INTRODUCTION AND CONTENT OF THE THESIS
Statement of problem
English has become a dominant international language, widely spoken across the globe In today's interconnected world, the ability to communicate in English is essential when traveling to different countries or interacting with foreigners Remarkably, approximately two-thirds of countries worldwide recognize English as either a native language or a second language, highlighting its significance in global communication.
English is a vital subject in general educational schools, and its effective teaching and learning are essential for students' success At Asian International High School, identifying the best learning methods and strategies for English language acquisition is crucial Additionally, understanding the challenges students face while learning English can help educators tailor their approaches to enhance the learning experience.
The Asian International School offers an International English program aligned with the American Education Reaches Out (AERO) and Common Core State Standards The curriculum is meticulously developed and assessed by the school's Science Council, ensuring a high-quality educational experience Students at the Asian International School gain from an advanced program that provides a diverse and comprehensive knowledge base.
Not all students at Asian International High School are able to successfully navigate the international English program, as many struggle with their English skills during the learning process, particularly in reading comprehension.
Grade 10 students at Asian International High School face significant challenges in reading comprehension due to a lack of effective methods and strategies This issue has sparked my interest in exploring the underlying causes and seeking solutions to enhance their reading skills.
The significance of the study
This study aims to identify the reading comprehension challenges faced by grade 10 students at Asian International High School and to explore effective strategies for improvement By focusing on supporting these students in overcoming their difficulties, the research outlines a three-step approach to enhance their English reading skills.
Step 1 : To find out difficulties perceived by grade 10 students at Asian International High school in reading comprehension
Step 2 : To improve the difficulties perceived by grade 10 students at Asian International
High school in reading comprehension.
Step 3 : To develop and enhance skills in reading.
Scope of the study
In today's world, English is crucial for both education and professional success To effectively learn and utilize the language, individuals must develop essential English skills, which requires significant time and effort.
English encompasses a vast array of knowledge and skills; however, the limited timeframe of just two months for research can pose challenges, especially for those with restricted personal expertise.
I just emphasize English skills especially reading comprehension in Asian International Highschool.
This study aimed at investigating the problems in English reading skill as perceived by 115 students who are learning English program at Asian International Highschool.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Definition of key-terms
Reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency and motivation Learn how reader integrate these facets to make meaning from print ( by Diane Henry Leipzig 2001 )
Reading involves deriving meaning from printed text, necessitating two key processes: comprehension, which is the construction of understanding from the text, and fluency, which refers to the ability to recognize words and derive meaning effortlessly and accurately.
Reading is often perceived as a straightforward and passive activity, where individuals sequentially read words and absorb their meanings However, it is, in fact, an intricate process that demands significant active engagement from the reader.
To get a better sense of the complexity of reading, read what some experts in the field have said about the reading process:
Reading is an active process that involves creating meaning within a communicative context, as highlighted by Roy Harris in "Rethinking Writing." It is not merely about receiving information but engaging with the text According to Frank Smith in "Reading With Nonsense," effective reading requires asking questions and seeking answers within the printed material, emphasizing that comprehension hinges on this interactive inquiry.
Reading is fundamentally a psycholinguistic guessing game that relies on the interplay between thought and language Effective reading is not about accurately identifying every detail, but rather about skillfully selecting the most relevant cues to make accurate guesses This anticipatory ability, which allows readers to predict unseen elements, is crucial in reading, much like the anticipation required in listening.
Reading is a multifaceted skill that requires various components to work in harmony for effective comprehension Proficient readers understand their reading purpose and employ successful strategies from past experiences with similar texts They actively monitor their understanding and utilize word attack strategies to decipher unfamiliar terms Additionally, skilled readers draw on their prior knowledge and experiences, making predictions throughout the reading process This dynamic interaction with the text is essential for making meaning and achieving reading success.
Hornby (2008) defines understanding as knowing the meaning of importance or cause of something.
According to Crowell (2000), comprehension involves understanding the words on the page together with understanding of ideas being expressed by the writer.
The process of reading involves utilizing syntactic, semantic, and rhetorical information from printed text to reconstruct meaning in the reader's mind This reconstruction relies on the reader's existing vocabulary, cognitive skills, and reasoning abilities (Devine, 1986).
