EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT OF THANH HOA
HA TRUNG HIGH SCHOOL

EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

APPLYING MIND MAPS IN WRITING LESSONS FOR
STUDENTS IN GRADE 11 AT HA TRUNG
HIGH SCHOOL.

Full name: Trinh Thi Lien
Position: Teacher
Subject: English

THANH HOA, 2019


TABLE OF CONTENTS:
N0
1

2

3

CONTENTS
1. Introduction
1.1. The reason for choosing the topic.
1.2. The purpose of the research.
1.3. Study subjects.
1.4. Reseach Methodology.
2. Contents of the experience initiative

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Reasons for choosing the topic
Nowadays, English has become an international language because it is
widely used in many parts of the world. In the tendency of integration of the
global economy, English is one of the effective communicative tools for
everybody. The role of English is considered to be very important in the fields of
economics, politics, science, culture and education.
Thanks to the innovation of ways in teaching English, English lessons are
taught with four skills (reading, speaking, listening and writing) in one unit.
Moreover, there exists three stages: Pre-While-Post teaching in one lesson. This
really helps student improve their skills beside the grammar excercises to pass
the exams. This means that new teaching methods will enhance students’
activeness to practise and improve their language skills to communicate in
situations in real life.
As it can be seen, writing competence in a foreign language tends to be
one of the most difficult skills to acquire. This is true for English as well. The
key to successful writing classes is that they are pragmatic in nature targeting the
skills required or desired by students. Moreover, most of the students find it
difficult to get ideas about the topic given and the way of expressing them in
English.
Students need to be personally involved in order to make the learning
experience of lasting value. Encouraging students’ participation in the exercise,
while at the same time refining and expanding writing skills, requires a certain
pragmatic approach. The teacher should be clear on what skills he/she is trying
to develop. Next, the teacher needs to decide on which means (or type of
exercise) can facilitate learning of the target area. Once the target skill areas and
means proceed to focus on what topic can be employed to ensure student
participation by pragmatically combining these objectives, the teacher can
expect both enthusiasm and effective learning.
Pre-writing tasks review and build students’ knowledge of relevant


A Mind Map is a visual representing of hierarchical information that
includes a central idea surrounded by connected branches of associated topics.
Mind mapping is a wonderful tool to present to various levels of language
learners. It can be used in many different ways, but especially in the realm
of writing. It helps students begin a writing task, takes brainstorming to a new
level, and actively involves students in creating a road map for their thoughts. So
what exactly is a mind map? It is best explained using an example and
comparing it to regular brainstorming. Mind mapping visually looks like a map
of sorts. Instead of a linear model for brainstorming - or just making a list - this
allows students to spread out and move around on the page. It starts with a topic
in the middle, and then proceeds with keywords that branch off the main topic
idea. Sub topics can then be branched off into subtopics until the page is covered
with keyword ideas related to the main idea. Students can use pen and paper to
draw their mind maps, and you can give examples on the board. You can start
out with a simple writing assignment or bigger tasks like an essay, depending on
the level and your class needs.
Begin with a topic, for example: My wedding day. Students start with the main
topic in the middle and begin brainstorming. It could look something like this:

Guests
and food

My dress

Taking
pictures

Wedding
Vows

ideas and thought processes; allow students to easily recall information; help
students take notes and plan tasks; make it easy to organize ideas and concepts.
2.2. Situation of the issue before applying the initiative.
2.2.1. On the part of the teachers.
Most teachers know that Mind Mapping is a beneficial learning tool to
help students brainstorm any topic and think creatively. Mind maps are
particularly helpful in the writing process and provide students with a natural
way of thinking and building thoughts on a story plot of theme. Mind maps also
provide teachers with insight into their students’ thought process regarding a
specific topic. By asking students to create mind maps demonstrating their
comprehension of a concept, teachers are able to understand what a student’s
prior knowledge was and how well the student understands the assignment or the
material being taught. This is a very effective way of evaluating students’
understanding.
However, teachers often spend little time on this pre- activity for fear that
they should not have enough time for the whole period of writing with the
allotted time of forty – five minutes.
2.2.2. On the part of the students.
Students often find it difficult to produce their own language in four
language skills, but the most dificult one is writing skill, which requires not only
background knowledge but also a good command of vocabulary, grammatical
structures and a good organisation of ideas about topics required. These are
obstacles which discourage students from being actively engaged in writing
lessons, thus the targeted lesson is usually impossible.
It can be easily seen in the following table of students’ results before using
the mind mapping as a learning tool in writing lesson.
6


Class Number Excellent


2

5,1

15

39

12

31

10

25,6

11I

43

0

0

0

0

10

2.3.3. Feed back.
The next stage, in which the teacher makes a collective mind map on the
board, is optional, but is useful for students who are new to the idea of mind
maps, or for weak classes. It is also in this feedback stage that any remaining
language problems can be ironed out. As the teacher elicits students’ ideas, and
reformulates expressions or corrects, students will learn how to express their
ideas in English. Such personalisation is said to aid vocabulary learning.
The map is fluid and changeable, and new connections or subgroups can
be made, or branches added, as the students make suggestions. The end result
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should be an organised display of information, showing the central topic, and a
number of subtopics and further points that stem from it.
2.3.4. Organising mind maps.
In the next stage the students organise their mind maps into a linear format
to decide the best way in which to present their points. They should first think
about the overall structure, the order in which to relay the information, and then
focus on the final text, as this helps to clarify their writing. This can be done in
groups, or as a class with the teacher leading the discussion.
2.3.5. Writing.
Students should then begin to write their composition working in pairs if
they wish. After that, they should exchange their compositions, so they become
readers of each other’s work. This allows for feedback, and possible re-writing.
Once they have finished, they should again exchange their texts. This gives their
texts a communicative purpose, as well as developing an awareness of the fact
that a writer is always producing something to be read by someone else, rather
than for the display of writing alone.
2.3.6. Continuation
Once students are familiar with the idea of making mind maps, they can


