1

vietnam national university, hanoi
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY of post - graduate studies
HOÀNG THỊ NGỌC MAI
A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF TEACHERS' ORAL FEEDBACK
ON STUDENTS' INTEREST IN ENGLISH SPEAKING LESSONS
AT AN LAO HIGH SCHOOL NGHIÊN CỨU ẢNH HƯỞNG TỪ NHỮNG NHẬN XÉT NÓI CỦA
GIÁO VIÊN ĐỐI VỚI HỨNG THÚ CỦA HỌC SINH TRONG CÁC
GIỜ HỌC NÓI TIẾNG ANH TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT AN LÃO
M.A. MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60.14.10
seems at first and involves more than just pronouncing words. After learning speaking
skill, it is easier to develop reading and writing skill. But how can we speak English
fluently? The first factor we have to mention is the interest in speaking because “We
just do well when we like it.”
In the process of teaching and learning English, there are many factors affecting the
success of language learners such as aptitude, age, personality, interest and so on,
among which interest plays an important role. With 4 years of experience in teaching
English at high school, I have realized that there are many factors affecting students in
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES
HOÀNG THỊ NGỌC MAI A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF TEACHERS' ORAL FEEDBACK ON
STUDENTS' INTEREST IN ENGLISH SPEAKING LESSONS
AT AN LAO HIGH SCHOOL
NGHIÊN CỨU ẢNH HƯỞNG TỪ NHỮNG NHẬN XÉT NÓI CỦA
GIÁO VIÊN ĐỐI VỚI HỨNG THÚ CỦA HỌC SINH TRONG CÁC
GIỜ HỌC NÓI TIẾNG ANH TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT AN LÃO


3. Research questions…………………………………………………………….
4. Methods of the research……………………………………………………….
5. Scope of the research …………………………………………………………
6. Design of the research…………………………………………
PART B: DEVELOPMENT …………………………………………………
Chapter 1: Theoretical back ground…………………………………………
1.1 Teaching English speaking skill ……………………………………………
1.1.1 Definition of speaking skill ……………………………………………….
1.1.2 Typical features of speaking skill …………………………………………
1.2.3 The roles of the teacher in different stages of teaching speaking …………
1.2 Feedback ……………………………………………………………………
1.2.1 Definitions of feedback …………………………………………………
1.2.2 Types of oral feedback ……………………………………………………
1.2.3 The importance of teachers' feedback in teaching and learning a language
Chapter 2: The study………………………………………………………….

i
ii
iii
iv
vi
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
4
4

PART C: CONCLUSIONS…………………………………………………….
1. Recapitutation…………………………………………………………………
2. Conclusions……………………………………………………………………
3. Limitations and suggestions for further study…………………………………
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………….
APPENDIXES ………………………………………………………
18
18
19
20
20
20
21
26

28

30
33
36
36
35
36
37
I
23
23
24
25
25
26
27
27
28

29
30
1

PART A – INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
The world is presently witnessing a rapid increase in the use of English as a
language of wider communication. Using English frequently is an important
requirement in all aspects of life. At schools, teachers and students have paid much
attention to all four major language skills: reading, speaking, listening and writing.
Among these skills, speaking is considered as the most important one. Speaking is
the productive skill in the oral mode. It, like the other skills, is more complicated
than it seems at first and involves more than just pronouncing words. After learning
speaking skill, it is easier to develop reading and writing skill. But how can we

2. What are the effects of teacher‟s oral feedback on students‟ interest in
speaking lessons?
4. Methods of the research
The research is to explore the effects regarding oral feedback in speaking
lessons. The data was collected through interviews and classroom observations. The
data collected was then analyzed to gain the insights and implications of the study.
After the data is collected, analyzed and discussed, some conclusions will be drawn,
and some suggestions will be made in the study.
5. Scope of the research
Feedback in speaking skill is such a broad topic that the researcher cannot
discuss all the aspects related. Therefore, within the framework of a minor thesis,
this research focuses only on the teachers‟ oral feedback in responding to the
students‟ speaking tasks at An Lao High School.
To improve interest in speaking skills for the students at An Lao High School,
various activities can be used, and a number of things should be done. However, the
researcher only intends to overview a brief of the current situations of teaching and
learning English speaking skills at An Lao High School, and to analyze the effects
of teachers‟ oral feedback on students‟ interest and to make some recommendations
3

to motivate students to speak English more. The research was carried out with the
participation of 7 school teachers of English and 120 students at 11
th
grade from
11B1 to 11B5 of An Lao High School.
6. Design of the research
The research is divided into three main parts as follows:
Part A. Introduction, presents an overview of the study in which the rationale
for the research, the research problem, the purposes, the research questions, the
scope of the study, the research method, as well as the design of the study were

