Luận văn thạc sĩ VNU ULIS the relationship among learning motivation, learning effort and toeic test performance the case of english learners at tienganh 123 english center

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY- HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** NGUYỄN LÊ THU PHƢƠNG THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG LEARNING MOTIVATION, LEARNING EFFORT AND TOEIC TEST PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AT TIENGANH123 ENGLISH CENTER (MỐI QUAN HỆ GIỮA ĐỘNG LỰC HỌC TẬP, NỖ LỰC HỌC TẬP VÀ KẾT QUẢ BÀI THI TOEIC: TRƯỜNG HỢP CỦA NGƯỜI HỌC TIẾNG ANH TẠI TRUNG TÂM TIẾNG ANH 123) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Hanoi - 2017 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY- HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN LÊ THU PHƢƠNG THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG LEARNING MOTIVATION, LEARNING EFFORT AND TOEIC TEST PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AT TIENGANH123 ENGLISH CENTER LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com (MỐI QUAN HỆ GIỮA ĐỘNG LỰC HỌC TẬP, NỖ LỰC HỌC TẬP VÀ KẾT QUẢ BÀI THI TOEIC: TRƢỜNG HỢP CỦA NGƢỜI HỌC TIẾNG ANH TẠI TRUNG TÂM TIẾNG ANH 123) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Dr Tran Thanh Nhan Hanoi - 2017 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DECLARATION I hereby certify that the thesis entitled “The relationship among learning motivation, learning effort and TOEIC test performance: The case of English learners at TiengAnh123 English Center” is my own study in the fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Art at Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi This paper has also not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification except as specified Hanoi, 2017 Nguyễn Lê Thu Phƣơng i LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to send my thanks to many individuals for their invaluable help during the conduct of the research Without their help, the completion of this research project would not have been possible I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to my respectable supervisor, Dr Tran Thanh Nhan for her restless and sympathetic encouragement, valuable advice and patient guidance until the completion of this study My sincere thanks also go to my dear colleagues at TiengAnh123 English Center and friends for all their invaluable help, support and encouragement when I encountered difficulties during the conduct of the study I wish to acknowledge my thankfulness to the TOEIC learners at TOEIC preparation classes for their enthusiastic participation in the project Finally, I am deeply indebted to my beloved mother for her sacrifice, encouragement and care ii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ABSTRACT In recent time, there has been an increasing number of those who want to sit a TOEIC test to get a desirable score for their own purposes Many of them find themselves a popular and appropriate English Center and attend the TOEIC instruction courses there with the hope to prepare the best for the TOEIC test Some centers have been found to have effective TOEIC preparation courses in the improvements in learners’ TOEIC score; however, the roles of the learners themselves in achieving their target in the TOEIC test has not been explored so far The purpose of this study is to explore TOEIC learners’ academic performance in relation with (1) their learning motivation and (2) their learning effort The participants selected for the study included 12 learners from the TOEIC classes at TiengAnh123 English Center in Hanoi Through the instruments of pretest and post-test, attendance checklists, and interviews with learners, the study discovered that after taking part in a 22-lesson TOEIC class, on average, learners have made an increase of approximately 138 points in their test scores In addition, the motivational factor that was mentioned most by the learners to explain the reason why they want to sit the TOEIC test was their job application Furthermore, class attendances, self-study time and time urgency have positive relationship with learners’ TOEIC score changes iii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LISTS OF FIGURES AND TABLES vi PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale for the study Aims and objectives of the study 3 Research methodology Scope of the study Significance of the study Organization of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW I.Theoretical background of motivation Definitions of motivation Types of motivation The role of motivation in second language learning II.Theoretical background of effort The importance of effort The importance of effort in language learning 10 III Previous studies on relationship among learning motivation,learning effort and academic performance 11 Relationship between learning motivation and academic performance 11 Relationship between learning effort and academic performance 12 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 14 Context of the study 14 iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Methodology 14 2.1 Research questions 14 2.2 Participants 15 2.3 Instruments 15 2.4 Procedures of data collection 18 2.5 Procedures of data analysis 19 CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 21 Learners’ improvement on TOEIC score 21 Motivational factors affecting the