an investigation into the use of games in efl speaking classes at tan phuc secondary school in binh thuan province

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

DUONG TRAN THUY TRINH

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF GAMES IN EFL
SPEAKING CLASSES AT TAN PHUC SECONDARY SCHOOL
IN BINH THUAN PROVINCE

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019


MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

DUONG TRAN THUY TRINH

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF GAMES IN EFL
SPEAKING CLASSES AT TAN PHUC SECONDARY
SCHOOL IN BINH THUAN PROVINCE

Major: Teaching English to speakers of other language
Major code: 60140111

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL
Supervisor: Dr. NGUYEN DINH THU

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019

i

STATEMENT OF THE AUTHORSHIP

I certify that the thesis entitled “An Investigation into the Use of Games in ÈFL
Speaking Classes at Tan Phuc Secondary School in Binh Thuan Province.” is my
original work; it is based on my own research. All sources used by me have been
documented. No other person‟s work has been used without due acknowledgement.
This work has not previously been submitted for assessment in this or any other
subject or course at this University or elsewhere.

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019

Duong Tran Thuy Trinh


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to give thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thu for
the aid and tolerance during my process of conducting this thesis. He gave me very
useful guidelines, feedback, and support when I carried out this study.
Secondly, I also would like to show my gratitude to all teachers and students at Tan
Phuc secondary school who spent their valuable time to take part in the interviews
and respond my questionnaires. Also, thanks to the consent of headmaster and
English teachers, the researcher could observe how an English speaking class was
run there.
Thirdly, I would like to extend my appreciation to some of my colleagues who gave

me some helpful advice and support me at work so that I had more time to complete
my thesis.
Last but not least, I want to express my deep gratitude to my parents who
continuously stand by me and encourage me during the process of this study.

Duong Tran Thuy Trinh


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ABSTRACT

The English language speaking skill has been always considered as one of the
prioritized skills in English language education. EFL teachers, in fact, use a variety
of techniques, including role-play, discussion, pair-and group-work to not only
engage learners in the learning process but also enhance their English
communication skills. Among the frequently used activities, various games in EFL
teaching have been paid attention and widely applied to create an interesting and
interactive learning environment. However, the types and methods of game
application are varied among EFL teachers. Hence, this study attempts to investigate
the current situation of learning speaking skills through games and students‟
attitudes towards the use of games at a secondary school in Binh Thuan province.
Based on the theoretical framework of speaking skills and games, the research was
carried out in the first semester of school year 2018-2019. The participant of this
study consisted of all students and English teachers at Tan Phuc secondary school.
The data were collected from three different sources: questionnaires, interviews, and
observations. For analysis, the questionnaire data were quantitatively analysed while
the interview data were qualitatively analysed.
The findings of the study revealed that current situations of learning oral skills
through games are quite effective, and most students show their positive attitudes

towards games in learning speaking skills. However, there are still some challenges
of using this tool in a speaking lesson, including the hesitation to participate in the
speaking activities, the imbalance of student-talking time, or the overuse of the
mother tongue of a small group of students in practicing speaking. In order to deal
with this problem, teachers should play a key role in managing the classroom‟s
activities.
Hopefully, the study will shed light on using games to effectively encourage
learners‟ English communication skills.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF THE AUTHORSHIP .................................................................. i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................... ii
ABSTRACT ...........................................................................................................iii
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................... vii
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................ vii
LIST OF CHARTS ............................................................................................... viii
CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1
1.1.

Rationales of the study ............................................................................... 1

1.2.

Purposes of the study .................................................................................. 4

1.3.

Research questions ..................................................................................... 4

1.4.

Scope of the study ...................................................................................... 4

1.5.

Significance of the study ............................................................................ 4

1.6.

Organization of the study ........................................................................... 5

CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................... 6
LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 6
2.1.

Theoretical background .............................................................................. 6

2.1.1.

Speaking .............................................................................................. 6

2.1.2.

Games ................................................................................................ 16

2.1.3.

How to employ games in speaking classes ......................................... 22

2.2.

