Luận văn factors affecting motivation for 10th graders' engagement in english speaking classes

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYEN THI ANH DUONG FACTORS AFFECTING MOTIVATION FOR 1U” GRADERS’

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYEN THI ANH DUONG

FACTORS AFFECTING MOTIVATION FOR 1U” GRADERS’

ENGAGEMENT IN ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASSES: A SURVEY AT SAPA

HIGH SCHOOL, LAO CAL

(Các yêu tố ảnh hưởng dến dòng lực than giá vào các heat dong noi tiếng Anh trong,

giờ học nói cửa bọc sinh lép 10 Trường T.ILP.T Sapa, Lào Cai)

MA MINOR THESIS:

English Teaching Methodology 60.1410

Ila Noi, 2011

Abstract i

Abstract

With an investigation into the reality of teaching and learning English speaking at SPHS, and an examination of the factors affecting motivation for 10 Graders’ engagement in English speaking classes (ESC), this rescarch is aimed al (1) investigaling types of motivation possessed by grade 10 students at SPHS, (2) finding out some factors affecting motivation for students” engagement in TSC, (3) exploring teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards speaking skill and spcaing activitics in ESC, (4) surveying the activitics and techniques applied by teachers and students’ preferences at this school and recommending some strategies for teachers and students to enhance grade 10 studenls of engagement in ESC The research data collection instruments are questionnaire, interview and classroom observation The result taken from the questionnaire, interview and observation reveals that the majority of students possess instrumental and extrinsic motivation, some of them infegratcly and intrinsically lesm it, resullafivs motivation ranks the smallest number of participants It also indicates that the factors affecting motivation and demotivation come from students, teachers and classroom leaming environment ‘Ihe activities and techniques wachers apply have the great inlucnce on sludenls’ engagement, Basing on the findings of the research, the study suggested some recommendations for both teachers and students to improve the teaching and learning speaking in the school

Table of Contents IV

Table of Contents

CANDIDATE'S STATEMENT

ACKNOW LEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGERES

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

1, Rationale for the study

2 Aims of the study

3 Methods of the study

4 Scope al the study

5 Organization of the study

PART 2: DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER ONE: LITERATURE REVIEW

1 An overview of speaking in L2 learning

1.1 Definition of speaking

1.2 Approaches to the teaching of speaking

The Grammar translation Method (GTM

The Direct Method (DM) and Audiolingualism

Communicative Language Teaching

1.3 The roles of the teacher in different stages “of teaching speaking

1.4, Motivation in speaking in classroom

14.1, Motivation

1.4.2 Motivation in 1 the classroom setting "_-

1.4.3 Factors affecting students suwilling te to 5 speak i in | elassroom

1.4.4 Some conditions for effective motivation in speaking

14.5 Motivational macrost ategies

2 Concept of students’ engagement and factors affecting motivation for students’

engagement

2.1 Concept of students’ engagement

2.2 Factors affecting students’ engagement

2.2.1 Sndents’ learning styles

2.2.2 Students’ motivations

2.2.3 Leacher's teaching techniques

Table of Contents v

2.2.4 Teachers’ personal qualities and characteristics H 2.5 Effective classroom learning environment B CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY

1 Research setting

1.1 An overview of the research site

2 Deseription of the teachers of English and students - -

1.3 The materials of teaching and learning - - cob

2 Participants

2.1 Population 17 2.2 Sampling 17 3.3 Detailed de:

3.4, Data collection instrurn

3.4.1 Questionnaires 1â 34.2, Interviews "_

3⁄4C4 Claasroom olservalione c co

3.5 Data Collection Proecdurcs

CHAPTER THREE

DATA ANALYSIS, DISCUSSION OF MAJOR FINDINGS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

s rơm Studs 5° Ques

LA Students’ motivation in engaying in ESC

2 Factors affecting motwation for students’ emtagenient im ESC and, ‘ytadents’ cattinade towards activities and technicnies applied by teachers wn Dd

2, Data analysis from Teachers’ Questionnaire jssmneneeminnenne 27

jommaire

2 Major findings and discussions

2.1 Research question |

3.3 Research question 2 - - - _- 3.3 Research quesion 3 - - - a] 3.4 Research question 4 - - co A

” Recommendations for motivating students to engage better in ESC

3.1, Recommendations for teachers

3.14 Promoting students’ internal factors

3.1.2 Building effective classroom learning environment

3.1.3 Varying speaking activities _

3.1.4 Mangging spedling tương in elggs

3.15 Combining the textbook and relevant materials and recognize the potential value of availahle facilities of the school and the Internet 38

