Luận văn Thạc sĩ A study on using storytelling to improve English speaking for students at a primary school in Hanoi

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES

PHẠM THỊ HÂN

A STUDY ON USING STORYTELLING TO IMPROVE ENGLISH
SPEAKING FOR STUDENTS AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HANOI

(Nghiên cứu về việc sử dụng phương pháp kể chuyện để nâng cao khả
năng nói Tiếng Anh cho học sinh ở một trường tiểu học ở Hà Nội)

M.A. MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 8140231.01

HANOI- 2020


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES

PHẠM THỊ HÂN

A STUDY ON USING STORYTELLING TO IMPROVE ENGLISH
SPEAKING FOR STUDENTS AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HANOI

(Nghiên cứu về việc sử dụng phương pháp kể chuyện để nâng cao khả
năng nói Tiếng Anh cho học sinh ở một trường tiểu học ở Hà Nội)

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 8140231.01
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Van

HANOI- 2020


DECLARATION
I, Phạm Thị Hân, hereby certify that the thesis “A study on using storytelling to
improve English speaking ability for students at a primary school in Hanoi” is
submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Arts at the
Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International
Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Although when doing my
research, I have consulted various books, articles, and webpages for my
references, I exacted some ideas relating to my study from their work. I
declare that this assignment is my own work and does not involve plagiarism
or collusion.

Hanoi, 2020

Phạm Thị Hân

i


ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to give my cordial thanks to my
supervisor Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Van for his enlightening support, invaluable

feedback and recommendations during my fulfillment of this minor thesis.

My sincere thanks go to all of the lecturers and the staff of the Faculty
of Post Graduate Studies at University of Languages and International Studies for
their valuable lectures on which help me to orient the research.

I would like to convey my warmest appreciation and thanks to invaluable
assistance to teachers at Ly Nam De Primary School. I truly wish to thank all the
students in grade 3 at Ly Nam De Primary School who have actively
participated in the research.

I am deeply grateful to my family for their great encouragement. Without
their support, I could not have completed this thesis.

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ABSTRACT

Young learners have spent more time in learning English at primary schools
in Hanoi recent years. As a result, students have more chances to learn English.
However, a wide range of young learners face lacking speaking proficiency which
their grammar, content, vocabulary, and fluency are limited. Moreover, students
have low motivation and lack confidence in learning speaking. There are different
techniques of teaching speaking skills which are employed to be successful. One of
the concerned techniques is storytelling. This research is an investigation into the
effectiveness of teaching speaking to young learners through storytelling. The
primary aim of the study is to determine whether storytelling has an extended
impact on young learners’ speaking. It also studies students’ attitude to this
technique. The data were collected through observation, questionnaire, and tests and

then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results of the data analysis
indicate that most of the students achieved considerable progress in their speaking
after using storytelling. Students also participated in the lesson actively and
excitedly. In addition, storytelling can motivate students to communicate.

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TABLE OF CONTENT
DECLARATION…………………………………………………………

i

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS………………………………………………… ii
ABSTRACT............................................................................................... iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................

iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS...................................................................

vii

LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES.....................................................

viii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale …………………………………………………………...

1

2. Statement of the problem………………………………………….

2

3. Aims and objectives of the study …………………………..……... 2
4. Research question…………………………………………...……... 3
5. Scope of the study ………………………………………….………

3

6. Significance of the study …………………………………..………

3

7. Organization of the thesis…………………………………………..

3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Speaking…………………………………………………………….

4
4

2.1.1 Definitions of speaking skill……………………………………...

4

2.1. 2 Techniques to teach speaking skill to young learners…………….

4

2.1.3 Assessing speaking skill…………………………………………... 5
2.1.4 Criteria levels for evaluating speaking skill……………………….
2.2 Storytelling……………………………………………………………

6
6

2.2.1 Definition of storytelling………………………………………….

6

2.2.2 The advantage of storytelling………………………….………….

7

2.2.3 Storytelling techniques……………………………………………. 8
2.2.4 Criteria for selecting storybooks………………………………….
2.3. Students’ attitude……………………………………………………

