Skkn cấp tỉnh some measures to help the 12th graders at hoang hoa 4 high school tackle the new reading question types in the gcse exam

Check the meaning, grammar and tone of the best option Example 2: Read the following passage and circle the letter A, B, C, or D toindicate the correct answer to each of the question.. C

Trang 1

THANH HOA EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT

HOANG HOA 4 HIGH SCHOOL

EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

HOANG HOA 4 HIGH SCHOOL TACKLE THE NEW READING QUESTION TYPES IN THE GCSE EXAM

The author: Nguyễn Thị Thoa

Job position: Teacher Experience initiative about: English

THANH HOÁ, YEAR 2025

Trang 2

TABLE OF CONTENT

1 INTRODUCTION……… 1

1.1.Reasons of selecting the topic ……… 1

1.2 Objectives of the study ……… 1

1.3 Subjects ……… 1

1.4 Methodology……… 1

2 CONTENTS ……… 2

2.1 Rationale……… 2

2.2 Reality before applying the experience initiative……… 2

2.3 Implementation solutions to tackle the above factual situations………… 3

2.3.1 Understanding question types……… 3

2.3.1.1 Text completion……… 3

2.3.1.2 Paraphrasing the sentences……… 6

2.3.1.3 Summarizing the paragraph and summarizing the whole passage… 7

2.3.1.4 Identifying the location of information……… 9

2.3.1.5 Sequencing……… 12

2.3.1.6 Sentence insertion……… 14

2.3.2 The adaptation of the textbook……… 15

2.4 Result of the research……… 21

3 CONCLUSION ……… 22

3.1 Conclusion……… 22

3.2 Proposal……… 22 REFERENCE

APPENDIX

Trang 3

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Reason for selecting the topic

English is widely regarded as the global language of communication,education, science, and technology In today’s interconnected world, the ability touse English effectively is not just an advantage - it is a necessity English enablesindividuals to access vast sources of information, engage in internationaldialogue, and participate in global academic and professional environments.Therefore, fostering strong English language skills from an early age is essential

to help learners become confident, capable, and competitive in the modern world.For students, learning English is crucial for success in exams, highereducation, and future careers Mastering the four core skills - listening, speaking,reading, and writing - is essential for effective English communication Each skillcomplements the others and plays a vital role in helping learners use the languagefluently and confidently in real-life situations Among these, reading plays aparticularly vital role for high school students, especially for those preparing forthe national graduation exam, as it accounts for a large portion of the test and isdirectly linked to vocabulary acquisition, grammar understanding, and criticalthinking

The High School graduation exam has introduced new question types such asparaphrasing, sequencing, text completion, and sentence insertion, shifting thefocus away from isolated grammar questions This change requires students notonly to read faster but also to apply various reading sub-skills, which are oftenoverlooked in traditional classrooms

From classroom observation, I realized that many students at Hoang Hoa 4High School struggled with these new demands due to limited vocabulary, poortime management, and lack of strategies Therefore, I decided to conduct this

initiative entitled: “Some measures to help the 12 th graders at Hoang Hoa 4 High School tackle the new reading question types in the GCSE Exam” in order

to help students adapt and perform more effectively

1.2 Objectives

With the above reasons, I myself would like to offer some suggestions onguiding students how to use some reading sub-skills in the most effective way toenhance their reading competence

1.3 Subjects

The study was designed to investigate the sub-skills to improve students’reading competence The finding obtained from this study was to help improveteaching and learning reading in general and learning and teaching reading at HoangHoa 4 High School in particular

1.4 Methodology

I wrote this topic based on:

• Observation method and interview

• Methods of analysis, evaluation, synthesis, comparison and summary of theresult, effect of the topic

• Method of collecting students’ opinions, colleagues,

• Applying the topic to real teaching English at Hoang Hoa 4 High School

Trang 4

B This small habit can reduce your carbon footprint.

