Applying peer feedback technique to enhance students’ writing skill of english narrative paragraphs at dong nai technology university

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY PHAM HONG THY APPLYING PEER FEEDBACK TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL OF ENGLISH NARRATIVE PARAGRAPHS AT DONG NAI TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Major: English Language Course code: 60220201 HO CHI MINH CITY, AUGUST 2020 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY APPLYING PEER FEEDBACK TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL OF ENGLISH NARRATIVE PARAGRAPHS AT DONG NAI TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Submitted to the Faculty of English Language in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in English Language Course code: 60220201 By PHAM HONG THY Supervised by LE HOANG DUNG, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, AUGUST 2020 The thesis entitled ………………… was successfully defended and approved on……………… at HoChiMinh City University of Technology (HUTECH) Academic supervisor: ……………………………………………………………… Examination Committee ……………………………………………………… Chair …………………………………………… ………… Reader ……………………………………………………… Reader ……………………………………………………… Member ……………………………………………………… Secretary Member On behalf of the Examination Committee Chair HCMC UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY POSTGRADUATE INSTITUTE HCMC, … ……………20 … MASTER’S THESIS REPORT Student name: PHAM HONG THY Sex: Female Date of birth: 19/04/1994 Place of birth: Bien Hoa, Dong Nai Major: English Language Student code: 1841900027 I- Thesis title: APPLYING PEER FEEDBACK TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL OF ENGLISH NARRATIVE PARAGRAPHS AT DONG NAI TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY II- Objectives and contents: The purpose of this study is to examine whether peer feedback technique helps improve students’ writing skill of English narrative paragraphs and their attitudes towards this technique in their writing process so as to contribute helpful pedagogical implications for teachers to develop and enhance students’ writing skill effectively The results of this research show that peer feedback technique is effective in ỉmproving students’ writing skill of English narrative paragraphs and the students also have positive attitudes towards this technique Therefore, peer feedback technique is recommended to apply in teaching writing skill III- Starting date: October 30th 2019 IV- Completing date: August 4th 2020 V- Academic supervisor: Le Hoang Dung, Ph.D ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR (full name, signature) FACULTY DEAN (full name, signature) CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I certify my authorship of the Master’s Thesis submitted today entitled: APPLYING PEER FEEDBACK TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL OF ENGLISH NARRATIVE PARAGRAPHS AT DONG NAI TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY In terms of the statement of requirements for Theses in Master’s programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee of Faculty of English Language, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology Ho Chi Minh City, August 2020 PHAM HONG THY i RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, PHAM HONG THY, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts (English Language) 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 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 Librarian for the care, loan, and reproduction for theses Ho Chi Minh City, August 2020 Signature PHAM HONG THY ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr Le Hoang Dung, my supervisor, for his patience, guidance, insightful advice, and constant encouragement through the whole research process Without his support and guidance, this thesis would never have been completed Secondly, I would like to show my thankfulness to HCMC University of Technology (HUTECH) for giving me a great opportunity to learn highly valuable lessons from professional and helpful lecturers during my post graduate program Thirdly, I would like to express my sincere acknowledgement to my workplace (Dong Nai Technology University) where I have worked for three years This thesis could not be finished without this research site, my students and my colleagues Last but not least, a special thanks to my family those who were always by my side and encouraged me when I was most depressed and disappointed Without their encouragement, I could not be successful as expected iii ABSTRACT Writing is an indispensable skill in learning the English language However, students usually meet with difficulties in the writing process Efficient writing pedagogy in higher education has been a researcher’s consistent goal in both ESL and EFL classrooms Peer feedback is proven as an effective technique in teaching writing skills by many researchers The researcher selected this technique as a treatment in improving students’ writing skills Thus this study aims to examine its effectiveness in Dong Nai Technology University context where English majored students’ writing skill of English narrative paragraphs is at a low level and their attitudes toward