The implementation of peer corrective feedback in teaching english speaking skills for young learners at a chau english center m a

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PEER CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS FOR YOUNG LEARNERS AT A CHAU ENGLISH CENTER A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master‟s degree in TESOL By NGO THI DUONG Supervised by DOAN HUE DUNG, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, AUGUST 2022 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT No words can express my very great appreciation to many influential people for their support in the journey of thesis completion I am especially indebted to my supervisor, Dr Doan Hue Dung, who was patient and generously provided valuable feedback on my paper Without her timely advice and constructive instruction it would not have been possible to complete this study I would like to extend my sincere thanks to my family, who are always by my side anytime I need, especially when I was in troubles Thanks should also go to my beloved mother, oldest sister, who always advocate and encourage me in everything Special thanks to my husband, who always motivate and takes care of me during the process of MA course Lastly, I would like to mention the permission of the research site and participants to carry the study at the center They was so considerate and supportive when cooperating with me to accomplish this project II STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I certify that this thesis entitled “THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PEER CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS FOR YOUNG LEARNERS AT A CHAU ENGLISH CENTER” is my own work The thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other institution Ho Chi Minh City, August 2022 Ngô Thị Dưỡng III RETENTION OF USE I hereby state that I, Ngô Thị Dưỡng, being the candidate for the degree of Master in TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master‟s Thesis deposited in the Library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for the purpose of study and research in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Library for the care, loan or reproduction of the theses Ho Chi Minh City, August 2022 IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT II STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY III RETENTION OF USE IV TABLE OF CONTENTS .V LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS VII LIST OF TABLES .VIII LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS IX ABSTRACT X CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.2.1 Statement of the problem 1.2.2 Rationale of the study 1.2.3 Research questions 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Organization of thesis chapters CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Young learners (YLs) 2.1.1 Defining the ages of YLs 2.1.2 Defining the characteristics of YLs 2.1.3 Defining YLs‟ attitudes towards language learning 2.2 The concept of peer corrective feedback 2.2.1 Feedback 2.2.2 Peer feedback 2.2.3 Corrective feedback (CF) 10 2.2.3.1 Defining CF 10 2.2.3.2 Types of CF 12 2.2.4 Peer corrective feedback (PCF) 14 2.3 Speaking skills 16 2.3.1 Definitions of speaking 16 2.3.2 Activities in English speaking classes (ESC) for YLs 17 2.3.3 Assessment of YLs‟ oral performances 18 2.4 Previous studies on PCF 19 2.5 Conceptual framework 21 CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 23 3.1 Research questions 23 3.2 Research Design 23 V 3.3 Context of the study 24 3.4 Participants and sampling procedures 26 3.5 AR cycles 27 3.6 Methods of data collection 28 3.6.1 Observations 28 3.6.2 Questionnaires 29 3.6.3 Private documents 30 3.7 Data collection procedure 31 3.8 Data Analysis 35 3.8.1 