THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES DANG THI THU HA FACTORS AFFECTING GRADE EIGHT STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN LEARNING READING SKILLS AT DONG HOA SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THAI BINH CITY (Các yếu tố ảnh hưởng tới động lực học kĩ năng đọc tiếng Anh của học sinh lớp 8 trường Trung học cơ sở Đông Hòa Thành phố Thái Bình) M.A THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 THAI NGUYEN – 2019 Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ thông tin – ĐHTN http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES DANG THI THU HA FACTORS AFFECTING GRADE EIGHT STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN LEARNING READING SKILLS AT DONG HOA SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THAI BINH CITY (Các yếu tố ảnh hưởng tới động lực học kĩ năng đọc tiếng Anh của học sinh lớp 8 trường Trung học cơ sở Đông Hòa Thành phố Thái Bình) M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION) Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 Supervisor: Dr. Hoang Thi Nhung THAI NGUYEN – 2019 Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ thông tin – ĐHTN http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ACKNOWLEGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who gave me the possibility to complete this thesis. First of all, I am deeply indebted to my beloved supervisor, Dr. Hoàng Thị Nhung for the invaluable support, enthusiastic guidance, and encouragement she gave me throughout my research.
I am truly grateful to her for her advice and suggestions right from the beginning when this study was only in its formative stage. Without her untiring patience in reading the manuscript and clarifying my ideas, the thesis would have never been in the current shape. Secondly, I would like to give our thanks to all lectures of Postgraduate Faculty at Thai Nguyen University for their valuable teaching and tremendous assistance that have enlightened my study path. Thirdly, I am also indebted to the field workers who were kind enough to tolerate the painstaking task of collecting the data.
Then my thanks also sent to my classmates at the Master Course Class who have taken time and trouble to alert me to errors in my thesis and provided me with useful data on which this thesis is based. I also wish to send my sincere thanks to the teachers and students at Dong Hoa secondary school in Thai Binh city, where I taught in order to gather information for my survey questionnaires. Without their help, this study could not have been successful. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to family members whose support and encouragements have greatly contributed to the completion of my study.
For my little experience and knowledge, I would like to receive more useful comments from lectures and others. i thông tin – ĐHTN Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DECLARATION I hereby declare that no part of the enclosed Master Thesis has been copied or reproduced by me from any other’s work without acknowledgement and that the thesis is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor. ii thông tin – ĐHTN Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ABSTRACT The present thesis has been carried out on the background of the achievement and deficiencies in the existing studies on Factors affecting grade eight students’ motivation in learning reading skills. This thesis tries to understand the phenomenon under investigation from a more extensive perspective through analyzing the Factors affecting grade eight students’ motivation in reading skills from text books, supplementary books and the acquisition of reading skills in secondary schools.
A detailed analysis of Factors affecting grade eight students’ motivation in learning reading skills is presented. Teachers and researchers have broadly accepted motivation as one of the most important elements in foreign language (L2) learning. The present research investigated the role of motivation and factors affecting students’ motivation in teaching/learning English as foreign language. Parental, environmental, and teacher’s attitude-related factors were examined.
Participants were 80 grade eight students studying at Dong Hoa secondary school in Thai Binh. The participants were given a survey which consisted of several statements related with the mentioned factors. The current thesis showed that there were strategies and behaviors that motivate students but suppress positive attitudes towards English learning. The findings showed that students were more motivated when their parents supported and encouraged them to learn English.
The thesis also revealed that reinforcing the learner beliefs also motivated students and they were more motivated when they worked with their friends. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggested many behaviors and strategies which motivate learners. The findings of this thesis have profound theoretical and practical meanings on relative topics. iii thông tin – ĐHTN Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEGEMENTS.
vi LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES. vii PART I: INTRODUCTION. Rationale of the study. Aims of the study.
Scope of the study. Significance of the study. Design of the thesis .3 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW. Theoretical background of reading.
The teacher’s factors. Classroom characteristics or environmental factors .16 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. Data collection instrument. Data analytical method .21 CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS .22 iv thông tin – ĐHTN Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.
