Background of the study
In today's rapidly advancing technological landscape, education remains a top priority for nations worldwide, with significant changes implemented over the past decades to foster the development of new generations In Vietnam, the government places particular emphasis on enhancing university education, recognizing scientific research as a vital component of this transformation The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) is set to launch its School of Foreign Languages for Economics, offering bachelor's degrees in English linguistics starting in 2016, with dedicated faculty members preparing diligently for the incoming students.
Reading, particularly in English, is a crucial skill for students involved in scientific research activities According to Anderson in "Practical English Language Teaching," reading is vital for English language learners, as it significantly contributes to their success not only in mastering English but also in any subject that requires English reading Furthermore, Anderson emphasizes that enhanced reading skills lead to greater progress and development across all areas of learning.
In 2003, Anderson highlighted the crucial role of reading comprehension skills in both the learning process of students and their future careers.
Students often overlook the importance of reading comprehension in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), both in and out of the classroom For many students, reading comprehension is not prioritized and is merely viewed as a mandatory task within their reading classes Consequently, this lack of emphasis can hinder their overall learning experience and mastery of the subject.
Negative attitudes towards reading comprehension can lead to fear of reading and undervaluation of its importance, ultimately resulting in poor performance in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) reading comprehension.
In 1992, McKeown, Beck, Sinatra, and Loxterman highlighted the shift from traditional to contemporary reading learning, underscoring the need for enhanced reading instruction in classrooms Previously, readers passively extracted information, whereas today, they engage actively, synthesizing insights from multiple texts (Ilustre, 2011, p.28) This evolution in English teaching reflects the necessity of viewing students as dynamic readers who adapt flexibly to various texts, whether assigned or self-chosen By encouraging students to express their perspectives and select their reading materials, this analysis reinforces the significance of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) reading comprehension, aligning with the thesis's goal of improving students' ESP reading skills.
Poor performance in reading activities, both in-class and out-of-class, can stem from a disconnect between students' (SS) and teachers' (Ts) perspectives on teaching and assessing English for Specific Purposes (ESP) reading comprehension According to Richards and Lockhart (1994), differences in beliefs between teachers and students can create a mismatch in their understanding of what is important to focus on in the language classroom (Pupo, 1996, p.53) This mismatch may contribute to two observable tendencies among students.
“under-evaluate” the Reading assignments in class (Pupo, 1996, p.19) which means ESP reading Instruction and the poor performance in Reading comprehension as Horwitz (1987) and Schommer (1990) suggested that students learning achievement
The mismatch between teachers' and students' beliefs regarding reading comprehension in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) can negatively impact performance in both instruction and assessment To address this issue, the author will conduct research titled “Teachers’ and Students’ Beliefs about Assessment and Instruction in ESP Reading.”
Aims of the study
The insights presented above enhance the author's confidence in exploring the beliefs of teachers and students regarding ESP reading assessment and instruction, ultimately aiming to improve ESP reading teaching and learning in UEH classrooms.
Research has explored students' perceptions of reading comprehension assessment and instruction, alongside teachers' classroom practices This investigation serves as a crucial resource for identifying effective strategies to enhance reading comprehension teaching and learning activities, which are essential for achieving the long-term goals of UEH.
Research questions
To investigate the beliefs of teachers (Ts) and students (SS) regarding English for Specific Purposes (ESP) reading assessment and instruction at the University of Economics and Humanities (UEH), two research questions have been developed.
1 What are teachers’ and students’ beliefs about (a) Reading Assessment and perceptions related to (b) Reading Instruction practices? Are there differences between their beliefs about Reading Assessment and perceptions related to Reading Instruction practices?
2 What are perceptions of factors that influence their beliefs about Reading Assessment and perception related to Reading Instruction practices?
Significance of the study
There are some evidences for the important contribution of Reading comprehension as well as Business Reading comprehension to the English learning
15 and teaching processes at UEH These evidences have been discussed in part 1 – the background of the study
This study aims to establish foundational knowledge about the reading process, serving as a reference for both students and teachers' belief systems It offers implications for teaching and learning Business English in classroom settings, which are designed to enhance teachers' reading assessment and instruction practices Ultimately, the findings are expected to improve students' reading performance and provide valuable data for future research.