Data analysis approach 35 3.8.2 Data analysis process 35 3.8.3 Data analysis scheme 36 CHAPTER FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 38 4.1 Findings 38 4.1.1 Implementation of PCF in ESC 38 4.1.1.1 Teacher‟s implementation of CF 38 4.1.1.2 The students‟ use of PCF 42 4.1.2 The students‟ attitudes towards PCF 46 4.1.2.1 The students‟ attitudes towards the teacher implementing PCF 46 4.1.2.2 The students‟ attitudes towards the classroom atmosphere with PCF 50 4.1.2.3 The students‟ attitudes towards giving and receiving PCF 53 4.1.2.4 The students‟ attitudes towards ESC with PCF 54 4.2 Discussion 56 CHAPTER CONCLUSION 60 5.1 Summary of findings 60 5.2 Implications 61 5.2.1 For teaching 61 5.2.1 For learning 63 5.2 Limitations of the study 63 5.2 Recommendations for further study 64 REFERENCES 65 APPENDICES 72 APPENDIX A 72 APPENDIX B 79 APPENDIX C 86 APPENDIX D 87 APPENDIX E 88 APPENDIX F 94 VI LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS PCF Peer corrective feedback PF Peer feedback CF Corrective feedback YLs Young learners ELT English language teaching ESS English speaking skills ESC English speaking classes EFL English as a foreign language ESL English as a second language CLT Communicative language teaching VII LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Checklist of guideline in using CF 11 Table 2.2 A summary of types of CF 12 Table 2.3 PCF procedure 15 Table 3.1 Levels and English speaking learning outcomes for YLs 25 Table 3.2 Information of participants 26 Table 3.3 Items of the questionnaires 30 Table 3.4 A description of Pilot 32 Table 3.5 A description of Cycle 33 Table 3.6 A description of Pilot 34 Table 3.7 A description of Cycle 34 Table 4.1 Number of the teacher's CF 39 Table 4.2 Speaking evaluation criteria 40 Table 4.3 Number of the students' PCF 43 Table 4.4 The students' feeling towards teacher‟s activities before speaking47 Table 4.5 The students' feelings towards teacher‟s activities while speaking49 Table 4.6 The students‟ feelings towards the teacher‟s activities after speaking 50 Table 4.7 The students‟ feelings towards classrom atmosphere 51 Table 4.8 The students‟ feelings towards providing and receiving PCF 53 VIII LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS Figure 2.1 Conceptual framework of the study 222 Figure 3.2 AR cycles 28 Figure 3.3 Thematic network of the research 37 Chart 4.1 The students‟ feelings towards teacher before speaking 46 Chart 4.2 The students‟ feelings towards their teacher while speaking 48 Chart 4.3 The students‟ attitudes toward English speaking classes with PCF55 IX ABSTRACT Peer corrective feedback (PCF) is considered as one of the effective techniques to foster young learners of English to talk in class through the process of thinking, discussing, and providing feedback Considering that, this study examined the implementation of PCF for YLs in English speaking classes (ESC) This research aims to explore the most common types of PCF in ESC and YLs‟ attitudes towards PCF The researcher as the head teacher employed the mixed methods approach in an action research design to understand her learners as well as reflect her own teaching for further improvement Questionnaires and observations were the main means of data collection in the two research cycles (C1 and C2) Besides, in the two pilot cycles (P1 and P2), private documents including speaking evaluation rubric and comment sheets were applied to train the students the required criteria of speaking performances and note-taking skill which were useful when the students orally provided PCF The analysis disclosed that regardless of the anxiety of some participants, majority of the students had positive attitudes towards the implementation of PCF because they found this technique quite useful for them