Using pre reading activities to enhance students’ reading interests an action research project at a high school in ba vi district, ha noi

VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** TRẦN THỊ THU HẰNG USING PRE-READING ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ READING INTERESTS: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN BA VI DISTRICT, HA NOI (Sử dụng hoạt động trước đọc để nâng cao hứng thú đọc học sinh: Một nghiên cứu hành động trường THPT huyện Ba Vì, Hà Nội) M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Hanoi – 2020 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES TRẦN THỊ THU HẰNG USING PRE-READING ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ READING INTERESTS: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN BA VI DISTRICT, HA NOI (Sử dụng hoạt động trước đọc để nâng cao hứng thú đọc học sinh: Một nghiên cứu hành động trường THPT huyện Ba Vì, Hà Nội) M.A MINOR THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 8140231.01 Supervisor : Dr Vũ Thị Thanh Nhã Hanoi – 2020 DECLARATION I, Tran Thi Thu Hang, hereby certify that the thesis entitled “Using prereading activities to enhance students‟ interests in reading for the 10th form students at a high school in Ba Vi district” is submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Arts at the Faculty of Post- Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi I also declare that this thesis is the result of my own research and efforts and it has not been submitted for any other purposes i ACKNOWLEGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my heart- felt thank and my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Dr Vu Thi Thanh Nha for her enlightening guidance, precious suggestions and invaluable encouragement during my fulfillment of this minor thesis My sincere thanks go to all of the lecturers and the staff of the Faculty of Post- Graduate Studies at University of Languages and International Studies for the valuable lectures on which my minor thesis was laid the foundation I truly wish to thank all the students of class 10A4 at Bat Bat High School who have actively participated in the research I am deeply grateful to my family for their great support and to many of my colleagues for their notable assistance ii ABSTRACT An important goal of language teaching is to awaken learners‟ interest in language and also to give them a lasting positive attitude towards reading The primary purpose of this study is to examine on types of teachers‟ pre-reading strategies to attract students‟ attention and interest towards learning reading lessons, to investigate reasons why students tend to lose interest in reading lessons and to examine the impact of using three pre-reading activities (games, visual aids and group discussion) to enhance students‟ interests in learning This study was carried out among 41 grade ten students in a high school in Ba Vi district Data were collected through questionnaires, classroom observation and teaching diaries and then the data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively The results of the data analysis indicate that students have relatively low interest in reading lessons due to the lack of interesting pre-reading activities from the teacher Some adjustments on pre-reading activities have been executed and these activities have brought about positive changes to language learning The results show that three pre-reading activities applied have considerable impacts on students‟ learning Classroom learning has been promoted and students‟ interactions have been strengthened The students made considerable progress in their reading lessons and they also actively engaged in the lesson with high motivation From these findings, it can be suggested that teachers should take actions in developing and enhancing students‟ reading interests iii LISTS OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 3.1: Cyclical action research model based on Kemmis and Mctaggart 28 Figure 4.1: Students‟ opinion about the reading lesson 36 Figure 4.2: The reasons why the students thought the reading lessons were not interesting 37 Figure 4.3: The frequency of pre-reading activities used by teacher in reading lessons 38 Figure 4.4: Students‟ opinions on pre-reading activities 39 Table 4.1: Students‟ opinions