learner’s study 23 Indicators of effort affecting learner’s study 26 3.1 Classroom attendance 26 3.2 Self-study time 28 PART C: CONCLUSION 34 Conclusion 34 Implications of the study 35 Limitations of the study 36 Suggestions for further study 36 REFERENCES 37 APPENDICES I APPENDIX I APPENDIX IV APPENDIX VI APPENDIX VIII APPENDIX X APPENDIX XII APPENDIX XIII v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LISTS OF FIGURES AND TABLES Table 1: Interview schedule 19 Table 1.1: Learners’ improvement 21 Table 1.2: TOEIC pre- and post-test minimum, maximum, 22 mean score and standard deviation 22 Table 2.2: Learners’ specific motivational factors 24 Table 3.1: Raw data of TOEIC learners’ missed lessons 27 Table 3.2: Relationship between academic improvements and classroom attendances 27 Table 3.3: Raw data of TOEIC learners’ self-study time 28 Table 3.4: Relationship between academic improvements and learners’ self-study time 29 Table 3.5 Raw data of learners’ pressure on time urgency 32 Table 3.6 Relationship between improvements and time urgency 32 Figure 2.1: Learners’ motivation 23 vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com PART A: INTRODUCTION In this part, the researcher would present the rationale and the importance of the study A clear research methodology to achieve the aims and the organization of the study are also described legibly in order that the readers can understand how the study is carried out Rationale for the study Learning and teaching English has gained its popularity in recent years English is one of the keys to open the door into the rapidly changing and competitive world Users of English worldwide in general and in Vietnam in particular have had growing demand for mastering this international language There are many reliable assessment tools used by schools and employers to evaluate the English ability of learners and employees and the TOEIC is among those popular tests (Tokunaga, 2008, etsglobal.org) Trew (2008) points out that the Test of English for International Communication, or TOEIC is used as a way of measuring the communicative proficiency of business people It covers the English language used internationally in business, commerce and industry but not specialized knowledge in specialized vocabulary for business The typical test is composed of two papers, i.e the Listening and Reading Test, and the Speaking and Writing Test Due to its popularity in Vietnam (ef.com), this study focuses on the Listening and Reading Test only The TOEIC Listening and Reading test is a paper-and-pencil, multiple-choice assessment There are two timed sections of 100 questions each Test takers listen and read in English and give their responses to the questions The TOEIC has been used in many educational institutions worldwide (Trew, 2008, hau.gr) and in Vietnam such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology (cfl.edu.vn), Vietnam Maritime University (iigvietnam.com), and University of Finance Marketing (pdt.ufm.edu.vn), etc., to measure progress within a curriculum, LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (TRANSLATED) INTERVIEW WITH LEARNER NGUYỄN THỊ QUỲNH 1, Setting Type of interview: Interview via Facebook Time: 21:59 – 23:27, 23/11/2016 2, Personal information - Occupation: Student 3, Content Interviewer: May I start with the first question? Why did you decide to take the TOEIC course at the center? In other words, what were your purposes of taking the TOEIC course? Interviewee: I wanted to get a high score in the TOEIC test and I think the course would help me to achieve that I had to take three units of English at my university and an exit test If I had the TOEIC certificate, I would not have to take the test and the TOEIC score would be transferred into mark of English units Besides, I wanted to apply for a job after graduating and having a high TOEIC score would be an advantage Last but not least, I also wanted to widen my knowledge of English because I planned to take the IELTS later in the future Interviewer: Had you ever taken any other TOEIC courses before the course in tienganh123 center? Interviewee: No, I hadn’t And before taking the course here, I know nothing about the TOEIC test Interviewer: At the beginning the TOEIC course, how long after the course did you intend to take the TOEIC test? Interviewee: I intended to take the test after one to two months Interviewer: Have you taken the TOEIC test so far? If yes, how long after the course did you take the test and how many scores did you get? Interviewee: I took the test after about month I got the score of 860 I LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Interviewer: During the course, did you always complete all your homework before coming to class? And did you spend time preparing for the new lessons in advance? Interviewee: In general, I completed my homework of about 90% of the total numbers of lessons I always try to complete all homework; however sometimes I was too busy with my study at university, so I could not TOEIC homework And I often reviewed the old lessons instead of preparing for the new lessons Interviewer: How much time did you spend studying at home after each lesson at the center? Did you study on other days of the weeks as well? Interviewee: It depended There were days when I had much free time; I spent from to hours studying But on average, I spent about hours studying and I