Background of the study
Despite rapid technological advancements, education remains a top priority worldwide, with many countries implementing reforms to foster national development University education, particularly scientific research within academic settings, is now regarded as a vital component in shaping future generations The Vietnamese government places significant emphasis on higher education, recognizing its crucial role in societal progress For example, the new School of Foreign Languages for Economics at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), set to offer official bachelor’s degrees in English linguistics in 2016, reflects this commitment, with faculty diligently preparing to support incoming students.
Proficiency in reading, especially in English, is essential for SS to participate effectively in scientific research activities According to Anderson in "Practical English Language Teaching" by David Nunan, reading is a crucial skill for ESL learners, serving as a foundation for success in both language acquisition and content learning Anderson emphasizes that mastering reading not only enhances understanding but also significantly contributes to progress across all learning areas, underscoring its vital role in academic and research contexts.
In 2003, Anderson highlighted the critical role of reading comprehension skills in students' learning process and their future careers He emphasized that developing strong reading comprehension is essential for academic success and professional achievement, underscoring its importance in education and lifelong learning.
Students have historically overlooked ESP reading comprehension both inside and outside the classroom, viewing it as a secondary or compulsory task rather than a crucial skill This lack of emphasis often results in negative student attitudes, such as fear of reading or underestimating its importance, which can hinder their engagement and motivation Consequently, these attitudes and neglect can lead to poor performance in ESP reading comprehension, affecting their overall language proficiency.
In 1992, McKeown, Beck, Sinatra, and Loxterman highlighted the shift from the traditional view of reading as merely drawing information from texts to a modern perspective that considers readers as active participants capable of extracting, synthesizing, and representing messages across multiple texts (Ilustre, 2011, p.28) This evolution reflects the current English teaching approach, where students are viewed as dynamic, flexible readers who can engage with both assigned and non-assigned texts, express their own viewpoints, and select texts that suit their interests Recognizing this modern understanding underscores the importance of developing ESP reading comprehension in students, supporting the thesis’s goal of enhancing reading skills tailored to specific fields.
According to the reasons analyzed in the above part, the poor performance in both Reading activities as class duties and non-class duties might happen Besides, the other reason might also come from the disconnection between what SS and Ts think about instructing and assessing ESP reading comprehension in class Two authors - Richards and Lockhart in a research in the year of 1994 said that “differences between teachers and students beliefs can sometimes lead to a mismatch between their assumptions about what is useful to focus on in a language classroom” (Pupo, 1996, p.53).This mismatch might be the reasons for two tendencies among the SS: that is SS
“under-evaluate” the Reading assignments in class (Pupo, 1996, p.19) which means ESP reading Instruction and the poor performance in Reading comprehension as can be limited (Pupo, 1996, p.2) which means ESP reading assessment Teachers and students reading comprehension beliefs mismatch might lead to poor performance in both reading instruction and assessment For all of the ideas discussed above, the thesis author is going to carry out a research titled “ Teachers ’ and Student beliefs about assessment and instruction in ESP reading”.
Aims of the study
These points discussed above give the research’s author more confidence in searching the teachers and students beliefs in ESP reading assessment and instruction to serve the purpose of improving the ESP reading teaching and learning at UEH classrooms
Research has been conducted to understand what students are really thinking about reading comprehension assessment and instruction, as well as what teachers genuinely do in the classroom This research serves as a vital resource for identifying effective strategies to enhance reading comprehension teaching and learning activities Improving these activities is essential for achieving the long-term educational goals of UEH, contributing to students' overall academic success and literacy development.
Research questions
This study aims to explore the beliefs of Ts and SS regarding ESP Reading assessment and instruction at UEH To achieve this, two research questions have been formulated to investigate their perceptions and attitudes, providing insights into effective teaching and learning strategies in ESP contexts.
1 What are teachers’ and students’ beliefs about (a) Reading Assessment and perceptions related to (b) Reading Instruction practices? Are there differences between their beliefs about Reading Assessment and perceptions related to Reading Instruction practices?
2 What are perceptions of factors that influence their beliefs about Reading Assessment and perception related to Reading Instruction practices?
Significance of the study
Evidence highlights the significant role of reading comprehension and business reading skills in enhancing English learning and teaching at UEH These findings, discussed in the study's background section, emphasize the importance of integrating reading strategies to improve language proficiency and support effective business communication.
This study aims to provide a comprehensive resource on the reading process, offering foundational knowledge for both students and teachers' belief systems It presents key implications for effective Business English teaching and classroom learning, supporting teachers in enhancing Reading Assessment and Instruction practices The findings contribute to improving students' reading performance and serve as valuable data or resources for future research in language education.
