EACHING EXPERIENCE IMPROVING EFL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH SUPPLEMENTARY PEER INTERVIEWING ACTIVITIES

NGHE AN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HOANG MAI HIGH SCHOOL

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
IMPROVING EFL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS' PUBLIC SPEAKING
SKILLS THROUGH SUPPLEMENTARY PEER INTERVIEWING
ACTIVITIES

SUBJECT: ENGLISH
AUTHOR: NGUYEN TRUONG THAI
NGUYEN THI HANG
PHONE NUMBER: 0915038720

Nghệ An, 2021


A.THE REASON FOR CHOOSING THE TOPIC

Years ago students in our school did not pay much attention to speaking
English they spent most of time studying reading and writing skill to past the
final exam and university entrance exam. Therefore they didn‟t speak English
Well. However now in our school students have learned English since they
were in grade 2 or even earlier but only some of them can have a small talk in
front of their classes. They rarely speak in English to each other. They only
speak in English when they are forced to do the tasks in class with the
teachers'observation.
In the written exams, they can do even some can do well but when they are in
front of crowds they can't have a talk. Some of my students told me that "
Sometimes we meet foreigners, however, we don't know how to start talking, or
even we are shy. We think that it is a good chance to practise speaking in
English but we lose".

While teaching my students, I always think of the ways to help my students talk
themselves and create english speaking environment for them to pratise
independently.
There is no debate that being in a real English language environment will
help anyone to master the language in the fastest and most effective way. Many
international students would prefer to go to English-speaking countries to study
and learn the international language. How is an English-speaking country? It is
not only England, America……We think any countries in the world that help
students speak English at school publicly will be English-speaking ones.
Nowadays, students have learned English at school since they were at the age of
6 or 7 even earlier. However, at school, they rarely speak to their friends in
English. Our school is a high school it means students here have learned English
at least 7 years before being students in our school but they only use English
when they are in English lessons. At break time in the schoolyard, they talk too
much. How to inspire them to talk to each other in English at school during
break time is an issue that we bear in mind. The students are now very busy
studying with much homework. They do not have time to go out to look for
foreigners to practice speaking with them. Even sometimes students meet
foreigners by accident, they are not available to talk or they do not know how to
have a talk with them. Being teachers of English in a high school we always
think of this problem and our solution is that we use what they have learned in
their lessons to form some models of normal interviews after that we introduce
the models to students then ask them to find students in other classes to
interview during the break time at school. The break time at school which they
used to speak in Vietnamese will be an ideal environment for them to practice
speaking English
1


B. CONTENT

1. Theoretical basis
1.1. Teaching oriented capacity development
1.1.1: Concept
Changing new teaching methods requires appropriate conditions in terms of
facilities, organization of teaching, and conditions for organization and
management. In addition, the teaching method is also of a managerial nature. Each
teacher with his or her own experience needs to identify their own methods to
improve their teaching methods and their own experiences.
One of the guiding bases of educational innovation is to move from
academic, far-reaching education to an education that focuses on building
operational capacity and promoting proactivity, the creativity of learners. The
important orientation in changing the new teaching method in general and
changing the teaching method in high schools, in particular, is promoting
activeness, self-reliance, and creativity, developing the capacity of the student's
activities and synergistic work. That is also the main trend in improved teaching
methods in each school.
Resolution of the Central Conference 8 session XI on the fundamental and
comprehensive innovation of education and training stated: “We continue to
strongly innovate teaching and learning methods in the modern directions:
promoting positively, proactively, creatively and applying knowledge and skills of
learners, overcoming feedback one-way method and mechanical recording. The
teaches pay attention to helping students how to learn, how to think, to encourage
self-study, to create a basis for learners to update and change new knowledge,
skills, and capacity development, to move from mainly learning in class to a
diverse organization, annotating social activities, extracurricular activities and
scientific research, to promote the application of information technology and
communication in teaching and learning”. To do the best items about to change
new base, the global interface of Education and Training according to Resolution
No. 29-NQ / TW, it is necessary to be aware of the quality of the new change in
teaching methods towards human development.

