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TABLE OF CONTENT

STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP ELOQUENCE FOR GIFTED STUDENTS

............................................................ 3

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

............................................................................................................................... 3

1. Rationale .............................................................................................................................................................. 3

2. Aims of the paper ................................................................................................................................................. 3

3. Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................... 3

4. Scope of the study ................................................................................................................................................ 3

5. Summary of the paper ......................................................................................................................................... 3

CHAPTER II: DEVELOPMENT

.............................................................................................................................. 4

1. Literature review .................................................................................................................................................. 4

1.1. Definition of eloquence ....................................................................................................................................... 4

1.2. The importance of eloquence ............................................................................................................................. 4

1.3 Attributes of eloquence ........................................................................................................................................ 4

1.4. How eloquence can be nurtured ........................................................................................................................ 5

2. The common techniques in eloquence ................................................................................................................. 6

2.1. Captivating start ................................................................................................................................................. 6

2.2. Intonation ............................................................................................................................................................ 6

2.3. Typical examples ................................................................................................................................................. 6

2.4. Story telling ......................................................................................................................................................... 7

2.5. Repetition ............................................................................................................................................................ 7

2.6. Compare and contrast ........................................................................................................................................ 7

2.7. Using metaphor ................................................................................................................................................... 8

2.8. Rhetoric question ................................................................................................................................................ 8

3.

Strategies to develop eloquence ...................................................................................................................... 8

3.1. Widening background knowledge ..................................................................................................................... 8

3.1.1. Reading activities

................................................................................................................................... 9

3.1.1.1. Book sharing talks

.......................................................................................................................... 9

3.1.2.

Listening activities

........................................................................................................................... 11

3.1.2.1.

Making summary

.................................................................................................................... 11

3.1.2.2.

Story telling

............................................................................................................................. 13

3.1.2.3.

Designing listening exercises

................................................................................................... 14

3.2. Improving intonation through shadowing ..................................................................................................... 15

3.2.1.

What is shadowing?

......................................................................................................................... 15

3.2.2.

How shadowing improves pronunciation?

...................................................................................... 15

3.2.3.

Steps in shadowing techniques

........................................................................................................ 15

3.2.4.

Suggested sources for shadowing

.................................................................................................... 16

3.3. Organizing Debate and Discussion .................................................................................................................. 18

3.1.1.

Debates

............................................................................................................................................ 18

3.1.2.

Discussions

....................................................................................................................................... 20

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3.4.

Designing engaging speaking lessons........................................................................................................ 23

3.4.1.

Designing engaging warm-ups

.............................................................................................................. 23

3.4.2.

Engaging topics

...................................................................................................................................... 25

3.4.3.

Diversifying speaking activities

............................................................................................................ 26

3.4.4.

Make it competitive

............................................................................................................................... 27

3.4.5.

Constructive feedback: positive first

................................................................................................... 28

CHAPTER III: CONCLUSION

.............................................................................................................................. 29

1. Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 29

2. Limitations ......................................................................................................................................................... 29

3. Suggestions for further research ........................................................................................................................ 29

REFERENCES

......................................................................................................................................................... 30

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STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP ELOQUENCE FOR GIFTED STUDENTS

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1. Rationale

Speaking skill has been a component of National English Competition along with other skills like

listening, reading and writing since 2012. The format of the test is monologue, meaning that students

will give a talk to an audience that are not present. The time allotted for each answer is five minutes

and the time for preparation is also 5 minutes. Many students may encounter problems with this

format. They may find it less inspiring to talk because of the lack of immediate audience. They may

even find it harder to give a non-stop speech in five minutes in a way that is not only logical but also

interesting. Some of my students struggle as how to liven the talk with emotion, passion and self-

confidence. Therefore, I find it important that they know about eloquence and apply the eloquence

techniques. With this tool, they may go beyond merely answer the question but truly communicate to

the audience in a more effective way.

2. Aims of the paper

This research paper aims to highlight the benefits of teaching eloquence to gifted students and propose

some practical strategies that teachers can apply in developing eloquence for gifted students.

3. Methodology

To conduct this study, I investigated the aspects of eloquence, and synthesize personal experience

after years of teaching speaking and propose several strategies to develop eloquence in speaking for

the gifted student.

To evaluate the efficiency of these strategies, I employed the following research techniques:

Literature review: analyzing, summarizing, and systematizing the literature related to the topic.

Investigating classroom practice: students’ recordings, students’ notes, lesson plans and authentic

materials.

4. Scope of the study

The study investigates the teaching speaking skills for students preparing for the NEC in the year

2023.

5. Summary of the paper

The paper contains three main chapters: Introduction, Development, and Conclusion.

Chapter I – Introduction presents a brief summary of the paper, the rationale of choosing the topic,

and the methodology employed to evaluate the outcomes of the approach.

Chapter II – Development reviews the literature related to the topic, investigates attributes and

techniques of eloquence, presents three strategies to develop eloquence in speaking for the gifted

students.

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Chapter III – Conclusion evaluates the feasibility of the strategies gives some suggestions to apply

these strategies on a larger scale.

CHAPTER II: DEVELOPMENT

1. Literature review

This section investigates the literature relevant to the topic. The literature reviews the definition of

eloquence, the importance of eloquence, the attributes of eloquence, how eloquence can be nurtured.

1.1. Definition of eloquence

Eloquence can be defined as the art of skillful and powerful expression, often manifested through

spoken or written language ( Stevenson, 2010). It goes beyond the mere conveyance of thoughts and

ideas; it evokes emotions, engages intellect, and leaves a lasting impression on its recipients.

Eloquence embodies clarity, precision, and an adept use of rhetorical devices to communicate

effectively.

1.2. The importance of eloquence

In the article Eloquence transcends the boundaries of language and culture, Muhamad Azeem stated

that at its core, eloquence is a tool of persuasion. It empowers individuals to communicate their

thoughts and ideas in a manner that convinces and influences others. By crafting persuasive

arguments, employing rhetorical strategies, and utilizing language effectively, eloquent speakers and

writers have the potential to shape opinions, inspire change, and forge connections with their

audiences.

Eloquence extends its influence across various domains, from politics and leadership to academia and

the arts. It enables leaders to inspire their followers, politicians to sway public opinion, and educators

to impart knowledge effectively. In the arts, eloquence breathes life into poetry, literature, and oratory,

transforming words into an immersive experience that resonates with audiences.

1.3 Attributes of eloquence

In the article Eloquence transcends the boundaries of language and culture, Muhamad Azeem pointed

out four main attributes of eloquence

a) Fluency and Command of Language: Eloquence demands a mastery of language, both in its spoken

and written forms. An eloquent individual possesses a rich vocabulary, a deep understanding of

grammar and syntax, and the ability to express ideas with clarity and precision.

b) Rhetorical Devices: The skilled use of rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, alliteration,

and parallelism enhance the impact of communication. These devices infuse language with vivid

imagery, rhythm, and emphasis, making the message more memorable and persuasive.

c) Emotional Intelligence: Eloquence requires an understanding of human emotions and the ability to

connect with the audience on an emotional level. By tapping into the hopes, fears, and aspirations of

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others, an eloquent speaker or writer can elicit empathy and create a deeper bond with their listeners

or readers.

d) Confidence and Presence: Eloquence is not solely reliant on the words spoken or written, but also

on

the

demeanor

and

presence

of

the

communicator.

