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  • 1.2 Rationale (0)
  • 1.3 Aims of the study (15)
  • 1.4 Research questions (15)
  • 1.5 Scope of the study (15)
  • 1.6 Thesis design............................................................................................. 4 4 4 4 (15)
  • CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Previous studies related to the research (16)
    • 2.2. Writing (20)
      • 2.2.1 Definition of writing............................................................................... 9 9 (20)
      • 2.2.2 Writing skills (21)
      • 2.2.3. Teaching writing skills (24)
      • 2.2.4. Writing tasks (27)
      • 2.2.5 Strategies to learn writing....................................................................... 16 2.2.6 Writing process (27)
        • 2.2.6.4 The Grammar-Syntax Organization Approach (29)
        • 2.2.6.5 The Communicative Approach (29)
        • 2.2.6.6 The Process Approach (30)
      • 2.2.7 The stages of teaching writing (31)
        • 2.2.7.1 Pre-writing.......................................................................................................... 20 20 (31)
        • 2.2.7.2 While –writing (31)
        • 2.2.7.3 Post- wrting (32)
      • 2.2.8 Principles for teaching writing. .................................................................. 21 21 (32)
    • 2.3 Essays (33)
      • 2.3.1 Definition of essay (33)
      • 2.3.2 Basic structure of essay.......................................................................... 22 22 (33)
        • 2.3.2.1 Introduction (34)
        • 2.3.2.2 Body (34)
        • 2.3.2.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 23 23 23 (34)
      • 2.3.3 Types of essay (34)
        • 2.3.3.1 Expository .......................................................................................................... 23 23 (34)
        • 2.3.3.2 Compare and contrast (35)
        • 2.3.3.3 Cause and effect................................................................................................ 24 24 (35)
        • 2.3.3.4 Argumentative (35)
        • 2.3.3.5 Informal (36)
        • 2.3.3.6 Critical review.................................................................................................... 25 25 (36)
        • 2.3.3.7 Research (36)
        • 2.3.3.8 Literary ............................................................................................................... 26 26 (37)
    • 2.4 Language features of essay (37)
    • 2.5 Mind mapping (38)
      • 2.5.1 Definition of mind mapping................................................................... 27 27 27 (38)
      • 2.5.2 The use of mind mapping (39)
      • 2.5.3 The effectiveness of mind mapping (41)
      • 2.5.4 Conventional outlining (41)
    • 3.2. Materials (45)
    • 3.3. Participants (46)
    • 3.4 Research method.............................................................................................. 35 35 (46)
    • 3.5 Procedures (47)
  • CHAPTER 4: FINGINGS AND DISCUSSION (49)
    • 4.1 Results (49)
      • 4.1.1 Effect of Mind Mapping on Writing Achievement (50)
        • 4.1.1.1 The last session score minus the first session score (51)
        • 4.1.1.2 A comparison of pre and post test for each group (52)
        • 4.1.1.3 The mean.................................................................................................... 41 41 (52)
        • 4.1.1.4 The distribution of score types (53)
      • 4.1.2 Effect of Mind Mapping on Attitudes (55)
      • 4.1.3 Discussion (59)
  • CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION (62)
    • 5.1 Conclusion............................................................................................................... 48 1.2 Limitations of the study (62)

Nội dung

Aims of the study

The aims of the study are as follow:

- to find out whether mind mapping is more effective than traditional way of teaching writing essay

- to find out whether students can improve their writing essay skill through organising thoughts and ideas by using mind mapping

- to find out how many percentages of the students can absorb this technique in helping them master their writing skill.

Research questions

1 Will the use of mind mapping technique improve the 12 th grade learner’s essay writing ability through brainstorming and organising ideas and thoughts? And if it does,

2 To what extent does the use of mind mapping improve the quality of the essay writing of the 12 th grade learner?

Scope of the study

This research is focusing on the ability in brainstorming, organising thoughts and ideas in essay writing for 12 grade learners at Thanh Chuong 3 High School by applying mind mapping.

