The role of using self-assessment and peer-assessment in EFL speaking skills to promote learner autonomy of non-English major students at Ho Chi Minh city University of Science

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

********************

PHAN THI MINH THAO

THE ROLE OF USING SELF-ASSESSMENT AND

PEER-ASSESSMENT IN EFL SPEAKING SKILLS TO

PROMOTE LEARNER AUTONOMY OF NON-ENGLISH

MAJOR STUDENTS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY

OF SCIENCE

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

HO CHI MINH City, 2019

ii

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

********************

PHAN THI MINH THAO

THE ROLE OF USING SELF-ASSESSMENT AND

PEER-ASSESSMENT IN EFL SPEAKING SKILLS TO

PROMOTE LEARNER AUTONOMY OF NON-ENGLISH

MAJOR STUDENTS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY

OF SCIENCE

Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Major code: 60140111

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

Supervisor: Dr. DANG TAN TIN

HO CHI MINH City, 2019

i

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify that this thesis entitled “The role of using self-assessment and

peer-assessment in EFL speaking skills to promote learner autonomy of

non-English major students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Science” is my

own work. Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis

contain material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis

by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma. No other

person‟s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text of the

thesis.

This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in

any other tertiary institution.

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019

PHAN THI MINH THAO

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to express my very profound gratitude to my

teacher and supervisor, Dr. Đặng Tấn Tín, for all of his valuable guidance and

encouragement. This thesis could not have been completed without his

dedicated support.

I would also like to send my deep gratefulness to all the lecturers, who taught me

invaluable knowledge at the Master program in Ho Chi Minh City Open University,

Vietnam. This background was really essential for the fulfillment of this thesis.

My sincerest thanks also go to the Board of Administrators and other members of

Foreign Languages Center, HCMC University of Science, who directly or indirectly

contributed to the implementation of my Master journey.

I particularly thank all of my students who participated enthusiastically in my

study. They all were really supportive and eager during the time I conducted my

study.

I am extremely grateful to my colleagues at HCMC University of Science,

especially Ms. Trương Diệp Thanh An who always supports and gives me valuable

experience to finish my master journey.

Last but not least, my deepest gratitude goes to my family members and my

beloved husband, for their unconditional love and care. Without them, this thesis

would have never been completed.

iii

ABSTRACT

The effects of self-assessment and peer-assessment on learner autonomy have

significantly been researched in EFL education. However, very few studies have been

conducted to find out the effects of these two kinds of assessment on each dimension

of learner autonomy and compare the effects of these assessment practices on learner

autonomy dimensions. The present quasi-experimental study examined (1) the effect

of self-assessment on learner autonomy development, (2) the effect of

peer-assessment on learner autonomy development and (3) different effects between

the two kinds of assessment practices in language use with a focus on speaking skills.

Eighty-eight first-year non-English majors taking a fifteen-week general English

course participated in the study. There are forty-nine students in experimental group 1

(self-assessment group) and thirty-nine students in experimental group 2

(peer-assessment group). The participants in the self-assessment group assessed their

own work whilst those in the peer-assessment group assessed their peers‟ work.

Quantitative data was collected from students‟ pre- and post-test questionnaire. A

paired sample T-test was run to answer research question 1 and 2, and an independent

sample T-test was run to answer research question 3. Three key findings were

revealed in the study. First, through the use of self-assessment, dimensions 2, 3, 4,

and 5 (planning, initiating, monitoring, and evaluating, respectively) in students‟

learner autonomy were significantly enhanced. Second, the peer-assessment

implementation also considerably promoted students‟ learner autonomy dimensions

2, 3, 4, and 5 (planning, initiating, monitoring, and evaluating, respectively). Third,

although both self-assessment and peer-assessment developed these four learner

autonomy dimensions, there is a small difference between the two kinds of

assessment on dimension 3 (initiating). The effect of self-assessment on students‟

learner autonomy dimension 3 surpassed that of peer-assessment. These findings give

insights to L2 teachers who intend to apply these assessment practices to their

classrooms to enhance students‟ learner autonomy.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ...........................................................................i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................... ii

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................. iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS .........................................................................................iv

LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................... viii

LIST OF TABLES....................................................................................................ix

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................xi

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................1

1.1 Background to the study .................................................................................1

1.2 Statement of the problem................................................................................4

1.3 Personal motivation ........................................................................................6

1.4 Purpose of the study........................................................................................7

1.5 Research questions..........................................................................................7

1.6 Significance of the study ................................................................................8

1.7 Scope of the study...........................................................................................8

1.8 Overview of the chapters................................................................................9

1.9 Definitions of key terms ...............................................................................10

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................11

2.1 Learner autonomy.........................................................................................11

2.1.1 Definition of learner autonomy...........................................................11

2.1.2 Dimensions of learner autonomy ........................................................13

2.2 Assessment as learning .................................................................................18

2.3 Self-assessment as learning ..........................................................................21

2.3.1 Definition ............................................................................................21

2.3.2 Process of self-assessment as learning................................................22

v

2.4 Peer-assessment as learning..........................................................................26

2.4.1 Definition ............................................................................................26

2.4.2. Process of peer-assessment as learning..............................................27

2.5 The relationship between learner autonomy and alternative assessment .....30

2.5.1 The relationship between learner autonomy and self-assessment ......30

2.5.2. The relationship between learner autonomy and peer-assessment ....32

2.5.3 Comparing the effect of self-assessment and peer-assessment on

learner autonomy..........................................................................................33

