VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES THE INTERPLAY OF LEARNING STYLES AND USE OF IDEA-GENERATING TECHNIQUES IN THE EFL WRITING PROCESS: A CASE STUDY A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (TESOL) Submitted by PHAN VĂN QUANG Supervisor NGUYỄN QUANG TIẾN, Ph.D Ho Chi Minh, March 2017 RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, PHAN VAN QUANG, being the candidate for the degree of Master of TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Thesis deposited in the Library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Library for the care, loan or reproduction of thesis Ho Chi Minh City, May 2017 PHAN VAN QUANG i CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis submitted today entitled: “THE INTERPLAY OF LEARNING STYLES AND USE OF IDEAGENERATING TECHNIQUES IN THE EFL WRITING PROCESS: A CASE STUDY” In term of the statements of requirements for thesis in Master’s Programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee Ho Chi Minh City, May 2017 PHAN VAN QUANG ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis adviser Dr Nguyen Quang Tien for his guidance and support throughout my thesis writing His insightful discussions, valuable comments, enthusiasm and patience with me played a crucial role in the preparation and completion of this thesis Next, my profound thanks are expressed to the International Programs of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology for permission for carrying out this thesis I also thank Mr Vo Trong Nguyen, my colleague, for his enthusiastic cooperation and helpful suggestions as well as the students at HCM university of Technology for their participation in the survey for my research On a more personal note, I need to thank my family for their love and encouragement during my studies, especially during the time when I wrote the thesis iii ABSTRACT Writing plays an important mode of communication and is one of the most difficult skills in English language learning and teaching Therefore, it has gained considerable attention both from researchers and teachers However, little research has been found on the investigation of the interplay of English writing skills and learners’ learning styles In the context of EFL (English as a foreign language) in Vietnam, few studies have been conducted to explore this issue The current study, therefore, aimed at investigating the interplay of learning styles and the use of idea-generating techniques in the EFL writing process This study was conducted at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology in 2015 Twenty one students participated in the questionnaire surveys, the think-aloud protocol, and the semi-structured interview On the basis of the results of this research, it can be concluded that in most cases, the choice of techniques is a matter of habit or convenience, and in few cases, the choice of techniques is made under the influence of the writer’s learning style preference Indeed, only the visual learners show consistency in choosing their idea-generating technique (mind-mapping) while other types of learners not show consistency in their choice Also, some implications for both instructors and students were considered iv ABBREVIATIONS EFL : English foreign language ESL : English second language HCMUT : Ho Chi Minh University of Technology L1 : Language one L2 : Language two SUITPS : Survey of Using Idea- Generating Techniques in Prewriting Stage BA : Bachelor PLSPQ : Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire v TABLE OF CONTENTS RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS i CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii ABSTRACT iv ABBREVIATIONS v TABLE OF CONTENTS .vi LIST OF FIGURES x LIST OF CHARTS xi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1.Background to the Study .1 1.2.Statement of the Problem 1.4.Purpose of This Study 1.6.Significance of the Study 1.7.Organization of the Study .6 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW .8 2.1.Cognitive Model of Writing Process 2.1.1.Task Environment 2.1.2.Long Term Memory 2.1.3.Writing Process 10 2.1.3.1.Planning .10 2.1.3.1.1.Generating Ideas .11 2.1.3.1.2.Organizing 14 2.1.3.1.3.Goal Setting 15 2.1.3.1.4.Translating 16 2.1.3.1.5.Reviewing 16 2.1.3.1.6.The Monitor .16 vi 2.2.Learning Styles 17 2.2.1.Definition 17 2.2.2.Different Kinds of Learning Styles 19 2.2.3.Characteristics of Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learners 20 2.2.3.1.Visual Learners .21 2.2.3.2.Auditory Learners 22 2.2.3.3.Kinesthetic learners .23 2.3.Research on Writing Process and Learning Styles .23 2.3.1.Research on Writing Process 23 2.4.An Overview of Relevant Research to Learning Styles .26 2.5.Conclusion 30 2.6 Conceptual Framework 31 2.6.Summary 33 CHAPTER THREE 35 METHODOLOGY 35 3.1.Research Site .35 3.2 Participants 36 3.3 Research Questions 36 3.4.1 Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) 37 3.4.2 Think-Aloud Protocol .39 3.4.4 Semi- Structured