IMPROVING TEACHING PROFICIENCY FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS OF ENGLISH September, 2012 Nguyen Quoc Tuan (MEd/MA)

1. IMPROVING TEACHING PROFICIENCY • FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS • OF ENGLISH • September, 2012 • Nguyen Quoc Tuan (MEd/MA) • Vietnam National Institute for Educational Sciences • Phone : 0912 144 655 • Email : tuanpri@gmail.com 1

2. Topic 1: TEACHING ENGLISH FOR YOUNG LEARNERS 1. Characteristics of young learners Imaginative (somtime more than adults) Active (physically) Curious Playful Talkative Sensitive Sense of humour/fun Easy to remember/easy to forget Difficult in concentrate/focus for long time Good at immitating (action/pronunciation) Lack of self-motivation 2

3. 2. Learning styles 3

4. 3. Advice (1)Pick up the language naturally (by chance)Be interested in meaning, not grammar/wordsChunks/phrases (How are you? Fine, thank you. And you?, shut up, point to the door)Learn effectively through chants, songs, activities, games, stories.Auditory-visualHaving funMaking mistakes 4

5. 3. Advice (2) Change activities/pace/focus reguilarlyStir and settle alternativelyCopying and drawing/colouringOrganisation and routine/rulesDevelop study skillsMovement – physical tasksBe kind but firmBe encouraging 5

6. TOPIC 2: CURRICULUM, TEXTBOOKS, TEACHER’S GUIDE, WORKBOOKS, TEACHING-LEARNING AIDS • I. CURRICULUM • Four main approaches 6

7. 1. Objectives Spoken (Dicisive) LISTENING LISTENING - SPEAKING (Interactive) SPEAKING Written (Supportive) READING - WRITING Language (Conditional) PHONETICS, VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR 7

8. 2. Contents 8

9. Communicative competence involves at least 4 components: - Linguistic competence: the knowledge of the rules of the language and ability to produce correct utterances; - Sociolinguistic: the knowledge and ability to understand and use language appropriately in varied settings; - Discourse: the knowledge and ability to produce and understand a variety of different types of text used for different communicative purposes - Strategic: the ability to maintain communication through using different kinds of strategies 9

10. 3. Methodology: Learning-centered approach Methods: methods + procedure + techques/activities Methods of teaching-learning (the language skills and language elements) Procedures Techniques/activities Modes: Interactions Interactions between teachers/students, among students (pairs/groups), Interaction with textbooks/materials Learning through playing, singing, chanting 10

11. There are two main classes of language learning strategies, direct and indirect, further subdivided into six groups: Memory (Ghi nhớ): helping students store and retrieve information; Cognitive (Nhận thức): enabling learners to understand and produce new language by many different means; Compensation (Bù đắp): allowing learners to use the language despite their often large gaps in knowledge; Meta-cognitive (Siêu nhận thức): allowing learners to control their own cognition; Affective (Tình cảm): helping to regulate emotions, motivations and attitudes; Social strategies (Chiến lược giao tiếp): involving learning by interaction with others These groups can be subdivided into a total of 19 strategy sets, with the whole strategy system incorporating 62 strategies. • Learning strategies: Learning how to learn 11

12. 4. Learning outcomes 12

13. II. TEXTBOOKS 1. Approaches: 13

14. 2. Structure 14

15. 3. Contents of the units 15

16. 4. Teaching plan 16

17. III. TEACHER’S GUIDE 1. Approaches 17

18. 2. Contents • PART I: SKILLS and LANGUAGE TEACHING • Teaching listening/ Teaching speaking/ Teaching reading/ Teaching writing/ Teaching pronunciation/ Teaching voicabulary/ Teaching grammar/ Optional activities (TPR, chants, rhymes, songs, pair/groupwork) • PART II: TEACHING INDIVIDUAL UNITS • General view • Procedure 18

19. IV. WORKBOOKS • Approaches: Revision, Practice, Enhance • 2. Contents 19

20. V. TEACHING-LEARNING AIDS 1. Approaches Focussing on audio-visual seneses Stressing direct learning Increasing intensive learning Enhancing activeness, creactiveness, self-confidence/independence 2. Contents: Five minimum teaching-learning aids The recording (CD/DVD) Posters (one poster/unit) Pupptets (Main characters) Word Cards (about 80/grade Letters (English alphabets and numbers 20

21. TOPIC 3: METHODS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING • I. METHODS OF TEACHING-LEARNING LANGUAGUE SKILLS • Method of teaching-learning spoken interaction • Method of teaching-learning spoken production • Method of teaching-learning listening • Method of teaching-learning reading • Method of teaching-learning writing • Or 3 groups: • Method of teaching-learning spoken interaction • Method of teaching-learning listening / reading • Method of teaching-learning spoken production / writing 21

22. I. Method of teaching-learning spoken interaction • 1. Characteristics • Spoken interaction means conversations or dialogues: direct exchanges of information between speakers & listeners • The quality of spoken interactions depends on: • How to start, sustain and end the conversations / dialogues • The number of exchanges • The quality of the questions and answers 22

23. 2. Procedure: Initiation → Core activity → Follow-up (I.C.F) 23

24. 3. Examples: Lesson 1, Unit 11, English 4/Part 2 • Initiation: Whole class • Pupils look at the picture (P6). Help them to identify that Peter and his father are at home, talking about the time. • Explain the phrase go for a walk. • Pupils listen through the recording once of twice • Core activities: Whole class • Pupils repeat the recording, line by line • Pupils listen to the recording and repeat the dialogue. • Divide class into pairs/groups. Pupils repeat Peter’s and the dad’s parts. • Follow-up: Pair/goupswork • Repeat the step, but swap the roles. • Check to make sure pupils can repeat and understand the dialogue. 24