10
10

2.3.1 Students’ attitude…………………………………………………
2.3.2 Characteristics of primary students………………………………

iv

11


2.4 Previous studies in the world and in Vietnam……………………

12

2.5 Summary………………………………………………………………

14

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY…………………………………………

15

3.1 Context of the study……………………………………………………. 15
3.1.1 Setting of the study………………………………………………..

15

3.1.2 Participants………………………………………………………... 17
3.1.3 Materials…………………………………………………………..

16

3.2 Research design………………………………………………………… 16
3.2.1 Research approach………………………………………………...

16

3.2.2 Research procedures………………………………………………

16

3.3 Data collection instruments……………………………………………

23

3.3.1 Questionnaire……………………………………………………..

23

3.3.2 Test……………………………………………………………….

24

3.3.3. Observation………………………………………………………

25

3.4 Data analysis methods……………………………………………

25

3.5 Summary……………………………………………………………

25

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

27

4.1 Data analysis…………………………………………………………

27

4.1.1 Analysis of test results…………………………………………..

27

4.1.2 Analysis of questionnaires………………………………………

32

4.1.3 Analysis of observation…………………………………………

37

4.2 Findings and discussion………………………………………………

39

4.2.1 To what extent can storytelling technique affect children’s 39
speaking ability? ………………………...............................................
4.2.2 Students’ attitude towards storytelling. …………………………

40

4.3 Summary………………………………………………………………

40

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION……………………………………………..

42

5.1 Recapitulation………………………………………………………..

42

5.2 Concluding remarks…………………………………………………

42

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5.3 Limitation of the study………………………………………………... 43
5.4 Recommendations and suggestions for further study………….

43

REFERENCES……………………………………………………..........................................

45

APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: LESSON PLAN…………………………………………....

I

APPENDIX 2A: POST-TREATMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (ENGLISH
VERSION) ……………………………………………..……...……...……. V
APPENDIX 2B: POST-TREATMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
(VIETNAMESE VERSION) ………………………………………..……..

VIII

APPENDIX 3A: PRE-TEST OF SPEAKING SKILL…………………… X
APPENDIX 3B: POST-TEST OF SPEAKING SKILL………………….. XII
APPENDIX 4: SPEAKING RUBRIC……………………………………..

XIV

APPENDIX 5: THE FORMULA OF MEAN, STANDARD
DEVIATION AND MEDIAN……………………………………….…….. XVI
APPENDIX 6: TEACHER’S OBSERVATION…………………………..

vi

XXV


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
%: Percentage

vii

LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1: The course procedures …………………………………….

18

Table 2.1: The students’ content of speaking …. ………………………..

27

Table 2.2: The students’ fluency of speaking ………………………………

28

Table 2.3: The students’ grammar of speaking ……………………………

29

Table 2.4: The students’ vocabulary of speaking …………………………

29

Table 2.5: Record of students’ test scores………………………………….

30

Table 2.6: Comparison of mean, standard deviation, mode, minimum and
maximum between the pre-test and post-test………………………………

31

Table 3: Students’ attitude toward storytelling……………………………

32

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale for the research
English is considered as an international language which is used wider and
wider. As a result, English has been taught in almost every school and mostly
become a compulsory subject in Vietnam. At school, teachers teach all the 4 skills
of speaking, reading, listening and but not all students can develop all skills equally.
Brown and Lee (2015) state that learning to speak a foreign language is often
regarded as one of the most difficult for students. From the researcher’s
observation, students seemed to have difficulties in speaking up during speaking
lessons. They faced lacking speaking proficiency. As a result, their grammar,
content, vocabulary, and fluency are limited. Therefore, they rarely answered the
questions given by the teachers orally or they spoke with pauses and got trouble in
finding appropriate words to express their ideas. Besides, students had low
motivation in learning speaking. They rarely had opportunities to practice the
foreign language in their daily life and speaking activities for students were not
attracted them. That routine activities in learning can make students bored that
decrease their motivation and participation in learning. Brown and Lee (2015).
Another problem is that students often lack confidence in speaking. They
tended to be passive in speaking lessons. They were afraid of making mistakes and
being laughed by their friends and teachers. Therefore, they preferred using the
native language or keeping quite when teachers or friends raised the questions.
Many researchers revealed that psychological factors such as anxiety or shyness,
lack of confidence, motivation of fear of mistakes commonly prevented students

from speaking (Nunan, 1999; Sato, 2003; Thornbury, 2011).
With these problems in mind, teaching English for communication to young
learners is an important topic to study. Ulas (2008) recommends that successful
communication is speaking nicely, articulately and efficiently, as well as using
effective voice projection, speaking is linked to success in life, because it occupies
an important position both individually and socially. It is true to students in primary

