1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Rationale
It is undeniable that English is an international language, which plays an
important part in social life. It links people all over the world in many fields:
science, technology, business, communication, education, and so on. It also
helps people to approach the endless knowledge of human beings. Therefore,
teaching and learning English have become the necessity in every country.
In Vietnam, English is one of the foreign languages, which is compulsory
from primary to university. In secondary school, Listening, Speaking, Reading,
Writing are four main skills which students have to learn when they learn
English. Reading seems one of the most difficult skills. Many students make
mistakes and find it difficult with reading texts, reading tasks and reading
exercises, so how to read effectively is a big question. Being a teacher of English,
I find it necessary, meaningful, and practical to do a research named “Some
strategies used to teach Reading Skill to grade 10 students at Ham Rong
High school”. I hope that this research can give benefits to teachers, students
and people concerned about this field.
1.2. Hypothesis
The grade 10 students at Ham Rong upper secondary school may use a
variety of strategies to do reading comprehension and do reading tasks more
actively and exactly.
1.3. Research questions
In the study, some following questions will be answered:
1. What is the present English teaching and learning situation of the grade
10 students at Ham Rong upper secondary school?
2. What are strategies that students often use when they learn reading?
1.4. Objectives of the study
This study is aimed to identify present English teaching and learning
situation of the grade 10 students at Ham Rong upper secondary school. And
then, some of their reading strategies and vocabulary strategies are given. In
addition, some suggestions which could be useful for students’ and teachers’

reading comprehension at this school will also be given.
1.5. Methods of the study
The major method is used in this study is quantitative one. That is all
considerations, comments, remarks, assumptions, suggestions and conclusions
given in the study are largely based on the data analysis. Data collections for
analysis in the study come from the following methods: Theoretical study;
Questionnaire for students; Teacher interview; Class observation.
1.6. Scope of the study
There are many kinds of reading; hence, there are many different kinds of
strategies but for the limitation of time, conditions, and materials, this study only
focuses on reading comprehension strategies of the grade 10 students at Ham
Rong upper secondary school, not every kind of reading strategies and on a large
population. In addition, this research is also carried out on some teachers of
1


English in that school which can help to find out English reading strategies used
by the grade 10 students in that school more easily and exactly.
1.7. Overview of the study
The study includes three main following parts
Part 1 (Introduction) includes Rationale, Hypothesis, Research questions,
Objectives of the study, Methods of the study, Scope of the study and Overview
of the study.
Part 2 (Development) is composed of three main sections.
Section 1 is Literature review which will discuss theoretical background related
to the purposes of the study.
Section 2 will present Data collection and analysis.
Section 3 is Major findings and suggestions of the study.
Part 3 is the Conclusion and the weakness of the study as well as some
suggestions for further study.

2: DEVELOPMENT
2.1: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1.1. Introduction
In this chapter, some general theories related to reading strategies and
vocabulary strategies such as theoretical background of learning strategies,
reading, reading strategies and vocabulary strategies will be given.
2.2.2. Theoretical background of learning strategies
Successful second language learners are usually people who know how to
manipulate strategy levels in their day to day encounters with the language.
Although research on learning strategies is increasingly popular, there is no
agreement regarding the definition of learning strategies. Up to now, there have
been many different definitions of learning strategies. First, Weinstein and
Mayer (1986) (in O’Malley and Chamot, 1990) defined learning strategies
facilitation “as a goal and are intentional on the part of the learner. The goal of
strategy use is to “affect the learners’ motivational or affective state, on the way
in which the learner selects, acquires, organizes, or integrates new knowledge”.
According to O’Malley and Chamot (1990), “learning strategies are
special ways of passing information that enhance comprehension, learning or
retention of the information” or in their other words, learning strategies are “the
special thoughts of behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend,
learn or retain new information”.
Wenden, A and Rubin, J (1987) claimed that learning strategies were composed
of the following components:
- They are specific actions or technique
- They can be observable/behavioral or non- observable/mental
- They are problem-oriented
- They can contribute directly or indirectly to learning
- They may be consciously employed and became automatized
- They are changeable.
Obviously, there is not yet a comprehensive definition of learning

strategies. Each researcher defines learning strategies from a different
2


perspective: cognitive, meta cognitive, communication, social-affective. This
shows the complexity of defining learning strategies. Probably, because of its
complexity, researchers worked out taxonomy of learning strategies instead of
defining them.
2.2.3. Theoretical background of reading
2.2.3.1. Definition of reading and reading comprehension
Language is a process of communication between someone who has
something to express and someone who receives the message. Speakers and
writers attempt to communicate idea while listeners and readers try to get the
appropriate meanings, while receptive cannot be called passive because the
listener or the reader must create his own meaning by using his past experience
and ideas he has gained before to understand a message.
What happens in the communication process is the writer or the speaker
(the encoder has message in his mind, which he wants somebody else to share.
It may be an idea, a fact, a feeling, an agreement…To make this possible, he
must put it into words: he must encodes it. Then, it is available outside his mind
as a text. The text is accessible to the mind of another person who hears it or
reads it: who decodes the message it contains. When it is decoded, the message
enters the mind of the decoder and communication is achieved. Therefore,
reading plays the role as a half of the communication process. It is said that
reading is a process through which the reader draws out the full amount of
information and understands what the writer wants to say through the message.
William, E (1990) (qtd. in Grellet, F, 1990).stated that reading “is a process
whereby one looks at and understand what has been written”. “Reading and
reading comprehension or understanding a written text means extracting
the required information from it as efficiently as possible. While reading,

