A study on students’ reaction to the techniques teachers use for teaching pronunciation at pham ngu lao high school hai phong

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUAGE STUDIES DƯƠNG THỊ KIM OANH A STYDY ON STUDENTS’ REACTION TO THE TECHNIQUES TEACHERS USE FOR TEACHING PRONUNCIATION AT PHAM NGU LAO HIGH SCHOOL, HAI PHONG NGHIÊN CỨU PHẢN ỨNG CỦA HỌC SINH ĐỐI VỚI CÁC THỦ THUẬT GIÁO VIÊN SỬ DỤNG ĐỂ DẠY PHÁT ÂM TẠI TRƯỜNG PHẠM NGŨ LÃO, HẢI PHÒNG M.A MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 601410 Hanoi -2012 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUAGE STUDIES DƯƠNG THỊ KIM OANH A STYDY ON STUDENTS’ REACTION TO THE TECHNIQUES TEACHERS USE FOR TEACHING PRONUNCIATION AT PHAM NGU LAO HIGH SCHOOL, HAI PHONG NGHIÊN CỨU PHẢN ỨNG CỦA HỌC SINH ĐỐI VỚI CÁC THỦ THUẬT GIÁO VIÊN SỬ DỤNG ĐỂ DẠY PHÁT ÂM TẠI TRƯỜNG PHẠM NGŨ LÃO, HẢI PHÒNG M.A MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 601410 SUPERVISOR: NGUYỄN QUỲNH TRANG, Ph D Candidate Hanoi -2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF FIGURES vi INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Aims of the study Research questions Methods of the study 4.1 Subjects of study 4.2 Data collection instruments 4.3 Data collecting procedure 4.4 Data analysis Scope of the study Significance of the study Design of the study DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Definition of technique and reaction 1.2 Previous studies about teaching pronunciation 1.3 Techniques of teaching pronunciation 1.3.1 The use of known sounds: 1.3.2 Explanation: 1.3.3 Communication activities: 1.3.4 Written versions of oral presentations: 1.3.5 Modelling and individual correction: 1.3.6 Tutorial sessions and self-study: 1.3.7 Self-monitoring and self-correction: 1.3.8 Computer-assisted language learning: 10 1.3.9 Reading aloud: 10 1.4 Elements of teaching pronunciation 10 1.4.1 Sound and Spelling Patterns 10 1.4.2 Word Stress 11 1.4.3 Rhythm 11 1.4.4 Sentence focus and Intonation 11 1.5 The role of teachers and students 12 1.6 Summary the chapter 13 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 14 iv 2.1 The subjects 14 2.2 Research design 14 2.3 Research methods 15 2.3.1 The questionnaires: 15 2.3.2 Interview 15 2.3.3 Classroom observation 15 2.4 Procedures of data collection 16 CHAPTER 3: RESUILTS AND DISCUSSION 18 3.1 Questionnaires responses 18 3.1.1 Students’ problems in learning pronunciation 18 3.1.2 Pronunciation techniques used by teachers 20 3.1.3 Students’ appreciation of techniques used by teacher 21 3.1.4 Questions about students’ preference 23 3.1.5 Question about students’ motivation 24 3.1.6 question about students’ expectation for a better and more effective pronunciation practice 26 3.2 Observation 27 3.2.1 Findings based on observation 27 3.2.2 The reasons behind the problems mentioned 27 3.3 The interview 29 3.4 Summary of the chapter 31 CHAPTER 4: PROPOSED SOLUTIONS 32 4.1 Suggestions from observation 32 4.2 Suggestions from questionnaires and interview 32 4.2.1 Teachers’ techniques 32 4.2.2 Equipping facilities 35 4.2.3 Motivating students to learn 35 4.2.4 Among teachers’ staff 36 4.2.5 Summary of the chapter 36 CONCLUSION 37 Conclusions 37 Implications 38 Limitations and suggestions for further study 38 REFERENCES 41 Appendix I Appendix II Appendix VI Appendix IX v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Students’ opinion about the purposes of pronunciation learning 18 Figure 2: students’ problems in learning pronunciation 19 Figure 3: techniques used by teachers 20 Figure 4: Students’ attitude to techniques teachers use 21 Figure 5: students’ evaluation on effectiveness of techniques 22 Figure 6: Students’ like 23 Figure 7: students’ dislike 24 Figure 8: techniques motivating students to practice pronunciation 25 Figure 9: Suggestions for better English pronunciation practice 26 vi INTRODUCTION Rationale English has become a language of global communication due to its role in different fields of our life such as : science, technology, aviation and so on In Vietnamese, English has experienced its popularity in teaching and learning over the last few decades However, English pronunciation teaching seems to be very much neglected by many teachers, especially at high school because of many different reasons At my school, Pham Ngu Lao high school in Thuy Nguyen district, Hai Phong city, teaching and learning English pronunciation is really new challenging work Besides the lack of well-equipped facilities, teaching pronunciation techniques are quite new and unfamiliar to teachers They have been inexperienced in teaching pronunciation methods and techniques since the new English textbook was in use Another thing is that students‟ low levels of proficiency in term of vocabulary, grammar Above all, all important English exams at school as well as the university entrance exam are always in written form Thus, most teachers and students have little motivation to teach and to learn pronunciation In my point of view, there is much to work out current and potential problems, and then create