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, 2018

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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
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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
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.

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English. The lastest searches show the pessimistic result: Many pupils who
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.
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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
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

teaching and learning of English in our school because this makes our students
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.

language is rewarding and beneficial. You can also add that learning English
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.
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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
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

6. The butlers need to give messages from the nieces/nephews to the
actor/actress.
7. The aim is for the butler and the nephew/niece to be nice so that the
actor/actress will give them her money.
8. As they are doing this the butler will use reported speech e.g. She said that
you are lazy and never visited her. He said he was busy and didn't have
time. He said that he was helping animals.

You are the niece/nephew of a very rich, famous hearing impaired actress.
You know that she hasn't got long to live. So, for the moment you are trying
to become her favorite relative in order to obtain her millions after she is dead.
You know that she loves animals and children. You also know that her dog is her
closest friend. What do you think will make her give you some money?
You are the butler to a rich, famous hearing impaired actress.
Actually she hasn't got long to live and so you are being very nice to her at
the moment, you think you have a good chance of being left her millions in her
will. You have always helped her and you have looked after her cats and dogs
with care. You think you should at least get the house which you have cleaned
for nearly 40 years! You don't like her niece/nephew who has suddenly made an
appearance.
You always have to act as a go between for the niece/nephew and aunt
because the aunt can never hear her relative.

You are a rich, famous, hearing impaired actress.
You know that you haven't got long for this world but you don't mind
because you have had a good life. You also know that your niece/nephew wants
something but you're not sure what.
You have already written your will but you are prepared to change it.
Your will: $ 2 million to be left to the animal rescue league (you love cats)
Your house will go to your dog. It has been a faithful companion animal and

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.
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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.
Some above role plays are used to teach speaking skill in my school. Of
course, I can only apply role-play in some units, not in all. I realize that in
lessons use role-play, I can make the situations easier and more familiar. The
students are also more active.
4. The effect of the initiative from experience:
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.
Below is some actual results I have reached:
4.1 Vocabulary
From the performance, students consciously applied the vocabulary from the

made poignant comments on each other’s performance and declared that they
benefit a lot from others’ presentation. Students also put forward some creative
suggestions for this kind of practice. Those would be discussed in the following
part.

III. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
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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



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to teach speaking English in my school

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4. The effect of the initiative from experience

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III. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
1. Conclusion

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2. Suggestion

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IV. REFERENCES

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