The impact of genre based writing teaching on the 11th grade students letter writing ability at go cong dong high school in tien giang province m a 60 14 10

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE      THE IMPACT OF GENRE-BASED WRITING TEACHING ON THE 11th GRADE STUDENTS’ LETTER WRITING ABILITY AT GO CONG DONG HIGH SCHOOL IN TIEN GIANG PROVINCE Submitted to the Department of English Linguistics and Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By NGUYEN THI NHU AN Supervised by NGUYEN THU HUONG, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, MARCH 2013 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I hereby certify my authorship of the Master‟s Thesis submitted today entitled: THE IMPACT OF GENRE-BASED WRITING TEACHING ON THE 11th GRADE STUDENTS’ LETTER WRITING ABILITY AT GO CONG DONG HIGH SCHOOL IN TIEN GIANG PROVINCE in terms of the statement of Requirements for Theses in Master‟s Program issued by the Higher Degree Committee This thesis has not previously been submitted for any degree or diploma at Universities and Institutions Ho Chi Minh City, March 2013 NGUYEN THI NHU AN i RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, NGUYEN THI NHU AN, being the candidate for the degree of Master of Arts in 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 the 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, March 2013 NGUYEN THI NHU AN ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without the kind help of the following people I would like to express my special thanks to First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Dr Nguyen Thu Huong, who offered me his whole-hearted guidance and invaluable support He sowed the first idea of the thesis topic in my mind and provided me with very useful sources of material His critical comments and valuable suggestions during our discussions and after reading my drafts helped me understand what I did and continued to for my thesis more thoroughly My special thanks also go to all teachers who taught me and gave me very useful knowledge during the time I was a member in class TESOL 2008 I am indebted to Tien Giang Training and Education Service and the school managing board of GCD High School, who gave me good conditions and much support during the time I attended the course for M A in TESOL in Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities I am very grateful to all the students in my study for their enthusiastic cooperation in the process of my experimental doing My sincere thanks also go to all the English teachers of GCD high school, who gave me much assistance I owe my sincere thanks to my high school teaching staff, and my friends for their support, encouragement, and regard during my study Finally, I am warmly grateful to my parents, my sister, my brother, and my sweetheart for their love, support, and encouragement that helped me to finish the thesis iii ABSTRACT The present quasi-experimental study aims to examine the impact of genrebased writing teaching on EFL high school students‟ writing ability, especially on letter writing The study was carried out with the participation of seventy eleventh graders at GCD high school Thirty-five students in the experimental group were exposed to the genre-based writing teaching while the other thirty-five in the comparison group did not take the treatment After the intervention, the data collected from the pretest and posttest results of the two groups were computed and analyzed to compare and investigate the influences of genre-based writing teaching In detail, its effects on EFL high school students‟ letter writing ability in general, and especially on their letter writing ability in terms of content, organization, vocabulary, and language use (mainly grammar) were examined The findings of the study revealed that the genre-based writing teaching significantly improved students‟ letter writing ability In other words, the group treated with the genre-based writing teaching significantly outperformed the comparison group not only in their letter writing ability in general but also in such aspects as content, organization, vocabulary, and language use Moreover, the result also showed that the students with more awareness of genre could perform their letter writing more effectively The outcome of the study showed a remarkable improvement that the experimental group attained in letter writing as a result of the genre-based writing teaching Therefore, some implications of applying the genre-based writing teaching in teaching writing to high school students were made iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Certificate of originality i Retention and use of the thesis …ii Acknowledgements ….iii Abstract iv Table of contents ….v List of tables viii List of figures ix List of abbreviations x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study 1.2 Statement of the problem 1.3 Aims of the study 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Research questions 1.6 Hypotheses 1.7 Organization of the study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Teaching writing 2.1.1 Writing: Views on Writing 2.1.2 Teaching L2 writing: any trends 2.2 Major approaches to teaching L2 writing 2.2.1 The product approach 2.2.1.1 Strengths of the product approach 2.2.1.2 Drawbacks of the product approach 10 2.2.2 The process approach 11 2.2.2.1 Strengths of the process approach 11 2.2.1.2 Drawbacks of the process approach 12 2.2.3 The genre approach .13 v 2.2.3.1 The concept of genre in the SFL view 15 2.2.3.2 Theoretical background of the SFL genre-based approach 15 2.2.3.3 A general framework for designing writing teaching lessons based on the SFL genre-based approach 17 2.2.3.4 Previous studies on the SFL genre-based approach to teaching writing 25 2.3 Summary 29 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 30 3.1 Research design 30 3.2 Study setting 31 3.3 Subjects and Sampling 31 3.4 Experimental teaching 34 3.4.1 Material 34 3.4.2 The experimental teaching outline 35 3.4.3 Lesson plans 36 3.4.3.1 General description of lesson plans for teaching students in the experimental group 36 3.4.3.2 General description of lesson plans for teaching students in the comparison group 37 3.5 Data collection instrument 38 3.5.1 Description of pretest and posttest 38 3.5.2 Test administration 38 3.5.3 Scoring 39 3.5.3.1 Answer sheet coding 39 3.5.3.2 Scoring method 40 3.5.3.3 Scoring criteria 40 3.5.3.4 Raters 41 3.5.3.5 Scoring procedure 41 3.6 Data collection procedure 42 3.7 Data analysis 42 3.8 Summary 43 vi CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 44 4.1 Reliability of the pretest and posttest scores 44 4.2 Results 45 4.2.1 Students‟ ability in writing letter 45 4.2.2 Students‟ ability in writing letter in terms of content, organization, vocabulary, and language use 51 4.2.3 Correlations between genre awareness and students‟ letter writing ability after the treatment 58 4.3 Discussion 60 4.4 Summary 67 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 68 5.1 Summary of the research 68 5.2 Pedagogical implications 70 5.3 Limitations of the study 71 5.4 Recommendations for further research 71 5.5 Summary 72 REFERENCES 73 APPENDICES 80 APPENDIX 1: Test for sample selection .80 APPENDIX 2: Pretest ……86 APPENDIX 3: Posttest .87 APPENDIX 4: Rating sheet .89 APPENDIX 5: Criteria for rating students‟ score results .91 APPENDIX 6: Correlations between genre awareness and letter writing ability …92 APPENDIX 7: Scoring criteria 93 APPENDIX 8: Lesson plans for the experimental group .97 APPENDIX 9: Lesson plans for the comparison group .153 APPENDIX 10: Statistical data 173 vii LIST OF TABLES Pages Table 3.1: The Experimental and Comparison groups‟ information 33 Table 3.2: Five letter-writing lessons 35 Table 4.1: Cronbach‟s Alpha for inter-rater reliability in pretest and posttest ratings 44 Table 4.2: Table 4.2: Independent Sample T-Test results of posttest scores between the two groups 45 Table 4.3:Independent Sample T-Test results of pretest scores between the two groups 46 Table 4.4: Score type distribution of pretest between the two groups 48 Table 4.5: Score type distribution of posttest between the two groups 49 Table 4.6: Independent Sample T-Test results of posttest scores on content, organization, vocabulary, and language use between the two groups 51 Table 4.7: Independent Sample T-Test results of pretest scores on content, organization, vocabulary, and language use between the two groups 52 Table 4.8: Correlations between genre awareness and students‟ ability in writing letters of the two groups in the posttest 59 viii LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS Pages Figure 2.1: The Teaching-Learning Cycle 19 Figure 3.1:Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest comparison group design 31 Chart 4.1: Mean scores of pretest and posttest of the comparison group and the experimental one 47 Chart 4.2: Score type distribution in pretest between the two groups 48 Chart 4.3: Score type distribution in posttest between the two groups 50 Chart 4.4: Mean scores on content, organization, vocabulary, and language use in pretest between the