Inal assignment subject research methods in applied linguistics research topic common problems faced by 1st year english major students

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL −−−−−−−−−− FINAL ASSIGNMENT SUBJECT: RESEARCH METHODS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS RESEARCH TOPIC: COMMON PROBLEMS FACED BY 1ST-YEAR E

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

−−−−−−−−−−

FINAL ASSIGNMENT SUBJECT: RESEARCH METHODS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS RESEARCH TOPIC: COMMON PROBLEMS FACED BY 1ST-YEAR ENGLISH-MAJOR STUDENTS IN IELTS LISTENING SKILLS

TEST: A CASE STUDY AT VNU- IS

Student’s Name: Trần Thị Xuân Lam

Student ID: 22070135

Class: BEL2022C

Class Code: INS107801

Lecturer: PhD Nguyen Viet Hung

- Hanoi, December, 2023

FINAL ASSIGNMENT

FOLDER

CLASS CODE: INS107801

STUDENT ID: 22070135

STUDENT NAME: TRẦN THỊ XUÂN LAM

CLASS: BEL2022C

SEMESTER: 1 , 2023-2024

Subject Name: Applied Linguistics Research Methods

Group 13

Due date of assignment : December 7th, 2023 Submission date: December 7th, 20

Date received (Office Use Only) Grade

(Office Use Only)

DECLARATION : I declare that

No part of this assignment has been copied from any other person’s work except where due acknowledgement is made in the text, and

No part of this assignment has been prepared for me by any other person except where such collaboration has been authorized by the lecturer concerned

Team Member:4

1 Nguyen Thi Hong 22070044 BEL2022C

2 Tran Thi Xuan Lam 22070135 BEL2022C

3 Mai Thi Huong Thao 22070139 BEL2022C

4 Than Khanh Linh 22070091 BEL2022C

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments………3

Abstract………….……… ……… 3

List of tables, figures, and abbreviations……… ………3

Chapter I: Introduction 1.1 Rationale ………4

1.2 Aims of the study………5

1.3 Objectives of the study and research questions……… 5

1.3.1 Objectives of the study………6

1.3.2 Research questions……….……… 6

1.4 Scope of the study……… 6

1.5 Method of study……… 7

1.6 The significance of the study ……….7

1.7 Design of the thesis ………7

Chapter II Literature review 2.1 Definition of Listening skill…….……… 8

2.2 Overview of the IELTS Listening Test……… ……… 8

2.2.1 Background of the IELTS Listening Test ……… 8

2.2.2 Format and Structure of the IELTS Listening Test:……… 9

2.2.3 Evaluation criteria of the IELTS Listening Test (According to the British Council……… 9

2.3 Common problems faced by 1st-year English-major students in IELTS Listening Skills Test: a case study at VNU-IS……….10

2.3.1 Influencing factors in the IELTS Listening Test….……… 10

2.3.2 Listening Comprehension Difficulties……….……… 11

2.4 Previous studies……….12

2.5 Relevant theoretical frameworks on language acquisition and listening comprehension……….14

Chapter III Methodology 3.1 Research setting………15

3.2 Research design……… 15

3.3 Research methods- A case study……… 16

3.4 Research procedures……….17

3.5 Selection of participants……… 17

3.6 Instrument……….18

3.6.1 Questionnaires……… 18

3.6.2 Description of survey questionnaires……… 19

3.6.3 Procedures of delivering the questionnaires……… 23

3.7 Data Collection and Analysis Techniques……… 24

Chapter IV Results/Findings and Discussion Chapter V: Conclusion 5.1 Summary of findings……… 25

5.2 Implications……… 25

References……… 26

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

After a long journey, writing this thesis is the final stage We could not have started this undertaking without the assistance of instructors

First of all, we would like to express our deepest appreciation to our supervisor,

Mr Nguyen Viet Hung, for his invaluable guidance and support throughout our research assignment Without his assistance and dedicated involvement in every step throughout the process, this paper could have never been accomplished

