Luận văn thạc sĩ Phương pháp giảng dạy tiếng Anh: Improving ninth-graders’ reading skills through guided reading approach at a lower secondary school in Hai Phong

To make it easier to understand, students' perceptions of their reading abilities are examined as part of the study: - To what extent does the guided reading approach improve graders’rea

Rationale of the Study 11

English is widely used as a vital worldwide communication language. Understanding and using the English language is becoming more and more important as it has become an essential part of promoting international trade and transboundary traveling This language is also used for contact via modern media and technology, such as cell phones, email, and the Internet There's no denying that English is a language that people all around the world need to use as their primary language of exchange.

Given the importance of English as a worldwide language, it is necessary for Vietnamese people to be proficient in it English is a compulsory subject at all school levels in Vietnam Students are required to take tests in reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the end of each term or school year The tests are really challenging for the high school entry To achieve good scores, a majority of Vietnamese students have invested a lot more time to improve their English competence and score high. Among the four skills of English, reading is often considered the most monotonous one and students are often not quite interested in it However, this skill is the most important one for them to acquire this language because it benefits learners in the process of acquiring not only linguistic and social knowledge Being good readers likely supports the students to become good listeners, effective writers, and fluent speakers However, an unwelcome fact remains regarding the strategies to inspire students in their reading lessons and thereby improve their reading skills.

At secondary school level in Vietnam, English reading is a really important subject and student reading competence is evaluated at almost all exams Challenges arise for secondary school students learning English as a second language when it comes to honing their reading skills These barriers include limited vocabulary,complex grammar, cultural differences, motivation and engagement issues, the need for effective reading techniques, limited practice opportunities, potential classroom limitations, multitasking with other subjects, and struggles with pronunciation and fluency These are also the obstacles that the students of my current school face They face the most significant challenges in developing English vocabulary and grammar skills A limited vocabulary can hinder their understanding of the text, making foreign words and phrases difficult, while the complexity of English grammar can make it difficult to understand sentence structures and the overall meaning of the text. Because I understand how important it is to improve secondary school students’ reading abilities when practising their reading abilities, I would like to help the students at a lower secondary school, where I have worked for four years, improve reading skills for the ninth-grade students I consequently decided to conduct research on “Improving ninth-graders’ reading skills through guided reading approach at a lower secondary school in Hai Phong.”

Aims of the study and research que€SfIOTS c5 +2 +svrseerssereerres 2 1.3 Scope of the SfUdy - nh HH HH HH HH HH HT HT nưệt 3 1.4 Methodology

The study aims is to examine the effectiveness of employing a guided reading approach to enhance the reading abilities of ninth-grade students in a lower secondary school The particular objectives of the study are as follows:

- To evaluate to what extent guided reading approach can improve students’ reading skills.

- To examine students’ perception of the application of guided reading approach to improve their reading skills.

- To make some recommendations for the effective use of guided reading approach to improve their reading skills.

To make it easier to understand, students' perceptions of their reading abilities are examined as part of the study:

- To what extent does the guided reading approach improve ninth- graders’reading comprehension?

- What are the students’ attitudes towards using the guided reading approach in reading lessons?

This study focuses on ninth-grade students at a lower secondary school in Hai Phong, aiming to enhance their reading skills through the guided reading approach.

It will be conducted within a lower secondary school over a defined period of three months to evaluate the effectiveness of this method.

An action research was designed and two main aspects were examined: (1) the effectiveness of guided reading approach on students’ reading ability and their attitudes towards the application of this technique.

A mixed research method was utilized to investigate the enhancement of ninth- graders' reading skills through the guided reading approach The study encompassed both quantitative and qualitative components Quantitatively, pre- and post- assessments measured the level of students' reading proficiency Besides that, a survey questionnaire investigated to determine the extent to which pupils' reading comprehension could be improved by the debate format Qualitatively, the researcher used the semi-structured interview's open-ended questions to find out how students feel about using debate to teach English reading Data from both qualitative and quantitative approaches were analyzed and triangulated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the approach and its effectiveness.

Significances of the Study .e

This study is expected to make some contributions theoretically and practically.

As for the former, the study's results is expected to contribute to some extent to the existing literature of teaching English in general and teaching reading skills for EFL learners in particular The application of guided reading approach has been widely used; however, there are not sufficient research regarding the implementation of this technique at lower secondary school level in a non-English speaking country.Therefore, the researcher hopes that this study can suggest some ways to improve the effectiveness of this pedagogical approach.

