TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................................................... I
PART A: INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 1
1. Rationale................................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Aims of the study....................................................................................................................................... 1
3. Scope of the study...................................................................................................................................... 2
4. Methods of the study................................................................................................................................. 2
5. Significance of the study............................................................................................................................. 2

PART B: CONTENT............................................................................................................................ 3
CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND.........................3
1.1. The Importance of Grammar in Language Teaching and Learning.............................................................3
1.1.1. Definitions of English grammar.............................................................................................................. 3
1.1.2. The importance of teaching English grammar........................................................................................ 3
1.2. Definition of tasks................................................................................................................................... 3
1.3. What is task-based language teaching?.................................................................................................... 4
1.4. Task-based grammar teaching................................................................................................................. 5
14.1. Why we use Task-based grammar teaching?........................................................................................... 5
1.4.2. Steps in Task-based grammar teaching.................................................................................................. 5
1.4.2.1. Pre-task.......................................................................................................................................... 5
1.4.2.2. While- task..................................................................................................................................... 5
1.4.2.3. Post-task........................................................................................................................................ 6

CHATER 2: THE CURRENT SITUATIONS.................................................................................... 7
IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN GRADE 10 STUDENTS AT YEN DINH 1 HIGH
SCHOOL............................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1. An overview of the current situation of teaching and learning English at Yen Dinh 1 High school..............7
2.2. Findings from the current situations........................................................................................................ 7
2.2.1. Results from questionairs...................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.2. Results from observation....................................................................................................................... 8


A model of lesson plan................................................................................................................................. XIII

ii


PART A: INTRODUCTION
Title: “Applying task-based approach in teaching English grammar for the
grade 10 students of basic curriculum at Yen Dinh 1 high school- Thanh Hoa
province”.
1. Rationale
One of the most challenging tasks constantly facing English teachers is
how to capture the interest and stimulate the imagination of their students so that
they will be more motivated to learn, especially in grammar lessons. In my
school, teachers usually use PPP models to teach their students. We can not deny
that this is a current popular method and it contains a lot of advantages. But it
seems that students have to do what they are asked and have to do a lot of
exercises. Frankly speaking, they become quite passive, only listen and write.
They have little chance to interact, to communicate. Teaching grammar does not
mean so passive. It should involve four skills and student should really be
motivated to learn. I have decided to choose this topic with the hope that it will
make certain contributions to the existing knowledge of the field under the study
and help the grade 10 students at Yen Dinh 1 high school- Thanh Hoa province
master English grammar well to use it confidently in four skills and get good
marks in the exams.
2. Aims of the study.
The specific aims of this study are as follows:
- Investigating the present situation of learning grammar, especially finding
out problems facing students in language focus lessons.
- Suggesting useful techniques for the possibility of task-based introduction in
order to increase the students’ motivation in grammar learning as well as

2


PART B: CONTENT
CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL
BACKGROUND
1.1. The Importance of Grammar in Language Teaching and Learning
1.1.1. Definitions of English grammar
According to Richards and Platt (1992) in their Longman Dictionary of
Language Teaching & Applied Linguistics: Grammar is a description of the
structure of a language and the way in which linguistic units such as words and
phrases are combined to produce sentences in the language. It usually takes into
account the meanings and functions these sentences have in overall system of
the language. It may or may not include the description of the sound of a
language.
1.1.2. The importance of teaching English grammar
Firstly, teaching grammar helps students understand how the language
works. Apart from vocabulary, students need to know grammar to understand
how it is written or how words are combined together to understand the proper
meaning. Without grammar or with a poor knowledge of grammar, they may get
confused with complicated expression
Secondly, according to Smith (2001), if teachers neither pay attention to
grammar nor create opportunities for learners to improve grammar, learners are
likely to stand the risk of fossilization or reach a point where they can cope with
level of communication that is demanded of them by making use of their
existing grammatical resource and communication strategies and probably with
sufficient fluency.
1.2. Definition of tasks
Nunan (1989) gave a definition of task: “is a piece of classroom work
which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing, or



1.4. Task-based grammar teaching
14.1. Why we use Task-based grammar teaching?

Task-based language teaching approach can be viewed as within the
framework of communicative teaching and the study of task-based language
teaching stems largely from communicative language teaching (Nunan, 1989). It
puts tasks at the center of the methodological focus. It considers the learning
process as a set of communicative tasks that are directly linked to the curricular
goals. It emphasizes the development of students' communicative ability and
communication takes place through using the grammatical system of the
language. It combines the teaching of language forms with teaching of language
skills. Therefore, it may have significance or it may be effective in grammar
teaching.
1.4.2. Steps in Task-based grammar teaching
According to Willis (1996) there are three main steps in task-based
grammar teaching
1.4.2.1. Pre-task
Aim: To prepare student for the task, to engage their attention. Topics and
tasks are introduced in the pre-task stage. Teachers introduce tasks to learners.
They present necessary knowledge, explain the requirements and procedures of
the task in detail and help learners familiarize with the topic, vocabulary and
expressions. In this stage, teachers should take the individual differences among
learners into account.
1.4.2.2. While- task
• Planning the task:
Aim: for the Ss to discuss about the works related to grammar points in
group of six.