C Wasting energy harms both your wallet and the planet.

D Unplugging chargers helps reduce energy waste effectively.

What to look for: A logical consequence or recommendation.

Option analysis:

A You should unplug chargers to save energy →too repetitive

B vague.

C slightly off-topic (wallet + planet) →too broad.

D A natural follow-up and consistent with the advice-giving style of the passage

Correct answer: Choose D

2.3.1.2 Paraphrasing the sentences

This question assesses students’ ability to paraphrase sentences withoutchanging their meaning It requires a solid understanding of grammar structuresand vocabulary

Steps for paraphrasing:

1 Read and understand the original sentence

2 Identify the key vocabulary and grammatical structure

3 Examine and compare all four options (A–D)

4 Eliminate incorrect or extreme choices

5 Select the option with the closest equivalent meaning

6 Check the meaning, grammar and tone of the best option

Example 2: Read the following passage and circle the letter A, B, C, or D

toindicate the correct answer to each of the question.

“Does that mean I have to go to classes again?” The answer is “yes” and

“no” Yes, because when you start working, you may decide to go to night school

or enrol on a distance learning course to learn a skill or get a degree The answer is

also No, because lifelong learning happens all the time As long as you are motivated, you can learn new knowledge and develop new skills anywhere

Uncle Ho is a great role model for lifelong learning He never stopped learningthroughout his life despite all the hardships and challenges He learnt to speakdifferent languages, including English, French, Russian, Italian, German, andChinese mainly by himself He even wrote poems in Chinese when he wasimprisoned in China to keep his mind sharp He took regular physical exercise, didtraditional martial arts, and enjoyed activities such as swimming and mountainclimbing throughout his life We can all learn from Uncle Ho's lifelong efforts toimprove himself

(Adapted from Unit 10-Tieng Anh 12 Global Success)

Question 1: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4? “As long as you are motivated, you can learn new knowledge and develop new skills anywhere.”

A Learning new skills needs your physical presence at the school.

B Motivation is not important for gaining new knowledge or skills.

C You can only acquire knowledge in a formal classroom setting.

D Staying motivated helps you learn and grow in any location.

Ask students to:

Trang 5

D buying efficient appliances - unrelated to bulbs.

Correct answer: Choose B

Question 2:

A You should check its energy star rating because it helps you save energy.

B This information tells you how efficient the appliance is.

C Energy efficiency ratings are important to consider.

D Comparing star ratings helps you make smarter choices.

What to look for: A supporting explanation for why the rating matters.

Option analysis:

A repeats what is already said.

B This information tells how efficient the appliance is →explains the purpose of

the rating.

C too general.

D smart advice but doesn’t clearly explain what the rating is.

Question 3:

A unplugging them is even more effective at saving energy

B leaving devices plugged in is completely harmless

C using less energy can help save water as well

D smart devices don’t need to be unplugged

What to look for: a fact or action that’s not commonly known but has a significant

energy-saving effect

Option analysis:

A unplugging them is even more effective at saving energy →fits well; the next

sentence gives a statistic to support it.

B says it’s harmless →illogical.

C water-saving →unrelated.

D smart devices →off-topic.

Correct answer: Choose A

Question 4:

A This wastes electricity unnecessarily.

B It causes a small but constant power drain.

C As a result, your energy bill increases.

D This is one of the biggest causes of energy waste.

What to look for: a short conclusion or summary sentence that clearly explains the

negative consequence of leaving a fully charged phone connected

Option analysis:

A Simple, factual, and directly explains the problem introduced in the previous

sentence → fits well

B It causes a small but constant power drain →too technical

C refers to bill increase but feels disconnected.

D exaggerated tone - not best fit.

Question 5:

A You should unplug chargers to save energy.

