VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYỄN THỊ THU HIỀN

USING TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING TO
INCREASE STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING
LESSONS: AN ACTION RESEARCH AT ĐỨC THIỆN
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
(SỬ DỤNG PHƢƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC GIAO NHIỆM VỤ ĐỂ TĂNG
CƢỜNG SỰ THAM GIA CỦA HỌC SINH TRONG CÁC GIỜ HỌC NÓI:
NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG TẠI TRƢỜNG TRUNG CẤP ĐỨC THIỆN)

M.A. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English language teaching methodology
Code: 60 14 10

HANOI – 2013


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYỄN THỊ THU HIỀN

USING TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING TO
INCREASE STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING
LESSONS: AN ACTION RESEARCH AT ĐỨC THIỆN

PART B: DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................... 4
Chapter 1: Literature review ..................................................................... 4
1.1. Speaking skill ....................................................................................... 4
1.1.1. What is speaking? .......................................................................... 4
1.1.2. The importance of speaking skill in learning language .................. 4
1.2. Student participation .............................................................................. 5
1.2.1. What is student participation? ........................................................ 5
1.2.2. Factors affecting student participation in speaking class ................ 6
1.2.2.1. Students‟ learning styles......................................................... 6
1.2.2.2. Students‟ motivation .............................................................. 6
1.2.2.3. Teachers‟ teaching techniques ................................................ 6
1.2.2.4. Teachers‟ personal qualities and characteristics...................... 6
1.3. Task-based language teaching (TBLT) .................................................. 7
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1.3.1. What is of TBLT? .......................................................................... 7
1.3.2. What is task within TBLT? ............................................................ 8
1.3.3. Task classifications ........................................................................ 9
1.3.4. A framework for TBLT Implementation ........................................ 10
1. 4. Previous studies relating to applying TBLT in teaching speaking skill .. 11
1.5. Summary ............................................................................................... 12
Chapter 2: Methodology ............................................................................ 13
2.1. An overview of action research .............................................................. 13
2.2. Rationale for the use of an action research ............................................. 14
2.3. Description of the context of the research .............................................. 15
2.3.1. The current method of English language teaching at DTVS ........... 15
2.3.2. The teaching program and materials............................................... 16
2.4. Description of the research .................................................................... 17
2.4.1. Subjects of the research.................................................................. 17

PART C: CONCLUSION .......................................................................... 40
1. Conclusions .............................................................................................. 40
2. Limitations of the study ........................................................................... 41
3. Suggestions for further research ............................................................... 41
PART D: REFERENCES ..................................................................................42
APPENDICES ............................................................................................ I
Appendix 1 ................................................................................................... I
Appendix 2 ................................................................................................... IV
Appendix 3 ................................................................................................... VI
Appendix 4 ................................................................................................... VIII
Appendix 5 ................................................................................................... IX
Appendix 6 ................................................................................................... XII
Appendix 7 ................................................................................................... XV

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
DTVS: Đức Thiện Vocational school
TBLT: Task-based Language Teaching
TBL: Task-based Learning
TBL: Task-based Lesson
NTBL: Non-task-based Lesson

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LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS
TABLES


many efforts as possible to teach speaking skill carefully. Even though the students
are really encouraged by the teachers, their participation in speaking lessons is very
poor. This problem leads to the fact that the teachers often omit or teach speaking
lessons perfunctorily to spend time teaching other parts in units so that their
students can pass the final exam well.
Although the students are not required to take any English speaking tests,
communicative skill is very important for their future jobs. How to help students
become more active and participate in speaking lessons better, it is really a big
question for me and my colleagues.
In some recent years, many modern approaches have been applied. Task-based
language teaching has been preferably applied in teaching languages with the hope
to achieve the expected communicative results. Thanks to lectures on English
language teaching methodology delivered in my master course, I understand about
and really felt interested in TBLT. Richards and Rodgers (2001:228) asserted that
“Tasks are believed to foster process of negotiation, modification, rephrasing, and