- Innovating teaching methods to develop students' competencies.
Teaching method innovation is making the transition from contentaccessible education to learners' competency, it means from paying attention to
what students learn to paying attention to interest what and how students can
apply, something through learning. To ensure that, it is necessary to switch from
teaching methods in the "one-way transmission" way to teaching how to learn, how
to apply knowledge, practice skills, and form competencies and qualities,
enhancing group learning, renewing teacher-student relations towards cooperation
that has important implications for the development of social capacity. In addition
2


to learning the individual knowledge and skills of the specialized subjects, it is
necessary to supplement interdisciplinary integrated learning topics in order to
develop the capacity to solve complex problems.
- Some methods to renovate teaching methods:
Improve traditional teaching methods
Innovating teaching methods does not mean removing traditional teaching
methods such as presentations, conversations, and practice, but starting with
improving their effectiveness and limiting their shortcomings. In order to improve
the effectiveness of these teaching methods, the teacher first needs to master the
requirements and use their techniques proficiently in preparing and conducting
lessons in class, the technique of making sentences, asking and processing answers
in conversation, or model techniques in practice. However, traditional teaching
methods have inevitable limitations, so besides traditional teaching methods, it is
necessary to combine the use of new teaching methods, which can enhance the
cognitive activeness of students in presentations, conversations with perspectives
on problem-solving teaching.
Combining a variety of teaching methods
The combination of diverse teaching methods and forms in the entire
teaching process is an important direction to promote positivity and improve

teaching quality. Classroom teaching, group teaching, group teaching, and
individual teaching are social forms of teaching that need to be combined with
each other, each with its own functions. The monopoly of classroom teaching and
the abuse of presentation methods need to be overcome, especially through group
work. In the current high school teaching practice, many teachers have improved
their lessons in the direction of combining teacher presentations with group work,
contributing to positively the cognitive activities of students. The form of
teamwork is very diverse. It does not only solve small learning tasks alternating in
presentations, but also deal with complex tasks. The form can take up one or more
lessons, using specialized methods such as role-play, case studies, and projects. On
the other hand, the addition of class-wide teaching by working in a group session
has only clearly shown the “outside” positivity of the students. To ensure the
"inner" positive, attention should be paid to the inner side of the teaching method,
applying problem-solving teaching and other active teaching methods.
- Applying problem solving teaching
Problem-solving teaching (problem-solving teaching, teaching problemsolving, and awareness) is a teaching perspective aimed at developing thinking
capacity, awareness, and problem-solving. Learning is placed in a problem
situation which contains cognitive conflict, through problem-solving. It helps
students acquire cognitive knowledge, skills, and methods. Problem-solving
teaching is a fundamental pathway to promote students' cognitive positivity, which
3


can be applied in many forms of teaching with different levels of self-reliance of
students. Problem situations are specialized scientific situations, which can also be
situations associated with reality. In today's teaching practice, problem-solving
teaching often pays attention to specialized scientific problems but less attention to
problems associated with the practice. However, if students only focus on solving
cognitive problems in specialized sciences, students are not well prepared for
practical situations. Therefore, besides problem-solving teaching, teaching

reasoning also builds a case-based teaching perspective.
-Apply situational teaching
Situational teaching is a teaching perspective, in which teaching is organized
according to a complex theme associated with real-life and professional situations.
The learning process is organized in a learning environment that enables students
to build knowledge individually and in the social interaction of learning. Complex
teaching topics are topics related to many different subjects or areas of knowledge,
associated with the practice. In schools, subjects are classified according to
specialized sciences, and life always happens in complex relationships. Therefore,
using complex teaching topics contributes to overcoming the detachment from the
practice of specialized sciences, training students the ability to solve complex and
interdisciplinary problems. The case study method is a typical teaching method of
situational teaching, in which students solve a typical situation by themselves,
associated with practice through teamwork. Applying teaching in real-world
situations is an important way to associate training in schools with real life,
contributing to overcome the situation of academic education, away from the
current practice of the high school. However, if the situations taught are simulated
situations, they are not real situations. If they only solve problems in theoretical
classrooms, students do not have real practical activities, and there is no
combination between theory and practice.
- Apply action-oriented teaching
Action-oriented teaching is a teaching perspective that aims to make mental
and physical activities work closely together. During the learning process, students
perform learning tasks and complete action products, with a flexible combination
of intellectual and physical activity. This is a holistic approach to active teaching
and teaching. Action-oriented teaching has important implications for the
implementation of educational principles combining theory with practice, thinking,
and action, school and society. Project-based teaching is a typical form of actionoriented teaching, in which students perform in groups a complex learning task,
linked with practical problems, combining theory and practice, have created
publishable products. In project-based teaching, many modern teaching theories

and perspectives can be applied such as constructivist theory, student-oriented
teaching, collaborative teaching, integrated teaching, discovery teaching, and
creativity, case-based teaching and action-oriented teaching.
4


