I wrote the research of “Improving Listening skill for grade 9 at The Asian High School, Cao Thang Campus”.. Everyone can read my research, especially new teachers and students who have
INTRODUCTION
Statement of the problem
1.1 Nowadays, English becomes the main language in around the world when you communicate Listening is one of the most important skills that people can use for communiate each other and listen something they want However, some Vietnamese students in secondary school still get some difficulties in listening when they participate in the exam,test in class and listening homeworks
1.2 Since this problem happens to most Vietnamese students I decided to choose this topic:”Improving the Listening skill for the grade 9 at Asian High School (AHS)”.
Purpose of the study
This research investigates the common mistakes made by students at Asian High School (AHS) during Listening tests It highlights frequent errors in academic essay construction and offers effective strategies to enhance listening skills The study addresses significant misunderstandings related to vocabulary, grammar, speaking styles, and accents, categorizing the types of speakers and accents encountered.
Significance of the research
This research, based on a recent survey, highlights the significance of listening skills in academic essay writing It identifies common listening mistakes in English, which are crucial for first-year students who are not majoring in English to address in order to improve their writing abilities.
Research questions
What problems do Asian High School grade 9 students get with Listening skill?
Why do they get into problems with Listening?
How do they improve their Listening skills?
Limitation
This study is applied to the secondary students who are not good at Listening in The Asian High School (AHS).
Scope
The object of this research is the secondary students about Listening skills.
At The Asian High School, I focus on enhancing the listening skills of grade 9 students through targeted research and engaging teaching methods.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Definitions of key terms
1.1 What is the Listening skill:
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process.
Effective communication hinges on the ability to listen When listening skills are lacking, messages can be misinterpreted, leading to communication breakdowns This often results in frustration or irritation for the message sender.
If there is one communication skill you should aim to master, then listening is it
Secondary students have some problems when they join in the exam with some reasons they cannot hear the speaking-file clearly and they misunderstanding.
Listening can be challenging due to factors related to the message, the speaker, the listener, and the physical environment (Yagang, n.d) For many learners, listening is often the least developed skill To enhance your listening abilities, it's essential to identify your specific learning challenges (Ruth, 2018).
To improve your listening skills, it's essential to address the challenge of unfamiliar vocabulary The key issue may not be your listening ability itself, but rather the need to expand your vocabulary or select more accessible listening materials.
1.3.2 - People speak too fast: Here I'm getting at the changes that happen in fast, natural speech In English, we use a lot of connected speech and miss out a lot of sounds
1.3.3 - They cannot hear what people say: This is one of two things - the extreme version is where it's just a stream of sounds and you can barely pick anything out
A common issue is the difficulty in hearing familiar words, which may arise from the alterations we make to words during rapid, natural speech.
In situations where individuals can hear words but struggle to grasp the overall message, they often miss key terms that hinder comprehension This challenge may arise from an excessive focus on understanding every single word, rather than employing effective listening strategies to fill in gaps, similar to how one would navigate comprehension in their native language.
In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, effective communication is crucial, yet genuine listening is increasingly overlooked This rare gift of time fosters relationships, enhances problem-solving, ensures clarity, resolves conflicts, and boosts accuracy In the workplace, attentive listening reduces errors and minimizes wasted time, while at home, it nurtures resourceful, independent children capable of tackling their own challenges Ultimately, listening is essential for building friendships, advancing careers, and preserving both finances and marriages.
They have ten steps solutions for this problem (Schilling,2012)
Face the speaker and maintain eye contact
Maintaining eye contact during conversations is essential for effective communication It reflects the level of attention and engagement you receive from the other person While we often insist on eye contact with children or friends by saying, "Look at me when I'm talking to you," this expectation is less common in interactions with lovers or colleagues (Schilling, 2012)
After establishing eye contact, it's essential to relax while conversing You don't need to maintain constant focus on their face; feel free to glance around as you speak However, the key is to remain attentive and engaged throughout the conversation.
To enhance your listening skills, minimize background noise and distractions Avoid concentrating on the speaker's accent or manner of speaking, as this can lead to a loss of focus Additionally, try not to let your thoughts, emotions, or biases interfere with your attention.
