Sáng kiến kinh nghiệm Using mind map in teaching and learning English at Chau Khe Lower Secondary school

Nội dung tài liệu: Sáng kiến kinh nghiệm Using mind map in teaching and learning English at Chau Khe Lower Secondary school

1. TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page PART I. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 2 1. The reasons for choosing solution 2 2. The purpose for choosing the solution 3 PART II. PROBLEM SOLVING 3 1. THE STATUS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING 3 1.1. Advantages 3 1.2. Disadvantages and difficulties 4 1.3. The method necessity 5 2. THE EDUCATIONAL QUALITY IMPROVING METHODS 5 2.1. Solution 1: Using mind map in “Lead – in” 5 2.2. Solution 2: Using mind map in teaching “pre-reading” 5 2.3. Solution 3: Using mind map in teaching vocabulary: 5 2.4. Solution 4: Using mind map in teaching consolidation: 5 2.5. Solution 5: Using mind map in reviewing (grammar) 5 3. EXPERIMENTS IN TEACHING 6 a. Describing how to do 6 b. The results 14 c. Addition and adjustments after the experiment 15 4. CONCLUSION 16 5. RECOMMENDATONS AND PROPOSAL 17 PART III. REFERENCES 17 PART IV. PROVIDED OF THE EFFICENCY OF METHODS 18 PART V. COMMITMENT 21 1
2. PART I: STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1. Reasons for choosing the solution: Today, English is recognized as an international language that is widely used and popular all over the world. Since Vietnam accessed to the World Trade Organization, more and more foreign corporations have invested into Vietnam to expand their markets and business cooperation. Therefore, the demand of using human resources need not only high professional qualifications but also the ability of using English in work and communication must be professional, this is a serious problem for students and teachers. So good communication in English will give people more opportunities to work in foreign companies with higher salaries and be able to move faster in their jobs. But it is the fact that: the application of English language teaching curricula in Lower Secondary school is not effective, which cause parents and students to be dissatisfied. Most students after having studied English for seven years at elementary and Lower Secondary school, they cannot listen, speak, read or write. Many recent surveys have shown very pessimistic results: after studying English at junior high school (9th grade), students can only hear basic information such as greetings, names, but cannot retell a story of about 100 words. Therefore, in teaching English to students, we need to direct students to a positive and self-reliant learning methods to acquire knowledge in addition to imparting knowledge to students. Teachers also have research methods to keep up to date with the knowledge of the world. Building a "picture" of the relationship between the knowledge will bring about significant benefits in terms of memorization, cognitive development, thinking, imagination, and brilliance. One of the most effective tools to create "link images" is Mind Map. The mind map method proposed by Tony Buzan, dubbed the "universal brain tool", is an innovative methodology that is encouraged by the education industry to be implemented in teaching and learning. Mind mapping is considered to have many advantages. This is a thinking organization tool, the easiest way to convey information. It is an innovative and very effective method. Using mind maps will help you: 2
3. -More creative -save more time -memorize better -see the big picture -organize and categorize your thoughts With the above ideals and from what has been learned through the use of mind mapping in teaching and learning English in recent years, I boldly wrote the topic "Using mind map in teaching and learning English at Chau Khe Lower Secondary school. I hope to show evidence that the use of mind map is a way to innovate. The most active advocacy brings effective teaching and learning in today's era. In this report, I have applied a number of measures to improve the teaching and learning English in classes 8G, 8I, in the school year 2021-2022 at Chau Khe Lower Secondary School, Tu Son city, Bac Ninh province. 2. The purpose for choosing the solution: When writing this report, I just wish to offer some ways to help students study English more effectively. - Help students develop their life skills through using mind map - Promote active learning of students in English class. - Guid students to practise themseves. PART 2: PROBLEMS SOLUTIONS 1.THE STATUS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING 1.1. Advantages * For students: - Most students at Chau Khe Lower Secondary School have studied English since they were in primary school and the knowledge they are provided at this level of education is relatively high on grammar, vocabulary and communication skills . - Most students are obedient and aware of studying. 3
