a study on the problems in teaching english speaking skills to the minority students at sonla ethnic boarding high school and so

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Abstract
The importance of speaking is undeniable in language teaching and learning. Therefore,
understanding the teachers’ difficulties in teaching speaking skills is apparently necessary to
gain effective teaching and learning.
This minor thesis was carried out with an attempt to investigate the areas of difficulties and
obstacles that the teachers have encountered when teaching speaking skills to the minority
students at Son La Ethnic Boarding High School (SEBH). The Thesis is organized in 3 parts:
First, the Introduction presents the rationale, aims and significance of the study, research
questions, scope, method and design of the study.
The Development is divided into 3 chapters.
Chapter one provides some theoretical background of related issues concerning the definition
of CLT, characteristics of CLT as well as the teacher’s and student’s role in CLT. Moreover,
there is a presentation of the language skills, the nature of speaking skills, the characteristics,
the role of speaking in language teaching and learning, the approaches to teaching speaking
and some problems in teaching speaking.
Chapter two carries out about the research setting, the methodology, the instrument, and the
subjects of the study. There also presents the results of the two survey questionares designed
to find out the problems that teachers and students at SEBH have encountered in teaching
and learning speaking skills.
Chapter three provides researcher’s findings of the problems in teaching and learning
speaking skills. Another very important part of this chapter is the suggested solutions which
help overcome the major problems as well as improve the quality of teaching and learning
speaking skills at SEBH.
Finally, the Conclusion summaries the study and offers some suggestions for further study.
iii
iv
List of abbreviations
Clt: Communicative Language Teaching.
Sll: Second Language Learning.
Elt: English Language Teaching.
Sebhs: Son La Ethnic Boarding High School.
Moet: Ministry of Education and Training.
v
List of tables


Table 1: Description of teachers’ experience
Table 2: Teachers’ attitudes towards speaking skills and teaching
English speaking in the text book
Table 3: Teachers’ CLT training background
Table 4: Teachers’ perception of CLT
Table 5: Number of teachers who have applied CLT in teaching speaking skills
Table 6: Teachers’ difficulties in teaching speaking skills to the minority students
Table 7: The teachers’ attitudes towards reluctant speakers
Table 8: Techniques to minimize the difficulties in teaching speaking
Table 9: Methods applied in teaching speaking
Table 10: Students’ reason for learning English
Table 12: Students’ opinions on the speaking topics
Table 13: Factors that make the students reluctant to speak
Table 14: Teachers’ reactions to students’ mistakes
Table 15: Students’ opportunities to speak English outside classroom
Table 16: Teachers’ current techniques to encourage students to speak English