about pre-reading activities 41 Figure 4.5: Purposes of pre-reading activities 43 Figure 4.6: Pre-reading activities offered by the students 44 Table 4.2: Descriptive statistics of the students‟ attitude towards reading lesson (Cycle 1) 48 Table 4.3: Students‟ opinion on using pictures and videos 52 Table 4.4: Students‟ opinion on group discussion 53 Table 4.5: Descriptive statistics of the students‟ attitude towards reading lesson (Cycle 2) 55 Table 4.6: The students‟ opinion on game and group discussion 56 Table 4.7: Descriptive statistics of the students‟ attitude towards reading lesson (Cycle 3) 57 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LISTS OF FIGURES AND TABLES iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the research 1.2 Aims and objectives of the research 1.2.1 Aims of the research 1.2.2 Objectives of the research 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Scope of the research 1.5 Methods of the research 1.6 Significance of the research 1.7 Organisation of the thesis CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Theoretical background of reading 2.1.1 Definition of reading 2.1.2 Classification of reading 2.2 An overview of reading comprehension 2.2.1 Definition of reading comprehension .7 2.2.2 Stages in a reading comprehension lesson .8 2.3 Theoretical background of pre-reading activities 2.3.1 Definition of pre-reading activities 2.3.2 Pre-reading techniques 10 2.4 An overview of interest 12 2.4.1 Definition of interest .12 v 2.4.2 Types of interest 13 2.4.3 The aspects of interest .14 2.4.4 Factors influencing interest 15 2.4.5 The importance of interest to learning 17 2.5 Literature review of interests in reading 18 2.6 Relationships between pre-reading activities and interest 19 2.7 Previous studies on pre-reading stage and interest 20 2.8 Summary 23 CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 24 3.1 Context of the study 24 3.1.1 The research site .24 3.1.2 Materials 24 3.2 Participants 25 3.3 Research method: Action research 25 3.3.1 Definition of action research 25 3.3.2 Action research model 26 3.4 Data collection instruments 28 3.4.1 Questionnaire 28 3.4.2 Teaching diary 29 3.5 Data analysis procedures 30 3.6 Research procedure 31 3.7 Summary 34 CHAPTER DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 35 4.1 Research cycle one 35 4.1.1 Analysis of classroom observation 35 4.1.3 Analysis of the teaching diaries .45 4.1.2 Analysis of the questionnaires to the students……………………… ……46 4.1.4 Data collected from post-questionnaires 48 4.2 Research cycle two 54 4.2.1 The students’ attitude towards the reading lesson 54 vi 4.2.2 The students’ opinions about games and group discussion 55 4.3 Research cycle three 56 4.4.1 What are students’ opinions about reading lessons? .58 4.4.2 How effective is the use of three pre-reading activities in enhancing students’ reading interest? .59 4.4.3 What are students’ attitudes towards these activities? 60 4.5 Summary 61 CHAPTER CONCLUSION 63 5.1 Recapitulation 63 5.2 Concluding remarks 64 5.3 Implications 65 5.4 Limitations 66 5.5 Suggestions for further research 67 REFERENCES 68 APPENDIXES I vii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the research Interests in learning, especially in teaching and learning reading skills have addressed the attention of many researchers As we know that, interests have a powerful impact on students‟ reading abilities Kragler and Nolley (1996) claim that determining children‟s interests can motivate children to read more difficult reading materials Wolfson and Manning (1984) found that students comprehend more when they read materials of interest For this reason, making reading an enjoyable activity is very important, and to improve students‟ reading ability, the reading activities used in teaching reading must also be enjoyable It can be said that without interests, someone is impossible to anything Therefore, it is important that teachers should pay attention to students‟ interests to help them read at a higher level and comprehend the text more successfully It is undeniable that pre-reading activities play an important role in the success of teaching reading skill According to Celce-Murcia (1991), pre-reading activities not only activate the reader‟s prior relevant knowledge to the understanding of the new text