INTRODUCTION
Background
Vocational education is gaining traction globally, including in Vietnam, as a viable alternative for students seeking to achieve their career aspirations without pursuing traditional higher education This practical approach focuses on equipping individuals with the skills necessary for specific occupations, such as engineering, trading, or crafting Unlike conventional colleges, vocational colleges prioritize job-specific training, ensuring that students acquire the essential skills needed for their chosen careers.
Viglacera Vocational College (VVC) stands out as Vietnam's premier institution for vocational training in construction materials production, established in 1998 as part of Viglacera Corporation As the first and only college in the country dedicated to this field, VVC has forged a partnership with Proskill UK to enhance its training programs and elevate its status in vocational education The college is committed to developing training programs that meet international standards, focusing on the needs of workers from forty subsidiaries within Viglacera Corporation Students face the challenge of balancing their studies with demanding work schedules, often working three shifts daily, which leads to exhaustion and difficulties in absorbing new knowledge This situation presents a significant challenge for educators, who must find ways to engage students and make lessons more accessible and interesting.
At Viglacera Vocational College (VVC), English is recognized as an essential international language, increasingly adopted in Vietnam's education system, especially amid rapid globalization It has become the primary medium of instruction in many universities, facilitating access to knowledge predominantly available in English This growing trend has led to the emergence of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), which is crucial for enhancing international communication across various fields Acknowledging the significance of ESP, VVC educators prioritize teaching it over General English (GE), focusing on equipping students with specialized knowledge and terminology related to building materials.
Students at VVC face significant challenges with vocabulary and grammar during reading activities, struggling with specialized terms and complex structures Even after becoming familiar with specific vocabulary, they still have difficulty grasping general concepts and detailed information These obstacles may stem from their study methods, learning attitudes, curriculum design, and teaching approaches To address these issues, it is suggested that students can improve their understanding of vocabulary and grammar by adopting new study methods, especially enhancing their reading strategies.
Effective reading strategies are essential for language learning, particularly for students learning English as a second language, as highlighted by Carrell (1984) At VVC, enhancing reading skills is vital for students to access and utilize academic resources in English, thereby enriching their professional expertise in their respective fields.
Problem statement and research contribution
Reading English academic materials is a crucial skill for university students, particularly those learning English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) (Levine et al., 2000) Effective reading comprehension is vital not only for academic success but also for professional advancement (Durkin, 1993) However, many students are inadequately prepared for the reading demands placed upon them When faced with the pressure to engage with academic texts in English, these students often resort to ineffective reading strategies, resulting in poor academic outcomes (Wood et al., 1998).
Despite the significance of English reading skills, there has been limited research on reading strategies among vocational college students in Vietnam Students at Viglacera Vocational College, in particular, face challenges when engaging with academic texts written entirely in English Although the college's curriculum is designed to meet global standards, students must effectively prepare to absorb the knowledge necessary for certification This situation highlights the need for a study focused on their in-class reading behaviors, aiming to understand how they approach English for Specific Purposes (ESP) texts and the strategies they employ to navigate these materials.
This study significantly enhances the existing literature by exploring the reading behaviors and strategies of vocational students It identifies essential techniques to improve their reading comprehension and suggests effective approaches to help them develop their reading skills, ultimately leading to better academic outcomes.
Research questions
The study aims to find answers for the following questions:
● Which strategies do students majoring in building materials at Viglacera Vocational College use to read ESP texts?
● Are there any differences between good and poor readers, male and female readers in terms of their reading strategy use?
Research objectives
● Objective 1: to investigate and analyse reading behaviors as well as reading strategies of the students at Viglacera Vocational College
● Objective 2: to recommend appropriate strategies for students to improve their reading skills
● Objective 3: to identify differences in the use of reading strategies between good and poor readers, male and female ones.
Research scope
This study examines the reading strategies employed by 120 students enrolled in three English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classes specializing in building materials at Viglacera Vocational College The research aims to assess the current reading strategies utilized by these ESP students and to identify effective reading strategies that can enhance their academic performance.
