A study on using communicative games to improve grammatical competence of english tenses for the 10th graders

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

VINH UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI HANH

A STUDY ON USING COMMUNICATIVE GAMES TO IMPROVE
GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE OF ENGLISH TENSES FOR THE
10TH GRADERS

MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION

Nghe An - 2019


MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
VINH UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI HANH

A STUDY ON USING COMMUNICATIVE GAMES TO IMPROVE
GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE OF ENGLISH TENSES FOR THE 10
GRADERS.

Major: Teaching English to speakers of other Languages (TESOL)
Code: 60140011

MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION

SUPERVISOR: Nguyễn Thị Kim Anh,Ph.D

Nghe An - 2019


CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT

I certify that this thesis is the result of my own research, except where
otherwise acknowledged, and that this thesis or any part of the same has not
been submitted for a degree to any universities or institution.

Nghe An, July 19th 2019

Nguyen Thi Hanh


AKNOWLEDGEMENT

For the completion of this thesis, I have received great assistance and
support from my teachers, colleagues, students and my family.
First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to
my supervisor, Nguyen Thị Kim Anh, for her invaluable guidance,
criticism and her encouragement in the process of completing the minor
thesis.
I am also grateful to all lecturers and the staff of the Department of
Post- Graduate Studies, Vinh University for their useful lectures and
guidance during my study at the Institution.
I truly wish to thank all the colleagues and the students at Cua Lo
High School for their assistance and co-operation in giving me valuable
information.
Last but not least, I would like to acknowledge my debt to my
parents and my husband, whose patient love enabled me to complete this

work.


ABSTRACT

It is undeniable that grammar always plays a crucial role in teaching
and learning English. However, learning grammar is a hard task which can
sometimes be frustrating. It also requires students to have constant effort to
understand. From my practical teaching, it is necessary to create students’
motivation in learning grammar.
This study is concerned with the application of games in teaching
tenses of English as an effective method to stimulate students’ interest and
improve students’ understanding of the lesson.
The benefits of using grammar games are affirmed again in this thesis
through the former grammarians’ studies and the researcher’s experimental
survey at high school. These benefits bring considerable effectiveness to
teachers and students in teaching and learning grammar. This is also the main
aim of the study and the researcher’s wish.
In order to achieve this aim and wish, the researcher enters into
consideration of the relevant literature and then carries out observing classes,
interviewing closely both teachers and students after each lesson, giving
questionnaires to them, etc. to have necessary findings and analysis. At the
same time, the researcher also suggests the suitable measures to overcome
difficulties in using communicative games, the tips for using games in class
successfully, and the examples of games to teach tenses for the 10th graders.
The thesis is divided into 5 chapters
Chapter 1: Introduction – presents the basic information including
rationale, aims, research methods, scope, and the structure of the thesis.
Chapter 2: Literature Review – provides the literature concerning
communicative games, motivation in learning English grammar, the role of

communicative games in improving grammatical competence of English
tenses for


students, the relationship between communicative games and 10th
graders’ grammatical competence of English tenses.
Chapter 3: The study – reports the setting, the research hypothesis,
participants, instruments, data collection procedure and analysis. The detailed
results of the surveys and a critical comprehensive analysis on the data
collected are also presented in this chapter.
Chapter 4: Findings and discussions – shows major findings and
discussions and offers recommendations for improving grammatical
competence of English tenses for the 10th graders through using
communicative games.
Chapter 5: Conclusions – is a summary of the study in which
conclusions of the study are presented. It also presents the significance of
using communicative games to improve the 10th graders’ grammatical
competence of English tenses. Limitations of the study and suggestions for
further research are also presented in this part.


