VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

HA THI HOAI LAM Adapting while-reading tasks in English 10 to improve
reading ability of Grade-10 students
at Yen Dinh 1 High School

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M.A. MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60.14.10
Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60.14.10
Supervisor: Nguyen Huyen Minh, M.A
Hanoi  2011

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS
PART I. INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
2. Aims of the study
3. Research questions
4. Methods of the study
5. Scope of the study
6. Significance of the study
7. Design of the study
PART II. DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Reading and teaching reading skills
1.1.1. Definition of reading
1.1.2. Types of reading
1.1.2.1. Intensive reading

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1.2.4. Components of reading tasks
1.2.4.1. Goal
1.2.4.2. Reading materials
1.2.4.3. Arrangement
1.2.4.4. Evaluation
1.2.5. Types of Reading Tasks
CHAPTER 2. METHODOLOGY
2.1. Situation analysis
2.1.1. The setting of the study
2.1.2. Subjects
2.1.3. Reading materials
2.2. Participants
2.3. Data collection instruments
2.3.1. Survey questionnaires
2.3.1.1. Questionnaire for students
2.3.1.2. Questionnaire for teachers
2.3.2. Class observation
CHAPTER 3. DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. Data analysis and discussion of the students’ survey questionnaire

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3.2.5. Teachers’ effort for improving reading ability
3.3. Data analysis and discussion of the observation
CHAPTER 4. MAJOR FINDINGS AND SOME SUGGESTED
APPROACHES FOR ADAPTING WHILE-READING TASKS TO
IMPROVE READING ABILITY FOR GRADE 10 STUDENTS
4.1. Major findings
4.1.1. Research question 1: What are the teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards
while-reading tasks?
4.1.2. Research question 2: What have teachers and students done to improve
reading ability?
4.2. Some suggested approaches for adapting while-reading tasks to improve
reading ability for Grade-10 students
4.2.1. Raising the students’ awareness of the importance of reading in learning
grammar and vocabulary
4.2.2. Training students into strategic readers

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LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS
1. List of tables
Table 1. Students’ attitude towards while-reading exercises
Table 2. Problems students face when learning reading
Table 3. Students’ expectation towards teachers’ reading techniques
Table 4. Teachers’ attitude towards while-reading tasks
Table 5. The frequency of using while-reading exercises or activities
Table 6. Problems teachers face when teaching reading
Table 7. Teachers’ activities to help students overcome difficulties

2. List of charts
Chart 1. Students’ attitude towards the importance of reading skill
Chart 2. Students’ attitude towards the benefit of reading
Chart 3. Students’ attitude towards the importance of while-reading tasks
Chart 4. Students’ opinions on while-reading tasks
Chart 5. Students’ reluctance of doing while-reading tasks
Chart 6. The frequency of using while-reading exercises or activities designed by teachers

researcher hopes that the study “Adapting while-reading tasks in English 10 to improve
reading ability of Grade-10 students at Yen Dinh 1 High School” will be helpful for the
author and other reading teachers in some way to find appropriate approaches to help their
students improve reading ability.
2. Aims of the study
The purposes of the study are to investigate while-reading tasks employed by the teachers
at Yen Dinh 1 High School and to give some suggestions for adapting while-reading tasks
to improve reading ability of Grade-10 students at Yen Dinh 1 High School. The specific
aims of the research are as follows:

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 To investigate teachers‟ and students‟ attitudes towards the while-reading tasks in
English 10 textbook.
 To find out how teachers help students with the while-reading tasks.
 To explore the need to adapt the while-reading tasks to reduce the students‟
difficulties.
3. Research questions
1. What are the teachers‟ and students‟ attitudes towards while-reading tasks?
2. To what extent do teachers adapt the while-reading tasks to help the students
comprehend the text better?
4. Methods of the study
The study was carried out on the basis of material collection, survey questionnaire and
class observation.
In the first place, for the theoretical basis, a lot of reference materials on the reading skill,
reading tasks have been gathered, analyzed and synthesized thoroughly with the due
consideration for the teachers‟ and students‟ teaching and learning situations.
Secondly, for the practical basis, questionnaires and on-the-spot observations are carried
out with the teachers and students to gather the most reliable data for the thesis.
5. Scope of the study
Studying tasks and their effects on the second language have been paid attention by many

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PART II. DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Reading and teaching reading skills
1.1.1. Definitions of reading
Reading is a huge topic, potentially beset with myriad difficulties not easily addressed in a
book of this length (Dean, 2000:2). Goodman (1971:135) defines reading is “a
psycholinguistic process by which the reader, a language user, reconstructs, as best as he
can, a message which has been encoded by a writer as a graphic display”, and the act of
reconstruction is viewed as “a cyclical process of sampling, predicting, testing and
confirming.”
Ur‟s preliminary definition is “reading means reading and understanding” (1996:138).
Harmer (1989:153) defined “reading is an exercise dominated by the eyes and the brain.
The eyes receive messages and the brain then has to work out the significance of these
messages.”