Thesis design 4 4 4 4

The thesis will be divided into five chapters

Chapter 1 presents the introduction of the thesis, rationales as to why this study should be carried out, aims, research questions, scope of the study

Chapter 2 entitled “ Literature review” provides definitions of writing, writing skill, mind mapping, essay and benifit of using mind mapping

Chapter 3, Methodology, the researcher describes the setting, material, participants, instruments for data collection, procedure and analysis

Chapter 4 named “ Findings and discussion” offers data analysis from pretest and posttest results and questionaire collected from students

Chapter 5 “Conclusion” is a review of the study, implications for teacher, students as well as the limitations of the study and the recommendation for further research.

LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Previous studies related to the research

Writing

According to Raimes (1983: 3), writing plays a crucial role in communication, especially in situations where the audience is not physically present to hear our words or observe our nonverbal cues.

According to the Cambridge Advanced Learners’ Dictionary (2008), writing is the process of creating written works like stories, poems, or articles This activity serves as a means to share observations, information, thoughts, and ideas, as these forms of writing are fundamentally based on our insights and experiences.

Byrne (1997) defines writing as the arrangement of graphic symbols according to specific conventions to create words and sentences He emphasizes that writing involves producing a sequence of sentences that are organized and interconnected This process reflects a progression from the simple use of graphic symbols to the intricate arrangement of sentences, adhering to established rules and conventions Scrivener (1994) further supports this notion, highlighting the complexity of writing as a structured form of communication.

157) who states that writing work in the classroom falls on a continuum from copying which focuses on accuracy to free writing which concentrates on fluency

Writing is the process of conveying ideas or thoughts through the use of graphic symbols, organized according to specific rules and conventions.

Writing ability refers to the skill of effectively expressing ideas, thoughts, and feelings through written symbols, enabling readers to understand the conveyed message.

According to Heaton (1988: 135), writing skills are intricate and often challenging to teach, necessitating proficiency in grammatical and rhetorical techniques, as well as conceptual and evaluative aspects These diverse skills can be categorized into five primary components.

2 Language use: the ability to write correct and appropriate sentences

3 Mechanical skill: the ability to use correctly those conventions peculiar to the written language - e.g punctuation, spelling

4 Treatment of content: the ability to think creatively and develop thoughts, excluding all irrelevant information

5 Stylistic skills: the ability to manipulate sentences and paragraphs, and use language effectively

6 Judgment skills: the ability to write in an appropriate manner for a particular purpose with a particular audience in mind, together with an ability to select, organize and order relevant information

According to Matthews et al (1985: 71), writing skills encompass several specific abilities categorized into five main areas: graphical or visual skills, grammatical skills, expressive or stylistic skills, rhetorical skills, and organizational skills Each of these categories plays a crucial role in effective writing.

1 Graphical or Visual Skills: Under this first heading, graphical or visual skills, there are sub headings, i.e writing graphemes, spelling, punctuation and capitalization, and format a Writing graphemes is the use of letters of the alphabet, in upper or lower case as appropriate, joined in the standard way This skill is especially difficult for students whose first language is written in a different alphabet b Spelling: As a result of the first language interferes, students may apply the phonetic conventions of their native language to spelling English words c Punctuation and capitalization: here the students’s attention need to be drawn to the fact that conventions differ from language to language i.e in English in a numeral with at least four digits, a comma is inserted after every three digits, counting from the right d Format: such as the layout of a letter, or memo Again these differ from one language to another

2 Grammatical skills refer to the students’ ability to use a variety of sentence patterns and constructions

3 Expressive or stylistic skills refer to the students’ ability to express precise meanings in a variety of styles or registers In order to do this, they will not only have to be able to select appropriate vocabulary, but also appropriate sentence patterns and structures for the written medium

4 Rhetorical skills is the students’ ability to use linguistic cohesion devices such as connectives, reference words, ellipsis, and so on, in order to link parts of a text into logically related sequences

5 Organisational skills are similar to those involved in rhetorical skills above, but here they concern with the organisation of a piece of information into paragraphs and texts This involves the sequencing of ideas as well as the students’ ability to reject irrelevant information and summarize relevant points

Brown (2001) identifies key micro skills essential for effective writing, including the ability to produce English graphemes and orthographic patterns, write efficiently for specific purposes, and utilize an appropriate core vocabulary with correct word order Writers must also adhere to grammatical systems, express meanings through various grammatical forms, and employ cohesive devices Understanding rhetorical conventions and fulfilling communicative functions according to text form and purpose is crucial Additionally, writers should convey connections between ideas, differentiate between literal and implied meanings, and accurately reference cultural elements Developing a range of writing strategies—such as assessing audience interpretation, utilizing prewriting techniques, maintaining fluency in drafts, and incorporating feedback for revisions—is vital for successful writing.

