Using of the pic tures to improve my grade 11 students’s listening comprehension

TABLE OF CONTENT	 	PAGE
 I. ABSTRACT	01
 II. AIMS OF THE RESEARCH	
	1. Aims	01
	2. Definitions of terms	02
III. RATIONALE AND JUSTIFICATION	03 - 04
 IV. LITERATURE REVIEW	04 - 05
 V. METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH SCHEDULE
	1. Independent and Dependent Variables	06
	2. Research Design	06 - 07
	3. Data Collection Procedures	08 - 11
	3.1. Selection of Subjects	09 
	3.2. Lesson Plans	09 - 10
	3.3. The Writing Tests	10
	3.4. Student Questionnaire	10
	3.5. Teacher’s diary	11
	4. Data analysis	
	4.1. Quantitative Method	11
	4.2. Qualitative Method	11
	5. Research Schedule	12
 VI. EXPECTED FINDINGS	13
 VII. CONCLUSION	13
	 APPENDICES
	 	BIBLIOGRAPHY	14
QUESTIONNAIRE	15
I. ABSTRACT
	Writing is the most difficult skill out of the four, which is challenging the students in Mai Anh Tuan high school. Most of them have difficulty in identifying the structure as well as language features that each text type should have. This project outlines an action research study on using the genre approach to teach grade 11 students to write personal recounts. They will receive the instruction from the researcher using the genre-based approach over 7 weeks. The study will explore the effects of the new approach on the overall performance of students writing recount texts and students’ feeling about the use of that approach. The findings of this study will be based on data collected from the pre and post tests, the questionnaire before and after the treatment, and the diary written by the teacher. I do hope that the students’ personal recount writing will improve after the period of treatment. They will be provided with clear structure, language features and given step-by-step scaffolding in four stages. Furthermore, the new method may positively change the students’ attitude towards writing, and make them feel more confident in writing personal recount essays.
II. AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
 1. Aims: 
	The goal of this research is to investigate whether the teaching with genre-based approach will help students overcome the difficulties in writing personal recount. Therefore, the researcher’s first objectives are to find out the difficulties his students are facing, and how much the new method helps improve their writing. A number of lessons which are planned based on the steps of this approach will be applied in classroom for a period of time to answer that question. Besides, through questionnaires the researcher will explore the students’ feeling about the use of genre approach in teaching writing personal recount.	
 In short, the research is designed to investigate the following questions:
 1.1 What difficulties do grade 11 students in Mai Anh Tuan High School face in writing personal recount?
 1.2. To what extent does teaching with genre-based approach help the students improve their personal recount writing?
 1.3. . How do the students feel about the use of genre-based approach in writing personal recount?
 2. Definitions of terms
 	Genre: A genre, for Martin (1984) is “a staged, goal-oriented, purposeful activity in which speakers engage as members of our culture”. Less technically, genres are the ways people make meaning with one another in stages to achieve their purposes (Callaghan & Rothery, 1988). Derewianka (1992, cited in Gwee, 1997 p.9) defined “genre” as the schematic structure of a text which helps to achieve its purpose. 
 	Genre-based approach: Genre-based approach is fundamentally underpinned by a socially-based theory of language. According to Halliday’ (1985), genre-based approach is a systemic-functional model of language which see grammar as a “resource for making meaning”. This approach focuses on the communicative purpose of writing in a specific social context. Therefore, different text types have different purposes and audiences, and practitioners of the genre approach attempt to make students aware of the differences between the genres to aid their writing.
 	Recount: A recount is a piece of text that retell past events, usually in the order in which they occurred. Its purpose is to provide the audience with a description of what occurred and when it occurred (e.g. blogs, diaries, eyewitness recounts, historical recounts, etc.). (Anderson, M. & Anderson, C., 1998). 
	Personal recount: retelling of an activity that the writer or speaker has been personally involved (e.g. oral anecdotes, letters, diaries) (Derewianka, 1992).
