MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY ******************** PHAN THI MINH THAO THE ROLE OF USING SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PEER-ASSESSMENT IN EFL SPEAKING SKILLS TO PROMOTE LEARNER AUTONOMY OF NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL HO CHI MINH City, 2019 ii MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY ******************** PHAN THI MINH THAO THE ROLE OF USING SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PEER-ASSESSMENT IN EFL SPEAKING SKILLS TO PROMOTE LEARNER AUTONOMY OF NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Major code: 60140111 MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL Supervisor: Dr. DANG TAN TIN HO CHI MINH City, 2019 i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I certify that this thesis entitled “The role of using self-assessment and peer-assessment in EFL speaking skills to promote learner autonomy of non-English major students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Science” is my own work. Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contain material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma. No other person‟s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text of the thesis.
This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution. Ho Chi Minh City, 2019 PHAN THI MINH THAO ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my very profound gratitude to my teacher and supervisor, Dr. Đặng Tấn Tín, for all of his valuable guidance and encouragement. This thesis could not have been completed without his dedicated support.
I would also like to send my deep gratefulness to all the lecturers, who taught me invaluable knowledge at the Master program in Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Vietnam. This background was really essential for the fulfillment of this thesis. My sincerest thanks also go to the Board of Administrators and other members of Foreign Languages Center, HCMC University of Science, who directly or indirectly contributed to the implementation of my Master journey. I particularly thank all of my students who participated enthusiastically in my study.
They all were really supportive and eager during the time I conducted my study. I am extremely grateful to my colleagues at HCMC University of Science, especially Ms. Trương Diệp Thanh An who always supports and gives me valuable experience to finish my master journey. Last but not least, my deepest gratitude goes to my family members and my beloved husband, for their unconditional love and care.
Without them, this thesis would have never been completed. iii ABSTRACT The effects of self-assessment and peer-assessment on learner autonomy have significantly been researched in EFL education. However, very few studies have been conducted to find out the effects of these two kinds of assessment on each dimension of learner autonomy and compare the effects of these assessment practices on learner autonomy dimensions. The present quasi-experimental study examined (1) the effect of self-assessment on learner autonomy development, (2) the effect of peer-assessment on learner autonomy development and (3) different effects between the two kinds of assessment practices in language use with a focus on speaking skills.
Eighty-eight first-year non-English majors taking a fifteen-week general English course participated in the study. There are forty-nine students in experimental group 1 (self-assessment group) and thirty-nine students in experimental group 2 (peer-assessment group). The participants in the self-assessment group assessed their own work whilst those in the peer-assessment group assessed their peers‟ work. Quantitative data was collected from students‟ pre- and post-test questionnaire.
A paired sample T-test was run to answer research question 1 and 2, and an independent sample T-test was run to answer research question 3. Three key findings were revealed in the study. First, through the use of self-assessment, dimensions 2, 3, 4, and 5 (planning, initiating, monitoring, and evaluating, respectively) in students‟ learner autonomy were significantly enhanced. Second, the peer-assessment implementation also considerably promoted students‟ learner autonomy dimensions 2, 3, 4, and 5 (planning, initiating, monitoring, and evaluating, respectively).
Third, although both self-assessment and peer-assessment developed these four learner autonomy dimensions, there is a small difference between the two kinds of assessment on dimension 3 (initiating). The effect of self-assessment on students‟ learner autonomy dimension 3 surpassed that of peer-assessment. These findings give insights to L2 teachers who intend to apply these assessment practices to their classrooms to enhance students‟ learner autonomy. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP.
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .iv LIST OF FIGURES. viii LIST OF TABLES .ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .1 Background to the study .2 Statement of the problem .4 Purpose of the study.6 Significance of the study .7 Scope of the study.8 Overview of the chapters .9 Definitions of key terms .10 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .1 Definition of learner autonomy .2 Dimensions of learner autonomy .2 Assessment as learning .3 Self-assessment as learning .2 Process of self-assessment as learning .4 Peer-assessment as learning. Process of peer-assessment as learning .5 The relationship between learner autonomy and alternative assessment .1 The relationship between learner autonomy and self-assessment. The relationship between learner autonomy and peer-assessment .3 Comparing the effect of self-assessment and peer-assessment on learner autonomy .6 Studies related to the effect of self-assessment and peer-assessment implementation in promoting learner autonomy .1 Studies related to the effect of self-assessment implementation in promoting learner autonomy .2 Studies related to the effect of peer-assessment implementation in promoting learner autonomy .3 Studies related to difference in the effects of self-assessment and peer-assessment on learner autonomy .4 The summary information for studies included in the literature review .7 Summary of Chapter 2 .3 Designing speaking tasks and choosing interaction patterns for speaking tasks .4 Designing self-assessment and peer-assessment forms .5 Training students to give feedback themselves and peers feedback based on self-assessment and peer-assessment forms .5 Research instrument - Pre-post test questionnaire on learner autonomy .6 Procedures of data collection .7 Data analysis approach .1 Reliability of the instrument.2 Validity of the instrument .78 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .1 Reliability of the