Nhận thức của giáo viên đối với việc sử dụng phương pháp giao nhiệm vụ trong sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh 11 chuẩn tại trường Trung học phổ thông Nguyễn Viết Xuân,

Vietnam national university, Hanoi College of foreign languages Post – graduate department Ngun thÞ nga Teachers’ conceptualization of using Task-Based Method in the standard English 11 coursebook at nguyen viet xuan high school, vinh phuc Nhận thức giáo viên việc sử dụng ph-ơng pháp giao nhiệm vụ sách giáo khoa tiếng anh 11 chuẩn tr-ờng trung học phổ thông nguyễn viết xuân, vĩnh phúc MA Minor Thesis Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 601410 hµ néi - 2009 Vietnam national university, Hanoi College of foreign languages Post – graduate department Ngun thÞ nga Teachers’ conceptualization of using Task-Based Method in the standard English 11 coursebook at nguyen viet xuan high school, vinh phuc NhËn thøc cña giáo viên việc sử dụng ph-ơng pháp giao nhiƯm vơ s¸ch gi¸o khoa tiÕng anh 11 chn tr-ờng trung học phổ thông nguyễn viết xuân, vĩnh MA Minor Thesis Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 601410 Supervisor: d-ơng thị nụ, ph.d hà nội - 2009 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Declaration i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Table of contents iv List of abbreviations vii List of tables viii PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale for the study Aims of the study Research questions Scope of the study Significance of the study Methodology 6.1 Participants 6.2 Instruments 6.2.1 Interviews 6.2.2 Teaching plan interpretations 6.2.3 Classroom observations Structure of the study PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Theoretical foundations 1.1.1 Theories of language 1.1.1.1 The functional view 1.1.1.2 The interactional view 1.1.2 Theories of language teaching 1.1.2.1 Cognitive theory v 1.1.2.2 Constructivist theory 1.1.2.3 Generative Learning Theory 1.2 Task-Based Language Teaching 1.2.1 Definition of terminology 1.2.1.1 What is task-based language teaching? 1.2.1.2 Definition of task 1.2.1.3 Tasks, activities and exercises 11 1.2.1.4 Varieties of task 12 1.2.2 Task-Based Language Teaching framework 13 1.2.2.1 Pre-task stage 13 1.2.2.2 Task cycle stage 14 1.2.2.3 Language focus 14 1.2.3 Components of Task-Based Language Teaching framework 14 1.3 Task-Based Instruction versus the traditional approach to language teaching 15 1.4 Teacher’s interpretation of task-based language teaching 17 1.4.1 Teacher’s role in task-based instruction 17 1.4.2 Teachers’ interpretation of task-based language teaching 17 1.5 Summary 19 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 20 2.1 The fitness of case study to the research 20 2.2 The setting of the study 21 2.2.1 An introduction to Nguyen Viet Xuan high school 21 2.2.2 Participants 22 2.3 Methodology 23 2.3.1 Interviews 23 2.3.2 Teaching plan interpretations 23 2.3.3 Class observations 24 2.4 Data analysis 25 2.5 Summary 25 vi CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS 26 3.1 Findings 26 3.1.1 Findings of the interviews 26 3.1.1.1 Teachers’ conceptualization of teaching methodology and tasked-based language teaching approach 26 3.1.1.2 Teachers’ conceptualization of task 27 3.1.1.3 Teachers’ task-based language teaching implementation 29 3.1.1.4 Teachers’ main issues in task-based language teaching implementation 29 3.1.1.5 Students’ achievements learning in task-based language learning 30 3.1.2 Findings of the teaching plan interpretations 32 3.1.3 Findings of the classroom observations 33 3.2 Discussion of the findings 35 3.3 Summary 38 PART III: CONCLUSION 39 Summary of the study 39 Conclusions 39 Implications 40 Limitations of the study 41 Implications for further study 41 REFERENCES 42 APPENDIXES vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CLT: Communicative Language Teaching ELT: English Language Teaching NVX: Nguyen Viet Xuan PPP: Presentation – Practice - Production TBL: Task-based learning TBLT: Task-Based Language Teaching viii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Teachers’ qualifications and teaching specification Table 2: Teachers’ conceptualization of task Table 3: Teachers’ teaching plans Table 4: Teachers’ teaching practice PART I: INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study The ongoing process of regional and global integration in Vietnam has resulted in an increasing demand for English teaching and learning English not only is now taught at tertiary level but also becomes a compulsory subject at almost every senior high school Such great demand is one of the most important reasons causing the innovation at secondary level driven by the Ministry of Education and Training The innovation started with the change of coursebooks In 2003-2004 academic year, grade 10 students in 46 pilot secondary schools nationwide studied one of the two new English coursebooks: “English 10 – the piloted coursebook 1” and “English 10 - the piloted coursebook ” The two following academic years, grade 11 and 12 students in those schools worked with the new piloted coursebooks of English 11 and 12 respectively Since 2006-2007 academic year, after the trials with evaluation and accordingly appropriate changes, the piloted coursebooks have been officially adopted to replace the old ones nationwide The introduction of the new set of coursebooks is actually an