Rationale
In the new millennium, globalization has become an essential development, highlighting the urgent need for mutual understanding among global economies and citizens.
With globalization and Vietnam's entry into the WTO, the country is experiencing significant economic growth, making English proficiency increasingly essential for effective communication Mastering English is crucial for securing stable employment and achieving high social status Consequently, the demand for English teaching and learning is rapidly increasing worldwide.
English learners must focus on four essential skills: reading, speaking, writing, and listening While many aim to master all skills, some prioritize speaking and listening as vital communication tools, while others emphasize writing for professional needs such as reports and business correspondence However, reading is often perceived as the most challenging skill, with learners struggling to engage with lengthy texts and unfamiliar vocabulary, leading to boredom in reading classes To address this, teachers should implement innovative strategies to enhance reading skills, teaching learners effective reading techniques that motivate and foster their development in this area.
Viettrronics Technology College, established seven years ago in Hai Phong city, comprises four faculties: Basic Department, Electrical and Electronics Department, Information Technology Department, and Economic Administration Department The English group, part of the Basic Department, teaches reading courses from the Lifelines book (Elementary by Tom Hutchinson) to non-English major first-year students Many of these students face significant challenges in reading, as they often lack foundational knowledge and struggle with lengthy texts filled with unfamiliar vocabulary With only two periods dedicated to reading each lesson, they find it difficult to comprehend the material, leading them to frequently look up new words and rely heavily on teacher explanations Consequently, this approach results in fatigue and stagnation in their reading skills.
For all above reasons, the researcher wishes to try some new advances to improve reading skill for students, especially the first year students And the writer’s thesis is:
“Advances in English Linguistics Employable for the Teaching of Reading Comprehension Techniques to First Year Students at Viettronics Technology College”.
Aims and objectives of the study
Aims of the study
This study aims to explore the reading difficulties faced by non-English students at Viettronics Technology College By identifying these challenges, the research seeks to apply advancements in English linguistics to enhance reading comprehension techniques, ultimately motivating and assisting students in improving their reading skills.
+ To investigate into current situation of teaching and learning reading at VTC
+ To find out the difficulties encountered by non – English students at VTC
+ To give the employment of extensive reading as a possible way of teaching reading comprehension techniques to the first year students at VTC
Objectives of the study
+ Data collection for the analysis from the first year students of classes in Economic administration department at VTC:
+ Find out the dominant difficulties
+ Evaluate what advances in English linguistics employable for the teaching of reading Comprehension Techniques are best suitable
This study employs both quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyze students' attitudes towards reading lessons The researcher aims to systematically categorize and identify the challenges faced by first-year students at Viettronics Technology College in reading comprehension By doing so, the study seeks to determine the most effective teaching strategies to enhance reading skills among these students.
This study explores the use of extensive reading as a method to enhance reading comprehension skills among non-English major students, particularly when dealing with lengthy and unfamiliar texts Focusing on first-year students in the Economic Administration department at VTC, the research aims to identify common reading challenges faced by these students Based on the findings, the author will propose effective principles of extensive reading that can be integrated into teaching strategies to better motivate students and improve their reading abilities.
This minor thesis is divided into three parts
In today's globalized world, the English language plays a crucial role, driving students' demand for proficiency in its four essential skills: reading, speaking, listening, and writing However, many students at VTC face significant challenges in mastering reading comprehension This study aims to explore these difficulties while outlining its objectives, research methods, and overall design to provide insights into enhancing English language learning.
Part B: Consists of three chapters:
Chapter 1: Reviews literature and the literature of previous works and some linguistic concepts concerning to research topic such as definitions of reading, definitions of reading comprehension, types of reading, reading comprehension, definition of extensive reading, extensive reading versus intensive reading etc
Chapter 2: Analyzes the general learning situation at VTC, teachers and their teaching methods, materials and assessment, especially, data collection, finding and discussion also will be focused in this chapter
Chapter 3: Gives the employment of extensive reading as a possible way of teaching reading comprehension techniques to the first year students at VTC
Part C: “Conclusion” summarizes what is obtained in this study and shows the limitations and gives some suggestions for further study
This chapter is structured into four key sections The first section provides a theoretical background on reading skills, covering definitions, reading comprehension, the reading process, types of reading, and the purpose of reading The second section highlights advancements in English linguistics relevant to teaching reading comprehension techniques, specifically focusing on extensive reading, including its definition, comparisons with intensive reading, and its application in language classes The third section reviews previous research on the impact of extensive reading on students' reading abilities Finally, the fourth section offers a summary of the chapter.