4. - Students themselves and their parents have realized the importance of learning English so they have had the interest and considerable investment in many aspects to this subject, and it is no longer considered a subordinate subject. - Some students are invested by their parents to study English with foreigners from a young age, so they are quite confident in communication. * For teachers: - Teachers have satisfied with the school’s demand as well as education and applied the new teaching methods. - Colleagues in the school, in the Foreign Language group always support and help each other, often exchange experiences, improve teaching quality. * For school: - The school has been equipped with full conditions about facilities for study like language laboratory, books, audios, activeboards and projectors. - The school management board always cares, encourages students to study, and creates favorable conditions for teachers to develop their own abilities. 1.2. Disadvantages and difficulties * For students: - Through the daily teaching shows that many students do not know how to learn, how to record knowledge in the brain . They only just learn by heart but they don’t remember the important knowledge, or do not know how to link knowledge related to each other - There are so many different students in class and the quality of each student is uneven. - Some students have a limited vocabulary * For teachers: - There are still some teachers who have difficulty in leading in each lesson. - Sometimes, teachers don’t assign the tasks to students clearly. - Some teachers don’t create the environment to encourage students to speak English effectively. 1.3. The method necessity. 1- A visual approach (using teachers and students thinking maps) 4
5. 2- Requirements (guide them how to draw, how to present and how to apply) 3- Practical training methods (for students drawing, applying in each lesson and each type of lessons) 4- Comparative method 5- The pedagogical observation methods. 2.THE EDUCATIONAL QUALITY IMPROVING METHODS Solution 1: Using mind map in “Lead – in” Solution 2: Using mind map in teaching “pre-reading” Solution 3: Using mind map in teaching vocabulary: Solution 4: Using mind map in teaching consolidation: Solution 5: Using mind map in reviewing (grammar) 3.EXPERIMENTAL TEACHING a. Describe how to make a mind map: A mind map works in the same way that our brains operate. Although the brain can handle most complex events, it is based on very simple principles. That's why creating mind Maps is easy and fun, because they follow the available needs and potential of the brain rather than in opposition to them. So, what are the key tasks of the brain in creating Mind Maps? Very simply: Images and links. Drawing a mind map is simple Step 1: Start in the middle of the page, writing or drawing the idea you intend to develop. Step 2: Develop the related subtopics around the central topic, connecting each of them to the central with a line Step 3: Repeat the same process for the subtopics, generating lower-level subtopics as you see fit, connecting each of those to the corresponding subtopics. Some more recommendations: - Use color, drawing and symbols copiously - Keep the topics labels as short as possible -Vary text size, color and alignment. Vary the thickness and the length of the lines. Provide as many visual cues as you can to emphasize important points. 5
6. 2.1. Solution 1: Using mind map in “Lead – in” “Lead-in” is an opening activity before the teacher introduces a new lesson, helping students to some extent visualize what they are about to learn. The more effective the “lead- in”, the easier it is to get students into the main content. A successful teacher can make all students in the class attracted. To attract students, a teacher can use "mind maps" to get students to pay more attention to the "Lead-in". Example 1: English 8 - Unit 2: LIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE the “Getting started – Listen and Read” section, I asked students to draw mind maps listing their likes and dislikes about urban and rural areas. I divided the class into four teams, within 4 minutes the team that finished the best would win. As such, you will have to present the following: Content: Country life and city life Branch 1: in the country Branch 2: in the city Branch 1.1: like Branch 1.2: dislike Branch 2.1: like Branch 2.2: dislike - Then they continue to draw the next small branches to complete the content of the diagram. - The teacher asked students to hang their team's work on the board and send a representative to present. 6
7. Example 2: English 9- Unit 6: VIET NAM : THEN AND NOW The teacher asks students to use mind maps to list all the different things between two pictures in the past and at present and their basic characteristics. Students will work in four groups for 5 minutes to present a mind map as follows: Content: Different things in the past and at present. Branch 1: in the past. Branch 2: at present. - Then they continue to draw the next small branches to complete the content of the diagram. - The teacher asked students to hang their team's work on the board and send a representative to present. 8
