DANG TH] KIM DUNG GIVING FEEDBACK STRATEGIES FOR ENGLISH LITERATURE PRESENTATIONS OF STUDENTS OF PHUONG DONG UNIVERSITY Chiến lược sử dụng hành động ngôn từ trong việc đưa ra thông tỉ
Motivating students in English literature lessons 7
Motivating students is a common challenge faced by teachers across all subjects, including English literature Engaged students are essential for maintaining focus and successfully completing academic tasks According to Ronald Carter and Michael N Long, students need to see the purpose behind their reading, especially when it involves extended texts, to foster deeper comprehension (p 9) They also point out that modern media often offers short-term satisfaction by rapidly switching topics, which can hinder students’ ability to sustain concentration on longer, more demanding reading assignments.
Reading literary works in general and English literary works in particular, however,
Toquiras focus on maintaining concentration over an extended period, emphasizing the importance of patience and perseverance Engaging students in challenging tasks requires significant effort from teachers, making motivation and encouragement essential yet demanding components of effective teaching Overcoming these difficulties is crucial for fostering sustained student engagement and success in learning.
Effective techniques used by teachers to motivate students in English literature include connecting the learning process to students' personal experiences, which increases engagement Starting lessons by eliciting students’ ideas, predictions, and feelings stimulates curiosity and imagination, making reading and learning more meaningful Additionally, preparing students for oral presentations encourages active participation, allowing students to showcase their abilities and fostering enthusiasm These approaches collectively make lessons more accessible and enjoyable for students.
Ronald Carter and Michael Long emphasized that students are more motivated to read literary texts when they can relate the material to their own experiences, enhancing engagement and comprehension.
To foster personal understanding, individuals should first connect the content to their own ideas, feelings, opinions, and perceptions Additionally, they should relate these concepts to their personal experiences of the world and the society in which they live, enhancing their overall comprehension and engagement.
Teacher feedback sung
Definition of feedback
Although there have been numerous attempts to define the term feedback, most of them appear to reach a sornewhal, consensus of the nature and function of fecdback
The most general definition of feedback can be found in the web Wikipedia: Feedback is
Feedhack is a term used across various fields such as biology, climate science, and mechanical engineering to refer to actions related to the source of those actions In education, students tend to view instructors as authoritative experts and often remember their guidance Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to invest time and effort in thoughtfully responding to students, as this can significantly enhance learning outcomes.
Longman Dietionary of language teaching and applied linguistics defines feedback as
Feedback plays a crucial role in the learning process, as it involves receiving comments or information about the success of a learning task from teachers or peers In the context of teaching, feedback is defined as any information that provides a report on the outcome of a learner's behavior, helping students understand their progress and areas for improvement This concept emphasizes the importance of constructive feedback in enhancing learning strategies and outcomes.
Effective teacher feedback is crucial for students' success in foreign language learning, as it helps clarify their progress and guide improvement Without proper feedback, learners may become confused and struggle to identify their strengths and areas needing development Historically, feedback has served as a vital communication tool between teachers and students, facilitating a clearer understanding of learning goals and performance Providing targeted and constructive feedback enhances students’ language skills and motivates continued progress in their language acquisition journey.
In language teaching, feedback is defined as information provided to learners about their performance on a learning task, aimed at improving their skills (Penny Lir, 4 Course in Language Teaching, p.242) Its primary function is to help students make progress and avoid errors in their language acquisition Similarly, Davies (2000) emphasizes that feedback's main purpose is to offer learners opportunities to make adjustments and enhancements toward achieving mastery of specific standards.
Types of feedback
Effective teacher feedback is a vital tool for enhancing both student academic and behavioral performance when applied correctly Feedback can be categorized into oral and written forms, each serving unique purposes in the learning process According to Konold in "Using Teacher Feedback to Enhance Student Learning," strategic use of these feedback types significantly improves student engagement and understanding, making feedback a powerful component of effective teaching.
