Luận văn thạc sĩ VNU ULIS the reality of teaching and learning english listening skills in grade 10 at yen mo b high school, ninh binh province

VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** ĐỖ THỊ NGÂN THE REALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH LISTENING SKILLS IN GRADE 10 AT YEN MO B HIGH SCHOOL NINH BINH PROVINCE THỰC TRẠNG DẠY VÀ HỌC KỸ NĂNG NGHE TIẾNG ANH TẠI KHỐI LỚP 10 TRƯỜNG THPT YÊN MÔ B, TỈNH NINH BÌNH M.A Minor Thesis Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60 14 10 Hanoi - 2012 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** ĐỖ THỊ NGÂN THE REALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH LISTENING SKILLS IN GRADE 10 AT YEN MO B HIGH SCHOOL NINH BINH PROVINCE THỰC TRẠNG DẠY VÀ HỌC KỸ NĂNG NGHE TIẾNG ANH TẠI KHỐI LỚP 10 TRƯỜNG THPT N MƠ B, TỈNH NINH BÌNH M.A Minor Thesis Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60 14 10 Supervisor: ĐỖ BÁ QUÝ, M.Ed Hanoi - 2012 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii LIST OF TABLES viii PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale of the study Aims of the study Research questions Scope of the study Method of the study Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Definitions of listening 1.2 Significance of listening 1.3 Listening process 1.4 Micro-skills of listening 1.5 Effective teaching of listening 1.6 Stages of a listening lesson 1.6.1 Pre-listening stage 1.6.2 While-listening stage 1.6.3 Post-listening stage 10 1.7 Potential problems in listening 11 iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 1.8 Related studies on listening 12 1.9 Summary 13 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 14 2.1 Overview of the current situation of teaching and learning English at Yen Mo B high school 14 2.1.1 The school context 14 2.1.2 The new textbook English 10 (the standard textbook) and its listening section 15 2.2 Methodology 16 2.2.1 Research questions 16 2.2.2 Participants 16 2.2.3 Data collection instruments 17 2.2.3.1 Survey questionnaire 17 2.2.3.2 Classroom observation 18 2.2.4 Data collection procedure 18 2.2.5 Data analysis procedure 19 2.3 Summary 19 CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 20 3.1 Findings from questionnaires for the teachers and the students 20 3.1.1 The teachers’ and the students’ perceptions of the importance of listening in language teaching and learning at school 20 3.1.2 The teachers’ and students’ opinions about the students’ listening competence 21 3.1.3 The teachers’ and the students’ opinions about the listening sections of the textbook English 10 21 3.1.4 The teachers’ and the students’ ways of teaching and learning English listening skills 22 3.1.4.1 Teachers’ ways of teaching English listening skills 22 3.1.4.1.1 The teachers’ preparation before listening lessons 22 v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 3.1.4.1.2 The audiovisual support that the teachers use in listening lessons 23 3.1.4.1.3 The teachers’ classroom practices in listening lessons 23 3.1.4.1.4 The factors affecting the teachers’ ways of teaching in listening lessons 26 3.1.4.2 The students’ ways of learning English listening skills 27 3.1.4.2.1 The students’ evaluation of the teachers’ ways of teaching English listening skills 27 3.1.4.2.2 The students’ preparation before listening lessons 29 3.1.4.2.3 The students’ favorite practices in listening lessons 29 3.1.4.2.4 The students’ home practices on listening skills 31 3.1.5 Difficulties in teaching and learning English listening skills perceived by the teachers and the students 32 3.1.6 The teachers’ and the students’ suggested solutions to improve the current situation of teaching and learning English listening skills 33 3.2 Findings from classroom observations 35 3.3 Discussion of the findings 36 3.4 Summary 39 PART C: CONCLUSION 40 Conclusions 40 Recommendations for more effective listening lessons 41 Limitations of the study 42 Suggestions for further research 42 REFERENCES 43 APPENDICES I Appendix 1: Survey questionnaire for the teachers I Appendix 2: Survey questionnaire for the students VI Appendix 3: Classroom observations X vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS MOET: Ministry of Education and Training YMBHS: Yen Mo B high school viii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF TABLES Table 1: The teachers‟ and the students‟ perceptions of the importance of teaching and learning English listening skills at school Table 2: The teachers‟ and the students‟ opinions about the students‟ listening competence Table 3: The teachers‟ and the students‟ opinions about the listening sections in the textbook English 10 Table 4: The teachers‟ preparation before listening lessons Table 5: The audio-visual support that the teachers use in listening lessons Table 6: The teachers‟ classroom practices in the pre-listening stage Table 7: The teachers‟ classroom practices in the while-listening stage Table 8: The teachers‟ classroom practices in the post-listening stage Table 9: The factors affecting the teachers‟ ways of teaching English listening lessons Table 10: The effects of teaching and learning English listening skills on students‟ language ability Table 11: Students‟ opinions about listening lessons Table 12: Students‟ preparation before listening lessons Table13: The students‟ favorite practices in the pre-listening stage Table14: The students‟ favorite practices in the while-listening stage Table 15: The students‟ favorite practices in the post-listening stage Table 16: The students‟ home practice on listening skills Table 17: The teachers‟ difficulties in teaching English listening lessons Table 18: The students‟ difficulties in learning English listening skills Table 19: The teachers‟ and the students‟ suggested solutions to improve the current situation of teaching and learning English listening skills ix LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study It is undeniable that English has become a common means of communication all over the world today Being aware of its importance, Vietnam has felt an urge to train its citizens to have greater competence in the use of English for communication That is the reason why the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has implemented a curricular change in schools since 2002 The new curriculum aims to enable school students to communicate in English at the basic level in all modes of communication i.e listening, speaking, reading, and writing (Van et al, 2006, p 3) In order to achieve this aim, a set of textbooks has been issued for students from grade to grade 12 The textbook is claimed to be themebased and skill-based, with the adoption of the “two currently popular teaching approaches, i.e the learner-centred approach and the communicative approach A focus is on task-based teaching as the leading methodology” (Van et al, 2006, p.12) Obviously, the ultimate goal of the textbook is to develop students‟ communicative competence However, as a teacher of Yen Mo B high school (YMBHS), I find that the teaching and learning here still focus too much on grammar, vocabulary and structures Although the teachers and the students follow the English course book issued by MOET, in which each unit is designed to be composed of five parts reading, speaking, listening, writing and language focus; assessment and testing focus on grammar, vocabulary, reading and partial writing Therefore, listening skill is paid less attention to Consequently, many students who may have mastered the basic elements of English grammar and vocabulary are weak at listening The above situation has inspired me to the research entitled “The reality of teaching and learning English listening skills in grade 10 at Yen Mo B high school, Ninh Binh province” with the hope of making some contributions to improving the teaching and learning of English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Aims of the study Generally this study aims to investigate the reality of teaching and learning English listening skills in Grade 10 at YMBHS Specifically the study seeks to find out:  The present situation of teaching and learning English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS;  The teachers‟ and the students‟ perceived difficulties in teaching and learning English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS; and  The teachers‟ and the students‟ suggested solutions to improve the current situation of teaching and learning English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS Research questions To achieve the aims and objectives of the study, the following research questions were proposed: What is the present situation of teaching and learning English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS? What are the difficulties in teaching and learning English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS as perceived by the teachers and the students? What solutions the teachers and the students suggest to improve the current situation of teaching and learning English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS? Scope of the study This small-scale study is limited to the reality of teaching and learning English listening skills in Grade 10 at YMBHS The investigation of teaching and learning other skills will be beyond the scope of this study This study is a detailed survey at YMBHS in Ninh Binh Province Therefore, its findings are not intended to be generalized to other school contexts Indeed the findings may not apply beyond the actual participants in this particular study LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Method of the study The