THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES NGUYEN HAI VAN USING TASK - BASED LEARNING TO ENHANCE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS' ENGLISH LISTENING SKILLS AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT M.A THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 THAI NGUYEN – 2023 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES NGUYEN HAI VAN USING TASK - BASED LEARNING TO ENHANCE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS' ENGLISH LISTENING SKILL AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION) Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 Supervisor: NGUYEN VIET HUNG, Ph.D THAI NGUYEN – 2023 ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ NGUYỄN HẢI VÂN NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG VỀ SỬ DỤNG PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC DỰA TRÊN NHIỆM VỤ ĐỂ NÂNG CAO KĨ NĂNG NGHE TIẾNG ANH CỦA HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT Ở TỈNH THÁI NGUYÊN LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ (Định hướng ứng dụng) Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh Mã số: 8220201 Cán bộ hướng dẫn: TS. Nguyễn Việt Hùng THÁI NGUYÊN – 2023 DECLARATION I hereby certify that the thesis “Using task - based learning to enhance tenth grade students' English listening skills at a high school in Thai Nguyen Province: an action research project” is submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Arts at the School Of Foreign Languages of Thai Nguyen University. I also declare that this thesis is result of my own research and efforts and that it has not been submitted for any other purposes. Thai Nguyen, February , 2023 Approved by supervisor Author’s Signature: Dr.
Nguyen Viet Hung Nguyen Hai Van i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to my supervisor, Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung for her precious guidance, critical comments and constructive supervision through my research. Without these, the thesis could not have been completed. Secondly, my gratitude goes to 30 students from class 10h at high school, Thai Nguyen province, who enthusiastically participated in the research procedure.
I am very grateful to all of them for providing detailed information for the analysis of the study. Thirdly, I must express my appreciation to two enthusiastic and supportive colleagues at English department, a high school who accompany me during 10 weeks procedure of the research. Their detailed and sufficient information gives much support to my study. Fourthly, I would like to show my deep gratitude to all the lecturers at School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University for the valuable lectures, which laid the foundation for my thesis.
Last but not least, I must express my gratitude to my beloved family who support and encouragement have always been a great deal of strength that has helped me to complete this thesis. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS. iii LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES.
vi LIST OF OBSERVIATIONS. viii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION. Aims of the study. Scope of the study.
Significance of the study. Organization of the study. 4 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW. An overview of Task-Based Learning.
Teaching listening skills to high school students. 15 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. Rationale for doing action research. Models of action research.
Action research process. Data Collection instruments. English listening test. Data collection procedures.
Data analysis procedure. Data analysis methods. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. Results of the pre-test and post-test.
Results of the questionnaires. Research question 1: How can Task - Based Learning activities affect students' listening skills?. Research question 2: What are the students' attitudes towards using Task - Based Learning activities for their listening skills development? .42 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS. Implications for the teachers and students when applied TBL in listening lessons.
For the teachers. Limitations of the study. Recommendations for further research. LISTENING PRE - TEST FOR LEARNERS.
LISTENING POST-TEST FOR LEARNERS. XIII APPENDIX 5: ENGLISH SPEAKING ABILITY EVALUATION. XIV APPENDIX 6: LESSON PLAN. XV v LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES Figure 3.
Action research model design adopted from Kurt Lewin (1946). Cycle of classroom Action Research adapted from MacIsaac (1995). Detailed Action Research Model adopted from Susman (1983) .1: Schedules of the data collection procedures .1: Frequency of the pre-test scores .1: Results of the pre-test scores .2: Frequency of the post - test scores .2: Results of the post-test scores.3: Comparison of the pre-test and post-test scores. The students’ viewpoints toward using TBL approach in listening lessons .4: The viewpoints of students towards the use of TBL approach in listening lessons .4: The students’ feelings toward the use of TBL approach in listening lessons .5: The feelings of students toward the use of TBL approach in listening lessons .39 vi LIST OF OBSERVIATIONS TBL Task-based learning TBLT Task-based language teaching TBP Task- based program EFL English as Foreign Language ELT English Language Teaching vii ABSTRACT Effective listening skills are crucial in many areas of life, from education to professional and personal relationships.
Listening goes beyond hearing; it involves understanding, interpreting, and responding to information received. When it comes to learning a foreign language, good listening skills are essential for effective communication and language acquisition. The study in question aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Task-Based Learning in enhancing high school students' listening skills. Task-Based Learning is an approach that emphasizes real-world tasks, such as problem-solving or decision- making, as the basis for language learning.
