Martin Benedict Andrew, & Le Hong Tran, Using Weekly Group Political Presentations to…

USING WEEKLY GROUP POLITICAL PRESENTATIONS TO ENHANCE THE PHONOLOGICAL LEARNING OF SECOND-YEAR ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT A UNIVERSITY IN

Martin Benedict Andrew Capable New Zealand, Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand Email: benedictandrew@.com

Le Hong Tran Academy of International Studies, Vietnam Email: [email protected]

Abstract Studies about the learning value of group presentations in ESL and EFL have become increasingly common, particularly in relation to spoken fluency. However, few studies have explored their impact on students’ intelligible pronunciation. In a Vietnamese context, recent changes in teaching and learning strategies set by the government have shifted attention to students’ ability to communicate effectively in today’s increasingly globalized environment. This inevitably turns the spotlight on pronunciation, an aspect of EFL long ignored in Vietnam. Qualitatively describing a case where group presentations were a key mode of teaching, learning and assessment for 17 second-year students majoring in English for Political Discipline at the Institute of International Studies in over the course of one semester, this study suggests that monitored and transcribed group presentations may be one rational answer. The study investigates the impacts on participants’ pronunciation of sounds and stress and considers their attitude towards this method. The results reveal that students acknowledged the benefits of group presentations and experienced improvements in pronunciation, confidence and range of political vocabulary. These changes were diverse depending on each participant’s attitude. The article concludes with reflective evaluations of the lessons and explores the pedagogical implications for future projects on implementing research into presentations among Vietnamese students of foreign languages.

Keywords: language learning, presentations, phonology, speaking, Vietnam

INTRODUCTION overuse of traditional grammar-translation Acquiring spoken communicative methods prohibit the country’s language competency in English in Vietnam is an education from nearing its goal. Such important aspect of the nation’s social and researchers within the ASEAN perimeter as economic development (London, 2011). London (2011) have suggested that Foreseeing the need for bilingual personnel, education, with Government Decision 1400 (2008) stated traditionally fewer opportunities for students that ‘by 2020 most Vietnamese to participate in productive skills with fluent students...will be able to use a foreign speakers of English, is still marked by a need language confidently in their daily for more emphasis on the comprehensible communication, their study and work in an spoken word. integrated, multi-cultural and multi-lingual In this research context, one of the first environment’. The ‘foreign language’ in this author’s students’ greatest weaknesses is legislation is, of course, understood to be intelligible speaking. They are government English. officials working in international relations However, the progress made in English fields where they need to express themselves training and learning in Vietnam is behind clearly and accurately. Our interest in the shift in ideology. Obstacles such as conducting this research is to examine overcrowded classes and the ongoing whether the continuing use of presentations