- Increase the rational use of teaching facilities and information
technology to support teaching
The important teaching method in the natural sciences; Teaching methods
such as demonstration of technical articles, modeling operations, analysis of
technical products, technical design, model assembly, and projects are the key
methods in technical teaching; The "Hand squeezing dough" method is highly
effective in teaching science subjects.
-Fostering positive learning methods for students
Self-reliant learning methods play an important role in actively promoting
and promoting students' creativity. There are common cognitive methods such as
methods of gathering, processing, teaching facilities play an important role in
innovating teaching methods in order to enhance the visualization,
experimentation, and practice in teaching. Currently, equipping with new teaching
facilities for high schools has been gradually strengthened. However, self-made
teaching facilities of teachers always have an important meaning and should be
promoted. Multimedia and information technology are both teaching content and
teaching mediums in modern teaching. In addition to the use of multimedia as a
means of demonstration, it is necessary to increase the use of teaching software as
well as teaching methods using electronic networks (E-Learning), connected
schools, schools. Big School (Big School) ...
-Use positive and creative teaching techniques
Teaching techniques are the ways teachers and students act in small action
situations to implement and control the teaching process. Teaching techniques are
the smallest units of a teaching method. There are both general teaching techniques

and specific techniques to each teaching method, for example, the questioning
technique in conversation. Today, people focus on developing and using teaching
techniques that promote students' positivity and creativity such as "brainstorming",
"lightning", "fish tank", mind maps, techniques, tablecloths...
-Focusing on specific teaching methods of the subject
Teaching methods have a dialectic relationship with teaching content. The
use of specific teaching methods plays an important role in teaching the subject.
Subject-specific teaching methods are built on the basis of subject teaching theory.
Example: Experimentation is particularly evaluating information, methods of
organizing work, methods of teamwork, and there are specialized learning methods
for each subject. In many different ways, it is necessary to practice students with
common learning methods and learning methods in the subject.
In short, there are many innovative teaching methods with different
approaches, above are just some general directions. The innovation of teaching
methods requires appropriate conditions in terms of facilities, facilities, techniques,
5


and forms of teaching organization, conditions for organization, and management
of classes. In addition, teaching methods are still subjective. Each teacher with his
or her own experience needs to identify individual directions for improving
teaching methods and personal experiences.
1.1.2. The role and significance of teaching based on capacity
development
Teaching method from the perspective of capacity development not only
pays positive attention to students on operational intelligence but also pays
attention to training problem-solving capacity associated with life and career
situations, and at the same time intelligence works with execution. Enhancing
learning in the group, changing the system of teachers and students according to
the orientation system has important significance in order to develop social

capacity. In addition to learning the knowledge and skills of specialized subjects, it
is necessary to supplement learning topics in order to develop the capacity to solve
problems.
From the perspective of capacity development, the assessment of learning
results does not take the test of the ability to reproduce knowledge learned in the
assessment center. The assessment of learning results is important to the creative
application of knowledge in different contextual applications.
1.1.3 The role of the teacher of teaching based on capacity development
To innovate effective teaching methods, teachers are the first decisive factor
in implementing innovative teaching methods. With the right understanding, with
a sense of responsibility and determination, the skills to use teaching equipment
and organize to guide students to learn well are essential qualities of teachers in
the school.
Teachers' knowledge is an important feature in education. Teachers with
any class must meet the requirements of knowledge, effective teaching ability,
enthusiasm, and intimacy. In addition, teachers must have organizational skills to
guide students in the classroom, have skills to use teaching aids, and have the
ability to self-collect rich information of the era to serve teaching requirements.
-Teachers must have diverse knowledge
Teachers need not only profound knowledge,but also pedagogical
knowledge about teaching topics, and must be able to convey the knowledge into
the curriculum, into the lesson, into a simple, clear presentation and apply to
assignments, reviews, assessments as well as other teaching activities. Teachers
who are knowledgeable, have many ways to organize and present concise, clear,
and enthusiasm in teaching will surely impart knowledge to students more
effectively and successfully.
6


-Teachers must identify issues that need innovation.

Teachers who want to renovate teaching methods must define in advance
the innovative educational objectives, educational contents, teaching facilities,
forms of organization, and methods of educational evaluation that must meet the
needs of new change. Trying to define the purpose, building goals to develop the
lesson in the direction of reducing the theory and increasing practice is a necessary
innovation for the innovation process of teaching methods.
-It is important to note some of the practical areas of teaching
Planning and preparing classroom environments, paying attention to
professional accountability, promoting the most effective use of time and engage
the whole class and appropriate input or model to disseminate new materials,
testing understanding, and changing the teaching schedule accordingly to create an
independent, guided use of knowledge.
-Teachers must master the skills of imparting knowledge
Teachers must master the requirements of educational content, master the
knowledge and skills that need to be imparted to students in order to design to lead
students from easy to difficult, from a little to a lot. The teacher's talent in teaching
is just as necessary as any other creative field. This work can become the most
creative form of work. If the teacher skillfully promotes the activeness and
initiative of the students, the person who is under the impact of education will
become the subject of education. The learning process is more important than the
subject, the learning process creates intellectual habits, problem analysis skills, the
ability to absorb, express, and process information.The current teacher is no
longer the impactor of knowledge but the person assisting students in searching,
selecting, and processing information. The teacher's position is not determined by
the monopoly of information and class intelligence, but by his intellect and
experience in leading students to self-study. Teaching how to learn, learning how
to learn, or focusing on learners to promote the activeness of learners. Innovating
teaching methods depends on subjects, conditions, and circumstances, so teachers
need to be proactive and innovative, make students learn and self-apply, stay in
touch with changing practices, cooperate and share, take advantage of the support

