Using prediction activities to improve efl 11th graders’ listening comprehension

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY PHAM THI HIEN USING PREDICTION ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE EFL 11th GRADERS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION NGHE AN, 2019 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY PHAM THI HIEN USING PREDICTION ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE EFL 11th GRADERS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Code: 8.14.01.11 Supervisor: Dr Nguyen Thi Kim Anh Nghe An, 2019 i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby acknowledge the study entitled “Using prediction activities to improve EFL 11th graders’ listening comprehension” is my own work The data and findings discussed in the thesis are true, used with permission, and have not been published elsewhere AUTHOR Pham Thi Hien ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor Dr Nguyen Thi Kim Anh for her helpful encouragement, constructive comments and precious advice at all stages of the development of this thesis Secondly, I would also like to express my appreciation to all lecturers at the Department of Foreign Languages of Vinh University for the knowledge, guidance and encouragement they gave me during my course Next, I would like to show my special thankfulness to Vinh University High School for non-major gifted students, my colleagues that helped me to carry out the experimental study Last but not least, I would like to extend my special thanks to my dear family for their love and encouragement during the process of the study iii ABSTRACT Prediction is a basic strategy in which listeners use their prior knowledgethe knowledge of the topic, the listening context, the text-type, the culture or other information stored in long-term memory as schemata-to understand a text This metacognitive strategy plays an important role in teaching and learning English listening comprehension (LC) and it has been highly recommended This research is an investigation into the use of prediction activities (PAs) in listening classes at Vinh university high school for non-major gifted students The participants of the study were 70 students from two classes The study focused on the issues: (1) the effectiveness of using prediction activities in listening lessons; (2) the students’ attitude towards the teachers’ use of PAs in their listening lessons The overall findings from the Survey questionnaire, Pretest and Post-test showed that students are in favor of PAs The results also showed that the teachers just use simple PAs and certain kinds of class organization in certain stages of the listening lesson As a result, the study tried to indicate some problems from the students and challenges from the using PAs effectively, and these implications can be considered as suggestions for the use of PAs in LC in general iv TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF ABBREVIATION vii LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Methods of the study 1.5 Significance of the study 1.6 Scope of the study 1.7 Structure of the study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Listening 2.1.1 Definition 2.1.2 Listening sub-skills 2.1.3 Teaching listening 2.1.3.1 Planning for the successful completion of a listening task 2.1.3.2 Monitoring comprehension during a listening task 2.1.3.3 Evaluating the approach and outcomes of a listening task 2.1.4 Stages of teaching listening 2.2 Listening comprehension 10 2.2.1 Definition 10 2.2.2 The importance of listening comprehension 11 2.2.3 Difficulties encountered in listening comprehension 12 2.2.4 Teaching listening comprehension 15 v 2.3 Prediction 18 2.3.1 Definition 18 2.3.2 The benefits of prediction 19 2.3.3 The importance of prediction in listening comprehension lessons 20 2.3.4 Implementing of prediction activities 20 2.3.4.1 Prediction based on the topic 20 2.3.4.2 Prediction based on the key words 21 2.3.4.3 Prediction based on the exercises designed for the while listening and post listening period 21 2.3.4.4 Prediction based on the speakers and their relations 21 2.3.4.5 Prediction based on the topic sentence 22 2.3.4.6 Prediction based on the grammar structures 22 2.3.4.7 Prediction based on the semantic markers 23 2.3.4.8 Prediction based on knowledge of intonation and stress 24 2.3.4.9 Prediction based on knowledge of discourse 24 2.3.4.10 Prediction based on the stock formula of the language 25 2.3.4.11 Prediction based on the pictures given 