Thông tin tài liệu
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ HÒA STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHERS’ INTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES – A CASE OF TOEFL ESSAY WRITING PREPARATION COURSE ( SỰ NHẬN THỨC CỦA SINH VIÊN VỚI PHƯƠNG PHÁP LUYỆN THI CỦA GIÁO VIÊN – NGHIÊN CỨU DẠY VIẾT LUẬN LUYỆN THI TOEFL) M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.14.10 HANOI – 2012 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement Abstract List of tables, figures and appendices Chapter One: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 State of the problem 1.3 Aims of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Method of the study 1.7 Design of the study Chapter Two: Literature Review 2.1 An overview of writing 2.1.1 Academic writing and essay writing 2.1.2 Place of writing in TOEFL 2.2 Major instructional strategy approaches to teaching writing 2.2.1 The product approach 10 2.2.2 The process approach 11 2.3 Challenges of teaching and learning TOEFL essay writing 13 2.4 Summary 14 Chapter Three: The Study 3.1 The context of the study 15 3.2 Methodology 16 iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 3.2.1 Participants 16 3.2.2 Instruments 17 3.3 Data collection procedures 18 3.4 Data collection and data analysis 19 Chapter Four: Conclusions 4.1 Summary of the major findings and discussion 36 4.2 Implications 37 4.3 Recommendations and suggestions 38 4.4 Limitations of the study 39 4.5 Suggestions for further studies 39 REFERENCES 40 APPENDICES I v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFC: English First Certificate ETS: English Test Systems USA: United States of America GRE: Graduate Record Examinations IELTS: International English Language Test Systems SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test TOEFL: Test of English as Foreign Language TWE: Test of Written English vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LISTS OF TABLES AND CHARTS Table 1: Learners by age, gender and job Table 2: Learners’ experience in learning English Table 3: Learners’ use of English Table 4: The frequency of using instructional strategies by teachers in writing lessons Table 5: The students’ perception of the instructional strategies used by teachers in terms of their usefulness Table 6: The teacher’ perceived value of instructional strategies used in terms of their usefulness Table 7: The students’ satisfaction of teachers’ instructional strategies Chart 1: The frequency of writing TOEFL essay by students vii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale In the process of globalization, English plays an important role in enhancing economy, politics, culture and international relations between many countries Therefore, there is a great demand for teaching and learning English in the world as well as in Vietnam In terms of opportunities, nationally, it can be seen that foreign language education policy and accompanying student attitudes and motivation have become crucial issues in the national development of Vietnam and in the personal advancement of individual Vietnamese over the last twenty years Social changes have resulted in foreign language changes, and thus, attitude and job changes When the need for studying abroad has been increasing, the burning question that all interested people have in mind is what demanded to meet this need Owned and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), taken by approximately 600,000 students a year, influences access to or exclusion from colleges and universities in North America As a matter of fact, in recent years TOEFL has become one of the most popular high-stakes tests which is necessary for getting permission or scholarship to oversea study Therefore, it affects not only what and how English language teachers teach but also what and how students learn (e.g Johnson, Jordan, & Poehner, 2005; Alderson & Wall, 1993) Many learners throughout the world take TOEFL tests annually and experience TWE-Test of Written English included in a TOEFL test Many Vietnamese undergraduate and post-graduated students want to study abroad or work for foreign companies, so they first need TOEFL report that has been lately introduced to Vietnam TWE is one of the first requirements in any TOEFL test to be claimed the most difficult and the least interesting part As a result, writing is always the worst skill that is to claim though it is important to write an essay and is the first requirement to apply for a job or a scholarship LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Among four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), there is no doubt that writing provides students chances to express themselves correctly and communicatively To the best of my knowledge, when Equest teachers at my teaching place, Equest, an English center in Ha noi are always interested in teaching writing, especially writing essay and strive to find the best way to help students achieve the highest score in the TOEFL test, their students’ performance in writing test is unsatisfactory, and I would like to understand why the situation as it is That is the reason why I am going to conduct this research 1.2 State of the problem English has become popular in learning and teaching over the last decades We have experienced its popularity in many fields of our social life It has become the key for us to integrate into the world, the effective communicative tool to foster the international relations It is not deniable that there have been a lot of positive changes in language teaching in Vietnam and partially thanks to the requirements of international measurements of English using skills, TOEFL, teachers have been