2.6 Studies related to the effect of self-assessment and peer-assessment

implementation in promoting learner autonomy ................................................36

2.6.1 Studies related to the effect of self-assessment implementation in

promoting learner autonomy........................................................................36

2.6.2 Studies related to the effect of peer-assessment implementation in

promoting learner autonomy........................................................................37

2.6.3 Studies related to difference in the effects of self-assessment and

peer-assessment on learner autonomy..........................................................38

2.6.4 The summary information for studies included in the literature review

......................................................................................................................40

2.6.5 Research gap .......................................................................................42

2.7 Summary of Chapter 2..................................................................................44

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................45

3.1 Research design ............................................................................................45

3.2 Research setting............................................................................................46

3.3 Participants ...................................................................................................48

3.4. Experimental procedures.............................................................................50

3.4.1. Teaching materials..............................................................................50

3.4.2. Teaching method ................................................................................53

3.4.3 Designing speaking tasks and choosing interaction patterns for

speaking tasks...............................................................................................54

vi

3.4.4 Designing self-assessment and peer-assessment forms ......................56

3.4.5 Training students to give feedback themselves and peers feedback

based on self-assessment and peer-assessment forms..................................61

3.5 Research instrument - Pre-post test questionnaire on learner autonomy .....69

3.6 Procedures of data collection........................................................................72

3.7 Data analysis approach .................................................................................74

3.7.1 Reliability of the instrument................................................................74

3.7.2 Validity of the instrument ...................................................................75

3.7.3 T-tests ..................................................................................................77

3.8 Chapter summary..........................................................................................78

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................79

4.1 Reliability of the questionnaire instrument ..................................................79

4.2 Results...........................................................................................................89

4.2.1 Research question 1.............................................................................89

4.2.2 Research question 2.............................................................................92

4.2.3 Research question 3.............................................................................94

4.3 Discussion of results.....................................................................................97

4.3.1 Research question 1.............................................................................97

4.3.2 Research question 2...........................................................................101

4.3.3 Research question 3...........................................................................103

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................107

5.1 Conclusions.................................................................................................107

5.2 Pedagogical implications............................................................................109

5.3 Limitations..................................................................................................110

5.4 Recommendations for future research........................................................111

REFERENCES......................................................................................................113

APPENDIXES .......................................................................................................127

vii

APPENDIX A: 25 SPEAKING TASKS FOR PRACTICE .............................127

APPENDIX B: 25 SELF-ASSESSMENT FORMS.........................................149

APPENDIX C: 25 PEER-ASSESSMENT FORMS ........................................162

APPENDIX D: ANALYTIC SPEAKING RATING SCALE FOR

SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PEER-ASSESSMENT.......................................175

APPENDIX E: TABLE CONTENTS OF MODULE 9-15, NEW CUTTING

EDGE COURSEBOOK....................................................................................177

APPENDIX F: SOME SAMPLES OF SELF-ASSESSMENT AND

PEER-ASSESSMENT COMPLETED BY STUDENTS.................................179

APPENDIX G: STUDENTS‟ PRE - POST TEST QUESTIONNAIRE..........180

APPENDIX H: CRONBACH‟S ALPHA LEVEL OF FIVE LEARNER

AUTONOMY DIMENSIONS .........................................................................185

viii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Self-assessment as learning process..........................................26

Figure 2.2: Peer-assessment as learning process..........................................30

ix

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1: A synthesis of dimensions of learner autonomy.......................................17

Table 2.2: Assessment as learning framework ..........................................................19

Table 2.3: Self-assessment process ...........................................................................22

Table 2.4: Peer-assessment process...........................................................................28

Table 2.5: A summary of previous studies on the effects of self- and peer-assessment

on promoting learner autonomy................................................................................40

Table 3.1: Characteristics of participants..................................................................49

Table 3.2: New Cutting-Edge speaking skills section Modules 9-15 .......................51

Table 3.3: An example of a speaking task.................................................................55

Table 3.4: An example of self-assessment form........................................................59

Table 3.5: An example of peer-assessment form ......................................................59

Table 3.6: A sample of speaking task for training.....................................................64

Table 3.7: An example of an assessment form..........................................................66

Table 3.8: Procedures for self-assessment, peer-assessment and teacher comment

activities (22/ 01/ 2018 - 03/06/ 2018)......................................................................67

Table 3.9 Description of the questionnaire content...................................................70

Table 3.10: Data collection procedure ......................................................................73

Table 4.1: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 1 in pre-test and posttest questionnaire (7

items).........................................................................................................................80

Table 4.2: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 1 in pre-test and posttest questionnaire (5

items).........................................................................................................................81

