THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
NHU THANH HIGH SCHOOL
-------***-------

INNOVATION IN TEACHING

USING ROLE – PLAYING GAMES TO IMPROVE
THE 11TH GRADERS’ENGLISH SPEAKING
SKILL AT NHU THANH HIGH SCHOOL

The writer: Le Thi Ngoc
The post: The teacher
Innovation of subject: English

THANH HOA, 2019


TABLE OF CONTENT
CONTENT
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION
I. Rationale of the study
II. Aims of the study
III. Research questions
IV. Participants
V. Methods of the study
PART TWO: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
I. Overview of role – playing games.
II. Some principles of using and managing role – playing games.
III. The steps in carrying the role playing games in class.
CHAPTER 2: PRACTICAL SITUATIONS

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PART ONE : INTRODUCTION
I. RATIONALE:
Nowadays English has become an international language because it is widely
used in many parts of the world. English may not be the most spoken language
in the world, but it is the official language in a large number of countries. It is
estimated that the number of people in the world that use English to
communicate on a regular basis is about 2 billion. 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. Especially, Vietnam’s
official membership of WTO on 7th November 2006 opened a new door for
integrating into the world economy. Hence, more and more people want to learn
English to communicate with foreign partners, tourists, study tours; or getting
good position in the work force.
Thanks to the innovation of ways in teaching English which is stated by the
MOET, English lessons are taught with four skills (speaking, reading, listening,
and writing) in one unit. Moreover, there exist three stages - Pre - While - Post teaching in one lesson. This really helps students improve their skills beside the
grammar exercises to pass the exams.
As We know that Nowadays English has become an international language
because it is widely used in many parts of the world. In the tendency of

How can some kinesthetic activities help the students at Nhu Thanh High School
improve their communication skill?
The question has been addressed to two of the classes (11A8, 11A10) that I have
been teaching in Nhu Thanh High School with the aim to examine how some
role - playing games affect the process of speaking here.
IV. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study does not aim to teach any skill in a systematic way, because it is
experience not for teaching but for practice. The study investigates giving some
some role - playing games to help students practice so that they can improve
their communication and speaking skill.
V. METHODS OF THE STUDY
In this study, I use some research tools to collect and analyze the needed data
Recording is used to record the process of giving some role play activities
The second tool used in this study is interviews with students at the end of the
research to study whether using role play is really suitable for them or not.
Surveying through the answer sheets is used to know the practical situation of
teaching and learning English communication skill.

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PART TWO: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
I. OVERVIEW OF ROLE - PLAYING GAMES.
The history of role-playing games begins with an earlier tradition of roleplaying, which combined with the rulesets of fantasy wargames in the 1970s to
give rise to the modern role-playing game. A role-playing game (RPG) is a type
of game in which the participants assume the roles of characters and
collaboratively create stories. Participants determine the actions of their
characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail
according to a system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, they

and give them time to sketch out various scenarios, and go over extra or special
vocabulary, ask them to discuss how they will act, think about the character and
plan what they will say. For example, what are possible responses/replies for the
angry neighbor?
The teacher, as facilitator of the role-play must support students in their role, i.e.
they 'are' in the backyard arguing over the fence. Don't do anything to interrupt
the pretend environment. Leave grammar correction to the end. Correcting
students in the middle of an argument interrupts the pretend environment. Make
notes and do a debriefing after.
Exaggeration is good! Encourage students to exaggerate their actions, opinions
and movements. Exaggeration helps students immerse themselves in the role.
Stage a rehearsal first. Have students practice their role in small groups with
coaching from the other students.
While the role-play or debate is in progress, have other students suggest
vocabulary first, and act as backup if they do not know.
Role-plays are unpredictable which makes them both a valuable learning tool
and at the same time difficult to manage. Sketch out the various routes the roleplay can take from the initial scenario. This will give you some idea what to
expect and avoid any surprises.
Role-plays can range from 30 minutes to one hour.

