VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES wea NGUYÊN THỊ TINH CẢNH DEALING WITH UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ANXIETY IN SPEAKING LESSONS THROUGH A COOPERATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT NGHIÊN CUU VE VIỆC GIÚP HỌC SINH TRUNG HOC PHO TITONG GIAM LO LANG TRONG CAC GIỜ HỌC NÓI QUA MỘT MOI TRUONG CO TINH HOP TAC TRONG LGP HOC MA. MINOR THESIS FIELD: METHODOLOGY CODE: 601410 HANOI - 2010 VIETNAM NATIONAT, UNIVERSITY, HANOT UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES xo ®œ NGUYÊN THỊ THANH CỈNH DEALING WITH UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ANXTETY IN SPEAKING LESSONS TITROUGII A COOPERATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT NGHIEN CUU VE VIEC GIUP HOC SINH TRUNG HOC PHO ‘THONG GIAM LO LANG TRONG CAC GIO HOC NOI QUA MỘT MOI TRUONG CO TINII IGP TAC TRONG L.GP TOC MA. FIELD: METHODOLOGY CODE: 601410 SUPERVISOR: TU TH] MINH THUY (MA) HANOT - 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration .occc co - ii Abstract iti Table of contents Lists of tables. 21 12101 1 21a v Lists of abbreviations „uyi PART ONE: INFRODUCTION - - - - 1 1.
Rationale for the study 1 2. Aims of the siurly 2 3, Significance of the study. Seops of the study 2 5. Mecthod of the study.
Organization of the study_ 3 TART TWO: DEVELOPMENT 4 CHAPTER1; LITERATURE REVIEW. Anxiety in language learning A 1. Definition of anxicty. The classification of anxiety 4 1.
Amsicly and foreign language learning s 1.4, Causes of language learning anxiety 5 1. Related studies ơn language anxiety in speaking skill 8 1. Anxioly management stralegios 7 1. Definitions of cooperative leaming 1.
Components of cooperative learning ow 1. l'ace-to-face promotive interaction. 10 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale for the study Homer & Redmond (2002) state in a humorous way that “learning a language can be exciting for some but for others it can be a nightmare”.
Such feelings have been researched as forcign language anxiety for decades. This phenomenon has been the research focus of many linguists and psychologists in recent years. Anxiety has been regarded as one of the most important affective factors that influence foreign language acquisition., Bailcy, 1983, Horwitz & Cope, 1986, MacIntyre & Gardner, 1994, Young, 1991), especially in westem countries, has been conducted to find the relationship between anxiety and achievements in the learning of different forcign languages. Most studios (Horwitz & Cope, 1986; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1994) arrive at a conclusion that anxiety and achievement are negatively correlated.
In Vietnam, similar research has also been conducted with different groups of people, mostly with college students. The problem of language learning anxiety facing USS students has almost becn overlooked In EEL environment, anxiety is one of the persistent factors hindering many leamers to learn suceossfully. Tl affects students in difforont aspeets of loarning, particularly in speaking The level of anxiety has been observed to be higher in speaking activities than those of other skills. It acts as an obstacle to many learners.
especially students in mountainous areas. In fact, the majority of students coming from these arcas are very reserved and shy. Fer thom, the mere thought of having to talk about something in English may make them anxious. They tend to feel shy and tense; therefore, itis difficult for them to communicate.
‘The point that counts is that if we leave this problem unsolved, there will he a likelihood of pushing them into silence ina speaking lesson, which is completely undesirable, Many teachers even felt discouraged when they failed to get their students to participate in their intended activities simply because they were too reserved. T have beon wondering about. whal the governing factors underlying anxiety are, From my actual teaching, | have come to realize that anxiety is not only the problem of less-able students but also the able ones. This fact has given me an impetus to seek for the causes of anxicty faced by my leamers with the hope to help them out of anxicty and to enhance the classroom atmosphere through a cooperative leaming environment.
Organization of the study The study consists of four chapters exclusive of the Introduction and Conclusions. Chapter 1: Literature review provides a theoretical background concerning the factors causing SA in learning I'L including: definition of anxiety, classification, the relationship betwen anxicly and FT. caring, causes of learning mxiely, anxicly in speaking skill, anxiety management strategies as well as the related studies on cooperative leaming with its definitions, components, the effectiveness of CL and the bases for applying a CLE in dealing with SA. Chapter 2: Research methodology describes the overall picture of how the research was carricd oul including the rescarch questions, subjects of the study, the instruments employed, data collection and analysis procedures Chaprer 3: Results and Discussions presents the research results obtained form classroom observations, staff consultations, and questionnaires.
which were discussed according to thematic units (qualitatively) and in the form of tables (quantitatively) in rclation to the research questions Chapter 4. The empirical course This chapter specifies the practical steps in implementing a speaking lesson in light ofa CLE such as how to structure students, what decisions should be made when applying CL, ete. logether with two sample tesson plans for illustration 3. Research question 3 CHAPTER 4; THE COURSE 4,1.
Structuring students m cooperative learning, 4. Description of the lesson plans PART THREE: CONCLUSIONS 1. Summary of major findings 2.1, Recommendations on teachers & students interaction 2. Recommendations on students & students interaction 3.