of teaching facilities, learn how to come to understanding, appreciate academic
discovery and exploration, learn practical skills and attitudes in the profession.To
innovate teaching methods is not to create a different method from the old, to
eliminate the old. The development or a revolution in the science of education is
essentially creating a premise for the positive elements of the old to still have the
opportunity to develop stronger. At the same time creating something new, more
progressive, better than the existing one. That said, we are not reconciling to do
"slightly different or similar to what already exists". But there must be a real new
thing to meet the demands of progress. If the old teaching method has a great
advantage of promoting memory, training students to do something, then the new
7


method still needs the above advantages. But the fundamental difference here is
that the old teaching methods have largely "neglected the students". So normally,
students are passive in receiving. The new teaching method must promote
students' activeness, initiative, and creativity. Promoting students' positivity
through a variety of teacher's actions is the essence of a new teaching method.
When it comes to positivity, we conceive of the desire to act arising from the
student's side, being expressed outwardly or internally of the activity. Thanks to
promoting positivity, students are no longer passive. Students become individuals
in a collective aspiration to explore and understand. To do so, the most difficult
thing for a teacher is: In an hour of class, to make sure that the best students can
also satisfy their knowledge needs, see knowledge as a new horizon. And the
weakest students are also not found abandoned, they also participate in the process
of discovering new things. This is especially necessary because students will be
excited to seek knowledge, not passively or crammed. Thus, the aspiration to act
like this or that is the result of our desires.When innovating teaching methods, it is
necessary to avoid the trend of simplicity or extreme simplicity. There are teachers
and teachers who replace "reading and writing" by asking too many questions but

many of these questions do not create "problem situations". Maybe they thought
that using the new teaching method was the practice of reading and writing by
asking questions and answers. The more questions and answers, the more
innovative students are.
1.2. Improving EFL high school students' public speaking skills
through supplementary peer interviewing activities
1.2.1.The concept of an interview
1.2.1.1. Concept:
An interview is a conversation aimed at earning or providing information on
a topic of interest.
1.2.1.2. Formal interviews:
There are a number of formal interviews. They are face-to-face interviews,
questionnaires, phone calls, texting, or by the Internet. However, the most common
form is face-to-face interviews.
1.2.1.3. Requirements for interviewers:
- Determine interview goals; understanding of the topic, interviewing
subjects to prepare questions.
-When interviewing must respect everyone interviewed and communication
rules.
- Avoid questions that are too difficult, in general.
Need to know how to listen, analyze answers to develop circuit problems.
- Editing of objective issues (besides rewriting words, needing notes on eyes,
gestures, the person with the attitude of being interviewed to increase the reliability
of the post).
8


1.2.1.4. Requirements for interviewees:
- Be responsible for the information that you provide.
- Only answer what you know.

- Have the right to answer or not to answer interview questions, but you
must have an open and cooperative mode in dialogue.
- Have quick reflexes with love posed, avoid rambling replies, long lines.
1.2.2. The concept of public speaking skills
1.2.2.1. What is public speaking skill?
Public speaking is a special form of communication aimed at conveying
information, affecting the listener's emotions, from which the listener has the
direction of action. Students speaking opinions, speakers in the hall, scientists
presenting research, students presenting ... are all situations where you need to
have public speaking skills.
1.2.2.2. How important is public speaking skill?
Public speaking skills play an important role in today's life. For example,
when students make group presentations, when students go for job interviews,
when we speak before conferences, and especially in the 4.0 era, many people
making online presentations also need this skill.
1.2.2.3. Factors that help you communicate engaging
- Confidence
This is the top factor determining whether or not your presentation will be
successful or not. You need to confidently show your audience what you are
saying and express them fluently. When giving a presentation, you must be the
boss of the conversation if you use a question-and-answer format in your speech. If
you show yourself anxiety, suspense, or even trembling, this will only make your
presentation less attractive and your audience less trust in your presentation.
- Using body language
Using body language in public speaking makes your presentation more
persuasive. The listener will directly feel each gesture, gesture that you use in your
speech. In particular, eye contact is one of the keys to help you connect with your
listeners and get their attention. Instead of looking at the ceiling or staring blankly,
you can confidently look into the other person's eyes to deliver your best
presentation.