Organization of the study
The first chapter provides an overview of the study, including its background, aims, research questions, and significance It also outlines the organization of the entire research, offering readers a clear understanding of what to expect This chapter serves as a concise summary to introduce the key elements and overall structure of the study.
Chapter 2 is the “Literature review”, this chapter aims at presenting an overview of the related background knowledge as well as the discussion of previous studies The chapter shows the ability of the thesis author in studying connected knowledge and this is a chance for the thesis author to present the research gaps in order to persuade the readers for her research choice
Chapter 3 is the “Methodology” part In this part, the research methods procedures will be described The readers will have a deep understanding of the way the thesis author uses the research tools to analyze the collected data The context of the study, the setting of the study as well as the general description of the participants will also be contained in this chapter
Chapter 4 is the “Results and discussions” part, this is one of the most important parts in which the thesis author tries to analyze the data collected, answer the research questions and give the implications for the learning as well as teaching Reading processes
Chapter 5, the "Conclusion," summarizes the key findings of the study and highlights the achievements in improving the ESP reading course at UEH It offers practical recommendations for enhancing the course to better meet student needs and improve learning outcomes The section also discusses the study's limitations and suggests directions for future research to further develop ESP reading strategies at UEH.
Related research discussion
Conducting research in Reading Comprehension Assessment and Instruction involves identifying gaps in existing studies to contribute new insights Review of related literature reveals studies that are directly relevant, including those investigating similar variables, testing related theories, and exploring comparable practices (McMillan and Schumacher, 1993) Selecting pertinent research helps support the study's focus and ensures it addresses unresolved issues in the field.
In her 1996 article "An investigation into university student beliefs about reading in English as a foreign language," Pupo emphasizes that gaps often exist between teachers' instruction and students' learning outcomes due to a lack of understanding of students’ prior experiences and beliefs She stresses the importance for teachers to be familiar with students’ goals, needs, and beliefs to enhance reading instruction effectiveness Pupo also highlights that when instructional practices do not align with students’ expectations, it can limit their learning achievements The article underscores the need for teachers to pay close attention to students' beliefs and perceptions regarding reading activities, as a deep understanding of students’ thinking and reading techniques is crucial to bridging the gap between teaching and learning These insights have guided the author’s research focus, illustrating the relevance of considering student beliefs for improving reading instruction in EFL contexts.
33 students participating in the study, this could be “a small sample” (Pupo, 1996, p.154) that other researchers need to pay attention to Next, Pupo also suggested that
“each educational environment has its own characteristics and each individual student has his own peculiarities uniquely and personally derived from his background”
This research suggests that the study topic can be applied across various educational settings, including the UEH environment, providing reassurance to researchers According to Pupo (1996), while he developed a questionnaire focusing on a limited number of reading beliefs in both L1 and L2, he recommends that future studies design more comprehensive and specific questionnaires to better capture diverse reading belief factors.
In 1996, Pupo's research focused on exploring the beliefs of secondary students (SS) across various aspects of reading Specifically, it examined their understanding of general reading definitions, teaching methods, and reading strategies Additionally, the study highlighted students' perceptions of the importance of "meaning" in reading, shedding light on their overall attitudes and beliefs toward the reading process This research provides valuable insights into how students perceive and engage with reading concepts and pedagogy.
“interpretation” in Reading It did not research the students beliefs in the Reading assessment process as well as the more specific areas in Reading learning and teaching processes
Building on previous research, the study titled "Teachers' Beliefs About Assessment and Instruction in Literacy" offers valuable insights that support the focus of this thesis Conducted in 1997 by Carribeth L Bliem and Kathryn, this investigation deepens our understanding of teachers' perspectives on literacy assessment and instructional practices, providing a solid foundation for the current research.
H Davinroy This study investigated teachers current beliefs about assessment and their connection to instruction in literacy which means it focused on the Language 1 (L1) Reading activities The article is selected because it shares the same variables as what this research intends to follow, these were “teachers beliefs about assessment”,
This article explores teachers' beliefs about instruction and examines the connection between these beliefs and assessment practices, highlighting the importance of understanding how teachers conceptualize assessment It references prior research indicating that teachers' knowledge about instruction and assessment has often been addressed superficially or overlooked entirely (Bliem & Davinroy, 1997) The findings reveal a narrow focus on assessment in existing studies, emphasizing the need for deeper investigation Two key studies cited include works by Stiggins and Conklin, who outlined the purposes of assessment, and a 1993 study by Airasian and Jones that explored teachers' perceptions of assessment and its intended functions These studies provide valuable insights that support the thesis topic by emphasizing the critical role of teacher beliefs in shaping assessment practices.
