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USING COMMUNICATIVE LANNGUAGE TEACHING (CLT) TO

IMPROVE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL.

INTRODUCTION:

As stated by Khamkhien (2010) people are using English in all aspects of

life. These sections and fields include from science, technology to society,

politics. Analogously, Richard (2002) asserted that English is used as official

language in international communication. There is no uncertainty, therefore, that

English is becoming more and more prominent as a language of worldwide

communication.

It is obvious that, for that reason, mastering English, especially both

speaking and writing skills, are essential requirement for people to pursue

because English can bring back for users valuable benefits. Specifically, it is easy

for proficient and fluent English users to get a scholarship when they prove their

abilities to apply English in different disciplines at university as well as areas of

life. Similarly, most foreign and multinational companies all take into account

English speaking skill as foremost demand in Vietnam. There is a true that,

therefore, English is the gold key for anyone who can utilize and take advantage

of it in their normal life.

This paper, hence, discuss the topic how to help English learners to

overcome the speaking English obstacle as well as improve the confidence. This,

what is more, this study will present practical teaching speaking implications for

English teachers as well. Besides, this one also critically evaluate the innovation

project.

Vietnamese Context

There are three protruding issues in teaching English in Vietnam at this

age. Firstly, there is a clear and sad issue that in Vietnam most students are not

satisfied with taking part in speaking English classes. They just enjoy practicing

grammar, correcting exercises and learning by heart new words. Everything has

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its cause, and the explanation for this phenomenon is that in Vietnam as we know

that the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has just focused on the areas

( grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation) in teaching and learning English (Canh

& Roger, 2009). It signifies that students have been taught grammar and

vocabulary to meet the final test at school and the entrance test at universities. As

a result, learner acts as passive attendant function and character in sessions, and

they are not able to speak English well.

Secondly, in addition, teachers still bring into play old teaching principles

and techniques which bases on the Grammar Traditional Method (GTM) (Hird

cited in Lewis & McCook, 2002) to conduct their teaching practice. These ones,

correspondently, bring back no opportunities for learners to practice speaking.

Consequently, students have neither chance to brainstorm new ideas, nor work in

group to share their thought. Relatedly, facilities are also striking obstacle. The

classrooms are not big enough and are set closely. If one teacher wants to apply

group work in their class, it will make noise and the effect is that it annoys other

ones (Canh & Roger, 2009).

Thirdly, teachers’ power , additionally, are severely strong. In contrast,

students’ voice are diminutive (Tomlinson, B & Dat, B. 2004). Hird cited in

Lewis & McCook ( 2002) claimed that the deficiency of Asian’s teachers are

clearly that they just concentrate on the language form. By contrast, they forget

and ignore to let student have more chance to restructure what they have been

taught. It is undeniable that this teaching practice is not good for students.

When joining lecture hall, this outstanding matter is not changed, and the

result of this one is that students graduate from school, vocational, college and

university have no ability to use English fluently and naturally.

RESEARCHER’S CONTEXT

North-Europe Language Center is a private section which is established in

2004 and located at 172 Le Trong Tan street, Tan Phu District and HCM city.

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This one gains its well-known fame thanks to the terrific students’ result. It has

ten years experiences in teaching English for adults, students, teenagers, and

kids.

Additionally, syllabi, which are used to be chosen carefully by principal

and staffs. Also, every year, center has three meetings for whole teachers to

discuss the difficulties as well as to exchange teaching experience. Another

distinctive merit is that at the end of each unit students must participate in a quiz,

which lasts 20 minutes to let both principal and teacher know if they understand

the lesson or whether they can continue learning in upper level.

What the researcher’s center constantly has done above ensures the

teaching and learning quality. At the same time with the warranting of the quality

policy, this private center usually holds plentiful activities to welcome most

events all year. For kids we have children international day, summer camp.

Similarly, we also organize singing English song contest for whole students to

help them have a playgroup to show their abilities as well as stimulate the

motivation in learning. Another positive feature I would like to mention is that it

has an noticeable encouraging policy. When students gain highest mark in their

test, school will have a ten (10) percent diminution their fee.

Although center has remarkable strategies, the repercussion, which we

gain, is not as we expect. Firstly, the cause is apart from the teachers’ quality. It

is evident that more than eighty (80) percent of them are high school teachers. It

indicates that the percentage of high quality teachers are near to the ground. The

reason why the result is not good as expected is that they still show their power

in class and use inappropriate teaching approaches. They, accordingly, always

advocate that students are neither energetic nor vigorous. In order words, they

reckon that students are so apathetic, slothful and take part in no activities.

Secondly, these lecturers neither realize the difficulties which learners in

Vietnamese context are undertaking nor have any remedy and treatment to

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encourage and engage students to involve in both their teaching process and also

their activities.