Research methodology
In this study, the author surveys vocational college students to gather insights on their reading strategies The collected data is then analyzed using SPSS software to examine their reading behaviors.
Thesis structure
Chapter 1 introduces the research background, identifies the practical and theoretical problems, clarifies the research questions, research objectives, research scope and methodology, as well as describes the research structure Chapter 2 presents the literature review which is relevant to the research topic in order to have the basic knowledge including theories and empirical studies, then illustrates the theoretical framework to support the research Chapter 3 demonstrates the research design, the method of data collection and data analysis, and research limitations
Chapter 4 shows the result of measurement and regression models, conducts comprehensive analyses and discusses important findings
Chapter 5 draws some conclusions and suggests some recommendations related to reading strategies for students at vocational colleges.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter introduces key definitions pertinent to reading and reading comprehension, examines the reading process along with various common strategies, emphasizes unique aspects of English for specific purposes, and concludes with a review of the current literature on reading strategies.
Reading is one of the four skills that students should learn and care of
In college, students encounter a variety of reading materials, including textbooks, articles, and stories Engaging in reading significantly enhances their academic experience, as it helps them develop language skills and gain insights into various subjects Experts, such as Goodman, have differing views on the precise definition of reading, highlighting its complexity and importance in education.
Reading is defined as a process where readers reorganize messages decoded by authors through visual performance (1971) Harmer (1989) describes it as a mechanical process where the eyes receive information and the brain interprets the meaning Similarly, Smith emphasizes that reading involves understanding the authors' thoughts Across various perspectives, researchers highlight key elements of reading, focusing on readers, the reading process, and the messages conveyed.
Reading comprehension is crucial in language education, as it enables learners to accurately and effectively extract information from texts Researchers identify three key factors that influence reading comprehension: the complexity of the texts, the foundational knowledge of the readers, and the relevant context in which the reading occurs.
According to Swan (1975), individuals with strong reading skills can extract significant information from texts despite their limited prior knowledge Grellet (1981) emphasizes that reading comprehension involves efficiently interpreting essential information from a text While researchers have differing perspectives, they collectively agree that reading comprehension is the process through which readers visualize textual images and grasp the underlying meanings.
Psychologists identify two key reading processes for comprehension: the bottom-up and top-down approaches The bottom-up process involves students analyzing the smallest units of language—letters, words, phrases, and sentences—before synthesizing them into larger texts, which helps clarify ideas and answer specific questions Conversely, the top-down process focuses on the interaction between readers and texts, relying on the reader's prior knowledge, estimations, and expectations about the content This approach emphasizes the importance of motivation, engagement, and attitude towards the material, enabling readers to grasp general ideas and extract essential information from the documents.
Many experts emphasize the significance of the top-down process in reading comprehension, highlighting its dominant influence However, this does not diminish the value of the bottom-up approach In reality, effective reading requires a harmonious integration of both processes to guarantee the accuracy and timeliness of the information being conveyed.
Effective reading strategies are essential for learners to achieve comprehension in reading Utilizing techniques such as prediction, skimming, scanning, inferring, and self-monitoring enables learners to engage with texts meaningfully and facilitates their understanding Recent research in second language reading emphasizes the importance of these strategies, highlighting how they influence readers' interactions with written material and their overall comprehension Studies indicate that learners employ diverse strategies to aid in the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of information, underscoring the significance of strategic reading in language learning.
In 1978, strategies were defined as techniques and skills that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of learning (Oxford and Crookall, 1989) Specifically, reading strategies encompass evaluating content, connecting the text to prior knowledge, posing and answering relevant questions, identifying key words, analyzing grammar to understand sentence components, as well as techniques like skipping, rereading, paraphrasing, and summarizing (Almasi, 2012).