115 International Journal of Language Education, Vol. 3 No. 2, October 2019 pp. 115-127 can improve their pronunciation skills, pronunciation can't be especially articulating sounds and tress. understood. However, Vietnamese students are likely LITERATURE REVIEW to struggle with English pronunciation. This Benefits of Student Presentations is because the two sound systems share little Student presentations have been valued similarity. Although, few contrastive as a powerful language teaching tool by analysis studies between English and researchers all over the world. For example, Vietnamese exist, the two most serious areas presentations can enhance students’ of errors of Vietnamese pronunciation are communication skills (Girard, Pinar & sounds and stress. Trapp, 2011), narrow the gap between In terms of sounds, Vietnamese students classroom and real-life language, encourage have problems with the pronunciation of students’ team-work spirit and assertiveness ‘final /p/, /b/, /g/ sounds’. Noticeably, some (King, 2002), increase students’ autonomy are unable to combine certain muscles and and equip them with new vocabulary and mouth-parts ‘to articulate some sounds like knowledge (Lee & Park, 2008). Additionally, /θ/ as in think and /ð/ as in that’ (Center for presentations in classroom context are also Applied Linguistics, 1977, p. 2). Santry associated with the improvement of level of (1992) also added consonant clusters to the attention (Baranowski & Weir, 2011), self- elements that hinder English pronunciation. efficacy and anxiety (Brown & Morrissey, Vietnamese speakers tend to omit or alter 2004) and speaking rates and information some consonants in difficult clusters. Take content (Hincks, 2010). Nevertheless, the consonants with /p/ as an example; as with undoubted benefits of presentations in /ps/ as in capsicum, where /p/ is omitted literature still leave the question of whether before /s/; as for /pl/ like in please and they can help improve students’ applaud, /p/ is replaced with /f/; /l/ is omitted pronunciation. This, again, points to a gap in in medial position (p. 137). The same the teaching and learning of pronunciation in problems of omitting, replacing and even professional contexts in Vietnam. reversing sounds happen with /b/ clusters (/bd/, ʒ/, /bz/, /bl/ and /br/) (p. 141), /t/ The Importance of Intelligible clusters /ts/, /t∫t/, /tl/, tr/ and /tw/) (p. 146), /k/ Pronunciation clusters (/kt∫/, /ks/, /kl/, /kr/ and /kw/) (p. Cakir and Baytar (2014) claimed that 152), /g/ clusters like /gl/ or /gr/ (p.154). The ‘pronunciation is one of the most important most serious error was /dʒd/ as in dodged or aspects of a language’, therefore ‘foreign trudged (p. 156). language learners should be exposed to the In terms of stress and rhythm, while target language not only in written but also ‘Vietnamese…is a language: every orally in order to acquire to sound systems word has associated with it a particular tone correctly’ (p. 106). There are few recent of ’ (Center for Applied Linguistics, studies of Vietnamese pronunciation of 1977, p. 3), English’s tones are associated English, so we rely here on two older studies. with whole sentences. Hence, it is difficult When examining Vietnamese pronunciation for Vietnamese students to produce English of English, the Center for Applied Linguistic accurately. Moreover, Vietnamese generally Study (1977) stated: is a monosyllabic language (Thompson, 1965 cited in Hwa-Froelich, 2002) while English a sentence can be pretty badly can be either monosyllabic or polysyllabic. mangled grammatically and still Therefore, multisyllabic pose be understandable if it is challenges to Vietnamese speakers. Firstly, pronounced well enough, and, they struggle to learn the complex system of conversely, the most flawlessly stress. Secondly, articulating a combination constructed sentence won’t do its of multiple, long sounds and phonemes is speaker a bit of good if his

116 Martin Benedict Andrew, & Le Hong Tran, Using Weekly Group Political Presentations to… unfamiliar in light what they already know effectiveness of group presentations in the from their tongue. context of politics, a topic relevant to the curriculum of the target group. However, Using Presentations to Enhance there is no research on the use of Pronunciation presentations as pedagogy for pronunciation As noted earlier, the advantages of using in a Asian context. Hence, in presentations in language classrooms are addition to our broader evaluative enquiry, exemplified in extant literature but there we ask the question, ‘In what ways do weekly remains a lack of research linking the effects group presentations on political topics of presentations to pronunciation (Schenettle, impact on second-year students’ 2013). pronunciation of and consonant The most relevant work was ‘Integrating sounds and word stress?’ pronunciation for fluency in presentation skills’ (Hall, 1997). Hall illustrated the use of METHODOLOGY presentations as meaningful context to Research in similar fields uses practice pronunciation with an analogy: the approaches utilizing the spectrum of process of hearing and imitating sounds is qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. like ‘learning to ride a bicycle on a road with However, the present research applies no traffic’ (1997, p. 4). Hence, there is a need qualitative methods following Andrew for contexts to which learners can transfer (2006) and Lee and Park (2008). The pronunciation skills. Hill stated: ‘for many qualitative findings are accompanied by ESL and EFL learners, skillful pronunciation descriptive statistics. is linked with effective presentation in an international context of developing Participants and Procedures globalization’ (p. 2). Even twenty years after The 17 participants, one intact class, Hill, it remains clear that focusing feedback comprised 16 males and one female, aged on pronunciation in the context of from 25 to 35. They were divided into three presentations is an innovative way to offer mixed proficiency groups: high, medium and feedback on phonetic features. low, each of which has a nominated leader. Further, Morley’s work (1991) shed light The project was implemented over a course on the researcher-teacher’s belief that group of one semester with eight presentation presentations are pedagogically appropriate. sessions. The participants were encouraged Using presentations to enhance phonological to present on political topics of personal learning satisfies Morley’s principles. To interest. name several principles, the use of In order to help students devote their presentations does not isolate pronunciation attention to pronunciation, they were allowed practice but sticks with the communicative to use web-based information as long as it approach. Second, it also emphasizes speech was referenced. The participants worked awareness and self-monitoring, and, thirdly, together to decide presentation topics and it develops communication styles in real-life , then uploaded their scripts onto a situations. forum on www.edmodo.com. After that, the The research reported here considers teacher-researcher proof-read each group’s sounds (including vowel, consonant sounds scripts and left comments about the accuracy and consonant clusters) and word stress. of word choice or grammar. Since the These were fundamental elements in the students’were multi-level, they made aforementioned studies. Supra-segmental mistakes with grammar and lexis, so this step aspects such as intonation and pausing and assisted them in concentrating on the sociocultural feature of accent should be pronunciation. covered in future research. The present research focuses broadly on the possible