To be an effective listener, refrain from judging or mentally criticizing what the other person shares If their words leave you feeling uncomfortable or confused, avoid dismissive thoughts like "that was a stupid move." Engaging in judgmental reflections indicates that you are not truly listening.
To be an effective listener, avoid making hasty conclusions Understand that when someone speaks, they are expressing their thoughts and feelings, which may not be fully known to you The key to good listening is to remain open and attentive to the speaker's perspective.
Listen to the words and try to picture what the speaker is saying.
Allow your mind to create a new thing from the information being communicated
Whether a black picture, or an arrangement of abstract concepts, your brain will do the necessary work when you stay focus with the fully senses
When engaging in a conversation, it's essential to focus solely on the speaker without planning your response in advance Active listening requires your full attention to understand the message being conveyed, as you cannot effectively prepare your reply while simultaneously absorbing the information.
At the end, stay focus on what is being said, even it bores you If your thoughts start not focus, immediately force yourself to refocus (Schilling,2012)
Don't interrupt and don't impose your "solutions."
Children used to be taught that it is rude to interrupt Certainly, the majority of tv shows, where loud, aggressive, in your face behavior is condoned, if not encouraged
Interrupting messages were send a variety:
You less important than me.
Anything I have to say is more interesting, accurate or relevant
What you think, I do not care.
I do not have time for you
If you are absolutely have a bright solution, at least you need to ask the speaker first
“would you like to hear my ideas?” This is the way to make the speaker pay attention to your idea and feel polite (Schilling,2012)
Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions.
In a conversation, if you find yourself confused about what the speaker is saying, it's important to ask for clarification However, you should wait for a pause before interjecting You can say something like, “I do not understand what you just said about… Can you explain?” (Schilling, 2012).
Try to feel what the speaker is feeling.
When you listen to a speaker's story, your emotional responses—such as sadness, happiness, or fear—reflect their feelings through your expressions and words By empathizing with the speaker wholeheartedly, you demonstrate that you are a good listener (Schilling, 2012)
Harvey Deutschendorf emphasizes that we often focus significantly on our speaking abilities, particularly in public speaking With numerous courses, workshops, and organizations like Toastmasters available, it's clear that effective communication is a highly valued skill in today's society (Deutschendorf, 2014).
Put yourself in their shoes
Reviews previous works
Ur (1984) highlights that in everyday conversation and spontaneous speech, we often express more than necessary to convey our message This redundancy can manifest as repetitions, false starts, re-phrasings, self-corrections, elaborations, tautologies, and seemingly meaningless phrases like "I mean" or "you know." While this characteristic of speech can complicate comprehension for beginners, it may also provide advanced learners with additional time to acclimate to the speaker's voice and style.
Learners tend to be used to their teacher’s accent or to the standard variety of British or American English They find it hard to understand speakers with other accents
Spoken prose, such as news broadcasting and reading aloud, features a consistent pace, volume, pitch, and intonation, making it easier to follow In contrast, natural dialogues are marked by hesitations, pauses, and varied intonation, which can pose challenges for students accustomed to more structured listening materials.
Foreign-language students often struggle with English cliches and collocations, making it difficult for them to predict missing words or phrases For instance, they may not recognize that "rosy" typically pairs with "cheeks," nor can they anticipate that "rage" is likely to follow the phrase "he was in a towering." This lack of familiarity presents a significant challenge for these students.
Lack of sociocultural, factual, and contextual knowledge of the target language can present an obstacle to comprehension because language is used to express its culture (Anderson and Lynch 1988)
Foreign-language learners often spend more time on reading than on listening, resulting in limited exposure to various listening materials Even college students majoring in English typically receive no more than four hours of regular listening training each week.
Both psychological and physical factors can adversely impact how students perceive and interpret listening materials Prolonged concentration on unfamiliar sounds, words, and sentences can be exhausting for learners.
Noise, including both background noises on the recording and environmental noises, can take the listener’s mind off the content of the listening passage
Listening to audio materials, such as tapes or radio broadcasts, can be challenging due to the absence of visual and aural cues Without the ability to observe the speaker's body language and facial expressions, listeners may find it harder to grasp the intended meaning.
