SKKN sử dụng khoảng trống thông tin trong dạy kĩ năng nói tiếng anh cho học sinh lớp 10 chương trình mới

Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

NGHE AN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
QUYNH LUU 2 HIGH SCHOOL

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
USING INFORMATION GAPS IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING
SKILLS FOR 10TH NEW PROGRAM GRADERS
(Sử dụng khoảng trống thông tin trong dạy kĩ năng nói Tiếng Anh cho học
sinh lớp 10 chương trình mới)

Author: Doan Thi Minh Nguyet
Group: English
Tel: 0975901823
Email:

School year 2020 – 2021

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT
Part A

Page

Introduction

3

I

Reasons for the study

3

II

Aims of the study

4

III

Methods of the study

4

IV

Scope of the study

4

Content

5

I

Theoretical and practical background

5

1

Theoretical background

5

2

Practical backgrounds.

5

II

The solutions

6

1

Some information gap operations:

7

2.1

Exchange personal information activities.

7

2.2.

Jigsaw activities

8

2.2

Guessing activities.

8

2.

2. Tips for using information gap .

8

3

Samples of information gap activities for speaking skills in
English program 10 which I have ever applied:

8

3.1

Sample 1: Unit 1: Family life:

9

3.2

Sample 2: Unit 2: Your body and you:

14

3.3

Sample 3: Unit 3: Music

16

3.4

Sample 4: Unit 4: For a better community.

18

3.5

Sample 5: Unit 5: Inventions

20

3.6

Sample 6: Unit 6: Gender equality

22

3.7

Sample 7: Unit 7: Cultural diversity

23

Part B

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

3.8

Sample 8: Unit 8: New ways to learn

24

3.9

Sample 9: Unit 9: Preserving the environment

26

3.10

Sample 10: Unit 10: Ecotourism

28

4

The results of the work

30

Conclusion
Reference

32

Part C
Part D

33

PART A: INTRODUCTION
I. Reasons for the study.
In order to meet the constant development of society and the country's integration
trend, the promotion of students' competences in a comprehensive way is a central issue of
Vietnam's education and is receiving social special attentions. The development
orientation of learners' competency towards the educational program entails an inevitable

requirement to innovate teaching methods. Finding the right method to help students have
the ability to use English independently, and confidently communicate is an important task
of every classroom teacher. Currently, teaching high school English is the direction for
students to perfect 4 skills Listening - Speaking - Reading - Writing, in which focusing on
developing communication skills for students to help students have the ability to use
Using English as a communication tool at a basic level, proceeding to form the ability to
use English easily and effectively in common communication. Therefore, English teachers
need to focus on language teaching skills, be flexible in organizing teaching activities, use
active teaching methods to bring the highest teaching efficiency.
According to the need to reform foreign language teaching and learning activities in the
project "National Foreign Language 2020", the Ministry of Education and Training
emphasized the enhancement of effectiveness in both foreign language teaching and
Students becoming more active in learning foreign languages are two issues that need to
be addressed. Students need to develop comprehensively their foreign language abilities
to help them confidently use English in everyday life alongside their native language,
Vietnamese, thereby helping students meet their communication needs for integration,
cultural, economic & social exchanges between countries.
English is widely used in most of the fields in our society today. In exams such as
graduating from the national high school, entrance exam for specialized schools ... English
is one of the compulsory subjects, however, the reality of teaching English in high schools
still remains. This is a difficult problem, especially in suburban districts like Quynh Luu.
Difficulties pile up difficulties. For a few selected classes at Quynh Luu 2 High School,

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

learning and communicating in English have met certain difficulties. For general classes,
students have more difficulties when practicing Listening and Speaking. Students are

often very confused, shy, lack of confidence and they have difficulties in using English.
One of the reasons may be the lack of communication environment. In most classes,
students only come to class to listen to the teacher lecture without actually communicating
in English. Teachers also often use the tasks that are designed in the textbook without
creating a real English communication environment for the students. That situation has
made every teacher in the classroom like me ponder about how to help students not only
understand and deepen their knowledge, but also help them practice a real English
speaking environment more so that they can improve their speaking skills and become
more confident in using English. Therefore, I have researched and boldly applied the
method.
"Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10 th new program
graders”.
When writing this experiential initiative, I just hope to share some types of information
gaps exercises used in teaching speaking skills to students in the English 10 th new
program, as well as application steps to take to help students enjoy learning and improve
their speaking skills.
II. Aims of the study.
The aims of the study are:
- To help students be able to ask yes / no questions about a certain topic such as:
housework, television programs, world cultures inventions, types of pollution, some
tourist destinations ....
- To help students be able to form a descriptive sentence about something like chores...
- To help students be able to ask and answer simple questions about a certain topic such
as: habits, the TV program, similarities and differences, the use of electronic devices for
learning, certain types of pollution....
- To help students be able to talk about what they like / dislikes.
- To help students be able to ask and answer questions about a particular invention, its
features, its uses, and its benefits.....
- To help students express their point of view about a certain topic.
III. Methods of the study.