A

confident

and

composed

delivery,

accompanied by appropriate gestures, tone, and body language, enhances the persuasive impact of the

message.

1.4. How eloquence can be nurtured

While some individuals may possess a natural inclination toward eloquence, it is a skill that can be

honed and developed through practice and conscious effort. Engaging in activities such as debating,

discussion, storytelling and developing background knowledge can enhance one's eloquent skills and

foster the ability to communicate persuasively.

a. Debating

Debate is a recognized method of interactive and representative argument aimed at persuading the

audience. (Krieger, 2005:1) in (Richa, 2011) states that debate is an excellent activity for language

learning because it engages students in a variety of cognitive and linguistic ways. It is provided that

meaningful speaking, reading and listening practice, debate is also highly effective for developing

argumentation skills for persuasive speech and writing. Debating is contextual, temporal, critical, and

artistic—and traditionally it has been associated with the ability to think clearly and critically, which

is crucial for an eloquent speaker.

b. Discussion

Orlich et .al (1985) as quoted by Antoni (2014: 56) proposes that group discussion could improve the

students’ speaking skill through promoting meaningful personal interaction and learning and helping

students adopt a more responsible and independent mode of learning.

c. Story telling

Samantaray, P. (2014) quoted “Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell

me a story and it will live in my heart forever - Indian Proverb”. He believed that storytelling, the art

of narrating a tale from memory rather than reading is one of the oldest of all art forms that has the

potential of fostering emotional intelligence and helps the audience feel relatable.

d. Developing background knowledge

Gebhard (2000) points out that background knowledge relates to our real-world experiences and

expectations that we have. This knowledge is very important for students to master the language skills

either perceptive skills (reading, listening) or productive skills (speaking, writing). In definition,

speaking is a skill of conveying words sounds of articulation to express or to deliver ideas, opinion,

or feeling, to achieve different purposes such as to inform, to persuade or to entertain. In other words,

speaking is the process of sharing with another person, or with other persons, one’s knowledge,

interest, attitudes, opinions, feelings or ideas. Therefore, the quality of a speech not only depends on

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the language knowledge one may have but also greatly build upon the wealth and depth of content he

can deliver.

2. The common techniques in eloquence

2.1. Captivating start

As in an old saying “First impressions last the longest”, a welcome speech should capture the

audience's interest in the opening few sentences. Top goals for the most effective speakers are

grabbing the audience's attention right away and making a lasting impact.

Using quotes

A famous people's quote can be great speech openers if it is relevant to the context. Quotations lend

the speech a certain authority. For example, talking about the importance of living in the present, one

can start his speech with “Buddha once said, “Don’t cry over the past, it’s gone. Don’t stress about

the future, it hasn’t arrived. Live in the present and make it beautiful.”

Speaker can also reference current affairs or studies from any trusted source. For example, “in a recent

report on CNBC, experts say that happy people are more successful in life"

Include Facts and Statistics

A statistical fact used at the start of a speech conveys that the speaker has done their research and is

well-informed. For example, when giving a speech on climate change, a speaker can start by “We are

living through the record years in history. This year 2023 was the warmest year in the modern

temperature record”.

Personal Experience

Opening a speech with a personal tale allows you to establish an immediate connection with the

audience. For example, in Micheal Obama speech about education for the girls, she started by her

own story “When my grandmother was born women couldn't vote. When my mother was a young

wife, women couldn't open credit cards in their own name they needed their husband's permission”.

2.2. Intonation

Intonation is the rise and fall of your voice when you speak. It can convey attitude, emotion, or

intention behind your words. Intonation can also help structure the speech, signal transitions, ask

questions or emphasize key words. For example, in the speech about self-love, RM of BTS used his

intonation to emphasize this message “I have come to love myself for who I was, who I am, and who

I hope to become.”

2.3. Typical examples

Examples can help you illustrate your points and make your message more relatable. For example, in

a speech about environment, Serven Suzuki said “I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the

holes in our ozone. I'm afraid to breathe the air because I don't know what chemicals are in it. I used

to go fishing in Vancouver my home with my dad until just a few years ago we found the fish full of

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cancers.” In her speech, she mentioned the holes in the ozone layer, the chemicals in the air or the fish

full of cancer as the environmental problems humans are facing to illustrate her point.

2.4. Story telling

Stories are the universal language of the human experience, transcending cultures and generations.

They evoke emotions, spark imagination, and create a bridge between the speaker and the audience.

When a speaker shares personal anecdotes or craft narratives around their points, they are not just

conveying information; they are showing them by vivid images and making the message resonate on

a deeply personal level.

A compelling story need to be short and clear. Its typical structure may include: a beginning that

captures attention, a middle that builds tension, and an end that provides resolution. Simplicity is key.

The story should be easy to follow and relevant to the message. The following is an example of

storytelling art, extracted in Micheal Obama’s speech on the topic of girl’s education. Source: First

Lady Michelle Obama on Girls' Education (8:18-9:54)

“So back when I was a girl, even though I was bright and curious and I had plenty of opinions of my

own, people were often more interested in hearing what my brother had to say. And my parents didn’t

have much money; neither of them had a university degree. So, when I got to school, I sometimes

encountered teachers who assumed that a girl like me wouldn’t be a good student. I was even told

that I would never be admitted to a prestigious university, so I shouldn’t even bother to apply.

Like so many girls across the globe, I got the message that I shouldn’t take up too much space in this

world. That I should speak softly and rarely. That I should have modest ambitions for my future.

That I should do what I was told and not ask too many questions. But I was lucky, because I had

parents who believed in me, who had big dreams for me. They told me, don’t ever listen to those who

doubt you. They said, just work harder to prove them wrong.

And that’s what I did. I went to school. I worked hard. I got good grades. I got accepted to top

universities. I went on to become a lawyer, a city government employee, a hospital executive, and –

- the most important job I’ve ever had –- a mother to two beautiful girls.”

2.5. Repetition

Repetition (often the key words) in eloquent speech has the power to elevate an idea above everything

else the audience is hearing. It helps persuade the audience that what you were saying was important,

true and something to remember. For example, talking about hope, former US president Barack

Obama once said “Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of

hope!”

2.6. Compare and contrast

A contrast is where two viewpoints are placed close to each other for emphasizing effect. Instead of

giving out a list of facts, the speaker compares them from different angles. For example, in a speech

by John F Kennedy, he wanted to encourage American citizens to become more active in helping the

country. He could have said “We all need your help” and it would have been forgotten soon after.

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Instead, he used a contrast and said – “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can

do for your country”.

2.7. Using metaphor

A metaphor compares two things, people, ideas, etc.by stating that one is the other. Compared to a

simile, both compare two, unlike things. A simile, though, compares these two by using the words

“like” or “as.” Thus, “He was like a pressure cooker, ready to explode.” As a metaphor, this statement

would be, “He was a pressure cooker, ready to explode.” William Shakespeare told us a famous

metaphor “All the world’s a stage”.

