VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ PHƯỢNG DESIGNING TEXT-BASED TASKS FOR THE THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS OF NAVIGATION FACULTY IN VIETNAM MARITIME UNIVERSITY (Thiết kế nhiệm vụ học tập dựa khóa cho sinh viên năm thứ ba khoa Điều khiển tàu biển – Trường Đại học Hàng hải Việt Nam) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.14.10 HANOI – 2010 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ PHƯỢNG DESIGNING TEXT-BASED TASKS FOR THE THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS OF NAVIGATION FACULTY IN VIETNAM MARITIME UNIVERSITY (Thiết kế nhiệm vụ học tập dựa khóa cho sinh viên năm thứ ba khoa Điều khiển tàu biển – Trường Đại học Hàng hải Việt Nam) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.14.10 Supervisor: Đinh Hải Yến, M.Ed HANOI - 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS PAGE Declaration i Acknowledgement ii Abstract iii List of tables and figures viii List of abbreviations ix PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale of the study Aims and objectives of the study 3 Scope of the study Methods of the study Significance of the study Overview of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW Defining tasks Types of tasks Task-based framework 10 Text-based tasks 12 4.1 Defining texts in language teaching 12 4.2 Tasks based on texts 12 4.3 Designing text-based task 13 5 Considerations in task design 13 Using texts in the teaching of English for Specific Purpose 15 Summary 16 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY Background of the study 17 1.1 Current learning and teaching of English in general and ESP in particular at Vietnam Maritime University 17 1.2 Identification of the problem 17 Research questions 19 Participants 19 Implementation of the action research 20 Data collection procedures 21 5.1 Description of the pre-treatment questionnaire 21 5.2 Description of the pre-treatment interview 22 5.3 Description of the students’ diary 22 5.4 Description of the post – treatment questionnaire 23 5.5 Description of the post – treatment interview 24 Data analysis procedures 24 Summary 24 CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Phase One: Conducting pre-treatment questionnaire survey and interview 25 1.1 The results of the pre-treatment questionnaire survey 25 1.1.1 Students’ needs 25 1.1.2 The ESP course 26 1.2 The results of the pre-treatment interview 30 Phase Two: Conducting the trial lessons 32 2.1 The implementation of the trial lessons 32 2.2 The results of the students’ diary 32 Phase Three: Conducting post-treatment questionnaire survey and interview 33 3.1 The results of the post-treatment questionnaire survey 33 3.1.1 Students’ motivations 33 3.1.2 Language skill development 33 3.1.3 The trial lessons’ sequence 34 3.2 The results of the post-treatment interview 37 Summary 38 PART 3: CONCLUSION Summary and conclusions 39 Pedagogical implications 40 Limitations of the study and suggestions for further study 41 REFERENCES 43 APPENDICES Appendix 1: A sample unit in the course book “Business English for Seamen” I Appendix 2: A sample lesson plan IV Appendix 3: Two samples of students’ diaries XIII Appendix 4: Pre-treatment questionnaire survey (English version) XV Abstract For some recent decades, task-based language learning and teaching (TBLT) has, been familiar with scholars, researchers, teachers and students all over the world; however, its applicability seems to be more on the teaching of general English than English for Specific Purpose (ESP) The purpose of this study was to examine the needs and assessments of students from Navigation Faculty in Vietnam Maritime University when learning ESP, and suggest effective ways to design tasks based on available texts in the course book Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were utilized in this action research study The quantitative research data were gathered with the aids of two questionnaire surveys, with the first being administered before the trial lessons (102 respondents out of 105 questionnaires sent out) and the second one after the trial lessons (103 respondents out of 105 questionnaires sent out) The qualitative research data were collected from two in-depth interviews with the students for the insightful information about students’ judgments towards the teaching and learning of ESP before and after the trial lessons The results of the first questionnaire survey revealed a high level of dissatisfaction within the students towards the current ESP course in terms of need fulfillments, language skill development and classroom activities This was reassured by the results of the first interview with students, the result of which proved that students were unhappy with the course due to the lack of communicative activities such as discussion and listening The second survey, which was conducted after the trial lessons, however saw a positive change in the students’ motivations and attitudes on the ESP course They felt that they were learning for pleasure and they liked the ways they learned ESP from the tasks designed on the given texts The results from the after-treatment interview also confirmed that students would like to have more lessons as such in the future Hopefully, this research can create a beginning for the new way of approaching texts in ESP Thank you for evaluating AnyBizSoft PDF Merger! To remove this page, please register your program! Go to Purchase Now>> AnyBizSoft PDF Merger Merge multiple PDF files into one Select page range of PDF to merge Select specific page(s) to merge Extract page(s) from different PDF files and merge into one .. .VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ PHƯỢNG DESIGNING TEXT- BASED TASKS FOR THE THIRD- YEAR STUDENTS OF. .. in- depth interviews with the students for the insightful information about students? ?? judgments towards the teaching and learning of ESP before and after the trial lessons The results of the first... Task -based framework 10 Text- based tasks 12 4.1 Defining texts in language teaching 12 4.2 Tasks based on texts 12 4.3 Designing text- based task