Adopting Mind Map teaching technique to design comprehension reading homework for 11th grade students in order to reinforce the knowledge and to develop student’s language understanding

TABLE OF CONTENT
PAGE NUMBER 
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 2
1.1. Rationale .................................................................................... 2
1.2. Aims of the sudy ......................................................................... 2
1.3. Scope of the study ...................................................................... 2
1.4. Methods of the study ...................................................................2
2. DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................ 3
2.1. Scientific background ...................................................................3
2.2. Current situation.......................................................................... 3
2.3 Use mind mapping in designing reading homework ................ 3
 2.3.1.Mind Map concept ............................................................4
2.3.2.Mind Map making Recommendations ..........................5
2.3.3. Benefits of using Mind Map to design reading........... 6
 2.3.4 Designing some reding comprehention homework for
 11 grade students ......................................................................6
2.4. Verifying the solution of the study ....................................... 13
3. CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 14
3.1 Conclusion .................................................................................. 14
3.2 Recommendations ..................................................................... 15
REFERENCES ....................................................................................... 17
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Rationale
	English is said to be the most practical language on the planet. That is the reason why in recent years, the teaching of English in the school has made great changes in the content as well as teaching methods, Many new methods have been applied and widely disseminated, requiring the instructor to flexibly apply methods and techniques to class activities to promote student activeness and proactiveness and create optimal conditions for students to practice, develop their thinking and improve their ability to use the language for communication purposes. However, most teachers invest heavily in the design of classroom activities that are less invaluable in homework while homework is equally important as it is a transition between school and family, much of the time students study at home rather than at school so the content and homework is more important. This poses a requirement for the teacher: assigning homework to students must be reasonable after class, ensuring homework is an effective teaching tool.
I really like the Frederick William Robertson’ saying: "The true goal of anyone who wishes to become a mentor is not to transmit his ideas but inspire thought." As a teacher assigned by the school to teach English 11th grade at Tong duy Tan upper secodary, I have always wondered a lot about practising reading comprehension skills for students, not only in class but also at home. How to get my students,who are lack of of the motivation for learning and practice environment to master the main ideas in reading, get to the topic of the lesson, develop their linguistic thinking, and apply well to similar topic readings in graduate examinations? I have decided to choose topic “Adopting Mind Map teaching technique to design comprehension reading homework for 11th grade students in order to reinforce the knowledge and to develop student’s language understanding” which I hope, is useful for students to learn more effectively.
1.2 Aims of the study 
In this study, I propose using MindMap technique in designing homework to:
Improve quality of teaching and studying the language
Help students perceive the realtiy meaning of comprehension texts’topics in the curriculum, able to remember and talking about them logically.
Enhance students’ comprehension reading skill
Develop the learners’ key role
Upgrade students’ language mentality not only in English also in life activities
1.3 Scope of the study
 	Given the rationale and the aims of the study, it is necessary to limit the study to the areas which are manageable. The topic revolves around the study of the use of mind maps in designing comprehension reading homework for 11th grade students at Tong Duy Tan Upper secondary school, which focus on two factors: reinforcing the knowledge and developing student’s language understanding
1.4 Methods of the study
To complete this study, the following steps implemented:
Resarching the standard curriculum 
Reading related materials
Design some homework activities
Practicing in class with observing students.
Collecting students’ feedback
Drawing experience from the result of the study
Ideas of some possible difficulties are got from my understanding the English learning and teaching English at Tong Duy Tan Upper secondary school as well as my gained experiences in training course
II. DEVELOPMENT	
2.1 Science background
Thinking is fundamental in the cognitive process of students. Recognizing is one of the three aspects of the human life. Cognitive activity involves many different processes. It is possible to divide cognitive activity into two major stages: Sensory perception and Perception of reason. 
According to Sedacop “Thought is the realization of the indirect generalization of things, the phenomenon of reality in the signs, common attributes and their nature. Thinking is also the creative perception of new, individual objects and phenomena of reality based on generalized knowledge gained.” Thinking development is the process by which teachers help students understand the nature of things, phenomena, relationships, and the aggregation of phenomena between phenomena through the use of analytical methods and visual tools.
Psychological characteristics and cognitive level of 11th graders: This stage intentionality is strongly developed in all cognitive processes of students: Perceived perception has reached a very high level. Memorization is intended to play a key role in intellectual activity, and the role of abstract memory memorization, memorization of meaning is increasingly clear. They also have the ability to think reasonably, think abstractly about the creative independence of familiar objects learned in school. Their thinking is tighter, more grounded and more consistent. At the same time, the critique of thinking also grows... These characteristics enable students to perform complex operations, analyze the underlying content of the abstract concept, and grasp the concepts of cause and effect in nature and in society...