The use of metaphors adds an extra layer of magic to speeches. Metaphors are like colorful brushes

that paint vivid images in the minds of listeners, helping them understand, remember, and connect

with the message being delivered. In the famous speech “I have dream” by Martin Luther King, he

used many incredible metaphors that make his speech timeless. Source: I have a dream-Martin Luther

King (1:38-3:00)

“Five score years ago a great American in whose symbolic Shadow We Stand today signed the

Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great Beacon Light Of Hope to

millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the Flames of withering injustice. It came as a

joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But 100 years later the Negro still is not

free. 100 years later the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and

the chains of discrimination. 100 years later the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the

midst of a vast ocean of material.”

2.8. Rhetoric question

Rhetorical questions can help engage the audience and make them think about the message. This is

much more persuasive than telling the audience what to think. For example, in a speech on

environment, Severn Suzuki asked “If a child on the streets who has nothing is willing to share, why

are we who have everything still so greedy?

3.

Strategies to develop eloquence

3.1. Widening background knowledge

When speaking, if a speaker cannot provide logical arguments or reliable evidences, he will sound

superficial, unassertive and can hardly achieve their purposes. In an eloquent speech, background

knowledge becomes even more important because the speakers must base their arguments on facts to

achieve persuasion. The following are some examples how useful background knowledge to speak

eloquently. The topics are extracted from National English Competition (NEC).

Question 7. One downside of mass tourism is that it leads to the excessive exploitation of cultural

heritage for commercial purposes. Discuss this statement and give your opinion. (NEC 2023)

To answer this question, a student can use this extract:

“Travel writer Ian Coleman recalls a recent trip to Guatemala, where he saw an example of this.

'There is a village with a statue of a man called Maximon, who has a special spiritual meaning

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for the local tribe,' he explains. 'The statue is kept indoors, and once a year the locals bring him

out and carry him around the village. However, visitors now pay money for them to bring the

statue out and carry it around, while they take photographs. As a result, Maximon has lost his

original meaning, and is now just another tourist attraction”

(Extracted from ielts reading “Holidays with a difference”)

Suggested answer:

“In many parts of the world, especially in poor and remote areas, tourism can bring the much-needed

money to the local but if the money is put first, there is often a price to pay. For example, in a tribal

village in Guatemala, a sacred statue called Maximon has a special spiritual meaning and is always

kept indoor, except for only once a year, the locals will bring him out and carry him around the village

as an annual ceremony. However, tourists now pay money for the locals to bring the statue out and

carry it around, while they take photographs. As a result, Maximon has lost his original meaning, and

is now just another tourist attraction. This example clearly shows that when some cultural events or

heritages are exploited as attractions for tourists, their cultural value can gradually erode and it would

be an irreparable loss to our culture.”

Question 5. Some young people think that video games cause violence. Some others think otherwise,

believing that video games bring more good than harm. Discuss both these views and give opinion.

(NEC 2023)

To answer this question, a student can use this extract: China cracks down on gaming industry

“Anyone under the age of 18 is only allowed to play three hours a week except during holidays.

It's part of a larger concern in China about the impact of too much game playing. Some kids are

even going to rehab to deal with it…. State media described China’s gaming culture as electronic

drugs and spiritual opium. Beijing has now made it clear policing the country's future generation

is more important than any company or any family.”

Suggested answer:

“The harm of video games is also recognized in countries where gaming industry is booming such as

China. This country has recently passed a law to restrict the time an under-18-year-old can play to 3

hours a week and only on Friday, at weekends or holiday. State media describes China’s gaming

industry as electronic drugs and spiritual opium, so they would do as much as they can to protect their

future generation from this harm.”

This research divide activities helping students widen their background knowledge into two types:

Reading activities and Listening Activities.

3.1.1. Reading activities

3.1.1.1. Book sharing talks

This activity is useful because students can recycle knowledge they read in their own language, and

different form, speaking.

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Teacher can choose the books for students to read, or leave students to choose by themselves based

on certain criteria. Teacher set the schedule for this activity. After reading, the students will have a

speaking session in class where they share about the books they read in an allotted time, often ranging

from 1 to 2 minutes so as many students can have chance to share.

The following is an example of book-sharing session for the series “Who was?”, adapted into a written

form by students themselves.

Student 1: The thing I learn after reading “Who was Princess Diana?”

When Diana Spencer got married to Prince Charles, their marriage was a national event and she

became instantly famous. However, unlike most of the royal family who kept a distance with

the public, she treated the laymen with sincere warmth and closeness. Once a blind woman said

she wished she could see her, Diana held the blind lady’s both hands over her face so that she

could feel what Diana looked like. Yet the royal life was not easy to adapt and Diana sometimes

felt lonely and missed her normal life very much. When giving birth to Prince Williams, then

Harry, she spent as much time as she could with her two sons. She took her sons out for

hamburgers, let them wear casual clothes, took them to the amusement park, and, above all,

teach them grow to be caring and compassionate people. Her marriage was not all happy, though,

as the two had very different lifestyle. But she was the princess of people- a princess with a

cause. She spent most of her time visiting people in need, giving them love and care. She touched

and hugged the AIDS patients, although many people were afraid to touch AIDS patients or

even be near them at the time. “You can shake their hands and give them a hug-heaven knows

they need it”, she explained. She visited homeless people, children’s hospital and drew the

attention of the public to the disadvantaged. She worked with the Red Cross to help victims of

mines in wars. She sent her dresses for auction to raise money for charity. She used her fame to

help people in need. So when she died in a car accident at the age of only 36, the whole nation

came to mourn her. She was the symbol of beauty, both inside and out. Her beauty lived on in

many people whose heart be touched by her kindness.

Student 2: The thing I learn after reading “Who was Nikola Tesla?”

Nikolas Tesla was a son of a priest and a woman who had never gone to school, but was

intelligent enough to invent farm tools herself. Spending childhood in a village, Nikola showed

great curiosity about nature around him and took after his mom to start inventing things to play

with. At the age of four, he even held on to an umbrella and jumped from the barn window to

try out if he could fly. His discovery spirit grew with him throughout his life.

When he started school, he shocked his teacher as he could do math in his mind without writing

them down. He learnt from school as much as from outside school. He read many books that he

could find in his father’s library, even until the next morning without sleep. He wanted to be an

engineer while his father wanted him to followed his footstep to become a priest. Once he was

very sick after being infected with cholera, he told his father that if he let him become an

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engineer, he could fight against death and his father agreed. The vision that he could become an

electrical engineer and continue his experiments again helped him make a miraculous recovery.

He then went to college and become a brightest star in his college. Then he moved to New York

and was introduced to work for Edison. He impressed Edison with his intelligence and hard

work. But Nikola visioned a world with electricity reaching everyone, the alternating current,

rather than the direct current invented by Edison. So he left and worked for Edison’s rival

company who shared his vision. He finally succeeded and become very rich. But he kept

working almost every waking hour in his life, inventing many things from machines to a hydro-

electricity. His devotion to his work was so great that he decided not to get married, as he could

not spare time for anyone else but science. Part creative genius, part mad scientist, and

completely ahead of his time, Nikola Tesla made electric age possible.

3.1.2.