Thirdly, teachers’ shortcoming technique and principle results that learners

cannot feel comfortable when learning English. Students always do more

exercise, but they neither write a complete paper nor dare to speak with foreigner

speakers. Also, they do not have any engagement in their learning or they do not

have their voice, either. As a result, learners are undergone this teaching

approach, they lose their confidence and motivation to speak English both in-

side and out-side classroom.

THE RATIONALE OF RESEARCHER

When being a student at school, the researcher always desire to master the

speaking and writing skills but this desirability has not been done because of the

lack of confidence and environment. Hence, when choosing topic for this

research, enhancing speaking and writing skills for learners has come out and has

gained the researcher’s choice.

The researcher believes that this issue is to deserve to pursue as a research

subject matter because people learn English to meet numerous purposes. These

can range into the following reasons: to enhance their knowledge and to use it in

their authentic life. Other targets that learners always think about is that they aim

to get promotion and find high pay job. Moreover, they want to have enough

ability and confidence to communicate with foreign speakers. So, teaching

English should meet these ultimata . This job should not focus on passing the tests

as Vietnamese context. By contrast, this should supply learners not only more

chances to learn and interact with authentic situation, but also more opportunities

to practice speaking in untreated and encouraged environment from their teacher

and peers .

Another way in which students will develop their ability in speaking skill

is that they should be put into original context as well as they should be taught

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how to work in group to generate and brainstorm the ideas for a specific topic.

On the word of Richard and Rodgers cited in Hu (2002), they admitted that

activities which come from authentic communication and have more meaningful

surely intensify learning outcome.

To complete these objectives, therefore, the administrators, lecturers,

instructors should, firstly, recognize the salient complication as well as, secondly,

change their teaching practice, in addition to, thirdly, upgrade their knowledge.

As can be asserted that students in Vietnam cannot speak English after

receiving an English certificate. This burning issue must be severely considered

by those who are accountability because it is visible that this clearly matter cause

badly result on students’ upshot. If it is looked up, students have more occasion

to access to a better learning environment, syllabi as well as teacher..

From these blazing affairs above and Richard and Rodgers’s research (Hu,

2002), the go-getter decides to conduct this study, which bases on the topic

collaborative activities in teaching speaking (1) to innovate the teaching speaking

practice, (2) to visualize some implications for teaching speaking skill in small

scale, (3) to meet the demand of student in learning English these days and (4) to

engagement student into speaking activities as well.

STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES

The initial point the researcher would like to discuss is that the strengths of

this study. It is obvious that researcher has a favorable circumstance to work.

That, firstly, is real context. In other words, private language center is the place

where this research is managed as well as the researcher is teaching. Likewise,

secondly, the self-starter’s students are eagerly to participate in this project.

Besides, thirdly, the doer knows deeply the teaching as well as learning theories

and, fourthly, the researcher actually yearns for to make the students’ expectation

become truth.

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On the other hand, this paper has its weaknesses as well. It is undeniable

that the time for this research is really short. Although the time-scale for this is

10 weeks, students have 4 weeks to work with speaking lesson. The rest is to

save for conductor to implement the interview process, collect data, categorize,

decode, make a judgment and figure the final result. Also, investigator does not

gain more data beyond research’s setting because there is a fact that there are not

more students are guided by communicative background.

WHY THIS IS INNOVATIVE

From the language learning and teaching theories, the researcher knows

that, firstly, language –centered method just focuses on the linguistic form

(Kumaravadivelu, B. 2006).

Besides, secondly, learner-centered method has more merits. It provides

for learners what they want and need. Also, this contributes for students a

speaking environment, but it also has a clearly demerit that it has students just

practice in pre-handpicked linguistic patterns ( Kumaravadivelu, B. 2006).

Therefore, the students cannot develop their own ability incidentally. In other

words, all student’s outcome are similarity.

Thirdly, learning-centered method has the most favorable. It puts learners

into a flexible profound interaction by applying problem-solving assignments in

sessions so that they can brainstorm and advance their ability ( Kumaravadivelu,

B. 2006). The accountability is that the both English form and meaning are used

in a mixed way, how the function of communication is carried out by students

through the reconstruction language and the using it appropriately to solve the

task.

