Enhancing english speaking performance of the first-Year non english major from ethnic groups at thai nguyen university of education by using cooperative activities

rch because of many 
previous researches related to this issue done 
in Vietnam as well as overseas. However, 
there are few researches related to this topic 
have been done at TNU, especially at TUE. 
Besides, the participants are the first-year non 
English majors from ethnic groups of TUE. 
Moreover, the essential in modifying the 
teaching activities, the usefulness and the 
effect of cooperative learning are the reasons 
to carry on this research. For all the 
mentioned reasons above, “Enhancing 
English speaking performance of the first-
year non English majors from ethnic groups 
at Thai Nguyen University of Education by 
using cooperative activities.” was chosen as 
the topic for the study and carried out to 
investigate the current state and the effects of 
using cooperative activities to enhance 
English speaking performance of the first-
year non English majors from ethnic groups 
at TUE. 
2. Literature review 
2.1 Definition of speaking 
It can not deny that English speaking is veru 
essential nowadays. In fact, speaking skill is 
one of the important language skills which is 
considered as essentials means to 
communicate with other people. Only if the 
learners were proficient in its using, they 
would study a new language well. 
Bygate (1987: 1) [2] argues: “Speaking skill is 
the ability in using oral language to explore 
ideas, intentions, thoughts and feelings to 
other people as a way to make the message 
clearly delivered and well understood by the 
hearer."
2.2 Definition of cooperative learning 
Nowadays cooperative learning is a new 
educational trend that is regarded as the 
teaching methods of collective characteristics 
with interdependences, helps each other 
between individuals, in order to learners open 
their knowledge by way of using different 
mutual activities between learners with 
learners, between learners with teachers, and 
between learners and the environment. 
According to Richards & Rodgers (2001:192) 
[1], cooperative learning is “an approach to 
Vu Dinh Bac et al TNU Journal of Science and Technology 199(06): 57 - 60 
 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn 59 
teaching that makes maximum use of the 
cooperative activities involving pairs and 
small groups of learners in the classroom". 
Cooperative learning techniques and activities 
in a speaking lesson are illustrated below: 
- Jigsaw 
- Think- Pair-Share 
- Three-Step interview 
- Cooperative projects 
- Numbered Heads Together 
- Round Robin 
- Solve – Pair – Share 
2.3 Definition of ethnic minorities 
According to Phinney, Jean S. [2] “Ethnic 
identity is central to the psychological 
functioning of members of ethnic and racial 
minority groups, but research on the topic is 
fragmentary and inconclusive.” (Phinney, 
1990). Indeed, the ethnic group is a group of 
people living in moutainous areas where most 
people are from a different race or nationality. 
In other words, the definition can be 
understood that an ethnic group is an 
immigrant or racial group regarded by those 
claiming to speak for the cultural majority as 
distinct and unassimilated. 
3. Methodology 
In terms of methodology, the researcher used 
experimental and quantitative methods. The 
questionnaire, T-test, and class observation 
were used to collect data in order to discover 
the answers to research questions. The 
participants were twenty volunteer students 
who are the first-year non English majors 
from ethnic groups at TUE. 
4. Findings and discussion 
After applying effective researched methods, 
the researcher could answer the three given 
researched questions. In fact, speaking skill 
plays an important role in our modern society. 
Based on the results analyzed from the 
questionnaires, experiments and class 
observation, it is clear that both the teachers 
and the students are well aware of the 
importance of English in general and 
speaking skil in particular. In other words, 
they could not deny the important role of 
speaking skill in our modern life and work. 
Moreover, they all have positive attitudes 
towards the role and benefits of cooperative 
activities in both teaching and learning 
English speaking skill for the first-year non 
English majors from ethnic groups at TUE. 
The effectiveness of cooperative activities in 
learning speaking skill was clearly described 
in the experiments, class observaation and 
questionnaires. Students showed that they 
preferred joining cooperative activities than 
working individually. The researcher 
observed that the students of the experimental 
group were very happy and confident when 
taking part in cooperative activities. In the 
first two lesson, they did not know well other 
friends coming from different faculities, so 
they did not talk much. However, they made 
friends with other ones and worked in 
cooperative activities together. In addition, 
they were more active than work individually 
because when they studied with their friends, 
they felt confident and gained more 
knowledge as well as experiences from their 
classmates. 
