In many years, speaking English has become a common trend for EFL teachers to implement alternative assessments instead of traditional testing in English courses. The result of speaking test as an alternative way of assessment is believed to provide an opportunity for a richer, more authentic, and more valid assessment of student achievement. However, in the reality, the teaching and learning English speaking are still far from satisfactory. In an attempt to develop English speaking skill for ninth-grade students at a Lower Secondary School, the researcher has chosen Project-based Learning (PBL) in speaking classes. PBL is expected to use as a new method of teaching in class to change students’ learning attitude, improve students’ speaking ability and provide new skills for students. In this action research, the writer aims at investigating the impacts of PBL on the improvement of English speaking skills of grade 9 students at a lower secondary school in Thanh Hoa. By investigating 40 participants from class 9A, the researcher highlighted these impacts based on the findings from the data collected via questionnaires, teacher’s journals, and students' speaking test scores. The study revealed that Project Based Learning has a positive influence on the development of students’ language competence as well as their learning motivation. In the light of the research results, a number of recommendations would be provided to teachers, material developers, and researchers for future studies in the field of PBL application in teaching English, especially speaking skills implementation in the context of lower secondary schools in Vietnam.
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In many years, speaking English has become a common trend for EFL teachers to implement alternative assessments instead of traditional testing in English courses. The result of speaking test as an alternative way of assessment is believed to provide an opportunity for a richer, more authentic, and more valid assessment of student achievement. However, in the reality, the teaching and learning English speaking are still far from satisfactory. In an attempt to develop English speaking skill for ninth-grade students at a Lower Secondary School, the researcher has chosen Project-based Learning (PBL) in speaking classes. PBL is expected to use as a new method of teaching in class to change students’ learning attitude, improve students’ speaking ability and provide new skills for students. In this action research, the writer aims at investigating the impacts of PBL on the improvement of English speaking skills of grade 9 students at a lower secondary school in Thanh Hoa. By investigating 40 participants from class 9A, the researcher highlighted these impacts based on the findings from the data collected via questionnaires, teacher’s journals, and students' speaking test scores. The study revealed that Project Based Learning has a positive influence on the development of students’ language competence as well as their learning motivation. In the light of the research results, a number of recommendations would be provided to teachers, material developers, and researchers for future studies in the field of PBL application in teaching English, especially speaking skills implementation in the context of lower secondary schools in Vietnam.
