Vietnam nation university, hanoi college of foreign languages DEPARTMENT OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES  Le Thi Phuong Thao a comparative study of the effect of a task-based teaching and traditional method to grammar instruction at Vietnamese upper secondary schools an experimental research nghiên cứu so sánh ảnh h-ởng đ-ờng h-ớng dạy học sở giao nhiệm vụ ph-ơng pháp dạy học truyền thống việc dạy ngữ pháp tr-ờng trung học phổ thông: nghiên cøu thùc nghiÖm Minor Thesis Field: English Methodology Code: 601410 Hanoi- 2009 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements i Abstract ii Table of contents iii List of Abbreviations vi List of tables and graphs vii Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Rationale of the study 1.2 Hypotheses 1.2.1 The Null Hypothesis (Ho) 1.2.2 The Alternative Hypothesis (H1) 1.3 Purpose of the study 1.4 Important of the study 1.5 The setting and background 1.6 Definition of terminology 1.7 Design of the study Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 The role of grammar in English language teaching 2.1.1 Arguments against grammar teaching 2.1.2 Research supporting grammar teaching 2.2 Grammar teaching as Process or as Product 2.2.1 The process of language learning 2.2.2 Teaching grammar as product 2.2.3 Teaching grammar as process 2.3 Grammar and methods of language teaching 12 2.3.1 Grammar-Translation Method 12 2.3.1.1 Characteristics of Grammar-Translation Method 12 2.3.1.2 Advantages of Grammar-Translation Method 13 2.3.1.3 Drawbacks of Grammar-Translation Method 14 2.3.2 Task-based approach to grammar teaching 14 2.3.2.1 Definition of "Task" and types of tasks in language teaching and learning 15 2.3.2.2 Definitions and features of task-based teaching approach 16 iv 2.3.2.3 The implementation of task-based approach 17 2.3.2.4 Integration of the task-based teaching approach into grammar teaching 19 2.3.2.5 Advantages of task-based approach 21 2.3.2.6 Possible constraints of task-based approach 22 2.4 Conclusion 23 Chapter 3: Research methodology 24 3.1 Methodology 24 3.1.1 Subjects 24 3.1.2 Variables and constants 24 3.2 Research instruments 24 3.3 Data collection 25 3.4 Achievement Tests 25 3.4.1 Pre-test 25 3.4.2 Post-test 25 3.4.3 Other data source 26 3.5 Hypotheses testing instrument 26 Chapter 4: Data analysis and discussions 27 4.1 Pre-test results 27 4.1.1 Descriptive group statistics of the pre-test result 27 4.1.2 Independent samples T-test of the pre-test result 28 4.2 Post-test results 29 4.2.1 Analysis of overall mean performance 29 4.2.2 Descriptive group statistics of the post-test result 30 4.2.3 Independent samples T-test of the post-test result 31 4.3 Hypothesis testing 31 4.4 Classroom observation report 32 Chapter 5: summary, conclusion and Recommendations 39 5.1 Summary of the findings 39 5.2 Conclusions 40 5.3 Recommendations 41 5.4 Limitations of the study 42 5.5 Suggestions for further study 42 References 43 v Appendices I Appendix I: Lesson plans for the study group I Appendix II: Pre-test XI Appendix III: Post-test XIV Appendix IV: Raw data of the study group and the control group on the pre-test and post-test results XVIII vii List of tables Table 1: Willis's model for task-based instruction 18 Table 2: Descriptive Group Statistics of the Pre-test 27 Table 3: Independent Samples T-test of the Pre-test 28 Table 4: Descriptive Group Statistics of the Post-test 30 Table 5: Independent Samples T-test of the Post-test 31 List of graphs Graph 1: Frequency distribution of scores of the Control class 29 Graph 2: Frequency distribution of scores of the Study class 29 vi List of Abbreviations CLT : Communicative Language Teaching EFL : English as a Foreign Language GTM : Grammar-Translation Method L2 : Second Language SL : Second Language TB : Task-based TBA : Task-based Approach TBI Task-based Instruction : Chapter 1: Introduction One of the most important elements necessary to acquire a language is grammar Not only in terms of the first language, but also of the second language, grammar is of primary importance for speakers to convey their messages Vietnamese students start to study English at school, mainly focuses on learning grammar The Grammar-Translation Method (GTM) has been widely employed in Vietnam The GTM focuses on, in particular, the memorization of grammatical features, vocabulary and direct translations of text into the mother tongue Yet, since the 1970s, the orthodoxy in pedagogies of English education and research in applied linguistics has shifted away from the GTM toward Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), because the method no longer fit the demands of learners to use language as a tool of communication (Howatt, 1984) Littlewood (1981: 1) states his views of the communicative language teaching approach, "One of the most characteristic features of communicative