An action research project to teach grammar in the new english textbook effectively to year 11 students in a hanoi high school

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ************* HOÀNG THỊ MINH TÂM AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT TO TEACH GRAMMAR IN THE NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOK EFFECTIVELY TO YEAR-11 STUDENTS IN A HANOI HIGH SCHOOL (Một dự án nghiên cứu hành động để dạy ngữ pháp chương trình sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh cách hiệu cho học sinh lớp 11 trường THPT Hà Nội) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS (Type 1) Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Hanoi - 2021 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ************* HOÀNG THỊ MINH TÂM AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT TO TEACH GRAMMAR IN THE NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOK EFFECTIVELY TO YEAR-11 STUDENTS IN A HANOI HIGH SCHOOL (Một dự án nghiên cứu hành động để dạy ngữ pháp chương trình sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh cách hiệu cho học sinh lớp 11 trường THPT Hà Nội) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS (Type 1) Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Supervisor: Vũ Thị Thanh Nhã, Ph.D Hanoi – 2021 DECLARATION I, Hoang Thi Minh Tam, hereby certify that my thesis submitted to the Faculty of Post Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi is my own work Documented references have been fully provided I have not submitted this thesis for assessment in any other training institutions Hanoi, 2021 Hoang Thi Minh Tam i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my special and sincere thanks to my supervisor, Ph.D Vu Thi Thanh Nha, who gave me enthusiastic instructions, precious support and critical feedback on the construction of the study Second, I also express my profound gratitude to all doctors, lecturers and staff members of the Faculty of Post-graduate Studies, University of Foreign Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their valuable lectures and useful advice that is of a great help for me to fulfil the thesis Next, I truly wish to thank all the students of class 11A3 at Hermann Gmeiner High School, Hanoi, who have actively participated in my study Finally, I am also thankful to many writers whose ideas are useful hints for the development of this thesis Hanoi, 2021 Hoang Thi Minh Tam ii ABSTRACT This research was an investigation into the potential of communicative activities to improve the quality of English grammar lessons The research aimed to improve English grammar lessons to year-11 students at a Hanoi high school by applying some communicative activities and finding out effective ways to apply them in English grammar teaching In order to accomplish these purposes, 40 year-11 students in a Hanoi high school were selected to participate in the study The students’ English abilities are various but they shared the same teacher and teaching contents Two data collection instruments were employed, including questionnaires and interviews The action research was carried out in eight English grammar lessons The analysis of the date collected revealed that students had positive attitudes towards the two applied communicative activities On this basis, some suggestions on how to carry out these communicative activities were proposed iii TABLE OF CONTENT DECLARATION I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II ABSTRACT .III TABLE OF CONTENT IV LIST OF TABLES VII CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Statement of problem and rationale of the study .1 Aims and objectives of the study Research questions Scope of the study Significance of the study Design of the study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definitions of grammar 2.2 The role of grammar in foreign language teaching and learning 2.3 Approaches in grammar teaching 2.3.1 Deductive and inductive approach .6 2.3.2 Communicative language teaching approach 2.3.2.1 Definition of communicative language teaching approach .8 2.3.2.2 Grammar teaching in communicative language teaching .10 2.3.2.3 Communicative activities 11 2.4 Previous studies on communicative language teaching in teaching grammar 13 2.5 Summary 14 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 15 3.1 The context of the study 15 3.1.1 Setting of the study .15 3.1.2 Participants 16 3.2 Research questions 16 iv 3.3 Research design 16 3.3.1 Research methodology 16 3.3.1.1 Rationale for the use of action research 16 3.3.1.2 An overview of action research 17 3.3.2 Research procedures .19 3.3.2.1 Identifying the problem 20 3.3.2.2 Action 21 3.3.2.3 Observation and reflection 22 3.4 Data collection instruments 22 3.4.1 Questionnaires .22 3.4.2 Interviews 23 3.5 Data analysis methods 24 3.6 Summary 24 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 25 4.1 The reason why students are uninterested in English grammar lessons 25 4.2 Students’ attitudes towards communicative activities in English grammar lessons .32 4.2.1 Role play 32 4.2.2 Information – gap activities 40 4.3 Findings and discussion .46 