A study on factors affecting students participation in speaking lessons and suggested activities for the first year english major students at HPU n0 2

HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NO.2 FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES TRAN HUONG LINH A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS AND SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR THE FIRST YEAR ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HPU No.2 (SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLSH) HANOI, MAY 2015 HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NO.2 FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES TRAN HUONG LINH A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS AND SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR THE FIRST YEAR ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HPU No.2 (SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLSH) SUPERVISOR: NGUYEN THI PHUONG LAN M.A. HANOI, MAY 2015 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan (M.A.), for her enthusiastic instructions. Without her insightful discussion, her critical comment, her dedicated support, and her valuable orientation, this thesis would not have been completed. I also owe a great debt of gratitude to Ms. Emma Parenteau for her valuable guidance and advice. My special thanks are also sent to Mr. Dang Ngoc Nam (M.A.) from Faculty of Foreign Language of HPU No.2, for his help and advice for this thesis. I cannot fully express my gratitude to all the lecturers of Faculty of Foreign Languages of HPU No.2 for giving me permission to commence this thesis in the first instance and to the necessary research work. I would also like to send my sincere thanks to English major students from Course 40 at HPU No.2 in the academic year of 2014-2015 taking part in my research. Last but not least, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my beloved people, my parents, my younger sister and friends for their support and encouragement throughout the time I carried out my study. Faculty of Foreign Languages i Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper ABSTRACT Students‟ participation in classroom activities has been a centre of various TEFL research. They have already found out a variety of factors that hinder the participation of students in speaking lessons. In general, these factors can come from teachers‟ side, students‟ side and others‟ side including classroom conditions, types and contents of activities, etc. Despite the great importance of learners‟ participation, many teachers have not paid enough attention to increase students‟ involvement in the lessons. This study is implemented to investigate the factors on the students‟ side that affect their participation in speaking activities. The subjects of the study are the first year English major students of Faculty of Foreign Languages at HPU No.2. The results from survey questionnaires and classroom observations show that learners‟ factors have been regarded as important factors impacting on the participation in speaking sessions. Also, the researcher analyzed some effective activities to help the teachers increase students‟ involvement in teaching English speaking. In addition, implications and suggestions for further research are made with the hope for better methods to help teachers reduce students‟ negative effects of these factors during the process of learning speaking English. Faculty of Foreign Languages ii Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Title: A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS AND SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR THE FIRST YEAR ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HPU No.2 (Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in English) I certify that all the materials in this study which are not my own work have been identified and acknowledged, and that no material is included for which a degree has been conferred upon me. Date submitted: May, 2015 Student Supervisor Tran Huong Linh Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan, M.A. Faculty of Foreign Languages iii Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS HPU No.2 Hanoi Pedagogical University No.2 Faculty of Foreign Languages iv Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper LIST OF GRAPHS Graph Page Graph Students‟ learning style 35 Graph Students‟ attitudes towards speaking English 37 in speaking lessons Graph Students‟ motivation 38 Graph Students‟ levels of English proficiency 40 Graph Students‟ personality 42 Graph Students‟ anxiety 44 Graph Students‟ gender differences 46 Graph Students‟ perception of speaking activities 56 after the action plan Graph Students‟ on-task behavior before and after the action plan 57 Graph 10 Students‟ interaction in a 10-minute speaking group work 58 before and after the action plan Graph 11 Students‟ interaction in a 50-minute speaking lesson 59 before and after the action plan LIST OF TABLES Table Students‟ interaction in lesson 49 Table Students‟ interaction in lesson 52 Table