language teaching is that it pays systematic attention to functional as well as structural aspects of language, combining these into a more fully communicative view." With the application of the GTM in teaching grammar, students learn only the formal properties of the language (verb conjugation, rules of syntax, vocabulary lists), but they cannot exchange information, express their ideas or feelings, or construct and control problem solving Therefore, the Task-Based Approach (TBA) is a suitable approach to teach English to Vietnamese students today because task-based teaching is an important way of CLT Although the TBA is still new to teachers and students in Vietnam, it is a really effective way to improve students' communicative abilities However, the reality is that there is a long-standing tradition in Vietnam for teachers to teach English using the GTM This method has been widely used in almost all Vietnamese schools With an urgent need for English in communication, the suitable approach should be the TBA This chapter presents the rationale, the hypotheses, the purpose of this study, the importance of the study, definition of terminology, the setting and background, and the design of the study 1.1 Rationale Grammar teaching has played an important role in language learning and acquisition No-grammar teaching will lead to the product of clumsy and inappropriate foreign languages It is a fact that grammar teaching is essential for language teaching According to Wood (1995), "nobody can doubt that a good knowledge of the grammatical system is essential to master a foreign language and it is also one of the most important parts of communicative competence."; therefore, we can see that grammar is a framework without which language cannot be structured and a message cannot be conveyed smoothly and fluently However, grammar teaching is still one of the most controversial and least understood aspects of foreign language teaching although it has been a central aspect of foreign language teaching In Vietnam, the teaching of grammar is an area of controversy and debate In the grammar teaching classroom, some teachers pay excessive attention to the importance of teaching rules and grammatical structures However, there are not many grammar rules that can be clearly formulated and easily taught or learned Some rules are easy to formulate and some are relatively difficult Others are too abstract to be described and cannot be applied mechanically These rules are not always governed by the immediate, linguistic environment and thus are difficult to practice in simple contexts So, the students gradually become uninterested in learning English They negatively accept, process and store the grammar knowledge They are successful in mastering only a set of structure forms which are useless in improving their integrative communicative competence Some other teachers excessively pursue the communication functions, emphasize the notional-function, and totally reject grammar instruction As a result, students are successful but grammatically inaccurate communicators It is not surprising that a Vietnamese student cannot express himself fluently and accurately after spending more than ten years in learning English The reason I choose this topic is related to my personal profession From my observation and professional experience as an upper secondary school teacher of English, I have realized that different teachers have different attitudes and approaches to grammar in the classroom Although the design of English textbook is task-based, many teachers of English apply the traditional method to teach grammar There are teachers who view grammar teaching as unnecessary while the others who are obsessed by it I am always haunted by the question which method to deal with grammar more effectively in the secondary school classroom For several years, I have pursued the answer to this question It is my belief that the answer would be of great help to myself as well as to my colleagues I plan to conduct an experimental study so as to check whether or not teaching grammar through task-based approach is effective Accordingly the following hypotheses are formulated 1.2 Hypotheses 1.2.1 The Null Hypothesis (Ho) There will not be significant difference between the effectiveness of grammartranslation method of grammar teaching and the effectiveness of grammar teaching through task-based approach 1.2.2 The Alternative Hypothesis (H1) There will be significant difference between the effectiveness of grammartranslation method of grammar teaching and the effectiveness of grammar teaching through task-based approach 1.3 Purpose of the Study This experimental study is to check whether or not teaching grammar through taskbased approach is more effective and functional than grammar-translation method that is still being used as the dominant method of