VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES ****************************** ĐINH THI THU TRANG A STUDY OF THE USE OF TRANSLATION IN IMPROVING NON- ENGLISH MAJORED STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION ABILITY AT FACULTY OF ENGLISH, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ SỬ DỤNG DỊCH TRONG CẢI THIỆN KỸ NĂNG ĐỌC HIỂU CỦA SINH VIÊN KHÔNG CHUYÊN ANH, KHOA TIẾNG ANH, TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ, ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI) M.A COMBINED PROGRAM THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.00111 Hanoi, 2015 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES ****************************** ĐINH THI THU TRANG A STUDY OF THE USE OF TRANSLATION IN IMPROVING NON- ENGLISH MAJORED STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION ABILITY AT FACULTY OF ENGLISH, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ SỬ DỤNG DỊCH TRONG CẢI THIỆN KỸ NĂNG ĐỌC HIỂU CỦA SINH VIÊN KHÔNG CHUYÊN ANH, KHOA TIẾNG ANH, TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ, ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI) M.A COMBINED PROGRAM THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60. Tran Xuan Diep Hanoi, 2015 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DECLARATION I hereby, certify the thesis entitled “ A Study of The Use of Translation Improving Non-majored English Students’ Reading Comprehension in Faculty of English, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi” is the result of my own research for the Degree of Master of Arts in English Teaching Methodology at University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The thesis has not been submitted for any degree at any other universities or institutions. I agree that the origin of my thesis deposited in the library can be accessible for the purpose of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan and reproduction of the paper Hanoi, January 2015 Signature Dinh Thi Thu Trang i LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I owe the success of this paper to the following people without whom this research could not have been completed.
Firstly, I would like to express my deepest sense of gratitude to my supervisor, Associate Professor. Tran Xuan Diep for his immeasurable help, valuable comments and supportive encouragements throughout the study and beyond. My sincere thanks also go to all the staff, teachers and members at Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies – University of Languages and International Studies – Vietnam National University, Hanoi - for their work and services. I am also obliged to seventy non-majored English students at Faculty of English who willingly participated in my study, contributed their efforts to provide me with valuable source of data.
Lastly, I am also thankful for the support and unconditional love and care I have had from my family, my husband and friends whose encouragements became my motivation to complete this study. ii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ABSTRACT The idea of using translation as a learning strategy as well as a teaching technique has received diverse compliments and criticisms during the EFL history. Although some teaching methods are in complete disagreement with the use of translation in EFL classes, the fact cannot be neglected that non- majored English learners, especially in their early stages of language learning, heavily rely on their mother tongue and deploy it in various skills such as speaking, listening, writing and reading. In this research attempts have been made to verify whether there is a positive correlation between the use of translation as a facilitating strategy and the improvement of non-majored English students‘ reading comprehension.
It was hypothesized that translation activities organized by the teacher may facilitate the process of comprehension for learners. Seventy non-majored English learners from Faculty of English, ULIS, VNU were asked to complete a pilot study in the form of questionnaires to express their opinions towards translation. In the experimental phase, they were divided into two groups. The experimental group was taught reading text through translation activities and the control group received no translation.
After eight weeks of instruction, the obtained results showed there was a meaningful difference between the performance of control and experimental groups in reading comprehension pre-test and post- test. iii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF TABLES No. Summary of contents in New English File Pre-Intermediate 38 2. Students‘ opinions about the use of translation 42 3.
Students‘ opinions about translation as an enabling strategy to 43 help them increase their reading comprehension 4. Statistics of pre-test for experimental and control groups 51 5. Statistics of post-test for experimental and control groups 53 6. Paired samples test of the means of the post test of control and 53 experimental groups iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 1.
EFL: English as a Foreign Language 4. CLT: Communicative Language Teaching 5. ULIS: University of Languages and International Studies 6. VNU: Vietnam National University, Hanoi v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS DECRALATION…………………………………………………………….ii ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………….iv LIST OF TABLES…………………………………….vi LIST OF ABREVIATIONS……………………………………………….vii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION…….
Statement of the problem……………………………………………. Objectives of the study ……………………. Significance of the study……………………………………………. Scope of the study…………………………………………………….
Design of the study………………………………………………….4 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND…………………………. Reading and Reading Comprehension Theories…………………. Theories and Approaches to Reading As a Language Skill…. Theories on Reading Comprehension………………………….
The Role of Translation In Teaching EFL……………………. Definition of Translation……………………………. Translation in Foreign Language Teaching……… ………. Objections and Disadvantages of Using Translation….
