A study on learners attitudes towards the application of formative assessment to teaching english writing at vietnam usa society english center m a 60 14 10

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY –HOCHIMINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE A STUDY ON LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE APPLICATION OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TO TEACHING ENGLISH WRITING AT VIETNAM USA SOCIETY ENGLISH CENTER A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By TRAN NGUYEN BAO HUONG Supervised by LE HOANG DUNG, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, JANUARY 2015 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my special thanks to the people who have helped me to complete this study First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr Le Hoang Dung, my supervisor, for his practical guidance, insightful comments, valuable assistance and empathy from the beginning to the completion of the thesis If it had not been for his support both mentally and emotionally, I would not have finished the thesis I would like to thank all my devoted instructors of the Master course in TESOL 2012 at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities They gave me informative, interesting lectures and academic advice that helped me form a more scientific approach to my career and pursue my professional development I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all my friends of this Master course, TESOL 2012, for their useful advice, support, encouragement and willingness to share their resources and experience Another special thanks goes to my colleagues and especially students at Vietnam USA Society Language Center, Phan Xich Long campus, who were willing to cooperate in the writing course and data collection for the study Without their support, this study would not have been possible Last but not least, my heartfelt gratitude goes to my family, especially my parents for their support and encouragement throughout the course and the completion of this study Their endless love, constant care and enormous sacrifice have always been a great source of encouragement for me to move ahead in my life   i   STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis submitted today entitled: A STUDY ON LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE APPLICATION OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TO TEACHING ENGLISH WRITING AT VIETNAM USA SOCIETY ENGLISH CENTER In terms of the statement of the requirements for the Thesis in Master’s Program issued by the Higher Degree Committee This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in other institution Ho Chi Minh City, January 2015 TRAN NGUYEN BAO HUONG   ii   RETENTION OF USE I hereby state that I, Tran Nguyen Bao Huong, being the candidate for the degree of Master in TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Thesis deposited in the library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis deposited in the library should be accessible for the purpose of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the library for the care, loan or reproduction of theses Ho Chi Minh City, January 2015 TRAN NGUYEN BAO HUONG   iii   TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………… i Statement of originality ………………………………………………… ii Retention of use ………………………………………………………… iii Table of contents ………………………………………………………… iv List of tables ………………………………………………………… viii List of figures ………………………………………………………… ix Abstract ………………………………………………………… x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ……………………………………… 1.1 Background to the study …………………………………………… 1.2 Hypothesis formulating ……………………………………………… 1.3 Aims of the study …………………………………………………… 1.4 Research questions ………………………………………………… 1.5 Significance of the study …………………………………………… 1.6 The organization of the study ……………………………………… CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ……………………………… 2.1 Assessment in teaching and learning ……………………………… 2.2 Formative assessment ……………………………………………… 2.2.1 Definition of formative assessment …………………………… 2.2.2 Summative assessment vs Formative assessment ……………… 12 2.2.3 Formative assessment and some changes in the roles of teacher 14 and students ………………………………………………………   iv   2.2.3.1 Teacher ……………………………………………………… 14 2.2.3.2 Students ……………………………………………………… 15 2.2.4 The application of formative assessment in classroom ………… 15 2.2.4.1 Feedback through grading …………………………………… 17 2.2.4.2 Self-assessment ……………………………………………… 20 2.2.4.3 Peer assessment ……………………………………………… 21 2.3 Formative assessment and teaching L2 writing …………………… 22 2.3.1 Some issues regarding to assessing a written work …………… 22 2.3.1.1 Teachers’ responses to a written work ……………………… 22 2.3.1.1.1 The product approach …………………………………… 23 2.3.1.1.2 The process approach …………………………………… 24 2.3.1.2 Assessing a written work …………………………………… 25 2.3.2 The application of formative assessment into teaching L2 writing 26 2.4 Some drawbacks of the application of formative assessment in teaching L2 ………………………………………………………… 30 2.5 Synthesis of