Speaker
Description
Medical students in a remote province with low exposure to native speakers of English have a lot of challenges and difficulties in improving their English ability and their English speaking skills in particular. It is said that "games can be found to give practice in all the skills, in all the stages of teaching and learning, and for many types of communication" (Wright, Betteridge, and Buckby, 2006). This study attempts to investigate whether the use of games including snake games, surveys and interviews, taboo, show and tell, and two texts could help improve students' speaking skills and the speaking lessons of general medicine-majoring students at a medical school in Thai Binh province. The study was done in two phases, using interviews, observations, questionnaires, and tests, and the procedures were planning, acting, observing, and reflecting, with the participation of nine English teachers in the Foreign Studies Department and more than 500 medical freshmen. The result of the study showed that there is a significant improvement in students speaking competency compared to the middle and end of the semester. It is crucial to note that the games used in speaking lessons have had a positive impact on the teaching and learning process. This also implies that these games are expected to enhance students’ enthusiasm and motivation. Clearly, it gives positive improvement to students’ active participation, confidence, and fluency in speaking skills and also creates good, enjoyable circumstances and reduces the boredom and stress of the learning process.