Table 4.3: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 2 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire (7

items).........................................................................................................................82

Table 4.4: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 2 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire

(5 items).....................................................................................................................83

Table 4.5: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 3 in pre-test and posttest questionnaire (7

items).........................................................................................................................84

Table 4.6: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 3 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire

(6 items).....................................................................................................................85

x

Table 4.7: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 4 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire

(9 items).....................................................................................................................86

Table 4.8: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 5 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire

(8 items).....................................................................................................................87

Table 4.9: Cronbach‟s alpha of Dimension 5 in pre-test and post-test questionnaire

(5 items).....................................................................................................................88

Table 4.10: Number of items and Cronbach‟s Alpha of the five dimension scales ..89

Table 4.11: Results of Independent samples t-test analysis for five dimensions of LA

(pre-test questionnaire)..............................................................................................90

Table 4.12: Results of Paired samples t-test analysis for LA dimensions (SA Group)

...................................................................................................................................91

Table 4.13: Descriptive statistics of LA dimensions (SA Group).............................92

Table 4.14: Results of Paired samples t-test analysis for LA dimensions ................93

Table 4.15: Descriptive statistics of LA dimensions (PA Group) .............................94

Table 4.16: Results of Independent samples t-test analysis for four dimensions of

LA (post-test questionnaire)......................................................................................96

Table 4.17: Descriptive statistics of LA dimensions for SA Group and PA Group

(post-test questionnaire)............................................................................................97

xi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CBI Content-based Instruction

CEFR Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

CLT Communicative Language Teaching

EFL/ESL English as a Second/Foreign Language

ELT English Language Teaching

HCM US Ho Chi Minh City University of Science

ICT Information And Communications Technology

LA Learner Autonomy

L2 Second Language

PA Peer-assessment

SA Self-assessment

SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

TBLT Task-based Language Teaching

TOEIC Test of English for International Communication

VNU-HCM Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City

1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this chapter is to present (1) background to the study, (2) problem

statement, (3) objectives of the study, (4) research questions, (5) significance of the

study, (6) scope of the study, (7) personal motivation, and (8) overall structure.

1.1 Background to the study

Since learner-centered approaches emerged, learner autonomy has been

considered an integral part in the field of language learning and teaching. According

to Henri Holec, the father of learner autonomy, it is essential that students have the

ability to take charge of their own learning (1981). Mattarima and Hamdan (2011)

also claimed that learners who own learner autonomy are considered successful in

their study due to the fact that autonomous learners decide themselves what to learn,

how to learn, and why to learn. Moreover, Little (2001) indicated that promoting

students to move towards learner autonomy helps them have motivation and engage

reflectively with their learning. Although learner autonomy is one of the most

important factors for students to get success in their study, encouraging students to

be autonomous learners is quite challenging, especially in the country where

Confucianism remains strong like Vietnam.

Having been strongly affected by the teacher-centered approach, students in

Vietnam become passive in their study and gradually follow the “spoon-feeding”

learning style. Many Vietnamese researchers have reported this issue over the past

few decades. According to Dang (2010), Vietnamese students are considered

passive learners in class and follow rote learning. In the class, teachers use dictation

in place of giving students enough opportunities to express themselves. Besides, Le

(2013) listed five main characteristics of Vietnamese students: (1) respecting

teachers as the role model (2) expecting teachers to be an expert in the field and

know all the answers, (3) depending too much on teachers for clear and exact

guidance, (4) being reluctant to express their own ideas in front of the class due to

2

being afraid of losing face and outstanding from others, and (5) being under

pressure from society and family‟s expectations for successful performance.

In addition, Trinh (2005) asserted that with traditional teaching and learning

method in the Vietnamese context, teachers primarily conveyed knowledge to their

students instead of helping them move towards autonomous learning, and

memorization played a integral role in the learning process. This author also added

that in Vietnam, learning is strongly examination-focused. Indeed,

examination-focused means following the model of memorization. In this kind of

learning model, students can only gain knowledge for short-term memory for exams

and strengthen their memory capacity. Consequently, students only focus on

learning product not learning process, which makes them lack learner autonomy.

In the same vein, in the Vietnamese context, summative assessment has been

mainly used for summarizing and certifying student learning results, whereas

formative assessment has not been employed sufficiently in classrooms at any level,

particularly in higher education where examinations remain the norm (Huynh & Le,

2009 as cited in Ho, 2015).

To sum up, most of the above-mentioned researchers acknowledged that

Vietnamese learners are passive learners, lack critical thinking skills and

autonomous learning. As aforementioned, there are many reasons for this

problematic situation including teacher-centered approach, traditional learning and

summative assessment method. Among these reasons, the traditional summative

assessment method is considered the main one that hinders students from moving

towards autonomous learning. It is undeniable that being less autonomous causes

learners various negative impacts on their learning process, especially in their

foreign language learning.

Being aware of the difficulties that learners will encounter if they lack learner

autonomy, more and more educators are trying to put more innovations in their

teaching methodology so that they can help learners develop the ability of learning