helping students improve their English with four skills- speaking, reading, listening and writing Teachers have also been looking for and trying various methods and techniques in teaching English in order to find out the effective ones to help English learners become better In the four skills, writing essay has been considered a difficult and boring subject for both foreign language teachers and students It also takes much time and energy to make progress in this skill Approaches to teaching writing have long been classified by many researchers and applied in many classrooms, modified by many teachers of writing Teaching essay writing is one of these above approaches but to Vietnamese learners, teachers of writing are supposed to three key factors: Motivation, Rhetorical patterns and Coherence It is mainly mentioned that a teaching approach to essay writing for Vietnamese learners focuses on a rhetorical idea development in which teachers guide learners to be LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com independent to expand the supporting ideas and use specific examples to make ideas persuasive For the above reasons mentioned reasons, the researcher would like to study TOEFL essay such writing procedure, teacher’s activities in writing lessons to find out students’ opinions on as well as attitudes towards learning and writing TOEFL essays Therefore, the intention in doing this research the researcher will help teachers and students in TOEFL essay courses in some way find appropriate instructional strategies to write a better essay 1.3.Aims of the study This study is aimed to: (1) Examine kinds of instructional strategy approach of the teaching of essay writing in TOEFL test used by teachers of writing at EQUEST center (2) Explore common instructional strategies used by teachers at Equest center to develop students’ essay TOEFL writing skill and students’ attitudes towards those activities 1.4.Research questions The study was carried out in order to find out the answers to three research questions (1) What are the common instructional strategies teachers use to develop students’ TOEFL essay writing skills? (2) What are the students’ perceptions of the usefulness of those instructional strategies to their writing proficiency? (3) To what extent those instructional strategies satisfy the students’ expectations? LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 1.5 Scope of the study The study is focused on only students from the 60 TOEFL score at EQUEST center Because almost all of them have not officially been taught how to write an academic TOEFL essay Yet, the study results cannot be true to all Vietnamese students Thus, my suggestions for essay teaching and learning writing might work well only groups of students at Equest center 1.6 Method of the study This study is conducted in the combination of quantitative and qualitative method Data were collected by means of survey questionnaires, and classroom observation The researcher believes that the combination of different methods to collect data could provide more reliable and valid information for analysis Questionnaires of small groups of TOEFL learning students are used to discover their perception of classroom activities used by the teacher in terms of their usefulness and their learning needs and expectations towards teachers Questionnaire and interview with teachers of writing are to explore their common activities used in the way that help their students with TOEFL essay writing skill as well as their perceived value of those activities 1.7 Design of the study The research consists of four chapters The first chapter presents the rationale, the statement of the problem, the aims, research questions, the scope of the study, research methods as well as the design of the study The second chapter conceptualizes the framework through the discussion of issues and ideas on theories for academic writing, approaches to essay writing teaching, challenges of teaching and learning essay writing The third chapter presents the context of the study and LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com explains the methodology used in the study including population information, instrumentation, data collection, data procedures, data analysis and findings The last chapter summarizes major findings and discussion, implications, limitations and provides recommendations for further study LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com a limited time i Giving useful structure and vocabulary j Writing drafts k Receiving teachers’ feedback, correction and score l Peer – checking List three things you are satisfied with the way teachers help you with TOEFL essay writing 1) 2) 3) List three things you are not satisfied with the way teachers help you with TOEFL essay writing 1) 2) 3) List three changes you want the teachers to make in the way they help you with TOEFL essay writing 1) 2) 3) Thank you for your cooperation IV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX B (A questionnaire completed by the teachers) SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE (for teachers) This survey questionnaire is designed for my research into the teaching essay writing for learners at TOEFL A classes at Equest center Your assistance in completing the survey is highly appreciated All the information provided by you is solely for the study purpose and you can be confident that you will not be identified in any discussion of the data Please use either English or Vietnamese Thank cooperation you very much for your Instructions The questionnaire is in parts, please put a tick (v) in the appropriate box: circle the letter a, b, c or given short answers in the provided