VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, ITANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES roles TIOANG NGOC LINII AN INVESTIGATION OF DEMOTIVATORS IN ENGLISH LISTENING LESSONS OF THE 10TH FORM NON- ENGLISH MAJORS AT CAO BANG UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED (Nghiên cứu các yếu tế gây nên sự mat hứng thú trong các giờ học nghe tiếng Anh của học sinh một số lớp 10 không chuyên Anh tại trường 'THPT Chuyên Cao Bằng) M. MINOR TIIESIS Ficld: Knglish Teaching Mcthodology Code: 60 14 10 Hanơi — 2011 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES I2 THOÀNG NGỌC LINI AN INVESTIGATION OF DEMOTIVATORS IN ENGLISH LISTENING LESSONS OF THE 10TH FORM NON- ENGLISH MAJORS AT CAO BANG UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED (Nghiên cứu các yếu tô gây nên sự mất hứng thú trong các giờ học nghe tiếng Anh của học sinh một số lớn 10 không chuyên Anh tại trường THPT Chuyên Cao Bằng) M. MINOR THESIS Ficld: English Tcaching Methodology Code: 60 1410 Supervisor: Pham Minh Iién, M.A Hanơi — 2011 it TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration Acknowledgements Table of contents List of tables and charts, List of abbreviations vi Abstract vii PART A: INTRODUCTION. Aims of ‘the study Nn 3.
Significance of the study Ne 5. Scope of the study we 6. Method of the study hú 1 Design of the sludy HH PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Theoretical background of demotivation 1.1 What is demotivation? Ow ke 1.2 Factors demotivating foreign language learning 1.2 Theoretical background of listening comprehension 1.1 Definitions of listening 1. Significance of listening 1.
The process of listening comprehension 1. Potential problems in Icarning listening comprehension 11 Summary CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 2.1 The selling of the study 2. The school 13 students in the 10" form of non- English Section at CBUSSG. ‘Then, interviews were employed with studenls randomly selected from non- English Section for farther information.
Design of the study The study is organized as fallows Part A, INTRODUCTION, presents the rationale, the aims, and research questions, significance of study, method and design of the study. Part B, DEVELOPMENT, consists of the following chapters. Chapter 1, LITERATURE REVIEW, presents the theoretical background related to demofivation including the definition of demiotivalion, factors demotivating foreign Janguage learning. in addition, this chapter also covers the followings: the definitions of listening, the significance of listening, the listening comprchcnsion process and potential problems in learning listening comprehension Chapter 2, MEFUODOLOGY, provides general information abont the current situation of teaching and learning listening at CBUSSG as well as study subjects and data collection instruments.
Chapter 3, ANALYSIS OF DATA, gives a detailed analysis of data collected. Besides, the chapter also presents some explanations and interpretations of the findings of The study. Part C, CONCLUSION, summmarizes the major findings and points out the Jimitations of the study. Furthermore, some suggestions for further studies are also given in this part PART A: INTRODUCTION 1.
Rationale af the study With Vietnam’s entry into the WTO and opening its markets to the outside world, the demand for Linglish speaking proficiency among people especially students is on the rise than ever before. In fat, large mumnbers of slutenis arc being required to learn it through compulsory programs in schools and universities. Therefore, the teaching and Jearning of English at all levels especially at high schools has been given a lot of special attcntion in recent years. Sinec the introduction of the new English textbook 10 which emphasizes the need for the development of students” communicative competence through the four skills including speaking, listening, reading and writing, there has been shift from the traditional teaching methods to communicative language (ca ing.
Howaver, most English language classrooms continue to be places to memorize textbooks rather than practise communication and English is still to be treated as a school subject that needs to ‘be mastorcd and tosted rather than a tool for communication, The current (caching and Jearning English at CBUSSG has shown that in spite of the great efforts exerted to teach English, weakness in listening and speaking skills is a matter of great concems because lenchers tond fo cdncale stadenls in a marmer which is dircelzd lo meet the requirements of the exams which mainly focus on cxtensive vocabulary and grammatical rules. Because the General Secondary Exam is not directed toward the speaking and listening skills, non- English major students find themselves uninlerssted in learning the skills which will nal bs examined, As a result of my experience in the teaching field, I found out that most students have passive attitudes toward leamung listening English due to the previous experiences that listening skill is hard lo leam and they [ail to take listenig input. Thal is the reason why many of them get bored and become demotiwated when listening classes start, For these reasons, it is necessary to have a study on factors causing demotivation in listening Jessons for stdents in general and for non- L'ngtish majors at CBUSSG in particular In Tilcrature so far, thera have boon so few studies on demotivation because it is considered a relatively new issue in the field of L2. However, most of the researchers have come to an agreement to a list of common demotivating factors facing students in leaming English gencrally and Icaming listening particularly, These factors involve Icaming environment, teachers’ teaching methods and personality.
students in the 10" form of non- English Section at CBUSSG. ‘Then, interviews were employed with studenls randomly selected from non- English Section for farther information. Design of the study The study is organized as fallows Part A, INTRODUCTION, presents the rationale, the aims, and research questions, significance of study, method and design of the study. Part B, DEVELOPMENT, consists of the following chapters.