to improve their speaking skills It also indicated that most types of PCF were used in the ESC by both teacher and the students Prominently, while the teacher preferred to implement clarification requests for more details of PCF, the students had a desire of exercising recasts to deliver their correction Key words: peer corrective feedback, English speaking skills, young learners X breakfast to in at the Eat your beach pizzas/ summer? using the the class, present checking their sandwiche s Affirmati progressiv Sleep ve e questions - Moves around - Discuss with partners pronunciation and giving I like models where VING … necessary - Chooses some representatives - Volunteer to present to demonstrate in front of the class - Deliver the - Receive the forms evaluation and ask forms some - Ask others to questions fill in the forms about of evaluation unclear - Ask the points learners to - Pay share the attention to comments the pair‟s - Collect the performance papers of s, think feedback about their strengths and limitations, and rite down the 81 feedback - Volunteer to share - Submit the feedback 82 LESSON PLANS CYCLE Teaching material: FAMILY AND FRIENDS Topic: LAST BIRTHDAY PARTY Procedure Speaking Theme Words Grammar Tasks Teacher’s Students’ Verbs Talk about - Instructs the - Listen Past in past one of your task - Listen Simple: simple: Affirmativ happy - Tells the Eat-ate e memory learners‟ PlayS + V (past responsibility: played simple) + write down the Cook… sentences to - Write and cooked talk discuss with Have- Moves around partners if had the class, necessary checking their ideas, pronunciation and giving - Volunteer questions to present - Chooses some representatives to demonstrate - Receive the in front of the forms and LAST class ask some BIRTH - Deliver the questions DAY evaluation about unclear PARTY forms points - Pay attention to the pair‟s - Ask others to performances fill in the forms , think about of evaluation their strengths and limitations, and rite down the feedback - Volunteer - Ask the YLs to to share share the comments - Submit the - Collect the feedback papers of feedback 83 LESSON PLANS CYCLE Teaching material: FAMILY AND FRIENDS Topic: AN INTERVIEW OF A SURVIVOR Procedure Speaking Theme Words Grammar Tasks Teacher’s Students’ Places to Past Role play: - Assigns the - Listen go: An task - Sit in Simple: Town interview - Divides class groups Yes/ No Ocean into small Questions of a Volcano Did + S + survivor groups - Listen Village V - Instructs the - Work Cave (infinitive) task with Island + …? - Asks the group learners to members, work in groups assign the the roles sentences to talk - Moves around the class, - Practice checking their with roles, groups pronunciation AN and giving INTE questions RVIE - Chooses some W OF representatives A to demonstrate SURV in front of the Volunteer IVOR class to present - Deliver the evaluation forms - Receive the forms and ask some - Ask others to questions take notes the about comments unclear based on the points forms of - Pay evaluation attention to the pair‟s performa - Ask the YLs to nces, 84 share the comments - Collect the papers of feedback think about their strengths and limitation s, and write down the feedback Volunteer to share - Submit the feedback 85 APPENDIX C SPEAKING EVALUATION RUBRIC Date: Student‟s name: _ Speakers‟ names: Topic (Unit): SPEAKING EVALUATION RUBRIC Very Marking Poor Fair Good Excellent good Clear/ strong/ loud Voice Intonation Pronunciation Opening Key information Elaboration and details Content Fluency Vocabulary Grammar Conclusion Eye contact Interaction Tương tác Response to nói questions Hand gestures Expression Happy face Biểu đạt expression Total Strengths Suggestions Adapted from Hung, Y., Samuelson, B.L and Chen, S (2016) Relationships between