Regarding the latter, this study is expected to positively impact education by informing curriculum decisions and instructional strategies, ultimately benefiting students through improved reading skills and academic achievement In addition, it provides teachers with valuable knowledge that contributes to their professional development and enables them to better support their students Moreover, the research contributes to the wider educational literature and enriches our understanding of the development of reading skills in a lower secondary school context.

The researcher expects the study's findings to have practical significances for: a By improving ninth-graders reading skills through the guided reading approach, students can achieve higher academic success, better prepare for their high school entrance exam and experience increased confidence and motivation in their learning journey. b The results of the study train the teacher on how to deal with the students' reading comprehension issues It can be used as a resource when creating a more potent teaching strategy for reading comprehension. c The result of this study is a rise in reading comprehension Ninth- graders might also develop a stronger sense of curiosity and read more critically in the future Moreover, this study is helpful for improving educational standards and creating English language instruction for use in schools.

The introduction, literature review, research methodology, research findings and discussion and conclusion and recommendations are its five primary chapters.

The first chapter introduces generally about the study including: rationale of the study; aims of the study and research questions; scope of the study; methodology;significance of the study and research structure.

LITERATURE RIEVIIYN Go HH HC HH 030 00 6 2.1 Theoretical backgTOUnnd - - - - 2c 3111911119111 9111 11 91v ng ng re 6 2.1.1 Definition of reading 0n

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RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Findings and discussion of the findings from the questionnaire

The questionnaire was divided into three minor sections and the first of which is to examine how students were interested in the application of guided reading approach and whether they were motivated.

Table 4.13 Guided reading approach and Interest and Motivation

Statistical findings show that those who participated in the survey agreed that they were really interested in the application of this approach (M=4.96; SD=0.19). Although there was not a total agreement among the participants, they admitted that this teaching method helped them to learn at their own pace (M=4.73) and they

42 become more motivated to partake in reading lessons (M=4.77), and this allowed them to keep pace with their peers (M=4.70) Luckily, this results in the encouragement for students to prepare for their reading lessons more and better (M=4.76).

These findings were in line with Lyons (2003), Pinnell and Fountas, (2012), Scharer et al (2005) who confirmed that guided reading could help students to feel better because students who use materials at the classroom level experience reading success and positive emotional experiences According to Scharer, et al (2005), this result was brought about due to the fact that the human brain prefers positive emotional experiences, and this positive emotional experience can improve memory, language skills, and comprehension.

Turning to the second aspect that the researcher would like to examine from the survey, the relationship between guided reading approach and students’ perceived competence The statistical findings show that the participants strongly agreed that guided reading approach helped them to complete their reading tasks more easily (M=4.56; SD=0.5), improve their reading ability (M=4.74; SD=0.54), and boost their confidence (M=4.75; SD=0.65).These students did not agree that they felt worried because of the application of this technique (M=0.26); however, their opinions were really dissimilar (SD=0.94).

Table 4.14 Guided reading approach and Perceived Competence ee E=

These findings aligned with Fountas and Pinnell (1996) because their research results showed that students could improve their language and comprehension thanks to the application of guided reading approach This was the result of repeated reading and learning of the vocabulary contained in the reading passages at the teaching level during guided reading sessions Moreover, these findings were in line with Hausheer et al (2011) who believed that students benefit more from this type of teaching strategy, develop a tangible relationship with their teacher, and increase their confidence in reading Looking more closely at the table, we can see the disagreement of the students regarding their preparation for the reading exercises the teacher assigned They did not think they did this task better even after the application of the technique However, students’ opinions did vary.

Turning to more specific impacts of guided reading approach on student reading performance, most of the participants had neutral opinions They neither showed their strong agreement nor disagreement When being asked about the ability to use all cueing systems and cross- check one source with others, or to build their knowledge of the text or identify their strengths as well as weaknesses, the students were not quite sure about these because the mean scores attained were in the vicinity of 3 However, there is one point to note, which is the disparity in the students’ opinion (SD=0.9) when they were questioned about the use of cueing systems and the possibility to cross- check one source with their peers This indicates that some students quite agreed with their ability to do so while some other did not Another point to consider is about students’ preparation for the next reading texts The participants quite agreed that their preparation for the upcoming reading lessons were better; however, this opinion was dissimilar among the sampled population (M=3.9; SD=1.2) We also should keep in mind about the students’ opinions about the possibility that they could enhance their understanding actively through guided reading approach (M=3.36; SD=1.12) because of the big standard deviation index which showed the dissimilarity in the opinions of the students surveyed.