Specifically, thanks to Ms Le Hoai Thu, who guided us directly and spent a lot

of time helping our group, we have completed our assignment She not only stimulates us to come up with unique research ideas but also teaches us many things in life

Finally, our group would like to express our sincere gratitude for the invaluable contribution of the instructors, and look forward to having the opportunity to collaborate with them on future projects

ABSTRACT

In the current globalization process, English plays an extremely important role for people It is a bridge so people can communicate with each other as well as succeed at work However, many non-native speakers have difficulty listening to English To improve English listening comprehension, identifying these difficulties is extremely necessary and valuable Therefore, the goal of this study

is to find out common problems when understanding English in the IELTS Listening test The research participants are first-year English language students studying at VNU-IS The research used is a quantitative method, that is, using a survey questionnaire as the main research tool to collect data The results of the study show that there are five main influencing factors, such as listener factors, linguistics, lack of concentration, word recognition, and speaker factors Based on

the findings of the study, we propose some solutions to improve English listening comprehension in the IELTS Listening test

Keywords: Common problems, IELTS Listening test

LIST OF TABLE

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF ABBREVIATION

VNU-IS - Vietnam National University - International School

IELTS - International English Language Testing System

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale

(Moore, 2005) emphasized that the growth of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is inevitable due to the increasing number of universities worldwide that require students to take the exam Additionally, the desire of numerous students to pursue courses in English-speaking countries has also contributed to the rising demand for IELTS In Vietnam, several universities and colleges, including VNU-IS, have made IELTS a prerequisite for graduation, further fueling the demand for taking the exam

The IELTS assessment consists of two modules: general and academic It evaluates four language competencies: listening, reading, speaking, and writing However, not everyone can achieve the desired score in these competencies Among the challenges faced by students in the IELTS examination, one notable obstacle is the listening skill Unlike other skills in IELTS, the listening section does not allow candidates to rewind or replay the audio In contrast, during the reading section, candidates can refer back to the text to find keywords, and in the writing section, they have time to contemplate the topic before putting pen to paper Furthermore, points can be regained in the speaking test through the

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examiner's assessment However, for first-year students, listening skill poses an even greater challenge as they often lack sufficient practice in this area during high school Typically, their focus in high school is primarily on learning grammar, and opportunities to practice listening skills are scarce Hence, listening can be considered the most difficult skill in language learning, particularly in the context of IELTS

Considering the significance of the listening skills component and the specific challenges faced by first-year English-major students in the IELTS listening test,

it is crucial to conduct research to address these issues comprehensively Therefore, the purpose of this study is to contribute new data and insights to the existing body of knowledge, with a specific focus on the common problems encountered by first-year English majors in the IELTS listening skills section By identifying and examining these difficulties, the study aims to provide valuable information that can be utilized to develop effective strategies and interventions

to enhance the performance of VNU-IS students in the listening skills section of the IELTS test

1.2 Aims of the study

The research aims to investigate the common problems faced by 1st-year English-major students in the IELTS Listening Skills Test The primary objective is to identify and document the specific challenges encountered by these students in comprehending spoken English, following audio content, and answering questions within the given time limit By understanding these difficulties, the study aims to gain insights into the areas in which students struggle the most during the listening component of the IELTS test

Furthermore, the research aims to explore the contributing factors to these challenges By identifying the factors that contribute to the difficulties faced by students, the study aims to provide a deeper understanding of the underlying causes and potential areas for improvement in test preparation

Based on the research findings, the study aims to propose practical recommendations to enhance the preparation and performance of 1st-year English-major students in the IELTS Listening Skills Test These recommendations may include modifications to study methods, and targeted interventions to address the identified challenges The ultimate objective is to provide actionable insights that can be implemented to improve the student's language proficiency, test performance, and overall academic success in the IELTS Listening Skills Test

