Teaching and Learning English Writing Skills at Chu Van An High School for the Gifted, Lang Son Province: Difficulties and Solutions . M.A Thesis Linguis

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES ************************* DƯ ÁI HUỆ CHI TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS AT CHU VAN AN HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED, LANG SON PROVINCE: DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS (VIỆC DẠY VÀ HỌC KỸ NĂNG VIẾT TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN CHU VĂN AN, LẠNG SƠN: NHỮNG KHÓ KHĂN VÀ GIẢI PHÁP) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60140111 Hanoi, 2015 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES ************************* DƯ ÁI HUỆ CHI TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS AT CHU VAN AN HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED, LANG SON PROVINCE: DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS (VIỆC DẠY VÀ HỌC KỸ NĂNG VIẾT TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN CHU VĂN AN, LẠNG SƠN: NHỮNG KHÓ KHĂN VÀ GIẢI PHÁP) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60140111 Supervisor : Assoc Prof Dr Kiều Thị Thu Hương Hanoi, 2015 STATEMENT OF THE AUTHORSHIP I hereby certify that the minor thesis entitled “Teaching and Learning English Writing Skills at Chu Van An High School for the Gifted, Lang Son Province: Difficulties and Solutions” is the result of my own study to fulfill the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts at College of Foreign Languages, Hanoi National University, and that this minor thesis has not been submitted for any degree at any other university or tertiary institution Hanoi, September 2015 Du Ai Hue Chi i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am indebted to many people without whose help the present thesis could not have been completed First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr Kieu Thi Thu Huong, my research supervisor, for her invaluable guidance, insightful comments and endless support I am deeply thankful to Dr Le Hung Tien and all the staff members of the Post graduate Department, College of Foreign Languages, Hanoi National University for their interesting and informative lectures, which have provided me with useful knowledge of teaching methodology My thanks are also extended to all the teachers and students at Chu Van An High School for the Gifted, Lang Son province for their enthusiastic assistance during the process of collecting data and information for my study My special thanks are due to the library staff at ULIS for their tremendous efforts in finding books and journal articles for me Finally, I owe the completion of this research to my parents and my siblings, my husband and my child, who have always given me their love, understanding and encouragement throughout my study To all mentioned, and to many more, my heart extends the warmest thanks ii ABSTRACT This study is an attempt to explore the reality of the teaching and learning English writing skills at Chu Van An High School for the Gifted in Lang Son Province It aims at affording deep insights into the difficulties encountered by the tenth graders in their learning of writing Such issues as the teachers' and students' attitudes towards writing, the students' writing strategies and the students' writing training are carefully examined on the basis of the data obtained from elicited written questionnaires and class observation The findings exhibit that students have to face many difficulties in three writing stages: Pre-writing, While-writing and Postwriting These difficulties are not only due to the teachers' and students' negative attitudes towards writing but also the shortcomings in the students' writing strategies and training Based on those findings, the study provides some pedagogical suggestions to overcome the difficulties iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL: English as a foreign language ESL: English as a second language CVA: Chu Van An High School for the Gifted, Lang Son Province iv LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Tables Table 1: Differences between the process writing and the product writing Table Topics and text types in each unit of English 10 Table Students' writing strategies Table The number of drafts Table Students' rewriting strategies Table Students' judgment of their Pre-writing difficulties Table Students' judgment of their While-writing difficulties Table Students' judgment of their Post-writing difficulties Table Frequency of activities used by teachers in Pre-writing Table 10 Frequency of activities used by teachers in While-writing Table 11 Frequency of activities used by teachers in Post-writing Charts Chart The most difficult skills to learn Chart How much the students like learning writing Chart The most difficult skill to teach Chart How much the teachers like teaching writing v TABLE OF CONTENTS Statement of the authorship i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii List of abbreviations iv List of tables and charts v Table of contents vi PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale of the study Aims of the study Research questions Methods of the study Scope of the study Significance of the study .2 Organization of the study PART B DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Definition of writing 