Ts use informal techniques to size up their SS, to plan instruction, to assess the success of that instruction This study also said that because of the shortage of
This study highlights that teachers' perspectives and beliefs were only superficially explored regarding changes in their assessment and instructional practices Additionally, teachers were the sole participants, with students not included in the data collection process As a result, the study did not compare or analyze potential differences between teachers and students, limiting the comprehensiveness of the findings.
In her 2011 study titled “Beliefs and Instructional Practices among Secondary Teachers in Selected High- and Low-Performing High Schools,” Dayle Peabody investigated how teachers’ beliefs influence their instructional practices in different school contexts The research aimed to identify the common instructional strategies and beliefs among teachers in high- and low-performing schools and to examine the alignment between their beliefs and actual teaching practices Peabody’s findings highlight that in high-performing schools, teachers’ instructional practices closely align with their professional beliefs, fostering better student outcomes Conversely, in low-performing schools, there is often a disconnect between teachers’ beliefs and their instructional methods, which may contribute to lower student achievement This study underscores the importance of aligning teachers’ beliefs with effective instructional practices to improve school performance.
This article explores the connection between teachers' beliefs and their instructional practices in high school settings, providing valuable insights that align with the thesis topic Peabody's research focused on high- and low-performing high school teachers, offering a relevant reference point for this study The author selected this article to gather ideas for examining not only teachers' beliefs but also students' beliefs, addressing a gap in existing research Incorporating both teachers’ and students’ perspectives can enrich understanding of how beliefs influence instructional practices and learning outcomes.
The article (in 2007) of W Todd Rogers, Liying Cheng and Huiqin Hu named:
This article, titled "Instructor Beliefs about Assessment and Evaluation," is based on data collected from questionnaires completed by 95 teachers in Canada, 44 teachers in Hong Kong, and 124 teachers in Beijing (Rogers et al., 2007, p.39) While the research shares a similar focus with this thesis, it specifically aims to explore teachers’ beliefs, with participants sourced exclusively from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Canada This highlights a research gap concerning the study's setting—ESL/EFL teachers from universities in these regions—and underscores the limited scope as it only includes teachers, not students.
Previous studies have highlighted the need for further research on teachers’ and students’ beliefs regarding reading comprehension assessment and instruction Notably, existing research by Pupo focused on university students in a higher education setting, while Bliem and Davinroy’s study involved third-grade elementary school teachers and students These research gaps underscore the importance of investigating beliefs about reading comprehension in diverse educational contexts Consequently, there is a pressing need to conduct such research within the Vietnamese university setting, specifically at UEH, to fill this gap and deepen understanding of local beliefs and practices.
This study explores teachers' and students' beliefs about reading assessment and examines whether significant differences exist between these two perspectives The researcher emphasizes the importance of understanding these belief systems to inform effective assessment practices Introducing this discussion early aims to highlight key evidence that underpins the research focus, establishing a clear rationale for the study's direction Following this, foundational knowledge of relevant terms will be presented to provide context and support for further analysis.
Theoretical concepts
This thesis focuses on exploring two essential areas: Reading Assessment and Reading Instruction In the upcoming section of Chapter Two, the author references key insights from various books to deepen the understanding of these topics The first area examined is Reading Instruction, highlighting effective strategies for improving reading skills and literacy development This comprehensive analysis aims to provide valuable insights for educators seeking to enhance reading pedagogy and student outcomes.
Instruction is the term which can be divided into two other smaller ones, they are the Learning Reading Comprehension and Teaching Reading Comprehension processes
The Learning Reading Comprehension consists of some different terms They are the meaning of Reading, kinds of Reading, Skills in Reading, and what makes a good reader
Understanding the concept of "Reading" is essential for both writers and learners in the English language learning process, as it involves more than just recognizing words on a page; it requires deciphering and extracting meaning According to Neil Anderson in *Practical English Language Teaching* (2003), reading encompasses key concepts such as silent reading, interactive models, fluency, extensive, and intensive reading, which provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the skill Anderson (p.68) defines reading as "a fluent process of readers combining information from the text and their own background knowledge to build meaning," highlighting the crucial role of prior knowledge in comprehension This perspective emphasizes that successful reading involves not only decoding text but also integrating personal experience and background information, a view supported by Carrell and Grabe's *An Introduction to Applied Linguistics*, where reading is described as "the process of receiving and interpreting information encoded in language form via the medium of print."
According to Grabe (2002, p 234), effective reading emphasizes the importance of the reader’s prior knowledge, which is essential for interpreting the "information coded in the language form" within texts Reading can be understood as involving three key factors: the reader, the text, and the reader’s prior knowledge, all of which interact to facilitate comprehension.
