VIETNAM NATIONAL, UNIVERSITY, HANOT UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYEN HA SAM AN ACTION RESEARCH ON IMPROVING 10" GRADE STUDENTS? READING COMPREHENSION THROUGH THE TEACHING OF LEXICAL INFERENCE STRATEGY AT HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIFTED STUDENTS, HANOT NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION (NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG VỀ VIỆC NÂNG CAO KHẢ NĂNG ĐỌC HIẾU CỦA TIỌC SINII TIÔNG QUA VIỆC GIẢNG DẠY CHIẾN LƯỢC ĐOÁN NGHĨA CỦA TỪ VỰNG TAI TRUONG TRUNG HOC PHO THONG CHUYEN, DAL HQC SU PHAM HA NOD MLA. MINOR PROGRAMME TIIESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 6014.0111 Hanoi, 2014 VIKTNAM NA TIONAL, UNIVERSILTY, HANOL UNIVERSTTY OE LANGUAGES AND TNTERNATTIONAT. STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYEN HA ACTION RESEARCH ON IMPROVING 10" GRADE STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSLON THROUGH THE TEACHING OF LEXICAL INFERENCE STRATEGY AT HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIFTED STUDENTS, HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION (NGIIÊN CỨU IIANIL DONG VE VIEC NANG CAO KIIA NANG POC HIEU CUA HOC SINH THONG QUA VIEC GIANG DAY CIHÉN LUGC DOAN NGIIA CUA TU VUNG TẠI TRƯỜNG TRUNG HOC PHO THONG CHUY ĐẠI HỌC SƯ PHẠM HÀ NỘI) M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Ficld: English Teaching Mcthodology Code: 6014.
V6 Dai Quang Hanoi, 2014 DECLARATION I hereby certify that the minor thesis entitled “An Action Research on Tmproving 10% Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension through the Teaching af Lexical Inference Strategy at High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi National University of Education” is the result, of my own work im partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English Teaching Mothodology at Faculty of Post - Graduate Studies, Llanoi University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University. The research has nol been subrmitted to any other ‘university or institution wholly and partially. Hanoi, 2014 Neuyen Ha Sam ACKNOWLEDGEM This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from a number of people. Hirst and foremost, 1 would like to express my sincere gratitude to Assoc.
Vo Dai Quang, my supervisor, who has patienlly and constantly supported me through the stages of the study, and whose stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic researcher ‘A special word of thanks goes to my students, without whom. it would never have been possible for me to have this thesis accomplished Last by not least, 1am greatly indebted to my family for the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfithnent of this academic work ii TABLE OF CONTENT DECLARATION. ¬" " se eee eee dL LIST OF ABBREVIATIO INS, TABLES AND FIGURES - wiv TABLE OF CONTENT. uv PART A: INTRODUCTIO! 1.
Rationale for the Stu 12. Aims of the Research 13. Objectives of the Research 1. Scope of the Research.
Significance of the Research 17. Structural Organization of the PART B: DEVELOPMENT. Chapter 1: Literature Review. Definition of Reading Comprehension 1.2, Reading Comprehension Strategies .2, Lexical Inference Strategy.
Definition of Lexical Inference Stratepy 1. Value of Lexical Inference Štrategy. Factors that Affect Lexical Inferencing L 1. Review of Previous Studies Related Lo the Research Area of the Thesis 1 1.
woe Chapter 2: Research Mothodolo ry 2. Research Setting 2 Research Types b9 Bờ ` Research Approaches Dala Collection Instruments 5. Pretest and Posttest.1, Vocabulary Multiple-Choice Tests 2.2, Reading Comprehension Tests 3. Teacher's Notes and Studonbs’ Tearing Togs 2.6, Intervention: Instruction of Lexical Inferencing, in Class.
Rationalc for the Study In the last few decades, second/foreign language vocabulary acquisition has been an increasingly interesting Lopic of discussion for researches, teachers, curriculum designers, theorists and others involved in second language learning, All consider vocabulary as being a very importam element in language, especially in reading skills. When menGoning the relatienship belween vocabulary and reading comprehension, Nation (1990) claimed that vocabulary knowledge is one of the best predictors of reading ability and the ability to acquire new information from the text. As a result, it can be said that the threshold for reading comprehension is, to a large extent, lexical. Lexical problems will, therefore, hinder successful comprehension.
Tn fact, second/foreign language readers often cite lack of adequate vocabulary as one of the most common obstacles to text comprehension. Kim’s (1995) study also shows that learners’ lack of vocabulary knowledge or their being unfamiliar with words is a major problem affecting readers’ reading comprehension. Many readers have claimed that they would like to read more, but when they encounter unknown lexis they lose their interest. From observations, the researcher also reahve that Vietnamese leamors of English, in general, and grade 10 students at High School for Gifted Students (LINUL), in particular, after several years of learning Linglish, tum out to be word-by-word readers.
They tend to read very slowly to understand the meaning of every single word. Students feel insecure when they read without the aids of glossing or dictionaries. When they encounter a new word in the reading context, they simply do nol show any effort lo guess ils meamng. The reason is Lal they always rely on ihe glossing of Vietnamese translation of unfamiliar words in reading texts, or resort to using dictionaries immediately.
Yet, this habit was proved to be a bad habit and affect studonls’ reading comprehension (Dechant, 1991). The results are imited vocabulary Imowledge and inadequate reading ability. One possible explanation for the abovementioned problem can be found in Miller and Perkins’ study (1989), in which the researchers indicated that in most reading classrooms, students have received inadequate instructions on reading skills and ACKNOWLEDGEM This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from a number of people. Hirst and foremost, 1 would like to express my sincere gratitude to Assoc.