Empirical studies ...................................................................................... 23

2.3.

Chapter summary ..................................................................................... 26

CHAPTER 3 ......................................................................................................... 27
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................ 27
3.1.

Research Design and Instruments ............................................................. 27

3.1.1.

Research design ................................................................................. 27

3.1.2.

Research instruments ......................................................................... 28


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3.2.

Research site ............................................................................................ 34

3.3.

Participants ............................................................................................... 34

3.4.

Data collection technique ......................................................................... 35

3.5.

Data analysis technique ............................................................................ 36

3.5.1.

Descriptive data analysis .................................................................... 36

3.5.2.

Content analysis ................................................................................. 36

3.6.

Methodological issues .............................................................................. 37

3.6.1.

Reliability and validity of the questionnaire ....................................... 37

3.6.2.

Reliability and validity of the observation and interview .................... 38

3.6.3.

Triangulation ..................................................................................... 38

3.7.

Chapter summary ..................................................................................... 38

CHAPTER 4 ......................................................................................................... 39
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ........................................................................... 39
4.1.

Research findings ..................................................................................... 39

4.1.1.

Results from the questionnaires ......................................................... 39

4.1.2.

Results from the class observations .................................................... 62

4.1.3.

Results from the interviews ................................................................ 72

4.2.

Discussion of findings .............................................................................. 78

4.2.1.

The situations of learning speaking skills through games ................... 79

4.2.2.

Students‟ attitudes towards the use of games in speaking lessons ....... 80

4.3.

Chapter summary ..................................................................................... 81

CHAPTER 5 ......................................................................................................... 82
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................... 82
5.1.

Summary of major findings ...................................................................... 82

5.2.

Recommendations .................................................................................... 83

5.2.1.

For students ....................................................................................... 83

5.2.2.

For teachers ....................................................................................... 84

5.3.

Strength and limitations of the methodology ............................................ 84

5.3.1.

Strengths ............................................................................................ 84


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5.3.2.

Limitations ........................................................................................ 85

5.4.

Recommendations for further research ..................................................... 85

5.5.

Chapter summary ..................................................................................... 85

REFERENCE ........................................................................................................ 86
APPENDIX 1 ........................................................................................................ 93

QUESTIONNAIRE DATA COLLECTION .......................................................... 93
APPENDIX 2 ........................................................................................................ 98
QUESTIONNAIRE (ENGLISH VERSION) ......................................................... 98
APPENDIX 3 ...................................................................................................... 101
QUESTIONNAIRE (VIETNAMESE VERSION) ............................................... 101
APPENDIX 4 ...................................................................................................... 104
CLASSROOM OBSERVATION SHEET ........................................................... 104
APPENDIX 5 ...................................................................................................... 107
QUESTIONS FOR SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW WITH TEACHERS ... 107
APPENDIX 6 ...................................................................................................... 108
LESSON PLANS ................................................................................................ 108


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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3. 1: Questionnaire process ............................................................... 31
Figure 3. 2: Observation process .................................................................. 32
Figure 3. 3: Interview process ...................................................................... 34

LIST OF TABLES

Table 4. 1: Gender ................................................................................................. 39
Table 4. 2: Reliability statistics .............................................................................. 40
Table 4. 3: Reliability Statistics (Section 2) ........................................................... 41
Table 4. 5: Reliability Statistics (Section 3) ........................................................... 50