space I Personal information Your gender: a male b female Your age: How long have you been teaching English? How long have you been teaching TOEFL essay writing for Equest students? II Your evaluation of common activities used to develop students’ essay writing skill How often you use the following activities in the TOEFL essay writing lessons in the classroom? Put a tick (v) in an appropriate column Instructional strategies very often often sometimes rarely never a Finding the key words to identify the task b Brainstorming in groups to generate ideas V LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com c Working in pair or group to make outline d Using model essay and analyzing it e Using other aids (pictures, maps, music, reading texts) f Giving and guiding how to use cohesive devices g Teaching writing paragraph before the essay h Writing an essay in the limited time i Giving useful structures and vocabulary j Writing drafts l Giving correction/ scores for the essay m Giving peer - check How useful are those activities to your students’ TOEFL essay writing? very Instructional useful useful don't not very know useful not useful at all strategies No of % No of % No of % No of % No of % VI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Ss Ss Ss Ss Ss a Finding the key words to identify the task b Generating ideas through group brainstorming c Working in pair or group to make outline d Analyzing model essay e Using other aids: pictures, maps, etc f Learning how to use cohesive devices g Writing paragraph before the essay h Writing a task in a limited time i Giving useful structure and vocabulary j Writing drafts k Receiving VII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com teachers’ feedback, correction and score l Peer – checking List three major challenges you face with in teaching TOEFL essay writing How have you dealt with those challenges? a Giving feedback regularly by marking giving comments on students’ writing b Giving a pattern of essay organization c Offering new structures and special vocabulary used in the writing task d Assigning the task for students to write in a limited time e Swapping Students’ writing product so that they can check each other’s writing f Brainstorming or making outlines in the class g Asking students to write drafts in the class and then finish it at home h Others (please specify) Thank you very much for your cooperation VIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX C ( Questions for students interview) Em gặp khó khăn học viết luận tiếng Anh ? Em có thường xuyên viết luận tiếng Anh không ? Bao nhiêu lâu lần ? Theo em việc giáo viên chữa luận lớp có giúp cho em khơng Em có thích giáo viên u cầu viết lớp khơng Vì sao? Em có thấy việc giáo viên phân tích mẫu lớp cần thiết khơng ?Vì sao? Em thấy hoạt động mà giáo viên đưa dạy viết hữu ích ? Hoạt động lớp khiến em hài lịng nhất? Vì sao? Em có thích làm việc theo cặp , theo nhóm với bạn lớp khơng ? Em nhận xét việc chữa theo cặp, nhóm lớp? 10 Theo em giáo viên nên làm để viết thực có hiệu ? 11 Nhận xét em việc feedback từ phía thầy giáo? 12 Nhận xét em tài liệu mà giáo viên cung cầp thêm ? 13 Em mong muốn điều giáo viên dạy viết nhằm giúp em viết luận tốt hơn? IX LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX D (classroom observation) Classroom observation Date: 8th May 2012 Class: TOEFL 160 Number of students: 17 Lesson: TOEFL essay writing Unit: Time: 120 minutes Purpose of the lesson: The teacher introduces student’s basis format essay and a common type of TOEFL essay (argumentative essay) Teacher’s activities I - Students’ activities Lead- in - Ss greet the teacher - Ss listen to the Teacher comes in , greets the students and asks them about the previous lesson II New lesson Task 1: The teacher introduces Ss the format of an essay - An essay includes parts: Introductory paragraph , Body and the concluding paragraph teacher’s lecture and give + The introductory paragraph: questions whenever they The attention getter : a sentence that are not clear enough gets the reader interested The main idea: the topic or thesis of the composition X LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com The guide/thesis statement ( the last sentence of the introductory paragraph) : A list of the points that will be discussed , thus showing the organization of the composition + Body: The Body consists of everything between your intro and conclusion and it is where you discuss your three main points A good starting place is to envision that each point is a separate paragraph (or in a long paper, each point might be a section) In each paragraph you: · Introduce your point · Explain your point · Give supporting evidence (this is where quotes go!) · Explain how the point and evidence relate to your thesis + The concluding paragraph : A summary repeats the main points of the composition A prediction discusses what will happen in the future An evaluation compares the main points and - Ss work in pairs to the given task states what is best Task 2: The teacher gives Ss an essay model and asks them to read the essay and complete the XI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com outline Essay: “ Care about what you wear” - Introduction + Attention getter: + Topic: + Thesis statement: Body: Paragraph + Topic sentence: Paragraph + Topic sentence: Paragraph - + Topic sentence: Ss listen to the teacher and what is required Conclusion ( choose the right answer) a a summary b an evaluation c a prediction Task 3: The teacher introduces a type of essay: argumentative essay XII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com - Firstly, the teacher gives Ss an essay model to read silently - Ss learn the lesson - Prepare the