Feedback can be delivered verbally, nonverbally, or in written formats, and it may serve to reinforce or punish the recipient Verbal feedback involves spoken words along with tone of voice, emphasizing the importance of how it is communicated Non-verbal feedback, on the other hand, relies on cues such as facial expressions and body language to convey messages silently It is important to distinguish non-verbal feedback from written feedback, which is delivered through notes or written comments to students.
Another way of categorizing feedback and its purposes can be found in the article Effective
Feedback (http://jabba.edb.utexas edu/depts/se/projects/mainstep/ms/fb2-introduction- whatis.htm)
The category can be demonstrated as follow
Corrective feedback is intended to correct an error, Corrective Feedback The correction should be made in a direct and positive manner
Instructional feedback is intended to provide new information
Instructional Feedback Instructional feedback should be detailed and specific This information should be provided in a direct and positive manner
Evaluative feedback is intended to provide a student with information about the quality of his/her performance
It should be as immediate as possible, and serve as a guide for future performance
‘These three types of feedback appear to take different names and functions but they all aim at improving students” learning and language competence
Besides, there are other names for feedback classification:
Positive feedback demonstrates a teacher's genuine interest in a student's work by offering encouragement, praise, and supportive comments It motivates students to continue their efforts and build confidence in their abilities Conversely, negative feedback communicates a teacher's disagreement or dissatisfaction, often including corrections or constructive criticism While negative feedback may also involve consequences or discipline, it aims to guide students toward improvement and better understanding Effectively balancing positive and negative feedback is essential for fostering a productive and supportive learning environment.
Researchers suggest that immediate feedback is most effective when the goal is to promote accuracy during guided practice, as it allows teachers to provide on-the-spot support, encouragement, and correction, helping students understand their mistakes and stay motivated Conversely, when the aim is to enhance fluency rather than accuracy, delayed feedback is recommended to avoid disrupting students’ flow and concentration Additionally, studies indicate that immediate feedback is more suitable for individual performances, while delayed feedback benefits group work by preventing interruptions that can hinder students’ progress.
Explicit feedback involves teachers explicitly showing students their errors and providing correct forms, which helps learners understand and correct their mistakes effectively In contrast, implicit feedback occurs when teachers indicate an error without directly offering the correct form, encouraging learners to identify and self-correct their mistakes Both feedback types play a crucial role in language development, with explicit feedback being more direct and immediate, while implicit feedback fosters autonomous learning skills Understanding the differences between explicit and implicit feedback can enhance teaching strategies and improve language acquisition outcomes.
1.2.3 The importance of fecdback to students’ improvement
Many researchers and educators agree that students working without feedback face a journey akin to traveling without a map or signposts While having a strong sense of direction is important, it is not sufficient to keep students on track; timely feedback provides essential guidance to ensure meaningful progress and improved learning outcomes.
In their 2007 article, *The Power of Feedback*, John Iattie and Isabel Timperley emphasized that feedback, whether positive or negative, is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement They highlighted that the effectiveness of feedback depends on its type and delivery method, making it a versatile tool for enhancing educational outcomes Overall, feedback remains a crucial factor in shaping student success and motivation.
In languaae learning and teaching, the role of teacher feedback to students’ improvement can be seen from the fact that teachers’ feedback reflects to students what and how they
The importance of feedback to studcnts” mprovemment
Providing corrective feedback is essential for enhancing language learning, as it helps students understand language rules and limitations If teachers leave mistakes uncorrected, these errors can be absorbed by other students, potentially hindering overall progress Timely correction accelerates learning by offering clear guidance and preventing the repetition of errors, making the language acquisition process more efficient.
Moss- the correction of studenis’ oral errors-p 27)
Motivated individuals who receive constructive and useful feedback can significantly enhance their second language learning process Feedback, when effectively delivered, serves as a powerful tool for students to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to achieve higher language proficiency As confirmed by research, feedback is an essential component of successful language acquisition, guiding learners towards more effective study habits and greater confidence in their skills.