studied every day Interviewer: Did you find other books or sources to learn by yourself besides the course book and the materials given in TOEIC class? Interviewee: Yes, of course I also did exercises in Economy 4, and ETS 2016, and a set of TOEIC books from beginning level to advanced level, I not remember the name exactly I also liked some pages of learning English I read news in newspapers as well Interviewer: How did you deal with difficult exercises? Did you ask the teacher of the course? Interviewee: I googled for the keys on the Internet and read the explanation for the keys After that, I searched for the relevant grammar knowledge I did not feel afraid or hesitated to ask the teacher but I preferred self-searching If my selfsearching was useless, then I asked my teacher Interviewer: Now, the last question Did you find the TOEIC course effective and useful for you? Interviewee: Definitely, especially part and part were the most useful About part 2, and 4, I practiced a lot during the course I even listened to many topics, many types of listening besides TOEIC topics About part and 6, thanks to the teacher’s reviews and instructions, I conquered more gradually In general, the course was effective I think the teacher should spend more time improving the vocabulary for learners I saw that my TOEIC classmates did not study well mainly because of the poor vocabulary; as a result, they could not the listening parts or did not understand the reading pieces I often like Facebook pages of my types about films, music, make-ups, and so on And I installed the software which provides the meanings of the words when we click on them II LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com When I was studying for TOEIC, I underlined new words After I completed the exercises, I looked up for the meaning of those new words But I did not force myself to remember all of them If later on, I meet them again, I also underlined and looked up for meanings It was sometimes a bit boring but quite effective In conclusion, I think it does not matter where we learn, at home or at any centers, the most important thing is ourselves Interviewer: Yes That’s all Thanks a lot for your cooperation Interviewee: Not at all It’s my pleasure III LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX 2: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (TRANSLATED) INTERVIEW WITH LEARNER NGUYỄN THÙY LINH 1, Setting Type of interview: Interview via Facebook Time: 21.31 - 22.30, 24/11/2016 2, Personal information - Occupation: Student 3, Content Interviewer: May I start with the first question? Why did you decide to take the TOEIC course at the center? In other words, what were your purposes of taking the TOEIC course? Interviewee: I wanted to work for a joint venture company Interviewer: Why did not you study at home instead of taking the course at tienganh123 center? Interviewee: First, I did not know how to deal with the TOEIC test Second, I wanted to take part in in-class lessons in order that I could be under direct instruction of the teacher Interviewer: At the beginning the TOEIC course, how long after the course did you intend to take the TOEIC test? Interviewee: At that time, I was a second-year student; thus I just prepared for the far future when I would graduate and have to apply for a job I was not under any pressure I studied at ease but I still tried Interviewer: Have you taken the TOEIC test so far? If yes, how long after the course did you take the test and how many scores did you get? Interviewee: I have not taken the test I intend to take the test in the next months Interviewer: During the course, did you always complete all your homework before coming to class? And did you spend time preparing for the new lessons in advance? IV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Interviewee: I often tried to complete all my homework before coming to class but there were some difficult homework assignments that I could not deal with, so I came to class and asked my classmates and the teacher I often prepared for the new lessons too, about 70 % total of lessons Interviewer: How much time did you spend studying at home after each lesson at the center? Did you study on other days of the weeks as well? Interviewee: On average, I spent about hours studying and I studied every day Interviewer: Did you find other books or sources to learn by yourself besides the course book and the materials given in TOEIC class? Interviewee: Yes, of course Interviewer: How did you deal with difficult exercises? Did you ask the teacher of the course? Interviewee: I often asked my classmates in TOEIC class when I had in-class lesson on that day; if not, I asked my classmates at university Interviewer: Now, the last question Did you find the TOEIC course effective and useful for you? Interviewee: Yes After the course, I improved my listening skills and mostly grammar knowledge Interviewer: Yes That’s all Thanks a lot for your cooperation Interviewee: You’re welcome V LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (TRANSLATED) INTERVIEW WITH LEARNER NGUYỄN PHƢƠNG LAN 1, Setting Type of interview: Interview via Facebook Time: 09.46 - 11.20, 23/11/2016 2, Personal information - Occupation: Student 3, Content Interviewer: May I start with the first question? Why did you decide to take the TOEIC course at the center? In other words, what were your purposes of taking