IMPROVING TEACHING PROFICIENCY
FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
OF ENGLISH
Nguyen Quoc Tuan (MEd/MA)
Phone: 0912 144 655
Email: tuanpri@gmail.com
TOPIC 1: THE BACKGROUND
1. Characteristics of young learners
Imaginative (somtime more than adults)
Active (physically)
Curious
Playful
Talkative
Sensitive
Sense of humour/fun
Easy to remember/easy to forget
Difficult in concentrate/focus for long time
Good at immitating (action/pronunciation)
Lack of self-motivation
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2. Learning styles
Visual
Learner learns best through seeing.
Auditory
Learner learns best through hearing
Kinaesthetic
Learner learns best through using the body
Group
Learner learns best through working with others
Individual
Learner learns best through working alone
Reflective
Learner learns best when given time to consider
choices
Impulsive
Learner learns best when able to respond
immediately
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3. Advice
Pick up the language naturally (by chance)
Be interested in meaning, not grammar/words
Chunks/phrases (How are you? Fine, thank you. And you?, shut
up, point to the door)
Learn effectively through chants, songs, activities, games, stories
Auditory-visual
Having fun
Making mistakes
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Change activities/pace/focus reguilarly
Stir and settle alternatively
Copying and drawing/colouring
Organisation and routine/rules
Develop study skills
Movement – physical tasks (TPR)
Be kind but firm
Be encouraging/challenging
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TOPIC 2: THE OBJECTIVES
Spoken
(Dicisive)
Written
(Supportive)
Language
(Conditional)
LISTENING
LISTENING - SPEAKING
(Interactive)
READING
SPEAKING
WRITING
PHONETICS, VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR
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TOPIC 3: THE CONTENTS
1. The units
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Language competence 1
Phonics + listening
Language competence 2
1. Look, listen & repeat
1. Listen and repeat
1. Listen and repeat
2. Look and say
2. Listen and …
2. Look and say
3. Talk
3. Read and …
3. Write
4. Chant/Song/Game
4. Chant/Song/Game
4. Chant/Song/Game
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The teaching plan
UNIT:
Lesson 1:
Period 1
Period 2
Lesson 2:
Period 3
Period 4
Lesson 3:
Period 5
Period 6
1. Look, listen and repeat
2. Look and say
3. Talk
4. Chant or Song or Game
1. Listen and repeat
2. Listen and …(complete/ tick/ match, answer, ..)
3. Read and …. (complete/ tick/ match, answer, ..)
4. Game or Song or Chant
1. Listen and repeat
2. Look and say
3. Write
4. Game or Song or Chant
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2. The teacher’s guide
PART I: SKILLS and LANGUAGE TEACHING
Teaching listening/ Teaching speaking/ Teaching
reading/ Teaching writing/ Teaching pronunciation/
Teaching voicabulary/ Teaching grammar/ Optional
activities (TPR, chants, rhymes, songs, pair/groupwork)
PART II: TEACHING INDIVIDUAL UNITS
General view
Procedure
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3. The workbook
A. PHONICS
B. VOCABULARY
C. SENTENEC
PATTERN
D. READING
E. WRITING
1. Sounds in words
2. Words with sounds in sentences
1. Words
2. 2. Words in sentences
1. Functions
2. 2. Functions in contexts
1. Dialogue
2. 2. Passage
Writing
about
topics
with
guidence/
suggestions
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TOPIC 4: THE METHODOLOGY
Approach: Learning-centered approach
Methods: methods + procedure + techniques/activities
Methods of teaching-learning (language skills & language elements)
Procedures
Techniques/activities
Modes: Interactions
Between teachers/students, among students (pairs/groups),
Interaction with textbooks/materials
Learning through playing, singing, chanting
Learning strategies
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5 METHODS OF TEACHING-LEARNING LANGUAGUE SKILLS
1.Method of teaching-learning
2.Method of teaching-learning
3.Method of teaching-learning
4.Method of teaching-learning
5.Method of teaching-learning
spoken interaction
spoken production
listening
reading
writing
Or 3 groups:
1.Method of teaching-learning spoken interaction
2.Method of teaching-learning listening / reading
3.Method of teaching-learning spoken production / writing
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I. Spoken interaction
1. Characteristics
Spoken interaction means conversations or dialogues: direct
exchanges of information between speakers & listeners
The quality of spoken interactions depends on:
• How to start, sustain and end the conversations / dialogues
• The number of exchanges
• The quality of questions and answers
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2. Procedure:
Initiation → Core activity → Follow-up (I.C.F)
Procedures
Initiation:
Core Activity:
Follow-up:
Tasks
 Introducing the topic (who, what, where, when, ..)