1.1.2.2. Extensive reading
Extensive reading is used to obtain a general understanding of a subject and includes
reading longer texts for pleasure, as well as business books. Use extensive reading skills to
improve our general knowledge of business procedures. Grellet (1981:4) points out
“Extensive reading means reading longer texts, usually for one‟s pleasure. This is a fluency
activity, mainly involving global understanding”. What is more, Nuttall (2000:127) argues
that “getting students to read extensively is the easiest and most effective way of
improving their reading skills”.
Extensive reading is considered to be useful for students‟ self-learning. Their reading habit
and passion for reading are also formed through extensive reading. Students can choose the
topics they like and read for their own purpose for pleasure or entertainment. However, it
is more effective if students‟ extensive reading is followed an instructional program with
the help of the reading teacher.
In short, reading is necessary to every learner and undeniably an important skill in
comparison with others. In addition, it is notable that intensive and extensive reading
should not be seen as in being opposition but need to be paid equal attention for the sake of
the students. For second or foreign language learners, both intensive and extensive
readings are of great importance as they act as a means to gain knowledge.
1.1.3. Characteristics of an effective reader
 Being an effective reader is a great desire for everyone, especially for second and
foreign language readers. However, it is unnecessary to be a genius or have an
exceptionally high IQ to read well. According to Wassman and Rinsky (1993:5), an

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effective reader needs “an understanding of the reading process and an
understanding of how to go about reading different types of printed information”.
In this way, a second or foreign language learner can practice techniques that will
help to succeed in becoming an effective reader. Besides, they also point out two
necessary ingredients for an effective reader, i.e. the willingness to change reading
habits that limit the learner‟s reading ability and the willingness to practice.

materials for his students in the reading class. He sometimes can use texts outside the
textbook which are both suitable for the students‟ level and interesting enough to attract their
attention and encourage them to read.
1.1.4.2.2. Teacher’s roles
It is natural that in a reading lesson, the students must work actively and individually. It does
not mean that the teacher has nothing to do. Concerning the roles of the teacher in teaching
reading, Harmer (2001:213) states that the teacher needs to create interest in the topic and
task. He also needs to work as an observer, feedback organizer and prompter.
 An observer: While students are reading, the teacher can observe their progress
since it will give him valuable information about how well his students are doing
individually or collectively, and will tell him whether to give them extra time, or move to
organize feedback more quickly than he has anticipated.
 A feedback organizer: When the students have completed the given tasks, the
teacher can lead a feedback session to check if they have completed the task successfully
or not. He may start by having his students compare their answer in pairs or in groups and
then ask for their answers. When asking students to give answers, it is effective to ask them
where in the text they found the information. This will help him recognize his students‟
problems if their answers are inappropriate.
 A prompter: When students are reading the text, it is also necessary to draw
their attention to the language features in that text. He may direct his students to certain
features of the text construction, clarify ambiguities and make them aware of issues of the
text structure which they have not come across previously.
Referring to this issue, Moore (1992:5) adds: “The teacher is an environmental engineer
who organizes the classroom space to fit their goal and to maximize learning. The way the
physical space of the classroom is organized can either help or hinder learning”
In this case, it is plausible to create an environment of a communicative classroom where
meaningful and useful reading activities are carried out, so that the students can best acquire
reading skills and practice other language skills.

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In this early stage, teachers are expected to motivate students to read, especially by
activating or building students‟ background knowledge of the subject and familiarizing

