Experiences in using some techniques to teach reading skill lessons in English 9 at Quang Phong secondary school

 PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW of November 04, 2013, on “fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education, serving industrialization and modernization in a socialist-oriented market economy during international integration” ratified in the 8th session. 
Party and State identify the targets of innovation is to create chages fundamentally, strongly in quality and efficency of education and training. Vietnamese people are educated comprehensive development and promote each individual's potential and creativity. To improve comprehension education, to focus on ideal, traditional, ethnic education. To educate lifestyle, foreign languages, informatic technology, abitity and skills. To develop creativity, self-learning, encourage lifelong learning.
Thus, the content of this innovation, the Party and the State has focused on teaching - learning a foreign language in general education programs, especially the English-language professional English has become the common language of the world. It plays a very important role in the formation and construction of new people to meet the requirements of industrialization - modernization in conditions of market economy socialist orientation and international integration. Learning English can help students communicate with friends in the world, master of knowledge of mankind. [1] 
In Vietnam, English has been taught as an important foreign language for a long time but due to grammar-translation method of teaching, Vietnamese students seem to be better at grammar than communicative competence. Therefore, according to a large project to investigate the English teaching reform in northern parts of Vietnam, only 5% of students are able to communicate in English after graduation [2]. This fact gives rises to the need for nationwide innovation in the teaching methodology in the light of communicative approach. 
Among various learning strategies, Reading is the most important skill in English language from other language skills in acquiring language. If students are good in reading, they will be good in other language skills (writing, speaking, and listening). For this reason teachers of English language should focus on this skill.
	All the aforementioned conditions drive the author to carry out the research “Experiences in using some techniques to teach reading skill lessons in English 9 at Quang Phong secondary school”. Hopefully, this study will make a small contribution to improving reading skills for grade 9th students at Quang Phong secondary school. 
2. Aim and objectives 
	The aim of this study is to explore the exploitation of using techniques to enhance students’ reading skill. In order to achieve the aim, the writer focuses on finding out the benefits of applying techniques in reading lessons for grade 9th students.
3. Scope of the study
	Acquiring reading skill is a vast issue in language learning. However, due to the limit of time, experiences and knowledge, this study touches upon only some techniques which are used in teaching reading skill and cannot cover all the eading techniques in teaching and learning.
4. Methodology 
	The major method which was used in study is qualitative. All comments, remarks, assumptions and conclusions of the study were based on the data and analysis. Data collections for analysis in the study were gained through the following resources: survey questionnaire, observations, tests for students, as well as reference books. After the data were collected, they were categorized and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to obtain the realistic results.
	To end with, based on analysis of survey results and references, some pedagogical implications and suggestions in order to improve teaching and learning English reading using some techniques will be proposed. 
PART 2: CONTENTS
1. Theory background.
	It is widely accepted argument that reading and listening go hand-in-hand in any language learning, because reading provides a wide span of vocabulary and listening helps to form exact utterance of words. This can be helpful for foreign language learners who encounter hurdles in finding suitable words to describe the situation. This problem is more a cute with the infrequent readers. According to Bright and Mc Gregor (1970, p52), ‘where there is a little reading, there will be little language learning. The students, who want to learn English, will have to read unless they move onto speaking track’ [3]. Thus, it is clear that reading not only develops writing skill but also helps in improving speaking with speech fluency and sentence accuracy. It creates a sound understanding of semantic and grammatical structure of the language. It is also believed that the students who read a lot are likely to speak well. This is because ‘A text is usually regarded as authentic if it is not written for teaching purposes but for a real-life communicative purpose, where the writer has a certain message to pass on to thereader. ‘An authentic text is one that possesses an intrinsically communicative quality’ (Lee, 1995:324). With such advantages of reading in improving and developing language skills, particularly speaking skills, this paper investigates the relationship between reading habit and improving speaking proficiency as reading enriches much needed vocabulary in EFL context and also offers practical language in use with interesting examples from various genres.