Limitations of the Sindy 4, Suggestions for further study REFERENCES. APPENDICES Appendix |: Observation sheet Appendix 2: Staff consultations Appendix 3: English version of Forcign Language Classroom Anxicty Scale Appendix 4: Pre-intervention survey questionnaire Appendix 5: Sample lessen plans Appendix 6: Post intervention survey questionname Appendix 7: Scores and levels of speaking anxiety Appendix 8: Students’ feedbacks and evaluation on the intervention techniques 6. Organization of the study The study consists of four chapters exclusive of the Introduction and Conclusions. Chapter 1: Literature review provides a theoretical background concerning the factors causing SA in learning I'L including: definition of anxiety, classification, the relationship betwen anxicly and FT.
caring, causes of learning mxiely, anxicly in speaking skill, anxiety management strategies as well as the related studies on cooperative leaming with its definitions, components, the effectiveness of CL and the bases for applying a CLE in dealing with SA. Chapter 2: Research methodology describes the overall picture of how the research was carricd oul including the rescarch questions, subjects of the study, the instruments employed, data collection and analysis procedures Chaprer 3: Results and Discussions presents the research results obtained form classroom observations, staff consultations, and questionnaires. which were discussed according to thematic units (qualitatively) and in the form of tables (quantitatively) in rclation to the research questions Chapter 4. The empirical course This chapter specifies the practical steps in implementing a speaking lesson in light ofa CLE such as how to structure students, what decisions should be made when applying CL, ete.
logether with two sample tesson plans for illustration 1.4, Interpersonal and small-group skills 1. Effectiveness of cooperative learning 1. Why using a cooperative learning environment to deal with speaking anxiety? 1. CHAPTER 2: RESEARCII METIIODOLOGY 3.
Description of the school 2. Description of the program 2. Description of the course 2. Questionnaires for students.
Data Analy: CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 3. From classroom observations. From staff consultations. From questionnaires for students 3.
Pro-intervention questionnaire 3. Post-mtervention questionnaire. Discussions on the research questions 3.4, Interpersonal and small-group skills 1. Effectiveness of cooperative learning 1.
Why using a cooperative learning environment to deal with speaking anxiety? 1. CHAPTER 2: RESEARCII METIIODOLOGY 3. Description of the school 2. Description of the program 2.
Description of the course 2. Questionnaires for students. Data Analy: CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 3. From classroom observations.
From staff consultations. From questionnaires for students 3. Pro-intervention questionnaire 3. Post-mtervention questionnaire.
Discussions on the research questions 3.4, Interpersonal and small-group skills 1. Effectiveness of cooperative learning 1. Why using a cooperative learning environment to deal with speaking anxiety? 1. CHAPTER 2: RESEARCII METIIODOLOGY 3.
Description of the school 2. Description of the program 2. Description of the course 2. Questionnaires for students.
Data Analy: CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 3. From classroom observations. From staff consultations. From questionnaires for students 3.
Pro-intervention questionnaire 3. Post-mtervention questionnaire. Discussions on the research questions 3. LISTS OF TABLES ‘Table 1: Criteria to identify groups of foreign language anxiety levels Table 2: Student self assessment on their linguistic background Table 3: The level of student anxiety Table 4: Levels of anxiety caused by intrinsic factors Table S: Levels of anxiety caused by extrinsic factors Table 6: Students’ feedbacks and evaluation on the intervention techniques LISTS OF FIGURES Vigure 1: Scores and levels of FLA Figure 2: Score of students’ facdlucks om the intervention techniques LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS cL Cooperative learning CLE Cooperative learning environment FL Foreign language FLA Foreign language anxizty SA Speaking anxiety U§§ Up secondary school PART TWO: DEVELOPME CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.
Anxiety in language learning 1. Definition of ansicty Anxiety is generally viewed as a psychological concept and has been defined by a grcat many rescarchers. Lesse (1970) portraits anxiety as “a phenomenon cxpericnecd as a foreboding dread or threat to the human mechanism whether the threat is generated by intemal real or imagined danger"(p. With more mechanical coloring, Spielberger (1983) sees anxiety as “am unplessant cmotianal siale or condition which is characterized by subjective feelings of tension, apprehension, and worry, and by activation or arousal of the automatic nervous system that accompany these feelings” (p.
In a similar manner, Ilorwitz (1986) defines anxicty as a kind of troubled fecling in the mind, It is a subjective fecling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of the automatic nervous syslom. iL s ns difficult to describe or define anxicly in a simple and exhaustive manner, as it arises trom many kinds of sources often associated with particular contexts or situations that individuals perceive threatening according to their unique frame of reference. The classification of anxiety As recognized by many scholars, anxiety is such a complex issuc that it still requires more endeavors to figure it out, Horwitz (2001) found that anxiety, like self-esteem, can be experienced at various levels. At the global level, tralt anxiety is a more permanent inclination lo be anxious.
Some people are predictably and generally anxious aboul many things. At a situational levcl, state anxiety is expcticnecd in relation to some particular act or event, From these findings, it is implied that in a classroom, it is important for a teacher to try lo determine whether students’ anxiely stems front a more gtobat or situational to deal with it properly, According to Maclntyre & Gardner (1991), as trait anxiety has somewhat ambiguously defined nature, in terms of language teaching, it seems more useful to look into the aspect of state anxicly. 10 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale for the study Homer & Redmond (2002) state in a humorous way that “learning a language can be exciting for some but for others it can be a nightmare”.
Such feelings have been researched as forcign language anxiety for decades. This phenomenon has been the research focus of many linguists and psychologists in recent years. Anxiety has been regarded as one of the most important affective factors that influence foreign language acquisition., Bailcy, 1983, Horwitz & Cope, 1986, MacIntyre & Gardner, 1994, Young, 1991), especially in westem countries, has been conducted to find the relationship between anxiety and achievements in the learning of different forcign languages. Most studios (Horwitz & Cope, 1986; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1994) arrive at a conclusion that anxiety and achievement are negatively correlated.
In Vietnam, similar research has also been conducted with different groups of people, mostly with college students.