vi
Table of contents
Declaration……………………………………………………………………………i

Acknowledgements………………………………………………… …………….ii
ABSTRACT iii………………………………………………………………………………
List of abbreviations……………………………………………….…………… iv
List of tables…………………………………………………………….………… v
Part A:
Introduction ……… …… … …… ……… …… … …… ……… …… 1
1. Rationale………………………………………………………………………… 1
2. Aims and Significance of the study………………………………………………….2
3. Research questions………………………………………………… …………… 2
4. Scope of the study……………………………………………………………………3
5. Method of the study………………………………………………………………….3
6. Design of the study………………………………………………………………… 3
Part b: development ……… …… … …… ……… …… … …… ………
.……… … 4
Chapter one: literature review………………………………….… ………4
1.1. Communicative Language Teaching…………………………………… ………4
1.1.1. Definitions of Communicative Language Teaching ……………… .…… 4
1.1.2. Characteristics of Communicative Language Teaching………… ………….5
1.1.3. The teachers and students’ role in Communicative Language Teaching…….6
1.2. Language skills…………………………………………………………………… 7
1.2.1. Oral communication…………………………………………………… ……7
1.2.2. Oral skills…………………………….……………………………… …… 8
1.3. Speaking skills…………………………………………………………………… 9
1.3.1. Definitions of speaking……………………………………………… …… 9
1.3.2. The characteristics of speaking……………………………………… …… 9
1.3.3.The role of speaking in language teaching and learning……………… ……10
1.3.4. Approaches to the teaching of speaking……………………………… ……11
1.3.5. Problems with speaking activities………………………………… …… 12
1.4. Summary………………………………………………………………… … 13
Chapter two: the study .……… …… … …… ……… … …… … … …… ……… … …
14
2.1. Research setting……………………………………………….………………… 14
2.1.1. An overview of the research site……………….…………………… … 14
2.1.2. Description of the teachers of English in SEBH…………….……………….14
2.1.3. The students at Son la Ethnic Boarding High School…………….………….15
2.1.4. The current situation of English teaching and learning at SEBH…… …… 15
2.1.4.1. The materials of teaching and learning……………………… …….…15
2.1.4.2. The teaching and learning English speaking skills……………… … 16
2.2. Methodology study……………………………………………………….………16
2.2.1.Participants…………………………………………………………….… ….16
2.2.2. Research instruments……………………………………………….……… 17
2.2.3. Data analysis……………………………………………………… …… 17
2.3. Presentation of the statistical results…………………………………… ………17
2.3.1. Data analysis of teachers’ survey questionaire…………………….……… 17
2.3.1.1. Methodology……………………………………………………… 17
2.3.1.2. The findings …………………………………………………… … 18
2.3.2. Data analysis of students’ survey questionare……………………… …… 24
2.3.2.1.Methodology……………………………………………………………24
2.3.2.2. The finding…………………………………………………… ………25
2.4. Summary………………………………………………………………………… 32
Chapter three: findings and suggestions………………………… ……… 33
3.1. Findings……………………………………………………………… ………….33
3.1.1. Problems from the teachers………………………………………………… 33
3.1.1.1. Lack of training in CLT……………………………………………… 33
3.1.1.2. Teaching method is not satisfactory………………………………… 34
3.1.2. Problems from the students………………………………………………… 35
3.1.2.1. Low English proficiency………………………………………………35
vii
3.1.2.2. Lack of motivation…………………………………….………………35
3.1.2.3. Lack of confidence…………………………………………………….36
3.1.2.4. Use of the mother- tongue during group work………… ……………36
3.1.3. Other Problems……………………………………………………………….36
3.1.3.1. Classes are of big size…………………………………………………36
3.1.3.2. Lack of necessary facilities…………………………………….…… 37
3.2. Possible solutions……………………………………………………….……….37
3.2.1. Improving CLT knowledge for the teachers……………….………………37
3.2.2. Using suitable techniques for error correction in English speaking lessons.38
3.2.3. Implementing of some kinds of communicative activities………….…… 38
3.2.4. Providing more interesting topics to encourage students’ participation …40
3.2.5. Providing more opportunities to practise speaking English……………… 40
3.2.6. Helping students to be confident……………………………………….… 40
3.2.7. Building a habit of speaking English for students in class……… ……… 41
3.2.8. Training students to become efficient speakers………………………… 41
3.2.9. Making good use of emotional factors………………………………….….41
3.2.10. Equipping teaching facilities……………………….……………… ……42
3.3. Summary…………………………………………………………………… …42
part c:
conclusion ……… …… … …… ……… …… … …… ……… …… ……… 43
1. Summary of the study………………………………………… …………………43
2. Limitations of the study……………………………………………………………44
3. Suggestion for further study……………………………………………………… 44
References ……… …… … …… ……… …… … …… ……… …… …… ……… ……
45
Appendices …… …… … …… ……… …… … …… ……… …
……… …… … …… ……i
Appendix a (A questionnaire completed by the teachers)……………………………….i
viii
Appendix b ( A questionnaire completed by the students)…………………………… iii
Part a: introduction
1. Rationale
In Vietnam, in the recent years, the teaching and learning of English have been
gaining significance firstly because it is an international language; secondly it is also
seen as a means to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between Vietnam and
other countries, especially since Vietnam became an official member of WTO. There
have been an increasing number of people desiring to know English with the hope of
keeping up with the latest modern technology in the world. English has now been taught
not only at all universities and colleges, but also at almost every senior high school and it
is considered as a compulsory subject at secondary school.
To meet the demand of learners of English, teachers of English in Vietnam have
been trying to find out the most suitable and effective method of teaching English.They
have always tried to catch up with the world’s latest frameworks of English Language
Teaching. As in other countries, teachers of English in Vietnam are now using
Communicative Approach to teach English to learners of all levels. They hope to provide
learners with a means of communication, namely English which is vital for them to be
successful in their job and to fulfill their social demands in the time of globalization.
At Son la Ethnic Boarding High School, where the author studies, English is a
compulsory subject in the curriculum and it is considered as a major subject for the high
school examination. It is taught with the purpose that students have some basic
knowledge of English in order to communicate and to use it as a key to science and
technology. However, there still exist many difficulties facing English language teachers
in Vietnam in general and English language teachers at Son La Ethnic Boarding High
School in particular in teaching speaking skills to students. The teachers of English at
Son La Ethnic Boarding High School find it difficult to teach speaking successfully.
In the teaching situations, the students usually keep quiet in speaking lessons; they
mind speaking English. There are many students who have good knowledge of grammar
which works wonderfully at reading and writing exercises but they can not express
themselves in English. What is more, in real-life situations, students find it hard to
communicate with English speaking people; it is hard for them to response
spontaneously and naturally.
Certainly, there are many reasons for this. If those difficulties are not found out and
no solutions can be given, the speaking classes cannot be successful and students will be
fed up with learning English if they find it worthless to study the subject.
All of the above reasons have inspired the author to do the research on “The problems
in Teaching English Speaking Skills to the Minority students at Son La Ethnic Boarding
High School and some Suggested Solutions” with the hope to make a small contribution
to the quality of teaching and learning speaking skills at Son La Ethnic Boarding High
School.
2. Aims and Significance of the study
This study is aimed at finding out the areas of difficulties in teaching English
speaking skills to the minority students at SEBH. Also, it is expected that some solutions
to overcome difficulties encountered will be suggested.
To be more specific, in realizing this study, the objectives are:
- Investigating the current situation of teaching and learning of speaking skills at Son
La Ethnic Boarding High School.
- Investigating the areas of difficulties and obstacles that the teachers at SEBH have
encountered when teaching the speaking skills.
- Suggesting some solutions with the hope of helping English language teachers at
SEBH improve the quality of their teaching, this later helps improve students’
learning quality.
3. Research questions:
In order to achieve the above aims, the research questions are as follows:
(i) What are the current methods and techniques of teaching speaking skills used at
Son La Ethnic Boarding High School?
(ii) What are problems experienced by the teachers in teaching English speaking
skills at Son La Ethnic Boarding High School?
(iii) What are feasible solutions to overcome those difficulties?
4. Scope of the study
The study focuses on the difficulties that the English language teachers have met when
teaching speaking skills to the minority students at SEBH and some suggested solutions
which help them improve the quality of their teaching.
The study of difficulties, some suggested solutions to other skills and levels would be
beyond the scope of the study.
5. Method of the study
In order to realize the aims of the study, quantitative method was used. Two survey
questionnaires were used to collect information and evidence for the study:
- The first survey questionnaire is carried out on 140 students at SEBH.
- The second survey questionnaire is carried out on 4 English language teachers of
SEBH.
All comments, remarks and recommendations given in the study were based on the data
analysis.
6. Design of the study
This study consists of three parts: Introduction, Development and Conclusion.
• Part A: Introduction
• Part B: Development
The development comprises three chapters:
+ Chapter I : Literature Review
+ Chapter II : The study
+ Chapter III : Data analysis and Discussion of the findings
• Part C: Conclusion