According to Goodman, as discussed in Pupo's 1996 article, reading is given a higher-status definition that initially appears complex due to its sophisticated language However, this clarity emerges when the definition is contextualized through its connection to the Reader, the Text, and the Reader’s prior knowledge This integrated perspective highlights the dynamic relationship between the reader's background, the text itself, and the act of reading, emphasizing the importance of prior knowledge in understanding and interpreting texts.
Reading is a selective process that involves utilizing minimal language cues from the text based on the reader’s expectations, with tentative decisions being made to confirm, reject, or refine understanding This process underscores the importance of the reader’s prior knowledge, as they use initial language cues and then check these against what they already know Goodman describes reading as “a psycholinguistic guessing game,” highlighting the interaction between thought and language He also emphasizes that reading is the construction of meaning through a transaction between the reader, the text, and its author, reinforcing the idea that reading is an active process of meaning-making.
After establishing a clear understanding of the fundamental concept of reading, the thesis explores different kinds of reading essential for language learners In addition to classroom reading, understanding "reading outside the classroom" is crucial for maximizing reading effectiveness The two most well-known types of reading are Extensive Reading and Intensive Reading, each playing a vital role in developing language skills and reading proficiency.
In classroom settings, students (SS) are often assigned mandatory reading tasks by teachers, but outside the classroom, they may struggle to comprehend everyday reading materials such as newspapers, magazines, postcards, brochures, and product instructions Some of these texts are lengthy but easy to understand, while others are short yet challenging Without balancing intensive reading (focused on detailed understanding) and extensive reading (aimed at general comprehension), students may find it difficult to improve their reading skills both inside and outside the classroom According to Harmer in "The Practice of English Language Teaching," effective reading instruction involves integrating both types of reading to develop students' overall reading proficiency.
“the main goal” of the Extensive Reading activity is “reading for pleasure” (Harmer,
Creating a sense of joy in reading is essential for helping students read "with ease and confidence," which can significantly boost their reading performance (Harmer, 2007, p 283) The joy of reading serves as a key motivation, inspiring students to engage more actively with reading materials Teachers play a crucial role in facilitating access to extensive reading resources and encouraging students to read independently Without proper encouragement from teachers, students are less likely to engage in extensive reading on their own; therefore, teachers must actively motivate and support students to develop a love for reading and improve their overall reading skills.
284) Ts need to choose the best ways in order to help their SS to do more Extensive Reading
While "Reading Joy" is commonly associated with Extensive Reading activities, it can also be applied to Intensive Reading practices, emphasizing enjoyment and engagement in both approaches Many people overlook the importance of incorporating "Reading Joy" into their reading routines, but fostering a positive attitude towards reading enhances comprehension and motivation across different reading strategies Embracing "Reading Joy" in various contexts encourages learners to develop a deeper love for reading, ultimately improving language skills and overall literacy.
Creating an engaging reading environment in the classroom is essential to foster students' enthusiasm for reading According to Harmer (2007), teachers should work to generate interest in both the topics and tasks to motivate students to read actively Harmer emphasizes the importance of making classroom reading activities more interesting by adopting roles such as organizer, observer, feedback organizer, and prompter to enhance student engagement While some people view Extensive Reading as a leisure activity that offers relaxation outside the classroom, Harmer highlights that students who read the most tend to progress the fastest Therefore, encouraging both classroom and extensive reading is crucial for developing reading skills and increasing student motivation.
2007, p.99) Getting SS to pay more attention to Extensive as well as Intensive Reading activities can give SS more chances to improve their Reading abilities
Harmer (2007) highlights two fundamental aspects of reading skills: understanding the general message without focusing on every detail and comprehending specific information through detailed analysis He emphasizes that receptive reading skills include reading for gist (skimming), reading for specific information (scanning), detailed comprehension, inference, and attitude While traditionally known skills focus on scanning and skimming, Harmer expands this understanding by illustrating how these techniques help readers quickly grasp main ideas and find evidence within texts, enabling deeper understanding These insights provide a comprehensive view of reading skills essential for effective language comprehension.
According to Carrell and Grabe (2002), Carver (1992) discusses two fundamental reading skills, with a focus on scanning Carver defines scanning as "a reading process that requires recognition of a visual form (number, word, or phrase) that can be matched to forms in the text," emphasizing the importance of visual recognition in quick reading This skill involves briefly examining the text to identify key information, enabling readers to grasp the main points rapidly Effective scanning helps readers recognize visual forms efficiently, allowing them to extract essential data within limited time frames for better comprehension and faster reading.
In this kind of Reading skill, “it does not require semantic processing” (Carrell et al,
Readers primarily focus on quickly scanning visual forms such as important words, numbers, or phrases to obtain general information, often without engaging in deep semantic processing or fully understanding the meaning behind the information.