An over view of results. Results of data analysis .27 CHAPTER 4: MAJOR FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS. Suggestions for improving students’ motivation in learning reading skills .39 PART III: CONCLUSION .44 PHIẾU ĐIỀU TRA HỌC SINH .56 v thông tin – ĐHTN Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.g: Exempli gratia (for example) etc: et cetera 3Rs: Three Skills of Reading Namely Reading, Writing, and Counting CBP Children Book Project L1: First language L2: Second language/ Foreign language ELLs: English language learners (S1): each sentence is assigned a number in the list of motivations provided by the participants. Italics type is used for terms and examples vi thông tin – ĐHTN Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES LISTS OF TABLES Table 2.
Information on the research participants.25 LISTS OF FIGURES Figure 4. Forms of questions. The time students spend reading at home. Like or dislike learning reading skill.
Is a complex and not well organized reading difficult to understand?. Before reading a text, do you consider what you already know about the subject?. Comments about reading lessons. Reading texts the teacher gave students as homework.
Activities that teachers give before reading texts. High and low achieving students’ reading achievement and reading motivation through teachers’ help. Students ask parents to help when reading at home. Effects of environments when students reading.
Effects of classroom environments when students reading Statement/ Degree. 52 vii thông tin – ĐHTN Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale of the study Today, the trend of international integration in many areas including the field of education has put English in a very important position. English is the communication tool, the key to the human treasure.
Other widespread use of information technology has made English learning urgent and indispensable. As a result, the English language education of students of secondary education is of particular interest to students, parents, teachers, and the country. English is one of the core subjects in the curriculum. Generally, English teaching for students in Vietnam aims at providing the students with the ability to understand written materials.
Thus, the acquisition of reading skills is a priority for most students. In addition, English is taught and learnt in a non-native environment so reading is an important means to gain knowledge not only of the language itself but also of other fields like culture. These days reading is one of the most important key skills for most students learning a foreign language. Learning a foreign language is a process, which requires learners to integrate the language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking, among which reading should take place alongside the development of oral ability in the school program.
Reading itself has proved its importance in daily life as well as in teaching and learning a foreign language. Reading is an activity which involves comprehensions and interpretations of ideas symbolized by written or printed page. It is clear, without this ability students will find themselves confronted with strange and weird symbols which will make no sense for them. Very low level ability of reading allows a reader to differentiate the letters of a particular language from non-linguistic marks Being able to read in a foreign language is often important to academic studies, professional success and personal development.
However, in learning a foreign language, the process of reading and understanding the true message conveyed by the author in reading text is undoubtedly a complicated and significant Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ thông tin – ĐHTN http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. There are a lot of difficulties for the learners to achieve the goal of mastering the content of the text and complete the enclosed task in the reading requirement. Also, the teachers of the foreign language often have difficulties in successfully helping his learners during the course of reading. It is important that teachers need to find what motivates students to read.
Teachers must restore the love and interest for reading in today’s adolescent. Many teachers hold the same goal for their students and that is for them to want to read (Johns & Lenski, 2005). So, there is a task for teachers is to discover what motivates individual learners and work to reach each and every learner. By exploring the issue teachers are able to not only help unmotivated readers develop motivation towards reading but also to foster and to continue the motivation that already exists in engaged readers.
Being an English teacher, the researcher has always been aware of the importance of developing reading skill for students. Within the scope of this study, the researcher seeks to aim at a study on finding factors affecting grade eight students’ motivation in learning English reading skills at Dong Hoa high school. This paper will prove useful both for teachers and students at secondary level. This research will also help researchers in future to move forward with a better vision to improve reading comprehension.
The role of reading skill in improving other linguistic skills and the role of reading skills in our educational systems will also be brought in consideration. Aims of the study Motivation plays a very important role in enhancing students' English reading ability. Dornyei (1998) emphasizes the influence of motivation, which is considered the key to learning second language (L2) and is one of the biggest factors affecting the success of language learners. It is widely accepted that the more motivated students become more successful when studying second/foreign languages.
Students who choose English are specialized and learn it as a foreign language interested in motivational factors that play a major role in learning, developing skills and practicing English in use daily. The study will explore the Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu và Công nghệ thông tin – ĐHTN http://lrc.vn LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com attitude of parents, the environment and teachers-related motivational factors among those who learn to read English, and help understand strategies that can enhance learning to read.