Organization of the study
The study comprises five chapters, with Chapter 1 providing essential background information, including the study's aims, research questions, significance, and organization This chapter serves to give readers a comprehensive overview of what to expect in the subsequent sections of the study.
Chapter 2 is the “Literature review”, this chapter aims at presenting an overview of the related background knowledge as well as the discussion of previous studies The chapter shows the ability of the thesis author in studying connected knowledge and this is a chance for the thesis author to present the research gaps in order to persuade the readers for her research choice
Chapter 3 is the “Methodology” part In this part, the research methods procedures will be described The readers will have a deep understanding of the way the thesis author uses the research tools to analyze the collected data The context of the study, the setting of the study as well as the general description of the participants will also be contained in this chapter
Chapter 4 is the “Results and discussions” part, this is one of the most important parts in which the thesis author tries to analyze the data collected, answer
16 the research questions and give the implications for the learning as well as teaching Reading processes
Chapter 5 serves as the conclusion, summarizing the study's findings, offering recommendations for enhancing the ESP Reading course at UEH, outlining the study's limitations, and suggesting avenues for future research.
Related research discussion
Conducting research in Reading Comprehension Assessment and Instruction presents challenges, as researchers must identify gaps in existing studies A thorough review of related literature is essential, focusing on works that address similar variables, theoretical frameworks, and empirical testing This approach ensures a solid foundation for the research, drawing on previous findings to support the chosen topic (McMillan and Schumacher, 1993).
In the 1996 article “An investigation into university student beliefs about reading in English as a foreign language,” author Pupo emphasizes the disconnect between teachers' instruction and students' learning due to a lack of understanding of students' backgrounds and experiences Pupo highlights the necessity of recognizing students' goals, needs, and beliefs to enhance educational outcomes The article suggests that when instructional practices do not align with students' expectations, their learning achievements may be hindered It underscores the importance of teachers being aware of students' perceptions and reading strategies to bridge the gap between teaching and learning The findings in this article provided valuable insights that guided the author's thesis research direction.
33 students participating in the study, this could be “a small sample” (Pupo, 1996, p.154) that other researchers need to pay attention to Next, Pupo also suggested that
“each educational environment has its own characteristics and each individual student has his own peculiarities uniquely and personally derived from his background”
According to Pupo (1996, p.154), the research topic can be explored in various educational settings, allowing the thesis author to confidently conduct the study within the UEH context Pupo also recommends that future researchers create a more targeted questionnaire, as his own work included only a limited number of reading beliefs in both L1 and L2.
In 1996, Pupo's research focused on the beliefs of secondary school students regarding various aspects of reading, including general definitions, pedagogy, strategies, and the concept of meaning in reading.
“interpretation” in Reading It did not research the students beliefs in the Reading assessment process as well as the more specific areas in Reading learning and teaching processes
The second article, titled “Teachers' Beliefs About Assessment and Instruction in Literacy,” complements the previous study and provides valuable insights to support the thesis author's research choices Conducted in 1997 by Carribeth L Bliem and Kathryn, this investigation explores the relationship between educators' beliefs and their approaches to literacy assessment and instruction.
H Davinroy This study investigated teachers current beliefs about assessment and their connection to instruction in literacy which means it focused on the Language 1 (L1) Reading activities The article is selected because it shares the same variables as what this research intends to follow, these were “teachers beliefs about assessment”,
The article explores the relationship between teachers' beliefs about instruction and the impact of these beliefs on assessment practices It highlights that previous research, such as the work of Bliem and Davinroy (1997), indicates a superficial treatment of assessment in relation to teachers' beliefs and knowledge This has resulted in a limited understanding of assessment, described as a "narrow slide of assessment." Additionally, the article references two significant studies, including one by Stiggins and Conklin, which define the purposes of the assessment process, providing valuable insights for further discussion in the thesis.