Carver highlights that skimming, specifically "reading for understanding," involves both visual recognition and semantic processing This skill requires readers to identify key visual elements and interpret their meaning to construct a summary of the text’s message Effective skimming combines the ability to find vital information with the skill of synthesizing it within the broader context, enabling readers to grasp the core intent of the text.
Beyond the two most important reading skills, there are additional reading skills that can be considered essential According to Cohen in his 1994 book "Assessing Language Ability in the Classroom," terms like scanning and skimming fall under the broader category of "Types of Reading." Additionally, Cohen introduces a third skill called search reading, which involves actively seeking specific information within a text.
“scanning without being sure about the form that the information will take” (Cohen,
Context of the study
This section provides an overview of the study context, focusing on the English programs at UEH It includes essential information about the program structure, objectives, and target learners Additionally, the paragraph details the materials used in these English programs, highlighting their relevance and effectiveness in supporting language acquisition This comprehensive description aims to establish a clear understanding of the educational environment and resources underpinning the study.
UEH's English programs for full-time Bachelor's students have undergone significant changes over the past two decades to meet evolving educational needs The course materials have been regularly updated, and class durations have progressively decreased since 1997 to enhance learning efficiency The School of Foreign Languages for Economics (SFLE) at UEH has developed supplementary resources to support students beyond classroom instruction An accompanying table provides a comprehensive overview of the various English programs and their curriculum materials at UEH.
Table 2: 3.1 a: English programs at UEH (from 1997 to present) (adapted from Võ Đình Phước,
English programs Duration Compulsory materials
2 English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
2 Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hà (the School’s teacher) Reading 1 & 2
2 English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
2 School of Foreign Languages for Economics Business English – course study package (Modules
Leader – Elementary & Pre- intermediate Pearson Longman
2 School of Foreign Languages for Economics Practice Book (Modules 1-4)
Participants
The study was carried out in the setting of UEH, the sample of this study consisted of the full time bachelors and Ts of English at UEH
This study focuses on first-year full-time students at UEH, similar to other universities where undergraduate programs span four years According to Brown (2001), “population” refers to “the entire group of people who are interested in a particular survey,” which in this case includes non-majored English students studying Business EGAP in Ho Chi Minh City or across Vietnam Conducting research on the entire population would be time-consuming; therefore, a representative sample is selected Brown defines “sample” as “a sub-group that is representative of the whole population,” and in this study, the sample comprises first-year full-time students at UEH, who serve as the participants for the research.
The author selected first-year students (SS) and their teachers (Ts) at UEH to investigate their beliefs and perspectives at the start of their academic journey This early-stage research aims to provide insights that can inform targeted improvements in the teaching and learning of Business Reading The implications discussed at the end of the thesis are intended to help English teachers at UEH implement necessary changes to enhance the quality of Business Reading education.
During the study, many first-year SS participants at UEH were involved, but the thesis author had to narrow down the participant pool due to the scope of the research As a new English teacher at UEH, she did not have the opportunity to select participants systematically, resulting in a convenience sampling approach The participants were chosen from four classes, with those from classes K39-38 and K39-61 surveyed in March 2014, while the remaining participants were surveyed later in the same month.
Table 3: 3.2.1 a: Class codes and number of SS participants
Participants in the SS program were sorted into classes based on their English placement test scores at UEH, with higher-performing students assigned to classes with lower numerical codes For example, students in class K39-38 demonstrated better English test results compared to those in class K39-61 This classification system reflects the correlation between test performance and class grouping, ensuring that students are placed according to their English proficiency levels.
The SS who were selected to be the study’s participants were described in the following table:
Table 4: 3.2.1 b: Number of SS participants according to age and gender
This study focused on first-year SS participants at UEH, whose beliefs systems were surveyed in March 2014 for the K39-38 and K39-61 classes and in March 2015 for the remaining participants The timing was chosen because they had completed the first half of the Business EGAP course, which is designed for freshmen at UEH in two parts During this period, SS students studied four units—units 2, 3, 4, and 6—from the "Market Leader" elementary-level textbook The researcher selected this timeframe because students had covered two units over two months and had taken midterm tests, providing them with meaningful opinions about their Business Reading activities in class.
This study also involved six Business English (BE) teachers (Ts) at UEH, responsible for delivering courses to freshmen These teachers were selected based on their years of teaching Business English, with no overlap with the student teachers (SS) Among the Ts, three had four years of BE teaching experience and are considered novice teachers, while the other three had over ten years of experience, categorizing them as experienced teachers This diverse range of teaching experience provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of Business English instruction at UEH.
