Integrating critical thinking skills in writing activities an action research project at an english center in vietnam

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIOAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ĐỖ THỊ DIỄN INTEGRATING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN WRITING ACTIVITIES: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT AN ENGLISH CENTER IN VIETNAM LỒNG GHÉP KỸ NĂNG TƯ DUY PHÊ PHÁN THÔNG QUA CÁC HOẠT ĐỘNG VIẾT: NGHIÊN CỨU CẢI TIẾN SƯ PHẠM TẠI MỘT TRUNG TÂM ANH NGỮ Ở VIỆT NAM M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 HA NOI, 2017 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIOAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES ĐỖ THỊ DIỄN INTEGRATING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN WRITING ACTIVITIES: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT AN ENGLISH CENTER IN VIETNAM LỒNG GHÉP KỸ NĂNG TƯ DUY PHÊ PHÁN THÔNG QUA CÁC HOẠT ĐỘNG VIẾT: NGHIÊN CỨU CẢI TIẾN SƯ PHẠM TẠI MỘT TRUNG TÂM ANH NGỮ Ở VIỆT NAM M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Dr Nguyễn Thị Minh Tâm HA NOI, 2017 STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP I hereby declare that this thesis is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge, it contained no material previously published or written by another person (except where explicitly defined in the acknowledgements), nor material which has been submitted for award of any degree or diploma of a university or other institution of higher learning Signature:………………………………… Name: Đỗ Thị Diễn Date: ………………………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In order to complete this thesis, I owe profound indebtedness to many people their enthusiastic help during the conduct of my research I would like to give my sincere thanks to my supervisor, Dr Nguyen Thi Minh Tam, for her invaluable support, helpful guidance and considerable encouragement, which plays a highly significant part in the completion of this paper Besides, I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to twelve students in my class, who enthusiastically participated in the data collection process In fact, without their help, I could not complete this thesis Also, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my parents and my husband, who have constantly encouraged me during the time when I conducted my research paper Last but not least, I would like to thank my readers for their interests and comment on this study ii ABSTRACT Critical thinking skill is an important aspect in learning and teaching a foreign language Thinking skills lessons should be part of the curriculum if students are to solve problems individually, cooperatively and creatively Teachers on the other hand must be conversant with relevant techniques needed for teaching critical thinking skills This study was conducted in an English class with 12 student of grade in the design of an action research The hypothesis of this study is integrating of critical thinking skills in writing activities can promote students‟ creative writing skills and learning motivation The teacher used action research of integrating the detailed requirements for student‟s use of critical thinking skills of higher levels, or higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in writing activities Class observation, writing analysis and group interview were employed for data collection After data analysis, the finding was discussed to figure out what extent student‟s use of HOTS in learning process to promote student‟s academic achievement, creativity and motivation to learn iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS HOTS: Higher order thinking skills EFL: English as a Foreign Language L2: Second or Foreign Language iv LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Table 1: The framework of integrating critical thinking skills in writing activities 12 Table 2: HOTS integrated in writing activities 21 Table 3: HOTS levels as evidenced in their writing 25 Chart 1: Students‟ levels of motivation throughout five weeks 23 Chart 2: Summary of students‟ writing analysis 25 v TABLE OF CONTENT STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iv LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS v TABLE OF CONTENT vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the study 1.2 The purpose of study 1.3 Significance of the study 1.4 Method of the study 1.5 Structure of the study CHAPTER :LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Theory of learning 2.2 Critical thinking skills and language skills development 2.3 Writing skills and creativity 10 2.4 Teaching critical thinking skills 11 2.5 Review of previous study 12 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 14 3.1.Rationale for the use of action research 14 3.2.Data collection instruments 15 3.2.1 Class observation 15 3.2.2 Writing analysis 15 3.2.3 Group interview 16 3.3 CONTEXT OF THE STUDY 16 3.3.1 An overview on English center 16 3.3.2 Students 17 3.3.3 Teachers 17 vi 3.3.4 Materials 17 3.4 THE ACTION RESEARCH PROCEDURE 18 3.4.1 The action research process 18 3.4.2 Research procedure 19 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 23 4.1 Findings 23 4.1.1 Findings from observation 23 4.1.2 Findings from writing analysis 24 4.1.3 Findings from the interview 28 4.2 Discussion 30 4.2.1 Students‟ creative writing skills 30 4.2.2 Students‟ motivation in learning 36 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS 39 5.1 Recapitulation 39 5.2 Implications for classroom practice 41 REFERENCES 42 APPENDICES I vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the study The practice of teaching critical thinking skills has recently attracted increased interest in the field of the teaching of English as a Second or Foreign Language (L2) It is no doubt to say that critical thinking is one of the most important skills in learning and teaching a foreign language Students are expected to show evidences of critical thinking in their academic essays in the form an argument and by demonstrating related skills such as analyzing, evaluating and creating This means that L2 teaching should no longer focus on the compartmentalized teaching of language skills, but should embrace critical thinking instead, although this is not going to be easy Willian and Burden (1997) state that critical thinking is cognitive process, in which the students are emerged to use their minds to observe, think, categorize, and hypothesize Therefore, it takes a long journey to make the students become more critical and more independent In Western countries, integrating critical thinking has been significantly started from elementary school while most Asian countries still consider critical thinking as a challenging in the education In fact, this can be related to the culture of Asian learners who always believes that “silence is gold” And the students tend to be quite, passive and obedient in order to get information from their teachers Having been an English teacher for years at some centers in Hanoi, I have recently realized the fact that most of my students lack the ability to present their own original views or opinions which are regarded as a key criterion of successful academic writing This clears that Vietnamese students are not often taught argumentative or persuasive writing at schools They rarely had a chance to write in situations and write a topic in class, so their writing skill was even worse although they were very good at doing exercises in structure forms Students should be trained to know how to share and communicate their ideas through writing because this ability has been proved to be very important in education in general and in 30 Nunan, D (1992) Research Methods in Language Learning Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 31 Paul, R (1990) Critical thinking: How to prepare students for a rapidly changing world Santa Rosa, CA: Foundation for critical thinking 32 Paul, R and Elder, L (2010) The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools Dillon Beach: Foundation for Critical Thinking Press 33 Peacock, M (1997) The Effect of Authentic Materials on the Motivation of EFL Learners in English Language Teaching Journal 51, pp 34 Richards, J C (1998) Beyond training Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 35 Rubin, Joan (1979) What the “good language learner” can teach us In J B Pride (Ed.), Sociolinguistics aspect of language learning and teaching (pp 1726) Oxford: Oxford University Press 36 Sarjit, K., Morshidi, S., & Noraini, A (Eds) (2008) Globalization and internationalization of higher education in Malaysia Penang, Malaysia: Universiti Sains Malaysia Press 37 Shaarawy, Hanaa YoussefInternational Journal of Higher Education, v3 n4 p120-128 2014 38 Swartz, R (2001) Infusing critical and creative thinking into content instruction In A L Costa (Ed.), Developing minds: A resource book for teaching thinking (pp 266-274) Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development 39 Thi K T Nguyen, Department of Basic English and English for Specific Purposes, School of Foreign Languages, Cantho University Campus 45 40 Toulmin, S E (1958) The uses of argument New York: Cambridge University Press 41 Wallace, M (1998) Action research for language teachers Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 42 Williams, M., and Burden, R – Psychology for Language Teachers, 1997, Cambridge University Press 43 Wingate, U (2012) Argument! Helping students understand what essay writing is about Journal of English for Academic Purposes 11(2), pp.145-154 46 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: OBSERVATION SHEET - OVERALL CLASS MOTIVATION (Adapted from Peacock, 1997) Observer: Date: Teacher: Class: No of students present: Time: 12 minutes Material: Vkids course book Unit: Observation focus: Levels of students' motivation generated by the tasks is average mark for any one item Mark how involved in the activities the students are Not very involved very involved The students are enjoying the activities Not really very much The students are paying persistent attention to the activities Not really very much Mark the levels of students‟ concentration on the activities Low high Mark the students‟ activity level (effort/ intensity of application) Low high The writing activities are challenging for the students Not really very much The writing activities are appropriate for the students Not really very much The students find the writing activities interesting Not really I very much APPENDIX 2: SUMMARY OF DATA ON OVERALL CLASS MOTIVATION Data interpretation keys: Level of students‟ motivation generated by writing activities was observed in terms