each turn
(in this exam part, they can draw lots of situation or the teacher gives to the
students some pictures for video clip for dialogue or present about the site
where they have ever visit.
4.3. Achieved result:
Through the speaking test in March of school year 2017- 2018, the result of
speaking exam quality of the pupils was as follows:

No.
1
2

10C5
10C7

41
42

Excellent
Good
Average
Weak
Q.t
% Q.ty % Q.ty % Q.ty %
y
5 12.6 13 31.1 11 26.4 8 19.1
9 21,4 15 35.7 16 37.1 2
4,7

Very weak
Q.ty

%

4
0

9
0,0

In comparison to the survey at the beginning of the year, the result changed
according to progressive direction, they regularly used English to each other and
they were more confident in English speaking hours and I also realize clearly the
efficiency of some students who have active learning awareness.
Such as Le Duc Anh, Tran Thi Anh, Nguyen Thi Quynh at grade 10C5, Mai
Thi Linh Chi, Phuong Thao, Nguyen Thu Phuong, Dao Duc Anh at grade 10C7
and some other students can make eloquence about some topics confidently and
have good result.
However, for the students of To Hien Thanh High School, to have such
result, it is the best effort of both teacher and students because their initial result
was very low, the self-motivation, sharpness and confidence were very limited,
and these factors are very important in developing English communication.
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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5.1. Conclusions.
To develop English speaking skill of the students, it is a very hard and

difficult work, it is necessary to have time to change a habit of learning foreign
language which is out of date, not suitable for new situation. Furthermore, to
have a perfect skill, it also requires to have sufficient time for practice, close
cooperation between the teacher and learner, as well as the support of the school,
close care of the pupils’ parents.
5.2. Recommendations.
For teacher
- Guide, consult the pupils ways of learning efficiently to help the pupils
feel more excited in learning English (way of preparing the lesson, way of
learning vocabulary, applying new words to the situation, learning correct
pronunciation, use of structure, word arrangement, idea arrangement, etc.)
- Design many different types of operation according to the gradually
increased difficult level and suitable for each group of pupils.
- Have equal reward and punishment system so the pupils have base for
self-evaluating their effort and progress, create the learning resolution for the
pupils.
- Evaluate correctly the real ability of pupils to put forth suitable
requirement; too low requirement for good and excellent students will make the
students feel boring and not have will of trying better; too high requirement for
weak students will lose the confidence of students, reduce their interest.
- Create the confidence for students in communication: not attach much
importance to the issue of speaking correctly the grammar, it makes the students
mind. Instead, encourage the students to express the ideas, express what they
want to speak.
For students
- Determine the driving force, sound learning attitude.
- Change the method of learning English in conformity to new requirement.
- Actively participate in the activities in the class; take full advantage of
time in the class to practice the communication with the classmates. Always find
all opportunities to communicate to the friends in English, create quick reaction.

- Practice the correct pronunciation, fluent speaking. This is one of the
factors deciding the confidence of the learner.
For school
- Take care more to the teaching and learning equipment to meet the
requirement on renovating the teaching method.
- Hold many special subjects relating to the development of speaking skill
for the teachers to have opportunity for exchanging the teaching experience of
teaching skill as well as listening, reading and writing skills for students.
Thanh Hóa, ngày 18 tháng 5 năm 2018
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REFERENCES
1. Book “Some issues on renovation of teaching method at High School level in
English of Ministry of Education and Training”.
2. Renovation of teaching method and renovation of and testing and evaluation
of pupils in English of High School - Education Publishing House.
3.Textbook, teacher’s book, new English 10 of Ministry of Education and

Training.
4. The pictures from: ; www.vietnamtourism.com;
www.vietnambreakingnews.com; .
5. Training document on method renovation of English 10 - Education
Publishing House.

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