Moreover, Vygotsky’s Social development theory asserted that

interactions which happen in real setting, like society, will build up and pave the

way for development, consciousness and awareness. Vygotsky’s research has

made a change the teacher’s as well as student’s role. The former will act as a

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helper, consultant, instructor, facilitator, marker, tutor, prompter, observer,

resource, participant, teaching aid (mime, gesture ) while, in contrast the later

gain an dynamic and energetic role and gradually become an autonomy learner

in their learning. Basing on what has presented beforehand and Vietnamese

context, the researcher would maintain that this study is an innovative paper

although this project is small-scale.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Teaching second language - English - was conceded as a profession in the

past. So as to enlarge the teaching theories, methodologies, plentiful researchers

have done researches to exploit, react new some. In these invention,

communicative language teaching is considered as an effective way to guide

leaners to learn English, because this way puts learners into the authentic

situation. Oradee (2012) argues that this one can encourage , stimulate students

to communicate with their partners to solve the task. Likewise, Gorgon & Matera

( 2008) supported that learning in this environment learners will improve the

linguistic competence. Especially, Raja (2012) claims that this approach will

decrease the leaners’ apprehension. Moreover, this environment will provide

learners a chance to have a close relationship with teacher and partners. From

these various merits learners have an occasion to reconstruct what they have

learnt in the previous stages.

Besides, in this teaching technique teacher and learners have changed the

role together. Significantly, teacher is not an instructor. In contrast he/she will be

a consultant, facilitator, assistant. Learners are the active doer. They can ask a

help from their classmate or teacher at any time.

Conversely, this teaching approach has its drawback. Gorgon & Matera

(2008) pointed out that students can use first language to solve the task because

they do not have enough linguistic competence. Also, Burke (2011) agreed that

students will be quiet when they do not want to argue with their partners about

that topic. This downside should be taken into consideration by teacher to avoid

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this aspect. Other obstacle is that one student can overshadow the other (Freeman

& Greenacre, 2011).

On the whole look, the merit governs the demerit. Therefore, the researcher

will base on this teaching approach to conduct this study. Because the fact that

there is no any research which discuss this teaching approach in Vietnamese

context where students learn actively and teachers will be less power but they will

be friendly.

RESEARCH SITUATION, MARTERIAL and PARTICIPANTS

SITUATION

As mentioning in previous parts, this investigation and innovation is

implemented at doer’s context, at North-Europe Language Center, which

localized at 172 Le Trong Tan street in HCM city. The classes are at the

Elementary and pre-intermediate background. The explanation for this choice is

that previous papers, which are conducted by renowned researchers have just

paid more attention to upper levels ( Water &Vilches, 2001). The implementer,

therefore, make a decision that this level will be the study target. Participants are

both in perfect sensible fitness and university students.

PARTICIPANT

That from 18 to 21 years old is their age. The quantity of partakers are 25

while female outdoes 1 person. The elementary class is conducted every Monday,

Wednesday and Friday evening from 17.45.pm. to 19.15.p.m, and from 19.30.p.m

to 21.p.m for Pre-Inter level. A large screen, cable, loudspeakers and a laptop

are always installed so that teacher can use it at any time. The place where the

research occurs is large enough for students to group and move. The students

have undertaken 7 years at high school but their speaking ability is not acceptable.

The aim of their enrollment in this class is that they want to improve their

speaking skill and have a good preparatory for TOIEC in future.

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Additionally, two other teachers who work together with the researcher

are persuaded to take part in this study. They are not only experience instructors

but also have finished postgraduate program, a Master course in teaching English

for speakers of another language. They will participate in the researcher’s

speaking class as well as will be asked to give their ideas and how they fell about

this kind of teaching procedure.

MATERIAL

Three lessons in International Express Elementary Level are used. These

are selected. They are unit 6 , 7 and 8. Every week, the session has 2 periods

which last 90 minutes. At every session students have 30 minutes to work with

partners to practice speaking.

Besides, American Adventures Pre-intermediate level is used. Three unit

are chosen as material to conduct the research. These are from unit 8 to 10. Every

session has 90 minutes, too, and the time for speaking practice is to range from

30 to 35 minutes.

The argument for this choice is that at this level learners need more time to

practice English so that they can restructure what they have learnt from previous

settings to change it into their knowledge and they can use it whenever they need.

TIME LINE

June 1st – August 10th

Task W

1

W

2

W

3

W

4

W

5

W

6

W

7

W

8

W

9

W

10

Introduce

research, design

field notes

Design

questionnaire,

interview

questions

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Conduct

innovation,

observe

Send

Questionnaire

Interview

Receive

questionnaire,

transcribe,

analyze data

Draft and revise

Final report

From the time line it is transperant that the critical path is the linkage from

week number 1 to week number 5 to week number 6 to week number 9 and

finallly is week number 10. If any task in these weeks has problem, all project

will be lengthen.

Research Questions

This research strives to illustrate a potential procedure for English teaching

doers to apply into teaching productive skill at private language context.

Moreover, this one will figure out clear classroom activities to follow to help

students engage as well as promote their ability. Furthermore, its aims is to help

students overcome their language speaking apprehension and enhance their

confidence to use English as well.