Peer- and Self- Assessment and Teacher Assessment of Young EFL Learners‟ Oral Presentations In Nikolov, M (Ed.) Assessing Young Learners of English: Global and Local Perspectives Switzerland: Springer International Publishing pp.317-338 86 APPENDIX D A COMMENT SHEET FOR ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASSES Date: Student‟s name: _ Speakers‟ names: Topic (Unit): Speaker’s names Comments 87 APPENDIX E VIDEO TRANSCRIPT SAMPLE (ORIGINAL VERSION) Dan is speaking now Class: (Tập trung ý vào việc ghi thơng tin nhận xét) (Mary nhìn hỏi Daisy viết comment) (Cindy nhìn chăm Dan để quan sát viết nhận xét) Dan finished Class: ủa, ủa? dậy xong ý hả? Dan: Ừ, thơi! Teacher: OK munites for you to write comments for your friends Class: (Tập trung viết comment) Diana: (Tập trung viết) pronunciation Oh my god! Ms Con chấm fair Teacher: (mời số bạn đưa nhận xét) Cindy, please Cindy: Hello everyone! My name;s Cindy (hơi nhão nhấn nhá quá, cười cười) Diana: Nghiêm túc, please Cindy: OK! (tiếp tục nói) “I have a birthday party We ate a cake and drink and say We can ate a pizza Mom and dad and brother gave me present and I have a five present, Dad, mom, Thank you!” Class: (Im lặng, tập trung ghi chú, chấm điểm, nhận xét) Tony looks at Ariana's paper to looks for examples of comments Daisy looks at Mary's paper to find help Diana: Thank you! Good job! Teacher: OK, class! You have minutes to write down feedback Class: (Sau Cyndy kết thúc phần nói, lớp bắt đầu trao đổi với bạn để xem phần nhận xét cảu bạn có giống không?) Diana: (xung phong nhận xét) cử tay khơng có, biểu đạt khn mặt khơng có ln Sans asks Mary many times for some questions, but no reply because Mary is busy to talk with Daisy Diana: Nãy chưa có excellent hết trơn á! Ariana: Phốt chưa Ms? Diana: Từ từ man, phốt quài! Teacher: Được Các em đưa nhận xét nào! Ariana: For Dan! T: For Dan, ok! Ariana: Dan đọc to Teacher: speak loudly? Ariana: Yes Dan Dan 88 Sans: Very good! Ariana: Dan Dan đọc to, có tính tự tin Teacher: Confident? Ariana: Yes, nhƣng nội dung chƣa rõ ràng Teachher: ohhh, the content is not very clear Diana: Oh, ghi khơng có rõ ràng Diana: Con ghi chƣa rõ mục đích Ariana: chƣa lƣu loát Teacher: Oh, not fluently! Ariana: Kết thúc Dan ngắn chƣa có đạt Teacher: So what is the full? Ariana: Là Ms? Teacher: What is the long: If it is short so what is the long one? Ariana: Dan thể bạn nói It's was fun I love my party để lại kỷ niệm Teacher: OK, YES Ariana: Nó giống nhƣ mở bài, kết thúc văn ý Teacher: That's right! Ariana: Yes Dans sử dụng từ vựng Teacher: Just some vocabulary! Ariana: Yes Ngữ pháp, lúc ổn lúc chƣa? Teacher: What is ổn? What is chƣa? Ariana: Trời ơi! (laughing) Ms? Diana: Vì bà phốt người ta Ms phốt lại Ariana: Phát âm chƣa ổn Teacher: Đang nói ngữ pháp mà chuyển sang phát âm Ariana: Bởi quên tiêu ngữ pháp Teacher: OK! Good! Ariana: Phát âm chƣa chuẩn Có số từ Teacher: What are those? Ariana: ví dụ từ pirthday Teacher: Birthday? Ariana: Yes Bạn nói thiếu chữ th Teacher: Thanh can you hear? Dan: (Listen to the comments so pateintly) Jackson: (hỏi Dan để đưa feedback) Ariana: OK Đƣợc Ms Teacher: Ok Who else? Ariana: A khoan, Ms Còn Ngữ điệu Dan Cái cách đọc chƣa hay 89 Teacher: The intonation is not so good? Ariana: Nó bằng khơng hạnh phúc vui sƣớng gì (Tina seems bored and sleepy while listening to comments may be becasue she is tired.) Teacher: OK What's else? Ariana: Rồi Cindy Teacher: Another? Do you want to talk about Dan? Class: No (lắc đầu) Mary: unclear! Teacher: What is unclear? Mary: Um giống nhƣ phần nở đầu Teacher: The opening? So what is the opening? Mary: Hello My name is Mary! hết! T: OK About Chi, please! Class: Me… (có nhiều bạn giơ tay nhận xét) Ariana: Me (loudly) Diana: Thánh phốt lớp Ms Teacher: Yes, please! Ariana: Cindy, lúc lên khơng có nghiêm túc Phát âm Chi chƣa có ổn? Teacher: What? Which? Ariana: Một số từ mà Cindy đọc waz có chữ z Ms, Teacher: Wazzz? Ariana: Vâng Ngữ điệu Cindy bình bình nhƣ Dan Mở đầu Cindy khơng phát triển Cứ Hello My name is giống nhƣ Dan: Ms Ms What is BÌNH BÌNH? T: It means you don't raise your voice up and down, up and down, up and down! Dan: Yes (Thái độ không thoải mái, không đồng ý với comment ấy) Ariana: Thông tin khơng có rõ ràng Diana: Are you sure? Ariana: Yes! Diana: No, em không thấy dậy! Teacher! 