Students‟ interaction in lesson 53 Table Students‟ interaction in lesson 10 53 Table Students‟ interaction in lesson 11 54 Table Students‟ interaction in lesson 12 55 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Representing different student levels Faculty of Foreign Languages 12 v Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i ABSTRACT ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . iv LIST OF GRAPHS . v LIST OF TABLES v LIST OF FIGURES v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi PART ONE INTRODUCTION I. Rationale II. Research questions III. Research objectives IV. Research significance . V. Research scope . VI. Research methods VII. Research tasks . VIII. Design of the research work . PART TWO DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND I.1. Literature review I.2. Students’ factors affecting their participation in English speaking lessons . I.2.1. Students‟ learning style . I.2.2. Students‟ attitudes and motivation I.2.2.1. Students‟ attitudes I.2.2.2. Students‟ motivation I.2.3. Students‟ language levels 12 I.2.4. Students‟ personality . 14 I.2.5. Students‟ anxiety . 16 I.2.6. Gender differences 18 Faculty of Foreign Languages vi Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper I.3. Activities to encourage students’ involvement in speaking lesson . 19 I.3.1. Group work . 19 I.3.2. Discussion . 20 I.3.3. Role-play . 21 I.3.4. Simulations 22 I.3.5. Information Gaps 22 I.3.6. Storytelling 23 I.3.7. Interview . 24 I.3.8. Picture Narrating . 24 I.3.9. Picture Describing . 25 I.4. Summary . 25 CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY II.1. Research methods . 27 II.1.1. Action research 27 II.1.2.Action research procedure 27 II.1.2.1. Identifying the problem (week 3) . 27 II.1.2.2. Collecting initial data (weeks – 5) . 28 II.1.2.3. Analyzing data and generating hypotheses (week 6) 28 II.1.2.4. Planning action (week 7) 28 II.1.2.5. Implementing action (weeks – 12) . 29 II.1.2.6. Collecting data to monitor change (weeks – 12) . 29 II.1.2.7 Analyzing and evaluating students‟ participation after action plan (weeks 13 – 14) 29 II.2. Data collection instruments . 29 II.2.1. Survey questionnaires 29 II.2.1.1. Rationale behind the use of survey questionnaires . 29 II.2.1.2. Construction of the survey questionnaires 30 II.2.1.2.1. Construction of the Pre-survey questionnaire (Appendix A) 30 II.2.1.2.2. Construction of the Post-survey questionnaire (Appendix B) . 30 II.2.2. Classroom observation . 31 II.2.2.1. Rationale behind the use of classroom observation 31 II.2.2.2. Observation sheet: On-task behavior (Appendix C) . 32 II.3. The participants 33 II.3.1. The teacher . 33 II.3.2. The observers . 33 Faculty of Foreign Languages vii Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper II.3.3. The student subjects . 33 CHAPTER THREE: THE RESULTS III.1. Results of the Pre-action stage . 34 III.1.1. Results of the Pre-survey questionnaire . 34 III.1.1.1 Students‟ perception of learning speaking English 34 III.1.1.2. Learners‟ factors that hinder the students‟ participation in speaking lessons . 35 III.1.1.2.1. Learning style . 35 III.1.1.2.2. Attitudes and motivation 37 III.1.1.2.2.1. Attitudes 37 III.1.1.2.2.2. Motivation . 38 III.1.1.2.3. Language level 40 III.1.1.2.4. Personality 42 III.1.1.2.5. Anxiety . 43 III.1.1.2.6. Gender differences 45 III.1.1.3. Preferences for speaking activities 47 III.1.2. Students‟ on-task behavior . 48 III.1.3. Students‟ interaction self-report . 49 III.2. Results of the action stage 50 III.2.1. Students‟ on task behavior 50 III.2.2. Students‟ interaction self-report . 52 III.2.3. Results of the Post-survey questionnaire 55 III.3. Action research evaluation . 57 III.3.1. Students‟ on-task behavior before and after the action plan 57 III.3.2. Students‟ interaction before and after the action plan 58 III.4. Summary 59 PART THREE CONCLUSION IV.1. Summary of the study . 61 IV.2. Recommendations . 63 IV.2.1. Recommendations for grouping students . 63 IV.2.2. Recommendations for discussion . 64 IV.2.3. Recommendations for role-play and simulation 64 IV.2.4. Recommendations for information gaps 65 Faculty of Foreign Languages viii Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper APPENDIX B: Post-survey Questionnaire Questionnaire for the first-year English major students of Foreign Languages Faculty at Hanoi Pedagogical University No. The purpose of this survey is to explore your opinions on activities that have been used in your class after weeks. Your completion of this questionnaire will help to improve the teaching and learning in speaking classes. To what extent you agree with each of the following statements. Please indicate your answer using the following 5-point scale where: = Strongly agree = Agree = Disagree = Extremely disagree = Neither agree nor disagree Q. No Statements You have been more interested in the speaking sessions The learning atmosphere was good You found the activities more interesting You were encouraged to speak English You were confident to speak to the whole class The times you participated in speaking activities have increased Answer 7. Which activities you prefer in speaking lessons?