grammar teaching in many Vietnamese high schools 1.4 Importance of the Study This study is important in that: • It provides the opportunity for English language teachers to look back and evaluate the effectiveness of the methods and techniques they employ for grammar teaching, and to compare with the integrated approach of grammar teaching • It serves as a threshold on which other researchers can conduct studies in a similar area with a greater magnitude for reliable and comprehensive research finding • It may be used as an instance for the concerned bodies to deal with the prevailing problems in connection with the method that teachers employ in the teaching of grammar, and strive for a possible solution 1.5 The setting and background Chau Phong upper secondary school is located in Phuc Yen Town, Vinh Phuc Province English learning is very popular for everybody here because there are some colleges and a university nearby Therefore, students in the town are motivated to learn English To be more exact, their purpose to learn English is to have opportunities in order to enter colleges or universities All teachers of English of Chau Phong upper secondary school graduated from The College of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University (CFL-VNU) or Hanoi University They all have good qualifications Besides, they are very enthusiastic in their teaching English is taught as a curriculum subject It is compulsory and students have to pass the national examination by the end of grade 12 Both the textbooks and syllabuses for English are prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training, and students have four 45-minute lessons of English a week Most students are at pre-intermediate level of English, and some students are still at elementary level 1.6 Definition of terminology The terms which are commonly used in this thesis are grammar teaching, grammar instruction, grammar-translation method, and task-based approach Although there may be some connotational meaning between grammar teaching and grammar instruction, grammar instruction is more preferred in the literature In this thesis, I use both interchangeably The approach means the theory about nature of grammar and how grammar should be taught accordingly 1.7 Design of the study The thesis contains five chapters Chapter One, the introduction, provides an overview of the study with specific reference to the rationale, the purpose, the hypotheses, the importance of the study, the setting and background of the study, and the design of the study Chapter Two is aimed at exploring the theoretical background for the thesis The chapter will focus on three main points: the role of grammar, grammar teaching as product or as process, and grammar teaching method (grammar-translation method and task-based approach) In Chapter Three, the methodology underlying the research is presented This chapter presents the background information of the subjects of the study, the instruments used to collect the data, and the procedure for data collection Chapter Four is devoted to a detailed description of data analysis and a thorough discussion of the findings of the study In this chapter, some explanations and interpretations of the findings are explored 45 Thames Valley University Working Papers in English Language Teaching 26 Schmidt, R (1990) The Role of Consciousness in Second Language Learning Applied Linguistics 11 27 Swain, M (1985) Communicative Competence: Some Roles of Comprehensible Input and Comprehensible Output in its Development Cambridge, MA: Newbury House Publishers 28 Willis, J (1996) A Framework of Task- based Learning London: Addison- Wesley 29 Willis, J (1996) Flexible Framework for Task- based Language Learning in Willis, J & Willis, D Challenge and Change in Language Teaching Macmillan Publishers Limited, UK 30 Woods, E (1995) Introduction grammar Penguin Books Ltd I Appendix I Lesson Plans for the Study Group Unit 12: The Asian Games Lesson D: Language focus (Textbook, Tieng Anh 11, by Hoang Van Van, et al)  Aim: Learning the ways to write relative clauses  Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - build sentences using relative clauses  Teaching Aids: Pictures and textbook  Method: mainly task-based approach  Procedure: Steps of the lesson * Pre- task: Introduction of the topic (1) I like the motor He is riding it (2) The girl is a singer I admire her (3) The boy is lovely He is wearing a pink hat II (4) The tree was very big It was cut down T: - Show the pictures and sentences following each pictures - Ask students to discuss about the pictures and find out relationship between two sentences Ss: (Work in pairs) Discuss about the pictures and find out relationship between two sentences * Task cycle: Task- Planning- Report T: Ask students to combine the sentences using which or who Ss: (Work in pairs and whole