but they also provide language preparation and motivate reading An effective pre-reading activity makes the reading lesson more enjoyable and less challenging It is assumed that if the students are interested in pre-reading state, their reading tasks will be more successfully completed and obstacles in while-reading stage will become less As an English teacher for more than ten years, the researcher has realized the significant effects of pre-reading activities on students‟ reading performance However, in the context of teaching and learning in a high school in Ba Vi district, the author found that the use of pre-reading tasks has been far from satisfactory In most reading lessons, teachers seem to follow repeated tasks in textbooks without any adaptation Students, therefore, merely spend most of their time following what the teacher asks with low emotion and cooperation Sometimes, the teachers use a write down all the things - Take note About the invention they like - Present before class (The group which has the most interesting ideas will be the winner.) - Checks the students‟ work (pictures related to the inventions people made.) Pre- Activity 2: Discussion readin - g knowledge by asking them Discussion: (9‟) some questions the Elicits students‟ - Students are divided into small What can the animals or groups of four leaves that people can’t? - Discuss about what animals can Name some objects people but people can not invented to make up for what - Exchange their ideas they can’t do? - Report their answers - Assists students with useful Suggested answer: words or pictures to express a bird can fly their ideas a dolphin can stay underwater for - Checks some students and a long time ask A lotus leave doesn‟t get wet the others to give comments on their friends‟ People have invented an airplane, answers a ship or submarine, and a waterproof raincoat to make up for what they can‟t While- Practic Activity 3: Choose the most readin e suitable title for the text g skimm - Ask students to read the text XXV - Read the text ing the quickly to choose the most - Choose the most suitable title text for suitable title for it for it general - Asks students to skim the - Share the ideas with friends ideas - Report in front of the class text and choose the best answer - Checks and explains - * Key: b imitating Nature Activity 4: Matching the words with their meanings (17‟) Check - Lets students read the - Read the text again passage again and then guess - Match the words in the left student the words in the left column column in their context s‟ in their context - Share the ideas with friends vocabu - Calls some students to - Report in front of the class lary check the answers and - Take notes compare the answers with a partner Gives feedback - Provides the answers b e f a Practic c d e - Ask students to read these scanni important words in the whole - Work in pairs ng for class twice - Ask and answer the question specifi Activity 5: Answer the * Suggested answer: c questions inform - Helps students to make imitate animals are aeroplane and ation senses of the questions and the submarine XXVI The inventions that realize the key words The inventions that - Asks them to ask and answer imitate plants are Velcro, the selfthe questions in pairs in 10 cleaning minutes umbrella fabric - Goes round and assists glass window and Because it helps us to students travel long distance in the air and - Asks some pairs to present encourage the development of the questions and answers tourism and trading orally, asks the others to listen A submarine can help and give comments scientists to learn about life under - Provides final feedback the sea The material that makes up the glass window has the ability to wash away the dirt in the rain An aeroplane “ Its wings and shape imitating those of birds” A submarine: “ imitates a dolphin‟s shape” The Velcro: “hook and loop fastener; two fabrics sticking together thank to the hooks on one surface and the loops on the other” Post- - Activity 6: Discussion readin further Question: which of the four - Work in groups of four g underst inventions is the XXVII best - Share the opinions (10‟) and the imitation of nature? - Report in front of the class readin -Have students work in g text groups of three or four to discuss the questions and decide which