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Data Collection Methods The findings below focus on specific In order to keep records of students’ aspects of vowel and consonant performances, presentations were audio- pronunciation, the articulation of consonant recorded and transcribed. Recorded clusters, particularly word endings, and word pronunciation mistakes were scrutinized and stress. then categorized into sounds (vowel or ending sounds, consonant clusters) and word The Pronunciation of Vowel Sounds stress. In the last session, the participants The audio records of the presentations were asked to re-present their first revealed a variety of vowel difficulties. Some presentation so that a clear comparison could were consistent and related to other mistakes; be made. By way of feedback, profiles of the others had strong links to word stress. strengths and weaknesses of participants The most common mistake the students were created to demonstrate their made was inability to pronounce the improvement. unstressed sound (schwa). This might be the Interviews were employed to investigate result of lack of awareness of word stress. students’ attitudes towards the effects of The majority of students pronounced words group presentation on their pronunciation like control  and protect and some student comments are included in  as /kontrô/ and ô; the this paper. After presentation sessions, one to English sound /o/ or // were replaced by three participants volunteered for one-to-one the Vietnamese sound ‘ô’ /ow/. The sound ‘ô’ interviews. To avoid any conflict of interest /ow/ has several which do not possibly inherent in the teacher-researcher resemble any English sound (Nguyen, 1970; relationship and to encourage more idea- Le, 1973, cited in Santry, 1992, p. 92). When sharing, one of the first author’s colleagues this mistake was pointed out, some still faced who had previous experience in conducting difficulty with self-correction. This type of educational research and had no teaching and chronic mistake lies in the boundary of vowel assessment interest in the participants was sounds and word stress and this makes it chosen to be the interviewer. The interview more difficult to correct. Other examples focused on the participants’ feelings towards were foreign  perspective speaking aloud ideas and changes in the way  ultimately they present in English as well as their  and consensus pronunciation or any possible constraints.  which turned to

     RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Here we discuss existing problems and  respectively. As the semester noticeable impacts of group presentations, progressed, there was a decrease in this drawing on comments from interviews to problem. Students paused before they support our observations. Most interview pronounced problematic words. Students data focused on the general value of were able to ‘notice a gap between what they presentations as a tool for practicing spoken want to say and what they can say’ (Swain, English, as in Nam’s reflection: 1995 cited in Izumi & Bigelow, 2000, p. 244). They applied their meta-linguistic Presenting in English creates a suitable knowledge to articulate the sound. environment to train our speaking Another common feature was the skills. Some of us found it hard to confusion when pronouncing the sound /. explain our points. Presenting is a way Since / does not occur in Vietnamese, the we can organize our ideas in advance. presenters, without careful preparation for With careful preparation, we feel more their speech easily switched it into confident speaking English.    They had problems pronouncing words like sanction , demand