The researcher utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine two research questions: (1) how Task-Based Learning affects students' listening skills, and (2) how students perceive Task-Based Learning in terms of its impact on their listening skills. The findings of this study have important implications for language teachers and learners. The results indicate that Task-Based Learning can be an effective method for improving listening skills in high school students. Students who participated in Task-Based Learning activities demonstrated significant improvements in their listening abilities compared to those who did not.
Moreover, students reported that they enjoyed and felt more motivated by Task-Based Learning compared to traditional classroom-based instruction. The study's results suggest that Task-Based Learning can be a valuable tool for language teachers looking to enhance their students' listening skills. By engaging students in real-world tasks that require them to listen carefully, teachers can help students develop their ability to understand and interpret spoken language. Moreover, the use of Task-Based Learning may increase student motivation and engagement, leading to more successful language learning outcomes.
Key words: listening skills, task – based learning, action research, test. viii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale In the 21st century, English is a worldwide language. As the English language has become progressively essential in improving trade, travel, and education in many nations, the necessity of learning as well as using English in communication and studying is expanding.
It should not be difficult to realize the importance of listening when we consider that it occupies about forty – five percent of the time adults spend in communication. This is significantly more than listening, which accounts for thirty per cent, and reading and writing, which make up sixteen percent and nine percent respectively. In addition, Vietnamese individuals must always be able to have a conversation and listen attentively well in English because of its relevance as an international language. As can be seen, the Ministry of Education understands the importance of English in the future of Vietnam.
As a consequence, for more than two decades, English has been taught in all school systems. However, a numerous barriers remain in the approach of learners listening English well. On the other hand, in Vietnam, English is not widely spoken, especially in professional or international contexts. As a result, unlike many other Southeast Asian nations including Singapore, Malaysia, and even the Philippines, Vietnam's people do not have perfect conditions in which to study or even use English.
Although students must learn English in high school, their capacity to interact in English as a Vietnamese is not gratefully received in Vietnamese education. Despite this, students frequently fail to give listening the attention it deserves. This is all the more astonishing given that learners frequently state that hearing is the most difficult of all the English skills. Many research shows that Vietnamese students are learning grammar instead of listening, and that standardized tests are more essential to them than proficiency in English.
1 Moreover, Vietnamese students are definitely well enough in vocabulary and grammar, which helps them listen more effectively. However, caused by a lack of listening practice, they are unable to listen in English. The vast majority of students are capable of comprehending the meaning of English words however can hear or remember how to pronounce them. The apprehension of hearing is one of the most major obstacles to increasing students' listening abilities.
In Vietnam, primary school has more hours than secondary and high school when it relates to English education. As a conclusion, although practising can help teenagers improve their reading and vocabulary knowledge, it cannot help them to enhance their listening abilities. Besides, the study was performed in a high school in Thai Nguyen Province, a Northern province of Vietnam. However, at a high school, English was one of the required subjects in the education system.
According to the researcher's findings in the English listening classrooms at this high school, there are several challenges with the teaching and learning processes that were associated to the researcher's and students' activities in the classroom. Additionally, many students have limited vocabulary, and mispronounce words, making it difficult for them to listen advanced exercises as they would want. Consequently, students do not have entrance to an English - listening context and do not have numerous opportunities to listen English completely, causing a lack of proficiency in the target language. Whereas a listening lesson is just forty minutes in length, learners have even less chance to listen as well as complete all or most of the textbook's listening exercises.
As a result, there have been a few students who excelled in listening. Nevertheless, due to the limited opportunities to hear English in their daily life, some students are hesitant to do so. The majority of the students are silent and basically listen. Finally, although this ability is momentous, school - based teaching and learning programs concentrate on reading, writing, and grammar, besides listening and speaking.
As a result, students would focus on reading and writing more while neglecting their confidence to interact some contexts in listening activities. To establish a positive environment in which students may develop their listening skills, teachers should allow students to apply and design lessons on their 2 own with the help of the instructor. It may help them grow and extend their skills while also encouraging them to learn English. The researcher decided to conduct an M.
research project titled "Using Task - Based Learning to enhance tenth grade students' English listening skills at a high school in Thai Nguyen Province: An action research" for the reasons stated above. The researcher anticipates that this study would be useful to English teachers in high schools. Aims of the study In this study, the research sought to attain the following objectives: 1/ Looking into the impact of Task - Based Learning activities on high school learners' listening skills. 2/ Explore tenth - grade students' attitudes on learning listening skills by utilizing Task - Based Learning.
Research questions The study's goal was to address the following questions: 1. To what extend does Task - Based Learning activities affect students' listening skills? 2. What are the students' attitudes towards using Task - Based Learning activities for their listening skills development? 1. Scope of the study The research would concentrate on employing Task - Based Learning to educate listening in high school, particularly to 10th - grade students, who would expose to a TBLT in their English lessons.