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

BA: Basic English
ESL: English as a Second
Language EFL: English as a
foreign language


LIST OF TABLES

Figure 1: Students’ awareness of having good grammatical competence of
English tenses
Figure 2: Students’ awareness of the importance of English tenses
Figure 3: Students’ awareness of learning English tenses
Figure 4: How interesting?
Figure 5: How difficult?
Figure 6: Students’ opinions on finding out more about grammar lessons of
English tenses
Figure 7: Students’ opinions about the methods of using communicative
games in English grammar class
Figure 8: Students’ opinions about using communicative games in
English grammar class
Figure 9: Students’ participation in communicative games
Figure 10: Students’ feeling on communicative games


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Main

Page

contents
CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT

i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ii

ABSTRACT

iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

v

LIST OF TABLES

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

vii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1

1.1. Rationale

1

1.2. Aims of the study

2

1.3. Scope of the study

2

1.4. Methodology

2

1.5. Design of the study

3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

4

2.1. Grammar

4

2.1.1. Definition of grammar

4

2.1.2. Features of grammar

4

2.1.3. Grammar teaching activities

5

2.1.4. English grammatical competence

5

2.2. Communicative games

7

2.2.1. Definition of communicative games

7


2.2.2. Features of communicative games

9

2.2.3. Benefits of communicative games

9

2.2.4. Types of communicative games

11

2.3. Applying communicative games in teaching and learning

14

English grammar
2.4. Relationships between communicative games and students'

17

grammatical competence of English tenses
Summary

21

CHAPTER 3: THE METHODOLOGY

21

3.1. The setting of the study

21

3.1.1. The situation of teaching and learning English grammar at

21

Cua Lò High School
3.1.2. The English teaching staff

21

3.1.3. The students

21

3.1.4. The 10th graders

22

3.2. Research methodology

22

3.2.1. Research questions

22

3.2.2. Research design

22

3.2.3. Participants

23

3.3. Data collection instrument

23

3.3.1. Questionnaire

24

3.3.1.1. Questionnaire for the students

24

3.3.1.2. Questionnaire for the teachers

25


3.3.2. Classroom observations

25

3.4. Data collection procedures

25

3.5. Data analysis

25

3.6. Methodology

26

3.6.1. The questionnaire for students

26

3.6.2. The questionnaire for teachers

26

3.6.3. Class observation

27

Summary

27

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

28

4.1. Findings and discussions

28

4.1.1. The 10th graders’ attitudes to improve their grammatical

28

competence of English tenses
4.1.1.1. Students’ awareness of learning English grammar tenses

28

4.1.1.2. Students’ awareness of the necessity and importance of

29

English tenses
4.1.2. The 10th graders’ perception of the use of communicative

30

games to improve their grammatical competence of English tenses
4.1.3. Teachers’ opinions about the use of communicative games to

34

improve their grammatical competence of English tenses
4.2. Implications

36

4.2.1. Providing students with a full awareness of the importance of

36

English tenses
4.2.2. Improving students’ background knowledge of English grammar

37

4.2.3. How to use communicative games in teaching and learning

39

English tenses.

4.2.4. How to help the 10th graders to improve their grammatical

41

competence of English tenses through communicative games
Summary

42

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION

43

5.1. Conclusion

43

5.2. Limitations of the study

44

5.3. Suggestions for further study

44

REFERENCES

45

APPENDICES

48


CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale

In Vietnam, in recent years, teaching and learning English grammar for
students at high schools has gained considerable attention. Grammar is not
only a compulsory part in teaching English but also an extremely crucial and
popular knowledge in the national exam of high school.
However, there is a fact that a number of students have learnt some
grammatical structures for many years but they still cannot remember and
apply them. Many students claim that learning grammar is a hard and
daunting task. So it is essential to teach grammar in an effective way that
stimulates the students’ enthusiasm and attention to the lesson.
Game is not only the most effective mean to arouse the students’
interest of learning; it also can make them all fully concentrate on what they
are doing. They also will often be enthusiastic and never feel tired. Therefore,
students will get deep impression of what they have learned and gain
permanent memory of the content. Because of this, teachers can get the best
effect of outcome.
Therefore, I think this study is necessary and the result of using games
in teaching grammar will bring many practical benefits to the students. So, I
want to use communicative games in teaching English grammar class to the
tenth grade students to stimulate enthusiasm and concentration on the lesson.
Working as a teacher of English at Cua Lo High School for many years,

the researcher decided to choose the title “Using communicative games to
improve grammatical competence of English tenses for the 10 th graders” due
to the following reasons:
1