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LIST OF CHARTS
Chart 4. 1: Does your teacher use games in speaking lessons? ............................... 42
Chart 4. 2: Do you participate in games in speaking activity? ................................ 43
Chart 4. 3: Does you teacher encourage or give you the opportunity to speak
English when playing games? ................................................................................ 44
Chart 4. 4: Do you take advantage of every chance given to speak English when
playing games? ...................................................................................................... 45
Chart 4. 5: Do you have as much time to speak English as your classmates? ......... 46
Chart 4. 6: Do you focus on your speaking topics when playing games? ............... 47
Chart 4. 7: Does your teacher give feedback or correct your mistake after you
practice speaking through games? ......................................................................... 48
Chart 4. 8: I feel confident when speaking English in games ................................. 51
Chart 4. 9: I feel bored when learning speaking skill in games ............................... 52
Chart 4. 10: I am not interested in learning speaking English through .................... 53
Chart 4. 11: I feel tired when studying speaking skill through games. ................... 54
Chart 4. 12: I think studying speaking skill through games is enjoyable. ............... 55
Chart 4. 13: I think it is easier to practice speaking skill though games. ................. 56
Chart 4. 14: I have motivation to practice speaking skill through games ................ 57
Chart 4. 15: I feel relaxed when studying speaking skill through games. ............... 58
Chart 4. 16: I want to play games in speaking class because I feel I can speak
English better. ....................................................................................................... 59
Chart 4. 17: I think my speaking class through games is really a waste of time. ..... 60
Chart 4. 18: I want to learn speaking skill through games as much as possible. ..... 61


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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1.

Rationales of the study
Nowadays, English has become one of the popular means of communication

for people all around the world, and the most powerful force that has shaped their
language policies is globalization. In some Asian countries such as India,
Singapore, the Philippines, and Hong Kong, English has been taught and learnt as
one of their official languages, and it works as their dominant language. On the
other hand, some countries like Korea, Japan, and China, where people used to
show their opposing attitude towards the foreign influence, are gradually taking into
account the importance of English and giving more attention to enhance English
language teaching and learning (Tsui, 2004).
In Viet Nam, English has grown and expanded rapidly as an important
language since the Open Door policy in 1986. In the context of economic
renovation, English became the foreign language taught in Viet Nam (Hoang,
2007). With the focus of using English as a key tool to keep abreast with other
countries, English is necessary in various fields such as business, education,
technology, science, and so on. It has also been chosen as one of the compulsory
subjects not only in universities, high schools, and secondary schools, but also in
primary schools. Besides, there are some policies as well as strategies which help to
promote the status of English in education. For instance, according to Decree No.
3321/ QĐ-BGDĐT of the Ministry of Education and Training in August, 2010,
“English has become the medium of instruction for other subjects like mathematics,
computer science, physics, chemistry, and biology”. Besides, as indicated in the
Project 2020 in Viet Nam:
…by 2020, most Vietnamese students will be able to use a foreign
language confidently in their daily communication, their study and

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work in an integrated, multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment,
making foreign languages a comparative advantage of development
for Vietnamese people in the cause of industrialization and
modernization for the country (Decision No.1400).

To most people, being competent in speaking is the most important aspect of
learning a second or foreign language and the success in oral communication is
measured through the ability to carry out conversations in the target language
(Nunan, 1991). In the same fashion, Ur (2002) suggests that “…of all the four skills
(listening, speaking, reading, and writing), speaking seems intuitively the most
important: people who know a language are referred to as „speakers‟ of that
language” (p. 117). Although speaking emerges as the most crucial skill which
leads to the success of communication, it has also been widely noticed as the most
challenging skill in English language teaching and learning. In Ur‟s (2002) view,
there are some factors that make speaking skill difficult to EFL learners. The first
problem encountered by students is inhibition. It is the condition when students feel
afraid of losing face, making mistakes, or scared of criticism. Inhibition is believed
to negatively affect students‟ performance like the increase of mistakes or the
tendency of keeping silent (Humaera, 2015). Another factor which causes the
inefficiency in learners‟ speaking acquisition is simply having nothing to say or
having no motivation to express their ideas and feelings in another language. They
cannot think of anything to say or have no motivation to express their ideas despite
the guilty feeling that they should be speaking (Heriansyah, 2012). Having few
chances to participate in speaking activities is also one of the factors leading to the
poor speaking performance among learners. In large classes, there are some learners
who tend to take every chance to speak as much as possible, whereas the others are
usually reluctant to speak (Ur, 2002). Last but not least, many learners cannot help

using the mother-tongue in English classrooms. Students use it because it is very
easy for them (Tuan & Mai, 2015), and it also comes as very natural when they
need to explain something to their classmate (Harmer, 2001).


