Sáng kiến kinh nghiệm Diversifying pairing activities and reordering the two sections in some CLIL lessons in Tieng Anh 10 Global Success to better students’communication skill

 NGHE AN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING 
 QUYNH LUU I HIGH SCHOOL 
 TEACHING EXPERIENCE 
 DIVERSIFYING PAIRWORK ACTIVITIES 
 AND REORDERING TWO SECTIONS IN SOME 
CLIL LESSONS IN TIENG ANH 10 GLOBAL SUCCESS 
TO BETTER STUDENTS’ COMMUNICATION SKILL 
 Subject : English 
 Researcher : Cao Thi Hue 
 Phone number : 0936.332.606 
 Group : English 
 QUYNH LUU, 2023 
 1.3. Illustrative lessons 11 
2. Techniques to diversify pairwork 15 
2.1. Randomness 15 
2.2. Lottery game 18 
2. 3. Similar current items 19 
2.4. Similar interests 21 
2. 5. Level- based pairing 23 
2. 6. Self- pairing 24 
2. 7. Wheel of names 25 
3. Survey on the urgency and the feasibility of the teaching 28 
experience 
3.1. Aims of the survey 28 
3.2. Content and Method to conduct the survey 28 
3.3. Targetted survey paritipants 28 
3.4. Results of the survey 29 
PART III. CONCLUSION 32 
I. A summary of the development of the study 32 
II. Limitations of the study. 32 
III. Recommendations 33 
REFERENCES 
APPENDIX to the fact that much digital knowledge needs using to design a successful teaching 
period, two section- connected strategies must be adjusted and pairwork activities 
need to be diverse. 
 With the aforementioned reasons, perceiving the need to overcome this 
challenge, I am determined to write the teaching experience with the aim of 
proposing some ideas to produce effective CLIL lessons in Tieng Anh 10 Global 
Success named: 
“Diversifying pairing activities and reordering the two sections in some CLIL 
lessons in Tieng Anh 10 Global Success to better students’communication skill” 
II. Aims of the topic 
 The thesis is written with the aims of: 
 - providing some ways to combine two given sections- Communication and 
Culture more effectively and flexibly after reordering them. 
 - Providing tactics to diversify pairing activities 
 - Providing samples of dialogues which are more practical and related to 
Culture part. 
 - Providing some adapted pairwork activities to suit students’ needs and 
better the outcome of the lessons. 
 Overall, the ultimate goal of the study is to enhance grade 10 students’ 
communication skill. 
III. Scope of the topic: 
 The study is written for the targeted students of grade 10 at Quynh Luu I 
High School and just centers on Communication section in CLIL lessons in Tieng 
Anh10 Global Success. Moreover, the study mainly focuses on the ways to 
diversify techniques to pair students because reordering solution is the simple one 
that requires few strategies to be employed in teaching. 
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 - Feedback: Consider getting feedback from other teachers or students. 
Sometimes, an outside perspective can help you identify potential issues with the 
order of sections that you may not have noticed. 
 By keeping these principles in mind, you can ensure that the reordering of 
sections in your lesson is done in a thoughtful and effective way. 
1.3. Benefits of reordering 
 As stated in "Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching” by Diane 
Larsen-Freeman ( 2014) , here are some key advantages of reordering technique. 
 - To improve comprehension: If you notice that students are struggling to 
understand a particular concept or language structure, you may want to reorder the 
lesson to present that information in a different way or at a different point in the 
lesson. 
 - To accommodate different learning styles: Students have different learning 
styles and preferences, and some may benefit from seeing or practicing a concept 
before others. Reordering the lesson to cater to different learning styles can help 
ensure that all students have the opportunity to engage with the material 
effectively. 
 - To provide more context: Sometimes, a particular part of the lesson may 
make more sense or be more engaging if it is presented in the context of another 
part. For example, a grammar point may be more understandable if it is presented 
in the context of a reading or listening activity. 
 - To address student needs: Depending on the needs of your students, you 
may want to reorder the lesson to address specific areas of difficulty or to provide 
additional practice in a particular area. 
 In general, the decision to reorder two parts of an English lesson should be 
based on the specific needs and abilities of your students, as well as the goals and 
objectives of the lesson 
2. Pairwork activities 
2.1. Definition 
 Pairwork is defined in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (8th) Oxford, 
UK: Author.( 2010) as pair or partner work, refers to a teaching method in which 
students work together in pairs to complete a learning task or activity. In an 
English class, pairwork activities typically involve students practicing their 
language skills by engaging in conversation or completing language exercises 
together with a partner. Pairwork activities can be structured or unstructured, and 
can involve a wide range of language skills, such as speaking, listening, reading, 
and writing. Pairwork is often used as a way to promote collaboration, active 
learning, and individualized instruction in the language classroom. 
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 - Gender: Pairing students of the same gender can be helpful in certain 
activities or discussions, especially if they involve sensitive topics or personal 
experiences. 
 - Interests and hobbies: Pairing students with similar interests or hobbies can 
help create a more engaging and enjoyable learning environment. 
 - Personality traits: Pairing students with complementary personality traits can 
help balance out their strengths and weaknesses and encourage more productive 
group work. 
 - Attendance and participation: Pairing students who have similar attendance 
and participation records can help ensure that they are able to keep up with each 
other's progress and stay motivated throughout the course. 