Writing is the process of communicating ideas through graphic symbols, adhering to specific rules and conventions These rules encompass various aspects, including content, organization, word choice, language use, and mechanics Content involves the creative development of thoughts while omitting irrelevant information Organization refers to the logical arrangement of sentences that ensures unity and coherence Word choice emphasizes the selection of appropriate vocabulary and idioms Language use pertains to the application of proper sentence structures and grammatical features Lastly, the mechanical aspect focuses on the correct application of conventions in written language, such as punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

Integrating the four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—in English language teaching is essential for effective learning According to Byrne (1997), mastering a foreign language requires both speaking and writing skills In the initial stages of a course focused on oral proficiency, writing plays a crucial role in reinforcing learned language Therefore, teachers should incorporate writing as part of an integrated approach to language instruction As students advance, writing tasks can become more extensive and varied Guided writing is particularly valuable in the classroom, as it aids students in organizing their thoughts, selecting appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and collaboratively preparing drafts By actively engaging in a series of preparatory steps, students can enhance their writing skills and develop an awareness of the writing process, ultimately leading to greater independence and fluency in their future writing endeavors.

According to Scrivener (1994: 155), classroom writing activities range from copying to free writing At one end, students practice letter formation and copy from various sources, while at the other end, they select their own topics and writing formats Initially, accuracy is prioritized, but as students progress, the emphasis gradually shifts towards fluency.

Essays

Essay is derived from a French word “essayer”, which means “to attempt”, or

An essay is a concise literary composition focused on a specific subject, often reflecting the author's personal opinions Aldous Huxley famously described it as "a literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything," while the Oxford Dictionary defines it as "a short piece of writing on a particular subject." In essence, an essay serves as a scholarly work that articulates the author's unique argument or perspective.

Writing an academic essay involves crafting a coherent argument by presenting ideas in a linear fashion, ensuring clarity for the reader The essay's structure is guided by its focus, determining the necessary information and the sequence in which it is delivered This unique structure aligns with the main claim being made, while general guidelines exist for specific essay types, such as comparative analysis, there is no strict formula for all essays.

The standard essay structure in English typically consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion While this format is commonly used in academic writing, it is often modified to meet the specific needs of various topics and objectives.

This essay structure is favored for its clarity and strong support of key arguments The introduction outlines the writer's main point and purpose, while the body provides evidence and elaboration to reinforce this central idea.

The conclusion restates the overall point In more detail, a prototype essay of this structure includes:

An effective introduction serves to engage the reader, guiding them into the topic while clearly presenting the main point or purpose of the essay Typically structured from general to specific, introductions start with broad statements related to the subject—such as trends, interesting facts, or common beliefs—before narrowing down to the specific issue at hand The introduction culminates in a thesis statement that articulates the overall argument or purpose of the essay, which must be substantiated throughout the subsequent content.

The body of an essay is structured into clear paragraphs, each designed to effectively support the thesis statement Each paragraph focuses on a single main point, which is backed up with evidence or examples The main idea of the paragraph is usually presented in the topic sentence, typically found at the beginning, guiding the reader through the argument.

The conclusion serves to succinctly reinforce the writer's main argument, highlight broader implications, and provide a sense of closure to the essay It effectively ties the entire piece together, demonstrating that the writer has thoroughly supported their viewpoint.

There are many different kinds of essays The following are some of the most common ones:

An expository essay aims to inform the reader by providing clear instructions or explanations about a specific topic or task It showcases the writer's knowledge through factual information rather than personal opinions Maintaining a reasonable tone and presenting credible information is crucial for effective communication in this type of writing.