In 1993, researchers Airasian and Jones conducted a study to explore teachers' perceptions of assessment, examining what they believe constitutes effective evaluation and the purposes it serves in their educational practices.
Ts use informal techniques to size up their SS, to plan instruction, to assess the success of that instruction This study also said that because of the shortage of
The investigation into teachers' changes in assessment and instruction often overlooks their perspectives and beliefs, leading to superficial findings Additionally, this study focused solely on teachers as participants, neglecting to gather data from students to compare and identify any differences in their experiences.
In her 2011 article, "Beliefs and Instructional Practices among Secondary Teachers in Selected High- and Low-Performing High Schools," Dayle Peabody explores two key research questions: first, the instructional practices and beliefs of secondary teachers in high-performing versus low-performing schools, and second, the relationship between teachers' beliefs and their instructional practices in these differing educational environments.
The thesis aims to explore the connection between teachers' beliefs and their instructional practices in high school settings, drawing parallels to Peabody's research The author selected this article for its relevance and potential insights for her own research Notably, the article focuses on teachers from both high- and low-performing high schools, making it a valuable reference This focus highlights a gap that could guide the thesis toward investigating the beliefs of students in conjunction with those of their teachers.
The article (in 2007) of W Todd Rogers, Liying Cheng and Huiqin Hu named:
The article "Instructor Beliefs About Assessment and Evaluation" analyzes the beliefs of teachers regarding assessment and evaluation, based on data collected from questionnaires distributed to 95 teachers in Canada, 44 in Hong Kong, and 124 in Beijing (Rogers et al., 2007, p.39).
This thesis shares a similar research purpose with the article; however, the article focuses solely on teachers' beliefs among ESL/EFL teachers from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Canada This specificity highlights a research gap in the selection of research settings and participants, as it only examines teachers rather than a broader range of stakeholders.
The articles reviewed highlight significant gaps in research regarding teachers' and students' beliefs about reading comprehension assessment and instruction The author's initial study, conducted at a university, involved university students, while subsequent research by Bliem and Davinroy focused on third-grade students in elementary schools These disparities underscore the need for further investigation into the beliefs surrounding reading comprehension instruction and assessment, particularly within the context of a Vietnamese university, specifically at UEH.
This thesis explores the beliefs of teachers and students regarding Reading Assessment, aiming to identify any differences between these perspectives The author emphasizes the importance of this discussion to highlight key evidence supporting the chosen research direction Establishing a clear path before introducing relevant background knowledge is essential for guiding the reader The following section will provide foundational information about pertinent terms related to this study.
Theoretical concepts
This thesis explores two significant areas: Reading Assessment and Reading Instruction In the subsequent section of the second chapter, the author references key insights from various books, focusing primarily on Reading Instruction.
Instruction is the term which can be divided into two other smaller ones, they are the Learning Reading Comprehension and Teaching Reading Comprehension processes
The Learning Reading Comprehension consists of some different terms They are the meaning of Reading, kinds of Reading, Skills in Reading, and what makes a good reader
Understanding the term "Reading" is crucial for both writers and readers in the Learning Reading process While reading may seem like a straightforward skill in Learning and Teaching English, it involves more than just recognizing words; it requires extracting meaning from the text In "Practical English Language Teaching," Neil Anderson defines key concepts of Reading, such as silent reading and reading fluency He emphasizes that "Reading is a fluent process of readers combining information from the text and their own background knowledge to build meaning." This definition highlights the importance of reflective thinking in reading, suggesting that true comprehension involves more than passive reading; it requires active engagement with the material.
In "An Introduction to Applied Linguistics," Carrell and Grabe highlight the insights of Urquhart and Weir, defining reading as the process of receiving and interpreting information encoded in language through print media.
According to Grabe (2002), reading involves three key components: the Reader, the Text, and the Reader's prior knowledge This definition highlights the crucial role of a reader's existing knowledge in interpreting the information presented in written texts Understanding this relationship is essential for effective reading comprehension.
Goodman, as referenced in Pupo's 1996 article, offers a high-status definition of Reading that may initially appear complex due to its challenging terminology However, this definition becomes clearer as the author connects it to three key concepts: the Reader, the Text, and the Reader’s prior knowledge.