Firstly, 10th graders in Cua Lo High school have low motivation in
English grammar because many of them cannot understand English tense.
Secondly, the researcher also realizes that communicative games are a
set of well fun-design activities can stimulate students’ motivation in English
classroom. These games require them to take part actively in classroom by
learning English tenses.
More than that, students’ confidence will be automatically formed due
to its concept in building habits of learning English grammar. Thus, so
communicative games can be viewed as a useful tool for improving
grammatical competence of English tenses for the 10th graders.
Thirdly, using communicative games to improve grammatical
competence of English tenses for the 10th graders has not been effective yet,
especially that in high schools like Cua Lo High school – Nghe An province.
Lastly, in consideration of these matters, as an English teacher, I really
want to clarify the topic here with my knowledge and my supervisor’s
guidance to analyze, understand the situation of teaching and learning English
grammar for tenth grade students at Cua Lo High school as well as the
application of games in teaching grammar.
Thanks to it, I will find out lessons, experience for myself and make a
small contribution to enhancing the effectiveness in teaching this subject.
Among different teaching methods, using communicative games to improve
grammatical competence of English tenses for the 10th graders is considered a
useful method that is worth trying and investigating.
2. Aims of the study

The major aims of the study are:
- to survey the use of communicative games to improve grammatical

competence of English tenses for the 10th graders.
2


- to contribute a small part to the improvement of teaching and learning

English at Cua Lo High School.
3. Scope of the study

The study is to explore the benefits of using communicative games to
motivate the tenth grade students at Cua Lo High School. Benefits of the
application of games in teaching grammar create the effectiveness of students’
learning in grammar which focuses on two factors: developing students’
motivation and understanding of the lesson. Besides, the target subjects that
the study investigated were 40 students from 02 classes of grade 10 at this
school.
4. Methods of the study

This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative
method helps to provide the quantified background data. The collected data
and information lay the foundation for the study.
Comments, remarks, assumptions and conclusion of the study are based
on data analysis.
Data collections for analysis in the study come from the teachers and
students in Cua Lo high school by class observation, survey questionnaires
and interviews and discussion

5. Design of the study

The thesis is divided into 5 chapters
Chapter 1: Introduction – presents the basic information including
rationale, aims, research methods, scope, and the structure of the thesis.
Chapter 2: Literature Review – provides the literature concerning
communicative games, motivation in learning English grammar, the role of
communicative games in improving grammatical competence of English
tenses for students, the relationship between communicative games and 10 th
3


graders’ grammatical competence of English tenses.
Chapter 3: The study – reports the setting, the research hypothesis,
participants, instruments, data collection procedure and analysis. The detailed
results of the surveys and a critical comprehensive analysis on the data
collected are also presented in this chapter.
Chapter 4: Findings and discussions – shows major findings and
discussions and offers recommendations for improving grammatical
competence of English tenses for the 10th graders through using
communicative games.
Chapter 5: Conclusions – is a summary of the study in which
conclusions of the study are presented. It also presents the significance of
using communicative games to improve the 10th graders’ grammatical
competence of English tenses. Limitations of the study and suggestions for
further research are also presented in this part

4

CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter presents theoretical background knowledge related
grammar, communicative games, relationship between communicative games
and students' grammatical competence of English tenses and the application
of communicative games in teaching and learning English grammar.
2.1. Grammar
2.1.1. Definition of grammar

As the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defined, Grammar
consists of the rules which change words forms to make sentences. Grammar
includes two basic elements: grammar rules and grammar practice. Grammar
rules focus on how words change and how words are put together into sentences.
So, grammar can be seen as the way in which words change themselves and
group together to make sentences
According to Oxford Dictionary, grammar is “the whole system and
structure of a language or of languages in general, usually taken as
consisting of syntax and morphology (including inflections) and sometimes
also phonology and semantics.” In addressing the question of “what is
grammar?”, Cambridge Dictionary defines grammar as: “the rules about how
words change their form and combine with other words to make sentences”.
Thornbury, S. (1999) defined grammar as: “Grammar is partly the study of
what forms (or structures) are possible in a language…
.Grammar is a description of the rules that govern how a language’s sentences
are formed”.
Thus, we can understand that grammar is a linguistic tool including syntax,
phonetics, morphology and semantics that create the rules for making sentences.
2.1.2. Features of grammar
5

According to Harmer, J (1991), grammatical features involves the basic
linguistic elements such as number (singular, plural, dual ...), person number
(singular, plural, dual ...), person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), and tense (present, past, ...).
Also, as we understand, tense is a basic part of grammar.
2.1.3. Grammar teaching activities