An essay can serve various purposes, including presenting an unbiased discussion, persuading readers of the advantages of a particular subject, entertaining, or exploring insights into human nature It may address both similarities and differences or concentrate solely on one aspect Typically, a comparison essay highlights the similarities between two subjects, whereas a contrast essay focuses on their differences.

A cause/effect essay explores the relationship between events, detailing why something occurred and its subsequent outcomes This type of essay can focus on either the causes or the effects, with a cause essay examining the reasons behind an event, while an effect essay analyzes the consequences that follow Incorporating credible sources is essential, as they enhance the validity of the argument presented in the essay.

An argumentative essay aims to persuade readers to adopt the writer's perspective, employing either a serious or humorous tone to validate their opinion This type of essay can openly present arguments or use subtle techniques like irony and sarcasm to influence the audience The focus is on taking a definitive stance on an issue and supporting it with evidence, rather than exploring an unresolved topic.

To effectively argue a position, it's essential to choose a side and construct a compelling case while also acknowledging and refuting opposing viewpoints This approach not only strengthens your argument but also demonstrates fairness, as completely dismissing alternative perspectives can undermine your credibility Selecting a stance you genuinely believe in, backed by substantial evidence, will resonate more with undecided readers Additionally, embracing a viewpoint that differs from your usual beliefs can enhance your debating skills and broaden your understanding of the topic.

An informal essay is primarily crafted for enjoyment, offering a relaxed expression of opinion, observation, humor, or pleasure While it can still be informative or persuasive, it lacks the formality of a traditional academic paper A well-written informal essay maintains a strong structure, albeit with more flexibility, allowing for a casual yet coherent flow of ideas.

An informal essay is characterized by a personal touch, allowing the writer to engage directly with the reader in a conversational manner, unlike the more reserved tone of a formal essay While both types can express subjective opinions, an informal essay invites the writer's personality to shine through It's important to strike a balance between being relatable and maintaining clarity, avoiding overly academic language while steering clear of sloppiness.

This essay can be written in a formal or informal style, depending on the context, and aims to assess a specific work, such as an article or book Your informed personal opinion is crucial, but it must be balanced with objective standards Similar to an argumentative essay, your claims should be supported with evidence.

Language features of essay

When you write an essay, you need to think carefully about your choice of words

It is very important in accademic writing When you start writing, put the following things into consideration:

- beware of commonly misused words

Selecting the right words in your writing is crucial for conveying the seriousness and significance of your work Clear and precise language helps to engage readers, while vague or ambiguous wording can lead to confusion and diminish the perceived value of your essay.

Mind mapping

According to Hedge (1988), creating a mind map is an effective note-making strategy that helps organize thoughts before writing This technique allows individuals to jot down ideas related to a topic and expand on them as their minds make connections Therefore, mind mapping serves as a valuable tool for students to initiate their writing assignments Hayes (1992) also supports this approach, emphasizing its importance in the writing process.

Mind mapping helps students transform random thoughts into structured patterns, making it easier to write and develop their ideas As their concepts take shape in an organized manner, students become more motivated to complete their writing tasks.

Mind mapping presents ideas in a radial, graphical, and non-linear format, promoting a free-flowing brainstorming approach to planning and organization While the branches of a mind map reflect hierarchical structures, their radial design allows for a more flexible arrangement of concepts, breaking away from traditional linear prioritization This encourages users to explore and connect ideas without being confined to a specific conceptual framework.

Figure2.5: An example of mind mapping

A mind map is a visual diagram that organizes words, ideas, tasks, and other elements around a central concept It serves as a powerful tool for generating, visualizing, structuring, and classifying ideas, making it invaluable for studying, organizing information, solving problems, making decisions, and enhancing writing skills.

2.5.2 The use of mind mapping

Mind mapping can significantly aid students in initiating their writing assignments, as many struggle with the writing process In particular, getting started is often the most challenging aspect for most students.

Mind mapping effectively alleviates the challenges students face when starting writing assignments by providing a structured organizing strategy This technique encourages the free association of ideas, allowing students to jot down thoughts without pressure, which minimizes the stress and resistance commonly linked to writing As a result, the prewriting activity culminates in a well-organized cluster of thoughts, enabling students to maintain focus and stay on task during the writing process.

