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THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

<b>SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES </b>

<b>NGUYEN HAI VAN </b>

<b>USING TASK - BASED LEARNING TO ENHANCE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS' ENGLISH LISTENING </b>

<b>SKILLS AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT </b>

<b>M.A THESIS </b>

<b>Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 </b>

<b>THAI NGUYEN – 2023 </b>

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THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

<b>SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES </b>

<b>NGUYEN HAI VAN </b>

<b>USING TASK - BASED LEARNING TO ENHANCE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS' ENGLISH LISTENING </b>

<b>SKILL AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT </b>

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ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN

<b>TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ </b>

<b>NGUYỄN HẢI VÂN </b>

<b>NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG VỀ SỬ DỤNG PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC DỰA TRÊN NHIỆM VỤ ĐỂ NÂNG CAO </b>

<b>KĨ NĂNG NGHE TIẾNG ANH CỦA HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT Ở TỈNH THÁI NGUYÊN </b>

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<b>DECLARATION </b>

<b>I hereby certify that the thesis “Using task - based learning to enhance tenth grade students' English listening skills at a high school in Thai Nguyen Province: an action research project” is submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Degree of </b>

Master of Arts at the School Of Foreign Languages of Thai Nguyen University. I also declare that this thesis is result of my own research and efforts and that it has not been

<b>submitted for any other purposes. </b>

<i>Thai Nguyen, February , 2023 </i>

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<b>ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS </b>

First and foremost, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to my supervisor, Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung for her precious guidance, critical comments and constructive supervision through my research. Without these, the thesis could not have been completed.

Secondly, my gratitude goes to 30 students from class 10<small>h</small> at high school, Thai Nguyen province, who enthusiastically participated in the research procedure. I am very grateful to all of them for providing detailed information for the analysis of the study.

Thirdly, I must express my appreciation to two enthusiastic and supportive colleagues at English department, a high school who accompany me during 10 weeks procedure of the research. Their detailed and sufficient information gives much support to my study.

Fourthly, I would like to show my deep gratitude to all the lecturers at School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University for the valuable lectures, which laid the foundation for my thesis.

Last but not least, I must express my gratitude to my beloved family who support and encouragement have always been a great deal of strength that has helped me to complete this thesis.

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<b>TABLE OF CONTENTS </b>

DECLARATION ... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... iii

LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES ... vi

LIST OF OBSERVIATIONS ... vii

1.4. Scope of the study ... 3

1.5. Significance of the study ... 4

1.6. Organization of the study ... 4

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ... 6

2.1. Theoretical Background ... 6

2.1.1. An overview of Task-Based Learning ... 6

2.1.2. Teaching listening skills to high school students ... 11

2.2. Previous studies ... 15

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ... 18

3.1. Research design ... 18

3.1.1. Rationale for doing action research ... 18

3.1.2. Models of action research ... 18

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3.1.3. Action research process ... 20

3.2. Participants ... 23

3.3. Data Collection instruments ... 23

3.3.1. Questionnaires ... 24

3.3.2. English listening test ... 24

3.4. Data collection procedures ... 25

3.5. Data analysis ... 26

3.5.1. Data analysis procedure ... 26

3.5.2. Data analysis methods ... 26

CHAPTER IV. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ... 28

4.1. Findings ... 28

4.1.1. Results of the pre-test and post-test ... 28

4.1.2. Results of the questionnaires ... 33

4.2. Discussion ... 41

4.2.1. Research question 1: How can Task - Based Learning activities affect students' listening skills? ... 41

4.2.2. Research question 2: What are the students' attitudes towards using Task - Based Learning activities for their listening skills development? ... 42

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS ... 44

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5.3. Limitations of the study ... 48 5.4. Recommendations for further research ... 49

REFERENCES ... I APPENDICES ... IV

APPENDIX 1. LISTENING PRE - TEST FOR LEARNERS ... IV APPENDIX 2. LISTENING POST-TEST FOR LEARNERS ... VI APPENDIX 3. QUESTIONNAIRE ... VIII APPENDIX 4. TEST RESULTS ... XIII APPENDIX 5: ENGLISH SPEAKING ABILITY EVALUATION ... XIV APPENDIX 6: LESSON PLAN ... XV

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<b>LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES </b>

Figure 3.1. Action research model design adopted from Kurt Lewin (1946) ... 19

Figure 3.2. Cycle of classroom Action Research adapted from MacIsaac (1995) ... 19

Figure 3.3. Detailed Action Research Model adopted from Susman (1983) ... 20

Table 3.1: Schedules of the data collection procedures ... 24

Table 4.1: Frequency of the pre-test scores ... 28

Figure 4.1: Results of the pre-test scores ... 29

Table 4.2: Frequency of the post - test scores ... 30

Figure 4.2: Results of the post-test scores ... 30

Figure 4.3: Comparison of the pre-test and post-test scores ... 32

Table 4.3. The students’ viewpoints toward using TBL approach in listening lessons

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<b>LIST OF OBSERVIATIONS </b>

TBLT Task-based language teaching

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<b>ABSTRACT </b>

Effective listening skills are crucial in many areas of life, from education to professional and personal relationships. Listening goes beyond hearing; it involves understanding, interpreting, and responding to information received. When it comes to learning a foreign language, good listening skills are essential for effective communication and language acquisition.

The study in question aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Task-Based Learning in enhancing high school students' listening skills. Task-Based Learning is an approach that emphasizes real-world tasks, such as problem-solving or decision-making, as the basis for language learning. The researcher utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine two research questions: (1) how Task-Based Learning affects students' listening skills, and (2) how students perceive Task-Based Learning in terms of its impact on their listening skills.