 Ultimately, the criteria for pairing students in an English class may vary 
depending on the teacher's specific goals and objectives for the course, as well as 
the individual needs and characteristics of each student. 
2. 4. Benefits of pairwork 
 Claimed by Penny Ur in A Course in Language Teaching (1991), the 
benefits of pairwork are exclusively denoted. They include: 
 - Increased speaking practice: Pairwork activities allow students to practice 
speaking English with a partner, which can help to build their confidence and 
fluency in the language. 
 - Improved communication skills: Working with a partner requires students 
to listen actively and communicate effectively, which can help to develop their 
interpersonal skills in English. 
 - Personalized learning: Pairwork activities can be tailored to the individual 
needs and abilities of each student, allowing them to work at their own pace and 
level. 
 - Increased motivation: Pairwork activities can be more engaging and 
motivating than traditional teacher-centered activities, as students are actively 
involved in the learning process. 
 - Encourages collaboration: Pairwork activities can foster a collaborative 
learning environment, where students work together to solve problems and 
complete tasks. 
 - Provides feedback: Pairwork activities can provide students with 
immediate feedback from their partner, which can help them to identify areas for 
improvement and work towards mastering the language. 
 Overall, pairwork activities can be a valuable tool for English teachers to 
help students improve their speaking and communication skills, as well as foster a 
collaborative and engaging learning environment. 
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 - Creative writing: Assign each pair a topic or prompt and have them take 
turns writing a paragraph or sentence to create a story. They can then read their 
stories aloud to the class. 
 These activities encourage collaboration and communication between students, 
which can help them improve their English skills in a fun and engaging way. 
II. PRACTICAL BACKGROUND 
1. An overview of Tieng Anh 10 Global Success 
 Tieng Anh 10 Global Success, one of the official curricula published by 
VietNam Education publisher, came out in 2022. It is considered a new version of 
academic material with lots of innovations. 
 This textbook, basically, is designed in the same way as the experimental 
version but levels of language are much lowered to suit the majority of high 
school students’ competence. 
 "Tieng Anh 10 Global Success" aims to help students develop their English 
language proficiency in the four main language skills: listening, speaking, reading, 
and writing. The textbook is designed to provide students with engaging and 
relevant materials, including texts, audio and video recordings, and exercises that 
cover a range of topics related to everyday life, culture, and social issues. 
 Some of the features of "Tieng Anh 10 Global Success" include: 
 - A focus on communicative language learning, with an emphasis on 
developing students' ability to use English in real-life situations 
 - A wide range of listening and speaking activities, including group 
discussions, role-plays, and presentations 
 - A variety of reading texts, such as articles, short stories, and poems, 
accompanied by comprehension questions and vocabulary exercises 
 - Writing tasks that encourage students to express their ideas and opinions, 
as well as to practice different types of writing, such as essays, letters, and reports. 
 Overall, "Tieng Anh10 Global Success" appears to be a comprehensive 
English language textbook that aims to provide students in Vietnam with the skills 
and knowledge they need to communicate effectively in English. 
2. Real situation of using pairing activities and reordering solution in teaching 
CLIL lessons in Quynh Luu 1 High school 
 To assess the real situation of teaching CLIL lessons regarding using 
pairwork and reordering the sequence of the two parts, a survey was conducted 
among around 100 students of grade 10 in Quynh Luu I using Google Form. The 
questionare is comprised of eight multiple choice questions with two or three 
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 - Unequal participation: One of the most common challenges is unequal 
participation among students. Some students may dominate the conversation while 
others may be hesitant to speak up, which can lead to an imbalance in participation 
and a lack of engagement. 
 - Limited language proficiency: Students may have different levels of 
proficiency in English, which can make it challenging for them to communicate 
effectively with each other. This can lead to frustration and may hinder their ability 
to complete the task. 
 - Lack of preparation: Students may not have enough time or resources to 
prepare for the pairwork activity. This can lead to confusion and misunderstandings 
during the activity. 
 - Group dynamics: Some students may have difficulty working with their 
peers, leading to conflicts or tension within the group. This can negatively impact 
the learning environment and the quality of the activity. 
 - Time constraints: Pairwork activities require time to plan and execute, and 
may take longer to complete than other classroom activities. This can be 
challenging for teachers who have limited time in their class schedule. 
 To address these challenges, teachers can incorporate strategies such as 
providing clear instructions and expectations, assigning roles within the pairs, 
creating opportunities for peer feedback, and offering support to students who may 
struggle with language proficiency or group dynamics. Additionally, providing 
ample time for preparation and planning can help students feel more confident and 
engaged during pairwork activities. 
III. SOLUTIONS 
1. REORDERING 
1.1. Explanation 
 Reordering or changing the order of the sections in CLIL lesson is used on 
the basis of the content of Culture part and the connection between the two 
sections, aiming to better logically put the two parts in sequence of teaching 
procedure. This technique when adopted can: 
 - provide language for later communication part 
 - allow students to dig deeper into the culture lesson 
 - promote students’ academic competence 
1.2. Applying scale of the technique 
 Having studied the content of ten units in English 10 Global Success, I 
would recommend applying reodering technique in these following units: 
 - Unit 2: Humans and the environment 
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