 Explaining the competence (sentence patternces/
language function)
 Listen to the dialogue
 Listen and repeat the dialogue
 Practicing the dialogue (sentence patterns, new
words)
 Applyiing the sentences patterns/new words in
different contexts/ situations
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3. Examples: Lesson 1, Unit 11, English 4/Part 2
Initiation: Whole class
•Pupils look at the picture (P6). Help them to identify that Peter and his father
are at home, talking about the time.
•Explain the phrase go for a walk.
•Pupils listen through the recording once of twice
Core activities: Whole class
•Pupils repeat the recording, line by line
•Pupils listen to the recording and repeat the dialogue.
•Divide class into pairs/groups. Pupils repeat Peter’s and the dad’s parts.
Follow-up: Pair/goupswork
•Repeat the step, but swap the roles.
•Check to make sure pupils can repeat and understand the dialogue.
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4. Tips for teaching
Introduce some humour into dialogues
Keep dialogues simple. Shorten long sentences.
Create clear context and the purpose for dialogues should be easy to work out
Turn the dialogue into role-plays
Demonstrate the activity the first time you use it
Have the students do the role-play in pairs /small groups first
Role-play in front of the class
Create a non-threatening climate
Substitute key words
Get the students to make the dialogue longer by adding two or more lines.
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II. Listening/reading
1. Characteristics
Short attention span
They need time
Individual words are not clear
Can’t remember and recall everything`
Unfamiliar vocabulary
No visual context
No lips/ face to help understanding
Children are active
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2. Procedure:
Pre-task  Task cycle  Language analysis (P.T.L)
Procedure
Pre-task:
Task cycle:
Language
focus:
Way/Mode
Tasks
Whole class  Introducing the topic (who, what,
where, when, ..)
 Setting the task (what to do)
Individually  Doing the task (first round)
Pair/ group  Planning report (second round)
work
Whole class  Reporting the task
 Analyzing the language (if necessary)
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3. Example: Unit 11, Lesson 2, Part 3, Page 18
Pre-task: Whole class
• Elicit pupils to identify the relationship of the people in the picture.
• Pupils read the text about a family and complete the missing words.
Task cycle:
Individually: Pupils read the text silently and do the task.
Pair/ Groupwork: Have pupils trade their answers in pairs/groups.
Language focus: Whole class
• Call on some pupils to report the answers. The rest of the class observe and
give comments.
• Ask pupils some questions to check their comprehension.
• Explain the language if necessary.
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4. Tips for teaching
Always set a task – listening with a purpose
Always tap into students’ background knowledge
Provide contextual ‘support’
Practice detailed listening and general listening
Let students compare answers in pairs before group feedback to
increase confidence
Ensure learners give diagnostic feedback
Praise the students for their efforts
Balance the level of support and challenge
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III. Spoken production/writing
1. Characteristics:
Active use of vocabulary and structures
Active in using discourses
Can use body language
Be shy in expressing ideas
Be afraid of making mistakes
Difficult in concentrate/focus
Lack of self-motivation
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2. Procedure:
Pre-stage  Through/While-stage  Post- stage (P.T.P)
Procedure
Pre-stage:
Way/Mode
Whole class

Through/Whilestage:
Individually
Pair/Groupwork




Post-stage:
Whole class
Tasks
Introducing the topic (who, what,
where, when, ..)
Introducing the new language
Setting the task (what to do)
Doing the task
Exchanging the task →
 Reporting the task
 Applying the language
situations (If necessary)
in
new
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3. Example of writing as a procedure
Unit 11, Lesson 3, Part 3, Page 19, T’G
Pre-stage: Whole class
Get pupils identify the characters in the picture and their relationship.
Tell pupils to get the information to complete the missing word(s).