Reading strategies are essential for understanding how readers approach tasks, recognize textual signals, and address comprehension challenges (Block, 1986) These strategies range from simple techniques, like reviewing challenging sections and inferring meanings of unfamiliar words, to more comprehensive methods such as summarizing and connecting new information to existing knowledge (Janzen, 1996) Research indicates that teaching reading strategies can significantly enhance students' reading skills (Carrell, 1985; Pearson and Fielding, 1991; Brown and Palincsar, 1989) According to Brown and Palincsar (1984), effective reading involves four key strategies: summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting.
Reading strategies can be categorized into two main types: cognitive strategies, which assist readers in constructing and understanding the meaning of texts, and metacognitive strategies, which help in monitoring and regulating these cognitive processes For example, skimming for essential information exemplifies a cognitive strategy, while assessing the effectiveness of information gathering represents a metacognitive strategy In second language learning, it's important to differentiate between strategies that enhance learning effectiveness and those that improve comprehension, with the former often referred to as learning strategies Oxford (1989) offers a valuable classification of the various strategies employed by second language learners.
Cognitive strategies are essential tools for learners to effectively manipulate language This category includes techniques such as note-taking, formal study of specific language aspects, summarizing, paraphrasing, predicting, analyzing, and utilizing context clues.
(2) Memory strategies: these help the reader remember information through creating mental pictures, grouping and associating
(3) Compensation strategies: involve activities such as guessing while reading, or using dictionaries
(4) Meta-cognitive strategies: these involve activities done by the learner to plan, arrange, and assess their own learning
(5) Affective strategies: these include self-encouraging behavior to reduce anxiety
(6) Social strategies: which cover cooperation with peers and asking for correction and feedback
English for Special Purposes (ESP) is defined by various researchers as a tailored approach to language learning, focusing on specific disciplines or subjects According to Pauline Robinson (1991), ESP courses are time-constrained, requiring learners to achieve a certain level of linguistic competence swiftly Typically aimed at adults in homogeneous groups based on their professional or academic backgrounds, ESP is particularly relevant for those in or entering the workforce, as seen in English for Occupational Purposes Hutchinson and Walters (1987) emphasize that ESP's content and teaching methods are determined by the specific needs of learners, a view echoed by Strevens (1988), who highlights ESP's role in studying English for particular majors as a foreign language Ultimately, the goal of ESP is to enhance reading skills relevant to the learners' fields of interest.
Robinson (1991) also divides ESP into two main areas: English for Academic Purposes (EPA) and English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) by a tree diagram as follow:
The diagram illustrates a valuable categorization of courses based on their timing, which is crucial for determining the appropriate level of specificity for each course Understanding different classifications of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) equips teachers with a comprehensive understanding of their learners, enhancing the educational experience.
2.5 Existing literature of reading strategies
Since the late 1970s, numerous empirical studies have explored reading strategies, revealing significant links between specific strategies and the success or failure of second language reading Research has also examined how individual differences affect strategy usage among second language learners during various reading tasks Recently, there has been a surge in studies focused on reading strategy training, grounded in the belief that effective reading primarily relies on the appropriate application of successful strategies.
METHODOLOGY
This chapter outlines the research design employed to address the research questions and fulfill the objectives, detailing the research philosophy, approach, and methodology It also presents the data collection and analysis methods utilized in the study, while acknowledging the limitations encountered during the research process.
Research philosophy is conceptualized as the improvement of the research background, research understanding and its essence (Saunders et al
In 2012, it was established that research philosophy is defined by the chosen research model, which is essential for effective research development This study adopts a positivist philosophy as its foundation, focusing on the practical reading behaviors of vocational college students in Vietnam The collected data is analyzed to determine the percentage and frequency of reading strategies employed by these students, providing a comprehensive overview of their reading styles.
The research approach guides the direction of a study and can be categorized into three main types: deduction, induction, and abduction The selection of an approach is influenced by the specific research questions and objectives This study primarily utilizes a deductive approach, where the author, after reviewing relevant theoretical and empirical literature, identifies key reading strategies that inform the design of a survey aimed at discovering effective strategies for vocational students.