8. 2.2. Solution 2: Using mind map in teaching “pre-reading” It can be said that reading skills are very important. Because students are poor in vocabulary, they cannot understand the content. Before giving students reading, teaching vocabulary is extremely important in the "Pre-reading" section and mind maps are also very useful when teaching vocabulary by topic. Example: Exercise B4 - English 8 – worbook ( Page 36), The teacher uses mind maps to introduce students a few words related to the topic "Tet holiday" that they are about to read. I present the map as follows: Content: Tet Branch 1: Flowers Branch 2: Food 9
9. Then I continue to draw the next small branches to introduce related vocabulary. 2.3. Solution 3: Using mind map in teaching vocabulary: Using mind map in teaching vocabulary helps students maintain and improve memory and learning. The principle of this method is moving from learning single words to connecting words together. This process helps you really absorb and retain new information for a long time. Example 1: English 9 - Unit 7: RECIPES AND EATING HABITS Content : RECIPES AND EATING HABITS 10
10. Branch 1: Cook Branch 2: Process Branch 3: Food - Starting is the central “RECIPES AND EATING HABITS” then followed by the main tributaries such as: cook, process, food. Next up from the main branches to draw more small branches to list all the vocabulary related to the topic. - Teachers can also suggest the students should add the words that are not in the textbook or add more latter. With each branch, the students can also draw pictures with equivalent words right next to. 11
11. Example 2: English 6- Unit 2 - MY HOUSE - Starting is the central image (the House), then followed by the main tributaries such as: Living-room (living room), Bedroom (bedroom), Kitchen (kitchen), Bathroom (shower). Next up from the main branches to draw more of the subgenres, look like Kitchen branch, to list all the vocabulary related to the living room. - Teachers can also suggest the students should add the words that are not in the textbook or add more latter. With each branch, the students can also draw pictures with equivalent words right next to. 2.4. Solution 4: Using mind map in teaching consolidation: “Consolidation” helps students to systematize what they have learned after a lesson as well as helps them to deepen the important points of the lesson that day. This is a very important stage, if you don't do this part well, the student won’t know what they have learned today, then all the efforts of the teacher during the lesson will be meaningless. That's why I find using "mind maps" more effective than any other method so far. Here, I would like to illustrate a lesson using a mind map in the Consolidation section. Example : English 8 - Unit 2 – A closer look 1 -After learning , T draws some branches on the board with main branches are : characters in folk tale, creature characters in folk tale and adjectives to describe characters -Each main branch, T draws some small branches 12
12. - Ask students to complete the small branches by speaking aloud the words they studied 2.5. Solution 5: Using mind map in reviewing (grammar) Example: English 9 – Review 2 (Unit 4, 5, 6) Content: Grammar in U4, 5, 6 -Teacher introduces the topic -Teacher asks students to work in groups and discuss about the main points relate to the topic. -Teacher gives the eliciting quenstions to help students recall the forms, structures, uses , signals . _Teacher goes around and helps students if nesessary 13
13. b. The results After applying these measures to teach in class, I noticed that: - Most of the students enthusiastically participated in learning English. They are active and more confident lessons. They can freely express their ideas, be active in group discusion, then of course they achieve obvious positive results. I have conducted a survey of students in grades 8G, 8I, at Chau Khe Lower Secondary School, Tu Son city, Bac Ninh province in the 2021-2022 school year. Mostly, the quality of the tests has improved compared to the period before the experiment. * The results of the test at the beginning of the school year Total excellent good fair weak poor Total % Total % Total % Total % Total % 80 4 5% 18 22.5% 44 55% 10 12.5% 4 5% 14