1.2 An Overview on the Nature of Reading
There are numerous of reading definitions as:
Reading is a psycholinguistic process where the reader reconstructs a writer's encoded message through graphic displays This reconstruction involves a cyclical process of sampling, predicting, testing, and confirming the information presented in the text.
William emphasizes the importance of efficient reading by stating that written texts often contain more information than necessary for comprehension An effective reader skillfully extracts only the essential details required to grasp the meaning, avoiding unnecessary excess.
According to Harmer (1989:153), reading involves the eyes capturing messages while the brain interprets their significance, highlighting a unique perspective on the reading process He characterizes reading as a mechanical activity, emphasizing the systematic nature of how we decode written information.
Obviously, Experts give different reading definitions but they all share the same idea that reading includes reader, text, reading process and reading message
Reading comprehension plays a very important part in teaching and learning reading a foreign language It is the ability to understand information in a text and interpret it appropriately So that:
Swam (1975:1) states “a student is good at comprehension we mean that he can read accurately and efficiently to get the maximum information of a text with the minimum of understanding”
Grellet (1981:3) proposes “reading comprehension or understanding a written text means extracting the required information from it as effectively as possible”
According to Lenz (2000:3), reading comprehension is the process of constructing meaning from a text, involving both the reader and the writer This process requires the reader to decode the writer's words while utilizing their background knowledge to form an understanding of the passage.
On the whole, reading comprehension is the process that helps readers obtain information in a text and understand it appropriately
Kamil (1986) claims that there have been three general orientations of reading models: bottom-up models (text – based), top- down models (reader – based), and interactive models (balanced – models)
In bottom-up the reader begins with the written text and constructs meaning from letters, words, phrases and sentences and then processes the text in a linear fashion as Kamil
(1986: 73) says “the reader begins the reading process by analyzing the text in small units and these units are built into progressively larger units until meaning can be extracted”
Top-down processing in reading involves the reader starting from higher mental stages and moving towards the text, focusing on reconstructing meaning rather than merely decoding written forms This model highlights the interaction between the reader and the text, as opposed to just the graphic elements According to researcher Goodman (1976), the reading process begins with the reader making educated guesses about the text's meaning.
Samuel and Kamil's (1988) interactive approach integrates bottom-up and top-down models, emphasizing the reader's active role in the comprehension process This model highlights the importance of utilizing various strategies that draw on both world knowledge and linguistic skills to effectively interpret text meaning.
The rise of interactive models highlights their ability to enhance the advantages and reduce the drawbacks of using bottom-up or top-down approaches individually By integrating both processing methods, these models facilitate effective reading comprehension.
Traditionally, the types of reading are divided into two parts: according to manner of reading and purposes of reading
The figure 1 will show the traditional types of reading
Figure 1: The traditional types of reading
According to Doff (1988), reading is categorized into two primary types: reading aloud and silent reading Reading aloud entails not only looking at the text and understanding it but also vocalizing it, making it an effective method for conveying information, though it is less common outside of classroom settings Additionally, some researchers view reading aloud as a valuable tool for students to enhance their comprehension and make connections with the material.
Reading for language sounds and spelling of words and to assist teachers to check students’ pronunciation Natal
(1996) says “reading aloud is an aid for beginners to improve their pronunciation”
Silent reading, as noted by Lewis (1985:110), is the primary method we employ in our native language, making it the fastest and most efficient approach This reading style is frequently utilized both in everyday life and in educational settings.
According to Greenwood (1985), Williams (1986) and Grellet (1990), reading is divided into four types: skimming, scanning, extensive reading and intensive reading
According to Nuttal (1982:36), skimming involves quickly glancing through a text to assess its relevance to our research or to stay lightly informed about less significant topics Essentially, skimming allows us to read rapidly in order to identify the main points of a document.