This study utilizes a quantitative approach to investigate the reading strategies employed by students at Viglacera Vocational College Data collected through a questionnaire is analyzed using SPSS software to provide accurate answers to the research questions.
The study sample comprises 120 learners enrolled in various construction materials classes at VVC, all of whom are taking compulsory English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses designed to enhance their professional knowledge These students have between four to seven years of prior English education, including four years in secondary school, three years in high school, and one term of General English in their first year of college Their ages range from eighteen to thirty years, and they are all native Vietnamese speakers.
The primary data for this study is collected through a questionnaire, which is divided into two sections The first section gathers background information on participants, including their gender, age, and years of studying English The second section focuses on identifying the reading strategies participants commonly use while reading English for Specific Purposes (ESP) texts, categorized into three phases: Pre-reading, While-reading, and Post-reading This questionnaire is administered at the beginning of the experiment, with responses ranging from "always" to "usually."
In the Pre-reading phase, effective strategies include relating the title and illustrations to the text, skimming the content, reading the topic sentence, and reflecting on prior knowledge During the While-reading phase, respondents can employ eleven strategies such as looking up important unknown words, using contextual clues, skipping over unfamiliar terms, and taking notes on key points Additionally, they can reread confusing sentences, think aloud, and connect the text to their background knowledge In the Post-reading phase, five strategies are recommended: classifying words by meaning and grammatical categories, summarizing main points, and rereading the text to enhance comprehension and retention of important information.
Data collected through the questionnaire is analyzed quantitatively using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software, where frequencies and percentages are calculated for each item The findings are presented as frequencies and percentages, allowing for a comparison between the self-reported data and the actual reading processes, particularly in terms of reading strategy usage.
The analysis of the data reveals three key strategies derived from the questionnaire: (1) Pre-reading strategies, (2) While-reading strategies, and (3) Post-reading strategies These strategies are detailed with corresponding frequencies and percentages, providing a comprehensive overview of their effectiveness.
ANALYSES AND FINDINGS
This chapter presents a comprehensive analysis of the data, followed by a discussion of the research findings that address the study's guiding questions The analysis focuses on identifying, describing, and exploring various features, percentages, and frequencies of student responses.
4.1 Descriptive statistics of the respondents
Table 4.1: Descriptive statistics of the respondents
The survey reveals that 62.5% of respondents are male and 37.5% are female, indicating that male students predominantly influence the reading perceptions Additionally, students aged 18 to 22 represent a higher percentage at 59.2%, compared to 40.8% for those aged 23 to 30 Notably, a significant portion of respondents, 67.5%, exhibit weak interest in reading.
Out of 120 students, 39 exhibit a strong interest in reading, representing 32.5% of the total Regarding reading proficiency, approximately 50% of the students demonstrate a normal level of reading comprehension, while 31% possess good reading skills and 37% are categorized as having poor proficiency.
This study categorizes 43.3% of students with normal reading proficiency as having low proficiency, highlighting the distinctions between high-performing and low-performing readers.
Gender Age Reading interest Reading proficiency
Descriptive statistics of the respondents
Male Female 18-22 23-30 Strong Weak Good Normal Poor
4.2.1 Reading strategy use of vocational students
Table 4.2: Frequency of using reading strategies
Relating the title and illustration to the text 4.78 0.54
Looking up every unknown word in the dictionary 2.02 0.92 Checking the dictionary only for important words 3.83 0.99
Using grammatical clues to guess the meaning 2.21 1.07
Rereading a sentence if not understood 3.96 0.87
Translating the text word-for-word 2.57 1.28
Taking notes on important points 3.53 1.07
Making guesses about what will come next based on information already given
Relating the text to background knowledge 3.22 0.99
Classifying words by meaning and grammatical categories are essential skills, with average scores of 2.59 and 2.17, respectively Summarizing the main points in a text is crucial for comprehension, achieving a score of 3.83 Rereading the text is an effective strategy to address comprehension failures, with a score of 3.99, and to reinforce the retention of important points, which garnered the highest score of 4.24.