(You can choose more than one letter) A. Group work E. Information Gap I. Picture Describing B. Discussion F. Storytelling K. Others (……………) C. Role play G. Interview D. Simulation H. Picture Narrating Faculty of Foreign Languages 78 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix C: Observation sheet Students’ on-task behavior (Adapted from Hopkins. 1985, p. 95) Observer:………………………… Teacher:…………………………… Dates:……………………………… Time of class:……………………… Number of students present:………… * Categories: = student on-task; = student off-task on-task: speak in English in group/pair works off-task: not speak anything in group/pair work * Start the observation when the students have been working together in pairs or groups for minutes. * Observe students one – by - one. Identify students by name. * Every five seconds write down the category best describing the observed students‟ speaking times at that moment, then pass on the next students. * Write the numbers in sequence down the observation sheet. * Continue until all students have been observed 12 times, then complete Observation sheet. Faculty of Foreign Languages 79 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Scan number Student number 10 11 12 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 Faculty of Foreign Languages 80 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix D: Students’ interaction self-report Please tick in front of letter a, b, c, d or e about your interaction in speaking English in the lesson you have just attended. Don‟t need to write your name, please answer as honestly as possible. This task is done only with the hope to increase your participation in speaking English. Thank you very much in deed. 1. You are: A. male B. female 2. The number of times you interacted (spoke) with your friends and your teacher in a 10-minute group work. a. less than twice b. or times c. or times d. more than times 3. The number of times you spoke English in a 50-minute speaking lesson. a. less than twice b. or times c. or times e. or times f. more than times Faculty of Foreign Languages 81 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix E: Speaking lesson plan – Lesson (Pre-action stage) Lesson plan – Lesson Teacher: Dang Ngoc Nam Lesson title: Around the house Time: 50 minutes Number of students: 40 Level of students: Pre-Intermediate Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - Learn and use common words related to homes and buildings. - Describe specific features of the house, rooms and furniture. - Use adjectives and comparative sentences to describe and compare rooms and furniture in the house. Teaching materials: - Chalkboard/ dry erase board - Text book: Speaking term - Computer and projector - Additional Pictures Procedure: Stages Teacher’s activities Students’ Time activities Warm Preview Up/ - Greeting - Greeting - Ask students how they are and ask them about the initial lecture. Answer the teacher‟s questions. - Hold up some pictures of different - Answer the 3‟ types of houses and ask students which teacher‟s questions. one they prefer to stay at. Ask them the reason for their choices. Introduction - Explain that the class will be practicing - Listen describing and listening for descriptions teacher. to the 2‟ of houses and things within the rooms. Faculty of Foreign Languages 82 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper - Explain that by obtaining these skills they will be able to describe things, and other benefits/ uses of the skill. Presentation - Give students some essential - vocabulary: Listen to the teacher and give Rug Bathroom Modern questions if there Butter cabinet Convenient are any difficulties. knife Towel rail Cozy Drawer Microwave Clean Dressing Sink Large table Drain board Simple Hanger Comfortable Small Soft - Give students some useful structures to describe and compare things. S + be + adj E.g.: My living room is large and clean. 10‟ There + be + number + n(s) E.g.: There are three bed room in her house. S1 + (to) be + ajd-er + than S2 more + adj E.g.: The T.V in my room is smaller than the one in my parents‟ room. S + (to) be + the + adj-est/ most +adj E.g.: My room is the most comfortable. - After presenting, ask one student stand - Stand up and give up and give an example about one examples based on structure that they have learnt. Check these structures. and give feedback. Practice Have the class split into groups of 4. Work in groups of 10‟ Faculty of Foreign Languages 83 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Give each group several pictures cut and practice from magazines. Give all the groups describing the instruction. Each group will choose given pictures. some pictures to describe. At least each member of the group describes one picture. Walk around the class and observe students‟ working. - Ask or students in different groups Come to the front 8‟ to come to the front class and describe class and describe pictures when showing them. the pictures. - Check the work and