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them with some of the language needed in coping with the text. According to Williams
(1984:37), the purposes of the pre-reading stage are:
- To introduce and arouse interest in the topic.
- To motivate learners by giving a reason for reading.
- To provide some language preparation for the text.
Normally, pre-reading phase often lasts from two to ten minutes depending on each lesson.
Before delivering activities for this stage, the teacher needs to take the objectives of the
lesson, the situation of teaching and learning, the students‟ needs into account.
1.1.4.3.2. While-reading stage
While- reading stage is the main part of a reading lesson. Without this stage, the students
will lose the chance to deal with the text to understand the writer‟s purpose and clarify the
text‟s content in detail. Williams (1984:38) points out the aims of the while- reading stage:
- To help to understand of the writer‟s purpose.
- To help to understand of the text structure.
- To clarify the text.
He also gives the teacher some questions to ask himself in order to deal with the above
mentioned aims:
1. What is the function of this text?
2. How is the text organized or developed? (e.g.: a narrative, an explanation with
various examples, an argument and counter argument)
3. What content or information is extracted from the text?
4. What may the reader anger or deduce from the text?
5. What language may be learned from the text?
6. What reading styles may be practiced?
It is clear that, question (1) deals with the aims of understanding, the writer‟s purpose, and
question (2) helps to recognize the text structure and the rest help to clarify the text content.

4. Prediction exercises: Students only read the first line and
then predict the next.

Recognizing the effect of
style
1. Multiple choice or True/ False questions
2. Discussion on the style of the text.
3. Parallel passage in different style.
Recognizing the
organization of a text
1. Jumbled paragraphs
2. Discussing the function of particular paragraphs.
Making inferences
True/ false or discussion questions on possible interpretation of
the text
Extensive reading
Students read on a self- access basis from a class reading bank.
Skimming for the gist
1. The text is used simply as spring board for discussion on a

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particular topic.
2. Students read through a passage and then suggest a title for
this.
3. Students match different titles to series of short texts within a
given time limit.
Scanning for specific
information
1. Underlining or circling the required information in a given time
limit.

improve and develop effective reading skills.
1.2. Reading tasks
1.2.1. What is a task?
In general education, and in other fields such as psychology, there are many different
definitions of tasks. There is also quite a variety from within the field of second language
teaching.
Long‟s (1995) definition: A task is a piece of work undertaken for oneself or for others,
freely or for some reward. Thus, examples of tasks include painting a fence, dressing a
child, filling out a form, buying a pair of shoes, making an airline reservation, borrowing a
library book, taking a driving test, typing a letter, weighing a patient, sorting letters, taking
a hotel reservation, writing a check, finding a street destination, and help someone across a
road. In other words, by task is meant the hundred and one things people do in everyday
life, at work, at play, and in between. Tasks are the things people will tell you they do if
you ask them and they are not applied linguists.
Crookes (1993) states that a task is “a piece of work or an activity, usually with a specified
objective, undertaken as part of an educational course, at work, or used to elicit data for
research.”
Nunan (1989:10) points out that a communicative task is a piece of classroom work which
involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing, or interacting in the target
language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form. The task
should also have a sense of completeness, being able to stand alone as a communicative act
in its own right.
Although these researchers emphasize the different aspects of the task, the definitions we
have looked at share something in common: they all imply that tasks involve realistic
language use in which learners focus their attention on meaning rather than linguistic
structures and that learning tasks help learners acquire the ability to perform certain
communicative functions through a new medium.
1.2.2. Definition of reading tasks
In the above part, we have made a list of definitions of task. Though these definitions
emphasize different aspects of tasks, they have something in common. According to these

1.2.4.1. Goal
On the one hand, the beginning of task design should be the goals that are set out in the
syllabus or curriculum guidelines. On the other hand, we also need to take account of the
reading objectives in real everyday life. As Nunan (2000:48) said, Goals provide a point of

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contact between the tasks and the broader curriculum. A reading program can be designed
to provide learners with skills to carry out the hundred and one reading tasks that occur in
daily life; from looking up a program in the T.V. guide, to reading the sporting page of the
afternoon newspaper. On the other hand, it might be designed to develop the specialized
reading skills needed for studying successfully in a second language. Given the importance
throughout the world of English as a medium of instruction at the tertiary level, it‟s not
surprising that a great deal has been written about these second, specialized reading goals.
The problem is what the goals of a reading task are? Then it‟s necessary for us to discuss
why people who learn English as a second language and read English materials in their
daily life. Generally speaking, there are three kinds of purposes:
 Reading for information: Most people read in order to get some information they
need in their every life. For example, when people want to go abroad, they look for
the information and read some materials about the country they will go. However, a
lot of people read news in English to know what happening around the world. In
English reading classes, students often try to get useful information to do reading
tasks.
 Reading for study: Both students and some adults also read for their study. Study
here has meanings. As for students study means reading to learn a foreign language
as well as to improve their reading skills and strategies. However some adults read
to help research. Most scientists have to read books written in English to help them
know more about what they are studying.
 Reading for fun: Why do many people love reading? The major reason is reading
bring happiness. We read jokes, stories, novels, poems, or letters from friends etc.
to enjoy ourselves in our spare time.