1


experiment that are heart of second language learning”. Besides, Nunan (2005)
argues that “task-based teaching does provide a flexible, functionally compatible
and contextually sensitive approach for many teachers, as well as learners”.
Therefore, the research “Using task-based language teaching to increase
students’ participation in speaking lessons: An action research at Đức Thiện
Vocational School” was conducted in the hope of solving the problem in my
school‟s teaching context.
2. Aim and objectives of the study
The study is designed with an aim to increase students‟ participation in speaking
lessons at DTVS by using task-based language teaching. Specifically, it has three
objectives:

The study is an attempt to the concern of teachers and administrator who take
responsibility of the course quality and students‟ learning. From the findings of the
study, teachers and administrator can decide whether or not task-based language
teaching should be used for teaching English at DTVS in future. This new method
may become the positive solution to the students‟ poor participation in learning not
only speaking skill but also other skills.
7. Design of the study
The study consists of three main parts as follows.


The first part, Introduction, deals with rationale, purposes, research

questions, scope, methods, significance and design of the study.


The second part, Development, contains three chapters, in which chapter

1 reviews the literature focusing on the theoretical basis related to task-based
language teaching and speaking skill, chapter 2 presents a detailed description of the
research methodology, and chapter 3 discusses the findings of the study.


The final part, Conclusion, recapitulates all the main points discussed

throughout the thesis, provides pedagogical implications and suggests further
research orientations.

3





In recent years, communicative approach has become the main one in teaching
and learning foreign languages. The ability to communicate in a second language
“contributes to the success of the learner in school and later in every phase
of life” (Kayi, 2006). It is undeniable that the speaking ability is a good source of
motivation for many language learners. They view learning the language as learning
how to speak the language. Teachers should pay great attention to teaching
speaking. However, teaching speaking is not easy. Thus, a lot of studies relating
speaking have been carried out to help learners speak with confidence.
To sum up, speaking is the most effective way for people to communicate with
each other. That is the reason why speaking skill is an important part of the second
language learning and teaching. This is the working definition which the researcher
will take into consideration during the whole research process.
1.2. Student participation
1.2.1. What is student participation?
Student participation can be identified in terms of three kinds of interaction:
students to their teacher, students to students, and students to material.
The interaction between students and their teacher includes care, contact, cooperation between them in the class. Participation not only means attending the
class regularly and on time but also taking part in the lesson actively or showing
desire or be active. Students become self- centered in the class activities.
The interaction between students and students is set up through their discussion
in small groups. They work together, help each other, and learn from each other. A
good interaction involves their co-operation and contribution to the task given.
Students feel pleasant and comfortable when they work together, then they will do
their best to complete the task.
Student participation also includes the interaction between students and
material. Good and interesting materials can get students involved in the lesson.
Students will find it difficult to participate in the class activities if they don‟t
understand the tasks or feel bored with them. (Ellis, 1994:178)

1.2.4. Teachers’ personal qualities and characteristics
In order to involve students in the lesson, teachers should be ones that students
trust and respect. In other words, when students feel “safe” in the class, they will be

6


willing to participate in class activities. Barry (1993) points out some characteristics
a teacher should have. They are being natural, being warm, being pleasant, and
being tolerant.
In addition, so as to interest students a teacher should have some following
personal qualities such as being sincere, friendly, supportive, well- organized,
enthusiastic, and flexible and so on.
It is pointed out that no teacher has all characteristics and personal qualities
listed above. However, these characteristics and qualities can help much in
increasing students‟ motivation, creating positive learning environment, and
enhancing students‟ participation in the class activities as well.
1.3. Task-based language teaching (TBLT)
1.3.1. What is of TBLT?
TBL has increasingly achieved popularity in recent years and has been
recommended as a way forward in ELT. TBLT is not a monolithic teaching method,
but an adaptable approach to language teaching. As Ellis notes, „there is no single
way of doing TBLT‟ (2009: 224)
Long (1985) and Prahu (1987) take the view that TBLT is an approach to
language education in which students are given functional tasks that encourage
them to focus primarily on meaning exchange and to use language for real world,
non-linguistics purposes.
According to Nunan (1991), as cited in Lê Văn Canh (2004), a task-based
language teaching approach is characterized by:
a) An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target