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In Viet Nam, students have studied English for years, but many of them still
find it difficult to communicate fluently and confidently. The first possible reason is
that the importance of speaking skill is not highly appreciated in school, especially
for secondary and high school students when the current testing system focuses
primarily on written tests only. The emphasis of a lesson is usually on the
improvement of reading comprehension, vocabulary and structural patterns in order
to deal with the exams rather than improving communicative ability (Hoang, 2007).
Additionally, the way we teach speaking skill is no longer appropriate for learners
when most teachers follow the traditional way of teaching speaking which is rather
boring and stressful. According to Hoang (2007), most Vietnamese teachers show
their great interest in new methodologies during the training course, but after the
course, they tend to continue teaching in the old methods. Specifically, students are
asked to learn by heart some fixed expressions and repeat like a parrot. Eventually,
students lose their interest in improving their speaking skill. Both of these reasons
can obviously demotivate Vietnamese students to learn speaking English and hence,
speaking is always a difficult skill for learners to obtain successfully.
Appreciating the importance of speaking skill, teachers are trying to change
or adapt new techniques in order to improve teaching and learning quality. Teaching
speaking must be more creative, interesting, and less stressful to help students
actively engage in speaking lessons. One of the common techniques to motivate
students is using games. It is believed that games are able to attract students‟
interest and promote active participation. This has been found in various studies
conducted by Fajariyah (2009), Soto and Guardiola (2013), and Souheir (2013).

Martin (1995, as cited in Brewster & Ellis, 2002) says that game is a fun activity
which provides students opportunities to learn and use language in a relaxing and
enjoyable way. The application of games may be useful to foster students‟ interest,
confidence and ability in speaking skill.
Nowadays, although the usefulness of games has been identified in a number
of studies in the world, the existing situation of teaching and learning speaking


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skills through games and students‟ attitudes towards the use of games in speaking
classes at Tan Phuc secondary school is still unknown. It leads to the researcher‟s
purposes of investigating the use of games in EFL speaking classes at Tan Phuc
secondary school in Binh Thuan Province.
1.2.

Purposes of the study
Being aware of the effectiveness of games in teaching and learning speaking

skills, this thesis aims at investigating the use of games in EFL speaking classes at
Tan Phuc secondary school in Binh Thuan province. To be specific, the purposes of
this study are (1) to understand the current situation of learning speaking skills
through games at Tan Phuc secondary school; and (2) to find out students‟ attitudes
toward learning speaking skills through games. From the results of these research
questions, the researcher gain better understanding about the possibility,
applicability, and feasibility of games at this school. This helps the researcher have
appropriate actions to improve the situation in the future.
1.3.

Research questions

More specifically, this study aims at answering the following research

questions:
1. What is the current situation of teaching and learning speaking skills
through games at Tan Phuc secondary school?
2. What are students’ attitudes toward learning speaking skills through games?
1.4.

Scope of the study
The research is conducted on both teachers and secondary students (from

grade 6th to grade 9th) at Tan Phuc secondary school in Binh Thuan province.
1.5.

Significance of the study
The thesis is carried out with the purpose that its possible success can

suggest new technique for both teachers and students to improve students‟ speaking


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skills as well as raising their awareness and interest in practicing speaking. In regard
to English teachers, they can help improve their teaching process by applying games
appropriately as a useful technique in English classes. Moreover, the result of the
study might have a significant contribution to the improvement of students in
speaking skills as they are expected to produce correct grammar, vocabulary,
pronunciation, and to be more willing to answer questions orally. In addition, the
students are expected to have more opportunities to practice speaking skill and learn
it with enjoyment. For the researcher, the study provides invaluable experience for

the speaking development of the students at secondary school. Last but not least,
this research may lead to further research about the effects of games not only in
speaking but also in different skills and language areas.
1.6.

