MOTIVATING STUDENTS TO LEARN EFL WRITING BY USING PEER RESPONSE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Definition of terms
List of abbreviation
List of tables, figures and appendices
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Identification of the problem
Purpose of the research
Significance of the research
Scope of the research
Research methods
Content of the Study
1
2
2
3
3
3
CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
5
I.
II.
III.
Overview of writing
1. General concept
2. Teaching English writing
2.1. Written versus spoken language
2.2. Approaches in teaching English writing
2.3. Microskills of writing
2.4. Writing activities
Overview of peer response
1. Definition
2. Advantages of peer response
3. Guiding principles for effective peer response
Overview of motivation
5
5
5
5
6
9
10
11
11
11
12
13
13
5
1. Definition and types of motivation
2. Characteristics of motivated learners
3. Strategies to boost students’ motivation
4. Roles of motivation in foreign language learning
15
15
16
CHAPTER THREE: METHOD AND PROCEDURES
17
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Determining on the research hypothesis
Determining on the study design
Participants
1. The Subjects
2. The Researcher
Data collection procedures
1. Data collection instruments
1.1. Questionnaires
1.2. Pre- and post-experimental test
2. Data collection procedures
2.1. Before experiment period
2.2. During experiment period
2.3. After experiment period
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18
19
19
20
20
20
20
21
22
22
23
25
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
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I.
II.
Analysis of questionnaires
1. Students’ general information
2. Students’ attitudes towards peer response method
3. Comparison of students’ attitudes before and after the
experiment
4. Students’ opinions after peer response treatment
Analysis of tests
1. Analysis of pre-test
1.1. Frequency distribution
1.2. Measures of central tendency
1.3. Measures of dispersion
2. Analysis of post-test
2.1. Frequency distribution
2.2. Measures of central tendency
2.3. Measures of dispersion
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26
29
30
33
34
34
34
35
36
37
37
37
38
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2.4. T-test for independent means 39
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION
42
1. Summary and discussion
2. Recommendations
3. Limitations
4. Suggestions for further studies
42
43
45
45
References
Appendices
7
Definition of terms
- Central tendency: The tendency of a set of scores to cluster around a particular value. The
usual measures of central tendency are the mean, median, and the mode.
- Control group: The group under normal situation (with traditional teaching/learning
approach).
- Dispersion: The tendency for a set of scores to spread out or depart from the average or
‘typical’ values in the set of scores. Dispersion is usually measured through the range, the
mean deviation, the variance, and the standard deviation of the scores.
- Experiment group: The group under experimental conditions (with innovative
teaching/learning approach).
- Experiment: A procedure for testing a hypothesis by setting up a situation in which the
strength of the relationship between variables can be tested. In an experiment, the
researcher’s goal is to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between two phenomena.
The researcher aims to establish that one variable, the independent variable, causes changes
in another variable, the dependent variable.
- A true experiment consists of control and experiment groups to which subjects
have been randomly assigned and tested before and after the intervention
administered to the experiment group.
- A quasi-experiment has both pre- and posttest, and experiment and control
groups, gut no random assignment of subjects.
- Hypothesis: A formal statement about an expected relationship between two or more variables
which can be tested through an experiment.
- Interview: The elicitation of data by one person from another through person-to-person
encounters.
- Mean (Symbolized by X):
- The average of a set of scores, obtained by adding the scores together and dividing
by the total number of scores.
- The central tendency of the scores.
- Mode: The value which occurs most frequently in a set of scores.
- Median: The middle point in a distribution.
- Population: All cases, situations, or individuals who share one or more characteristics.
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- Qualitative data: Data which are recorded in non-numerical form, such as transcripts of
classroom interactions.
- Quantitative data: Data which are recorded in numerical form.
- Questionnaire: An instrument for the collection of data, usually in written form, consisting of
open and/or closed questions and other probes requesting a response from subjects.
- Range: Difference between the highest and lowest values in a set of scores.
- Raw score: The actual scores obtained on tests.
- Sample: A subset of individuals or cases from within a population.
- Standard deviation (SD): is the degree to which the group of the scores deviates from the
mean. The standard deviation is a very powerful measure of ‘dispersion’. Large SD shows:
(a) the score distribution is wide; (b) the test has spread the students out; (c) there is a wide
range of ability.
- T-test: A statistic procedure for testing the difference between two or more means. The t test
for independent means is used for differences between means of two groups. The paired t
test or the t test for correlated data is used for differences between means of the same group
(that is, the experimental group) at two different points in time.
- Variable: A property or characteristic which may differ from individual to individual or from
group to group (anything which does not remain constant). A great deal of research is
carried out in order to identify or test the strength of relationships between variables. When
one variable influences or affects a second variable, the first variable is called an
independent variable, and the second is called a dependent variable.
- Variance: The variance is a direct measure of the dispersion , calculated for a set of scores by
subtracting each score from the mean, squaring the resulting values, adding these together,
and dividing by the remainder of the number of the scores minus 1.
9
List of Abbreviation
C
D
E
EFL
f
H
H
0
H
1

