VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATES STUDIES *********** TRẦN THỊ THU BUILDING UP STUDENTS’ SELF-CONFIDENCE IN LEARNING SPEAKING SKILLS AT A UNIVERSITY IN HANOI: A SURVEY OF METHODS (Xây dựng sự tự tin cho sinh viên khi học kỹ năng nói tiếng Anh ở một trường đại học tại Hà Nội: Khảo sát về các phương pháp) M. Minor Programme Thesis Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60 14 10 Hanoi, 2013 z VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATES STUDIES *********** TRẦN THỊ THU BUILDING UP STUDENTS’ SELF-CONFIDENCE IN LEARNING SPEAKING SKILLS AT A UNIVERSITY IN HANOI: A SURVEY OF METHODS (Xây dựng sự tự tin cho sinh viên khi học kỹ năng nói tiếng Anh ở một trường đại học tại Hà Nội: Khảo sát về các phương pháp) M. Minor Programme Thesis Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60 14 10 Supervisor : Dr. Trần Thị Thu Hiền Hanoi, 2013 z DECLARATION I hereby declare that the thesis entitled: “Building up students’ self-confidence in learning speaking skills at a university in Hanoi: A survey of methods” is the result of my own research for the degree of Master of Arts and has not been previously submitted for a degree or diploma at any other university or institution wholly or partially.
To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text. Signature Trần Thị Thu i z ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Ms. Tran Thi Thu Hien, for her guidance, helpful suggestions, invaluable critical feedback and encouragement during the time I tried to complete this thesis. I would like to sincerely thank the lecturers of the Faculty of Post Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their useful lessons that have helped in the clarification of my points.
I am also grateful to all the teachers and the students at Hanoi University of Industry, who have contributed data to my study. Without their enthusiastic cooperation, and assistance, I would never have been able to conduct my research. I would also like to thank all the members of my family for their love, care and encouragement. Last but not least, I would like to thank all those who read and comment this work in manuscript.
ii z ABSTRACT Speaking is considered an important skill among the four language skills and self-confidence in learning speaking skills plays an essential part to learner’s success. However, in reality, the level of self-confidence in speaking English of non-English major freshmen at Hanoi University of Industry is not high. The study focuses on factors affecting non-English major freshmen’s self- confidence in speaking English and methods to build up their self-confidence in learning speaking skills. The subjects in the study are 150 non-English major freshmen randomly selected and twelve teachers teaching English for these faculties’ students.
Findings from the questionnaires and interview show that non-English major freshmen at Hanoi University of Industry are not self-confident in learning speaking skills due to students’ factors, teachers’ factors and objective factor. Besides, three methods have been applied to increase freshmen’s self-confidence in speaking English namely designing pair or group work activities, letting students practice through many speaking activities and giving interesting topics of speaking. Based on such findings, some suggestions are given with the hope that they might be useful for teachers as well as non-English major freshmen at Hanoi University of Industry in particular and other universities in general to develop non- English major freshmen’s self-confidence in learning speaking skills. iii z TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DECLARATION……………………………………………………………………….
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………. iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS………………………………………………………… vii LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………. viii LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………… ix PART I: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………. Aims of the study…………………………………………………………………….
Methods of the study………………………………………………………………. Scope of the study…………………………………………………………………… 4 6. Significance of the study……………………………………………………………. Structure of the study……………………………………………………………….
4 PART II: DEVELOPMENT…………………………………………………………. 6 CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND…………………………………. English speaking teaching………………………………………………………. Definition of speaking…………………………………………………………… 6 1.
The components of speaking skill………………………………………………. Problems with speaking activities……………………………………………….