Goodman describes reading as a selective process that relies on minimal language cues based on the reader's expectations, emphasizing the significance of prior knowledge in interpreting text As readers engage with a text, they utilize available language cues and verify them against their existing knowledge This interaction is characterized as a "psycholinguistic guessing game," highlighting the interplay between thought and language Additionally, Goodman defines reading as the construction of meaning through a transaction between the reader, the text, and its author, reinforcing the collaborative nature of the reading experience (Pupo, 1996, p.41).
After defining the fundamental concept of reading, the author will explore the "Kinds of Reading." To enhance reading skills, English learners should also engage in "reading outside the class." The focus will be on two prominent types of reading: Extensive Reading and Intensive Reading, which are essential for maximizing reading effectiveness.
In classroom settings, students face mandatory reading tasks assigned by teachers, but they often struggle with understanding reading materials encountered in daily life, such as newspapers, magazines, and brochures These texts can vary in length and complexity, with some being long yet easy, while others are short but challenging Without a proper balance between Intensive Reading and Extensive Reading, students may find it difficult to grasp reading concepts both in class and in everyday situations Harmer discusses these important distinctions in the reading chapter of his book, "The Practice of English Language Teaching."
“the main goal” of the Extensive Reading activity is “reading for pleasure” (Harmer,
In his 2007 work, Harmer emphasizes the significance of fostering a joy of reading among students, as it enables them to read "with ease and confidence" (p 283) This intrinsic motivation is essential for enhancing reading performance Harmer also outlines strategies for teachers to facilitate access to extensive reading materials, highlighting that students are unlikely to engage in extensive reading independently without encouragement from their teachers Thus, the role of teachers is crucial in promoting a culture of reading (Harmer, 2007, p 283).
284) Ts need to choose the best ways in order to help their SS to do more Extensive Reading
The concept of "Reading Joy," traditionally associated with Extensive Reading, can also be applied to Intensive Reading activities While many may overlook the significance of this term, it plays a vital role in enhancing the reading experience across different reading approaches.
To foster enthusiasm for reading in the classroom, teachers must cultivate interest in the topics and tasks assigned (Harmer, 2007) Harmer highlights the essential roles of teachers as organizers, observers, feedback providers, and promoters to enhance the reading experience (Harmer, 2007) While Extensive Reading is often perceived as a leisurely activity outside the classroom, its value should not be underestimated Harmer asserts that those who engage in regular reading tend to make the most significant progress in their learning (Harmer, 2007).
2007, p.99) Getting SS to pay more attention to Extensive as well as Intensive Reading activities can give SS more chances to improve their Reading abilities
In his book, Harmer (2007) outlines essential concepts of "Skills in Reading," highlighting the importance of both general comprehension and detailed understanding (p 287) He identifies receptive skills such as reading for gist (skimming), reading for specific information (scanning), and reading for detailed comprehension or inference (p 283) These insights expand the traditional view of reading skills, emphasizing the significance of scanning and skimming Scanning allows readers to quickly identify main ideas, while skimming aids in locating evidence for deeper comprehension of the text.
In their book, Carrell and Grabe (2002) reference Carver's (1992) insights on essential reading skills, specifically highlighting scanning as a crucial reading process Carver defines scanning as the "recognition of a visual form" such as a number, word, or phrase that aligns with elements in the text (Carrell et al., 2002, p.234) While the fundamental concept of scanning remains unchanged, Carver clarifies its meaning, emphasizing the importance of quickly identifying visual cues within the text This skill is vital for readers who must efficiently navigate materials to grasp key points, necessitating rapid recognition of relevant information.
In this kind of Reading skill, “it does not require semantic processing” (Carrell et al,
In 2002, it was noted that readers often do not require a deep understanding of information, as they can overlook semantic processing Instead, they tend to scan text quickly, focusing on key words, numbers, and phrases that help them grasp the general information they seek.