literature review ……………………………………… 31 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY …………………………………… 34 3.1 Research design …………………………………………………… 34 3.2 Research site ………………………………………………………… 34 3.3 Participants ………………………………………………………… 35 3.4 Course book ………………………………………………………… 36 3.5 Research instruments ……………………………………………… 36 3.5.1 Preliminary survey ……………………………………………… 37 3.5.2 Experimental course …………………………………………… 37 3.5.3 Questionnaire …………………………………………………… 38   v   3.5.4 Interview ………………………………………………………… 40 3.5.5 Teaching diary ………………………………………………… 41 3.6 Procedure of data collection ………………………………………… 41 3.7 Procedure of data analysis ………………………………………… 44 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ……………………… 46 4.1 Analysis of data ……………………………………………………… 46 4.1.1 Preliminary survey ……………………………………………… 46 4.1.2 Analysis of students’ responses after the experimental course … 54 4.1.2.1 Feedback through grading …………………………………… 54 4.1.2.2 Self-assessment ……………………………………………… 56 4.1.2.3 Peer assessment ……………………………………………… 59 4.1.2.4 General opinions about this course ………………………… 61 4.1.2.5 Hypothesis testing …………………………………………… 62 4.1.3 Analysis of students’ interview ………………………………… 65 4.1.3.1 Students’ general opinions about this course ………………… 65 4.1.3.2 Students’ responses to the application of formative 67 assessment in teaching English writing via three indicators (feedback through grading, self-assessment and peer assessment) ………………………………………………… 4.1.4 Analysis of teaching diary ……………………………………… 69 4.1.4.1 Strengths …………………………………………………… 69 4.1.4.2 Weaknesses ………………………………………………… 71 4.2 Discussion of results ………………………………………………… 71 4.3 Major findings ……………………………………………………… 75 4.3.1 Research question …………………………………………… 75 4.3.2 Research question …………………………………………… 76   vi   CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ………………………………………… 79 5.1 Summary …………………………………………………………… 79 5.2 Pedagogical implications …………………………………………… 80 5.2.1 A supportive classroom culture ………………………………… 81 5.2.2 Peer and self- assessment in class ……………………………… 81 5.2.2.1 Peer assessment ……………………………………………… 81 5.2.2.2 Self- assessment …………………………………………… 83 5.2.2.3 Feedback through grading ………………………………… 84 5.3 Suggestions ………………………………………………………… 85 5.3.1 Suggestions for the administrations of the center ……………… 86 5.3.2 Suggestions for VUS teachers ………………………………… 86 5.4 Limitations of the study …………………………………………… 90 5.5 Recommendation for further study ………………………………… 90 REFERENCES ………………………………………………………… 92 APPENDICES ………………………………………………………… 97 Appendix A: Student preliminary survey ……………………………… 98 Appendix B: Questionnaire to students ………………………………… 102 Appendix C: Interview questions to students …………………………… 106 Appendix D: Teaching diary (form) …………………………………… 107 Appendix E: Transcription of students’ responses in interviews ………… 108 Appendix F: Teaching diary ……………………………………………   vii   116 LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 : Comparison between formative assessment and 13 summative assessment (adapted from McMillan, 2007) Table 2.2 : Formative assessment techniques in teaching writing 30 Table 3.1 : Background of the participants ……………………… 36 Table 3.2 : Content of five units in experimental course ………… 38 Table 3.3 : Summary of implied purposes from the questionnaire 39 Table 4.1 : Students’ perception towards learning each language 47 skill …………………………………………………… Table 4.2 : Students’ attitudes towards learning writing 48 skill……………………………………………………… Table 4.3 : Students’ self-assessment of their English writing skill 49 Table 4.4 : Students’ problems in learning English writing skill … 50 Table 4.5 : Students’ experiences of learning English writing skill in 52 the previous classes ………………………………… Table 4.6 : Students’ opinions on giving feedback through grading 55 Table 4.7 : Students’ opinions on self- assessment ……………… 57 Table 4.8 : Students’ opinions on peer assessment …… 59 Table 4.9 : Students’ opinions on the whole experimental course… 62 Table 4.10: Independent Samples t-Test: Whether gender affected 64 the attitudes towards this application or not …………… Table 4.11: Interview result of students’ opinions on this writing 66 course …………………………………………………… Table 4.12: Interview results of Students’ attitudes towards the 69 application of formative assessment in teaching English writing ………………………………………………… Table 4.13: Summary of the major findings ……………………… Table 5.1 : Summary of suggestions for implementing formative 88 assessment in teaching English writing skill ……………   viii   77 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Learning, Teaching and Assessment Cycle ………… 17 Figure 2.2: The formative instructional process ………………… 18 Figure 2.3: Model of formative assessment and feedback (Nicol 19 and Macfarlane-Dick, 2004) ………………………… Figure 2.4: Conceptual framework of the study ………………… 32 Figure 3.4: Data collection procedure …………………………… 43 Figure 4.1: Students like learning English writing skill ………… 47   ix   AVERAGE GROUP- students   What you think about the writing lessons you have just taken? How has it affected your English