A INTRODUCTION Reason to choose the topic: Nowadays, English has been popular not only in the world but also in Viet Nam and it becomes an important subject in all schools in Viet Nam today Therefore, the teaching and learning of English has major changes in the content and teaching methods to meet the objectives and requirements for this subject in the reform programs This will help students improve their creativity and dynamism and develop the skills in using the language to communicate in English, especially in developing skills for reading and writing With these perspective requests, the teacher can use the tips and classroom activities which are suitable for requirements of the program and all students Study purpose As an English teacher working in a primary school for ages, I have ever faced with a variety of difficulties, especially in introducing new model sentences for children in grade In fact, this is the first year children are acquainted with this new models Therefore, to remember and write the correct words is very difficult, but to understand the form is more difficult However, teaching model sentences is very really important because we can not communicate with each other without using words and sentences, so it is all right if it will be possible to answer these questions: How to help children remember and make use of the new models effectively? How to help them love and have passion for this subject and use the language for communicative purposes? That is why I wish other colleagues to think about In the process of teaching English, I have been consulted by other colleagues, lectures as well as from reference books and useful websites to apply in this topic “Some experiences in teaching new model sentences in English for class effectively” Research object: Pupils for class Study measure I have used ways such as: story telling, creating close situations in everyday life with children, using games, songs and so on to both give children interesting motives to learn English and make them more enjoyable and easy to remember new models without having boring feelings B CONTENT I The basis of reasoning: With the development of using English in the society these days, it is increasingly becoming a communicative language in everyday life Moreover, it is an important key for the Vietnamese people in exchanging and developing economics with foreign countries For these reasons, learning English at an elementary level is very essential for children to have a solid foundation in the next grades This requires each teacher to find out the best way to teach children the knowledge, skills of a new language, but to teach the elements of a new culture of both the similarities and differences from the background culture of our country For grade pupils who are too young to absorb the complicated definitions or structures In this age, they just know simple and familiar things, so it is very important for teachers to know their children’s characteristics They are children that pick up languages in chunks They focus on meaning rather than form and they learn through directly from experiences From these, we should give them more suitable techniques to teach them best The teacher ought to help them to acquire the meanings and the way to use new models to communicate without going into the grammar In addition, children are very active, creative and they often like acting Hence, we must use TPR, songs, chants, story-telling, meaningful situations, pictures or games into teaching new models It will make class fun Pupils feel exciting and involved in lessons That’s why I choose the topic “Some experiences in teaching new model sentences in English for class effectively” II Basis, time and research subjects: Background To conduct this study based on the theme: - casting the experience through actual teaching time - referring a number of documents in English - using textbooks and teachers of English - giving results of the survey from the English quality of school - exchanging and learning from the colleagues in professional groups of English inside and outside the district - participating in training courses, workshops for primary school English teachers organized by the office Study time: From January 2015 to March 2016 III Implementation measures: Currently, I am teaching at a local school where people make living by raising cattle and planting rice People’s life is so hard so many parents not really care about the education of their children The preparation of books and school appliances for their students is not still enough, even none Besides, English at an elementary level is not attached special importance, even less important for some parents For a few parents, it is not as important as other subjects like Math, literature and so on Moreover, very few parents know English, so it is very difficult for them to check their study As for me, it is not very easy to share ideas or ways to solve these problems in teaching with beginners because I am the only teacher of English in my school I only refer to other comments with colleagues in other schools Another reason is that there is a lack of the equipment to use in teaching English in my school This affects children’s English learning and the quality of the lectures I can really see this matter and try to make the quality go up at the same time, help children like this subject Therefore, I decided to carry out an oral test to check the speaking ability of pupils for class Class Total 3A 3B 17 22 Bad result average good 12 excellent IV The implementation process Beginning