VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Lê Minh Hằng

USING PROJECT – BASED LEARNING TO
IMPROVE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILLS
AT HANOI UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL
RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

MA THESIS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

HANOI, 2019


VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Lê Minh Hằng

USING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING TO
IMPROVE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILLS
AT HANOI UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL
RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

Field: English Language
Code: 8220201
Supervisor: Đặng Nguyên Giang, Ph.D.

HANOI, 2019


dissertation, but it helped me effectively develop my research skills as well. In
addition, I am very much grateful to the teachers of Department of Foreign
Languages and the other staff at Graduate Academy of Social Sciences for
granting me the honor of writing this thesis as well as their assistance and
most valuable comments.
Especially, I would like to give sincere thanks to my colleagues at the
Department of English at Hanoi University of Natural Resources and
Environment for their encouragement and attendances during my study. My
appreciation also goes to all twenty eight students at class English3- 27 who
participated in this study for their patient cooperation. Both teachers and
students who have been involved at different stages in this action research
helped provide valuable data so that I have a better views of teaching
speaking at university.
Finally, this study is dedicated to my family for their sympathy and
financial support during my study for M.A degree at Graduate Academy of
Social Sciences. With their love and contribution, I am strongly motivated to
complete this thesis.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION BY AUTHOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES & CHARTS
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1.

Concepts of Speaking

2.1.1. Definitions of Speaking
2.1.2. The Nature of Speaking
2.1.3. The Components of Speaking
2.2.

Speaking Teaching

2.2.1. Direct and Indirect Method of Teaching Speaking
2.2.2. Principles for Techniques in Teaching Speaking
2.2.3. Speaking Activities in the Classroom
2.3.

Project-based Learning
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2.3.1 Definitions of project-based Learning
2.3.2. Types of Projects
2.3.3. Evaluation in Project-based Learning
2.4.

Project-based Learning in English Language Teaching

2.4.1. Phases for Implementing a Project-based Learning Projects
Teaching Speaking
2.4.2. Teachers’ Roles in Project-based Learning
2.4.3. Advantages and Possible Restriction of Project-based Learning
in Teaching English as Foreign Language


Data Analysis

3.7.

Summary

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1.

Data Analysis from Questionnaires

4.2.

Data Analysis from Test

4.3.

Data Analysis from Interviews

4.4.

Data Analysis from Classroom Observation

4.5.

Summary

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION
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ABSTRACT
This research tries to attempt to know the effectiveness of Projectbased learning on speaking ability as well as students’perceptions toward the
implementation.The researcher executed action research design at class
English 2-27 with the participation of twenty eight first-year students and cooperation of two teachers as observers at Hanoi University of Natural
Resources and Environment for more than two months. This research applied
an embedded mixed-method design in which the quantitative data were
collected using speaking test, and the qualitative data were collected using
interview, observation checklist and survey questionnaires.The results of the
analysis showed a significant effect of PBL on students’ speaking
competence; additionally, theywere found to have a higher level of
motivation, interest, confidence, creativity and collaborative learning skills in
speaking lessons. Based on the findings, this study recommends the
implementation of PBL in Teaching English as Foreign Language.

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Subdivision of Projects according to Outcomes
Table 2: The Criteria of Speaking Performance
Table 3: Observation Checklist
Table 4: Students’ Evaluation of their Achievement on English
knowledge
Table 5: Students’ Evaluation of their Achievement on Speaking
skills
Table 6: Students’ Evaluation of their Achievement on Learning
skills
Table 7: Comparison of Mean Scores between Pre-test and Post-test
Table 8: Students’ scores of both tests
Table 9: Summary of projects carried out by students

1.1.

