THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN
THANH HOÁ

THƯỜNG XUÂN 2 HIGH SCHOOL

THE INITIATIVE FROM TEACHING EXPERIENCE

SOME EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ATTRACT
STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN LEARNING ENGLISH
AT THƯỜNG XUÂN 2 HIGH SCHOOL

Teacher’s full name: Vũ Thị Hồng
Position
: Teacher
The initiative of
: Teaching English

THANH HOÁ, 2019

1


I. INTRODUCTION
1. Reason for choosing the topic:
The difference of language prevents us from exchanging economy,
politics and culture among nations in the World. Trade libralization and
globalization of the World’s economy have been the special trend of the current
society. Foreign language is one of the necessary materials which helps each of
us go into the World with confidence.
The typical expression of the general trend of globalization is the
association of economy among nations in the region and in all the World. This

comprehend: Speaking some foreign language well is an efficient instrument to
approach the modern science and technology, to enrich for themselves and for
their country. It’s considered as an important way for success. I think that the
2


young people do enthusiasticaly things that they love. So, if we make them love
English, they will try their best to achieve it in many their ways. Teaching and
learning must be easier from that.
From the above given reasons, I decide to choose the theme “ some
effective ways to attract students’ interest in learning English at Thuong
Xuan 2 high school” for my research.
2. Aim of the research:
The aims of the research are to find the way to promote students’ interest
in learning English.
3. The subject of study:
In this study, I concentrate on researching on my students’ attitude and
interest in learning English. Then, I conclude the reason why my students are not
interested in learning English much. At last, I try to find the best way to
motivate my students to learn English. The subject of this study is the students in
class 11B1 at Thuong Xuan 2 High school. The number of students consists of
35.
4. Research methodology:
- Observing.
- Sharing.
- Listening.
- Analysis.

3


finished their compulsory education at lower schools are only able to speak and
listen to the simple sentences about name or year-old, they can’t speak in
English in daily communication. From this, many students are sent to the
famous foreign language centers to approach the more modern conditions of
teaching and learning English.
2. The reality of learning English before applying this initiative:
English teaching is not a piece of easy work. Especially, many students
are losing their interest and showing negative attitude towards english learning.
Teachers are always complaining that it’s hard to improve students’ scores and
the students are too lazy to learn the words, recite the dialogues and finish
4


exercises. To some degree, the effective way to make the English teaching and
learning go smoothly is to improve students’ interest in learning English,
Einstein once said: “interest is the best teacher”. Interest is a kind of direct
motivation to push students’ study. That means interest plays an important part
in learning English. as to the teacher, it is worth-while to improve students’
interest. It can make students concentrate on what they are learning and think
actively. Learning English is quite different from other subjects’ learning. It is a
foreign language and there is not a good invironment for them to learn.
Relatively speaking, learning English is rather dull. Especially, learning so many
new words by heart is a hard nut to crack. As a result, a lot of students are afraid
of it. So, it’s teachers’ duty to motivate them to learn actively. Teachers should
spare no efforts to arouse their students’ interest.
I have been teaching English at Thuong Xuan 2 high school for many
years. This school is in a mountainous area so I know clearly what my students’
purpose is. So far, I have been able to confirm one thing: Most of my students
learn English for the GCSE, only a few study for the University entrance
examination.

become afraid of speaking English.
We focused on teaching grammar much, and our students also focused on
grammar lessons in order to pass tests and examinations. This traditional way of
teaching I think we put our students in the "passive voice" when learning
English, and they cannot have good communication skills, even though students
can be good at grammar. I think that our students had to try to approach English
in the hard way and they seemed to be tired of this subject. I felt their tiredness
though their actions of learning this subject.
Since many recent years, I have been trying to perfect the questions: What
should teachers do to make students love learning English more ? and How do
the teachers do to make English more attractive and easier? At last, I can find
the answers for my questions ( I will show that in the next part ).
The other problem is that they learn English just to pass regular tests or
examinations, while they cannot use English in reality. Especially, many
students got high scores from exams and tests, but they can only write
grammatical sentences, while they are very bad at listening and communicating.
Many students tell me that they like learning English, and some of them always
have good learning results at school. However, when they meet foreigners or go
to an English club, they find out that they are afraid of speaking English in
crowded places because they was afraid of making mistakes.
Beside that, there is no place of tourism or some factory which foreigners
work or live in here so my students have no chance for communication. That's
why their listening and speaking skills are poor and my students become
frustrated by this.
I think that bad English skills have become a hot topic on education
forums. Educators have pointed out that it is the nature of Vietnamese people
that they can easily get embarrassed when making mistakes, therefore, they
would rather not to speak English to make mistakes. My students do, too.
3. The initiative is being applied to teach English in my school.
A great number of students in my school shared me that they learnt