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III. STEPS IN CARRYING ROLE – PLAYING GAMES:
1. Outside the classroom:
Choosing the topic, based on the topic of the lesson or the main grammar point
of that lesson.
Preparing materials, especially role-play cards (Teachers can make up the cards
themselves, or search for them on the Internet)


in secondary school and the knowledge they are provided at this level of
education is relatively high on grammar, vocabulary and communication
skills . Most students are obedient and aware of studying.
Students themselves and their parents have realized the importance of learning
English so they have had the interest and considerable investment in many
aspects to this subject, and it is no longer considered a subordinate subject.
The school has been equipped with full conditions about facilities for study
like language laboratory, books, tapes, and radios.
1.2. For teachers:
Teachers have satisfied the school’s demand as well as education and applied the
new teaching methods.
The facilities of the school like language laboratory, books, tapes, and radios are
full and Administrator is interested and facilitates the teaching of the teachers so
that they can prove their abilities in the best way.
2. The disadvantages of teaching speaking lesson:
2.1. For students:
There are so many different students in class and the quality of each student is
uneven.

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Many students haven’t determined the importance of English in the current
period, so they aren’t aware of their own learning.
Some students have a limited vocabulary so they can’t know how to speak a
correct sentence
Classrooms are crowded, and the activities of speaking lesson often practise in
pairs or in groups so the classrooms are easily noise.
2.2. For teachers:
There are still some teachers who have difficulty in teaching speaking skills

communication which will certainly bring them variety of chances in the work
force. Then I decide to work on this research.
CHAPTER 3:
RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE STUDENTS’ ENGLISH
SPEAKING SKILLS
I. RECOMMENDATIONS
According to the data analysis from the survey, I personally found that it is
essential for language teachers to help their students become effective
communicators. It can also be personally concluded that the most important
feature that makes my students engage more in the lesson is the kind of
assessment which forces them to learn although the meaningfulness of tasks also
more or less affect the level of engagement. The most meaningful tasks to my
students are tasks that can help them to pass the tests at the end of the semester
not tasks that give them reasons to communicate as I expected.
Therefore, I am going to give “ Using role – playing games to improve the 11 th
graders’ English speaking skills at Nhu Thanh High School ”
II. PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

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1. General requirements:
We know that speaking skill plays a very important role in mastering a foreign
language. According to David Nunan (1991) the author of language teaching
methodology book: "Success is measured by the ability to conduct a dialogue in
the language they are learning." To do this successfully, teachers must make
students understand and gain the ability to use the language as much as possible
because the needs of learners are very diverse. Besides, teachers shouldn’t create
unfortunate misunderstanding in the communication process.
Speaking skills of students are practised with other skills through a learning

AT NHU THANH HIGH SHOOL
Sample lesson plans number 1:
Unit 1: Friendship (English 11)

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Finding a Perfect Roommate/Flatmate Role-play
1. Materials:
 Ranking Roommates: Vocabulary Warm-up
 Room Ads: Listening Reading Comprehension Warm-up
 Rooms for Rent Role Cards
 Friends Looking for Rooms Role Cards
 Students with Rooms for Rent Activity Sheet
 Students with Friends Needing Rooms Activity Sheet
2. Purpose and Audience:
The purpose of these materials is to get the students to practice talking about the
qualities of good and bad roommates.
3. Target Language:
Describing people and their habits.
4. Warm up:
a) Group Discussion
 Where do you live?
 Do you live in a dormitory or with your family?
 Who do you live with?
 Are you happy where you live? Why or why not?
b) Pros and Cons Brainstorm
 What do you think about shared accommodation?
 What are the pros and cons of shared accommodation?
2 groups divided into Pros and Cons

about vocabulary and then write down the concerns (from the role cards) into
the table headings (on the activity sheets).
Divide the class chairs into two lines facing each other (or if you like, have an
inner circle and outer circle). One line is for students with rooms to rent (Group
1)and the other line is for students who have friends who need a place to live
(Group 2).
Group 1 students approach group 2 students and ask them if the group 2 students
know anybody who needs a place to live. Group 2 students tell them they have a
friend who is looking for a place. Group 2 will then ask questions to make sure
that their friend will be happy in the shared accommodation. Group 1 students
then ask questions about the friend to make sure that the friend is compatible.
Wrap up
Students discuss which friends were compatible with which houses.
Model role – play:

Dialogue: Finding a Roommate
A: Hi, Steve.
B: Hey, Jack. What’s up?
A: Do you know anyone who’s looking for a place to live? One of our
roommates is moving out.
B: As a matter of fact, I do. My friend Sally needs a place. How much is the
rent?
(Steve asks questions about
the room and roommates)..
B: I’ll let her know and give her your number.
A: Thanks Steve. Oh wait! Is there anything I should know about Sally?
B: Like what?
A: Well, is she a heavy drinker? Our last roommate got drunk all the time and
caused a lot of problems.
(Jack asks questions about the

two and three days).
3. Warm-up:
As one possible warm-up, I bring a letter and a parcel into class and tell the class
that I have to deliver these. I ask where the post office is. After I get directions, I
tell them I'm worried because the letter is a very important letter and I don't want
it get lost in the mail or I tell them it's my friend's birthday next week and I want
the parcel to get there on time. I see what responses this elicits. Hopefully,
somebody will suggest I use a courier or special delivery. Then we talk about
rates and schedules writing down expressions on the board as needed.
Another possible warm-up is to give the parcel and letters to the students and
then start the class with: Welcome to Chris's Post Office. How can I help you?
If the students simply say that they want to mail the parcel, I counter with:
That'll be $1000 dollars please (or you could use an outrageous amount in the
local currency). Hopefully, this will draw a shocked response and they should
start inquiring as to why it's so expensive. I tell them it's because its super
speedy delivery. This should get them to inquire about other more reasonable
options, which is a big part of the role-play.
4. Class Set-up for Role-play:
The students are divided into customers doing errands at the post office and post
office clerks. The customers need a customer activity sheet and and errand list.
Post office clerks need a post office clerk activity sheet and a complete schedule
of postal rates. I usually have a row of desks with all of the post office clerks on
one side and all of the customers sitting on the other.

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Students in class 11A8 are taking part in role – playing games
5. Class Activity:
Customers go from post office to post office mailing one item on their errand list

Delivery
$5.95
$29.50

2-4
days
4-6
days

Courier
$25.50

Overnight

Chile
Surface
Letters
Parcels

Air
7-10
days
$15.00 8-10
days
$0.60
7-9
days
$1.75

$8.50

weeks
$21.50 1-2
weeks
$0.70
1-2
weeks

Special Delivery
$5.50
2-4
days
$41.00 4-6
days

Courier
$18.75 1-2
days

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Students in class 11A8 are taking part in role – playing games

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A: You have to go to the post office to
B: You have to go to the post office to
mail some letters, parcels and postcards. mail some letters, parcels and
Here is a list of errands you have to run: postcards. Here is a list of errands you

present (parcel), which is in two
(6)
A postcard to your old teacher
months He is studying in Poland.
who moved to Poland.
(6)
A postcard to your old teacher
(7)
A letter to your friend who is
who moved to Portugal.
going on a very long trip around the
(7)
A letter to your friend who is
world. He leaves in two weeks. He lives going on a very long trip around the
in Portugal.
world. He leaves in two weeks. He
(8)
A gift (parcel) for your friend
lives in South Africa.
who is in the hospital and is very sick. (8)
A gift (parcel) for your friend
She is in South Africa.
who is in the hospital and is very sick.
She is in Argentina.
C: You have to go to the post office to
mail some letters, parcels and
postcards. Here is a list of errands you
have to run:
(1) A business letter: You need it
delivered to China ASAP.

going on a very long trip around
the world. He leaves in two
weeks. He lives in Argentina.
(8) A gift (parcel) for your friend
who is in the hospital and is very
sick. She is in Chile.