By accomplishing these research aims, the study seeks to contribute to the existing knowledge on IELTS test preparation and English language learning The findings

of the research will shed light on the specific challenges faced by 1st-year English-major students in the IELTS Listening Skills Test and provide valuable insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers in improving test preparation strategies and teaching practices Ultimately, the research aims to enhance the language proficiency and academic achievement of 1st-year English-major students, enabling them to excel in the IELTS Listening Skills Test and future language learning endeavors

1.3 Objectives of the study and research questions

1.3.1 Objectives

Listening is a process that allows listeners to understand a message, helping them participate in conversation and succeed in communication Without listening skills, people participating in communication activities will not receive the message, and therefore, they will not be able to respond quickly and effectively Many researchers agree that in learning foreign languages, listening plays an important role in the language acquisition process At the same time, they also point out that almost all English learners have problems listening First-year English students at VNU-IS are no exception, many of them choose listening as the most difficult skill when taking the IELTS test Therefore, this study was

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conducted with the hope of finding out the common problems they encounter during the listening test and finding out what causes those problems (The Linguistic Aspect of the Students, lack of concentration, the speaker, ) From those problems, the researcher proposes solutions to help listeners get the best exam results

1.3.2 Research questions

In this study, the following questions are investigated:

• What are the common problems faced by 1st-year English-major students

in the IELTS listening skills test at VNU-IS?

• What are the causes of those problems?

• What strategies and recommendations can be implemented to improve the performance of 1st-year English-major students in the IELTS listening skills test at VNU-IS?

1.4 Scope of the study

This study will explore the problems faced by first-year English students studying

at VNU-IS The research will include collecting quantitative data from a sample

of first-year English majors at VNU-IS who took the IELTS Listening Skills exam The study aimed to identify and document common difficulties faced by these students in understanding spoken English, following audio content, and answering questions within a given time It is important to note that the scope of this study is limited to the specific context of 1st-year English-major students at VNU-IS and their experiences in the IELTS Listening Skills Test The findings and recommendations may not be directly applicable to other educational institutions or English language programs However, the insights gained from this case study can contribute to the existing knowledge on the challenges faced by English-major students in the IELTS Listening Skills Test and provide guidance for improving their test performance and language skills at VNU-IS

1.5 Method of study

The study was conducted as a study using quantitative methods, that is, taking advantage of survey questionnaires as the main research tool for data collection The researcher selected first-year English students at VNU-IS because they had just entered university and their final listening test was designed according to an IELTS listening test Digging deeper into their problems is the first step to help them improve their listening skills The research team selected all 110 first-year English majors at the International School to avoid biasing the results

1.6 The significance of the study

The research mainly aims to point out common problems in listening learning of first-year English major students at VNU-IS In addition, the researcher also investigated the causes of that problem Therefore, once completed, the research

is expected to bring significant benefits to students Pedagogically, the findings and recommendations of this study are expected to help the learning and IELTS listening test preparation of Vietnamese university students in general and first-year English majors at VNU-IS in particular The results of this study can be of great help to students and those interested in this field Furthermore, the findings

of this study also provide insights for developers of listening materials More importantly, from the research results collected on common problems of students,

we can help them achieve the best results

1.7 Design of the thesis

The research consists of 5 chapters Apart from Chapter I ( Introduction)

introduced above, it includes 4 other chapters as follows:

Chapter II: Literature review: this chapter comprises two parts Part one is an Overview of the IELTS Listening Test with Definition and Format, structure, and Evaluation criteria (According to the British Council) In part two (common problems faced by 1st-year English-major students in IELTS listening skills test:

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No

NeverRarely Occasionally Frequently Always

1 Handling specialized

vocabulary: I have

difficulty understanding

specialized vocabular

in the listening

passages

2 Dealing with lack of

concentration: I am

easily distracted durin

the IELTS Listening

test

3 Dealing with speakers

intonation and

pronunciation: I have

difficulty understanding

different tones and

pronunciations in the

IELTS Listening test

4 Dealing with an

unknown word: I find it

difficult to identify and

understand the meanin

of new vocabulary in the

listening passage