Bygate (1997) stated that speaking was a skill which deserved attention every
bit as much as literacy skill. It is often thought of as a „popular‟ form of expression
that uses the unprestigious „colloquial‟ register. Speaking is in many ways an
undervalued skill. Perhaps this is because we can almost all speak, and so take the
skill too much for granted. In his own view, Mackey (1965) shows that „oral
expression involves not only the use of the right sounds in the right patterns of
rhythm and intonation, but also a choice of words and inflections in the right order
to convey the right meaning‟(Bygate,1997: 5). According to Mackey, for the
student who wants to be good at speaking, he/she has to choose the right forms, put
them in correct order, sound it like native speaker and even produce the right
meanings.
1.1.2 Typical features of speaking skill
Communicative and whole language instructional approaches promote
integration of speaking, listening, reading, and writing in ways that reflect natural
language use. But opportunities for speaking and listening require structure and
planning if they are to support language development. Outside the classroom,
5

listening is used twice as often as speaking, which in turn is used twice as much as
reading and writing (Rivers, 1981:428). Inside the classroom, speaking and listening
are the most often used skills (Brown, 1994:75). They are recognized as critical for
functioning in an English language context, both by teachers and by learners. These
skills are also logical instructional starting points when learners have low literacy
levels (in English or their native language) or limited formal education, or when
they come from language backgrounds with a non-Roman script or a predominantly
oral tradition. Nowadays, speaking is considered to be the top priority as it is
probably the most important aspect of the language for communication and students
enjoy it. Furthermore, speaking activities improve the atmosphere in the classroom,
group dynamics and help build a rapport exchange with the salesperson described
previously must know the usual pattern that such an interaction follows and access

the skill being examined and asking learners to monitor and assess their own
progress. Finally, extension consists of activities that ask learners to use the
strategy or skill in a different context or authentic communicative situation, or to
integrate use of the new skill or strategy with previously acquired ones (Brown,
1994:75).
Example of a speaking lesson (Carter & McCarthy,1995:141-158)
Choosing appropriate topics for small talk
1. Preparation. Show the learners a picture of two people conversing in a familiar
casual setting. (The setting will be determined by a prior needs assessment.) Ask
them to brainstorm what the people might be discussing (i.e., what topics,
vocabulary, typical phrases).
2. Presentation. Present several video clips of small talk in casual situations. Have
learners complete a worksheet in which they describe or list the topics discussed,
the context in which the speech is occurring, and any phrases that seem to typify
small talk. Follow up with a discussion of the kinds of topics that are appropriate for
small talk, the factors in the specific situations that affect topic selection (e.g.,
7

relationships of participants, physical setting), and typical phrases used in small
talk. Chart this information.
3. Practice. Give learners specific information about the participants and the setting
of a scenario where small talk will take place. In pairs, have them list topics that
might be discussed by the participants and simple phrases they might use. Learners
then engage in improvised dialogues based on these simple phrases.
4. Evaluation. Give pairs a teacher-prepared dialogue Ask them to compare their
improvised dialogues with the prepared dialogue, analyzing the similarities,
differences, and reasons for both.
5. Extension. Have learners go individually or in small groups into various contexts
in the community (work, school, church, bus stop) and record the conversations
they hear. Ask them to report their findings back to the class, and then have the

To sum up, the teacher through speaking lesson should work as an instructor.
His/ her roles closely relate to the three stages of learning. Whatever the teacher is
doing in the classroom, his/ her ability to enhance the students‟ interest, to create
motivation and involve them in what they are doing, will be crucial.
1.2 Feedback
1.2.1 Definitions of feedback
Ur (1996:242) says that “in the context of teaching in general, feedback is
information that is given to the learner about his or her performance of a learning
task, usually with the objective of improving this performance”. He also distinctly
pointed out two main distinguishable components of feedback: assessment and
correction. This significant definition mentions feedback as an essential step in
teaching with an obvious aim at helping students to have better achievement in
learning.
As Littlewood (1981) and Lewis (2002) also point out, feedback means telling
learners about their progress and showing them their errors in order to guide them to
areas for improvement. Feedback can be oral or written.
9

