Luận văn exploiting model essays in teaching ielts writing to students in foundation studies department hanoi university

The researcher expects the study can provide guidelines for Vietnamese teachers to fully employ mort essays as substartiat assistance for teaching TELTS writing In Foundation Studies Dep

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VIETNAM NATIONAI UNIVERSITY, ITANOT TINIVERSTTY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

POST GRADUATE DEPARTMENT

TRAN THI THU HUONG

EXPLOITING MODEL ESSAYS IN TEACHING IELTS WRITING

TO STUDENTS IN FOUNDATION STUDIES DEPARTMENT,

HANOI UNIVERSITY

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS (IEFL)

Hanoi, May 2010

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

LL Statement of the problem and the rationale of the study secesseseesese need

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3.3 Data collection procedure

3.5 Data analysis procedure

CHAPTER 14: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CHAPTER 5: PEDAGOGICAI IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Wher lo exploit model essays

5.2 Whal elements to exploit from model

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argument from a certain standpoint, suggest the solution and justify their opinion by drawing on their own knowledge and cxpericnee The candidate must write al least 250 words, (UCLES, 2007, p.3)

2.1.2.2 Assessment Criteria

Fach task is marked separately and the Lolal scare is reported on a seale of 1 to 9 al intervals of 0.5 Although the total band for the writing section is calculated by marking results for both, the weight of Task 2 is more than Task 1 The official assessment criteria for Task 1 and Task 2 arc as follows:

{1) Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2): This examines how much candidates fulfill task requirements using the limited number of words, Task achievement refers to how visual data is described whereas task response is whether candidates construct

an argument tesponding lo the taller given in Ihe lask and whether the argument is supported by their knowledge, personal experiences, solid evidence, and concrete examples

(2) Coherence and Cohesion: these two criteria relates to the clarity and fluency of the passage Specifically, coherence means how cach sentence and paragraph arc logically linked and cohesion concems the proper use for cohesive device (e.g., conjunction, pronoun, repetition of synonym) to achieve the referential relationships between sentences and paragraphs

(3) Lexical Resource: This refers to the range of vocabulary [he candidals uses and

how appropriate the use of vocabulary is

(4) Granmatical Range and Accuracy: This critcrion examines how varicdly and accurately the candidate uses grammatical resources at sentence-level

As defined by Abe Mukoto (2008, p.15), a mudcl essay “tends to refer to a model

Jext written by a native or a writer of native-like proficiency” while a sample essay usually

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researcher hopes to fill this gap to certain extent by digging deeper into the exploitation of this powerful [caching loot Secondly, referring lo Vicamese pedagogical context, teaching IELTS writing is proven to be challenging due to its nature as well as the high pressure of achieving the target band score Such a fact highly demonstrated the need for researching ways, siralegies or tools (Irat help promote effective leaching Among those teaching tools, model essays are selected to be the subject matter of investigation The researcher expects the study can provide guidelines for Vietnamese teachers to fully employ mort essays as substartiat assistance for teaching TELTS writing

In Foundation Studies Department of Hanoi University, where IELTS has been taught as one subject to prepare students for the final conditional test, writing section has kept a part of every lesson Nevertheless, duc to a number of rcasons, teaching writing component still appears hard for teachers owing to their ineffective application of strategic tools In this context, the researcher feels an urge to carry out a study on employing model

essays

is one efficient Leaching tool to guide students for the IET.TS writing snb-lesl al the end of term

1.2 Aims of the study

At the outset, this study is an attempt to shed more light on what aspects teachers

explore ftom the model essays to teach JELI'S writing in the target educational setting Moreover, this study also aitns al invesligaling some difficultios for teachers when employing model essays as a teaching tool Finally, through discovering those problems, the paper could also serve as a detailed proposal to efficiently exploit model essays in

facilitating students to perform better in ILLT'S writing test

In order to achieve the abovementioned aims, the study will be conducted to answer

three rescarch questions:

1 What aspects of modct essays do toachers oxploil to teach IELTS writing in ctass?

2 What challenges do teachers probably face when employing model essays in teaching IELTS writing?

3 What measures could be taken to help teachers overcome Lhose challenges?

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CIIAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Introduction

The first chapter states the research problem and justifies the rationale for the study Afterwards, three research questions, the aims, scope as well as the methods of the study are prosented, The chapler ends with an overview of laler chapters, which acls ax a clear outline for the whole paper

1.1 Statement of the problem and the rationale for the study

Over the decades, there have been a growing number of English learners wishing to study at tertiary level in English speaking countries As a result, many non-native students

are rained Lo go through English language tes

Testing Systems (IELTS), which is widely recognized as a language requirement for entering universities mainly in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand

such as the International English Language

In the standardized IKLT'S test, academic essay writing is one of the important skills which infernalional shudlonls nmst acquire both far their prospective siulios in English mediated courses and for obtaining the required score in the writing section However, due

to the complexities of learning to write well ina second language, there has been vigorous dehulc on more effective teaching methods and [ecdback among many IELTS writing teachers In recent yours, several studics on strategic tools for (caching IELTS wriling have been conducted Emerged fiom Rick VanDeWeghe’s theory about teaching;