Several types of reading may occur in a language classroom One way in which these may be categorized, as suggested by Brown (1989:216) can be outlined as follows:
Oral reading means reading aloud The oral translation of printed or written material, often used as measure of a student’s overall reading performance to examine aspects of reading accuracy, fluency.
Silent reading is complex set of skills The purpose of silent reading is to enable the learners to comprehend the meaning of what they read.
Intensive reading focuses on the analysis of grammatical forms, discourse markers, and surface structure details to enhance comprehension of literal meanings, implications, and rhetorical relationships (Brown, D.S., 1989).
"Narrow Reading," a technique that encourages students to engage with texts by the same author or focus on a specific topic, enhances reading comprehension This approach is grounded in the idea that increased familiarity with the material—whether through the subject matter or previous works by the same author—significantly boosts understanding and retention of information.
Intensive reading focuses on teaching specific strategies or skills, treating the text as an end goal In contrast, it also encompasses reading large volumes of material fluently, whether for pleasure or for technical, scientific, or professional purposes.
Brown, D.S (1989) explained that Extensive reading is carried out “to achieve a general understanding of a text.”
Long and Richards (1971,p.216) identified Extensive Reading as “occurring when students read large amounts of high interest material, usually out of class, concentrating on meaning,
“reading for gist and skipping unknown words.”.
The aims of Extensive Reading are to build reader confidence and enjoyment Extensive Reading is always done for the comprehension of main ideas, not for specific details.
Extensive reading involves reading a large volume of material to achieve a general understanding and is often done for enjoyment Research by Grable (1995), building on the findings of Elley (1991), Krashen (1989, 1993), and Stanovich and Cunningham (1993), highlights the significance of extensive reading in enhancing reading skills It aids in developing both the quantity and quality of word recognition, suggesting that the more students engage in extensive reading, the larger and more automatic their recognition vocabulary becomes.
Effective reading comprehension requires a range of skills, including skimming, scanning, paraphrasing, and contextual vocabulary understanding It's essential to identify synonyms and implied meanings, as the order of questions typically aligns with the information in the passage, facilitating efficient detail retrieval When selecting answers, ensure they directly address the questions, as many options may merely restate the passage's content Additionally, reading the questions prior to skimming the passage can provide valuable insight into the material.
Scanning is a skill that requires that you read quickly while looking for specific information
Scanning is a reading technique employed to find specific information, such as names, dates, symbols, formulas, or phrases Readers utilize their prior knowledge of what the desired information looks like, allowing them to quickly identify and locate it This method focuses on matching rather than comprehending, resulting in minimal retention of information in long-term memory or for immediate understanding.
Generally, scanning is a technique that is helpful when you are looking for the answer to a known question.
Scanning is used often with technical, scientific or professional materials to locate specific information.
Scanning is an essential skill for second language learners, as it allows them to quickly extract relevant information from a text without needing to read every detail This technique is particularly useful in everyday situations, such as when reading schedules or other purpose-driven documents.
Learners enhance their reading comprehension by employing prediction and anticipation skills By making educated guesses and utilizing titles and tables of contents, they can grasp the main idea of a passage Activating prior knowledge through answering questions or taking quizzes further enriches their understanding of the topic Additionally, incorporating relevant keywords plays a crucial role in improving comprehension.
Efficient readers actively engage with texts, forming expectations and ideas regarding the text's purpose and potential outcomes This interactive approach enhances their comprehension and retention of the material.
They reflect on expectations as they read, anticipate what will come next In other words, they
Skimming is the most rudimentary type of reading Its object is to familiarize you as quickly as possible with the material to be read.
Preview previous work
This chapter outlines the research methodology employed in this study to address the identified problems It provides a comprehensive overview of the research methods and approaches utilized, the research design, and the procedural steps taken Additionally, it details the techniques for data collection and processing, as well as considerations for reliability and validity Finally, it describes the research site and the participants involved in the study.
This study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to identify the challenges faced by grade 10 students at Asian International High School in reading English Additionally, it explores potential solutions to help these students overcome their difficulties.
METHODOLOGY
Research method
This chapter outlines the research methodology employed to address the study's objectives It details the research methods and approaches utilized, the overall research design, and the procedures followed Additionally, it discusses the techniques for data collection and processing, as well as the measures taken to ensure reliability and validity Finally, it describes the research site and the participants involved in the study.
