VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES & ` ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ TRINH THU HUONG AN INVESTIGATION ON 10 GRADERS' ANXIETY AT PRE-STAGE IN ENGLISH WRITING LESSONS AT TIEN THINH HIGH SCHOOL, ME LINH, HANOI: CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS (Nghiên cứu về những lo lắng của học sinh lớp 10 ở giai đoạn trước khi viết trong giờ học viết tại trường THPT Tiền Thịnh ~ Mê Linh — Hà Nội: nguyên nhân và những giải pháp) M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.10 Supervisor: Pham Thi Thanh Thủy, MA HANOI - 2011 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS TTHS: Tien Thinh High School SS: Students: +: Teacher Ts: Teachers Ss: Student VNU-ULIS: Vietnam National University-University of Languages and International Studies. TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
TABLES OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.Method of the study 1. Scope of the study.Overview of the thesis. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 What is writing?.2, Pre- wniting/ What is pre-writing2.3, Pre - writing activities 2.4, Methodology in teaching writing 2.Teaching writing procedures.1 What is anxiety2.3 The factors causing students’ anxiety in writing lessons 2.1 Students’ factors 4, Quick writing: Within a limited time of 5 to 10 minutes, individual students fieely and quickly write down single words and phrases about a topic without paying attention to spelling, grammar or punctuation, 5.Wh -questions: Sludents goncrate who, whal, where, when and how questions about a topic.
More such questions can be asked of answers to the first string of wh-questions. Model analysis: Students are provided with a model writing and lave to analyze its language, structure or typical features. Then based on the modet students generate ideas for their writing Aflor having tho idoas, shudenls wark to develop them, choose the onss ta kecp and thos to be erased, and finally order them. Then, teachers help students structure their ideas, and make a plan or an outline for their writing (Nguyen and Neuyen, 2001) 2.
Methodology in teaching writing Teaching writing is a complex work. Each teacher has her own method to teach wuiting. No method is said to be the most effective. ‘Teacher must consider her situation, students” level, lc, lo have a suitable method Below ar some writing approae! s presenied hy Raimes (1983, pp3 -10) (1) ‘The Communicative Approach Communicative approach aims at coremumicalive competences which focus on the purpose of the writing and the audience for it.
The teacher creates a context in which students are real readers by making them play roles, exchange letters, ask questions and teachers gives comments. (2) Free- writing approach: this approach focuses on the fluency and quantity of writing rather than quality. Students write freely without worrying abont grammar and spelling. (3) The process approach: Nowadays, the teaching of wating no longer focuses om the written product.
It concentrates on the process of writing. ‘his approach encourages students’ communication of ideas, feclings and experiences. Tl has an emphasis or purpose, theme and text type. Writing is a process, so students are given time to set out ideas, make plan, write a draft.
In fact, there are many approaches to teaching writing but the two most popular ones arc Process and Product. Herc arc some features of the process approach according to Steele (2002) Chapter Five; Conclusion, offers a summary, limitations and suggestions for fiuther study. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2. The definition of w ing.
Different researchers have defined writing in many different ways. Byme (1988, pt), the author of Teaching Writing Skill, considers writing “the act of forming graphic symbols” such as letters or a combination of letters. According to this definition, any act that results in the forming of letters with or without a meaning can be defined as writing On. the other hand, Lannon (1989) views writing as “the process of transforming the material discovered by research inspiration, accident, trial and error, or whatever into a message with a definite mcaning- writing is a process of delibcrate decision” (p.
In this way, writing must convey a message with a meaning. Analher definition by Tribble (1996) considers writing a language skilt involving “nol just a graphic represcnlalion of specch, bul the development and presentation of thoughis ina structured way” (p. Besides, writing is defined by several contrasts (Sokolik, 2003, p. Tirstly, in her opinion, writing is both “a physical and a mental act” in the sense that it requires writers to commit words or ideas to some medium and at the same time to invent ideas, think aboul how to express them, and organize them into sizismenls and paragraphs.
Secondly, writing aims at expressing and impressing, Writers typically try to express their ideas or feelings; meanwhile they need to impress their readers in certain ways. Thirdly, writing is a process and a product. Writers have to generate ideas, organize, draft, cdrt, read and rcrzad to produce a product: a paragraph, an essay or a report 4.3 Summary CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS 5. Summary of the study 5.
Limitations and suggestions for further study. Appendices Appendix 1: Survey Questionnaires for Teachers Appendix 2: Survey Questionriires for Students Appendix 3: ‘Tasks in writing lessons. - Tv 4, Quick writing: Within a limited time of 5 to 10 minutes, individual students fieely and quickly write down single words and phrases about a topic without paying attention to spelling, grammar or punctuation, 5.Wh -questions: Sludents goncrate who, whal, where, when and how questions about a topic. More such questions can be asked of answers to the first string of wh-questions.
Model analysis: Students are provided with a model writing and lave to analyze its language, structure or typical features. Then based on the modet students generate ideas for their writing Aflor having tho idoas, shudenls wark to develop them, choose the onss ta kecp and thos to be erased, and finally order them. Then, teachers help students structure their ideas, and make a plan or an outline for their writing (Nguyen and Neuyen, 2001) 2. Methodology in teaching writing Teaching writing is a complex work.
