VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY- HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE  HOW TO DESIGN COMMUNICATIVE TASKS FOR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR FRESHMEN AT HO CHI MINH CITY INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Submitted to the Department of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By NGUYEN THUY MINH TRANG Supervised by DOAN HUE DUNG, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, OCTOBER 2012 i CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY OF MASTERS’ THESIS I certify my authorship of the Master’s Thesis submitted today entitled How to Design Communicative Tasks for non-English Major Freshmen at Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Applied Science and Technology In terms of the Statement of requirements for Theses in Masters’ programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee of the Department of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City HCMC, October, 2012 NGUYEN THUY MINH TRANG ii RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that, I, NGUYEN THUY MINH TRANG, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts (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 to the original of my thesis being deposited in the Library to be accessible for the purpose of study and research, in accordance with the normal condition established by the Librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of theses HCMC, October, 2012 Signature NGUYEN THUY MINH TRANG iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This paper could not have been completed without the help, encouragement and support from a number of people who all deserve my sincerest gratitude and appreciation First of all, I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to PhD Doan Hue Dung, my supervisor I’m indebted to her inspiration, scholarly supervision and intellectual support throughout the course of writing this thesis paper Her continual careful reading, critical comments and patient guidance during the study periods and the experimental time made my work more enjoyable and easier Special words of thank also go to all my informants for their willing participation in the study I greatly appreciate their generosity with their time and efforts in filling in the questionnaire Without them this paper could not have been possible My deepest gratitude and appreciation go to my family, my friends and my honey Their love, support and constant encouragement gave me a great deal of strength and determination that help me during the stressful time of writing this paper Finally, I offer my regards and blessings to all of those who supported me in any respect during the completion of the paper iv CONTENTS CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY OF MASTERS’ THESIS ii RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES ix ABSTRACT x CHAPTER 1:INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1.1.1 An Overview of the Course at HIAST 1.1.2 An Overview of the English Course book 1.2 The Aim of the Research 1.3 Research Questions 1.4 Scope of the Study: 1.5 Significance of the Study: 1.6 Organization of the Study CHAPTER 2:LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 An overview of tasks and communicative tasks 10 2.1.1 Task 10 2.1.2 Communicative tasks 12 2.1.3 The characteristics of accuracy and fluency activities 22 2.2 Communicative competence 23 2.3 Models of Organizing Lessons 24 2.4 Principles of Communicative Tasks Design 27 2.4.1 The Principle of Meaningful Tasks 27 2.4.2 The Principle of Some Focus on Language Form 28 2.4.3 The Authenticity Principle 28 2.4.4 The Principle of Reasonable Task Difficulty 29 v 2.5 Related research on designing and implementing communicative tasks in class 30 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 35 3.1 Type of research 35 3.2 Research Instruments 36 3.2.1 Questionnaires 36 3.2.2 Structured interview 38 3.2.3 Researcher’s observation diaries 39 3.2.4 Oral test 39 3.3 Participants 41 3.3.1 Students 41 3.3.2 Teachers 43 3.4 The experimental teaching 44 3.5 Data analysis method and procedure: 47 CHAPTER 4:DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 48 4.1 Research Analysis 48 4.1.1 Students’ responses to the questionnaires 48 4.1.2 Teacher’s responses to the questionnaires 53 4.2 Approaches to design effective communicative tasks 58 4.2.1 Designing Goal-oriented Communicative Tasks 58 4.2.2 Designing Post-task Cycle Language Focus on Phrases 59 4.3 Students’ evaluation on the effectiveness of the communicative tasks 61 4.4 Students’ scores on oral test 63 4.5 Students’ responses to the interview 64 4.6 Classroom diary 67 CHAPTER 5:SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION 73 5.1 Summary of findings 73 5.2 Recommendations 74 5.3 Conclusion 76 5.4 Limitations 77 vi 5.5 Suggestions for further studies 77 REFERENCES 79 APPENDIX 1: Questionnaires for Teachers 86 APPENDIX 2: Questionnaires for Students 88 APPENDIX 3: Interview Questions for Students 92 APPENDIX 4: Oral Test 94 APPENDIX 5: Procedures of Communicative Tasks 101 APPENDIX 6: Observation Dairies 105 APPENDIX 7:Samples of Communicative Tasks 108 