Students have different reactions to grammar lessons. Some of them
find grammar interesting, some find it boring and some find it useful but very
difficult to learn. It can be seen that students often have low motivation in
learning grammar because they do not like listening to long grammar lessons
and doing complex exercises.
According to Celce, M. (1988), there are four activities for a grammar:
(1) Making presentation: the teacher introduces grammar structure with plenty

and various techniques. The teacher chooses the types of grammar structure
that are suitable with student’s level.
(2) Doing exercises: Students are required to use specific grammar structure

in controlled exercises.
(3) Taking part in communicative practice: Students are supposed to use the

learnt structures in communicative activities.
(4) Giving feedback and correction: Teacher provides error’s correction

throughout the grammar lesson. The first part of the grammar lesson must be
corrected immediately and directly. The second part, communicative
activities, should not be interrupted and the teacher needs to take notes of
errors.

Besides, there are many other grammar teaching activities:
 Grammar activities: Can do / can't do
This is likely to lead to far more disagreement and discussion!
Procedure
6


- Take into the class some common everyday object, such as a
paper clip, a rubber band, a match, a key, a coin, a plastic cup,
etc.
- Give the learners some time to think individually of as many
things as possible the object could be used for. Then get them to
compare their suggestions in small groups – depending on the
level, you might need to prime them with "You can ...... with it",
"You can use it for –ing ......” Collect suggestions from the whole
class.
- As an optional further stage, ask them to brainstorm in a similar
way all the things that you can't do with the object in question.
 Grammar activities: Don't answer back
- The aim of this warmer is for each student to give the answer to
the question asked to the previous student, sounds complicated
but the students pick it up quickly. This warmer is a good
listening activity and really makes the students concentrate on
the questions.
Level
- Teenagers pre-intermediate and up
Procedure
- Before playing the game you will need to make a list of
questions suitable for your students and their level. Depending
on class size you will need at least two questions for each student

and its best if they progressively become more and more
difficult. I find questions for personal and general information
work well.
Example
7


1. Are you English?
2. Where are you from?
3. What color are your eyes?
4. How many people are there in your family?
5. What's the weather like today?
6. What time do you have lunch?
7. How often do you go to the cinema?
8. What are you doing?
9. When were you born?
10. Have you ever been to England?
- Write the question what’s your name? on the board. Explain to
the students that you are going to ask each student a question but
they are going to answer the question from the student before. To
help explain this, get a student to ask you a question e.g. have
you got a dog? Don’t answer this question but tell them your
name (answering the question written on the board). Then ask
another student to ask you a question, again don't answer this
question but tell them if you have got a dog (answering the
previous question).
- Now start the game. Point to the question on the board and then
ask the first student question number one. This student must give
the answer to the question on the board.
- Then ask student number two the next question, they must give

the answer to the question before. Don't worry them soon get the
hang of it! Continue asking questions making sure all students
have a go.
8


- To make it more fun you can give each student three lives. If
they hesitate for too long or they tell you the wrong answer they
lose a life. The player or players with the most lives win.
Example
Are you English?
S1 - " My name is Roberto".
Where are you from?
S2 - "No. I'm not."
What color are your eyes?
S3 - "I'm from Italy".
Variations
- These questions can be adapted for different levels and can also
be used for revising specific tenses. As an extra activity you
could get students to write five questions for their partner and in
pairs ask and answer them or you could write down some of the
answers during the game, read them out loud to the class and get
the students to write suitable questions for the answers.
 Grammar activities: The magic element
- The aim of this activity is to work on: verb to be + name, size,
color, age; has got, hasn't got, abilities, likes and dislikes.
Procedure
- Ask students to think of a magic element they would like to have.
- Ask one of them to start drawing it on the board but not
complete, just part of it. His/hers mates will have to guess what

the element is by asking yes, no questions. E.g.: Is it a flower? Is
it a moon? The one who is drawing will answer: No, it isn't....
- While his/her mates are asking questions he/ she will continue
9