Findings about the usefulness of guided reading approach also showed us a lot about the students’ opinions and what we could do to improve the practice.

The statistical findings show that the students strongly agreed that guided reading approach helps them develop reading skills (M=4.5; SD=0.69) and improve their vocabulary (M=4.73; SD=0.45) What’s more, the participants agreed that guided reading approach makes their reading experiences meaningful, purposeful, and non- threatening These findings agreed with Frey et al (2010) as in their study, they could find that their students could develop independent reading skills and improved students’ autonomy and Hornsby (2000) who believed in the possibility to help their students to be successful independent reading However, the findings went against Bruce (2010) who found out that guided reading has little effect on reading outcomes. One point to note is the students could not completely agree that this technique provided them with more practical knowledge (SD=3.2; SD=1.25) However, the difference in SD showed us that the students did not agree with each other The final impact is about the thinking about the possibility that guided reading approach allows them to have high expectations of exams, the students agreed and their opinions were common.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Recapitulation oo

In summary, the study on “Improving ninth-graders' reading skills through a guided reading approach at a lower secondary school in Hai Phong” highlighted the important impact of using guided reading as an effective educational strategy. Through both quantitative and qualitative analysis, it became clear that guided reading enhances students' reading skills by providing personalized learning experiences and visualizing reading strategies The study was conducted in a school setting where the quality of guided reading was paramount, ensuring well-trained teachers, no time constraints due to integrating guided reading into the curriculum, and easy access to important resources.

This study provided valuable insight into the multifaceted nature of improving reading skills among ninth graders and highlighted the need for continued quality instruction in the educational context Clearly, guided reading not only elevates students’ reading proficiency but it also fosters a sense of engagement and enthusiasm that ultimately improves understanding.

In addition, recommendations for future research have been outlined, including the need for consistent, high-quality guided reading, larger samples, and examining the relationship between guided reading and student motivation Ethical considerations were at the forefront of this research, ensuring the confidentiality and anonymity of all participants Overall, this study contributes to ongoing efforts to improve middle school students’ reading skills and pedagogical practices, and illuminates the importance of guided reading as a valuable tool in educational settings.

Extensive research has been conducted on teaching specific techniques designed to improve students’ reading comprehension (e.g Boyle and Weishaar, 1997; Coffman, 1997; Denner and McGinley, 1992) However, there is a significant gap in

50 the literature regarding teaching students a range of strategies to facilitate reading, despite the established understanding that proficient readers have a range of strategies that can be adapted to different learning contexts (Pressley and Woloshyn, 1995). Although some programs teach students some strategies to improve their reading skills, such learning usually develops over a long period of time Additionally, only a limited number of researchers have examined the effects of simultaneously teaching students different reading strategies and related learning skills This study is unique in that it examines a pedagogy that promotes multiple strategies to enhance reading comprehension, particularly through guided reading, while providing students with test-taking guidance The course emphasizes guided reading and examination, enabling students to develop a wide range of effective strategies and skills necessary not only to understand text content, but also to effectively answer related questions. b Implications for Classroom Practice

Based on previous findings, the guided reading has shown its potential to enhance students' comprehension skills Several implications emerge from this observation:

1 The use of guided reading effectively enhances students’ reading proficiency This highlights the importance of exposing students to a variety of texts during teaching and learning so that classroom activities do not become monotonous. Guided reading increases student engagement and enthusiasm by encouraging students to take a new approach to learning.

2 Successfully deriving meaning from context is an effective way for students to tackle their vocabulary Many students recognize the benefits of contextual guessing in their future reading endeavors and emphasize the need to continue practicing this method in future classroom reading assignments.

3 Before the implementation, the students were not used to working in a group. The exercise highlights the benefits of group work, where students can exchange ideas and gain opinions on different topics Thus, group work allows students to expand their knowledge from different perspectives.

4 Students play a central role in learning When students are actively involved in the learning process, they trust their teachers' guidance and direction Such guidance allows students to identify and correct their mistakes, facilitating their continued learning and growth.

