Using semantic mapping as a strategy to facilitate reading comprehension

42f, 00917 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY USING SEMANTIC MAPPING AS A STRATEGY TO FACILITATE READING COMPREHENSION A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (TESOL) Submitted by HUYNH THI THAI HOA Supervisor Assoc Prof Dr NGUYEN THANH TUNG TRMỜNG ĐẠI HỤC MỜ TP _”-:: THƯ VIỆN Ho Chi Minh City, September, 2012 STATEMENT I certify that this thesis OF AUTHORSHIP entitled “Using semantic mapping as a strategy to facilitate reading comprehension” is my own work Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis does not contain material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis This thesis has not been submitted for any degree in any other tertiary institution Ho Chi Minh City, 2012 HUYNH THI THAI HOA ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Without the support, assistance, and encouragement, given to me by the following people, this thesis would not have been completed Therefore, I would like to express my special thanks to them First of all, I am especially grateful to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Thanh Tung, a Vice-Dean of the Department of English at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education I always have in mind his continuing support, encouragement, intellectual advice, and generosity My special thanks also go to my students of Class GDTH-K37 at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, who participated in my research, especially and Class TIN-K37, who took part in twelve students of both Class HOA-K37 my pilot-test, and my enthusiastically shared many colleagues, who of their thoughts and comments throughout the completion of this thesis I sincerely appreciate the thoughtful concern and continuing support from my classmates of MA in TESOL at Ho Chi Minh City Open University Last but not least, I would like to thank my family and friends for their love and great support il ABSTRACT In recent years, there has been an increasing demand with English proficiency in Vietnam However, many for a workforce students still have to struggle with learning reading in English due to the lack of strategy training Thus, this research attempts to investigate the extent to which the semantic mapping strategy can be applied in reading instructions to boost students’ reading comprehension The experimental research was carried out during the second semester study Sixty-eight non-English major freshmen studying Primary Education at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education were divided into two groups: control and experiment The data to find the answers to the research questions were collected from two sources: two tests, namely a pre-test and a post-test, to measure the change in students’ reading ability before and after the treatment, and a questionnaire to examine their attitudes towards the use of semantic mapping in learning reading comprehension in a reading classroom The findings of the study indicated that the semantic mapping strategy had positive effects on improving the students’ reading comprehension and that it also affected their attitudes thanks to the enjoyment, usefulness, interest, comfort, enthusiasm, confidence and willingness it brought about ili TABLE OF CONTENTS Statement Of authorship 0.0 eee eseeeeeeeesseeeeeeessecseeeeeceeeaeeeeeeaeseaeeseeeaeeeeeeneeens i PRO WIR ÍEfllš .ả SGK g2 1041442666 sksE is ts4kd2asksi424k423534 ii RN asain cen cope emg ea tate nt vac rte anand esc ocewoa ede PSA ill I1) 0v IV Diet OE FRCS ác isecaieiikiieceicbik 01210 641421611633651712423943302748633912L1338/58393582049X361244212353 IEG CO SN eReO Hees sa Caen eae a so (2.602 0-2.0Ẻ002nn06 00c7 no nan na IBO0uu List Of abbr€V1AfIOTNS . -G ST TH TH ng ng re CHñPñtetr 1: THHYOGHCHON eiieaaiidiiiieaesinayŸa 1.1 Background of the Study oo ccc ccecscessceseeeseeeseeesseceaecesseeseeceaeseseeeseeaseaes NO 2i nogu In a5 Vill 1X X XI 1 ‡ l¿4, SigñNiinnicø 01 i6 BHHẨY sáceioiieeoieiriiiisaEisaeskasskssebiskkzlAskxesskssAssAzKLS A2350 + 1.5 Overview of thesis chapters ccccccccccsccssseeeeseeesseeeeseeeeseeeesseeessesesseeeseeeses + Chapter 2: Semanfic mapping: Á conceptual framework - - 2:1 DSRS ciacscsinencosscosernesstasvcxsecstsnngnscenssarcearanrensroneens tưới ch EIDGIODV Neirianlio TRADD HE, sosiiianoieeoiagkaosiidongsreodsiBfGxbloasayeeseeah OF REMIBNUG MAPPING 2.2.1 Word Mapping oo 2.2.2 Concepf mappIng .- -‹- - c1 133111 111513 15255111 errke 2.3 The use of the semantic mapping strategy in reading comprehension 10 2.3.1 BrainsfOrmIng - «c1 nu ng ng 10 2.3.2 Increasing knowledge via the construction of a semantic map 13 0.3.3: T01 SHN HIẾTIEBHON sacs cos ccacisvesccovernsee raorncemnensnetsennesrnccnerannreress 16 2.3.4 Active learning through interaction and communication 19 cece ceeeeeseeeeseeceneeeeeeeceeaeeseeeeeneeeeeeenaeeees 21 2.3.5 Meaningful learming 2.3.6.The semantic mapping process used in teaching reading comprehension 88 ÑPt TDIEEESE XE (BH sessusessaosuoonkiieBiiskbBdiksbg) begg0Ie085I-012194000140000605/242 23 2.4 The application of the semantic mapping strategy for the teaching of reading 9011969019319) 2000070787 -::41+-£ 24 0.0.0 ccsseeesessessseeseteeeeeetscseceseestesestseneesenenees 24 2.4.1.1 Iiroducing The EOBÍO cáccc-ceiiiiiaeneeeieoiairsaesesssskaliiaS2E636) mơ -e-ci0161626641462010132/0400648238, 25 2.4.1.3 Organizing ideas or cOnC€pfS -