The findings of this study have important implications for language teachers and learners. The results indicate that Task-Based Learning can be an effective method for improving listening skills in high school students. Students who participated in Task-Based Learning activities demonstrated significant improvements in their listening abilities compared to those who did not. Moreover, students reported that they enjoyed and felt more motivated by Task-Based Learning compared to traditional classroom-based instruction.

The study's results suggest that Task-Based Learning can be a valuable tool for language teachers looking to enhance their students' listening skills. By engaging students in real-world tasks that require them to listen carefully, teachers can help students develop their ability to understand and interpret spoken language. Moreover, the use of Task-Based Learning may increase student motivation and engagement, leading to more successful language learning outcomes.

Key words: listening skills, task – based learning, action research, test.

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<b>CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION </b>

<b>1.1. Rationale </b>

In the 21^st century, English is a worldwide language. As the English language has become progressively essential in improving trade, travel, and education in many nations, the necessity of learning as well as using English in communication and studying is expanding. It should not be difficult to realize the importance of listening when we consider that it occupies about forty – five percent of the time adults spend in communication. This is significantly more than listening, which accounts for thirty per cent, and reading and writing, which make up sixteen percent and nine percent respectively.

In addition, Vietnamese individuals must always be able to have a conversation and listen attentively well in English because of its relevance as an international language. As can be seen, the Ministry of Education understands the importance of English in the future of Vietnam. As a consequence, for more than two decades, English has been taught in all school systems. However, a numerous barriers remain in the approach of learners listening English well.

On the other hand, in Vietnam, English is not widely spoken, especially in professional or international contexts. As a result, unlike many other Southeast Asian nations including Singapore, Malaysia, and even the Philippines, Vietnam's people do not have perfect conditions in which to study or even use English. Although students must learn English in high school, their capacity to interact in English as a Vietnamese is not gratefully received in Vietnamese education. Despite this, students frequently fail to give listening the attention it deserves. This is all the more astonishing given that learners frequently state that hearing is the most difficult of all the English skills. Many research shows that Vietnamese students are learning grammar instead of listening, and that standardized tests are more essential to them than proficiency in English.

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Moreover, Vietnamese students are definitely well enough in vocabulary and grammar, which helps them listen more effectively. However, caused by a lack of listening practice, they are unable to listen in English. The vast majority of students are capable of comprehending the meaning of English words however can hear or remember how to pronounce them. The apprehension of hearing is one of the most major obstacles to increasing students' listening abilities. In Vietnam, primary school has more hours than secondary and high school when it relates to English education. As a conclusion, although practising can help teenagers improve their reading and vocabulary knowledge, it cannot help them to enhance their listening abilities.

Besides, the study was performed in a high school in Thai Nguyen Province, a Northern province of Vietnam. However, at a high school, English was one of the required subjects in the education system. According to the researcher's findings in the English listening classrooms at this high school, there are several challenges with the teaching and learning processes that were associated to the researcher's and students' activities in the classroom. Additionally, many students have limited vocabulary, and mispronounce words, making it difficult for them to listen advanced exercises as they would want. Consequently, students do not have entrance to an English - listening context and do not have numerous opportunities to listen English completely, causing a lack of proficiency in the target language. Whereas a listening lesson is just forty minutes in length, learners have even less chance to listen as well as complete all or most of the textbook's listening exercises. As a result, there have been a few students who excelled in listening. Nevertheless, due to the limited opportunities to hear English in their daily life, some students are hesitant to do so. The majority of the students are silent and basically listen. Finally, although this ability is momentous, school - based teaching and learning programs concentrate on reading, writing, and grammar, besides listening and speaking. As a result, students would focus on reading and writing more while neglecting their confidence to interact some contexts in listening activities.

To establish a positive environment in which students may develop their listening skills, teachers should allow students to apply and design lessons on their

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own with the help of the instructor. It may help them grow and extend their skills while also encouraging them to learn English.

<i><b>The researcher decided to conduct an M.A. research project titled "Using Task </b></i>

<i><b>- Based Learning to enhance tenth grade students' English listening skills at a high school in Thai Nguyen Province: An action research" for the reasons stated above. </b></i>

The researcher anticipates that this study would be useful to English teachers in high schools.

<b>1.2. Aims of the study </b>

In this study, the research sought to attain the following objectives:

<i>1/ Looking into the impact of Task - Based Learning activities on high school learners' listening skills. </i>

<i>2/ Explore tenth - grade students' attitudes on learning listening skills by utilizing Task - Based Learning. </i>

<b>1.3. Research questions </b>

The study's goal was to address the following questions:

<i>1. To what extend does Task - Based Learning activities affect students' listening skills? </i>

<i>2. What are the students' attitudes towards using Task - Based Learning activities for their listening skills development? </i>

<b>1.4. Scope of the study </b>

The research would concentrate on employing Task - Based Learning to educate listening in high school, particularly to 10<small>th </small>- grade students, who would expose to a TBLT in their English lessons.

To begin, the researcher designed with the intention of increasing students' listening skills and altering their minds by encouraging them to interact with others through Task - Based Learning. Second, during in the second term of academic year 2021-2022, the researcher was responsible for teaching English to tenth - grade students who do not listen English well because the researcher had teach them for a

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long time. As a consequence, this study was an action research project that emphasized on Task – Based Learning as a way of improving English listening performance in learners in grade 10 at the high school’s education. The study took place over the course of eight weeks, with 40 students from the class at a high school as participants.