Considerable effort was made in this study to minimize its limitations in order to maintain the credibility, validity and reliability of the results One of the inherent disadvantages of studies is the reliance on social and behavioral data collection methods, such as interviews, which can introduce participant recall bias and recall problems that affect the reliability of the data (Cohen et al., 2018) In addition, generalizability is limited by the study and sample size However, due to the contextual nature of this study, the results may be valuable in similar educational contexts, helping teachers working with second language learners In addition, it is worth noting that the gender, socio-economic background, vocabulary, fluency, reading ability and attitudes of the participants in the comparison groups varied, which can affect students' achievement and introduce potential sources of bias The researchers' lack of direct involvement in group selection or composition is a noteworthy point, and it is possible that the groups were not completely matched. The possible effect of place is another aspect that should be considered, because the specific classroom or place in which the data was collected and the intervention was carried out can influence the results.

The qualitative side of the study confirmed the quantitative results and highlighted how guided reading improves ninth-graders' reading skills through personalized learning and visualized learning models This approach introduces students to reading strategies they can apply to succeed It is important to note that this study was conducted in a school where high-quality guided reading was integrated into the curriculum, ensuring well-trained and experienced teachers, eliminating time constraints with guided reading sessions and readily available resources

Recommendations for further research begin with the need to consistently provide high-quality guided reading in a research context to ensure accuracy of results.

A larger sample size should be considered to obtain results that are more applicable to more school settings, students, and teachers Furthermore, exploring the correlation between guided reading and student motivation can shed light on how guided reading promotes lifelong reading, an area of study that remains uncharted despite the interrelated reading components in this research.

To determine whether the improvements in reading comprehension performance stem from effective reading comprehension strategies, test-taking skills, or a combination of both, it is recommended to form three experimental groups The first group would receive instruction solely on reading comprehension strategies, the second solely on test-taking skills, and the third a combined instruction on both This approach allows for comparisons with a control group, enabling stronger conclusions regarding the relative strengths of each strategy Replicating this study is crucial due to the relatively small sample size, as it would provide more robust conclusions about the performance of students with varying reading abilities under different instructional conditions Observing larger and more diverse groups of students in different grades and grades would provide insight into the different reading comprehension strategies and test-taking skills used at different developmental levels. Future research should include longer durations, including guided practice, especially for students with reading difficulties Research has shown that repeated guided practice with incremental teacher feedback and fading cues is essential for student success, especially for those with reading difficulties There is currently little research on strategies to enhance students’ test-taking skills Future research should examine both reading comprehension strategies and test-taking skills to determine the benefits of mixed strategy instruction for students who face a variety of tests throughout their education Despite the questions raised, findings suggest that explicit instruction that includes modeling, guided practice, feedback, attribution instructions, and progress monitoring can improve reading and test-taking skills A replication of this study may provide additional information about the optimal way

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By the end of the appendix, students are expected to achieve the following objectives:

Ss revise the words related to four themes (Unit 1-4): Local environment; City life; Teen stress and presure and Life in the past through guided reading approach with the textbook (Tieng Anh 9 — the old version) in reading lessons

- Revise the use of compound and complex sentences; comparisons and phrasal verbs

- Revise how to arrange a visit to a place of interest in the region and discuss some features of a city.

- Revise how to discuss necessary life skills for teens and describe past practices

- Use the guided reading approach in reading comprehension

- Improve group work and independent working, pair work, linguistic competence, cooperative learning and communicative competence through the guided reading approach

- Provide interest and motivation with students through guided reading approach in reading comprehension b Specific competencies:

- Students can complete reading assignments through guided reading approach

- Perceptions of students about the application of guided reading approach in reading comprehention

- Students apply guided reading approach in reading lessons to improve their reading ability

- Be cooperative and supportive in pair work and teamwork through applying the guided reading approach in reading lessons

- Actively join in class activities

- Develop reading skills and abilities.

- Develop communication skills and cultural awareness in reading lessons through guided reading approach

1 Teacher: Text book, laptop, pre-test and post — test, survey questionnaires and semi- structured interview about the application of guided reading approach

2 Students: Text books, studying equipment’s, pens, tests.

IH ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME & PLACE

2 Place: a lower secondary school in Hai Phong

2 Pre- test and post test: 80 ninth- graders

3 Semi-stuctured interview: 5 ninth- graders

- Anticipated problems: Students may have difficulities doing all the tasks required.

- Solutions: Teacher should be willing to help them.

