Establishing and training reading strategies to students of english in binh duong teachers training college

^ ^ • • • ' - ' VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HOCHIMINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES ESTABLISHING AND TRAINING READING STRATEGIES TO STUDENTS OF ENGLISH IN BINH DUONG TEACHER'S TRAINING COLLEGE A Thesis submitted in partial fuinilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (TESOL) Submitted by TAO THITHUY KHE Supervisor: NGUYEN HUYNH DAT, Ed M in TESOL THtfVifN&timHJlNV Tl'.HOCHIMMH NP; I A 2 1J ' Ho Chi Minh City, 2006 CERTIFICATE OF ORGIGINALITY I certify my authorship of the thesis entitled ESTABLISHING AND TRAINING READING STRATEGIES TO STUDENTS OF ENGLISH IN BINH DUONG TEACHER'S TRAINING COLLEGE in terms of the statement of Requirements for Theses in Master's Programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee Ho Chi Minh City, October 2006 Tao Thi Thuy Khe RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, Tao Thi Thuy Khe, being the candidate for the degree of Master of TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master's Theses 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 purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Library for the care, loan or reproduction of theses Ho Chi Minh City, October 2006 Tao Thi Thuy Khe ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Mr, Nguyin Huynh Dat, Ed M in TESOL, who did provide me with constant guidance during my hours' labour on the thesis with many insightful, constructive and valuable comments My special thanks are also given to my family including my husband and my daughter, my friends who did give me great encouragement, care and love during the time of completing the thesis Ill ABSTRACT Researches on learning strategies have pointed out that the appropriate use of learning strategies can result in improved L2 proficiency overall or in specific language skill areas (Oxford, cited in Richards & Renandya 2002: 126) Assumed that learning strategies can be taught and applied for specific language skill areas, reading strategies can also be taught to enable readers to comprehend texts better Despite the fact that research on reading strategy training has assumed that reading strategies can be taught it only mentioned general principles and instructions which prove not complete and satisfactory Therefore, the question to put out for reading teachers is that how reading strategies can be taught and introduced into the classroom This research was carried out to fulfill two purposes The first was to survey students "reading strategy use" at Binh Duong Teacher's Training College (BBTTC) and the second was to seek ways to train and develop reading strategies to students of this college On relating to the main objectives of the research, the research consisted of two main parts The first was a survey to seek evidences to prove that students in BBTTC were not aware of and did not use reading strategies The second part was an appUcation of a reading curriculum that focused on teaching and training reading strategies The survey proved that students were actually conscious of and did use reading strategies but the frequency as well as of the variety of the strategies they used were not high and large The application proved that reading strategies can be incorporated successfully into an ongoing reading classroom IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Certificate of originality i Retention and use of the thesis ii Acknowledgements iii Abstract iv Table of contents v List of figures viii List of tables ix List of abbreviations x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 1.1 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 1.2 METHODOLOGY 1.3 HYPOTHESES 1.4 THE AIM OF THE STUDY 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1.6 RESEARCH METHOD 1.7 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY 1.8 THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY CHAPTER 2: THEORIES RELATED TO THE STUDY 11 2.1 TEXT AND TEXT INTERPRETATION 11 2.1.1 The need of interpreting texts H 2.1.2 The role of language knowledge in text interpretation 14 2.1.3 The role of schematic knowledge in text interpretation 19 2.2 THE ROLE OF READING STRATEGIES IN EFFECTIVE READING .23 2.2.1 What are learning strategies? 23 2.2.2 What are meant by "reading strategies 24 2.2.3 Can reading strategies be trained? 26 2.2.4 Needed strategies for effective reading 28 CHAPTER 3: THE METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH 37 3.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 37 3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN 38 3.3 METHODOLOGY USED IN THE SURVEY 38 3.4 METHODOLOGY USED IN THE APPLICATION 42 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDING 47 4.1 SURVEY ANALYSIS 47 4.1.1 Data analysis on pre-reading strategy use 48 4.1.2 Data analysis on while-reading strategy use 52 4.1.3 Data analysis on post reading strategy use 59 4.1.4 Survey Findings 64 4.2 APPLICATION ANALYSIS 66 4.2.1Verbal Analysis on Class observation 67 4.2.2 Statistic analysis on Test scores 69 CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION 74 5.1 RECOMMENDATIONS 74 5.2 CONCLUSION 88 BIBLIOGRAPHY I VI Appendix 1: QUESTIONNAIRE LIST Appendix 2: A COPY OF READING PRE-TEST Appendix3: A COPY OF READING POST- TEST V IX XIII vu LIST OF FIGURES Chapter Figure 4.1: Classification of pretest scores 73 Figure 4.2: Classification of post test scores 73 viu Harmer, Jeremy 1991 The Practice of English Language Teaching London and New York: Longman Hedge, Tricia 2000 Teaching and Learning in the Classroom Oxford: Oxford University Press Locke, L.F., Spirduso,W.W., & Silverman, S.J 1993 Proposals that Work California: Sage 10 Mc Carthy, Michael 1991 Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers Cambridge Cambridge University Press 11.Miles, M.B., & Huberman, A.M 1994 Qualitative Data Analysis California: Sage 12.Nunan, D 1991 Language Teaching Methodology A Textbook for Teachers London: Prentice Hall International 13 Nunan, D 1992 Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom Glasgow: Cambridge University Press 14 Nunan, D 1999 Second Language Teaching & Learning Boston: Heinle & Heinle PubUshers II 15 Rawlins, Jack 1996 The Writer's way Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company Boston 16 Richards, J.C, & Renandya,W.A 2002 Methodology in Language Teaching An Anthology of Current Practice An Anthology of Current Practice Cambridge: Cambridge University press 17 Gilbert, J 2003 Learning Strategies at Vinh University - an article in Teacher's Edition Enghsh Language Institute of Vietnam 18 Ur, Penny 1996 A Course in Language Teaching Practice and Theory Cambridge: Cambridge University press 19 Wallace, Catherine 1996 Reading: A Scheme for Teacher Education Oxford: Oxford university press 20.Weissberg, R., & Buker, S 1990 Writing up Research Experimental Research Report Writing for Students of English Prentice Hall International m Vietnamese writers: V6 Thi NO' Anh 2004 The effects of reading on L2 writing proficiency UnpubUshed research paper- handouts for TESOL Master Students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities Pham Le Sung Chinh 2000 Bridging the Gap between EFL Language Study and Literature Study Designing a Reading course for USSH English majors by using Twentieth-Century American Short stories UnpubUshed research paper- handouts for TESOL Master Students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities Le VUcJng Ly 2006 The Instruction of EFL Reading Strategies at Hung Vuong High School: An Investigation UnpubUshed research paper- handouts for TESOL Master Students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities Phan Kim Loan 2005 Teaching American Fiction from a Stylistic Perspective Case study: Hemingway's the old man and the sea UnpubUshed research paper- handouts for TESOL Master Students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities IV APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE LIST Please circle the answer that teUs how often you the following things when you read a text There are no right or wrong answers for this Ust of questionnaire It is only for gathering information about the skills, the techniques and the habits you often employ in the process of reading some text Please be honest when you give the answer Pre-reading Before you read a text, you decide what your purpose of reading that text is? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Before you read a text, you recall information relating to the topic? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Before you read a text, you predict what the reading passage will be about? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Before you read a text, you study the title, subtitles, and subheadings? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Before you read a text, you have a look at the photographs, drawings and graphs if they are present? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Before you read a text, you have a quick look at the introduction or the conclusion paragraph? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Before you read a text, you look for and read the questions (if there are any) at the end of the text? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always While-reading While reading a text, you skim through the topic sentence of each paragraph? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always While reading a text, you ask yourself what the main ideas of the text are? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 10 While reading a text, you try to predict what information you will meet in the few next sentences? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 11 While reading a text, you stop at each paragraph to check if your predictions or expectations are supported? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 12 While reading a text, you stop periodically to summarize what you've read to make sure it makes sense? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 13 While reading a text, you translate every sentence of the text into mother tongue? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 14 While reading a text, you use reference materials suck as a dictionary, electric dictionary, and grammar book to help you if you don't understand? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always VI 15 While reading a text, you try to understand every words of the text? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 16 While reading a text, you ignore words you don't understand and keep on reading? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 17 While reading a text, you meet difficuh words you don't understand you try to use the context like familiar words, pictures, and what has already happened to guess them? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 18 While reading a text, you try to imagine and draw pictures of what you are reading? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 19 While reading a text you look through it quickly and underline what's relevant to what you know? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Post-reading 20 After you read a text, you summarize what you have read in your own words and try to remember this summary? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 21 After you read a text, you question the information in the text or compare and contrast the content of the text with what you have known about the topic? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 22 After you read a text, you try to learn by heart some vocabularies concerning the topic? VII Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 23 After you read a text, you discuss or talk with your classmates about what you have read? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 24 After you read a text you write out your emotions of it? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 25 After you read a text, you think about what you could have done differently to help you understand better? Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always VIII APPENDK 2: READING PRE - TEST/ TIME: 75 MINUTES PART 1: Questions -5 The people below all want to buy a book Read the description below and decide which book is the most suitable for each person to buy Claire is at university and likes books in which writers describe their real -life experience, particularly if they included pictures Mr Hodge wants to buy a book for his grand daughter who is five years old, like playing with dolls and loves adventure stories Janice wants to set up her own business and wants some practical help on how to begin Phillip wants to buy a book for his young daughter, but he wants a set in the real worid, with either photographs or pictures to help her follow the story Ray's girifriend has been reading short stories by Australian and European writers Now she would like to read stories by writers from other countries A Falkiner - Room to move E Faith Jacques Tilly's rescue: The further A collection of 32 modern short stories adventure of Tilly all written by Australian women This The wonderful tail of a small wooden doll anthology represents a wide selection fighting her way through a giant-sized world of writing from Australia's best known that will win the heart of any four to seven authors and most promising new year old Very suitable for bedtime stories writers B Other fires: Stories from women of F Gelhorn- The Face of War Classic reportage from one of the world's Latin America Collection of 20 outstanding stories by greatest women journalists, up-dated to include articles on the Six- Day War, E women from Latin America Salvador and Nicaragua Wonderful tales of imagination Some have already won prices, others will in the future G Leah Hertz - The Business Amazons C B Selby - Riding the Mountain A fascinating study of a hundred women who Down have got to the top in business, describing The remarkable account of a lone how, in addition to running multi-million female cyclist's dangerous 5,000 mile pound business, they managed to keep their journey from Karachi to Kathmandu marriages, bringing up children and stay Illustrated by the author's own healthy photographs, this book represents vivid picture of India and Pakistan H Liz Hodgkinson - The Working Woman's D Jennifer Martin - The day Sharon Guide lost her way home Advice for women who don't know where to A story for young children (color turn for information on career planning, pictures too!) by Jamaican-bom training and starting out in business woman The central characters are Sharon and her mother It tells about the child getting lost in the town where she lives IX PART 2: Questions 6-10 The paragraphs of the story below are in the wrong order Read the introduction paragraph and number the rest in the correct order from to 10 THE GHOST'S PILOT Just before midnight on December I2'\ J 972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 fell out of the sky The airplane crashed in the Everglades area of Florida Of the ]76 people on board 99 died, including the airplane's pilot, Bob Loft, and the flight engineer, Don Repo A The stories must have worried the bosses of Eastern Airlines They ordered the engineers to remove from their planes all equipment from the 401 wreck It seemed to work When all of the parts from Flight 401 had been removed, Bob Loft and on Repo left Eastern Airiines and their aircraft in peace No one has seen their ghosts since B About three months later after the crash, a high-ranking executive of Eastern Airlines boarded an aircraft for Miami, Florida He spotted a man in pilot's uniform sitting alone in the first - class section and went to sit down behind him The executive struck up the conversation with the captain After a few minutes he realized that he was talking to the pilot Bob Loft Then the pilot faded away C A week later, an Eastern Airlines pilot and two of his crew went into the staff room at John F Kennedy Airport, in New York They all saw Bob Loft in a chair He talked to them for a while, and then vanished The men were so shocked that the airline had to cancel their flight D When the plane landed in Miami, the passenger was taken to a hospital in a state of shock Later, when she saw photographs, she identified the ghost as fight engineer, Don Repo Over the next few months, more than ten attendants claimed to see Don Repo The ghost seemed to appear more often on some aircraft than the others Rumors began to spread that he appeared only on planes with replacement parts from the crashed Flight 401 It was usual practice for an airline to use undamaged parts from a crashed plane in another plane if they pass strict safety tests E Three week later, a passenger was sitting in the first-class section of a flight to Miami She was worried about the man in an Eastern Airlines uniform sitting next to her His face was white and he looked ill, so she called the flight attendant The flight attendant leaned down to speak to the man but he ignored her Then, as she touched his arm, he slowly faded away, leaving only an empty seat 10 PART 3: Questions 11 -15 Read the passage below and circle the best answer for each question There has been a belief that "right" is good and "left" is bad This way of thinking is still common in many countries today and left handed people suffer a lot because of it The fact that some naturally left-handed children are forced into becoming right-handed may even result in levophobia, an irrational fear of the left Sufferers from this rare condition find their hearts pound as if a heart attack were coming on a result of their brains releasing adrenaline at the mere prospect of left-oriented movement They refuse to stand on the left side of an elevator, make left hand turn when driving, sometimes even to look to the left Psychologists believe levophobia will only disappear entirely when left-handed children- a minority in all known society are fully accepted, 11 What is the main idea of this paragraph? A Problems caused by attitudes towards left-handed people B Disadvantages of left-handedness C The fear of left-handedness D What the left-handed people fear 12 It may be withdrawn from the passage that A levophobia effects a minority in all known society B levophobia attacks may occur before a left-handed movement is required C Excess adrenaline is a contributory cause in levophobia D Levophobia cause heart attacks 13 The passage suggests that levophobia sufferers A are afraid of right-handed people B generally refuse to use elevators unless forced to C Never look to their left-hand side D often have to seek roundabout routs when driving 14 It is believed that levophobia will not be gone until A certain general attitude change B left-handers are a majority C Sufferers are treated by psychologists D Sufferers change their uncooperative ways 15 According to the passage, levophobia A affects only children B is likely to disappear soon C is a psychological problem D is a heart illness PART4: Questions 16 - 20 Read the passage and choose the best sentence to H!! in each blank (A to E) (answer each question in full) Habitat is a nonprofit organization that helps people in need build houses Since 1976, volunteers for Habitat have built more than 100,000 houses worldwide According to Habitat, however, there are still more than 1.5 billion people in the world without decent housing In the XI article below, Mariko Asano talks about her experience as a Habitat volunteer She has traveled to Philippines three times to help build houses for people who need them am 24 years old and grew up in Nishinomiya, Japan Several years ago, went to Negros Island in the Philippines as a Habitat volunteer 16 For me, the idea of building somebody's house abroad was very exciting The next year returned to Negros Island as a Habitat volunteer This time i went as a student leader with 28 classmates from Kyoto University of Foreign Studies Both the staff and the families on Negros Island became dear friends of the work team I led Meeting these people was wonderful for each of us 17 The people also helped us appreciate the more valuable things in life, such as spending time with your family, friends and neighbor; developing close relationships; helping each other; and appreciating what you have 18 We thought we came to the Philippines to help the Filipino people, but they helped us to see something valuable They generously offered their food, space and hearts in a way we were not accustomed to (Would you give your bed to a stranger and sleep on the cement floor at your own house?) When I took my third trip to the Philippines as a Habitat volunteer, was assigned to a house with young people around the world In my group, there were Filipinos, Americans, Indians, Koreans, and Japanese 19 On the last day, all of us stood inside the room we had built in just a week, feeling a sense of fulfillment Even now we keep in touch across the world Some of us are actively involved in Habitat in different countries Habitat brings people together and helps us realize that people all over the world care about each other 20 Being involved with Habitat has changed my life I've learned that I can make a difference in the world A Habitat sends the very important message that we can all be friends B These things are sometimes forgotten in an affluent country like Japan C This was the first of three trips have ever taken to the Philippines as a volunteer D Their lifestyle reminded us the meaning and the value of life E We worked together to complete a house for a family we met on the site F We never forgot the memories we had there 16 17 18 19 20 THE END- XII APPENDIX 3: READING POST -TEST/ TIME: 75 MINUTES PART 1: Questions -5 The people in the box below are all interested in taking a course Read the leaflet below about different language courses at a college in England and decide which type of course each one should choose "I want to study a foreign language seriously and take an exam at the end of the year The trouble is I work during the day so I'll have to find a class that begins after pm." "I have never been to Spain before and I certainly don't know any Spanish! But it would be nice to know just enough to be able to order a meal and find my way around the sights when I go there." ^ "I have only been in England for three weeks, but I'm hoping to stay for months I really want to get my English to a good standard I know some- but my writing is poor and my pronunciation is even worse." "I have always read the papers and I'm interested in what is happening in the world but I never get a chance to talk to anyone about what I read and see It would be lovely to share opinions and ideas with other people "I have just left school and would like to work abroad I did French at school and got good exam results in it, so I'm wondering if I should some kind of course to help me learn office skills - and improve my French at the same time." GRANGE TECHNICAL COLLEGE - LANGUAGE COURSES C Diplomas in languages B Discussion group for A Train to be a secretary Need a qualification in using your languages and speakers One year Improve your language in the language? We can help! course for school leavers One or two -year course, way you express your ideas including work experience daytime or evening by talking about new events abroad Prepare for a Russian and everyday problems secretarial career with an Portuguese international flavor (French, Spanish German, Spanish, and Chinese Arabic) F English for oversea E Businessmen/ D Conversation classes students businesswomen Have you Join one of our 10-week Short courses, all levels and thought how a knowledge of courses and enjoy that examinations Come and your customers' own holiday abroad even more make friends and improve Find out just how easy it is to language will help you get your spoken and written bigger and better orders/ join communicate! English our businessmen's/ women's Greek classes now Turkish Spanish Italian XIII PART 2: Questioas 6-10 The paragraphs of the story below are in the wrong order Read the introduction paragraph and number the rest in the correct order from to 10 VANESSA - M A E : A r ' Century Masician A Vanessa -Mae studied music at the Central Conservatory of China in Beijing She was the youngest student the Conservatory had ever accepted She also took lesson at the famous Royal College of Music in London The director of the college described Vanessa -Mae as "a true child prodigy - like Mozart and Mendelssohn." When Vanessa -Mae was just eight years old, she had to make a big decision She was equally gifted at both the violin and the piano, but she had to concentrate on just one instrument Although she had just won a prize a famous piano competition, Vanessa -Mae chose the violin B Vanessa -Mae was bom in Singapore in 1977 Her mother was Chinese, and her father was from Thailand At the age of four, Vanessa -Mae moved to London, England with her mother and her stepfather As a young child, Vanessa -Mae was akeady a talented musician She took her first piano lesson when she was three years old and her first lesson when she was five C By the time she was twelve, Vanessa -Mae had played with orchestras all over the world as a soloist She had also released three classical recordings Although she loved classical music, Vanessa -Mae wanted to experiment with other kinds of music At fourteen, she began to combine the traditional sound of her acoustic violin with the sounds made from her new electric violin She called this music "techno - acoustic fusion." Vanessa -Mae loved the music that the two types of violin made together Her first album with techno - acoustic fusion music was called The Violin Player It was an instant success and sold in over twenty countries It was even a hit on the best-selling music charts D No longer just a classical musician, Vanessa -Mae was asked to perform at international rock concerts At a concert in Switzerland, the audience of 50,000 people gave her twenty minute ovation The crowd did not want her to stop playing Vanessa -Mae has sometimes been criticized for not playing classical music However, she feels it is important to introduce violin music to a new audience " If, as a result {of my music}, people see the violin as a fresh, up to date instrument, that is fine with me." E At the age of nine, Vanessa -Mae went to Germany to take violin classes for advanced students The best students were usually chosen to be a part of the recitals just once or twice Vanessa -Mae was chosen four times These were her first performances in front of an audience By the time she was ten years old, Vanessa -Mae had studied the violin at some of the best schools in the worid She made her first professional appearance in 1987 with the Philharmonic Orchestra in London Vanessa -Mae often played Mozart concertos A concerto is a piece of music written for one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra 10 XIV PART 3: Questions 11-15 Read the text and circle the best answer for each question Human memory, formeriy believed to be rather inefficient, is really more sophisticated than that of a computer Researchers approaching the problem from a variety of points of view have all concluded that there is a great deal more stored in our minds than has been supposed Dr Wilder Penfield, a Canadian neurosurgeon, proved that by stimulating their brain electrically, he could elicit the total recall of specific events in his subjects' lives Even dreams and other minor events supposed forgotten for many years suddenly emerged in detail Although the physical basis for memory is not yet understood, one theory is that the fantastic capacity for storage in the brain is the result of an almost unlimited combination of interconnections between brain cells, stimulated by patterns of activity Repeated references to the same information support recall Or, to say that another way, improved performance is the result of strengthening the chemical bonds in the memory 11 With what topic is the passage mainly concerned? A Wilder Penfield B Neurosurgery C Human memory D Chemical reactions 12 According the passage, researchers have concluded that A the mind has a much greater capacity for memory than was previously believed B the physical basis for memory is clear C different points of view are valuable D human memory is inefficient 13 How did Penfield elicit dreams and other minor events from the past? A By surgery B By electric stimulation C By repetition D By chemical stimulation 14 According to the passage, the capacity for storage in the brain A can be understood by examining the physiology B is stimulated by patterns of activity C has a limited combination of relationships D is not influenced by repetition 15 The word "bonds" in line 12 means A promises B agreements C connections D responsibilities PART4: Questions 16 - 20 Read the passage and choose the best sentence to fill in each blank (A to E) Everybody has heard about the Internet, but you know what an "intranet" is? — B — In fact, intranets make use of the same software programs as the Internet to contact computers and people 16 If your intranet is working properiy, it can link together a huge amount of information which is stored in a different place in the company 17 — A company intranet can, of course, be used for unimportant information like office memos and canteen menus 18 -— The intranet is a great idea, but the system only works id everyone on the intranet is willing to share the information with other people 19 Another problem which often occurs is that top managers like to use intranet to "communicate down" rather than to "communicate cross" 20 A Unfortunately, many departments don't want to share their specialist knowledge with others XV B It is this: just as the Internet connects people around the worid, intranet connects people within a single company C The more information it has, the more people will use it D In, this way, people can get the information they need, regardless of where it comes from E Most employees prefer to communicate by telephone or in writing F But an intranet should provide important information which people need to decisions about new products, costs, and so on G This means that you not have to buy a lot of additional program to set up an intranet service 16 17 18 19 20 THE END XVI