drawing. The one who guesses will be the next to draw his/her
magic element.
- Before having a new element, the one who drew his/ her magic
element will have to talk about it, telling his name, size, color,
age, abilities, non- abilities, likes and dislikes. And he/ she will
draw the abilities, non- abilities, likes, and dislikes surrounding
the magic element.
- For example: My magic element is a kite. Katy, the kite, It's big.
It's blue and orange, it has got two eyes. It can fly, it can sing, it
can dance. It can't swim. It likes hamburgers but it doesn't like
hot dogs.
- Ask them to draw their magic elements in their notebooks for
their next class.
 Grammar activities: Chain story
- This activity can be used for practicing conditionals, though its
different variations can serve for reviewing the vocabulary as
well. It helps students to link sentences in one text.
- This activity with intermediate students, though it may work with
lower-level students. Students enjoy it as it usually results in
some funny story which tunes them in a good mood for the rest
of the lesson.
Procedure
- Put on the board the pattern “If we have free time, we’ll go to the
party” and explain that the students are going to make a story one

by one using this pattern. The catch is that every student needs to
use the second part of the phrase said by a previous student as the
first part of his/hers.
- Student 1 if we have free time, we’ll go to the party.
10


- Student 2 If we go to the party, we’ll have fun.
- Student 3 If we have fun, we’ll come home late.
- Student 4 If we come home late, we’ll miss our test tomorrow.
etc.
Variation 2
- For revising the vocabulary make cards with vocabulary words
you need to revise, one word or expression on each card.
- Put the cards face down on the desk in the center. A student who
starts, draws the first card and says the first sentence, the next
student draws the card and says the second sentence etc.
- Students are telling a story, using only one sentence each with
one word at a time, trying to make a story go smooth. (You may
ask them to use a certain pattern, or may let it go free).
Tip
- If a class is big, divide it into two teams and make them create
their stories simultaneously, taking turns. It will be more fun if
both teams have the same beginning.
Variation 3
- Instead of (or in addition to) distributing cards with vocabulary
items on them, give students the cards with different
conjunctions and linking words: and, as soon as, while, but,
although, though, however, etc. The students need to tell a story
by adding their sentence with the help of the conjunction written

on the card. In this activity they are allowed to change the
grammar structure of the previous sentence.
 Grammar activities: Secret creatures
- Short grammar activity to practice the 2nd conditional.
11


Procedure
- Write this model on the board:
If I were this creature, I would live...
I would eat...
I would ... (do what?)
I wouldn’t (do what?)
My colors would be...
- Ask students to think of a secret creature. It should be unusual:
crow, octopus, grasshopper, worm, and hyena. No cats or dogs they're too easy, and not secret enough.
- Students then describe what they would do if they were that
creature, following the pattern on the board if need be.
- They continue to describe the creature until the rest of the class is
able to guess what it is.
Tip
- Demonstrate the activity yourself first.
Tip
- This can be done in IN THE PAST too. Just change the pattern:
If, in a previous life, I had been this creature,
I would have...
lived...
eaten... etc.
2.1.4. English grammatical competence

As Harmer, J. (1991) stated: central components of grammatical
competence are formed by the rules of word formation, sentence formation
and the ability to recognize correct sentences and organize sentences to form
12


texts.
According to Thornbury, S., (1999), grammatical competence was
defined as theoretical and practical knowledge of grammatical rules. If
learners have good grammar competence, they can generate an unlimited
number of correct sentences.
In a foreign language classroom, grammar competence is seen as a set
of theoretical knowledge and language skills which are useful and important
for student to form and understand correct sentences, to control grammatical
errors, to recognize right and wrong linguistic forms, and to perform language
testing tasks.
Willis, J., (1982) claimed that the grammatical structures consists of
lexical semantics and constitute interrelated elements. Thus, the development
of scientific ideas is gradually resulted from the idea of the interconnectedness
of the elements of language knowledge. The fact the grammatical competence
can be represented as a network of elements interacting in the intertwining
connections because of the essence of the idea of connectionism with respect
to grammatical competence.
In short, grammatical competence shows the ways grammar is used in
communication. The knowledge of grammar, lexis, morphology, syntax,
semantics and morphology are included in grammatical competence.
Therefore, language learners are necessary to possess adequate competence in
and knowledge of English grammar
As website My English grammar.com defined, tenses are forms of a
verb that show the time, continuance or completion of an action or a state that

is expressed in connection with the moment at which a statement is made
about it. The present, the past, and the future are the three main tenses. Each
tense includes four aspects: simple, continuous or progressive, perfect and
perfect continuous or perfect progressive.
13