Correspondingly, the research endeavors to lighten and invent the answers

for following questions: 1. How does procedure in TBLT benefit learners’

outcome ( speaking skill) ? 2. What are teachers’ and students’ opinions, attitudes

and beliefs this teaching approach?

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Sub-questions: 1. What techniques should instructors use to improve

students’ speaking confidence? 2, do students feel comfortable when learning in

this way?

Donation to knowledge

This research will invigorate the process of teaching speaking skill and

further the collaboration benefits in learning English for Vietnamese students

at private language context. It also re-examines the advantages of sequences of

activities, which sustain for to be willing in speaking sessions. The combination

of qualitative and action research surely both enhance students’ competence and

confidence and at any rate will help and force me to re-consider, up to-date and

improve my teaching practice.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEACHER and RESREACHER ROLE

As a teacher role, I strongly desire to help my learners make rapidly

progress in their learning. So, I spare no efforts to compare the teaching theories

and teaching environment so that I can visualize the most suitable way to teach.

To help learners to improve their speaking skill, I apply both Piaget’ and

Vygotsky’s theories. It denotes that I try my best to put my students into a social

interaction environment to enhance their confidence as well as decrease their

apprehension in speaking English, to develop their ability and have good result,

in addition to, I encourage them to learn by themselves. Besides, I definitely

change my position to help the classroom atmosphere unceremoniously. Also, I

encourage learners to be more participant and willing , voluntary, enthusiastic

ways in their learning.

As a researcher role, I strictly criticize my innovation to discovery the

defeated sides to make more progress in the future as well as to do more

responsibilities for my job. Other thing I am pursuing is that I stimulate my

learners to respond in a frankly way about the questions in questionnaire so that

I know what I need to improve and what I need to put forward in my teaching

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practice. Above and beyond, I persuade my colleagues to let me know their

feelings and opinions about my doing and to let me know their suggestions, too.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVALUATION

As stated by Rea-Dickens and Germaine (2001), purpose is divided into

general and specific purposes. The purpose of accountability in general belongs

to summative evaluation and its aim is to evaluate the final result. The curriculum

development of general purpose is to improve curriculum and belongs to

formative evaluation. Teacher self-development purpose of general does not need

measurement. It aims to improve teaching and learning process. It also belongs

to formative.

It is self-explanatory that every work has its own purpose, therefore, this

paper also has its goal as well. In this one the researcher will critically go through

and have a closely look what have been done to visualize the suitable way to teach

speaking skill at private language center to help students improve their speaking

skill, and to re-examine what teacher has done for learners through this project.

ANALYZE THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS (R Q)

In this paper the researcher spares no efforts to discover the answers for 2

research questions and 2 sub-questions, too. The aim of these ones ( research

questions) are to guide the purpose of this study. In other words, R Qs are lodestar

for this research. These R Qs: (1). In what extent does procedure in TBLT benefit

learners’ outcome (speaking skill) ? (2). What are teachers’ and students’

opinions, attitudes, beliefs ? And Sub-questions: (1). What techniques should

instructors use to improve students’ speaking confidence? (2). do students feel

comfortable when learning in this way? It is understandable that the concerning

of R Qs is the purpose of this research. If the doer can have positive answers for

theses ones, the study is successful. In contrast, if the doer gains the negative

responses, the study is unsuccessful.

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It is indisputable that, therefore, R Qs are so important. Although the

implementer has read several books which discuss how to make R Q, in deeply

researcher’s though these RQs can meet the requirement. These R Qs can let the

researcher know that at extent students’ speaking outcome have improved as well

as student’s speaking apprehension have decreased. Moreover, R Qs will guide

researcher to made questionnaire and interview questions to exploit teachers’ and

student’s opinion about the way that teacher conducts the class.

Besides, from these questions the finder want to find out a true responses

about teachers’ and students’ beliefs. Also, their attitudes about this teaching

practice will be utilized. The sub-question is designed for both teachers and

students. Teachers and students will help the doer have more ideas about teaching

techniques, and their feeling, respectively.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

It is universally accepted that qualitative research can be employed to

researches in the field of social sciences. Law, Medicine researchers can use

Case Study Research (Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen, Razavieh, 2010. p.452). History,

Anthropology researchers always utilize this method to conduct their researches.

This way can supply the responses for the “why” and “how” questions. (Ary,

Jacobs, Sorensen, Razavieh, 2010). These ones (why and how questions) have

the aim to clarify people’s behaviors, interactions with their socio-economic

environment and their community. Moreover, other researchers pursue the

responses for how people feel in that setting. These benefits can come from the

way how data are collected. The qualitative research usually employs

observation, interview methods to collect data.

There is the fact that description about the context can be drawn clearly

thanked to these methods ( data collection). Another benefit is that it lets the

researcher have a flexible and informal communication with participants to get

more non-verbal communication as gesture, facial expression. Besides, the

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question has open-ended structures, therefore, respondents freely express their

opinions.