90 VIDEO TRANSCRIPT SAMPLE (ENGLISH TRANSLATED VERSION) Dan is speaking now Class: (Focus on writing comments) Mary: (looked and asked Daisy about writing a comment) (Cindy stared at Dan to observe and write comments) Dan finished Class: Uh, uh? It's over, right? Dan: Yeah! That's it! Teacher: Ok munites for you to give comments for your friends Class: (continue writing comments) Diana: (focus on writing a lot of comments) pronunciation, … Oh my god! Ms gave “fair” for him Class: (some students are volunteering to present the topic) Teacher: Cindy, please Cindy: Hello everyone! My name Cindy (a bit flabby and a bit too much nahs, laugh) Diana: Seriously, please Cindy: OK (seriously speak) “I have a birthday party We ate a cake and drink and drunk We can ate a pizza Mom and da and brother gave me present and I have a five present, Dad, mom, Thank you!” Class: (Be quiet, focus notes, grade, comment) (Tony looks at Ariana's paper to looks for examples of comments) Daisy looks at Mary's paper to find help Diana: Thank you! Good job! Teacher: Ok, class! You have minutes to write down your feedback Class: (After Cindy finish, class start talking with their partners loudly to find the similarities and differences in commenting) Diana: Dan had no hand gestures No facial expression (Sans is asking Mary many times some questions, but no replies because Mary is busy to talk with Daisy) Diana: No one has been excellent! Ariana: Can I give comments now, Ms? Diana: Slow down, man! Teacher: OK Give some comments, please Ariana: For Dan! Teacher: For Dan, ok! 91 Ariana: Dan read aloud! Teacher: He speaks loudly? Ariana: Yes Dan Dan… Sans: Very good! Ariana: Dan Dan…confident T: He is confident? Ariana: Yes, but the content is not clear T: Oh, the content is not very clear Diana: Oh, Idon’t think it’s not very clear! I thought that the purpose is unclear Ariana: not very fluent! Teacher: Oh, He didn’t speak fluently Ariana: Dan's ending is too short T: So what is the full? Ariana: What? Ms.? Teacher: What is the long? If it is short so what is the long one? Ariana: Dan can say “It's was fun I love my party because it save some memories” Teacher: OK, YES.! Ariana: It's like the opening of an essay! Teacher: That's right! Ariana: Yes Dans use few words! Teacher: Just some vocabulary? Ariana: Yes The grammar is sometimes okay, sometimes not? Teacher: What is ỔN? What is CHƢA? (kidding) Ariana: Oh my god! (laughing) Is it ok, Ms? Diana: Because you comment on a lot of mistakes Ariana: Pronunciation is not good! T: I'm speaking grammar, but I've switched to pronunciation Ariana: Because I forgot about his grammar mistakes T: It’s OK! Good! Ariana: The pronunciation is incorrect Some words like… T: Like what? Ariana: For example, pirthday! T: Birthday? Ariana: Yes The sound of “th” is missing T: Can you hear, Dan? Dan: (Listen to the comments so patiently) Jackson: (ask Dan something) Ariana: OK That‟s all, Ms 92 T: Okay, thank you Who else? Ariana: Oh, wait One more, Ms Dan's intonation It’s not good Teacher: The intonation is not so good Ariana: It's not sad It's not happy, or whatever Tina seems bored and sleepy while listening to comments may be becasue she is tired Teacher: OK What's else? Ariana: Then about Cindy Teacher: Another! Do you want to give feedback to