Vo Dai Quang, my supervisor, who has patienlly and constantly supported me through the stages of the study, and whose stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic researcher ‘A special word of thanks goes to my students, without whom. it would never have been possible for me to have this thesis accomplished Last by not least, 1am greatly indebted to my family for the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfithnent of this academic work ii TABLE OF CONTENT DECLARATION. ¬" " se eee eee dL LIST OF ABBREVIATIO INS, TABLES AND FIGURES - wiv TABLE OF CONTENT. uv PART A: INTRODUCTIO! 1.
Rationale for the Stu 12. Aims of the Research 13. Objectives of the Research 1. Scope of the Research.
Significance of the Research 17. Structural Organization of the PART B: DEVELOPMENT. Chapter 1: Literature Review. Definition of Reading Comprehension 1.2, Reading Comprehension Strategies .2, Lexical Inference Strategy.
Definition of Lexical Inference Stratepy 1. Value of Lexical Inference Štrategy. Factors that Affect Lexical Inferencing L 1. Review of Previous Studies Related Lo the Research Area of the Thesis 1 1.
woe Chapter 2: Research Mothodolo ry 2. Research Setting 2 Research Types b9 Bờ ` Research Approaches Dala Collection Instruments 5. Pretest and Posttest.1, Vocabulary Multiple-Choice Tests 2.2, Reading Comprehension Tests 3. Teacher's Notes and Studonbs’ Tearing Togs 2.6, Intervention: Instruction of Lexical Inferencing, in Class.
ACKNOWLEDGEM This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from a number of people. Hirst and foremost, 1 would like to express my sincere gratitude to Assoc. Vo Dai Quang, my supervisor, who has patienlly and constantly supported me through the stages of the study, and whose stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic researcher ‘A special word of thanks goes to my students, without whom. it would never have been possible for me to have this thesis accomplished Last by not least, 1am greatly indebted to my family for the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfithnent of this academic work ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, TABLES AND FIGURES.
Figure 1: Action Research Model. - - - 18 Table 1: Classification of Reading Strategies. 7 Table 2: Background Information af the Subjects - - 17 Table 3: Procedures of the Study. Table 4: Results of Question I in the Questionnaire xe the Pretest.
- 28 Table 5: Resulis of Question 2 in the Questionnaire After the Pretest - 38 fable 6: Results of Question 3 in the Questionnaire After the Pretest. Table 7: Resulis of Question 4 in the Questionnaire After the Pretest. - 29 able 8: Results of Question $ in the Questionnaire After the Pretest. Table 9: Correlation between the Two Tests Before Lexical Inferencing Instruction.30 Table 10: Correlation between the Two Tests After Lexical Inferencing Instruction .30 Table 11: Percentage of the Students’ Correct Answers in the Pretest and Posttest Table 12: Resulis of Question 1 in the Questionnaire After the Posttest 33 Table 13: Results of Question 2 in the Questionnaire After the Postlest.
- 33 #uble 14: Resulis of Question 3 in the Questionnaire Afterthe Postfest. Table 15: Results of Question 4 in the Questionnaire After the Postlest 34 Table 16: Results of Question 5 in the Questionnaire After the Posttest. Abbreviations T: Teacher ST: Subject 1 in the inderview S82: Subject 2 in the interview $3: Subject. 3 in the ierview INUE: Hanoi National University of Education 12: second language iv PART A: INTRODUCTION 1.
Rationalc for the Study In the last few decades, second/foreign language vocabulary acquisition has been an increasingly interesting Lopic of discussion for researches, teachers, curriculum designers, theorists and others involved in second language learning, All consider vocabulary as being a very importam element in language, especially in reading skills. When menGoning the relatienship belween vocabulary and reading comprehension, Nation (1990) claimed that vocabulary knowledge is one of the best predictors of reading ability and the ability to acquire new information from the text. As a result, it can be said that the threshold for reading comprehension is, to a large extent, lexical. Lexical problems will, therefore, hinder successful comprehension.
Tn fact, second/foreign language readers often cite lack of adequate vocabulary as one of the most common obstacles to text comprehension. Kim’s (1995) study also shows that learners’ lack of vocabulary knowledge or their being unfamiliar with words is a major problem affecting readers’ reading comprehension. Many readers have claimed that they would like to read more, but when they encounter unknown lexis they lose their interest. From observations, the researcher also reahve that Vietnamese leamors of English, in general, and grade 10 students at High School for Gifted Students (LINUL), in particular, after several years of learning Linglish, tum out to be word-by-word readers.
They tend to read very slowly to understand the meaning of every single word. Students feel insecure when they read without the aids of glossing or dictionaries. When they encounter a new word in the reading context, they simply do nol show any effort lo guess ils meamng. The reason is Lal they always rely on ihe glossing of Vietnamese translation of unfamiliar words in reading texts, or resort to using dictionaries immediately.
Yet, this habit was proved to be a bad habit and affect studonls’ reading comprehension (Dechant, 1991). The results are imited vocabulary Imowledge and inadequate reading ability. One possible explanation for the abovementioned problem can be found in Miller and Perkins’ study (1989), in which the researchers indicated that in most reading classrooms, students have received inadequate instructions on reading skills and PART A: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationalc for the Study In the last few decades, second/foreign language vocabulary acquisition has been an increasingly interesting Lopic of discussion for researches, teachers, curriculum designers, theorists and others involved in second language learning, All consider vocabulary as being a very importam element in language, especially in reading skills.
When menGoning the relatienship belween vocabulary and reading comprehension, Nation (1990) claimed that vocabulary knowledge is one of the best predictors of reading ability and the ability to acquire new information from the text. As a result, it can be said that the threshold for reading comprehension is, to a large extent, lexical. Lexical problems will, therefore, hinder successful comprehension.