Using cooperative learning approach to enhance 10th grade students' English speaking competence: an action research at a high school in Vietnam

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

NGUYEN THI THUY

USING COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH

TO ENHANCE 10th GRADE STUDENTS’ENGLISH

SPEAKING COMPETENCE: AN ACTION RESEARCH

AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN VIETNAM

M.A THESIS

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN - 2020

ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN

TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ

NGUYỄN THỊ THỦY

SỬ DỤNG ĐƯỜNG HƯỚNG HỌC TẬP HỢP TÁC

ĐỂ NÂNG CAO NĂNG LỰC NÓI TIẾNG ANH CỦA

HỌC SINH KHỐI 10: MỘT NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG

TẠI MỘT TRƯỜNG THPT Ở VIỆT NAM

LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ

Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh

Mã số: 8220201

THÁI NGUYÊN - 2020

i

ABSTRACT

The action research aimed to investigate the effects of cooperative

learning on the students’ speaking competence and explore the students’

attitude towards this approach. Forty students of grade 10 at Pho Yen high

school in Thai Nguyen province were chosen. The data was collected by a

speaking test, a questionnaire, and an observation checklist to answer the two

research questions. The findings showed that cooperative learning had a

positive effect on the students’ English speaking competence. Data from the

pre-test and post-test scores demonstrated that cooperative learning improved

the 10th-grade students’ English speaking competence. Besides, through the

questionnaire and observation checklist, it could be seen that most of the

students expressed a positive attitude towards applying cooperative learning

and an interest in group work, which demonstrated that they believed in its

positive effects. Based on the results, the researcher made some suggestions

for teachers to apply the cooperative learning approach effectively in teaching

English speaking lessons.

ii

DECLARATION

I declare that this research report entitled “Using cooperative learning

approach to enhance 10th grade students’ English speaking competence:

An action research at high school in Vietnam” has been composed by

myself and described my own work unless otherwise acknowledged in the

text. I confirm that this work is submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of master at School of Foreign Languages, Thai

Nguyen University. This work has not been and will not be submitted for

any other degree at any other higher education institution.

Approved by supervisor

Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Loan

Thai Nguyen, 2020

Student

Nguyen Thi Thuy

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my thanks to those who have helped and

encouraged me to carry out this research.

First, I would like to express my wholehearted thanks to my supervisor,

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Minh Loan, for her invaluable guidance, suggestions,

extraordinarily insightful and constructive comments, tireless support,

encouragement, and patience. I cannot find enough words to express my thanks.

I also would like to thank students of class 10C1, Pho Yen high school,

to provide me with a lot of useful information.

And, lastly, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my family for

their warm encouragement and support.

Thai Nguyen, 2020

Student

Nguyen Thi Thuy

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................... i

DECLARATION ..............................................................................................ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................iii

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

LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................... vii

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

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

1.1. Rationales................................................................................................ 1

1.2. Aims of the study .................................................................................... 3

1.3. Scope of the study................................................................................... 3

1.4. Significance of the study......................................................................... 3

1.5. Organization of the study........................................................................ 4

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................... 5

2.1. The Definition of Speaking Competence................................................ 5

2.1.1. Definition of speaking competence .................................................. 5

2.1.2. Aspects of Speaking.......................................................................... 5

2.2. Teaching Speaking.................................................................................. 7

2.2.1. Principles of Designing Speaking Activities.................................... 7

2.2.2. Teacher’s Roles during the Speaking Lesson................................. 10

2.3. Cooperative Learning............................................................................ 11

2.3.1. The Definitions of Cooperative Learning....................................... 11

2.3.2. Cooperative Learning Theories ...................................................... 12

2.3.3. Advantages of Cooperative Learning ............................................. 15

2.3.4. Cooperative Learning and Speaking Competence.......................... 17

2.3.5. Models of Cooperative Learning .................................................... 18

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2.4. Attitude in language learning................................................................ 21

2.4.1. Definition of attitude....................................................................... 21

2.4.2. Importance of attitude in language learning ................................... 22

2.5. Previous Studies.................................................................................... 23

2.6. Summary ............................................................................................... 27

CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY............................................................... 28

3.1. Research questions................................................................................ 28

3.2. Design of the study ............................................................................... 28

3.2.1. Rationale ......................................................................................... 29

3.2.2. Action Research Model .................................................................. 29

3.3. Subjects of the study ............................................................................. 31

3.4. Data collection instrument .................................................................... 31

3.4.1. Speaking test ................................................................................... 31

3.4.2. Questionnaire .................................................................................. 33

3.4.3. Observation checklist......................................................................... 34

3.5. Teaching materials................................................................................ 35

3.6. Data collection procedure ..................................................................... 37

3.6.1. Planning .......................................................................................... 37

3.6.2. Action.............................................................................................. 37

3.6.3. Observation..................................................................................... 40

3.6.4. Reflection........................................................................................ 40

3.7. Data analysis......................................................................................... 40

3.8. Summary ............................................................................................... 41

CHAPTER 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION........................................... 42

4.1. Results................................................................................................... 42

4.1.1. Results of the speaking test............................................................. 42

4.1.2. Data from the student questionnaire ............................................... 47

4.1.3. Data from the observation checklist ...........................................................................49

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4.2. Discussion ............................................................................................. 50

4.2.1. Research question 1: To what extent does cooperative

learning approach improve the students' speaking competence? ............. 50

4.2.2. Research question 2: What are the students’ attitudes toward

the use of cooperative learning approach?................................................ 52

4.3. Summary ............................................................................................... 54

CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ................. 55

5.1. Conclusion ............................................................................................ 55

5.2. Implications........................................................................................... 56

5.2.1. Awareness of benefits and importance of cooperative learning ............ 56

5.2.2. Blending of traditional teaching approach and cooperative

learning approach..................................................................................... 56

5.2.3. Creating more opportunities for students to practice speaking ...... 57

5.2.4. Guidance to students on how to play roles in cooperative

learning activities .................................................................................... 57

5.2.5. Designing and planning appropriate tasks...................................... 58

5.3. Limitations of the study ........................................................................ 58

5.4. Recommendations for further research................................................. 59

REFERENCES.............................................................................................. 60

APPENDIX 1: SPEAKING TEST FOR STUDENTS.............................I

APPENDIX 2: ORAL ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES........................ III

APPENDIX 3: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS......................... V

(ENGLISH VERSION) .......................................................................... V

APPENDIX 4: QUESTIONAIRE FOR STUDENTS..........................VI

(VIETNAMESE VERSION).................................................................VI

APPENDIX 5: OBSERVATION CHECKLIST..................................VII

APPENDIX 6: LESSON PLAN......................................................... VIII

APPENDIX 7: RESULTS OF THE TESTS ....................................... XV

vii

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Syntax model of Cooperative model learning STAD type

with NHT....................................................................................... 20

Table 2. Converted marks for assessing speaking competence ................... 32

Table 3. Schedule of applying cooperative learning.................................... 36

Table 4. Descriptive statistics of the pre-test ............................................... 42

Table 5. Frequency of the pre-test scores .................................................... 43

Table 6. Descriptive statistics of the post-test.............................................. 44

Table 7. Frequency of the post-test scores................................................... 44

Table 8. Descriptive statistics of the pre-test and post-test scores............... 46

Table 9. Students’ attitude toward using cooperative learning.................... 47