In the same section, Carver highlights the skimming skill known as "Reading for understanding," emphasizing that it involves both visual and semantic processing As noted by Carrell et al (2002), effective reading requires readers to identify key visual elements and engage in semantic processing to construct a coherent summary of the text's meaning By integrating the ability to extract vital information with the skill of interpreting this information within the broader reading context, readers can ultimately grasp the intended message of the text.
Context of the study
This section of the chapter offers an overview of the study context, detailing essential information about the English programs at UEH and the materials utilized within these programs.
The English programs at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) have undergone significant changes over the past two decades to meet evolving educational demands The materials used in these programs have also been updated, and class time has been progressively reduced since 1997 To enhance learning, the School of Foreign Languages for Economics (SFLE) at UEH has developed supplementary materials to support students outside of classroom hours The following table provides an overview of the English programs and the corresponding materials available at UEH.
Table 2: 3.1 a: English programs at UEH (from 1997 to present) (adapted from Võ Đình Phước,
English programs Duration Compulsory materials
2 English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
2 Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hà (the School’s teacher) Reading 1 & 2
2 English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
2 School of Foreign Languages for Economics Business English – course study package (Modules
Leader – Elementary & Pre- intermediate Pearson Longman
2 School of Foreign Languages for Economics Practice Book (Modules 1-4)
Participants
The study was carried out in the setting of UEH, the sample of this study consisted of the full time bachelors and Ts of English at UEH
The full-time bachelor's programs at UEH encompass students in their first through fourth years As defined by Brown in "Using Surveys in Language Programs," the population for this study includes non-English major students enrolled in Business English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) in Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam While conducting research on this population is feasible, it would require significant time To refine the focus, the thesis author introduces the concept of "a sample," which Brown describes as a representative sub-group of the larger population For this study, the selected sample consists of first-year students at UEH, specifically targeting full-time students who will participate in the research.
The author selected first-year students at UEH to investigate their beliefs and the perspectives of their teachers at the onset of their studies The findings will provide valuable insights for English teachers at UEH, enabling them to implement necessary changes to enhance the quality of Business Reading instruction.
The thesis author, a new English teacher at UEH, faced the challenge of narrowing down a large group of first-year students participating in the study Due to her limited experience and lack of systematic selection methods, she opted for a convenience sampling approach Consequently, the participants were drawn from four classes, specifically focusing on the first two classes, K39 and K38.
48 and K39-61 were surveyed in March, 2014 and the rest were surveyed in March,
Table 3: 3.2.1 a: Class codes and number of SS participants
The SS participants were assigned to different classes based on their English placement test scores upon entering UEH, with higher scores corresponding to lower class codes For instance, students from class K39-38 achieved better results than those from class K39-61.
The SS who were selected to be the study’s participants were described in the following table:
Table 4: 3.2.1 b: Number of SS participants according to age and gender
In March 2014 and 2015, the thesis author investigated the belief systems of first-year students (SS) at UEH, specifically targeting the K39-38 and K39-61 classes after they completed the first half of the Business EGAP course This course, designed for freshmen, consists of four units from the textbook "Market Leader, new edition" at the elementary level The survey was conducted after students had studied two units for two months and had taken a midterm test, allowing them to form opinions on the Business Reading activities in class.
The study involved six teachers responsible for the Business EGAP courses for freshmen at UEH, selected based on their years of experience in teaching Business English Unlike the student participants, these teachers were not associated with the classes of the aforementioned student participants Among the six teachers, three had four years of experience in teaching Business English at UEH.
In this study, participants included 50 novice teachers (referred to as "novice Ts") and 3 experienced teachers (designated as "experienced Ts") with over 10 years of teaching experience in BE The following table provides an overview of the teacher participants involved in this research, detailing their codes and years of teaching experience.
Research design
This section outlines the research design paths for the study, highlighting two primary approaches: qualitative and quantitative research, as detailed by Merriam (1990) The author emphasizes the significance of data collection methods, noting that interviews are characteristic of qualitative research while questionnaires are typical of quantitative research The findings derived from interviews are interpreted inductively, whereas those from questionnaires are interpreted deductively, illustrating the distinct methodologies within educational case study research (Merriam, 1990).