	By raising students' awareness of reading as a skill that requires active engagement, and by explicitly teaching reading strategies, Teachers help their students develop both the ability and the  confidence to handle communication situations they may encounter beyond the classroom. In this way they give their students the foundation for communicative competence in the new language.
Therefore, teachers have very important role to improve reading skills to their students to improve other language skills . They can follow some stages and strategies when teaching reading text. Reading strategies are defined as the mental operations involved when readers approach a text effectively and make sense of what they read
2. The current situation of teaching and learning reading comprehension at Quang Phong secondary school
2.1. The problems of teaching and learning reading skills at the school
 Some teachers complain that most students are not able to understand what they read. Students hate to read, they only read the required textbook in order to be able to set for the achievement routine exams. They lacked motivation to read, even if they read, they show negative attitudes. For most of the learners, reading is an extremely difficult task that requires integrated body of skills, which also does not get easier with the passage of time and the accumulation of experience.
	In the first place, materials have been considered an important tool for teaching and learning English. In secondary schools in Vietnam, the textbooks are designed for all students of different grades. Among them, this study stresses that using the same textbooks for all students in different regions is problematic.	 In the other hand, the failure of students in reading may also originated from the fact that the teaching and learning process of reading is not conducted effectively and the inappropriate teaching method is applied by the teacher. In other words, the students may find the strategies which the teachers use not interesting and effective enough to develop their reading comprehension. 
2.2. The school
	This study was conducted at Quang Phong secondary school in Quang Xuong district, Thanh Hoa province. In the school year 2017-2018, the school had 8 classes with more than 300 students, among which there were 81 ninth grade students divided into two classes, so there were about 40 students in each class. One thing worth to note here is that the level of students at Quang Phong secondary school is not very high. They mostly come from rural areas where English teaching and learning has not been paid much attention to. Besides, the school shares common features with classrooms elsewhere in Vietnam: large size, students sitting in rows of four each and irremovable furniture
2.3. The students
	Students under this investigation are 39 students of class 9B of Quang Phong secondary school within the second semester from the 1st February to the April 29, 2018. There were 17 girls and 22 boys. They were the same age and had the same total years of learning English with the same curriculum from primary school to secondary school. Most of them could do grammar very well but they have difficulties in comprehending the spoken language, especially in one - way reading situations. 
	Difficulties are created by the students’ limited knowledge of the language system and their lack of vocabularies. This is due to the inappropriate learning strategies in reading, and the time limitation for teachers of English in class. Each week, they had three forty - five minute English lessons and one more selective lesson. 
Since education reform, Students have loved leaning English but mainly advanced students. And weak students who understand the lesson slowly learn passively. They wait for the teacher's or other students' answers. Many of them have no oppotunities or they don't dare to practise speaking English in class.
They are afraid that they will speak wrongly. Many can not read, speak, listen and write, even they ignore paying attention to the lessons. In fact, we can see these students have no love for English. Therefore, the teaching qualities of English do not live up to our expectations
Following is the convey on the quality of English of two classes: 9B of Quang Phong secondary school at he beginning of the first term in school year 2017-2018.
Class
Number of students
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Fail
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
Q
%
9B
39
0
0
3
7,7
17
43,6
11
28,2
8
20,5
	From the matter of fact, as a teacher, I have endlessly been considering and researching for the methods to improve the quality of teaching English
3. CONTENTS AND SOLUTIONS.
The stages and strategies of reading that teachers should promote for their students are : Pre-reading, While reading and Post-reading stages . They are very important when teaching any reading text. Each of these stages has its own characteristics, although they are related to one another. That is, the pre-reading stage leads to the while-reading stage and finally to the post-reading one. These stages make the students understand and comprehend text reading.
Instruction in reading strategies is not an add-on, but rather an integral part of the use of reading activities in the language classroom. Teachers can help their students become effective readers by teaching them how to use strategies before, during, and after reading.
Teachers can use the following teaching techniques in teaching reading skill, especially in each stage: Pre – reading, While-reading and Post- reading which make students get knowledge actively and creatively.