1.2 Fundamental components of writing 1.3 Problems caused by writing .5 1.4 Differences between skilled and unskilled writers 1.5 Approaches to teaching writing 1.5.1 Controlled-to-free approach vi 1.5.2 Free writing approach 1.5.3 Paragraph-pattern approach 1.5.4 Grammar-syntax-organization approach 1.5.5 Communicative approach 10 1.5.6 Process approach 11 1.5.7 Product-oriented approach 12 1.5.8 Summary of the differences between product and process pproaches 13 CHAPTER RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2.1 Context of the study 16 2.1.1 The school 16 2.1.2 English 10 Textbook 16 2.1.3 The writing section in English 10 textbook .16 2.2 Research questions 18 2.3 Research methods .18 2.3.1 Participants .19 2.3.2 Instruments and procedure 19 CHAPTER DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Analysis of the questionnaire for students .21 3.1.1 Students' attitude towards writing 21 3.1.2 Students' writing strategies 22 3.1.2.1 Students' writing strategies .22 3.1.2.2 Students' rewriting strategies 22 vii 3.1.3 Students' judgment of their writing difficulties .23 3.1.3.1 Students' difficulties in Pre-writing stage .23 3.1.3.2 Students' difficulties in While-writing stage 24 3.1.3 Students' difficulties in Post-writing stage 25 3.2 Analysis of the questionnaire for teachers .25 3.2.1 Teachers' attitude towards teaching writing 25 3.2.2 Learners' training in writing 26 3.2.2.1 Frequency of activities used by teachers in Pre-writing 26 3.2.2.2 Frequency of activities used by teachers in While-writing .28 3.2.2.3 Frequency of activities used by teachers in Post-writing 29 3.3 Class Observation 30 PART C CONCLUSION 4.1 Study findings 32 4.1.1 Students' difficulties in learning writing 32 4.1.2 Reasons for the difficulties 32 4.1.2.1 Negative attitude towards writing 32 4.1.2.2 Shortcomings in the students' strategies and training .32 4.2 Suggestions for the solution .34 4.2.1 Create and maintain a positive atmosphere for learning 34 4.2.2 Take advantage of the 'out-of-book' lessons 34 4.2.3 Give students ownership and publishing 35 4.2.4 Engage students in writing regularly 35 4.2.5 Provide students with constructive response and guide them how to offer response to other writes 36 viii APPENDIX SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS The questions in this survey are designed for my research into “Teaching and learning English writing skills at Chu Van An High School for the gifted, Lang son Province: difficulties and solutions.” Your answers will be a precious contribution to the success of this research All information provided by you will be absolutely confidential and merely for research Thank you so much for your help! Instructions Circle the letter next to the alternative that is right in your situation For questions from to 8, more than one answer is acceptable Which skills you think are most difficult? a Reading skills b Listening skills c Speaking skills d Writing skills How much you like learning writing skills? a Very much b Much c Not much d Not at all When writing, what you do? a Discuss the topics with others b Write an outline c Outline in mind d Make notes e Collect useful words f Correct grammar or spelling g Read previous sentence or paragraph I Do you write more than one draft? a Yes b No When rewriting, what you do? a Read the first draft b Change ideas c Change paragraph d Change words and sentences e Punctuate carefully What difficulties you face in Pre-writing stage? a Uninteresting and ambiguous topics b Lack of words c Lack of background knowledge d Difficulty in generating ideas What difficulties you face in While-writing stage? a Finding appropriate words b Writing in correct language (correct grammar, spelling) c Organizing ideas in a coherent way d Time pressure What difficulties you face in Post-writing stage? a Correcting your writing on your own b getting feedback and assessment from your teachers c Doing homework without teachers' and classmates' support d Time pressure II CÂU HỎI KHẢO SÁT DÀNH CHO HỌC SINH Các câu hỏi khảo sát thiết kế để phục vụ cho đề tài nghiên cứu "Dạy học kỹ viết tiếng Anh trường THPT Chuyên Chu Văn An, tỉnh Lạng Sơn: Khó khăn giải pháp" Câu trả lời em đóng góp quý báu cho thành công nghiên cứu Tất thông tin em cung cấp hồn tồn giữ bí mật phục vụ cho mục đích nghiên cứu Cảm ơn giúp đỡ em nhiều! Hướng dẫn Khoanh tròn chữ tương ứng với câu trả lời Từ câu hỏi trở đi, lựa chọn câu trả lời Theo em kỹ khó nhất? a Kỹ đọc b Kỹ nghe c Kỹ nói d Kỹ viết Em thích học kỹ viết mức độ nào? a Rất thích b Thích c Khơng thích d Khơng thích Các hoạt động viết em gì? a Thảo luận chủ đề với người khác b Viết dàn ý c Phác thảo dàn ý tâm trí d ghi e Thu thập từ hữu ích f Chỉnh sửa lỗi ngữ pháp tả g Đọc câu đoạn văn trước III Em có viết nhiều dự thảo không ? a Có b Khơng Hoạt động viết lại em gì? a Đọc thảo b Thay đổi ý tưởng c Thay đổi đoạn d Thay đổi từ câu e Chấm câu cách cẩn thận Những khó khăn em trước viết ? a Chủ đề nhàm chán b Thiếu từ c Thiếu kiến thức d Khó khăn tìm ý Những khó khăn em viết ? a Tìm từ phù hợp b Viết ngữ pháp, tả c Trình bày viết mạch lạc d Áp lực thời gian Những khó khăn em sau viết ? a Tự chữa viết b Nhận phản hồi nhận xét giáo viên c Tự làm tập nhà d Áp lực thời gian IV APPENDIX SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS The questions in this survey are designed for my research into “Teaching and learning