this technique A total of 30 freshmen majoring in English took part in 6-week action research including cycles They participated in the triangulation of data collection (students’ writing tests, class observation checklist, and reflection) The analysis of students’ writing tests and observation checklists showed the intensification of aspects of writing after the intervention It could be considered that peer feedback had a significant effect on students’ improvement in writing skills in narrative paragraphs The results also revealed that most of the students expressed their positive attitudes towards their writing improvement thanks to this technique This study not only supplies further indication for the power of peer feedback technique as an efficient technique to maximize English writing learning and teaching but also suggests the effective peer feedback technique in writing class (231 words) Keywords: peer feedback technique; students’ improvement; narrative paragraph; students’ attitudes 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 TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS x CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1.Background to the study 1.2.Statement of the problem 1.3.Objectives of the study 1.4.Research questions 1.5.Scope of the study 1.6.Significance of the study 1.7.Definitions of the key terms 1.8.Organization of the thesis CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1.Introduction 2.2.An overview of narrative text 2.3.Criteria for evaluating paragraph writing v 2.4.Concept of peer feedback in writing 2.5.Theoretical viewpoints of peer feedback 10 2.5.1 Peer feedback in Social-Constructivism 10 2.5.2 Peer feedback and Collaborative learning 12 2.5.4 Peer feedback and writing process approach 13 2.6.Writing Process Model 14 2.7.Peer Feedback Technique in writing process 18 2.7.1 Types of peer feedback 18 2.7.1.1 Corrective and suggestive feedback 18 2.7.1.2 Positive and negative feedback 20 2.7.2 Techniques of giving peer feedback in writing 21 2.7.2.1 Talking about paper 21 2.7.2.2 Using checklists 21 2.7.2.3 Written comments 22 2.7.3 Effective implementation of peer feedback in process writing 23 2.7.3.1 The size of peer feedback group 23 2.7.3.2 Peer feedback process 24 2.7.4 Limitations of applying peer feedback 28 2.8 Language attitudes 29 2.8.1 Concepts of language attitudes 29 2.8.2 Components of language attitudes 30 2.9 Previous studies 31 2.10 Conceptual Framework 34 CHAPTER 36 vi 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 APPENDIX E INTERRATER RELIABILITY-SPSS ANALYSIS (Pre-test, Cycle 1, Cycle 2, Posttest) Interrater reliability of Pretest Intraclass Correlation Coefficient Intraclass 95% Confidence Interval Correlationa Lower Bound Upper Bound Value 813b 672 902 16.488 29 58 000 Average Measures 929c 860 965 16.488 29 58 000 Single Measures F Test with True Value df1 df2 Sig Interrater reliability of Cycle 1’s Assignment Intraclass Correlation Coefficient Intraclass 95% Confidence Interval Correlationa Lower Bound Upper Bound Value df1 df2 Sig 453b 231 661 3.452 29 58 000 Average Measures 713c 474 854 3.452 29 58 000 Single Measures F Test with True Value Interrater reliability of Cycle 1’s Assignment Intraclass Correlation Coefficient Intraclass 95% Confidence Interval Correlationa Lower Bound Upper Bound Value df1 df2 Sig 622b 427 780 5.836 29 58 000 Average Measures 831c 691 914 5.836 29 58 000 Single Measures 118 F Test with True Value Interrater reliability of Post-test Intraclass Correlation Coefficient Intraclass 95% Confidence Interval Correlationa Lower Bound Upper Bound Value df1 df2 Sig 648b 462 797 6.809 29 58 000 Average Measures 847c 720 922 6.809 29 58 000 Single Measures 119 F Test with True Value APPENDIX F OBSERVATION CHECKLIST OF THETEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS 120 121 APPENDIX G PEER FEEDBACK CHECKLIST Feedback giver: …………………………… Writer: ……………………………………… Write two sentences about your positive opinion after reading the draft Describe which part that you like best Describe which part that makes you confused Does the paragraph have topic sentence that tells what the story will be about? Do the supporting sentences tell the details of story? Does the writer use sensory and emotional details? If so, what sensory and emotional details are included? Does the paragraph use sequence words and transition words to show the order of events? If so, which one? Does the paragraph have a concluding sentence that “wraps up” the story? Does it include the comment about the experience? If so, what is the comment? Does the text have a good coherence?  Other comments or suggestions: 122 APPENDIX H REFLECTION WRITING CLASS: 0270193.2 Date: ……………………………………… Name: ……………………………………… Share your thinking/opinion regarding the following issues: To what extent you think peer feedback help you improve your narrative paragraph writing in terms of content, organization of ideas, vocabulary, language use and mechanics? - Content: - Organization of ideas: - Vocabulary: - Language use: - Mechanics: How you like peer feedback activity? What problems you have when doing peer feedback activity? Your other opinion -THE END- 123 APPENDIX I DATA COLLECTION ENDORSEMENT FORM 124