Dreham (1995:160) also had the same point of view in the case that feedback is
interestingly likened to a two-bullock cart. His definition is based on a famous
saying that “in order for the cart to move in the right direction, its two bullocks need
to understand not only the purpose of their efforts but also each other”. In other
words, there should be a collaborative approach to the monitoring and processing of
feedback between the teacher and the students so that the teacher feedback becomes
an effective tool for student revision.
1.2.2 Types of oral feedback
Gattullo (2000) and Harmer (2001) divide feedback into corrective, evaluative
and strategic. Corrective feedback focuses on helping learners notice and correct
errors. This type of feedback explains why correct responses are right and incorrect
ones are wrong. In language learning, corrective feedback will be primarily

incorrectly. XieNan (2007) adds that errors of students‟ performance should be
located and identified.
- Praising: The teacher respects a student for correct answer, for example, by
saying “Good,” “Yes, an excellent answer". In addition, Irons (2008) and
Richards and Lockhart (1996) argue that praising is one type of feedback which can
encourages students to learn and participate more in classroom.
- Expanding or modifying a students’ answer: The teacher responds to
incomplete student‟s answer or performance by providing more information or
rephrasing the student‟s answer in the teacher‟s own words. For example:
Teacher: Does anyone know the capital city of the United States?
Students: Washington.
Teacher: Yes, Washington, D. C. That’s located on the east coast.
11

However, Richards and Lockhart (1996) suggests that the teacher should
expand students‟ performance as an oral feedback in order to broaden students‟
knowledge related to what students already performed.
- Repeating: The teacher repeats the student‟s answer. In addition, (Richards &
Lockhart, 1996:182) adds that repeating students‟ answer as an oral feedback can be
used as the way to clarify and check students‟ knowledge.
- Summarizing: The teacher gives a summary of what a student has said.
Richards and Lockhart (1996:182) explains that it is necessary to give explanation
as an oral feedback by having summary of what students performed.
- Criticizing: The teacher criticizes a student for the kind of response provided.
For example:
Teacher: A, can you point out the topic sentence in this paragraph?
Student: The first sentence.
Teacher: How can it be the first sentence? Remember, I said the first sentence
is not always the topic sentence in every paragraph. Look again!
Krashen (1982) and also Cathcart and Olsen (1976) argue that the teacher

experiences then it will bring sense or view toward a certain object. Levy &
Shiraeve (2004) adds that perception will influence teacher to provide what type of
oral feedback on students‟ performance. It will then vary teacher to give certain
type of oral feedback on students‟ performance.
Teacher has to consider the students‟ feeling while providing some feedback.
Tsui (1995) adds that students‟ feeling is closely related to certain psychological
characteristic of the students. Therefore, teacher has to provide oral feedback to
respond students‟ performance in order to maintain the students to feel free in
expressing their idea, so that the students do not afraid of making some mistakes
13

and learn from the mistake which has been made. Moreover, Tsui (1995) argues that
students‟ mistake in a classroom is a source of learning.
Teacher‟s feedback is usually associated with evaluating and providing
information related to the students‟ responses, but these are not the only functions.
Teachers‟ feedback can also acknowledge the information that teacher offers or
provides personal comments on students‟ performance. In feedback, teacher makes
evaluations and gives comments on students‟ performance. Through feedback,
students know that there is something wrong or unsatisfactory about their
performance. As Krashen (1982) points out that students must be favorable
disposed toward language learning before language acquisition takes place.
Many teachers still do not consider the students‟ feeling in providing feedback
and cause “wrong way” feedback (Irons, 2008) such as saying the words “stupid”
for student who makes some mistakes; therefore it will offend the students and
discourage them in learning. Hedge (2003) states that teacher must be aware of
“When to push and when to stop” students‟ performance. Furthermore, Cathcart and
Olsen (1976) conduct a survey which shows 149 learners have preference for
correction of all errors that they made, however the students feel irritated when the
teacher correct the errors intensively. Tsui (1995) adds that students in the junior
high school (12-15 years old) have certain psychological characteristic, they are