- Observation method: document research, observation of students' attitude in speaking
lessons
- Method of exchange and discussion: after attending hours of colleagues, my colleagues,
my colleagues and I conduct exchanges and discussions to draw out lessons for lessons.

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

- Experimental method: Teachers conduct experimental teaching of information gap
activities during speaking lessons.
IV. Scope of the study.
- Practical research on 10th graders of Quynh Luu 2 High School - Quynh Luu District Nghe An Province.
- The main research object that I have ever applied this topic is class 10A1 - a general
class that mainly focuses on average and weak students.

PART B: CONTENT
I.

The theoretical and practical backgrounds.

1. Theoretical background.
Considering the great advantages of information gap mentioned, there are a variety of
different ways to use information gap in the classroom. I myself have applied some
useful information gap above to help students get movitated and improve the learning
atmosphere in English classroom. I have been using information gap in English learning
classroom in 10A6 grader. And I amazingly found that they have made teaching and
learning easier, faster and more pleasing:
2. Practical background.

Unlike traditional method of teaching and learning in which teacher is seen as a
disseminator who will bring all necessary informations to students passively. The
assessment mainly relies on paper-based, rote memorization, or teacher-led instruction
that simply presents established facts or portrays a smooth path to knowledge instead of
posing questions, problems, or scenarios. Thus, students may have few opportunities to
develop their cooperative learning skills and self-evaluation.Students are even learned in
boring classes without media. Information gap to help students get movitated and
improve the learning atmosphere in English classroom,where students work in
collaborative real-world investigations. They will become centered-learner of the learning
process and assessment. Almost students have motivation in learning English. They are
more attentive to the lesson and eager to learn.
As a result, they use the language with great interest and students feel relaxed while
learning.
II. The solutions

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

1. Some information gap operations:
According to many research papers, there are different ways to classify information gap
activities. In this outline of the initiative, I would like to highlight some common, relevant
and easy-to-apply information gap activities which I have ever applied:
1.1. Guessing activities:
 Guess the picture
- Teacher prepares some simple pictures (like clothes, food, action, ...).
- Teacher selects each picture in turn and does not let students know the content of
the picture. Students guess by asking questions.
T: Guess how I went to X

Ss: Did you go by car?

Did you go by bus?

Did you walk?

 Guess the sentence
- Teacher writes a sentence on a card without the students’ seeing, but he writes
the basic structure of the sentence on the board. Students will ask questions to
guess.
For example: The teacher writes the structure:
I went to (somewhere) to (do something).
- Students guess the teacher's sentence correctly by asking:
Did you go to the park?

Did you go to school?

Did you go to the stadium?

Did you play football?

 Mime
- The teacher calls a student to the board. This student will receive a description of
an action and then describe the action for you to guess.
For example:
You are mending a puncture.
You are mending a plug.
You are changing a light bulb.
 Guess famous people

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

- The teacher calls a student to the board. This student will receive a description of
an action and then describe the action for you to guess.
For example:
Are you still alive or dead?
Are you English?
Are you a singer?
 “What’s my line?”
- A student will choose a career and perform a typical career action. The rest ones
will guess the job by asking questions.
For example:
“Were you mending something?”,
“Were you digging?” or
“Do you work outside?”
 What and where:
Teacher invite 2 students out. The rest of the students will hide something in the
classroom. After two students enter, they will have to guess what the hidden object
is and where it is hidden.
For example:
“ Is it made of wood?”,
“Is it a pencil?”,
“Is it high or low?” or
“ Is it on this side of the room?”
1.2. Exchange personal information activities:
This is one of the easiest and the most enjoyable activities in a speaking class in
which students exchange information about themselves. Students will feel more

comfortable and natural when talking about life, hobbies, ... with their friends. Thus, a
natural information gap will be formed. Depending on the lesson topic, the teacher can
apply this activity. For example, students work in pairs and ask their friends about their
daily routine:
“When do you get up?/ When do you have breakfast?/ What do you have for
breakfast? / When do you go to school?/ How do you go to school? etc.
1.3. Jigsaw activities:
In this activity, students can be organized into individual, pair, or group form.
- Each student will be assigned a different information.
- Students will move around the class, in pairs, groups, ... to find out students with
the same information (by asking questions), or asking information in pairs, in groups.
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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

