VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE THE EFFECTS OF USING SPEECH ACTS AWARENESS-RAISING TASKS ON EFL STUDENTS’ LISTENING SKILLS A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By TRAN XUAN QUOC Supervised by VO NGUYEN HONG LAM, Ph. HO CHI MINH CITY, MAY 2024 i ABSTRACT Listening skills are one of the skills that many students show great difficulty in improving, especially regarding IELTS listening where students are expected to listen to and understand underlying meanings of speakers’ utterances before they can choose correct answers. However, there appears to be a gap in the literature where there is few research conducted on the effects of enhanced awareness of speech acts on students’ listening skills. This study investigates the impact of tasks used to raise students' awareness of speech acts on the listening skills of EFL students at a language center in Ho Chi Minh City.
By examining whether these tasks influence students' listening skills, the study fills a gap in the scholarly literature regarding the effectiveness of such tasks for non-English majors. The study was conducted over ten weeks with 40 participants who were chosen using convenience sampling. There were two groups: an experimental group and a control group with 20 participants in each group. A quasi-experimental design with a mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative assessments from pre-and post-test scores with qualitative insights from student interviews.
In the first week, pre-tests were distributed for baseline assessment. The intervention phase lasted eight weeks with the control group having the traditional teaching method and the experimental group having the incorporation of tasks to raise their awareness of speech acts in class. In the final week, post- tests were distributed for comparison. During this time, interviews were conducted with five students for deeper insights.
The results indicate that tasks that make students aware of speech acts improve students' listening skills as evidenced by improved IELTS scores, particularly in sections 2 and 3. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating speech acts awareness-raising tasks in IELTS listening classes to enhance students' listening skills. Keywords: Non-English majors, IELTS Listening, Listening Skills, Awareness-raising Tasks, Speech Acts ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My journey toward a Master's degree in TESOL has been a memorable experience. Apart from the knowledge I have gained so far in the MA program at USSH, I realize that I have developed some transferable skills, including soft skills and critical thinking skills that are essential in my teaching career.
I would love to dedicate this section to express my gratitude to those who have reached out their hands during my journey of completing this study. Firstly, I am indebted to my supervisors, Dr. Trần Thị Thanh Diệu and Dr. Võ Nguyễn Hồng Lam.
Trần Thị Thanh Diệu was the person who laid the groundwork for my study. I always remember what Dr. Thanh Diệu replied to my email when I first emailed her as it was truly mind-blowing to me as she considered conducting studies during the pregnancy period. Võ Nguyễn Hồng Lam is the person who has profoundly influenced the development of this study with her scholarly knowledge and infinite patience.
They both have given me critical recommendations based on which I have refined my thesis. I also would love to express my gratitude to the instructors at University of Social Sciences and Humanities. I have always been in awe of their profound scholarly knowledge and their teaching and sharing have inspired me in my teaching career. To my family and loved one, I do not know how to describe my deep gratitude for their wholehearted support.
Their encouragement has been a pillar of support whenever I have had feelings of stress and demotivation throughout the conduct of this study. This thesis is a collective achievement rather than an individual accomplishment. I would love to express my thanks for the contributions and support of all who have accompanied me on this academic journey. To everyone who has played a role, whether mentioned by name or not, I extend my deepest respect and heartfelt gratitude.
iii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I, Tran Xuan Quoc, affirm that this thesis is the product of my individual effort. I have duly recognized all the resources and scholarly works of others utilized in the preparation of this thesis. It is original work and has not been previously submitted to any other institution for the award of a degree or professional qualification. I have rigorously adhered to the ethical standards and the rules and regulations concerning plagiarism and academic honesty as prescribed by the university.
All sources have been appropriately cited and acknowledged, and quotations from the works of others are clearly marked and referenced. I hereby certify that this submission is the result of my own work and is in full compliance with the University of Social Sciences & Humanities' standards of academic integrity. Ho Chi Minh City, May 2024 TRAN XUAN QUOC iv RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I, Tran Xuan Quoc, as a candidate for the Master of TESOL degree, hereby acknowledge and agree to comply with the University's stipulations regarding the retention and utilization of Master's Theses submitted to the library. Under these stipulations, I consent to my thesis, once submitted and stored in the library, being made available for study and research purposes.