Organization of the study
This thesis is composed of 5 chapters:
Chapter 1 provides the introduction of the study, which includes the

background, aims, rationale, research questions, significance, and the organization
of the thesis.
Chapter 2 reviews the relevant literature for the study in which the
theoretical background and empirical studies are presented. After the discussion, the
researcher concludes some research gaps.
Chapter 3 presents the research design and methodology of the study by
describing its research site, participants, and materials, teaching methods, data
collection instruments and procedures, and analytical framework.
Chapter 4 describes the data analysis and its discussion about the results of
the questionnaires, observation and interview.
Chapter 5 concludes the research and presents its implication in teaching and
learning speaking skill through games.


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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

The aim of this chapter is to present the review of literature used to underpin
this study. The chapter is divided into three main parts including theoretical

framework, empirical studies and chapter summary. The first part (2.1) provides the
general background of speaking skill and games in language teaching and learning.
On the other hand, the second part (2.2) discusses empirical studies which examined
the use of games in teaching and learning speaking skill, following which the
researcher came up with some research gaps. In the third part (2.3), all the crucial
factors are summarised to provide succinct and brief ideas of this chapter.
2.1. Theoretical background

The theoretical framework incorporates important components, including
background knowledge of speaking skill and games in language teaching and
learning.
2.1.1. Speaking
In this section, definition, basic types, and components of speaking skill are
briefly described. Besides, the researcher also discusses some characteristics of a
successful speaking lesson as well as certain problems faced by the majority of
learners. Then, with a substantial part, different principles required in speaking skill
are made clear to give teachers some suggestions on how to teach speaking skill
more effectively.
2.1.1.1. Definition of speaking skill
Burns and Joyce (1997) indicate that speaking is an interactive process
which comprises generating, perceiving, and processing information. Moreover, the
form and meaning are related to its context, participants, and the purpose of
speaking. On the other hand, Chaney and Burk (1998) conclude that speaking is the


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process of establishing and sharing the meaning with the use of both verbal and
non-verbal symbols. Hybel (2001, p. 45) also states that “speaking is any process in
which people share information, ideas and feelings. It involves all of body language

mannerism and style-anything that adds meaning to a message”. From these points
of view, we can see that speaking provides a means of communication by which
people can share their thoughts, opinions, and feelings to each other.
In learning English, speaking skill is defined as productive skill. It is like the
other skills, but speaking is more sophisticated than it seems and involves more than
just pronouncing words (Bashir et al., 2011). Speaking seems to be the most
demanding skill which requires a lot of patience and effort to teach and learn.
Students learn English effectively when they are able to express their emotions,
communicate intentions and reactions, explore the language and make fun of it like
the way they do it in their own language (Scott & Ytreberg, 2004). Therefore,
teaching speaking skill is not simply the act of providing grammar and vocabulary
for students and then helping them to make sentences with proper pronunciation. It
also requires teachers to enhance students‟ ability to interact and cooperate in their
speaking (Thornbury, 2005).
2.1.1.2. Basic types of speaking
According to Brown (2004, p. 141), speaking skill can be divided into five
main categories:
1. Imitative
At this level, speaking performance does not aim at conducting meaningful
interaction; it is simply the act of practice an intonation contour or imitating a
specific element of language form like a word, phrase, or a sentence. Moreover, the
focus is on pronunciation as an attempt to help the learners to be comprehensible.
The technique for this type of speaking is „drilling‟ which offers the practice of
speaking skill through repetition and the learners acquire elements of language in a
controlled way.