- Teachers ask students what information they have, or students give information
they asked, ...
2. Tips for using information gap .
- Teachers should start with familiar information gap. Take real-world topic and begin an
in-depth investigation. Base your information gap on authentic situation or topic. Besides,
the information gap should be a “now” information.
– The information should be suitable with students’ age and easy to understand.
- When designing a technique, teacher should have in mind which content standards will
be addressed, what kind of information to support and what materials and resources will
be accessible to the students to assist them.

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

3. Samples of information gap activities for speaking skills in English program 10
which I have ever applied:
3.1.Sample 1: Unit 1: Family life:
Activity 1: Guessing game:
- Objective: Help students ask yes / no questions about housework.
- Proceed: + Teacher calls 1 student on the board
+ This student will choose a random picture, the rest of the students will
ask yes / no questions to guess what the house is about.( kind of household chores)
- Handout:

Activity 2: miming:
- Objective: help students be able to form sentences to describe chores
( do household chores).
- Procedure: The teacher calls a student to the board. This student will receive a
description of a chore, and then act it out for their guesses.
For example:
e.g. You are sweeping the floor.
You are ironing the clothes.

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

You are shopping for groceries.
- Handout:

Activity 3: Exchanging personal information:

- Objective: To help students be able to ask simple questions about similarities and
differences.
- Proceed: + Students work in pairs
+ Teachers give handouts to students.
+ Based on handouts, students will ask and answer to find the similarity
and difference.
+ Students present their answers.
- Handout:
Which household chores do you like doing and which do you dislike? Why? Ask
your friend to complete the following table.
Chores

You

Your friend

Similarity/difference
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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

Cooking
Watering the flowers
Do the washing
Do the washing-up
Mopping the floor
Cleaning the floor
Taking out the rubbish
Other:

Activity 4: Jigsaw
- Objective: Help students be able to talk about what they like / dislikes (likes /
dislikes)
- Proceed: + Students work in groups, 04 students / group
+ Each student / group receives 1 card with specific household chores
requirement
+ Students work in groups and make a chore list for each person. (Familly
chore chart)
+ Students practice talking about the habits they have
- Handout:

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

3.2.Sample 2: Unit 2: Your body and you:
Activity 1: Jigsaw:
- Objective: Help students practice talking about the habit
- Proceed:
+ Teacher gives each student a piece of paper with a different habit
+ Students will move around the classroom and ask questions to find out who has the
same habit.
+ Students practice talking about the habits they have.
- Handout:

staying up late

being thankful

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

leaving things until the last minute

Getting up early

watching TV all day

doing regular exercise

never giving up

saving money

Littering

reading regularly

arriving just in time

eating what you like

Activity 2: Exchanging personal information:

- Objective: Help students be able to ask and answer questions about habits.
- Proceed:
+ Students work in pairs.
+ Each student will be given 2 handouts.
+ Students work in pairs, ask and answer questions to find out what habits they
have in common and compare the frequency of that habit.
- Handout:
Habits
Doing regular exercise
Leaving things until

Never

Sometimes

Usually Often

Always

the last minute
Being thankful
Staying up late
Watching TV all day
Saving money
Never giving up
Eating what you like
Littering
Reading regularly
Arriving just in time
Reading comic books

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

3.3.Sample 3: Unit 3: Music
Activity 1: Guessing game:
- Objective: Help students ask yes / no questions about television programs.
- Proceed: + Teacher calls a student to the board
+ Students choose a picture of a TV show (TV show).
+ The rest of the students will ask yes / no questions to guess the name of
that program.
- Handout:

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

Activity 2: Jigsaw:
- Objective: Help students be able to ask and answer questions about the TV
program
- Proceed: + Students work in pairs.
+ Teacher gives each pair 2 cards with missing information.
+ Each student will ask and answer questions to complete their
questionnaire, and then guess the name of the program.