APPENDIX 8: Five Standards of Evaluating Effective Communicative Tasks 134 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS HIAST Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Applied Science and Technology IE International Express_ Elementary CLT Communicative language teaching CT Communicative Task T Teacher Ss Students viii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: Personal information of the students 43 Table 3.2: Personal information of the teachers 44 Table 4.1: Students’ years of studying English 48 Table 4.2: Students’ speaking skill level 49 Table 4.3: Students’ scores on oral test 64 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4.1: Students’ view on the importance of communicative competence in English 49 Figure 4.2: Causes/Reasons make student reluctant to participate in communicative tasks 51 Figure 4.3: Types of communicative tasks students are interested in 52 Figure 4.4: Students’ participation in communicative tasks 53 Figure 4.5: Teachers’ opinion about students’ weaknesses in speaking English 54 Figure 4.6 Kind of activities students often practice in class 55 Figure 4.7: Students’ evaluation on the effectiveness of the communicative tasks 63 Figure 4.8 Comparison between Group A and Group B in three main aspects 71 ix ABSTRACT The study was carried out at Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Applied Science and Technology (HIAST) The study will be planned for 13 weeks to answer the research questions (1) How have communicative tasks been used in the teaching of International Express_Elementary; (2) What are the roles of communicative tasks in enhancing the speaking competence among non-English majored freshmen at HIAST? The teaching material used is International Express, Elementary, written by Liz Taylor, published by First New Observation diaries, interviews and questionnaire for the HIAST students and teachers are also used There are 191 students and teachers involved in the survey, of whom 12 teachers presented their viewpoints in interviews Furthermore, data collected from the observation of actual class activities also contribute to the analysis in this thesis After analyzing the components of communicative tasks, the models of organizing lessons, the basis principles of communicative tasks design, as well as the students’ needs and materials, the author designs a variety of communicative tasks which will motivate student in learning English and improve their speaking skill as well as to create a more interesting, enjoyable atmosphere in the classroom The survey revealed that communicative tasks not only help the students improve their speaking competence, engage them in class activities but also create fun, motivation and an interesting learning environment inside the language classroom The result of the research is successful, but there are still some limitations that need further research x UNIT Task 7.2 In this task, both students have some information and must share it with the other to complete the task Because this activity usually combines speaking and listening with reading and writing, all the skills are practiced Goal: Students find and share information by asking and answering questions in order to complete a task Student A: Read the story to your partner When you find a blank ( _), ask your partner for help You think Italy has the best food but you voted Melbourne the city with the best (1) _ You choose Spain as the country with the (2) _ climate but you all want to go to New Zealand, which is this year‘s most (3) _ holiday destination You think Portugal has the friendliest people and Austria the most attractive (4) _ For culture, art and architecture you voted Florence, Rome, Paris, Vienna and Madrid the most interesting cities and Prague the (5) _city In your opinion, Singapore is the cleanest and safest city in the world but not the most exciting For excitement, you choose (6) _ , where you can find the widest choice of entertainment and liveliest nightlife (7) _ is also a favorite destination You think it is one of the most interesting countries to visit with the biggest variety of tourist attractions food Spain Paris friendliest the most exciting liveliest tourist attractions 123 UNIT Task 7.2 Student B: Listen to the story Help your partner with words on the list restaurant sunniest popular scenery prettiest New York Mexico You think Italy has the best (1) _ but you voted Melbourne the city with the best restaurant You choose (2) _ as the country with the sunniest climate but you all want to go to New Zealand, which is this year‘s most popular destination You think Portugal has the (3) _ people and Austria the most attractive scenery For culture, art and architecture you voted Florence, Rome, (4) , Vienna and Madrid the most interesting cities and Prague the prettiest city In your opinion, Singapore is the cleanest and safest city in the world but not (5) _ For excitement, you choose New York, where you can find the widest choice of entertainment and (6) _ nightlife Mexico is also a favorite destination You think it is one of the most interesting countries to visit with the biggest variety of (7) _ 124 UNIT Task 8.1 FIND SOMEONE WHO… Fold your