The strategies are evaluated using a five-point Likert scale, where 1 signifies "never use" and 5 signifies "always use." Students rate their frequency of strategy usage accordingly, with a higher mean value reflecting more frequent use Based on the frequency ranking established by Sheory and Mokhtari (2011), strategies with mean scores above 3.5 are categorized as high use, those between 2.5 and 3.49 as medium use, and scores below 2.5 as low use.
Ten effective reading strategies are widely utilized, with mean values ranging from 3.5 to 4.78 The most favored strategy is relating the title and illustration to the text (M=4.78), followed closely by reading the first sentence (M=4.70) and skimming (M=4.64) Other important strategies include rereading the text to remember key points (M=4.24) and addressing comprehension failures through rereading (M=3.99) Additionally, readers often reread sentences for clarity (M=3.96), check the dictionary for significant words (M=3.83), and summarize main points (M=3.83) Some readers choose to skip unknown words (M=3.55) and take notes on important information (M=3.53).
Several reading strategies show medium usage among students, with mean values ranging from 2.57 to 3.41 The most frequently employed strategies include thinking about prior knowledge (M=3.41), thinking aloud while reading (M=3.23), and relating the text to background knowledge (M=3.22) Other moderately used strategies are contextual guessing (M=2.78), making predictions based on provided information (M=2.75), classifying words by meaning (M=2.59), and translating text word-for-word (M=2.57) Conversely, three strategies are used less frequently: utilizing grammatical clues to infer meaning (M=2.21), classifying words by grammatical categories (M=2.17), and looking up every unfamiliar word in the dictionary (M=2.02).
4.2.2 Differences in reading strategies use by gender
Table 4.3: Reading strategies of female and male students
Relating the title and illustration to the text
Reading the first sentence 4.68 0.57 4.73 0.45 0.594 Thinking about previous knowledge
Looking up every unknown word in the dictionary
Checking the dictionary only for important words
Using grammatical clues to guess the meaning
Skipping unknown words 3.56 0.68 3.53 0.73 0.840 Rereading a sentence if not understood
Translating the text word-for- word
Thinking-aloud when reading 3.19 0.93 3.29 1.04 0.577 Taking notes on important points 3.65 1.01 3.33 1.15 0.112 Making guesses about what will 2.57 1.10 3.04 1.09 0.025 come next based on information already given
Relating the text to background knowledge
Classifying words according to meaning
Classifying words according to grammatical categories
Summarizing the main points in the text
Rereading the text to make up for comprehension failure
Rereading the text to remember the important points
In a study of strategy usage among male and female students, it was found that 11 out of 20 strategies for male students are categorized as high usage, with 6 strategies falling into medium usage and 3 in low usage In contrast, female students exhibit a different pattern, utilizing 9 strategies at a high frequency, 7 at a medium level, and only 4 at a low level.
Table 4.3 presents the p-values that assess the differences in strategy usage between male and female students With most p-values exceeding 0.05, the null hypothesis—indicating no significant difference between the two groups—cannot be rejected This suggests that, generally, both genders employ similar strategies, and gender does not significantly influence strategy usage However, notable differences arise in three specific strategies: looking up unknown words in the dictionary (p-value=0.000), contextual guessing (p-value=0.014), and classifying words by grammatical categories (p-value=0.049) Female students are more likely to look up unknown words and classify words according to grammatical categories, with means of 2.40 and 2.3, respectively Conversely, male students demonstrate a higher tendency to use contextual guessing, with means of 2.97 compared to 2.44 for female students.