4.3.1 The reason why students are uninterested in English grammar lessons 46 4.3.2 Students’ attitudes towards communicative activities in English grammar lessons 47 4.3.3 Suggestions for carrying out communicative activities to make English grammar lessons more effective 47 4.3.4 Discussion 48 4.3.5 Summary 49 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION .51 Recapitulation .51 v Limitations of the current research .51 Implications 52 Suggestions for further research 53 REFERENCES 54 APPENDIX I APPENDIX IV APPENDIX VIII APPENDIX XII APPENDIX XIII APPENDIX XIV APPENDIX XV APPENDIX XIX vi LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: Detail schedule for action phase 21 Table 4.1: The students’ purposes of learning English .25 Table 4.2: Students’ opinions about teaching methods in English grammar lessons 29 Table 4.3: The aspects of effectiveness of role play 36 Table 4.4: Students’ difficulties in participation in role play activities 38 Table 4.5: The aspects of effectiveness of information-gap atcivities 43 Table 4.6: Students’ difficulties in participation in information-gap activities 45 LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS Figure 3.1: Cyclical AR model based on Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988 19 Chart 4.1: Level of difficulty in learning English grammar .26 Chart 4.2: Students’ feeling in English grammar lessons 27 Chart 4.3: The students’ understanding English grammar rules in lessons 28 Chart 4.4: Factors affecting students’ learning English grammar 31 Chart 4.5: Students’ opinions about application of role play 33 Chart 4.6: Students’ feelings about participation in role play activities 34 Chart 4.7: Students’ level of participation in role play activities .35 Chart 4.8: Students’ opinions about the effectiveness of role play 36 Chart 4.9: Students’ evaluation of situations in role play activities 37 Chart 4.10: Students’ opinions about the application of information-gap activities 40 Chart 4.11: Students’ feeling about information-gap activities 41 Chart 4.12: Students’ participation in information-gap activities .42 Chart 4.13: The effectiveness of information-gap activities .43 Chart 4.14: Students’ evaluation of information-gap activities 44 vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Statement of problem and rationale of the study Effective grammar teaching appears to be concerned by many scholars in their second language learning studies Besides, approaches to teaching grammar has changed drammatically since communicative language teaching was concerned and motivated in second language learning classroom Unlike traditional grammar approach, in which learning grammar rules and structures are motivated, grammar teaching in communicative language teaching marks a significant shift to using grammar meaningfully in real communication Savignon (1991, p 269) believes that “learners seem to focus best on grammar when it relates to their communicative needs and experiences” Storti (1990) asserts that putting the learners into meaningful activities appears to be good for their grammar acquisition In addition, a variety of studies on this approach have been carried out to see the effectiveness For instance, in the research of Spada and Lightbown (1993) and Lightbown (1998), the findings showed that “teacher who focus students’ attention on linguistic form during communicative interactions are more effective than those who never focus on form or who only so in decontextualized grammar lessons” (cited in LarsenFreeman, 2001, p 215) As clearly stated above, teaching grammar in the light of CLT has proved a complete success and been encouraged in language teaching On the other hand, after teaching the students, known as the paricipants in this study, for one year, the researcher see that the students are not really interested in her English grammar lessons In addition, the advantages of communicative language teaching was not fully taken in the researcher’s English grammar lessons The first reason is my students’ low English abilities Most of them find English difficult and not get good marks in English tests Consequently, the researcher decided to apply simple procedures, mostly based on the traditional approach The second reason is the achievement tests As mentioned above, grammar is assessed in multiple choice question written tests, but not in listening and speaking activities ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………… Thank you for your cooperation! VII APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE (FOR CYCLE 2) All of the information taken in this questionnaire will be used for my research titled “An action research project to teach grammar in the New English textbook effectively to year-11 students in a Hanoi high school.” Your answers are very important for this research All information will be used for researching, not for any other purposes They also will be confidential You not have to provide your name on this questionnaire Your response is greatly appreciated What is your opinion of the application of information – gap activities in English grammar lessons? A like very much