‘Tunstall and Gipps, teachers’ feedback is considered a prime requirement for pragress in learning (1996), thersloro, giving feedback is one of the key rales that teacher play in classroom (Al Fahdi, 2005)
Feedback should be used thoughtfully, as it is not appropriate in all situations For example, interrupting a student while they are speaking can disrupt their concentration, making it difficult for them to focus on their speech When students are focused on their speaking, providing feedback may distract them or hinder their fluency, so timing and context are essential for effective feedback in language learning.
Speech act theory
General concepts cả - ceed
In language teaching and learning, the concept of speech acts, such as "get," is a central and challenging topic in linguistics research John Austin is credited with pioneering the idea of speech acts, asserting that saying something is equivalent to performing an action, a notion he introduced during his William James Lectures at Harvard, later published as "How to Do Things with Words" (1962) According to Austin, utterances can be considered successful when they meet specific conditions that fulfill their intended communicative function.
(@ They do not “describe” or “report” or constate anything at all, they are not
(ii) The uttering of a senience is, or is part of, the doing of an action, which again would normally be described as, or “just”, saying something
Performative utterances, such as when someone says, "Name this ship Queen Elizabeth," function as actual acts of naming the ship rather than mere statements of fact This insight represents a significant advancement in linguistics, highlighting how everyday language performs actions like promising, requesting, or apologizing Austin categorized these speech acts into locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts, which describe what people do with words in different contexts.
A loeutionary act is the acl of saying something Quile simply, il is the ordinary sense of meaning of what is said of'a speech act
An illocutionary act refers to the intended meaning behind a statement, representing what the speaker truly aims to communicate It is distinct from the actual words spoken, known as the locutionary act, which are the literal utterances Understanding the difference between locutionary and illocutionary acts is essential in analyzing communication, as the illocutionary act captures the speaker’s true intentions that may not always be explicitly expressed through words.
A perlocutionary act is a speech act performed by doing something in a specific context, aiming to influence or induce a response in the listener It follows the illocutionary act and signifies the actual effect or change caused by the speaker’s words Each perlocutionary act results in a tangible outcome or realization within a particular situation, highlighting its role in achieving communication goals Understanding perlocutionary acts is essential for analyzing how speech influences actions and perceptions in various contexts.
Speech act theory after Austin primarily focuses on explaining illocutionary acts in a narrow sense John Searle, a prominent linguist, inherited Austin's ideas and expanded the theory in his own way (1969), with particular attention to indirect speech acts Indirect speech acts involve utterances where the intended meaning differs from the literal expression, such as "Can you open the window?" which functions as a request rather than a question about ability These examples highlight the importance of understanding how language performs various communicative functions beyond their surface form.
This example illustrates how a speaker indirectly requests someone to open the window by asking a question The speaker's inquiry serves as a polite way to make a request, demonstrating an indirect speech act Understanding indirect speech acts is important for effective communication, especially in social interactions where politeness and nuance matter.
Gi) - “Would you like 10 meet me for coffee?”
The second speaker used an indizect spcoch act to reject the proposal This is indirect because the literal meaning of “1 have class” doas not entail any sort of rejection
Searle suggests that we can derive meaning from indirect speech acts through a cooperative process that allows us to understand multiple illocutions He states that in indirect speech acts, the speaker communicates more than what is explicitly said by relying on shared background knowledge—both linguistic and nonlinguistic—and the listener's rational inference skills This shared understanding enables the listener to interpret the intended meaning beyond the literal words spoken.
Concermng indirect speech acts, Searle alsa introduced the notions of “primary” and
Secondary illocutionary acts refer to the explicit, direct communication conveyed through the literal utterance of a sentence In contrast, the primary illocutionary act is often indirect, meaning it is not performed literally Understanding these distinctions is essential in pragmatics, as it reveals how speakers convey meaning beyond the surface level of their words.