of the four inventions imitation is of the nature best And explain their choice - Checks some groups‟ work and comment Consol - Summarizes the main points - Do exercise in the reading part idation of the lesson and - Asks students to learn by - Prepare for the next lesson homew heart the new words in the student workbook ork (2‟) XXVIII APPENDIX 4- SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE I PRE- TREATMENT QUESTIONNAIRE ( VIETNAMESE VERSION) PHIẾU ĐIỀU TRA VỀ CÁC HOẠT ĐỘNG TRƯỚC KHI ĐỌC NHẰM NÂNG CAO HỨNG THÚ TRONG CÁC GIỜ HỌC KĨ NĂNG ĐỌC HIỂU TIẾNG ANH Mục đích điều tra để thu thập thông tin hoạt động trước đọc nhằm nâng cao hứng thú học kỹ đọc hiểu tiếng Anh Rất mong em bớt chút thời gian trả lời cách trung thực xác câu hỏi Mọi thông tin em cung cấp bảo mật Xin chân thành cảm ơn cộng tác em! Họ tên:………………………… Lớp: ………… Hướng dẫn: Em đọc đánh dấu (X) vào ô phù hợp với quan điểm đưa ý kiến khác ô trống Em thấy học kĩ đọc lớp nào? A Rất thú vị B Thú vị C Ít thú vị D Khơng thú vị E Ý kiến khác ( xin nêu rõ) Theo em, lí em cho học đọc thú vị (hoặc không thú vị)? Ý kiến em Thú vị Em thấy học kĩ đọc Khơng thú vị Lí …………………………………………… …………………………………………… …………………………………………… …………………………………………… …………………………………………… ………………………………………… XXIX Em cho biết mức độ thường xuyên giáo viên việc sử dụng hoạt động trước đọc Các hoạt động Luôn Thường thường Thỉnh thoảng Hiếm Khơng Bình thường Tẻ nhạt Dạy từ xuất đọc Sử dụng giáo cụ trực quan (tranh ảnh, videos, …) Cho học sinh đốn thơng tin nội dung đọc Hỏi học sinh số câu hỏi dẫn dắt vào nội dung đọc Giới thiệu qua đọc Sử dụng số trị chơi ngơn ngữ Khơng sử dụng hoạt động Các hoạt động khác Bạn cho biết suy nghĩ hoạt động sau? Các hoạt động Rất thú vị Dạy từ xuất đọc Sử dụng giáo cụ trực quan (tranh ảnh, videos, …) Cho học sinh đốn thơng tin nội dung đọc Hỏi học sinh số câu hỏi dẫn dắt vào nội dung đọc Giới thiệu qua đọc Sử dụng số trị chơi ngơn ngữ XXX Thú vị Rất tẻ nhạt Em cho biết suy nghĩ hoạt động trước đọc sau đây: Các hoạt động trước đọc Ý kiến Dạy từ xuất đọc Thú vị Sử dụng giáo cụ trực quan (tranh ảnh, videos, …) Cho học sinh đốn thơng tin nội dung đọc Hỏi học sinh số câu hỏi dẫn dắt vào nội dung đọc Giới thiệu qua đọc Giới thiệu qua đọc Lí Khơng thú vị Thú vị Khơng thú vị Thú vị Không thú vị Thú vị Không thú vị Thú vị Không thú vị Thú vị Không thú vị Theo em, mục đích tác dụng hoạt động trước đọc gì? A- Cung cấp từ cấu trúc ngữ pháp B- Khơi gợi kiến thức học sinh chủ đề học C- Giúp học sinh làm quen với chủ đề D- Gây hứng thú tạo động lực học E- Giảm căng thẳng, lo lắng F- Khơng có tác dụng G- Ý kiến khác: XXXI Em gợi ý số hoạt động trước đọc nhằm giúp học sinh sinh hứng thú nội dung đọc: ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………… …………………Hết…………………… Xin chân thành cảm ơn! XXXII PRE- TREATMENT QUESTIONNAIRE ( ENGLISH VERSION) Dear students, The purpose of this questionnaire is to gather information about using pre-reading activities to enhance students‟ interests in reading I desperately hope to get your help in answering the following questions fully and honestly All of your information will be kept absolutely confidential Thank you very much for your cooperation! Instruction: Read each statement and put the mark (x) under the column which best represents your opinion or write in the gap Name: Class: What is your opinion about reading lessons in the class? F Very interesting G Interesting H Less interesting I Not interesting J Other‟ ideas ( please clarify) ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… 2.Why you think the reading lessons are interesting or not interesting? Your opinion Interesting …………………………………………… …………………………………………… …………………………………………… I find the reading lessons: Reasons Not interesting …………………………………………… …………………………………………… ………………………………………… XXXIII How often does your teacher used these following pre-reading activities? Pre-reading activities Always Usually Sometimes Rarely Never Give the meanings of new words in the text Use visual aids (pictures, videos ) Give some predicting questions and statements Use pre- questioning Introduce briefly the reading text Use games No pre-reading activity Other activities What you think about these following pre-reading activities? Activities Very interesting Interesting Normal Boring Pre teach vocabulary Using visual aids (pictures, video ) Guessing