class) Combine the above sentences using which or who Task 1: Combine these above sentences using which or who (1)→ I like the motor which he is riding (2)→ The girl who I admire is a singer (3)→ The boy who is wearing a pink hat is very lovely (4)→ The tree which was cut down was very big T: Ask one of the students in each group to report the sentence using relative pronouns as Subject and which sentences uses relative pronouns as Object Task 2: Decide which sentence uses relative pronouns as Subject and which sentences uses relative pronouns as Object Ss: (Work in groups of or 4) Report the answers Relative pronouns as Subject The boy who is wearing pink hat is very lovely S V The tree which was cut down was very big S V III Relative pronouns as Object I like the motor which he is riding O S V The girl who I admire is a singer O S V Relative pronouns + S + V  Omission of relative pronouns T: - Ask students to look at the pictures, then make sentences using relative clauses without relative pronouns Task 3: Look at the pictures, then make sentences using relative clauses without relative pronouns Ss: - Work in groups of or - Talk freely I like the bicycle the boy is riding I like the dress the girl is wearing The book I bought yesterday is very interesting The watch he gave her on her birthday is very expensive The woman you talked to in the office yesterday is my girlfriend T: Walk around the class and observe IV * Language focus: Analysis- Practice T: Ask students to the task, then explain their answers Task 1: Complete each of the following sentences, using a suitable sentence in the box to make a relative clause without a relative pronoun Mary is wearing it we met him this morning we had it for lunch he invited them to the birthday party John told them I bought it yesterday you lost it I like the ring Have you found the bike .? Most of the classmates couldn't come The short stories were very funny The dictionary .is very expensive, but very interesting I didn't like the man The beef .was really delicious Ss: Do the task in pairs and explain the answers orally T: Monitor and correct if necessary T: Ask students to the task, then explain their answers Task 2: Tick (√) the sentences in which the relative pronoun can be omitted The girl who we are going to see is from Britain He works for a company that makes car What was the name of the man who you met yesterday? The table that was broken has now been repaired Do you know the girl who he is talking to? This is novel that I've been expecting Ss: Do the task in pairs and explain the answers in oral T: Monitor and correct if necessary V T: Assign the homework (Give students handouts) Homework: Use a relative pronoun to combine the following sentences The plane was twenty-five years old It crashed Some documents have been found They are new That map is out of date You were looking at it Janet solved the puzzle She did it before everyone else A man was standing outside the building He was selling newspapers The talk was very interesting Judy gave it That man was Anna's brother He just walked past A man answered the phone He told me you were away A building was destroyed in the fire It has now been rebuilt 10 A waiter served us He was very impolite VI Unit 13: Hobbies Lesson D: Language focus (Textbook, Tieng Anh 11, by Hoang Van Van, et al)  Aim: Learning the way to write cleft sentences  Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - know how to use cleft sentences - build cleft sentences  Teaching Aids: pictures and textbook  Method: mainly task-based approach  Procedure: Steps of the lesson * Pre- task: Introduction of the topic T: - Show the pictures and write these sentences on the blackboard - Ask students to discuss and comment on these sentences (1) Nguyen Du wrote Kieu story S O → It was Nguyen Du who/that wrote Kieu story → It was Kieu story that Nguyen Du wrote (2) Children all over the world love Harry S O Potter story book → It was Harry Potter story book that children all over the world love → It was children all over the world who/that love Harry Potter story book VII (3) Mary bought him a present at this shop S Oid Oi Adverbial → It was at this shop that Mary bought him a present → It was Mary who/that bought him a present at this shop → It was a present that Mary bought him at this shop Ss: Look at the pictures, discuss in groups, then comment on the sentences * Task cycle: Task- Planning- Report T: From the above sentences, ask students to give the form of cleft sentences Ss: Work in pairs and give the form of cleft sentences Focus on Subject It is/was + pronoun/noun + who/that + V + (object) - It was Nguyen Du who/that wrote Kieu story - It was children all over the world who/that love Harry Potter story book - It was Mary who/that bought him a present at this shop Focus on Object It is/was + noun + who/that + S + V - It was Kieu story