two groups 53 Chart 4.5: Mean scores on content, organization, vocabulary, and language use in posttest between the two groups 54 Chart 4.6: Score type distribution in content of pretest 55 Chart 4.7: Score type distribution in organization of pretest 55 Chart 4.8: Score type distribution in vocabulary of pretest 56 Chart 4.9: Score type distribution in language use of pretest 56 Chart 4.10: Score type distribution in content of posttest 57 Chart 4.11: Score type distribution in organization of posttest 57 Chart 4.12: Score type distribution in vocabulary of posttest 58 Chart 4.13: Score type distribution in language use of posttest 58 ix soon as possible The gratitude to the donor: I would like to express our thanks for the donation from your company The closing of the letter: I look forward to hearing from you soon Yours faithfully, 15‟ *WHILE-WRITING (Task -ask students to write the page 53) letter on their paper sheets with the prompts given in the Task 1, p 52 or imitation of the letter in the Task 1, p 52 -go around to control the class and give help if necessary 163 -write the letter 10‟ *POST-WRITING -ask one student -one student writes (mainly grammar correction) randomly to write his/ his/her letter on the her letter on the board board; others follow and -give feedback give comments + corrections 1‟ *Homework: prepare -assign homework Language Focus -do the assignment at home 164 Unit 6: COMPETITIONS Writing lesson: Writing a reply letter Educational aim: Teacher helps students know how to write a reply letter to supply the information about a contest/ competition Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will able to write a reply letter to supply the information about Competition Method: The product-oriented writing teaching Teaching aid: textbook, handouts, posters, computer, and projector Procedure: Timing Content Teacher’s activities 5‟ *WARM-UP: If you are a secretary -give the situation and ask of a competition and the participants the question in this competition write to you to ask for information about it, what will you do? (Suggested answer: make a call to them/ write a letter to them/ etc ) => lead to the lesson -introduce the lesson 165 Students’ activities -give their own ideas 14‟ *PRE-WRITING Activity 1: Task (Task page -ask students to work in -work in pairs 72): Find out the information pairs required for the English Speaking -ask students to give the -give the answers + Competition in the letter answer guess the meanings of (Answers: -number of participants -check the answers with these words/ phrases -entry procedure the class + run through -venue some words/phrases in -date and time these answers -phone number and email Activity 2: the format of the -remind students of the letter (the opening of the letter -follow format of the letter the body of the letter the closing of the letter) 15‟ *WHILE-WRITING (Task page 73) -ask students to follow the -work individually detailed cues in task to write their letter 166 -go around to control the class and give help if necessary 10‟ * POST-WRITING Correction (mainly grammar correction in the letter) -ask one student to write -write the letter on the the letter on the board board -give comments and -give comments feedback 1‟ *Homework: prepare Language -assign homework Focus 167 -work at home Unit 9: THE POST OFFICE Writing lesson: Writing a formal letter to express satisfaction (dissatisfaction) Time: 45 minutes Educational aim: Teacher helps students know how to write a formal letter to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will able to write this letter Method: The product-oriented writing teaching Teaching aid: textbook, handouts, posters, computer, and projector Procedure: Timing 5‟ Teacher’s activities Content Students’ activities *WARM-UP: Group the following adjectives into two -give students handouts -work in pairs groups used for expressing -have students to this in pairs -give the answers satisfaction and dissatisfaction -check the answers with the polite, rude, indifferent, helpful, class spacious, cramped, good, bad, reasonable, expensive, cheap, arrogant, punctual, reliable 168 (suggested answers: +satisfaction: polite, helpful, spacious, good, reasonable, cheap punctual, reliable +dissatisfaction: rude, indifferent, cramped, bad, expensive, arrogant) => lead to the lesson 15‟ -introduce the lesson *PRE-WRITING Activity 1: Task 1: (page 107): -ask students to work in pairs, Discuss the things that may based on the prompts given in make you satisfied (or this task dissatisfied) with the services -go around the class