give comment. - Ask students to work in pairs. Work in pairs and 5‟ - Each student takes turn to describe practice. their dream house or rooms. The other take note about this description and vice versa. - Walk around the class, observe all the groups. - Have students come to the front class Come to the front 10‟ and talk about their partners‟ dream class and speak. house or room. - Check students‟ work and give comment. Review Ask students to describe their houses Listen to the 2‟ and specific rooms to another student at teacher. home and before the next class period. Faculty of Foreign Languages 84 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix E.1: Additional pictures Faculty of Foreign Languages 85 Tran Huong Linh Faculty of Foreign Languages Graduation Paper 86 Tran Huong Linh Faculty of Foreign Languages Graduation Paper 87 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix F: Speaking lesson plan – Lesson 11 (Action stage) Lesson plan – Lesson 11 Teacher: Dang Ngoc Nam Lesson title: Describing people‟s character Time: 50 minutes Number of students: 40 Level of students: Pre-Intermediate Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - Use various adjectives and structures to describe about himself/herself and other people Teaching materials: - Chalkboard/ dry erase board - Text book: Speaking term - Computer and projector - Additional Pictures Procedure: Stage Warm Preview Teacher’s activities Students’ activities Up/ - Greeting Time - Greeting - Ask students how they are today and ask them about the initial lecture. Answer the teacher‟s questions. - After response, ask some students to - Give one adjective. 3‟ give one adjective to describe the teacher. Introduction - Explain that the class will be - Listen to the 2‟ practicing describing and listening for teacher. descriptions of personality. Presentation - Give students some essential - Listen to vocabulary (Additional material) teacher - Give students some useful structures: questions if there are S + (to) be + adj and the any difficulties. give 8‟ E.g.: He is very generous. S + (to) be + a/an + adj + n Faculty of Foreign Languages 88 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper E.g.: Tom is a brilliant student. I like him/her because (of) … E.g.: I like her because of her kindness. -Ask students to complete worksheet in Practice minutes to check Complete their worksheet in understanding. minutes. - Give students the answers. - Listen and check. - Work in pair - Give students worksheet 2, ask them to complete the task in minute. Complete worksheet 2. - Each student takes turn to interview - Work in pairs. his/her partner, to complete worksheet 2. 10‟ - After that, call some students come to - Come to the front the front class to talk about his/her class and speak. partner, however, not in role of that partner. - Check the work and give comment - Have the class split into group of 4. 10‟ - Ask groups to discuss about the - Work in groups personality of their future and discuss. wife/husband. 5‟ - Call students come to the front class - Come to the front and talk about what they have already class and speak. discussed. - Check the work and give comment. - Divide class into two teams. - Show the class a short video (Snow - Watch the video. White) in minutes. - After watching, ask two teams to list - Work in teams. all the adjectives describing the two 10‟ characters in the video in minutes. - After two minutes, the representatives - Come to the board of each team come to the board and and write. write all the adjectives that they can Faculty of Foreign Languages 89 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper find in minutes. - Ask one student in each team to stand - Read and check. up and read out loud the adjectives of his/ her team and check with the class. - Declare the winner team. Review Ask students to describe friends, Listen to the teacher family members or classmates to the other students at home and before the 2‟ next class period. Faculty of Foreign Languages 90 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix F.1: Additional material of lesson 11 Faculty of Foreign Languages 91 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix F.2: Worksheet WORKSHEET Personality vocabulary Look at the words above and divide them into positive, negative or both Positive Faculty of Foreign Languages Negative Both (depend on situation) 92 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Appendix F.3: Worksheet WORKSHEET Fill in the gaps to describe your classmate next to you, and then make a small interview with his/ her. Tick the box whether the description is true or false. Use: extremely/ very/ quite/ a little/ not very/ not … at all. I think you are ………………… absent-minded………………  True  False I think you are ……………………hardworking……………….  True  False I think you are …………………… easy-going………………  True  False I think you are ………………………bossy…………………….  True  False I think you are ……………………… tidy…………………….  