An investigation into the opportunities and challenges of teaching maths to the primary school students through english

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ********************* PHAM THANH LOAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF TEACHING MATHS TO THE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH ENGLISH (Nghiên cứu hội thách thức việc dạy Toán cho học sinh tiểu học thông qua môn Tiếng Anh) M.A MINOR THESIS (Type I) Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Hanoi - 2019 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ********************* PHẠM THANH LOAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF TEACHING MATHS TO THE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH ENGLISH (Nghiên cứu hội thách thức việc dạy Tốn cho học sinh tiểu học thơng qua môn Tiếng Anh) M.A MINOR THESIS (Type I) Field: English teaching methodology Code: 8140231.01 Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Lê Văn Canh Hanoi – 2019 ii DECLARATION I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THE STUDY PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED ENTITLED An investigation into the opportunities and challenges of teaching Maths to the primary school students through English IS MY OWN STUDY IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS Ha Noi, 2019 Pham Thanh Loan iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to all people who has given me great supports during my MA course and in the completion of my study First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Le Van Canh, for his advice, guide, encouragement and supervision throughout the study I also would like to thank to all my lectures who have taught QH2017.D1 for their lectures as well as their enthusiasms during the MA course Moreover, I wish to express my special thanks to two teachers and seventy-five students at grade in Lao Cai city in contributing to the data collection presented in the research Finally, I would like to express my thanks to my family, my colleges for their encouragements during my time of fulfilling this study iv ABSTRACT The study was conducted with an attempt to examine the reality of integrating Maths into English to primary school students in order to explore how a CLIL program was implemented in Lao Cai primary schools, investigate the teachers‟ perceptions of the advantages and challenges of integrating Maths into English according to teachers‟ view and explore the students „attitudes towards the integrating Maths into English program The subjects involved in the study are two English teachers and seventy-five students at grade chosen at random from two classes The data were collected from classroom observation, teachers‟ interviews and questionnaires for students The results of the study have shown that how the implementation of CLIL in integrating Maths into English, the opportunities and challenges in teaching process according to teachers‟ view as well as students‟ attitudes towards the program v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv ABSTRACT v TABLE OF CONTENTS .vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii LIST OF CHARTS AND FIGURES ix PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 RATIONALE AIMS OF THE STUDY RESEARCH QUESTIONS SCOPE OF THE STUDY METHOD OF THE STUDY SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 What is CLIL? 1.2 The principles of CLIL 1.3 Core features of CLIL methodology 1.4 The impacts of teachers‟ beliefs and students‟ attitudes on the process of teaching and learning the second language 1.5 The differences between teaching English as a medium of instruction (EMI) and Content based instruction (CBI) 10 1.6 Previous studies on CLIL 11 1.7 Summary 14 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 14 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 The context of the study 14 2.2.1 An overview of the course 14 2.2.2 The teachers 16 2.2.3 The students 17 2.3 Participants 18 2.4 Data collection instruments 18 vi 2.4.1 Classroom observation 18 2.4.2 Questionnaires 19 2.4.3 Interviews 20 2.4.4 Procedure 21 2.5 Data analysis 22 2.6 Summary 22 CHAPTER FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 23 3.1 The implementation of CLIL in integrating