English educators into three kinds: information gap activities, reasoning gap activities and
opinion gap activities (David, 2004:18).

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CHAPTER 2. METHODOLOGY
2.1 Situation analysis
2.1.1. The setting of the study
The study was conducted at Yen Dinh 1 High School, a rural school of Thanh Hoa
province. The school has 32 classes with 80 teachers of different subjects. As other high
schools, English is taught here as a compulsory subject. There are now 10 teachers of
English and over 1500 students ranged from Grade 10 to Grade 12. Most of the students
come from villages and a town in the district.
Although English has been taught as a compulsory subject at Yen Dinh 1 High School
since 1995, the teaching of English, especially teaching English reading for Grade 10
students has met some difficulties. First, not all students pay much attention to English.
About one – tenths of the tenth grade students wish to take university entrance exam in
English, so only they are really interested in learning. Second, teachers have to teach in the
large size classes. There are at least 45 students for each class. Therefore, teaching English
reading is very difficult for teachers. Teachers will face with some problems in monitoring
work, supporting, giving feedback and paying attention to all students during class time.
The third is most of the students have poor vocabulary and limited background knowledge.

rural students to study well. In addition, their learning environment is not good. In English
lessons, English is used much by teachers and good students. The others are afraid of using
or reluctant to use because they fear to make mistakes, to lose face or to get bad marks.
They also have no effort and aim to learn. Outside class, English seems never to be used.
As a result, their English level is very low, especially their reading ability.
 Teachers
In Yen Dinh 1 high school, there are totally 10 teachers of English, including the
researcher, aged from 27 to 56. Half of them graduated from Hanoi Foreign Languages
Teachers‟ Training College. The rest graduated from Vinh University. The number of
female teachers formed the majority (8 female teachers and 2 male teachers). All of them
are enthusiastic with their career and had at least 4 years experienced in teaching English.
However, since graduating from their respective universities, few of them have taken
refresher courses to improve their English and their teaching methods. These teachers were
trained under the strong influence of the Grammar-Translation method, the emphasis of
which is on the learning of the rules of the language, not on the acquisition of language
skills. This is obviously manifested in their teaching methods.
2.1.3. Reading materials
The main reading material for Grade-10 students is a new set of textbooks. It is designed
following communicative approach. There are five parts in each unit: reading, speaking,

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listening, writing and language focus in which a variety of exercises and tasks were
compiled for practice. Also, there exist test yourself units of which objectives are to
examine how well the students have achieved in the previous units. The content of the new
textbook is arranged according to themes. Each unit mentions one theme relating to
everyday life, which is very useful and practical to students‟ needs. Those themes will be
exploited and practiced from different skills that are allocated in different periods of forty-
five minutes. Actually, the new textbook is designed with much practical objectives. It
develops language skills comprehensively in the target language, improves communicative
competence of students, and helps students be aware of the learning process, in which

Nine teachers who have been teaching English at Yen Dinh 1 High School at least for 4
years were invited to join the research. All of the teachers under the investigation have ever
taught grade 10, and some of them were teaching in the academic school year 2010-2011
when the study was carried out. The results from these teachers will give an objective view
on how to improve students‟ reading ability.
All participants took part in the survey by responding to the two kinds of questionnaires,
one for students and one for teachers.
2.3. Data collection instruments
The main instrument used to gather information for the study is questionnaires, one for
students and one for teachers. Added to that, class observation was also employed to
supplement the above instrument.
2.3.1. Survey questionnaires
Two sets of survey questionnaires were completed with the assistance of 135 grade-10
students and 9 teachers of English. The questionnaires were designed in both closed and
opened-ended questions. According to Bill Gillham, using questionnaires has some
advantages: low cost in time and money; easy to get information from a lot of people;
respondents can complete the questionnaires when it suits them, analysis of answers to
closed questions is straightforward; less pressure for an immediate response, respondents‟
anonymity; lack of interviewer bias, standardization of questions (but true of structured
interviews); can provide suggestive data for testing a hypothesis.
2.3.1.1. Questionnaire for students
The questionnaire was designed with three parts with 12 questions. Part one was to explore
the students‟ attitudes towards while-reading tasks. Part two aimed at collecting
information about students‟ effort and teachers‟ applying activities in teaching and learning
while-reading tasks. The final part of the questionnaire was made to find out the students‟