Rationale
In the context of intercultural communication, English is described as

one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, which results in the
continuous shift of demands on learning and acquiring this language in
English non-spoken countries and contributes to the movement of teaching
English as a foreign language. Since Vietnam started to open its door to the
world in 1986, English has increasingly taken an important role and become
an unchangeable mean of keeping up with the pace of the rapidly changing
world. The importance of English was immediately acknowledged by the
Vietnamese government, and as a result, the English language programs
became compulsory with the secondary schools and subsequently the high
schools and finally universities.
The teaching of English in Vietnamese schools has been strongly
focusing on grammar, sentence structures and vocabulary so as to meet
fundamental requirements of evaluation and assessment criterion. In such a
teaching content, conversational English has not come into educators’ focus,
which leads to learners’ limited abilities of communicating with foreigners or
expressing their ideas in a second language. As a result, after at least seven
years learning English in schools, there have been a number of students in
universities facing big challenges from mastering speaking skill. They are
normally found to have several problems in oral activities, such as reluctance,
fluency, shyness or fear of committing mistakes.
The reality shows that most of the students at Hanoi University of
Natural Resources and Environment (HUNRE) find it challenging in
communicating well orally. From what students have displayed in their oral
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meaningful activities which require authentic use of English as a Foreign
Language (EFL) language kill.
Throughout this classroom action research, the researcher tries to
experiment and adapt PBL techniques on teaching English speaking skills for
the non-major first-year students so that a solution may be then tohelp them
be more motivated and interested in speaking. Accordingly, the researcher
decides to examine how well project-based learning impact the students’
speaking skills.
1.2.

Aim(s) of the Study
The aim of the study is to improve the first-year students’ English

speaking skill at HUNRE.
In order to achieve the aim, the study is expected to reach the following
objectives:
- Investigating the first-year students’ attitudes towards the projectbased learning techniques used in their speaking periods.
-

Evaluating the effectiveness of the project-based learning

techniquesapplied to English speaking skill teaching and learning.
1.3.

Research Questions
The objectives of the study can be elaborated into the research

questions as follows:
How do the project-based learning promote the first year

well. In addition, the research findings will partly enrich the previous theories
and research on EFL teaching and learning, especially in teaching English
speaking skill.
Practically, it is highly hopeful that the results of the study can provide
the teachers of English at HUNRE with a good alternative way for teaching
speaking skill, which can attract student’s attention and get them more
interested in the lessons. In the terms of students, they are the main subject to
take potential benefits of learning from PBL which helps them enhance not
only their working skills (individually, pair work or team work), but also
skills of planning, critical thing and creativity ability. Specifically, their needs
of learning English is hoped to be fulfilled. They can build their projects to
suit their own interests and abilities. Furthermore, learners can increase in

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problem-solving skills, meaning that they are able to identify the topics and
their problems, then seek possible solutions.
1.6.

Research Methods
In order to achieve the aim, action research procedures are used in the

present study. In schools, action research (AR) refers to a process of
evaluation, investigation, and analysis designed to diagnose problems or
weaknesses – whether organizational, academic, or instructional – and help
educators develop practical solutions to address them quickly and
efficiently.The data were collected via survey questionnaires, classroom
observations, interviews, and oral tests.
1.7.

of conversation and the collective experience of the participants (Burns &
Joyce, 1997). It is supported by Byrne (1984), in this oral activity, both the
speakers and the listeners have positive function in deciding success and
failure of this communication process. The speakers are responsible for
creating a clear message that will be understood and responded by the
listeners. A speaker must be able to anticipate and then produce the expected
patterns of specific discourse situation. For example, when a salesman asks
“How can I help you?”, the expected discourse sequence includes a statement
of need, an offer of appreciation and a leave-taking exchange. In order to give
the correct response, a learner must understand the setting in which the speech
act occurs, choose the correct vocabulary to describe the item sought, rephrase
or emphasize words to clarify the description if the clerk does not understand.
Therefore, as Brown (1994) states that in order to communicate
successfully, a speaker needs to develop both linguistic competence and
sociolinguistic competence at the same time. It means that speaking requires
learners not only know how to produce specific points of language such as

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grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary, but also that they understand when,
why and in what ways to produce language.
Based on the definitions above, it can be conducted that learning to
speak involves “developing a number of complex skill and different types of
knowledge about when and how to communicate” (Brown, 1994). As a result,
in speaking lessons, teachers should monitor learners’ speech production to
determine what skills and knowledge they already have and what areas need
development.
2.1.2. The nature of speaking
Brown (2004) states that speaking is a productive skill that can be


and

test

comprehension but at the somewhat limited level of very short
conversations, standard greetings and small talk, simple requests and
comments.

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d.