writing? Why? Student (S.A.1): Actually, I thought that my writing skill could improve a little bit after this course The teacher had given carefully instruction of how to carry out a writing process Student (S.A.2): I could see my progress in writing skill after taking this course I liked this course very much since I could meet my expectations Student (S.A.3): To tell the truth, I could not recognize the difference in my writing skill after this course compared with the previous courses although the way of teaching had changed a lot I still have some difficulties in writing English skill Student (S.A.4): Although the course was quite interesting, I still had not recognized why to learn English writing skill while I did not use it much in daily communication So my results were not high I thought that if I tried more, I would get higher results than these one Student (S.A.5): Based on the scores and comments I got, I found that my writing skill, to some extent, had improved after this course Most of my writing pieces satisfied the criteria set in prior by teacher and students I was happy about my improvement Student (S.A.6): I really interested in the writing course I had just taken I felt more confident about my writing skill than ever before My teacher and my friends had helped me a lot in this course 111     Student (S.A.7): This course was exciting because it made me really involved in the writing process, which I had never been before I knew how to make my writing better based on the success criteria for each kind of writing topic Student (S.A.8): This kind of assessment was quite new for me, so sometimes I found it rather confusing However, I thought that once I got familiar with it, I would get many benefits from it I hope that this kind of assessment would be maintained in the following courses How helpful is the class for you? Are there any difficulties you have to encounter during the learning process? (receiving feedback through grading, self-assessment, peer assessment) S.A.1: Receiving detailed comments from my teacher for a piece of writing was quite useful because I could get a lot of benefits from this activity In the previous course, I just received only marks, and I could not figure out much from these numbers Teacher helped me to find out my weakness as well as my strengths in order for me to improve my writing paper S.A.2: Due to the fact that this kind of assessment was applied the first time in writing lesson, I was still quite strange to it and had some difficulties, especially peer assessment In fact, I did not always trust my peers’ comments for the writing due to his or her lack of language ability Sometimes they did not want to hurt me, so they just point out the good points, not the weak ones S.A.3: Teacher helped me to understand the success criteria for each kind of writing topic and then I could apply into my writing Success criteria, for me, was necessary because via these rubrics, I knew what I had to in order to get high marks and good comments from my teacher Moreover, I can easily assess my peer’s papers via these criteria 112     S.A.4: At first, I was quite strange to this kind of assessment However, after two weeks, I got familiar with it and I thought that it helped me much in improving my own piece of papers based on the success criteria I think if this kind of assessment were applied in the following course, my writing skill would be much better S.A.5: I had the same opinions with all of ideas above Actually, my writing skill had improved a lot thanks to self-assessment based on the success criteria I had identified my goals to aim for, which was why I love this writing course S.A.6: The rubric of assessing writing papers was really helpful because it led me the aims for each writing lesson which I was supposed to reach My teacher let me follow these success criteria to self-assess my own papers and my peers’, too However, I thought that peer assessment, sometimes, not as useful as selfassessment since my friends gave me incorrect comments S.A.7: I still have some difficulties in language proficiency, especially grammar, so I find it hard to write a piece of writing without any grammatical mistakes However my friends could not give me all correct feedbacks, sometimes they made me confused and did not know how to next S.A.8: It was a new experience for me because I was used to having my papers corrected by teachers I have not had to this kind of assessment so far I still met some difficulties in interpreting success criteria, so I was not sure whether I could give exact comment for myself as well as my peers Hence I really needed my teacher’s support 113     WEAK GROUP- students   What you think about the writing lessons you have just taken? How has it affected your English writing? Why? Student (S.W.1): This course was very interesting for me, especially the kind of assessment However, it was quite hard for me to keep track of my friends since I still had some difficulties in language proficiency Student (S.W.2): This course was great with the new way of assessment I found it useful but