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2. Intensive

In this type of speaking skill, the learners are able to produce short stretches
of oral language to demonstrate the competence in a narrow band of grammatical or
phonological aspects of language but the interaction is minimal. It can be selfinitiated or part of pair work activity.
3. Responsive
At this level, the learners‟ speaking performance includes the ability to
understand and respond to the interlocutor and test administrator, but the interaction
is still minimal at best. They can only produce very short conversations like
greetings, small talk or simple requests and comments. Moreover, for this type of
speaking, learners can usually base their talk on some authentic spoken prompts.
4. Interactive
With this type of speaking, interaction is longer and more complex than the
responsive speaking. The main purpose of this is to convey or exchange specific
information interpersonally which includes the nature of more negotiation than the
responsive level. Moreover, the speech may be more pragmatically complex
because of casual register and colloquial language, ellipsis, slang, and other
sociolinguistic conventions, which distinguish it from responsive level.
5. Extensive (monologue)
This involves the tasks of speeches, oral presentations, and story-telling. In
this type of speaking, the speakers can talk for the whole time as there is no
interaction. Besides, the listeners will listen and respond through their non-verbal
signals. The language style is more deliberative and formal, but we cannot rule out
certain informal monologues such as delivered speech.
2.1.1.3. Factors impacting speaking competence
According to Harmer (2001, p. 269-271) there are two elements of speaking
including language features and mental/ social processing. In terms of language


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features, there are a total of four items. The first one is connected speech which is a

continuous sequence of sounds forming conversations in spoken language. Harmer
(2001) supposes that an effective speaker is able to produce not only the individual
phonemes but also use the connected speech fluently. The second feature of
language is expressive devices by which people can change the pitch and stress, the
volume and speed, and show by other paralinguistic means. The third suggested
item of language features is lexis and grammar. Speech is considered spontaneous if
a number of common lexical phrases are used, and together with the use of certain
language functions. Negotiation language is the final items of language features.
The language we use in order to gain the clarification and structure of what we say
may result in the effectiveness of speaking skill. The second factor suggested by
Harmer (2001) is mental/social processing which includes language processing,
interaction, and information processing. In other words, it is a two-way process
where there is collaboration between two or more people in one context to exchange
opinions, information and emotions. In general, these two elements of speaking play
decisive role in whether a language learner can speak well or not.
On the other hand, Brown (2004) suggests four elements (aspects) of
speaking comprising of fluency, accuracy, pronunciation, and vocabulary.
According to Oxford Advanced learner‟s dictionary, fluency is “the quality of being
able to speak and write a language, especially a foreign language, easily and well.”
It is the ability to talk without stopping to think of what to say next (Fillmore, 1979,
as cited in Nation, 1989). On the other hand, accuracy is another factor of speaking,
which deals with the use of grammatical structures, including tense, phrase,
sentence, part of speech, and so on. Put another way, accuracy refers to the degree
of performance deviating from a norm. Usually, fluency and accuracy are seen as
dichotomy because it is difficult for someone to speak fluently and accurately at the
same time. What makes them seem to be opposite is the dominance of the teacher
and the learner. To be specific, accuracy is teacher-dominated because it is


10

connected with the form of language, whereas fluency is student-dominated due to
its relation in meaning (Nunan, 1991).
As also cited in Oxford Advanced learner‟s dictionary, “pronunciation is the
way in which a language or a particular word or sound is pronounced.” It includes
stress, intonation, and rhythm, which are important to produce clear message when
we speak (Nirmawati, 2015). Vocabulary is all the words in a particular language
(Oxford Advanced learner‟s dictionary). The better knowledge of vocabulary, the
easier and more smoothly we can speak. Pronunciation and vocabulary are the other
two factors of speaking, which play important roles in making a successful speech.
These two factors also connect with the previous ones which always supplement
and support each other.
Wang (2014) claims that there are three major factors influencing learners‟
speaking competence: cognitive, linguistic, and affective factors. Cognitive factors
are related to the ability to conceptualize, formulate, and articulate information to
express the meaning. On the other hand, linguistic factors are about the correct use
of language forms. There are three components of linguistic factors: pronunciation,
grammar, and vocabulary. The last one is affective factors which are about selfrestriction and anxiety. The less anxious we are when speaking, the more effectively
we can talk.
From all of these views, I come to an understanding that there are different
factors which affect the learners‟ speaking ability. They may be related to (1)
language features such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, stress, intonation,
fluency, accuracy; (2) interaction; and (3) processing information.
2.1.1.4. Characteristics of successful speaking lessons/ activity
There are some factors required in a successful speaking activity suggested
by Ur (2002, p. 120) as follows.