Mathematics into English to primary school students 23 3.1.1 The teachers’ preparation for the lessons 23 3.1.2 Teachers‟ practices in CLIL class 24 The use of mother tongue (L1) 25 Teaching new Maths vocabulary and grammar in context 27 Teaching Mathematics Rules 30 Using real-life examples 32 3.2 The opportunities and challenges of integrating Maths into English to primary school students according to teachers „views 35 3.2.1 The opportunities of integrating Maths into English to primary school students 36 3.2.2 The challenges of integrating Maths into English to primary school students 37 3.3 Students‟ attitudes towards to the CLIL program 39 3.3.1 Students‟ interests in learning the program 39 3.3.2 The advantages of integrating Maths into English according to students‟ views 41 3.3.3 Problems in integrating Maths into English 43 3.4 Summary 44 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION 45 4.1 Summary and conclusion 45 4.2 Pedagogical implication for integrating Maths into English to primary school students 46 4.3 The limitation of the study 47 4.4 Recommendations for further related studies 47 REFERENCES I APPENDICES III APPENDIX A: Transcripts of Lesson III APPENDIX B: Transcripts of Lesson VII APPENDIX C: Transcripts of Lesson XI APPENDIX D: Transcripts for lesson XIV APPENDIX E: Questionnaires for students XVI APPENDIX F: Questions for teachers’ interviews XX vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CBI: Content-based instruction CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning EMI: English as a medium of Instruction MOET: Ministry of Education and Training L1: Mother tongue Ss: Students T1: The first teacher T2: The second teacher viii LIST OF CHARTS AND FIGURES Chart 1: Students‟ interests in integrating Maths into English program Chart 2: The benefits of integrating Maths into English program according to students‟views Chart The problems in learning process Firgure Integrating Maths into English program is exciting and useful Firgure Collecting and solving Maths words problems Firgure Comprehending the knowledge of Maths ix PART I: INTRODUCTION RATIONALE Many countries have attached special importance to the quality of teaching and learning English as a foreign language or the second language since English is a means of international communication and becomes dominant in many different fields including business, culture and education Therefore, teaching and learning English play a vital role in the education system in many parts of the world The Vietnamese ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has implemented different projects such as the National Foreign Language 2020 projects to enhance the language competence of teachers and learners As a result, the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) program including integrating mathematics, science into English has been implemented in Vietnam and attracted much public attention Students not only improve their language competence but also broaden their knowledge of other subjects like mathematics, science However, both teachers and learners have faced many challenges such as the qualities of teachers, the lack of materials in the implementation of CLIL program in educational curriculum Lao Cai has implemented the CLIL program in integrating mathematics into English for primary and secondary schools since 2016 The CLIL program has received many supports from Lao Cai department of Education and Training, schools, teaching staffs, students and students‟ parents However, only ten out of twenty - two primary schools have been teaching Maths through English to primary school students because other schools not how to integrate Maths into English to teach primary students as well as the advantages and disadvantages of integrating Maths into English to primary school students Normally, both teachers and This study is to investigate how CLIL program was implemented in Lao Cai primary schools and finds the Ss: Yes… T1: Now, look at my example: Step 1: I the division Step 2: I say aloud: four by nine divided by eight by three is twelve by seventy-two That is simplified? Ss : yes… no … T1: No… not yet … so you need to simplify … is one by six So, remember, if the fraction has been