i DECLARATION I hereby state that, this thesis is the result of my own research and that it has not been submitted for any degree to any other universities or institutions. Where other sources of information have been used, they have been identified and acknowledged. Signature Dao Thi Thuy Chung TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com ii CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT I hereby certify that the thesis entitled Application of task-based language teaching in teaching writing to non-major English students at Namdinh Industrial College (Áp dụng phương pháp dạy học theo đường hướng giao nhiệm vụ để dạy viết cho sinh viên không chuyên tiếng Anh tại trường Cao đẳng Công nghiệp Nam Định ) is the result of my research for the Degree of Master of Art at College of Language and International Studies, Ha Noi National University, and the thesis has not been submitted for any degree at any other university or tertiary institution. Signature: Dao Thi Thuy Chung Date: TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Ms Phan thi Van Quyen, M.A for her sympathetic encouragement, valuable advice and patient guidance during the completion of this study My sincere thanks also go to all of my colleagues at Namdinh Industrial College for their support and encouragement.
I would like to acknowledge a particular debt to the second year non-major English students from groups CD52KT1 and CD52KT4 (Economics class) at Namdinh Industrial College for their enthusiastic participation in the experiment. Last of all, I am deeply indebted to my beloved people, my parents and my husband for their sacrifice and encouragement. Hanoi, September 6,2011 Dao Thi Thuy Chung TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com iv ABSTRACT Nowadays, teaching English has received increasing attention as English has become the language for global communication. In order to meet the future job requirements, students in general and students of Namdinh Industrial College in particular need to enhance their skills of English, especially the writing skill.
However, there exists a problematic matter in teaching and learning English at colleges and universities resulting from unsuitable teaching materials and instructional techniques. The popular teaching approach applied in English lessons at most of universities and colleges is teacher-centered and lecture-oriented, which normally results in learning passivity and non-involvement in language skills in general and in writing activities in particular. Nowadays, teachers and students are deeply unhappy with the present test-driven situation. Therefore, it is the high time to make a change in the traditional learning process of English at colleges in Vietnam in general and at Namdinh Industrial College in particular.
Among the modern teaching methods, the task-based one is considered a type of analytic learning and teaching method which owns numerous advantages. It is worth noting that the TBLT approach offer a bridge from reading-based grammar-translation to a sound alternative in which language is learned in the most effective, meaningful and long-last manner possible. TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PART A: INTRODUCTION. Aims of the research.
The research questions. The significance of the research. Scope of the research. Methods of the research.
Design of the research. 5 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. Definitions of writing. Writing in language learning and teaching.
The role of writing. Writing in language classroom .3 Writing and other language skills .1 Writing and speaking .2 Writing and reading .3 Writing and listening .4 Approaches to teaching writing .3 Product approach verse Process approach .5 Task-based language teaching .1 Theoretical basis of the TBLT approach .2 Methodology of the TBLT approach .3 Principles of the TBLT approach .6 Definitions of task .1 Classification of task .2 The TBLT approach in writing class. 16 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. 17 TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.1 The context for the research .3 The course book .4 Methodology of the research .5 Data collection instruments.
20 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS .1 The teachers’ and non-major English students’ perception of using the TBLT in writing lessons .1 The teachers’ perception .2 The students’ perception .2 The benefits of using the TBLT approach in writing lessons .1 The teachers’ opinions .2 The students’ opinions .3 The difficulties of using the TBLT approach in writing lessons .1 The teachers’ opinions .2 The students’ opinions. 35 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS .1 Summary of major findings .2 Suggestions for the application of the TBLT approach in writing lessons .1 Suggestions for teachers .2 Suggestions for students .3 Suggestions for institutions .3 Limitations of the research. Suggestions for further research. TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com vii LIST OF TABLES & CHARTS Page Table 1: Product and process writing: A comparison (Steel).
12 Table 2: Teachers’ understanding of TBLT. 21 Table 3: Teachers’ perception of TBLT in teaching writing. 26 Table 4: Teachers’ perception of the difficulties of applying TBLT in teaching writing. 30 Chart 1: The students’ perception of the importance of writing skill.
23 Chart 2: The students’ perception of the difficulty of writing skill. 23 Chart 3: The students’ perception of the importance of teaching approach in the writing lessons. 24 Chart 4a: Frequency of writing task assignment. 25 Chart 4b: Frequency of writing task fulfillment.
25 Chart 5: The activities used to perform the tasks. 24 Chart 6: The students’ perception of the benefits of applying TBLT in writing lessons. 29 Chart 7: The students’ perception of the writing improvement thanks to constantly writing task fulfillment. 29 Chart 8: The students’ perception of the difficulties of applying TBLT in the writing lessons.