B quite like C normal D dislike What is your feeling when taking part in information – gap activities in English grammar lessons? A Comfortable B Uncomfortable C Acceptable D Unacceptable Please specify your reasons: VIII ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… How often you take part in information – gap activities in English grammar lessons? A Fully participate B quite fully participate C partly participate D not participate at all What you think about information – gap activities in English grammar lessons? A very effective B effective C Not fully effective D Not effective In what aspects are information – gap activities in English grammar lessons effective? (You may choose more than one option) A Grammar rules become easier to understand B Grammar rules become easier to remember C The grammar lessons become less stressful IX D I feel like learning grammar rules more E I don’t feel stressful when speaking in English For other option, please specify: ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… How you evaluate information-gap activities in English grammar lessons? A Difficult and not attractive B Difficult but attractive C Normal D Easy and not attractive E Easy but attractive For other option, please specify: ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… What difficulties you have when taking part in information – gap activities in English grammar lessons? (You may choose more than one option) A I feel shy when gathering information B I am afraid of making grammar mistakes X C I am not confident enough in speaking D I have no difficulties For other option, please specify: ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… Thank you for your cooperation! XI APPENDIX INTERVIEW (FOR PLANNING STAGE) What are the purposes of your English grammar learning? Do you like learning English grammar? Why? Why not? How you feel about English grammar lessons? Do you like it? Do you see the effectiveness? In your opinion, what may make English grammar lessons more effective and interesting? XII APPENDIX INTERVIEW (FOR CYCLE 1) How you feel about role play activities in English grammar lessons? Do you like them? Why? Why not? Do you see the effectiveness of role play activities in English grammar lessons? How? Do they help you in terms of communication and grammar learning? Do you have any difficulties in role play activities in English grammar lessons? What are they? Do you have any suggestions for better grammar lessons with role play activities in English grammar lessons? XIII APPENDIX INTERVIEW (FOR CYCLE 2) How you feel about information-gap activities in English grammar lessons? Do you like them? Why? Why not? Do you see the effectiveness of information-gap activities in English grammar lessons? How? Do they help you in terms of communication and grammar learning? Do you have any difficulties in information-gap activities in English grammar lessons? What are they? Do you have any suggestions for better grammar lessons with information-gap activities in English grammar lessons? XIV APPENDIX LESSON PLAN (INDUCTIVE APPROACH) UNIT 4: CARING FOR THOSE IN NEED GETTING STARTED: PAST SIMPLE A Time allowed: 45 minutes B Number of students: 40 students C Grade: 11 D Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to - get the forms, uses and signal words of Past Simple - apply Past simple in communication - have some knowledge and vocabulary on the target topic: Caring for those in need E Preparations: - Teacher: Textbook, lesson plan, CD player, handouts - Students: Textbook F Method: Communicative language teaching XV G Procedures: Time/Stages Teacher’s activities Warm up - Ask Ss if they have ever helped students in need Elicit activities to help students in need (5 minutes) - Lead in the conversation given in the textbook New grammar rule: Past Simple (15 minutes) - Have Ss listen and read the conversation in the textbook - After time for reading and listening, divide class into groups of four Ask Ss to work in groups, try to find Past simple sentences in the conversation and discuss their forms and uses Remind Ss to base on the context of the conversation to get the target grammar rule Conversation transcript: Mai: Hi, what's up? Why are there so many boxes in the library? Maria: I'm preparing some Christmas gifts for secondary students with disabilities in the school we visited two months ago These are students with various visual, hearing, physical and cognitive impairments Mai: Cognitive impairments? Maria: That's learning difficulties Kevin: I have a neighbour who is blind, deaf and dumb, and needs a lot of help to get around Maria: Well, you shouldn't use words like ‘dumb’ or ‘deaf’ It's disrespectful Mai: I agree There are so many students with a disability who have talents and skills Maria: That's right And we need to help them to become independent, integrate in the community and achieve success at school Mai: So what are these Christmas gifts? Maria: Last month, the Youth Union in our school had a meeting, and decided to start a ‘Special Christmas Gifts' campaign to collect gifts for local charities So far, the students in our school have