Group work

Competition game – Tet holiday activities
- T divides the class into small groups of 3 – 4 Ss. Then T
distributes the following handouts for Ss to do in their
own groups. Ss have to fill each space with one activity.
Which group finishes first and has all the correct answers
will be the winner.
- Suggested answers:
decorate the
house
cook
traditional
food

go shopping
Tet holiday
activities
Visit
relatives and
friends

go to the
pagoda
eat special
Tet food

15thdecorate
day ofthe

the
cakes
- The teacher prepares students forfood
the
writing task, the
year
teacher uses Mid-Autumn
the
Mind
Map activity to provide students
Tet Tet
holiday
holiday
with a natural way
of thinking and building thoughts on a
Festival
activities
activities
celebration which each student choose to write about.
- Suggested mind maps:
parade
go to
goin
the
tothe
the
Dances
VisitVisit
and
street

2nd, 1945
Hang
national flags

Have a day
off
National
Independence
Day

Decorate the
streets

March on Ba
Dinh square

March 8th
Fireworks
Give
presents and
flowers

Share the
household
chores
Women’s
Day

Show
respect and

presents and
flowers

T asks other Ss to comment on their friends’ answers and
gives his / her own feedback.
Suggested answers:
The description includes 6 main points:
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+ Name of the festival
+ Purpose of the festival
+ Time of the festival
+ Main activities of the festival / what people do in the
festival
+ Foods eaten
+ People’s feeling about the festival (like / dislike?
reason(s)?
- Now the teacher gets students to work invidually to
write an outline for their description, using the main
points set in the previons activity. Students should choose
one of the popular celebrations in Vietnam to describe
(Mid –autumn Festival, Teachers’ Day, Women’s Day,
Independence Day ...)
- Students work with each other to comment on each
other’s outline. T goes around and provides help when
necessary
15’

WRITING

Unicorn dancers are also very popular at Trung Thu
festival. In addition, Vietnamese parents tell their
children’s fairy tales and serve mooncakes and other
special sweets, it’s also the opportunity for me to gather
with my family and friends to enjoy the moonlight and
many special refreshments.
2. National Independence Day.
September 2nd, 1945 is an important landmark marking a
major turning point of Vietnam. It was an establishment
day of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and is also
considered the National Independence Day of the current
Socialist Republic of Vietnam. President Ho Chi Minh
read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh square
officially claiming the independence and sovereignty of
Viet Nam from France and Japan.
As a typical National Day, the Vietnamese have a day off
to commemorate the event’s historical significance. A
notable sign for the cheerful spirit of the day is the
appearance of Viet Nam flags everywhere, coloning the
whole country with lively red backgrounds and jovial
yellow stars. The streets are exploded with a boom of red
and yellow. There is also an annual marching on the Ba
Dinh square and fireworks in the major cities of Viet
Nam. September 2nd is truly an utmost special day for the
whole Viet Nam nation.
3. Teacher’s Day.
Teacher play an important role in the growth of students.
The festival known as Teacher’s seeks to celebrate this
unparalled contribution made by teachers in the life of
their students. The ceremonious occasion is celebrated on

for peer correction.
- T goes around and collects mistakes.
- T chooses one or two descriptions and reads it / them to
the class.
- Then T elicits corrective feedback from the class and
gives into consideration their friend’s and T’s suggestions
and correction.

14

Pair work &
whole class


2.4. Effects of the experience initiative on study results of students, on
teaching methods of my own and my colleagues.
Class Number Excellent
Good
of
students
N0
%
N0
%

Average
N0

%


2

4,7

11,6 15

34,9 10

23,2 11

25,6

5

2.5. Results after applying the initiative.
I find that using mind map is the easiest way to teach my students how
and what to write. There have been some of the initial results after applying
Mind Maps to teaching English writing skill. Students have become actively
envolved in the writing lessons and more confident in their writing, even some
students have performed very well. The academic year 2018-2019 has seen the
result of my applying this method of teaching though the two prizes for gifted
students in the examinations organized by the Education and Training
Department of Thanh Hoa, one third prize and one encouragement prize.

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3.Conclusion and requests
3.1. Conclusion.
I find that using mind map is the easiest way to teach my students how and

- For the innovation of teaching methods to be effective, there should be close
coordination, guidance and attention from the leaders.
Thanh Hoa, May 10th 2019

Principal’s confirmation

I assure that this is my idea report, I do
not copy others’ content
Written by

Trinh Thi Lien
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REFERENCE BOOKS:
During the research process I have used the following references:
1. English Textbook 11 (Education Publishing House)
2. Teachers Book 11.
3. Mind Tools Club:
4. Methods of teaching English in secondary schools. (Nguyen Hanh Dung Educational Publisher)

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DANH MỤC
CÁC ĐỀ TÀI SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM ĐÃ ĐƯỢC HỘI ĐỒNG
ĐÁNH GIÁ XẾP LOẠI CẤP PHÒNG GD & ĐT, CẤP SỞ GD & ĐT VÀ
CÁC CẤP CAO HƠN XẾP LOẠI TỪ C TRỞ LÊN
Họ và tên tác giả: Trịnh Trị Liên
Chức vụ và đơn vị công tác: Giáo viên – Trường THPT Bán công số 1 Hà Trung,


Cấp Sở

C

2004-2005

Cấp Sở

C

2011-2012

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