This study employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research to identify the reading challenges faced by grade 10 students at Asian International High School Additionally, it explores effective solutions to help these students overcome their difficulties in reading English.
Methods of dat collention may include weighing, measuring, using structured questionaires for surveting/ interviewing, observation and recording of data, and aggregation of quantitative data in the past.
Qualitative data is usually in text form, reflecting characteristics, characteristics or inconsistencies Some examples of qualitative data : student achievement: good, average, weak,
Qualitative research employs various data collection methods alongside those used in quantitative research Key techniques include expert interviews, observations, video recordings, voice recordings, mailing, and diary entries, all of which contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the research topic.
Research questions
In this study’s findings and conclusion, these questions will be answered:
1 Why some students of grade 10 at Asian International Highschool have difficulties learning reading comprehension ?
2 What are the common problems that students usually have in reading comprehension ?
3 How can students in class… improve reading comprehension ?
Description
For my research, I utilized statistical tools over a three-month period from February 28 to May 9, 2019 This initial phase, known as "desk research," involved extensive reading of literature, including books, websites, and thesis papers, to identify a suitable framework for my graduation thesis The process required significant time and effort to gather and analyze relevant references.
During this period, I had to do a survey with Asian International Highschool students class10B2 10B3 10B4 by questionaire and reading comprehension test.
Participants
The study focuses on the 115 students aged 15 from classes 10B2, 10B3, and 10B4 at Asian International High School At this age, many students struggle with reading skills, often experiencing fear and a lack of confidence when faced with lengthy texts, particularly in intensive reading exercises that require them to analyze and deconstruct the material.
Most students in class… prefer to extensive reading because they read texts for enjoyment, variety of material and it is also easy to read.
The students in this class have difficulties in reading skills This study investigated 115 students and used 20 students of them as participants in the interview.
Tools to collect data
My questionaire includes 15 questions It helps me to gather some information about the difficulties in reading comprehension of 115 students.
The tools of this research are composed of a questionnaire and some other study works
Questionnaires and interviews serve as primary methods for data collection, offering significant advantages As noted by Dornyei (2003), questionnaires are easy to create, highly versatile, and effective in quickly gathering large amounts of information in a manageable format Additionally, Jo and Steve (1997) highlight that questionnaires provide precision and clarity, as the questions are designed to control the knowledge being assessed.
The questionnaire is crafted by combining insights from personal experiences and relevant reference materials such as articles, online journals, and books It primarily features a format that includes multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and ranked questions to gather comprehensive responses.
The questionnaire is structured into three distinct sections, each aligned with key areas of investigation: students' perceptions of reading comprehension, the enhancement of reading comprehension skills, and the challenges faced in understanding reading materials.
Procedure
The study will be carried out in several key phases Initially, the researcher will spend 8 weeks observing the study subjects to categorize the students Following this observation period, reading comprehension tests will be developed to assess and classify the students' levels Once these crucial steps are completed, the researcher will proceed to conduct a survey using a questionnaire.
The researcher synthesizes and interprets data from tests and questionnaires to create a comprehensive overview of the subject Subsequently, 115 reading reflections are gathered and independently analyzed and scored to maintain objectivity in the results This approach aims to facilitate a more effective comparison of students' reading strategies.
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
Data analysis
This section provides a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of the learners' questionnaire, presenting the findings alongside the researcher's interpretations Instead of discussing the questionnaire and interview results separately, relevant information from both instruments is categorized and analyzed together The insights gained from the questionnaires are further enriched by the detailed perspectives obtained through in-depth interviews, offering a more nuanced understanding of the issues at hand.
To address the research question, a mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing questionnaires for both teachers and students, alongside informal interviews The questionnaire was administered to 115 tenth-grade students as part of the planned research methodology.
This chapter examines the perspectives of both teachers and students on critical reading, evaluates the current state of its instruction, and assesses its effectiveness for third-year students in our department It highlights the challenges teachers face in teaching critical reading and offers practical suggestions for improvement Overall, the findings, reasons, evaluations, and recommendations provide a comprehensive overview of the critical reading practices among students in classes 10B2, 10B3, and 10B4 within the faculty.