25 2.4 Ways of handling a prediction activity 26 2.5 Relevant studies to the research 27 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 32 3.1 Research setting 32 3.1.1 Theoretical setting 32 3.1.2 Practical setting 33 3.2 Participants 34 3.3 Materials 34 3.4 Instruments 36 3.4.1 Survey questionnaire 36 3.4.2 Tests 36 3.5 Procedures of data collection and data analysis 37 vi 3.5.1 Data collection 37 3.5.2 Data analysis 39 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DICUSSIONS 41 4.1 Results of Pre-test and Post-test 41 4.1.1 Data presentation of Pre-test and Post-test on students’ ability in LC 41 4.1.2 Comparison of the scores on the tests by participants from two groups 42 4.2 Students’ attitudes towards the use of PAs in their LC classes 46 4.2.1 Reasons why students liked PAs 46 4.2.2 Reasons why students disliked PAs 47 4.2.3 Students’ most favorable PAs 48 4.2.4 Kinds of listening tasks in which students liked to make prediction 49 4.2.5 Students’ preference of class organization 50 4.2.6 Students’ frequency of making wrong prediction 51 4.2.7 Students’ feelings when being corrected 52 4.2.8 Students’ expectations of good predictions 52 4.3 Summary of this chapter 53 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 54 5.1 Summary of the main findings 54 5.2 Implications of the study 55 5.3 Limitations of the study 57 5.4 Suggestions for further studies 58 REFERENCE 59 APPENDICES 62 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATION EFL: English as a foreign language L1: First language L2: Second language LC: Listening comprehension MCQs: Multiple choice questions PAs: Prediction activities viii LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Semantic markers 24 Table 3.1 Demographic information of participants 34 Table 3.2 Listening tasks in Tieng Anh 11 35 Table 3.3 Research type 39 Table 4.1 Statistics of Pre-test and Post-test 41 Table 4.2 Comparison of the mean in Pre-test and Post-test of two groups 42 Table 4.3 Proficiencies of two groups after the implementation 43 Table 4.4 Score variables after the treatment by participants from two groups 44 Table 4.5 The score distribution and the percentage of two groups after the implementation……………………………………………………………… 45 Table 4.6 Reasons why students liked PAs 46 Table 4.7 Reasons why students disliked PAs 47 Table 4.8 Students’ most favorable PAs in LC classes 48 Table 4.9 Students’ expectations of good predictions 52 60 quarterly, 30, 304-307 12 Hamouda, A (2013) An investigation of listening comprehension problems encountered by Saudi students in the EL listening classroom International journal of academic research in progressive education and development, 2(2), 113-15 13 Hasan, A (2000) Learners’ perceptions of listening comprehension problems Language, culture and curriculum, 13, 137-153 14 Hoang Van Van et al (2006) Đổi phương pháp dạy tiếng Anh trường trung học phổ thông [Changing the methodology of teaching English in Viet Nam] Vietnam Educational Publishers 15 Hoang Van Van & Tu Anh (2006) Tài liệu bồi dưỡng giáo viên thực chương trình sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh 10 [Materials for Enhancing teachers of English Grade 10] Vietnam: Educational Publishers 16 Jiang Y (2009) Predicting strategy and listening comprehension Asian Social Science (1), 93-97 17 Lingzhu J (2003) Training the university English learners to predict in class Retrieved April 15th, 2011 18 Nadig, A (2013) Listening Comprehension Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1743 19 Purdy, M (1997) What is listening? In M Purdy, & D Borisoff (Eds.), Listening in everyday life A personal and professional approach Lanham, MD: University Press of America 20 Rost, M (1990) Listening in language learning New York: London 21 Rost, M (2002) Teaching and researching listening London: Longman 22 www.ccsenet.org/elt language teaching Vol 9, No 6; 2016132 23 Rubin, J (1994) A Review of second language listening comprehension research The modern language journal, 78(2), 199-221 24 Underwood, M (1989) Teaching listening London: Longman 25 Underwood, M (1996).Teaching Listening New York: 61 Longman, Inc 26 Vandergrift, L (2007) Recent development in second language listening comprehension research In Graeme Porte (Ed.), Language teaching: Surveys and Studies (pp 291-210) Cambridge University Press, Canada 27 Walker, N (2014) Listening: the most difficult skill to teach Encuentro, 23, 16728 Yagang, F (1994) Listening: Problems and solutions In T Kral (Ed.), Teacher development: Making the