MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUY NHON UNIVERSITY NGUYEN TRAN THANH THUY PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING ENGLISH SPEAKING PERFORMANCE OF 10TH GRADERS AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN NHA TRANG Field: Theory and Methodology of English Language Teaching Code: 8140111 Supervisor: BUI THI ĐAO, Ph.D BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN NGUYỄN TRẦN THANH THỦY NHỮNG YẾU TỐ TÂM LÝ ẢNH HƯỞNG ĐẾN KHẢ NĂNG NÓI TIẾNG ANH CỦA HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TẠI MỘT TRƯỜNG TRUNG HỌC Ở NHA TRANG Ngành: Lý luận và phương pháp dạy học bộ môn tiếng Anh Mã số: 8140111 Người hướng dẫn: TS. Bùi Thị Đào i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I certify my authority over the submitted thesis, titled PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING ENGLISH SPEAKING PERFORMANCE OF 10TH GRADERS AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN NHA TRANG in fulfillment of the requirements for Master Degree. Except when noted in the text, this thesis contains no material already published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis for which I have qualified for or been granted another degree or diploma. No other person's work has been used without proper acknowledgement in the thesis.
This thesis has not been submitted to any other educational institution for the award of a degree or diploma. Quy Nhon, 2023 Nguyễn Trần Thanh Thủy ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Bùi Thị Đào, for spending significant time offering me directions, guidance, constructive comments, and encouragement. This thesis would not have been completed without the invaluable assistance of my supervisor.
Secondly, I would like to thank my colleagues for their encouragement and sharing of their thesis-writing experience. Thirdly, I am appreciative to all of the students in my class who participated in the study and provided me with valuable insight into the research problem. Finally, I also owe my special thanks to my family, who have always expressed their warmest love to me. Without their encouragement and support, this present paper would not have been completed in time.
iii ABSTRACT Regarding English language learning, speaking is recognized as a vital skill that needs continuous development and enhancement to facilitate effective communication. However, many students at Ly Tu Trong High School in Nha Trang encounter difficulties in developing their speaking skills. This research investigates the impact of psychological factors on the English- speaking performance of 10th-grade students. The study uses mixed-methods approaches combining surveys, interviews, and observations.
The research uncovers the significance of motivation, anxiety, confidence, shyness, fear of making mistakes, and the learning environment. The participants taking part in the survey questionnaire include 90 tenth grade students from Ly Tu Trong high schools in Nha Trang. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participation of five students and one teacher. The researcher observed 4 sessions in 2 classes.
The study employs a quantitative research approach and qualitative descriptive method. Data for the research was collected through questionnaires, observations, and interviews. The findings of this research provided insights into the specific psychological factors that significantly impact students' speaking abilities. Many students voiced their hesitation to speak English, primarily citing difficulties with pronunciation.
The majority of these students have openly admitted that they avoid using English in conversation because they fear making errors. The results of this study can contribute to the development of targeted interventions to improve English speaking performance among 10th graders. The study also proposed a number of implications, focusing on aiding the students to improve their speaking performance. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP.
iii ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS. vii LIST OF TABLES. viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. Aim and objective of the study.
Scope of the study. Method of the study. Significance of the study. Organization of the study.
6 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. Definition of speaking skills. Lack of motivation. Lack of confidence.
Fear of making mistake. Aspects of speaking performance. Relating forms to meanings. Types of speaking performance.
The importance of teaching English speaking. Review of previous studies. 25 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. Data collection instruments.
Data collection procedure. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. Research questions 1: What are psychological factors that influence 10th-grade students’ speaking skills?. Lack of motivation.
Lack of confidence. Fear of making mistake. Research question 2: What solutions can be taken to enhance the speaking performance of high school students? .1 Results from teachers’ interviews .2 Results from students’ interviews. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
Recommendations for educators. Recommendations for teachers. Recommendations for students. Limitations of the research.
Suggestions for further studies. 70 APPENDICES vii ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS EFL English as a foreign language TESOL Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page Title number number Description of the psychological factors used for the Table 3.1 30 survey Students’ lack of motivation for English speaking Table 4.2 Students’ anxiety on English speaking performance 39 Students’ lack of confidence in English speaking Table 4.4 Students’ shyness on English speaking performance 46 Students’ fear of making mistake on English speaking Table 4.5 49 performance Students’ Performance condition on English speaking Table 4.6 52 performance Students’ learning environment on English speaking Table 4.7 56 performance 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Chapter one presents the introduction of the study. This chapter discusses seven parts, namely rationale, the aim and objective, the research questions, the scope of the study, the method, the significance, and the outline of the study. Rationale In today's globalized and modernized world, English skills have become crucial for connecting individuals across various regions, cultures, religions, and countries.