the TOEIC course? Interviewee: I wanted to take the TOEIC test at IIG after the course so that I could use the certificate to apply for a job Moreover, the TOEIC certificate can be transferred into mark in my university and it’s also used as the condition to be able to graduate Besides, I wanted to learn English to communicate with foreigners, I know my ability now is limited More than that, I will study to be a lawyer in the future and I want to be a lawyer in a foreign company, thus I need to be good at English I love English very much, crave for communicating in English simply because I want to learn new things Previously, I was terrible at English I did not know anything about English I hardly heard anything in English, However, gradually, I have realized the importance of English, so I am changing my mind Interviewer: What TOEIC score is the requirement at your university? Interviewee: Only 450 points Interviewer: Were TOEIC lessons in the curriculum at your university? Interviewee: No And I learned at Tienganh123.com only Interviewer: Why did not you learn at home instead of learning at the center? Interviewee: Because I would much more concentrate on learning, something like I must learn under pressure For example, learning at a center means I have to pay money so I will have to learn hard to deserve to the amount of money, or in VI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com class, there are classmates and the teacher, if I not learn, I will feel ashamed So it’s compulsory to learn Interviewer: At the beginning the TOEIC course, how long after the course did you intend to take the TOEIC test? Interviewee: I intended to take the test after one to two months Interviewer: Have you taken the TOEIC test so far? If yes, how long after the course did you take the test and how many scores did you get? Interviewee: I took the test after about month I got the score of 540 Interviewer: During the course, did you always complete all your homework before coming to class? And did you spend time preparing for the new lessons in advance? Interviewee: I completed all my homework before coming to class But I did not prepare for the new lessons Interviewer: How much time did you spend studying at home after each lesson at the center? Did you study on other days of the weeks as well? Interviewee: I spent about hours studying only after in-class lessons Interviewer: Did you find other books or sources to learn by yourself besides the course book and the materials given in TOEIC class? Interviewee: No Interviewer: How did you deal with difficult exercises? Did you ask the teacher of the course? Interviewee: I googled for the keys I did not ask anybody Normally, I often find out by myself If I could not explain, I will ask the teacher When I have not learnt and searched, I will not ask anybody Interviewer: Now, the last question Did you find the TOEIC course effective and useful for you? Interviewee: Yes However, I think that amount of time is a bit little I also think the teacher can integrate learning and listening to music or watching a short video in English Interviewer: Yes That’s all Thanks a lot for your cooperation Interviewee: Not at all It’s my pleasure VII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX 4: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (TRANSLATED) INTERVIEW WITH LEARNER NGƠ HỒN 1, Setting Type of interview: Interview via Facebook Time: 18:43 – 21:23, 23/11/2016 2, Personal information - Occupation: Student 3, Content Interviewer: May I start with the first question? Why did you decide to take the TOEIC course at the center? In other words, what were your purposes of taking the TOEIC course? Interviewee: To be able to graduate, I have to get a TOEIC certificate of 450 points Furthermore, if I get 450 points in the TOEIC test, I will get a salary rise Interviewer: Had you ever taken any other TOEIC courses before the course in tienganh123 center? Interviewee: I had taken another TOEIC course at a lower level in TiengAnh123 Center as well However, because at that time, I did not have to apply for a job immediately so I thought I would spend more time practicing Sadly, it’s a long time since then and I forgot all the things I learnt Interviewer: At the beginning the TOEIC course, how long after the course did you intend to take the TOEIC test? Interviewee: I was not sure I just thought I would practice more Interviewer: Have you taken the TOEIC test so far? If yes, how long after the course did you take the test and how many scores did you get? Interviewee: Not yet I intend to take the test on the 25th of December It’s just my intention because my scores in the trial tests are not high Interviewer: During the course, did you always complete all your homework before coming to class? And did you spend time preparing for the new lessons in advance? VIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Interviewee: I completed all assignments the instructor gave but I did not complete the exercises in the course book I did not prepare for the new lessons Interviewer: How much time did you spend studying at home after each lesson at the center? Did you study on other days of the weeks as well? Interviewee: On average, I spent about hours studying and I studied every day Interviewer: Did you find other books or sources to learn by yourself besides the course book and the materials given in TOEIC