Question 1: What type of reading materials do you most prefer ?
In a recent survey on teaching materials, 45% of participants favored "books for pleasure," highlighting a preference for reading material that aligns with their interests In contrast, 27.3% opted for "books for school," while 18.2% selected "notes," and only 9.1% chose "newsprint." This trend indicates that students are more engaged when they can read content that captivates them personally.
The purpose behind asking this question is to know what kind of materials the target pupils are interested in The bare graph 4.1 shows the results obtained:
Figure 4.1.1.1: The materials that students best prefer
Question 2: What is your purpose from reading ?
A significant portion of learners, 38.5%, read primarily to enhance their general knowledge, while 30.8% aim to expand their vocabulary Additionally, 23.1% of students view reading as a source of pleasure, although only 7.7% actually read for enjoyment To better understand the types of materials preferred by learners, a survey was conducted, with results illustrated in the accompanying chart.
The purpose behind asking this question was to know if the learners are extensive readers or intensive readers and for what reason they read.
4.1.3 Opinion about the effective and essential of reading strategies
Question 3: Do you think that reading strategies would improve your reading skills?
Effective reading strategies are crucial for enhancing reading comprehension, as they enable students to improve their reading skills when applied correctly However, survey results reveal a divide among students: while 50% believe that these strategies aid in skill enhancement, the other half is split between those who disagree (30%) and those who feel neutral (20%).
The survey results indicated a positive correlation between students' use of reading strategies, such as KWL and scanning, and their reading comprehension skills Notably, 41.7% of students reported that they frequently employ these strategies, suggesting their effectiveness in enhancing reading abilities In contrast, 33.3% of students indicated that they "rarely" use reading strategies, while 25% admitted to "never" using them.
Graph illustrating the survey results below.
Figure 4.1.3.1: Effective of reading strategies.
Question 4: Do you often use reading strategies such as KWL, scanning, and other skills when taking a reading comprehension test?
Figure 4.1.3.2: the essential of reading skills.
The purpose of these questions was to know if students really apply the reading strategies properly to improve their reading skills
Question 5: What difficulties that you face when reading ?
A significant portion of informants (43.5%) reported difficulties with ambiguous words that hinder their overall comprehension while reading Additionally, 21.7% indicated they struggle with confusing or deceptive words Only 17.4% expressed challenges with reading aloud in class, citing instances of being laughed at by peers for imperfect reading, which they view as a barrier The same percentage (17.4%) also reported issues with pronunciation Many informants lack a habit of reading in English and express disinterest in the language, attributing this to their teacher's inadequate time management and late arrivals, which disrupt class control They feel bored during reading sessions, especially when discipline issues arise, and believe the lengthy program leaves insufficient time for reading Some participants noted that repeated strikes forced them to skip reading sessions in favor of other activities.
Figure 4.1.4.1: The difficulties encountered by students
Question 6: Do you usually find it difficult and lack of confidence when reading long sentences?
Many students struggle with the length of sentences, with 46.7% reporting consistent difficulties and a lack of confidence when reading longer sentences Additionally, 40% of students occasionally encounter challenges, while only 13.3% assert that they experience no issues with lengthy sentences.
Figure 4.1.4.2: Difficulty in length of reading text.
Question 7: Is the time devote for reading session is sufficient?
A substantial 72.7% of students believe that the time allocated for reading sessions is insufficient, while only 27.3% feel that the reading time is adequate These findings are detailed in the following table.
Question 8 : How long does it take to complete a reading test ?
The results of the questionnaire indicate that a significant number of learners struggle with reading comprehension across multiple aspects, and these challenges stem from various underlying causes.
A significant portion of students, specifically 46.2%, reported taking approximately 15 minutes to complete their reading texts, indicating that this duration is relatively lengthy Meanwhile, 38.5% of respondents estimated that their reading time was around 20 minutes, while only 15.4% claimed they finished in 10 minutes.
Figure 4.1.4.4: Time devote for reading comprehension
This questions showed that most of students spent a lot of time to finish a reading text, it takes 15-
20 minutes to finish Which means that the time is required for a reading texts is often insufficient for them.
Question 9 : What will you do if you do not understand when reading?