Chapter 1, LITERATURE REVIEW, presents the theoretical background related to demofivation including the definition of demiotivalion, factors demotivating foreign Janguage learning. in addition, this chapter also covers the followings: the definitions of listening, the significance of listening, the listening comprchcnsion process and potential problems in learning listening comprehension Chapter 2, MEFUODOLOGY, provides general information abont the current situation of teaching and learning listening at CBUSSG as well as study subjects and data collection instruments. Chapter 3, ANALYSIS OF DATA, gives a detailed analysis of data collected. Besides, the chapter also presents some explanations and interpretations of the findings of The study.
Part C, CONCLUSION, summmarizes the major findings and points out the Jimitations of the study. Furthermore, some suggestions for further studies are also given in this part LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Chart 3.1: Students’ aitituces towards the leaming of listening English Charl 3. Students’ opinions on what motivales thern to tearm Hsknings Fnghish Chart 3.3: Teachers’ perceptions of students’ thought over of listening skills ‘Table 3.1 Students’ motivation in learning listening English Table 3.2: Students’ demotivation in class Table 3.3, Students’ opinions on kinds of tasks in listening lessons Table 3.4 Students’ expectations towards teachers of listening skills Table 3.5 Students’ expectations towards leaning environment of listcning skills Table 3.6 Teachers’ perceptions of students’ demotivation in listening skills ‘Table 3.7: Teachers’ employment of teaching aids Table 3.8: Aclivilies adopled by teachers in listening lessons vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS L2 Second language CBUSSG Cao Bang Upper Secondary School for the Gifted LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Chart 3.1: Students’ aitituces towards the leaming of listening English Charl 3. Students’ opinions on what motivales thern to tearm Hsknings Fnghish Chart 3.3: Teachers’ perceptions of students’ thought over of listening skills ‘Table 3.1 Students’ motivation in learning listening English Table 3.2: Students’ demotivation in class Table 3.3, Students’ opinions on kinds of tasks in listening lessons Table 3.4 Students’ expectations towards teachers of listening skills Table 3.5 Students’ expectations towards leaning environment of listcning skills Table 3.6 Teachers’ perceptions of students’ demotivation in listening skills ‘Table 3.7: Teachers’ employment of teaching aids Table 3.8: Aclivilies adopled by teachers in listening lessons ABSTRACT Listening has fong been considered a boring and difficult skill by many second language (1.
This study was carried oul in an alfempl to investigate the demotivators in listening lessons of the 10" non- English majors at Cao Bang Upper Secondary Schoot for the Gifted (CBL'SSG). Specifically, the study has been conducted in the form of survey research with the informants of 102 stadents in the 10" form of nen- English Section and 6 teachers of English at CBUSSG. The main instruments employed for the data collection were survey questionnaires and structured interviews. Kour factors inciuding teachers’ behaviors and teaching methods, students’ characteristics and leaming cuvironment were cxtracted through the analysis of data collected.
The rescarch also reveals that the teachers’ behaviors and teaching methods were the most dominant demotivating factors for many students al CBUSSG. It is interesting to find that. textbook and curriculum were not a very strong sourec of demotivation. Bascd on the findings, recommendations which are of significance to both teachers and students are provided to solve the problerns.
Al Jast, it is hoped that the results of this study could be of tmuch banetit for developing teaching and leaming listening English at CBUSSG. vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS L2 Second language CBUSSG Cao Bang Upper Secondary School for the Gifted “ 2. Aims of the study The main purpose of the study is - to investigate the demotivators in listening lessons of the 10 form non- English majors af CBUSSG. + to give some suggestions to eliminate dernotivation factors in listening lessons in order to improve students’ listening skills 3.
Research questions To achieve the aims mentioned sbove, the fallowing rescarch questions were proposed: (1) What are demotivators in listening lessons of the 10 non- English majors at CBUSSG? (2) What can teachers do to motivate students in their listening lessons? 4. Significance of the study This study points out factors causing demotivations in listening lessons of the 10 " form non- English majors at CBUSSG. More importantly, it can be used as additional evidence for demotivation factors that Viemamese Upper Secondary Schoal students have when listening in English The findings and recomendations of this study will be of great use to the improvement of the teaching and leaming of listening of Upper Secondary School students in general and of the 10* form non- English majors at CBUSSG in particular. The study may guide teachers to help their sludents eliminate demotivators in listening tessons and better their listening skills.
The resulls of the sluly may also be helpful for the students themselves and those who are interested in this field, 5. Scope of the study This study mainly focuses on the demotivation factors thal the 10% form non English majors at CBUSSG have in their listening lessons, The study of demotivators in other skills would be beyond of the scope. It involves the participants of 6 teachers of English and 102 students in the 10” form of non- English Scction at CBUSSG. To go ahead, the thesis also offers some appropriate suggestions to better the current context.
Method of the study In order to avhicve ils aims, the rescarch is emried out by boll quantilative and qualitative methods: Firstly, the data were collected with the use of the survey questionnaire which was conducted with informants of 6 teachers of English and 102 PART A: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale af the study With Vietnam’s entry into the WTO and opening its markets to the outside world, the demand for Linglish speaking proficiency among people especially students is on the rise than ever before. In fat, large mumnbers of slutenis arc being required to learn it through compulsory programs in schools and universities. Therefore, the teaching and Jearning of English at all levels especially at high schools has been given a lot of special attcntion in recent years.