- Voice, intonation
One of the keys to help your presentation attract listeners is voice and
intonation. You can not use the same tone when presenting a presentation, it bored
listeners. So, you can use the voice up and down flexibly with the appropriate
accents.

9


- Content presentation
Anyone who listens or watches something would like to hear or to see that
information is true and it has a scientific basis and is gathered from the public. So
the content you share should be accurate, double-check the information before
sharing or presenting. You also need to prepare questions that listeners or watchers
will ask you. If you try to support presentation tools such as PowerPoint, games,
then you have to prepare in advance.
1.2.3. The aims of learning a language. (English)
Learning a second language is of great educational value. Through a new
language, we can gain an insight into the way in which words express thoughts,
and so achieve greater clarity and precision in our own communications. When
learning a foreign language, the pupil understands better how language functions
and this brings him to a greater awareness of the functioning of his own language.
Since large is connected with thinking through foreign language study we can
develop the pupil‟s intellect. Teaching a foreign language helps the teacher
develop the pupils‟ voluntary and involuntary memory, imaginative abilities, and
willpower. Teaching a foreign language contributes to the linguistic education of
the pupil, the latter extends his knowledge of phonic, graphic, structural, and
semantic aspects of language through contrastive analysis of language phenomena.
In teaching a foreign language the teacher is called upon to inculcate in pupils the
scientific outlook, to prepare the young people for active participation in

production and other types of socially useful activities
2. The practical basis
2.1. Peculiarity
English is a language that people use to communicate with foreigners.
Currently, in the world, the number of native English speakers compared to the
total number of English users in the world is too small. English is most spoken by
people who are not native; we are not native, too. We think Vietnamese people can
speak English as well as Japanese people, Korean people, and other people from
different countries in the world. Therefore, Vietnamese people speak English to
other Vietnamese that means they can speak English to foreigners coming from
other countries. However, at the beginning of the school year 2020-2021 we had a
general test for grade 10 students which included an oral test. Many students said
nothing in the oral test when teachers asked them to talk about some topics. Even
someone couldn‟t answer simple questions.

10


The number of students could talk during the oral test.

Class

The number
of students
could talk
well

The number of
students
could talk

The number
of students
could talk
slowly

The number
of students
couldn’t talk

10A13

2

8

15

20

10A2

5

10

15

15

10A10

5

10

17

13

2.2. Reality of the subject now.
Many people in Hoang Mai town think that their children learn English to
speak to foreigners but they don‟t know the truth that most of the foreigners
coming to Vietnam want to work so the people they talk to are workers, engineers,
businessmen… They don't have much time to talk to our students. The opportunity
for students to speak English to foreigners is not much. When students don‟t have
English speaking environment to practice what they have learned, day by day they
forget what they have learned and the most dangerous thing is that they don‟t want
to learn English anymore. As you know when one doesn‟t want anything, but we
force them to do, they will do. Of course, they know nothing. We take students in
our school as an example, as I showed in table, the number of students speak
English well is too small.
Therefore, we think the time they are at a high school, they need to a real
English speaking environment to speak naturally to encourage every people around
them to follow, not only their friends but also their teachers of course, not English
teachers. The Maths teachers can say some sentences in English, which makes the
environment more interesting. Our hope is that school will be an ideal environment
to speak English.
3. The way to study
3.1. The object and scope of study.

3.1.1. The object
Students will speak English naturally and they use English to communicate
with their friends or any people who can speak English. They don‟t feel shy when
they speak English to strangers and in front of the crowd. We don‟t want them to
think that English is a subject they are learning at school we want them to think
English is a language they use at school as the second language.
3.1.2. Scope of the study
People: Students who are studying English in Hoang Mai high school.
11