14. * The results of the test at the end of semester Total excellent good fair weak poor Total % Total % Total % Total % Total % 80 6 7.5% 25 31% 45 56% 4 5% 0 0% c. Addition and adjustments after the experiment a. For students - Students are very interested in drawing mind map, they can hold the creation of their imagination. Students can draw at will without being bound by the path or a certain stereotype would. Mind Map also helps students save time, remember better and see the overall picture and the organization of their classification. - Mind map also helps students practice presentation skills and master the knowledge of lessons certainly, memorize articles longer. - Look at Mind Map, any student can presentation the content or the theme according to the logic circuit of knowledge. - With the weak students, Mind Map is considered as a teaching aid, very useful to help students to acquire the basic knowledge of each lesson by listening to the teacher’s lectures, the good students’ discussion in class and finally the teacher guide or give out a summary of the lesson by a simple mind map. There are simple mind maps, the students will find it easy to learn more lessons, and the important knowledge of each lesson is recorded in a concise manner. - After using mind map in teaching, I have the better results: b. For The Teachers - Beside teaching vocabulary, if teachers use mind map in teaching other topics, they can help students change the traditional article notes which are popular nowadays. It means that burning off this line to another line. If the use is mind map, the teacher will enrich the arsenal of methods, their teaching methods, contribute to the renewal of teaching methods, 15
15. create more challenging for students in learning, step by step training for thinking ability of students through encouraging students to participate in lectures or read the mind maps that students copied in the lessons. - Using the mind map in teaching also helps overcome the situation of students acquiring a passive way, etc because mind map is developed gradually step by step according to the hours of teaching. 4.CONCLUSIONS After a period of application, using mind map in teaching in general and teaching English vocabulary consolidation in particular. I have obtained some significant results. I also noticed the use of proficient and effective mind mapping in teaching that will bring a lot of good results and encourage the learning methods of students and the teaching methods of the teachers. Students will learn a method of learning, increasing the autonomy, creativity and develop thinking. Teachers will save time, increase the flexibility of the lectures, and the most important thing is that it will help students grasp the knowledge through a "map" showing the close link of knowledge. Through this we should also note some things to avoid when creating mind mapping: - Writing an explanation on each branch too much. - Recording too much attention unnecessary junk. - Spending too much time to record and color the map, while the main content of the mind map and then the knowledge of the art form. However, according to the lessons that teachers guide students are summarized by Mind Map, not necessarily in any lessons or units of knowledge will have to set it up. Above are the results that we have already achieved and the ones are still limited. I hope with using mind map in teaching and consolidation vocabulary in particular, and the teaching of English in general, which will contribute to further improvement of the teaching of colleagues at Secondary Schools, and I hope that teachers should apply the teaching of this map to their everyday teaching. 5. RECOMMENDATONS AND PROPOSAL a) For teachers 16
16. - Each teacher needs to regularly self-study, self-improve, and train to constantly improve their knowledge and teaching skills. What’s more, they should regularly innovate in the way of preparing, teaching, applying information technology to teaching, diversifying methods and forms of teaching organization to attract students to the learning process. - Teachers need to pay close attention to each student, especially weak students. In the teaching process, teachers must guide students in promoting positivity, initiative, creativity, and creating problem situations for students to discuss. In each lesson, it is necessary to create a multi-dimensional exchange relationship between teachers and students, between individuals and groups. - Teachers need to be proactive, learn and apply information technology applications in teaching to make lessons more lively. b) For Foreign Language groups - Continuing to organize professional activities in the direction of studying lessons, discussing measures to improve the quality of teaching for each type of lesson and class. - Organizing inter-school professional activities to discuss and share experiences about effective measures to improve the quality of English teaching classes, especially speaking lessons. PART III. REFERENCES 1. TS. Tran Dinh Chau - Bo Giao due & Dao tao, Su dung ban do tu duy gop phan day hoc tich cuc 2. Tony Buzan, Ban do Tu duy. 3. Mot SO trang web viet ve Ban do Tu duy 4. Chuan kien thue- ky nang Tieng Anh THCS. 5. Sach giao khoa Tieng Anh THCS. 17
17. PART IV. PROVIDED OF THE EFFICENCY OF METHODS 18
18. PART V. COMMITMENT I commit that what I have written and presented in the report are the measures I have taken and applied in my school. The results I have achieved when applying the above measures are consistent with the learning results of students at the school in the 2021-2022 school year. Thank you ! CONFERMATION OF THE SCHOOL Tu Son, January 6th, 2023 The writer Nguyen Thi Tham 22