Trang 1 CỘNG HOÀ XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAMĐộc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúcĐƠN ĐỀ NGHỊ CÔNG NHẬN SÁNG KIẾN Tên sáng kiến: Deploy IELTS reading materials to develop writing ability of gifted st
INTRODUCTION
The aim of the study
The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using IELTS reading materials to enhance the writing skills of gifted students It was assumed that these materials would aid in building academic vocabulary and refining writing style, ultimately leading to improved essay ideas among students.
Scope of the study
This study explored the impact of using IELTS reading passages on the writing development of grade-10 students in Major English classes The research aimed to understand how these reading materials influenced students' ability to generate and articulate ideas in their writing.
1.4 The significance of the study
This research aims to deepen the understanding of innovative learning approaches and develop effective lesson planning strategies for classroom implementation It also proposes methods to improve students' self-study practices Additionally, the article includes a compilation of practice exercises and examples, serving as valuable teaching and learning resources for both educators and students.
Significance of the study
The exploration of writing as a productive skill has been extensively researched, leading to varied opinions on effective improvement strategies Consequently, there is ongoing debate regarding the definition of writing skills and the best approaches to teaching them.
Writing is an essential linguistic skill that enables effective self-expression in daily life, particularly in complex situations that require logical reasoning (Pardede, 2014) It is a disciplined activity that thrives on platforms for idea exchange and assessment, such as conversation and self-reflection (Knapp & Watkins, 2005) Moreover, writing involves the process of thinking and organizing ideas into coherent sequences, which can range from a few sentences to longer texts, emphasizing the importance of idea development and coherence (Sianturi, Silalahi & Purba, 2020).
A significant barrier to developing writing skills in students is their insufficient academic vocabulary, which often leads to anxiety when tackling challenging subjects like science, politics, and technology Many students struggle to generate appropriate words and ideas, sometimes using complex terminology without fully grasping its context This desire to appear academically superior can result in a misapplication of specific terms, ultimately hindering their ability to convey ideas effectively and understand the content.
Lack of background knowledge is also an obstacle for students' writing process Nation
According to research from 2006, learners must understand approximately 98% of the vocabulary in a language to effectively comprehend spoken or written content This indicates that students with a strong foundational knowledge can engage with new or unfamiliar topics without difficulty, while those lacking such background knowledge may face challenges in understanding.
Writing is a complex skill that demands significant effort for improvement To enhance the teaching of writing skills, it is essential to identify and address common challenges that hinder this process.
According to Westwood (2008), writing is the most challenging skill to master since it needs the efficient cooperation of cognitive, linguistic, and psycho-motor processes There are five
LITERATURE REVIEW
Definition of writing skill
The exploration of writing as a productive skill has been a focal point for researchers aiming to enhance its effectiveness Consequently, there is a diverse range of opinions regarding the definition of writing skills and the most effective teaching methods for them.
Writing is an essential linguistic skill that enables effective self-expression, particularly in complex situations that require logical clarity (Pardede, 2014) It is a disciplined activity that thrives on platforms for idea exchange and assessment, such as conversation and self-reflection (Knapp & Watkins, 2005) Furthermore, writing involves the process of thinking and organizing ideas into coherent sequences, which can range from just a few sentences to more extensive compositions (Sianturi, Silalahi & Purba, 2020) The emphasis lies on the importance of idea development and coherence to ensure that the words are meaningfully arranged and connected.
Challenges in Teaching Writing
A significant barrier to developing writing skills in students is their limited academic vocabulary, which often leads to anxiety during brainstorming sessions, especially in challenging subjects like science, politics, and technology Many students struggle to find the right words and may misuse complex terms in an attempt to appear academically superior, ultimately undermining the importance of precise terminology This lack of understanding can result in miscommunication and a failure to convey the intended ideas effectively.
Lack of background knowledge is also an obstacle for students' writing process Nation
According to research from 2006, learners must understand approximately 98% of the vocabulary in a language to effectively comprehend spoken or written material This indicates that students with a strong foundational knowledge can engage with unfamiliar topics without difficulty, while those lacking background knowledge may find it challenging to understand new concepts.
Writing is a complex skill that demands significant effort for improvement To enhance writing instruction, it is essential to identify and address common challenges that impede the teaching of writing skills.