to help if at Thanh Ba Post Office necessary (based on the cues provided) -ask some students to express their ideas about the services of Thanh Ba Post Office 169 -work in pairs -present their opinions Activity 2:Read a model letter -give students the handouts given to prepare for task on and asks them to read it page 107, in textbook Dear Sir, I am writing to express my satisfaction towards your post office services after using them for years First, I find your post office a well-equipped and reliable address for our postal and telecommunication needs I am impressed by your spacious place for transaction In addition, the fax machines are always in good working condition and my friends never complain about the quality of the document I send Finally, there is always a security guard to look after the means of transportation of the 170 -read the model letter customers Therefore, I feel safe when parking my motorcycle there I would highly appreciate what you and your staff have brought for us and hope that your post office is the best choice for customers at any time I‟m looking forward to hearing from you Yours faithfully, 14‟ * WHILE-WRITING -ask students to write their -write the letter (Task page 107) letters in the imitation of the individually model provided -go around to control the class and give help if necessary 10‟ *POST-WRITING -have one student write the -write the letter on Correction (mainly grammar) letter on board board 171 -do the correction 1‟ *Homework: prepare Language -assign homework Focus 172 -correct the mistakes -work at home APPENDIX 10: STATISTICAL DATA T-Test Group Statistics GROUP PreMean PostMean Std Deviation Std Error Mean N Mean EXPERIMENTAL 35 7.4000 1.89178 31977 COMPARISON 35 7.3314 2.11212 35701 EXPERIMENTAL 35 11.5657 2.92031 49362 COMPARISON 35 8.5600 2.77629 46928 173 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Sig t-test for Equality of Means t Mean Sig (2-tailed) Difference df Std Error Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower PreMean PostMean Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 970 001 328 972 Upper 143 68 887 06857 47928 -.88782 1.02496 143 67.191 887 06857 47928 -.88803 1.02517 4.413 68 000 3.00571 68109 1.64662 4.36481 4.413 67.827 000 3.00571 68109 1.64656 4.36487 Independent Sample T-Test on Pretest and on Posttest between the two groups 174 T-Test Group Statistics GROUP PreCon PreOrg PreVoc PreLan PostCon PostOrg PostVoc PostLan Std Std Error N Mean Deviation Mean EXPERIMENTAL 35 2.0857 48818 08252 COMPARISON 35 2.1086 56432 09539 EXPERIMENTAL 35 1.4857 47101 07961 COMPARISON 35 1.5314 52456 08867 EXPERIMENTAL 35 1.7314 48493 08197 COMPARISON 35 1.6171 50729 08575 EXPERIMENTAL 35 2.0914 54090 09143 COMPARISON 35 2.0743 62888 10630 EXPERIMENTAL 35 3.1029 80786 13655 COMPARISON 35 2.3714 77329 13071 EXPERIMENTAL 35 2.5886 76072 12858 COMPARISON 35 1.8000 69958 11825 EXPERIMENTAL 35 2.8400 74328 12564 COMPARISON 35 2.1086 74572 12605 EXPERIMENTAL 35 3.0343 71206 12036 COMPARISON 35 2.2971 67627 11431 175 Independent Samples Test F Sig t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2-tailed) Mean Difference Std Error Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower PreCon Equal variances assumed 1.011 318 Equal variances not assumed PreOrg Equal variances assumed 899 347 Equal variances not assumed PreVoc Equal variances assumed 589 445 Equal variances not assumed PreLan Equal variances assumed 1.075 304 Equal variances not assumed PostCon Equal variances assumed 048 827 Equal variances not assumed PostOrg Equal variances assumed 019 892 Equal variances not assumed PostVoc Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 005 941 Upper -.181 68 857 -.02286 12613 -.27454 22882 -.181 66.620 857 -.02286 12613 -.27463 22892 -.384 68 702 -.04571 11916 -.28350 19208 -.384 67.227 702 -.04571 11916 -.28355 19212 963 68 339 11429 11862 -.12242 35100 963 67.862 339 11429 11862 -.12243 35100 122 68 903 01714 14021 -.26264 29693 122 66.512 903 01714 14021 -.26276 29704 3.869 68 000 73143 18903 35423 1.10863 3.869 67.870 000 73143 18903 35421 1.10864 4.514 68 000 78857 17469 43998 1.13716 4.514 67.528 000 78857 17469 43994 1.13721 4.110 68 000 73143 17797 37629 1.08656 4.110 67.999 000 73143 17797 37629 1.08656 176 Independent Sample T-Test on Content, Organization, Vocabulary, Language use of Pretest and Posttest between the two groups Levene's Test for Equality of Variances PostLan Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 018 894 4.441 68 000 73714 16599 40591 1.06838 4.441 67.820 000 73714 16599 40589 1.06839 177