Instruments
In this section of the thesis, the author outlines the methodologies used to design the questionnaires and interviews aimed at understanding secondary school teachers' belief systems The questionnaires were distributed directly to the teachers, while interviews provided deeper insights into their beliefs The advantage of interviews lies in their ability to elicit detailed responses, allowing teachers to articulate the reasons behind their belief systems.
The questionnaire in this study was developed using scales, as defined by McMillan and Schumacher, which represent various degrees of beliefs or opinions Scales are essential in questionnaires for providing accurate assessments, with the Likert scale being the most commonly used type for this purpose Given that the study aims to analyze the belief systems of SS, the author deemed the Likert scale the most appropriate choice for measurement.
“degree of agreement” that best reflected students beliefs in a statement Each degree unit was coded into an ordinal number
1 I never or almost never agree
5 I always or almost always agree
Table 6: 3.4.1 a: “Degrees of agreement” and their coded numbers
The initial section of the questionnaire comprises seven questions aimed at gathering essential general information about the SS participant teacher Collecting detailed information about participants is a fundamental objective of any questionnaire.
3 Years of General English studying experience
4 Years of Business English studying experience
5 English studying programs at UEH
6 Classes in English at UEH
Grabe identifies five key purposes for Reading Assessment: assessing reading proficiency, evaluating classroom learning, facilitating assessment for learning, measuring curricular effectiveness, and serving research purposes Additionally, Cohen emphasizes the importance of the Reading Assessment for administrative purposes.
The thesis author recognizes that Grabe's well-formulated and detailed ideas are ideal for researching Reading Assessment purposes, as previously mentioned on page 31 In contrast, Cohen's concepts build upon Grabe's foundation but offer a more specific approach to the topic.
Due to the detailed nature of Cohen's ideas, they were deemed too extensive for this study Consequently, the thesis author opted to adopt Grabe's five key purposes for questionnaire development The table below summarizes statements related to "Beliefs in Purposes of Business Reading Assessment."
Table 8: 3.4.1 c: Purposes of Business Reading Assessment statements
The table outlines questions designed to gather data on "Beliefs in Purposes of Reading Instruction," based on Anderson's theory discussed in the Literature Review Anderson emphasizes that the primary goal of teaching reading comprehension is to equip students with the essential skills to become "competent" and "enthusiastic" readers Consequently, the thesis author formulated questions targeting these objectives: statements 14, 15, 16a, 16b focus on fostering "competent readers," while statements 16c and 16d aim to inspire "enthusiastic readers."
Beliefs in Purposes of Reading Assessment (RAB)
8 is to assess how proficient a student in comparing with other students
9 is to assess what a student has achieved based on the objectives of the course outline
10 will motivate students taking part in reading courses
11 can help my teacher adjust his/her reading instruction
12 can help assess the effectiveness of the course
13 can help my teacher in collecting data for doing his/her research
Beliefs in Purposes of Reading Instruction (RIB)
15 improve my reading speed (e.g reading fluency)
I believe that RIB can train myself with test-taking strategies for:
16b language exams in the future (e.g IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, etc.)
I believe that RIB can train myself with strategies for:
16c further general reading in the future
16d further reading in the future
Table 9: 3.4.1 d: Purposes of Reading Instruction statements
In the third section of the questionnaire, the thesis author identified key guidelines proposed by Cohen, which encompass three critical areas: (1) reading comprehension ability, (2) various types of reading, and (3) different types of meaning.
Cohen (1994) identifies key areas for evaluating reading comprehension, including the awareness and use of textual cues, understanding the author's intent, insights into the text's nature, and strategies for information retrieval post-reading The thesis author focuses on elaborating the concepts of "awareness and use of cues in the text" and their significance in enhancing reading comprehension skills.
The author discovered essential skills that SS can utilize to comprehend reading texts According to Cohen's book, specifically on page 219, the section titled "Types of Meaning Assessed" highlights the concept of "grammatical meaning," which encompasses syntax.