Dan? Class: No (shakes head) Mary: confused! Teacher: What is unclear? Mary: Um like the opening part Teacher: The opening? So what is about the opening? Mary: Hello My name is Mary and then nothing else! Teacher: Thank you! OK About Chi, please! Class: Me…(Many students are volunteering) Ariana: Me (loudly) Teacher: Yes, please! Ariana: Cindy, she wasn't serious when she was speaking Chi's pronunciation is not good Teacher: What? Which? Ariana: Some of the words that Cindy said “was” without /z/ Ms Teacher: /waz/? Ariana: Yes Cindy's intonation is as incorrect as Dan's Cindy’s opening is not developed Just “Hello! My name is … Dan: Ms Ms What is BÌNH BÌNH in my intonation? Teacher: It means you don't have voice raises and falls in your speeches/ Dan: Yes (Uncomfortable, disagree with that comment) Ariana: The main information is not clear Diana: Are you sure? Ariana: Yes! Diana: No I didn't think so! Teacher! 93 APPENDIX F APPLICATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH (VIETNAMESE VERSION) A CHAU ENGLISH CENTER SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM 664 THONG NHAT BRANCH Independence-Freedom-Happiness APPLICATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH To: Manager of A Chau English Center – 664 Thong Nhat Branch My name is Ngo Thi Duong Currently, I am an English teacher at A Chau English Center – 664 Thong Nhat Branch At the same time, I am also a postgraduate student at the aculty of English Linguistics and Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities Today, I am applying to conduct an action research entitled "The implementation of peer corrective feedback in teaching English speaking skills for young learners at A Chau English Center" at A Chau English Center - 664 Thong Nhat Branch with the intended time from July 2020 to November 2020 The research is design to implement peer corrective feedback in teaching speaking skills to improve the quality of my teaching and my students' English speaking skills If approved by the manager, I hereby declare that all data collected is for research purposes only Moreover, I would like to strictly abide by all regulations of the center during the research process I hope you can consider and create conditions for me to conduct the research at our center Best regards, Ho Chi Minh City, June 25, 2020 Confirmation of Asian English Center Applicant I have read and agreed (Name and signature) (Name and signature) Mr Nguyen Truong Thanh Tri Ngo Thi Duong 94 APPLICATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH (VIETNAMESE VERSION) HỆ THỐNG TRUNG TÂM ANH NGỮ Á CHÂU CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM Độc lập – Tự – Hạnh phúc TRUNG TÂM ANH NGỮ Á CHÂU CHI NHÁNH 664 THỐNG NHẤT ĐƠN XIN THỰC HIỆN NGHIÊN CỨU Kính gửi: Quản lý Trung tâm Anh Ngữ Á Châu – Chi nhánh 664 Thống Nhất Tôi tên Ngô Thị Dưỡng Hiện tạị, giáo viên tiếng Anh Trung tâm Anh ngữ Á Châu– Chi nhánh 664 Thống Nhất Đồng thời, học viên Cao học, Khoa Ngữ Văn Anh, Trường Đại học Khoa học Xã hội Nhân văn TP.HCM Hôm nay, làm đơn xin thực nghiên cứu hành động Trung tâm Anh ngữ Á Châu – Chi nhánh 664 Thống Nhất với đê tài “Áp dụng phản hồi bạn học việc dạy kỹ nói tiếng Anh cho trẻ em Trung tâm Anh ngữ Á Châu” thời gian dự kiến từ tháng 7/2020 đến 11/2020 Mục đích nghiên cứu nhằm cải thiện chất lượng dạy nâng cao kỹ học nói tiếng Anh học viên lớp Nếu Ban giám đốc Ban quản lý chấp thuận, xin cam kết liệu thu thập phục vụ cho mục đích nghiên cứu Đồng thời, tơi xin chấp hành nghiêm túc quy định Trung tâm trình nghiên cứu Kính mong Giám đốc xem xét tạo điều kiện cho thực việc nghiên cứu đơn vị Tôi xin chân thành cảm ơn Xác nhận Trung tâm Anh ngữ Á Châu Đã đọc đồng ý (Họ tên chữ ký) TP HCM, ngày 25 tháng 06 năm 2020 Ngƣời làm đơn (Họ tên chữ ký) Nguyễn Trƣờng Thanh Trí Ngơ Thị Dƣỡng 95