right moves Washington, DC: English language programs division, USIA 175 62 APPENDIX A: QUESTION OF PRE-TEST PART 1: Questions 1-5 Listen to Liz telling her father about the things she bought Choose the correct answer by circling A, B or C You will hear the conversation twice She went shopping (on)…… A yesterday B Tuesday C today What did Liz buy for the baby? A a book B a ball C a toy animal What sort of CD did Liz choose? A dance music B rock music C pop music What clothes did Liz get? A a T-shirt B a sweater C some jeans At lunchtime, Liz and Sally bought some sandwiches A at a coffee shop B in a snack bar C in a pub Liz bought Dad's magazine A at a newsagent's B in the department store C in a bookshop PART 2: Questions 6-10 You will hear a student telephoning about a job For each question, fill in the missing information in the numbered space You will hear the conversation twice WEEKEND JOB At: Garden Hotel Working in: (6) a snack _ Money: (7) £ _ per hour The student can work: (8) at _ Speak to: (9) Mrs _ Address: South Road, opposite: (10) _ 63 PART 3: Questions 11-15 You will hear a girl asking for information about Aqua Park, a theme park where you can go swimming Decide if each sentence is True or False You will hear the conversation twice 11 The park opens on Saturday A T B F 12 The closing time of the bank on weekdays is 10 p.m A T B F 13 Family ticket costs £15 A T B F 14 The name of the car park is GLENDENNAN A T B F 15 Visitor cannot buy anything to read at Aqua Park -THE END- 64 APPENDIX B: KEY AND SCORE SCALE PRE-TEST PART 1: 0.6 points x =3 points B A A B C PART 2: 0.8 point x = points (6) bar (7) 4.70 (8) weekends (9) ILLSLEY (10) museum PART 3: 0.6 points x =3 points 11 A 12 B 13 B 14 A 15 B 65 APPENDIX C: QUESTION OF POST-TEST PART 1: Questions 1-5 Listen to Diane talking to friend about a trip to London Choose the correct answer by circling A, B or C You will hear the conversation twice Diane went to London yesterday A morning B afternoon C evening Diane went to London by A car B bus C underground Diane and her friend ate A Mexican food B Chinese food C Spanish food Diane says the restaurant was A noisy B expensive C quite After the meal, Diane and her friends A sat and talked B saw a film C walked by the river During Diane’s trip to London A it rained B it snowed C it was windy PART 2: Questions 6-10 You will hear a sport coach telling a student, Angela, about a basketball game For each question, fill in the missing information in the numbered space You will hear the conversation twice BASKETBALL Wear: red T-shirt Date: (6) _February Game against : (7) _ College Team will travel to college by:(8) _ Game will begin at: (9) _ P.m School mobile number : (10) _ 66 PART 2: Questions 11-15 Listen to Mike and Amy ordering some food at Happy Joe’s Café Decide if the following sentences are True or False You will hear the conversation twice 11 Mike wants to have a pizza A True B False 12 Amy would like to have a pizza with cheese, peppers, onions and tomato A True B False 13 Mike orders a salad for his dessert A True B False 14 Amy asks lemonade for drink A True B False 15 The service would take long time A True B False -THE END- 67 APPENDIX D: KEY AND SCORE SCALE OF POST-TEST PART 1: 0.6 points x = points B B A C C PART 2: 0.8 points x = points (6) 2nd (7) CORFIELD (8) car (9) 2.30 (10) 0976654 PART 3:0.6 points x = points 11 B 12 A 13 B 14 A 15 B 68 APPENDIX E: BẢNG CÂU HỎI ĐIỀU TRA Bản câu hỏi điều tra thiết kế cho nghiên cứu luận văn thạc sĩ với tiêu đề ’’Sử dụng hoạt động đoán nâng cao kĩ nghe hiểu cho học sinh lớp 11’’.Chúng cảm ơn bạn hỗ trợ hoàn thành khảo sát Tất thông tin bạn cung cấp cho mục đích nghiên cứu chúng tơi cam kết bảo mật thông tin cá nhân Cảm ơn hợp tác bạn! I Thông tin cá nhân: Giới tính: Nam: …………… Nữ: ……………… Tuổi: ……………… II Câu hỏi: Vui lòng chọn câu trả lời cách đánh dấu (√) vào □ Tại em thích hoạt động đốn? (Em chọn nhiều câu trả lời) □ a Vui □ b Chúng giúp em hiểu □ c Em có hội để trình bày kiến thức có □ d Em khơng phải lo lắng câu trả lời sai □ Ý kiến khác (chi tiết): …… ………………………………………………… Tại em khơng thích hoạt động đốn? (Em chọn nhiều câu trả lời) □ a Nhàm chán □ b Em khơng đủ kiến thức để đốn □ c Em hay đốn sai □ d Khó □ Ý kiến khác (chi tiết): …… ………………………………………………… Em thích hoạt động đốn nào? (Em chọn nhiều câu trả lời) □ a Đoán dựa vào chủ đề □ b Đốn dựa vào từ khóa 69 □ c Đốn dựa vào tập thiết kế phần While-listening Postlistening □ d Đoán dựa vào mối quan hệ người nói □ e Đốn dựa vào câu chủ đề □ f Đoán dựa vào cấu