III. RATIONALE AND JUSTIFICATION
	Although genre-based approach has been a controversial topic, it was stated to be very effective in teaching and learning English in EFL classroom. Teachers use models can help free students from the fears of writing (Kay & Dudley-Evans, 1998). Moreover, with the knowledge of recount genre, students are familiar with the linguistic skills and can produce the right text type to achieve their intended communicative purpose (Gwee, 1990). Genre-based approach has been widely used to teach writing in many schools as well as universities worldwide, and positive results have been attained. The findings from the study of Chandrika (2001) was a typical example.
	In Thanh Hoa, particularly in my school, most of the teachers and students who use English as a foreign language find that writing is the most laborious of the four language skills. The current curriculum requires my colleagues, who have been used to traditional teaching methods, to use numerous strategies to help the students develop those skills only in three classes a week. Although our students have some background knowledge of general English in the last five years, their writing ability is at a very low level. They are only able to write at sentence levels, while the syllabus demands them to produce essays. When being asked to write a personal recount, most of them do not know how to make ideas well organized, and even produce texts with an inappropriate genre. As a result, their scores are unsatisfactory even though they are hard-working. Furthermore, the students are not highly motivated to learn English except for preparing for tests or examinations. English is one of the compulsory subjects in their school-leaving exam whose questions are multiple choice. 	
	With those issues in mind, I would like to help my students lessen the difficulties in writing personal recount which is required in the textbook of grade 11 students. I think that the genre-based approach may be effectively applied to teach my students, who have been rarely exposed to authentic writing, to create better personal recounts.
IV. LITERATURE REVIEW
Teaching and learning writing has been challenging English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and learners. This skill is still considered to be the most onerous and demanding out of the four. In spite of those permanent problems, there are ways to refine the teaching of the skill to help language students better their wording and writing. Over the last 20 years, much of the teaching of writing that occurs in the EFL classroom has been dominated by product and process approaches. On the other hand, genre approach also became quite popular in the 1980s, yet it did not gain many supporters until the beginning of the last decade. It was noted that student writers could benefit from studying different types of written texts. Although the literature exposes us to some different approaches and various genres, this review is concentrated in the use of genre-based approach to teach personal recount.
	Genre approach is still a controversial issue though it is never a dull one. According to Kay and Dudley-Evans (1998 p.310), genre approach enables students to improve their writing skill and produce the right text that suits their intended goal of communication. It also helps expose them to the knowledge of the surrounding world so that they can take part in it. Being provided with models, learners are able to be unbridled from the fears of writing. Furthermore, the approach empowers them to comment on the effectiveness of their products.
	After analyzing and comparing the three approaches, Badger and White (2000 p.155-157) found that genre approach has been criticized as it undervalues the processes needed to produce a text and sees learners as largely passive. However, they strongly agreed that the approach emphasizes that writing happens in a social context whose heart is the purpose. It was noted that learning can take place through imitation and analysis. Students are encouraged to explore different samples of a text type to comprehend the rules, features and the structure in order that they improve their ability to create their own writing. 
	Up to the present, many studies have been carried out inside and outside Viet Nam which are related to the use of genre-based approach in teaching text types, including recount. Sidaway (2006) found that students’ writing often goes wrong because they are not familiar with generic structure of genres. While analyzing genres used by her students in their writing, Gwee (1990, cited in Chandrika, 2001) suggested that generic structures ought to be taught; then confirmed that when learners catch on with narrative and recount genres, they will pay more attention to the required linguistic skills. It was shown by Chandrika (2001) that teaching using genre-based approach positively affects the recount writing of students. By comparing the pre and post tests, she found that 88.6% of the students’ writing got better after the treatment period. The average percentage score rose by 15% and the students had better apprehension of the features which were examined.
	In the light of the literature reviewed above, this research is aimed at investigating whether teaching with genre-based approach positively impacts the personal recount writing of students in Mai Anh Tuan High School, Nga Son.
V. METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH SCHEDULE
1. Independent and Dependent Variables
The use of genre-based approach
To help students write better personal recount
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Teacher uses genre approach to teach students to write personal recounts
Students’ improvement in writing personal recounts. This is measured by pre-test and post-tests.