<b>1.5. Significance of the study </b>

The outcomes of this research were helpful to teachers, students, and researchers.

Firstly, this study provided English teachers more insight into how to enhance students' English listening skills. Secondly, the findings of the study would utilize to assist young students in becoming more conscious of their listening talents. They made aware of their weaknesses so that they might establish tactics to enhance their public listening skills. Thirdly, other researchers performing comparable research expected the study's findings to serve as a reference point and give more information to assist them in addressing the same issue. Furthermore, TBL was support learners to develop their English - listening skills and listen in English well with confidence. Additionally, the students were more interested in the listening lessons and feel more relaxed expressing themselves. Lastly, this study might give suggestions for English teachers at the high school to organize more productive English listening classes so that learners’ listening performance improves not only in the classroom but also further than that.

<b>1.6. Organization of the study </b>

The research was divided into five sections. The following was a quick synopsis of each chapter's content:

<b>Chapter 1 – Introduction: This chapter summarizes why you choose this </b>

thesis, as well as the study's scope and aims, as well as the study's research questions and importance.

<b>Chapter 2 – Literature Review: Task - Based Learning was discussed in this </b>

chapter in the context of teaching English as a second language. It looks at the

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theories, features, and cognitive development of young learners, as well as teaching English in high school, in relation to the Task - Based Learning method. Simultaneously, the researcher created a collection of Task - Based Learning studies in language instruction from both foreign nations and Vietnam.

<b>Chapter 3 - Methodology: The research design, participants, data collection </b>

tools, and process for conducting Task - Based Learning for the study are all covered in this chapter. The survey findings are provided in full, as well as a critical complete analysis of the data obtained.

<b>Chapter 4- Findings and Discussion: The section provides data analysis </b>

from the Action Research results in order to lay the groundwork for Chapter 5's recommendation.

<b>Chapter 5 – Conclusion and implications: This chapter summarizes the </b>

research, suggests some usual exercises and practical ideas for high school teachers to enhance 10th grade students' English listening skills, and provides examples to illustrate the study's limits and future research directions.

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<b>CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW </b>

<b>2.1. Theoretical Background </b>

<i><b>2.1.1. An overview of Task-Based Learning </b></i>

<i>2.1.2.1. Definition of tasks </i>

According to Ellis(2003), a task has four main characteristics, including: a task involves a primary focus on (pragmatic) meaning, a task has some kind of ‘gap’. (Prabhu identified the three main types as information gap, reasoning gap, and opinion gap.), the participants choose the linguistic resources needed to complete the task, and a task has a clearly defined, non-linguistic outcome.

A task, according to Breen (1987), is an organized plan that provides possibilities for the development of knowledge and capacities associated with a new language, which are then used during communication.

Nunan (1989) states that task is “a piece of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form”.

Skehan (1998:95) lists features of “task” as: (1) meaning is primary; (2) there is some sort of relationship to comparable real-world activities; (3) task completion has some priority; (4) the assessment of tasks is in terms of outcome.

In summary, these task descriptions, despite their differences in nature, share certain commonalities. A classroom task is a goal - oriented activity that involves the use of communicative language. The activity goes beyond the typical classroom exercise since it has a connection to the outside world. The task - generated discourse aims to be similar to that which occurs organically in the actual world (Ellis, 2000).

<i>2.1.2.2. Types of tasks </i>

Information gap, reasoning gap, and opinion gap are three primary sorts of tasks, according to N. S. Prabhu.

<i>Information gap </i>

Activities that entail the transmission of information from one person to another, from one form to another, or from one location to another are known as

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information gap activities. For example, two students may have clashing schedules yet still wish to meet for tea. They must share important information in order to determine when they are both available and when their availability times correspond with the tea house's operating hours. This sort of exercise allows students to raise questions, get clarification, and negotiate meaning and appropriate task outcomes, which is especially useful when there are misconceptions.

<i>Reasoning gap </i>

The exercises in which you ask your pupils to deduce some information from what you provide them are known as reasoning gap activities. They must comprehend and transfer information, just like they would in an information gap exercise, but the information they must convey is not the same as the information they comprehend. They must select what information to transmit and what solution to build for the problem at hand using logic and reason. You might, for example, challenge your pupils to choose between speed and cost or cost and quality in a given situation with a variety of limitations.

<i>Opinion gap </i>

Students are asked to express their own personal preferences, thoughts, or views about a problem in opinion gap activities. On a higher level, you could invite them to participate in a debate or discussion regarding a political or social issue. On a more basic level, you may ask them to finish a story. There is no right or wrong response in these types of exercises, thus there is no objective way to measure outcomes other than whether or not what the students do or say is relevant to the work at hand. You might ask them to speak or write for a given length of time (words or time) and use specific constructions. Otherwise, rather than being objective, judgement is subjective.