of items is average mark for any item For example: in Lesson 4, mark is given to students‟ involvement in the writing activities This means that the students were not very involved in the writing activities Table The data on the overall class motivation collected during the lessons Observed items L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 Students‟ involvement in the writing activities 3 4 students‟ enjoyment of the activities 2 4 3 Students‟ persistent attention to the activities 4 Students‟ concentration on the writing activities 5 Students‟ activity level 3 3 Degree of challenge of the activities 2 4 Degree of appropriateness of the activities to students‟ level 3 4 students‟ degree of interest in the materials for writing activities 3 Total mark (40 is highest) 19 23 31 28 27 II APPENDIX 3: LESSON PLANS USED IN THE INTERVENTION Students: 12 Time: weeks, 2hours/ per week Curriculum: writing course Book Week Lesson Topic W1 L1: Unit Write a paragraph - My about your hobbies classmate‟s hobby Activities Thinking skills Pre – writing: Brainstorm: - Ask students work in pairs List your classmate‟s and answer the questions about hobbies each other‟s hobby: 1.Name of the hobby When he/she started the hobby? 3.Why does he/she like it? Who does he/she share it with? Paraphrase your classmate‟s answers about their hobbies from discussing Writing: 3.Organize ideas about your classmate‟s hobbies from their answers How to this hobby in the future? Specify the ideas with examples and supporting -Ask students put words in a details logical order to make meaningful phrases or sentences Post writing: 4.Revise and edit on the While- writing: Draft 1: - ask student organize ideas from the discussing III words, ideas, grammar of writing Draft 2: - Ask students revise and edit draft by: + Using dictionary or glossary + Rearranging the order of ideas + Sharing work with classmates and responding positively to suggestions on ideas and use of language Final writing: Homework - Students will be required to write a short paragraph about their classmate‟s hobbies W2 L2: Unit People say - Health exercisers are good for our health What‟s your point of view? Give the evidences to support for your views Pre – writing: Brainstorm: -Teacher provides some 1.Identify the exercisers activities and asks students to which you often or want select the activities which they to from the list which is often or want to from the showed by teacher list: Describe the exercises + walking, cycling, gardening, that are good for your swimming, running, aerobic, health play soccer, gym … - Ask them work in pair to discuss some questions: + What activities you often IV Writing: Organize your ideas about the good exercisers for health after discussing or want to do? + How often you it? / How many hours you want to per week? +Why we should it? +Why you think these activities are good? Specify the argument for your opinion about the exercisers that are good for health or not Post writing: Revise and edit the writing While – writing: Draft 1: - Ask students organize their ideas from discussing - Ask students to specify an argument for their opinion Draft 2: - student will be suggested using some resources as dictionary, asking classmates or teacher to revise and edit the writing Final – writing: Ask students write a paragraph about the exercises you like to and explain reasons why they often it ( 80 – 100 words) W3 L3: Unit The volunteer - activities bring a lot Pre – writing: Brainstorm -Show some pictures about 1.Identify the benefits of V Communit of benefits To what volunteer activities and ask y service extent you agree students to work in group to and why? discuss about the benefits of volunteer activities 2.Represent their own ideas about volunteer activities these activities to community - Ask students word Writing individually to present their Specify your view point own ideas about benefit of about the volunteer volunteer activities activities bring benefits or While- writing: not Evaluate how and why Draft 1: the benefits of volunteer - ask students to specify their view point in writing - ask students to evaluate the benefits of volunteer activities Draft 2: activities are Post writing 5.Revise and editing the writing for ideas, grammar, spelling, words -Have student revise their paragraph: check their paragraph for ideas, organization, word choice, sentence fluency… -Then tell them to edit their writing by looking for in conventions, checking punctual, spelling, wright words… Final writing: Ask students to write an essay about the benefits of volunteer VI activities and give reasons to explain for their opinion W4 L4: Unit 4: Traffic jams are a Transport big problem in our community? Suggest the possible solution to reduce traffic jam Pre – writing : Brainstorm -Teacher provides several List out the possible solutions to reduce traffic jam solution about reducing in some countries as America, traffic jam among the Japan, Korea and Chinese… following alternatives and ask students to choose the best solution that fits in Vietnam situation - Put students in group to describe how and why the 2.Describe how and why the traffic jam situation in Vietnam Writing traffic jam situation in Evaluate the degree of Vietnam seriousness of traffic jam in While – writing: your community Decide the best solutions Draft 