study was designed to use both quantitative and qualitative methods, involving two instruments: survey questionnaires and classroom observations Besides, reviewing the related documents is also a method to establish the theoretical background for the study Design of the study The study is divided into three parts: Introduction, Development, and Conclusion The Introduction presents an overview of the study including the rationale, aims, research questions, scope, method, and design of the study The major part of the study, the Development, is divided into three chapters Chapter one provides theoretical background for the study Chapter two presents the methodology of the study and the last chapter is devoted to analyzing the data and discussing the findings of the study The Conclusion part provides a brief summary of the findings in correspondence with the three proposed research questions and offers some recommendations for better listening teaching and learning The limitations of the study and suggestions for further study are also discussed in this chapter Besides, the survey questionnaire for the teachers and students, and the classroom observation notes are included in the Appendices LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Instead (v) cinema (n) notebook Picnic (n) - Ask students to repeat in chorus - Read aloud the words in chorus - Ask two Ss read the words aloud - Two Ss read the words aloud WHILE YOU LISTEN: Task 1: Listen and answer - Explain the requirement of task - Listen to T 8’ - Listen once - Let Ss listen for one time - Ask the T for them to listen - Check the answer with the again whole class - Listen again - Let Ss listen again - Two Ss read out their answer: - Call two Ss read out their S1: go to the movies answer S2: see Titanic - Give the correct answer Key: They are planning to go to see 16’ “the Titanic” - Listen to T‟s explanation Task 2: Complete the table - Read the information in the table - Explain the requirement of task - Listen to the tape carefully and - Have Ss read the information in write down the information in the the table table - Play the tape twice - Compare their answer XV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com - Ask Ss to compare their answer - Some Ss read out their answers in pairs - Copy the correct answers in - Call some Ss to give their their notebooks answers - Give the correct answers - Listen to T 5’ - Listen to the tape again Task 3: Answer - Explain the requirement of task - Some Ss read out their answer: S1: Sunday - Ask Ss to listen again and find S2: Tuesday out the day they can meet S3: Tuesday - Ask Ss to give their answer - Give the correct answer Key: On Tuesday (because they are both free on Tuesday) AFTER YOU LISTEN: - Ask Ss to look at the table in 2’ task and raise the questions: - S1: Lan is going to see a play, + What is Lan going to do? visit her grandparents and work + What is Huong going to do? - S2: Huong is going to work and - Call two Ss to answer the go to the singing club, study questions orally Chinese and go on a picnic HOMEWORK - Assign homework - Copy in their notebooks +Learn new words by heart +Prepare the next lesson XVI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Key for Task 2: Lan Mon Huong See a play Tue Work and go to the singing club Wed Thu Visit her grandparents Study Chinese Fri Sat work Go on a picnic Sun XVII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Classroom observation Unit 14: The World Cup (Class: 10 A11 – From 8:10 to 8:55, April 16th, 2012) Teacher’s activities Time Students’ activities HOMEWORK CHECKING: - Ask S to write down the new - S writes new words on the 6’ words of previous lesson on the board, then she answers T‟s black board questions - Ask her some questions: + What kind of film you like to see? + Have you ever seen the film “Titanic”? - Check the words and give mark BEFORE YOU LISTEN - Let Ss open the books and ask who - Ss look at the pictures and answer are in the pictures 10’ T‟s question - Call some Ss to answer the individually question -Raise - Some Ss speak out their another question: which answer football player you like best? - Some Ss answer the questions - Introduce the listening: in this individually XVIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com lesson, we will hear a talk about a - Listen to T famous football player - Write the new words on the board and give their Vietnamese - Write down new words and equivalent words meanings in the notebook Goal-Scorer (n): Hero (n) Ambassador (n) Kick (v) Retirement (n) Promote (v) Championship (n) - Read new words aloud and ask Ss - Listen and repeat in chorus to listen and repeat - Call two Ss to read the words - Two Ss read the words aloud aloud WHILE YOU LISTEN Task 1: Complete the table - Explain the requirement of task - Listen to T‟s explanation - Let Ss read the information given - Read silently in the table 15’ - Play the tape the first time for the - Listen the first time and write Ss to complete the table down the missing information - Let Ss listen the second time in the table - Listen the second time to - Have Ss work in pairs to compare complete the table XIX LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com their answers - Work in pairs to compare - Call one S to write the answers on their answers the board - One S writes the answers on - Give the correct answers: the board Key: 1940 - Copy the correct answers in joined a Brazilian football their notebooks club 1962 1974 retired Task Answer the questions - Explain the requirements of task - Listen to T‟s explanation - Explain the questions - Play the tape for the Ss to listen - Listen to the tape again to 14’ and write down the answers to the write down the answers to the questions questions - Check whether the Ss have - Ask their T to let them listen answered all the questions or not once more - Play the tape again - Listen again - Call some Ss to read out their - Some Ss read out their answers answers (questions 1, are left - Give and write the correct answers unanswered) on the board - Copy the correct answers in As a football player, Pele was their notebooks famous for his powerful kicking and controlling the ball XX LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com He participated in three World Cups He played for an American football club before he retired He became an international ambassador for sport, working to promote peace and understanding through friendly sport activities - Copy in their notebooks HOMEWORK +Learn new words by heart + Prepare the next lesson XXI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Classroom observation Unit 14: The World Cup (Class: 10 A2 - From 10.00 to 10.45, April 16th, 2012) Teacher’s activities Time Students’ activities HOMEWORK CHECKING: - Ask S to write down the new words of - S1 writes new words 6’ previous lesson on the black board on the board - Ask another S to tell about the World Cup - S2 talks about the that she knows World Cup that she - Comment and give marks knows BEFORE YOU LISTEN - Let Ss open the books and ask who are in - Ss look at the pictures and answer T‟s question the picture -Ask Ss to work in groups of four to talk - Work in groups 12’ about the football player they like best - Go around to check and support Ss - Call some Ss to tell the whole class about - Some Ss tell the whole the football player they like class - Ask Ss to guess the topic of the listening text - Guess: about some - Introduce the background information of football player the listening text: We are going to listen to - Listen to T and guess: XXII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com one of the greatest football players of all Pele, Madonna, Cantona, time Do you know who it is? Zidane, etc - Give the answer: It‟s Pele And ask Ss to - Work in groups work in groups of four to tell each other what they know about Pele - Two Ss tell the class: - Call two Ss to tell the whole class what He is from Brazil, he‟s they know about Pele a very good football - Let Ss read the new words in listen and player, repeat and explain their meanings in Vietnamese - Copy new words in goal-scorer (n): their notebooks hero (n) ambassador (n) kick (v) retirement (n) promote (v) championship (n) - Read new words aloud - Listen and repeat in - Ask one S to read the words aloud chorus - Ask Ss to read through the comprehension - S read the words questions aloud - Explain the requirements of the tasks - Read through the questions - Listen to T‟s explanation XXIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com WHILE YOU LISTEN: Task 1: Complete the table - Let Ss read the information given in the - Read silently table - Listen the first time - Play the tape the first time for Ss to listen and write down the 15’ and complete the table missing information in the table - Let Ss listen the second time - Listen the second time - Check whether the Ss have completed the table or not - Have Ss work in pairs to compare their - Work in pairs to answers compare the answers - Some Ss read out their - Call some Ss to read out their answers answers - Play the tape the third time and pause for - Listen again to check the Ss to check their answers the answer - Give the correct answers - Copy the correct 1940 answers in their joined a Brazilian football club notebooks 1962 1974 retired Task True or False - Deliver the handouts of task - Ask Ss to read the sentences and underline - Read and underline key words key words XXIV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 9’ - Check the key words with the whole class Key words: biggest, player, all time