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school because speaking performs students’ thought and it is the oral output of
learning. Nunan (1991) said that success of language is measured considering the
ability to carry out a conversation in the target language. Therefore, teachers of
English should make more effort to teach children more effectively and help
students feel competent and confident by providing them with safe, entertaining,
and educational environment (Schindler, 2006; Scott & Ytreberg, 2001). Hence,
teachers try to find the methods that can bring the better results and attract students
to the speaking lessons.
This lead the author to the choice of the study “A study on using storytelling
to improve English speaking ability for students at a primary school in Hanoi” to
gain some insights into speaking strategies and find out the good ways to help the
students improve their speaking skill.
2. Statement of the problem
The researcher studied a number of studies investigating the effectiveness of
storytelling, but most of them focus on developing vocabulary, listening, or
presentation on the teenagers and adults. Therefore, the specific problem addressed
in this study was to investigate the effectiveness of storytelling on primary students’
speaking skill and their attitudes to this technique.
3. Aims of the study
This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of storytelling on speaking

skill and their attitudes to this technique in speaking at Ly Nam De Primary School.
This aim is specified into the following objectives:
1. To examine the impact of applying storytelling in teaching speaking for
the young learners at a primary school in Hanoi.
2. To determine the students’ attitudes in learning speaking through storytelling.
4. Research questions
In an attempt to achieve the aims and objectives stated above, the following
research questions were addressed:
1. To what extent can storytelling affect children’s English speaking ability?

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2. What are the students’ attitudes towards using storytelling in developing speaking
skill?
5. Scope of the research
The study was conducted at Ly Nam De Primary School in Hanoi. The
research concentrates on the young learners of eight years old. The participants
involved in the research are 14 students at Ly Nam De Primary School. This study
investigated the effects of storytelling and students’ attitude towards using
storytelling in learning speaking. Therefore, the teaching of other speaking
strategies to other grades would be beyond the scope.
6. Significance of the study
In terms of theory, the study is expected to contribute the effective ways to
develop speaking skill. In terms of practice, the findings of this study can be used as
a reference for teachers of English in general and teachers at the Ly Nam De school
in particular to improve teaching speaking skills and attract students in learning
speaking.
7. Organization of the thesis
The study consists of three main parts: the introduction, the development and

the conclusion.
CHAPTER 1: “Introduction” presents rationale, statement of the problem, aims
and objectives of the study, research question, the scope of the study, significance
of the study, and the design of the study.
CHAPTER 2: “Literature” provides a literature review on theoretical issues
related to speaking, storytelling, students’ attitude and previous studies.
CHAPTER 3: “Methodology” describes an overview on context of the study,
research design, instrument used in the study.
CHAPTER 4:“Data analysis and discussion” presents details in the methodology,
the data analysis, findings and discussion.
CHAPTER 5: “Conclusion” gives a brief review of the whole study and some
limitations of the study and suggestions for further study.

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Chapter 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Speaking
2.1.1 Definitions of speaking skill
Speaking is an important skill in daily life as emphasized by many educators
and researchers. Bailey and Savage (1994) emphasize that speaking is a basic skill
which is the output of reading and listening and it is used to communicate every
day. Similarly, Hayriye (2006) states that speaking is considered as a vital part of
language learning because the ability to communicate plays an important part in
students’ school life and in other fields throughout life.
Nunan suggests that speaking is considered as the same an oral interaction
which are conventional ways of speaking information, expressing the idea, and
thought in mind (Nunan, 1991). According to this view, it is clear that speaking is
the activity of giving speeches and talks to give speakers’ opinion. Moreover,
Chaney’s definition gives the opinion that speaking is the process of building and

sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of
contexts (Chaney, 1988). From this point of view, speakers can clearly demonstrate
feeling and opinion through body language only in speaking.
In summary, most of these show some common characteristics which speaking
uses the words and produces the sound to express their ideas, feeling, thought
through ordinary voice. Moreover, speaking needs verbal and non-verbal symbols
to express speakers’ knowledge, opinion in communication. As result, speakers
need to combine various skills in speaking.
2.1.2 Techniques to teach speaking skill to young learners
Nunan (1991) recommends that learners would be better if they are given the
maximum number of chances to practice the target language in meaningful
situations. Moreover, Nunan (2003) has provided some suggestions for teaching
speaking as below:
Firstly, teachers need to prepare the lesson carefully to get the differences in

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context between two languages and two cultures. He explains that students meet
difficulties in learning foreign language with different contexts because they have
few opportunities to use the target language outside the classroom. Therefore, some
foreign language learners can neither understand native speakers nor communicate
with them in the real life.
Secondly, it is necessary to develop fluency and accuracy at the beginning and
intermediate levels. Teachers should provide students with fluency building
practice. It is also true to realize that making mistakes is a natural part of learning a
new language but accuracy is the also the purpose of the process.
Thirdly, using group or pair work promotes the speaking lesson. Pair work and
group work activities can increase the amount of time that learners get to speak in
the target language. Besides, students have more chances to exchange the speaking

topics, knowledge which is useful in speaking.
Next, teachers should plan speaking tasks that involve negotiation for meaning
by asking for clarification, repetition or explanation. Teachers get students’ ability,
teacher should prepare the speaking tasks which are useful for all levels of students
in the class.
Finally, teachers should design classroom activities that involve guidance and
practice in both transactional speaking (communicating to get something done,
including the exchange of goods or services) and interactional speaking
(communicating with someone for social purposes).
2.1.3 Assessing speaking skill
Assessment refers to collect information and judge learner’s knowledge
(Brindley, 2003). A teacher must set clear instructional goals to assess goals which
students can meet.
A teacher needs to spare time for a students’ response. Meanwhile, learners
should be given a couple of minutes to make the transition into English before
giving them an English language assessment. Moreover, the test needs to have

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clear instruction. More seriously, students need to be shown that the
examiners assessing them can be trusted (Linse, 2005).
Many forms of speaking test are used to measure students’ ability. Johnson
(2001) recommends the techniques of testing speaking such as oral interview, roleplay, simulation, and imitation. Each technique has its own advantages. An oral
interview is a traditional technique which an examiner asks the learners’ personal
questions and perhaps also about a passage or picture sequence. Heaton (1990)
strongly supports that an excellent way of testing speaking is the oral interview.
That is the reason why the researcher decides this study includes two parts in the
test which are personal introduction and tell the story basing on picture sequences.
2.1.4 Criteria levels for evaluating speaking skill

A wide range of authors set standards for English speaking evaluation. Oller
(1979) focuses on language use in daily life so he sets five standards for English
speaking evaluation. Heaton (1990) presents a system with six bands with many
characteristics

including

fluency,

accuracy,

vocabulary,

grammar

and

communication. He advises using a scale for grading students’ performance on
speaking tests rather than a marking scheme. It is better to use a rating scale
containing short descriptions of each grade. Basing on the characteristics of
storytelling and speaking, this research is based on the rubric adapted from
SaeOng (2010) and Heaton (2009) including content, fluency, grammar and
vocabulary to evaluate speaking ability. Fluency criteria examines how
fluently, smoothly, speed of speech students can speak. Content criteria
evaluate students’ ability to arrange the content of the story and connect

content. Grammar criteria evaluates students word- orders and grammar of
the sentences. The vocabulary criteria examines students appropriate words
and meaning in the stories.
2.2 Storytelling

2.2.1 Definition of storytelling

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In the past, without the invention of television, computer or internet, most
children liked listening to the folklores from grandparents or parents before
sleeping. That is one kind of storytelling which is defined by Rubin (1990)
storytelling is the “oral interpretation of literature and folklore”, which means that
components of storytelling are the story, the storyteller, space, and listeners. Harari
declares that stories with full of imagination as well as experience differed humans
from animals (Harari, 2014). It is the traditional and natural method for humans to
impart their information from generations to generations.
In the modern context, storytelling is defined by different authors in a variety
of ways. Safdarian (2013) defines storytelling as students retell stories in their own
language after listening to the stories by the teacher. In another way, storytelling
that involves improvisation in telling story, facial gestures, and body movement is
an oral activity to grab audiences’ attention by using multi-sensory stirring emotion
of an event in a story (Stanley and Dillingham, 2009). Besides, Champion as cited
in Irawati (2003) clarifies that storytelling is an oral activity where language and
gestures can be used in a colorful way to create scenes in a sequence.
It can be inferred from all above that storytelling is oral activities with creative
scenes in sequences which promote children’s imagination, language learning and
motivation.
2.2.2 The advantages of storytelling
Many researchers state that using stories brings various advantages including
language learning, imaginational and motivational benefits. Ellis and Brewster
(2002) emphasize storytelling develops the imagination. When children identify
characters and illustrations, they get personally involved in a story. The imaginative
experience develops their creative skill. Storytelling is also a useful tool to link