According to the survey results, 53.8% of respondents indicated that they attempt to translate unfamiliar text into their native language, Vietnamese, when they encounter difficulties in understanding Additionally, 30.8% reported using a dictionary to aid their comprehension, while only 15.4% stated that they choose to stop reading when faced with challenging materials These findings are visually represented in the accompanying chart.
Question 10: Do you look up the word you could not figure out?
Most of informants (57.1%) said that they use dictionary to look up the words they don’t understand and 42.9% left chose “No”
Figure 4.1.5.2: Students use dictionary for reading texts
Question 11: Do you often use the information you have read to guess the meaning of the word that you do not understand?
Many students struggle to understand all the words in reading texts, prompting them to rely on context clues to infer meanings and grasp the main ideas A survey revealed that 42.9% of students sometimes use this strategy, while 35.7% reported never using contextual information, and only 21.4% indicated that they usually do The results are illustrated in the chart below.
Figure 4.1.5.3: Students use information for reading comprehension.
Question 12: Do you try to grasp the general idea of a sentence before going to read the next sentence?
Identifying the main idea is a crucial reading strategy, as highlighted in Chapter 2 (p.16) However, a significant 61.5% of respondents reported difficulty in understanding the main idea of sentences while reading In contrast, only 38.5% felt confident in their ability to grasp the main idea, indicating that many students struggle with reading comprehension.
Figure 4.1.5.4: Students identify main idea in reading comprehension.
Discussion of the results
The research aimed to identify the reading comprehension challenges faced by grade 10 students at Asian International High School, particularly concerning various question types in reading tests After analyzing the data collected from tests and questionnaires, it was concluded that these students struggle with answering reading comprehension questions effectively.
The survey results from 15 categorized questionnaires indicate that students tend to focus excessively on vocabulary during reading tests, which leads to extended completion times that do not align with the required duration Consequently, this focus hinders their ability to understand the main idea and affects the accuracy of their answers.
This study identified several factors contributing to students' struggles with reading comprehension tests Key issues included limited vocabulary, insufficient grammar skills, difficulty understanding lengthy sentences and texts, inadequate learning resources or family support, and a lack of knowledge regarding effective reading comprehension strategies.
Language acquisition begins with a strong desire to learn, followed by the development of essential language skills, including reading Reading plays a crucial role in mastering any language This research focuses on the challenges of reading comprehension faced by grade 10 students at Asian International High School.
This research is organized into three chapters The first chapter identifies various types and models of reading comprehension tasks, discusses reading strategies, examines the impact of text selection on comprehension achievement, and addresses difficulties in reading comprehension and its teaching The second chapter focuses on the practical aspects of the research methodology, detailing the sample population, research instruments, data analysis, and key findings The third chapter offers suggested activities designed to enhance students' reading comprehension skills and vocabulary knowledge, ultimately facilitating better understanding.
The study indicates that grade 10 students struggle with reading comprehension due to difficulties in pronunciation and encountering ambiguous words, hindering their understanding of texts Additionally, the selection of reading materials significantly affects students' reading achievement Challenges during the research included teacher strikes, which complicated data collection, and the students' low proficiency levels, necessitating the use of dialectal Arabic for the questionnaire to ensure valid responses.
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1 What type of reading materials do you most prefer?
2 What is your purpose from reading?
Reading for getting the general knowledge
Reading to enrich the vocabulary knowledge
3 Do you think that reading strategies would improve your reading skills?
4 Do youusually reading strategies such as KWL, scanning, and other skills when taking a reading comprehension test?
5 What difficulties that you face when reading?
6 Do you find it difficult and lack of confidence when reading long sentences?
7 Is the time devote for reading session is sufficient?
8 How long does it take to complete a reading test?
9 What will you do if you do not understand when reading?
10 Do you look up the word you could not figure out?
11 Do you often use the information you have to guess the meaning of the word that you do not understand ?
12 Do you try to grasp the general idea of a sentence before going to read the next sentence?
13 From 1-3 as the essential to less essential How do you access the essence of vocabulary and grammar in reading ?
14 What is the most important component in doing reading comprehension?
15 Do you understand the grammatical structure of the test?
Data collection will involve assigning tasks to students and requesting their responses to a questionnaire Subsequently, the researcher will compile and analyze the gathered data from the students.