55 meaning The thesis author decided to put this meaning into two above suggestions The ability to understand “grammatical meaning” means the ability to understand the
The article discusses the importance of analyzing various meanings in text, including grammatical, semantic, phonological, and morphological aspects Additionally, it highlights Cohen's strategies for retrieving information post-reading The thesis author incorporated these insights into a questionnaire, designing specific statements (22, 23, 24, 25) to evaluate this concept effectively.
The following table shows the questions designed to survey the beliefs systems of SS in the area of Reading comprehension ability assessed
Beliefs in Assessment of Reading comprehension ability
I believe that students have to be assessed on the ability of understand words…
I believe that students have to be assessed how to…
22 transfer the words’ meanings into thoughts and ideas
24 understand and remember what students have read
25 effectively use what students have learned from the reading to complete tasks in other skills
Table 10: 3.4.1 e: Assessment of Reading comprehension ability statements
Cohen identified three primary types of reading for inclusion in the questionnaire: skimming, scanning, and searching reading These categories represent typical reading strategies that can enhance comprehension and efficiency.
Beliefs in Assessment of Types of Reading
I believe that students have to be assessed on…
26c searching reading (e.g picking specific information without being sure about the form that the information will take)
Table 11: 3.4.1 f: Assessment of Types of Reading statements
Cohen's recommended "types of meaning" inspired the thesis author to design specific statements (27, 28, 29, 30) for the questionnaire Drawing from Nuttall's ideas (1982), Cohen identified four types of meaning: grammatical, informational, discourse, and the tone conveyed by the writer While grammatical meaning was addressed earlier, the thesis author focused on the remaining areas The informational meaning, described by Cohen (1994) as the process of "determining the basic concepts or messages," guided the design of statements 27 and 28, aimed at analyzing vocabulary effectively.
Beliefs in Assessment of Types of meaning
I believe that students have to be assessed on…
29 the meaning of linking devices
30 the meaning of writer’s tone
Table 12: 3.4.1 g: Assessment of Types of meaning statements
The last parts in the questionnaires include the questions created in order to ask
The thesis author utilized the "Beliefs in Business Reading Assessment" to gather student observations on the effectiveness of Business Reading Instruction By employing a 5-point Likert scale, the research aimed to evaluate the time teachers dedicated to instructing specific areas within the curriculum The findings are summarized in a table that outlines the coded numbers alongside the corresponding time spent by teachers in class.
“The percentage of time that teachers spent in the Business English reading class”
Table 13: 3.4.1 h: “The percentage of time that teachers spent in the BE reading class” and their coded numbers
I find that my teacher asks me to identify the words…
I find that my teacher asks me to…
35 transfer the words’ meanings into thoughts and ideas
37 do tasks that I have to understand and remember what I have read
38 effectively use what I have learned from the reading to complete tasks in other skills
Table 14: 3.4.1 i: Reading comprehension ability Instruction statements
I find that my teacher asks me to practice…
39c searching reading (e.g picking specific information without being sure about the form that the information will take)
Table 15: 3.4.1 j: Types of Reading Instruction statements
I find that my teacher asks me to practice identifying…
42 the meaning of linking devices
Table 3.4.1 k: Types of Meaning Instruction statements Table 16
In addition to the quantitative research design utilizing questionnaires, this study required direct data collection from teacher participants A separate questionnaire was created for teachers, aligned with the students' questionnaire, but unfortunately, no responses were received Consequently, the thesis author opted to conduct interviews with the teachers to gather more meaningful data that would support the students' belief systems This approach allowed for more in-depth inquiries beyond the predefined questions, potentially uncovering valuable insights Guided by the conceptual framework, the thesis author developed a set of interview questions to facilitate this process.