25. 4. Tips of teaching spoken interactions Introduce some humour into dialogues Keep dialogues simple. Shorten long sentences. Create clear context and the purpose for dialogues should be easy to work out Turn the dialogue into role-plays Demonstrate the activity the first time you use it Have the students do the role-play in pairs /small groups first Role-play in front of the class Create a non-threatening climate Substitute key words Get the students to make the dialogue longer by adding two or more lines. 25

26. II. Method of teaching-learning listening/reading • Characteristics Short attention span They need time Individual words are not clear Can’t remember and recall everything` Unfamiliar vocabulary No visual context No lips/ face to help understanding Children are active 26

27. 2. Procedure: Pre-task  Task cycle  Language analysis (P.T.L) 27

28. 3. Example: Unit 11, Lesson 2, Part 3, Page 18 Pre-task: Whole class • Elicit pupils to identify the relationship of the people in the picture. • Pupils read the text about a family and complete the missing words. Task cycle: Individually:Pupils read the text silently and do the task. Pairwork / Groupwork: Have pupils trade their answers in pairs. Language focus: Whole class • Call on some pupils to report the answers. The rest of the class observe and give comments. • Ask pupils some questions to check their comprehension. • Explain the language if necessary. 28

29. 4. Types of listening • Listen & do: Listen and draw/ colour / match/ choose / order the pictures / mime / follow instructions / make somethins • Listen & repeat: Sing a song / Say a chant / Say a rhyme / Follow/ join in with the story • Listen for information: Filling in information / complete a grid (chart, table) / Spot the difference / Discriminating nonsense / order the dialogue / check thrue or false 29

30. 5. Tips for listening • Use short texts ... or play chunks and pause • Set tasks that focus on what they can understand • Make listening interactive (more like real life) • Check understanding not memory • Set the scene and check understanding • Task not test • Give children a purpose for listening /reading 30

31. 6. Tips for teaching Always set a task – listening with a purpose Always tap into students’ background knowledge Provide contextual ‘support’ Practice detailed listening and general listening Let students compare answers in pairs before group feedback to increase confidence Ensure learners give diagnostic feedback Praise the students for their efforts Balance the level of support and challenge 31

32. 7. Types of reading Types of texts Dialogues Texts Songs Chants Stories Tyes of comprehension Read and complete the sentences / passage Read and tick true / false Read and colour / draw Read and match Read and fill in the form / table / grid / chart 32

33. III. Method of teaching-learning spoken production/writing 1. Procedure: Pre-stage  Through/While-stage  Post- stage (P.T.P) 33

34. 2. Types of spoken production Guided topics Suggestion model more controlled less controlled  free Variation in how much support provided for writing Songs and chants • Learners imitate/mimic the model from the recordings • Master the sounds, rhythms, and intonation of the English language Games and stories • Manipulate the language by presenting them with a certain amount of choice, within a fairly controlled situation. 34

35. 3. Tips for spoken production • Speak as much English as possible • Don’t interfere into speaking / not correct mistakes • Need instructions and models to follow • Respond to music / rhythm • Done in pairs / groups (everyone is included) • Need to have an end-product • Need to build-up to longer chunks • More able to adapt language when older • Check understanding often • Visual stimulus • Silly and fun 35

36. 4. Tips for teaching • Generate interest in the topic • Introduce the ‘stimulus’ (e.g. picture, characters, situation, topic, list of items, etc.) • Students understand the goal, the task and the process • Give students thinking/preparation time • Elicit an example, model the activity, get students to demonstrate • Students DO the activity • Give/take feedback on content/ performance/ language 36

37. 5. Example of writing as a procedure Unit 11, Lesson 3, Part 3, Page 19, T’G Pre-stage: Whole class Get pupils identify the characters in the picture and their relationship. Tell pupils to get the information to complete the missing word(s). Explain the words: Mr and Mrs If necessary. Through/While stage: Individually: Pupils read and complete the sentences. Pairwork / Groupwork: Pupils trade their answers within pairs/groups. Post-stage: Whole class: Ask some pupils to read their corrected work to the class. Other pupils give comments. Ask a few questions to check pupils’ comprehension. 37

38. 6. Types of writing • Basic level: Handwriting Spelling: words, chunks/phrases, sentences Constructing language functions Punctuating • Higher level: Guided writing about a topic 38

39. 7. Tips for writing Know the aim – why they are writing Know the audience – who they are writing to Know the genre – what type of text they are writing Have enough time for - thinking about the topic - thinking of the guidence/cues/suggestions - brainstorming ideas - drafting as many times as they can Have constant feedback from teachers / partners during the writing process Provide more support for writing tasks 39

40. TOPIC 4: METHODS OF TEACHING-LEARNING LANGUAGE ELEMENTS • Phonics • Presentation Practice Production/Performance (P.P.P) 40

41. 2. Vocabulary Presentation Practice Production/Performance (P.P.P) 41

42. 3. grammar Presentation Practice Production/Performance (P.P.P) 42

43. TOPIC 5: TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING-LEARNING 1. TPR (Total Physical Response)

44. Example:

45. Example:

46. 2. SongsEnglish song

47. Vietnamese songs One and one is two Two and two is four Four and one is five Five and five is ten. There comes, there comes a frog With round and round small eyes. Has dome homework already He jogs around the pond. Singing lovely songs Dancing with his friends Come around about all little animals.

48. 3. Chants

49. AT THE SEASIDE