Although it has its merits, it can never avoid drawbacks. It is

unquestionable that it has also its negative points. Firstly, time-consuming is a

salient issue. Because the fact that there are several steps in its procedure.

Secondly, moreover, the data only can be gianed (by the researcher ) from

research context, therefore data are not more objectiveness. Thirdly, data analysis

cannot be done by statistical method. Lastly, it is obvious that more subjectivity

appears than objectivity.

To overcome these issues, the researcher decides to combine action

research and qualitative research – “basic qualitative research” or called “ basic

interpretive study” (Ary, Jacobos, Sorensen, Razavieh, 2010). The main

argument for this choice is that this combination surely lets the researcher find

out the “why”, “how” and “what” question (Ary, Jacobos, Sorensen, Razavieh,

2010). It can be used to explore the attitudes, beliefs, opinion, and behavior. The

researcher also choose the open-ended question as a data collection method

because it can bring back advantages in avoiding bias and subjectivity.

Moreover, it also can be applied in a small context and in a ‘short duration’ (Ary,

Jacobos, Sorensen, Razavieh, 2010).

According to Hinchey (2008) action research is applied to find out

knowledge in specific context where the researcher is both the doer and the

insider. The researcher can do the research by his/herself to visualize the best way

to improve the teaching practice. The combining these 2 methods guarantee that

data will be collected sufficiently for research’s purpose as well as shorten any

unexpected issues.

PEDAGOGICAL TENSIONS and SOLUTIONS

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It is absolute that there are unexpected issues which can occur during the

research process. Researcher’s prediction, firstly, is that learners are unwilling to

participating in the research because the fact that they have a fear that they will

be ashamed if they cannot perform well in the research’s process. Secondly, other

matter need to be concerned is how to encourage learner respond truly.

Everything has its solution, the researcher, therefore, believes that these

issues will be overcome. To solve the first concerning, the researcher persuades

students that the personal information will be kept secretly. To have more true

responses, the researcher will encourage learner to show their true though so

that the researcher can know the truth and changes the teaching style and

improves learner’s outcome. With the prediction and watchful preparation the

researcher hopefully can avoid and solve matters.

ETHICAL ISSUES and SOLUTIONS

To have this study done, firstly the researcher must have a formal

conversation with principal and get the permission. Furthermore, the participants

and observer also act an important role, so, to have their willingness, the

researcher will present benefits and persuade them to join.

The researcher thinks that the most important matter is beneficence.

Benefits must be shared equally to all participants. It indicates that the researcher

must try his best to maximize the opportunities for learners to practicing speaking

English. Besides, the researcher usually have informal communication with

colleagues to share their teaching experiences as well as teaching aid. Moreover,

that my following concerning is respect. This one must be saved for participants

strictly.

Furthermore, other concerning must be taken under severely consideration.

They include confidentiality and honesty policy. Additionally, limited

harmfulness needs to be considered constantly. The last issue must be taken into

account is that the honesty.

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RESEARCH METHOD TO EVALUATE INNOVATION

According to Murphy (2000) evaluation is the process to collect data ,

analysis and interpret to make a final decision or visualize what must be done in

the future. Especially, it must be linked with the context and it can be done by

researcher or out-sider. Likewise, Nunan and Lamb (1996) defined that

evaluation is an activity in which data are collected to be scrutinized what has

been worked and what has not. A terrific evaluation must present which aspects

need to be changed. This kind of doing - evaluation - is divided into different

approaches ( summative and formative evaluation) and techniques ( formal and

informal evaluation) .

On the one hand, summative is suitable for appraising the efficient.

Besides, it ( summative) can be conducted after innovation project. However, it

demands the statistical analysis. It necessitaes that it encompasses testing.

Moreover, the final result cannot help to improve the curriculum development.

On the other hand, formative is appropriate for classroom practice and

questionnaires, interviews are taken fully advantage of collecting information.

Exceptionally, the researcher can interpret data without the help of statistical

equipment.

On the technique side, as said by Nunan & Lamb (1996) Informal

evaluation is commenced by teachers to manage their teaching practice. In

contrast, formal evaluation is originated by outsiders.

As a result, the researcher will base on the mixture of summative and

formative approach to carry out this evaluation to verify the effectiveness of the

innovation ( summative approach) as well as to analyze and interpret data (

formative approach).

DATA COLLECTION

Data are collected from week number two from observation process and it

lasts with four weeks, from week number 2 to 5. This participant observation

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focuses on the 6 following aspects. The first side (1) is the clothing, gender, social

status. The second feature (2) is physical behavior and gestures: what people do,

who do what, who interact with whom, who is not interacting. How people use

their body language and voice to communicate, different emotion, what are their

feeling toward other. The third character (3) is what students do in speaking

activities. They take part in activities or sit alone or chat with their partners. The

fourth trait (4) is who student usually interact with, their partners or their teacher

or other. The last one (5) is the classroom atmosphere. It has eager or frustrated

environment. Besides, the setting and the syllabus (6) are considered. If that place

is big enough for students to move and the student-book is suitable for that level.