Trang 6

1 read and understand the original sentence

Core meaning: If you stay motivated, you are capable of learning andimproving your skills in any place - not just in a classroom

2 Identify key vocabulary and grammatical structure

Condition: “As long as you are motivated” (This introduces a condition motivation is the requirement)

Result: “you can learn anywhere” (Result clause learning is possible inany setting)

3 Examine and compare all four options carefully

- Do not choose the first familiar-sounding option

- Compare all four answers to check:

+ Does it preserve the original meaning?

+ Is it grammatically correct?

+ Does it avoid changing the tone or intent?

A implies learning requires being physically at school → opposite meaning

B says motivation is not important →contradicts the original

C says learning only happens in classrooms → incorrect

D conveys the same idea: motivation helps learning happen anywhere.

6 Check the the meaning, grammar and tone of the best option

D: Correct meaning; clear, natural grammar; positive tone matches the

original

Correct Answer: Choose A

2.3.1.3 Summarizing the paragraph and summarizing the whole passage

These two new question types aim to assess students’ reading comprehension

at a higher cognitive level - specifically, the ability to extract main ideas andunderstand the general message of either a single paragraph or an entire passage

Question types Identifying the question Finding the answer

Summarizing

the paragraph

Aims: To assess students' ability

to identify and restate the main idea of a specific paragraph in a concise and accurate way.

Aims: To test students’ ability to

grasp the overall message of the entire text, integrating

information across multiple paragraphs.

Trang 7

followed by four options (A-D) Students have to choose the option that best fitsthe blank based on grammar, vocabulary, logic, and overall coherence.

Steps for text completion:

1 Skim the entire passage first

2 Focus on the context around each blank

3 Analyze the given options (A-D)

4 Use cohesion and coherence clues

5 Eliminate wrong answers

Example 1: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on

your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.

It’s easy to adopt eco-friendly habits, and you can always start at home Hereare three tips to help you

There are so many electrical appliances around us, so if we could save even

a little amount of energy from each appliance, it would add up to a lot For

example, (1) _

There are likely to be tens of light bulbs in your house, so if you can replacethem with LED ones, you would save a lot of electricity Before you buy a new

appliance, you should also check its energy star rating (2) The more stars

there are, the more energy you can save!

To reduce your carbon footprint, you should also turn off the lights when youleave a room In addition, keep your windows or curtains open during the day tolet natural sunlight in, or place more mirrors near a lamp to maximize lighting inthe house This can also help to reduce both energy consumption and your energybills

While many people already know that turning off appliances when they

finish using them can save energy, they may not know that (3) It is

estimated that we could save up to 10% of our electricity bills every month simply

by unplugging appliances when they're not in use This is especially true for

chargers Many people tend to leave their fully charged phones connected (4) Leaving an empty charger plugged in has a similar effect, so (5) .

(Adapted from Reading-Unit 3-Tiếng Anh 12 Global success- Work Book )

Question 1:

A unplugging devices when they are not in use helps save energy

B replacing your regular light bulbs with LED ones is a great start

C reducing electricity usage helps save the planet

D buying more energy-efficient appliances is an expensive habit

What to look for: “For example” means the next sentence must give a specific

illustration; the next sentence talks about light bulbs, so we need a sentence aboutreplacing them

Option analysis:

A unplugging devices →unrelated to light bulbs.

B replacing your regular light bulbs with LED ones is a great start →directly

matches and leads smoothly into the next sentence.

C reducing electricity usage - too general.

Trang 8

summarizes the passage?”

or “What is the main point of the passage?”