that Nguyen Du wrote - It was Harry Potter story book that children all over the world love - It was a present that Mary bought him at this shop Focus on Adverbial It + is/was + adv + noun (phrase) + that + S + V… - It was at this shop that Mary bought him a present T: Ask students to three tasks, then call some students to present their answers Task 1: Write the following sentences, paying attention to the subject of the sentence The boy visited his uncle last month My mother bought me a present on my birthday Huong and Sandra sang together at the party Nam's father got angry with him VIII The boys played football all day long The girl received a letter from her friend yesterday His presence at the meeting frightened the children Task 2: Write the following sentences, paying attention to the object of the sentence The man is learning English The woman gave him the book She sent her friend the postcard Hoa borrowed the book from Long The little boy greeted his grandfather in a strange language The pedestrian asked the policeman a lot of questions The dog barked at the stranger Task 3: Write the following sentences, paying attention to the adverbial modifier of the sentence The boy hit the dog in the garden She made some cakes for tea His father repaired the bicycle for him She presented him a book on his birthday He met his wife in Britain She bought that present from the shop The meeting started at 8.00 a.m Ss: - Do the tasks in pairs, then present the answers - Peer correction T: Correct if necessary * Language focus: Analysis- Practice T: Ask students to write cleft sentences from the following sentences Pay attention to the underlined information My brother has bought me a computer for my birthday S O The team spirit has brought the whole group such success She had never heard about her childhood friends since she moved to Paris My family has helped me a lot get through the hard times IX I thought a lot about that exam even after I had finished it Ss: Write cleft sentences from the above sentences T: Call two students write the cleft sentences on the board T: Ask students to recall the structures of the cleft sentences Ss: Recalled what they have learnt about the cleft sentences T: Assign homework Ss: Write down homework Homework: Circle the best answer for each sentence 1) I bought the golden fish A It was from this shop that C It was this shop which 2) It was Tom to help us A comes B that comes 3) the police had rescued from the fire D It was this shop that C to come A The baby C It was the baby whom 4) my parents gave me the fish tank A It was on my birthday when C It was my birthday that D who came B The baby that D The baby whom B It was my birthday on that D It was on my birthday that 5) I first met my girlfriend A It was in London that C It was London that 6) on the phone A It is his mother whom is C It was his mother who is 7) It is they are going to, not Russia A Spain B Spain that 8) a high level of blood cholesterol B I was from this shop where B It was in London where D It was London which B It was his mother whom is D It is his mother who is C Spain where A It is eggs that contain C It is eggs that contains 9) I first met him in that resort A It was last winter when C It was in last winter when 10) disappeared when I arrived t the airport A My passport C It is my passport D in Spain that B Those are eggs it contains D It is eggs contain B It was last winter that D It was the last winter which B It was my passport D It is my passport X 11) took my document? A It is Peter that C Was it Peter that 12) It is the library A that I often borrow books C where I often borrow books from 13) England won the World Cup A It was in 1966 that C It was in 1966 when 14) took my car A It was you C It was you that 15) It was the stamp collection A about I have ever told you C about that I have ever told you B It was Peter that D Was that Peter B that I often borrow books from D from that I often borrow books B It was on 1966 that D It was 1966 in that B It were you D It was you whom B I have ever told you about D that I have ever told you XI appendix II Pre-test Full name: Class: Total: 36 scores I Complete the conversation using 'for' and 'since' Student A: Hello! Student B: Hello! Where have you been? I have looked for you (1) .last Friday Student A: I'm sorry I have been out of town (2) .the last two weeks for field work Student B: Oh, welcome! By the way, have you seen Mary (3) 1997? Do you know where she is living? Student A: I'm afraid I haven't seen her (4) she left school and I have no idea about her Student B: What about her best friend, Jane? Student A: Yes, I met Jane a few weeks ago at Hilton Hotel with her family We stayed there together (5) a few minutes and exchanged addresses Student B: Oh, that's great! Would you give me her telephone number, please? Student A: Yes, let me see in the