The observation is done by the researcher within the session. Time, days and dates

are referred in time line part.

Four weeks for observation are done and 10 questionnaires are written for

that purpose. Only 8 questions are composed and one interview session is held

for teachers. Interview are recorded and faithfully transcription are done to serve

for data analysis. This study mainly helps student improve speaking ability, so

data collection mostly is focused on this aspect.

HOW THE DATA WAS TRIANGULATED ?

The shortcoming of qualitative is that it is rather subjectivity and hard to

avoid biases. To overcome these dilemma, the researcher decides that apply

triangulation data are used. It is good for the investigator to shorten the

subjectivity. The observation has numerous bias , therefore , to reduce this aspect,

questionnaire is used to increase the objectivity and decrease the bias. Besides,

interview is also a objectivity source. The ideas are from interviewees and are

recoded.

QUALITY OF DATA:

Quality is an abstract concept , therefore it is hard to define. According to

Shenton (2004. P. 64) to improve ‘ internal validity - credibility ’ as well as ‘

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external validity – transferability’ the investigator should choose ‘random

sample’, ask for ‘member check’ the information again, read more ‘research

finding’. Especially, the researcher must describe the context clearly. To improve

the ‘dependability –reliability ( Shenton, 2004. P.71), the researcher must express

clearly the procedure. Other aspect must be considered is ‘confirmability -

objectivity’ (Shenton, 2004. P. 72). The author (Shenton) said that the researcher

should apply the ‘triangulation to reduce the bias”

The data are collected by the researcher constantly in 4 weeks under the

observation process and from week number 6, interviews are conducted and

recorded. The transcriptions are transcribed and are reread by interviewees.

Outstandingly, the open-ended questions are written and sent for students. It is

obvious that the responses are not bias and more objective. Therefore, the quality

is ensured. That the reason why reliability has highly quality. From these data

the researcher will analyze and believe that the final result will be validity.

HOW DATA ARE DECODED

Firstly, the researcher uses the open coding to highlight salient issues.

Next, Non-hierarchical coding is used to categorize them into same categories.

In this coding process, the researcher desirably looks for themes which can

exploit the research questions such as students’ feeling, attitude and

relationship. Besides, this coding action will also try to find out other themes to

further analysis such testing issue.

DATA ANLYSIS

Categories Taxonomic themes

Teaching issue Obstacle

Time issue Obstacle

Testing way Obstacle

Interpersonal relation Relationship

Outcome Benefits

Student behavior, action Relationship and attitude

Teacher & students thinking Belief

Learning atmosphere: Feeling

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The purpose of data analysis is to describe the whole picture and to explain

it clearly for the readers (LeCompte, 2000). Additionally, LeCompte (2000) said

that qualitative data analysis comprises ‘5 steps’. These are ‘ tidying up’ , ‘finding

items’ , ‘creating stable of items’ , ‘creating patterns’ , and ‘ assembling

structures’. Therefore, this guiding is applied to help the investigator diminishes

the analysis of procedure. The most prominent feature of this method is that it lets

the investigator to collect data by himself/herself.

It is certain that the whole picture is divided into 2 parts: the obstacle and

the benefit. While the obstacle includes teaching and testing issues. The benefit

includes good feeling, belief and attitude.

TEACHING ISSUE: The first issue is teaching issue. All students

respond that the way teacher conducts the class so fast that they cannot follow

the lesson. Ngan in her answering question number 4 provides the information

that the time for discuss in group is so quick that group members can generate

enough ideas. ‘The time for working in group is so short’ (Ngan). Other issue is

that students do not have enough vocabularies to support their discussion. ‘I

cannot find work to talk with my partner – Van’. Additionally, Mr Nam

(interviewee ) showed his idea that ‘ I can see that many students have problem

with how to make a sentence and how to listen their partners’ ( question number

5 in interview). In this situation the researcher – teacher - always encourages

students by saying that please raise your hand if you get any difficulties or you

can ask your classmate in Vietnamese. It is obvious that students are not

accustomed with this teaching and learning approach. So, teacher should group 4

to 5 students in a group, provide more vocabularies and last the speaking time.

TESTING and TIME ISSUE: Although teacher applies reconstruction

teaching approach, tester requests learners to do discrete test. As said by Minh

that ‘ time for doing test is short and questions are much’.