<i>2.1.2.3. Definition of Task - Based Learning </i>

Task - Based Learning is a learning approach that has some characteristics with problem - based learning but also stands alone. It is a comprehensive system that employs a multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning and provides pupils with a diverse range of learning possibilities (Harden et al., 1996; Harden et al.,

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2000). TBL students are frequently faced in difficult circumstances during the educational process. Students should independently examine problems and acquire

<b>the essential information to solve them. </b>

On occasion, they would require the cooperation of many parties to address the problem. Real-life tasks and challenges are used by teachers as instructional resources to encourage pupils to think. Students learn in difficult settings under this learning approach, and teachers nurture their curiosity and initiative to learn. While this is going on, pupils are constructing their own knowledge framework. The learners' focus in TBL is on real-world challenges that pique students' attention. The learning in TBL is centered on the task. The assignment encourages the pupil to continue learning. TBL is more than only the learning that is necessary to complete the tasks or the learning that occurs as a result of completing the activities. Tasks, rather than the student's learning objectives, are the focus of TBL. It's possible that mastery of the work isn't a goal. TBL entails gaining a thorough comprehension of fundamental concepts. TBL understands the importance of understanding not just how to do something, but also the ideas or foundations on which the activity is based. It also include the development of generic task-related skills, such as functioning as

<b>part of a team. </b>

According to Whitehead (1932), education begins when the third stage of learning, generalization, occurs. Learning in TBL may be transferred from the initial context of the activity, which is the learning's emphasis, to another context, where the concepts, knowledge, and abilities can be applied. This type of teaching, in contrast to passively obtaining knowledge from a teacher-centered class, engages students in

<b>active, student-centered learning. </b>

Teachers are no longer the ones who pass on information to pupils, and students are no longer the ones who absorb it. Teachers are not only companions and participants, but also supervisors and mentors who supervise and coach the students' thinking. Students can learn how to do literature searches on learning topics, construct

<b>thoughts, draw inferences, and solve issues. They are also eager to do so. </b>

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Currently, the TBL is mostly used in medical education. There are fewer

<b>examples of TBL being used in chemistry classes. </b>

<i>2.1.2.4. Characteristics of Task - based learning </i>

Although there is disagreement among supporters of task-based language instruction about the essential concepts of TBLT, Swan (2005) points out that they all agree on the following characteristics:

• Instructed language learning should primarily focus on natural or naturalistic language usage, with exercises that are more focused on meaning than on vocabulary. • Rather of focusing on the instructor, instruction should foster learner-centeredness.

• Because completely naturalistic learning seldom results in target-like accuracy, engagement is required to facilitate the internalization of formal language aspects while maintaining the apparent advantages of a natural approach.

• The easiest way to do this is to provide chances for students to focus on the form, which would draw their attention to linguistic components when they surface accidentally in courses where the main focus is on meaning or communication.

• Communicative activities are particularly well suited to such an approach. More formal language education before or after the work might be advantageous. This may help with internalization by facilitating or increasing familiarity with formal qualities during conversation.

• Traditional methods are ineffective and inappropriate, especially when they involve passive formal teaching and practice separate from communicative activity.

• Finally, when researchers employ TBLT, these characteristics must be taken into account because they can help learners build successful designed assignments to improve their listening skills.

<i>2.1.2.5. The framework for TBL </i>

According to Wouldis (1996), pre-task, task cycle, and linguistic emphasis are the three phases of the framework.

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The pre - task phase presents the topic and task to the class, while also triggering topic-related words and phrases.

The task cycle allows students to utilize whatever language they already know to do the assignment, and then to enhance that language while drafting their task reports with instructor support. The instructor provides feedback when they need it most, during the planning stage and after the report is completed. Depending on the task, exposure to the current language can be delivered at various moments. Students may listen to recordings of other people completing the work or read a book related to the task subject before or during the task cycle, and link this to their own experience doing the activity. So far, the TBL framework has provided exposure, usage, and motivation as three essential prerequisites for language learning. There is a natural movement from the holistic to the specific inside the framework. The task cycle provides learners with a complete picture of how language is used.

The framework's last phase, language focus, provides for a more in-depth examination of some of the unique elements that naturally emerge in the language employed during the task cycle. The learners had worked with the language and processed it for meaning at this phase, and they were ready to concentrate on the precise language forms that hold that meaning. As a result, the goal itself provides a clear framework for the study of these forms. The fourth desired supplementary prerequisite for learning is explicit study of language form, which is fulfilled by this last phase, which comprises analysis and practice components.

Both diversity and security are essential for language learners. Learners can choose from a number of themes, readings, and assignment styles. They also feel secure in a structure like this, which includes three separate phases. For example, if students understand that a language concentration phase would always follow the task cycle, they became less concerned with new language encountered during the task cycle since they had the opportunity to examine it afterwards.

Both diversity and safety are essential for language learners. Learners are exposed to a diverse set of subjects, materials, and assignment kinds. They also feel safe in a structure like this, which includes three separate phases. For example, once

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students understand that there were always be a language concentration phase after the work cycle, they became less concerned about new language they encounter during the job cycle since they would have the opportunity to examine it later.

As you have seen, the teaching approaches necessary for task-based learning aren’t all that unlike from those used in traditional language instruction. The distinctions included in the way tasks are ordered and weighted, as well as the fact that there is more student involvement and less direct, up - front instruction.

<i><b>2.1.2. Teaching listening skills to high school students </b></i>

<i>2.1.2.1. Definition of listening </i>

According to Underwood (1989) simplified the definition of listening to “the activity of paying attention to and trying to get meaning from something we hear”.

Mendelsohn (1994), a competent listener must be able to decipher the speaker's intention in addition to other abilities such as processing linguistic forms such as speech speed and fillers, coping with listening in an interaction, understanding the entire message contained in the discourse, comprehending the message without understanding every word, and recognizing different genres. Listeners must also be able to comprehend and determine what an utterance's illocutionary force is—that is, what this string of sounds is supposed to imply in a specific place, under a specific set of circumstances—as a genuine act of communication (Mendelsohn, 1994).