Table 4.4 presents a comparison of favored and least favored reading strategies among male students The top five preferred strategies include relating the title and illustration to the text (M=4.72), reading the first sentence (M=4.68), skimming (M=4.60), rereading to remember key points (M=4.36), and rereading unclear sentences (M=4.05) Conversely, the least favored strategies are making guesses based on prior information (M=2.57), classifying words by meaning (M=2.45), using grammatical clues for meaning (M=2.29), classifying words by grammatical categories (M=2.03), and looking up every unknown word in the dictionary (M=1.63).
Female students prefer strategies such as relating titles and illustrations to the text (M=4.89), reading the first sentence (M=4.73), skimming (M=4.71), rereading to remember key points (M=4.04), and rereading for comprehension (M=3.93) In contrast, male students least favor strategies like looking up every unknown word (M=2.67), translating word-for-word (M=2.49), contextual guessing (M=2.44), classifying words by grammatical categories (M=2.40), and using grammatical clues for meaning (M=2.07).
Male and female students utilize similar top strategies, but female students tend to employ these strategies more frequently Notably, there is a significant difference in the use of the Contextual guessing strategy; male students favor it, while it ranks as the least preferred strategy among female students This study reinforces previous research indicating that female students demonstrate greater awareness of reading strategies and utilize them more often than their male counterparts.
Table 4.4: Reading strategies of female and male students ranked by frequency
Male students (nu) Female students (nE)
Relating the title and illustration to the text
4.72 Relating the title and illustration to the text
Reading the first sentence 4.68 Reading the first sentence 4.73
Rereading the text to remember the important points
4.36 Rereading the text to remember the important points
Rereading a sentence if not understood
4.05 Rereading the text to make up for comprehension failure
Rereading the text to make up for comprehension failure
4.03 Summarizing the main points in the text
Checking the dictionary only for important words
3.84 Checking the dictionary only for important words
Summarizing the main points in the text
3.77 Rereading a sentence if not understood
Taking notes on important points
Skipping unknown words 3.56 Taking notes on important points
Relating the text to background knowledge
3.19 Relating the text to background knowledge
Contextual guessing 2.97 Making guesses about what will come next based on information already given
Translating the text word- for-word
2.61 Classifying words according to meaning
Making guesses about what will come next based on information already given
2.57 Looking up every unknown word in the dictionary
Classifying words according to meaning
2.45 Translating the text word-for- word
Using grammatical clues to guess the meaning
Classifying words according to grammatical categories
2.03 Classifying words according to grammatical categories
Looking up every unknown word in the dictionary
1.63 Using grammatical clues to guess the meaning
4.2.3 Differences in reading strategies use by reading proficiency level Table 4.5: Reading strategies of students with different reading proficiency levels
Relating the title and illustration to the text
Reading the first sentence 4.74 0.51 4.69 0.54 0.26 0.610 Thinking about previous knowledge
Looking up every unknown word in the dictionary
Checking the dictionary only for important words
Contextual guessing 2.94 1.15 2.72 1.15 0.82 0.368 Using grammatical clues to guess the meaning
Skipping unknown words 3.45 0.68 3.58 0.70 0.83 0.363 Rereading a sentence if not understood
Translating the text word-for- word
Thinking-aloud when reading 3.35 0.84 3.18 1.01 0.75 0.387 Taking notes on important points 3.58 1.12 3.52 1.06 0.08 0.776 Making guesses about what will come next based on information already given
Relating the text to background knowledge
Classifying words according to meaning
Classifying words according to grammatical categories
Summarizing the main points in the text
Rereading the text to make up for comprehension failure
Rereading the text to remember the important points
Students with high proficiency levels utilize 10 out of 20 strategies frequently, while 7 strategies are employed at a medium frequency and only 3 at a low frequency In contrast, students with low proficiency levels also use 10 strategies with high frequency, but 6 are used at a medium level and 4 at a low level.