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Moreover, all students claimed that ‘ the midterm test just focuses on the

vocabulary and rewrite sentences, therefore I cannot apply my speaking skill into

this test. It does not go together with this teaching’. This master is the thing that

the researcher never thinks about before doing this paper. To solve this burn issue,

the researcher thinks that there is a close between the doing tester and the

researcher to visualize a suitable test for this kind of class. Luckily, these negative

points does not outclass the merit. All respondents give positive reply to these

teaching approach.

BENEFIT: GOOD FEELING: The front side of drawback includes good

feeling, belief, and attitude. On this benefit aspect, it is acceptable that feeling has

a key role in this aspect. All respondents respond that they feel comfortable when

learning in that atmosphere. ‘I feel comfortable –Bao’. Especially Uyen adds that

‘I feel so happy when I can talk with many other students’. Nhan also supported

that ‘ I like this teaching because teacher does not focus on the final result at

school. In this class I is encouraged to learn and I can apply English into real

situation’.

There is a coincident between in interview transcription and observation

note that at the initial state the classroom atmosphere is so heavy, but later this

one is improved when students are acquainted with this teaching and learning

approach.

GOOD RELATIONSHIP: Additionally, the relationship between teacher

and learners are at a closely way. Especially, this rapport is different from lecture

hall. Nhan writes in her questionnaire paper that ‘ teacher is so friendly’. Tai also

supports this idea ‘ teacher is so kindly and always smile’. In this teaching

approach, teacher has changed the position between learners and teacher.

Learners become active students and teacher becomes a helper and adviser.

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Other favorable point in good relationship is that there is a good

helpfulness between learners. All answerers claim that they receive more help

from their partners, therefore, they strongly trust in their ability, and at the same

time, they push back their apprehension. Remarkably, Minh and Tai shared that

they always have a smile on their lips in speaking practice time.

Also, Ms Nguyet (interviewee) enthusiastically devoted that ‘ this teaching

approach is so innovatively because it lets student reconstruct what they have

learnt in the previous stage to solve their task to help teacher find out where their

level is and know how to guide they to move forward quickly.’ ( question 7 in

interview).

ATTITUDE & BELIEF: It is cloudless that these satisfactoriness above

have affected to students’ learning attitude and belief. They work harder and

harder and they have more responsibility for their learning. They raise their hands

to get a help from teacher when finding any new word or wanting to be corrected

pronunciation. Chi always sits in front of the board and near her teacher so that

when having a difficult in learning she can give her question in order to gets help

and feedback quickly. They tell the researcher that they have learned numerous

valuable from this study. Chi communicated that ‘ I learn a lot from your

teaching’. Linh said that ‘ I know how to use English to ask my classmate to share

ideas’. Especially, student feel their ability and confidence have improved day by

day. Dat said that ‘ now I can be confident to use English to talk with partners in

discussing time’. Notably, in a short time they change their learning way and have

improved their speaking ability with their partners and in front of whole class.

Tien admitted that ‘ I always think I must learn much vocabularies and grammar

to speak English well, but now I can learn it by using it’.

Besides, from the observation note it is clear that there is a change in

students belief and attitude. When a student shares his/ her idea about one specific

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topic, all class members keep quiet and take note to state their idea about his/her

classmate paper.

Additionally, all interviewees agreed that this teaching approach will

motivate students’ autonomy. Ms Nguyet (interviewee) asserted that ‘ surely, this

teaching will help student improve their role and learning attitude so much’. She

also added that ‘because students have more change to practice speaking English

in class, they can use it again outside classroom’ (question number 1 and 3 in

interview).

DISCUSSION

The major issue arising from the innovation.

The most unexpected factor that has occurred is that the speed of teaching.

All students and interviewees said that teacher says rather quickly. So, students

find difficult to master the topic. After receiving the questionnaire and doing

interview session, the researcher knows this aspect must be improved and

adjuisted. However, at the advantages aspects, this teaching practice has let

student discover themselves that they can be an autonomous learners through the

teacher’s help and guide. This side is very important because they do not sit

passively as they have done in the past. Moreover, in this environment, they can

communicate with other during the learning time. In contrast, this cannot be done

at school and university. Besides, through working in group , students can learn

their partners learning experience and share their knowledge beyond the lesson.

In this innovation, the researcher has found out the answers for the attitude,

feeling and belief questions. Moreover, when these matters are solved, the final

result is positive. In question number 9 and 10 in questionnaire, the researcher

uses yes-no question to gauge the final upshot. Luckily, all responses are yes. It

means that all students feel that their speaking ability has been improved.

Especially, students said that they learn more with this teaching approach. It

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means that beside speaking skill, they have gained the progress in other area such

as: pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. Teacher cannot correct all errors,

therefore while working in group all members will listen and correct each other.