CHATER 2: THE CURRENT SITUATIONS
IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN GRADE 10
STUDENTS AT YEN DINH 1 HIGH SCHOOL
2.1. An overview of the current situation of teaching and learning English at
Yen Dinh 1 High school.
The study was conducted with a total of 84 participants of Grade 10 in
two classes – experimental class, 10A9 and control class, 10A10 at Yendinh 1
high school. Most of them have been learning English for at least 4 years at
secondary schools, from Grade 6 to Grade 9, and they used the new English
textbooks designed by MOET.
2.2. Findings from the current situations.
To find out some current situations in teaching and learning English
grammar in class 10A9 and 10A10 at Yen Dinh 1 high school, the researcher
surveys the current situations by using questionnaires, interview questions and
observation. The researcher found out some following results.
2.2.1. Results from questionairs
Table 1- Students’ difficulties in studying English grammar
No

Difficulties

Number

Percentage

1

I cannot apply the proper tenses.

50

36

43.9%

6

There is a lack of teaching aids at school.

15

18.2%

This can be shown that, 60.9% of the students said they could not put the
verbs in the correct tenses. Besides 45.1% of the students believed that they
were very bad at English when they were at lower high school. And 54.8% of
7


them thought that they cannot put the words in correct order. In addition, the
number of the students who could not remember all structures was 86.5% and
43.9% of students could not apply all structures correctly. Besides, having a
small number of the students (18.2%) said that the lack of teaching aids at
school is other difficult of them.
In the second questions the researcher asked students about the main
causes of these difficulties
Table 2- The main causes of students’ difficulties in learning English
grammar
Main causes
I was bad at English grammar when I was at
primary and secondary school

translation, audio-lingual or using PPP model. Besides, the teacher used extra-

8


board or handout in English grammar lessons. However, the applying of these
traditional method hasn’t been done effectively yet.
Almost lessons of the teacher were followed the following procedures:
+ The teacher presented the structure and then gave some example to
illustrate this structure.
+ The teacher gave the form and usage of this structures and asked
students to write down on their notebook.
+ The teacher asked students to give some examples
+ The teacher asked students to practice basing on some exercises in the
textbook.
About classroom management. The teacher asked the students to work
individually most of the time. Sometimes, the teacher asked them to work in
pairs. Sometimes they had to work in groups. There were no leader of groups, as
a result, every member in the group was not appointed particular requires.
• Results from the students
In my observation, I realized that most of the students never raised their
hands in lessons. They were not willing to practice. They only practiced when
being asked. They sat in silence and the teacher usually took notices of better
students.
Moreover, most of the students felt unconfident when being asked to
practice. They showed their worry. Nobody wanted the teacher to call his/her
name in practice the new structure as well as doing exercises in the textbook.
2.2.3. Results from the pre-test
The reseacher delivered a test to two classes, 10A9 and 10A10 to find out
the students’ level in two classes. In this test, the teacher checked students


19

11

3

After giving and collecting the test, the researcher marked and found out
the weakness of the students and compared the result of two classes. According
to the data collected, 4 among 84 students got mark 9 to 10, 39 out of students
got mark 5- 6 in which class 10 A9 occupied 19 students, which is lower than
the number of students in 10 A10; and 9 students - a relatively high number, get
mark under 5. As we can see, the effectiveness of the lessons before experiment
was not good. only a few students got high marks and a lot of students got poor
marks. . Moreover, in comparision between two classes, the researcher saw that
the studens in two classes have the same level . Each class has the same number
of students get mark over 8, and under 5. Some students of class 10A9 even got
a higher marks, 3 out of 42 students got 9 to 10. It can be said that the grammar
level of students in the experimental class and control class is relatively equal; in
which students’ level at 10 A9 seems a bit higher than that in 10A10.
* Summary
In summary, from the results of observation, survey questionnaire,
interview and test, the researcher found out some conclusion about the current in
teaching and leaning English grammar at Yen Dinh 1 High School.
Firstly, almost the teachers do not use any tasks in teaching English
grammar at Yen Dinh 1 High School.
Secondly, most of the students did not feel interested in grammar lesson.
They do not pay attention to studying because they do not have opportunities
and motivation to study. The classroom’s atmosphere makes them feel
uninterested in the lessons. According to the classroom observation, very few

this summary and be prepared to report this orally to the rest of the class. Set a
time limit of five minutes for them to do this. When the students are ready, ask a
spokesperson from each group to do report. The rest of the class listens
carefully.

11


• Presenting the product of the task:
Aim: Students will be able to get a provision of useful language input.
Post-task
• Language focus :
Aim: To raise students’ awareness about the target language.
Let the students look at the passage again, picking out those sentences
which contain grammar points and write them on the board.
Check that the Ss understand the meaning of sentences (if necessary)
ask Ss to write down the rules of form for grammar point
• Language practice
Aim: To give the students some restricted written practice in the target
language.