from the actual situation as described in section reason initiatives proposed in my own experience teaching process, I tried to figure out ways to help students be able to remember and understand the new models I am pleased to present the measures which I have applied in my school in recent years, especially teaching new model sentences with steps as follows: Revision: It is an important part for teachers to consolidate the learned knowledge and to provide a familiar base that integrate a new language Children remind of the knowledge they learned before However, we often remind it in Warm-up section These techniques consist of: - revise learned language by using pictures or ask questions - ask and answer - learn chants or songs Present model sentences For this stage, I will give some ways below: - use pictures, photos of characters who relate to models - use puppets or characters’ cards to tell stories - use TPR or gesture - make a real and meaningful situation - elicit the situation Control practice: It is the step for children to use the language correctly and they try to understand the meaning of the situation and they get a chance of hearing the new language, then repeat it, so I often use the following techniques: - work in pairs or groups - play games such as: survey, physical line-up, Chinese Whisper, passing ball, Simon says Find someone who and so on - use pictures or flash cards - use chants Production/use: Through this step, children can use the language in a communicative situation where the focus is on exchanging meanings, it is also encourages them to draw on the language they already know and monitor their attempts and give feedback at a later stage In this stage, children can use the new language in a new or varied contexts This purpose of this step is communication: - techniques - use pair-work or group-work - play games such as Noughts and Crosses, Passing Ball, Chain game ect Noticing language: To draw children’s attention to the form of the language, pupils pay attention to the form of the new model sentences These techniques are: - underline the words and explain the replacement then ask them to practice - use gap-filling - chants - song These contents of some tips to teach new sentence patterns that I applied to some units in English Some illustrations Unit 1: Hello Lesson 1: 1,2,3 This is the first unit in textbook I present pupils the way to greet others in English I elicit the situation and use TPR to give the new models - First of all, the teacher raises the card of characters, Linda to the class and introduces it to them - Teacher: now class, today I have n new friend and what will you say to her? - Pupils: “Xin chào” - Teacher raises the character’s card, waves the hand and replies: Chào bạn, Mình Linda - Some pupils say “hello” and introduce their names in Vietnamese - Teacher: OK Now we have just introduced ourselves, so to know how to say greeting and introducing ourselves in English we change to section II Model sentence - Teacher waves the hand and says: hello - Teacher asks them to listen and repeat in chorus then individuals/ - Teacher writes it on the board - Teacher puts one hand on the characters’ card and says: my name’s Linda - Teacher asks them to listen and repeat in chorus then individuals (repeat and put the hand on the chest) - Teacher writes it on the board - Students copy - Teacher asks Ss to work in pairs to practice the model again - Students calls some pairs to practice.\ - Teacher underlines the name Linda and explains that: you can replace with a different names - Teacher gives each pupil a piece of paper, there is a name on them and asks them to work in groups of four to greet and introduces the names (say and action) They use the name that teacher gave them - Teacher calls two groups to practice in front of the class Unit 2: What’s your name? Lesson1:1-2-3 For this unit 2, I use story telling to present models - Teacher: today I have a story for you, now listen to me please Today Linda will move to a new class, so she is a bit nervous because she doesn’t know anyone in this class When she comes into the class, all of the students are very surprised They want to know who the girl is and one of them ask Teacher stops and asks them: who knows what she asked - Ss: “Bạn tên gì?” - Teacher: right! and they say in English: “What’s your name?” - Teacher says it again and asks them to repeat Ss repeat in chorus then individuals - Teacher continues the story and she replied Teacher stops again and asks them to guess what she said Ss: “Mình tên Linda” Teacher: “excellent” That’s her answer now listen: My name’s Linda - Teacher asks them to listen and repeat (in chorus then individuals) - Teacher writes the sentence down - Ss copy T: asks students to work in pairs to practice the model sentence again Ss: work in pair T: call some pairs to practice T: underlines the name Linda and explains that: you can replace with a different names Teacher gives them some pieces of paper which contain a question “what’s your name?” or some names like Nam, Peter, Tony, Hoa and ask them to practice in two groups For example: when the teacher raises the question to group 1, they will say: “What’s your name? ” and teacher raises the name Nam to the group 2, they will say: My name’s Nam then teacher reverses… Unit 4: How old are you? Lesson 1: 1-2-3 For this lesson, I present the way to ask and answer about someone using Who’s that? It’s ….I use a real situation to present this model T revises the word “mean” that they learnt T gives them a photo of Lan who they don’t know They would be