Interactive: The difference between responsive and interactive

speaking is in the length and complexity of the interaction, which
sometimes includes multiple exchanges or multiple participants.
Interaction can take the two forms of transactional language, which has
the purpose of exchanging specific information or interpersonal
exchanges which have the purpose of maintaining social relationship.
e.
oral

Extensive: extensive oral production tasks include speeches,

representation and storytelling, during which the opportunity for oral
interaction from listeners is either highly limited or ruled out together.
2.1.3. The components of speaking skill
According to Vanderkevent (1990), there are three components in

which fluency is measured by considering the total number of seconds of
silence and time spent saying “uhm”, “ah” by subjects as they complete a
task.
c. Grammar
“Grammar is the system of rules governing the conventional arrangement
and relationship of words in a sentence” (Harris, 1974), so it is needed for
students to build up a correct sentence in conversation. If there are too full
of grammar mistakes during a dialogue, the communication will be
certainly slowed down.
d. Vocabulary
Vocabulary is a set of lexemes, consisting single words, compound words
and idioms that are typically used when talking something. To be able to
speak fluently and accurately, learners should master enough vocabulary
and has capability to use it accurately.
e. Comprehension

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This component of speaking is an ability to perceive and process stretches
of discourse. In other meaning, it refers to the speakers’ understanding
about what they are saying to the listeners so as to avoid
misunderstanding information; in addition, its function is to make the
listeners easily to catch the information from the speakers.
2.2. Speaking Teaching
2.2.1. Direct and Indirect methods of teaching speaking
The mastery of speaking skills in English is a priority for many second
or foreign language learners. They consequently often evaluate their success
in learning on the basis of how well they have improved in their spoken
language proficiency. In speaking, speakers tend to be getting something

carrying out the students in certain situation when the topic is being talked
about so that students can develop their ideas and have an oral command of
the language need to describe the topic.
2.2.2. Principles for Techniques in Teaching Speaking
Brown (2001) assumes that there are some principles for techniques in
teaching speaking:
 First of all, teachers can employ techniques that cover the spectrum of
students’ needs, from language-based focus on accuracy to messagebased focus on interaction, meaning and fluency.
 Secondly, the techniques should provide intrinsically motivating
techniques, in which students must understand how the techniques and
activities will have advantages to them.
 Thirdly, the techniques might improve the use of authentic language
in meaningful context. They may need efforts to devise authentic
contexts and meaningful interaction; or teachers can find from resource
materials.
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 Fourthly, conducting feedback and correction is the next principle for
the technique in teaching speaking. It is important to teachers to adopt
the kinds of corrective feedback which are appropriate for the moment
(Brown, 2001)
 Fifthly, the techniques must combine the speaking and listening skill.
These two skills can reinforce each other, skills in producing language
are often taught through comprehension.
 Finally, the techniques have to encourage the development of
speaking strategies. Students can be aware of and have an opportunity
to practice some strategies like asking for clarification, asking someone
to repeat
something, using nonverbal expression.

teacher. The students should be only informed of what to talk about and
given enough time to structure what they wish to say. However,
Thornbury (2005) says that many teachers agree that the best
discussions are those that arise spontaneously either because one
learner reports something personal or because the topic of the course
book arises discussion.
 Presentations and Talks: The best way to make students gain their
self-confidence is through making them present oral works in front of
their classmates. Thornbury (2005) asserts that the students act of
standing up in front of their colleagues and speaking is an excellent
preparation for authentic speaking. A prepared talk is when students
make the presentation on a given topic of their choice, and this talk is
not planned for informal spontaneous conversations; it is more writinglike.
2.3. Project-Based Learning
2.3.1. Definitions of Project-based learning
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The foundations of project-based learning approach are rooted in
Dewey, dating back to the early 20th century. He strove to advocate for
project-based learning as one of the most inspiring and sustainable
educational approach, which is believed that the classroom should be a
reflection of society and students should be active learners, rather than
passively receive information from teachers ( via Eyring, 2001). According to
Brydon& Miller (2006), teaching based on project based approach is “a
largely uni-directional system in which the teacher deposits learning into the
empty vessels who are students, later withdrawing this learning in the form of
testing. Standardized tests are thus ultimate form of narrow-minded
accountancy in the banking approach to education”.
Thomas (2000) stated that Project – based learning is a kind of a