Kent Bach, in his Rowledge Encylopedia of Philosophy (1998), emphasizes that making a statement is regarded as the paradigmatic use of language However, he notes that words serve many functions beyond merely making assertions, including making requests, asking questions, giving orders, making promises, expressing gratitude, and offering apologies Additionally, Bach points out that almost any speech act involves performing multiple acts simultaneously, each distinguished by different aspects of the speaker's intention.
1.3.2 Speech Act classifications by Austin and Searle
According to Ken Bach, the theory of speech acts is both taxonomic and explanatory, requiring a systematic classification of different types of speech acts and their potential for success or failure While many linguists have attempted to categorize speech acts, there is no consensus among experts, highlighting the ongoing debate within the field.
Despite feeling far from equally happy about all of the terms used, Austin classified illocufionary force imlo five clas + namlely verdiclives, exercitives, commissives, Dehabitives and expositives ( page 150)
According to John Austin, speech acts can be classified into five main types: verdictives, exercitives, commissives, behabitives, and expositives Verdictives involve the giving of decisions or judgments by a jury, arbitrator, or umpire, such as estimates, reckoning, or appraisals Exercitives refer to the exercise of powers, rights, or influence, including actions like voting, urging, advising, and warning Commissives are characterized by promises or undertakings that commit the speaker to future actions, along with declarations or announcements Behabitives concern attitudes and social behaviors, such as congratulating, apologizing, or cursing Expositives clarify how utterances fit within an argument or conversation Austin noted that behabitives and expositives are the most challenging to distinguish and may be cross-classified, a view supported by many researchers.
Austin’s classification appears to lack a clear foundational principle, as many speech acts can fall into multiple categories This categorization is primarily based on performative verbs that explicitly express the speech act However, linguists have pointed out that the number of speech acts in any language often exceeds the number of available performative verbs, indicating that this classification may overlook or exclude numerous speech acts.
Not feeling content and happy with the classification of Austin, Seale proposed anolher way of categorizing
* Representatives: They commit the speaker to something being the case Some types are: suggesting, swearing, boasting, concluding
Lxample: “Ne one makes a better cake than me”
* Directives: They try to make the addressee perform an action( direct he/ she towards doing something) The different kinds are: suggesting, asking, inviting, ordering, requesting, advising, begging
Lxample: “Could you open the doar?”
* Commisives: They commit the speaker to doing something in the future The different kinds are: vowing, promising, planning, betting, opposing
Example: “f will return it t0 pou tomorrow"
+ Expressives: They express how the speaker fools abont the situation (psychological state) The difffsrent kinds are; thanking, apologizing, welcoming, deploting
Purpose: Dedaratives change the state of the world immediately without expressing psychological states; any proposition can occur in this category.
However, Jacob L Mey in his book Pragmatic: Ar Introduction (1993) pointed out that searle’s classification is more or less similar to that of Austin, He believes that even though
Sourle’s classification mainly rests on features of “meaning”, some of them are rather close to what traditional syntax would refer to as “mood” such as indicatives ( representatives) 0L imperatives ( directives) (p.105)
1.3.3 Some prominent speech acts used in giving feedback
1.3.3.1 The speech act of suggesting
Suggestions are a type of directive speech act aimed at guiding the hearer toward a specific future action, as defined by Searle (1976) According to Bach and Llamish (1979), directives reflect the speaker’s intention to influence the hearer’s behavior, with an implied understanding that the utterance serves as a reason for the hearer to act accordingly These speech acts are crucial in communication, as they demonstrate how speakers subtly direct future actions through intentional language use.
Schmidt and Richards (1980) asserted that directives encompass speech acts such as requests, commands, and suggestions, primarily aimed at prompting the hearer to take action, with varying degrees of force depending on the speech act Haverkate (1984) distinguished between impositive and non-impositive directives, where impositive directives include acts like requesting, pleading, and ordering—aimed at benefiting the speaker (e.g., the teacher)—while non-impositive directives, such as suggestions and instructions, are intended to benefit the hearer (e.g., the student).