curious and ask the teacher: Đó vậy? T answers: Đó Lan T leads them to this model To know how to say these sentences in English we change to section II Model sentence T reads the question as a model and asks them to repeat Ss repeat in chorus then individuals Ss copy down T asks them to practice in pairs to practice this model sentence A: Who’s that? B: It’s Lan T calls some pairs to repeat Then T uses a game called Guessing game Teacher calls a pupil to go to the board and blindfold him and calls some other pupils to stand in font of him He has to touch them and guess who they are When he touches each pupil, the class will ask: Who’s that? and he has to guess and answer: It’s … Unit 8: This is my pen Lesson 1: 1-2-3 In this lesson, I create a real situation in the class to present identifying school things, using: This/That is ………… First, I ask some pupils to lend me some pens, then I raise them in front of the pupils and ask: Whose these pens are they? The pupils sitting near me will say: “Đây bút em” T gives them back their pens and leads them to the model T: OK We have learnt some school things in vocabulary so to know how to say about identifying them in English, we change to II Model sentence T holds a pen on the hand and point to the pen and asks them :Who knows what I will say: Pupils answer: Đây bút em T: good! and in English we say: this is my pen T asks Ss to raise their pen and repeat after the teacher Ss raise their pens and repeat in chorus then individuals T writes the sentence on the board Next, teacher puts a pen on the table and stands far from them, point and repeat Ss point to their own pens and say in chorus then individuals Teacher writes it on the board Teacher asks them to work in pairs to practice the model again Ss work in pairs to practice T calls some to practice Then teacher asks them to identify school things what we say Ss repeat the model sentence Teacher underlines the word pen and explain that we can replace it with other things Then teacher asks them to use learned school things in English and practice the model again in groups of four Ss work in group point and say their own school things Teacher calls some of them to repeat Unit 10: What you at break time? Lesson 1: 1-2-3 In this lesson, the teacher present the ways to ask and answer questions about break- time activities, so I use eliciting situation to give model sentence After presenting new words about break-time activities, the teacher asks them to play a game: Slap the board to check vocabulary which relate to the model T: I’ve presented you some interesting activities and tell me: When you often play them? Ss: we play them at recess T: I see all of you play games and sports at recess but I don’t know what each of you play so I ask: What you at break time? t asks them to guess the meaning of the question Ss: answer: “Em làm vào chơi?” T: Good! Now listen again: What you at break time? T asks them to listen and repeat (in chorus and individual) T asks them on the board T: so how can you answer this question? Teacher calls some of them to answer Pupils: Em chơi bong đá/ Em chơi cờ vua/ Em chơi nhảy dây… Teacher: very interesting! and in English we say: I play football,… Teacher asks them to listen and repeat(in chorus and individual) T asks them on the board Teacher asks them to know other activities (check the meaning) Pupils answer the question: What you at break time? and how to answer Pupils: I play football Teacher asks them to work in pairs to practice asking and answering about the activities at break time Teacher calls some to repeat Teacher underlines the words – football and explain that we can replace it with other games or sports: I play football Teacher give them some pictures of activities and asks them to work in pairs to practice Pupils work in groups of four to practice using the model sentence and pictures Unit 11: This is my family Lesson 1: 1-2-3 In this lesson, I present asking and answering questions about family members, and use: Who’s that?- He’s/She’s…… I use photos to present this model First, teacher reminds the language that children learned: Who’s that? It’s … Teacher: point to a pupil and calls another pupil answer Teacher: Who’s that? Pupil: It’s Lan Teacher: Good! We learned to ask and answer the question about identifying the others using this for people, but it is clearer to identify the sex what we answer Teacher gives a photo of Nam and has a pupil ask and the other answers Pupil A: Who’s that? Pupil B: It’s Nam Teacher: Nam is male so we can also answer: He’s Nam Teacher asks them to listen and repeat (in chorus and individual) Teacher writes it on the board A: Who’s that? B: He’s Nam Teacher makes them ask and answer the model in pairs Teacher calls some pairs to practice Teacher underlines the words – she and Nam then explain that we can replace the word “he” with “she” when we talk about the female and Nam with other names A: Who’s that? B: He’s Nam Teacher gives them another photo and asks: Who’s that? Pupil: It’s Mai Teacher: Right! She’s Mai Teacher gets them to listen and repeat (in chorus and individual) Teacher writes it on the board Teacher has them work in pairs to practice the model Teacher makes them play a game: Guessing game to guess the character Teacher gives some photos of Nga, Nam, Ba,… and hide them then asks them to play in three groups and take a guess the names of them Cues: teacher calls pupil of each group to go to the board and gives a photo of Linda, the class ask him or her: Who’s that? one of three pupils who raises the hand the fastest will answer and who has