Listening activities

3.1.2.1.Making summary

Teacher chooses authentic audios or videos and asks students to listen to them beforehand at home

and make an oral summary of those audio and video file. In class, students can practice presenting

their summary in pairs, in groups. Teacher calls any students to present in front of the class or the

groups can work together and assign their presenter. Teacher may also ask the whole class to vote for

the best summary. The following is some examples of student’s summary

Videos’ link

Students’ summary

Thomas

Edison's

incredible

mother

The story begins when Edison, a boy considered mentally deficient, brought a

letter from his head teacher to his mother. Reading the letter, Edison's mother

was in tears. On being asked, hesitating for a moment, she read the letter aloud

to her son, saying that he was a genius and that the school did not have enough

resources to teach him, so his parents should educate him at home. Many years

later, after his mother passed away, Edison became a world-renowned genius

with many great inventions. One day, while looking through old items, Edison

came across a paper in a drawer. On the paper was written that he was a mentally

deficient child and that the school no longer wanted to teach him. Edison cried

for a long time and then wrote in his diary: “Thomas Alva Edison was an addled

child that, by a hero mother, became the genius of the century.”

—-> Lesson: There are unpleasant things that cannot be changed by anger. It is

love and compassion that help you change yourself and change others. This story

about Edison and his mother is a testament to her unconditional love and support

for her son.

Nick

Vujicic

-

Never give up

Nick Vujicic began his speech by sharing his experience of being teased during

his school days. He drew a parallel between his story and the experiences of

many in the audience who have been labeled as "fat," "too short," or "too tall".

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But why does it matter how we look? Because people often fear the feeling of

being alone, fear the feeling of being rejected or unrecognized by others. Also,

Nick emphasized that though there are aspects of life that are beyond our control

and cannot be changed, our attitude is something we can always choose. We can

decide to give up or to keep going. If we choose to try, there are high chances

that we succeed. However, if we don't try, we eliminate any chance of achieving

our goals.

-> Lesson: The chances of becoming a failure depend on your attitude to choose

whether to face the music and keep going or to give up. Find your own strength

and get up to confront the hardships in life.

How

I

Overcame

Failure

|

Jack

Ma

Jack Ma describes his journey of overcoming numerous failures and rejections

before achieving success. He persisted despite failing to get into university

multiple times and being rejected by Harvard ten times. He faced rejection in job

applications and struggled with financial constraints while trying to establish his

internet business, Alibaba. Ma and his team gathered $50,000 from eighteen

founders, but for the first three years, they earned no revenue. Even though he

faced skepticism and doubt from others, Ma continued to believe in his vision.

Over sixteen years, through perseverance, resilience, and a focus on helping

others, he eventually built Alibaba into a highly successful company.

→ LESSON: Persistence and resilience are essential for success. Believing in

oneself and one’s vision, despite others' doubts, and focusing on solving

problems for others can lead to extraordinary achievements.

Three

valuable

lessons

from

Steve Jobs

Three personal stories was shared in Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford commencement

address:

1. Connecting the dots: How dropping out of college led to unexpected

opportunities. - How seemingly unrelated experiences can connect in unexpected

ways later in life.

2. Love and loss: Getting fired from Apple and finding success again. (He

founded NeXT and Pixar) - Setbacks can lead to new opportunities and growth.

3. Death: Facing mortality and following your heart. (Being diagnosed with

pancreatic cancer reinforced his belief in following one's heart and not wasting

time living someone else's life) - the importance of pursuing one's passions and

not being constrained by others' expectations.

The key lesson from this speech: Trust your intuition, follow your passions,

and not be afraid to take risks or face setbacks. The importance of “doing what

you love, staying curious, and not settling for less than what truly inspires you”

are highly emphasized by Jobs. He encourages graduates to "stay hungry, stay

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foolish" - to remain eager to learn and willing to take chances in pursuit of their

dreams.

3.1.2.2. Story telling

Teacher asks student to listen to stories chosen by the teacher or the students themselves and retell

those stories in pair, in group or in front of the class. The following are some examples of students’

work.

Stories’ link

Students’ words

the lesson of

the butterfly

The story starts with a man curiously watching a butterfly struggling to emerge from

its cocoon. With compassion, he cut the open, which, however, caused the butterfly’s

frail body and short life. Little did he know that the obstacle to break the cocoon

actually shaped its beauty and strength. This story emphasizes the importance of

overcoming one’s hardship themselves. Though it may be tough at the moment, the

fruit of personal cultivation, resilience and further development is worthy; and

avoiding these struggles only just curbs a person’s own future. Believe in your ability

to face and defeat your difficulties so as to reach new heights of bigger things, just

as the butterfly emerging themselves from a narrow cocoon to the vast sky.

other side of

the storm

The story encompasses a boy and his grandfather. To answer his grandson’s

question about the secret to becoming successful, a grandfather planted two similar

trees in contrasting conditions: one in a sheltered environment and the other exposed

to harsh weather. Years went by, the sheltered tree avoided immediate hardship and

grew, yet weak and vulnerable, with its trunk slender and its roots shallow. The

second tree, however, was planted in open space and faced strong storms, therefore

appeared strong and resilient, with its branches spread large and the roots went deep

in the soil. From that, the grandfather explained to his grandson that obstacles in

human’s life - as storms to the tree - are essential for growth and development. Like

the tree that was planted in the open field, a person can gain strength by taking on

the challenges. The boy then realized that while avoiding hurdles may seem more

comfortable at the moment, doing so hampers the growth of the strength required to

overcome difficulties on the further way to success. .

how

to

manage

your time

In a classroom, the teacher used a jar filled with golf balls, pebbles, sand, and beer

to illustrate life's priorities. Each time he asked if the jar was full, the students agreed.

Golf balls represented family, friends, health, and passions—the most important

things. Pebbles symbolized work and home, while sand stood for trivial matters. The

lesson teaches that prioritizing the golf balls ensures a fulfilling life, while the

pebbles and sand can fit around them. The addition of beer humorously illustrated

that even with a full life, there's always room for enjoyable moments. The story left

- 14 -

the students reflecting on how they prioritize their time and energy in pursuit of

happiness.

3.1.2.3.Designing listening exercises

Designing listening exercises is an activity aiming at keeping students updated with the current events

and increasing their exposure to authentic materials. This could be done frequently on a daily or

weekly basis, as individual or group work. It is only suitable for advanced students such as the students

in the gifted team because they can listen for a wide variety of authentic sources. The following are

some examples of students’ work.

Example 1. BREAKING: Iran launches “mass drone and missile attack” on Israel | BBC News

(Broadcast on April 4

th

2024)

Listen to the recording and fill in the gaps with no more than five words.

1. With the recent escalation in the Middle East crisis, Iran has started a direct attack on Israel by

launching ________________ to attack targets there.

2. They're expected to reach Israel in the next couple of hours. Israel has declared its armed forces

are ____________ with combat planes in the air.

3. An alleged Israeli assault almost two weeks ago on its consulate in Damascus urged Iran to seek

revenge. The US President, Joe Biden, has interrupted his weekend plans to return to the White

House for ___________ on the crisis.

4. There has been increasing speculation regarding Iran's potential response. And it seems that the

attack is underway. _________________ here in Israel say that drones have now been launched

from Iran directed towards Israel.