Before teachers introduce mind mapping to students, thorough preparation is essential According to Buzan (1989), educators should create a mind map of the material to identify potential issues This teacher-generated diagram not only highlights challenges but also serves as a model for evaluating group work Buzan outlines a complete procedure for implementing mind mapping in the classroom, emphasizing its importance for effective learning.

1 Describe or demonstrate the process to the students;

2 Divide the students into groups which consist of four students;

3 Present the central concept/material that the students must graph;

4 Ask the groups to brainstorm, writing a list of terms and phrases that express core concepts and supporting details;

5 Ask the students to start sketching out the diagram;

6 Deliver any necessary suggestions to the groups while they are working;

7 Ask them to developed the main concept by adding some new ideas and relationships as they construct the map

The following is procedure of employing mind mapping in the classroom as described by Hedge (1998: 30)

1 Students are given a main topic at the centre of the board

2 Students jot down all the things associated with the main topic that come into their minds

3 Students share with each other about what they have jotted down – teacher gives any necessary explanations and suggestions

4 Ideas are elicited from the students as they suggest things, and a mind map is made collectively on the board as the ideas suggested so that students can see how to draw out aspects of the topic and subgroup items This step based on the reasoning behind mind map that is not to think in an ordered or linear way, but explore a topic by moving between its various aspects

5 Branches are then drawn and added as the students suggest new ideas or add ideas to already established aspects The end result is a map with a number of subtopics or aspects radiating from the central topic (main topic) and with further points added to these

6 When the map is reasonably full, teacher leads a class discussion on the best order in which points could be presented in a composition

7 Alternative writing tasks are then can be proposed: ask students to prepare a piece of writing using the mind map on the board, elaborate it in their own ways or ask students to choose other topics and draw up their personal mind maps for their own topics

2.5.3 The effectiveness of mind mapping

Buzan (1989) asserts that mind mapping is a superior note-taking method, avoiding the "semi-hypnotic trance" associated with traditional note forms He claims it engages both left and right brain functions, unlocking untapped mental potential and enhancing intuition, which he refers to as "super logic." However, scholarly research indicates that these assertions may be exaggerated and rooted in misconceptions about brain function Critics point out that the theory of hemispheric specialization, when applied to mind mapping, has been deemed pseudoscientific.

Research indicates that the mind map technique has a limited but notable effect on memory recall, showing a 10% improvement in undergraduate students compared to a 6% increase with preferred study methods This enhancement in recall was most evident after one week for those using mind maps, although motivation decreased relative to their usual note-taking strategies The reluctance to adopt mind mapping may stem from its unfamiliarity, as students often favor methods they are accustomed to Additionally, studies suggest that learners achieve better outcomes by concentrating on the content rather than fixating on specific note-taking formats.

Outline, often manifested through note-taking and note-making, plays a crucial role in both the preparatory phases of writing and the processes involved in reading comprehension.

Cranmer (1985: 75) emphasizes the importance of a preparatory note stage in both composition and summary writing, advising teachers to encourage students to create outlines before drafting their work This approach highlights that outlines are essential for guiding students in their writing process, whether they are summarizing existing texts or developing original compositions from their own ideas While both processes share similarities, they differ in their sources of input and output It is crucial for educators to provide clear instructions, as many often give vague advice like, “Don’t forget to make a plan first,” which can hinder students’ writing development.

Students are often advised to focus on essential information, yet they frequently receive inadequate guidance on effective note-taking, planning, and distinguishing between important and unimportant details While these teaching methods exist, they are seldom emphasized, leading to significant challenges in students' learning processes.

Materials

The essay writing topics for the English 12 curriculum are derived from the textbook, which consists of 16 units encompassing essential skills such as Reading, Speaking, Listening, and Writing Within the Writing skills section, students engage in various subskills, including writing letters, describing charts, detailing festivals, outlining family rules, providing instructions, and summarizing sporting events, making essay writing just a small component of the overall program Students can choose from a range of topics for their essays, including themes related to family, environment, friends, sports, women, and literature.