fantasy and imagination with a child’s real world. Hayriye (2006) declares that
storytelling encourages students to share ideas with plenty of imagination without
worrying about the right or wrong conclusion.

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Stories contain natural repetition of key vocabularies and sentences which
support children understand the details and remember what happened in the stories.
Therefore, the uses of stories can develop language learning in the context (Ellis &
Brewster, 2002). Moreover, Ellis and Brewster also emphasize that “stories may
bridge the gap between language study and language use and also link classroom
learning with the world outside. Some of the activities do not always have a very
language element but are nevertheless important in creating a feeling among the
pupils that learning English means fun, activity, creativity and enjoyment” (Ellis
and Brewster, 1991:1).
Stockdale (1995) proposes that storytelling enhances motivation because
learners can be completely attracted to stories by the combination of instruction and
entertainment. Krashen (1981) states that learners with great motivation, selfconfidence, a good self-image, and a low level of anxiety are easy to successful in
second language acquisition. Based on these benefits, storytelling develops
students’ speaking skills by providing a means of transmitting images, ideas, and
emotions that motivate them to learn the language.
2.2.3 Storytelling techniques
Teachers are an important factor in teaching and promoting the learning
process. They have great responsibility to transfer their knowledge and skills to the
students, to guide learners in developing their mind, and to educate them on how to
absorb, to analyze, and to expand their individual knowledge and skill.
First of all, teachers need to prepare themselves before telling stories to
students. Teachers as storytellers should familiarize themselves with the books and
illustrations by deciding which illustrations or details they will focus on. To help

teachers boost their confidence, they should listen to recording of the story
carefully. Teachers should read a story several times until they feel confident, and
know how tell the story well enough (Ellis & Brewster, 2002).

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Moreover, to get these targets, it is important to have techniques in teaching
speaking through storytelling. Zaro and Salaberri (1995: 5) suggested some of these
techniques:
i.

Firstly, teachers should notice that storytelling can provokes curiosity

because it evokes students’ imagination and interest in language skill.
ii.

Secondly, when presenting storytelling, teacher should allow learners to

experience with the target language and encourage their cooperation.
iii.

Next, teachers can use mother tongue, use the voice, facial expressions, hand

motions to emphasize the story to express if necessary. Ellis and Brewster (2002)
also have the same opinion that teachers create an atmosphere for storytelling that
children can see the teacher’s face and the illustrations. Teachers use gesture, mime,
facial expression, varied pace and tone to convey meaning and keep students’
attention. Richard-Amato (2003) adds that stories may be meaningless if told
without expression, feeling or physical involvement on the part of the student.

Finally, storytelling should be relaxed, funny and informal.
Besides, Brewster, Ellis, and Giard (2004) recommend some techniques in
using storytelling in the classroom:
a) If students are not familiar with storytelling, teachers should begin with a
short session which has simple requirements.
b) Teachers should tell story slowly and clearly in order to give students time
to recognize sounds, words, relate what they hear to what they see in the
pictures, to think, ask questions or give some comments.
c) Teachers should make comments about the illustration and point learners to
focus their students’ attention.
d) Teachers should encourage students to get involve in telling the story by
asking them to repeat some key vocabularies items and phases.
e) Teachers should use gestures, mimes, facial expressions, voice projection
and pausing variably to convey meaning and encourage students to tell the
stories.