4 Choose the most comprehensive and accurate summary

Example 3: Read the following passage and circle the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

THE FATHER OF MICKEY MOUSE

Walt Disney was one of the most admired people in the film industry Many

of the films created by his company are very popular with both children andadults

However, success did not come early for Disney When he set up his ownfilm company, it was not very profitable So Disney chose to move to Hollywood

to start a new career

There, he developed a character based on a pet mouse he once had, under thename of Mickey Mouse He even gave the mouse his own voice Soon, MickeyMouse became the world’s most popular cartoon character Disney was verypopular worldwide But Disney did not stop there He went on to produce his first

feature-length animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The film became

a huge success, earning more than 400 million dollars since its release and eightOscars, the top award in the film industry Throughout his career, Disney won orreceived 26 Oscars – a record in history

Besides making films, Disney was also the creator of the first Disneylandtheme park which opened in 1955 Nowadays, there are 12 Disney parks aroundthe world where people can meet Disney cartoon characters and see live shows oftheir magical stories

After his death, The Walt Disney Studios continued to make high-quality

live-action and animated films, such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King His films continue to inspire both adults and children to follow

their dreams

(Adapted from Tiếng Anh 12- Global Success)

Question 1: Which of the following best summarises paragraph 5?

A Disney created theme parks to showcase animated films.

B Disneyland became an international chain of parks.

C Disney’s creativity extended beyond films to theme parks, beginning with Disneyland.

D Disneyland was the only successful project outside of Disney’s films.

Ask students to:

1 Read the paragraph 5 carefully

2 Identify the central idea and purpose

- The paragraph transitions from film to theme park creation

- It begins with “Besides making films” → showing a new area ofachievement

- It mentions the first Disneyland and the fact that it became global (12 parksworldwide)

3 Eliminate overly specific or unrelated choices

A Too narrow

Trang 9

Question 2:

Option analysis:

the rating.

C too general.

Question 3:

Option analysis:

Question 4:

Option analysis:

Question 5:

Trang 10

their dreams

Ask students to:

A Too narrow

Trang 11

Option analysis:

B vague.

Ask students to:

Trang 12

original

Summarizing

the paragraph

Trang 13

Question 2:

Option analysis:

the rating.

C too general.

Question 3:

Option analysis:

Question 4:

Option analysis:

Question 5:

Trang 14

2 CONTENTS

2.1 Rationale

Recently, the English graduation exam has undergone significant changes,with an increased emphasis on reading comprehension This shift has createdconsiderable challenges for many 12th graders at Hoang Hoa 4 High School, whooften struggled with limited vocabulary, slow reading speed, and underdevelopedreading strategies These issues not only affect their exam performance but alsodiminish their confidence in using English effectively

According to Grabe and Stoller (2011), reading comprehension is a complexcognitive process that involves decoding, vocabulary knowledge, syntacticprocessing, and discourse comprehension Therefore, without sufficient practiceand strategy training, students are unlikely to develop the automaticity andfluency required for successful reading comprehension Anderson (2008) alsoemphasized that effective reading instruction must focus not only on reading textsbut also on explicitly teaching sub-skills such as scanning, skimming, andsummarizing, which enable learners to engage actively with the text

From my classroom observations, many students continued to facedifficulties with the new exam format They lacked familiarity with task types, hadpoor time management, and often felt anxious when encountering exam-stylequestions These observations are consistent with the findings of Richards andSchmidt (2002), who noted that test-related anxiety and unfamiliar formats cansignificantly hinder learners’ performance unless they are adequately trained intask-specific strategies Therefore, there is an urgent need to train studentsappropriate and effective methods to overcome these obstacles

Recognizing this need, I chose to conduct this initiative to provide practical,time-efficient solutions aligned with the current exam requirements Byimplementing targeted strategies and modern teaching techniques, I hoped toimprove students’ reading proficiency, promote independent learning, andultimately enhance their academic performance and future opportunities

2.2 Reality before applying the experience initiative

During the learning process, students at Hoang Hoa 4 High Schoolencountered multiple difficulties in developing their reading comprehensionskills Firstly, many had a limited vocabulary, especially with academic oridiomatic expressions, which hindered their understanding of texts Secondly,their ability to infer meaning from context and interpret implicit informationremained weak, often leading to incorrect answers Additionally, most studentslacked effective reading strategies such as skimming and scanning, resulting inpoor time management and unfinished reading sections during exams Feelings ofanxiety and low confidence when facing with long or complex passages furthercontributed to their poor performance

To better understand the situation, I conducted a survey at the first semester

of the 2024-2025 school year with 30 students in class 12A5 and 32 students inclass 12A6 The results are summarized below:

1 I do not like doing reading tasks 86.7 %

Trang 15

Option analysis:

B vague.

