An investigation into the use of rubrics in efl speaking classrooms a case study at bau bang hight school

BINH DUONG PROVINCIAL PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE THU DAU MOT UNIVERSITY HO VAN NGHIA AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF RUBRICS IN EFL SPEAKING CLASSROOMS: A CASE STUDY AT BAU BANG HIGH SCHOOL MAJOR: ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAJOR CODE: 22 02 01 MASTER THESIS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE BINH DUONG PROVINCE, 2022 BINH DUONG PROVINCIAL PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE THU DAU MOT UNIVERSITY HO VAN NGHIA AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF RUBRICS IN EFL SPEAKING CLASSROOMS: A CASE STUDY AT BAU BANG HIGH SCHOOL MAJOR: ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAJOR CODE: 22 02 01 MASTER THESIS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUPERVISED BY TRAN THANH DU, Ph.D BINH DUONG PROVINCE, 2022 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT To complete this thesis, I received substantial assistance and support from my supervisors, faculty, colleagues, students, and family First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Tran Thanh Du, Ph.D, for his tremendous knowledge, guidance, advice and patience, which constantly inspired me throughout the research My special thanks for my lecturers at Thu Dau Mot University for their endless enthusiasm and undeniable helpful lectures I would be very grateful to the staff of the Post-Graduate Department for their support during the time of studying Next, I would like to extend my special thanks to the participants (including eighty eleventh graders at Bau Bang High School) for their willingness to be parts of the study and provide me valuable data for my thesis In addition, I would like to thank all my lecturers who gave me insightful knowledge, motivation and recommendations during my studies at Thu Dau Mot University I would also like to express heartfelt thanks to my colleagues and friends whose support and encouragement helped me accomplish this thesis Finally, I would like to embrace huge thanks to my family for their infinite love, support and encouragement which motivated me to successfully carry out this thesis i STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This is to certify that I myself write this thesis entitled “An investigation into the use of rubrics in EFL speaking classrooms: A case study at Bau Bang high school” It is not a plagiarism or made by others Anything related to others’ works is written in quotation, the sources of which are listed on the list of references Binh Duong, August 2022 Signature Ho Van Nghia ii RETENTION OF USE I hereby state that I, Ho Van Nghia, being a candidate for the degree of Master of English Language accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library In this regard, I agree that the original of my Master’s thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research iii TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ii RETENTION OF USE iii TABLE OF CONTENT iv LIST OF APPENDICES viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES x ABSTRACT xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Statement of the problem 1.3 Aims of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Significance of the study 1.7 Organization of the study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview of speaking 2.1.1 Definitions of speaking 2.1.2 The importance of speaking 2.1.3 Characteristics of successful speaking 2.1.4 Assessing speaking skills iv 2.2 Overview of rubrics 11 2.2.1 Definitions of rubrics 11 2.2.2 Types of rubrics 12 2.2.3 Features of rubrics: Validity and Reliability 13 2.2.4 Advantages of rubrics 14 2.2.5 Limitations of rubrics: 17 2.2.6 Teaching speaking with rubrics 17 2.3 The roles of teachers and learners in speaking classes 23 2.4 Motivation in learning speaking 24 2.5 Previous studies 26 2.6 Conceptual framework 29 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 31 3.1 Research setting 31 3.2 Research design 32 3.3 Sampling method 32 3.3.1 The researcher 33 3.3.2 The teachers from English falcuty 33 3.3.3 The students 33 3.4 Research instruments 34 3.4.1 Questionnaires 34 3.4.2 English speaking tests 35 3.4.3 Students’ interview 36 3.4.4 Teachers’ interview 37 3.5 Data analysis 37 v 3.5.1 Mean 38 3.5.2 Standard deviation 38 3.5.3 T-test 38 3.5.4 Percentage 38 3.6 Research procedure 39 3.7 Reliability and validity 39 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 41 4.1 Analysis of the speaking tests 41 4.2 Results from questionnaire 43 4.3 Results from students’ interview 48 4.4 Results from teachers’ interview 50 4.5 Discussion 52 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 57 5.1 Conclusions 57 5.2 Implications 59 5.3 Suggestions 60 REFERENCES 63 vi LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX - PRE-TEST 69 APPENDIX - POST-TEST 70 APPENDIX - QUESTIONNAIRE 71 APPENDIX - INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS 74 APPENDIX - INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS 75 APPENDIX - A SAMPLE LESSON PLAN 76 APPENDIX - RUBRICS FOR PRE AND POST TESTS 80 APPENDIX - RUBRICS FOR SPEAKING ASSIGNMENTS 83 APPENDIX – POST TEST RESUTLS OF CONTROL CLASS 85 APPENDIX 10 – POST TEST RESUTLS OF EXPERIMENTAL CLASS 87 APPENDIX 11 - SPEAKING RUBRICS 89 APPENDIX 12 - BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF RUBRICS 93 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviations EFL ESL IELTS SPSS Std Description English as a Foreign Language English as a Second Language International English Language Testing System Statistics Package for the Social Sciences Standard viii scores can be combined Holistic All criteria Scoring is faster (dimensions, Single overall than with analytic traits) are rubrics score does not evaluated communicate simultaneously Single overall information about score what to to does not improve communicate information about Not good for what to to formative improve assessment Good for summative assessment Description of Performance: General or Task-Specific General Description work of Description gives work characteristics of Lower reliability gives at characteristics first than with that apply to a that apply to a taskwhole family of whole family of tasks (e.g., writing, tasks problem solving) specific rubrics (e.g., writing, problem Requires practice solving) to apply well Reuse same rubrics with 94 several tasks or assignments Supports learning by helping students see “good work” as bigger than one task Supports student self- evaluation Students can help construct general rubrics Task – Specific Description of Teachers work refers to the sometimes Cannot share with say students (would specific content of using these makes give scoring “easier.” a particular task (e.g., gives answers) an answer, specifies a Requires less time Need conclusion) away to write to achieve inter- new rubrics for rater reliability each task For tasks open-ended good answers not listed in rubrics may be evaluated poorly 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108