Using lexical chunks to develop the speaking fluency of students in a continuing education center in hanoi

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES ********************* ĐINH THỊ HỒNG HẠNH USING LEXICAL CHUNKS TO DEVELOP THE SPEAKING FLUENCY OF STUDENTS IN A CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTER IN HANOI Sử dụng cụm từ vựng để phát triển khả nói học sinh trung tâm giáo dục thường xuyên Hà Nội M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Hanoi, 2018 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES ********************* ĐINH THỊ HỒNG HẠNH USING LEXICAL CHUNKS TO DEVELOP THE SPEAKING FLUENCY OF STUDENTS IN A CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTER IN HANOI Sử dụng cụm từ vựng để phát triển khả nói học sinh trung tâm giáo dục thường xuyên Hà Nội M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Supervisor: Assoc Prof Le Van Canh Hanoi, 2018 DECLARATION Dinh Thi Hong Hanh, hereby certify that the minor thesis entitled “Using lexical chunks to develop the speaking fluency of students in a continuing education center in Hanoi.” is the result of my own research This thesis has not been previously submitted for any other degrees The work was done under the guidance of Associate Professor Le Van Canh, at the University of Languages and International Studies Hanoi, May 2018 Student‘s signature Đinh Thị Hồng Hạnh i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am greatly indebted to University of Languages and International Studies granted me this chance to study higher education To accomplish this study,I would like to express the deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Associate Professor Doctor Le Van Canh for his thoughtful, patient and enthusiastic guidence, supervision ,encouragement, and support all along the period of the study Without his expert, constant and valuable guidance and criticism.I would not have been able to conduct my research I am thankful to all my beloved students who conducted their enthusiastic participation during the process of data collection Lastly, special words of thanks are sent to my beloved family for their encouragement which help me overcome all obstacles during the completion of this study ii ABSTRACT Speaking is one of the most important language skills and recently it has received more and more attention However, of all the basic language skills, English learners still find that speaking skill is the most difficult to acquire In addition, this obstacle has a great impact on students‘ interest and success of English learning Therefore, many teachers and researchers have devised and implemented various methods to enhance learners‘ speaking ability, but chunking method is rarely applied in the teaching of speaking The prominence of multiword clusters (lexical chunks) has grown over recent years, however, there have been few case studies exploring changes in non-native speaker speech and little work done involving non-native speakers in identifying chunks in their own speech Following some awareness-raising training on identifying lexical chunks, the Vietnamese students themselves were asked to identify chunks within their own transcripts Despite the difficulty of the task, they were able to this and additionally offered insights into which chunks were common for them These insights included an awareness of typical Vietnamese phrases and how they reacted to their speech had changed overall A further recording and transcribing cycle suggests that this training resulted in some short-term uptake as the percentage of chunks used increased after the lessons iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Table of contents iv PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rational for the study Aim of the study Structure of the thesis PART B : DEVELOPNMENT Chapter : Literature review 1.1 Overview of speaking 1.2 Vocabulary acquistion 1.3 Challenges of vocabulary learning 1.4 Lexis and lexical chunks 11 1.5 Types of lexical chunks 15 1.6 The significance of teaching lexical chunks 21 1.6.1 Promoting language fluency 21 1.6.2 Enhancing language accuracy 22 1.6.3.Facilitating creative language production 23 1.6.4.Guiding language production 23 1.6.5 Increasing learner‘s motivation 24 1.7 Lexical chunks and language fluency 25 1.8 Lexicalchunks and accuracy of language 26 1.9 Lexical chunks and creative language production 26 Chapter : Methodology and Data analysis 29 iv 2.1.Research questions 29 2.2.The continuing education context 29 2.3 The participants 30 2.4 Research procedure 30 2.5 Data collection and Analysis 33 2.6 Findings 34 2.6.1 How does the teaching and learning of lexical chunks change the students‘speaking fluency? 34 2.6.2.How the students perceive of the benifits of the learning of lexical chunks to their speaking ability? 