VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature AN INVESTIGATION INTO ELEMENTARY LEARNER’S QUESTIONING STRATEGIES AT TRAN HUNG DAO FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER IN BINH THUAN PROVINCE A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF TESOL Submitted by NGUYEN THI TOAN THANG Supervisor: NGUYEN HOANG TUAN, Ph. HO CHI MINH CITY- 2009 -1- CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis submitted today entitled: AN INVESTIGATION INTO ELEMENTARY LEARNER’S QUESTIONING STRATEGIES AT TRAN HUNG DAO FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER IN BINH THUAN PROVINCE in terms of the statement of Requirements for Theses in Master’s Programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee. Ho Chi Minh City, December, 2009. NGUYEN THI TOAN THANG -2- RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, NGUYEN THI TOAN THANG, being the candidate for the degree of Master of TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the University Library.
In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis deposited in the University Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Library for the care, loan and reproduction of theses. Ho Chi Minh City, December, 2009. NGUYEN THI TOAN THANG -3- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere thanks to many people who have assisted my research work. To my supervisor Dr.
Nguyen Hoang Tuan, I owe a special debt of gratitude for his scholarship, patient guidance, encouragement, and constructive supervision throughout my research. My special thanks go to my evaluators Dr. Luu Trong Tuan and Dr. Nguyen Thai An, whose comments are of great value.
My special thanks also go to Mr Jean Guy Trepaniks who assisted me in revising, contributing ideas and proofreading the final draft of the thesis. I take this opportunity to thank my colleagues and learners at Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center in Binh Thuan province for their assistance and support. I am profoundly grateful to my family, especially my sister-in-law, who took all the family burden during the long period of time I spent doing my thesis. This thesis is in memory of my father, who greatly inspired me in my study and work.
-4- ABSTRACT Questioning is an important life skill and a major learning and thinking skill. As one moves from his/ her academic world into his / her occupational career, the ability to ask good questions is also considered as a soft skill, a good preparation for his/ her occupational success. Questioning helps to train learners’ critical and creative thinking and promote teacher-learner as well as learner-learner interaction in the learning process. It should be encouraged and promoted in language teaching and learning.
This research presents an investigation into elementary learners’ questioning strategies at Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center in Binh Thuan province. The research aims to find out the reality of using questioning strategies by elementary learners, the support of teachers to promote learners’ questioning and the problems facing teachers with learners’ questioning. The research hopes to raise teachers’ and learners’ awareness of using different questioning strategies in the learning process and maintaining effective questioning among learners. The research ends by offering some recommendations to help teachers improve their learners’ questioning because effective questioning is believed to have a positive impact on developing learners’ confidence in language using and assisting their language proficiency.
-5- TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 12 1.1 Background to the study 12 1.1 Description of Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center 13 1.2 Description of the English speaking syllabus for elementary learners at Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center.2 Aims of the study 16 1.3 Significance of the study 16 1.4 Overview of the study 17 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 19 2.1 Amount of learners’ questions 19 2.2 Learning benefits of questioning 21 2.1 Questioning and learners’ use of language 21 2.2 Questioning and learners’ cooperative learning 22 2.3 Questioning and learners’ active learning 23 2.4 Questioning and learners’ language fluency 23 2.5 Questioning and learners’ motivation 24 2.3 Types of learners’ questions 25 2.4 Supporting techniques for learner’s questioning 27 2.5 Criteria for effective questioning 28 2.2 Factors influencing learners’ questioning 32 2.3 Learner roles in learner-centered approach 39 2.4 Summary 40 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 41 3.3 Data collection procedures 44 3.3 Summary 46 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 47 4.1 Responses to the questionnaires 47 4.3 Comparison of teachers’ and learners’ responses 70 4.2 Results from the classroom observation 81 4.1 The frequency of learners’ question types 81 4.2 Teachers’ techniques to promote learners’ questioning 82 4.3 Summary 86 -7- CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS 88 5.3 Limitations of the study 95 5.4 Summary 95 BIBLIOGRAPHY 96 APPENDIX 1: THE CONTENTS OF SPEAKING 102 LESSONS IN LIFELINES-ELEMENTARY APPENDIX 2: QUESTIONNAIRES 103 APPENDIX 3: CLASSROOM OBSERVATION SHEET 114 APPENDIX 4: TRANSCRIPTS 118 APPENDIX 5: SOME EXAMPLES OF BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITIES USED IN THE CLASSROOM 133 APPENDIX 6: SOME EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE LEARNERS’ QUESTIONING 137 -8- LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 The difference in ages of the learners .2 The difference in seniority of learners’ studying English 49 Table 4.3 Learners’ self –evaluation of their English using ability 49 Table 4.4 Frequency of learning activities in the classroom 50 Table 4.5 Frequency of verbal communication in English 52 in the classroom Table 4.6 Learners’ actions when they do not understand 53 something in the lesson Table 4.7 Learners’ preference in asking questions 53 Table 4.8 Learners’ perception towards the importance of 54 practising asking questions Table 4.9 Learners’ attitude towards practising asking questions 55 Table 4.10 Frequency of lacking confidence in asking questions 56 Table 4.11 Reasons for lacking confidence in asking questions 56 Table 4.12 Learners’ opinions about activities frequently used 57 by teachers to promote speaking Table 4.13 Teachers’ techniques to stimulate learners’ questioning 59 Table 4.14 Learners’ opinions about teachers’ 60 modification technique Table 4.15 Learners’ reflection