CHAPTER 3: EXPERIMENT AND RESULTS
3.1. Participants
The reseacher chose two classes, 10A6 and 10 A9, to do a control
experiment. The experiment was carried out in the experimental class- 10A10-.
The other class, 10A9, worked as a control class. The researcher applied taskbased aproach to teach English grammar to students in class 10A10 in three
12


lessons in order to know whether using task-based approach for teaching

Disagree
1

grammar class more comfortable
The new teaching method helps me speak

97.6%
41

2.4%
1

English more confidently.
The new teaching method helps me

97.6%
38

2.4%
4

remember my vocabulary better
The new teaching method helps me

90.4%
39

9.6%
3



English more correctly
The new teaching method does not help

95.2%
6

4.4%
36
13


me learn English better than the old
method
The new teaching method is very difficult
9

for me
The new teaching method is appreciate

10

only with students who learn well

14.2%

85.8%

4


help them learn grammar better than old method, and 36 students (85.8%)
shown that task-based approach help them learn grammar better than the old
method. The number 9 question having only 3 of the subjects (9.5%)who took
part in the research that the new teaching method was very difficult to him or

14


her, 99.5% of them affirmed that it was not difficult for them to learn following
the new teaching method
With the last of ten questions, 21.4% of them disagreed the statement that
the new teaching method was only appreciate with students who learn well, only
78.6% of them agreed with this ideas.
In open-ended questions, three questions of asking students’ reasons for
their preference and the continuance of the new teaching method were asked.
Many students who took part in an experiment said that they liked the new
teaching method because the class atmosphere was very comfortable and they
were not pressured. Some of them said that this approach made them help the
other and learn from each other. With the reference to the continuance of the
new teaching method in the future, about 85% of them wanted the teacher to
continue to teach grammar as following the new method. Ten percent of them
said that they did not like the way the researcher taught them.
To answer the second question which helped the researcher to know the
reasons why students did not like the new teaching method, and help the
researcher know the limitation of the new teaching method. Some students said
that they did not like this approach because of two reasons: Firstly, its approach
did not help them practice pronunciation in the textbook. Secondly, the
limitation of the learning group, she wondered that when doing task in group
there were a few students who better at English contribute much to the group, in
contrast, students who were worse did not contribute much.

structures easily and apply these structures to do exercises correctly. Most of
them loved tasks that teacher used in lessons.
3.3.3. Results from post-test
The results collected after delivering the tests to students and applying
suggested solutions are shown in the table below:
Table 5: Result of the test after experiment

16




3/42 = 7.1 %

2

5-6

20/42 = 47.6%

10/42 = 23.8 %

3

7-8

11/42 = 26.1 %

21/42 = 50 %

4

9-10

1/42 = 2.3 %

8/42 = 19 %

Table 7- Comparison between the results of the tests before and after
experiment in Class 10 A9
No

12/42 = 28.5 %

4

9-10

3/42 = 7.1 %

2/42 = 4.7 %
17


3.3.3.2. Data analysis after experiment
It can be seen from the table that there has a considerable decrease in the
number of the students getting bad marks after experiment in class 10A10. The
result shows that the number of students in the experimental class- 10A10
getting marks below 5 down from 23.8 % to 7.1 %, those who get marks 5-6
reduce from 47.6% to 23.8% while those in the control class- 10A9 getting
marks below 5 remain stable, and those getting marks 5-6 have a little change,
45.2% and 47.6 % respectively. There is also a great increase in the number of
students getting good marks, from 26.1 % to 50 % with marks 7-8 and 2, 3 % to
19% with marks 9-10, in the experimental class and seems no change in the
control class, from 26.1% to 28.5%; and especially, there is a decrease in the
students who gets excellent marks from 9-10, from 7.1% to 4.7 % in the control
class. In general, students’ result after experiment in the experimental class is
much better than that before experiment, and by far higher than that in the
control class. It means that suggested techniques that the reseacher use in
teaching grammar is really effective.
3.4. Findings
From the results of observation, survey questionnaire, and test, the


participants and in longer time.
•

The study will be more convincing if we carry out the study with

quasi-experimental method.

19


•

The research only focused on grammar so it is suggested that there

should be more studies on other skills by applying task-based approach.
•

There should be another study on material design that suits the local

context.
2. Conclusion of the study.
In my research, the researcher tried to find out some current situations in
teaching and learning English grammar at Yen Dinh 1 High School. To find out
some current situations, the researcher used some useful date collection
instruments such as: observation method, survey questionnaires and tests. From
some current situations above, the researcher suggested the solutions to improve
the effectiveness in teaching and learning English grammar. With these
suggestions, the researcher did experimental teaching and then found out some
main findings for the study. With the aim of improving effectiveness in teaching

4. Prabhu, S. (1987). Second language pedagogy. Oxford: Oxford University
Press
5.

Littlewood,

W.

2002.

Task

based

learning

of

grammar.

[A/OL].www.ecp.com.cn.
6. Willis, J. (1996) A Framework for Task- based Language Learning.
London. Longman.
7. Willis, D & Willis, J., (2001). Task-based Language learning: Cambridge
University Press.

I


APPENDIXES