33 TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS TBLT refers to the Task-based language teaching GTM refers to the Grammar Traditional Method NH Pre refers to New Headway Pre-Intermediate TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail. INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale Today learning English language is very important, not to say really essential. In the process of globalization, English plays a very important role in the society, English proficiency is now seen as a vital requirement for employment.
There is fluently communication in English demand in any enterprise and in any labor recruitment. Moreover, English has facilitated economic cooperation and development with the foreign investment mostly from capitalist countries which require English ability. Furthermore, English has helped enhance the cooperation growth especially in higher education with many oversea courses for undergraduates and graduates. English has been widely used not only in education but also in daily-life activities.
Therefore, English has been favorable by both learners and policy-makers and its role was reconfirmed by an Order, signed by the Prime Minister (August 15, 1994), in which government officials would be required to study foreign languages, mainly and favorably English. We have no doubt about the importance of foreign languages, especially English. However, English users are on the way to find out a perfect way of acquiring English because the education quality has not met the society’s expectation and mostly high- school graduates cannot communicate in English effectively in both oral and written forms. Writing is an important skill in both the mother tongue and second language.
It is a tool of expressing ideas in a structured way. However, due to its complexity and high requirement of linguistic means, it is considered the most difficult language skill to have a good command of. Although there are many actions paid attention to on the improvement of writing learning and teaching, it still tends to be a neglected area in English language teaching in Vietnam. The reason for this negligence may be the fact that most examinations in English mainly examine the students’ grammar.
Being a teacher at Namdinh Industrial College, the researcher finds teaching writing skill the most challenge work and it is often evaded by many English teachers, especially in teaching festivals because of its difficulties. However, being aware of the importance of teaching writing skill and being afraid of those students can not ensure their success in their lives without mastering writing skill, the researcher, to the best TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com 2 knowledge, hopes to supply them with appropriate guide and support. The researcher intends to enable students to fulfill the writing tasks in order to give them the inspiring experience of learning to write in English and the satisfaction of successfully expressing their ideas in written form of English language. Therefore, I try to do this research “Application of Task-based language teaching in teaching writing to non-major English students at Nam dinh Industrial College” with the aim of removing my own obstacles and my students’ difficulties in writing and understanding the disadvantages and advantages my colleagues encountered when they use the TBLT approach in their writing lessons.
Another reason of using the TBLT is that because the course book New headway uses curriculum and syllabus with many designed-tasks so TBLT is appropriate to the extent that tasks serves as the means for implementing a methodological procedure. The other reason, last but not least, is the advantage of the TBLT. “TBLT is more student- centered, allow for more meaningful communication and often provides for practical extra-linguistic skill building”. Above all, in order to get good results in teaching process is the expectation of all teachers.
No one can be the best teacher in the world with every student. Hence, the teaching result of this study may not be the best but it attempts to gain a better way of teaching writing and lower students’ writing difficulties. Aims of the research This study aims at exploring Namdinh Industrial College teachers and students’ attitudes towards writing and their real work in writing lessons. Task-based language teaching is applied and evaluated by both teachers and students with the aim at giving some recommendations on how to help students improve their writing.
The specific aims of the research are: + To examine Namdinh Industrial college teachers and students’ perceptions of using the TBLT approach in teaching writing. + To investigate benefits and difficulties teachers and students encounter in writing lessons. + To give recommendations on how to use task-based language teaching to improve students’ writing. The research questions The research is carried out to find out the answers for two questions as follows: TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com 3 + What are Namdinh Industrial College teachers’ and non-major English students’ perceptions of using the TBLT approach in writing lessons? + What are the benefits and difficulties of using the TBLT approach in writing lessons? 4.
The significance of the research The research provides the English teacher with the understanding of Task-based language teaching and the advantage as well as disadvantage when applying it. The result of the research may help teachers to make their writing lessons more effective and help their students develop writing skill. Scope of the research The study focuses on investigating the effectiveness of application of task-based language teaching in teaching writing to non-major English students at Nam dinh Industrial College. Other approaches to teaching writing intended for students at other levels of English language proficiency or teaching other skills would be beyond the scope of this study.
Methods of the research To achieve the aims stated, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The interviews, questionnaires and class observation will be used to collect data for the analysis of the research. Design of the research The study is expected to consist of three main parts: Part A includes chapter 1 with discussions of the rationales, aims, significance, scope, and methods of the study. Part B includes 3 chapters Chapter 2 deals with definitions of writing, the differences between writing and other skills, the importance of writing in language classes and approaches to teaching writing.
Chapter 3 discusses the methodology of the study, i. describes the study context, participants, and instruments.