questionnaire instrument .3 Discussion of results .103 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .4 Recommendations for future research .127 vii APPENDIX A: 25 SPEAKING TASKS FOR PRACTICE .127 APPENDIX B: 25 SELF-ASSESSMENT FORMS .149 APPENDIX C: 25 PEER-ASSESSMENT FORMS .162 APPENDIX D: ANALYTIC SPEAKING RATING SCALE FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PEER-ASSESSMENT .175 APPENDIX E: TABLE CONTENTS OF MODULE 9-15, NEW CUTTING EDGE COURSEBOOK.177 APPENDIX F: SOME SAMPLES OF SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PEER-ASSESSMENT COMPLETED BY STUDENTS .179 APPENDIX G: STUDENTS‟ PRE - POST TEST QUESTIONNAIRE .180 APPENDIX H: CRONBACH‟S ALPHA LEVEL OF FIVE LEARNER AUTONOMY DIMENSIONS .185 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Self-assessment as learning process .2: Peer-assessment as learning process.30 ix LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: A synthesis of dimensions of learner autonomy.2: Assessment as learning framework .3: Self-assessment process .4: Peer-assessment process .5: A summary of previous studies on the effects of self- and peer-assessment on promoting learner autonomy .1: Characteristics of participants .2: New Cutting-Edge speaking skills section Modules 9-15 .3: An example of a speaking task .4: An example of self-assessment form.5: An example of peer-assessment form .6: A sample of speaking task for training .7: An example of an assessment form .8: Procedures for self-assessment, peer-assessment and teacher comment activities (22/ 01/ 2018 - 03/06/ 2018) .9 Description of the questionnaire content .10: Data collection procedure .1: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 1 in pre-test and posttest questionnaire (7 items) .2: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 1 in pre-test and posttest questionnaire (5 items) .3: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 2 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire (7 items) .4: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 2 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire (5 items).5: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 3 in pre-test and posttest questionnaire (7 items) .6: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 3 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire (6 items).7: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 4 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire (9 items).8: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 5 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire (8 items).9: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 5 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire (5 items).10: Number of items and Cronbach‟s Alpha of the five dimension scales .11: Results of Independent samples t-test analysis for five dimensions of LA (pre-test questionnaire).12: Results of Paired samples t-test analysis for LA dimensions (SA Group) .13: Descriptive statistics of LA dimensions (SA Group) .14: Results of Paired samples t-test analysis for LA dimensions .15: Descriptive statistics of LA dimensions (PA Group) .16: Results of Independent samples t-test analysis for four dimensions of LA (post-test questionnaire) .17: Descriptive statistics of LA dimensions for SA Group and PA Group (post-test questionnaire) .97 xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CBI Content-based Instruction CEFR Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CLT Communicative Language Teaching EFL/ESL English as a Second/Foreign Language ELT English Language Teaching HCM US Ho Chi Minh City University of Science ICT Information And Communications Technology LA Learner Autonomy L2 Second Language PA Peer-assessment SA Self-assessment SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences TBLT Task-based Language Teaching TOEIC Test of English for International Communication VNU-HCM Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this chapter is to present (1) background to the study, (2) problem statement, (3) objectives of the study, (4) research questions, (5) significance of the study, (6) scope of the study, (7) personal motivation, and (8) overall structure.1 Background to the study Since learner-centered approaches emerged, learner autonomy has been considered an integral part in the field of language learning and teaching.
According to Henri Holec, the father of learner autonomy, it is essential that students have the ability to take charge of their own learning (1981). Mattarima and Hamdan (2011) also claimed that learners who own learner autonomy are considered successful in their study due to the fact that autonomous learners decide themselves what to learn, how to learn, and why to learn. Moreover, Little (2001) indicated that promoting students to move towards learner autonomy helps them have motivation and engage reflectively with their learning. Although learner autonomy is one of the most important factors for students to get success in their study, encouraging students to be autonomous learners is quite challenging, especially in the country where Confucianism remains strong like Vietnam.
Having been strongly affected by the teacher-centered approach, students in Vietnam become passive in their study and gradually follow the “spoon-feeding” learning style. Many Vietnamese researchers have reported this issue over the past few decades. According to Dang (2010), Vietnamese students are considered passive learners in class and follow rote learning. In the class, teachers use dictation in place of giving students enough opportunities to express themselves.
Besides, Le (2013) listed five main characteristics of Vietnamese students: (1) respecting teachers as the role model (2) expecting teachers to be an expert in the field and know all the answers, (3) depending too much on teachers for clear and exact guidance, (4) being reluctant to express their own ideas in front of the class due to 2 being afraid of losing face and outstanding from others, and (5) being under pressure from society and family‟s expectations for successful performance. In addition, Trinh (2005) asserted that with traditional teaching and learning method in the Vietnamese context, teachers primarily conveyed knowledge to their students instead of helping them move towards autonomous learning, and memorization played a integral role in the learning process. This author also added that in Vietnam, learning is strongly examination-focused. Indeed, examination-focused means following the model of memorization.
In this kind of learning model, students can only gain knowledge for short-term memory for exams and strengthen their memory capacity. Consequently, students only focus on learning product not learning process, which makes them lack learner autonomy.