HUE
N
p
SD
t
obs

t
crit

X
X
X
E

X
C
Σ
control
deviation
experiment
English as a foreign language
frequency with which a score occurs
hypothesis
null hypothesis = X
E
- X
C
= 0
positive hypothesis = X
E
- X
C
> 0
Hanoi University of Education
number of scores
probability
standard deviation
observed statistic
critical statistic
raw score
the mean
the mean of experiment group
the mean of control group
the total amount (the sum)
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List of tables
Table 1: Comparing spoken language & written language
Table 2: Approaches to teaching writing skill
Table 3: Criteria for testing writing
Table 4: The number of students in the two groups
Table 5: Procedures of data collection
Table 6: Scoring scale for writing test
Table 7: Results of questionnaire A
Table 8: Results of questionnaire B, part I
Table 9: Results of questionnaire B, part II
Table 10: Comparison of pre-test performances of the two groups
Table 11: Comparison of post-test performances of the two groups
Page
6
7
10
19
22
23
29
30
33
35
38
List of figures
11
Figure 1: Gender of the control and experimental groups
Figure 2: Students’ experiences of studying English
Figure 3: Students’ attitudes to the English language learning
Figure 4: The necessity of studying writing
Figure 5: Students’ expectation on the usefulness of the writing course
Figure 6: “Peer response stimulates students’ creativeness and activeness”
Figure 7: “It’s interesting and useful to read and give comment on others’ writings.”
Figure 8: “Giving peer response helps to develop critical reading skill”
Figure 9: “Peer response activities help learners to enhance communicative competence,
promotes second language development”
Figure 10: “Peer response increases negotiation of meaning so as to generate more
information for content and rhetorical issues”
Figure 11: “Peer response provides chances to build strong classmate relationship and
gives students a sense of group cohesion”
Figure 12: Pre-test score distribution
Figure 13: Post-test score distribution
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28
28
30
31
31
32
32
33
34
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List of appendices
Appendix 1: Questionnaire A
Appendix 2: Questionnaire B
Appendix 3: Criteria for effective questioning
Appendix 4: Common topics for students to practice writing
Appendix 5: Grading rubric for writing test
CHAPTER ONE
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INTRODUCTION
I. IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM
English has experienced its popularity in teaching and learning in Vietnam over the last
decades. It is taught in almost all educational institutions: universities, colleges, training centers,
etc. The demand for learning English even gets stronger when Vietnam fosters its international
relations. English, in parallel with the knowledge of some other fields, turns out to be a key to
open the door into the bustling world. As a result, learning English now is not only an interest but
also a practical need for many people.
This demand in language learning has brought about a great amount of positive changes in
language teaching in Vietnam. Language teachers have looked for and tried different methods and
techniques in teaching and learning in order to find the effective ones. The effectiveness of a
teaching method or technique is reflected in the learners’ language competence that is their
abilities to perform the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, among which,
writing seems to be the most difficult one. It is the fact that the question of teaching writing well
and effectively has been the concern of many people.
Being a teacher of English at HUE, I realize that most of the students face many problems in
learning writing. This is due to the fact that writing lessons are so boring that students often feel
tired and stressed. Therefore, it is essential for the teacher to find out effective teaching
approaches to make the lessons more interesting so that s/he can attract students’ attention and
help improve their writing proficiency as well.
Traditionally, students are the passive knowledge receivers who have to do what their teachers
ask them to do. There is a fact that in most language classes, especially large classes, most
learners only passively sit and take notes , rarely contribute in the lesson and even do not ask the
teacher questions when they have problems. But we all know that students’ interaction and their
autonomy in learning foreign languages play an important part in the success of teaching and
learning process. That means teachers cannot teach effectively without students’ participation. In
light of communication approach in language teaching which emerges as the latest development,
we are now paying more attention to the role of students in classes. Student are considered the
centre of the learning process and teachers serve as facilitators allowing students to be in charge
of their own learning.
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With active, independent participation from one another, peer response is considered as
learner-center approach with which students can assess one another’s task to help correct and
improve language skills under the supervision from teachers. This is especially helpful if we have
mixed ability group where weaker students can learn a lot from stronger ones. Peer work is a
valuable addition to a variety of learning activities which encourages and promotes foreign
language skill development.
Although peer response is important in effective language teaching, there is inadequate
research on this issue. As far as this matter is concerned, there has been almost no research work
touching upon the issue of motivating students’ writing skill through peer activities. For this
reasons, I decided on choosing “Using peer response to motivate students’ writing skill” as topic
of my M.A. research.
II. PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH
The major purposes of the research are:
1. This research, based on an experiment, tries to explore the effect of peer response method on
students’ writing motivation and proficiency.
2. To find students’ attitudes towards peer response
3. To suggest implications for teachers in order to raise their awareness of students’ active role in
writing lessons.
In order to implement the research, a research question is raised: “To what extent does the
method of peer response help to motivate students’ writing?”
III. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH
The results of the study will bring in practical benefits to teaching English, especially teaching
writing. If peer response method helps motivate students’ writing skills, it will be applied at
different scales. At small scales, the study provides practical lessons and principles of peer
response as one of the innovative methods available for the choices of language teachers at HUE.
At larger scales, the writing materials might be revised to incorporate the peer response method
into the present writing program.
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