This consent aligns with the library's standard protocols for the maintenance, lending, or duplication of theses. I understand and accept that the original copy of my thesis will be accessible in the library under the established terms for academic and research use. Ho Chi Minh City, May 2024 TRAN XUAN QUOC v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page ABSTRACT. iii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY.
iv RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS. v TABLE OF CONTENTS. vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. ix LIST OF TABLES.
x LIST OF FIGURES. xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .1 Background of the study .2 Objectives of the study .3 Research questions and hypotheses .4 Significance of the study .5 Scope of the study .6 Organization of the study. 4 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .1 Taxonomy of speech acts .2 Categories of illocutionary acts .1 Definition of listening .2 Components of listening skills .3 Teaching listening skills as a comprehension process .3 Awareness-raising tasks.2 Definition of tasks .4 Tasks used to raise students’ awareness of speech acts .4 Conceptual framework for tasks used to raise students’ awareness of speech acts .1 Research approach and design .1 Rationale for a mixed methods approach .3 Sampling and participants.4 Intervention phase description .1 Pre-tests and post-tests: Cambridge IELTS 18 .2 Semi-structured interview questions .6 Reliability and validity of instruments .7 Data collection procedures. 40 CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .1 Quantitative data – pretest and posttest results .1 The normal distribution tests .2 Descriptive statistics of performance .3 The total pre-test scores between the control and experimental group 45 4.4 The total post-test scores between the control and experimental group 46 4.5 The scores across various sections between pretest and posttest in the control group .6 The scores across various sections between pretest and posttest in the experimental group .7 Comparison of between the pre- and post-test scores across various sections between the experimental group and control group .2 Qualitative data – interviews .1 Improvement in sections 2 and 3 scores.3 A need for more practice .3 Synthesis and discussion of findings .1 Summary of key findings.2 Implications for pedagogy .3 Limitations and future research.
76 APPENDIX A: QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENTS INSTRUMENTS. 81 APPENDIX B: QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENTS TOOLS. 86 APPENDIX C: LISTENING LESSON PLAN. LESSON PLAN FOR CONTROL GROUP.
LESSON PLAN FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. 95 APPENDIX D: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRETEST AND POSTTEST SCORES BETWEEN TWO GROUPS. 106 viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS IELTS International English Language Testing System EFL English as a Foreign Language L2 Second Language PWP Pre - While - Post ix LIST OF TABLES Table Page CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY Table 3. 1 Overview of research design.
2 Summary of activities in the intervention phase. 3 Detailed data analysis procedure. 40 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Table 4. 1 The normal distribution tests.
2 Descriptive Statistics for Mean Test Scores across two groups. 3 The Independent Samples t-Test between total pre-test scores of the two groups. 4 The Independent Samples t-Test between total post-test scores of the two groups. 5 Descriptive Statistics for mean test scores across the control group’s sections.
6 Paired Samples t-Test between pre- and post-test scores across various sections of the control group. 7 Descriptive Statistics for mean test scores across the experimental group’s sections. 8 The Paired Samples t-Test between pre- and post-test scores across various sections of the experimental group. 9 The Independent Samples t-Test for pre-test scores for section 1 of the two groups.
10 The Independent Samples t-Test for post-test scores for section 1 of the two groups. 11 The Independent Samples t-Test for pre-test scores for section 2 of the two groups. 12 The Independent Samples t-Test for post-test scores for section 2 of the two groups. 13 The Independent Samples t-Test for pre-test scores for section 3 of the two groups.
14 The Independent Samples t-Test for post-test scores for section 3 of the two groups. 15 The Independent Samples t-Test for pre-test scores for section 4 of the two groups. 16 The Independent Samples t-Test for post-test scores for section 4 of the two groups. 58 APPENDIX D: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRETEST AND POSTTEST SCORES BETWEEN TWO GROUPS Table D.
1 Total pre- and post-test scores of the experimental group. 2 Detailed Pretest Scores for the experimental group across four sections. 3 Detailed Posttest Scores for the experimental group across four sections. 4 Total pre- and post-test scores of the control group.
5 Detailed Pretest Scores for the control group across four sections. 6 Detailed Posttest Scores for the control group across four sections 111 xi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Figure 2. 1 Conceptual Framework for the Effects of Speech Acts Awareness- raising Tasks on Students’ Listening Skills. 28 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Figure 4.
1 Thematic map of the effects of tasks used to raise students’ awareness of speech acts. 59 xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study Among the four skills, listening is a key driver of studying English because it can directly affect students’ communication ability. An improvement in listening skills can empower students to not only understand the meanings expressed by speakers but also communicate effectively in any interactions. If the underlying meanings of utterances cannot be understood correctly, interactions can break down as a result.
Moreover, in listening tests, effective listening skills can enable students to not only pay attention to pronunciation and intonation but also comprehend nuances and rhythm of the language. This can give rise to an increase in their listening scores. However, poor listening skills can hinder students from their progress to higher English levels. As stated by Underwood (1989), students' inability to control the speed of the speakers, to have things repeated, to have sufficient vocabulary for understanding, to recognize the underlying messages of the speakers, and to maintain their concentration while listening can be obstacles to those who wish to improve their listening skills.
This does not mean that all students may face all of these problems. For some, the problem that may hinder their growth in English listening competence likely lies in their inability to understand underlying messages. According to Willis (1981), there are “enabling skills” that lead people to listening comprehension, one of which is comprehending implied information associated with speakers’ attitudes and intentions (p.