A study on students’ attitudes towards doing english presentations at department of accounting at quang ninh university of industry

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ****** VŨ THỊ THANH HUYỀN A STUDY ON STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS DOING ENGLISH PRESENTATIONS AT DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AT QUANG NINH UNIVERSITY OF INDUSTRY (Nghiên cứu thái độ sinh viên khoa Kế toán trường Đại học Cơng nghiệp Quảng Ninh với hoạt động thuyết trình tiếng Anh) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Hanoi - 2016 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ****** VŨ THỊ THANH HUYỀN A STUDY ON STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS DOING ENGLISH PRESENTATIONS AT DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AT QUANG NINH UNIVERSITY OF INDUSTRY (Nghiên cứu thái độ sinh viên khoa Kế tốn trường Đại học Cơng nghiệp Quảng Ninh với hoạt động thuyết trình tiếng Anh) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân Hanoi - 2016 DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled: “A study on students’ attitudes towards doing English presentations at Department of Accounting at Quang Ninh University of Industry” submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies - University of Languages and International Studies, VNU, Hanoi, and that this thesis has not been submitted anywhere for any degree Except where the reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Hanoi, 2016 Vũ Thị Thanh Huyền Approved by SUPERVISOR (Signature and full name) Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân Date:…………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have given me great assistance in the completion of my research work First and foremost, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân, for his invaluable guidance, critical feedback, and especially, his enormous encouragement, without which my thesis would be far from completion My special thanks also go to all the lecturers and the staffs of the Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies for their useful lessons and precious helps throughout my study I am greatly appreciative of all my colleagues and students at Quang Ninh University of Industry for their contribution to the data collection and their constructive suggestions for this research I also wish to acknowledge all the authors whose materials have been used in the study Thanks to them, I could accomplish my study Last but not least, the whole-hearted thanks and debt gratitude are reserved for my dear family and friends who have supported and helped me to overcome the difficulties during my study ii ABSTRACT Learners’ attitude is one of the most effective factors which has great influence on language acquisition and helps explain linguistic behavior Positive attitudes may bring benefits while negative attitudes may lead to decreased motivation and unsuccessful attainment of proficiency This study was conducted to explore the attitudes towards doing English presentations of the students at Department of Accounting at Quang Ninh University of Industry The survey aproach was employed Two research instruments, survey questionnaire and interview, were used to collect data from 96 first year accounting students at Quang Ninh University of Industry (QUI) Overall, the findings indicated that the participants kept negative attitudes towards doing English presentations Both internal and external factors accounted for their unfavorable attitudes From the findings obtained, some pedagogical implications were proposed to both teachers and students with the hope that they will make a contribution to the improvement of the teaching and learning of English presentation skills at QUI iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATION vii LISTS OF TABLES viii PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale for the study Aims of the study Research questions Significance of the study Methods of the study Scope of the study Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Oral presentations 1.1.1 Definition of oral presentation 1.1.2 The advantages of student presentations 1.1.3 Characteristics of effective presentations 1.1.4 Oral presentation skills in the language classroom 1.1.5 Factors affecting students’ oral presentation 10 1.2 Individual factors affecting on students’ success in language learning 11 1.3 Attitudes 12 1.3.1 Definition of attitude 12 1.3.2 Language attitude 13 1.3.3 Roles of learners’ attitudes in language learning 14 1.3.4 Factors affecting learners’ attitudes towards language learning .14 iv 1.4 Review of previous studies related to students’ langua CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 2.1 Setting of the study 2.1.1 A brief overview of QUI and English Division at QUI 2.1.2 The QUI students 2.1.3 A brief description of the English course and material 2.2 Participants of the study 2.3 Research instruments 2.3.1 Questionnaire 2.3.2 Interviews 2.4 Data collection procedure 2.5 Methods of data analysis CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Data analysis of students’ questionnaires 3.1.1 General attitudes towards learning English 3.1.2 Students’ attitudes towards English presentations 3.1.3 Students’ feelings about doing English oral presentations 3.1.4 Students’ activities in periods having presentations 3.1.5 Reasons affecting students’ attitudes towards oral presentations in the classrooms 3.1.6 Summary from students’ questionnaire 3.2 Data analysis of students’ interview 3.3 Discussion PART C: CONCLUSION Recapitulation Implications 2.1 For students 2.1.1 Improving knowledge of English 2.1.2 Preparing thoroughly for presentations v 2.2 For teachers 39 2.2.1 Providing students with linguistic knowledge 39 2.2.2 Equipping students with presentation skills 40 REFERENCES 42 APPENDICES I APPENDIX 1: PHIẾU KHẢO SÁT CHO SINH VIÊN I APPENDIX 2: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS .IV APPENDIX 3: CÂU HỎI PHỎNG VẤN CHO SINH VIÊN VII APPENDIX 4: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS .VII APPENDIX 5: RESULTS FROM QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS .VIII APPENDIX 6: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS XII APPENDIX 7: CHECKLISTS XV APPENDIX 8: A SAMPLE FINAL SPEECH EVALUATION FORM XVI vi LIST OF ABBREVIATION VNU : Vietnam National University, Hanoi EFL : English as a Foreign Language ESL : English as a Second Language QUI : Quang Ninh University of Industry CLT : Communicative Language Teaching ESP : English for Specific Purposes vii LISTS OF TABLES Table 1: Summary of students’ attitudes towards learning English .23 Table 2: Summary of students’ awareness about the importance of English presentations 24 Table 3: Summary of students’ feelings about doing English oral presentations 26 Table 4: Summary of students’ activities in presentation periods 26 Table 5: Summary of internal factors affecting students’ attitudes towards doing English presentations 28 Table 6: Summary of external factors affecting students’ attitudes towards doing English presentations 30 viii APPENDIX CÂU HỎI PHỎNG VẤN CHO SINH VIÊN Em có nghĩ thuyết trình tiếng Anh kỹ quan trọng khơng? Vì có? Vì khơng? Em có thích tham gia thuyết trình học tiếng Anh khơng? Vì có? Vì khơng? Theo em, điều giúp em có thái độ tích cực với việc thuyết trình tiếng Anh? APPENDIX INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS Do you agree that oral presentation skills are very important to you? Why or why not? Do you enjoy participating in doing presentations in English lessons? Why or why not? In your opinion, what can promote your positive attitudes towards doing English presentations? VII APPENDIX RESULTS FROM QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS Summary of Students’ profile Age Sex Length of learning Final marks in General English I Summary of students’ attitudes towards learning English B Why English? I am interested in English English is a subject at university English is necessary for my future I can enjoy music, films and stories in English I can foreign people Others communicate * (1= strongly disagree; 2= disagree; 3= neutral; 4= agree; 5= strongly agree) VIII Summary of students’ awareness about the importance of English presentations oral presentation skill you? A waste of time Enhancing speak in front of a group of people Widening both the topic and English 10 Helping prepare fo needed in workplace 11 Improving skills and oral proficiency 12 Others * (1= strongly disagree; 2= disagree; 3= neutral; 4= agree; 5= strongly agree) Summary of students’ feelings about doing English oral presentations II Which of the following most impresses your feeling about presentations English lessons? 13 Boring 14 Interesting 15 Stressful 16 Relaxing 17 Effective 18 Others * (1= strongly disagree; 2= disagree; 3= neutral; 4= agree; 5= strongly agree IX Summary of students’ activities in presentation periods III What you often in periods presentations? 19 Listening to attentively 20 Joining in presenting groups eagerly 21 Doing other things 22 Skipping presentation days 23 Discussing pairs/ groups in Vietnamese 24 Others * (1= strongly disagree; 2= disagree; 3= neutral; 4= agree; 5= stro Summary of internal factors affecting students’ attitudes towa C How you agree that these following reasons may affect your towards presentations? 25 My English speaking ability is not high 26 I have poor pronunciation 27 I find hard to have right words English 28 My knowledge of the topics is limited 29 I feel oral presentations X 30 I am unable to remember points to present 31 I feel nervous even if I’ve prepared well beforehand 32 I lack confidence when presenting 33 I’m afraid of failure in oral presentations 34 I need to read from my notes during presenting 35 I not give enough rehearsal 36 I spend a little time for preparation Summary of external factors affecting students’ attitudes towards doing English presentations C How you agree that these following reasons may affect your towards presentations? 