better suitable teaching techniques and strategies that facilitate the effectiveness of pronunciation lessons From this fact, the author of this study, the teacher at Pham Ngu Lao high school, has desire of doing something new to promote English pronunciation teaching and learning at this school And up to now, there has not been any study on students‟ reaction to techniques used in teaching pronunciation yet Therefore, the study aims at finding out “students’ reactions to the techniques teachers use for teaching pronunciation at Pham Ngu Lao high school, Hai Phong” Aims of the study The study aims at: Firstly, to find out problems students face when learning English pronunciation Secondly, to find out what techniques are used at Pham Ngu Lao high school, Thuy Nguyen, Hai Phong and what is the most suitable to students Thirdly, to find out students‟ reactions to those techniques and give solution to those reactions Research questions (1) What problems students face when learning English pronunciation? (2) What pronunciation techniques are commonly used by teachers? (3) What are students‟ reactions to those teaching pronunciation techniques used by teachers? (4) What are suggested implementations in teaching pronunciation at Pham Ngu Lao high school Methods of the study 4.1 Subjects of study The participants of the study include: out of teachers were randomly chosen at Pham Ngu Lao high school All of them teach 12th grade Besides, in order to get more information for the answers to research questions, 200 students among 400 in 12th grade are surveyed 4.2 Data collection instruments The research is done by both quantitative and qualitative methods; it is carried out on the basis of situation analysis, material collection, survey questionnaires, and class observation and recording These instruments bring about the data for analysis, and evaluation 4.3 Data collecting procedure The first step is analyzing and synthesizing data The second one is discussing the results obtained from questionnaires and observation, recording and interview 4.4 Data analysis Qualitative analysis + Quantitative analysis = Data analysis Scope of the study There are many aspects of teaching pronunciation at high schools, however this study focuses on students‟ reactions to techniques teachers used for teaching pronunciation The students are 12th grade at Pham Ngu Lao high school in Hai Phong The study conducts an insightful analysis of the students‟ reactions, looks deeply into the problems and finds suitable solutions as suggested by teachers Significance of the study Pronunciation is an integrated and integral part of foreign language learning as it directly affects learners' communicative competence and performance to a substantial extent Despite its importance, for many years, teaching pronunciation has a very small place at schools in Vietnam in general and Pham Ngu Lao high school in particular Thus, at this school teaching English pronunciation is really new and challenging work How to teach pronunciation effectively and how to get positive reactions from students are big questions Moreover, there has not been any study on teaching pronunciation at this school yet With the purpose on this study in mind, the thesis tries to report some major problems teachers and students face in teaching and learning pronunciation, the teaching pronunciation techniques teachers use and students‟ reaction so that some solutions to improving English pronunciation teaching are provided Design of the study This thesis is composed of three parts Part 1, INTRODUCTION, presents the rationale, aims, scope, methods and design of the study Part 2, DEVELOPMENT, is divided into four chapters Chapter 1: Literature Review, presents relevant concepts to pronunciation and pronunciation teaching techniques Chapter 2: Methodology, involves the information about context, participants and instruments of the study Chapter 3: Results and discussion, focuses on data analysis to show students‟ reaction to pronunciation teaching techniques and the effectiveness of different techniques Chapter 4: Proposed solutions, gives out some solutions to fact and problems mentioned Part 3, CONCLUSION, summarizes some major findings, provide implications for English pronunciation teaching, limitation of the study and suggestions for further research DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Definition of technique and reaction According to Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, language teaching is sometimes discussed in terms of three related aspects: approach, method, and technique Different theories about the nature of language and how languages are learned (the approach) imply different ways of teaching language (the method), and different methods make use of different kinds of classroom activity (the technique) Thus, it is understood that technique is the method, procedure or way something is done or the way in which a process is, or should be, carried out Reaction is defined as something done, felt, or thought in response to a situation or event in