E: You have to go to the post office to
mail some letters, parcels and
postcards. Here is a list of errands you
have to run:
(1) A business letter: You need it
delivered to Costa Rica ASAP.
(2) Your friend’s birthday presents
(parcel) which is in 6 days. She
lives in Poland.
(3) A letter to your Aunt. She lives
in Portugal.
(4) A postcard to your friends who
are in South Africa.
(5) Your cousin’s graduation
present (parcel), which is in
two months He is studying in
Argentina.
(6) A postcard to your old teacher
who moved to Chile.
(7) A letter to your friend who is
going on a very long trip
around the world. He leaves in
two weeks. He lives in China.

(5) Your cousin’s graduation
present (parcel), which is in
two months He is studying in
Chile.
(6) A postcard to your old teacher
who moved to China.
(7) A letter to your friend who is
going on a very long trip
around the world. He leaves in
two weeks. He lives in
Indonesia.
(8) A gift (parcel) for your friend
who is in the hospital and is
very sick. She is in Costa Rica.
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Conversation: I Need to Send This to Mexico.
A= Postal Clerk
B=Customer
A: Hi. How can I help you?
B: I need to send this letter to Mexico.
A: How would you like to send it?
B: I’m not sure it. What options are there?
A: Well, you can send it air, special delivery, or courier.
B: What’s the difference between each option?
A: Let’s see. Special delivery to Mexico is $14.95. And it takes from 2-4 days
for delivery. Airmail is $2.95 and takes anywhere from 1 week to 10 business
days for delivery. And if you need it there quickly, courier is probably your best
option. That’s $35.95 for guaranteed overnight delivery.

In conclusion, using role – playng games is an efficient way to teach speaking
skill in the English classroom. By This way I get the best results in the
classroom. It raises students’ motivation. These activities take advances of their
social knowledge and help student to apply their ability to acquire English as well
as enhance their speaking skill. By experiencing these activities student will feel
that they are not only studying but they also be involved in learning activities.
Students have also chance to practice team - work, acting, speaking skill. They
truly become the center of the class as in the project of the new Curriculum of the
MOET.
Moreover, the result of testing students’ speaking skill has considerably
improved. The effects will be shown in the table below:
Before
After
Using role – playing games
Using role – playing games
Class

Excellent
(%)

Good
(%)

Fair
(%)

Poor
(%)

Excellent


3

14

43,2

39,8

18

42

33,3

6,7

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PART THREE: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
I. Conclusion:
To develop speaking skill for students, it requires preparation from both sides,
teachers and students.
First, teachers have to identify the focus of the lesson to select appropriate
content, then there is a clear plan
Second, students need to be prepared at home well, actively learned.
If they do well with the above requirements, certainly teachers will develop
speaking skill for students.
Role-plays require more imagination by students and teacher and can be difficult

1. Vân, Hoàng Văn, Minh, Đỗ Tuấn, Tuấn, Nguyễn Quốc & Hoa, Hoàng Thị
Xuân, Phương, Nguyễn Thu. Sách Giáo Khoa Tiếng Anh 10. Nhà xuất bản Giáo
dục.
2. Jeremy Harmer. The practice of English Language Teaching
3. Brunei. C. (1984). Communicative methodology in teaching. Cambridge
University press.
4. David Nunan (1991) the author of language teaching methodology book
(David Nunan 1991)
5. Vân, Hoàng Văn, Chi, Nguyễn Thị & Hoa, Hoàng Thị Xuân. (2006). Đổi mới
phương pháp dạy tiếng Anh ở trung học phổ thông Việt Nam. Nhà xuất bản Giáo
dục.
6. Howatt, A and Dakin, J. (1974). Language laboratory material.

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DANH MỤC
SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM ĐÃ ĐƯỢC HỘI ĐỒNG SÁNG KIẾN
KINH NGHIỆM NGÀNH GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO HUYỆN, TỈNH VÀ
CÁC CẤP CAO HƠN XẾP LOẠI TỪ C TRỞ LÊN
Họ và tên tác giả: Lê Thị Ngọc
Chức vụ và đơn vị công tác: Trường THPT Như Thanh

STT

1

Tên đề tài SKKN
Using some authentic techniques to
enhance competence of the 10th