notebook, wait (6) a minute Yes, I got, it is 0982 864 003 Student B: Thank you very much! Student A: That's my pleasure! II Choose the best answer from the given alternatives If we clear our surroundings, there any disease A would be B will be C will not be D could not be You will be stronger and healthier if A you are nutritious food B you don't eat nutritious food C you stop eating nutritious food C you eat nutritious food , the police will arrest you A If you don't carry your passport with you C Unless you don't carry your passport with you B Unless you carry your passport with you XII D A and B are correct answers 10 Mary said, "I will not marry him ." A if he gets tested for HIV." B unless he gets tested for HIV." C unless he doesn't get tested for HIV." D None of these above 11 Robert: ? John: Yes, here you are A Can I borrow your pen, please? B You must give me your pen! C Throw your pen, I want to use it D Bring me your pen 12 I can't afford to buy this book because A I have much money B I haven't much money C I don't want to have it D I like it very much 13 Which one of the following sentences is grammatical and meaningful? A The tea is so hot that I can't drink it B Since the tea is very hot, I can't drink it C The tea is too hot for me to drink it D All are correct answers 14 Bill: I felt happy yesterday David: Why? Bill: A Because I did the test well B Since I did the test well C Because I didn't have breakfast D A and B are correct answers 15 When I arrived at the exam hall, the exam A have started B had started C is started D was started 16 Susan said, "I'm going to visit my grandparents tomorrow." How would you report what Susan said after a week? A Susan said I was going to visit my grandparents by tomorrow B Susan said she was going to visit her grandparents the following day C Susan said she is going to visit her grandparents the following day D Susan said she is going to visit her grandparents by tomorrow III Fill the following blank spaces in the passage using "and" and "but" One of Adrian's friends was rich (17) he was also very mean He never gave anything to anybody XIII One day Adrian (18) his friends were walking with the rich man near a river The rich man slipped (19) fell into the water His friends ran to help him One of them held out his hand (20) .said, "Give me your hand (21) I will pull you out." The rich man's head disappeared under the water (22) then came up again (23) .he did not give his hand to his friend Another of his friends tried (24) he still refused Then Adrian said, "Take my hand (25) I will pull you out." The rich man took his hand (26) .Adrian pulled him out of the water "You don't know our friends as well as I do," Adrian said "He is a rich man, when you say 'give' to him, he does nothing, (27) .when you say 'take', always takes." IV Complete the following sentences by changing the verbs in the bracket into the correct form to make the sentence meaningful and grammatical 28 I (work) upstairs when the accident (happen) 29 My mother (cook) the meal when suddenly the electricity (go) .off 30 Robert (study) for the final exam when he (hear) .the death of his uncle 31 It was warm, so I (take) .off my coat 32 He was very tired, so he (go) .to bed early V Read the following sentences which are under column A and B and match the questions with their possible answers Column A Column B 33 May I borrow your book? A He has gone shopping 34 Where is David? B I have been here for ten years 35 How long have you been here? C I'm sorry; I left it at home 36 Shall we go out? D Yes, I have worked there E After I have finished the homework XVIII Appendix IV Raw Data of the Study Group and the Control Group on the Pre-test and Post-test Results No Study Group Pre-test 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 35 35 31 33 30 27 27 26 26 25 28 23 23 23 21 25 24 19 16 22 16 20 22 30 16 24 24 22 30 22 N.= 30 Mean= 24.83 No Post-test 85 90 85 96 75 72 70 70 67 66 69 60 67 60 65 66 64 69 67 68 60 65 64 70 60 63 65 62 94 61 Pre-test 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 N.= 30 Mean= 69.83 Control group 36 35 34 31 30 29 27 24 25 24 24 24 24 24 24 23 23 23 22 22 21 21 20 19 17 19 17 15 27 25 N.=30 Mean= 24.30 Post-test 81 80 75 70 60 60 60 55 59 57 53 50 50 56 55 47 49 50 50 57 65 52 53 50 54 50 54 55 50 55 N.=30 Mean= 57.06 ... 43 v Appendices I Appendix I: Lesson plans for the study group I Appendix II: Pre-test XI Appendix III: Post-test XIV Appendix IV: Raw... independent sample T-test Table presents the result of the post-test of the independent sample T-test 31 4.2.3 Post-test Independent Samples T-test Table 5: Independent Samples T-test of the Post-test... to provide a clear explanation to make the students understand the principles behind the task-based approach, the purpose of each activity in the teaching and learning process, and how the approach