Writing is considered the most challenging skill to master, as it requires the seamless integration of cognitive, linguistic, and psycho-motor processes (Westwood, 2008) Effective writing encompasses five key components: purpose, audience, clarity, coherence, and unity Consequently, it is often viewed as a complex intellectual endeavor.
Writing is a unique skill often confined to classroom instruction, making progress challenging when teachers combine the teaching of writing techniques with content According to Alidmat and Ayassrah (2017), this dual approach can hinder effective learning.
(2021) also figure out the challenges of teaching language proficiency to high school students who acquire English comprehensively with higher accuracy and efficiency targets.
APPLICATION
The effects of the IELTS reading for writing approach on the writing ability of
Authentic resources, particularly IELTS reading passages, offer greater benefits than traditional textbooks for language learners These materials are designed for native speakers, presenting varied topics, language, and syntax that differ from adapted educational content By integrating reading and writing, students can achieve a deeper understanding and use of English, reaching a proficiency level closer to that of native speakers.
IELTS reading passages provides examples of truly exceptional writing, thereby offering pupils with training in voice, structure, syntax, and language.
Through IELTS reading texts, students also gain background knowledge in various academic fields, which might help them come up with ideas more effectively when writing essays.
Procedures
- Reading passages will be chosen and categorized according to the topics listed below.
Politics Tourism/ Travel Education Science
3.2.2 Highlight academic vocabulary and ideas
Teachers and students collaborate to analyze IELTS reading texts, focusing on academic vocabulary, background information, and topic-related concepts The examples provided illustrate how reading materials can be leveraged to help students improve their vocabulary, phrases, and ideas New words are emphasized and defined in the adjacent column, while key ideas and expressions are underlined to enhance understanding.
The belief that early humans coexisted peacefully with their environment has been challenged, as evidence suggests that modern humans began impacting ecosystems from the outset Our ancestors are now implicated in the extinction of large species, including massive flightless birds in Australia and mammoths in various regions.
Asia and the ground sloth of North America – as they spread across the planet.
Even so, by around 6,000 years ago there were only about 12 million people on earth
Today, with a population of 6.6 billion, humanity's reliance on fossil fuels is leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions and climate disruption It may seem surprising, but evidence suggests that human activities, such as deforestation for agriculture, have contributed to global warming since our ancestors began altering the environment.
Yet that’s the view of retired climate scientist
William Ruddiman, formerly of the
Ancient farmers contributed to the release of climate-warming gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere long before recorded history Rather than triggering a catastrophe, these early agricultural practices played a crucial role in preventing the onset of another ice age, helping to maintain a warm and stable climate on Earth for thousands of years.
Could a small group of early farmers have significantly altered the global climate? This concept, proposed by Ruddiman, may seem unbelievable to many, but it has sparked considerable debate and research in the scientific community.
Harmony refers to the pleasing combination of musical notes that create chords and progressions, often associated with terms like euphony and consonance To eliminate means to completely remove or eradicate something, while being accused involves being charged with an offense or crime Fauna pertains to the animals found in a specific region or habitat Guzzling describes the act of greedily consuming food or drink, and churning indicates the rapid production of something, often of low quality Far-fetched ideas are those that seem unlikely or implausible Pumping involves forcing liquids or gases to move, and a catastrophe is an event that causes significant and sudden damage or suffering The discussion around these concepts has been controversial ever since they were proposed.
In 2003, it was noted that most new and controversial ideas tend to fade quickly, as science often dismisses them However, five years later, the idea in question remains robust, with the latest evidence bolstering its validity The speaker asserts that natural explanations for the increase in greenhouse gases over the past few thousand years are inadequate and can be rejected, reinforcing the strength of his argument.
The significant increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which has led to a 0.7° C rise in average global temperature during the 20th century, is undeniably attributed to human activities.
Ruddiman posited that human contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions became significant well before the onset of the industrial age This assertion was supported by ice core data from Vostok Station in Antarctica, which demonstrated fluctuations in atmospheric CO2 and methane levels over the past 400,000 years.
Bubbles trapped in the ice provide a record of the ancient atmosphere during the past three interglacials.
The Earth experiences a cyclical pattern of temperature fluctuations approximately every 100,000 years, aligned with the onset and retreat of ice ages These cycles are primarily driven by periodic variations in the planet's orbit and axial tilt, which influence the amount of sunlight the Earth receives Currently, we are in a relatively short warm interglacial period that follows an ice age.
