Cam Lien

Faculty of Foreign Languages, Dong Nai Technology University, Vietnam

DOI : https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v6-i6-01

Google Scholar Download Pdf
ABSTRACT

Cultivating students’ speaking ability is considered as one of the most important objectives of the English teaching process. In order to develop English communication skill, students need an appropriate learning environment. Indeed, applying outdoor learning is an effective way to improve language proficiency. Therefore, this study was conducted to 1) identify whether or not outdoor learning can increase students’ speaking ability, and 2) clarify students’ attitudes towards the application of outdoor learning in English teaching. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The participants were 45 first year English majored students from Faculty of Foreign Languages at Dong Nai Technology University in Vietnam. The results of the study showed that outdoor learning brought a lot of benefits in improving students’ speaking fluency. Moreover, the use of outdoor activities increased students’ opportunity to speak the target language by creating a positive learning atmosphere which enable students to interact in English naturally. The effectiveness can be proved by the increase of students’ motivation to learn English and master speaking skill. In fact, the students showed favorable attitudes to the implementation of outdoor learning. From the results, it can be concluded that with the assistance of appropriate outdoor activities, especially communicative activities, students could acquire the language much better.

KEYWORDS:

English language, outdoor learning, outdoor learning activities, speaking skill, teaching and learning

REFERENCES

1) Asama, C. H, Anwar, C, & Muhanmad, R. N. (2016). EFL Learners’ Perception toward an Outdoor Learning Program. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies. 4(2). 74-80.

2) Arifani, Y. (2016). The Implementation of Team-Based Discovery Learning to Improve Students’ Ability in Writing Research Proposal. International Education Studies. 9(2), 111-119.

3) Bas, G. (2008). Implementation of multiple intelligences supported project-based learning in EFL/ESL classrooms. Retrieved from http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/mi

4) Beames, S., Atencio, M. & Ross, H. (2009) Taking excellence outdoors. Scottish Educational review, 41(2), 32-41.

5) Brown, H. Douglas. (2004). Language Assessment Principles and Classroom Practices. San Francisco: Longman.

6) Gill, T, (2009). No Fear: Growing up in a risk-averse society, London, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

7) Guariento, W., & Morley, J. (2001). Text and task authenticity in the EFL classroom. ELT Journal, 55(4), 347-353.

8) Guo, S. (2011). Impact of an Out-of-class Activity on Studentsʼ English Awareness, Vocabulary, and Autonomy. Language Education in Asia, 2(2), 246-256.

9) Pearson, N. (2004). The Idiosyncrasies of Out-of-Class Language Learning. Proceeding of the independent Learning Conference. New Zealand.

10) Fägerstam, E. & Blom, J. (2013). Learning biology and mathematics outdoors: Effects and attitudes in a Swedish high school context. 13(1). 56–75.

11) Vera, A. (2012). Metode mengajar anak di luar kelas (Outdoor Study). Yogyakarta: Diva Press.

12) Zhang, S. (2009). The role of input, interaction, and output in the development of oral fluency. English Language Teaching, 2(4), 91–100

VOlUME 06 ISSUE 06 JUNE 2023