Explain the words: Mr and Mrs If necessary.
Through/While stage:
Individually: Pupils read and complete the sentences.
Pairwork / Groupwork: Pupils trade their answers within pairs/groups.
Post-stage:
Whole class: Ask some pupils to read their corrected work to the class.
Other pupils give comments. Ask a few questions to check pupils’
comprehension.
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4. Tips for spoken production
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Speak as much English as possible
Don’t interfere into speaking / not correct mistakes
Need instructions and models to follow
Respond to music / rhythm
Done in pairs / groups (everyone is included)
Need to have an end-product
Need to build-up to longer chunks
More able to adapt language when older
Check understanding often
Visual stimulus
Silly and fun
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5. Tips for writing
Know the aim – why they are writing
Know the audience – who they are writing to
Know the genre – what type of text they are writing
Have enough time for
- thinking about the topic
- thinking of the guidence/cues/suggestions
- brainstorming ideas
- drafting as many times as they can
Have constant feedback from teachers / partners during the writing
process
Provide more support for writing tasks
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3 METHODS OF TEACHING-LEARNING LANGUAGE ELEMENTS
Phonics + Vocabulary + Grammar/Structures
Presentation Practice Production/Performance (P.P.P)
Procedure
Presentation:
Practice:
Production:
Way/Mode
Whole class

Individually
Pairwork/groupwork
Whole class




Tasks
Introducing the topic (what,
where, ..)
Introducing new language
Controlled practice
Freer practice
Applying new language
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TOPIC 5: THE TECHNIQUES
1. TPR (Total Physical Response)
Steps
What the teachers do
1.
Say the text or play the CD
Demonstrate the actions
associated with the text
What the learners do
Watch and listen only
2.
Repeat Step 1 above
Copy your actions. Do not peak/repeat
the text
3.
Say the text. Do not
demonstrate the actions
Do the actions in response to the spoken
text.
May speak/repeat the text
Correct or accurate language is not
priority
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Example:
Type
Speaking
Câu mệnh lệnh Stand up.
dùng trong giờ Sit down.
học
Open/Close the books.
Put up your hands.
Action
Đứng dậy.
Ngồi xuống.
Mở/đóng sách.
Giơ tay.
Cơ thể
Head and shoulder
Knee and toes.
Put your hand on your head.
Touch your nose.
Hold up seven fingers.
Đặt tay lên đầu.
Chạm tay vào mũi.
Xòe 7 ngón tay.
Động từ
thường dùng
Eat an orange.
Drink the milk.
Swim in the swimming pool.
Làm động tác ăn.
Làm động tác uống.
Làm động tác bơi.
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Example:
Chỉ khả năng
If you can swim, clap one.
Ij you can play football, stand up.
If you can sing, sit down.
Vỗ tay một cái.
Đứng dậy.
Ngồi xuống.
Giới từ
Put you pen on the table.
Put your pen under the chair.
Thích/không
thích
If you like banana, put up your hand.
If you don’t like ice-cream, make a face.
Để bút lên bàn.
Đặt bút chì dưới
ghế.
Giơ tay lên.
Nhăn mặt.
Kiến thức
thường thức
If London is the capital of England, nod your Gật đầu.
Lắc đầu.
head.
If a dog has five legs, shake your head.
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2. Songs
English song
This is the way we go to school
Go to school, go to school.
This is the way we go to school
Go to school every morning.
This is the way we __________
__________, ___________.
This is the way we ________
______________________.
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Vietnamese songs
One and one is two
Two and two is four
Four and one is five
Five and five is ten.
There comes, there comes a frog
With round and round small eyes.
Has dome homework already
He jogs around the pond.
Singing lovely songs
Dancing with his friends
Come around about all little animals.
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3. Chants
Monkey
Funny
Swings
Slowly
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Adverb
Big lion
Hungry lion
Run.
Adjective - noun
Adjective – noun
Verb
Elephant
Heavy and noisy
Walks slowly.
Noun
Adjective and adjective
Verb and adverb
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AT THE SEASIDE
I can see the sea
and the sky
I can hear the wind
and the waves
I can smell the sea
I can taste the salt
I can touch the sand.