Many individuals are required to possess good verbal proficiency to interact smoothly in English. Hence, the main goal of English language education should focus on equipping learners with the capacity to communicate proficiently in English as revealed by Davies and Pearse (1998). In simpler terms, the aim is to help learners successfully reach their communication objectives. In the process of teaching English, it has become evident that speaking, out of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), is the one most English learners are eager to acquire swiftly.
Ur (1996) underscores its paramount importance, asserting it as the key factor in transforming learners into proficient English speakers. Consequently, speaking serves not only as a mode of expression but also as a tool for cognitive development and academic advancement (Goh, 2007). Moreover, it stands as an essential component of effective communication (Shumin, 2002). Anggryadi (2014) emphasizes the importance of this by stating that many learners believe acquiring successful speaking abilities to be the primary goal when studying English as a foreign language.
According to Fitriani (2015) and Leong (2017), the proficiency of 2 learners' speaking skills plays a significant role in the success of acquiring a foreign language. Thus, language learners frequently encounter numerous difficulties. To begin with, most students struggle with speaking fluently. Then, they must use appropriate vocabulary for each and every situation.
Additionally, students must speak with proper grammar and, more importantly, produce proper pronunciation and intonation when speaking English. Hinkel (2005) claims that communication problems arise when students encounter a word for which they do not know the meaning or form. As a result, they are unsure of how and when to use the word and are frequently interrupted while speaking. In recent years, together with the increasing need for English learning, great efforts in Vietnam and elsewhere have been made in order to improve the quality of English teaching, especially, speaking skills.
Based on my extensive experience as an English teacher for several years, I've come to realize that students frequently struggle with their speaking abilities. These reasons could stem from the fact that English speaking classes are commonly disregarded by teachers in favor of focusing on other areas of language learning means such as grammar or vocabulary simply because high school students' speaking skills were not examined for the last tests. On the other hand, all of the participants have the trait of being frightened and unwilling to communicate in English. Furthermore, due to a lack of speaking opportunities at school, children's oral English abilities are lacking.
Thus, how should we account for this fact? This might be because they are, firstly, worried about making mistakes fearful of criticism, or simply shy. Secondly, they have no motivation to express themselves, as well as lacking confidence in expressing their intended communicative goals. Moreover, several experts emphasize that psycholinguistic factors have 3 a notably adverse impact on students' speaking endeavors. Ellis (2000) mentioned that learners often discuss their practice, pinpointing issues and exploring potential solutions.
Haidra (2014) similarly asserted that psychological factors not only yield negative effects but also complicate students' English speaking proficiency. For instance, Putri (2014) conducted research investigating the link between anxiety, a psycholinguistic factor, and students' speaking performance. Notably, they found a significant positive correlation between low anxiety scores and enhanced speaking performance. These psycholinguistic aspects influence students' oral competence and contribute to the creation of obstacles that limit their ability to communicate.
Even though English learners, especially Vietnamese high school students, understand how important speaking skills are, they still struggle to speak or express themselves in English. In fact, a lot of high school students often find it hard to speak confidently. Some students even get so frustrated that they cry or can't say anything during speaking performance. This is a big problem for high school students in Ly Tu Trong high school too.
However, those studies only pay attention to certain components or groupings of characteristics that have an impact on learners' oral performance singly or collectively under different conditions. As a result, there is a lack of study on the variables influencing speaking performance for high school students in Vietnam, particularly in Nha Trang areas where English is now increasingly being used by students. Due to this, the writer has conducted a title on "Psychological factors affecting English speaking performance of 10th graders at a high school in Nha Trang" in an effort to gain insights into the specific psychological dynamics that may affect the English speaking performance of 10th graders at Ly Tu Trong high school in Nha Trang and, 4 then to identify the most effective teaching strategies to enhance high school students' English speaking abilities generally. Moreover, conducting this research in a specific geographical location such as Nha Trang allows for a localized understanding of the factors such as cultural influences, educational policies, and the language learning environment in Nha Trang may have unique characteristics that impact students' psychological well-being and English speaking performance.
By focusing on this specific context, the research can provide insights that are relevant and applicable to the local educational system and contribute to the improvement of English language education in the area. Aim and objective of the study The aim of this study is firstly to investigate how psychological factors impact the English speaking performance of 10th-grade students by exploring the interplay of motivation, anxiety, confidence, shyness, fear of making mistakes, the performance condition, the learning environment, and then, to some extents, to offer some solutions in order to improve students’ English speaking ability and speaking performance. To fulfill these aims, the specific objectives of the study include: - To evaluate how psychological factors impact students' proficiency in English speaking. - To provide potential remedies for enhancing students’ English speaking abilities.
Research questions In order to reach the above aims and specific objectives, the research is expected to answer the following questions: 1. What are psychological factors that influence students’ Engllish 5 speaking skills? 2. What solutions can be taken to enhance the speaking performance of students? 1. Scope of the study The study was carried out with participation of 90 tenth grade students from 2 classes 10C1, 10C2 of Ly Tu Trong High School.
The study was based on the survey questionnaires and interviews with the students and teacher.