+ EGP and Business EGAP teaching time + ESP and Business EGAP extensive reading time
6, 7, 8, 9 Purposes of Business Reading Assessment (RAB)
+ Purposes of RAB + Factors influencing the purposes of RAB
10, 11, 12 Purposes of Business Reading Instruction (RIB)
+ Purposes of RIB + Factors influencing the purposes of RIB
Business Reading Instruction (RIB) + Instruction areas in class
Table 17: 3.4.2 a: Distribution of questions in the interview
Data collection procedure
The data collection procedure had two sections (surveying and interviewing), however, these two sections were divided into three consecutive periods
Prior to the official surveying phase, the thesis author conducted a pilot test by distributing five questionnaires to first-year students They provided feedback on grammatical errors and clarity of the statements To enhance comprehension, the questionnaire was translated into Vietnamese, and additional examples were included based on the pilot feedback, which boosted students' confidence in the Vietnamese version Subsequently, the finalized questionnaires were administered to students from two classes: K39-38 and K39-61.
In October 2014, the thesis author conducted friendly, informal interviews with participants after school, without translating the questions into Vietnamese This relaxed atmosphere encouraged interviewees to share their opinions openly, allowing the author to gather valuable insights Prior to the interviews, the author provided basic information and research questions, which helped the interviewees feel more confident and informed about the study.
61 interviews The answers from the interviewees were noted down and summarized in the appendix part (see appendix 3)
In March 2015, the thesis author resumed the surveying phase after waiting for the optimal time to distribute the questionnaires First-year students were enlisted to assist in verifying their agreement with each statement in the survey By this point, the students had completed the first half of their Business EGAP course, equipping them with valuable knowledge about their Business reading assessment and instruction, which contributed to a smooth surveying process.
Data analysis procedure
The data were gathered through questionnaires, enabling the thesis author to systematically address the study's research questions Utilizing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 for Windows, the author employed several analytical methods to interpret the results, including Normality tests, Cronbach Alpha tests, Cohen’s d tests, and Descriptive statistics.
Assessing the normality of study data is essential for many statistical tests, as normal distribution is a fundamental assumption in parametric testing, which is known for its greater statistical power (Laerd Statistics, 2013) Parametric testing provides more accurate and precise estimates, highlighting the importance of using SPSS software to evaluate data normality Normality can be assessed through two methods: graphical and numerical approaches, each offering unique advantages (Laerd Statistics, 2013).
Assessing normality can be approached through two methods: a simpler, less powerful judgment and a more robust alternative However, numerical assessments may lack sensitivity with small sample sizes and become overly sensitive with larger samples Consequently, while some researchers favor graphical interpretations for their clarity, they acknowledge the objectivity of numerical assessments (Laerd Statistics, 2013, p.1).
The Reliability of the collected data in this study could be calculated by using the “Cronbach alpha test”
Researchers must prioritize the "estimating reliability of quantitative answers" test when collecting data through questionnaires, as it ensures that results are consistent and stable (Brown, 2001, p.171; Brown, 1988, p.98) The most common method for assessing internal-consistency reliability in survey research is the Cronbach alpha (α), which can be applied to dichotomously coded answers or scaled responses, such as those using a Likert scale (Brown, 2001, p.173) In this study, the author utilized Cronbach alpha tests to measure the consistency of questionnaire responses.
In this study, the thesis author aimed to compare the mean of a sample with a hypothesized population mean to determine if there was a significant difference (Morgan et al., 2004) Brown (2001) emphasized that while the T-test is a valuable statistical tool, it serves as a reasonable indicator of the significance of differences between two means Essentially, the thesis author sought to assess whether the average mean of the questionnaire items differed from the hypothesized mean.
In addition, to serve the purpose of making the data set more statistically powerful, the “Cohen’s d test” was taken in the data analysis procedure The “Cohen’s
The "Cohen’s d test" was employed to compare the means of two groups, utilizing the formula that divides the mean difference by the standard deviation (Walker, 2007-2008) According to Cohen, as referenced by Walker, a small effect size indicates a real effect that may only be detectable through meticulous analysis, while a large effect size signifies a substantial impact (Walker, 2007-2008) This study aimed to demonstrate a robust data set characterized by a significant effect size.
To effectively convey the statistics gathered from the questionnaires, it was essential to present the data clearly Utilizing Count and Frequency tools offered a straightforward method to illustrate the central tendency of the data sets, representing the typical responses of the surveyed group (Brown, 1988, p 118) Additionally, these tools enabled the thesis author to visually display the data through charts and tables, enhancing reader comprehension.