36 2.7 Discussion of the relationship between L2 learns‘ use of lexical chunks and language procedure 36 PART C : CONCLUSION Conclusion 38 Reflection 39 2.1 Changes in the teacher‘s awareness of teaching vocabulary and speaking 39 2.2 Advantages from the process of conducting the action research 40 2.3 Possible limitations in the action research……………………………… 41 Plan for the next cycle 41 REFERENCES VII APPENDIX X v PART A: INTRODUCTION 1) Rationale for the study: Speaking serves as an indispensable part of language learning Compared to the two basic skills—listening and reading in English learning process—speaking is the hardest for EFL learners to acquire On the one hand, it involves a large amount of vocabulary; on the other hand, English learners need to internalize what they have learnt and at the same time produce language fluently and accurately It is much more complex and demanding than other language competence Therefore, learners‘ speaking competence can reflect their English proficiency to some extent Students‘ speaking skills are tested in terms of fluency, accuracy and complexity Therefore, developing students‘ speaking skills is always a great challenge to any EFL teachers From my teaching experience and also through the informal conversations with my students, I realized that the main barrier to students‘ speaking fluency is their lack of vocabulary However, it takes a long time to develop the students‘ lexical competence because they tend to learn few single words in one lesson, then they forget them During my MA course, I learned that one solution to this challenge is the use of the lexical approach with the focus on helping students to use lexical chunks This thesis reports my action research in which I experimented the lexical approach with my students 2) Aim of the study: This studyis an attempt to investigate the use of lexical chunks in an empirical way and to track changes in elementary-level Vietnamese students‘ spoken usage of lexical chunks over a period of five months in Vietnam It tries to probe into the possible relationship between L2 learners‘ competence of lexical chunks and their language production through analysing results from two speaking tests, one multiple-choice chunk, and an interview 3) Structure of the thesis: Apart from declaration, acknowledgement, abstract, table of content and appendixes, this thesis is structured in three main parts, namely: Introduction, Development, and Conclusion Part A, INTRODUCTION, presents the rationale, the aims of the study, research questions, structure of the thesis Part B, DEVELOPMENT, is composed of two chapters: Chapter 1: Theoretical Background, begins with the literature on overview of speaking, vocabulary acquisition, challenges of vocabulary learning, lexis and lexical chunks, types of lexical chunks, significance of teaching lexical chunks, lexical chunks and language fluency, accuracy of language and creative language production Chapter 2: Methodology and Data analysis focuses on the continuing education context, participants, research procedure, data collection and analysis, findings, and discussion Part C, Conclusion, represents the key ideas in the study, expresses the reflection of the researcher after the study, including changes in the teacher‘s awareness of teaching vocabulary and speaking, advantages from the process of conducting the action research and plan for the next cycle B: album A: Why / like / collecting stamps? B: I/ broaden my knowledge: know more about landscape, people, animals A: What / plan for the future? B: I/ collect more stamps Quiz Question 1: - Bettina Dorfmann She is from ………… A the USA B Germany C France Question 2: 4mins - He‟s very famous map of Vietnam His nam A Tran Huu Hue B Tran Phu Son V - Go around ask their friends C Vu Van Ty - Present their results to the whole class Homework: Talking about your hobby * SELF EVALUATION ……………………………………… ………………… ………………………………… …… ……………………… ………………………………………………………………… …………….…………….……………………………………… ……………………… …………………………………….… ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………… ……………………  VI REFERENCES Arnaud, P.J.L, & Béjoint, H (1992) Vocabulary and Applied Linguistics Springer International Publishing Berne,J.I & Blachowicz, C.L.Z (2008) What reading teachers say about vocabulary instruction: Voices from the classroom The Reading Teacher Wiley Online Library Boers, F (2006) Formulaic sequences and perceived oral proficiency: Putting a lexical approach to the test Language Teaching Research SAGE Journals Cameron, D (2001) Working with spoken discourse SAGE Publications Coady, J & Huckin, T (1997) Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition: A Rationale for Pedagogy Cambridge University Press Conklin, K & Schmitt, N (2008) Formulaic Sequences: Are They Processed More Quickly than Nonformulaic Language by Native and Nonnative Speakers? Oxford University Press Crystal, D (1997) English as a Global Language Cambridge University Press Crystal, D (2005) The Stories of English The Overlook Press, Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc Dweik, B.S & Shakra, MM Abu (2011) Problems in Translating Collocations in Religious Texts from Arabic into English Linguistics Journal Evert, S (2004) Identifying Morphosyntactic Preferences in Collocations Language Resources and Evaluation Conference Foster, C (2001) Environmental perceptions and walking in English adults Journal of Epidemiol Community Health Gu, P.Y (2003) Fine Brush and Freehand: The Vocabulary‐Learning Art of Two Successful Chinese EFL Learners TESOL Quarterly Wiley Online Library VII Halliday, M.A.K (1966) Some notes on 'deep' grammar Journal of Linguistics Cambridge University Press Krashen, S (1989) We Acquire Vocabulary and Spelling by Reading: Additional Evidence for the Input Hypothesis The Modern Language Journal Volume 73, Issue Laufer, B & Nation, P (1999) A vocabulary-size test of controlled productive ability SAGE Journals Levinson, S.C (1983) Pragmatics (Cambridge textbooks in linguistics) Cambridge University Press Lewis, M (1993) The Lexical Approach: The State of ELT and a Way Forward Language Teaching Publications Linse, C (2005) An analysis of predictable picture books: some beginning