simplified yet, you need to simplify Nhớ kết mà phân số chưa tối giản phải tối giảng phân số đó, sau tối giảng xong, tối giản phân số check ( ấn vào nút check) , if you are right, you will get one star Now, are you ready? After I clap, raise your hand and come here and show your answer Ready? Ss: Yes T1: Three, two, one … Ss: Đức Anh please Everyone, Let‟s count down 5……4… Ss : 4…3….2…1…0 T1: Ok Let‟s say aloud Ss: three by seven divided by five by fourteen is six by five T1: Let‟s check …oh …great job Continue, 3…2….1… Ss: ( raise their hands and go to board) … T1: Now, let‟s find winner group today… ( count stars) So, the winner group is group I will have a gift for group at the end of the lesson Now, open your book, please Open Page 13 and it in minutes … Time is up, the leaders collect all books for me, please Now Let‟ summary What have you learnt, today? … Mai Linh, please Ss: division of fraction T1: Today, we‟ve learnt about … ? Ss: Today, we‟ve learnt about division of fraction VI T1: Very good So, what are definitions we‟ve learnt today? Can you tell me again ? Ss: Reciprocal T1: How many steps are there in the division of fraction? Ss: Three They are Leave me, change me and turn me over T1: Very good So, that‟s enough for today Remember to learn how to divide fractions and homework Good bye Ss: Goodbye, teacher APPENDIX B: Transcripts of Lesson Ratios and word problems T1: Look at apples and oranges on the table and answer my question: “How many apples and oranges are there? Ss: there are three apples and five oranges? T1: How many times is the number of apples less than the number of oranges? You can compare by division? Ss: divided by equals by T1: Well done Khi cô có táo cam, Cơ nói tỉ số số táo số cam Cơ viết dạng phân số cô viết 3: Vậy cô biểu đạt tỉ số số táo số cam cô biểu đạt : The ratio of apples to oranges is three over five or three by five Now, listen and repeat: The ratio of apples to oranges is three over five or three by five Ss: ( listen and repeat) The ratio of apples to oranges is three over five or three by five T1: Look at these candies, what is the ratio of red candies to green caddies? VII Ss: the ratio of red candies to green caddies is three over two Or the ratio of red candies to green caddies is three by two T1: Good job Who can tell me what is the ratio of green candies to red caddies ? Ss: the ratio of green candies to red caddies is two over three or two by three T1: Great How many girls are there in your class? Ss: eighteen T1: How many boys in your class? Ss: ten T1: So, what is the ratio of girls to boys in your class? Ss: eighteen to ten T1: Right Are there any other answers? Ss: Dear teacher The ratio of girls to boys is nine to five T1: Is that right? Ss: Yes… No… (some students say Yes, some says No) T1: Minh, how you find the ratio of girls to boy? Ss: …um… em thưa có em lấy 18 chia 10 sau em rút gọn phân số, em phân số T1: Good Now, Let‟s give solutions for the following problem The ratio of girls to boys is 4: If the class has 35 students in total, how many boys are there? Ss: fifteen boys T1: How you solve this problem? Ss:um…uh ….con thưa cô trả lời Tiếng Việt khơng ạ? T1: Ok Ss: Con tính tổng số phần 7, sau lấy tổng số học sinh chia cho tổng số phần , tìm phần nhân với số học sinh nam lớp VIII T1: Thank you, Minh Các thấy bạn Minh làm chưa Vậy hôm hướng dẫn tốn tìm số biết tổng tỉ hiệu tỉ hai số Finding two unknown number when you know sum ratios or difference ratios Look at the problem again: “The ratio of boys to girls is 3: If the class has 35 students in total, how many boys are there?” T: We have to find two unknown numbers when you know the sum or the difference of two numbers There are three steps: Step 1: represent by boxes Step 2: find the value of one box We have thirty-five divided by seven equals five box = 35 : = Step 3: Find the quantities boxes = x = 15 The number of boys is : x = 15 (boys) Is this clear for you? Ss: yes…yes… T1: So, how many steps are there? Ss: five T1: Step is … Ss: Representing by boxes T1: step is … Ss: find the value of one box T1: step is … IX Ss: find the qualities T1: Great job Now open your book and write down some new words: Ratio : tỉ số The ratio of … to … is: tỉ số giữa… … Eg: the ratio of boys to girls