3.1. Pre- Reading stage.
In order to improve reading comprehension, students should be encouraged to complete pre-reading activities before reading text. Familiarity with the text improves understanding and leads to reading success. Establish a purpose for reading. This should be done with every piece of text read. Teachers have students determine what the primary outcome of reading the text should be. To provide information? To provide entertainment? To gain understanding as to how something works? It is helpful if the teacher establishes the purpose for reading and then guide your students to that outcome.
The pre-reading stage also helps to make the next stages of reading more easily adaptable for the reader. This is a plan for the reading task, so teacher should show the students :
There are three steps in this stage: They are Lead-in, Read through and teach some new words. In each step we can use different techniques to lead in the reading task. These are some techniques which are used in this stage to help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work.'[5]
3.1.1. Discussion.
In this part, teacher sets the scene to let students pay much attention to the topic of the text. 
Example 1: Unit 1-READ (page 9, 10) SGK English 9
Before reading a passage about the country Malaysia, Teachers let students discuss these questions:
How many countries are there in Asean?
What are they?
- Let Students do the task Matching the name of country to their capital city.
Countries in Asean
Capital
Answer
1. Vietnam
A. Bangkok
1-E
2. Indonesia
B. Yangon
2-C
3. Malaysia
C. Jakarta
3-G
4. The Philipines
D. Darussalam
4-F
5. Singapore
E. Hanoi
5-J
6. Combodia
F. Manila
6-H
7. Laos
G. Kuala Lumpur
7-I
8. Thailand
H. Phnom penh
8-A
9. Brunei
I. Vientian
9-D
10. East Timor
J. Singapore
10- K
11. Myanmar
K.Dili
11-B
3.1.2. Pre- questions
 	Example 1: Unit 1-READ (page 9, 10) SGK English 9
Step 2. Read through.
- Let students read the text in silently in order to help them to approach the topic and create the first impression on the topic, events, .Then ask them some questions about the text:
1. Where is it? 
- It’s in Malaysia
2. What is the capital of Malaysia?
3. What is its population?
4. How big is Malaysia?
5. What language is spoken in this country?
- These questions will be answered at the end of the lesson
Step 3. Teach some new words.
Using some techniques to teach these new words: divide (v); separate (v); comprise (v); tropical country; religion; compulsory (a); official (a).
Example 2. Unit 2 – READ (page 17) Text book: English 9
- The teacher shows the picture in page 17 and ask students some questions which refer to the topic of the reading:
a. What do they do?
b. What are they wearing? 
c. Are they nice? handsome?
d. Are jeans fashionable?
e. Do you like jeans?
 - Call students to answer these questions.
- Let’s start to read a passage about the origin of jeans
3.1.3. Brainstorming:
- Divide class into 2 groups and let the play the game “ Brainstorming”. Ask student to call out or write the words refer to the topic of the text. Let them 2 or 3 minutes to write the words on the board. 
Example . Unit 2 – READ (page 17) Text book: English 9
Step 1: Lead - in
T- shirt
 Before reading a passage about the origin of jeans, teacher let students play a game called Brainstorming to remind the types of clothings.[4]
Striped shirt
Jeans
Plaid skirt
Types of clothing
dress
Blue shorts
Short-sleeved blouse
Step 2. Teach some new words.
- Using techniques to introduce some new words: material, wear out, embroidered, generation, sailor, sale..
Example 2 . Unit 4 – READ ( page 36) Text book: English 9
Step 2. Teach some new words.
3.1.4. True/False statement prediction.
Teacher prepares some statements refers to the text. Some are true and some are not true. Ask student to work in pairs/ groups to predict which statement is true or false? Then call some pairs or groups to give their prediction, write on the board and let the students check after reading the text.
Step 3. Read through.
Example 1 . Unit 2 – READ (page 17) SGK English 9
- Let students read through the text in silently in order to help them to approach the topic and create the first impression on the topic, events, .