2.2 Current situation
According to what I’ve observed, there are some limitation in assigning and checking homework: Firstly, after every reading lesson, the homework for studens are just learning vocabulary, reviewing tasks, rereading texts and translating them. To complete these duties, students normally do passively, not able to boost their language mentality, abuse reference books or using books with available answers.Secondly, the assignments for student are not really various, especially, in order to meet the requirement of multiple-question tests, teachers, in general, take the excercises in referrece books or downloading kinds of excercises from internet for students to do.Then, the homework is not checked or not given a mark by teachers. Next, teachers do not appoint varied kinds of homework to students, not usually require students to work in group at home for them to support one another.Finally, one of the sections in a gradution or university entrance exam worries student the most is very the comprehension reading section. And if student want to do this one well, they have to get knowledge background, which is the reading texts in textbooks because of the fact that they have close relation to the ones in graduation and university entrance exams.
2.3 Use Mind Map in designing reading homework 
2.3.1 Concept of mind maps
The mind map is an important technique that improves the way we take notes, and supports and enhances our creative problem solving. The reader can simplify what they have read so that they can understand what is explained by the writer in the text. The diagram from a text shows detail information, main and minor information. Making the diagram or map makes reader can remember and learn clearly and easily. The mind mapping is a technique to use the whole brain by using visual and other graphic to create a meaningful impression. Using the whole brain can balance two sides of human brain: left and right brain. It is able to be a simple work for the students who learn to understand a written text.
It is also quoted that it is a technique to summarize reading resources and then visualize the problems in the form of map to make it easier to comprehend. By using this technique, the readers can quickly identify the information from the text they read and also grab the structure of a subject and the way that pieces of information fit together. It can help the readers to make a note from the text clearly. Every piece of the text can be noted and described in a map which consist of any symbols or pictures that connected each other to be complete information.
Benefits of using the mind map to design reading homework 
The mind map has several advantages which helps reader to grab information so he can comprehend any text easily. 
- First is an information structure in the mind map simplifies a concept and description for the reader. 
- Second is activating left brain to control verbal and analytical capability when the reader organizes a diagram, while the right brain controls spatial and visual capability. 
- Third is to comprehend a text by writing main ideas and connecting each other in the reader’s own way. 
- Fourth is the reader is able to face a new thing because there are always some spaces for new idea and its correlation.
- Fifth is an easiness of remembering important connections because they are in a piece of paper. 
- Sixth is the reader could easily recall the information from the mind map or diagram. 
2.3.3 Steps to build mind mapping
In this study I makes several recommendations when making mind map. These are the recommendations. 
1) Place an image or topic in the centre using at least 3 colours
2) Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions throughout your Mind Map. 
3) Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters. 
4) Each word/image is alone and sitting on its own line. 
5) Connect the lines starting from the central image. The central lines are thicker, organic and flowing, becoming thinner as they radiate out from the centre. 
6) Make the lines the same length as the word/image.
7) Use colours—your own code—throughout the Mind Map. 
8) Develop your own personal style of Mind Mapping. 
9) Use emphasis and show associations in your Mind Map. 
10) Keep the Mind Map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.
2.3.4 Designing some reding comprehention homework for 11 grade students
Example 1 UNIT 1: FRIENDSHIP
Orientation for the lesson
The lesson is about the necessary qualification for a true friendship. Hence, a mind map is required to generalize those qualifications and attribution. Based on that they introduce the virtue and the related content. Also, I ask them to discuss questions related to friendship. Through this discussion, they will better understand the role of friendship, be more aware of their responsibilities, and help them build good relationships in life.
Mind Map Teachnique
Depending on the student’s ability, the teacher asks students to draw their own thinking, hints for children to draw, make a schetch of it, give specific vocabulary to fill in, or distribute the complete MM. When checked, It depends on the type of students that the teacher requires to draw up the thinking diagram, explain the lesson content in detail or only the main ideas
Example 2 UNIT 6: COMPETITION
Orientation for the lesson
The lesson is about a annual English competiton. The “mind map” is used to help students organize the lesson logically and remember for a long time. The map also display clearly the lesson’s message: the most important thing in every competiton is that we have a chance to take part in it and have fun with it
Example 3 UNIT 8: CELEBRATION
Orientation for the lesson
The lesson is about Vietnamese traditional Tet. Using “ mind map” is easier for student to remember the text, to organize the text and introduce about Tet. 
Example 4 UNIT 10: NATURE IN DANGER
Orientation for the lesson
This article introduces the threatened nature, highlights the human influences on nature, the consequences, the endeavors that have been made and are summarized as a condition for peaceful coexistence. The use of a thinking diagram helps the student in the system to be fully logically informed, clarifies the entire content of the unit, develops thinking, improves speaking, presentation skills, and education.