Ask students to:

Trang 16

Option analysis:

B vague.

Ask students to:

Trang 17

original

Summarizing

the paragraph

Trang 18

2 CONTENTS

2.1 Rationale

Trang 19

their dreams

Ask students to:

A Too narrow

Trang 20

Option analysis:

B vague.

Ask students to:

Trang 21

original

Summarizing

the paragraph

Trang 22

example, (1) _

Question 1:

Option analysis:

Trang 23

2 CONTENTS

2.1 Rationale

Trang 24

example, (1) _

Question 1:

Option analysis:

Trang 25

their dreams

Ask students to:

A Too narrow

Trang 26

2 CONTENTS

2.1 Rationale

Trang 27

Question 2:

Option analysis:

the rating.

C too general.

Question 3:

Option analysis:

Question 4:

Option analysis:

Question 5:

Trang 28

2 I spend time doing reading exercises every day 11.3 %

3 I understand the reading passage 16.1 %

4 I spend time reading and translating the passage into

Vietnamese

72.6 %

5 There are too many new and unfamiliar words in the passage 88.7 %

6 The passage is too long in comparison with the time allotted 83.9 %

7 I don’t know how to answer each kind of questions 64.5 %

8 I read the passage word by word to understand the reading text 77.4 %

9 I use some reading sub-skills while doing tasks 27.4 %

10 I try my best to identify each question type 12.9 %

11 It takes a lot of time to tackle new reading question types 80.6 %

13 When I have difficulty in reading, I give up and stop 85.5 %

From the above table, we see that the majority of the students did not have

good reading skills The number of students showing positive attitude toward

reading was very low Most of them felt anxious, overwhelmed when facingreading comprehension exercises containing many of the new words, and toolong The students often focused on the translation of readings without focusing

on understanding the main content of the passage, identifying each type ofquestions and the best ways to cope with them They had no skill to scan, skim thephrases, sentences, clauses in the passage This left them insufficient time toanswer the questions correctly, resulting in getting bad marks when doing readingtasks This posed a particular challenge for students preparing for the GeneralCertificate of Secondary Education Examination

Another notable reality is that the structure of this year graduation exam hasrecently been revised, introducing several new types of exercises such assequencing, text completion, paraphrasing within a passage, summarizing themain idea of a paragraph, and summarizing the overall content of a text.Moreover, students have had limited time to practice these new task types, whichcreated a pressing need to identify effective strategies to help them tackle theseexercises well

From the current situation, the author found it necessary to provide studentswith some reading techniques to help them improve their reading skillseffectively

2.3 Implementation solutions to tackle the above factual situations.

The first task of my study was to make all students understand some questiontypes, some reading techniques and know how to apply these techniques toimprove their reading skills Then, I adapted the reading passage in the textbook

so that students had more chances to practice as well as gave them extra-exercises

to apply these sub-skills

2.3.1 Understanding the question types.

2.3.1.1 Text completion

In text completion task, there is a short passage with 5 blanks Each blank is

Trang 29

Option analysis:

B vague.

Ask students to:

Trang 30

their dreams

Ask students to:

A Too narrow

Trang 31

Option analysis:

B vague.

Ask students to:

Trang 32

Question 2:

Option analysis:

the rating.

C too general.

Question 3:

Option analysis:

Question 4:

Option analysis:

Question 5:

Trang 33

2 CONTENTS

2.1 Rationale

Trang 34

Question 2:

Option analysis:

the rating.

C too general.

Question 3:

Option analysis:

Question 4:

Option analysis:

Question 5:

Trang 35