famous, powerful, kicking, controlling participated, three, World Cups played, Brazilian club, retired international, ambassador, sport, retirement - Listen to the tape to - Play the tape again get the answers to the - Call some Ss to give out their answers questions - Some Ss read out their - Give the correct answers answers Key: - Copy the correct F T T F T answers in their notebooks AFTER YOU LISTEN 3’ - Ask Ss to tell what they know about Pele - S stands up to tell based on the information in task and the whole class what she knows about Pele HOMEWORK - Copy in their - Assign homework: write about Pele notebooks Handout: Listen to the passage and decide whether the following statements about Pele are true (T) or false (F) Pele is one of the biggest football players of all time He was famous for his powerful kicking and controlling the ball He participated in three World Cups He played for a Brazilian club before he retired XXV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com He worked as an international ambassador for the sport after his retirement Classroom observation Unit 16: Historical Places (Class 10 A4 – From 7.15 to 8.00, May 4th, 2012) Teacher’s activities Time Students’ activities HOMEWORK CHECKING: - Ask S to write down the new words - S writes new words on 5’ of previous lesson on the black board the board - Remark and give marks BEFORE YOU LISTEN - - Ask Ss to look at the pictures on 8’ - Look at the pictures in the page 171 of the textbook and answer textbook and practice asking the questions in pairs and answering in pairs - Go around and observe Ss working - Check the answers with the whole - Whole class tell the class answers - Raise the question: What town these places belong to? S1: (keep silent) - Call some Ss to answer the question S2: Hoi An S3: Hoi An - Introduce: We‟ll listen to a text about - Listen to T the ancient town Hoi An - Present some new words and explain - Ss copy in their notebooks their meanings in Vietnamese XXVI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com  New words: - merchant (n) - vessel: big ship (n) - ornamental (a) - certified (a) - destination (n) - heritage (n) - Read the words aloud and ask Ss to - Whole class repeat the new listen and repeat in chorus words after the teacher WHILE YOU LISTEN Task : Multiple-choice questions - Explain the requirement of task - Listen to the teacher - Ask Ss to read through the questions to identify what information they need 12’ - Work individually to concentrate on while listening - Read the text aloud once for Ss to - Listen to T‟s reading listen and the task - Check whether the Ss have all the - Ask for another listening answers - Listen again - Read the text again - Compare their answers - Ask Ss to work in pairs to compare their answers - Some Ss read out their - Call some Ss to read out their answers answers - Give the correct answers Key: B A C C C XXVII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 20’ Task Answer the questions - Listen to T - Explain the requirement of task - Listen to T - Explain the questions in Vietnamese - Listen to T‟s reading - Read the listening text for Ss to listen and answer the questions - Can‟t answer the questions - Check Ss‟ answers - Listen again and answer - Read the text again - Ask for listening once more - Listen again - Read the text once more S1: questions 1, 2, 3, - Ask two Ss write the answers on the S2: questions 5, 6, 7, board (questions 3, 4, are left unanswered) - Correct Ss‟ answers on the board and - Copy the correct answers in give keys: their notebooks It lies on the Thu Bon River, 30 km south of Da Nang It was known as a major trading center in Southeast Asia Hoi An is now famous for its old temples, pagodas, small tile-roofed houses and narrow streets They were made of wood and their pillars were carved with ornamental designs It was built in 1855 It was built nearly centuries ago XXVIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com The house now looks almost exactly as it did in the early 19th century In 1999 - Copy in their notebooks HOMEWORK - Assign homework + Learn the new words by heart + Prepare the new lesson XXIX LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ... 10 at Yen Mo B high school, Ninh Binh province? ?? with the hope of making some contributions to improving the teaching and learning of English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS LUAN VAN CHAT... English listening skills in Grade 10 at YMBHS The investigation of teaching and learning other skills will be beyond the scope of this study This study is a detailed survey at YMBHS in Ninh Binh Province. .. teaching and learning of English listening skills in grade 10 at YMBHS For the school administrators, they should change the testing of English by including listening skill in English tests and