Result of questionnaire showed that most 
students have learnt English for more than 
seven years. All of them knew the important 
of English in general and English speaking in 
particular. Most of them like English; 
however, they did not practise speaking more 
outside the class with their friends. In 
addition, they felt English speaking quite 
difficult to learn unless they had enthusiasm 
partners. Although they have learnt English 
for more than seven years, they can not speak 
fluently because of many reasons. Many 
students got low result (about 70 percent 
gained result from 5.0 to 6.0, approximately 
20 percent got a result under 5.0 and only 10 
percent of the students gained higher marks) 
Vu Dinh Bac et al TNU Journal of Science and Technology 199(06): 57 - 60 
 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn 60 
in subject English 1 in the first term, and so 
did the national entrance exam. In addition, 
they gained the lowest mark in term of 
speaking skill.
They said that they had had two English 
lessons per week. Although the teacher often 
organised cooperative activities in the class, 
the students work in groups or pairs to do 
grammar exercises; as a result, they did not 
have chance to practise English speaking in 
the class. Some of the prominent cooperative 
activities are group-work activities, work in 
pair, think-pair-share, etc. Based on the result 
of class observation and marks of the T-test of 
experimental groups, the researcher saw that 
the students were very interested in 
cooperative activities when learning speaking 
skill and using cooperative activities could 
enhance English speaking performance of the 
researched students. They showed their 
participation and motivation in the lessons. 
They spoke English frequently both inside 
and outside the experimental class; sometimes 
they also chatted or talked with their friends 
actively in common situations. In addition, 
the result of the questionnaire presented that 
approximately 30 percent of the students 
have taken part in English clubs where could 
give them many useful knowledge and 
necessary skills. 
After using cooperative activities in speaking 
lessons, the researcher observed that the 
students were very interested in cooperative 
activities organised by the teacher. They 
participated more in the speaking lessons as 
well as spoke English actively both inside 
and outside the class. Cooperative activities 
are considered their motivation, and the 
activities help the students increase their 
participant and motivation in learning 
speaking which the students are always shy 
and afraid of making mistakes when talking 
in front of many people. 
5. Conclusion 
To conclude, teaching speaking skill in 
foreign language is not easy and it requires 
both the teacher and students to be active and 
self-improve or widen their knowledge as 
well as skills whenever they have free time. 
To help them study well, cooperative 
activities are excellent tools and effective in 
increasing motivation and participant as well 
for learning speaking, positive feeling for the 
friendship, and problem-solving. By taking 
part in cooperative activities, students are 
centered and trained to be a cooperative, 
independent, and active learner. Moreover, 
they knew how to work with their friends as 
well as how to divide duties equally so that 
they work together, which helps them more 
and more mature, especially for the first-year 
non English majors form ethnic groups at 
TUE. Cooperative activities are extremely 
useful in teaching other subjects as well as 
when the teacher apply to teach English in 
general and speaking skill in particular. 
This study was on small scale; it was only 
researched in the first-year non English 
majors from ethnic groups at TUE. There are 
209 ethnic students; however, the researcher 
only choose 20 voluteer ones to take part in 
the study. Therefore, it cannot cover and 
investigate deeply all aspects of the matter 
because this study was only conducted at one 
university because the researcher lacked time 
and human power. Moreover, the features of 
the metioned students differ from other 
students of different universities and faculties 
as well. Hence, further studies should be 
expanded to more universities and investigate 
more facts surrounding the currents state of 
learning and teaching English speaking skill 
through cooperative activites. 
REFERENCES 
[1]. Richards, Jack C. and Rodgers, Theodore S. 
Approaches and Methods in Language 
Teaching. Second edition CUP, 2001. 
[2]. Phinney, J. S. Ethnic identity in adolescents 
and adults: Review of research. APA 
PsycNET, 499-514, 1990. 
[3]. Bygate, M. Speaking. Oxford: Oxford 
University Press, 1987.