5. Reports from Iraq indicate the presence of numerous drones in the sky. The Israeli spokesman

said that those drones will take some hours before they reach their target here, and he says that he's

confident that Israel's air defenses will __________________.

6. Now, the Israelis at the moment are just talking about drones, but the ___________________

have put out a statement saying that they are attacking with drones and missiles.

7.

The

United

States

is

Israel's

closest

ally.

President

Joe

Biden

has

assured

Israel

of

________________.

8. A statement from the National Security Council said, 'Iran has begun an _____________ against

Israel. President Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his National Security team,

who are in constant communication with Israeli officials.'

9. And it goes on to say that this attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours, and unnamed US

officials have anticipated that this drone attack to be _______________missiles that could be

launched later on.

- 15 -

10. Any form of Tit-for-tat, escalatory, retaliatory conflict could _______________________.

Key:

1. dozens of drones

2. on full alert

3. briefings

4. Military spokesman

5. shoot them down

6. Iranian Revolutionary Guards

7. ironclad support

8. airborne attack

9. synchronized with

10. ignite a wider regional war

Example 2. Food inflation in the US (Broadcast on June 1

st

2024)

Listen to the recording and decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F)

1, Fast food giants in the US are preparing special combos in order to attract customers.

2, Some franchise owners are discontented with the program due to the labor decrease.

3, Both customers and sellers are under the impact of inflation.

4, It requires caution when dealing with this inflationary obstacle.

5, The franchise owner in the interview is going to have additional costs cut to survive during

inflation.

Key:

1.

T

2.

F

3.

T

4.

T

5.

F

3.2. Improving intonation through shadowing

3.2.1.

What is shadowing?

Shadowing, or echoing, is an imitation technique where one listen to a model (i.e. a video or audio of

someone speaking) and repeat what they say in real time. Note that this is different from the listen-

pause-repeat. The idea is that the learner repeat, word for word, sound for sound, what they hear, with

as little delay as possible.

3.2.2.

How shadowing improves pronunciation?

Practicing shadowing helps students improve pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary effectively.

When making effort to imitate the native speakers as precisely as possible, learners learn how to

matching their pace, intonation, and rhythm and gradually be able to speak more naturally.

3.2.3.

Steps in shadowing techniques

Step 1: Select a model

- 16 -

- Find a short piece of audio or video. It can be a part of a film, a talk or a piece of news.

- It doesn't have to be a native speaker, but they should be proficient and speak clearly.

- That piece of audio or video should be attractive to the learners, the more intriguing the better. It

would be ideal if students choose their favorite part in a film or a speech to shadow.

Step 2: Listen

- This is the most crucial part in shadowing. Only when fully understanding the speech can learners

mimic it with real emotion.

- Students listen to the piece of audio or video for several times, first without the transcript or subtitles

to fully grasp the meaning of it.

- Search for meaning of words or phrases until the students understand the recording thoroughly.

- It is also crucial that students get used to the speaker’s accent, rhythm and intonation.

Step 3: Practice shadowing

- It can be challenging to begin with, but try to repeat what the speaker says as quickly and as

accurately as possible. Turn the volume down when shadowing so that learners can hear themselves

speak and adjust accordingly.

- When students are fluent enough, they can turn off the sound altogether and practicing dubbing. It

is also very fun and effective to dub the videos.

3.2.4.

Suggested sources for shadowing

Films

Films are great source for shadowing as people are naturally drawn to something interesting and

entertaining. The language in films is lively and characters speak with emotion, clear intonation so

learners can mimic them in a fun way. The following are some movies whose clips are ideal for

shadowing.

-

Disney movies (Frozen, Tangled, Snow White and Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast,

Aladdin, Lion King, Cinderella, Finding Nemo, Kungfu Panda, Madagascar, etc.)

-

Popular movies (Friends, Extr@, Forrest Gump (1994), Harry Porter Series, Pirates of the

Caribbean, etc.)

Extracted lesson plan: Shadowing film clip from “Tangled”

Teacher’s activities

Student’s activities

-

Before the lesson, teacher have students

watch the whole movie at home.

-

Watch the whole film before class to

have a full overview of the film

-

Listen to the clip

-

Listen again and write down the line.

- 17 -

-

In

class,

teacher

plays

the

clip

“Tangled

(2010)

-

Hair

Cutting

Scene”

-

Teacher plays the video in short part

and stop and ask students to write down

the lines.

-

Teacher asks students to exchange their

answers.

-

Teacher calls some students to give

their answers.

-

Teacher

plays

the

clip

again

for

students to check their work.

-

Teacher asks students to do shadowing

with the complete clip.

-

Teacher calls several students to do

shadowing again.

-

Teacher asks students to comment on

their friends’ work.

-

Exchange answers

-

Check answers

-

Practice shadowing with their partner

-

Some students do shadowing before

class.

-

Comment on friends’ work.

Tangled (2010) - Hair Cutting Scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awv_o3GftNk&t=19s

-

Mother Gothel: Rapunzel, really. Enough already. Stop fighting me.

-

Rapunzel: No, I won’t stop. For every minute of the rest of my life I will fight. I will try

to get away from you. But if you let me save him, I will go with you.

-

Eugene: No, no Rapunzel.

-

Rapunzel: I never run. I never try to escape. Just let me heal him. And you and I will be

together, forever, just like you want. Everything will be the way it was. I promise, just

like you want. Just let me heal him.

-

Mother Gothel : In case you get any idea of following us.

-

Rapunzel: Eugene. I’m so sorry. Everything will be OK. It’s gonna be alright.

-

Eugene: Rapunzel, I can’t let you do this.

-

Rapunzel: But I can’t let you die.

-

Eugene : But if you do this, you are gonna die.

-

Rapunzel: It’s gonna be alright.

Speeches:

Speeches are also popular source for shadowing. In those famous speeches, speakers are great model

to mimic. They not only convey thought-provoking ideas but also demonstrate great ability in

eloquence that are

exemplary.

I suggest speeches from two following channels: TED Talks

and English speeches with subtitles

- 18 -

3.3. Organizing Debate and Discussion

3.1.1.

Debates

a.

What is a debate?

A debate can be defined as a structured discussion where participants present arguments and

counterarguments on a specific topic.

b.

How debates nurture eloquence?

Eloquence and debate mutually complement each other. A debater may sound more convincing when

speaking eloquently. When practicing debating, the debaters also hone their ability to speak

eloquently. Also, in order to win a debate, a participant have to research and generate ideas for their

topic, and anticipate and address potential objections or questions.

They also have to listen attentively to the opposing side's arguments so as to responses effectively.

These processes can help students to think more critically and see things from different perspectives.

This helps them to avoid subjectivity when delivering speech about the topic themselves and enhance

their persuasion.

c.

Types of debates

There are often two main types of debate, which differ in style, organization and settings: formal and

informal debate.

Formal Debates

Informal Debates

•

Formal

debates

are

structured,

organized, and regulated by rules and

procedures

such

as

the

British

Parliamentary

(BP)

or

the

World

Schools (WS) style.

•

Formal

debates

require

preparation,

research, and evidence to support your

arguments.

•

The speakers, who must follow the

time limits, speech order, and points of

information or rebuttal.