“whatever we want our students to do well, we first have to show them how” (2006), the use of model essays as onc type of strategic tool, unquestioningly plays a crucial role in assisting teachers to better facilitate students in their writing skills Being intrigued to further explore how leachers apply this e{Gieient tool, the researcher makes invesligalion in

the context of Vietnam for two main reasons

Initially, in Vietnam recently, teaching LEL''S is getting more and more popular in

a larger proportion of educational settings to meet the learners” demand ITowever, research

on methods or tools for teaching IELTS in general and IELTS writing in particular has just kept a modest number As far as the researcher could find, there has been no research delving inlo the exploitation of model essays in Leaching IRITS writing Therefore, the

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List of tables and figures

Table 1: Summary of IELTS writing teachers

‘Table 2: Challenges in using model essays of IELI'S Writing ‘Task 1

Table 3: Challenges in using model essays of IELTS Writing Task 2

Figure 1: Aspects of model essays most exploited by teachers in LELTS Writing ‘ask 1

Figure 2; Aspects of model essays most exploited by teachers in IELTS Writing Task 2

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the mutter Regarding two lesson observations, detailed descriptions were provided first,

followed by in-depth anal

1.6 An overview of the resi nf the paper

The rest of ths paper includes five chaptars as follows

Chapter 2 provides the background of the study, including a review on key concepts relating to the research topic, This chapter also briefly discusses the literature in the field to reveal the research gap that needs to be filled

Chapter 3 presents the research methods adopted in the study Justifications of the chosen research instruments as well as their implementation are also provided

Chapter 4 reveals the results of the research and gives critical interpretations and analyses of thase 1 sulls, Subsoqnenlly, the discussion refers hack to the literature in the

research areas to show both the similarities and differences in the findings

Chapter 5 gives recommendations for employing model essays efléctively to teach IELTS Writing at the target department ttom pedagogical perspectives

Chapter 6 summarizes the major findings of the study, and then indicates some contribulions as well as limitations of the study In addition, suggestions for farther siudy are put forward, Following this chapter are Appendices and References

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Introduction

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Introduction

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Introduction

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1.3 Significance of the study

‘As the present study investigated the use of model essays to teach IELTS writing in Foundation Sludies Deparlmenl, ils benefits to the largel population, which are the teachers

of Foundation Studies Department are substantial Specifically, the study serves as: firstly,

an overall review of what aspects of model essays have been employed in teaching IEL1'S writing; secondly, a critical analysis of chaltonges of applying Uh

tialegie Lools; and

lastly, a concrete proposal to exploit them effectively in teaching IELTS wuting in the investigated department Apart fom that, teachers who have been teaching IELTS writing

in ofr educational settings throughout the country can also bensfit renendously ñom

this paper

1.4 Scope of the study

The study focused on exploiting model essays to teach writing in IELTS format in particular, not writing skill in gencral Apart from that, duc to the small scalc of the study, only Foundation Studies Department, Hanoi University was chosen as the research setting,

‘The samples of the study, as a result, were restricted to eight teachers, ‘This number of participants is sulliciont to provide vatid and roliabls information, the contributions of which are vital to the success of'the study Students were not involved because the research exclusively delved into how exploitation of model essays assisted the teaching of IELTS, not the learning pro

1.3 Methods of the study

In order to achieve the aforementioned aims, the study applied such methods as

follows

As for data collection methods, interviews and observations were delivered to

collect dala Semi-structured mtervic

were condacicd among cighl teachers fom different eight classes in Foundation Studies Department, For lesson observations, two were dane and chosen as representative samples to be analyzed in order to validate the data

collected from the first instrument,

As for data analysis methods, the researcher recorded all eighl interviews and they were then transcribed, analyzed and synthesized so as to provide a deeper insight inte

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CIIAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

ILLYS is a set of examinations managed by the Lritish Council, the University of

Cambridge ESOT Examinations, and TDP TELTS Australia IALTS has become inercasingly

recognized as a “secure, valid and reliable indicater of true to life ability to communicate

in English for education, inmigration and professional accreditation” (CLES, 2007,

p.3) It has been adopted by many English-medium universities all over the world, mainly

in the United Kingdom and Australia

There are two modules in IELTS, namely acadenue and general The former is for

candidates expecting to study at tertiary level, while the latter is mainly for immigration

purposes

The test is divided into four sections: speaking, listening, reading, and writing

Speaking and listening scctions in both general and academic module are the same while

reading and writing tasks are completely different ‘his study particularly works on the

acaderni¢ module, which serves sluily purposes

2.1.2 IELTS writing test

2.1.2.1 Test format

‘The IKLTS writing test (academic module) embraces two distinct tasks In ‘l'ask 1,

sxamminees arc required lo write a short description of information presented ir the visual data such as charts, tables and diagram The minimum length of their essay is 150 words,

In ‘Task 2, candidates are expected to write an argumentative essay in response to

controversial issue or emerging problem, They have to show an ability to demonstrate an

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purposes

2.1.2.1 Test format

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tialegie Lools; and

this paper

follows

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purposes

2.1.2.1 Test format

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Introduction

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tialegie Lools; and

this paper

follows

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essays

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Introduction

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tialegie Lools; and

this paper

follows

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tialegie Lools; and

this paper

follows

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essays

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essays

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purposes

2.1.2.1 Test format

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purposes

2.1.2.1 Test format

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Tiêu đề	Exploiting Model Essays in Teaching IELTS Writing to Students in Foundation Studies Department Hanoi University
Tác giả	Tran Thi Thu Huong
Trường học	Hanoi University
Chuyên ngành	English Language Teaching
Thể loại	Thesis
Năm xuất bản	2010
Thành phố	Hanoi

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Số trang	75
Dung lượng	186,36 KB