English writing skills at Chu Van An High School for the gifted, Lang son Province: difficulties and solutions.” Your answers will be a precious contribution to the success of this research All information provided by you will be absolutely confidential and merely for research Thank you so much for your help! Instructions Circle the letter next to the alternative or put a tick in the box that is right in your situation Which skills you think are most difficult? e Reading skills f Listening skills g Speaking skills h Writing skills How much you like teaching writing skills? e Very much f Much g Not much h Not at all How often you use these activities in Pre-writing stage? Frequency Pre-writing Activities Usually a Take advantage of the useful information learnt in previous lessons b Organize students into pairs or groups to discuss and generate words and ideas V Often Sometimes Rarely Never c Give out a model and ask students to imitate the structure and language d Help students outline and plan their writing How often you use these activities in While-writing stage? Frequency While-writing Activities Usually Often Sometimes Rarely Never a Leave students to write individually b Move around and help students when necessary c Ask students to write more than one draft d Organize pair or group activities How often you use these activities in Post-writing stage? Frequency Post-writing Activities Usually a Ask students to peer correction b Check the writing of one or two students with the whole class and comment on common mistakes c Take students' writing notebooks home to correct individual's VI Often Sometimes Rarely Never APPENDIX OBSERVATION DESCRIPTION Unit 10 Conservation Writing Task: Write a letter of invitation Class: 10E Time duration: 45’ DESCRIPTIVE NOTES REFLECTIVE NOTES Pre-writing - - Teacher asked students to Task in expressions of invitation, she Students wrote out eight sentences by made use of the available ones matching the first half in column A with in textbook - Teacher asked students to deduce - invitation Teacher did not help students outline or plan their writing Teacher asked students to Task - individually - Students did the tasks smoothly but passively structure and language used to express - Teacher did not add any new pairs the most suitable half in column B - - Learning environment was quite boring Students used suitable expressions provided in Task to fill in the blanks in some invitatiton letters While-writing - Teacher asked students to Task - individually - students’ writing Two representatives were asked to - present their writings on the board and the rest in their notebooks - Teacher did not set time for their writings quickly - Teacher went around to help students if VII Two representatives completed Students did not write more than one draft necessary - Some students coped with difficulty in writing correct language Post-writing - - - Teacher asked some volunteers to give - their correction and comments on the wrong correction on some written text on the board grammatical issues Teacher gave her correction and - Teacher’s correction and assessment assessment were mainly on Teacher asked their students to grammatical and spelling exchange their writings to peer mistakes correction - Two volunteer students gave - Teacher assigned students homework Students did not peer correction because time was over - Many students did not pay attention to their homework OBSERVATION DESCRIPTION Unit 11 National Parks Writing Task: Write a letter of acceptance or refusal Class: 10G Time duration: 45’ DESCRIPTIVE NOTES REFLECTIVE NOTES Pre-writing - Teacher wrote down on the board six - Teacher did not add any new ways of accepting and refusing an expressions of acceptance or invitation, which were available in the refusal text book - VIII Teacher did not mention about - Students worked in groups to discuss the structure or form of a letter Task and filled each blank of the of accepatance or refusal opened letters with a suitable - expression - Students did not have difficulty in doing the tasks Teacher asked three students to say aloud the answers individually - Teacher asked the whole class to write the answers in their notebook - Teacher asked students to Task in pairs: Rearrange the sentences into a letter - Teacher asked two students to say aloud the answers individually - Teacher gave feedback and corrected the answers While-writing - Teacher divided students into two - groups: one group was asked to write than one draft letters of acceptance, the other was - - Some students coped with asked to write letters of refusal difficulty in writing correct Two representatives from the groups language were asked to present their writings on - Students did not write more - Students did the tasks the board and the rest in their smoothly but passively notebooks because they were not free to Teacher went around to help students if choose between the two kinds necessary of letter - Teacher did not set time for students’ writing Post-writing IX - Teacher asked the whole class to give - Students gave some correction their correction and comments on the on spelling mistakes written text on the board - - - Teacher gave her correction and assessment were mainly on assessment grammatical and spelling Teacher asked their students to mistakes exchange their writings to peer - Teacher’s correction and - Students