Each teacher has her own method to teach wuiting. No method is said to be the most effective. ‘Teacher must consider her situation, students” level, lc, lo have a suitable method Below ar some writing approae! s presenied hy Raimes (1983, pp3 -10) (1) ‘The Communicative Approach Communicative approach aims at coremumicalive competences which focus on the purpose of the writing and the audience for it. The teacher creates a context in which students are real readers by making them play roles, exchange letters, ask questions and teachers gives comments.
(2) Free- writing approach: this approach focuses on the fluency and quantity of writing rather than quality. Students write freely without worrying abont grammar and spelling. (3) The process approach: Nowadays, the teaching of wating no longer focuses om the written product. It concentrates on the process of writing.
‘his approach encourages students’ communication of ideas, feclings and experiences. Tl has an emphasis or purpose, theme and text type. Writing is a process, so students are given time to set out ideas, make plan, write a draft. In fact, there are many approaches to teaching writing but the two most popular ones arc Process and Product.
Herc arc some features of the process approach according to Steele (2002) 2. Summary CTIAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3. - 10 3/1/37 BAh€RR, cu nh nh ngang rararrraeesireee TÔ) 3.4 The ‘Textbook“ Linglish 10” li 3. Addressing the problem.
ào cuc Họ nh Hang me l3 3.1, Data analysis of students’ survey questionnair 3. Data analysis of teachers’ survey questionnaires. Findings and discussions 3. Tien Thinh High school students’ amdety and the causes 3.
The ineffectiveness in using pre-writing activities of lien ‘Thinh High school teackers.3, Summary CTTAPTER FOUR: SUGGFSTED SOLUTIONS 4. Suggestions for teachers to reduce students’ anxiety in pro-writing stage 4. Giving clear and understandable instructions 32 4. Providing students with new words and structures in cffective ways 32 4.
Creating fiee anxiety classroom.2, Suggestions for students to reduce their anxiety In pre-writing 4. Having more writing practice 33 4. Participatingpair work and group WOrK. Improving English proficiency.
Rationale In the economic integration process, English has become an important key to get a good career. Understanding the importance of English, Vietnamese government has paid more and more attention to teaching and learning English at High Schools. The English textbooks give teachers a chance to teach all skills (Reading, Speaking, Writing, Listening), instead of focusing on grammar like before. Now, each lesson is taught with 3 stages: Pre-while-post- teaching.
This helps students learn English better. As an English teacher with 5 years of experience at a high school in Hanoi, the author has found out that of all the four skills, writing is the one that both teachers and students have problems in teaching and learning When teaching writing, I myself realized that pre-writing stage is very important that affects the result of students’ writing. In the writing lessons, most students always feel anxious and they can not write anything if they do not prepare well. Using suitable pre- writing activities can give a better result in teaching writing skill.
This research was carried out to investigate the causes of students’ anxiety at Tien Thinh High School at pre-stage in English writing lessons to find out solutions to improve the quality of teaching and learning writing skill 2. Research questions In this minor thesis, the author seeks answers for the following questions: 1. What are the factors causing students’ anxiety in writing lessons as perceived by Ts and Ss at TTHS ? 2. In the opinion of TTHS's Ts and Ss, which solutions should be done to reduce students’ anxiety in writing lessons? Methods of the study The research employs the survey methods: using questionnaires and classroom observations.
+ Data is collected by surveying teachers and students to get the information about the present situation of teaching and learning writing at Tien Thinh High School + Classroom observation is also carried out to get more reliable information.3 Summary CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS 5. Summary of the study 5. Limitations and suggestions for further study. Appendices Appendix 1: Survey Questionnaires for Teachers Appendix 2: Survey Questionriires for Students Appendix 3: ‘Tasks in writing lessons.
- Tv Chapter Five; Conclusion, offers a summary, limitations and suggestions for fiuther study. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2. The definition of w ing. Different researchers have defined writing in many different ways.
Byme (1988, pt), the author of Teaching Writing Skill, considers writing “the act of forming graphic symbols” such as letters or a combination of letters. According to this definition, any act that results in the forming of letters with or without a meaning can be defined as writing On. the other hand, Lannon (1989) views writing as “the process of transforming the material discovered by research inspiration, accident, trial and error, or whatever into a message with a definite mcaning- writing is a process of delibcrate decision” (p. In this way, writing must convey a message with a meaning.
Analher definition by Tribble (1996) considers writing a language skilt involving “nol just a graphic represcnlalion of specch, bul the development and presentation of thoughis ina structured way” (p. Besides, writing is defined by several contrasts (Sokolik, 2003, p. Tirstly, in her opinion, writing is both “a physical and a mental act” in the sense that it requires writers to commit words or ideas to some medium and at the same time to invent ideas, think aboul how to express them, and organize them into sizismenls and paragraphs. Secondly, writing aims at expressing and impressing, Writers typically try to express their ideas or feelings; meanwhile they need to impress their readers in certain ways.
Thirdly, writing is a process and a product.