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First of all, a speaking class is considered to be successful when the studenttalking time seizes most of the time in the classroom. The more students speak
English, the better they can improve English communication.
Second, the students‟ participation is even. Every student has equal chances
and is willing to take part in all speaking activities. In other words, speaking
activities are not dominated by a minority of participants who are more talkative.
Another important feature of successful speaking classroom is high
motivation. When students are motivated, they feel interested in the topic and want
to contribute to the lesson.
Last but not least, learners‟ use of language should be appropriate. What
students discuss or speak should be relevant, comprehensible, and at an acceptable
level of accuracy.
2.1.1.5. Problems with speaking activities
Ur (2002) writes that learners of speaking skills may face with certain
problems and one of the popular difficulties is the inhibition which usually includes
the fear of making mistakes, being humiliated, being criticized, or shyness.
“Students are often reluctant to speak because they are shy and are not predisposed
to expressing themselves in front of the others, especially when they are being
asked to give personal information or opinions” (Harmer, 2007, p. 345). Besides,
most students are afraid of making mistakes and losing face, so they hesitate to
practice speaking in class. Without confidence, learners are not willing to talk and
their speaking skill can hardly be improved.
Another problem usually encountered by students in speaking class is having
nothing to say (Ur, 2002). It may derive from the fact that students lack motivation
to express their opinions when the speaking topic or activities are not attractive.
Additionally, “teacher may have chosen a topic which is uncongenial to him (the
learner) or about which he knows very little, and as a result, he has nothing to
express, whether in the native language or the foreign language” (Rivers, 1981, p.


12

192). To recap, students may refuse to speak in the classroom when the topic is
boring or irrelevant to what they have known. Therefore, in teaching speaking, the
topics should be interesting and familiar so that they can attract students to speaking
lessons.
Additionally, Ur (2002) asserts that uneven participation is also an issue of
speaking classes. Some students are dominant and speak most of the time while the
others keep silent or speak very little. Besides, some students prefer to speak only if
they are certain about what they are going to say, and some others just keep silent
and show no interest in participating (Khadidja, 2010). Therefore, students do not
usually have equal chances to speak out their ideas. The less they talk, the worse
their speaking skill is. In order to solve this problem, teachers should play the role
of a „referee‟ and reorganize speaking activity to make sure that all students have
opportunities to take part in speaking activities.
Last but not least, a common phenomenon in speaking class is the overuse of
mother tongue. The use of mother tongue may contribute to the language teaching
process. For instance, Larsen-Freeman (2000) claims that the use of students‟ native
language may help to enhance the sense of security and make the meaning of target
language words clear for learners. However, when the use of mother tongue is
exaggerated, it may lead to some drawbacks such as the translation of most
language items (Atkinson, 1987), and reduction in the amount of input and
opportunities to practice (Nation, 2003).
2.1.1.6. Principles of teaching speaking skill
Based on the aforementioned characteristics of a successful speaking lesson
and some causes of an ineffective speaking class, several key principles are taken
into account. Brown (2001, p. 275) suggests 7 principles for designing speaking
activities.
First of all, the techniques should cover from language-based focus on
accuracy to message-based focus on interaction, meaning, and fluency. Nowadays,