True  False I think you are ……………………….selfish…………………  True  False I think you are ……………………….talkative…………………  True  False I think you are ……………………… friendly…………………  True  False I think you are ……………………….romantic…………………  True  False I think you are ……………………… grumpy………………….  True  False point for “TRUE”  score … ./10 Faculty of Foreign Languages 93 [...]... participant in a co-operative task has an important role to play Knowing that their team-mates are counting on them can increase students motivation Faculty of Foreign Languages 11 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper Briefly, no one can deny the crucial role of motivation and attitudes in learning foreign language in general and in participating in oral activities in particular Without motivation, participation. .. identify these factors as well as to find out the effective activities to increase the students participation in speaking lessons for the first year English major students at HPU No .2 II Research questions To achieve the aims which are mentioned above, the following research questions were raised for exploration: What are the factors on the learners‟ side affecting their participation in speaking lessons? ... materials and teaching techniques Because of the limited time, this study just concentrates on the factors from the learners‟ side, which directly influence language leaning and the participation of the first year English major students at HPU No .2 in speaking lessons I .2 Students factors affecting their participation in English speaking lessons It has been proved that learners‟ factors play an important... inside and external ones are from the outside of an individual On the other hand, Klinger (20 02) finds 5 main groups of factors for success in participating in speaking sessions: the amount of time available for speaking; differences in motivation to learn; individual intellectual and personality differences; the age of the learner at the start of the study speaking English; the choice of lesson materials... qualification of speaking lessons In term of students, the study will show them the barriers that prevent them from participating actively in speaking lessons and find out the oral activities which they prefer to take part in V Research scope Students participation in learning speaking English can be impacted by several closely related factors Among these factors, learners‟ factors appear to be a complex one... What should be done to increase the students participation in speaking lessons? III Research objectives This study aims to find out the factors that have negative effects on the firstyear -English- major students involvement in speaking lessons Based on the findings, the researcher will suggest some activities to increase the students participation as well as to enhance the effectiveness of the speaking. .. to be working in pairs One student will have the information that other partner does not have and the partners will share their information Information gap activities serve many purposes such as solving a problem or collecting information Also, each partner plays an important role because the task Faculty of Foreign Languages 22 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper cannot be completed if the partners do... (Poorman, 20 02) As a result, thanks to this activity, the involvement is notably increased A third advantage to using role-playing as a teaching strategy is that it teaches empathy and understanding of different perspectives (Poorman, 20 02) A typical roleplaying activity would have students taking on role of a character; learning and acting Faculty of Foreign Languages 21 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper... personal and transactional barriers presented by two cultures in contact, and the relationship of culture learning to language learning; the third called personality, including in it selfesteem, affect, anxiety, extroversion and motivation Additionally, Ellis (1994) describes general factors that make learners active or passive in speaking class, such as language learning aptitude and motivation, and. .. role in foreign language learning as well as in students participation in speaking lessons (Ur, 1996) Due to the scope of the thesis, the researcher mainly pays more focus on students Faculty of Foreign Languages 6 Tran Huong Linh Graduation Paper learning style, attitudes and motivation, language level, personality, anxiety and gender I .2. 1 Students learning style Over the years, several educators . participation of the first year English major students at HPU N o .2 in speaking lessons. I .2. Students factors affecting their participation in English speaking lessons It has been proved that. STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Title: A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING LESSONS AND SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR THE FIRST YEAR ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HPU N o .2 (Submitted. identify these factors as well as to find out the effective activities to increase the students participation in speaking lessons for the first year English major students at HPU N o .2 II. Research