Listening to audio materials, such as tapes or radio broadcasts, can be challenging due to the absence of visual and aural cues Without the ability to observe the speaker's body language and facial expressions, listeners may find it harder to grasp the intended meaning.
Unclear sounds resulting from poor-quality equipment can interfere with the listener’s comprehension.
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This research investigates the common listening mistakes made by Vietnamese high school students in English Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, the study aims to enhance English listening skills among these students The qualitative approach focuses on understanding human behavior from the informants' perspectives, employing participant observation and interviews for data collection The analysis is theme-based, reflecting the informants' descriptions Conversely, the quantitative approach seeks to uncover measurable facts about social phenomena, relying on numerical comparisons and statistical analyses For this research, a quantitative methodology was selected to effectively gather and analyze data.
Procedures
Asian high school grade 9 students often face challenges in their English listening skills, despite being good learners Common issues include mistakes in vocabulary, word form, grammar, and plural forms, as well as difficulty focusing on audio recordings To address these problems, I recommend various resources, such as websites and books, to enhance their listening abilities For instance, TED offers a range of topics that students can listen to, take notes on, and discuss in class, helping them to improve their comprehension and retention.
Participants
Ninth-grade students at The Asian High School enjoy playing soccer during break time and show a strong affinity for Korean music, particularly K-Pop Popular groups among the students include Black Pink, BTS, Big Bang, and T-ara.
Sample Selection
I selected 20 ninth-grade students from The Asian High School for my research, all of whom were 15 years old They were enthusiastic about participating in my survey.
Material Techniques
During my research, I utilized Google Forms for my survey, along with Excel and Microsoft Word for data analysis Google Forms is a convenient web application that allows users to create questionnaires to gather responses from participants anytime and anywhere The forms can be quickly distributed, enabling rapid collection of responses Additionally, this application automatically generates charts based on the collected data, facilitating the understanding of trends and patterns I also employed Google Search to find sources that provided a comparative analysis of my results.
Data Collection
I created a survey using Google Forms and printed twenty copies of the questions on A4 paper for the students in class 9/25 at Asian High School I distributed the forms during school, allowing the students twenty minutes to answer six questions.
Reliability and Validity
My research is highly reliable due to the meticulous stages outlined in the procedures of my survey Furthermore, all twenty participants were proficient in English, enabling them to respond accurately to my questions.
My study holds significant value for several reasons Firstly, it is grounded in reliable responses from students Secondly, the survey was meticulously conducted to gather precise data Lastly, it highlights the challenges and errors students face when writing in English.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
This is my survey information I had done with my students at The Asian High School The charts will show the data I collected when I teach at school
4.1 Amount of time to study English
The pie chart illustrates the duration of English study among students at The Asian High School, revealing that a significant number have been studying for over 5 years This extensive experience has equipped them with a solid knowledge base and vocabulary, enabling them to comprehend and respond to questions thoughtfully.
The bar chart illustrates the challenges faced by students in acquiring various skills, with Listening being the most difficult, reported by 11 students, accounting for 50% of the total Writing followed as the second most challenging skill, with 5 students, or 25%, expressing difficulty in learning it.
4.3 Time spending to practice Listening at school
The pie chart illustrates the distribution of time students dedicate to practicing Listening at school Notably, fifty percent of students feel they have sufficient time to engage in Listening activities during their lessons, allowing them to both attend school and enjoy their listening practice.
4.4 Practice Listening skill at home
The pie chart indicates that over seventy percent of students reported not having homework related to Listening after school Conversely, twenty-five percent of students believed they engaged in Listening homework several times a week.
4.5 Problems when they have listened the record
Vocabulary posed a significant challenge for students when listening to the recording, which led to fifty percent of them voting against it Additionally, some students struggled to hear the recording clearly due to its fast pace.
4.6 Part they want to improve
Vocabulary plays a crucial role in developing listening skills Students who grasp the words in audio recordings tend to perform better on semester exams and class tests Enhancing their vocabulary is essential for their overall improvement and learning.