Field: English language, focusing on speaking skill
- Verbal form of communication
- Non-verbal forms of communication
3.2. The way to contact the topic
The teachers use the product made by their students to teach in class from
the video clip, other students are able to do like this and they don‟t feel that they
are strange when they speak English in front of Vietnamese people, which is very
difficult for most Vietnamese people. During the time they prepare and go out of
class to work, they work in groups of 4 or 5 so students in a group can do different
things. If he or she is not good at English, it is ok they will do other things. After a
long time working together, they can work any position in the group. For example,
a driver of a director who only takes the director to somewhere, after he works for
the company for a time, he doesn‟t contact to any other work of the company but
he will know a lot about the company.
4. Solution and development of the content of the topic
In English text books of high schools, there are topics. For each topic, we
prepare some forms of interviews. The forms of interviews are practicable in class
and the students practice with their friends in class. When students finish the topic,
they are asked to go out during break time to find other students in other classes

then practice with them. They can work in groups of 4 or 5. During the time the
interview happens, one student of the group uses a smartphone to record then the
clip will be shown in front of the class before giving some comments on the clip.
The comments should pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal forms of
communication of the students in the interviews. Such as questions, answers,
voice, intonation, facial expression, gestures, postures, and eye contact….
After receiving the comments, they will have other interviews with other
students in school and the second clips will be watched in the class to compare
with the first. The group have to choose one student, on behalf of the group to
report what they have by making a speech in front of class.
When students are familiar with these interviews, they will have interviews
outside not only in school but they can travel to other places to make interviews
then report in front of the class.

12


Here, we take two topics “Learning English” and “Family”
POSTER 1:

Let’s talk about LEARNING ENGLISH
Conversation cards
How long have you been learning
English?
How long will you keep learning?

Why are you learning English?
Explain.

How often do you use English

outside of the classroom?
Do you think this is enough?
How could you practice more?

What do you find difficult when
learning English?
Discuss.

According to you, which is the
most important: grammar or
vocabulary?
Explain why and share ideas.

What (or who) motivates you to
learn English?
Compare with others.

What kind of classroom
activities do you like most?
Make a list.

How do you memorize new
vocabulary or grammar rules?
Discuss in group and report to
the class.

What could a teacher do to
make lessons more interesting?
Give suggestions.

Is it more important to speak
fluently (= without pauses or
thinking) or accurately (=
without making mistakes)? Why?

Do you think homework is useful
or just a waste of time?
What kind of homework do you
prefer?

Are dictionaries allowed during
exams?
If not, should they be allowed?
Explain why.

What can you do to improve your
English?
Work in group and make a list of
ideas.

How long does it take to become
proficient in English?
Compare your idea with others.

Do you prefer teachers who
speak English only or teachers
who sometimes use your
language? What is best?

What do you think about your

course book?
Say what you like and don’t like
about it.

Have you ever been to an English
speaking country or talked to a
foreigner in English?
Describe your experience.

‘Learning English is a complete
waste of time. I’ll never use it
later anyway.’
Do you agree?

(= really good at)

What are the qualities of a good teacher?
computer-literate
handsome/pretty
creative
patient
friendly
resourceful
funny
sensitive
good listener
slow speaker
good with technology
strict
helpful

sympathetic
modern
well-educated
motivating
objective
open-minded
organized
 Add your own ideas.
 Tick maximum three boxes.
 Make a whole-class top-5.

Quotes to discuss
 Learning is a treasure that will
follow its owner everywhere.
~ Chinese Proverb
 Anyone who stops learning is
old, whether at twenty or
eighty.
~ Henry Ford
 I hear, and I forget. I see,
and I remember. I do, and I
understand. ~ Chinese Proverb
Teachers open the door, but
you must enter by yourself.
~ Chinese Proverb

13


LESSON PLAN

Optional lesson
Hoang Mai high school’s students' learning English
Students’ level: 10th grader (CEFR: B1-1)
STAGE 1: DESIRED OBJECTIVES/ OUTCOMES
A. OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
1. Define the topic of the lesson: “Learning English.” By looking at the
pictures, watching the interview clips, answering and discussing the questions.
2. Identify vocabulary related to the topic or make sentences: Learning
English.
3. Identify the general idea and the specific information by watching the
interviews.
4. Recognize different ways of learning English or choosing a suitable
one.
5. Make other interviews with students in the same class or other classes.
Note: (or make sentences, or choosing a suitable one, or other classes.)
These are for good classes.
B. LANGUAGE FOCUS
Key language items
Vocabulary: Some words relating to the topic “Learning English”
Fluent, accurate, allow
Grammar: Kinds of questions
Wh word – questions
Yes, no questions
C. INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
- Slides, pictures, clips, TV, Computer, Smartphone
- />
: web to choose topic paper

- />- :

: Topic paper

Students‟ interview 1

- />
Students‟ interview 2

/>14


STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Performance Tasks

Performance
products

Assessment
tools

1. Look at the picture, answer and discuss some Students‟ answers Possible
questions
answer
Observation
2. Give the correct form of the words, match Students‟ answer
them with the suitable pictures

Answer key

3. Watch the interview clips then answer the Students‟ answer

questions

Answer key

Peer correction

Observation
Peer correction

4. Discuss the interview and themselves

Students‟ talks

Observation

5. Practice and prepare for their duty

Students‟ talks

Observation

STAGE 3: TEACHING PROCEDURE/ LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Activity 1: Warm-up:

- Ask students to look at the picture and guess: “What are they using
smartphones for?”
- Check and confirm the answers.
Answer key: to make an interview/ to take photograph/ record a clip/ to
learn English….
- Ask students to look at the picture again and guess.

15


What is the interview about?
Answer key:
Write some of students‟ answers on the board.
Lead students to the lesson.
Lead-in: “In our lesson today, we will watch 2 clips our friends made.
Watch and check whether your guessing answers are right or wrong.”
Activity 2: Vocabulary
Introduce some words:
Eg: Mr. Ha has been living in England for 5 years so he speaks English very
fluently.
What does the word “fluently” mean in Vietnamese?
Suggestion answer: trôi chảy
- Fluent (adj) fluently (adv)
Ask a student: Five and five is…….: A student answers: 10
Teacher says: It is accurate.
Teacher asks class: What does the word “accurate” mean in Vietnamese?
Suggestion answer: chính xác
- Accurate (adj)

accurately (adv)

You are not allowed to smoke here
What does the word “allowed” mean in Vietnamese?
Suggestion answer: được phép
-

Allow sb to do st

Be allowed to do st

Ask students to listen and repeat
16


Checking vocabulary:
Matching: Ask students to give the correct form of the words in the brackets
then match the picture with the suitable sentence.
Good classes: Students to look at the picture again to make other
sentences
I want to speak English(fluent) so I always
try my best to study
Good class: Ask students to look at the
picture to make other sentences:
A

……………………………………………
1
He won the game because his arrow is
(accurate)……………….
Good class: Ask students to look at the
picture to make other sentences:

B

……………………………………………
2
During the exam students (not allow) to
cheat

Good class: Ask students to look at the
picture to make other sentences:
……………………………………………
3

C
Answer key: 1-(fluently) – B

2- (accurate) - C 3.- (are not allowed) A

Activity 3: Watch the interview clip and answer questions

/>
17


3.1: Ask students to watch the clip two times
Which is the picture relating to the interview?
A

B

C

D

Answer key: D
3.2: Ask students to watch again and answer the questions
Questions for Interview 1
1. Where are they?

2. Who are they?
3. What are their names?
4. What‟s Yen doing?
5. How long have Quynh and Vy been learning English?
6. How long will they keep learning?
7. How often does Quynh use English outside the classroom?
8. According to Vy what is the most important, vocabulary or grammar?
18


9. Is it more important to speak fluently or accurately, according to Quynh?
10. According to Vy, is doing homework useful or a waste of time?
11. Are they allowed to use a dictionary during the exam?
12. Has Vy ever been to an English speaking country or talked to a foreigner
in English?
Suggestion answers for Interview 1
1. Where are they?
They are at school yard
2. Who are they?
They are students of Hoang Mai high school
3. What are their names?
They are Yen, Quynh and Vy
4. What‟s Yen doing?
She is interviewing 2 students in class 10A10
5. How long have Quynh and Vy been learning English?
Quynh‟s been learning English since she was in class 1< for 9 or 10 years>
Maybe Vy 7 years has been learning English for 7 years
6. How long will they keep learning?
+ Quynh will keep learning all of her life.
+ Vy will stop learning when she thinks it is enough

7. How often does Quynh use English outside the classroom?
She uses English every free time
8. According to Vy what is the most important, vocabulary or grammar?
She thinks both of them play an important part in learning English
9. Is it more important to speak fluently or accurately, according to Quynh?
She has a wrong answer.
10. According to Vy, is doing homework useful or a waste of time?
It‟s useful
11. Are they allowed to use a dictionary during the exam?
No, they aren‟t
12. Has Vy ever been to an English-speaking country or talked to a foreigner
in English?
19


No, she hasn‟t
Activity 4: Discussion
Ask students to work in pairs and talk about the ways to make good
interviews (Both interviewers and interviewees)
Paying attention to:
face to face activities
body languages
gestures
eye‟s contact
…………….
4.1 About the interview
Ask students to discuss
What the
What the
Questions and answers interviewer/interviewee interviewer/interviewee

should do
shouldn’t do
1. Does the interview ……………………….
……………………….
introduce her self?
……………………….
……………………….
- …………………….. ……………………….
……………………….
2. What does her face tell ……………………….
you when she is asking? ……………………….
………………………..
……………………….

……………………….
……………………….
……………………….

3. What is she doing ……………………….
when the two students ……………………….
are answering?
……………………….
………………………..

……………………….
……………………….
……………………….

4. Did she prepare ……………………….
carefully before the ……………………….

interview?
……………………….
……………………….

……………………….
……………………….
……………………….

5. Does she pay attention ……………………….
to the information she
……………………….
gets?
……………………….
……………………….

……………………….
……………………….
……………………….

20


6. Do students use non- ……………………….
verbal
forms
of ……………………….
communications? What ……………………….
are they?
………………………..

……………………….
……………………….
……………………….

7. How many people take ……………………….
part in the interview?
……………………….
……………………….
……………………….

……………………….
……………………….
……………………….

8. What tools do they use ……………………….
to make the interview?
……………………….
………………………..
……………………….
Suggestion answers:
What the
Questions and answers interviewer/interviewee
should do
1. Does the interview Introduce herself
introduce herself?
- No
2. What does her face tell Face
the
student
you when she is asking? answering the question

- She does not learn by
heart the questions.
3. What is she doing Analyze some answer,
when the two students pay attention to what
are answering?
they answer.
- She thinks about next
question.
4. Did she prepare Prepare more
carefully before the Answer the questions
interview?
before
- Yes, she did. But
maybe this is the first
time.
5.Does she pay attention Express the satisfaction
to the information she

……………………….
……………………….
……………………….
What the
interviewer/interviewee
shouldn’t do
Keep her eyes to the
paper much
Keep her face to other
places

Keep her eyes to the

paper much

Prepare only questions

Ignore the information

21


gets?
Yes, but not much.
6. Do students use non- Use more non-verbal Talk only
verbal
forms
of forms while speaking
communications? What
are they?
Yes. Body language,
facial expression, eye
contact…
7. How many students Study the way to make Ignore
what
take
part
in
the a good video clip
happening
interview?
More than 4

is

8. What tools do they use Test the tools before
Use the only one smart
to make the interview?
Divide the job for phone
2 smartphones: one is everyone on the group.
used to record clip, the
other is used to record
sound. And a computer is
used to make the final
video clip with good
sound.
4.2 About yourselves
1. What do you think about English? How important is it?
……………………………………………………………………………….
2. What way do you choose to learn English?
……………………………………………………………………………….
3. What should you do to make an interview?
…………………………………………………………………………….
4. Can you make a speech after interviewing some students about learning
English?
………………………………………………………………………………..

22


Suggestion answer: (depend on students’ knowledge they will show
different answers) teachers don’t force to follow the suggestion answers
1. What do you think about English? How important is it?

An international language/ necessary language….
To communicate with many people in the world/ to get a good job/…….
2. What way do you choose to learn English?
New ways to learn English such as: smartphone, TV, computer, tablet, ….
3. What should you do to make an interview?
Preparing carefully, practicing before, answering the questions before, think
about the people who will be interviewed/…….
4. Can you make a speech after interviewing some students about learning
English?
Yes, our group will choose A to report ….
Activity 5: Product.
5.1: Practice:
Give students the form of the interview used in the clip and ask them to
make interviews like this with the partner in class.
5.2 Product: Good classes/ Good students
Ask students to make other interviews like this with the other students in
other classes then make a presentation about this in front of the class next lesson or
in the 15-minute class meeting.
Students may work in groups of 4 or 5
Activity 5: Wrap-up
Have students review the lesson by answering the following questions
1. What have you learned from the lesson today?
………………………………………………………………………………
2. What core values do you get from the lesson in your life?
……………………………………………………….………………………
Homework:
Watch the next interview at:
/>
and answer these questions.
Questions for Interview 2

1. Where are these students?
23


2. What are their names?
3. Which class are they in?
4. How long have Bao and Anh been learning English?
5. How will they keep learning English?
6. Why are they learning English?
7. Do they think English is useful or a waste of time?
8. According to them, Is it more important to speak English more accurately
or fluently?
Questions and suggestion answers for Interview 2
1. Where are these students?
They are at the schoolyard
2. What are their names?
Bao, Anh, and Yen
3. Which class are they in?
10A10
4. How long have Bao and Anh been learning English?
Bao has been learning English for 7 years
Anh has been learning English since she was in grade 2
5. How will they keep learning English?
Bao will keep learning until he gets an IELTS certificate and Anh will not
stop learning E.
6. Why are they learning English?
Bao wants to get a job in a foreign company with a high salary
At first, Anh learns English because it is a subject at school and now it‟s her
favorite subject.
7. Do they think English is useful or a waste of time?

Anh and Bao think that homework is useful.
8. According to them, is it more important to speak English more accurately
or fluently?
Bao thinks speaking English accurately is more important. Anh thinks they
are both important
24