I can see the blue sea
and the grey sky
I can hear the strong wind
and the high waves
I can smell the sweet sea
I can taste the bitter salt
I can touch the soft
and yellow sand.
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A PEACH
A peach
From a tree
In Autumn
On the ground
Round and green
Soft and shiny
The winter is coming
I feel cold and sad.
What is it?
Where is it?
When do you find it?
What size/shape/colour is it?
How does it feel when you touch it?
What do you think of it?
What does it make you feel?
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4. games
1
2
M
Y
S
C
H
O
O
L
4
3
ACROSS
1. My school is __________.
2. I read books in the school __________ in the afternoon.
DOWN
3. Thang Long is a ________ primary school in Hanoi.
4. She is in the ________ now.
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5. Quiz
You can see me.
You can hear me.
You can touch me.
What am I?
I am big and strong.
I have a long trunk.
I have two tusks.
What am I?
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TOPIC 6: THE LESSON PLANS
Overview
1. Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Do (what skill), about (what topic), in order to do (what task)
2. Incomes (language focus):
Functions
Phonics
Vocabulary
Sentence patterns
3. Resources:
Books/materials
Audio-visual aids
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Lesson plan 1: LESSON 1 – PERIOD 1
1. LOOK, LISTEN AND REPEAT
2. LOOK AND SAY
Objectives:
Language focus:
Resources:
PROCEDURES
Ss will be able to: ….. (identify family members)
Sentence patterns:
Vocabulary:
Student’s book, recording, fresh cards, posters, puppets,
…
1. Warm-up
2. Look, listen and repeat
3. Look and say
4. Reinforcement
5. Homelink
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Lesson plan 2: LESSON 1 – PERIOD 2
3. TALK
4. CHANT / SONG / GAME
Objectives:
Language focus:
Resources:
PROCEDUES
Ss will be able to: …
Sentence patterns:
Vocabulary:
Student’s book, recording, fresh cards, puppets, posters, ….
1. Warm-up
2. Talk
3. Chant/ song/ game
4. Reinforcement
5. Homelink
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Lesson plan 3: LESSON 2 – PERIOD 3
1. LISTEN AND REPEAT
2. LISTEN AND …..
Objectives:
Language focus:
Resources:
PROCEDURES
Ss will be able to: …
Phonics:
Sentence patterns:
Vocabulary:
Student’s book, recording, fresh cards, puppets, posters,
….
1. Warm-up
2. Listen and repeat
3. Listen and .. (complete/ tick/ match, ..)
4. Reinforcement
5. Homelink
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Lesson plan 4: LESSON 2 – PERIOD 4
3. READ AND …..
4. SONG / CHANT / GAME
Objectives:
Language focus:
Resources:
PROCEDURES
Ss will be able to: …
Sentence patterns:
Vocabulary:
Student’s book, recording, fresh cards, puppets, posters,
….
1. Warm-up
2. Read and …. (complete/ tick/ answer, ..)
3. Game/ song/ chant
4. Reinforcement
5. Homelink
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Example:
Aims/Objectives
At the end of the period, pupils will be able to:
Read about … and …
Language focus:
Structure: …
Vocabulary: …
Resources:
Posters, flashcards, puppets, ….
PROCEDURE
Warm-up:
Song/ Chant/ Game/ Activity (that is learnt and suitable to
the reading)
Whole class
Pre-task:


Introducing the topic (who, what, where, when, ..)
Setting the task (what to do)
Whole class
Task cycle:


Doing the task (read and ….. /first round)
Planning report (second round)
Individually
Pair/groupwork
Language focus:


Reporting the task
Analyzing the language (if necessary)
Whole class
Follow-up:
Song/ Chant/ Game/ Activity (Part 4, Lesson 2)
Whole class
Homelink:
Follow-up activity at home
Individually
COMMENTS
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Teacher(s)
42
Lesson plan 5: LESSON 3 – PERIOD 5
1. LISTEN AND REPEAT
2. LOOK AND SAY
Objectives:
Language focus:
Resources:
PROCEDURES
Ss will be able to: …
Sentence patterns:
Vocabulary:
Student’s book, recording, fresh cards, puppets, posters,
….