piece of paper along the line Write in the name of any student in your class (one in each line) Unfold your piece of paper and read the sentence Do you think he or she will be able to it? Tick the correct box “can” or “can’t” Make your guess and then go and ask the students If you are right put the tick next to the sentence If you are wrong put the cross next to the sentence For each correct guess, you get one point Add up your score fold Name can can’t Activity My score say the months in English without making a mistake count from 20 to in 15 seconds (in English of course) Spell his or her name backward without making a mistake name five adjectives that begin with s say the days of the week in English name two fruits that begin with p name five things you can drink name five things you can eat knows the opposite of rich happy # # hard work # know what would you buy at the pub at the chemist’s -at the department store -name two things found in the kitchen , bathroom, bedroom 125 UNIT Task 9.1 STUDENT A: ASKING YOUR PARTNER FOR CLUES TO COMPLETE THE PUZZLE S U I C T A S E R H A I E Y K E C G U E P S T B R D 10 T 11 B R I O L I D L Y E 12 13 M A 14 S 15 W A S I T R E S S L I I F N G T W M A I N A G B E R E L E 10 R P O R T E T E C E R I 11 O O P T 12 M H A N G E R K E Y 13 14 C A R D 15 126 UN IT 10 Conversation: Roommate What Where to Could You Do Me a Favor? ’s Name roommate buy it needs A= Receiver (Roommate at Home) B=Caller (Roommate at Work) Mandy bread bakery A: Hello B: Hi, Mandy It’s Jill I’m still at work I’m running late Could you me a favour? A: Sure What you need? B: I’m having some friends over for a BBQ tonight Could you thaw out some steaks for me? A: I’ll that right now Anything else? B: No That’s it Oh By the way, I’ll be stopping by the store on the way home Do you need anything? A: Yeah We’re out of bread Would you mind picking some up from the bakery? B: No problem 127 You will be given a role card Your roommate will call you up and request a favor Fill out the table below Conversation: Roommate’s Roommate’s Reason Could You Do Me a Favour? Name Request A= Receiver (Roommate at Home) B=Caller (Roommate at Work) A: Hello Jill Request Thaw out some Having steaks for friends over for a BBQ Thaw B: Hi, Mandy It’s Jill I’m still at work Could you me a favour? A: Sure What you need? B: I’m having some friends over for a BBQ tonight Could you thaw out some steaks for me? A: I’ll that right now Anything else? B: No That’s it Oh By the way, I’ll be stopping by the store on the way home Do you need anything? A: Yeah We’re out of bread Would you mind picking some up from the bakery? B: No problem 128 Caller Role Cards You need your roommate to put some You need your roommate to pick up beer in the fridge because you are your clothes from the bacony because having some friends over for drinks it’s going to rain after work You need your roommate to tidy up a You need your roommate to lend you bit because your parents are coming a shirt because you are going out with over for a visit some friends You need your roommate to iron your You need your roommate to lend you clothes, you will need them to go some money because you are going to dancing tonight a movie tonight You need your roommate to the You need your roommate to lend you cooking becuase you work late today a motorbike because you are going to the party Receiver’s Favors Role Cards You are out of bread You want your You are out of milk You want your roommate to pick some up from the roommate to pick some up from the bakery supermarket You need your roommate to buy some You are out of bananas You want your milk tea from tea shop roommate to pick some up from the vegetable market You are out of wine You want your You are out of sugar You want your roommate to pick some up from the pub roommate to pick some up from the grocery store You need your roommate to buy some You need your roommate to buy a phone stamps from the post office card from the post office 129 UNIT 11 Task 11.1 Grammar points: Asking questions (Present perfect) short yes/no questions For example A : Have you bought new clothes recently? B: Yes, I have / No, I haven’t STUDENT A Find Someone Who has bought new clothes recently has visited the zoo has never fallen in love has fallen in love has not yet eaten today has ever played volleyball has traveled abroad Grammar points: Asking questions (Present perfect ) short yes/no questions For example A : Have you bought new clothes recently? B: Yes, I have / No, I haven’t STUDENT B Find Someone Who has ridden on an elephant has never stayed out later than midnight has traveled alone has cooked for the whole family has fallen asleep in class has never cheated on a test has played computer games every day this week 130 UNIT 12 Task 12.1 The media survey 1.What’s your favorite source? Why?  Comedy shows  Television  Soap operas  Newspaper  Music  Magazines  Sports  Radio  Educational  Internet How often you follow the news? Which types of information interest  Every day you the most?  Every other ay  Internet news  Occasionally  National news  Once a week  Local news  Hardly ever  Politics  Never  Editorials What you use the Internet for?  