Khóa luận Pre-Reading activities for the 1st year english majors at Haiphong private university - Tran Thi Thanh Mai

Nội dung text: Khóa luận Pre-Reading activities for the 1st year english majors at Haiphong private university - Tran Thi Thanh Mai

1. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY ISO 9001 : 2008 RESEARCH PAPER PRE-READING ACTIVITIES FOR THE 1ST YEAR ENGLISH MAJORS AT HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY Name: Tran Thi Thanh Mai HẢI PHÒNG, 2013
2. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY ISO 9001 : 2008 PRE-READING ACTIVITIES FOR THE 1ST YEAR ENGLISH MAJORS AT HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY MAJOR: ENGLISH Name : Tran Thi Thanh Mai Supervisor : Dang Thi Van, M.A HẢI PHÒNG, 2013
3. Acknowledgements During the process of doing this paper, I have received the useful help from my teachers, my colleagues, my friends and my family. First of all, I would like to gratefully and sincerely thank Mrs. Dang Thi Van, MA for her assistance, guidance, understanding and especially her patience. Without her help, my researching paper would have never been successfully fulfilled. Besides, my deep thank is also extended to all the teachers in Department of Foreign Languages for their lectures supporting this study and all the students of NA1601 who enthusiastically help me complete the survey questionnaires. Last but not least, I am grateful to my family and all of my friends for always standing by, supporting and encouraging me. The completion and success of my researching paper would not be achieved without their help. HaiPhong, June, 2013 Tran ThiThanh Mai
4. Table of contents Part I: INTRODUCTION I.1. RATIONALE OF THE STUDY 1 I.2. AIM OF THE STUDY 1 I.3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 2 I.4. METHODS OF THE STUDY 2 I.5. DESIGN OF THE STUDY 2 Part II: DEVELOPMENT II.1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 4 II.1.1. What is Reading? 4 II.1.2.Classification of Reading skills? 5 II.1.2.1. Skimming 6 II.1.2.2. Scanning 8 II.1.2.3. Intensive reading 9 II.1.2.4. Extensive reading 9 II.1.3. Reading activities: 10 II.1.3.1. Pre-reading activities 11 II.1.3.2. While-reading activities 13 II.1.3.3. Post-reading activities 14 II.2. PRE-READING ACTIVITIES FOR THE 1ST YEAR ENGLISH MAJORS. 15 II.2.1. Learning and teaching Reading skills at HPU 15 II.2.1.1. Context 15 II.2.1.2. Survey questionnaire 17 II.2.2. Major findings. 25 II.2.3.Pre-reading activity’s organizing. 26 Tapestry reading 1 Chapter 1 28 Chapter 2 29 Chapter 3 30
5. Chapter 4 32 Chapter 5 33 Chapter 6 34 Chapter 7 36 Chapter 8 37 Chapter 9 38 Chapter 10 40 Tapestry reading 2 Chapter 1 41 Chapter 2 42 Chapter 3 43 Chapter 4 44 Chapter 5 45 Chapter 6 46 Chapter 7 47 Chapter 8 48 Chapter 9 50 Chapter 10 52 II.2.4. Classification 53 II.2.4.1. Brainstorming 53 II.2.4.2. Vocabulary review 56 II.2.4.3. Game and quiz 57 II.2.4.4. Discussion 58 II.2.4.5. Skimming and scanning practice 58 Part III. CONCLUSION 60 REFERENCES 61 ANSWER KEY 62 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES 67
6. PART I. INTRODUCTION I.1. Rationale of the study In the recent years, English plays more and more important part in the world. It is geographically the most widely spoken language. It is also the most popular one used in international business, education and travel. When the world is in integrated period, the role of English is surely confirmed. Vietnam is on the path of developing to integrate with many countries all over the world, so English becomes much more popular and necessary. English studying and teaching are attached special importance in education and training sector and reading skill is one of four important skills in this one. Being good at reading skill, the students can improve their pronunciation, vocabulary, updated information about global hot topics. In addition, their possibilities of thinking, writing, listening as well as speaking is practiced and perfected gradually. Reading is not a difficult skill. However, if the teachers and students do not have appropriate methods, it is not easy to get the best effect. In regard to the 1st English majors at Haiphong Private University, the studying and applying reading skills are much more essential because it will be the foundation for them to learn reading as well as other English skills easily and effectively. It is the reason why this paper is conducted. I.2. Aim of the study As the above rationale, the searching paper is carried out to design pre- reading activities for the 1st year English majors at Haiphong Private University in order to motivate these students to get engaged in reading lessons as well as do brainstorming before starting the class. 1
7. I.3. Scope of the study There are many different material resources and many fields of topic to research when my knowledge, personal experience and time are limited. Therefore, in this researching paper, I would like to focus on analyzing, categorizing English reading skills and designing pre-reading activities for the 1st year English majors at Haiphong Private University who are considered the beginners in this subject. I.4. Methods of the study Survey questionnaires are used as the method to carry out this research. The survey is taken with NA1601, the 1st year English students at Haiphong Private University, to get not only their attitudes, evaluations and difficulties they meet while learning reading 1-2 but also the pre-reading activities they have experienced. Besides, I read and studied text book for English major reading class (Tapestry reading 1 & 2), resources and material books on the Internet. The discussions are also used with the supervisor and colleagues via email and exchanging ideas directly. I.5. Design of the study The study consists of 3 parts: Part I is an introduction with the rationale, aim, scope, methods and design of the study. Part II is the development with 2 headings:  Theoretical background: - Reading skill definition 2
8. - Classification of reading skills: skimming, scanning, intensive reading and extensive reading. - Reading activities: pre-reading, while-reading, post-reading activities.  Pre-reading activities - Learning and teaching Reading skills at HPU - Major findings - Pre-reading activities designing Part III will deal with conclusion 3
9. PART II. DEVELOPMENT II.1 Theoretical background II.1.1. What is Reading? The ability to read- taking general comprehension as the example- requires that the readers draw information and expectations that the reader already has. There are many definitions of ―reading‖ based on some different views. Starting with tradition view which concentrated on the printed form of a text and turning to the cognitive view which enhanced the role of background knowledge in addition to what appeared on the printed form. It seems to be that the cognitive view is more reliable because here, the reader rather than the text is the heart of the reading process. The traditional view Reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. Learn how readers integrate these facets to make meaning from print. (Diane Henry Leipzig, 2001) To ―making meaning from print‖, we have to: Identify the words in print – a process called word recognition Construct an understanding from them – a process called comprehension. Coordinate identifying words and making meaning so that reading is automatic and accurate – an achievement called fluency. According to Nunan (1991), reading in this view is basically a matter of decoding a series of written symbols into their aural equivalents in the quest for making sense of the text. 4
10. Gibson (1965) also characterizes reading behaviour as (a) receiving communication, (b) making discriminative responses to graphic symbols, (c) decoding graphic symbols to speech, and (d) obtaining meaning from printed page. The cognitive view Manzo and Manzo – define Reading ‗as the act of simultaneously reading the lines, reading between the lines, and reading beyond the lines.‘ The first part of their definition, reading the lines refers to the act of decoding the words in order to construct the author‘s basic message. The next part, reading between the lines, refers to the act of making inferences and understanding the author‘s implied message. And finally, reading beyond the lines involves the judging of the significance of the author‘s message and applying it to other areas of background and knowledge. Gray (1956) – ‗A good reader understands not only the meaning of the passage, but its related meaning as well which includes all the reader knows that enriches or illuminates the literal meaning. Such knowledge may have acquired through direct experience, through wide reading or through listening to others.‘ Reading is also a complex process in that proficient readers give to the text as much as they take. They make meaning from the text by using their own prior knowledge and experiences. Proficient readers are constantly making predictions while reading. They are continuously anticipating what will come next. Their prior knowledge and experiences with texts as well as with the world around them allow them to do this. It is this continuous interaction with the text that allows readers to make sense of what they are reading. II.1.2.Classification of Reading skills It is necessary for the students to be aware of the purpose and goals for reading a particular piece of written text. The important notice for both the teachers and learners is that the purpose of reading related to the types of reading skills. The 5
11. subjects will attain their goals quickly and efficiently if they apply appropriate reading skills. Kenneth Beare, an ESL trainer and developer, points out that there are 4 main types of reading skills.  Skimming: reading rapidly for the main points.  Scanning: Reading rapidly to find a specific piece of information.  Intensive reading: reading a short text for detailed information.  Extensive reading: reading a longer text, often for pleasure with emphasis on overall meaning. Skimming and scanning are two specific speed-reading skills, which enable you to cover a large amount of the text very quickly. These skills are similar in process but different in purpose. II.1.2.1. Skimming Speed reading is a good way to absorb a lot of printed information quickly, but sometimes you just need to get the gist of what is being written about, without all the details. In this situation, you can find skimming useful. Skimming is taking the most important information or the main ideas from the page without reading all the words. (The term comes from the act of skimming milk, when the dairy farmer skims the cream — the richest material — from the top of the milk before it is processed.) Skimming can usually be accomplished at about 1000 words per minute. Skimming is useful in three different situations: - Pre-reading: skimming is more thorough than simple previewing and can give a more accurate picture of text to be read later. - Reviewing: skimming is useful for reviewing text already read. - Reading: skimming is most often used for quickly reading material that, or any number of reason, does not need more detailed attention. 6
12. There are some examples: You skim the newspaper to quickly get the generals new of the day, skim the magazine to quickly discover what article you would like to read, skim the business and travel brochures to quickly get informed. Below are some steps in skimming you should follow to get the best effect. 1) Read the title – the shortest possible summary of the text content. 2) Read the introduction or lead-in paragraph 3) Read the first paragraph completely. The Opening paragraphs often outline what the author plans to prove. 4) If there are subheadings, read each one, looking for relationships among them 5) Read the first sentence of each remaining paragraph. Note that the main idea of most paragraphs appears in the first sentence. If the author‘s pattern is to begin with a question or anecdote, you may find the main point in the last sentence. 6) Dip into the text looking for: Clue words that answer who, what, when, why, how Proper nouns Unusual words, especially if capitalized Enumerations Qualifying adjectives (best, worst, most, etc.) Typographical cues: italics, bold, underlining, asterisks ,etc 7) Read the final paragraph completely because it usually explains why the author‘s proof is justified. Do not skim them. Note: 7
13. Needlessly lengthy white papers and convoluted business reports are almost impossible not to skim. II.1.2.2.Scanning If skimming is used when readers want to get the gist, scanning skills is applied to locate key or specific information rapidly. It can be the dates, numbers, examples, definitions and so on. In scanning you have a question in your mind and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignore unrelated information. Scanning can be done at 1500 or more words per minute. Examples of scanning: a bus/ airplane schedule, a conference guide, a graph and so on. Some Steps for scanning 1) Keep in mind at all times what it is you are searching for. If you hold the image of the word or idea clearly in mind, it is likely to appear more clearly than the surrounding words. 2) Anticipate in what form the information is likely to appear: numbers, proper nouns, etc. 3) Analyze the organization of the content before starting to scan. If material is familiar or fairly brief, you may be able to scan the entire the text in a single search. If the material is lengthy or difficult, a preliminary skimming may be necessary to determine which part of the text to scan. Let your eyes run rapidly over several lines of print at a time When you find the sentence that has the information you seek, read the entire sentence. 8
14. II.1.2.3.Intensive reading Intensive reading is used on shorter texts in order to extract specific information. It includes very close accurate reading for detail. Use intensive reading skills to grasp the details of a specific situation. In this case, it is important that you understand each word, number or fact. Examples of Intensive Reading A bookkeeping report An insurance claim A contract On the view point of language teaching, intensive reading is related to further progress in language learning under the teacher‘s guidance. It provides a basis for explaining difficulties of structure and for extending knowledge of vocabulary and idioms. It will provide material for developing greater control of the language and speech and writing. Students will study short stories and extracts from novels, chosen for the standard of difficulty of the language and for the interest they hold for this particular group of students. Intensive reading is generally at a slower speed and requires a higher degree of understanding to develop and refine word study skills, enlarge passive vocabulary, reinforce skills related to sentence structure, increase active vocabulary, distinguish among thesis, fact, supportive and non-supportive details, provide socio-cultural insights. II.1.2.4.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 your general knowledge of business procedures. Do not worry if you understand each word. 9
15. Examples of Extensive Reading The latest marketing strategy book A novel you read before going to bed Magazine articles that interest you On the view point of language teaching, extensive reading develops at the student‘s own pace according to individual ability. The purpose of extensive reading is to train the students to read directly and fluently in the target language for enjoyment without the aid of the teacher. Where graded texts are available, structures in texts for extensive reading will be already familiar, and new items of vocabulary will be introduced slowly in such a way that their meaning can be deduced from context. Student will be encouraged to make intelligent guesses at the meaning of unfamiliar items. Material consists of authentic short stories and plays, or informative or controversial articles from newspapers and magazines. A few adaptations of vocabulary and structure will be made. The style of writing should entail a certain amount of repetition without monotony. Novelties of vocabulary should not coincide with difficulties of structure. It means reading in quantity and in order to gain a general understanding of what is read. It is intended to develop good reading habit, to build up knowledge of vocabulary and structure and to encourage a liking for reading, increase total comprehension, enable students to achieve independence in basic skill development, acquaint the student with relevant socio- cultural material, and encourage recreational reading. II.1.3. Reading activities: Among the four language skills, reading is likely to be the most extensively and intensively studied by experts in the field of language teaching. The result of the studies conducted the series of methods and tips to help learner develop 10
16. their reading‘s ability. Here are some tips and methods for teachers to teach reading skills. They can be classified in three consecutive stages: before reading, while reading and after reading. II.1.3.1. Pre-reading activities Pre-reading activities is conducted to develop, add, delete or modify new insight to text and to activate prior knowledge. Lebauer (1998) stated that pre- reading activities can lighten learners‘ cognitive burden while reading because prior discussion will have been incorporated. In these activities, some points are regarded in order to make the process of reading more comprehensible. Chen and Graves (1995-664) define them as ―devices for bridging the gap between the text's content and the reader's schemata" One of the most important pre-reading activities in schematic theorists is Prediction. Goodman (1988) stated :"the brain is always anticipating and predicting as it seeks order and significance in sensory inputs" (16). Smith (1994) defines prediction as "the prior elimination of unlikely alternatives" (19-20). Predictions, according to him, are questions the readers ask the world and comprehension is receiving the answers. He asserts that it is precisely this that makes skilled readers effective when reading texts that contain familiar subject matter. ―Prediction brings potential meaning to texts, reducing ambiguity and eliminating in advance irrelevant alternatives. Thus, we are able to generate comprehensible experience from inert pages of print‖.(Smith 1994, 18). For instance, at the beginning of new chapter, the teacher The second activity recommended is Previewing, where students look at titles, headings and read the first few paragraphs and the last paragraph; these activities can help students understand what the text is about by activating their formal and content schemata and making them familiar with the topic before they begin reading in earnest. 11
17. Another pre-reading activity is semantic mapping. This is a type of brainstorming where the title/subject is placed as the main idea or the center, then student develop a "mind map" around it. It can be effective either in a group or by oneself. As students make associations, the map becomes a thorough summary of the concepts and vocabulary that they will encounter in the reading. It can also help build schemata and vocabulary that students do not yet possess. Again, it is important to know something about the students so the selected texts contain the type of material that is likely to be familiar and interesting to them. In addition to the semantic mapping, pre-question is also very useful. It establishes in the student‘s mind the bone of their work, then reading the text basing on the questions they gave. Often chapters in texts provide organizing questions. Students can also write out a series of questions they expect to be answered when reading: Examples: Definition: What is ? Where does fit? What group does belong to? Characteristics: How would I describe ? What does look like? What are its parts? Examples What is a good example of ? What are similar examples that share attributes but differ in some way? Experience What experience have I had with ? What can I imagine about ? The most popular activities applied in teaching reading skill is Vocabulary Previews. Unfamiliar key words need to be taught to students before reading so that new words, background information, and comprehension can improve together. List all words in the assignment that may be important for 12
18. students to understand. Arrange words to show the relationships to the learning task. Add words students probably already understand to connect relationships between what is known and the unknown. Share information with students. Verbally quiz them on the information before assigned reading begins. Last but not least, using Visual Aids, Quiz and Game as pre-reading activities is also effective. These activities can activate student‘s prior knowledge and make them excited and eager to learn. II.1.3.2. While-reading activities The activities carried out in during-reading stage consist of taking notes, reacting, predicting, selecting significant information, questioning the writer‘s position, evaluating, and placing a text within one‘s own experience. These processes may be the most complex to develop in a classroom setting, the reason being that in English reading classes most attention is often paid to dictionaries, the text, and the teacher. The followings are tips that encourage active reading. Practicing them will help the students be active readers. 1. Making predictions: The students should be taught to be on the watch to predict what is going to happen next in the text to be able to integrate and combine what has come with what is to come. 2. Making selections: Readers who are more proficient read selectively, continually making decisions about their reading. 3. Integrating prior knowledge: The schemata that have been activated in the pre-reading section should be called upon to facilitate comprehension. 4. Skipping insignificant parts: A good reader will concentrate on significant pieces of information while skipping insignificant pieces. 5. Re-reading: Students should be encouraged to become sensitive to the effect of reading on their comprehension. 13
19. 6. Making use of context or guessing: Students should not be encouraged to define and understand every single unknown word in a text. Instead they should learn to make use of context to guess the meaning of unknown words. 7. Breaking words into their component parts: To keep the process of comprehension ongoing, efficient readers analyze unfamiliar words by break them into their affixes or bases. These parts can help them guess the meaning of a word. 8. Reading in chunks: To ensure reading speed, students should get used to reading groups of words together. This act will also enhance comprehension by focusing on groups of meaning-conveying symbols simultaneously. 9. Pausing: Good readers will pause at certain places while reading a text to absorb and internalize the material being read and sort out information. 10. Paraphrasing: While reading texts, it may be necessary to paraphrase and interpret texts sub-vocally in order to verify what was comprehended. 11. Monitoring: Good readers monitor their understanding to evaluate whether the text, or the reading of it, is meeting their goals. II.1.3.3. Post-reading activities Post-reading activities basically depend on the purpose of reading and the type of information extracted from the text. Barnett (1988) states that post- reading exercises first check students‘ comprehension and then lead students to a deeper analysis of the text. In the real world the purpose of reading is not to memorize an author‘s point of view or to summarize text content, but rather to see into another mind, or to engage new information with what one already knows. Group discussion will help students focus on information they did not comprehend, or did comprehend correctly. Accordingly, attention will be focused on processes that lead to comprehension or miscomprehension. Generally speaking, post-reading can take the form of these various activities: 14
20. (1) discussing the text: written/oral (2) summarizing: written/oral (3) making questions: written/oral (4) answering questions: written/oral (5) filling in forms and charts (6) writing reading logs (7) completing a text, (8) listening to or reading other related materials (9) role-playing II.2. Pre-reading activities for the 1st year English majors. II.2.1. Learning and teaching Reading skill at HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY II.2.1.1. Context a. Vision and mission of Haiphong Private University Highly appreciate dynamism and creativity, knowledge and wisdom, humanity and social responsibility, Haiphong Private University (HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY) always make efforts to offer high-quality learning opportunities with a view to helping students develop comprehensively in terms of intellectualization, physicality and personality. HAIPHONG PRIVATE 15
21. UNIVERSITY Graduates should understand themselves, take ownership and use knowledge creatively to serve the community and society. b. Faculty of Foreign Languages The Faculty of Foreign Languages offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to help students develop not only linguistic but more importantly cultural knowledge and skills needed for this internationalized society. The Faculty now offers 3 foreign languages as English, Chinese and Japanese. The faculty mission is to promote teaching of foreign languages for academic purposes to meet the growing demand for graduates who can demonstrate both content knowledge and high level of language proficiency. At present, the department has 35 lecturers with high professional qualification, experience, enthusiasm and responsibility. They continually create and update teaching materials, method to increase quality of HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY students after graduating. Besides, the faculty always welcomes the volunteer from Australia, England, the USA, India and so on to help students in learning and practicing English. In addition, international student exchange programs are usually carried out to create favorable learning language condition for language majors. Moreover, English club, festival, contest and other activities are also held regularly in HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY‘s campus. c. The English majors student at Faculty of Foreign Languages There are currently about 120 English major students at HPU. Thirty seven of them are studying in the 1st year at university. Understanding the importance of English to their lives, they all study in a serious and strict manner so as to have a firm foundation for their careers in the future. 16
22. d. Situation of learning reading of the 1st English majors at HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY In the 1st year, Reading subject includes reading 1 and reading 2 which are taught by Mrs. Dang Thi Van, Mrs. Nguyen ThiHuyen and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Yen Thoa. After learning Reading 1 & 2, the students can develop their reading skills. They can also get the meaning of words or sentences easily, independently from the dictionary. The detail aims of subjects is to help student practice skimming & scanning, guessing the meaning from the context and do journal after each chapter to review the content of reading texts and express their ideas towards the topic in this text. In regard to the material, the Department of Foreign Languages at Haiphong Private University currently uses 2 textbooks for 2 terms: - Tapestry Reading 1 Virginia L. Guleff. (2000). Heinle&Heinle Publishers - Tapestry Reading 2 Virginia L. Guleff. (2000). Heinle&Heinle Publishers II.2.1.2. Survey questionnaires e. Participants The participants of this survey are 37 students from NA1601. They are the 1st year English majors at HPU and have just finished Reading 1 & 2. f. Purpose of survey questionnaire To look inside the reality of learning and teaching Reading skills at HPU, I conducted a survey within the scope of the study. The major aim of this survey 17
23. questionnaire is to collect and analyze data regarding the recognition and utilization of learning Reading skill of the 1st year English majors. This part is designed for the following purposes: - To find out the attitude of students to Reading lesson and materials - To investigate situation of learning reading lesson as well as applying pre-reading activities in class. g. Data analysis Question 1: How long have you been learning English? 12 years 10 years 7 years 3 years 2 2 16 17 The pie chart above shows the time students at NA1601 have learnt English. It can be seen clearly that almost the students have been learning English for 10 years and 7 years with 17 students and 16 students respectively. Besides, there are 2 students having been learning right from the beginning of primary school and 2 students started only when they attended high schools. The difference among the time they have learnt will cause some difficulties for the teacher to choose the methods to teach them. Question 2 18
24. Which skills do you like most? 19% 24% Reading Speaking 19% Writing 38% Listening The chart above indicates the English skills that students enjoy most. We can see that Speaking is the most favorable skill among students. It occupies 38%. Some students said that they were very eager for learning speaking because this was the new subject that they had not studied more at high school. Reading ranks as the 2nd interesting skill with 24%. Writing and listening seem to be the least favored subjects with 19%. Students think that listening was the most difficult skill because of the difference in intonation between the foreign and Vietnamese people. It can be explained that they are the 1st year students and English they had concentrated at school were only reading and writing to prepare for the university entrance exam. They didn‘t have time to learn listening. Question 3 The following pie chart illustrates the interest of students in reading lesson. 32% questioned students said they liked these lessons. Opposite to this figure, there are 19% who find not interesting. The rest is the percentage of students who find it normal, not too interesting, not too boring. 19
25. Do you like reading lesson? Yes No Normal 0% 19% 32% 49% Question 4 It is thought that preparing the lesson before starting class is good for learning. The column chart about illustrate how often the students do this work. The hard working students who are always prepared reading lesson seem to be the least with only 2 students. 17 students sometimes prepare the exercises while 7 ones never do it. There are 7 and 4 students for usually, hardly ever respectively. Do you often prepare your reading lesson before going to university? 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Always Usually Sometimes Hardly ever Never 20
26. Question 5 How do you think about reading text in Tapestry reading 1 and 2? 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Very Interesting Not interesting Boring Very boring Interesting According to the result of survey questionnaire, the reading texts in Tapestry reading 1 and 2 are very interesting with 2 students. They are updated and useful to learn skill as well as get information. Other 12 students asked find it interesting. The rest students feel these texts boring and difficult. Question 6 Which difficulties do you have when learning reading English? 27 18 15 11 7 New words Unfamiliar Difference in Implication Getting the topic & structure and style culture main idea 21
27. The chart shows some difficulties students meet in learning reading English. It can be seen clearly that new words is the problem that most students have. At first, if they do not use dictionary, they find very hard to understand the meaning of sentences. Unfamiliar structure and style ranks the second popular difficulty with 18 students meet. Implication is also the challenge with 15 students although the implication in words and sentences is not much in reading 1 and 2. Eleven learners are not good at getting the topic and main idea in reading text whereas the difference in cultures is only problems of 7 students. In short, learning reading ESL (English as a Second Language) is not easy. Each student should try their best to be across the problems in learning. Question 7 Which techniques do your teachers often use when teaching reading lesson? Photocopy 27 Video and 2 music Picture 8 Board and 9 chalk Projector 25 Textbook 28 The chart above illustrates some techniques and the frequency the reading teacher used them in reading class. Not surprisingly, textbook is essential in all lessons. It can be seen clearly from the chart that photocopy is the second popular material in reading class because students usually received exercises and reading text in photocopy to practice after finishing lesson in textbook. Projector is also used in almost reading class. Both teachers and students used it to show the 22
28. content of lesson or the presentation. According to the chart, the role of board and chalk become less important in reading class. Picture, video and music sometimes were used in class because it only illustrates the content or makes fun. Question 8 Do you like taking part in some activities before starting reading lesson?  Yes No 26 in 37 students asked say ―Yes‖. They want something to warm them up before starting with textbook. They all enjoy participating in pre-reading activities. Question 9 and 10 Do your teachers organize some pre-reading activities like warming- up, game, quiz and so on at the beginning of reading lesson? Yes No If yes, how often? What pre-reading activities below do your teachers use when teaching reading? Game and quiz Overview of lesson Brainstorming Vocabulary review Group discussion Other Visual-Aids(picture, presentation ) 23
29. The purpose of question 9 and 10 is to survey the pre-activities applying for the 1st year English major at HPU. The result is that some teachers usually organize pre-reading activities in their class with some activities listed above. The most favorable activity, vocabulary overview, is used in most of the lesson with new chapter. The rest is used occasionally. 24
30. II.2.2. Major findings. Based on the results of the survey, the aim of the current part is to clarify some major finding which are mainly related to learning reading skills and applying pre-reading activities in class of the 1st year English majors at Haiphong Private University. Most students are acquainted with English in schools because English was one of the main subjects in every level. However, the time they studied is different. This causes many difficulties for the teacher at HPU to apply teaching methods which are suitable for all of them. In regard to 4 skills in learning English, the favor among students is also not identical. Most of them like speaking because it is likely to be new subject as they only concentrated on reading and grammar at schools. On the contrary, listening is also not familiar with them, but not many students enjoy this skill. It can be explained that students find hard to follow the intonation and pronunciation of foreigners in the tapes at the early time they study listening. When writing is considered the least favored skill, reading is still favorite one of many students. They commented that reading text gives them many vocabularies, grammar structures as well as knowledge about the world. Moreover, they can learn the ways to summarize or catch the main idea of a text, which is very necessary for them to learn listening. Many pre-reading activities are applied in reading lessons at HPU, which makes many students enjoy this lesson. The most favorable activity, vocabulary review, is used in most lessons. Besides, brainstorming, discussion, quiz and game as well as overview of lesson are also used regularly. The students appreciate reading lessons with these activities because their thoughts are active. They can take more initiative in learning the reading text. This survey will be the foundation for the next part, which provides some suggested pre-reading activities to help the 1st year English majors at Haiphong Private University have the basic steps to familiarize with the content of reading text in Tapestry reading 1 and 2. 25
31. II.2.3.Pre-reading activity’s organizing. The amount of interaction before reading is diverse, but we can classify it into 4 types: a. Cold reading (No Pre-reading instruction). In this type, student‘s first experience with the text is independent. Student is responsible for monitoring understanding and using appropriate strategies. b. Limited Pre-reading Instruction. It means teacher considers the text and reader to carefully plan brief pre-reading activities that support students so they may grapple with the text. c. Lengthy pre-reading instruction means teacher provides extensive pre- reading activities that allow student to do some thinking on their own but also rely on the teacher‘s provided information d. Over-scaffolded Pre-reading Instruction means teacher does all of the work. Students have no reason to read the text. No matter what interaction before reading the teacher choose, they have to balance the lesson time to help student gain the most effective result. It is supposed that not all pre-reading lessons have to take place before reading. There is a possibility of stopping along the way during the reading to look forward. Thus ―pre-reading‖ could take place after a considerable amount of reading has already been accomplished. The following pre-reading activities are organized basing on the content of Tapestry Reading 1 and 2. It can be the reference for teachers as well as students to apply pre-reading in the 1st year studying English major at HPU. 26
32. Pre-reading activities for the 1st year English majors at HPU Tapestry Reading 1 Tapestry Reading 2 Chapter 1: College life: Chapter 1: The Cycle of Life Difficult Dreams Chapter 2: Jobs, Occupations, Chapter 2: Water: Our Most and Careers Important Resource Chapter 3: The Spirit of Chapter 3: Healthy Habits Competition Chapter 4: Only one Earth Chapter 4: Lawmakers and Lawbreakers Chapter 5: Trains, Planes and Automobiles Chapter 5: Beyond Science Chapter 6: A World of Fast Chapter 6: War and Conflict Food Chapter 7: Language, Literacy Chapter 7: Love and Marriage and Education Chapter 8: Telling Stories Chapter 8: On the Move Chapter 9: Buyer Beware Chapter 9: Cultural Perspectives Chapter 10: Space is the Place Chapter 10: American Lives 27
33. Chapter 1: College life: Difficult dreams The difference in college life and school life? a. Tick in the appropriate column The characteristics College School 1. Your instructors are now called "professors" instead of "teachers." 2. The teacher usually check your notebook 3. You can pick what time your classes start. 4. You get to do real science experiments. 5. Campus-sponsored events happen much later at night 6. Your student ID gets you a discount 7. You can fail or pass a class depending on how you do on one exam/assignment/etc. 8. You have more freedom to choose the topics on things like research papers. 9. You'll learn how to write a 4-page paper from a 10-line poem. 10. You can have class outside. 11. You'll attend classes with other students who want, instead of have to be there. 12. You can receive a scholarship if you have good studying result 13. You have to do all the homework 14. You can stay out all night without anyone caring. 15. You can join in volunteer group b. What are acceptable in college life, but unacceptable in school life? And vice versa? 28
34. Chapter 2: Water: Our most important resource I. Reading 1: Water facts What do you know about water facts? Use your own knowledge to check these sentences. What is true? What is false? There is only one mistake in false sentence. 1. Water is made up of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Its chemical formula is H2O 2. The existence of water is not essential for life on Earth. 3. Water covers around 70% of the Earth‘s surface 4. Ocean tides are caused by the rotation of the Earth and the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun acting on ocean water. 5. The longest river in the world is the Amazon River 6. Pure water has no smell and no taste 7. There are 4 major oceans in the world: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Southern Ocean 8. You can find water from the cactus 9. Of all the earth's water, 97% is salt water found in rivers and seas. 10. It takes 2.500 gallon of water to produce a pound of coffee ( 29
35. Chapter 3: Healthy Habits I. Which habits are good for your health? Which are bad for your health? Write G (good) and B (bad) in the following habits. 1. Eating fast food 2. Getting up early 3. Nose/ mouth picking 4. Beer drinking 5. Becoming an ―owl‖ at night 6. Exercise in the morning 7. Smoking 8. Wearing high hill shoes 9. Fruit and vegetable eating 10. Skipping breakfast 11. Nail biting 12. Drinking a glass of water in the morning 13. Ignoring sex life 14. Drinking cold water in the summer 15. Sleeping 4 hours a day 16. Noisy eating 17. Swimming regularly 18. Sleeping in your make up 30
36. II.Work in group of four. List 5 good habits and 5 bad habits. Explain why they are good? Why they are bad? III. Connect the home remedy to the disease a. Drinking lemon salt tea or honey 1. Cough b. Practice acupressure 2. Bad Cold c. Covering them with the 3. Toothache leaves of aloe 4. Sunburn d. Add some cornstarch in water and take a bath with it 5. Insomnia e. Eating chicken soup or 6. Headache decoction made from ginger, 7. Itchy skin lemon or garlic and water. f. Having a nice hot bath Glossary: - Acupressure (n) a form of medical treatment, originally from Japan, in which pressure is applied to particular parts of the body using the fingers. - Aloe (n) a tropical plant with thick leaves with sharp points that contain a lot of water - Decoction (n) the act of extracting the flavor or essence of by boiling - Insomnia (n) the condition of being unable to sleep. - Cornstarch (n) cornflour Aloe Cornstarch 31
37. Chapter 4: Only One Earth Reading 1: Give a Man a Fish Match the word from column A to its definition in column B (Vocabulary Check, page 62) A B a. Make something less bright 1. Control b. Stop 2. Dim c. an electronic device used for communicating by 3. Engine radio, TV or providing information 4. Estimate d. not saving 5. Fault e. a particular area where you can buy or sell 6. Frozen something 7. Give up f. manage 8. Ignore g. not allowed by the law 9. Illegal h. kept at a very low temperature in order to 10. Market preserve 11. Nets i. judge something without having the exact detail 12. Satellite j. pay no attention 13. Threaten k. say that you will cause trouble, hurt somebody if 14. Ton you do not get what you want 15. Wasteful l. a unit for measuring weight m. a type of material used for a particular purpose, such as catching fish or covering sth n. the responsibility for something wrong that has happened o. the part of a vehicle that produces power to make the vehicle move. 32
38. Across 1. A big yellow vehicle that carries children daily 5. Not stop, but __ __. Chapter 5: Trains, Planes, and Automobiles 6. The abbreviation for Railroad I. Transportation Crossword Puzzle 7. Paddlewheel boats travel up and down the Mississippi___. 8. Low clouds that touch the ground are called ___. 9. This lubricant is used in engines and in cooking 10. Windows in a car are made of ___. 12. To help you find your way on a trip, you can use a___. 14. The opposite of ―go‖ 17. An automobile is also called a ___ 18. Police cars, ambulances and fire trucks use their sirens in an___. 20. The man ―went in to‖ (another word for it) the building. 22. 5,280 feet equals one ___ Down23. Right Of Way (abbreviated) 2.25. A You group final of people___. riding On to a worktrip, it‘stogether where every you‘re day. going. 3. A bridge over another roadway is also called an ___ 4. A road under a bridge is also called an ___. 5. Cars need this fuel to run. 10. When people come home, many park their cars in a___ 11. Not paying attention when driving can cause an ___. 13. A tractor Trailer is also called an 18-___. 15. You can do it to a golf ball, or a car. 16. ___ (frozen water) makes roads very slick in winter 3319. Planes fly in the ___. 21. North, South. ___, and west. 24. It takes longer to stop on ___ roads than dry ones www.deldot.gov/information/community /crossword_puzzle.pdf
39. Chapter 6: A World of Fast Food I. There are many famous fast food restaurant chains in the world. Look at these symbols and tell their names. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 34
40. II. Reading 2: Old McDonald’s Match the word from column A to its definition in column B (Vocabulay Check, page 109) A B 1. Abandon a. a person, an object, an event that represents a more 2. Arch general quality or situation 3. Corporation b. an expert in history 4. Drive-thru c. an event that marks an important stage window d. a curved structure 5. Historian e. a person who lives in a particular place or who has their 6. Landmark home there 7. Register f. a large business company 8. Resident g. service that allows customer to purchase products without 9. symbol leaving their car h. record name on an official list i. leave one place with no intention of returning III. Discussion 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of fast food? Advantages Disadvantages 35
41. Chapter 7: Love and Marriage I. Arrange these stages in Vietnamese marriage customs in the correct order. a. This is the time that the two families get to know each other more intimately. The couple has not formally received the blessing of the bride's parents at this point. b. the bride's family now announces their decision of whether or not to give their daughter's hand in marriage. This is a formal announcement made to the groom's family. c. The groom's family pays a visit to the bride's family to ask for the marriage to be accepted. This is a brief, but formal meeting between the two families. As a symbol of his sincerity, the groom must present the bride with betel leaves and betel nuts during this initial meeting. These items represent a bond of marriage that cannot be broken. d. This represents the time when the wedding rituals are performed before ancestral altars. The couple officially become husband and wife at this point. e. If the bride's parents consent to the marriage, then this stage is when the family announces what things are necessary for the bride to have at the wedding and to appoint a date and time when the groom's family may bring them gifts. f. This is when the groom's family presents the bride's family with the wedding plans. The bride's family then decides whether or not they accept the plans, and will give their daughter's hand in marriage. The traditional wedding custom research by PXK 36
42. Chapter 8: Telling Stories Reading 1. Myths and Mythology Match the word from column A to its definition in column B (Vocabulay Check, page 142) A B a. made of many different things or parts that are connected b. a story about magic c. that cannot be explained by the laws of science and that seems to involve gods or magic 1. Anthropology d. a principle, an idea or a fact that sth is based on 2. Archaeology and that it grows from 3. Blacksmith e. a story from ancient times, especially one that 4. Complicated was told to explain natural events or to 5. Disciplines describe the early history of a people 6. Fairy tales f. the study of cultures of the past, and of periods 7. Foundation of history by examining the remains of 8. Psychology buildings and objects found in the ground 9. Seeds g. the study of the human race, especially of its 10. Supernatural origins, development, customs and beliefs 11. Myths h. the scientific study of the mind and how it influences behavior i. the small hard part produced by a plant, from which a new plant can grow j. a person whose job is to make and repair things made of iron k. the practice of training people to obey rules and orders and punishing them if they do not 37
43. Chapter 9: Buyer Beware I. Quiz: Are You Addicted to Shopping? 1. How often are you at the mall? a) You'd probably run around the mall like crazy buying everything you a) Umm practically every day. see. What? Free money! b) Only when you b) You'd drive straight to the bank and absolutely need something. plop it into savings. c) Once every few weeks or if you have a c) Head to the Apple store. You've free afternoon. needed a new iPod for, like, a year. 2. What's your favorite store to shop 5. If you had to pick one part-time in? job to have, you'd be: a) Macy's. They have EVERYTHING. a) A waitress — you've heard the tips b) Forever 21. Cute stuff, totally cheap. are awesome. c) Target. What? They have cute clothes. b) Working at your favorite store. Hello, discount! 3. Do you have any credit cards, or do you use either of your parent's credit c) Working at an animal shelter. You cards? want to feel like you're helping out a) Yeah, right. You used to you use your 6. You just got asked on a date(!). parent's, but then they stopped letting What nervous thought won't stop you. You're not sure why going through your mind? b) No. You really don't see the need for a) "What are you supposed to them. wear?!!?" c) Sometimes your mom will let you use b) "Should you kiss him?!" hers. You're going to get one when c) "What are you going to talk you're 18. about???" 4. If someone handed you $1,000, what would you do with it? 38
44. 7. Think about your closet. What's b) Your closet is used more for in there? storage than clothes a) All of the latest trends and lots of c) A few expensive items, a few labels. cheap ones. It's a mix. Result: If most of your answer is a. You are “the biggest shopaholic ever” Let's just say you pretty much shop every day. If you need a new dress to go out or a cute shirt to wear to school, you hit up the mall instead of your closet. You just can't get enough of your favorite stores, and you love that feeling of wearing something brand new. It's great that you've got awesome style, but try to tone it down a little bit. You don't want credit card debt, trust us. If most of your answer is b. You are “Not Even Close” Shopping is so not your thing. In fact, there are like a million other things you'd rather spend your Saturday afternoon doing than strolling through the mall. You just don't get what's so fun about trying on clothes that you might not even end up buying. It's great that you don't spend your money on material things, but shopping can be fun when you go with friends. It's not a chore. Swear. If most of your answer is c. You are “Shopping Pro” Okay, so maybe you shop a lot, but you do it the right way. You can spot a good find on a sale rack from a mile away and you're an expert bargain-hunter. But at the same time, you know when it's worth it to spend the big bucks on an item you really want. Keep it up and you'll be the most stylish fashionista to walk the hallways! ( Jessica Booth, Are You Addicted to Shopping?, www.teen.com, on January 2, 2012) II. How do you think about shopping online? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Advantages Disadvantage - - - - 39
45. Chapter 10: Space Is the Place Solar System Vocabulary Complete the activity Sun Mercury Venus Earth Moon Mars Saturn Neptune Asteroid Crater Jupiter Uranus Pluto 1. A medium-sized rocky object orbiting the Sun. 2. The closest planet to the Sun and the eighth largest. 3. This planet is more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined. 4. The largest object in the solar system. 5. This planet probably got this name due to its red color and is sometimes referred to as the Red Planet. 6. The only planet whose English name does not derive from Greek/Roman mythology. 7. The smallest planet and farthest from the Sun. 8. This planet's blue color is the result of absorption of red light by methane in the upper atmosphere. 9. A bowl-shaped depression formed by the impact of a meteoroid. 10. The second largest planet with many rings. 11. It is the brightest object in the sky except for the Sun and the Moon. 12. Named after the Roman god of the sea. 13. The only natural satellite of Earth. ( 40
46. Chapter 1: The Cycle of Life I. Look at the picture of the cycle of human life and answer the questions According to the picture: 1) How many stages are there in the human life cycle? 2) Which stage are you in? 3) Which stage in human life do you like? 4) List at least 3 important events in each stage you have experienced. 5) Group some words and phrases below in the correct stages. Marriage Eighteenth birthday Named Learning to walk Primary school Driving license First love From boy to man Cemetery First job Having children Grandson Retirement University Having career peak 41
47. Chapter 2: Jobs, Occupations, and Careers I. Discussion 1. Which jobs are in high demand in your country? 2. What kind of job would you like to have in the future? 3. What are the duties and responsibilities of this job? 4. Why does that job appeal to you? II. Matching the statements in Column A with their corresponding occupations in Column B. A B a. He/she manages a restaurant or hotel 1. Salesperson b. This person writes and edits newspapers 2. Supervisor c. This person paints buildings and houses 3. Translator d. He / she plays some instruments 4. Manager e. He or she fixes cars, buses, etc 5. Cashier f. He or she repairs things at home 6. Journalist – g. This person sells cars, clothes, shoes, etc Reporter h. His / her job is to supervise people 7. Waitress i. He or she takes care of elderly people 8. Repairperson j. He/she translates from one language to another 9. Waiter one 10. Painter k. This person uses a cash register at his/her work 11. Health care l. He services food at the restaurant aide m. She services food at the restaurant 12. Musician n. This person is a doctor for animals 13. Veterinarian o. He or she gives haircuts and shaves 14. Mechanic 15. Barber 42
48. Chapter 3: The Spirit of Competition Reading 4: Rules of the Game Match the word from column A to its definition in column B (Vocabulay Check, page 55) A B 1. benevolently a. smile broadly 2. bound b. characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings 3. desperately c.a sharp, angry, or witty reply 4. detour (v) d. the customary code of polite behaviour in society or 5. diminish among members of a particular profession or group 6. etiquette e. make or become less 7. gracious f. excessive pride in one‘s own appearance or achievements 8. grin (v) g. with the intention of preventing 9. hiss h. a long, narrow cut or opening 10. humility i. throw with great force 11. hurl k. someone who competes with or opposes another in a game 12. jade l. the quality of having a modest 13.leap m. courteous, kind especially towards someone of lower 14.lest social status 15.murmur n. in a way that shows the absence of hope 16.opponent o. jump or move quickly 17.retort p. a hard, typically green stone used for ornaments 18.rustle q. a low continuous background noise 19.slit r. sound like that caused by the movement of dry leaves or 20.vanity paper s. make a sharp sibilant sound as of the letter s t. form the boundary of; enclose u. take a long or roundabout route 43
49. Chapter 4: Lawmakers and Lawbreakers Match the legal words to their definitions Part 1: 1 2 a. Judge 1. person who makes a legal complaint against another b. Plaintiff 2. person who represents people in court c. Defendant 3. people who listen to a case and decide who is innocent or d. Lawyer guilty e. Witness 4. process in which court decides a legal matter f. Jury 5. person in charge of court and take decisions g. Case 6. person who has seen a crime and can describe what h. trail happened 7. legal issue that has to be decided in court 8. person accused of wrongdoing Part 2: A B 1. charge a. to take legal action against someone 2. sue b. permission for someone to leave prison 3. testify c. to make a very serious promise 4. swear d. officially accuse someone of crime 5. claim e. to say something is true even if it hasn‘t been proven 6. evidence f. to make a formal statement about what is true 7. parole g. facts or objects that are meant to prove that something is true 44
50. Chapter 5: Beyond Science I. Discussion: What is a UFO? Do you believe in UFOs? Why or why not? II. Reading 2: Visitors in the Trees Match the word to its definition (Vocabulay Check, page 79) Words Definition a. thinly b. rising or falling sharply c. a raised level surface on which people or things can stand 1. accusation d. the force that attracts a body towards the centre of the earth 2. antenna e. the device used to send or receive wave 3. awestruck f. violent motion or noisy disturbance 4. cockpit g. a dress incorporating trousers and a sleeved top in one 5. commotion piece 6. era h. a conclusion that someone has done something illegal or 7. gadget wrong 8. goggles i. a long and distinct period of history 9. gravity k. close-fitting glasses with side shields, for protecting the 10. grind eyes from glare, dust, water 11. hallucination l. in a particular point of view 12. intravenous m. a small mechanical device or tool 13. jerk (v) n. move or cause to move with a quick, sharp, sudden 14. nauseous movement 15. platform o. surprising or frightening 16. slanted p. uncertain, not real 17. sparsely q. an experience involving the perception of something not 18. steep present 19. vague r. existing in a vein or blood 20. jumpsuit s. affected with nausea, sickening t. crush v. a compartment for the pilot, and sometimes also the crew, in an aircraft or spacecraft. 45
51. Chapter 6: War and Conflict Reading 2: Childtimes Match the word in column A to its definition in column B (Vocabulay Check, page 102) A B a. make a formal gesture of respect or polite recognition when arriving b. having or expressing devotion to and vigorous support for one‘s country 1. Armband c. a period when all lights must be turned out to prevent them 2. Assembly being seen by the enemy 3. Baggy d. a group of people gathered together in one place for a common purpose 4. Blackouts e. a strong cotton or wool fabric of a dull brownish-yellow 5. Dangle colour, used especially in military clothing 6. Fade f. hang loosely 7. Khaki g. loose and hanging in folds 8. Patriotic h. a person responsible for the supervision of a particular place 9. Patrol (v) or activity or for enforcing the regulations associated with it 10. Ration (v) i. a band worn around a person‘s upper arm to hold up a shirtsleeve 11. Salute (v) j. keep watch over an area by regularly walking or travelling 12. Siren around it 13. Turban k. a device that makes a loud prolonged signal or warning sound 14. warden l. allow each person to have only a fixed amount of, limit m. a man‘s head covering consisting of a long length of material wound around a cap or the head n. gradually grow faint and disappear 46
52. Chapter 7: Language, Literacy and Education For each country listed below, write the corresponding language. Country Language Vietnam Japan China Portugal Hungary Italy Russia Korea Germany England France Spain Denmark Turkey Poland Thailand Philippines 47
53. Chapter 8: On the Move Have a quick look at the article above and match these titles in a box with 8 paragraphs (in 6 minutes) o. Economic Growth: b. Population Imbalance: c. New Avenues in Education and Career: d. Financial Burden: e. Distribution of Population: f. Cultural Exchange: g. Unfair Distribution of National Wealth: h. Transfer of Diseases: Pros and Cons of Immigration Pros of Immigration 1. Immigration leads to exchange of cultural values. It results in an exchange of knowledge and expertise between two nations. It serves as an opportunity to interact with people of other countries. It gives a platform for people from diverse backgrounds to come together and share their views. 2. Immigration brings in new opportunities for people of different countries. It exposes people of a nation to the atmosphere of another country that may be very different from one's motherland. It results in exchange and sharing of knowledge between nations. This opens doors to many new fields of education and career opportunities. 3. Immigration results in an open global market. It gives a global perspective to the social and economic growth of society, thus widening the scope for development. With new opportunities in career and education, comes economic 48
54. growth. Supporters of immigration believe that it has the potential of bringing about global prosperity. 4. In some cases, immigration may result in a fairer distribution of population. Migration of people from an overpopulated country to a scarcely populated one balances population density. Some countries face a dearth of resources due to their rising population, while others are blessed with ample resources but have a very thin population. Migration from a thickly populated nation to a thinly populated one can prove to be a blessing for both countries. Cons of Immigration 5. Crowding, that is, increase in the population density in certain regions, is one of the basic disadvantages of immigration. Migration of people from one country to another leads to crowding in one nation as opposed to deserting of another. It implies an excessive use of the resources of one nation that may lead to imbalance of natural resources. 6. Immigrants may bring with them, diseases that prevailed in their country. Disease-causing agents may transfer from one country to another through immigrants, thus leading to spread of diseases. To reduce the risk of transfer of diseases, many countries have started carrying out screening of immigrants on their arrival in the country. Reportedly, AIDS was transferred to the United States in 1969 through one infected immigrant from Haiti. 7. Those opposing immigration argue that the jobs available in the country and the nation's wealth are its property and that allowing immigration implies the distribution of this property among the non-natives. Immigration implies the distribution of a nation's wealth to those who do not have a right on it. 8. The costs incurred in the provision of resources such as education and health facilities to the immigrants are a burden on the nation that hosts immigrants in large numbers. Some say that the economic growth brought about by immigration is nullified by the costs that the nation's government has to bear in providing the immigrants with the resources. (Manali Oak, Pros and Cons of Immigration, on 12/09/2011) 49
55. Chapter 9: Cultural Perspectives Look at these pictures about hand gestures and guess the meaning of it by matching to the suitable interpretation. a. In most American and European cultures, it means good or things are going according to your plans or something you approve of. 1. The Dog Call b. It indicates something bad or someone has failed. c. It is considered as a sign of wishing for good 2. Thumbs Up luck or fortune. In some cultures, people make it before telling a lie, as it believed to countervail the evil that comes of the lie. d. It means ―to stop‖ in America and British 3.Clenched Fist country. If the fingers are pushing down, it will indicate for the person to sit down or settle. In Malaysia, it would mean that one is trying to get someone‘s attention like a waiter or asking for permission to speak. e. This movement is mostly seen carried out by a 4. Finger Crossed tempting woman to her man. However, do not use this seductive hand gesture in Philippines. This is because this is one of the worst form gesture used only for dogs. You can be arrested or punished if using it here. In Singapore, it is indication of death. 5.Pointing fingers 50
56. f. Generally, this means that everything is good, well or O.K. In Australia, it means zero and in Germany it may mean a job well done. In Turkey, it means one is a homosexual. 6.Okay g. It considers a gesture to single out an individual from a crowd. This aggressive signal is not liked by many, as no one likes to be singled out. 7. Stop h. It is considered as the symbol of the devil in many cultures. It is also widely used by rock stars in as a positive hand gesture. In Mediterranean, it means ―cuckold‖, that is, your wife is cheating on you. 8. The Corona i. It indicates good luck and fertility and a way to ward off the evil eye. However, it is considered a gesture that mimics the female vulva in Italian. If this gesture is carried out by a person of Asian origin, it roughly translates as ―screw you‖. 9.The Fig j. It means one is trying to pick up a fight or trying to warn the opposite person to back off. In Asian countries, it is a sign to express one‘s attempt. 10.Thumb Down 51
57. Chapter 10: American Lives Match the word in column A to its definition in column B (Vocabulary Check, page 177) A B a. able to move quickly and easily b. able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities c. exceptionally large, over 1. Abruptly d. on the top of 2. Agile e. a quantity of a medicine or drug taken or 3. Atop recommended to be taken at a particular time 4. Blur f. drop saliva uncontrollably from the mouth 5. Choreographer g. of extreme force, degree, or strength 6. Chrysanthemum h. feeling or showing sympathy and concern for 7. Compassionate others 8. Dispel i. famous or well known, typically for some bad 9. Dose quality or deed 10. Drool j. make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear 11. Glorify k. praise and worship 12. Intense l. compose the sequence of steps and moves for 13. Liquidize (a ballet or other performance of dance 14. Massive m. a person employed to take an actor‘s place in 15. Notorious performing dangerous scene. 16. Stuntman n. a thing that cannot be seen or heard clearly 17. Superb o. very good; excellent 18. versatile p. sudden and unexpected q. a plant of the daisy family with brightly coloured ornamental flowers, existing in many cultivated varieties r. convert into a liquid 52
58. II.2.4. Classification In doing this researching paper, I organized 5 types of activities. Each activity is chosen basing on the content and requirement of each chapter in the textbook to motivate student get engaged in reading text quickly. II.2.4.1 Brainstorming In this kind of activities, students will do some activities to stimulate their thinking and have a quick look about the content of each chapter. a. Choosing and fillingare applied in chapter 1, 3, 6 (Tapestry reading 1) and chapter 7 (Tapestry reading 2). The topic of these chapters is familiar with students in all of 4 subjects: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Doing this activity will help students have ideas and knowledge in these topics. In chapter 1, Tapestry reading 1, activity 1, Tick in the appropriate column. The characteristics College School 1. Your instructors are now called "professors" instead of "teachers." 2. The teacher usually check your notebook 3. You can pick what time your classes start. 4. You get to do real science experiments. 5. Campus-sponsored events happen much later at night After doing this activity, students will know and find out the differences between college and school which can be very useful for them to write essay about college and school. The aim of activity 1, Chapter 3, Tapestry reading 1 is pointing out the good and bad healthy habits for the students and reminding them to avoid bad ones. 53
59. Which habits are good for your health? Which are bad for your health? Write G (good) and B (bad) in the following habits. 1. Eating fast food 2. Getting up early 3. Nose/ mouth picking 4. Beer drinking 5. Becoming an ―owl‖ at night 6. Exercise in the morning 7. Smoking Another brainstorming activity is in chapter 7, Tapestry reading 2. The name of some languages in the world derives from the name of their country. The duty of student is filling the language into the table. Students will widen knowledge after finishing this. For each country listed below, write the corresponding language. Country Language Vietnam Japan China Portugal Hungary 54
60. b. Matchingis used in chapter 3- Healthy habits (Tapestry reading 1) and chapter 9- Cultural Perspectives (Tapestry reading 2)., One more activity in chapter 3, Tapestry reading 1 is matching some home remedies to the diseases. It provides student with the way to cure some common diseases which is useful in life. a. Drinking lemon salt tea or honey 1. Cough 2. Sunburn b. Practice acupressure 3. Insomnia c. Covering them with the leaves of aloe 4. Headache d. Add some cornstarch in water and take a bath with it In chapter 9, Tapestry reading 2, matching activity is designed with photos. Look at pictures about hand gestures and guess the meaning of it by matching to the suitable interpretation. The aim of activity is supporting studentsthe meaning of hand gestures in different cultures which is also necessary for them in this integrated period. c. True/Falsein chapter 2 is the supplementary exercises for the reading text: Water facts in the textbook. The purpose of this activity is adding more information to reading text. 1. Water is made up of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Its chemical formula is H2O 2. The existence of water is not essential for life on Earth. 55
61. 3. Water covers around 70% of the Earth‘s surface II.2.4.2 Vocabulary review Vocabulary review is applied to provide student with the vocabulary which helps students absorb the reading text easier. b. In the textbook This activity is the development of vocabulary log in the textbook. However, only the chapters and reading texts with difficult and unfamiliar vocabulary are chosen to do. Together with the context in the reading text and the definition given, students will understand the meaning of each word to finish quickly the requirement of reading and enrich their vocabulary. You can find this vocabulary review in chapter 4, chapter 6 and chapter 8 (Tapestry reading 1), chapter 3, 5,6, 10 (Tapestry reading 2) Look at activity in chapter 8, Tapestry reading 1. The reading text ―Myths and Mythology‖ has many new words referring to the types of science. It is difficult for student to understand all the meaning of each word when basing on only the context in reading text. The aim of this activity is giving student exactly the meaning of some science words. A B 1. Anthropology a. the study of cultures of the past, and of periods of history by examining the remains 2. Archaeology of buildings and objects found in the ground 3. Psychology b. the scientific study of the mind and how it influences behavior 56
62. c. the study of the human race, especially of its origins, development, customs and belief. c. About the topic of chapter: General vocabulary about topic is applied in chapter 10 (Tapestry reading 1), chapter 2 and 4 (Tapestry reading 2) It can be seen clearly from the textbook that space, job and law are the topics with many common vocabulary. By giving this activity, teacher can check and broaden student‘s vocabulary in these fields. For instance, the activity in chapter 4, Tapestry reading 2 will help students improve their knowledge in the field of law with some common nouns and verbs used in the court. 1 2 a. Judge 1. person who makes a legal complaint against b. Plaintiff another c. Defendant 2. person who represents people in court d. Lawyer 3. people who listen to a case and decide who is e. Witness innocent or guilty f. Jury 4. process in which court decides a legal matter g. Case 5. person in charge of court and take decisions h. trail 6. person who has seen a crime and can describe what happened 7. legal issue that has to be decided in court 8. person accused of wrongdoing II.2.4.3 Game and quiz 57
63. Game and quiz are used to warm up students. After doing these activities, the student will be active and ready to start the lesson. Moreover, the content of game and quiz related to the lesson will guide them directly to the reading text. a. Crossword is in chapter 5 (Tapestry reading 1). Student will do the crossword about transportation and check their knowledge about this close topic. b. Quiz and test students themselves in chapter 9. Buyer Beware (Tapestry reading 1). This is the common and interesting fields in student‘s life. II.2.4.4 Discussion In chapter 3, 6 of Tapestry reading 1 and chapter 1, 2, 5 of Tapestry reading 2, discussion is held. Teacher will give student some questions related to the topic and reading text. By answering question, students express their opinions and knowledge about the topic. It can be an overview of the chapter. In chapter 3, Tapestry reading 1, about healthy habits, students will work in group of four, list 5 good habits and 5 bad habits and explain why they are good or bad. The purpose of this activity is stimulating student‘s thinking, helping them express their attitude and giving them the main theme of the chapters. II.2.4.5 Skimming and Scanning practice One aim of subject reading 1 and 2 is teaching and practicing skimming and scanning skill. It is the reason why this activity is held in class. When above activities prepare students the content of chapter, these ones support them the reading skill. 58
64. a. Matching headings is used in chapter 8- On the move (Tapestry reading 2). Students have to have a quick look at the article to find out the topic of each paragraph. This activity will practice the skimming skill of learners. a. Cultural Exchange: b. New Avenues in Education and Career: c. Financial Burden: d. Distribution of Population: ―Immigration brings in new opportunities for people of different countries. It exposes people of a nation to the atmosphere of another country that may be very different from one's motherland. It results in exchange and sharing of knowledge between nations. This opens doors to many new fields of education and career opportunities‖ b. Arranging order is in chapter 7- (Tapestry reading 1). Marriage progress has many stages. The students will have toarrange stages in Vietnamese marriage customs in the correct order. It will be very interesting for the student to learn both reading skills and wedding custom in Vietnam. 59
65. PART III. CONCLUSION In short, my researching paper is carried out in order to help the 1st year English major student at HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY (HPU) in learning reading skills as well as reading subjects. Basing on the teaching and learning English situation of the students as well as their expectation in teaching techniques, I have suggested some specific pre-reading activities which can be the reference for the teacher and student in these subjects. Part II. Development is the main content of this study. The theoretical background has been introduced in II.1 with the definition of reading from many authors‘ points of view as well as the classification of reading skills and reading activities. The chapter II.2 has drawn an overview of teaching and learning reading skills at HPU. The survey questionnaire has been conducted to find out the situation and expectation of students towards effective learning reading at the 1st year of university. A series of chart, graph or data analysis has provided situation, reasons and evidences (statistics) which made the study more practical and persuasive. Last but not least, the chapter II.3 is the pre-reading activities designed based on the content of reading 1 & 2‘s materials. According to the result of survey questionnaire 2, after 16 weeks of applying these pre-reading activities, the number of student who like reading lesson rise from 32% to 42%. When taking part in some lessons, I found that the enthusiasm and participation in class also develop significantly. It can be said that the application of pre-reading activities is successful in getting student attention and interest in learning reading of the 1styear English majors at HPU. Due to limitation of time, this study just focuses on the 1st year English major and the activities designed is still not diversified in practicing reading skills. I hope that there will be more and more studies about these skills, not only pre-reading but also while-reading and post–reading activities. Although I have tried my best, shortcomings cannot be avoided in this paper. I would like to receive the sympathy and advice from all of you. 60
66. REFERENCES A. Book 1. Day, R., &Bamford, J. (2004). Extensive reading activities for teaching language. Cambridge University Press, New York. 2. Day, R., &Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive reading in the second language class. Cambridge University Press, New York. 3. Dole, J. A. Duffy, G. G., Roehler, L. R., and Pearson, D. D. (1991). Moving from the old to the new: research on reading comprehension instruction. 4. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.) Methods in teaching English as a second or foreign language. Heinle&Heinle, Boston. 5. Koda, K. (2005). Insights into second language reading. Cambridge University Press. New York. 6. Nunan, D. (1991). Language Teaching Methodology. Prentice Hall International. Heartfordshire B. Internet 1. Anne Arundel Community College, Skimming and Scanning, Available from [Accessed 25.06.2013] 2. ParlindunganPardede, Universitas Kristen Indonesia, A review on reading theories and its implication to the teaching of reading,Available from on-reading-theories-and-its-implication-to-the-teaching-of-reading/. [Accessed 25.06.2013] 3. TE Editor, Theories of reading, Available from on 23 March, 2006. [Accessed 25.06.2013] 4. TE Editor, Theories of reading 2, Available from on 29 March, 2006.[Accessed 25.06.2013] 61
67. ANSWER KEY Tapestry reading 1 Chapter 2: I. Reading I. Water facts 1. T 2. F - The existence of water is essential for life on Earth. 3. T 4. T 5. F- The longest river in the world is the Nile River 6. T 7. F- There are 5 major oceans in the world: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean. 8. T 9. F. Of all the earth's water, 97% is salt water found in oceans and seas. 10. T Chapter 3: III. Connect the home remedy to the disease 1-a; 2-e; 4-c ; 5-f ; 6- b; 7-d Chapter 4 Reading 1: Give a Man a Fish 1-f 2-a 3-o 4-i 5-n 6-h 7-b 8-j 9-g 10-e 11-m 12-c 13-k 14-l 15-d 62
68. Chapter 5 II. Transportation Crossword Puzzle Across: 1. Schoolbus 5.Go 6.RR 7.River 8.Fog 9. Oil 10. Glass 12.Map 14.Stop 17.Car 18.Emergency 20Entered 22.Mile 23.ROW 25.Destination Down: 2. Carpool 3. Overpass 4.Underpass 5.Gasoline 10.Garage 11.Accident 13. Wheeler 15.Drive 16.Ice 19.Air 21. East 24.Wet Chapter 6 I. There are many famous fast food restaurant chains in the world. Look at these symbols and their names. 2. Red Rooster 2. Burger King 3.Pizza Hut 4. TCBY (The Country‘s Best Yogurt) 5. McDonald‘s 6. KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) 7.Lotteria 8. Johnny Rockets 9. Subway 10. Jollibee 11. Starbucks II.Reading 2: Old McDonald’s 1-i 2-d 3-f 4-g 5-b 6-c 7-h 8-e 9-a 63
69. Chapter 7 Arrange these stages in Vietnamese marriage customs in the correct order 1-c 2-a 3-f 4-b 5-e 6-d Chapter 8 I. Reading 1. Myths and Mythology 1-g 2-f 3-j 4-a 5-k 6-b 7-d 8-h 9-i 10-c 11-e Chapter 10 1- Asteroid 2- Mercury 3-Jupiter 4-Sun 5-Mars 6-Earth 7- Pluto 8-Uranus 9-Crater 10-Saturn 11-Venus 12-Venus 13- Moon Tapestry reading 2 Chapter 2 1-g 2-h 3-j 4-a 5-k 6-b 7-m 8-f 9-l 10-c 11-i 12-d 13-n 14-e 15-o Chapter 3 2- b 2- t 3-n 4-u 5-e 6-d 7- m 8- a 9-s 10-l 11-i 12-p 13-o 14-g 15-q 16-k 17-c 18-r 19-h 20- f 64
70. Chapter 4: Part I: 1-b 2-d 3-f 4-h 5-a 6-e 7-g 8-c Part II: 1-d 2-a 3-f 4-c 5-e 6-g 7-b Chapter 5: I. UFO – (Unidentified Flying Object) any unexplained moving object observed in the sky, especially oneassume d by some observers to be of extraterrestrial origin. II. Reading 2 1- h 2-e 3-o 4-v 5-f 6-i 7-m 8- k 9-d 10-t 11-q 12-r 13-n 14-s 15- c 16-l 17-a 18-b 19-p 20-g Chapter 6 1- i 2-d 3-g 4-c 5-f 6-n 7-e 8- b 9-j 10-l 11-a 12-k 13-m 14-h Chapter 7 Country Language Vietnam Vietnamese Japan Japanese 65
71. China Chinese Portugal Portuguese Hungary Hungarian Italy Italian Russia Russian Korea Korean Germany German England English France French Spain Spanish Denmark Danish Turkey Turkish Poland Polish Thailand Thai Philippines Filipino Chapter 8 1- f 2-c 3-a 4-e 5-b 6-h 7-g 8d Chapter 9 1- e 2-a 3-j 4-c 5-g 2- 6-f 7-d 8-h 9-i 10-b Chapter 10 1- p 2-a 3-d 4-n 5-l 6-q 7-h 8-j 9-e 10-f 11-k 12-g 13-r 14-c 15-i 16-m 17- o 18-b 66
72. Survey questionnaires 1 Dear NA1601, I am Tran ThiThanh Mai, the last year English major at HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY. This survey questionnaire aims to find out your attitude and your expectation toward pre-reading activities applying for the 1st year English majors at HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVERSITY. Your answers will be very useful and necessary for my researching paper entitle ―Pre-reading activities for the 1st year English majors at Haiphong Private University‖. Thank you for your co- operation! Please complete this survey by ticking () and answering these questions 1. How long have you been learning English? 2. Which skill do you like most? Reading Speaking Writing Listening 3. Do you like reading lesson? Yes Normal No If No, why? 67
73. 4. Do you often prepare your English reading lesson before going to university? Always Hardly ever Usually Never Sometimes 5. How do you think about reading text in Tapestry reading 1 and 2? Very interesting Interesting Not interesting Boring Very boring Why? 6. Which difficulties do you have when learning reading English? New words Unfamiliar grammar structure and style The difference in culture Implication in word and sentence Getting the topic and main ideas Other . 7. Which techniques do your teachers often use when teaching reading lesson? 68
74. Textbook Video and music Power point and projector Pair and work group Board and chalk Photocopy Picture Other Game 8. Do you like taking part in some activities before starting reading lesson? Yes No 9. Do your teachers organize some pre-reading activities like warming-up, game, quiz and so on at the beginning of reading lesson? Yes No If yes, how often? 10. What pre-reading activities below do your teachers use when teaching reading? Game and quiz Overview of lesson Brainstorming Vocabulary review Group discussion Visual-Aids(picture, Other . presentation ) Wishing you success in your exams and have a memorable summer vacation! 69
75. Survey questionnaires 2 1. Do you like reading lesson? Yes No 2. How do you think about reading text in Tapestry reading 1 and 2? Very interesting Interesting Not interesting Boring Very boring 3. Do you like pre-reading activities your teacher applied? Yes No 4. Do you have any suggestions or opinions to support to the pre-reading activities? Thank you for your cooperation! 70