about the frequency of 61 techniques used in giving feedback Table 4.16 Learners’ expectation in learning English 62 Table 4.17 Personal information of the teachers 63 Table 4.18 Teachers’ evaluation on the learners’ 64 proficiency in English.19 Teachers’ perception towards the importance 64 of learners’ questioning strategies Table 4.20 Reasons for using questioning strategies in 65 learning speaking skill Table 4.21 The frequency of activities used by teachers 66 to promote learners’ speaking Table 4.22 Teachers’ techniques to help learners make questions 67 Table 4.23 Teachers’ habit in using modification techniques 68 Table 4.24 Teachers’ habit in giving feedback 69 Table 4.25 Common problems with learners’ questioning strategies 70 Table 4.26 Comparison of teachers’ and learners’ evaluation 71 on learners’ English proficiency Table 4.27 Frequency of speaking activities used in speaking classes 73 Table 4.28 Comparison of investigating results about teachers’ 75 techniques to promote learners’ asking questions Table 4.29 Comparison of data in learners’ and teachers’ 78 investigating results about the teachers’ habit of using modification techniques Table 4.30: Comparison of teachers’ and learners’ reflection on 80 teachers’ giving feedback - 10 - LIST OF CHARTS Chart 4.1 Comparison of teachers’ and learners’ evaluation 72 on learners’ English proficiency Chart 4.2 Frequency of speaking activities used in speaking classes 72 Chart 4.3 Comparison of investigating results about teachers’ 76 techniques to promote learners’ asking questions Chart 4.4 Comparison of data in learners’ and teachers’ 79 investigating results about the teachers’ habit of using modification techniques Chart 4.5 Comparison of teachers’ and learners’ reflection on 80 teachers’ giving feedback - 11 - CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This study examines the importance of learners’ questioning strategies in English speaking classes in the Vietnamese context, and then recommends possible solutions for improving the learners’ communicative competence. To contextualize this study, a description of Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center and the English speaking syllabus for elementary learners at Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center is to be given. This first chapter will provide the background, aims, significance and overview of the study.1 Background to the study It has been known for years that questioning is an important life skill and a major learning and thinking skill. Sukiasyan (2003) states that it is questioning that enables learners to become active, confident, creative and innovative learners and thinkers.
Questioning helps to train learners’ critical and creative thinking and promote teacher-learner as well as learner-learner interaction in the learning process. As learners move from their academic world into their occupational career, the ability to ask good questions is also considered as a soft skill, a good preparation for their occupational success. However, the reality of teaching and learning English at foreign language centers in Binh Thuan province fails to promote learners’ questioning strategies. In fact, in most of the language classes, it is teachers that dominate questioning and learners are only supposed to answer questions from teachers.
This teacher-centered approach deprives learners of critical thinking and active learning. It turns learners into passive, dependent thinkers and learners. Furthermore, lack of practice in asking questions is also considered one of the factors inhibiting the inquiring attitude that is generally believed to be fundamental to learning and hindering learners from developing their communication skills (Abbott, 1980: 5). - 12 - Although asking for information is a function of first priority in almost all forms of dialogue, it is generally admitted that the teaching of questions is not very successful and learners are very poor at it (Abbott, 1980: 5).
Perhaps the main inhibiting factor is teachers’ lack of awareness about the importance of learners’ questioning strategies in learning language which lends themselves more easily to questioners and their learners to answerers. Another factor is that influenced by Confucianism, Vietnamese learners feel rude if they challenge their teachers with questions. In Vietnamese society, student questioning is generally considered inappropriate since it is taken as implicit criticism of the teacher’s skill and students do not feel easy to raise questions in class (Phan, 2004). Experiencing such a learning habit, like most Asian students, most Vietnamese learners are dependent thinkers (Pennycook, 1994).
It is observed that most learners, especially elementary learners, do not feel free to inquire in a language classroom. It may be the lack of teachers’ guidance and encouragement that prevents them from asking questions which on the other hand is considered a powerful learning tool. From this reality, enhancing teachers’ awareness towards learners’ questioning strategies and improving learners’ questioning startegies are of great importance in developing learners’ active learning and communication skills. To address this issue, an investigation into elementary learners’ questioning strategies at Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center in Binh Thuan province is necessary to find out problems and suggest solutions in order to help learners improve their question strategies as well as communicative skills.1 Description of Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center Situated in the South East of Vietnam, Binh Thuan province has a second – ranked city, Phan Thiet city, a town, 7 districts and an island.
Phan Thiet city is the political, economic, and cultural center where Tran Hung Dao High school is located. Tran Hung Dao High School is the only high school for gifted students of the whole province. Tran Hung Dao High School employs the best teachers among - 13 - the teachers in the province. It has a foreign language center, Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language center.
Tran Hung Dao Foreign Language Center came into being in 1996, three years after the school itself had been founded. The center offers elementary, pre – intermediate and intermediate classes and operates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. Like many other centers in Phan Thiet city, the scale of the center is not big, the classes often vary from 6 to 8. The number of learners in each class varies from 25 to 30 learners.
All learners of this center are lower secondary pupils.