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f) Teachers should ask students questions while telling the story to gain
interaction between learners and that story.
g) By repeating the story, teachers create opportunities for students to expose
to language and have chances to work out the meaning and have it
remembered (Brewster et al. 2004: 21).
In conclusion, teacher will play a vital role as a storyteller with natural and
attracting voice. Teacher expresses the story in the simple ways with great
facial expression to get students’ attention.
2.2.4 Criteria for selecting storybooks
To teach English speaking through storytelling, criteria for choosing
storybooks need to be highly appropriat. According to Changer and Harrison

(1992), the following criteria for choosing textbooks are noticed:
Firstly, the level of language such as the vocabulary, structures and functions should
be suitable for students’ ability.
Secondly, storybooks should contain features which students can imitate such as
rhyme, onomatopoeia, rhythm or intonation to improve their pronunciation.
Thirdly, the story can lead students to predict what is coming next in the story.
Storybooks should arouse curiosity and make students want to find out more about
the target language, culture and language learning.
Last but not least, the storybooks should also enable students to respond positively
to the storyline, develop positive attitudes towards the target language, culture and
language learning. Finally, storybooks should give information concerning life in
the target culture.
Based on the above criteria, teachers should not only be aware of students’ language
level, repetition and language features, but they also must choose storybooks which
can motivate and develop students’ memory skills and arouse curiosity.

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2.3.1 Students’ attitude
Gardner (1985) states that “attitude is an evaluated reaction to some referent or
attitude object, inferred on the basis of the individual’s beliefs or opinions about the
referent”. In general, if students have positive attitudes, their experiences are likely
to be perceived favorably. On the other hand, if they have negative attitudes, their
experiences are likely to be perceived unfavorably.
Based on the above criteria, the researcher comes to the conclusion that
attitudes refers to students’ feeling and shapes their behavior towards language
learning. Attitudes also influence the learners’ success or failure in their learning.
With the advantages of stories, this method is hoped to motivate students to the
speaking lesson and inspire them in learning language. The stories “Little Red

Riding Hood” and “The happy and unhappy family” are suitable for level and
characteristics of students in this study.
2.3.2 Characteristics of primary students
Students have their different characteristics that affect learning. Teachers
should be aware of students’ characteristics to find the suitable methods for young
learners.
In this study, young learners are defined as students in the primary. According
to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, at the age of 6-12, children start to
develop their logical and operational thinking. In general, young learners have the
characteristics of “enthusiasm for learning and curiosity about the world around
them” (Harmer, 2007: 82). Therefore, children’s world is full of imagination.
Harmer shared the opinion that young learners learn by examples (Harmer, 2007:
82-83). Hence, the stories have the precious lesson with the detail or special
behaviors will help students remember well. However, children are easy to get
bored, they only pay attention in the short time. The study discovers that “it is not
surprising to note that a child’s concentrate span increases as he/she grows older.
Children cannot concentrate on one thing for a long period” (Brumfit, Moon and
Tongue, 1991: 7).

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Children also are very sensitive and dislike criticism. They look for guidance
and support. Therefore, they require individual attention and approval from their
teachers. They seem to respond well to praises, and it is very important to praise
them for what they do. It is common sense that if children are praised, they are
motivated and feel successful (Scott and Ytreberg, 1990: 3). Children getting
positive encouragement will be more excited and motivated. Therefore, Harmer
highlights that teachers try to understand “how their students think and operate”
(Harmer, 2007: 83).

The following list shows general characteristics and language development of a
young learner according to Scott and Ytreberg (1990).
- They can tell the difference between fact and fiction.
- Their basic concepts are formed. They have very decided views of the world.
- They ask questions all the times. They rely on the spoken words as well as the
physical world to convey and

understand meaning.

- They are able to make some decisions about their own learning.
- They have definite views about what they like and do not like doing.
- They have a developed sense of fairness about what happens in the classroom and
begin to question the teacher’s decisions.
- They are able to work with others and learn from others.
In conclusion, children can learn better when they interact with the real things
or learn in situation which motivates them in the good ways. They do not like
learning in a directive way, they enjoy active involvement which take them
curiosity. Understanding the young learners’ characteristic will help the teachers get
the objectives of the lessons efficiently. Based on the above-mentioned theory,
using storytelling as a suitable resource for teaching and learning a foreign
language.
2.4 Previous studies in the world and Vietnam
Mukminatus (2017) used the observation and questionnaire to measure the
effectiveness of storytelling in developing speaking skill. This research yeilds the

