Good reading approach for the freshmen of the department of foreign languages of huflit

, Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I would like to express my thanks to the teachers in the English Department of Foreign Languages, who gave me opportunity I sincerely to this paper send my thanks to Mrs DUe TAN and Mrs THANH who enthusiastically TRUe encouraged me to carry out this paper I am very grateful to Mr Quoe ANH for his valuable advice and help which help me to get more idea about my topic Particularly, lowe adviser Her encouraging needed to accomplish a genuine thank to Ms DOAN cooperation and advice KIM KHANH, my gave me the confidence I this paper Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to my family and friends who encouraged and supported me throughout my working hours HOANG PHUONG THAO Hoang Phu'ung Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLE DGEMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1( CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW A What is reading? B How can reading be made effective? Purpose in reading should be highly appreciated Prediction New words should not be a confusing obstacle for readers Dictionary Reading skills should be used in the most effective ways is a major factor in reading should not be a main tool for readers in reading CHAPTER THREE: METHOD Subjects 11 13 ~ 13 Materi als 13 Procedure 14 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS i AND DISCUSSION Section I: Findings of questionnaire I Freshmen's attitude towards reading 15 15 15 What students really think about reading 15 What students read and how often they read 16 How stljdents evaluate reading 18 Hoang Phu'dng Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A II Students' approach in reading 19 Why students read 19 Students' reading skills 20 What supports students in their reading 23 Section II: Findings of tests I II 25 Test results 25 More details of the answers 26 Part I: Comprehension Part II: Definitions questions 26 272]/ of words CHAPTE R FIVE: SUG G ESTION S I II IS' 29 Students should be encouraged to get habit of reading in English 29 Readi ng strategies 30 Pre-read ing 31 Wh i le-readi ng 31 Post-read i ng 33 III Students should have references to support their reading 34 Guide books for readi ng should be designed and applied 34 Kinds of dictionary 35 should also be paid attention CHAPTE R SIX: CON CLUSION 36 APPE N DIX ON E: TE ST ON E 38 APPEN DIX TWO: TEST TWO 40 APPEN DIX THREE: QUESTIONNAIRE 42 REFERENCES Hoang Phuong Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A ABSTRACT Books which are the greatest intellectual treasure of the human world keep an essential role in providing and widening knowledge Because reading is one of the first ways to get more knowledge, this skill is especially significant for students who need to accomplish self-education To students majoring in English and to teachers of English in the English Department, expected reading is one of the four most important to achieve requirement Therefore, a suitable reading method is a for more effective studies This paper is conducted helping finding skills that students are first year students with a desire to contribute to achieve effectiveness just a small part in in studying English, especially through reading ski lis Tests of reading and a questionnaire were used to find out the students' attitudes towards reading and their approach in reading The findings lead us to believe that they not have habit of reading and they have not had helpful reading approaches The only tool they use is the dictionary for checking the new words up before reading a text Therefore, some useful reading methods should be highly appreciated Among these methods are: making predictions, identifying reading precautions are stated against misconceptions of reading and overuse of the dictionary Hoang Phuong Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A However, because of the lack of time, the small number of subjects and the restriction of exercises, the paper cannot avoid shortcomings Therefore, it is expected that other study about this field will explore the topic to the full to help students with more efficient reading methods Hoang Phu'dI1gThao 32 Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A Students should also be taught the guessing strategy to gain independence from the dictionary A good guess is mainly found on either of two factors: context and word formation The context often provides definitions or examples that help explain the unknown word Let's take some examples + Example 1: (Le, 2004:27) "High- major weather and low-pressure air masses travel the globe and cause changes When a cold, high-pressure polar air mass meets an extremely low-pressure tropical air mass, their combination storms such as typhoons, hurricanes, and tornados can produce intense Less severe weather conditions are often caused by small, local pressure areas." Vocabulary question: What you think the word intense in line means? Answer: It means very strong We can base on the following examples of storms (typhoons, hurricanes, and tornados) to make the guess In addition, the word severe in line also helps to explain that + Example 2: (Wallwork,2001 "The way we communicate :35) is to a large extent determined by the way we perceive things When looking at a map of the world, for example, we will probably recognize the shape of Africa but not the shape of the Atlantic Ocean." Vocabulary question: What does "perceive" in line mean? Hoang Phu'dIlg Thiio 33 Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A Answer: It means understand or recognize We can guess it with the clue that the example gives us, the word recognize in line three also identifies its mean ing clearly The principle.of identify different word formation also helps because it allows the students to elements of the word and combine their meanings for a sensible guess To acquire this skill, the students should be taught the meaning of affixes, and roots and how they can be combined For example, the word portable is combined by two elements: port and -able The' meaning of the first element (the root) port is to carry and the second element (the suffix) means capable When the students can understand these elements' meanings, they can understand the meaning of the word: portable - capable of being carried Here is another example enable The word is combined by two elements They are the prefix en- and the suffix -able En- means cause to be, and -able means capable The combined meanings of these elements reveal the meaning of the word: make something possible However, word formation just helps students to guess the meaning of complex words For simple words, students have to base on contexts Post-reading Post-reading is one of the most important steps in reading After-reading a text, we have various activities to such as discussing it with other students, doing exercises relevant to the text etc Here are some suggestions for this step Hoang Phu'ol1g Thao 34 Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A -+ If the chosen materials are simple short stories: students are encouraged to try to summarize them using their own words Students can use the new words, expressions or new structures they have just learnt in the reading texts This activity can be oral or written speaking skill and writing In this way, both of the students' skill will be improved Other reading tasks such as answering revising tests are also recommended comprehension If the materials questions, doing are used as text books, activities like these are advisable for exam preparations + If the chosen materials are business letters, appl ication, contract , students should practice what they have read For example, when letter of apology or congratulations, students should try writing same purposes improvement Much writing practice will, in turn, reading a letters for the ensue further There is a famous sentence of John Dewey: "Learning reading by doing" So let's what he advises III Students should have references to support their reading Guide books for reading should be designed and applied One reason for which the students cannot read effectively may be because they not know the best way to read and there are no teachers to help them Therefore, our Department and publish a guide bookstores but nothing - the Foreign Language Department book for reading - should design There are a lot of guide can be better than the teachers' experiences from many years of teaching books in collected So if the teachers gather all their practical and Hoang Phu'o'I1gThao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A 35 elaborate experiences they will be able to design a useful guide book suitable for the students of our school Then the teachers will be the people who instruct the students to apply that book effectively won't have the opportunity Without the teacher's help, students to benefit from others' valuable experience Kinds of dictionary should also be paid attention The dictionary especially is a significant tool for language Dictionary, Engl ish-Engl ish Dictionary Among these, the English-English explanation of each word is authentic students can find dictionaries to explain of definitions shared only (Longman-Dictionary is something confidentially with Electronic because the just one term: in English-English of Contemporary kept from the knowledge a few" (Webster's Seventh 1965: 779) By using this kind of dictionary, acquainted with the use of authentic to freshmen; English, of others or New Collegiate the students can get English This is good for their writing well as their speaking At first, using an English-English difficulties such as Here are some of them: "secret is something kept hidden or known 1285); or "secret Dictionary, Dictionary, is most effective For example, a large variety about by only a few people" 1995: and it is necessary in reading There are many kinds of dictionary Engl ish-Vietnamese "secret", learners, however, they will get familiar Dictionary as may cause with using it gradually and gain a number of benefits from it in the long run Hoang Phuong Thao 36 Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION This paper reading, is carried the approach out to investigate in reading, the subjects' attitude towards and to suggest some appreciate methods Tests of reading and questionnaire were used to that The findings infer that although most subjects have a positive attitude towards English, they still not have adequate approaches, reading reading in habits of reading or helpful reading so they need instructions from their teachers or from guide books for reading The findings from the questionnaire and the two tests that the subjects were asked to prove this need They did not perform very well in test one, but did better in test two thanks to some reading methods suggested to them before the test This result proves that the researcher's making predictions, misconceptions identifying reading purposes, suggested methods precautions such as taken against of reading, and overuse of the dictionary help to improve the subjects' reading skills Although the details of the paper tend to be in accordance with those of the renowned scholars, the paper still has certain limitations Firstly, this paper was done in quite a short time (about four months); therefore, some aspects have not been exploited to the full Hopefully, they will be further investigated other research works in Another thing is that the tests used in this paper contain only two kinds of exercises - comprehension and may not be convincingly questions and definitions of words justified Last but not least, the number of subjects Hoang Phu'o'I1gThao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A who co-operated Further research Despite 37 in this paper is expected is not large, so those students are still limited to be more extensive the above-mentioned its point that college findings limitations, this paper need to practice appropriate can hopefully reading make methods to read and perform tests effectively Hoang Phu'o'l1gThao 38 Adviser: Doan Kim"Khanh, M.A APPENDIX TEST 1: ALL DRESSED IN RED In Britain; when we think of a wedding we normally imagine the bride in white However, in many Eastern cultures the colour of luck and marriage is red, not white This is just one of the differences in wedding customs throughout the world In a Hindu ceremony everything possible is done to make sure that this day of days is a lucky one The holy man who is to conduct the ceremony bride and groom's astrological uses the charts to pick the perfect day for the wedding, and the bride wears a lucky red sari The day before the ceremony, the bride's sisters and female friends prepare her They paint intricate and secret patterns on her hands and feet with henna before dressi ng her for the great moment Just before the wedding, the groom's family will place "asmall red mark on her forehead This is the sign of a married woman She is now ready, and both her face and that of the groom are veiled for the actual ceremony In the Arab world there are two wedding ceremonies: the religious ceremony and the wedding ceremony women party celebrations but allows The bride does not attend the religious her deputy to make the promises on her behalf and the men then have their own separate wedding sometimes last for days Nowadays The parties which the bride and the groom can also have a Hoang Phu'o'llg Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A 39 reception together in a hotel where the bride, dressed in white, and the groom, sit on a raised stage to receive presents of jewellery, gold, and money Read the text and answer these questions According to the text who: a studies a Hindu couple's astrological chart? Why? b prepares a Hindu bride? How? c puts a red mark on the Hindu bri de? Why? d is veiled for a Hindu ceremony? e does not attend the religious ceremony in the Arab world? f sits on a stage to receive wedding presents? Complete the definitions with words from the text The first letter has been given to help you a traditional activities := c _ b organize and lead a ceremony:= c, _ c woman who is getting married:= b _ d man who is getting married:= g, _ e with many small details:= i f _ hidden by a (usually thin) piece of material := v g a wedding party:= r _ Hoang Phuong Thao 40 Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A APPENDIX TEST 2: MUSIC'S SURPRISING POWER TO HEAL Marianne Sterbely was lying on a hospital bed waiting for her operation She was hooked up to a computer that monitored her heart rate and brain waves She was also hooked up, by earphones, to a CD of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons During the operation, the surgical team listened to Mozart and Brahms from another CD player "Music reduces staff tension in the operating theatre," say Dr Clyde Nash, Marianne's Marianneclaims surgeon, "and also helps to relax the patient." the music was much better than medication This was her second operation and this time the music helped her to remain calm and she didn't need as much sedation After the operation she was able to manage without pain killers simply by listening to music Nash is one of many doctors who are finding that music can help to