Table 4.4 presents the F-statistics and p-values from a test examining differences between male and female students, revealing that all p-values exceed 0.05 This indicates a failure to reject the null hypothesis, suggesting no statistically significant differences in strategy usage between the two groups Consequently, it appears that reading proficiency does not significantly influence strategy application among students Meanwhile, Table 4.6 highlights the most and least favored strategies among high-proficiency students The top five preferred strategies include relating titles and illustrations to the text (M=4.81), reading the first sentence (M=4.74), skimming (M=4.58), rereading to remember important points (M=4.16), and rereading to address comprehension failures (M=4.10) Conversely, the least favored strategies for these students are making guesses about upcoming content (M=2.84), classifying words by meaning (M=2.58), classifying words by grammatical categories (M=2.29), looking up every unknown word (M=2.23), and using grammatical clues for meaning (M=2.06).
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION
The study is launched with the objective of identifying the reading strategies commonly used by a sample of ESP students in VVC It draws three important conclusions:
Students at VVC predominantly employ various strategies when reading ESP texts, including relating titles and illustrations to the content, skimming, and rereading for comprehension and retention of key points They focus on summarizing main ideas, taking notes, and selectively checking the dictionary for essential words, often opting to skip unknown terms In contrast, less frequently used strategies include utilizing grammatical clues for meaning, classifying words by grammatical categories, and looking up every unfamiliar word These findings highlight the effective reading habits of VVC students in enhancing their understanding of ESP materials.
The study reveals that vocational female students demonstrate a greater awareness and usage of reading strategies compared to their male counterparts While most reading strategies are employed similarly by both genders, gender does not significantly influence the usage of many strategies Notably, there is a significant divergence in the use of the Contextual guessing strategy, which male students favor as a top choice, whereas female students regard it as the least preferred strategy.
At the sample vocational college, research indicates that there is no statistically significant difference in reading strategies employed by students with high proficiency levels compared to those with low proficiency levels However, students with high proficiency levels tend to utilize reading strategies slightly more frequently than their lower proficiency counterparts.
In conclusion, it has become clear that these ESP students need to improve more appropriate reading strategies to help them cope with the increasing demands of their academic study
Based on the study‟s findings, several recommendations are suggested to improve reading skill and comprehension of students:
Developing effective while-reading strategies is essential for enhancing students' reading comprehension at VVC Currently, there is a notable deficiency in these strategies among students, with practices like translating text word by word or excessively relying on dictionaries being counterproductive To improve reading habits, it is crucial to emphasize beneficial strategies such as reading aloud when encountering difficult passages, reading slowly and carefully for important texts, predicting meanings, evaluating content, inferring the meanings of unknown words, taking notes, underlining key information, self-questioning, and resolving conflicting information.
Effective reading comprehension requires a balanced approach that integrates strategies across all three stages of reading: before, during, and after However, students at this vocational college predominantly rely on before-reading strategies, such as relating titles and illustrations to the text, skimming, and reading the first sentence, along with after-reading techniques like rereading for key points and addressing comprehension gaps This limited approach results in an imbalanced reading method, hindering their overall understanding of academic materials.
Choosing the right reading strategies is crucial for students, as effectiveness can vary based on individual characteristics What works well for one student may not be effective for another, making it essential to identify which strategies align with each student's reading habits By selecting and consistently applying suitable reading techniques, students can significantly improve their reading proficiency and comprehension over time.
The author diligently strives to conduct the research formally and accurately, despite facing inherent limitations One primary challenge is the inability to include all vocational college students, leading to the selection of a specific group Additionally, the study is constrained by time limitations Despite these challenges, the author implements the best possible solutions to maintain the accuracy, reliability, and meaningful contributions of the research.
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Wood, E., Motz, M., and Willoughby, T (1998) Examining students‟ retrospective memories of strategy development Journal of Educational Psychology (90), pp 698–704
APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: Official questionnaire (English version)
A SURVEY ON CURRENT READING STRATEGIES OF ENGLISH
As a postgraduate student at the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University Hanoi, I am currently conducting my thesis on "A Survey of Current Reading Strategies of English for Specific Purposes Students at a Vocational College." I kindly request a few minutes of your time to answer questions from your personal perspective Please rest assured that all information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for research purposes related to this topic.