Oxford dictionaries And in US English dictionary it is an action performed or a feeling experienced in response to a situation or event Therefore, according to Oxford advanced learner‟s dictionary, reaction is commonly known as what you do, say, or think as a result of something that has happened It is also a change in people‟s attitudes or behavior caused by disapproval of the attitudes, etc of the past 1.2 Previous studies about teaching pronunciation Pronunciation has been regarded as „the Cinderella of language teaching‟ (Kelly, 1969; Dalton, 1997) The role of pronunciation in the different schools of language teaching has varied widely from having virtually no role in the grammar-translation method to being the main focus in the audio-lingual method where emphasis is on the traditional notions of pronunciation, minimal pairs, drills and short conversation (Castillo, 1990) During the late 1960s and the 1970s questions were asked about the role of pronunciation in the ESL/EFL curriculum, whether the focus of the programs and the Appendix Questionnaire for students Questions about students’ problems in learning English pronunciation What are your purposes of learning English pronunciation? Please tick (□) the appropriate box/es You can tick more than one item My purpose/s of learning English is/are … Tick a Passing exams □ b Communicating well □ c For a good job in future □ d Others □ What are your problems in learning English pronunciation? My problem(s) in learning English pronunciation is/ Tick are…… a Large class size □ b Teachers‟ techniques in teaching pronunciation: boring □ and repeating c Little practice at home □ d No materials to practice at home □ e Others □ Question about techniques used by teachers Which of the following pronunciation techniques does your teacher often use? Techniques my teachers often use are…………… Tick a The use of known sounds □ b Explanation □ II c Communication activities □ d Written versions of oral □ e Modelling and individual correction □ f Tutorial sessions and self-study □ g Self-monitoring and self-correction □ h Reading aloud □ i Computer-assisted language learning □ j Others □ Questions about students’ appreciation on techniques used by teachers What you think of techniques your teacher uses in your pronunciation lessons? I think techniques my teacher uses is………… Tick a Very interesting and useful □ b Interesting and useful □ c Rather interesting and useful □ d Uninteresting and useless □ Which technique you think is the most effective? Technique I think the most effective is …………… Tick a The use of known sounds □ b Explanation □ c Communication activities □ d Written versions of oral □ e Modelling and individual correction □ f Tutorial sessions and self-study □ III g Self-monitoring and self-correction □ h Reading aloud □ i Computer-assisted language learning □ j Others □ Questions about students’ preference Which technique you like best? Technique I like best is…………… Tick a The use of known sounds □ b Explanation □ c Communication activities □ d Written versions of oral □ e Modelling and individual correction □ f Tutorial sessions and self-study □ g Self-monitoring and self-correction □ h Reading aloud □ i Computer-assisted language learning □ j Others □ Which technique you dislike the most? Technique I dislike is…………… Tick a The use of known sounds □ b Explanation □ c Communication activities □ d Written versions of oral □ e Modelling and individual correction □ f Tutorial sessions and self-study □ IV g Self-monitoring and self-correction □ h Reading aloud □ i Computer-assisted language learning □ j Others □ Question about students’ motivation Which techniques motivate you to practice pronunciation? Techniques motivating me are…………… Tick a The use of known sounds □ b Explanation □ c Communication activities □ d Written versions of oral □ e Modelling and individual correction □ f Tutorial sessions and self-study □ g Self-monitoring and self-correction □ h Reading aloud □ i Computer-assisted language learning □ j Others □ Can you give suggestion if you have desire in learning and teaching pronunciation better? a) More time for pronunciation practice in class □ b) Facilitate more equipment □ c) Reduce the number of students in a class □ d) Give more tasks and tests □ e) Others (if there are, what are they?) □ …………………………………………………………………… V Appendix INTERVIEW FOR TEACHERS What techniques you often use in teaching English pronunciation? What techniques you think your students have positive reactions? What techniques you think your students have negative reactions? What are the major challenges you face when teaching English pronunciation? What can be done to improve the present English pronunciation teaching to students at our school? QUESTION 1: What techniques you often use in teaching English pronunciation? T1: I often use modeling and then students read aloud as, I also check some students and have individual correction then I sometimes use written versions of oral or communication activities techniques but they should be applied to classes which have lots of