1. Warm-up
2. Listen and repeat
3. Look and say
4. Reinforcement
5. Homelink
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Lesson plan 6: LESSON 3 – PERIOD 6
3. WRITE
4. SONG / CHANT / GAME
Objectives:
Language focus:
Resources:
PROCEDURES
Ss will be able to: …
Sentence patterns:
Vocabulary:
Student’s book, recording, fresh cards, puppets, posters,
….
1. Warm-up
2. Write
3. Game/ song/ chant
4. Reinforcement
5. Homelink
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Example:
Aims/Objectives
At the end of the period, pupils will be able to: Write about ….
Language focus:
Structure: …
Vocabulary: …
Teaching aids:
Posters, flashcards, puppets, ….
PROCEDURE
Warm-up:
Song/ Chant/ Game/ Activity (that is learnt and suitable to the
Whole class
writing)
Pre-stage:
 Introducing the topic (who, what, where, when..)
 Explaining the language (function/focus/usage)
 Setting the task (what to do)
Whole class
Through/
While-stage:
 Doing the task (Write/complete, …)
Individually
Pair/Groupwork
Post- stage:
 Reporting the task
 Applying the language in new situations
Whole class
Follow-up:
Song/ Chant/ Game/ Activity (Part 4, Lesson 3)
Whole class
Homelink:
Follow-up activity at home
Individually
COMMENTS
Teacher(s)45
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TOPIC 7: THE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. The innovation
Old methods
Innovation
Goals
•Teaching
•Language knowledge
•Whole class
•Learning
•Skills development
•Personalisation
Lesson
plan
•Teacher’s activities
•Teaching  Learning
•Teacher  Student
•Students’ activities
•Learning  Teaching
•Teacher  STS/STS  STS
Activities
•Teacher’s
•Instruction, monologe
•Students: Passive
•Studentss
•Interaction (in pairs/ groups)
•Students: Active, creative
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2. The classroom
Row:
Whole class activities (introducing new topic/materials, choral work, class
pair/group/whole class work on the same task)
U-shape:
Role play, game playing, facilitating communicative activities (flexible
student to student interaction)
Circle:
Teacher as part of the circle
Whole class discussion, informal discussion of an activity
Groups around desks:
Collaborative learning and social interaction, practical tasks where peer
support is needed
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3. The procedures & modes
Whole class  Individual  pair  group  whole class
Whole class:
(1st round)
Teach what children need to learn. Demonstrates the
activities/tasks
Individual work:
(2nd round)
Children do the tasks/activities individually
Pairwork:
(3rd round)
Children do the tasks/activities in pairs
Groupwork:
(4th round)
Some pairs work in groups to demonstrate their tasks in
the groups.
Whole class:
(5th round)
Some pairs/groups perform the task/activity for the whole
class to observe and give comments.
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4. THE MANAGEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
Stage
Interaction
Timing
Procedure
Pre-task
Whole class
T→C
T
introduces
activities,
purposes and time
T modelling
Through-task
Individual work
Pairwork
Groupwork
C, C, C
C → C (PW)
CC → CC
(GW)
Individual imitation/work
In pairs, SS do activities
Pairs join with pairs
New groups discussion
3'
5'
5'
Post-task
Whole class
T → GG
Pair/Groups report and compare
their work
Whole class listen and comment
T comments and summarises.
3'
T→C
sets
2'
2'
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5. The pair & group work
Characteristics
Learner responsibility
Encouragement of peer support
Learner engagement; teacher as facilitator, motivator (80/20%)
Communication, negotiation, socialization (listening
comprehension/talking)
Meaningful contexts for language use
Benefits
Increase the use of English for poorly motivated students
Increase interaction between teacher & students, among students
Provide instruction in accordance with different language abilities
Create a better environment for students to use English
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6. The teachers
The roles
Performer, controller, organiser, assesser, prompter, participant,
resource, observer, teaching aid, singer, dancer, player, storyteller
The characteristics
Change activities/pace/focus reguilarly
Stir and settle alternatively
Be kind but firm
Be encouraging & challenging
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The relationship
The teacher-centered or
The learner-centered or
The learning-centered?
The language
Good pronuncitaion
Natural rhythm
Natural speed
Natural intonation
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