their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form.” According to
him, in carrying out a task, learners principally focus on exchanging and
understanding meanings, rather than on practicing a specific form or pattern.
Despite the agreement with Nunan on perspective that a task is “a workplan that
requires spontanous communication of meaning”, Breen (1989) has different opinion
on task‟s scope. He specifically states that a “task” can be “a brief practice exercise”.
Reviewing a lot of definitions by some linguists and language researchers, Ellis
(2003:9) gives 6 criteria features of a task as follows:

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1. A task is a workplan.
2. A task involves a primary focus on meaning.
3. A task involves real-world processes of language use.
4. A task can involve any of the four language skills.
5. A task engages cognitive processes.
6. A task has a clearly defined communicative outcome.
In short, the researcher himself agrees that tasks can be defined in different
ways but essentially they are meaning-focused activities closely related to learners‟
actual communicative needs and with some real-world relationship, in which
learners have to achieve a genuine outcome and in which effective completion of
the task is accorded priority.
1.3.3. Task classifications
Some classifications of tasks are general, and others are specific, which can
change with the insights of different linguists and researchers.
Richards (2001:162) distinguishes tasks into two types: pedagogical tasks and
real world tasks. “Pedagogical task are based on second language acquisition theory
and are designed to trigger second language learning process and strategies”. The
task itself is not something one would normally encounter in the real word.

1.3.4. A framework for TBLT Implementation
Willis (1996:52) proposed a three-stage model for implementing task in
language classroom as follows:
1. Pre-task: introduces the class to the topic and the task activating topicrelated words and phrases.
2.

Task Cycle: offers learners the chance to use whatever language they

already know in order to carry out the task and then to improve their language
under the teacher‟s guidance while planning their reports on the task. Task Cycle
offers learners a holistic experience of language in use. There are three components
of a task cycle:
a. Task: Learners use whatever language they can master, working
simultaneously, in pairs or small groups to achieve goals of the task.

10


b. Planning: Comes after the task and before the report, forming the central
part of the cycle. The teacher's role here is that of a language adviser. Learners plan
their reports effectively and maximize their learning opportunities.
c. Report: In this stage learners tell the class about their findings. So the
report stage gives students a natural stimulus to upgrade and improve their
language. It presents a very real linguistic challenge to communicate clearly and
accurately in language appropriate to the circums tances.
3. Language Focus: allows a closer study of some of the specific features
naturally occurring in the language used during the task cycle. Learners examine the
language forms in the text and look in detail at the use and the meaning of lexical
items they have noticed.
1. 4. Previous studies relating to applying TBLT in teaching speaking skill

In her survey research, Ngan (2009) claims that after task-based project her first
year non-major students of English at National Economics University “regarded
TBLT as a motivating experience”. Moreover, “The learning outcomes were
enhanced and the learning process became more enjoyable and rewarding”.
Two studies above have similar features as the researcher‟s one, such as nonmajor English students coming from many places in Vietnam and they are being
trained for their future professions. There have not been any studies primarily
investigating the effect of TBLT on student participation in learning speaking skill
so far. However, with the achievements of the previous researches, the researcher
hope that TBLT can help improve the current state of students‟ poor participation in
learning speaking skill at her teaching context.
1.5. Summary
The chapter has presented some theoretical issues of speaking skill and its
importance in studying a foreign language. Students‟ participation and the factors
affecting it is also shown. The focus of the literature review is on Task-based
Language teaching and learning with several important points such as: the definition
of TBLT and task within TBLT, classification of tasks, the distinction of tasks,
activities and exercises; and the framework for implementing TBLT.