Business and finance  Instant messaging and chatting  Sports  Downloading music  Arts and entertainment  Watching videos  People  Emailing What types of audiovisual programs  Maintaining your website you follow?  Blogging  News  Listening to music  Documentaries   Talk shows  Playing games Buying or selling online 131 Task 12.2 STUDENT A: ASKING YOUR PARTNER FOR CLUES TO COMPLETE THE PUZZLE E P O L L E C T E A R T I I T I C I A N O N E D C O N I O S C M I O V E C B O O M O F I H Q U A K E R 10 11 P R T 12 13 A B R O A D I E 14 15 L E S U R GIVE CLUES TO YOUR PARTNER 11 13 A person who is in or wants to be in the government A time when people choose a member of parliament, president, etc, by voting Sudden, very strong movement of the earth’s surface Find for the first time Period of good economic development What you take when you are ill, to help you get better The money you make when you sell something for more than it cost you 132 STUDENTS B: ASKING YOUR PARTNER FOR CLUES TO COMPLETE THE PUZZLE M U L T I T R A F F I C J T A S K H A N G E R C H O I E E L A N C E A M C E 10 F R 11 12 M E D C I N E 13 14 S A L A R Y 15 GIVE CLUES TO YOUR PARTNER A long line of car, not moving or moving very slowly To many things at the same time You put your clothes on these Two or more things you can choose 10 Work for different organization, not one employer 12 An area of land next to the sea 133 APPENDIX Five standards of evaluating effective communicative tasks The standards The elements tasks management emotion/cognitive elements authentic languages task difficulties verbal participation the fluency 134 APPENDIX The following activity is an example of the kinds of activities that had to be redesigned UNIT 9: Focus on communication (p.10) INVITATIONS Work in pairs Make and reply to invitations Give a reason when you don’t accept Conversation Conversation STUDENT A STUDENT B Students B is visit ting your company You are visiting Students A’s company Invite him/her to Say yes have dinner with you this evening Say no go to the theatre on Friday evening Say yes visit the company’s new offices Say no go to London on Saturday The new task is redesigned as follows: Class activity: Walk around the class and ask your classmates if they can join you for those activities Others will ask you to join them as well You may only accept an invitation if you have an open space in your schedule Your classmate may say “No” because they are busy or not interested Find a different friend to say “Yes” to each activity The goal is to find friends to all activities with you Continue until your schedule is full Friday Saturday Sunday Morning Afternoon Evening You can choose these activities below and write them somewhere in your schedule above Walk around the class and ask your classmates if they can join you for those activities Continue until your schedule is full go swimming; go shopping; go to the beach; go to the museum; go out for dinner ; go to the countryside; go to the cinema; go to night club; go to the bar; play sports; go to a music show 135 Goal The goal is to find friends to all activities with the student Continue until their schedule is full Input Focus on communication _ Offer and request (unit 7) Role Teacher: Monitor and facilitator Learner: Conversational partner Setting Classroom Sample 1: UNIT 1: GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE Ask and answer questions to five people and fill in the following information STUDENT STUDENT STUDENT STUDENT A B C D Name Hometown Age Job Marital status Hobbies 139 BINGO ACTIVITIES Walk around the class, use the ideas in the squares to ask your classmates questions, find someone to answer yes, and write that person’s name in the square Give five names in a row and you win A: Do you like to watch game shows on TV? B: Yes, I do/No, I don’t Do you…? HUMAN BINGO _ likes to watch likes pizza plays a musical game shows on gets up at 6:00 is left-handed instrument TV drinks studies has relative in listens to checks email coffee English another country classical music every day takes the bus goes cycling plays sports lives a lone writes diary likes action walks to school goes to bed late drinks milk at sings in the every night breakfast shower everyday to school movies cooks well goes listens to music loves reading works out in swimming on in English books a gym weekend goal Your goal is to find someone to answer yes, and write that person’s name in the square Give five names in a row and you win Input Daily activities, simple present tense in unit & Role Teacher: Monitor and facilitator Learner: Conversational partner Setting Classroom 140 ... According to Hyme (1972:269), communicative competence is of “more general sort of grammatically and ability to be grammatical” That means in communication we use sentences to make statements of different... enjoyable and that are based on a communicative approach and how the process of learning should be a process of using English for communication For the past decade, communicative language teaching... necessary elements of communicative tasks Those are the general intentions behind any given communicative tasks and learning tasks Communicative tasks are always goal- oriented as to establish and