students good at English T2: I apply different techniques in different lessons T3: I use almost techniques you mentioned in the handout except for two: tutorial sessions and self-study, self-monitoring and self-correction T4: I have the same ideas as T2 Reading aloud and modeling and individual correction are used in reading listening lessons, explanation in language focus ones T5: because my students are at low level, I seldom use other techniques except for reading aloud and modeling and individual correction QUESTION 2: What techniques you think your students have positive reactions? T1: of course, the ones I often use VI T2: to my students, it seems to be written versions of oral T3: my students are in favor of communication activities T4: I found that my students like reading aloud and modeling and individual correction T5: my students seem to be the same as T4‟ students If only I had more time to give them individual correction QUESTION 3: What techniques you think your students have negative reactions? T1: it seems that my students don‟t like explanation when I teach pronunciation T2: it is similar to my students T3: when I tried applying the use of known sounds in teaching pronunciation, my students lost interest T4: explanation seems to be hard to my students T5: as I‟ve said my students are at low level, they seemed not to understand explanation when I used it QUESTION 4: What are the major challenges you face when teaching English pronunciation? T1: our school, oh, big class, poor teaching condition, lack of facilities T2: my students are so noisy T3: time and environment for learning English are not enough for pronunciation practice T4: textbook with boring tasks T5: I agree with all of you QUESTION 5: What can be done to improve the present English pronunciation teaching to students at our school? VII T1: buy more modern facilities by raising fund from students‟ parents T2: when learning English, students should be divided into small classes T3: tasks in textbook should be more interesting T4: as for school, they employ native speaker to help teachers and students As for training and education department, they should open more workshops for teachers to exchange method of foreign language teaching in general and pronunciation in particular T5: school should encourage their teachers to self-study and study higher VIII Appendix CLASSROOM OBSERVATION Unit 15: WOMEN IN SOCIETY LESSON 1: READING T‟ AND SS‟ ACTIVITIES BOARD DISPLAY I) before reading I) before reading Ss: write in their notebooks civilization T: read and ss read after for deep-seated: times Then ss read themselves for intellectual 1time discriminate T: call some ss to stand up and Age of Enlightenment read There are some ss‟ mistakes T : give them individual correction T: check the meaning of words II) while reading II) while reading Three students to stand up, each student read a paragraph T: explain the task task 1: give the Vietnamese Ss: work individually, read the text equivalents to the following again and the tasks in textbook words and phrases T: call two ss go to board and write human civilization their answers childbearing Then T: check and give the correct involvement answers Age of Enlightenment deep-seated cultural beliefs IX homemaking Task 2: intellectual ability T: explain equal work opportunity Ss: work in pairs and then some go Task 2: Choose the best option to board write their choice 1C T: check and feedback 2D 3C Task 3: 4B T: ask ss to look at the textbook and 5A then choose the best title for the Task 3: Choose the best title for text Call on ss to say what they the passage choose and give explanations C Women‟ Rights III) after reading SS: work in pairs T: goes around class III) after reading The time is over, T said she would Summarize the reading passage check this task in next period by writing one sentence for each paragraph UNIT 15: WOMEN IN SOCIETY LESSON 2: SPEAKING T‟ AND SS‟ ACTIVITIES I) before speaking T: explain and then call some ss to stand up and read the expressions in task II) while speaking task T: explain Ss : listen to the teacher and BOARD DISPLAY I) before speaking task II) while speaking task X then work in groups in minutes T :go around class Ss: some groups go to board and present Group 1: S1: I think men are usually stronger than women S2: I agree with you completely S3: well, I see your point but in some family mother earns more money and does more work than father That means men are not usually stronger than women S4: I completely disagree Group 2: S1: women are usually more sympathetic than men S2: I don‟t agree In my family my father is more sympathetic than my mother S3: I agree that women are more sympathetic than men but not usually S4: that‟s right Task T: explain Ss: work in the same groups as they did task T: call one group read the example in textbook A: I think married women should not go to work B: I quite agree I think if they stay at home, they have time to look after their children and husbands C: I don‟t agree It‟s too boring to be housewives all their lives Then some