1: to decrease the traffic jam - Ask students to decide the best solution among the alternatives - students finger out a way to solve the traffic jam in in our community Post writing 5.Revise and edit the writing for ideas, grammar, Vietnam spelling, words Draft 2: - Have students revise paragraph for ideas, organization, sentences, right words… - Students get comments and VII suggestions from teacher and classmate to edit their writing Final writing: Homework - Students will write an essay about traffic jams and give the possible solution to reduce it W5 L5: Unit 5- Dirty food is Food and becoming a serious Drink problem in our country Explain the main causes and suggest some Pre-writing: - Write the topic on the board and get individual ideas from students about the causes of dirty food in Vietnam possible solutions to - Have students work in group prevent it to generalize information about Brainstorm: 1.Generalize information about solutions to prevent dirty food Writing some solutions to prevent dirty Evaluate the degree of food in our country from seriousness of dirty-food – Internet, books … related problems in VN Draft 1: Figure a way to prevent - Ask students to figure a way to prevent dirty food the problems related to dirty food Post writing Draft 2: 4.Edit and revise the - Have students peer check to revise the paragraph for ideas, wright words, spelling, grammar… - Get comments and feedback from classmates and teacher to edit the paragraph VIII writing for ideas, grammar, spelling, words Final writing: Homework: students will write an essay about the main causes of dirty food and suggest some possible solutions to prevent it IX APPENDIX 4: WEEKLY HOTS CHECKLISTS Week 1:L1: Unit - My hobbies L1 Critical Skills to be required in writing 1.1 List your classmate‟s hobbies Performance    1.2 Paraphrase your classmate‟s answers about their hobbies    1.3 Organize ideas about your classmate‟s hobbies    1.4 Specify the ideas with examples and supporting details    1.5 Revise and edit on the words, ideas, grammar of writing    Week 2:L2: Unit - Health L2 Critical Skills to be required in writing Performance 2.1 Identify the exercisers which you often or want to from the list    2.2 Describe the exercise which are good for our health    2.3 Organize your ideas about the good exercisers for health     2.4 Specify the argument for your opinion about the exercisers     2.5 Revise and edit the writing for ideas, grammar, spelling, words     Week 3: L3: Unit -Community service L3 Critical Skills to be required in writing 3.1 Identify the benefits of volunteer activities Performance    3.2 Represent their own ideas about benefits of volunteer activities    3.3 Specify your view point about the volunteer activities bring benefits or not    3.4 Evaluate how and why the benefits of volunteer activities are    3.5 Revise and editing the writing for ideas, grammar, spelling, words    X Week 4:L4:Unit 4: Transport L4 Critical Skills to be required in writing 4.1 List out the possible solution about reducing traffic jam among the following alternatives Performance    4.2 Evaluate the degree of seriousness of traffic jam in your community    4.3 Decide the best solutions to decrease the traffic jam in our community    4.4 Revise and edit the writing for ideas, grammar, spelling, words    Week 5: L5: Unit 5-Food and Drink L5 Critical Skills to be required in writing 5.1 Generalize information about solutions to prevent dirty food  Performance    5.2 Evaluate the degree of seriousness of dirty food related problems in Vietnam    5.3 Figure a way to prevent dirty food    5.4 Edit and revise the writing for ideas, grammar, spelling, words    Not at all 2.Only a little XI Completely APPENDIX 5: SUMMARY OF STUDENTS’ USE OF HOTS, AS EVIDENCED FROM THEIR WRITINGS DURING INTERVENTION WEEKS CRITICAL I.1 I.2 I.3 I.4 THINKING II II III III III III III III.1 IV IV IV.1 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 3 3 3 SKILLS Students S1 3 3 S2 2 2 2 2 2 S3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 S4 2 1 1 1 1 S5 2 1 1 1 1 S6 3 2 2 1 3 S7 3 3 2 2 2 S8 2 2 2 2 2 S9 3 2 2 3 2 S10 3 2 2 2 2 S11 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 S12 3 3 3 3 3 3 Total 36 36 24 33 30 23 23 30 24 27 23 25 24 23 23 XII APPENDIX 6: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Does your school teacher often use pre – writing activities in writing lessons in class? How often does he/she ask you many questions before writing? Is it useful when I asked you many questions? Which activities you like or unlike best in five weeks? Did my questions have any effect? Could you get a lot of ideas? Did they help well – structured in your writing, more confident in using analytical thinking skills? XIII ... teaching writing and critical thinking skills It reviews issues related to both writing and critical thinking such as theory of learning, thinking skills and language skills development, writing and... change in students’ use of creative thinking in learning activities Integrating critical thinking skills in writing activities seemed to have certain positive effect on students‟ creative thinking. .. cognitive thinking Step 3: Hypothesis It was the hypothesized that integrating critical thinking skills in writing activities can promote students‟ creative writing and their learning motivation