trúc ngữ pháp □ g Đoán dựa vào dấu hiệu ngữ nghĩa □ h Đoán dựa vào kiến thức ngữ điệu âm nhấn □ i Đoán dựa vào ngữ cảnh □ j Đoán dựa vào kiến thức câu tục ngữ, thành ngữ, châm ngôn, … □ k Đoán dựa vào tranh ảnh □ Ý kiến khác (chi tiết): …… ………………………………………………… Em thích hoạt động đốn loại tập nào? (Em chọn nhiều câu trả lời) □ a Chọn sai □ b Chọn đáp án □ c Trả lời câu hỏi □ d Hoàn thành sơ đồ, bảng biểu □ e Điền vào chỗ trống □ f Đoán tự □ g Sắp xếp tranh ảnh, kiện □ Ý kiến khác (chi tiết): …… ……………………… Em thích kiểu hoạt động đốn sau đây? (Em chọn nhiều câu trả lời) □ a Đoán theo cá nhân □ b Đốn theo nhóm nhỏ □ c Đốn theo cặp □ d Cả lớp đoán □ Ý kiến khác (chi tiết): …… ……………………… Em có thường đốn sai không? 70 □ a Luôn □ b Thường □ c Thỉnh thoảng □ d Không Em cảm thấy giáo viên sửa lỗi đốn sai? (Em chọn nhiều câu trả lời) □ a Bị lôi vào học □ b Mất hứng thú với học □ c Được thầy cô ý đến □ d Ổn □ e Cảm thấy xấu hổ □ f Bị tổn thương □ Ý kiến khác (chi tiết): … ……………… Em mong đợi từ phía giáo viên để em đốn tốt hơn? (Em chọn nhiều câu trả lời) □ a Giáo viên động viên em tham gia vào hoạt động □ b Giáo viên sử dụng nhiều hoạt động đoán khác □ c Giáo viên sử dụng hoạt động đoán phù hợp □ d Giáo viên giúp em rèn luyện kĩ đoán □ e Giáo viên chuẩn bị tốt cho hoạt động □ Ý kiến khác (chi tiết): … …………………… ……………… Cảm ơn hợp tác bạn! This survey questionnaire is designed for my M.A research entitled “Using prediction activities to improve EFL 11th graders’ listening comprehension” Your assistance in completing the survey is highly appropriated All the information provided by you is for the study only and you will not be identified in any discussion of the data Thank you for your cooperation! 71 Why you like prediction? (You can choose more than one options) □ a Funny □ b Easier to understand lessons □ c Having opportunities to express knowledge □ d Not worried if answers are not correct □ Other ideas (detailed): …… ………………………………………………… Why don’t you like prediction? (You can choose more than one options) □ a Boring □ b Lack of background knowledge □ c Often make wrong prediction □ d Difficult □ Other ideas (detailed): …… ………………………………………………… Which kinds of prediction you like? (You can choose more than one options) □ a Based on the topic □ b Based on the key word(s) □ c Based on the exercises designed for the while listening and post listening period □ d Based on the speakers and their relations □ e Based on the topic sentence □ f Based on the grammar structures □ g Based on the semantic markers □ h Based on knowledge of intonation and stress □ i Based on knowledge of discourse □ h Based on the stock formula of the language □ f Based on pictures □ Other ideas (detailed): …… ………………………………………………… Which prediction task/ tasks in listening lessons you like to use? (You can choose more than one options) 72 a T/F statements b Multiple choice questions c Questions and answers d Charts or table completion e Gap-filling f Open prediction g Ordering pictures or events □ Other ideas (detailed): …… ……………………… Which of the following activities you like? (You can choose more than one options) □ a Personally □ b Small group □ c Pair □ d Whole class □ Other ideas (detailed): …… ……………………… How often you make wrong prediction? □ a Always □ b Usually □ c Sometimes □ d Never How you feel when being corrected your wrong prediction? (You can choose more than one options) □ a Be more interested in the lesson □ b Loose interest □ c More confident □ d Feel alright □ e Feel embarrassed □ f Be hurt □ Other ideas (detailed): … ……………… 73 What you expect from your teacher? (You can choose more than one options) □ a Teacher’s encouragement □ b Teacher uses many different prediction activities □ c Teacher uses relevant prediction activities □ d Teacher helps me to practice prediction skills □ e Teacher prepares better for prediction activities □ Other ideas (detailed): … …………………… ……………… Thank you for your cooperation! ... VINH UNIVERSITY PHAM THI HIEN USING PREDICTION ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE EFL 11th GRADERS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages... STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby acknowledge the study entitled ? ?Using prediction activities to improve EFL 11th graders’ listening comprehension? ?? is my own work The data and findings discussed... ♦ Does the use of prediction activities help improve EFL 11 th graders’ listening comprehension? ♦ What are the students’ attitudes towards the implementation of prediction activities? 1.4 Methods