Research design
This research design section outlines the two primary paths for this study: qualitative and quantitative research, as described by Merriam (1990) Qualitative research is characterized by data collection methods such as interviews, which facilitate inductive interpretation, while quantitative research involves questionnaires that support deductive analysis According to Merriam, "interviews" align with qualitative research, offering in-depth, interpretative insights, whereas "questionnaires" are associated with quantitative research, enabling statistical and deductive evaluation Understanding these distinctions helps in selecting the appropriate research approach based on data collection methods and analytical frameworks.
Instruments
This section explains the design and construction of questionnaires and interviews used to explore teachers' belief systems Questionnaires were directly distributed to students to gather insights into their perceptions, while interviews provided in-depth data on teachers' belief systems Conducting interviews allowed for detailed understanding, as teachers could share the reasons behind their beliefs and teaching practices, offering valuable qualitative insights These methods collectively aimed to comprehensively capture the underlying beliefs and motivations influencing teachers’ instructional approaches.
This study's questionnaire was developed using scales, which are defined by McMillan and Schumacher as a series of gradations or levels that describe varying degrees of a concept These scales are commonly employed in surveys because they provide fairly accurate assessments of beliefs or opinions, with the Likert scale being the most widely used type Since the research aims to analyze students' belief systems, the author chose to utilize the popular Likert scale to effectively measure attitudes and perceptions.
“degree of agreement” that best reflected students beliefs in a statement Each degree unit was coded into an ordinal number
1 I never or almost never agree
5 I always or almost always agree
Table 6: 3.4.1 a: “Degrees of agreement” and their coded numbers
The first part of the questionnaire is designed to gather seven key pieces of general information about the SS participants, which is essential for understanding their background Collecting comprehensive data about participants is a primary goal of any effective questionnaire, ensuring meaningful insights and accurate analysis.
3 Years of General English studying experience
4 Years of Business English studying experience
5 English studying programs at UEH
6 Classes in English at UEH
Reading assessment serves multiple vital purposes, including evaluating reading proficiency, assessing classroom learning progress, supporting assessment for learning to enhance student development, measuring curricular effectiveness to ensure educational relevance, and facilitating research to improve reading strategies Additionally, Cohen emphasizes the importance of using reading assessment for administrative functions, such as policymaking and resource allocation, highlighting its broad significance in educational settings.
This study adopts instructional and research purposes, as previously discussed on page 31 The thesis author selected Grabe's concepts because they are well-formulated, clear, and detailed, providing a solid foundation for examining Reading Assessment purposes Additionally, Cohen's ideas, which are derived from Grabe's work, offer more specific insights, further enriching the research framework.
Due to the complexity of Cohen's detailed ideas, the thesis author chose to adopt Grabe’s five key purpose ideas for questionnaire development, ensuring clarity and focus A summarized table presents statements related to “Beliefs in Purposes of Business Reading Assessment,” highlighting the core concepts guiding the study This approach streamlines the research design while maintaining alignment with established educational assessment frameworks.
Table 8: 3.4.1 c: Purposes of Business Reading Assessment statements
This article presents a table of questions designed to gather data on beliefs regarding the purposes of reading instruction, developed based on Anderson's theory as discussed in the previous literature review According to Anderson, the goal of teaching reading comprehension is to equip students with the skills necessary to become competent and enthusiastic readers Guided by this idea, the thesis author formulated questions aligned with the objectives of Business Reading Instruction Specifically, statements 14, 15, 16a, 16b, and 17 aim to assess the goal of developing students into competent readers, while statements 16c and 16d focus on fostering enthusiasm for reading.
Items Purpose Beliefs in Purposes of Reading Assessment (RAB)
8 is to assess how proficient a student in comparing with other students
9 is to assess what a student has achieved based on the objectives of the course outline
10 will motivate students taking part in reading courses
11 can help my teacher adjust his/her reading instruction
12 can help assess the effectiveness of the course
13 can help my teacher in collecting data for doing his/her research
Items Purpose Beliefs in Purposes of Reading Instruction (RIB)
15 improve my reading speed (e.g reading fluency)
I believe that RIB can train myself with test-taking strategies for:
16b language exams in the future (e.g IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, etc.)
I believe that RIB can train myself with strategies for:
16c further general reading in the future
16d further reading in the future
Table 9: 3.4.1 d: Purposes of Reading Instruction statements
In the third part of the questionnaire, the thesis author identified Cohen’s guidelines, which include three key areas: reading comprehension ability, types of reading, and types of meaning These components are essential for evaluating and enhancing reading skills, making Cohen’s framework a valuable resource for understanding and improving reading proficiency.
Cohen (1994) recommends assessing reading comprehension through key areas such as awareness and use of textual cues, perception of the author's plan, insights into the text's nature, and strategies for retrieving information after reading Specifically, understanding how readers identify and utilize cues within the text is crucial for evaluating their comprehension skills, as highlighted by Cohen’s emphasis on this aspect.