ACTIVITY 1: WARM-UP — PRE-READING

- Ask Ss what they have learnt so far in terms of language and skills Summarise their answers and add some more information if necessary.

Revision of the old lesson Having some warm-up activities to creat a friendly and relaxed atmosphere to inspire Ss to warm up to the new lesson.

- Interest and concentration of Ss on the class activities.

- A friendly and relaxed atmosphere to the new lesson

- A chance to speak English and focus on the topic of the lesson

- Ss do as required TEACHER AND STUDENTS' ACTIVITIES CONTENTS

- Teacher (T) asks Ss some questions about them | Questions and answers and class.

- T asks Ss to open their book and introduce what they are going to study

- Ss join in the discussion and do as required

- T summarizes the discussion and leads to

To help Ss revise what they have learnt so far.

- get some information about the text.

TEACHER AND STUDENTS' ACTIVITIES CONTENTS

-Teacher guides students important steps to do reading comprehension exercises

+Step 1: Ask students to look at the questions and underlines the key words of each question

+Step 2: Ask students to read the passage & use some specific startegies to choose the correct answer

Y Skimming is to find out the main idea of the passage.

Y Scanning is to find out the specific detail of the passage.

Y Inferring is to find out the writer asumption or opinion

-Teacher asks students to do reading exercises in the test in 20 minutes

- Teacher gives out Ss’ papers

- T delivers Ss their papers Comment

- Asks Ss to read all exercises in the test Notice to the mistakes they’ve made

- Ss follow the teacher’s tasks

- T gives answer keys and marks

-T evaluates the munber students having marks:

- T gives feedback on the reaction of Ss

I Read the text and choose the best answer.

II Read the text and choose the

To help Ss revise all they have learnt.

A mind map summarising the main points of the lesson.

Step 1: Task delivering (Home assignment)

- T has Ss summarise what they have learnt with the reading skill.

- T can instruct them to draw a mind map to summarise the main points of the lesson.

- Teacher summarises the main points.

- Ask Ss what they have learnt so far Have them * Home assignments: recall the important elements: - Finish all the exercises

Step 3: Report and discussion - Do exercises in workbook

- T asks, Ss answer about friends

T gives feedback and requires Ss do homework.

I am doing my MA research on using guided reading approach to improve reading skills for ninth graders at a secondary school and I am grateful for your help to complete this survey questionnaire.

Please put a tick on the column you find suitable with your own situation.

All the information is only used for the purpose of this research.

1 Interest and The application of the guided reading

Motivation approach is very interesting

I feel very excited to participate in guided reading activities

I prefer using guided reading approach in exercises to reading on my own normally.

I am more motivated to spend much more time practising reading skills

I try to keep up with others in my class

I put a lot of efforts preparing for the

I find it easier to do reading tasks through guided reading approach.

I can use all cueing systems and cross- check one source with others.

I can build my own knowledge of the text or identify my strength as well as weakness.

I can enhance my understanding actively through guided reading approach.

My reading skill gets better thanks to guided reading approach

I can discuss with my classmates about the reading tasks that the teacher assigned

I work harder preparing for the reading exercises the teacher assigned.

I find my reading ability better after using guided reading approach in reading tasks

I feel more confident when doing reading tasks

I feel worried before using the guided reading approach

Value/ Guided reading approach helps me to

67 usefulness develop my reading skills

Guided reading approach helps me to improve my vocabulary

Guided reading approach provides me with more practical knowledge

Guided reading approach encourages me to use the application independently before, during and after my reading of a text

Guided reading approach makes my reading experiences meaningful, purposeful and non- threatening.

Guided reading approach allows me have high expectations of exams

This interview is designed to support my study on “Improving ninth — graders

9 reading skills through guided reading approach at a lower secondary school in Hai Phong”.

Your assistance is of great importance to me and the completion of my work.

Please answer the questions as much as you can.

1 Before the application of the guided reading approach, what do you think about your reading lessons?

Did you actively participate in reading activities before your teacher applied the guided reading approach in reading lessons?

Do you think guided reading activities for reading lessons are more interesting than other activities your teacher applied? Why?

Do you think you can read passages better after the application of guided reading approach?

Why do you think your reading ability has improved after the application of guided reading approach?

THE PRE — TEST Name: Class:

Exercise 1: Read the passage and choose A,B,C,D to answer the questions about the text (5pts)

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