Advocacy and Advantages of Using Translation……. Approaches to Translations in EFL……………………. Using Bilingual text……………………………….21 vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. Translation Activities in EFL classroom………………….
Principles of Designing Translation activities……. The Role of Translation in Reading Comprehension…… …. 30 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY………. 39 CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.
Findings from pilot study………………………………. Limitations of the research……………………………………. Suggestions for further research ……………………. I vii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION This initial part states the problem and the rationale of the study, together with the aims, objectives and the scope of the whole paper.
Above all, it is in this part that the research questions are identified to work as clear guidelines for the whole research. Statement of the problem With the new framework of learner-centered approach and the advent of Communicative Language Teaching in the realm of teaching English as a foreign language, translation has always been the core of the controversies on whether it can be a valid and effective tool in foreign language learning. Until recently, translation was out of favour with the language teaching community. Translation as a language learning activity was considered to be unsuitable within the context of foreign language learning (Brown, 2002).
It was critized because of the close association with traditional Grammar Translation. Harbord (cited in Cunningham, 2000) stated: ―A return to Grammar-Translation with all of its negative connotations; as well, the isolation of lexis from any real context prevents students from gleaning insight into the multiple uses and meanings of the word‖. Even today translation can be regarded as a mechanical linguistic transfer of meaning from one language to another. It isn‘t considered to be a useful language learning tool because of being not a communicative activity that is not suited to the general needs of the language learner.
However, the idea of abandoning the native tongue is too stressful to many learners, who need a sense of security in the experience of learning a foreign language (Kavaliauskienë, & Kaminskienë, 2007). In this respect, some scholars aired different viewpoints concerning the use of translation and opened new horizons, which showed that not only a judicious use of translation is not 1 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com debilitating, but also helps learners to establish a better connection between their own language and the target language.7) strongly supports the view that translation is an excellent means of improving one's language because it invites speculation and discussion. Recently, foreign language teachers have been reviving the use of translation for different learning purposes. It was observed that translation activity could be used for pedagogical purposes along with other traditional language teaching activities.
Reading, grammar exercises, translation — ―are in fact perceived by learners to be conductive to learning‖ (McDonough, 2002, p. At the Faculty of English, ULIS, VNU, using only English in low-level language classes can result in misunderstanding the teachers‘ instructions or misinterpreting the meaning that reading passages convey. Moreover, due to the teacher‘s focus on developing students‘ four major skills including speaking, reading, writing and listening, as well as the limited duration of class hours students‘ thorough comprehension of the reading passages are not guaranteed. This is when translation may have a place in foreign language classroom.
However, the way teachers are employing translation method in their classes and its level of effectiveness still remain a scarce subject of investigation. Objectives of the study This study has been conducted in an attempt to find: 1. Certain translation activities used in the process of teaching reading comprehension. Whether there exists a positive correlation between the use of translation in EFL context and the improvement of students‘ reading comprehension or not.
2 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com First and foremost, the study aims to describe which translation activities were applied in the classroom to improve students‘ reading comprehension. Secondly, the researcher also wants to verify whether translation has a positive influence on the ability of reading comprehension of non-English majored students at the Faculty of English, Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies. The results obtained will pave the way for several implications for teachers to make better decision whether to integrate translation into their reading activities. Research questions In order to achieve the purposes stated above, the study revolves around the following questions: 1.
Which translation techniques were employed in the classroom as an aid to improve non-majored English students? 2. To what extent does the use of translation influence the non- majored English students' achievement in reading comprehension tests? 1. Significance of the study The findings of this study can draw the teachers‘ attention towards the use of translation into their EFL classroom, which is probably out of favor in Communicative Language Teaching approach. It should be noted that non- majored English students are the core participants of this study so teachers at the same context may see the relationship between the proper integration of translation in reading activities and the improvement of students‘ reading comprehension.
Besides, teachers may have a closer look at how translation activities can be integrated into teaching reading comprehension. This study would also serve as a valuable reference for teachers and other researchers alike. Teachers when having students at same level as participants may have better 3 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com decision in whether to employ this method or not in their teaching situation. Finally, future researchers who share the same interest may find helpful information from this research to conduct further studies.
Scope of the study The researcher has no intention of doing an investigation into the use of translation in reading comprehension in general but just places a focus on non majored English students at the Faculty of English, ULIS, VNU. It should also be noted that the sample of the research is limited to 70 second-year non English majored students at the Faculty of English, ULIS, VNU who are currently pursuing A2 level according to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. They are chosen under non-probability sampling Besides, this group of students was chosen instead of English-majored ones because students in this particular group tend to have lower English competence and they are supposed to have less learner autonomy, less self- regulation in learning process, and less exposure to English environment.