118 Martin Benedict Andrew, & Le Hong Tran, Using Weekly Group Political Presentations to…

, and mainland () Clearly, the pressure pushed him back to his  Their words transformed into ‘language of thought’ (Pavlenko 2011). He    hat had spoken and heard /e.u:/ (wrong) much is, the participants did not pronounce the final more frequently than the / (correct). consonants of the words. There are In addition to these noticeable mistakes, the observable tendencies to pronounce // either students encountered other problems with towards an // or /e/ sound. However, the vowel sounds. One of them was between long participants’ articulation of this sound was and short , for example, ‘seek’ and inconsistent. That is why it was more a ‘cheap’ with long /i:/ was pronounced as mistake than a conscious adaptation of a  or  The reason for this common British or accent. This particular error is that ‘as opposed to English, problem seemed to be eradicated at the end. Vietnamese language does not have the Nam, one of the group leaders, mentioned tense-lax contrasts of /i,    ’ (Hwa- this: Froelich et al., 2002, p. 267) Further, there was confusion between /ie/ and / when a … I could not pronounce sounds like presenter was supposed to say ‘railway’ // in ‘bank’ or ‘cat’... I knew that I , he said / (/l/ in the had these weaknesses before. But middle was omitted and replaced by //). when participating in this project, I have opportunity to practise speaking The Pronunciation of Consonants and so that I can fix my mistakes. (Nam, Consonant Clusters interview) Looking from a contrastive view, the differences in terms of consonants between Also, the participants, even the strong English and Vietnamese are quite ones, confused the two sounds /e/ and /i/. For phenomenal. First of all, Hwa-Froelich example, the words like ‘response’ (2002, p. 271) stated that ‘most Vietnamese  and ‘evaluate’ do not end in consonants’ and ‘the  would be pronounced as Vietnamese language only allows voiceless  and  and vice stop consonants and nasals in the code…it is versa. Similarly, ‘threat’ / will be usually difficult for the Vietnamese speakers pronounced as  One of the students to pronounce English final consonant’. reported that: Besides, the distinction also lies in whether the consonant sound is aspirated and Before I took part in the project, I unaspirated. Hwa-Froelich (2002, p. 266) usually pronounced ‘interest’ as established that English speakers produce /ɪntrest/, but it is /ɪntrɪst/, and both aspirated and unaspirated stops, ‘for ‘respect’ as /re’spekt/ instead of example /p/ in ‘’ is aspirated, but /p/ in /rɪ’spekt/ (Hung, interview) span is not’ and that final consonants in Vietnamese, in contrast, are all unaspirated or The frequency of this mistake dropped implosive. Therefore, Vietnamese speakers significantly throughout the project. Among tend not to pronounce the final consonants the final sessions, only mix-ups were evident. (Cheng, 1991; Center for Applied Interestingly, Minh, the last presenter in the Linguistics, 1977; Flipsen, 1992 cited in final presentation, changed ‘EU’ Hwa-Froelich 2002, p. 266). The phonemes  into /e.u:/. It is because ‘e’ sounds /t/ and /k/ in Vietnamese are also unaspirated /i:/ in English, yet it sounds /e/ in in initial position while they are never so in Vietnamese. Similarly, while ‘i’ sounds /ai/ English. That makes listeners trained in in English, it sound /i:/ in Vietnamese English phonology perceive them as /d/ or /f/. (Cheng, 1991; Thompson, 1965; Thuy, 1975 The last important factor differing cited in Hwa-Froelich et al., 2002, p. 267). Vietnamese from English is that ‘the

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Vietnamese language does not have Now, we turn to analyzing the consonant clusters or blends’ (Cheng, 1991, complexity of the /s/ sounds. Firstly, as to the Thompson, 1965, cited in Hwa-Froelich, morphological -s- endings, whether they 2002, p. 265). All of the information plays a comprise plural countable nouns, possessive crucial role as both foundation and or third person singular verbs, most students explanation for the findings about consonants omitted them in their first presentations. For in this research. those who were aware of the existence of -s- Similar to the aforementioned endings, it was unlikely that they could descriptions, the participants in this project master three ways of pronouncing -s- endings tend to either delete the endings sounds or including /s/, // and extra for devoice them. It was particularly noticed that sounds. The root problems can be tracked the final consonants were likely to be omitted back to the lack of understanding about the most, including /s/, /t/, /d/, /l/, /v/, /b/, /g/, voiced and voiceless sounds in English. Also, /θ/, /ð/ and sounds like the participants failed in producing words   //. For voiced sounds like /z/, /b, with ‘-s’, ‘-ce’ or ‘-se’ at the end; for example /d/, the participants are inclined to either drop always, peace, release, cause, grievance, the them or devoiced them to /s/, /p/ or /t/. This or rights. Additionally, was explained by Speak English like a Native the medial production of /s/ sound also (2015) that ‘In English, frequent shifts challenged the participants. Those words between voiced and voiceless consonants are included, to name a few, risk, against, boost, required to distinguish between certain most, transaction or satisfaction. The above words. Such mechanism does not exist and is finding that Vietnamese does not have not required in Vietnamese, thus, constitutes consonant clusters or blends explained to a a complex problem.’ Last but not least, for – great extent why these participants could not ed morphological endings, students either pronounce the words accurately. In terms of totally ignored the sounds or added the extra communicative freight, the most severe kind syllable  no matter what sound was in of mistake, however, was not the omission of front of the –ed ending. To illustrate, students the /s/ sounds but the careless addition of the would say sentences such as ‘Hong Kong has sound. Three out of 17 participants strongly developed’ as /’ frequently added the /s/ sounds irresponsibly instead of / at the end of all types of words. This particular problem hindered understanding to a great extent.

Below is a table that records the times students made mistakes with the /s/ sounds:

Table 1. Comparison of /s/ Sound Mistakes in 8 Sessions Session Number Student S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 Group 1 Hung 3 4 6 6 2 1 0 3 Hieu 2 2 8 3 0 0 0 Lee 1 8 6 5 1 6 6 0 Phong 1 2 3 9 X 2 2 1 Group 2 Nam 8 7 2 5 2 2 0 2 .Hoang 4 6 2 7 X 5 2 0 Binh 4 1 2 4 1 0 0 1 A.Hoang 6 7 4 6 4 6 2 6 B.Minh 5 2 5 X 2 1 1 5

120 Martin Benedict Andrew, & Le Hong Tran, Using Weekly Group Political Presentations to…

Dinh 5 10 5 4 X 4 13 0 Anh 1 6 9 5 1 10 5 0 D.Minh 3 5 6 7 2 0 0 2 Group 3 Long 5 6 0 8 3 2 0 1 Phong 2 6 5 8 4 8 2 2 Cuong 2 3 3 0 5 5 0 0 Hai 7 2 8 8 4 X 1 1 C.Minh 6 7 9 X 3 8 4 6

There was a downward trend in the improved underwent two phases. Minh frequency of this particular mistake in the described the first phase as characterised by second-half of the project. Reliable some students focusing too much on every comparison could be made between the first word or sound so that listeners could not and the last presentations because they were understand the whole sentence. According to linguistically identical. The majority of the Ellis, Basturkmen and Loewen (2001) and participants reduced the number of times they Izumi and Bigelow (2000), the requirement repeated the mistakes. Among them, five of output activity triggers students’ attention students did not make any mistakes in their to form incidentally. In this particular case, last presentation. This could reflect the the form that the participants attended is the positive impact of practicing presenting in individual sound rather than other verbal or English on pronouncing this consonant non-verbal expression factors such as fluency sound. or confidence. Fortunately, there was also the Single final consonants were difficult, second phrase where the participants got used not to mention consonants clusters. Clusters to harmonize individual sounds with features like ‘most’, ‘resurrect’, ‘dealt’, ‘human of a good speech. They noticed their own and rights’ were hard. The participants found others’ improvements. Hieu, after clusters like ‘world’, ‘protests’, ‘risks’, presentation session eight, shared: ‘boosts’, ‘unrests’, ‘context’ or ‘biggest’ impossible to produce. It was especially hard When I first participated in this for the presenters when they faced clusters project, I feel very nervous speaking composed of all voiced sounds like ‘hailed’, in front of people. But by practicing ‘cancelled’, ‘perspectives’ or ‘dissolve’. In every week, even my classmates can fact, ‘final cluster reduction also occurs see that after the fifth session, I have widely in English native speaker casual showed to be more confident. I think speech…deleting the second consonant of a so too. I even use more body language sequence of three’ (Selkirk, 1972; and eye-contact. Temperley, 1983 cited in Osburne, 1996, p. 165). However, the participants in this The two phases experienced by the project tend to omit two last consonants or all participants proved that the benefits of of three consonants. For clusters that conducting group presentations covered both appeared at the middle of the words, such as non-verbal and verbal aspects. ‘milestone’, ‘engagement’, ‘worldwide’, the participants would turn them to something Word Stress totally different with the origins. In the past, I didn’t focus on both Despite student complaints about these word stress and intonation. After clusters, the numbers of mistakes with this project, I now pay more consonants in general reduced greatly in the attention to word stress. (Hieu) last three sessions. The students who

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Findings about Vietnamese use of stress unstressed sounds and tended to pronounce must consider the nature of the language. vowels with their strong form. Pronouncing Hence, it is worthwhile mentioning its this way did not allow any word stress distinguishing characteristics. As discussed because stress only happens when one of the in the literature review, Vietnamese is a tone syllables in a word is pronounced longer, language which means every word has louder and higher in pitch (Beckman & associated with it a particular tone of voice Edwards, 1994). Besides, the participants did (Center for Applied Linguistics, 1977). In not shift stress when the word they spoke was contrast, tone associates with English at the reduced in form. Students’ lack of sentence level to ‘change the meaning from a understanding about word stress derivation directive, to a question, to a statement of fact, was evidenced when they said strategy and and intonation can be used to show surprise, strategic. In the former word, the primary anger, happiness, depression, or sadness.’ stress is on the first syllable (Hwa-Froelich, 2002, p. 267). Furthermore,  but it is on the second the monosyllabic character of the syllable in the later one  All Vietnamese language challenges Vietnamese of the participants encountered the word learners of English to pronounce ‘strategic’ for the first time in this project and multisyllabic words. According to Carr would pronounce it  hey (2012), learners of English are very different kept both the vowel sound and the placement from native speakers, who can judge what of stress on the first syllable intact while still syllable in a word receives primary stress, pronouncing the second syllable in its strong secondary stress or otherwise. Thus, learners form. of English have no choice but to store vocabulary and their stress pattern rather than Below is a table recording participants’ word rote learning. stress mistakes in the first three sessions: One of the unique features of this research is that the participants presented Table 2. Word Stress Mistakes in the First about political topics. Vocabulary in political Three Sessions themes normally contains a large amount of Mistakes Correct stress multisyllabic words and complex CONTROL conTROL terminology such as pragmatics, sovereignty, ô  humanitarian or prpper nouns like Angela ( was omitted) Merkel, François Hollande, Counternarcotic BOOMErang (effect) BOOmerang (effect) Letter of Agreement. To pronounce these ê  words intelligibly and systematically given ASYMMEtrically AsymMEtrically the Germanic and French origins of the first   two, the students needed to understand the FOREIGN FOreign systems of words stress as well as get used to   the ways these words are pronounced on the media and remember them. However, this CONSIderable considerable was not the case:   ORTHOdox ORthodox Like many other friends of mine,   when I faced difficult and unfamiliar (/k/ was omitted) words, I often spoke it unclearly or MANIpulate maNIpulate smaller so that nobody would notice.   But in fact, no one understand us if we RepreSENTAtive RepreSENtative do like that. (D.Binh, interview)     As analyzed above, in the beginning (/v/ was omitted) stage, the participants did not recognize the

122 Martin Benedict Andrew, & Le Hong Tran, Using Weekly Group Political Presentations to…

TErriTOry TErritory Positive changes were made during the   process. In session six, there were a mixture PERSPECtive perSPECtive of wrong and correct pronunciations and   stress placements. To illustrate, Lee used (/v/ was omitted) correct stress in words like territorial issues SEPAratist SEparatist or diplomatic policy but still placed wrong   stress on development and instability. (/t/ was omitted) Phong also made the same mistake with ULtiMATEly ULtimately development but he pronounced   economic and political cooperation FORWARD FORward with correct stress. For words that they had   the habit of putting the stress in a wrong (/d/ was omitted and position, it was much harder to change than changed to a sound other words. It was also observed that the like a /k/) participants gradually gained their EVAluate eVAluate confidence in word stress after the first three   sessions: (/t/ was omitted) Word stress is relatively easier because we can check it on the autoNOmous auTOnomous dictionary. Recently, I also revise   some rules in word stress and I can eCONOmic ecoNOmic apply them. (Phong, interview)   Their confidence in word stress showed CONSENsus conSENsus in the last presentation sessions. Almost all   long complicated words were produced (/t/ was omitted) clearly: infrastructure, peaceful negotiation, ReVOLUtionary RevoLUtionary evacuation, humanitarian crisis, ô  administration, multipolar world legitimate   interest, asymmetrically, phytosanitary (/o/ was changed to measures, referendum and annexation. /ô/) deveLOPment deVElopment CONCLUSIONS ô  Overall Evaluation of the Project (/ was changed to Participants took advantage of theirs /ô/) group presentation project to practice and improve their pronunciation skills. These above examples indicated that the Evaluation of the presentation as a participants had serious problems with word pedagogical device was strong: stress. They did not remember the stress patterns and gave the wrong stress placement Vietnamese students often focus and in an unpredictable way. However, there spend most of their time on grammar were still some common trends: firstly, or writing, but we do not spend students put equal strength, length and pitch enough time practicing speaking. So, on both syllables of bi-syllabic words; when we talk to foreigners, we often secondly, for words having more than three feel nervous and inconvenient about syllables, stress was likely to be placed at the ourselves. Presenting in English third one; lastly, as analyzed above, they gives us opportunity to practice hardly pronounced the weak form of the speaking. (D.Binh, interview) syllable. Consequently, it was impossible to tell where the stress syllable was.

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Students’ levels of improvement, articulating sounds and stress. We believe however, were highly diverse. The first group that learners should be able to recognize their of students, the high-competence group, mistakes so that they are able to narrow the found that their pronunciation underwent gap between their versions of English with positive but not dramatic changes. They fixed the target ones. As our research results minor sound mistakes and strengthened their suggest, noticing why and how something is correct placement of stress. The main wrong benefited participants’ phonological beneficiaries were in the medium- learning. competence group. They learned a great deal The act of addressing the participants’ from exchanging ideas and peer editing with pronunciation errors explicitly was not the other members as well as observing stronger only cause for their improvements; it was presenters. They notices their improvement also because of the constructive efforts of the over time and consolidated their confidence instructor. This project was conducted in by receiving positive feedback from their such a way that grammar and vocabulary peers. The last group, the lower-competence mistakes had been limited or eliminated in group, did not make much progress in advance so that the students could pay their pronunciation. These students could not give full attention to pronunciation. Some of the clear answers about their strengths and significant ramifications were that the weaknesses when interviewed. In general, students actually ‘learned a lot about participants developed a sense of grammar’ (D. Binh, interview) and they responsibility to communicate effectively gained more insight into political and genuinely wanted their audience to terminology. Secondly, each presentation understand what they presented. session was managed so that there was Although the intended purpose of this enough room for pedagogical instructions. project was to heighten the participants’ Theory about sounds including minimal pair pronunciation, the wider data set confirmed sounds, voiced and unvoiced, sounds that are the other benefits of presentations mentioned not available in Vietnamese language and in the literature including substantial gain in stress patterns were reintroduced. Again, the vocabulary, grammar structures and self- role of teachers or instructors in such a assurance. Some vocabulary, especially project like this is of paramount importance. political terminology and multisyllabic Taking these above issues into words as well as complex grammar consideration, there are several suggestions structures, were accumulated through the for future group presentation projects to process of preparing for presentations. Self- maximize benefits in language teaching in confidence, on the other hand, was boosted general and in teaching speaking in through the procedure of frequently particular. Firstly, the students should be performing in public. The students also grouped into mixed-ability group and led by reported that they could build more a strong and responsible leader. The idea was background knowledge about international suggested in the research of Truong and affairs and political disciplines. Storch (2008) and is confirmed by our research. The leaders were the role models Reflections and Pedagogical Implications for their own group members although their Within the researchers’ observation, working styles were very different. Secondly, pronunciation errors had been made mainly teachers/ instructors should give detailed because the participants had not been aware feedback on each presentation. In our of the problems in their spoken language. experience, for a Vietnamese classroom, Most of the participants in this project teachers’ comments and feedback have been yielded positive results in pronunciation always valued; nevertheless, teachers should because they developed accurate awareness also be sensitive to individuals’ traits. Thus, about both their strengths and weaknesses in positive feedback should be raised in public