<i>Besides, Purdy (1997) defined listening as “the active and dynamic process of </i>

<i>attending, perceiving, interpreting, remembering, and responding to the expressed (verbal and nonverbal), needs, concerns, and information offered by other human beings.” </i>

Listening, according to Rost (2002), is the process of receiving what the speaker really says, building and representing meaning, negotiating and reacting to meaning with the speaker, and producing meaning via engagement, imagination, and empathy. Listeners must be able to decode the message, apply a number of methods and interactive processes to make sense of what is being said, and respond to what is being said in a variety of ways, depending on the communication's aim. Listening entails

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paying attention to one's ideas, feelings, and objectives. This necessitates active participation, effort, and practice (Shen, Guizhou, Wichura, Kiattichai, 2007)

To summarize, it is commonly acknowledged that hearing comprehension involves more than a one-way receipt of audio symbols; it is also a participatory activity (Brown, 2001). After obtaining the information, the researcher used the eight stages of comprehension (Clark & Clark, 1977; Brown, 2001) to assign a literal meaning to the speech first, followed by an intended interpretation. The capacity to align perceived meaning with intended meaning is crucial in human communication.

<i>2.1.2.2. The importance of listening skill in language teaching and learning </i>

Interestingly, listening is the most frequently used language skill (Morley, 1999; Scarcella & Oxford, 1992). A study conducted by Barker, Edwards, Gaines, Gladney, and Holley (1980) found that 52.5 percent of college students' verbal communication time was spent listening, 17.3 percent in reading, 16.3 percent in speaking, and 13.9 percent in writing, confirming Bird's notion of listening as the most important skill.

Listening occupies more of daily communication time than other types of verbal communication, according to Wolvin and Coakley (1988), both in and out of the classroom. Coakley and Wolvin (1997), Feyten (1991), and Wing (1986) found that listening is essential in students' lives at all levels of schooling. (Ferris, 1998; Murphy, 1991; Vogely, 1998) Listening is the most often employed language skill in the classroom. Dunkel's (1991b) study, on the other hand, found that international students' academic achievement in the United States and Canada was based more on reading than listening comprehension, particularly among engineering, psychology, chemistry, and computer science students.

As a result, listening has received less emphasis in school education than reading and writing. Regardless, listening is clearly important in people's lives. Because listening is employed as the major medium of learning at all levels of school, it is much more vital for students’ lives.

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<i>2.1.2.3. Listening skill teaching approaches </i>

The following are some examples of instructional approaches for enhancing pupils' listening comprehension skills:

<i>Cultivating Students’ Listening Skills </i>

One of the most challenging responsibilities for any ESL instructor is cultivating pupils' listening skills. This is due to the fact that effective listening abilities are developed over time and with a lot of practice. The task's demands might be frustrating for pupils because there are no clear guidelines, unlike in grammar classes. There are also particular activities for speaking and writing that might help you improve. There are, however, some very precise strategies to improve listening abilities, but these are difficult to quantify. Micro skills of listening comprehension must be developed by teachers.

In accordance with Brown (1994), lists seventeen micro skills for listening comprehension. Here are a few of the most essential of these abilities. Discrimination in English pronunciation, intonation, and language flow are the most critical listening skills for beginners. They must learn how to recognize the most important facts.

<i>Textbook-based Learning and Other Listening Contexts </i>

Listening classes require students to focus on the topic and respond quickly to what they hear. Students were uncomfortable and afraid of taking risks if they are passive and apprehensive throughout listening training.

Teachers must adopt a non-punitive attitude and design classes that are diverse, vivid, and engaging. Aside from textbooks, teachers must use a diverse selection of resources to boost listening content. Students must listen to a variety of English levels in order to be exposed to natural, vibrant, and rich language, such as listening to English music and watching films containing English text. It is possible to increase students' excitement for studying English, foster their listening interests, and meet the aims of learning English in this way.

<i>Passing on Cultural Knowledge in Language Teaching </i>

For a language student, understanding that language is influenced by certain cultural experiences is essential. If there are significant cultural disparities between

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the students' own culture and the culture of the language they are learning, learners were often retain their distance from the target language in order to preserve their psychological comfort level. As a result, memory and input processes were almost likely be constrained (Cheng Huaiyuan, 1999). As a result, instructors must be aware that breaking down barriers is a crucial component of cultural education and a part of the overall language teaching process.

<i>Combining “Intensive Listening” with “Extensive Listening”; Focusing on Listening </i>

Intensive listening necessitates pupils comprehending the meaning of each speech and, eventually, each phrase and word. Intensive listening usually entails pupils listening to a text numerous times, or breaking it down into paragraphs and phrases to comprehend each one, or completing word-by-word dictation. Every statement should be understood by the kids. Extensive listening, on the other hand, does not demand pupils to understand every phrase and every word; rather, students are urged to absorb the passage's overall meaning. Understanding the information is the most important aspect of listening.

<i>Combining Listening with Other Skills </i>

Human ability for discriminating between language purpose and language content, according to language acquisition theory, is a critical phase in the language acquisition process. As a result, listening ability plays a significant part in language learning and progress. As a result, there is a need to integrate the development of listening capacity with the development of other abilities such as reading in listening instruction. It is vital to listen to a teacher reading properly on a regular basis in order to increase listening capacity, as it is very difficult to produce a high-quality output without adequate input. Second, pupils should practice reading aloud to one another. Students would learn to blend listening and reading with this practice. If students wish to enhance their English proficiency levels, they must be actively involved in generating high-quality language.

In conclusion, students may develop their language abilities while simultaneously sharpening their interests and increasing their drive to study more

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efficiently by participating in a range of listening-reading, listening-writing, and listening-speaking activities.