- Handout:

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

3.4. Sample 4: Unit 4: For a better community:
Activity 1: Guessing game:
- Objective: Help students be able to ask and answer yes / no questions.
- Proceed: + Teacher calls a student to come up to the board and choose one of the
available activities (prepared by the teacher).
+ Other students ask yes / no questions to guess what the activity is.
Lists of activities:
+ Building houses.
+ Fixing running water.
+ Building schools .
+ Widening roads.
+ Teaching children.
+ Directing the traffic.
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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

- Handout:

Activity 2: Jigsaw:
- Objective: Help students be able to ask and answer questions about the available
activities
- Proceed: + Students work in pairs
+ Teacher gives each pair 2 cards with missing information

+ Each student will ask and answer questions to complete their
questionnaire, and then guess the name of the available activities

- Handout:
CARD A
Activity: Teaching children.
Place :.......................................................
Students taught are: orphans.

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

Purpose: ..................................................
This activity is ..........................................

CARD B
Activity: .............................................
Place :School.
Students taught are: .......................
Purpose: teach how to read and write
This activity is ....................................

3.5. Sample 5: Unit 5: Inventions
Activity 1: Guessing game:
- Objective: Help students ask yes / no questions about inventions
- Proceed: + Teacher calls 1 student to go to the board and choose an object
(hidden)
+ The rest of the students will ask yes / no questions to guess what the object is

- Handout:

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

Activity 2: Jigsaw
- Objectives: To enable students to ask and answer questions about a particular invention,
its features, its uses, and its benefits.
- Proceed: + Students work in pairs .
+ Each student is given one card (card with missing information) .
+ Students work in pairs to ask and answer questions.

- Handout:
Card A
Name of Invention
Characteristics
Use

Portable solar charger
???
Charge mobile devices

???
Small, portable
???

(mobile phones, cameras and
laptop)

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

Benefits

???

???

Card B
Name of
Invention
Characteristics
Use

???

USB stick

Small, portable
???

Small, portable
Store data (audio or

Benefits

video files)
???

???

3.6.Sample 6: Unit 6: Gender equality
Activity 1: Exchanging information
- Objective: To help students express the views on the gender equality topic.
- Proceed: + students work in pairs .
+ Each pair will receive 2 votes .
+ Students ask and answer by questionnaire.
- Handout:
Statements

You

Your friend

Similarities/
differences

Men are better leaders than women.
Women’s natural roles are care-givers and

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

housewives.

Men are traditional decision-makers and
bread-winners.
Women are more hard-working than men
although they are physically weaker.
Women may become trouble-makers
because they are too talkative.
Men are not as good with children as
women.

3.7.Sample 7: Unit 7: Cultural diversity
Activity 1: Guessing game:
- Objective: Help students be able to ask yes / no questions about world cultures
- Proceed: + Teacher calls 1 student to come up to the board and choose any
custom / tradition (prepared by the teacher)
+ The rest of the students will ask yes / no questions to guess. Example: Does this
tradition come from Vietnam? / Is it about ....?
- Handout:

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

2.8.Sample 8: Unit 8: New ways to learn
Activity 1: Jigsaw:
- Objective: Help students practise talking about the use of electronic devices for
learning.
- Proceed: + Teachers divide the class into groups of 4-5 students.
+ Each group is given a card about the use of electronic devices in learning.
+ Each group member will take turns reading their card, then the groups will

arrange their ideas in order from most effective to least effective.

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

+ Teacher numbered students from 1-5, then divided the group by number (5
students number 1 is a group, ....)
+ Each student will present to the rest of the group about the arrangement (of the
old group).
- Handout:
Electronic devices help students look up information, take notes, write papers and
submit them to teachers. They allow teachers to prepare lessons and grade papers.
Surveys show that ninety per cent of people that listen to music before working on
essays or projects have better results.
I dislike homework, but I have fun when I do it on a tablet. My handwriting is
horrible, so typing makes it easier for me and my teacher, because I can change
anything and my teacher can read what is written.
Students can relax during break time by listening to music, texting, chatting or
playing games on their smartphones.

Electronics make students’ backpacks lighter.
Students can replace the weight of papers and textbooks with a tablet that has
notes and assignments, and allows access to online textbooks.
Electronics or electronic devices make my school life much easier and more
enjoyable.
Electronics make learning and teaching faster, easier and better.

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Using information gaps in teaching English speaking skills for 10th new program graders.

3.9.Sample 9: Unit 9: Preserving the environment
Activity 1: Guessing game:
- Objective: Help students ask yes / no questions about types of pollution.
- Proceed:
+ Teacher calls 1 student on the board to choose a picture about any kind of
pollution (prepared by the teacher).
+ Other students will ask yes / no questions to guess what type of pollution it is.
- Handout:

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