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CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY
This chapter provides background information about action research, the current
situation of teaching and learning English at DTVS and a description of the
methodology employed to collect data for the study.
2.1. An overview of action research
The term “action research” refers to two dimensions of activity: the word
“research” in “action research” refers to a systematic approach to carrying out
investigations and collecting information that is designed to illuminate an issue or
problem and to improve classroom practice, meanwhile the word “action” refers

observing the class and making notes are feasible for the researcher to implement
her action research.
A necessary component of action research is collaboration among different
people. They are teachers, their colleagues and students, who should be willing to
talk with each other about the problems and find out the solutions together, as well
as help each other in implementing classroom–centered action research projects. It
also needs the collaborative efforts of students who participate in the action research
project. Students‟ collaboration plays an important role in the success of the action
research project.
2.2. Rationale for the use of an action research
Cohen and Manion (2007) state that the aim of action research is to improve the
current state of affairs within educational context in which the research is carried out.
Koshy (2005) also maintains that action research is a powerful and useful
model for practitioner research because research can be set within a specific
context or situation and researchers can be participants – they do not have to
be distant and detached from the situation.
Teachers in general and teachers of English in particular actually carry out
action research for most of their time. Whenever s/he identifies a problem which is
happening in the class, it is his/her task to find ways to solve that problem.
Therefore, action research is inevitably a very common practice.
This research was carried out by me, a practitioner, a teacher of English.
The inspiration for the research was the recognition and observation of a real

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problem in the classes that my colleagues and I taught in the first semester of this
school year. Most of the students appeared to neglect or poorly participate in
speaking lessons. Many of them learned to speak English passively and
unenthusiastically. They may only speak when being asked by their teacher. This

then ask students to make sentences with them. Teachers show speaking
exercises/activities available in the course book onto a screen and have the students
do them. After some time, they call some students to answer questions or perform
their conversation. The students‟ mistakes were corrected while they are speaking.
Moreover, students are asked to note everything shown on the screen down to their
notebooks. This method does not help students learn speaking skill effectively.
Students rarely have opportunities to practice speaking. They have to listen to
teachers so much. Most of them admit that speaking lessons are so boring that they
often have private talks or do other work. Therefore, students‟ communicative
ability is not good enough to meet the demand of their job in the future.
Finding that problem, the educational administrators in DTVS in general and
English Group in particular are concerned to changing the teaching method from
PPP approach into a communicative teaching method.
2.3.2. The teaching program and materials
The textbook used for teaching and learning Basic English is Lifelines
Elementary by Tom Hutchinson (1997). This book includes 14 units in which
consist of 6 main parts: Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading and Writing, Listening and
Speaking and Pronunciation. First seven units are taught for 60 periods in the first
semester and the rest is taught in the second semester with 4 periods per week
during 15 weeks. Part “Listening and Speaking” may be taught for 2 or 3 periods
(depending on the length and the difficulty level)
The book is actually designed for students and teachers around the world. So
teachers are strongly advised to use it as a guideline in their teaching. Although
teachers in my English Division are often encouraged to adapt activities in the book
to make them more suitable for the needs as well as the interest of students, they do
not make any adaptation at all. Furthermore, students are not required to take any
speaking tests or exams so they don‟t learn speaking skill enthusiastically.

16


17


* Observation
There are two sets of observation form used in the study.
The first one (see Appendix 2) is adapted from Hopkins (1985; 95) and The
Postgraduate Research Handbook by Gina Wisker (2001). This observation sheet
focuses on measuring the frequency and the nature of each student‟s participation in
both ordinary instructional and task-based speaking lessons. The observation has
been done by 4 teachers of English (in every lesson, each of whom will
observe

two or three tables which are next to them).

The observers

were

explained clearly about the focal topic, the purposes of the study as well as
the observation forms. Moreover, they were always given the plan and the detailed
tasks before every lesson so that they could prepare well for the observation.
The second set of observation (see Appendix 3) is adapted from Willis (1996)
about the learners‟ roles in the framework of TBLT. It consists of a series of detail
requirement for students while taking part in task-based lessons. This observation is
used by the teacher, also researcher only, to observe the whole class‟s participation
during task-based lessons.
Observations were conducted through the whole research program. The data
from the observation sheets will be analyzed and compared to show the difference
between pre and post task-based application. This helped the researcher yield the
conclusion about to what extent the students improve their participation.