Rationale
English is undeniably one of the most widely spoken languages globally In today's era of globalization and international exchange, it serves as a primary means of communication across various fields, including medicine, science, technology, sports, and education As a result, there is a significant focus on teaching and learning English in countries around the world.
In recent years, the demand for English language learning in Vietnam has surged, leading to its establishment as a compulsory subject in schools nationwide However, teaching and learning English effectively, particularly listening skills, remains a challenge for both educators and students Despite efforts to enhance listening lessons and boost student engagement, many students struggle to comprehend spoken messages, resulting in boredom and stress during classes Recognizing the importance of listening skills, I, as an English teacher at THD High School, am committed to finding innovative strategies to improve our English teaching and learning practices, especially in developing listening proficiency.
The choice and organization of activities by teachers significantly impact the effectiveness of listening lessons, as engaging and appropriate activities can enhance student interest in listening It is essential for educators to understand which listening activities resonate with their students and which are genuinely effective Therefore, the researcher aims to conduct a study titled “An Initial Evaluation of Activities Teachers Use for Teaching Listening Comprehension Skills for 10th Form Students at Tran Hung Dao High School.” This study aspires to assist English teachers at THD High School in implementing suitable and effective listening activities to improve their teaching efficiency.
Investigating the current English listening teaching and learning situations at THD high school
Identifying the activities teachers at THD high school often use for teaching English listening comprehension and giving an initial evaluation of these activities
Giving some suggestions to the teachers at THD high school in applying suitable listening activities to make their listening lessons more effective thereby enhancing students‟ interest in listening lessons
To achieve the above aims, the study focuses on finding out the answers of the following questions:
1 What kinds of activities and the ways do teachers at THD high school use to teach listening comprehension?
2 What are teachers‟ and students‟ attitude towards these activities in term of authenticity, suitability and integration?
3 What activities can teachers use in order to teach listening skill more effectively?
This study evaluates the activities employed by teachers to enhance English listening comprehension skills Due to time constraints and page limitations of the minor thesis, the researcher surveyed 10th-grade students and ten English teachers at THD High School The aim is to identify effective teaching activities and gather evaluations of these listening activities from both students and teachers, ultimately suggesting improvements for better teaching and learning outcomes.
To achieve the study's objectives, data was collected from multiple sources, including two questionnaires designed for students and teachers at THD High School Additionally, the researcher conducted interviews with selected teachers and students to verify the survey findings Classroom observations were also performed to gather further information essential for the research.
The study is divided into three parts:
This study provides a comprehensive overview that outlines the rationale behind the research, its objectives, and the key research questions It also defines the scope of the study and details the research methodology and design employed.
- Part B: includes 4 chapters as follow
Chapter 1 explores essential concepts related to the research topic, focusing on listening comprehension theory, including its definition and classification It also discusses effective teaching strategies for listening skills and outlines the stages of a listening lesson Additionally, the researcher examines theories related to activities, providing definitions, classifications, and evaluation criteria, along with methods for adapting materials.
Chapter 2 deals with description of the subjects, instrument of the study and description of the procedure
Chapter 3 is a focus on data collection and discussion
Chapter 4 points out major finfings of the study and some suggestions will be given
- Part C: summarizes the main issues of the whole study, presents limitations of the research and makes recommendation for further research in the same field
PART B: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter provides a theoretical foundation for the study by reexamining key concepts related to the thesis topic It is divided into three sections: the first discusses the theory of listening, covering its definition, classification, teaching methods, and the three stages of a listening lesson The second section focuses on activities, including their definition, classification, and evaluation criteria Finally, the last section addresses the theoretical aspects of materials adaptation Collectively, these discussions serve as a crucial framework for the applications explored in Chapter 3.
Listening is regarded as a crucial skill in language learning, often seen as the key to mastering a new language Various definitions of listening reflect diverse perspectives on its significance in the learning process.
Listening is a complex process that allows individuals to comprehend spoken language, as noted by Rost (1994) Harmer (2001) classifies listening as a receptive skill, highlighting how people derive meaning from the discourse they hear or see.
Wolvin and Coakley (1985) define listening as a multifaceted process that involves receiving, attending to, and interpreting auditory information This definition emphasizes that listening goes beyond merely perceiving sounds; it necessitates a deeper understanding of the meaning behind those sounds, presenting a significant challenge for students.
Effective listening is a complex and challenging process, as highlighted by Scott Shelton (2008) It requires the ability to navigate various accents, unfamiliar vocabulary, and different syntactic structures while managing background noise Additionally, listeners must consciously focus to avoid distractions and remain engaged Successfully handling these elements simultaneously is essential for accurately interpreting and understanding the intended message.
According to Anderson and Lynch (1988), listening is an active receptive skill, akin to reading This perspective emphasizes that listeners engage actively with the material, enabling them to articulate or write about what they have heard Ultimately, the goal of listening comprehension is to facilitate this ability to communicate effectively.
Listening comprehension is an active process where the listener constructs meaning from spoken language by applying their existing knowledge to the incoming sounds.
Listening can be categorized into various types based on several factors, such as the listener's purpose, their role, and the nature of the content being listened to.