donated more than 100 gifts XVI Mai: That's great! Can students from other schools join your campaign? Maria: Sure! A few other schools have already joined us They have sent us textbooks, dictionaries, CD players, batteries Kevin:I have an idea for a gift! A talking pen for learning foreign languages Maria: Great idea! What a meaningful gift! Mai: Thanks, Maria I'll talk to my classmates and see what we can - Elicit answers from Ss - Give feedback and generalize the target grammar rule: Past Simple Communicat - Give out the situation: You have come back home after joining in a ive activity: volunteer campaign at your school, in which you helped students with disabilities, for two days Your parents want to know about your Role play experience (23 minutes) - Ask Ss to work in pairs and role-play in the given situation Remind them to use Past Simple in their conversation Supply Ss with sheets of specific roles and some suggestions for their role play Role play sheet: Student 1: Your child has come back home after joining in a volunteer campaign at school, in which he/she helped students with disabilities, for two days You want to know about that experience Ask your child some questions about his/her last volunteer work, using the following suggestions in Past Simple: - Where did you go? How did you get there? - How many students joined in that campaign? - Who did you help? - What did you to help them? - How did you feel? Student 2: You have come back home after joining in a volunteer campaign at your school, in which you helped XVII students with disabilities, for two days Your parents want to know about your experience Answer your parents’ questions about your last volunteer work - While Ss work in pairs, teacher goes around, make control or give help if necessary - After some time for Ss to practice in pairs, call some pairs to make presentations - Give feedback, highlight and correct mistakes if having, in terms of Past Simple Wrap-up and - Summarize the lesson homework (2 - Assign homework: tell Ss to exercises in the given handouts for minutes) further practice about Past Simple XVIII APPENDIX LESSON PLAN (DEDUCTIVE APPROACH) UNIT 5: BEING PART OF ASEAN GRAMMAR: GERUNDS A Time allowed: 45 minutes B Number of students: 40 students C Grade: 11 D Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - enrich some verbs which are followed by Gerunds - practice speaking E Preparations: - Teacher: Lesson plan, handouts - Students: Notebook F Method: Communicative language teaching G Procedures: Time/Stages Lead in (5 minutes) Teacher’s activities - Draw on the board some pictures to illustrate the following sentences: I love raising rabbits as pets at home (Drawing of rabbits and hearts) I can’t stand eating onions (Drawing of onions and icons for dislike) - Write sentences on the board and underline verbs with gerunds - Make a statement that some verbs have to be followed by V-ing, which is called Gerund and remind Ss to learn by heart these verbs XIX - Lead in the next activity Activity (10 minutes) - Show a list of verbs which goes with both gerunds and infinitives on the board - Ask Ss to choose only verbs which goes with gerunds - Ss are divided into two groups, standing in two lines, facing the board - Each student in the two lines takes turn to write verbs on the board At the end of the activity, the first group to finish with more correct answers will be the winner Communicat Activity: Find someone who … ive activity: - Supply students with sheets of task Task completion - Ask Ss to go around the class and find someone with the supplied information in the sheets Remind them to note down the answers (28 minutes) - Remind Ss to use interrogative forms in this activity Make sample by making questions like: Do you like flying in the sky? - Have Ss sometimes to the task - Move around to take control and give help if necessary - At the end of the activity, have some Ss make reports Note: all the verbs used in this activity are the same as the ones in activity Find someone who … enjoy walking in the rain appreciate practicing speaking more and more in class look forward to visiting Nha Trang in the coming summer vacation XX Answers admit telling lies to your parents many times Mind wearing uniform at school Recommend using mobile phone for learning English Consider buying new clothes for Tet holiday Can’t stand learning English grammar Get used to sleeping alone Wrap-up and - Summarize the lesson homework (2 - Assign homework: tell Ss to exercises in the given handouts minutes) for further practice XXI ... language teaching and learning The role of grammar in foreign language teaching and learning is strongly emphasized by Nassaji and Fotos (2 011, p 1) when stating that “without grammar, language... shift away from the traditional approaches in grammar teaching, which are grammar based, is recognized as communicative language teaching According to it, teaching grammar does not mean teaching... language learning classroom Unlike traditional grammar approach, in which learning grammar rules and structures are motivated, grammar teaching in communicative language teaching marks a significant