In a recent pretest, participants were tasked with writing an essay on the topic of urban versus rural living preferences, exploring the reasons behind their choices The follow-up posttest shifted focus to the pressing issue of environmental pollution and its detrimental effects on health and quality of life, prompting participants to propose actionable measures for environmental protection Each essay was to be composed within a strict word limit of 140 to 150 words, with a time allowance of 45 minutes to articulate their thoughts clearly and concisely.

Participants

The participants of the present research were 80 students in Thanh Chuong 3 high school, Nghe An, including 22 males and 58 females aged from 16 to 17

In fact, gender was not a matter under investigation They come from the same districts and have learnt English for more than 6 years The target population was

Out of 100 students, 80 were selected for the research study after conducting a Placement Test to ensure uniform English proficiency levels The students who scored similarly were chosen to participate and were then randomly divided into two groups of 40: one serving as the control group and the other as the experimental group.

Research method 35 35

The study employed a quasi-experimental design featuring pre-test and post-test assessments Following the treatment, students completed a questionnaire consisting of seven closed-ended items and two open-ended questions to evaluate their attitudes towards mind mapping In addition to these methods, students' writing papers were collected, analyzed, and scored to determine any improvements in their writing skills.

Procedures

In the experiment, participants were divided into experimental and control groups, both of which received identical traditional in-class writing instruction The same teacher instructed both groups, and all students utilized the same textbook throughout the treatment period.

A pretest was conducted by assigning the same essay topic to both groups one week before the intervention to ensure comparability Participants had 45 minutes to write their essays in three paragraphs, each containing 120 to 150 words, following traditional essay writing instructions After the completion of the test, the essays were collected and evaluated using an established essay rubric.

In this study, the experimental group was taught using the Mind Mapping technique, which was introduced alongside its global applications and its role as a prewriting activity for essay writing In contrast, the control group experienced a traditional essay writing approach, where the teacher presented a topic, encouraged students to share ideas, and allowed time for individual writing Subsequently, selected students shared their work on the board for corrections, with the teacher primarily focusing on grammar, structure, and spelling, while occasionally commenting on the relevance of their ideas to the topic.

Two weeks after the intervention, a posttest was conducted where all participants, including both the control and experimental groups, were assigned a new essay topic The experimental group utilized a Mind Map as a prewriting activity before composing their essays, while the control group followed their standard writing instructions The essays were then collected and evaluated using the same rubric as the pretest.

After completing the posttest, participants in the experimental groups responded to seven questionnaire questions regarding their experiences with mind mapping in essay writing, focusing on their attitudes towards the technique and its effectiveness in enhancing their writing skills.

Having collected all the necessary and required data, the results were analyzed and interpreted in order to achieve responses to the posed research questions.

FINGINGS AND DISCUSSION

Results

This research aims to enhance essay writing instruction for twelfth-grade high school students, exploring Mindmapping as a viable alternative to achieve this goal The following section elaborates on the findings of the study.

There is significant difference between Mindmapping and traditional way of teaching writing

The study concludes that implementing Mindmapping is an effective strategy for generating and organizing ideas for writing texts Writing is often regarded as the most challenging skill to master in English, primarily due to difficulties in idea generation and organization.

Writing skills are intricate, requiring proficiency in grammar, rhetoric, and the ability to think critically and creatively, as noted by Heaton (1988) He emphasizes the importance of content treatment, which involves developing ideas while filtering out irrelevant information To aid students in overcoming writing challenges, an outlining technique called Mindmapping is recommended Hayes (1992) highlights that Mindmapping helps students transform random thoughts into organized patterns, enhancing motivation and easing the writing process This method alleviates the common struggle of starting a writing task by allowing students to freely associate and express their ideas without pressure, thereby minimizing the tension often linked to writing.

4.1.1 Effect of Mind Mapping on Writing Achievement

This research explores the effectiveness of mind mapping, a technique developed by Tony Buzan, as a tool for teaching essay writing and enhancing students' understanding Mind mapping serves as a graphical note-taking method that organizes information through branching subsections, helping students write more effectively by illustrating the relationships between main ideas and supporting details By reviewing a mind map, readers can quickly grasp the central topic and key concepts the writer intends to convey Prior to the intervention, all students in both groups completed a pretest to assess their initial essay writing skills, with results indicating the baseline performance of the two groups.