3.1.6 Being enthusiastic, tolerant, helpfil, friendly, creative and active 38

Table of Contents vi

3.2 Reeornmendations for the students 39 3.2.1 Conperating with ther teachers 39 3.2.2 Taking risks 39

PART 3: CONCLUSIONS

1 Conclusion:

2 Limitations and suggestions for further study

REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

1, Rationale for the study

The ever-growing need for good communication skills in English has created a huge demand for English teaching around the world In Vietnam, the importance of Linglish as a Tanguage of inlernational communication has been acknowledged by the Govermnent and it

is considered as a compulsory subject in the school curriculum

Motivation plays an important role in the success of language leamers in learning a foreign language in general and Isarning fregn language skills in particular Learning speaking skill is not an exception

‘The teachers at SPHS meet many difficulties in motivating students get involve better in

ES scuuse students in Sa Pa (SP) came from a varicly of socio-economic groups and they

are multicultural as well a5 multi-level Moreover, there are many factors affecting motivation for students’ engagement in ESC

‘This is the reason why | choose studying on factors affecting motivation for 10th graders”

engagement in ESC is the lopie for my the

2 Aims and research questions of the study

‘The study aims at exploring the factors affecting motivation for L0th graders’ engagement in FSC at SPIIS, Lao Cai (LC) The objectives of the research are as follows:

= To examine the types of motivation possessed by grade 10 students at Sapa high

school in engaging in English speaking classes

= ‘To exploring the factors influencing the students’ motivation in engaging in English spoaking classes

= To cxamine teachers and students’ attitudes towards speaking skill and speaking

activities in ESC

= To determine effective techniques to enhance the students’ motivation in engaging in English speaking classes

To achieve these aim and objectives, the study out to answer the following search

questions:

4) What are the types of motivation possessed by grade 10 students at Sapa high

school in engaging in English speaking classes?

(2) What are factors influencing the students’ motivation in engaging in English

speaking classes?

(3) What are teachers and students’ attitudes towards speaking skill and speaking

activities wt ESC?

iy

(4) What techniques could be applicable to enhance the students’ motivation in engaging in English speaking clasves?

3 Methods of the study

‘The study employed survey research In my study, data were collected via questionnaires, inlerviews and classrooms observation in order lo increase the credibilily of the findings: (1) Giving queshonnaires for both teachers and students, (2) Interviewing students, (3) Oserving classroom to get information about both teachers” approach of teaching and sludents’ habil of learning in class as well as ascertain the prevalent problems forwarded by the students and teachers during the mnterview and questionnaize,

4 Scope of the study

“There exist a variety factors affecting motivation for 10th graders’ engagement in English

speaking classes Tlawever, is nol my inlention lo cover all of them because of the time and length constraint of the study, I only focus on the factors come from learners, teachers and classroom learning environment In this study, students’ engagement happened only in

speaking aclivili

METHODOLOGY

1 Research setting

1.1 An overview of the research site

SP is onc of the districls in a mountainous province of LC There are many differsness between SP town and the villages SP town is rich and cxciting because of tourism; on the other hand, the villages in SP where four minontty ethnic groups Mong, Tay, Dao, Giay lve

in are very poor Therefore, students’ learning condition in SP is much different trom each other SPHS is located in the centre of SP town, 60% of school students are minority ethnic students, Despite the fact that LC province has achieved national standards in the

universalization of junior secondary education (Repart by Lao Cai PPC, 2007), in some

remote areas, SP included, it is very hard lo consul students lo cantinne their study to high school level That is because of many reasons, such as: the poverty, traditional culture of

im the

carly mariage, the limited aaron

of the benefit of having higher edue

ethnics groups For that reason, annually, there are not cnough students to cnrol in high

schaot level in SP So itis difficult for us to hold placcrnent test for students which leads to

amulti-level students in the classes

1.2 Ihescription of the teachers of English and students

In SPHS, there are 5 tcachers af English aged from 26 to 45 Their oxpericnee in teaching English varies from 3 to 20 years Most of them graduated from Foreign Language Teachers’ Training Universitics Thesc teachers arc qualified for the job SPHS has two teachers of English who are key teachers of LC province, They both have rich teaching experience and subject matter knowledge They had been teaching English for more than ten years in high school Generally, all of the teachers of English in this school love teaching and have positive attitudes to supporting their students” leaming

Students in SPIIS come from a variety of socio-economic groups Students come from SP