correlates with better their academic results. This applies to career and selfdevelopment as well.
3.3. Make them use English (create a learning English environment).
Theoretical knowledge is the basic precondition for language learning but
it is even more important for your students to practice what they learn.
Therefore, as a teacher, you should create possibilities for them to use English
more. You may create a friendly learning English environment in each lesson.
Sometimes, you can organize debates or close meetings, where many students
will communicate in English as well as they will understand what they do or
don’t know.
Of course, mistakes come as a natural part of this process so you have to
provide support and encourage your students not to give up on expressing their
opinions in foreign language because the more they speak, the more they are
going to learn.
3.4. Make class fun.
Making class fun is a surefire way to up intrinsic motivation
levels. When students are having a good time, they’ll be more
7


engaged in learning. Their motivation will come from them
rather than from you. You just have to find the best ways to help
your students have a good time while they learn.
One thing I have remembered since I was a student is my teachers’
humour. They knew how to make the lesson easier and more interesting. I am
sure we used to be under study pressure, but our teachers helped us get over that
pressure by their funny teaching. Why don’t you make your class funny from
now? For example, if you are having a lecture of sports, you should change your
class into My Dinh stadium and your students will be athletes. I am sure that the
lecture will be more attractive; your students will comprehend and memorize the
lesson easier. They will be attracted from the begining to the end by you.

I divide the class into 4 groups with the names: Role A - Penguin leader,
Role B – Dessert dweller, Role C – Worried Martian, Role D – U.S. President.
Team up with classmates who have been assigned the same role to develop your
roles and discuss ideas and “strategies” before the role play begins. Introduce
yourself to the other role players. Discuss your roles after the role play ends.
Role A – Penguin leader
You live in Antarctica. You need global warming to stop. Temperatures must
actually get cooler. Your species is at great risk of extinction. Your habitat, the
ice, is melting and your sources of food are disappearing. The world must act to
save you. The day the last penguin dies is the start of the end of the Earth.
Role B – Dessert dweller
You like the recent effects of global warming. It has brought a lot of unexpected
rain to your land. For the first time you can grow things. You have bumper
harvests. You have lots of water to drink. You think global warming is simply a
matter or winners and losers. You think global warming or cooling has always
happened.
Role C – Worried Martian
Billions of years ago, Mars, your planet, looked like Earth. Life was everywhere.
However, greedy Martians controlled the energy sources and the Mars climate
changed, killing all life – except you. The greedy Martians paid leaders to
pretend nothing was happening and that alternative energies would arise. It was
all too late. Advise the Earthlings and the penguins of the dangers of climate
change.
Role D – U.S. President
You are terrified of taking measures to control global warming because you
might lose your power. You believe scientists can build a huge machine to refreeze the ice caps. You think keeping American jobs is more important than
penguin food. You know better than the world’s climate experts. You don’t
believe in aliens.
Students work in groups in 10 minutes. Then, the representative of each
group will show at the board. Teacher and other students give comments.

Students (will guess): Pharaoh - vua
Teacher: Corrects
Teacher shows the second picture and explains “ This is the place where buries
dead people”

Students (will guess):“lang / mo”
Teacher shows the next picture and says: “They are treasures”.
Teacher asks students “ what does treasures mean?”

Students answer “ vang bac/ chau bau”
Teacher shows other picture gives a suggestion: “This is a special room, it is
used for containing the dead body with his treasures or belongs. It’s called
Burial Chamber ”

11


Students: buồng/ phòng mai táng
Teacher shows the other picture and says: “ They are the Blocks of stone.What
does Blocks of stone mean?”

Students (will guess): tảng đá, khối đá”
Teacher gives the last picture and says: “This is the boat which is believed to
have been used carry the body of Khufu (Pharaoh) in his last journey on Earth.
It’s called Sun boat ”

* Teacher shows all words or phrases on the power point and helps sts
pronounce
1. Pharaoh/'feərəu/(n)
6. Block of Stone/'blɔk əv 'stəun/(np)

Group 4: the 4th paragraph ( Today, ... pyramid)
Sts discuss in groups in 5 mins - T goes round the class to control and
help Sts.
T uses the following matching table to checks Sts’ reading comprehension
before asking them to leave for other groups.
COLUMN A

COLUMN B

Paragraph 1

a. The theories of building the Pyramid

Paragraph 2

b. Brief introduction of the Pyramid

Paragraph 3

c. The location of the Pyramid

Paragraph 4

d. The structure of the Pyramid

* Then, teacher asks sts to leave for the other groups to make the new
groups. Now, the members in each group can help one another to comprehend
the whole Reading.
13