Table 4.1 Pretest results of two groups

Analysis of pre-test papers from two student groups (see Appendix F) reveals that most students struggle to effectively organize their ideas into coherent paragraphs Many present their thoughts in a disjointed manner, with some failing to provide supporting ideas for their topic sentences Consequently, their essays often lack persuasiveness and logical flow, leaving readers confused about the intended message.

During 6 weeks of the second term in this school year, both groups were taught the same textbook by the teacher However, the control group was guided essay writing in traditional way by which the procedure was as follow: the teacher presented the topic of the writing, then he asked the students to give some ideas about the topic Teacher also made some suggestions if students did not find any Finally he left some time for the students to write When the students were doing their writing, teacher went round to give help if anyone needed He after that gave some feedback on the writing of some students in front of class to help students avoid making mistakes Meanwhile, the experimental group were taught following the procedure described in early part

After a 6- week treatment a post test was given to measure how much they have gained Below are the result:

Table 4.2: Post test results of the two groups

The post-test results from both student groups indicate significant improvements in their writing skills, as evidenced by their ability to generate ideas and organize them into coherent paragraphs Each topic sentence is effectively supported by relevant details, and the use of linking words enhances the logical flow and persuasiveness of their essays This progress is further demonstrated by the increased scores compared to the pre-test results.

4.1.1.1 The last session score minus the first session score

A standard score allows for the comparison of a student's performance against their peers, highlighting how an individual score deviates from the average In contrast, a developmental ability score provides an estimate of a student's overall skill level on the test, which is expected to improve as their writing skills advance.

After collecting the data of pretest and post test, teacher analyzed and calculated as follow:

Table 4.3 : mode, mean and SD of two groups

Control group Experimental group Pre test Post test Pre test Post test

4.1.1.2 A comparison of pre and post test for each group

This section delves deeper into the changes observed in the results of two tests for each group, following the implementation of the strategy By analyzing the means and the distribution of score types in each test, we aim to provide a clearer understanding of the differences between the groups.

The change in the mean of the pre- and post tests for each group is shown in Chart 4.1 below:

7 pre and post test mean of control group pre and post test mean of experimental group

Chart 4.1: the change in pre and post test mean for each group

Chart 4.1 above indicates a light increase from the pre-test mean of 5.225 to the post-test one of 5.875 for the Control Group Obviously, this implies that after six weeks with the conventional approach, the level of this group gained some progress due to their development over time Meanwhile, the post-test mean of the Experimental Group augmented considerably from a value of 5 to a fairly good one of 6.3 That is to say, with the intervention of mind mapping in the same duration of time, the knowledge of this group obtained more encouraging and striking progress

4.1.1.4 The distribution of score types

This section analyzes the distribution of score types for both tests across each group, building on the previously discussed changes in the means of the tests.

The score type distribution of the Control Group is presented in Chart 4.2 below:

≥8 pre test score type distribution post test score type distribution

Chart 4.2: The Control group’s score type distribution

The pre-test score distribution revealed a dominance of average scores, with only a small percentage of higher scores present In contrast, the post-test results showed a significant positive trend in performance, as average scores decreased from 62.5% to 45%, while the percentage of fairly good scores increased from 37.5% to 50% Notably, there was also an emergence of very good scores, which rose from 0% to 5%.

Both the Control Group and the experimental group showed positive trends in post-test scores, but the experimental group, which received mind mapping treatment, exhibited a significantly more dramatic increase To better understand these results, we will first examine the distribution of score types presented in Chart 4.3.

≥8 pre test type score distribution post test type score distribution

Chart 4.3: The experimental group’s score type distribution

Chart 4.3 illustrates a significant decline in the average score, dropping from 60% to 25% In contrast, the percentage of very good scores rose notably from 0% to 12.5%, while the fairly good scores experienced a sharp increase from 40% to 65%.

The analysis of the experimental data reveals that both groups initially had comparable essay writing skills However, following the teaching program, a statistically significant difference emerged between the two groups, indicating a divergence in their writing abilities.

This difference was in favour of the group experiencing mind mapping Indeed, this group really made great achievement when the students obtained substantial progress in their scores

4.1.2 Effect of Mind Mapping on Attitudes

CONCLUSION

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