is The number of …… is Eg: The number of girls is 30 students: số lượng học sinh nữ 30 học sinh Ss: (Write new words on their notebooks) …… X APPENDIX C: Transcripts of Lesson Units of mass T2: Now, look at two pictures and tell me which can be lifted easier, an elephant or a leaf? Ss: Dear teacher, a leaf can be lifted easier than an elephant T2: That‟s right So, different objects have different mass Mass is measure of how heavy a thing is Chúng ta dùng đơn vị đo khối lượng để đo so sánh trọng lượng vật với So, today we are going to learn about units of mass How many units of mass you know? Ss: two, three, four … T2: Who can name some units of mass you know? Ss: kilogram, đề ca gam, mi li gam T2: Good Now, look at these pictures To measure weight of an object, we use units of mass, they are tonne, quintal, kilogram, gram and milligram Listen and repeat: tonne, quintal, kilogram, gram and milligram Ss: (listen and repeat) tonne, quintal, kilogram, gram and milligram T2 : viết đơn vị theo cách rút gọn sau : tonne = t ; quintal = q; kilogram = kg; gram = g; milligram = mg let‟s write on your notebooks Ss: ( write on their notebooks) T2: You know? A gram is light so it is used to measure small things such as bread And a milligram is used to measure very light things such as papers I have one gram equals one thousand milligrams Who can convert it into fraction or decimal number? g = 1000 mg => 1mg = ……… Ss: (go to the board and write their answers) : 1g = 1000 mg => 1mg = XI g T2: Is that correct? Ss: Yes… T2: Great We use kilogram to measure things that can be lifted by people I have: kg = 1000 g => 1g =……… Who can fill in the blank? Ss: (go the board and write their answer) : kg = 1000 g => 1g = kg T2: well done We use tonne to use measure things very heavy I have : t = 1000 kg => 1kg = ………… Ss: ( go to the board and write their answers) 1t = 1000 kg => 1kg = t T2: Great Who can tell me how to convert between units of mass? Ss: Em thưa Cô, đổi từ sang tạ ta nhân với 10, đổi tạ sang ta chia cho 10, muốn đổi từ kilogram sang gram ta nhân với 1000 ngược lại ta chia cho 1000 Hoặc đổi từ gram sang milligram ta nhân với 1000, đổi ngược lại ta chia cho 1000 T2: Bạn nói chưa lớp? Bây em nhìn vào sơ đồ sau để ghi nhớ cách đổi đơn vị đo khối lượng : 10 : 100 : 1000 T2: Draw the diagram on their notebooks Ss: ( Write on their notebooks) T2: Do you like play games Ss: Yeah, yes… …………………………………… T2: Open your notebook and write new words XII : 1000 Tone : Quintal: tạ Kilogram: ki lô gam gram : gam milligram : mi li gam Ss: (write on their notebook) T2: Open your book and problem and problem Ss: Dear teacher, I don‟t know how to write the answer for problem and problem T: Ok, with the question: “ what is the mass of … or how heavy is it in … We use the following structure: The mass of something in tone/ quintal/ kilogram/ gram/ milligram is … For example: The mass of car in tonne is 30 tonnes ………………………… XIII APPENDIX D: Transcripts for lesson Percentages T2: (shows some pictures and says) When you come to KFC store, you see the advertisement written 25% off Or when you go shopping, you see the advertisement written 30% off Can you give more examples of these notations? Ss: 70% sale off in clothes shop, supermarkets T2: That‟s right Look at the pictures You can see: Out of 100 squares, 25 squares are blue, we can write is blue or 25% is blue Out of 100 square, 20 squares are red, we can write is red or 20% is red When we says “Percent”, we are really saying “per 100” Percent = per hundred = one hundredth 1% means 1/100 or one hundredth Percent can be written as fraction and decimals: Percent Fractions Decimals 1% 0.01 8% 0.08 45% 0.45 Now, look and read : 7%; 10.5%; 75%; 36% Ss: seven percent; ten and five tenths percent; thirty-six percent T2: Out of 100 squares, 25% is blue We can say: the percentage of blue squares is twenty-five percent Now, look at the picture and tell me the percentage of red squares? Ss: the percentage of red squares is twenty percent XIV T2: Look at the picture and tell me what is the percentage of the green squares? Ss: The percentage of the green squares is fifteen percent T2: Let‟s speak aloud the percentage of the purple squares in each picture Ss: The percentage of the purple squares