Understanding the skills required to interpret texts is essential, as highlighted by the concept of "Insights into the nature of the text." Cohen (1994) identifies different types of meaning assessed in reading comprehension, including "grammatical meaning," which encompasses syntax meaning Grammatical or syntax meaning plays a crucial role in helping readers grasp the structure and relationships within a sentence, thereby enhancing overall comprehension Developing the ability to understand grammatical meaning enables learners to better analyze and interpret reading texts effectively.
In assessing reading comprehension, it is important to analyze cues and insights within the text, considering grammatical, semantic, phonological, and morphological meanings Cohen emphasizes the significance of strategies for retrieving information after reading, which are essential for effective understanding The thesis author incorporated these strategies into a questionnaire by designing statements (such as 22, 23, 24, and 25) to evaluate readers’ ability to recall and apply information post-reading, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the research.
The following table shows the questions designed to survey the beliefs systems of SS in the area of Reading comprehension ability assessed
Items Purpose Beliefs in Assessment of Reading comprehension ability
I believe that students have to be assessed on the ability of understand words…
I believe that students have to be assessed how to…
22 transfer the words’ meanings into thoughts and ideas
24 understand and remember what students have read
25 effectively use what students have learned from the reading to complete tasks in other skills
Table 10: 3.4.1 e: Assessment of Reading comprehension ability statements
Cohen's research highlights three primary types of reading: skimming, scanning, and searching reading The thesis incorporates these categories into a questionnaire to better understand different reading strategies Understanding these reading types is essential for enhancing reading comprehension and instructional methods Focusing on these definitions helps educators tailor their approaches to improve students' reading skills effectively.
Items Purpose Beliefs in Assessment of Types of Reading
I believe that students have to be assessed on…
26a skimming (e.g picking general information) 26b scanning (e.g picking detailed information)
26c searching reading (e.g picking specific information without being sure about the form that the information will take)
Table 11: 3.4.1 f: Assessment of Types of Reading statements
Drawing on Cohen's recommended "types of meaning," the thesis author developed statements 27, 28, 29, and 30 to explore different aspects of meaning in language Cohen's framework, adapted from Nuttall (1982), includes grammatical, informational, discourse meaning, and the writer’s tone, with grammatical meaning addressed earlier To assess informational meaning, the author designed statements focused on identifying basic concepts or messages, emphasizing the importance of vocabulary analysis, as Cohen (1994) highlights These statements aim to evaluate how effectively learners determine key vocabulary and underlying messages within texts, aligning with the principles of comprehensive language comprehension.
Items Purpose Beliefs in Assessment of Types of meaning
I believe that students have to be assessed on…
29 the meaning of linking devices
30 the meaning of writer’s tone
Table 12: 3.4.1 g: Assessment of Types of meaning statements
The last parts in the questionnaires include the questions created in order to ask
The study aimed to assess students' perceptions of Business Reading Instruction by examining their beliefs through the “Beliefs in Business Reading Assessment” statements Using a 5-Likert scale, students reported whether their teachers covered key areas during classes, enabling the researcher to quantify the time allocated to instruction in these areas The results, summarized in a table, present coded numbers corresponding to specific time amounts teachers spent on each instructional area, providing valuable insights into the emphasis placed on business reading skills in the classroom.
“The percentage of time that teachers spent in the Business English reading class”
Table 13: 3.4.1 h: “The percentage of time that teachers spent in the BE reading class” and their coded numbers
Items Purpose Reading comprehension ability
I find that my teacher asks me to identify the words…
I find that my teacher asks me to…
35 transfer the words’ meanings into thoughts and ideas
37 do tasks that I have to understand and remember what I have read
38 effectively use what I have learned from the reading to complete tasks in other skills
Table 14: 3.4.1 i: Reading comprehension ability Instruction statements
Items Purpose Types of Reading
I find that my teacher asks me to practice…
39a skimming (e.g picking general information) 39b scanning (e.g picking detailed information)
39c searching reading (e.g picking specific information without being sure about the form that the information will take)
Table 15: 3.4.1 j: Types of Reading Instruction statements
Items Purpose Types of Meaning
I find that my teacher asks me to practice identifying…
42 the meaning of linking devices
Table 3.4.1 k: Types of Meaning Instruction statements Table 16
This study employed both quantitative research methods using questionnaires and qualitative data collection through teacher interviews to gather comprehensive insights Although a teacher questionnaire was developed based on the students’ questionnaire areas, no responses were received, prompting the researcher to switch to interviews for more in-depth data collection Conducting interviews allowed the researcher to explore topics more thoroughly and gather valuable qualitative information to better understand teachers' perspectives on students’ belief systems The interview questions were designed within the framework of the study's conceptual model, ensuring relevant and targeted data collection to support the research objectives.