one point with a right answer , then teacher calls other representatives of three groups and gives different photos And the team will be the winner with the highest point Nga Nam Ba Unit 19: They’re in the park Lesson 2: 1-2-3 I use the character cards of Linda and Mai and story telling to present the way to ask and answer about the weather Teacher asks them to play the game: Kim’s game to check vocabulary Teacher: Today Linda is in Ho Chi Minh City and Mai is in Ha Noi Mai is going to visit Ho Chi Minh City so she calls Linda to ask about the weather there Who knows what she says Pupils answer then the teacher raises the character card of Linda then says it in English: What’s the weather like? Teacher asks them to listen and repeat (in chorus and individual) Teacher writes on the board then continues the story, the weather there is sunny, so Linda answers: … the teacher has them guess Pupil: Trời nắng Teacher: It’s sunny (say and some actions, put two hands around the head) Teacher underlines the word “sunny” and tells the way to replace Teacher makes them repeat the way to ask about the weather and answer Teacher asks them to sing a song: What’s the weather like? (based on the rhythm of ABC song) What’s the weather like today? It’s cloudy and snowy What’s the weather like today? It’s sunny and rainy What’s the weather like today? 10 It’s stormy and windy Teacher asks them to sing along and action: group will sing the question Group will sing the answer then reverse These are some ways I apply in some typical lessons in English After using the ways above, I find it very effective for primary pupils Below is a sample lesson plan which I have applied in innovative ways to teacher English when carrying out this topic Unit 6: Stand up Period 36: Lesson *(1-2-3) Page 42 I Objectives: By the end of the lesson, Ss will be able to: - Ask for and give permission, using May I ? answer Yes, you can/No, you can’t II Teaching method: Communicative method III Teaching aids: student’s book, tape, cassette, pictures IV language focus: Vocabulary: come in, go out, speak Structure: May I come in? Yes, you can No, you can’t V Time: 40 minutes VI Procedure: Teacher and student’s activities I Warm-up (3-4’) Simon says - Teacher asks students to play the game in groups T: Who wants to play the game? Ss: answer - Teacher divides the class three teams and guides them to play - Teacher says classroom instructions that students learned in lesson Ss play in groups T introduces the new lesson today T: we have just revised classroom instructions and today I will teach you how to ask for permission II Presentation (10’) Language focus - Ss will be revised the old vocabulary and they will be able to figure out what the lesson is about - Ss will be able to pronounce 11 Vocabulary: Teacher: give pictures, TPR to introduce new words + come in: (picture) + go out : (TPR) + speak (TPR) * Checking vocabulary: Game – Mime and Guess - Teacher divides the class into two teams and guides them to play - Some of each team go to the board and mime the action and the other has to guess it * Model sentence: -Teacher gives a real situation to present new structure -Teacher shows a picture and ask: Teacher: look at the picture and tell me who they are and what the girl is doing Ss: They are students and a teacher The student is asking her teacher to come in Teacher: What will she say in Vietnamese? Ss: she will say “Thưa cô, cho em xin vào lớp” Teacher: In English we say: May I come in? Teacher asks Ss to listen once then listen and repeat - Ss repeat in chorus -Teacher calls some of them to read aloud -Teacher writes the sentence on the board - Ss copy - Teacher: so students! look at the picture again and tell me what the teacher will say in Vietnamese Ss: Mời em vào lớp Teacher: right! in English we say: Yes, you can Teacher reads the sentence again and asks them ton listen and repeat correctly and remember the meaning of the vocabulary - check Ss’ understanding Ss can acquire and use asking for and replying classroom permission - Ss can know and when and how to use this model 12 - Ss repeat in chorus Teacher: calls some of them to read aloud Teacher: when the teacher agree she says: “Yes, you can” but when she doesn’t agree what she will say: Ss: Không Teacher: Good! and we say: No, you can’t in English - Teacher reads the reply again and asks them to listen and repeat Ss repeat in chorus -Teacher calls some of them to read aloud Teacher writes the sentence on the board - Ss copy -Teacher asks them to read aloud asking for and replying and asks group to read asking group 2to read permission and group to read disagreement and take turn - Ss read in groups Teacher underlines the action (come in) and explain: you can replace with different actions May I come in ? Teacher: For example: I will say: May I go out? when I want to go out Teacher –Ss: when I want to come in, I can say: Do I come in? Ss: No, you have to say: May I come in? - Teacher: Right! -Teacher asks them to work in pairs to ask for and give permission, using this model and the phrasal verb (stand up, speak) or other ones - Ss work in pairs - Teacher calls some pairs to practice - To help them acquire the form of this model This is the way to help Ss remember the meaning of this model -Ss practice the model using the given words Ss will be able to listen , practice the dialog to know pronunciation and intonation III Practice (20’) Look, listen and repeat 13 - Teacher sets the scene the dialogue Teacher: Look at two pictures and answer: Who are they/ Where are they? and What are they doing? Ss: they are Mr Loc and his students They are in the classroom A girl is asking Mr Loc to come in in picture a) and another girl is asking him to go out in picture b) Teacher: Good! we are going to listen to a conversation between Mr Loc and the class And now listen to the CD to know what they say - Teacher plays the CD once - Ss listen - Teacher plays it again and asks them to repeat -Ss repeat -Teacher asks Ss to work in pairs to practice the dialogue -Teacher calls some of pairs to practice the dialogue again Point, say and the action (picture drill) Teacher asks students to look at the picture (A2) Teacher asks students to discuss the situation in each picture Teacher: give a model sentence A: May I speak? B: No, you can’t Ss work in pairs to ask and answer using the model Teacher asks some pairs to perform in front of the class Let’s talk Teacher asks them to play a game: Role play Teacher: now I want you to play in group of four one of you is the teacher and the others are students to give asking and replying the classroom permission then take turn -Ss play in groups to role play -Teacher calls two or three groups to Ss will be able to ask and answer about where their friends’ age using the picture Ss will be able to ask and reply the classroom permission Ss will be able to sing a song , review the new words and new structure 14 give their performance in front of the class Production (5’) Teacher says: to change the atmosphere of the lesson, I will teach you a song named “May I …… , please?” Teacher asks Ss to tell the way to give asking and replying the classroom permission Ss answer Teacher plays the dong once to get children to become familiar with the song Teacher presents the song line by line May I ……… ? May I come in? May I go out? - know what they have to at home Yes, you can Yes you can And may I speak now? And may I speak now? No, you can’t No you can’t Teacher sings each line and have children repeat after the teacher Teacher has children look at the song Teacher plays the song again from the beginning and the action Teacher plays the song several times and ask Ss to sing along Teacher organizes the song contest in groups IV Homework -Teacher asks Ss to learn by heart new words and the new structure C CONCLUSION Above are some of the ways and tricks that I have accumulated and explored in a time of teaching, research and accumulated experience, but it is not the optimal solution but also gives a positive result in teaching at my school It not only helps improve the quality of teaching, but also helps my students love and have a lot of passion with English Moreover, in the process of implementing this topic, I myself have learned a number of good experiences in teaching my pupils 15 - Always have the spirit of self-learning, self-study to innovate to improve the quality of teaching hours - Prior to class fully prepared plans of each article, equipment, furniture, pictures … for each unit and in accordance with the pupils - Diversify appropriate procedure for each article, each subject students to inspire students such as singing, story telling, reading the contract, TPR or games - Always praise and reward students who are gifted , motivated, interested students weak medium and help them improve The result of achievement After applying the tips such as story telling, songs, chants, games or application of specific situation to the new teaching model sentence, I see my students have interpersonal obvious changes Most of them don’t feel shy when they speak English any more and don’t find leaning model sentence difficult, either Gradually, they become interested in speaking and learning English Moreover, they also improve speaking skills and no longer withdraw as before However, the results are not really high, but the progress of the children makes me more enjoyable in teaching After a while applying the above tips to teach the new model sentences, I bravely held a survey again to check the quality of the listening and speaking in English The results obtained are as follows: Class Total 3A 3B 17 22 Bad 0 result average good 11 excellent 13 With the results obtained from the second survey to students in grade in this school year I really feel very good because the percentage of weak students was no longer available, the number of average students reduced and the rate of excellent students increased This shows that they have no difficulty in using the English language any more but are actively involved in English lessons, especially when participating in games or singing songs in English they find interesting The petition Through the process of teaching and research, I am facing some difficulties and boldly raised the following recommendations We have to propagate pupil’s parents to concern about English studying of their children 16 - Equipped with separate classroom for English the necessary teaching equipment such as DVD, TV, posters, cards ect to improve the quality of teaching hours Tho Xuan; May 25th, 2016 Author 17 ... name? Lesson1:1-2-3 For this unit 2, I use story telling to present models - Teacher: today I have a story for you, now listen to me please Today Linda will move to a new class, so she is a bit... songs Present model sentences For this stage, I will give some ways below: - use pictures, photos of characters who relate to models - use puppets or characters’ cards to tell stories - use TPR... them more suitable techniques to teach them best The teacher ought to help them to acquire the meanings and the way to use new models to communicate without going into the grammar In addition,