•

Informal

debates

are

more

flexible,

spontaneous,

and

casual

than

formal

debates

such

as

in

everyday

conversations, or group discussions.

•

Informal debates allow you to express

your opinions, feelings, and experiences

more freely, without being constrained

by rules or criteria.

•

They also enable you to engage with

others,

listen

to

their

views,

and

ask

questions or challenge assumptions.

In the setting of language learning class, informal debates are easier to be conducted and more exciting

to students. They allow every student chance to actively participate in the debates. It is necessary for

monitoring the debate, though, and teacher is often the moderator of the debate. A moderator may ask

the speakers to clarify their point, stop them if they speak too long or present irrelevant arguments,

appoint speaker to ensure equal chance for all students.

d.

Suggested debating topics

- 19 -

“The better” debate

1.

Which is a better place to live, the countryside or city?

2.

Which is better, shopping online or shopping at stores?

3.

Which is better, e-books or paper books?

4.

Which is better, working for a private company or a state-run company?

5.

Which is better, sending children to kindergarten or leaving children under a family member’s

care?

6.

Which is better, studying online or studying in class?

7.

Which is better, earning more with little free time or earning less with more free time?

8.

Which is better, reading a book or watching a movie adapted from that book?

9.

Which is better, self-study or study in class?

10.

Which is better, updating news by watching TV or surfing the internet?

“The best” debate:

In this type, each group may have a different choice. They have to both jobs, defending their choice

as well as find faults in others’ choice. The winning group is the one who can defend their choice until

the end.

1.

The best sport (football, badminton, yoga, jogging, swimming, dance sport, e-sport, etc.)

2.

The best pet (a cat, a dog, a hamster, fish, salamander, a bird, etc.)

3.

The best season (spring, summer, fall, winter)

4.

The best time of life (childhood, teenage, twenties, thirties, middle-age, old age, etc.)

5.

The best sources to learn a language (books, films, songs, language apps, social media,

podcasts, games, news, etc.)

6.

The country with the best cuisine? (Vietnam, Japan, China, France, Italy, Korea, etc.)

7.

The best city to live (Hanoi, Danang, Ho Chi Minh, New York, Sydney, Tokyo, Paris, etc.)

8.

The best alternative energy (solar, wind, wave, geothermal, water, biomass, etc.)

9.

The best country for oversea students (Singapore, Japan, Korea, England, New Zealand,

America, Canada, France, Russia, etc.)

10.

The best vehicle to travel around Vietnam (bike, motorbike, train, car, plane, ship, or hitch-

hiking)

“For and against” debate

1.

Private schools are a scam

2.

Plastic is a bad invention

3.

Insect can solve food shortage

4.

Vietnam is not a heaven but hell for tourists

5.

Plastic surgery is not worth it.

6.

Studying abroad is worth it.

7.

AI development bring more harm than good

8.

Death penalty should be abolished.

- 20 -

9.

Social media do more harm than good

10.

To be successful, attitude is more important than aptitude

Short debate

It is another variation of a debate, yet can take very short time for preparation (or no preparation) and

last for a short period of time, from 3 to 15 minutes. It is because the topic selected is very simple and

close to life, so students may not need to research on it. Therefore, it is fun, light-hearted and suitable

for a warm-up or when the time is constrained. However, it is really effective in sharpening students’

mind of critical thinking and honing their debate skill. Some suggestions are as followed.

1.

Which is a better drink, tea or coffee?

2.

Which is better, vegetables of fruits?

3.

Which is better, meat of fish?

4.

Which is better, jogging or cycling?

5.

Which is better, home-cooked meal or meal in the restaurant?

6.

Which is better, a computer or a laptop?

7.

Which is better toy for a kid, Lego or Rubik?

8.

Which is better, an electric bike or a motorbike?

9.

Which is better, a mountain holiday or a beach holiday?

10.

Who is better, a same-sex friend or an opposite-sex friend?

3.1.2.

Discussions

a.

What is a discussion?

It refers to the sharing of ideas among a group of people, thereby giving them an opportunity

to exhibit their knowledge, but also to understand and absorb the thoughts of other people.

b.

How discussions help develop eloquence?

•

Authentic context

Discussions facilitate the exchange of ideas in forms of speaking in meaningful contexts.

Students have chance to mobilize their prior knowledge to share, challenge, discuss, agree or

disagree with others. This process helps them learn how to persuade and response to others

effectively, which lay foundation for their eloquence.

•

Diverse perspectives

Group discussions expose learners to diverse perspectives that can enrich their understanding

of a topic or issue. By listening to other people's opinions, arguments, and evidence, students

can learn new facts, insights, and perspectives that they may not have considered before. They

can also compare and contrast their own views with those of others, and identify the strengths

and weaknesses of different positions. This can help them to broaden their horizons, deepen

their knowledge, and sharpen their analysis.

•

Challenging assumptions

Another benefit of group discussions is that they challenge learners’ assumptions and biases

that may hinder their critical thinking. By encountering different viewpoints and perspectives,

- 21 -

they can question their own beliefs, values, and assumptions, and examine whether they are

based on sound reasoning, evidence, and logic. Students can also test their arguments and

hypotheses against those of others, and see if they can withstand scrutiny and criticism. This

can help students to avoid fallacies, errors, and prejudices, and to improve their accuracy,

validity, and objectivity.

c.

Suggested topics for group discussion

Pros and cons

1.

Pros and cons of the development of AI and robots

2.

Pros and cons of studying abroad

3.

Pros and cons of public transport

4.

Pros and cons of computer games

5.

Pros and cons of globalization

6.

Pros and cons of taking a gap year

7.

Pros and cons of tourism to a host country

8.

Pros and cons of social media

9.

Pros and cons of student’s taking a part-time job

10.

Pros and cons of space exploration

Causes, effects and solutions:

1.

Causes, effects and solutions to air pollution (water pollution, noise pollution, etc.)

2.

Causes, solutions to a traffic problem (traffic jam, traffic accident, poor road quality, violation

of traffic law, outdated vehicles, lack of parking space, etc.)

3.

Causes, effects and solutions to stress

4.

Causes, effects and solutions to climate change

5.

Causes, effects and solutions to endangered species (coral, tiger, turtle, panda, rhino, elephant,

etc)

6.

Causes, effects and solutions to urbanization

7.

Causes, effects and solutions to overpopulation

8.

Causes, effects and solutions to gender discrimination

9.

Causes, effects and solutions to poor mental health issue

10.

Causes, effects and solutions to game addiction (drug addiction)

“Factor” discussion:

1.

What qualities make a good leader? (communication, responsibility, vision, decisiveness,

know how to use people, good emotional intelligence, etc.)

2.

What potentials does Vietnam have to develop? (location, natural resources, human resources,

rich culture, rich history, tradition, flexible diplomatic strategies, etc.)

- 22 -

3.

What factors decide the success of a football team? (individual ability, good teamwork,

physical strength of players, a good coach and good strategy, support from fans, investment

and rewards, etc.)

4.

What factors decide one’s success? (talent, hard work, luck, etc.)

5.

What factors are necessary for good health? (exercise, diet, positive thinking, balanced

lifestyle etc.)

6.

What factors one should consider when choosing a job? (salary, passion, working condition,

working environment, contribution to society, future prospect)

“Importance” discussion

1.