12


result that storytelling could improve students’ speaking skill in the Hasymim
Asy’sari University. Students could retell the content of the reading text in the

module, even they were highly motivated to their discussion and showed their
interest in the topic given.
Ampha (2013) conducted a study for the effectiveness of storytelling-based
instruction to enhance English listening and speaking skills of the sixth grade
students. This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of the storytelling based
instruction and examine learners’ attitudes toward this skill. The participants were
220 students in the secondary school who experienced five storytelling-based
instruction in five weeks. The research found that storytelling-based instruction
successfully enhanced the students’ English speaking and listening ability.
Storytelling-based instruction was shown to be effective. It also showed that
students’ satisfaction of learning English through storytelling-based instruction was
highly positive.
In summary, using storytelling as a technique in teaching speaking is admitted
to motivate students’ to speak naturally with accuracy, fluency and good gestures.
Moreover, storytelling also provides students with chances to be more confident in
front of the crowd.
Although many researchers approved that storytelling is an effective method
to improve language in the world, storytelling seems to be quite unpopular in
Vietnam since it is highly likely that not many researchers apply storytelling in
teaching speaking. The researcher finds only some master thesis named “Using
short stories to improve the efficiency of teaching speaking and listening skills to
students at Hai Phong foreign language centre” by Nhan (2010) in the University of
Language and International Studies. In the research , it attempted to find out the
effects of short stories on teaching speaking and listening. Besides, it also
investigated students’ attitude towards using short stories in language teaching. As
the result, using short story in teaching enhance students’ listening and speaking

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skills. Moreover, it reduces students’ anxiety by creating a friendly and relaxing
classroom atmosphere that helps them get involved in the class activities.
Besides, in the thesis named “Teaching vocabularies to primary children by using
storytelling method” by Trang (2012) proved the effect of storytelling in teaching
vocabularies. This study aims to emphasize the effective ways to teach vocabulary
through storytelling. Participants were 153 students in the primary schools who
answer the questions about the usefulness and importance of vocabularies. To
measure the effectiveness, questionnaires were used once more time. As the result,
using this technique approved that it is practical, useful and interesting to teach
vocabularies.
Given the teaching and learning situation, the researchers improve the
importance and the effectiveness of storytelling in teaching language. The fact that
there has been little research in implementing storytelling to improve speaking skill,
especially for primary school students. Thus, the researcher made the decision to
conduct an action research to examine the students’ attitude of storytelling in
learning speaking skills and measure the effect of this method in improving
speaking skill.
2.5 Summary
The chapter has presented the relevant literature, which can form the
theoretical and conceptual framework for the study. It is firstly concerned with the
storytelling and speaking, including some definitions, students’ attitude,
characteristic of primary students, criteria for selecting storybooks, storytelling
techniques, the advantage of storytelling, criteria levels for evaluating speaking
skill, techniques to teach speaking skill to young learners, criteria levels for
evaluating speaking skill. The final part focused on presenting a review of the main
storytelling strategy employed in this study. All of these serve as a basis for an
action research on using storytelling to improve speaking skill for students in the
primary which is implemented and presented in the next chapter.

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CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Context of the study
3.1.1 Setting of the study
This study is an action research to apply storytelling to teach speaking. In
particular, the purpose of this study is to identify the effect storytelling on
improving students’ speaking skill and students’ attitude toward this technique.
The study was conducted at Ly Nam De Primary School in Hanoi. The school was
established in 2016 and up to now it has 30 classes with 40 teachers of different
subjects and more than a thousand students. The school is located in Mieu Nha
Village, Nam Tu Liem District. Many clubs after school which is really useful to
develop students’ life skills. Like other normal primary schools in Vietnam, this
school has five grades from grade 1 to grade 5.
The teaching staff consists of 6 teachers of English who are both Vietnamese
and foreign language teachers. They graduated from different college and
university. The researcher has worked as an English teacher who teach Math and
Science through English in this school and attended the MA course at University of
Language and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. To
complete the course, the research has approved by the principal’s permission.
In this school, apart from the English periods of Ministry of Educating and
Training, children have more chances to attend transforming program at school such
as Binh Minh and Ismart transforming education. Furthermore, many extracurricular activities such as English speaking Contest, English festival, Science
Swat have actively developed in the school to motivate students and create an
educational environment for both English teachers and students. As a result, the

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