2. Research design
	This study is designed to discover if the genre-based approach would positively affect students’ writing and how it does so. One class of grade 11 students are given writing instruction using the genre approach. Pre and post tests are delivered to assess any change in personal account writing performance as a result of the use of the new method. A questionnaire is administered to find out whether the approach impact students’ feeling about composing personal recounts based on the genre approach.
Research questions
Research instruments
Subjects
Tools of analysis
1. What difficulties do grade 11 students in Mai Anh Tuan High School face in writing personal recount?
2. To what extent does teaching with genre-based approach help the students improve their personal recount writing?
3. How do the students feel about the use of genre-based approach in writing personal recount?
- Teacher’s 
lesson plans
- Writing pre-test
- Writing post-test
- Teacher’s diary
- Student questionnaire
- Grade 11 students
- Age: 17
- English ability: pre-intermediate
- School: 
Mai Anh Tuan
- Sample size: 2 classes ( 84 students)
- Critical Discourse Analysis
- Mean
- Frequency count
- Percentage
3. Data collection procedure
	The data collection procedure is indicated in the following flow chart.
Writing Pre-test
Pre-intermediate grade 11 students
Student questionnaire
The use of genre approach
Writing post-test 1
Comparing the results of
the pre-test and 2 post-tests
The use of genre approach
Writing post-test 2
Student questionnaire
 3.1. Selection of subjects
	This study is carried out in Mai Anh Tuan high School with two classes of grade 11 students. Most of them are interested in learning English, especially writing because of their love for writing diaries, letters, emailing, and so on. Furthermore, the current English Syllabus requires them to learn to write personal recounts. However, their writing ability is still at a low level, and their prior test scores were below teacher’s expectation. My students often make mistakes in using vocabulary, sentence structures and verb tenses. Besides, some of them cannot identify the text type, particularly the structure and language features of a personal recount.
 3.2. Lesson plans 
	During the course of the research, six lesson plans will be designed based on the genre-based approach. They will be utilized to teach students to compose personal recount essays. A lesson plan includes 4 stages such as Building the field, Modeling, Joint construction and Independent Writing. Each of the stages will be taught in a 45-minute class.
+ Building the field.
	- Teacher introduces the topic by asking questions, showing a video clip, playing a 	recording of it, etc.
	- Students are familiarized with the subject matter by doing some pre-activities 	(expanding headlines, adding detail, using emotive language, etc.)
+ Modeling
 	In this stage, teacher designs and provides a detailed scaffold for the text type, 
 personal recount by:
	- explicitly introducing a model text.
	- identifying how the text is structured (3 parts: Introduction, Sequence of events, 	conclusion)
	- identifying what “language features” should be included.
	- identifying the function of each part of the recount.
+ Joint Construction
	Before writing independently, students are asked to participating in group writing. The class is divided into groups of 5 or 6 to construct texts that are similar to the model based on the topic given. The teacher walks around to help the groups by making suggestions or correcting their mistakes. 
+ Independent Writing
	Students are asked to independently write their own essays based on one of the topics given by the teacher. 
 3.3. The writing tests 
	The research will design one pre-test and two post-tests, which are used for different purposes. Students will take the pre-test 5 days before the actual use of the genre-based approach in teaching personal recounts. Each of them will be asked to write an essay about 150 words to tell about his or her happiest experience. The results of this placement test will be used for data analysis. After 3 weeks of using the new method, the first post-test will be delivered to the students. They will write about their most embarrassing experiences. The second post-test will be given at the end of the treatment period. The students will be asked to produce personal recounts about their unforgettable experiences. The researcher will mark the test papers and make a comparison between the scores of the pre and post tests to see if the new treatment positively impact the students’ personal recount writing.
 3.4. Student questionnaire 
	The questionnaire will be used to explore the students’ feelings about the use of genre-based approach in teaching writing personal recounts. This questionnaire consists of 11 items which are related to students’ knowledge, performance and attitude. There are some forms of statements with a 5-point Likert scale, some Yes-No questions and some open-ended ones. The questionnaire is not only delivered at the beginning but also the end of the treatment period, so that the researcher can discover whether there are changes in students’ attitude or not.