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the trouble most teachers encounter throughout their speaking activities is when
they focus solely on the production, but not accuracy of grammar or pronunciation,
and vice versa. Lacking one of these may lead to the failure in fulfilling the success
of speaking performance. Therefore, when designing speaking activities, teachers
should ensure to include its objectives and give students chances to acquire and
apply the blocks of language.
Second, motivation is one of the key factors which help students study
effectively. Learning atmosphere will be more relaxing and less anxious when
students are motivated (Nguyen, 2015). Moreover, the act of raising students‟
interest and their eagerness for learning new things helps students become more
competent and autonomous (Brown, 2001). However, teachers should bear in mind
the use of motivating techniques which help students know how they can take
advantage of those activities rather than drive them to the sense of ecstasy.
Third, it is encouraged to use authentic language in meaningful contexts. As
Peacock (1997) remarks that authentic materials “may increase learners‟ levels of
on-task behaviour, concentration, and involvement in the target activity more than
artificial materials” (p. 152). However, according to Brown (2001), it requires
energy, creativity and teacher‟s resource material to provide authentic contexts and
meaningful interaction. This helps students to be exposed to that language and
obviously improve their reactions to every real life situation.
Fourth, teachers need to provide appropriate feedback and correction for
students in speaking class. In Harmer‟s (2001) opinion, correction helps students to
understand the meaning and construction of the language. While ESL learners get
feedback from their daily life situations which are beyond the classroom, EFL
learners‟ improvement depends a lot on their teachers‟ comment and correction.
Besides, the way of giving feedback should be taken into consideration to avoid
demotivating students.

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Fifth, it is vital to emphasize the natural connection between speaking and
listening skills. Listening and speaking have a close-knit relationship, and they
reinforce each other. Doff (1988) verifies that one cannot develop speaking skills if
she does not develop her listening skills, so in order to have a successful
conversation, students must understand what is said to them. In other words, as we
focus on developing speaking skill, listening skill can come out to be better.
Sixth, teachers should give students opportunities to initiate oral
communication. The era of teacher‟s initiation and students speaking when they are
asked has passed and students are now expected to start and control the
conversation, decide the topics and ask questions when necessary. The importance
of learner initiation has been recognized in both theory and practice. For instance,
Doughty et al. (1987) reveal that learners‟ initiatives lead to more interactions and
thus increase the comprehension of input.
Seventh, the development of speaking strategies needs to be encouraged.
Usually, beginners are not aware of the importance of having their own personal
methods in order to accomplish speaking purposes. Therefore, teachers should
guide students to some strategies which are considered as the core factors for the
success of basic communication. For examples, students should have chances to
practice following strategies: (1) asking for clarification, (2) asking someone to
repeat something, (3) using fillers in order to gain time to process, (4) using
conversation maintenance cues, (5) getting someone‟s attention, (6) using
paraphrases for structures one cannot produce, (7) appealing for assistance from the
interlocutor, (8) using formulaic expressions, (9) and using mime and nonverbal
expressions to convey meaning.
2.1.1.7.

The procedure of a speaking lesson

According to Ngan (2013, p. 8-10), a speaking lesson has three main stages
including pre-speaking, while-speaking, and post-speaking activities. Of all the


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three stages, most of the time should be spent on while-stage, which provide
students sufficient time for practicing speaking skill.
a) Pre-speaking stage (Presentation stage)
At this stage, students are prepared to think about the topic that they are
going to talk about. Some common tasks for this stage can be: discussion or
brainstorming, which helps students to collect all important ideas on the topic;
vocabulary preparation, which aids the comprehension; and prediction, which helps
students to guess what they may learn about. The pre-speaking is considered to be
good when it integrates with other skills such as listening and reading. This stage
usually takes place for 10 minutes and warm-up activities may be included this this
stage.
b) While-speaking stage (Practice stage)
During this stage, students are supposed to practice speaking skills. Students
have chances to work individually, in pairs, or in groups. When students encounter
some difficulties related to the lack of language variety, the teacher may monitor or
assist students to complete the tasks. Besides, teachers‟ feedback and evaluation on
students‟ performance are also very important to check whether students are ready
to move on to the next stage or not. In this stage, some frequently applied activities
for helping students practice speaking skills are the communicative ones such as
role-play, game, or discussion. Depending on the aims of the lessons and classroom
discussion, the teacher can choose and set up the appropriate activities for their
students.

c) Post-speaking stage (Personalization stage)
This is the extension activity which takes place after students have practiced
speaking skill in the while-stage. This stage helps students to obtain the information
or enhance their production in the previous stage. The common task for this postspeaking stage is “an information transfer”- a type of exercise where students
respond to what they have just learnt. For instance, when students are asked to talk