next lesson - Do the given exercises Secondly, The teacher tells about the type of argumentative essay ( definition, format ) - - Thirdly , The teacher provides some phrases, expression used to write an argumentative essay Task 4: Homework: - The teacher assigns homework Classroom observation Date: 15th May 2012 Class: TOEFL 165 Number of students: 18 Lesson: TOEFL essay writing Unit: Skill: practice Time: 120 minutes Teacher’s activities Students’ activities I Warm-up : The teacher comes in, greets the students - Ss greet the teacher II Introduction - The teacher presents the topic to the students Topic: Education is the single most important factor in the development of a developing country Do you agree or XIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer” III Discuss the topic - - The teacher asks students to read the essay Ss identify the task in essay type topic carefully and then identify the task - The teacher asks students to work in - Ss work in groups of four groups to write an outline , discuss the topic , make - notes about general ideas, The teacher reminds students of the essay format/ introduction paragraph/ thesis and write an outline in 10 statement/ body paragraph and topic minutes sentence - After 10 minutes, The teacher asks two students to write their outlines on the board, then teacher gives comments, chooses the - Two Ss from the two groups go to the board and best ideas or corrects mistakes write their own outlines - The teacher helps students to organize ideas, add general or supporting details IV Practice - The teacher asks individuals to write their own essay in 20 minutes - The teacher movers around the class and provide help if necessary - -Ss think of the thesis The teacher has students exchange the statement first, try to write the essay for reference( peer- correcting) outline in brief XIV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com - The rest of the class attend to the outlines, give comments - The teacher checks a few essays , gives - Ss decide which outlines is best or combine both of them comments V Homework: - The teacher asks Ss to rewrite the essay writing task at home - Write complete essay in 20 minutes - Ss exchange their essays, read and correct mistakes, ideas, format Classroom observation Date: 20th May 2012 Class: TOEFL 169 Number of students: 15 Lesson: essay writing Unit: Skill: practice TOEFL essay writing Time: 120 minutes Teacher’s activities Students’ activities I Warm- up - The teacher has students crosswords to check - Ss greet the teacher the vocabulary of the previous lesson and crossword in II New lesson group of four Task XV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com The teacher introduces the topic for writing Topic: “ Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed by human activity Others feel the human activity makes the Earth a better place to live What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples - Ss read the essay topic silently and to support your answer” identify the task - The teacher asks Ss to read the essay topic carefully and then identify the task + The task is making an argument Task 2: - The teacher asks Ss to work in group of four to organize the essay by making notes about general ideas, brainstorming vocabulary, ideas, adding supporting details - - At the same time, the teacher provides Ss with Ss generate ideas by group brainstorming some vocabulary, phrases, structures related to the essay topic After 10 minutes, The teacher calls Ss from groups to go to the blackboard and write down their outline while the others attend and prepare to give Two students from the two groups go to the blackboard and write the comment outline - The teacher helps Ss to add or delete the ideas and then give a complete outline - The teacher then asks Ss to write their own thesis statement in minute , some of Ss read aloud the thesis statement , the teacher corrects and chooses - Ss write their own topic one or two better thesis statement sentence XVI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Task The teacher gets Ss to write the topic sentence for each paragraph individually - Ss exchange their writing Task paper to correct for one - The teacher chooses two students’ paper and give another comment in front of the class III Homework: The teacher asks Ss to finish essay writing tasks at - Ss finish an essay writing home paper at home Questions for teachers interview Thầy có thường phân tích mẫu cho học sinh khơng? Thầy/ có thường xun cho em học sinh thảo luận nhóm trước bắt tay vào viết luận không? Thầy/ cô thấy học sinh phản ứng trước phương pháp luyện thi mà giáo viên đưa Thầy có thường xun cung cấp tài liệu tham khảo viết luận TOEFL cho học sinh không? XVII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Thầy/ thường làm trước giới thiệu loại viết luận thi TOEFL? Thầy có có ý kiên phương pháp luyện thi TOEFL chia sẻ đồng nghiệp không? Là giáo viên, thầy/ cô thấy cần phải làm để giúp học sinh đạt điểm cao phần viết luận cảu TOEFL? XVIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ... immediately Although most 36 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com of the teachers claimed that teaching how to write a paragraph and writing drafts before a complete essay paper... playful Essay writing is like academic writing but a special skill that does not spring naturally from ability to speaking a language An essay writer has a particular obligation to communicate... writing is an art that writers want to communicate with certain LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com groups of audience Essay writing is like academic writing but a special skill
Ngày đăng: 06/12/2022, 09:05
Xem thêm:
