How to improve the self study of pre intermediate english non majored students at van hien university

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES - HOW TO IMPROVE THE SELF-STUDY OF PRE-INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH NON-MAJORED STUDENTS AT VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (TESOL) Submitted by DƯƠNG TRẦN THY DIỄM Supervisor TÔ MINH THANH, Ph D Ho Chi Minh City, December 2005 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY OF MASTER’S THESIS I certify my authorship of the Master’s thesis submitted today entitled: HOW TO IMPROVE THE SELF-STUDY OF PRE-INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH NON-MAJORED STUDENTS AT VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY In terms of the statement of requirements for thesis in Master’s program issued by the Higher Degree Committee of Department of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City, December 2005 DUONG TRAN THY DIEM RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, Duong Tran Thy Diem, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts (TESOL) accepts 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 Master’s 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 the thesis Ho Chi Minh City, December 2005 Signature DUONG TRAN THY DIEM ABBREVIATIONS CUP: Cambridge University Press EFL: English as a Foreign Language HCMC: Ho Chi Minh City L2: Foreign Language/ Second Language NXB: Nhaø xuất OUP: Oxford University Press VHU: Van Hien University VOA: Voice of America ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Dr To Minh Thanh for her generous assistance and great devotion to guiding me through the preparation and completion of this thesis over a long period of time Without her whole-hearted guidance and enthusiastic encouragement, I could not have finished the thesis She was always with me, critically read my manuscript and made constructive observations to help me reflect on my problems For creating favorable conditions for my fulfillment of my academic work, I am indebted to Senior Lecturer Nguyen Huynh Dat, M.A., Dean of Department of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities For dedication and helpful instructions during the three-year TESOL course, I am grateful to all my teachers For help with the data collection for the study, I wish to acknowledge the support and cooperation of my teacher colleagues and pre-intermediate English non-majored students of Van Hien University For help with reference works, I express thanks to the staff members of the English Research Center of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities; Mr Philip Nash, Head Trainer of the TESOL certificate course of the TEFL International English Language school, Ms Tran Thoai Lan, and numerous others Finally, my special mention must go to my family and my steady friends for their love, understanding, sympathy and constant encouragement which have been a motivational inspiration to me ABSTRACT This thesis aims at discovering the current state of self-study in the L2 field experienced by the pre-intermediate English non-majored students at Van Hien University, raising their awareness about how they have been learning English on their own and helping them find more effective ways of working so that they can continue to undertake their L2 learning efficiently and usefully even when they are away from their teacher and the classroom To this end, data for the investigation were collected through two types of instruments: a questionnaire administered to 160 pre-intermediate English non-majored students and a semi-structured interview carried out with 15 teachers who have been in charge of general English classes at preintermediate level Such a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods of survey is likely to increase the validity and reliability of the results of the study The data analysis of the two sources of information has brought to light the reality that the students’ weaknesses in self-study stem from three main factors: (1) low level of motivation; (2) poor study habits, and (3) lack of energy and perseverance to overcome difficulties in study On the basis of these significant findings, the study suggests the integration of the recommendations about how to refine self-study into classroom activities as an integral part of the English course Along with language learning, the students are trained to use a number of self-help techniques and the power of imagination to develop: • An effective system for self-motivation for learning English; • A regular routine of study based on long-term plans and weekly study schedules; • A repertoire of judicious learning strategies workable for their own situation; • Enough energy and perseverance to overcome difficulties in study Being equipped with these fundamentals, the students are supposed to carry out their self-study successfully and thus become effective learners of English LIST OF TABLES Chapter Table 4.1 Summary of sample characteristics .42 Table 4.2 Learning English is one of the students’ great needs 45 Table 4.3 Students’ reasons for learning English 46 Table 4.4 Value of self-study .48 Table 4.5 Students with and without plans and schedules for self-study 49 Table 4.6 Students’ ways of self-study with a regular routine 51 Table 4.7 Students’ ways of self-study without a regular routine .51 Table 4.8 Students’ after class self-study time spent on various sections of an English lesson officially given in class 52 Table 4.9 Students’ self-study ways of learning grammar 53 Table 4.10 Students’ self-study ways of learning vocabulary .55 Table 4.11 Students’ self-study ways of improving listening skills .56 Table 4.12 Students’ self-study ways of improving speaking skills 57 Table 4.13 Students’ self-study ways of improving reading skills 58 Table 4.14 Students’ self-study ways of dealing with a reading text written in English 60 Table 4.15 Students’ self-study ways of improving writing skills 61 Table 4.16 Students’ difficulties in self-study .61 LIST OF FIGURES Chapter Figure 4.1 Percentage of students’ attending high schools in a city and in a small province 44 Figure 4.2 Students’ reasons for learning English 47 Figure 4.3 Percentage of students with and without plans and schedules for self-study 50 Figure 4.4 Students’ ways of self-study with or without a regular routine 51 Figure 4.5 Students’ after class self-study time spent on various sections of an English lesson officially given in class 52 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Certificate of originality i Retention and use of the thesis ii Abbreviations iii Acknowledgements iv Abstract v List of tables .vii List of figures viii Table of contents ix INTRODUCTION .1 0.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM .1 0.2 AIMS OF THE STUDY AND STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS Chapter 1: BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 1.1 TERMINOLOGY RELATED TO SELF-STUDY AREA .4 1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE GENERAL ENGLISH COURSE AT VHU .5 1.3 LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING SITUATION AT VHU …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………… b) Hãy mô tả cách thức mà bạn thường dùng để am hiểu đọc ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… 22 Hãy mô tả cách thức mà bạn thường dùng để tự trau dồi kỹ viết ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… 23 Bạn gặp khó khăn trình tự học tiếng Anh học lớp? Thiếu phương pháp tự học cho có hiệu cao Thiếu thời gian tự học Thiếu phương tiện tối thiểu cần thiết cho việc tự học Thiếu động tự học Thiếu nghị lực lòng kiên nhẫn để tự học Các khó khăn khác (xin nêu rõ): ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… Ngày ………… tháng …………… năm ……… Ký tên APPENDIX 2: THE STUDENTS’ QUESTIONNAIRE (In English) QUESTIONNAIRE Dear research participants This questionnaire aims at collecting valid data for the thesis named “How to improve the self-study of pre-intermediate English non-majored students at Van Hien University.” Please read all the questions and mark your choices by ticking the appropriate boxes To open-ended questions, please write your answers in the spaces provided Your responses contribute a great deal to the success of the thesis and are only used for research purposes Thank you very much for your participation PART I: BACKGROUND INFORMATION Student’s name: …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………… Student’s code: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………… Gender: Male: Female: Year of birth: 19 …………… English class: ……………… Major branch of study:…………………… Year: ………………… You went to high school in: A city: A town: The countryside: A mountainous area: A remote rural area: You have learned English since you were in: Elementary school: Junior secondary school: Senior secondary school: Others (please specify): …………………………………………………………………………………………… …… Do you have a part-time job? No Yes ………………….shifts/ week ………………… hours/ shift PART II: YOUR ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTION ABOUT SELF-STUDY AND LEARNING ENGLISH Learning English is one of your great needs Disagree Agree Strongly agree How many of these reasons motivate you in your learning English? (More than one option is quite acceptable.) To meet your interest To be well-qualified for your graduation To be well-prepared for a good job in business To get information through the mass media in English To be able to communicate in English Others (please specify): ………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… 10 In your opinion, how important is self-study in general? Unimportant Important Very important 11 In order to learn English well, how important you think self-study is? Unimportant Important Very important PART III: YOUR ENGLISH SELF-STUDY HABITS 12 Do you have a long-term plan and a weekly schedule for learning English on your own? No Yes 13 If the answer is “yes”, you strictly follow your planned schedule? No Yes 14 If you work regularly, please estimate the amount of time you spend each week learning English on your own at home: ……………………… hours per week 15 If you don’t work regularly, please describe how you use your time to improve English on your own …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… 16 How important is each of the following sections in your learning textbook lessons? Frequency Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always Various sections Grammar Vocabulary Listening Speaking Reading Writing 17 Can you describe the strategies you often use to improve English grammar? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… 18 Learning vocabulary a) What strategies you often use to enrich your vocabulary? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… b) How you use dictionaries in learning vocabulary? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… 19 Improving listening skills a) What strategies you often use to improve your listening skills? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… b) How you deal with a listening text at home? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… 20 Improving speaking skills a) What strategies you often use to improve your speaking skills? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… b) How often and how long you use each of the above-mentioned strategies to improve your speaking skills? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… 21 Improving reading skills a) How often you deal with each of the following readings? Frequency Never Rarely Sometimes Usually Always Types of reading - Reading texts in English textbooks - English songs - Bilingual books for easy readers - Newspapers and magazines - English novels - English non-fiction books Others (please specify): ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… b) What strategies you often use to deal with a reading text? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… 22 What strategies you often use to improve your writing skills? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… 23 What are your difficulties in learning English on your own outside the classroom? Lack of effective methods Lack of time Lack of helpful means for self-study Lack of motivation for learning Lack of energy and perseverance Others (please specify): ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Date: ……………………………………………………… Signature: …………………………………………… APPENDIX 3: THE TEACHERS’ SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW (In Vietnamese) BAÛN CÂU HỎI PHỎNG VẤN (Dành cho giáo viên Anh văn) Từ thập niên 1970, nước Âu-Mỹ theo quan điểm giáo dục lấy người học làm trung tâm (learner-centered), nhiệm vụ quan trọng giáo viên huấn luyện hướng dẫn sinh viên học sinh, giúp họ thành người biết tự học Thầy/Cô có đồng ý với ý kiến không? _ _ _ _ Xin vui lòng cho biết ý kiến thầy/cô ích lợi việc tự học sinh viên, học sinh? _ _ _ _ Nhiều nhà giáo dục, có giáo sư tiến só Nguyễn Cảnh Toàn, giám đốc Trung tâm Nghiên cứu Phát triển Tự học cho sinh viên học sinh Việt Nam yếu khả tự học Trong bối cảnh chung đó, khả tự học tiếng Anh sau lên lớp sinh viên không chuyên Đại học Văn Hiến không cao Theo thầy/cô, nguyên nhân dẫn đến khuyết điểm này? _ _ _ _ Hiện nay, số trường đại học Tp HCM Đại học Bách Khoa, Đại học Dân lập Hùng Vương Đại học Mở-Bán công Tp HCM, sinh viên học môn “Phương pháp học” hay “Phương pháp nghiên cứu khoa học” Trong lónh vực ngôn ngữ nói chung ngoại ngữ nói riêng, thầy/cô có nghó sinh viên nên học môn không? _ _ _ _ Trong saùch Lifelines pre-intermediate có phần phụ lục “Reflecting on learning” nhằm tạo hội để sinh viên suy nghó cách học mình, đồng thời gợi ý số phương pháp học tiếng Anh Thầy/cô có dành thời gian giảng dạy lớp để thảo luận với sinh viên vấn đề không? Tại có? Tại không? _ _ _ _ Trong môi trường học tiếng Anh Đại học Văn Hiến, theo thầy/cô làm để nâng cao khả tự học sinh viên không chuyên nghành tiếng Anh? _ _ _ _ _ _ APPENDIX 4: THE TEACHERS’ SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW (In English) QUESTIONS FOR THE SEMI- STRUCTURED INTERVIEW WITH TEACHERS OF ENGLISH According to the learner-centered view on education which has emerged in the Western world since the 1970s, teachers have an important role to play in coaching and guiding their students to become autonomous learners Do you agree with this view? _ _ _ _ In your opinion, what benefits can self-study bring to students? _ _ _ _ In the same view as a number of educationists, Professor Nguyen Canh Toan, Director of the Self-Study Research and Development Center, gave a warning that the majority of Vietnamese students are poor at self-study There is no doubt that VHU preintermediate English non-majored students are no exceptions In your opinion, what are the reasons for that shortcoming? _ _ _ _ _ Up to now, at some universities in HCM City such as Polytechnic University, Hung Vuong University and Open University of HCM City, students have been exposed to a subject called “Methods of Study” or “Method of Scientific Research” Do you think such a subject should be taught to students whose major is linguistics or a foreign language? _ _ _ _ The section called “Reflecting on Learning” in Lifelines pre-intermediate gives students the opportunities to think about their own ways of learning English and provides some suggestions about how to study a foreign language effectively Have you spent some time in class discussing these learning strategies with your students Why or why not? _ _ _ _ _ What can you as a teacher of English at VHU to improve your pre-intermediate English non-majored students’ capacity and desire for self-study? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ APPENDIX 5: A PHOTOCOPIED CHAPTER FROM “HOW TO STUDY” by Kornhauser (1993) APPENDIX 6: A PHOTOCOPIED CHAPTER FROM “EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILLS” by Semones (1999)