Interview .43 3.5.Data Collection Procedure 44 CHAPTER FOUR 46 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 46 4.1.Findings .46 4.1.1.Research Question One 46 4.1.2.Research Question Two 47 4.1.2.1.The Use of Idea-Generating Techniques 48 4.1.2.2.The Causes of Using Idea-Generating Techniques .50 4.1.2.2.1.Data from the Think-Aloud Protocol 50 vii 4.1.2.2.2.Data from the Semi-Structured Interview 51 4.1.3.Question Three 52 4.1.3.1.The Interplay between Learning Styles and Use of Idea-Generating Techniques in the Think-Aloud Protocol 52 4.1.3.2.The Interplay between Learning Styles and Use of Idea-Generating Techniques after the Writing Conference 53 CHAPTER FIVE 60 IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 60 4.2.Discussions 54 4.2.1.Research Question One 54 4.2.2.Research Question Two 55 4.2.3.Research Question Three 56 4.2.4 Summary 59 5.1.Implications .60 5.1.1.For the EFL Teachers .60 5.1.2.For EFL Learners .62 5.2.Limitations 64 5.3.Recommendations for Future Study 65 5.4.Summary .66 REFERENCES 68 APPENDIX A 76 APPENDIX B 79 APPENDIX C 82 APPENDIX D 83 APPENDIX E 85 APPENDIX G 88 APPENDIX H 89 viii LIST OF TABLES CHAPTER FOUR Table 4.1 Overall percentages of learning style preferences of EFL students………………………………………………………54 ix This questionnaire has been designed to help you identify the ways you learn best – the way you prefer to learn Read each statement on the following pages Please respond to the statements AS THEY APLLY TO YOUR STUDY IN EFL WRITING CLASS Decide whether you agree or disagree with each statement For disagree Strongly Disagree Undecided agree Agree Strongly example, if you strongly agree, mark: X Please respond to each statement quickly, without too much thought Try not to change your responses after you choose them Please use a pen to When the teacher tells me the instructions, I understand better I prefer to learn by doing something in class I learn better when by reading what the teacher writes on the board 77 disagree Strongly disagree Undecided agree Questionnaire statements Strongly agree mark your choices When someone tells me how to something in class, I learn it better When I things in class, I learn better I remember things I have learned in class better than things I have read When I read instructions, I remember them better I understand better when I read instructions I enjoy learning in class by doing experiments 10.I learn better in class when the teacher gives a lecture 11.I understand things in class when I role playing 12.I learn better in class when I listen to someone 13.I learn better by reading than listening to someone 14.I learn best in class when I participate in related activities 15.I learn more by reading textbooks than by listening to a lecture Thanks for your cooperation! 78 APPENDIX B QUESTIONNAIRE LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES OF EFL STUDENTS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY ( Vietnamese version) CÂU HỎI KHẢO SÁT ĐỂ NHẬN BIẾT PHONG CÁCH HỌC TIẾNG ANH ƯA THÍCH CỦA SINH VIÊN I Thông tin chung Họ tên: ………………………… Chuyên ngành: ………………………… Sinh viên khóa: …………… Giới tính: nam nữ Tuổi: …………… Kinh nghiệm học tiếng anh: I Dưới năm 2-5 năm 9-11 năm 11 năm Trình đ ộ tiếng anh Sơ cấp Trung cấp Trên trung cấp Cao cấp 6-8 năm Phong cách học tiếng anh bạn gì: Các bạn sinh viên thân mến, Mỗi người có phong cách học khác Ví dụ có người thích học thị giác (visual learners), có người thích học 79 thích giác (auditory learners), người lại thích học thơng qua trị chơi vận động cách thực hành (kinesthetic learners) Mục đích câu hỏi khảo sát để giúp bạn nhận biết phong cách học tiếng Anh ưa thích Bảng câu hỏi khơng đánh giá hay kiểm tra khả ngôn ngữ bạn mà phục vụ cho mục đích nghiên cứu tất thơng tin bạn hồn tồn giữ kín Hãy đ ọc câu bảng câu hỏi trang sau Tất câu hỏi việc học tiếng anh bạn định mức độ ý kiến cho câu, từ “rất đồng ý” đến “rất khơng đồng ý” Ví dụ bạn muốn trả lời “ hoàn toàn đồng ý”, bạn đánh dấu sau: Rất đồng ý Đồng ý Khơng có ý kiến Khơng đồng ý Rất khơng đồng ý X Bạn cần phải nhanh chóng đánh dấu vào phần trả lời cho câu, không cần phải suy nghĩ lâu Cố gắng không thay đổi câu trả lời sau bạn chọn dùng bút đánh dấu vào ô bạn chọn Câu hỏi khảo sát cách học ưa thích Rất đồng ý Đồng ý Rất Khơng Khơng khơng có đồng đồng ý kiến ý ý Tôi hiểu tốt giáo viên đưa hướng dẫn Tơi thích học cách tham gia hoạt động lớp 80 Tôi học tốt đọc giảng giảng viên bảng Tôi học tốt hướng dẫn nên làm lớp Tôi học tốt thực hành lớp Tơi ghi nhớ tơi vừa học lớp tốt tơi đọc Tôi ghi nhớ tốt đọc hướng dẫn Tôi hiểu tốt đọc hướng dẫn Trong lớp tơi thích học cách làm thí nghiệm 10 Trong lớp, tơi học tốt giáo viên trình bày giảng theo phương pháp thuyết trình 11.Tơi hiểu tốt tơi tham gia trị chơi đóng vai 12 Việc nghe phát biểu bạn lớp giúp học tốt 13 Tôi ghi nhớ nội dung vừa học tốt xây dựng mơ hình học 14 Việc đọc giúp học tốt lắng nghe người người khác 15 Tơi thích đóng góp vào dụ án lớp 16 Việc đọc giáo trình giúp tơi học tốt