What is the importance of the sea (forest, water)?

2.

What is the importance of biodiversity?

3.

What is the importance of self-study?

4.

What is the importance of self-love?

5.

What is the importance of self-refection?

6.

What is the importance of learning history?

7.

What is the importance of independent skills (time-management, problem-solving, self-study,

self-control, communication, teamwork, etc.)

8.

What is the importance of reading?

9.

What is the importance of setting goals in life?

10.

What is the importance of stepping out of comfort zone?

Topic-based discussion:

It is also useful when teacher can design a list of discussion questions revolving around one topic.

Students will work in groups and select a question that interest them the most and work on that

question only in depth. By this way, students can focus their effort to deal with that topic and often

achieve better efficiency. Below are some examples of question list.

Topic

Discussion questions

University

study

1.

Everyone should have a free access to university education. Do you

agree?

2.

What is more important for students, social life or academic life?

3.

What is more important, a university with a degree or the university of

life?

4.

Many student graduates now cannot find a job. What are the reasons

and solutions for this?

History

learning

1.

Why learning history is important?

2.

What are the problems of history teaching and learning?

3.

What can be done to make history learning more interesting?

- 23 -

Gender

prejudice

1.

Women cannot make good leaders

2.

Men should not cry because it is a sign a weakness

3.

Only men can do big things

4.

The best job for women is at home

5.

Men is no good at child rearing

Jobs

1.

What is the most difficult job?

2.

What is the most dangerous job?

3.

What is the most important job?

4.

What is the most well-paid job?

5.

What is the most creative job?

6.

What is the most adventurous job?

3.4.

Designing engaging speaking lessons

3.4.1.

Designing engaging warm-ups

a.

The importance of warm-up activities

Warm-up activities act as ice-breaker in communication. They help students to relax their body and

mind, make them more open up about themselves and ready for learning new things. They are also

helpful in a way that they elicit students’ prior knowledge and experiences so as they feel more excited

to start speaking. After years of teaching speaking, I realize that in a language lesson in general and

speaking lesson in particular, an engaging warm-up is a must. When students are excited and happy,

they will be more energetic, creative, proactive in speaking activities and therefore often perform

much better.

b.

Some popular warm-up activities

Warm-up activities can vary depending on the topic of the lesson and the level of students in class.

They are often short, fun and often competitive, meaning that students often are often divided into

groups which then compete against each other. This research focus on three most popular warm-up

activities: Guessing game, Listing game and Naming game.

Guessing game

Basically, this game requires players to guess something based on hints such as pictures, sounds,

description, explanation or demonstration of other players. Normally, it is often played with the whole

class being divided in smaller groups competing with each other to have the most correct guesses.

There are various ways to organize this kind of warm-up as followed.

a.

Type 1: Teacher divides the class into groups. Each turn, each group will assign a presenter

that stand with their back to the blackboard so they cannot see the board. When the teacher

shows a picture or writes a word on the board, the other students in the class will try to describe

the things shown by the picture or words (a food, a job, an animal, a sport, a hobby, a city, a

country, a famous person, a film, a book, etc) without mentioning its name. When a presenter

has one correct guess, their team get a point.

- 24 -

b.

Type 2: Similar to type 1, but other students can only use body language to demonstrate the

subjects given. (a job, a sport, a household chores, a hobby, etc)

c.

Type 3: Teacher divides the class into groups. Some pictures of the subject will be revealed

little by little until the whole pictures can be seen. All teams have to try to guess the subjects

in the picture while the pictures are uncovered. Teacher can design this game or use those

available on YouTube, check out on Jobs And Occupations , Food Vocabulary, Places Around

Town, etc.

d.

Type 4: Teacher divides the class into groups. Teacher will offer 3 clues about the subject,

one by one. If any group can guess at the subject after the first clue, they get three points; after

second clue, two points and the final one, one point. Teacher can design this game or use those

available on YouTube, check out on What Am I? Jobs quiz , What Am I? Quiz | Animals

e.

Type 5: Teacher will use extracts of audios or videos as clues. This can be applied to guess

the names of songs, films, music types, traditions, famous people, etc.

Listing game

Generally, this game requires players to list things of a same group or share the same character. It is

often played with the whole class being divided in smaller groups competing with each other to find

the longest list. The following are some examples of listing games applied for popular topics.

Topic

Listing game

Body

and

health

List names of body parts

Color

List things that are green/red/blue/yellow…

Nature

List things that can be found in the sea/the forest/the soil/outer space…

Family

List the members in a family (mom, dad, son, daughter, twins, father-in-law, step

father, adopted child,….)

Independent

skills

List the skills that one need to become independent (self-care, self-control, time-

management, financial management, etc)

Places

Places to go on a picnic, a date, a party, camping, etc

Phonetics

List the one-syllable words with the sound /ei/ /a:/ /i:/,etc

A sub-type of this game is called “List three things” (or teacher can adapt it into “List four things” or

“List five things” as they wish), in which the group can find the three things based on certain criteria.

The team who finds the three first will win a score. There are often several rounds. This game can be

applied for various topic, such as countries, people, jobs, books, films, invention, animals, commercial

brands, etc.

For example, I have applied this activity called “Find three countries”:

1.

Find three countries that have very large area

- 25 -

2.

Find three countries that have very large population

3.

Find three countries that are famous for their food

4.

Find three countries that have multi-racial population

5.

Find three countries that have large area of forest

6.

Find three countries that may be dangerous for women

7.

Find three countries that are popular among oversea students

8.

Find three countries that are very rich in natural resources

9.

Find three countries that are now still at war

10.

Find three countries that have comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam

Naming game

Generally, teacher shows the subjects on the board and asks students to name things shown. It is often

played with the whole class being divided in smaller groups competing with each other to name the

subjects the fastest. The following are some examples of listing games applied for popular topics.

Topic

Naming game

Space exploration

Name the planets in the solar system

Conservation

Names some popular trees/flowers/animals

Football

Name the national football teams

Sports

Name the sports based on the equipment

Culture

Name the countries based on their famous foods, costumes, places of

interests, flags, locations, etc.

Science

Name the famous scientists based on their famous inventions

Environment

Name the environmental problems in the pictures

Volunteer

Name the volunteer activities in the pictures

3.4.2.

Engaging topics

As goes the saying “Teaching the head without teaching the heart is not teaching at all”, it is necessary

that teacher choose the topic that interest students and capture their attention. Students feel more

engaged when they can speak about something they care about so it is wise to adapt speaking activities

to meet their need and interests. Some activities in the text book can be broad and may not be able to

raise students’ interests so teacher need to adapt those to specific class, student’s interests and levels.

The following is an example of speaking lesson

Example. English 11-Unit 2. Generation gap. Speaking activity: Role-play: Each group play the

role of a consultant to give advice for the students in the following situations. Some students may

act out their in front of the class.

- 26 -

3.4.3.

Diversifying speaking activities

No matter how interesting one activity is, it can make student bored when applying again and again.

It is therefore vital that teachers diversify the speaking activities regularly so as to engage students.

There are abundant to choose from: Pair work, group work, discussion, interviewing, role-play,

presentation or even debate, etc. The following are some suggestions for speaking lessons in English

10-English majors.