the Use pre- questioning Introduce briefly the reading text Use games What are your opinions of the following pre-reading activities: pre-reading activities: Your opinion Pre teach vocabulary Interesting Not interesting Using visual aids Interesting XXXIV Reasons Very boring (pictures, video ) Not interesting Give some predicting questions and statements Pre questioning Interesting Not interesting Interesting Not interesting Brief introduction Interesting Not interesting Giới thiệu qua đọc Interesting Not interesting According to you, what are the purposes and effects of pre-reading activities? A Provide new words and structures B Elicit students‟ background knowledge of the topic C Help students be familiar with the topic D Increase interest and create motivation E Reduce stress and worry F Without any effects G Other opinions: ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… Could you suggest some more pre-reading activities that you think they will increase students’ interest in upcoming reading lessons? ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… …………………The end…………………… Thank you for your time and cooperation! XXXV APPENDIX 5- SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE II POST- QUESTIONNAIRE (VIETNAMESE VERSION) PHIẾU ĐIỀU TRA VỀ CÁC HOẠT ĐỘNG TRƯỚC KHI ĐỌC NHẰM NÂNG CAO HỨNG THÚ TRONG CÁC GIỜ HỌC KĨ NĂNG ĐỌC HIỂU TIẾNG ANH Các câu hỏi lấy liệu cho đề tài Luận Văn Thạc Sĩ Rất mong em bớt chút thời gian trả lời cách trung thực xác câu hỏi Mọi thông tin em cung cấp bảo mật Xin chân thành cảm ơn cộng tác em! Em đánh dấu (X) vào ô tương ứng đưa ý kiến khác ô trống Thái độ học sinh học kỹ đọc Theo em nghĩ Hoàn tồn khơng đồng ý Em thích học đọc hơm Em thích hoạt động tả tranh thảo luận nhóm trước đọc hơm Theo em hoạt động trước đọc quan trọng để bắt đầu đọc hiểu Hôm em tập trung vào học Các hoạt động trước đọc hôm đa dạng gây hứng thú Hôm em cảm thấy tự tin có động lực học Hơm em học tập chăm XXXVI Không đồng ý Khơng rõ Đồng ý Hồn tồn đồng ý Em muốn có nhiều học học hơm Em thấy tập đọc hiểu không q khó 10 Hơm em hiểu đọc Em nói rõ suy nghĩ hoạt động miêu tả tranh thảo luận nhóm hơm Hoạt động Thích Miêu tả tranh Thích Lí Khơng thích Thảo luận nhóm Thích Khơng thích Bạn có ý kiến khác khơng? the end Thank you for your time and cooperation! XXXVII PRE- TREATMENT QUESTIONNAIRE ( ENGLISH VERSION) Dear students, The purpose of this questionnaire is to gather information about using pre-reading activities to enhance students‟ interests in reading I desperately hope to get your help in answering the following questions fully and honestly All of your information will be kept absolutely confidential Thank you very much for your cooperation! Instruction: Read each statement and put the mark (x) under the column which best represents your opinion or write in the gap Name: Class: Attitude toward learning English In my opinion Absolutely Disagree Not Agree Absolutely disagree decided agree I like the reading lesson today very much I like the pre-reading activities today I think pre-reading activities are very important in reading lessons I am very concentrated on the lesson today The pre-reading activities today are very diverse and exciting I feel very confident and motivated today I study very hard today I want to experience more lessons like this one XXXVIII I find the reading tasks in while and post- stage are not too difficult 10 Today I completely understand the lesson Could you explain more about two pre-reading: using visual aids and group discussion today? Activities Opinion Picture Like describing Group discussion Reasons Dislike Like Dislike Do you have any other ideas? …………………The end…………………… Thank you for your time and cooperation! XXXIX ... 10 Games have a great educational value and it can be used in the classroom to encourage learners to interact, to cooperate, to be creative and spontaneous in using the language in a meaningful... and because of their promising roles in enhancing students‟ interests in reading Games in Language Learning Musa (2012) discussed that games are activities that are in great harmony to the mind... data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively The results of the data analysis indicate that students have relatively low interest in reading lessons due to the lack of interesting pre- reading