heal the sick But how does it help? When the body is stressed, our heart beats faster, and we take in more air Studies show that music can help us to reduce the effect of this by lowering our blood-pressure and breathing bodies produce endorphins rate Music can also reduce pain by making our (natural pain relievers) The benefits of music are not confined to people who are ill Music can help us in our daily lives For example, playing a favourite song before an important Hoang Phu'o'ng Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A 41 exam or big match can allow us to relax and forget our worries In this way we can face difficult situations with a calm heart and a clear mind Read the text and answer these questions a Why does Dr Nash use music during his operations? b How has music helped Marianne 5terbely? c In what ways does music affect our bodies? d How can healthy people make use of music? Complete the definitions with words from the text The first letter has been given to help you a connected up to = h u _ b regularly checked = m c feeling of nervousness = t _ d person who performs operations = s e medicine f = _ m make somebody or something well = h ~ g limited (to one particular group, person, ) = _ c_ Hoang Phu'Ollg Thao 42 Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE I am doing a survey on reading thesis I am sincerely following questions looking 15'_ year EFL students for my skills among for your help Would you please answer the Thanks a lot for Your answers will be kept confidential your co-operation A Your attitude towards reading (Circle your choices) Do you like reading in English? b No a Yes What you reading activity for? a fun c others_ b examination What you read? a learning materials b newspapers c stories d others and magazines _ How often you read? a regularly everyday b when I find it necessary c when I have free time d when I have nothi ng else to How useful you think your reading is? a It gives more knowledge about different fields b It consolidates old knowledge Hoang PhuOllg Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A 43 c It improves knowledge of the English language (words, structures ) d It gives practice for better reading ski lis (fast reading, skimming, scanning, reading closely ) B Your approach in reading Do you usually ask yourself about the purpose of your reading? a usually b sometimes c rarely d never What you usually before reading a text closely? a Look through the text from the beginning to the end b Read the first and last paragraphs, then the first sentences of the middle paragraphs c Read every sentence of the text d Look up the new words in the dictionary How many times you read a text, an article,,,.? a only one time b two times c three times d more than three times When facing new words in a reading text, what you usually do? a Look them up in the dictionary b Try to guess their general meanings c Ignore them and continue the reading d Ask some knowledgeable 10 What kind(s) of dictionary person for help you have? Hoang PhuOllg Thao 44 Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A a An advanced b A pocket/small English dictionary English dictionary c An English - Vietnamese dictionary d An electronic 11 dictionary After read i ng a text, you a translate it into Vietnamese b discuss with your friends about it c write a summary of it d something else _ ~~ The end 8!)8!) Thanks again for your cooperation Hoang Phuong Thiio Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A REFERENCES Dixon, j (1988) Successful students, Australia: Penguin Books Australia Doff, A (1988) Teaching English, USA: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge Ediger, A & Pavlik, C (1999) Reading connection (Intermediate), Hongkong: Oxford University Press Ediger, A & Pavlik, C (1999) Reading connection (High Intermediate), Hongkong: Oxford University Press Glendinning, E & Holmstrom, B (1992) Study Reading (A Course in Reading Skills for Academic Purposes), Scotland: Cambridge University Press Harmer, j (1998) How to teach English, Spain: Graficas Estella SA Le, L (2004) TOEFL Test Assistant (Reading), Vietnam: H5 Chi Minh City Press Longman - Dictionary of Contemporary English (1995), Spain: Longman Group Ltd Nolasco, R & Gould, j H (2000) New Streetwise - Workbook Intermediate), 10 Nuttall, (Upper Oxford: Oxford University Press C (1998) Teaching reading skills in a foreign language, UK: Macmillan Publishers limited Hoang Phuong Thao Adviser: Doan Kim Khanh, M.A 77 Silberstein, S (1994) Techniques China: Oxford University 72 Tomlinson, and Resources in Teaching Press B & Ellis, R (1988) Reading Upper Intermediate, Oxford University Cambridge Press 74 Wallace, C (1992) Reading - Language teaching (A scheme for Teaching Education), HK: Oxford University 75 Wallwork, A (2001) Oxford University 76 Webster's Merriam Hong Kong: Press 73 Ur, P (1996) A course in Language Teaching, Great Britain: University Reading, Press International Express (Upper-Intermediate), China: Press Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1965), U.S.A.: G & c Company Hoang Phu'o'ng Thao