Part b. development
Chapter 1: literature review
1.1. Communicative Language Teaching.
1.1.1. Definition of Communicative Language Teaching
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) appears in the 1960s and 1970s and was thought
as a resolution against the Audio- lingual Method. It is an outcome of more attention to
learners’ effective and appropriate use of language learnt. It is pointed out by Brindley
(1986: 11) that “The 1970’s and 1980’s could be regarded as the era of Communicative
Language Teaching”. Communicative Language Teaching also marks the beginning of a
major innovation within language teaching because of its superior principles which are
widely accepted nowadays. So far, several researchers have done the work on CLT and
different authors view CLT differently.
However, it is difficult to define it in a satisfactory way. There is a variety of definitions
about CLT and each of them developed her / his own ideas regarding CLT.
As for Nunan (1989: 194), Communicative Language Teaching means:
CLT views language as a system for the expression of meaning. Activities involve
oral communication, carrying out meaning tasks and using language, which is meaningful to
the learners. Objectives reflect the needs of the learners; they include functional skills as
well as linguistic objectives.The learner’s role is as a negotiator and integrator. The
teacher’s role is as a facilitator of the communication process. Materials promote
communicative language use; they are task- based and authentic.
It is thought that the definition contains aspects that are common to many other definitions.
The definition above, as with any definitions of the language teaching method ( Penny Cook,
1989), represents a particular view of understanding and explaining language acquisition. It