<i>2.1.2.4. The implementation of TBL in listening lesson </i>

Listening is a complicated problem-solving activity in which listeners interact with a speaker to generate meaning in the context of their own experiences and knowledge (Barnes, 1984). Students are more likely to identify their own listening talents and participate in activities that prepare them to be good listeners if they are made aware of the elements that impact listening, the degrees of listening, and the components of the listening process.

According to Karakas (2002), listening activities strive to prevent failure so that the learner's interpretation of the text can be supported. Pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening activities are common subcategories of listening activities.

<i><b>• Pre - listening stage: This is the preparatory phase. It establishes a </b></i>

framework for listening including asking for learner’s knowledge about the topic, guessing content from the title, commenting on a picture, reviewing vocabulary, etc.

<i><b>• While - listening stage: In this stage learners take part in a listening activity </b></i>

while responding to the task. It includes ordering pictures, completing a timetable, constructing comprehensible notes, analyzing true/false statements, etc.

<i><b>• Post - listening stage: This phase facilitates development of skills including writing </b></i>

a summary, reading a text related to the topic, practicing role play activities.

<b>2.2. Previous studies </b>

There has been a lot of research and debate in recent years about diverse perspectives on TBLT. Developing listening skills, increasing student "autonomy," increasing motivation, becoming proficient in oral activities, and changing teachers' attitudes are all undoubtedly advantageous. The results of those previous research are relevant and helpful to the current investigation into the effects of TBL on listening learning.

The first research was obtained from Nahavandi (2011), who published it in a publication called the influence of task-based activities on EFL learners' reading

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comprehension. The impact of task-based learning on students' reading abilities is investigated in this study. The author employs experimental procedures, in which students are assigned task related tasks while the control group is not. The experimental and control groups are considerably different. The most recent prior study is a paper by Promruang, Jipada (2012) on his thesis "The use of tasks-based learning to enhance English listening and speaking ability of Mattayomsuksa 1 pupils at Piboonprachasan School." This study looks into how to persuade low-motivated students to learn. Interviews, questionnaires, and diaries are all employed by the author. The findings indicate that student motivation is increasing.

As the information above shows, Task-Based Learning is a fundamental strategy in teaching English for listening comprehension. Several studies have looked at students' opinions toward their autonomy and motivation for TBL in general, but little has been said about students' emotions toward teachers who plan learning activities. An interaction test was not utilized to measure student development, despite the fact that some researchers used a pretest and a posttest in their investigations. Additionally, despite the fact that TBL can be a viable strategy for improving students' listening capacity, no research on the influence of TBL on students' listening competence has been conducted at this high school thus far. The distinction between current and previous study is the sort of talent under consideration. Reading, writing, and speaking abilities have received more attention in previous studies than listening skills. As a result, the study concentrated on listening abilities.

There are numerous studies relating to using TBLT in teaching speaking skill in Viet Nam. Ngan (2009) reported that after task-based project her first year non-major students of English at National Economics University "regarded TBLT as a motivating experience". Moreover, "The learning outcomes were enhanced and the learning process became more enjoyable and rewarding".

Additionally, Hien (2010) presented that "TBLT could increase the students' participation in speaking lesson in terms of quantity and quality and help the good and average students improve their oral ability more." However, with the

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achievement of the previous researches, the researcher expects that TBLT can improve the students' current speaking ability in speaking lesson at her teaching context.

In summary, past research findings and debates have generated significant support for the use of TBL and the crisis solution adopted in this study. However, as previously indicated, these assessments have limitations. To fill up these gaps, the researcher conducted an action research study to see how task-based learning affects students’ verbal abilities and attitudes toward task-based activities in the classroom. This study was eventually help to increase TBLT in English education at this high school and across Vietnam, allowing for better teaching and learning of English listening.

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<b>CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY </b>

<b>3.1. Research design </b>

<i><b>3.1.1. Rationale for doing action research </b></i>

This research applied an action research to assist treat the learners’ listening problems by using of Task – Based Learning activities. Action Research Model allowed for the development and implementation of interventions that can be tailored to the specific needs of the participants. In this case, the researcher was interested in improving the listening skills of tenth-grade students, and Task-Based Learning was chosen as the intervention. By using the Action Research Model, the researcher was able to work closely with the students and teachers to design and implement Task-Based Learning activities that were relevant and engaging. Traditional teacher education, which did not emphasize student - centered classrooms, begin to lose its usefulness over time, and there was a way that something was missing. In other words, in the past, teacher education failed to respect action-based learning, and education is unfortunately administered by researchers outside of the classroom.

A survey was going to be given to the learners after the teachings to look at their attitudes towards the task - based learning method.

In this action research, researcher used quantitative methods to deal with the two research questions. The information collected through survey questionnaires, observation and tests. Besides, the researcher used the listening band descriptors check the students’ listening skill.

<i><b>3.1.2. Models of action research </b></i>

The phrase “action research” was originally coined by Kurt Lewin in 1946. His model is a planning, acting, observing, and reflecting action reflection cycle.

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<b>Figure 3.1. Action research model design adopted from Kurt Lewin (1946) </b>

Kemmis and Mc Taggart design model using spiral system started from planning, acting, observing, reflecting and it would start again on re - planning learning strategy. However, MacIsaac (1995) developed a basic model of the cyclical nature of conventional action research. Plan, action, observe, and reflect are the four steps in the model's two cycles.

<b>Figure 3.2. Cycle of classroom Action Research adapted from MacIsaac (1995) </b>

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Susman's action research consisted of five phases, according to Susman (1983): identifying a problem, developing an action plan, implementing the plan, evaluating the results, and specifying learning.

