(Luận văn thạc sĩ) reducing high school students writing anxiety through specific scaffolding activities

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES ************************* VŨ THỊ THU GIANG REDUCING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ WRITING ANXIETY THROUGH SPECIFIC SCAFFOLDING ACTIVITIES MỘT SỐ HOẠT ĐỘNG HỖ TRỢ NHẰM HẠN CHẾ LO LẮNG TRONG GIỜ HỌC VIẾT CỦA HỌC SINH TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG M.A MINOR THESIS Field: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODLOGY Code: 60 14 10 Hanoi, September, 2010 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES ************************* VŨ THỊ THU GIANG REDUCING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ WRITING ANXIETY THROUGH SPECIFIC SCAFFOLDING ACTIVITIES MỘT SỐ HOẠT ĐỘNG HỖ TRỢ NHẰM HẠN CHẾ LO LẮNG TRONG GIỜ HỌC VIẾT CỦA HỌC SINH TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG M.A MINOR THESIS Field: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODLOGY Code: 601410 Supervisor: ĐỖ BÁ QUÝ, MEd Hanoi, September, 2010 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii PART A INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Aims of the study Research questions Scope of the study Method of the study Design of the study PART B DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Writing skill in second language (L2) teaching and learning 1.1.1 Product writing 1.1.2 Process approach to teaching writing 1.1.3 Process vs Product 1.2 Anxiety in L2 learning 10 1.2.1 Writing anxiety in L2 learning .10 1.2.2 Sources of writing anxiety 11 1.3 Scaffolding second language teaching and learning 11 1.3.1 The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) 12 1.3.2 The definition of Scaffolding .13 1.3.3 Features of Scaffolding 15 1.3.3.1 Extending understanding 15 1.3.3.2 Temporary support .16 1.3.3.3 Principles of scaffolding 17 v CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 19 2.1 The context of study 19 2.1.1 The school 19 2.1.2 Description of writing section in English 10 textbook 19 2.2 Research questions 21 2.3 Research methods 21 2.3.1 The teachers 22 2.3.2 The students 22 2.3.3 Instruments and procedure 23 2.4 Data analysis process .24 2.5 Summary 24 CHAPTER DATA ANALYSIS AND DICUSSIONS 25 3.1 Teachers’ questionnaire……………………………………………………………… 25 3.1.1 Teachers’ attitudes towards writing skill……………………………………………25 3.1.2 Teachers’ perceptions on scaffolding strategies in teaching writing……………… 25 3.1.3 Teachers’ opinion on proposed scaffolding activities in writing……………………26 3.1.4 Teachers’ judgments on difficulties faced by students in learning writing skill … 28 3.1.5 Teachers’ real practice in teaching writing skill…………………………………….28 3.2 Students’ questionnaire……………………………………………………………….30 3.2.1 Students’ attitudes towards writing skill ………………………………………… 30 3.2.2 Students’ difficulties in learning writing skill………………………………… …31 3.2.3 Students’ preference for some scaffolding activities……………………………….32 3.3 Findings from interview … 34 3.4 Findings from classroom observation 35 3.5 Summary…………………………………………………………………………… 36 PART C CONCLUSION 38 Conclusions 38 Pedagogical implications 39 Limitations 40 Suggestions for further study 40 References .42 Appendices ... GRADUATE STUDIES ************************* VŨ THỊ THU GIANG REDUCING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS? ?? WRITING ANXIETY THROUGH SPECIFIC SCAFFOLDING ACTIVITIES MỘT SỐ HOẠT ĐỘNG HỖ TRỢ NHẰM HẠN CHẾ LO LẮNG TRONG... vs Product 1.2 Anxiety in L2 learning 10 1.2.1 Writing anxiety in L2 learning .10 1.2.2 Sources of writing anxiety 11 1.3 Scaffolding second language... towards writing skill……………………………………………25 3.1.2 Teachers’ perceptions on scaffolding strategies in teaching writing? ??…………… 25 3.1.3 Teachers’ opinion on proposed scaffolding activities in writing? ??…………………26