Unit

Name of unit

Activity

1.

Family Life

-

Discussion– The benefits of splitting chores in a family.

-

Role

play:

Counsellor

helping

people

with

situations

relating to conflicts in their family

-

Debate: Nuclear family versus Extended family

-

Presentation: Memorable moments in my family (Each

student bring a picture that show a good memory with their

family)

-

Debate: Which is more important, family education or

education at schools?

-

Discussion:

Domestic

violence:

Causes,

effects

and

solutions

2.

Humans

and

the

environment

-

Discussion: The importance of the sea/forest

-

Discussion: Ways to go green

3.

Music

-

Presentation: Music idols

- 27 -

-

Role play: Music TV shows

-

Competition: Music talent show

4.

For

a

better

community

-

Discussion: Benefits of volunteering

-

Discussion: Who need help in our community and what can

we do?

-

Role play: Recruiting volunteers for community projects:

Interview candidates

5.

Invention

-

Discussion: Advantages and disadvantages of inventions

(the internet, mobile phone, computer, nuclear power,

robot, cars…)

6.

Gender equality

-

Presentation: Great women in history

-

Discussion: Gender discrimination and solutions

7.

Vietnam

and

international

organizations

-

Presentations:

International

organizations

(WWF,

UNICEF, UNESCO, G7, ASEAN, NASA, NATO, IMF,

OXFARM,….)

-

Discussion: Benefits of being a member of ASEAN

-

Debate: Globalization: A blessing or a curse

8.

New ways to learn

-

Discussion: Problems with smart devices and solutions

PC/smartphone/laptop/tablet

-

Debate: Will robot and AI replace teachers

-

Debate: Students should be allowed to use smart phone in

class

-

Debate: The best sources to learn a language (books, films,

music,

social

network,

newspapers

and

magazines,

podcast, language learning apps, games…)

9.

Protecting

the

environment

-

Pollution

(Air,

soil,

water,

noise,

light)-Problems

and

solutions

-

Presentation: Endangered species

-

Debate: The best alternative energy

-

Mind map: Climate change: Causes, effects and solution

10.

Ecotourism

-

Presentation: Ecotour Destinations around Vietnam

3.4.4.

Make it competitive

People work harder when they compete with others. This is especially useful to mobilize this psycho

principle in teaching speaking skills. Some students are more reluctant than others in practicing

speaking. There are various reasons to explain this: they are introvert or reserved by nature; they are

afraid of making mistakes and being laughed at; they are just less motivated than others and therefore

- 28 -

make less effort. When teachers adapt the speaking activities so as individuals or groups can compete

with others, students are more aware of their roles and responsibilities and make greater effort so that

they win or not become the loser. The following are some examples.

Topic

Speaking activity

Make it more competitive

Ecotourism

Group

presentation:

Ecotour

destinations around Vietnam

Teacher

asks

each

student

to

draw

an

evaluation table on a paper:

Group

Content

Illustration

Excellent

Goood

Poor

Excellent

Goood

Poor

While listening to other groups’ presentation

they have to evaluate the performance based on

the given criteria. After the presentation, the

groups having the most excellent votes will be

given a present.

Life

stories:

Talking

about

your

experiences

in life

Talk about “My memorable

good/bad

experience”.

Suggestions:

1.

The time I realized the

true

value

of

something

2.

The

happiest

time

in

my life

3.

The

time

I

worked

extremely hard

4.

The

time

I

made

a

mistake

and

learnt

from that

5.

The time I found my

best friend

…

Talk

about

“My

memorable

good/bad

experience”. Suggestions:

1.

The time I realized the true value of

something

2.

The happiest time in my life

3.

The time I worked extremely hard

4.

The time I made a mistake and learnt

from that

5.

The time I found my best friend

…

Teacher tells the students that at the end of the

lesson, the class will vote for the three best

presenters and give rewards for them.

3.4.5.

Constructive feedback: positive first

Feedbacks are necessary in a way that students know what they have done well and what they have

not, whether they have made progress or not. Teachers should be sensible in giving feedback by

emphasizing more on the positive sides rather than negative ones. They should not find fault in what

students have done. Instead, they need to find at least something that students did well, almost

anything such as their manner when they speak, the good vocabulary they used, the intonation they

use effectively or the unique ideas they had, etc. Even when students make many mistakes, teachers

- 29 -

should not correct every mistake at a time. Teachers should pick up the most common mistakes or the

most serious ones and give advice on how to correct those and avoid criticizing students for making

mistakes. Teacher should help student accept that making mistakes is part and parcel of the learning

process and not feel discouraged when making them.

CHAPTER III: CONCLUSION

1. Summary

Eloquence is a powerful tool in impress and influence. It also adds more vibrant color to our speech,

making them memorable. This is why gifted students should be equipped with this tool to address

the challenging questions in their NEC as well as to excel in any other academic and non-academic

realms. In this paper, the author attempted to analyze the attributes of an eloquent speech, what

techniques used and from that propose some feasible strategies to develop eloquence in speaking for

the gifted students. Those strategies include widening background knowledge, improving intonation

through shadowing, organizing debates and discussions, designing engaging speaking lessons. The

application of these strategies in teaching speaking skill for the gifted students has proved that the

efficiency of teaching and learning has been enhanced noticeably. Students not only feel more

confident with their speaking ability but also show great interest in speaking lessons. What’s more,

they learn to apply eloquence in other real-life circumstances. For teachers, the strategies help teacher

have greater liberty and creativity in conducting speaking lessons and therefore be able to develop

speaking skills for students in an more systematic way.

2. Limitations

The research still has some limitations, which should be addressed in order to obtain more reliable

results in future studies. First, the sample group is limited to the gifted students in English major class,

therefore the strategies suggested may not apply well for students of lower competence level. Second,

the author needs to collect more actual samples from students’ speech to better assess the effectiveness

of the proposed strategies.

3. Suggestions for further research

As the present study has some limitations, I would like to recommend some suggestions for future

study in order to gain strongly reliable results. First, a larger sample should be selected. Second,

participation of more teachers is welcomed to yield more conclusive result. Finally, audio and video

records should be collected during the research to provide more diverse and reliable data.

- 30 -

REFERENCES

1.

Antoni, R., 2014, Teaching Speaking Skill through Small Group Discussion Technique at

the Accounting Study Program. Journal of Education and Islamic Studies, (online), 5(1), 55-

64

2.

Gebhard, J. (2000). Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language:

A Teacher Self - development and methodology Guide. United States of America: The

University of Michigan Press.

3.

Samantaray,

P.

(2014).

Use

of

storytelling

method

to

develop

spoken

English

skill.

International Journal of Language &Linguistics, 1(1), 40- 44.

4.

Richa, R. (2011). Improving Students’ Speaking Skill Through Debate Technique. English

Language Teaching Department Faculty Of Tarbiyah Walisongo State Institute For Islamic

Studies 2010.

5.

Stevenson A.(2010) Oxford Dictionary of English. Oxford University Press.

6.

TEDx (2016) Speak like a leader: Simon Lancaster: TEDxVerona. YouTube. Available

at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGBamfWasNQ(

Accessed:

06/04/2021). [Google

Scholar]