However, although suggestions are made in the best interest of the student, Brown and
Some prominent speech acts used in giving fseđback L5
1.3.3.1 The speech act of suggesting
Suggestions are a type of directive speech act, where the speaker aims to influence the hearer to take a specific future action According to Searle (1976), directive acts are intended to prompt the listener to behave in a certain way Bach and Llamish (1979) define directives as communications that express the speaker's intention to motivate the hearer to act, implying that such utterances serve as reasons for the hearer's subsequent actions Proper understanding of these speech acts is essential for analyzing how language influences behavior and decision-making in communication.
Schmidt and Richards (1980) identified that directives involve speech acts such as requests, commands, and suggestions, primarily aimed at prompting the hearer to act, with varying degrees of force depending on the speech act Haverkate (1984) distinguished between impositive and non-impositive directives, where impositive acts like requesting, pleading, and ordering serve the speaker’s interests, while non-impositive directives, such as suggestions and instructions, focus on benefiting the hearer, typically the student The key difference lies in the objectives: impositive speech acts benefit the speaker, whereas non-impositive acts aim to support the hearer’s needs.
However, although suggestions are made in the best interest of the student, Brown and
According to Levinson (1987), speech acts like suggestions are considered fac atrophic acts because they involve the teacher intruding into the student's personal world by addressing what the student should do Banerjge and Carrell (1988) argued that suggestions can be seen as an imposition that confronts the student's negative face needs When making a suggestion, the speaker must consider factors such as the urgency of the suggestion, the social distance and power dynamics between speaker and hearer, and the level of embarrassment involved To minimize the risk of offending the student, teachers often employ politeness strategies to soften their suggestions, especially in more threatening or sensitive situations.
Suggestions have often been believed, by many authors and linguists, to bs termed as advisement by Scatle
1.3.3.2 The speech act of complaining
A complaint is an expression of a psychological state of dissatisfaction or unhappiness about a situation According to Tanck (2002), a complaint occurs when a speaker reacts with displeasure or annoyance to an action that has negatively affected them Elshfain and Weinbaok (1987) outline the necessary preconditions for the speech act of complaint, emphasizing the importance of a perceived grievance and the expectation of a response or resolution.
The speaker anticipates a positive outcome or aims to prevent a negative event from happening Any action taken that either enables or fails to prevent the offensive event ultimately leads to a violation of the speaker's expectations This highlights how actions and inactions can result in unmet expectations and potential disruptions.
- The speaker sees an action as having unfavorable consequences for himéher-self
Lhe action is therefore the offensive act
- The speaker holds the hearer responsible for the action
- The speaker chooses lo express his/her dissatisfaction and frustration verbally Some researchers stated that the speech act of complaint is facethreatening to the student
When the teacher makes dirce cl complaints, he/she is more likely Lo Unreal the students face 1.3.3.3 The speech act of criticizing
Criticizing, like complaining and suggesting, has a high potential to threaten face According to Thuy Minh Nguyen in "Fearing to Give and Respond to Peer Feedback in the L2: The Case of EFL Criticisms and Responses to Criticisms" (2007), criticism consists of different acts, each with varying illocutionary force, and none serve as the primary act She argued that neither Austin's nor Searle's taxonomies effectively apply to this speech act Instead, criticism is better understood as a set of speech acts composed of multiple components, reflecting its complex nature and face-threatening potential.
Tracy, et all (1987) explored the characteristics of good and bad criticism and found out five characteristics to distinguish between good and bed criticisms
* A good criticism needs to display a positive language and manner
* The chunges suggested in a good criticism must be specific enough and the critic must offer to help make then: possible
* The reason for criticising must be justified and made explicit
* A good criticism is compensated for by being placed in a lurger positive message
* A good criticism does not violate the relationship between interlocutors
In short, researchers have reached an agreement that criticisms should be simple, specific and well-grounded in the lesson ‘hey should be for the purposes of student’ improvement and need lo be sofisned The soflening strategies include “measwing words” ta avơid being too negative, “sofi-pedaling” to lessen the harstmess of criticism, “ using affirmative language to depersonalize the criticism and “ using negotiating language” Lo avoid imposing on the addressee.