tried to write down correction their teacher’s writing sample Teacher showed a sample on the into their notebooks before the screen lesson was over OBSERVATION DESCRIPTION Unit 13 Films and Cinema Writing Task: Describing a film Class: 10H Time duration: 45’ DESCRIPTIVE NOTES REFLECTIVE NOTES Pre-writing - Teacher elicited and presented some - new words by situations and examples Students had no difficulty in answering the questions - Teacher asked students to Task - - Students read the passage individually about the genre or the form of and then asked and answered the the writing questions in pairs - Teacher checked some pairs’ work by asking them to present their questions and answers orally X Teacher did not mention - Teachers focused on essential points in a description of a film While-writing - Teacher asked students to Task - individually - - Students did not write more than one draft One representative was asked to present - Two students who were his writing on the board and the rest in sitting near the observer their notebooks wrote in the form of an essay Teacher went around to help students if not a paragraph and their necessary teacher did not know that - Some students had trouble with vocabulary: they did not know some cinematic terminologies or could not remember exactly the spelling of foreign names, Post-writing - Teacher asked the whole class to give their correction and comments on the - - written text on the board correction on spelling and Teacher gave her correction and grammatical mistakes assessment - - Students gave some - Teacher’s correction and Teacher asked their students to assessment were mainly on exchange their writings to peer grammatical and spelling correction mistakes Teacher assigned students homework OBSERVATION DESCRIPTION Unit 14 The World Cup Writing Task: Write an announcement XI Class: 10G Time duration: 45’ DESCRIPTIVE NOTES REFLECTIVE NOTES Pre-writing - Teacher elicited and presented some - Students had no difficulty in new words by situations and examples answering the questions and - Teacher asked students to Task deducing the essential points in - Students read the passage individually an announcement and then asked and answered the - questions in pairs - Learning environment was quite exciting Teacher checked some pairs’ work by asking them to present their questions and answers orally - Teachers asked two students to tell some possible details to include in an announcement - Students deduced the essential points in an announcement from what they had learned in task - Teacher provided some useful structures used in an announcement While-writing - Teacher helped students to make notes of the information in each situation - Teacher divided the class into two - Students did the task smoothly - The environment was quite exciting groups: one was asked to write the first situation, the other was asked to write the second one XII - Two representatives from the groups presented their writing on the board, the rest in their notebooks Post-writing - Teacher asked the whole class to give their correction and comments on the - - Students gave some correction written text on the board on spelling and grammatical Teacher gave her correction and mistakes assessment - - - Teacher’s correction and Teacher asked their students to assessment were mainly on exchange their writings to peer grammatical and spelling correction mistakes Teacher assigned students homework OBSERVATION DESCRIPTION Unit 16 Historical Places Writing Task: Describe a chart Class: 10E Time duration: 45’ DESCRIPTIVE NOTES REFLECTIVE NOTES Pre-writing - Teacher asked students to look at the Teacher did not provide chart in Task and explained the students with any writing information that was presented in the sample chart - - - Students explained the information Students had no difficulty in explaining the information in XIII - presented in the chart in Vietnamese the chart and answering the Teacher asked students to answer the questions in the task questions in pairs - Teacher checked some pairs’ work by asking them to present their questions and answers orally - Teachers focused on essential points in a - The input language was too description of a chart and provided poor for students to apply to students with some expressions used to their writing describe a chart - Learning environment was quite boring While-writing - Teacher asked students to Task individually - Students used suitable expressions given by the teacher and the answers to the - - The representative did not questions in the task to write a complete her writing The description of the chart sentences were not connected Teacher moved around to help students coherently and cohesively if necessary - One representative was asked to present her writing on the board and the rest in their notebooks Post-writing - Teacher asked some students to read - their writings aloud Some students refused to read their writings because they couldn’t complete their task Meanwhile, those who read their writings had difficulty in XIV connecting sentences cohesively and coherently - Teacher gave her correction and - assessment There was little time left for the teacher to give her correction and assessment - Teacher showed a model description on - the screen Few students paid attention to the model because time was over - Teacher did not assign students homework XV