37 doing My teacher 39 encouragement My teacher is unwilling to explain when we have problems on presentations My teacher 40 assessing My teacher 41 evaluation criteria My teacher 42 instructions My 38 43 comments I give teacher not have presentations in 44 outside class There is not enough multimedia equipment in class * (1= strongly disagree; 2= disagree; 3= neutral; 4= agree; 5= strongly agree) XI APPENDIX INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS I: Interviewer I: S: Students Em có cho kỹ thuyết trình cần thiết với em khơng? Tại có? Tại khơng? S1: Quan trọng Thuyết trình giúp em nhiều việc cải thiện kỹ nói trước đơng người S2: Có Thuyết trình chủ đề làm cho em hiểu thêm chủ đề S3: Nhờ thuyết trình lớp, em thấy tự tin thêm Vì vậy, theo em thuyết trình quan trọng S4: Đúng ạ, Đây kỹ cần thiết cho nghề nghiệp sau em S5 Em thấy thuyết trình cực quan trọng cho Càng thuyết trình giỏi, đường tiến tới thành cơng ngắn dễ dàng thuyết phục người khác Vừa rồi, tổng thống Mỹ Obama sang Việt Nam ngưỡng mộ, yêu quý nhiều phần nhờ khả diễn thuyết bậc thầy ngài Cơ có nghĩ khơng? (hi) S6: Bạn nói Nhưng với em khơng quan trọng Em làm mỏ thuyết trình tiếng Anh cho nghe? S7: Thuyết trình thật thời gian Nó chẳng tính vào điểm tổng kết học phần em S8: Em không nghĩ Biết Theo em quan trọng S9: Có Ít đứng nói trước đơng người rèn tự tin cho S10: Em nghĩ I: Em có thích tham gia thuyết trình học tiếng Anh khơng? Tại có? Tại khơng? S1: Nếu giáo khơng định em không tham gia đâu Khả phát âm em tệ XII S2: Em Có nhiều từ em phát âm Khi thuyết trình em phải tra từ S3: Khơng Để thuyết trình tốt phải chuẩn bị, luyện tập nhiều lắm, mà em khơng có thời gian S4: Ôi, lần trước em chuẩn bị kỹ mà đứng trước lớp, em chẳng nhớ cần nói Tim đập loạn lên Cảm giác thật sợ Em không muốn nhớ lại đâu S5 Cũng Nhưng thực lần quen Em thấy hoạt động trải nghiệm thú vị Em tồn đại diện cho nhóm lên trình bày thơi S6: Không đâu Mà kỹ tiếng Anh em S7: Nhóm em có bạn đến lượt thuyết trình trốn Em khơng sợ ngại Em trình bày tiếng Việt tim đập chân run S8: Theo em bạn học giỏi thuyết trình kỹ tốt Nhưng em học yếu mơn thuyết trình mà thích cơ? S9: Em nghĩ Với lại, em thấy thầy giáo nhận xét chẳng kỹ Chỉ chung chung “good”, “well done”or “not very good” S10: Em chưa tự xung phong lên thuyết trình Em thấy khó Em khơng biết làm I:Theo em, điều giúp em có thái độ tích cực với việc thuyết trình tiếng Anh? S1: Giá mà em phát âm chuẩn em khơng sợ thuyết trình đâu Có em thích S2: Thực em ngại sợ cô Với chủ đề em có nhiều từ quen thuộc thuyết trình khơng q khó khăn S3: Với em vấn đề thời gian thơi Có thời gian, chuẩn bị, luyện tập chu đáo ổn S4: Có cách để đỡ bị run khơng cơ? Em thích nói trơi chảy XIII S5 Em nghĩ, thực nghiêm túc, tâm làm việc thành cơng thơi Thuyết trình thế, ngồi trau dồi ngữ pháp, từ vựng, phát âm, phải kiên nhẫn luyện tập Luyện tập giảm run sợ nói trước đơng người nhiều S6: Việc có thái độ tích cực hay khơng có thực quan trọng khơng cơ? Em thấy không cần thiết mà S7: Không thay đổi đâu cô Em học tiếng Anh thực S8: Em nói rồi, bạn học giỏi, nói giỏi thích thuyết trình thơi S9: Em chẳng biết Nhưng thầy hướng dẫn kỹ em đỡ sợ S10: Có lẽ phải chăm luyện tập nhiều cô Khi tự tin, thực tốt Khi thực tốt thích XIV APPENDIX CHECKLISTS I Voice checklist It is a good idea to think about your own voice Ask yourself some questions: - Is my voice loud, perhaps too loud? - Is my voice soft, perhaps too soft? - Do I speak too slowly? - Do I speak too quickly? - Is my voice monotonous? - Do I articulate clearly, or I mutter? - Will my accent cause my audience any particular difficulty? - Do I run out of breath and gasp for air as I speak? II Visual aids checklist Before your give your presentations, check all your visual aids this way: - If a colleague stands at the back of the room, can he/she see every detail on the screen? - Is there material which is irrelevant and should be removed? - Does the slide need to be corrected? - Is there unnecessary punctuation on the slide? - Has any essential punctuation been left out? - Is the colour combination pleasing to look at? Has the message been distorted because of the background or layout of the slide? - Is every diagram correctly and clearly labelled? - Have you shown more detail than the audience can easily follow? - Is all the lettering big enough to be easily read? - Are there too many words on the screen? Have you shown long sentences or paragraphs which are difficult to read? Is this slide consistent in style and layout with any others that you will use? - Overall, is your message clear and easy to understand? (Emden, J & Becker, L, 2004) XV APPENDIX A SAMPLE FINAL SPEECH EVALUATION FORM Name: …………………………………………………………………… (Make a check in the appropriate column) Good Acceptable Needs Comments improving Topic Interesting process? Appropriate for a general tourist Introduction Adequate? Attention-getting? Organization Clear organization strategy? Used organization indicator statement when appropriate? Linking words (signposts) Smooth, coherent speech flow? Correct use of time expressions and other connectors? Conclusion Adequate? Smooth, not abrupt? Eye contact and facial expressions Focus on the audience Contact with all the members of the audience? Friendly facial expression? Gestures and other body movements? Hands free and expressive? Body posture relaxed rather than stiff? No distracting body movements? Voice Good volume? Confident? Relaxed? Pace Not too fast or too slow? Smooth rather than halting or hesitant? Pronunciation (Specific comments) Other comments? (Reinhart, S.M, 2002, p.18-19 XVI ... positive attitudes towards doing English presentations Implications Oral presentations can be a face-threatening activity However, with structured planning and organization, oral presentations can... Accounting at Quang Ninh University of Industry Two research questions were raised at the beginning: (1) What are the attitudes that students at Department of accounting at QUI hold towards doing. .. Data collection procedure 2.5 Methods of data analysis CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Data analysis of students’ questionnaires 3.1.1 General attitudes towards