124 Martin Benedict Andrew, & Le Hong Tran, Using Weekly Group Political Presentations to… and negative feedback should be given in Dang, T. K. A., Nguyen, H. T. M., & Le, T. person. Finally, students should be evaluated T. T. (2013). The impacts of by consistent benchmarks or criteria. These globalisation on EFL teacher criteria should be introduced in advance so education through English as a that students can use them as guidelines. : An example from Vietnam. Current Issues in Language Planning, 14(1), 52-72 REFERENCES Ellis, R., Basturkmen, H., & Loewen, S. Andrew, M. (2006). Speaking about film and (2001). Learner uptake in learning about speaking: Teaching communicative ESL lessons. speaking through film study. The Language Learning, 51(2), 281-318. TESOLANZ Journal, 14, 16-31. Girard, T., Pinar, M., & Trapp, P. (2011). An Baranowski, M., & Weir, K. (2011). Peer Exploratory Study of Class evaluation in the political science Presentations and Peer Evaluations: classroom. PS: Political Science & Do Students Perceive the Benefits? Politics, 44(04), 805-811. Academy of Educational Leadership Beckman, M. E., & Edwards, J. (1994). Journal, 15(1), 77. Articulatory evidence for Hincks, R. (2010). Speaking rate and differentiating stress categories. information content in English lingua Papers in laboratory phonology III: franca oral presentations. English for Phonological structure and phonetic Specific Purposes, 29(1), 4-18. form, 7-33. Hwa-Froelich, D., Hodson, B. ., & Brown, T., & Morrissey, L. (2004). The Edwards, H. T. (2002). effectiveness of verbal self‐guidance Characteristics of Vietnamese as a transfer of training intervention: phonology. American Journal of its impact on presentation Speech-Language Pathology, 11(3), performance, self-efficacy and 264-273. anxiety 1. Innovations in Education Hall, S. (1997). Integrating Pronunciation for and Teaching International, 41(3), Fluency in Presentation Skills. 255-271. Izumi, S., & Bigelow, M. (2000). Does Çakır, İ., & Baytar, B. (2014). Foreign output promote noticing and learners’ views on the language acquisition?. TESOL importance of learning the target Quarterly, 34(2), 239-278. language pronunciation. Journal of King, J. (2002). Preparing EFL learners for Language and Linguistic Studies, oral presentations. Dong Hwa 10(1), 99-110 Journal of Humanistic Studies, 4, Carr, P. (2012). English phonetics and 401-418. phonology: an introduction. John Lee, E., & Park, M. (2008). Student Wiley & Sons. Presentation as a Means of Learning Center for Applied Linguistics (n.d.). English for Upper Intermediate to Indochinese refugee education guides Advanced Level Students. Journal of #7. Adult education series: English Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Pronunciation exercises for speakers Linguistics, 12(1), 47-60. of Vietnamese. , DC: London, J. D. (Ed.). (2011). Education in National Indochinese Clearinghouse. Vietnam. Institute of Southeast Asian Chou, M. H. (2011). The influence of learner Studies. strategies on oral presentations: A Morley, J. (1991). The pronunciation comparison between group and component in teaching English to individual performance. English for speakers of other languages. TESOL Specific Purposes, 30(4), 272-285. Quarterly, 25(3), 481-520.

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Osburne, A. G. (1996). Final cluster Question 2: Do you think speaking ideas reduction in English L2 speech: A aloud is an effective way to practice case study of a Vietnamese speaker. pronunciation? Why or why not? Applied Linguistics, 17(2), 164-181. Pavlenko, A. (Ed.). (2011). Thinking and Question 3: What are your problems with speaking in two languages (Vol. 77). group presentations? Multilingual matters. Question 4: Think of the pronunciation Thanh Pham, T. H., & Renshaw, P. (2015). issues you face when giving a group Formative assessment in Confucian presentation. What aspects of pronunciation heritage culture classrooms: activity do you find easy? theory analysis of tensions, contradictions and hybrid practices. Question 5: What aspects of pronunciation Assessment & Evaluation in Higher do you find difficult/ challenging? Education, 40(1), 45-59 Prichard, C., & Ferreira, D. (2014). The Question 6: Has your pronunciation Effects of Poster Presentations and improved in the last 2/4/6/8 weeks? Class Presentations on Low‐ Proficiency Learners. TESOL - (If the answer is “yes”,) how do you Journal, 5(1), 172-185. think your pronunciation has Santry, P. A. (1992). The way South improved? Vietnamese pronounce English - (If the answer is “no”,) why do you (Doctoral dissertation, Victoria think that is? University). Question 7: In your own judgment, what Schnettler, B. (2006). Orchestrating bullet were the strengths of your pronunciation lists and commentaries. A video before this program? performance analysis of computer supported presentations. Video Question 8: What were the weaknesses of Analysis, Frankfurt am Main: Lang, your pronunciation before this program? 155-168. Tuan, T. A., & Storch, N. (2007). Question 9: What are the strengths of your Investigating group planning in pronunciation now? preparation for oral presentations in Question 10: What are the weaknesses of an EFL class in Vietnam. RELC your pronunciation now? Journal, 38(1), 104-124. Vietnamese Pronunciation Problems – Speak Other optional questions: English Like A Native (2015). Retrieved from 1. What do you think about your vocabulary http://englishspeaklikenative.com/res range after taking part in group presentations ources/common-pronunciation- in the last 2/4/6/8 weeks? problems/vietnamese-pronunciation- problems/ 2. Are you more confident now than you were before taking part in this project? (If yes, in what ways?) APPENDIX A: 3. How has taking part in this project INTERVIEW QUESTIONS influenced your attitude towards delivering group presentations? Question 1: Do you think presenting in English is a good way to practice speaking? 4. Is there any other way of practicing Why or why not? pronunciation you prefer?

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5. What sort of feedback would help you? given? (For example, individual feedback What form of feedback would you like to be from teachers or peer feedback)

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