Ứng dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án nhằm phát triển kĩ năng nói tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 10

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

VU THI HONG VAN

APPLYING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

TO IMPROVE ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS

FOR THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS

(Ứng dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án nhằm phát triển

kĩ năng nói tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 10)

M.A. THESIS

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN - 2020

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

VU THI HONG VAN

APPLYING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

TO IMPROVE ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS

FOR THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS

(Ứng dụng phương pháp dạy học dự án nhằm phát triển

kĩ năng nói tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp 10)

M.A. THESIS

(APPLICATION ORIENTATION)

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN - 2020

i

DECLARATION

I, Vu Thi Hong Van, certify that the thesis named “Applying Project-Based

Learning to improve English speaking skills for the tenth-grade students”

performs the result of my own study for Degree of Master of Art at School of

Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University. I also declare that the thesis has not

been submitted for any degree to any other universities or institutions.

Thai Nguyen, 2020

Student

Vu Thi Hong Van

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

But for the invaluable help and constant support from a lot of people, the

thesis could not have been completed.

First of all, I would like to sincerely thank my supervisor, Nguyen Thi

Quyet, Ph.D for her persistent consideration, remarkable comments and enthusiastic

encouragement.

Secondly, I am also very grateful to all the teachers and tenth-grade students

at Nguyen Hue High Scholl for their wholehearted support in my lessons,

enthusiastic participation in tests and immediate reply to my survey questionnaires.

Last but not least, I want to give my deepest gratitude to my family and

friends who are always willing to help me in my writing process with their great

sympathy and considerable encouragement.

iii

ABSTRACT

In today’s trend of international integration, English is considered as a means

for learners to have fastest access to the world’s cultures and knowledge. The

teaching and learning of English need to be renewed in accordance with positive

learning methods to be more suitable and meet the needs of society. Project-Based

Learning is regarded as one of those effective teaching methods.

In an effort to improve English speaking skills for students in grade 10 at

Nguyen Hue High School by applying Project-Based Learning, this research solved

two questions: (1) the attitude of students toward the use of Project Based Learning

in their English lessons; (2) the effects of applying Project-Based Learning to

students’ English speaking skills. There were two tests and questionnaires for the

students in grade 10, an interview with six students to be selected as the tools for

data collection and analysis of the study. Researching finding presented that the

students taking part in lessons applied Project-Based Learning had positive

attitudes. Besides, it was exposed the advantages of Project-Based Learning which

offered benefits to improvement in the students’ speaking English skills. According

to the findings, there would be some implications to be given for the teachers as

well as the students. With all these data, this research is expected to be effective in

helping both teachers and students in teaching and learning English speaking skills.

Keywords: Project-Based Learning (PBL), speaking skills, high students

iv

LIST OF ABBRVIATIONS

% Percent

CEFT Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

CLT Communicative Language Teaching Approach

EFL English as a Foreign Language

PBL Project-Based Learning

Ss Students

T Teacher

v

LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES

Table

Table 1: The results of pre-test and post-test ............................................................35

Chart

Chart 1.1: Students’ mean score of average mark ...............................................37

Chart 1.2: A comparison of mean scores on pre-test and post-test by five criteria........37

Chart 2.1: Students’ attitudes towards Project-Based Learning ..........................38

Chart 2.2.1: Students’ ideas on the advantages of Project-Based Learning ...........39

Chart 2.2.2: Students’ ideas on the advantages of Project-Based Learning in

learning speaking skills.......................................................................40

Chart 2.3: Students’ difficulties when implementing Project-Based Learning.........41

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION .........................................................................................................i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ii

ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................. iii

LIST OF ABBRVIATIONS ......................................................................................iv

LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES............................................................................v

TABLE OF CONTENTS...........................................................................................vi

PART 1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................1

1. Rationale of the study ..........................................................................................1

2. Significance of the study .....................................................................................3

3. Research aim and objectives...............................................................................3

4. Research questions...............................................................................................4

5. Methods of the study ...........................................................................................4

6. Scope of the study................................................................................................4

7. Structure of the study...........................................................................................5

PART 2. DEVELOPMENT......................................................................................6

CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW.......6

1. Speaking skills.....................................................................................................6

1.1. Definition of speaking skills.........................................................................6

1.2. Functions of speaking...................................................................................7

1.3. The importance of teaching speaking skills .................................................8

2. Communicative Language Teaching Approach ..................................................9

3. Project-Based Learning .....................................................................................11

3.1. Definitions of Project-Based Learning.......................................................11

3.2. Key features of Project-Based Learning.....................................................12

3.3. Stages in project work ................................................................................14

3.4. Teacher’s and students’ roles in Project-Based Learning ..........................15

4. Project-Based Learning in speaking skills.........................................................17

5. Previous studies .................................................................................................18

vii

CHAPTER 2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................22

1. Methods of research...........................................................................................22

2. Setting of the study ............................................................................................23

3. Participants.........................................................................................................25

4. Research design .................................................................................................25

5. Data collection procedure ..................................................................................26

6. Data collection instruments ...............................................................................31

7. Data analytic method .........................................................................................33

CHAPTER 3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ...................................................35

1. Analysis of the speaking tests............................................................................35

2. Students’ evaluation of the application of Project-Based Learning ..................38

2.1. Students’ attitudes towards Project-Based Learning..................................38

2.2. Students’ ideas on the advantages of Project-Based Learning...................39

2.3. Students’ opinions on the difficulties when implementing Project￾Based Learning.................................................................................................41

3. Analysis of the interview...................................................................................42

3.1. The benefits of Project-Based Learning .....................................................42

3.2. Students’ opinions on the drawbacks of Project-Based Learning..............43

4. Discussion of the findings .................................................................................44

4.1. Achievement...............................................................................................44

4.2. Students’ review of the application of Project-Based Learning.................45

5. Summary............................................................................................................47

PART 3. CONCLUSION........................................................................................49

1. Recapitulation of the research ...........................................................................49

2. Recommendations of the study..........................................................................50

2.1. The teachers................................................................................................50

2.2. The students................................................................................................50

2.3. The school administrators...........................................................................50

3. Limitations of the study.....................................................................................51

4. Suggestions for further research ........................................................................51