class? Interviewee: Sometimes and according to the contents of the in-class lessons Interviewer: How did you deal with difficult exercises? Did you ask the teacher of the course? Interviewee: I asked when coming to class I asked the instructor and classmates, especially Quynh Interviewer: Now, the last question Did you find the TOEIC course effective and useful for you? Interviewee: I think I know how to deal with the TOEIC test but I did not understand why my score was not high Maybe I was confused by the proctor on the test day Interviewer: Yes That’s all Thanks a lot for your cooperation Interviewee: Not at all It’s my pleasure IX LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX 5: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (TRANSLATED) INTERVIEW WITH LEARNER PHẠM DUY ĐÔNG 1, Setting Type of interview: Interview via Skype Time: 15.26 - 16.08, 19/02/2017 2, Personal information - Occupation: Student 3, Content Interviewer: May I start with the first question? Why did you decide to take the TOEIC course at the center? In other words, what were your purposes of taking the TOEIC course? Interviewee: I wanted to get a TOEIC certificate with the score of 450 to be able to graduate And I also wanted to reinforce my English knowledge to find myself an opportunity to study abroad Interviewer: Which reason was more important? Interviewee: The second So my target was to get 650 points in the TOEIC test Interviewer: At the beginning the TOEIC course, how long after the course did you intend to take the TOEIC test? Interviewee: I intended to take the test after two months But after that, I set a higher target score, so I have not taken the test I want to practice more Interviewer: When are you going to take the test? Interviewee: In month I registered Interviewer: Why did you decide to study at the center instead of studying at home? Were TOEIC lessons in your university curriculum? Interviewee: I attended TOEIC lessons at my university but I did not find it useful And I decided to study at the center firstly because I was lazy at home, secondly I thought it would be easier to study if I could have chances to interact with other people, especially specialized people Then I took a trial lesson at the center and I found it appropriate with me So I decided to study at the center X LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Interviewer: During the course, did you always complete all your homework before coming to class? And did you spend time preparing for the new lessons in advance? Interviewee: I often tried to complete all homework but I never prepared for the new lessons Interviewer: How much time did you spend studying at home after each lesson at the center? Did you study on other days of the weeks as well? Interviewee: I am quite a lazy person, thus I studied at home only after in-class lessons at the center, and just to complete homework assignments I rarely found other books to self-study I spent about half an hour studying Interviewer: How did you deal with difficult exercises? Did you ask the teacher of the course? Interviewee: I asked my friends Interviewer: Did you think that you put a great deal of effort when taking the preparation course? Interviewee: No, I did not put enough effort Interviewer: How? Interviewee: There are some materials that you (the instructor) emailed that I have not read so far And I did not practice much so I forgot quite quickly Interviewer: Why so? Interviewee: I intended to study abroad not so long before the preparation course so I did not make enough effort More than that, there are many opportunities The coming wave to submit the application is in August and September My sister is working for an overseas education consulting company so I have a lot of information Interviewer: Now, the last question Did you find the TOEIC course effective and useful for you? Interviewee: Yes Interviewer: Do you have any ideas to contribute to the course? What needs to be improved or changed? Interviewee: I not have any ideas I did not notice anything that needs improving Interviewer: Yes That’s all Thanks a lot for your cooperation Interviewee: Not at all It’s my pleasure XI LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX 6: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (TRANSLATED) INTERVIEW WITH LEARNER LƢU THỊ VÂN ANH 1, Setting Type of interview: Interview via Facebook Time: 21.29 - 22.25, 24/11/2016 2, Personal information - Occupation: Student 3, Content Interviewer: May I start with the first question? Why did you decide to take the TOEIC course at the center? In other words, what were your purposes of taking the TOEIC course? Interviewee: My main purpose was to apply for a job in a foreign company in the future so I needed a TOEIC certificate Besides, I wanted to improve my reading and listening skills I hoped to be able to use English in my work Last but not least, I also wanted to be able to communicate with foreigners Knowing a foreign language would make me feel more confident Interviewer: Why did not you study at home instead of taking the course at tienganh123 center? Interviewee: I’m often lazy at home Learning at the center would give me more motivation Moreover, there was some difficult knowledge I could not learn by myself because my major was not English Interviewer: Had you ever taken any other TOEIC courses before the course in tienganh123 center? Interviewee: Yes, one course, but also at tienganh123 center I took it about year ago and I got the score of only 495 in the post test And it’s quite a long time until now so all my knowledge seems to go away Interviewer: At the beginning the TOEIC course, how long after the course did you intend to take the TOEIC test? Interviewee: At that time, I had had school year more before I graduated I did not have to apply for a job immediately So I did not have much of stress about the time to take the TOEIC test I did not have to take the test right after the course and I felt calm XII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Interviewer: Have you taken the TOEIC test so far? If yes, how long after the course did you take the test and how many scores did you get? Interviewee: I have not taken the test Interviewer: During the course, did you always complete all your homework before coming to class? And did you spend time preparing for the new lessons in advance? Interviewee: I completed all my homework but I never prepared for the new lessons Interviewer: How much time did you spend studying at home after each lesson at the center? Did you study on other days of the weeks as well? Interviewee: On average, I spent about hours studying and I studied every day Interviewer: Did you find other books or sources to learn by yourself besides the course book and the materials given in TOEIC class? Interviewee: Yes, of course I also did exercises in Economy and ETS I also joined some groups in Facebook which provide the TOEIC tests, keys and explanations Interviewer: How did you deal with difficult exercises? Did you ask the teacher of the course? Interviewee: I chose at random because my teacher would check the answers and explain in TOEIC class Interviewer: Now, the last question Did you find the TOEIC course effective and useful for you? Interviewee: After the course, I got some knowledge and vocabulary And my listening skill did not improve very much, almost no improvement After that, I spent month at home only eating and the test books I learned by myself and then I one test in ETS and I got 690 points Interviewer: Yes That’s all Thanks a lot for your cooperation Interviewee: Not at all It’s my pleasure APPENDIX 7: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (TRANSLATED) INTERVIEW WITH LEARNER NGUYỄN THỊ TIẾN 1, Setting Type of interview: Interview via Facebook Time: 08:54 – 09:34, 23/11/2016 XIII LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com 2, Personal information - Occupation: Student 3, Content Interviewer: May I start with the first question? Why did you decide to take the TOEIC course at the center? In other words, what were your purposes of taking the TOEIC course? Interviewee: I wanted to get a TOEIC score of 450 to be able to graduate Interviewer: Had you ever taken any other TOEIC courses before the course in tienganh123 center? Interviewee: Yes I took another TOEIC course at Thúy TOEIC Center; however, my score was still below 450 points Thus, I continued to attend the course at TiengAnh123 Center Interviewer: At the beginning the TOEIC course, how long after the course did you intend to take the TOEIC test? Interviewee: I intended to take the test after one to two months Interviewer: Have you taken the TOEIC test so far? If yes, how long after the course did you take the test and how many scores did you get? Interviewee: I took the test about month after the instruction course because I had to submit the certificate I got the score of 515 I was happy with that score because I was not good at English Interviewer: During the course, did you always complete all your homework before coming to class? And did you spend time preparing for the new lessons in advance? Interviewee: Sometimes I completed the homework, sometimes I did not I never prepared for the new lessons Interviewer: How much time did you spend studying at home after each lesson at the center? Did you study on other days of the weeks as well? Interviewee: On average, I spent about hours studying and I studied every day Interviewer: Did you find other books or sources to learn by yourself besides the course book and the materials given in TOEIC class? Interviewee: Yes I did the exercises given when I learnt at Thúy TOEIC Center again Interviewer: How did you deal with difficult exercises? Did you ask the teacher of the course? XIV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Interviewee: I asked my teacher Interviewer: Now, the last question Did you find the TOEIC course effective and useful for you? Interviewee: Definitely And I found that the course at TiengAnh123 Center was more effective Interviewer: Yes That’s all Thanks a lot for your cooperation Interviewee: Not at all It’s my pleasure XV LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ... learning effort and TOEIC test performance: The case of English learners at TiengAnh1 23 English center Aims and objectives of the study The research project is aimed at investigating the relationship. .. with learners The aim of interviews is to explore the TOEIC learners? ?? motivations and efforts in their learning and the relationship among learning motivation, learning effort and academic performance. .. The study is hoped to offer the researcher an insightful understanding of the role of learning motivation and learning effort of learners at TOEIC preparation classes at TiengAnh1 23 English center