Every 22,000 years, there are notable peaks in methane levels that align with periods when the Earth's orbit causes summers in the northern hemisphere to come to a halt This phenomenon can be traced back to primitive times, representing some of the earliest climatic changes in Earth's history Additionally, managing ecosystems often involves the removal of unwanted plants, commonly referred to as weeds.
The term "suspect" refers to having an impression of something's existence without certain proof, while "drilled" describes the action of creating a hole in an object "Revealed" means to make previously unknown information known to others Interglacials are periods of milder climate occurring between glacial phases The orbit is the curved path of celestial bodies around stars or planets Warm northern summers enhance tropical monsoons in southern Asia, promoting vegetation growth and flooding, which leads to methane emissions from decaying plants in low-oxygen water Additionally, prolonged hot summers in the Arctic thaw wetlands, further increasing vegetation growth and methane release.
In recent times, however, this regular pattern has changed The last methane peak occurred around 11,000 years ago, at about
Atmospheric methane levels reached 700 parts per billion (ppb) before starting to decline However, contrary to expectations set by Ruddiman, which suggested a drop to around 450 ppb today, methane concentrations began to rise once more.
Working with climate modellers Stephen
Research by Verves, John Kutzbach, and Ruddiman indicates that if greenhouse gas levels had continued to decrease instead of increasing, large ice sheets would currently dominate northern Canada and Siberia, potentially leading the world into another ice age.
The rise of methane and CO2 levels over the past few thousand years raises important questions about the uniqueness of this interglacial period compared to previous ones This prompts an investigation into whether human activities could be a contributing factor to these significant increases in greenhouse gases.
Agriculture emerged around the eastern
Mediterranean some 11,000 years ago, then shortly afterwards in China and several thousand years later in the Americas.
CONCLUSION
Summary of findings
Utilizing IELTS reading materials significantly enhances the writing skills of 10th grade English gifted students, particularly in academic vocabulary and idea development With effective teaching strategies and well-designed tasks, students can acquire essential knowledge and skills for their future academic endeavors Although reading authentic materials intended for native speakers may initially pose a challenge, I strongly believe that with dedicated practice, their writing abilities will reach new heights.
Limitations
Despite the authors’ notable efforts, the study still bears a number of shortcomings within its scope, as the result of some unexpected problems
In the first place, there is the limitation of the number of IELTS reading passages in each theme to illustrate
Secondly, the writers admit that their knowledge and experience are still limited; therefore,minor mistakes are inevitable Therefore, any constructive comments, suggestions and recommendations would be highly appreciated
Suggestions for further studies
This study provides a preliminary exploration into how IELTS reading materials can enhance students' writing skills, particularly in academic lexico resources and idea development However, numerous aspects remain unexplored The researcher suggests that future studies could investigate the impact of other authentic materials on improving writing abilities Additionally, the authors encourage teachers to collaborate in creating a shared resource for students by incorporating analyzed reading texts that focus on lexico and idea development.
Alidmat, A O H., & Ayassrah, M A (2017) Development of Critical Thinking Skills through Writing Tasks: Challenges Facing Maritime English Students at Aqaba College, AlBalqa Applied University, Jordan International Journal of Higher Education, 6(3), 82-90.
Feronica, R A., Apriani, E., & Edy, S (2021) The Implementation of Higher Order Thinking 71 Skill (HOTS) in Junior High School: Teaching Practice and Problems ENGLISH FRANCA: Academic Journal of English Language and Education, 5(2), 185- 200.
Knapp, P and Megan W (2005) Genre, text, grammar Sydney: University of New South Wales
Meyers, A (2005) Gateways to academic writing: Effective sentences, paragraphs, and essays Longman, USA.
Nation, I.S.P (2006) ‘How large a vocabulary is needed for reading and listening?’ Canadian Modern Language Review 63, 1: 59-82.
Ur, P (1996) A Course in Language Teaching, Cambridge University Press, Great Britain.
Pardede, H (2014) The effectiveness of using text to improve writing skill for grade III students Retrieved from http://repository.usu.ac.id/bitstream/handle/123456789/64805/Effectiveness.pdf?sequence
Sianturi, L P D., Silalahi, D E., & Purba, C N (2020) Improving Students’ Writing Ability based on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Questions at 8th Grade in SMP.
Westwood, P (2008) What teachers need to know about teaching methods? Camberwell: Victoria