other groups go to Task 3: Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the statement: „ Married women should not go to work‟ See the suggestions in textbook XI board to present T: did not correct ss‟ pronunciation mistakes III) after speaking SS: write in their notebook III) after speaking In a paragraph of ten lines, write their point of view to the statement “ Married women should not go to work” UNIT 15: WOMEN IN SOCIETY LESSON 3: LISTENING T‟ AND SS‟ ACTIVITIES BOARD DISPLAY I) before listening I) before listening Ss: write new words in their saying two- thirds notebooks hold up T: read and ss read after for three- fourths agricultural times Then ss read themselves for Africa 1time Firewood Respect T: did not call some ss to stand up and read so there wasn‟t individual correction II) while listening task T: play the CD player Ss: listen to the tape for 2times and circle the word they choose T: ask ss to compare their answers And then let ss listen again to check the answer T: feedback Task XII II) while listening task 1B 2C 3C 4A 5B T: explain And play the CD player for time Ss work individually, answer the questions T: call ss go to board and Task 40% They earn nothing for doing their domestic work They produce more than half of the food 80% At write their answer, some other stand up tell their answer T: feedback No time for post- listening UNIT 15: WOMEN IN SOCIETY LESSON 4: WRITING T‟ AND SS‟ ACTIVITIES BOARD DISPLAY I) before writing I) BEFORE WRITING T: introduce some new words Task T: explain task Respectively Ss: listen to the teacher To reduce Look at the chart in the textbook Distribution Work in pairs: ask and answer Answers: questions below the chart Q1: In general, married women The chart shows the average more housework than men hours of housework per week by people of different sexes and Q2: they have to more with different marital status in housework when they have Fantasia more children Ss: stand up in pair, ask and Q3: Married men have to less answer the questions Three ss housework when they have go to board and write their more children answer Q4: Married men and women T: feedback without children spend 20 and 30 hours on their housework per week respectively XIII II) WHILE WRITING Task T: explain SS: work in groups in 15 minutes Then leaders of some groups go to board and present Group 1: The column chart illustrates the average hours of housework per week done by married women in comparison with married men in Fantasia In household of no children, women housework about 30 hours a week Men this work considerably lower 20 hours In families of 1-2 children, men spend 15 hours doing housework and women 52 hours per week The chart gives suggestion that if women are to gain social equality, they should first be liberated from familiar responsibilities T: correct some ss‟ pronunciation mistakes and give mark to each group III) AFTER-WRTING Ss: work individually XIV Q5: It takes men and women with one or two children 15 and 50 hours respectively to their housework every week Q6: They are 10 and 55 Q7: Married men should spend more time sharing the housework with their wives II) WHILE WRITING Task work in groups Write a report describing the information shown in the column chart in task Group mark Group mark Group mark III) AFTER- WRITING Write in your notebook UNIT 15: WOMEN IN SOCIETY LESSON 3: LISTENING T‟ AND SS‟ ACTIVITIES BOARD DISPLAY I) PRE-LISTENING I) PRE-LISTENING Ss: write new words in their Two-thirds Hold-up notebooks Agricultural T: read and ss read after for Africa Firewood times Then ss read themselves for Respect 1time Then T call some ss to stand up and read T: give ss individual correction III) while listening task T: play the CD player Ss: listen to the tape for 2times and circle the word they choose T: ask ss to compare their III) while listening task 1B 2C 3C 4A 5B answers And then let ss listen again to check the answer T: feedback Task T: explain And play the CD player for time Ss work individually, answer the questions Some ss stand up and tell the XV Task 40% They earn nothing for doing their domestic work They produce more than half answer, T: write on board IV) POST-LISTENING SS: work in groups in minutes, then only one ss from a groups raise the hand This student spoke the content well; there were a lot of pronunciation mistake T: correct student‟ mistakes and give her mark XVI of the food 80% 10 At IV) POST- LISTENING Summarize the content of the listening text ... research is to find out students‟ reactions to learning pronunciation at Pham Ngu Lao high school Their reactions to techniques teachers use are taken into consideration Regarding techniques used... process and learning pronunciation as well 3.3 The interview In order to have in-depth information about students‟ reaction to techniques teachers use for teaching pronunciation at Pham Ngu Lao high. .. is stated that ? ?the attainment of accurate pronunciation in a second language is the matter substantially beyond the control of educators” Nevertheless, Pennington (1989) believed that teachers