Solution to improve listening skill
Over the course of two months at The Saigon International School (AHS), I observed and taught students, subsequently administering a survey to identify their challenges and areas for improvement, as illustrated by the accompanying charts.
To succeed in listening tests, students must be prepared to actively listen This involves underlining keywords and concentrating on wh-questions and yes/no questions when they receive the test paper They typically have the opportunity to listen to the recording twice, and if they miss any information during their first attempt, they should feel free to ask for clarification or repetition from their peers.
Students should actively listen for specific information during recordings, focusing on the main ideas and keywords It's essential to underline these key elements in the question sentences beforehand.
Thirdly, they have to listen for pleasure For instance, my students can listening to
US/UK music to improve their listen skill or watching TV show in English without subtitle and then watch it again and check how many percent they can understand
Pay close attention to the individuals you engage with, as observing them can enhance your listening skills When conversing with friends or others, focus on their tone of voice, hand gestures, and posture Body language plays a crucial role in communication, as people often express themselves through it.
Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated by your limited understanding Here are a few courses of action you can take:
Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.
Stay relaxed when you do not understand even if you continue to have trouble understanding for a while.
Do not translate into your native language.
Listen for the gist (or general idea) of the conversation Don't concentrate on detail until you have understood the main idea(s).
First, translating creates a barrier between the listener and the speaker Second, most people repeat themselves constantly By remaining calm, you can usually understand what the speaker had said (Beare,2019)
Translating Creates a Barrier Between Yourself and the Person Who Is Speaking
Listening to someone speak a foreign language, such as English, often triggers the urge to translate their words into your native language, especially when encountering unfamiliar terms This instinct is natural, as we strive for comprehension However, focusing on translation diverts attention from the speaker, making it challenging to keep up with the conversation In reality, the speaker continues while you translate, resulting in diminished understanding This translation process can create a mental block, hindering overall comprehension.
Think for a moment about your friends, family, and colleagues When they speak in your native tongue, do they repeat themselves? If they are like most people, they probably do
When you listen to someone speak, they often repeat information, providing multiple opportunities for you to grasp what is being communicated.
By remaining calm, allowing yourself to not understand, and not translating while listening, your brain is free to concentrate on the most important thing: understanding English in English.
One of the key benefits of utilizing the Internet to enhance your listening skills is the ability to select content that interests you and control the frequency of your listening sessions Engaging with enjoyable material not only makes the process more enjoyable but also helps you become familiar with essential vocabulary.
Use keywords or key phrases to help you understand the general ideas If you understand
Last year, the individual took a business trip to New York, which is essential for grasping the main idea and details of their experience Understanding this context will enhance comprehension as the conversation progresses.
When your English-speaking friend mentions purchasing a great tuner at JR's for a low price, they express excitement about finally being able to listen to National Public Radio broadcasts If you concentrate solely on the term "tuner," it may lead to confusion and frustration due to a lack of understanding of what it is.
CONCLUSION
English remains a global language essential for communication, listening, writing, and reading Mastering these skills is crucial for learners, particularly for grade 9 students at The Asian High School My research specifically targets the listening skill, as many students perceive it as challenging Due to time constraints, the study was conducted exclusively with the grade 9 class 9/24 at The Asian High School.
In my research, I explored existing studies to better understand the challenges faced by my students, such as difficulties in hearing recordings, vocabulary issues, and the fast pace of audio materials To enhance the rigor of my study, I employed a quantitative method, focusing on ninth-grade students at The Asian High School as my research sample.
I created a Google Form with multiple-choice questions for students to answer After collecting their responses, I analyzed the data using charts My survey revealed that many students struggle with listening comprehension, primarily due to a lack of vocabulary This deficiency affects their performance on class tests and semester exams, which often cover general topics, leading to confusion with the answer keys In chapter four, I offer effective solutions to address these challenges for students at The Asian High School.
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1/ How long you study English?
2/ Which skills do you find the most difficult to learn?
3/ Do you think that you spend much time practicing Listening at school?
4/ Does your teacher give you homework of listening?
5/ What problems when you listen the record?
Do not understand the record
6/ What parts do you want to improve?