- Give them some statements and ask them to predict which sentence is True or False
Statements
Predict
Answer key
1. Jeans was made in Europe
2. In the 19th century, Jean cloth was made completely from cotton
3. In 1960s, A lot of university and college teachers wore jeans
4. Jeans became more expensive so many people began wearing jeans in the 1970s 
5. Jeans became high fashion clothing in the 1980s
6. The sale of jeans stopped going up in 2000s
Example 2: Unit 9: READ (page 78,79) SGK English 9.
- Give them some statements refer to some natural disasters and ask them to predict which sentence is True or False
Statements
Predict
Answer key
1.Most of the earthquakes in the world occur in the Ring of Fire
2- The earthquake in Kobe in 1995 caused severe damage
3- A huge tidal wave traveled from California to Alaska
and hit Anchorage in the 1960s
4- Typhoon, hurricane and tropical storm are different words for the same natural disaster.
5- The eruption of Mount Linatubo is the worlds largest ever volcanic eruption.
6- A tornado looks like a funned shape
3.1.5.Ordering statements.
- Teacher prepares 6 or 8 sentences which refer to the content of the text. Jumple the orders of these sentences and ask the students to rearrange them in the correct order.
Example : Unit 3: A trip to the countryside - READ (page 25,26) 
Give some jumble sentences and ask student to rearrange these sentences into the correct order. Teacher can give 6-8 sentences.
1- He often does chore after school.
2- Van is living with the Parker family in America.
3- He will stay there till the beginning of October.
4- He feeds the chickens and collects their eggs.
5- Van is an exchange students from Ho Chi Minh city
6- The Parker are nice so Van feels like a member of their family.
The correct order is: 5 - 2- 1 – 4 – 3- 6
3.2. While- reading stage.
While-reading strategies can help the students to improve his ability to become more fluent in English, especially in the areas of speaking and reading. The while-reading activities I use in the classroom vary according to my aim in using a particular text. Hopefully, such strategies will help them cope with problematic and grayer areas of the text, such as identifying the main ideas of a text, which are also problematic for them in their native or first language.
While-reading strategies are challenging and sometimes difficult to teach and learn because different students need different strategies and not every student can acquire the same proficiency level. I am not always sure which strategies students need the most in the classroom and those which require more practice at home. Hopefully, I will gain more insight as to which activities are also suitable for each task.[5]
In this stage, teacher should monitor comprehension: 
- Verify predictions and check for inaccurate guesses
- Decide what is and is not important to understand
- Reread to check comprehension
- Ask for help
There are two steps used in this stage: Read for main idea ( gist) and Read for detail. In each step we can also use different techniques to help students to do the task reading.
3.2.1.Grids or forms
Teacher asks students to read the text in silent and complete the grids or forms.
Example: Unit 1 : A visit from a penpal – Read
Step 4. Read for main idea (Gist)
Ask students to read the passage then fill in the table with the right information about Malaysia
1- Area.. 
2- Population ... 
3- Climate .... 
4- Unit of currency ... 
5- Capital city
6- Oficial religion
7- National language ...
8- Compulsory second language.
3.2.2. Checking True/False statements.
Example . Unit 2 - READ (page 17) SGK English 9
Step 4. Read for main idea (Gist)
In this step, Let students to read the text silently and check True/False statement prediction
Statements
Predict
Answer key
1. Jeans was made in Europe
T
2. In the 19th century, Jean cloth was made completely from cotton
F 
In the 18th century
3. In 1960s, A lot of university and college teachers wore jeans
T
4. Jeans became more expensive so many people began wearing jeans in the 1970s 
F
Cheap
5. Jeans became high fashion clothing in the 1980s
T
6. The sale of jeans stopped going up in 2000s
F
1990s
3.2.3. Multiple choice.
Example . Unit 2 - READ (page 17) SGK English 9
Teacher can also design a multiple choice exercise in this step.
1- More and more people started wearing Jeans in .
 a- 1960s b- 1970s c- 1980s
2- The word Jean comes from a kind of meterial that was m