quite challenging It would be better if I was trained how to learn in this way before I found it effective but still wondered that where I should start Student (S.W.3): I thought that I had not still improved much in my writing skill because I had problems with my language ability, such as grammar, vocabulary I expected to be supported more from my teacher and my friends How helpful is the class for you? Are there any difficulties you have to encounter during the learning process? (receiving feedback through grading, self-assessment, peer assessment) S.W.1: To tell the truth, I could not easily interpret the success criteria for each writing topic Due to my lack of language ability, I could not reach the aims well, I was sad about it I still needed the support from teacher and my friends when I was writing S.W.2: I also have that problem Thus when being asked to self-assess or peer assess, I was very confused and could not give exact comments without the support from my teacher I really needed to improve my language skill, such as grammar, vocabulary, … I knew it would take me a lot of time 114     S.W.3: I was not the exception I myself recognized that these success criteria helped me much in identifying the goals to aim But I was so sorry that I could not know how to complete my tasks completely because my language ability prevented me from expressing my ideas   115     Appendix F TEACHING DIARY Date: 06/03/2014 Aim(s): Send the TV program producers an informal email (about 120150 words) describing yourself Assessment of Student Learning: Strengths Weaknesses Students’ motivation towards learning It took lot of time for students to get English writing was quite good They familiar with this kind of assessment eagerly took part in the activities in since this was the first time it was the class applied at VUS For assessment, students showed their The first writing section’s time was curiosity of the application of giving used for explanation of how feedback through grading, self- assessment would be carried out in assessment and peer assessment in this this writing course writing course Teaching reflection: Things has been done Things need to be improved 116     well Drawbacks Next step for improvement I introduced to students To assess writing papers Next writing session, I the application of giving in this course, success should let students feedback through grading, criteria were mentioned discuss about the self-assessment and peer However, students importance of success assessment in this writing rather doubted whether criteria in assessing course I found out that it worked effectively writing papers Some students were very eager and they were really examples should be and asked me a lot of helpful in writing given to illustrate so questions related to this assessment that students could application I hoped that understand how it these were good indicators works for the successful application     117     Date: 20/03/14 Aim(s): Write about one of your funniest school stories (120- 150 words) Assessment of Student Learning: Strengths Weaknesses Most of students understood how While the good group could perform success criteria would be used to well, the average and weak group still guide them in writing struggled in interpreting the criteria to assess papers, especially the weak one Students knew to base on the criteria They really needed the supported from to self-assess their first paper Then they were asked to share their paper to the teacher to complete the tasks their friends to assess They all focused on the tasks and performed quite well Reflective Teaching: Things need to be improved Things has been done well Students understood how Drawbacks I could not manage to 118     Next step for improvement It will be better if I to apply criteria to assess cover all groups in save more time for the their papers Today criteria assessment process weak group Moreover, were read out loud and Thus the weak group I will let the best carefully explained by still had a lot of students in the class teacher, so student easily difficulties in assessing (good group) to help used them to find out their based on the criteria these students in weakness and strengths in They needed my support assessment the writing papers than the other ones I collected all the writing papers and assessment forms, and I found that most of students gradually know how to assess their writing papers by themselves       119     Date: 27/03/14 Aim(s): Write a formal email to reply to somebody’s email Assessment of Student Learning: Strengths Weaknesses After receiving the feedback of Some students complained that their teacher about their writing, student peers did not give them the correct were very eager and appreciated the comments and they could point out the feedbacks because they knew what mistakes in these comments, too they had done well and what they had not It proved that students could see the benefits of assessment in writing class and started involve in the assessment process Additionally, when being asked to revise their papers based on the feedbacks