15

CHAPTER 2 : THE STUDY
Chapter two has provided information about students‟ interest in learning
speaking English, students‟ opinions on teachers‟ oral feedback and also the types
of oral feedback the teacher used in classroom. In this chapter, the justification for
data collection instruments is presented. The subjects and the procedure of the study
are also paid a lot of attention. And the preliminary results about the effect of
teachers‟ oral feedback on students' interest at An Lao High School are reported.
After that, the researcher will give some suggestions about the ways to give oral
feedback in speaking lessons.
2.1 Justification for data collection instruments
In this study, three main data collection instruments were used: questionnaire,
class observation and interview. They were the effective tools to help the author
gather the information for the study.
A questionnaire was employed in this study because of the following reasons.
According to Saphier (Saphier,1993:411), there are a lot of advantages for using
a questionnaire. If carefully planned, it is a useful method for gathering a large
number of general data and opinions from a large number of people relatively
quickly. Questionnaires are easy to analyze. Data entry and tabulation for nearly all
surveys can be easily done with many computer software packages.
Another good point is that questionnaires are familiar to most people. Nearly
everyone has had some experience completing questionnaires and they generally do
not make people apprehensive. As a result, it will be easier to carry out an
investigation using questionnaires. In addition, questionnaires can reduce bias.
There is uniform question presentation and no middle-man bias. The researcher's
own opinions will not influence the respondent to answer questions in a certain
manner. There are no verbal or visual clues to influence the respondent. And one
more advantage of using questionnaire method is that questionnaires are less
intrusive than telephone or face-to-face surveys. When a respondent receives a

observation is a really effective data collection instrument. When using it, the
ability to record and report all findings that are true to the topic is at hand. A key
17

advantage of observation research is that often the respondent or consumer is
unaware that they are being observed, allowing the behavior to be observed
naturally. It helps in overcoming issues of validity and is useful when the subject
cannot provide information or when the subject is feared to provide inaccurate
information. With this data collection instrument, the author can observe something
that may not come out in a questionnaire, survey or interview. The author can
observe things that may not be easily explained by the participants using another
data collection instruments.
Interviewing is a basic research tool in social science. In this study, interview is
used for teachers to obtain information about teachers' beliefs of the ways of giving
oral feedback. In this type of interviewing, most of the questions are open-ended
designed to elicit the participants‟ perspectives without sensitizing the participants
to any hypotheses of the researcher. The answers of the participant then become the
structuring mechanisms for the next phase in the interview.
The interview questions were designed to elicit information about the teacher‟s
beliefs regarding oral feedback to their students‟ performance. Other questions were
aimed at obtaining information about the effective way to give oral feedback to
enhance students‟ interest in speaking lessons.
In short, although every data collection instrument has both good points and
drawbacks, questionnaire, observation and interview seem to be the best choice for
this study. And the combination of all these instruments can ensure reliable data.
2. 2 Description of the subjects
In this study, two groups of subjects were involved: the first group consists of
120 students at 11
th
grade of An Lao High School and the other group consists of 7

material and the same teacher. This school classified the students for each group
based on their ability. Four sessions interview after each observation were also
conducted to gain the data about the reason of the teacher in giving certain type of
feedback for students‟ performance in the classroom.
2. 5 Preliminary results
19

These following steps were conducted to analyze the data of teacher‟s oral
feedback. The first one was transcribing the recorded data by writing everything
which had been recorded on the tape recorder without any changes on language.
The second, the transcript were coded. This coding was done by highlighting the
teacher feedback. The third step was classifying teacher oral feedback existed in
four different classroom observation into several types based on Richards and
Lockhart (1996:188).
The teacher‟s reason for giving oral feedback on students‟ performance was
analyzed through the interview. Then, the interview was transcribed into written
form. The researcher tried to find out the reason why the teacher provided certain
type of oral feedback on students‟ performance. Finally, the conclusions are made
about how and why the teacher reacts toward students‟ performance.
The results of questionnaires were collected then analyzed. The author showed
the detail results of each questions through tables, charts…

In terms of feedback types, the teachers seemed to have different choices for
different types of feedback. Most of the teachers tended to indicate the mistake
made by the students and ask them to correct immediately, especially in
pronunciation or the usage of structures. The same number of teachers sometimes
gave general comments at the end of the lesson. Moreover, teachers tended to use
more negative feedback than positive one. What they said are as follows: