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A STUDY ON “ USING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
TO TEACH WRITING FOR CLASS 10V”

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
1.1. Rationale.
1.2.Purpose of the study.
1.2.1. Hypothesesof the study
1.2.2. Research Questions.
1.2.3. Significance of the Study.
2. Literature review
2.1. Theoretical considerations
2.2. The reality of teaching and learning writing at Son La specialized high
school
3. Methodology Section.
3.1. Participants and setting
3.2. Data sources and research material
3.3. Data collection procedure:
4. Research Schedule:
4. 1. Intervention
4.1.1. Pre – intervention.
4.1.2. Intervention.
4.1.3. Post – Intervention.
5. Applications of the study in the Units

teaching writing in this part of the word does not go far beyond "the teacher
assigns a topic, the students write and the teacher evaluates and (at his/her best)
provides feedback"(Marshi&Henatabad, 2011. p.79 ) Such an approach to
teaching writing, in the researchers' point of view, is very unproductive and
demotivating. It induces the learners to develop negative attitudes towards
writing. To make teaching writing more fruitful and less boring, more modern
innovative techniques such as graphic
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organizers are worth considering and being utilized in teaching English writing.
Another problem is the students’ low level of English proficiency. That is why
they find it difficult to write. Moreover, lack of motivation also faces the
students. They often get bored and indifferent in the writing lessons. In my
opinion, the current problem must be worked out and appropriate teaching
techniques should be made. Up to present, a few researches have been carried
out on the teaching of writing for students in Son La. As a teacher of English,
who is aware of the fact, I wish to contribute some suggestions for possible
improvements in the teaching and learning of writing skill by the means of
graphic organizers.
1.2. Purpose of the study
In response to the problem of student' insufficient writing ability, comes this
research as an attempt to determine whether using graphic organizers helps to
improve Son La high school for gifted students' writing performance as
measured by scores from a modified writing proficiency rubric developed by
The Georgia Department of Education (2008). This research also intends to see
how the use of such techniques impacts the students' attitudes towards writing.
1.2.1. Hypotheses of the study
Through the use of graphic organizers to teach writing, it is hypothesized
that:

organizers to improve the writing proficiency of a group of the 10 th grade
students as well as their attitudes towards this important skill. If this technique
proves to be useful, then it goes without saying that it will be adopted to teach
this vital skill to attain better writing performance. Better writing performance
secures the academic future of the students and facilitates their educational
progress.
2. Literature review
2.1. Theoretical considerations
2.1.1. Definitions of writing
There are a lot of definitions of writing. According to Byrne (1991),
writing can be defined as the act of forming graphic symbols. When we write,
we use graphic symbol (alphabet, grammar, and structures) to make visual
meaningful utterances. Therefore, on one level, writing can be said to be the act
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of making marks on flat surface of some kinds. However, writing is not just
simply putting words, sentences together. Many researchers tended to focus on
the nature of writing as an entity of linguistic creation. For example, Brannon,
Knight and Neverow- urk ( 982, p. 2) pointed out “ writing is cre tive rt,
not as assembly line operation of locking words together into sentence and
bolting sentences together into paragraphs in accordance with a predefined pl
n.”
Other researchers considered writing as a communicative process with
purposeful interaction between the participants. For example, NuNan (1999, p.
100) st ted, “Writing is not solit ry ct, r ther, it is the result of the inter ction
mong people, contexts, nd texts.” Oluw diy ( 990) considered the n ture of
writing s “ process” of “vi -text communic tion” between n ddresser nd n
addressee.
However, writing, in l ngu ge te chers’ opinions, is “ l ngu ge skill which is

complexity of teaching English writing. However, it should also be
acknowledged that the traditional methods which are widely adopted to teach
this skill in this part of the world is one of the major causes for the poor level
of the students' writing performance.
2.1.4. Effective writing teaching requirements
Effective writing teaching requires the use of assistive devices to support and
maintain the learning of this skill (Dell, Newton &Pertraff, 2008). It is not
enough for the teachers of writing to be highly qualified, but that their practices
of instruction follow scientific based research.
Strangman&Dalton (2005) outlines the major principles of effective writing
instruction. These involve providing support for recognition through
(presentation), support for strategic learning through (expression) and support
for affective learning through (engagement). Use of mind maps and graphics,
says Strangman, provides the teacher with tools and strategies that help
him/her to adhere to the above principles of effective writing teaching.
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Currently, visual organizers are widely incorporated in teaching writing. These
tools areclaimed to provide learners with a concrete structural framework of
information and help to focus the learners' attention on key ideas and the
conceptual relations between these ideas rather than the apparently isolated facts
(Delrose, 2011). In fact, the use of graphic organizers enhances understanding,
organizing and meaningful learning, and in this way facilitates the complex task
of learning writing while serving to prevent boredom (Janssen, Beissner&Yacci,
(1993).
Lee (2004) regards graphic organizers as the most effective tools for teaching and
improving writing skills. In fact, dozens of empirical studies were conducted to
verify the efficacy of such organizers, and almost all of these studies asserted their
viability for teaching writing. It is found that these organizers help the students

negative attitudes towards this essential skill.
Educators can play a major role in helping students overcome this problem. It
is important for teachers to provide students with interesting, authentic and
meaningful writing experiences (Chohan, 2011). When these types of
experiences are provided for the students, they become more engaged and
interested in their learning. According to Chohan (2011), writing is better
learned when students are engaged, helped to organize their thoughts, and
allowed to express their own experiences.
Lancaster (2013) reports that when students have the chance to participate in
writing workshops and used a variety of graphic organizers, writing becomes
meaningful, creative and more enjoyable. Furthermore, when learners are
offered the opportunity to practice writing under stress-free conditions, they
become more comfortable and confident in the writing process.
Marten ,L. Seagraves ,R. Thacker, S. &Young, L. (2005) add that teaching
writing via the use of graphic organizers is meaningful and interesting because
it effectively shows students' growth with respect to their writing abilities.
Lancaster (2013) confirms that the use of graphic organizers in teaching is one
way to create a learning atmosphere where students love writing. Teachers can

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prevent writing failure and students' frustration when successful, meaningful
ways of teaching are used.
2.2. The reality of teaching and learning writing atSon La specialized
high school
2.2.1. The teacher’s and students’ attitudes towards the teaching and
learning of writing
Writing is not highly appreciated by the students and even the teachers do
not take the importance of writing seriously. This is because of the main

proficiency and low background knowledge.
In terms of the second cause, the students do not highly asses their te chers’
ssist nce. hey find their te chers’ feedb cks re not comprehensive
nd their te chers’ instructions re not dequ te.
2.2.3. The new “TiengAnh 10” textbook.
he new “ ieng nh 0” is the first of three-level English language set of
textbooks for the Vietnamese upper secondary school. It follows the systematic,
cyclical and theme-based curriculum approved by the Minister of Education and
Training on 23rd November 2012. The aim of this set of textbooks is to develop
students’ communic tive competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing
so that when finishing upper secondary school, students will achieve level three
of the Vietnamese Foreign Language Competence Framework (equivalent to B1
in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).
2.2.3.1. Grade 10 writing objectives
The aim of the course is to equip students with English writing skill for
basic communication. For grade 10 students, the objective is to develop
students’ bilities to provide 0 - 180 word paragraphs or short essay on familiar
topics.
2.2.3.2. Writing lessons
The writing subsection prepares students to cope with the two biggest
problems they usually experience, which are lack of ideas and lack of necessary
language to express ideas. It often begins with a pre-writing activity that
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presents the topic and gives students an opportunity to brainstorm ideas related
to the given topic. In the following activity, useful phrases are presented and
practiced so that students can use them later. Sometimes, a model text is
presented with one or two tasks for students to study its structure and format
before producing their own text. This approach to writing gives students some

people
8. New ways to learn Writing about the advantages of electronic devices as
learning tools
9. Preserving the
Environment

Writing about environmental problem and give some
practical advice on how to preserve the environment

10. Ecotourism

Writing a travel brochure promoting an ecotour

Table 1: Checklist of writing tasks in TiengAnh 10 textbook

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3. Methodology section
3.1. Participant and Setting
The participants of this study were the students from class 10V with 32
students majoring in literature. They are chosen to be the first students to study
the new textbook designed for those who have been studying English for 10
years from grade 3 to grade 12. To study this textbook, students have to achieve
level two of the Vietnamese Foreign Language Competence Framework
(equivalent to A2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages). However, the number of the students that can meet the requirement
is very small, about 15in the total of 32 students. Consequently, I faced a lot of
challenges when teaching students the new textbook, especially writing skill.
3.2. Data sources and research material


nd

2 wrtiting post - test

Compare the results of the pre-test and the two post tests

The attitude survey

DATA ANALYSIS
4. Research Schedule:
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4. 1. Intervention
4.1.1. Pre – intervention
- This began after I had finished teaching Unit 1 and 2 in the new
textbook. This stage lasted for one week during which I met twice with
students. In the first lesson, the students were given some explanation of the
intended experiment and its expected benefits for them. The concept of
graphic organizers was briefly introduced and the students were informed
that they were going to learn more about these techniques and their use to
enhance writing ability.
In the same lesson, the students were given the writing attitude survey.
This was a close -ended survey intended to collect some information about
the students’ perceptions and feelings towards writing before the graphic
organizers' intervention. This survey would be given to the students once
more at the end of the study to see if there were any changes in students'
attitudes towards writing which could be attributed to the graphic
organizers' intervention.


Name of the
Person:

Typical works:

Important
achievements:

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Conclusion:


Unit 4: FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY
Writing an application letter for volunteer work

Writer’s address
Date
Employer’s title
Company/ Organization
Address
Dear .....................................
Paragraph 1: Mentioning the job you are applying for
and where you found the job.

Paragraph 2: Telling why you are right for the job
mentioning your experiences and responsibilities.

Paragraph 3: Listing your personal qualities and offering

further
explanation:


Unit 6: GENDER EQUALITY
Writing about the disadvantages of working mothers
Topic sentence:

Supporting idea 1:

Explanation 1:
Supporting idea 2:

Explanation 2:

Explanation 1:

Explanation 2:

Supporting idea 3:

Explanation 2:
Explanation 1:

Concluding sentence:

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Unit 7: CULTURAL DIVERSITY

...................................
...................................
...................................
...........

...................................
...................................
...................................
...........

Environmental
problem: (what
and why?)
........................
........................
........................
........................
.................
Solution 4:
...................................
...................................
...................................
...........

Solution 3:
...................................
...................................
...................................
...........


* Before graphic organizer training
* After graphic organizer training

Easy

Difficult

Medium

4
9

16
11

12
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2 How do you feel when it is time for writing? Excited
* Before graphic organizer training
3
* After graphic organizer training
15

Nervous
16
10

Neutral
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7
8

5 What is the most difficult part of writing for

Planning

Writing

Organizing

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you?
* Before graphic organizer training
* After graphic organizer training
Table 2

10
5

8
20

14
7

: Writing attitude survey


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