việc nghe giảng Cảm ơn bạn! 81 APPENDIX C TOPIC FOR THE ESAY Topic: “The invention of the internet has had negative effects on your civilization.” To what extent you agree or disagree with the given situation? Give reasons four your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience Write at least 250 words 82 APPENDIX D SURVEY OF USING IDEA- GENERATING TECHNIQUES IN PREWRITING STAGE I General Major fields of study:……………………… Course year:………… Gender: male female Age …………………… English proficiency level Beginner Intermediate Pre-intermediate Advanced I Directions Finding ideas for an essay is an important step in the writing process because it makes the essay coherent There are a variety of idea-generating techniques including freewriting, mind mapping, outlining, Wh-questions, looping, cubing, group discussion Students can use different idea-generating techniques which are appropriate for them This survey aims to help the researcher realize the idea-generating techniques used in the writing process It does not evaluate or check your language proficiency but serve the research purpose Therefore, your information will be treated as confidential Question 1:Which idea-generating techniques you use to revise ideas for the essay? 83 (Write X in the idea-generating technique you choose) Free writing Listing Wh-questions Mind mapping Looping Cubing Outlining Group discussion Khác:…………………… Question 2: Why you use this idea-generating technique? …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… Thank you for your cooperation! 84 APPENDIX E SURVEY OF USING IDEA- GENERATING TECHNIQUES IN PREWRITING STAGE (Vietnamese version) BẢNG CÂU HỎI KHẢO SÁT ĐỂ NHẬN BIẾT KỸ THUẬT TÌM Ý ĐƯỢC SỬ DỤNG GIAI ĐOẠN PREWRITING I Thông tin chung Họ tên: ………………………… Chuyên ngành: ………………………… Sinh viên khóa: …………… Giới tính: nam nữ Tuổi: …………… Kinh nghiệm học tiếng anh: Dưới năm 9-11 năm 2-5 năm 6-8 năm 11 năm Trình đ ộ tiếng anh Sơ cấp Trung cấp Trên trung cấp Cao cấp Các bạn sinh viên thân mến, Tìm ý tưởng cho luận đóng vai trị quan trọng q trình viết tiếng anh giúp cho viết trở nên mạch lạc Có nhiều kỹ thuật để tìm ý như: freewriting, mind mapping, outlining, Wh- 85 questions, looping, cubing, group discussion Mỗi người học áp dụng kỹ thuật thuật tìm ý khác phù hợp với sở thích thân Mục đích khảo sát để giúp nhà nghiên cứu nhận biết kỹ thuật tìm ý mà bạn sử dụng trình tìm ý tưởng Bản khảo sát khơng đánh giá hay kiểm tra ngôn ngữ bạn mà phục vụ cho mục đích nghiên cứu Do tất thơng tin bạn hồn tồn giữ kín Kỹ thuật tìm ý bạn dùng để chỉnh sửa lại ý tưởng?) ( Trả lời cách đánh dấu X vào kỹ thuật tìm ý mà bạn sử dụng.) Free writing Listing Wh-questions Mind mapping Looping Cubing Outlining Group discussion Tại em dùng kỹ thuật tìm ý đó? 86 APPENDIX F THINK-ALOUD PROTOCOL Name: ……………………………………………………………………… Class: ……………………………… Use the following instruction questions to carry out your think-aloud protocol  Which idea-generating techniques you intend to use to generating ideas?  Why you use this idea-generating technique?  How you carry out generating ideas by this technique? Topic: “The invention of the internet has had negative effects on your civilization.” To what extent you agree or disagree with the given situation? Give reasons four your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience Write at least 250 words 87 APPENDIX G SEMI-STRUCUTRED INTERVIEW I Questions for those who still maintained their idea-generating techniques during both the think-aloud protocol and the SOUIGT Tell me the idea-generating techniques you often use to generate ideas for your writing Tell me the idea-generating techniques you used in the thinkaloud protocol Tell me the idea-generating techniques you used after the writing conference I Why you maintain this idea-generating technique? Questions for those who changed their idea-generating techniques during both the think-aloud protocol and the SOUIGT Tell me the idea-generating techniques you often use to generate ideas for your writing Tell me the idea-generating techniques you used in the think-aloud protocol Tell me the idea-generating techniques you used after the writing conference Why you change the idea-generating techniques? 88 APPENDIX H MODELS OF IDEA-GENERATING TECHNIQUES CREATED BY STUDENTS IN THE THINK-ALOUD PROTOCOL Model of Free writing 89 Model of Outlining 90 Model of mind mapping 91 ... matching of EFL writing process and language learning styles More importantly, there is scan research on the interplay of the learning styles and use of idea- generating techniques in the EFL writing. .. certify my authorship of the thesis submitted today entitled: ? ?THE INTERPLAY OF LEARNING STYLES AND USE OF IDEAGENERATING TECHNIQUES IN THE EFL WRITING PROCESS: A CASE STUDY? ?? In term of the statements... research on EFL writing process by examining the use of idea- generating techniques and learning styles are lacking Since EFL learners may have different responses to the use of idea- generating techniques