<b>Figure 3.3. Detailed Action Research Model adopted from Susman (1983) </b>

In this study, the researcher would follow MacIsaac (1995)'s model and conduct the research in four steps: Plan, Action, Observe, and Reflect, since his model's processes make performing the research easier and more comfortable for the teacher-researcher. It also has the ability to precisely represent the activities taken during the research. The researcher would terminate at cycle 1 if the research questions are answered. If I haven not answered the research questions by the end of cycle 1, I would go on to cycle 2.

<i><b>3.1.3. Action research process </b></i>

<i><b>Step 1: Plan (To gather preliminary data that identified the most critical </b></i>

challenges and design a strategy to address them.) (from week 1 to week 2): The traditional teaching approach was used in second listening classes by the teacher. After that, the researcher conducted a pretest to assess the students' listening abilities. The students were given a pre - questionnaire to help them understand their difficulties with listening.

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<i><b>Step 2: Action (To gather data on the action plan's effectiveness.) (from week 2 </b></i>

to week 7)

Lesson plan writing and preparation for plan implementation (week 2)

The listening lesson plans for five units (unit 11, unit 12, unit 13, unit 14, unit 16) from English 10 textbooks were designed paying attention to information – gap activities.

Unit 11 National parks ^{- Gap – filling}

- Listening for the main idea - Filling in the table

Unit 14 The world cup ^{- Filling in the table}

The researchers applied non - task preparation activities including brainstorming, mind maps, and visuals in the pre - task stage to stimulate students' interest in the subject of the listening courses, with the purpose of activating students' content schemata and providing background information.

In unit 11, teacher divided the class into eight groups and gives each group a handout. Students were asked to match the name of each National Parks in Vietnam with their suitable description. The first group to have the correct answer would be the winner. Then teacher asked students some questions relating to the topic.

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In unit 12, teacher required students to work in groups to complete a network with the word “musician” as quickly as possible. Teacher can print this handdout and distribute one copy to each group. The first group to produce the correct and complete network would be the winner.

In unit 13, teacher asked students of they have seen the film “Spider Man”, then work in groups of three or four to answer some questions about the film “Spider Man”: “1. What is the name of the main female character in “Spider Man?”; “2. Who played the main female character?”; “3. What is the name of the main male character?”; “4. Who played the main male character?”; “5. What is the theme song for “Spider Man”?”; “6. Who sang this song in the movie?”; “7. In what year did “Spider Man” come to the theatres?”; “8. How many awards did it have?”

In unit 14, teacher got students to look at the 4 photos on page 147 of the textbook and name each player in the photos (photo 1: Pele; photo 2: Maradona; photo 3: Zidane; photo 4: Barthez; photo 5: Beckham). Teacher got students to talk about these football stars by asking questions like “What do you know about them?”; “Which one do you you like best? Why?”etc. Then teacher may provide some information about footballers if students do not know them very well.

In unit 16, teacher asked students to work in pairs and answer the questions on page 171 of the textbook, then teacher checked the students with the whole class.

In summary, the teacher introduced and defined the listening subjects and assisted the students in learning certain key topic - related terms and phrases through the non-task preparation activities employed in the pre-listening task, causing the students to become more eager and interested in the lesson. These activities also assisted the trainees in overcoming their cognitive and language challenges.

<b>Step 3: Observe (To gather data on the effectiveness of the action plan) </b>

In the first second lessons of the action plan, the pre - test was employed. Students took the post - test after teaching and studying five listening classes supported task-based acquisition. The post - test result's compared to the pre - test result to look at if there was any change within the students' listening competence

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and to determine if task-based activities may assist learners improve their listening competence. A post - survey was employed to collect more data on the effectiveness of task - based learning and to assess the students' opinions about task - based language instruction.

<b>Step 4: Reflect (By comparing the data before and after the study, we could examine the changes and report the key results.) </b>

For the ultimate report, the information from the pre - tests, post - tests, pre - questionnaires, and post - questionnaires were evaluated and compared.

<b>3.2. Participants </b>

This study's researcher was also a teacher. She would like to create a means to assist learners in learning English, particularly in improving their listening skills.

The participants of this research were 30 students from the class of 10 at a high school in the academic school year of 2021 – 2022. They were in their tenth year at the high school. To those students, English was a compulsory subject at school. Besides, such students have learnt English since they were in grade 3; however, their skills to listen comprehension English was not good enough. Researcher applied tasked - based learning for class 10.

The researcher hoped that after participating in this study, students could find a way to improve their listening skill, which can help them a lot in the English’s listening test, their further studies as well as their life in the future.

<b>3.3. Data Collection instruments </b>

The researcher refered to the study's description, research methodology, tools, and data gathering processes during this section.

This research would conduct using quantitative research methods. This is often a typical method for enhancing assessments by balancing the strengths of 1 variety of data with the restrictions of another. Quantitative research aims to collect numerical data and generalize it across populations (Muijs, 2010).

When the teacher to blame wishes to spot an answer to a selected teaching circumstance or practice, action research was employed.

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The purpose of this action research was to discover solutions to questions about how to enhance students' listening skills. The teacher had done the study with the entire class of students.

<i><b>3.3.1. Questionnaires </b></i>

Because questionnaires save time and effort for both researchers and participants, they were used as one of the key data gathering devices in this study.

In addition, survey questions were chosen because they enable the collection of a large quantity of data in a short period of time.