This study is conducted at the English Division within the Foreign Languages Department of Phuong Dong University, a multidisciplinary institution that enrolls approximately 1,800 students annually across various fields such as construction, accounting, banking, and foreign language studies Each year, about 200 to 250 freshmen choose to major in foreign languages, with the English Division regarded as the largest section in the department, currently hosting roughly 140 students divided into equally sized classes.
At Phuong Dong University, English is offered through two distinct syllabuses: major and non-major The non-major syllabus caters to students from other departments, such as Banking or Accounting, as well as students from different divisions within the Foreign Language Department, including Chinese and Japanese Conversely, the major syllabus is designed specifically for students who choose to specialize in Linglish, providing them with a specialized learning environment featuring two distinct levels to enhance their language proficiency.
In Phuong Dong, known as GE, English education focuses on developing four core skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing The initial two-year stage introduces students to general language concepts, with no major difficulties as most are already familiar with high school subjects Upon completing this phase, students reach an intermediate level The second stage presents greater challenges, requiring students to master complex subjects such as translation, interpretation, phonetics, grammar, country studies, and English literature A key obstacle during this period is managing the increased difficulty of subjects while studying several topics simultaneously.
The English proficiency levels of Phuong Dong University’s English majors vary significantly and generally do not match the standards of students from other public foreign language universities This disparity can be primarily attributed to low academic performance in entrance examinations, which impacts students’ language competence from the outset Addressing these challenges is essential for improving language skills and ensuring competitiveness among graduates.
2.2.2 The English literature course in Phuong Dong University
English Literature has been part of Phuong Dong University's curriculum for eight years and remains a crucial component of the four-year training program Initially introduced for third-year students, the subject was later moved to the seventh semester to better benefit students' learning The course comprises 45 class periods, evenly divided into 15 weekly meetings over a 15-week semester Each week begins with student oral presentations, followed by teacher feedback and lesson explanations, with the first week dedicated to orientation and the history of English Literature The final week is typically reserved for revision, and students are required to complete a writing test immediately after the semester The syllabus emphasizes comprehensive engagement with English Literature to enhance students’ linguistic and analytical skills.
4 The nightingale and the rose
5 The picture of Dorian Gray
7 The moon and sixpence § John Gaisworthy
To understand the course in greater detail, it is essential to examine key elements such as the course objectives, students' oral participation, teaching methods, presentation requirements, and assessment strategies These components collectively define the structure and effectiveness of the course, providing a comprehensive overview for potential students and educators alike.
The primary material used to teach English Literature to final-year students at Phuong Dong University is the book "English Literature (2001)," published by Vietnam National University Press This textbook was compiled by experienced teachers from Vietnam National University, ensuring it aligns with the academic standards and curriculum requirements The book serves as a comprehensive resource for students studying English Literature, providing essential literary analysis and historical context Utilizing this authoritative textbook helps enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of English literary works, making it a key reference in the university’s English Literature program.
Hanoi-Colloge of Foreign Languages, with years of experience in teaching English Literature, has developed this book using authentic resources and relevant materials The book introduces five major authors—Oscar Wilde, William Somerset Maugham, John Galsworthy, William Wordsworth, and George Bernard Shaw—along with their most notable works such as Wilde's "The Nightingale and the Rose" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray," Maugham's "The Moon and Sixpence," Galsworthy's "The Man of Property," Wordsworth's "Daffodils," and Shaw's "Widower’s House." Students are encouraged to study not only these works but also learn about the authors' lives, distinctive features, techniques, and writing styles An essential part of the curriculum involves reading, understanding, analyzing these works, and writing essays based on their insights, with guidance and support from teachers.