Example 5 UNIT 11: SOURCE OF ENERGY
Orientation for the lesson
The text is about the problem for our main sources of energy: fossil fuel, are running out of. The advandtages and disadvandtages of alternative energy. I appoint students to draw and “ mind map” to precalize the content of the text along with the message from it: develop the environmentally friendly sources of energy and make use of alternative ones. 
Example 6 UNIT 15: SPACE CONQUEST
Orientation for the lesson
The text is about Yuri Gagarin and his traveling into the space. This successful travel has an significant meaning, which is put an end to constant suspicion about what would happen to human in the univers space. The amount of knowledge in this lesson would be easier to grasp with “mind map”.
Example 7 UNIT 16: SPACE CONQUEST
Orientation for the lesson
The text introduces about Giza Pyzamid, it is obvious that no method is able to reinforce the knowledge more detailed, more scientifically and more easy to remember than “mind map” method. Offering some images of 7 wonders and related questions also helps students broaden their knowledge of the text
2.4. Verifying the solution of the study
I have applied these methods for 2 years at Tong Duy Tan upper secondary school and I realized that my students get more excited studying. They can grasp the content of what they had learnt, and their amount of vocabulary has increased gradually. I can apply this kind of method to all students and want them to work in pair, in group or by their own self depending on the complicated or simple content.Also, depending on each student’s capabilitty, I offer them distinctive clues and different requirements: 
To good students, I require them to review and design their own mind map and present about the lesson fluently and logically with enough main ideas and right grammar.
To average students, I can give them some major ideas and they have to retell the lesson with sufficient ones.
The design of this new homework helps students develop their thinking, improve their reading comprehension, and remember their vocabulary logically and scientifically. When taking part in the exam, students have the advantage of doing reading and vocabulary related subjects. Through the time of application of new solutions, the quality of subjects has also been improved, reflected clearly in the results of the examinations in 2015- 2016 and 2016-2017 school year.
Academic year 2014 – 2015 (before)
Academic year 2015 – 2016 (after)
Academic year 2016 – 2017 (after)
Class
From average
Class
From average
Class
From verage
11B
91,1 %
11B
93,8 %
11A
95,2 %
11D
62,3 %
11D
80,5 %
11C
85,7 %
11G
45,6 %
11H
61,4 %
11G
70,5 %
 III. CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATION
3.1 Conclusions
In the process of teaching English at the upper secondary school level, I have recognized that a lot of students can not easily understand and remember the knowledge that teachers impart. When being asked for their ability to access English at Tong Duy Tan upper secondary school, even some good English students at lower secondary school have supposed that mastering English knowledge at higher levels becomes more and more difficult. As a teacher of English, I always try to help students systematize a fairly full knowledge so that they can easily remember, understand and review their lessons when necessary. 
In the time of information technology, apart from the kind of exercise in textbooks, reference books, from websites, we need to design out-of- book activities which are suitable for students, both develop their mentality and meet the requirement of exams.
With this type of design, I can create and implement other experience initiatives such as:
Adopting MM techniques to design reading comprehension reading homework for 10th and 12th students in order to reinforce the knowledge and to develop student’s language aunderstanding.
Using mind map to organize gramar knowledge for students.
Givi them chances to shine their mentality and show their creativity.
3.2 Recommendations:
Although the high school English textbooks and curriculum have been carefully elaborated and met the needs of renovation, some topics are difficult and not close to the lives of students, especially students in the countryside area. Students do not have many opportunities and facilities to train their English. Therefore, Ministry of Education and Training
needs to develop curriculum content and compile textbooks more appropriately and more closely with the level of students in different regions. It is necessary to equip the schools with adequate facilities and foreign language teaching tools such as: study room, cassette, tape, disc, projector, voice recorder, ..
I am looking forward to my method above, with the attention and suggestions of readers, especially the leadership
XÁC NHẬN CỦA THỦ TRƯỞNG 
ĐƠN VỊ
Thanh Hóa,ngày16 tháng 5 năm 2017
Tôi xin cam đoan đây là SKKN của mình viết, không sao chép nội dung của người khác.
Hoàng Thi Vân
REFERENCES
1. Tony Buzan, “How to mind map”, NXB Lao dộng Hà Nội, Phạm Thế Anh dịch
2. “Trái tim người Thầy”, NXB Trẻ, Trần Tiển Cao ðăng dịch.
3. Sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh lớp 11 – NXB Giáo dục.
4. Sách giáo viên Tiếng Anh lớp 11 – NXB Giáo dục.
5. Sách bài tập Tiếng Anh lớp 11 – NXB Giáo dục.
6. “Sử dụng Bản dồ tư duy (Mind Map) trong công tác, giảng dạy và học tập”
( http//binhdinhteacher.com)
7. 
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