Lown have betler learning condition outside classroom Many of thern are able students and have had quite good results during their secondary education, Some of them have a tol of chance to practise speaking English with native speakers so their speaking skill is quite good On the contrary, students coming from zihnic minority groups live very far From the centre of the town and their families’ income comes trom farming which is considered one

of the lowest income groups in Vietnam They have their own traditional cultwe and languages and their mother languages are not Vietnamese ‘They finished secondary education in local secondary schools in their villages which have poor leaming condition sơ they have had not very good results in secondary school education Although the local government has priority policies to provide education for these groups and encourages students 10 go to school as offered cthnie students free accommadations in the school’s

dents need extra help from teachers afler school time in order

hoslel and [ree food, thos:

lo improve their quality of work

1.3 The materials of teaching and learning

The texthooks currently used lo teach English are Finglish 10, English 11 and English 12 published by Ministry of Education and ‘Iraining, { would like to focus on Linglish L0 in my thesis The teaching content of English 10 textbook follows the theme-based approach and

is developed on six broad homes whicl are subdivided into 16 topics corresponding to 16 units and a “Test yourself” after every 3 units, All units have the same structure, starting

with the Theme of the unit, followed by four lessons focused on language skills and ending with language focus, Language skills arc devcloped in parallel with the development of such Tnnguage knowledge as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation

With strengths, the textbook is expected to conttibute better quality of English Icarning in Vietnam high school In terms of curiculum development, the introduction of the new textbook can be new fresh air blowing into the teaching and learning situation at secondary schools in Vietnam, However, to a large number of ethnic mmority students, the new English textbook set as well as English 10 are very difficult Very often the amount of new vocabulary in one unit was too much for students in addition, many topics in the English textbooks wore stramge 1o their daily lives and background

2, Participants

2.1, Population

The target population for this study comprises 5 teachers of English and 86 students of tenth-grade at SPHS The brief description of the teachers of English and students has been mentioned in the eatlier sections of this chapter,

2.2 Sampling

‘The researcher used convemence sampling in this study The sampling plan proposed tor the current study was a two-stage stratified cluster design (Jacobs ot al., 2003) The first stage consisted of selecting high school, and the second stage consisted of a sample of teachers and students for questionnaires and interviews, a sample of classrooms and English speaking lessons from the tenth-grade classrooms for observation in the sample school After participant selectons were made, appointments were made to arrange suitable times for questionnaire, interview and observation lessons, live teachers of English and all students in the two lenth-grade classrooms al SPITS agreed to lake part in the study

3.3, Detailed description of participants

There are two groups of participants in this study The first group involves five teachers of English who are currently teaching English at SPHS They were observed and given the questionnaires by the researcher ‘They are all female and are ranging from 26 to 45 years old Their teaching experience af high schools varies from 5 lo 23 years The variety in the participants’ age qualification, and teaching experience is expected to provide reliability

is who come from Iwo

and validity for the study The second group douls with sighty studs

classes (10A5 and 10A6) at SPHS 43.75% of the students are Kinh people who live in SP

town, the others belong to cllmic minoritizs Mong, Tay, Dao, Giay (Mong: 20%, Tay:

18.75%, Dao: 15% and Giay 2.5%) and they live in the villages of SP district The students’ ving condition, their leammg outside class conditions, their attitudes, motivation for foreign language leaming are not the same

3.4, Ihata collection Instruments

In order to gol information, tho main dala collection insuuments (or this study were queshonnaires for students and teachers, interview students and classroom observations

3.5 Data Collection Procedures

Ths questionmaires were delivered to students and teachers at the middle of the second term

students’ allitude towards

to gather information of students? motivation in engaging in TSC

speaking aclivitics in English 10 textbook, students’ attiinds towards techniques and activities applied by teachers and them preferences as well as gathering information about teachers’ attitudes towards students’ motivation in participating in ESC and the effects of the activities and techniques that they had applied,

The informal interviews took place in a face to thee situation with the students dunng the

second term of the school year 2010-2011, and the interviews were taken note or tape-

recorded The interviews helped the researcher to get the necessary information on the

factors affecting motivation for students’ engagement in SC

The abservations were conducted in 10 Tinglish lessons al 10 graders of twa selected

teachers al the sceond term of the school ycar The observations strengthened the

infonmation gathered in the questionnaires and in the interviews

DATA ANALYSIS, DISCUSSION OF MAJOR FINDINGS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

‘This chapter deals with the data resulls of the questionnaires, interviews and the information

obtained through obscrvation process, Also, a discussion of major Gndings is prescnted which functions as practical groundings for further recommendations to be drawn out In this chapter, answers to the four research questions as well as recommendations will be

given.