they received from teacher and their peers, some students still hesitated to and some ignored Reflective Teaching: Things need to be improved Things has been done well The application of Drawbacks I have not received 120     Next step for improvement I will give bonus for formative assessment in enough final writing the students who this class was quite papers of students after completed the tasks on smooth The weak group asking them to revise time is supported by the good their papers They often one, so I can save more gives me a week later time to manage all students’ activities The techniques of formative for teaching writing have been applied so far and they are quite effective I am very glad to see the positive students’ attitudes towards formative assessment   121     Date: 06/04/14 Aim(s): Write an article describing your first day at a local festival (150180 words) Assessment of Student Learning: Strengths Weaknesses The motivation of student for learning Until now some students, especially English writing was higher and higher the weak groups still relied on teacher’ because they could see their progress feedback too much rather than on their after each writing session Once they peer’s They believed only teacher’s involved in the assessment process comments were exact (self assessment and peer assessment), they felt more responsible for their learning than ever before Reflective Teaching: Things need to be improved Things has been done well This week every student Drawbacks Besides giving students 122     Next step for improvement I will categorize submits their papers on some comments based students’ common time I have recorded the on the success criteria, I mistakes and then I just progress of students via have to correct a lot of correct one or two the writing week after grammatical mistakes types of mistakes (e.g: week The portfolio of and spelling, which tenses or word students proved that most consumes a lot of my choice…) each week of them know how to time and to some extent, Some necessary carry out the self- students will be interventions (handouts assessment and peer demotivated or instruction) will be assessment by themselves given to students who The students are more and has encountered a lot of more active in learning mistakes in his or her writing papers 123     Date: 13/04/14 Aim(s): Write a letter of advice Assessment of Student Learning: Strengths Weaknesses Students had understood the A few students still had problems in importance of formative assessment in expressing their ideas in order to the writing class via three main satisfy the goals of each writing topic indicators (feedback through grading, and assessing their papers as well as self-assessment and peer assessment) their peers’ The time they required to Gradually they could perform the finish the given tasks was often longer assessment by themselves without the than the other ones The main reason support from the teacher was their lack of language proficiency (grammar, vocabulary…) Reflective Teaching: Things need to be improved Things has been done well Drawbacks Next step for improvement I can manage them well in After looking at all the Before carrying the the assessment process assessment forms of self-assessment, I 124     since all of them get each pair, I see that the should let students familiar with formative comments they gave for work in groups of three assessment after several each other are not or four people and then sessions Moreover, I can always true and still ask them to share their see the changing of exists some mistakes papers in that group students’ attitudes towards Additionally, students They will have many the assessment activity in often asked to judge chances to discuss the writing sessions: from their assessment to see writing, then they will negative to positive who was right Thus jump to the final Moreover, in my opinion, peer assessment, in my decision whether the formative assessment also opinions, is not as writing has satisfied the reduces the teacher’s effective as self- criteria or not Once burden in marking all assessment in helping students get familiar students’ papers students improve their with group assessment, English writing skill peer assessment should Students still rely on my be carried out assessment, not their peer’s On the other hand, self-assessment was appreciated by most of the students because they believed that this would help them to get the goals more easily   125     ... assessment and summative assessment (adapted from McMillan, 2007) However, there seems to be no compelling reason to argue that formative and summative assessments are mutually exclusive because formative. .. students’ attitudes towards the application of formative assessment is one of the most essential factors which can affect the success of this application in the classroom Although there are a lot of. .. application more suitable at VUS 1.3 Aims of the study The aims of this study are:     (i) To investigate VUS students’ attitudes towards the application of formative assessment in teaching English writing;