+ EGP and Business EGAP teaching time + ESP and Business EGAP extensive reading time
6, 7, 8, 9 Purposes of Business Reading Assessment (RAB)
+ Purposes of RAB + Factors influencing the purposes of RAB
10, 11, 12 Purposes of Business Reading Instruction (RIB)
+ Purposes of RIB + Factors influencing the purposes of RIB
Business Reading Instruction (RIB) + Instruction areas in class
Table 17: 3.4.2 a: Distribution of questions in the interview
Data collection procedure
The data collection procedure had two sections (surveying and interviewing), however, these two sections were divided into three consecutive periods
Before the official survey, the thesis author conducted a pilot test by distributing five questionnaires to first-year SS, gathering feedback on the clarity and grammar of the statements To enhance understanding, the questionnaire was translated into Vietnamese, which helped students comprehend the items more easily Based on their feedback, additional examples were incorporated, boosting students' confidence in the Vietnamese version Following the pilot, the refined questionnaires were distributed to students from two classes, K39-38 and K39-61, marking the next stage of the survey process.
In October 2014, the thesis author conducted interviews with participants in a friendly, informal manner, creating a relaxed atmosphere that encouraged open sharing of opinions Prior to the interviews, the researcher introduced basic information and the study’s questions to help participants understand the research context, boosting their confidence The interview questions were not translated into Vietnamese, and the interviewers’ approachable style contributed to participants feeling comfortable, leading to more genuine responses The interviewees asked clarifying questions to gain a better overview of the study, which further prepared them for the process The collected responses were carefully recorded and summarized in the appendix (see Appendix 3), ensuring the data’s accuracy and completeness for analysis.
In March 2015, the next phase of surveying proceeded as the thesis author awaited the optimal time to distribute questionnaires The first-year SS were involved in verifying their agreement with each survey statement, ensuring data accuracy During this period, SS had completed the first half of their Business EGAP course, acquiring relevant knowledge and insights from their Business Reading Assessment and Instruction classes, which contributed to a smooth and efficient survey process.
Data analysis procedure
The study collected data through questionnaires, analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 for Windows To address the research questions, the thesis employed several statistical methods, including normality tests, Cronbach's Alpha for reliability, Cohen’s d for effect size, and descriptive statistics to summarize the findings These steps ensured a thorough and accurate analysis of the collected data.
Assessing the normality of study data is a crucial prerequisite for many statistical tests, as normality is an underlying assumption in parametric testing, which offers greater statistical power and accuracy SPSS software plays an important role in evaluating data normality through both graphical and numerical methods, each with its own advantages and disadvantages; graphical assessment is simple but less precise, while numerical techniques provide more robust results but can be less effective with small sample sizes or overly sensitive with large samples Despite some researchers preferring graphical interpretation for its objectivity, numerical assessments remain valuable for their detailed specificity.
The Reliability of the collected data in this study could be calculated by using the “Cronbach alpha test”
When collecting data through questionnaires, researchers must first assess the reliability of quantitative responses to ensure their results are consistent and stable (Brown, 2001) The most common method for this is the internal-consistency reliability test using Cronbach's alpha (α), suitable for both dichotomous and scaled answers, such as Likert scales (Brown, 2001) In this study, the author chose to use the Cronbach alpha test to evaluate the consistency and reliability of the questionnaire responses.
This study aimed to compare the sample mean with a hypothesized population mean to determine if there was a significant difference (Morgan et al., 2004, p.135) The T-test was recognized as a valuable statistical tool for assessing such differences, serving as a reasonable indicator of the significance of the variation between two means (Brown, 2001, p.156) Specifically, the researcher examined whether the average score from the questionnaire items differed significantly from the expected mean, providing insights into the data's significance.
To enhance the statistical power of the data set, the study employed Cohen’s d test to compare the means of two groups (Walker, 2007-2008) Cohen’s d is calculated by dividing the mean difference by the standard deviation, providing a measure of effect size According to Cohen, a small effect size indicates a real but subtle effect detectable only through careful analysis, while a large effect size signifies a more substantial impact The study aimed to demonstrate that its data set was robust in terms of effect size, ensuring meaningful and reliable results.
To effectively present the questionnaire data and help readers visualize the statistics, the use of Count and Frequency tools proved essential These methods highlight the central tendency of the data, representing "the typical answers of a particular group" (Brown, 1988, p 118) Additionally, they enable the presentation of data in visually engaging formats such as charts and tables, enhancing clarity and understanding.