Other merit of this innovation is that it has visualized a clear strategy for

teacher to teach speaking. To improve the passive situation in students, group

work is an effective solution. Moreover, to decrease the teachers’ power, this

research has pointed out that they should be an adviser, helper, facilitator ,

assessor. They should not ask their students to learn by heart. In contrast, they

should guide them to use target language to serve the communication function.

The way in which innovation work, did not work so well, how and why

it work.

This innovation can be done fluently because it lets learners find out the

way how to learn English by themselves. In this learning context, students try to

find out a way to express their idea by using their previous knowledge and try to

learn more from their classmate and try to improve their ability by themselves.

Then, teacher will help them again to correct any errors which they have. This

learning is so different from students’ learning outside this center. In other

situation, all learners must follow the way their teachers instruction and must

reply to these knowledge in their final paper. Therefore, students are bounden in

their teachers’ knowledge.

However, this research occurs within 8 weeks, so the time for students

working together is short. Moreover, more students have forgotten their previous

knowledge and have several difficulties to generate their idea. But, the final result

has informed that students are eager when being active learners and their final

result has been increased. They feel more confident and less fear when speaking

English in front of class (question number 7 and 8 in questionnaire).

How the general Vietnamese context and specific context of your

institution and classroom affected the success of the innovation.

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The success of this innovation allows researcher’s class to have a positive

thinking about learning English. Students now have changed their mind about

learning this subject. It is not hard as their thought. Additionally, the learning

atmosphere is so optimistic. It differs from the outset one. Moreover, students

right now have thought that they learn English to use it , not to pass the test. They

do not focus on the final result. In contrast, they keep their progress.

In researcher’s context, this success has opened the door for other teachers

those who have difficulty with passive class. Now, they know how to conduct

their class actively. In Vietnamese context, the success of this innovation can be

a torch to light a hope to help the education system have a look in order change

the teaching issue. It is hard for Vietnamese education system to apply this

success because it will touch its and their teachers profit. If students can do well

at school, teachers will not have part time class at their homes. Moreover, the

infrastructure and teaching staff are not enough to meet requirement.

Factor that influence its success, lack of success and led to the

different level of success with different students.

The success of this innovation is still limited because outside classroom

learners do not more environment to practice speaking English. However,

students can monitor their improvement by making a notice how their ability can

be improved day by day by counting the words , sentences they say every session.

REFLECTION :

How you would improve your teaching in future.

It is sure that the researcher will improve the teaching practice in the future.

Before doing this project, the investigator does not know how to change the

teaching technique, however, after doing this study, the researcher will valiantly

revolutionize teaching practice. The researcher will change the role from a power

person in class into a facilitator, and put learners into the center of learning and

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teaching process. Moreover, teacher just is boring person before this study, now

this one has changed his teaching approach to meet the classroom demand.

The researcher does not teach discrete point any more. By contrast, holistic

English picture is taught together so that learners can use English areas and skills

to resolve a specific issue inside as well as outside classroom. Moreover, students

can pronounce a word clearly, make a sentence completely to present their idea

in front of class.

Besides, the doer has composed task which bases on the topic by himself.

It means that tasks which follow the textbook are no longer obligatory.

Especially, all procedures in learning English are strictly followed to help learners

to maximize the benefit of the topic. Language and learning are put at the central.

Aspect of students moving around classroom, making rather noise are not

controlled.

The most striking improvement is that the researcher will encourage

students to share their ideas with their classmates and give more question to

teacher. Moreover, they can make any questions and send them via email or

facebook addresses. This progress will push back the passive role of learners.

What you learn from your experience.

Through this innovation, the researcher has gained numerous valuable

lessons. The first precious one is how to control the speed of the lecture. The

second priceless one is to know how to change the teacher’s role.

What you should do differently next time, why?

If the researcher has a chance to conduct this kind of study again, he will

invite more teachers to take part in. Besides, testing doer will be invited to change

the way which he/she writes the final test in a compatible way. Moreover, more

class will be chosen and after innovation an eloquent competition with the topic

how to learn speaking skill is hold to help learners have an authentic situation to

perform what they have learnt.

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CONCLUSION

The purpose of this study is to help students improve their speaking ability

and this study has clearly responded the way how to help students improve the

speaking skill.

It is apparent that learners can get better their productive skill when they

become active learners. Moreover, with the help of their classmates and the

encouragement from their teacher, learners can decrease their apprehension and

increase confidence as well. Good result will come when obstacles are

discharged. When learners have strong belief, they will show their competence.

They can use target language to serve their learning.

The result in this innovation is similar with other researches in the literature

review part, but it asserts that passive learners in Vietnam can change their

learning role immediately if they are powered and their teachers can act as a

helper.

It is obvious that its scale is so small and the time is so limited, therefore,

a large scale needs to be done to enlarge the validity.

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APPENDICE

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