insights Books and Young Learners of English Young Learner Special Interest Group Conference McCarthy, M & Carter, R (2002) Native‐speaker norms and International English: a classroom view ELT Journal Oxford University Press McCarthy, M & Carter, R (2006) Ten criteria for a spoken grammar Explorations in corpus linguistics Cambridge University Press Meara, P (1980) Vocabulary acquisition: A neglected aspect of language learning Cambridge University Press Nation, P (1989) Improving speaking fluency System Vol Pergamon Press Nation, P (1990) How Large Can a Receptive Vocabulary Be? Applied Linguistics, Volume 11, Issue Oxford University Press Nation, P (2011) A Bilingual Vocabulary Size Test of English for Vietnamese Learners SAGE Journals Nattinger, J.R & DeCarrico, J.S (1992) Oxford Applied Linguistics Oxford University Press VIII Newell, W (1990) Simultaneous Communication: A DESCRIPTION BY DEAF PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN AN EDUCATIONAL SETTING Gallaudet University Press Oxford, R (1990) Adult Language Learning Styles and Strategies in an Intensive Training Setting The Modern Language Journal Volume 74, Issue Pawley, A & Syder, F.H (1983) Two puzzles for linguistic theory: nativelike selection and nativelike fluency Language and Communication Routledge Publisher Read, J (2000) Assessing vocabulary Cambridge University Press Richards, J.C, & Renandya, W.A (2002) Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice Cambridge University Press Richards, J.C (1980) Conversation TESOL Quarterly Vol 14, No Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc (TESOL) Schmitt, N (1999) The relationship between TOEFL vocabulary items and meaning, association, collocation and word-class knowledge SAGE Journals Schmitt, N (2000) Instructed second language vocabulary learning SAGE Journals Scrivener, J (2005) Learning Teaching Macmillan Education Sinclair, J (1991) The Idiom Principle Oxford Journals Oxford University Press Thornbury, S (2004) Big Words, Small Grammar English Teaching Professional Wilkins, D.A (1972) Grammatical, Situational and Notional Syllabuses Oxford University Press Willis, J (2006) A flexible framework for task-based learning Challenge and change in language teaching IX APPENDIX A Multiple-choice chunk test (20 minutes) Direction: There are 20 incomplete sentences in this part For each sentence there are four choices marked A, B, C and D Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence We should use cloth bags of plastic bags A instead Students should be eager in social activities A participate It‘s dangerous in this river A swim We are looking forward you in June A to seeing Try to the amount of fat in your diet A reuse This table is made wood A in The champagne is made grapes A in The government ought to something to prevent people _ throwing trash into the river A for B in C from D at Solar energy can be changed electricity A in C into B to D for 10.The amount of solar energy that reaches the earth depends the atmosphere X A to 11 The natural environment consists all natural resources A in 12 Do you need any help? - _ A Sure 13 She came up Jim‘s car A on 14 Dave has a good of humor A sense 15 What‘s wrong the engine? It‘s making an awful noise A about 16 I am afraid that I can‘t agree _you A with 17.Your friendship should be based on A basic 18 The director was critical the way we were doing the work A at 19 Tony is very disappointed _ the results of the exam A with 20 (What/ Do/ Would/ Will) you like to come? – I‘d love to A What XI APPENDIX B Keys to the multiple-choice chunk test: A B 11 12 B D APPENDIX C Test 1: Pre-speaking test Directions: For this part, you are required to speak in to minutes (about 100 – 200 words) to the whole class You are not permitted to bring any reference books, including dictionaries The topic is to describe their friends Test 2: Post-speaking test Directions: : For this part, you are required to speak in to minutes (about 100 – 200 words) to the whole class You are not permitted to bring any reference books, including dictionaries The topic is to describe their hobbies which they share with their friends XII APPENDIX D Questions for the interview: 1) What problems you usually meet in your English speaking? 2) Do you deliberately memorize lexical phrases like proverbs, sentences patterns and so on in the English learning process? 3) Do you think it is necessary to teach knowledge of lexical chunks in class? APPENDIX E Students‘ scores of the multiple-choice chunk test Student No 10 11 12 XIII 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 XIV 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 XV APPENDIX F Number of pauses in the pre-speaking test: Student No 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 XVI XVII XVIII APPENDIX G Number of pauses in the post-speaking test: Student No 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 XIX ... including dictionaries To the scoring of the speaking test, the grades are based on the number of pauses In order to have a detailed analysis of the results of the tests, the usages of lexical chunks. .. reflection of the researcher after the study, including changes in the teacher‘s awareness of teaching vocabulary and speaking, advantages from the process of conducting the action research and plan... students? ?? speaking fluency? What the students perceive of the benefits of learning lexical chunks to their speaking? 2.2 The continuing education context: This research aimed at students at grade 11 at