 3.5. Teacher’s diary
	The strength and weakness of each lesson plan will be taken notes after the lecture is conducted. This activity will let the researcher know what he has done well and what needs correcting and adding to make the following lessons more effective. In addition, the researcher will keep writing in the diary about the students’ feeling about the application of the new approach in teaching writing personal recounts. The progress of the students will also be recorded frequently in the teacher’s diary.
4. Data analysis
 4.1. Quantitative method
	After marking the students’ writing tests, the researcher will have the scores analysed by using a counting method called Frequency Count and The mean. The results will then be reported in a table as frequencies and percentages. This quantitative will also be utilized to deal with the responses to the close-ended questions. From these the researcher can have a general view on students’ prior ability and their improvement after applying the genre approach. They will also help the researcher make sense of the changes in the students’ attitude towards the use of the new method.
 4.2. Qualitative method
 	Critical Discourse Analysis will be used to analyze students’ test papers, teacher’s lesson plans, open-ended questions and teacher’s diary. This analysis will help the researcher identify the problems the students face as well as their proficiency level. It will also help the researcher with an understanding of his students’ progress and attitude towards the genre approach used in teaching personal recount writing.
 5. Research schedule
Number
Activities
Date to carry out
1
Choose the subjects
Design a placement test
Design a questionnaire
.October, 2018 – week 1
2
Deliver the test and mark test papers
.October, 2018 – week 2
3
Deliver the questionnaire 
and get the responses.
.October, 2018 – week 3
4
Design lesson plans
.October, 2018 – week 4
5
Teach writing recounts using genre approach
.November, 2018: 
 from week 1 – week 3
6
Design and deliver post-test 1
.November, 2018: week 4
7
Mark test papers and give comments
.December, 2018: week 1
8
Teach writing recounts using genre approach
.February, 2019:
from week 2 – week 4
9
Design and deliver post-test 2
.March, 2019: week 1
10
.Mark test papers 
.Deliver the questionnaire
.April, 2019: week 2
11
.Data analysis
.December, 2010: week 3
12
.Write a report with conclusion
.December, 2010: week 4
VI. EXPECTED FINDINGS
 	The genre approach is quite unfamiliar to my colleagues and students. Therefore, they may not support me or may refuse to apply it in teaching writing. Besides, most of the tests do not require students to write essays, so they might not be interested in the use of the new approach.
However, with the detailed schedule and procedure above, the researcher hopes that the Action Research will result in positive changes in students’ personal recount writing. They can follow the correct structure, the language features as well as selectively use vocabulary and verb tenses. The new method will probably make the students feel more confident and more interested in writing recounts. That may help them better their ability to do written tests.
VII. CONCLUSION 
 	In this proposal, the researcher has identified the research problem, reviewed the literature, planned the data collection procedure and research schedule, and anticipated some positive results as well as challenges. The researcher is going to implement the research plan 
It is hoped that the research’s findings will help to improve the teaching and learning writing, especially writing personal recounts in my school. 
Thanh hóa, ngày 22 tháng 05 năm 2019
 Xác nhận của hiệu trưởng 	 Tôi xin cam đoan đây là SKKN 
 trường THPT Mai Anh Tuấn của mình viết, không sao chéo
 nội dung của người khác. 
Người viết SKKN
 Lê Hồng Phong
REFERENCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Anderson, K. & Anderson, M. (1995). Text Types in English. Australia: 
 Macmillan Education.
2. Badger, R. & White, G. (2000). A Process Genre Approach to Teaching Writing.
 ELT Journal, 54, 153-160.
3. Chandrika, G. (2001). Teaching The Recount Genre Using The Genre Based Approach. 
 SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
4. Cope, B. & Kalantzis, M. (Eds.). (1993). The Powers of Literacy: A Genre Approach 
 to Teaching Writing. Pittsburgh, PA: University Pittsburgh Press
5. Gwee, S. (1997). Teaching The Recount G