1 You are a student at Viglacera Vocational College
2 You study with English for specific purposes
If you are a student at Viglacera Vocational College and study English for specific purposes, please continue to do this questionnaire
2 What is your age group?
3 Do you have interests in reading?
4 How is your reading proficiency?
When engaging with English-for-special-purposes texts, assess your strategy usage across three stages: pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading For each strategy, indicate its frequency by circling the appropriate number This evaluation will help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement in reading comprehension.
Never Rarely Sometimes Usually Always
No Strategy LEVEL OF AGREEMENT
1 Relating the title and illustration to the text 1 2 3 4 5
5 Looking up every unknown word in the dictionary
6 Checking the dictionary only for important words
8 Using grammatical clues to guess the meaning
10 Rereading a sentence if not understood 1 2 3 4 5
11 Translating the text word-for-word 1 2 3 4 5
13 Taking notes on important points 1 2 3 4 5
14 Making guesses about what will come next based on information already given
15 Relating the text to background knowledge 1 2 3 4 5
16 Classifying words according to meaning 1 2 3 4 5
17 Classifying words according to grammatical categories
18 Summarizing the main points in the text 1 2 3 4 5
19 Rereading the text to make up for comprehension failure
20 Rereading the text to remember the important points
Thank you for your help!
APPENDIX 2: Official questionnaire (Vietnamese version)
CÂU HỎI KHẢO SÁT VỀ CÁC CHIẾN THUẬT ĐỌC CỦA CÁC HỌC VIÊN
Tôi là học viên Khoa Sau đại học tại Trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ, Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, hiện đang thực hiện luận văn tốt nghiệp với đề tài “Khảo sát các chiến thuật đọc tiếng Anh chuyên ngành hiện nay của học viên tại một trường Cao đẳng nghề” Rất mong bạn dành chút thời gian để trả lời các câu hỏi dựa trên quan điểm cá nhân Mọi thông tin bạn cung cấp sẽ được bảo mật và chỉ được sử dụng cho mục đích nghiên cứu của đề tài này.
PHẦN 1: CÂU HỎI SÀNG LỌC
1 Bạn là một sinh viên trường Cao đẳng nghề Viglacera
2 Bạn học môn Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành □ Có □ Không Nếu bạn là một sinh viên trường Cao đẳng nghề Viglacera và có học môn Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành, hãy tiếp tục trả lời các câu hỏi dưới đây
PHẦN 2: CÁC CÂU HỎI THÔNG TIN CÁ NHÂN
2 Bạn thuộc nhóm tuổi nào?
3 Bạn có đam mê với việc đọc không?
4 Khả năng đọc của bạn như thế nào?
PHẦN 3: CÁC CÂU HỎI CHÍNH
Hãy xác định mức độ phù hợp cho từng chiến lược bạn thường áp dụng trước, trong và sau khi đọc các tài liệu Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành Để làm điều này, hãy khoanh tròn số tương ứng theo quy tắc đã đề ra.
Chưa từng Ít khi Thỉnh thoảng Thường xuyên
Chiến lược MỨC ĐỘ ĐỒNG TÌNH
CÁC CHIẾN LƯỢC TRƯỚC KHI ĐỌC
1 Liên hệ tiêu đề và hình minh họa với nội dung bài đọc
4 Nghĩ đến các kiến thức đã có 1 2 3 4 5
CÁC CHIẾN LƯỢC TRONG KHI ĐỌC
5 Tra từ điển tất cả các từ không biết 1 2 3 4 5
6 Chỉ tra từ điển những từ quan trọng 1 2 3 4 5
7 Đoán nghĩa theo ngữ cảnh bài đọc 1 2 3 4 5
8 Sử dụng các đầu mối ngữ pháp để đoán nghĩa
9 Bỏ qua những từ không biết 1 2 3 4 5
10 Đọc lại một câu nếu chưa hiểu 1 2 3 4 5