The questionnaire was administered after the intervention period has ended. This was done to see how pupils reacted to new listening approaches. The questionnaire was divided into two sections: the first was used to assess students' attitudes about new approaches, and the second was used to demonstrate your assessment of TBLT's merits.

<i><b>3.3.2. English listening test </b></i>

The students' ability was often score-oriented. Thus, the pretest and posttest were given to the students to know the condition of the students' speaking ability before and after the implementation of the task-based program. The objective of the test was to know if there was any significant improvement on the students' speaking ability or not through task-based language teaching.

A test was an instrument used to collect data on subject's ability or knowledge of certain disciplines. In a second language acquisition study, tests were used to collect data about the subjects' ability and knowledge of the second language such as speaking, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. (Seliger & Shohamy, 1989: 176).

In this research, two speaking tests which taken from the real speaking test's model at school were given for the students in class 10. The tests were ten minutes in length and were delivered to students at week 1 as pre-test and post-test in week 9.

Pre-test

The pre-test included two parts. In the part 1 the teacher asked the students to answer some background information in three minutes. Part 2 was an activity for pair-work, which required the students to role play to make a conversation in seven

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minutes (see Appendix 1). During this stage, the researcher rated the participants' ability, based on the rubric.

Post-test

The teacher applied the same assessment procedures as the pre-test but took another test with equivalent level (see Appendix 2). The result of post-test was analyzed and compared with the pre-test to see the difference as well as the students' improvement through each test.

<b>3.4. Data collection procedures </b>

<b>Table 3.1: Schedules of the data collection procedures </b>

<b>Time ^{Phases of the action}</b>

week 1- week 2

- Plan - Pre - test To gather preliminary data that identify the most critical challenges and design a strategy to

(Using Task – Based)

To gather data on the action plan's effectiveness

week 8 - Observe -Post-test -Questionnaire

To gather data on the effectiveness of the action plan

By comparing the data before and after the therapy, we can examine the changes and report the key results

Microsoft excel 2016 was used to analyze the test data. The test’s mean scores and standard deviations were calculated and compared, and the statistical differences between the results would confirm using a paired sample t-test. To discover whether the students did better in the post-test after using TBL, the pre-test and post-test mean

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scores were compared, and a paired sample t-test was employed to see whether there were any significant differences in the results.

A percentage count was calculated for the statements in the questionnaires. Agree and strongly agree were combined into a category to show the percentage of agreement to the statements for ease of comparison. The percentage of participants who rate 1 or 2 to the statements were calculated and add up to represent the percentage of participants who disagreed with the statements, while the percentage of participants who rate 4 or 5 to represent the percentage of participants who agreed with the statements was calculated and add up to represent the percentage of participants who agreed with the statements. The percentage of individuals who score 3 were determined, and those who score 3 was considered to have no ideas of the statements.

<b>3.5. Data analysis </b>

<i><b>3.5.1. Data analysis procedure </b></i>

The analysis was conducted using the information acquired from the surveys, and tests. When evaluating study data and making judgments, the researcher left his subjective opinions out of the equation. The findings of the students' tests, questionnaires, and observations would all gather, classify, and assess.

To gather information about the students' progress in listening, the pre - test and post - test data were collected and analyzed using the categorization of the score before and after therapy.

These data sources were showed the students' reactions to the Task - Based Learning as well as their progress in their listening class.

<i><b>3.5.2. Data analysis methods </b></i>

To meet the study’s requirements, all types of data were analyzed. To examine the data, which come in the form of questionnaires, and students' listening scores, the researcher were employed quantitative methodology.

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The outcomes of the tests were examined using the Microsoft Excel application. The analytical results for the treatment group in terms of descriptive statistics and pair sample T - test statistics were listed below.

The procedures in the data analysis process were included calculating the mean scores to see if there were any significant differences between the pretest and post - tests. Tables were employed to provide the data in a clear and easy-to-understand format. In this study, the researcher evaluated the papers of the three examinations herself and utilize the following score interval.

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<b>CHAPTER IV. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION </b>

Chapter 4 presents a summary of the findings from the research and delves into the most crucial results. The first section displays the data from the pretest and posttest to assess any potential advancements in listening abilities before and after the intervention. The information collected from the questionnaires is analyzed in the second section. The final section discusses the results of both the tests and questionnaires.

<b>4.1. Findings </b>

<i><b>4.1.1. Results of the pre-test and post-test </b></i>

<i>4.1.1.1. Results of the pre-test </i>

Table 4.1 displays the frequency of the scores obtained by participants in a pre-test. The table provides a breakdown of the number of participants who received various scores, such as excellent, good, bad, or very poor. The table allows one to visualize the distribution of scores and gain insights into the overall performance of the participants in the pre-test. By examining the frequency of scores, one can determine which scores are the most common and which are the least common, providing valuable information about the proficiency level of the participants before a treatment.

<b> Table 6.1: Frequency of the pre-test scores</b>

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<b>Figure 4.1: Results of the pre-test scores </b>

The chart presented the outcome of a pre-test conducted prior to a treatment. The majority of participants, making up 43.33% of the total, received poor scores. Only one student received an exceptional score, which accounted for only 10% of the total. The number of students with very low marks was 40%. The results of the pre-test indicate that the majority of the students had below average listening proficiency.

<i>4.1.1.2. Results of the post – test </i>

Table 4.2 provides the frequency of the post-test scores. This table gives an overview of the number of participants who received a particular score on the post-test, which was conducted after a treatment. This information can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and determine if there was improvement in the participants' listening proficiency. Understanding the frequency distribution of the scores can also help identify areas of strength and weakness, and inform future modifications to the treatment.

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