innovation in Vietnam’s education Under the light of this innovation, the course objectives, content and methodology have been changed to meet the increasing demand for education quality in the new development period of the country Being a teacher of English at a high school in Vinh Phuc, a province in the North of Vietnam, and having worked with all new coursebooks, I realize that the change in course methodology is the most important factor that leads to the success of the innovation It can be easily seen from the change of course methodology in coursebooks, particularly in the standard English 11 coursebook that different approaches and methods of teaching are used combinatively They are theme-based approach, communicative approach, task-based learning and learner-centered teaching Among these, task-based learning seems to be the most outstanding one In fact, although task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach is very popular in Vietnam now; it is quite new to teachers of English at high schools in Vinh Phuc The question raised here is that how well teachers understand TBLT and that with their degree of such understandings how they implement this approach to teach tasks in the set coursebook With this idea, the study follows the research paradigm that seeks to discover teachers’ conceptualization of Task-based Method in the standard English 11 coursebook in the context of Nguyen Viet Xuan (NVX) high school, a typical high school in Vinh Phuc province Aims of the study In attempt to investigate teachers’ conceptualization of TBLT, the study examines teachers’ understanding of TBLT concepts, and teachers’ views on TBLT implementation in the standard English 11 coursebook, and makes clear the relationship between the conceptualization of high school teachers of TBLT and the degree of success in its implementation Reasearch questions In the light of the aims of the study, the following research questions are posed: (1) How well teachers at Nguyen Viet Xuan high school understand task-based language teaching concepts? (2) How they implement task-based language teaching in classroom? (3) How does teachers’ conceptualization of task-based language teaching influence the achievements of students’ learning? Scope of the study The study focuses on the teachers’ conceptualization of TBLT and their points of view on implementation of this method in the classroom with the material of the standard English 11 coursebook at NVX high school, which is one of the high schools having the best achievements in teaching and learning English in Vinh Phuc The study was conducted in the second term of school year 2008-2009 Significance of the study Information obtained from the study firstly will help teachers to realize the role of keeping themselves updated with the new knowledge of approaches they are working with More importantly, the information also helps teacher trainers to make appropriate decisions on how to introduce TBLT in Vietnam contexts as well as to recommend suitable strategies of teacher development Besides, it may inform concerned people such as education managers of how to provide teachers with necessary facilities and encouragement to adapt and apply TBLT to their teaching context Methodology A qualitative case study is designed and conducted in the context of a high school in the countryside of Vinh Phuc 6.1 Participants The sample consists of five teachers of English at NVX high school 6.2 Instruments 6.2.1 Interviews As the sample size is small, interviewing has been adopted as the major instrument to obtain detailed information in this research Interviews are conducted with individual teachers to get their interpretations of TBLT, their views on implementing this method in the classroom, issues in TBLT implementation in the classroom, and factors inhibiting TBLT implementation 6.2.2 Teaching plan interpretations The interpretation of teaching plan of teachers is used to find out how the teachers realize their understandings of TBLT in the preparation for lessons 6.2.3 Classroom observations Classroom observations are used to clarify the validity of the interviews of the teachers and their realization of teaching plans Structure of the study Part I: Introduction - is used to introduce the study presenting the rationale, the aims, the scope, the significance, the methodology and the structure of the study Part II: Development - includes three chapters Chapter one deals with a review of the literature It provides a theoretical framework focusing on learning and teaching theories It is also concerned with the concepts and components of TBLT Chapter two first refers to the context of the study Besides, it describes the methodology, the procedure of data collection and data analysis of the study Chapter three presents all the findings and discussion of the findings ... English 11 coursebook at nguyen viet xuan high school, vinh phuc Nhận thức giáo viên việc sử dụng ph-ơng pháp giao nhiệm vụ sách giáo khoa tiếng anh 11 chuẩn tr-ờng trung học phổ thông nguyễn viết xuân,. .. coursebook ” The two following academic years, grade 11 and 12 students in those schools worked with the new piloted coursebooks of English 11 and 12 respectively Since 2006-2007 academic year,... 1.2.1.2 Definition of task 1.2.1.3 Tasks, activities and exercises 11 1.2.1.4 Varieties of task 12 1.2.2 Task-Based Language Teaching framework