in the first picture is eighteen percent The percentage of the purple squares in the second picture is sixty-two percent The percentage of the purple squares in the third picture is twenty-five percent The percentage of the purple squares in the fourth picture is seventy-six percent T2: Perfect Now, open your notebooks and write new words and structures: Percent: phần trăm Percentage: tỉ số phần trăm The percentage of … is : tỉ số phần trăm … Ss: ( write on their notebooks) T2: Do you want to play a game? Ss: yeah, yes… …………………………… T2: Open your workbook and exercises Ss: ( exercises in the workbook) …………………………… XV APPENDIX E: Questionnaires for students Totally agree Agree Not sure Disagree Totally disagree No of Items Items Students’ attitudes integrating Maths towards into English program I love integrating Maths into English I hope to able to learn English every week I like collecting and solving Maths word problems in English Learning the CLIL program is very interesting and useful for me The advantages of integrating Maths into English My vocabulary has increased remarkably I become more confidents in using English to communicate I can write solutions for Maths word problems easily XVI I can use the knowledge of Maths and Mathematical terminologies to create Maths word problems I can understand the knowledge of Maths 10 My knowledge of Maths is reinforced and enhanced after joining the CLIL program 11 Learning the CLIL program makes me confident when I join in Mathematics Clubs at school 12 Learning the CLIL program helps me take part in The Australian mathematics competition, The USA Mathematics competition, English Champion Problems in learning process 13 I understand teachers‟ instruction in English but I am too shy to use it 14 I avoid using English in class because I am afraid of making mistakes 15 In understand teacher‟s instruction, but I find difficult to express my ideas in English 16 It is difficult for me to memorize Mathematic terminologies XVII PHIẾU ĐIỀU TRA Các bạn đánh dấu (x) tương ứng vào bạn lựa chọn Hồn tồn đồng ý Đồng ý Không chắn Không đồng ý Hồn Tồn khơng đồng ý STT Nội dung Thái độ học sinh việc học kết hợp mơn Tốn Tiếng Anh Em thích học kết hợp Toán Tiếng Anh Em mong muốn chương trình ngày Em thích sưu tầm giải Toán Tiếng Anh Internet Em thấy chương trình thú vị bổ ích Những lợi ích việc học Tốn thơng qua mơn Tiếng Anh Từ vựng Tiếng Anh em tăng lên đáng kể Em tự tin việc sử dụng Tiếng Anh giao tiếp Em viết lời giải cho Tốn có lời văn cách dễ dàng Em tự xây dựng tốn có lời văn dựa vào kiến thức Tốn ngơn XVIII ngữ em học Em đọc,hiểu kiến thức Tốn tiết học tích hợp Tốn Tiếng Anh 10 Kiến thức Tốn em củng cố phát triển 11 Học chương trình giúp em tự tin để tham gia câu lạc Toán tuổi thơ, Toán Tiếng Anh trường 12 Học chương trình giúp em tham gia vào thi Tốn Tiếng Anh Tốn học Úc, Tốn Mỹ, Nhà vơ địch Tiếng Anh Những khó khăn q trình học 13 Em hiểu Tiếng Anh em ngại sử dụng Tiếng Anh lớp học 14 Em tránh sử dụng Tiếng Anh lớp học em sợ mắc lỗi sai 15 Em hiểu kiến thức Toán Tiếng Anh lớp em thấy khó để diễn đạt Tiếng Anh 16 Các thuật ngữ Tốn Tiếng Anh khó để ghi nhớ XIX APPENDIX F: Questions for teachers’ interviews How long have you been integrating Maths into English to primary school students program? What are innovations of this program comparing with other programs? Can you tell me the advantages of integrating Maths into English program to primary school students? How you prepare for the lesson? Did you have any challenges in teaching process of this program? If yes, what did you to overcome those challenges? Do you think your solutions for those issues are effective? Why you think so? XX ... perceptions of the advantages and challenges of integrating Maths into English according to teachers‟ view and explore the students „attitudes towards the integrating Maths into English program The subjects... because other schools not how to integrate Maths into English to teach primary students as well as the advantages and disadvantages of integrating Maths into English to primary school students Normally,... 35 3.2.1 The opportunities of integrating Maths into English to primary school students 36 3.2.2 The challenges of integrating Maths into English to primary school students