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

1. IMPROVING TEACHING PROFICIENCY • FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS • OF ENGLISH • Nguyen Quoc Tuan (MEd/MA) • Phone: 0912 144 655 • Email: tuanpri@gmail.com

2. TOPIC 1: THE BACKGROUND 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

3. 2. Learning styles

4. 3. AdvicePick 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, storiesAuditory-visualHaving funMaking mistakes

5. Change activities/pace/focus reguilarlyStir and settle alternativelyCopying and drawing/colouringOrganisation and routine/rulesDevelop study skillsMovement – physical tasks (TPR)Be kind but firmBe encouraging/challenging

6. TOPIC 2: THE OBJECTIVES Spoken (Dicisive) LISTENING LISTENING - SPEAKING (Interactive) SPEAKING Written (Supportive) READING WRITING Language (Conditional) PHONETICS, VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR

7. TOPIC 3: THE CONTENTS 1. The units

8. The teaching plan

9. 2. The teacher’s guide • 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

10. 3. The workbook

11. TOPIC 4: THE METHODOLOGY Approach: Learning-centered approach Methods: methods + procedure + techniques/activities Methods of teaching-learning (language skills & language elements) Procedures Techniques/activities Modes: Interactions Between teachers/students, among students (pairs/groups), Interaction with textbooks/materials Learning through playing, singing, chanting Learning strategies 11

12. 5 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 12

13. I. 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 questions and answers

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

15. 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.

16. 4. Tips for teaching 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.

17. II. 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

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

19. 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. Pair/ Groupwork: Have pupils trade their answers in pairs/groups. 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.

20. 4. 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

21. III. Spoken production/writing 1. Characteristics: Active use of vocabulary and structures Active in using discourses Can use body language Be shy in expressing ideas Be afraid of making mistakes Difficult in concentrate/focus Lack of self-motivation

22. 2. Procedure: Pre-stage  Through/While-stage  Post- stage (P.T.P)

23. 3. 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.

24. 4. 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

25. 5. 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

26. 3 METHODS OF TEACHING-LEARNING LANGUAGE ELEMENTS Phonics + Vocabulary + Grammar/Structures Presentation Practice Production/Performance (P.P.P)

27. TOPIC 5: THE TECHNIQUES 1. TPR (Total Physical Response)

28. Example:

29. Example:

30. 2. SongsEnglish song

31. 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.

32. 3. Chants

33. AT THE SEASIDE

35. 4. games

36. 5. Quiz

37. TOPIC 6: THE LESSON PLANSOverview 1. Objectives: Students will be able to: Do (what skill), about (what topic), in order to do (what task) 2. Incomes (language focus): Functions Phonics Vocabulary Sentence patterns 3. Resources: Books/materials Audio-visual aids

38. Lesson plan 1: LESSON 1 – PERIOD 1 1. LOOK, LISTEN AND REPEAT 2. LOOK AND SAY

39. Lesson plan 2: LESSON 1 – PERIOD 2 3. TALK 4. CHANT / SONG / GAME

40. Lesson plan 3: LESSON 2 – PERIOD 3 1. LISTEN AND REPEAT 2. LISTEN AND …..

41. Lesson plan 4: LESSON 2 – PERIOD 4 3. READ AND ….. 4. SONG / CHANT / GAME

42. Example: 42

43. Lesson plan 5: LESSON 3 – PERIOD 5 1. LISTEN AND REPEAT 2. LOOK AND SAY

44. Lesson plan 6: LESSON 3 – PERIOD 6 3. WRITE 4. SONG / CHANT / GAME

45. Example: 45

46. TOPIC 7: THE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT1. The innovation

47. 2. The classroom • Row: • Whole class activities (introducing new topic/materials, choral work, class pair/group/whole class work on the same task) • U-shape: • Role play, game playing, facilitating communicative activities (flexible student to student interaction) • Circle: • Teacher as part of the circle • Whole class discussion, informal discussion of an activity • Groups around desks: • Collaborative learning and social interaction, practical tasks where peer support is needed

48. 3. The procedures & modesWhole class  Individual  pair  group  whole class

49. 4. The management of activities

50. 5. The pair & group work Characteristics Learner responsibility Encouragement of peer support Learner engagement; teacher as facilitator, motivator (80/20%) Communication, negotiation, socialization (listening comprehension/talking) Meaningful contexts for language use Benefits Increase the use of English for poorly motivated students Increase interaction between teacher & students, among students Provide instruction in accordance with different language abilities Create a better environment for students to use English