* Students work in groups in 5 minutes and need a student to be the
secretary to write down the scores on board. Teacher goes around to control the
class and help.
* The representative of each group tell their keys at seat. T corrects the
keys if necessary and shows them on the power point.
Keys:
1. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River and was built around the year
2560 B.C.
2. It was about 147 meters high on a base of 230 meters square
3. The purpose of this huge stone Pyramid was to serve as a tomb when the
Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu died and to protect the burial chamber from the
14


weather and from the thieves who might try to steal the treasures and belongs
there.
4. It is thought that the ancient Egyptians used straight or spiral ramps or huge
weight arms to lift and place the blocks of stone.
5. The boat is believed to have been used to carry the body of Khufu in his last
journey on earth before being buried inside the pyramid.
Task 3: Scan the text and and say what the following words refer to
* In this task, I asks one student to share the way to do this task, then I
asks sts to work individually in 2 minutes.
* Sts answers his/ her question at seat.
* T corrects the keys if necessary and shows them on the power point.
Keys:
1. who (line 4) refers to the thieves.
2. It (line 8) refers to the Great Pyramid.
3. It (line) refers to the Great Pyramid.
4. Each (line 12) refers to the block of stone.


Giỏi (HS)

Khá (HS)

TB (HS)

Yếu (HS)

11B1

36

01 (2,8%)

12 (33,3%)

23 (63,9%)

0

11B7

36

0

7 (19,44 %)

29 (80,56%)

After applying/
Rate (%)
31
5
20
16

86,11 %
13,89 %
55,56 %
44,44 %

During the whole procedure, I observe that my students study harder, they
are also more active in practicing. Until now, they have known the way to
comprehend the lesson, they do tasks more effectively, they love learning
English more. Many pairs of students practice speaking English at class or
outside class. From that, the quality of lessons is getting better.
Beside the above results, there are some actual results I have reached
throughout the school year:
16


4.1 Vocabulary
From the performance, students consciously applied the vocabulary from
the presentation of new lessons .The effect of memorization and application of
new words is proved better than single practice of recitation.
Almost students applied the new vocabulary freely during the procedure.
As for the daily topics, they are real and relevant to the students’ life and all
provide enough flexibility for students to imagine. Occasionally, they would rely
on the mother language to express some difficult meaning.

1. Conclusion:
It is not too difficult for our students to learn English because with enough
dedication and passion from their teachers, every difficult problems of learning
English become easier. A nice combination of teachingg techniques and practical
lessons will be able to motivate and inspire our students to learn faster and more
effectively. I think if you keep my five ways in your mind when giving a
language lecture you will find the results much better and the job more
satisfying.
2. Suggestion:
2.1 Prepare for success
At the first period, the teacher should be brief and to the point so that the
students would have more time to perform. Also, try to keep the topic real and
relevant and the roles you ask students to play as real to life as possible. Try to
think through the language the students will need and make sure this language
has been presented. Students may need the extra support of having the language
on the board. When the role-play began the students felt 'armed' with the
appropriate language. At higher levels the students will not need so much
support with the language but they will need time to 'get into' the role.
Furthermore, the teacher should create a comfortable atmosphere so that the
students wouldn’t feel nervous and pressed
2.2 The role of the teacher
Some of the possible teacher roles are: Facilitator - students may need
new language to be 'fed' in by the teacher. If rehearsal time is appropriate the
feeding in of new language should take place at this stage. Spectator - The
teacher watches the role-play and offers comments and advice at the end.
18


Participant - It is sometimes appropriate to get involved and take part in the roleplay yourself.
To sum up, using the attractive ways into the classroom adds variety, a

3. Gardner, RC (1985). Tâm lý xã hội và học ngôn ngữ thứ hai: Vai trò của thái
độ và động lực. London: Nhà xuất bản Edward Arnold.
Forcheri, 2000
4. Forcheri, P., & Molfine, MT (2000). ICT là một công cụ để học tập. Trong
DM Watson, & TA Downes (Eds.), Truyền thông và Mạng trong Giáo dục (trang
175-184). Boston: Kluwer Academic.
Krashen, 1987
5. Krashen, SD (1987). Nguyên tắc và thực hành trong việc mua lại ngôn ngữ
thứ hai . New York: Prentice-Hall.
Littlewood, 1995
6. Littlewood, W. (1995). Học ngoại ngữ và ngôn ngữ thứ hai. Cambridge: Nhà
xuất bản Đại học Cambridge.
Ngeow, 1998
7. Ngeow, KYH (1998). Động lực và chuyển giao trong việc học ngôn
ngữ. (Dịch vụ sao chép tài liệu ERIC số ED 427 318).
Parsons và cộng sự, 2001
8. Parsons, R., Hinson, S., và Brown, D. (2001).Tâm lý giáo dục: Học viên - mô
hình nghiên cứu giảng dạy . Đại học Virginia: Wadsworth Thomson Learning.

20


TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Reason for choosing the topic.

2

2. Aim of the research.



18

2. Suggestion

18

IV. REFERENCES

20
21


22