readers do not only bring their knowledge about the language but also the
knowledge about the text, which is considered to be specifically important.
Readers build up expectations, make predictions about what is to come and the
extent to which their predictions are accurate is one of the factors that influence
their reading. This process, therefore, has three elements involved: the text that
is read, the background knowledge of the reader and the contextual aspect
relevant to interpret the text.
2.2.3.2. Classification of reading
3.2.1. Reading aloud
The word “reading aloud” has a number of common interpretations. It
may mean reading aloud a very complex skill, which involves understanding
the black marks first and then the production of the right noise. Very few
people are required to read aloud as a material of daily routine except for radio
newscasters, clergymen, perhaps actors and that is all. To the huge majority, the
importance of reading aloud is minimal.
3.2.2. Silent reading
Reading may also mean silent reading and this is the interpretation,
which is most likely for the term. This is, perhaps, the nearest approach to the
essence of reading. It is obviously that by far the greatest amount of reading
that is done in the world is silent unless there are special circumstances (such as
3


reading to someone who has lost the spectacles) and a reading room is always a
silent room. However, the nature of silent reading skill is far from uniform.
It varies according to the use to which it is being put. They might be the survey
materials, to gain superficial comprehension, to study the content of what is
read in some detail or to study the language in which the material is written.
3.2.3. Classification according to the purpose of reading
People, generally, do not read unless they have a reason (or a purpose)

for reading. They read an article, a passage, an advertisement and a story
because they think they are interested in the issues mentioned in these things or
at least these texts interest them. That is, people always have a need of some
kind that can be satisfied through reading. Furthermore, in the case of the
effective reader, his reason for reading also determines his type of reading and
the relevant reading skills to be used because the purpose could be a very
general one like reading a novel for pleasure or escape. Therefore, it could be
specific like looking up a telephone directory for somebody’s number or
address and he or she can not be in the same way.
It is now recognized that one text may be read on a variety of styles and
that reader will have different purposes at each stage of the reading process and
will apply the appropriate strategies (Hedge. T, 2000).
3.2.4. Extensive reading
Extensive reading means the readers have a general understanding of the
text without necessarily understanding every word. The object of this kind of
reading is to cover the greatest possible amount of text in the shortest possible
time. With this, the readers can choose the reading materials. Only after a
glance at the reading passage, they know whether they should go onto it or not.
Depending on the purpose of reading, people may be skimming or
scanning as they are reading extensively.
3.2.5. Skimming
Sometimes, the readers need to get the general idea or gist of a text. The
way to do this is not by reading every word. Skimming is the sort of reading
which would be appropriate if the readers’ tutor asked them to read several books
or articles. When the readers are skimming, they go through the passage quickly,
jumping over parts of it in order to get the general idea of what is about. People
skim to get the gist of the text but not to find the answer to particular questions.
According to Wood, J (1990) in “Teaching English as an International language”,
skimming occurs in the following:
- When the readers look at the content of the book, or at the chapter headings,

sub headlines. This is sometimes called previewing. Another example is when
the reader glances quickly through a newspaper to see what are main items of
the day. This will often mean just glancing at the headlines.
- When the reader goes through a particular passage such as newspaper article
merely to get the “gist”.
3.2.6. Scanning
It is said that the readers skim material to get the general picture. To find
out precise information they will need the practice the technique of scanning.
The term “scanning” is often used for reading to find specific answers. They
4


use the result of the skimming to find relevant sections, and then look quickly
through those sections looking for key words that are relevant to the question.
It will help the readers read and find information and quotes faster.
Techniques when scanning that you should know what you are looking
for and looking for it as rapidly as you can. Do not worry about all the “good
information” you are passing over and discarding on the way. One practical
technique to follow in scanning is to fix your question in mind and then run
your eyes as fast as possible down the pages or columns of the print until you
find the answer. The key to this technique is keeping the question fixed in your
mind. Make use of heading, indentations and italicized words. These will often
give you clues about where the information you are seeking is located.
3.2.7. Intensive reading
“Intensive reading means reading short texts to extract specific information, this is
an accuracy activity involving reading for details” (Grellet, F, 1990). In contrast to
extensive reading, intensive reading is to understand a text in detail. To this
kind of reading, readers are required a very deep understanding of the black
marks on the paper with short texts. As reading intensively, people have in their
mind the purpose of achieving full understanding of the logical argument, the

rhetorical arrangement or patterns of the text, its symbolic, emotional and
social over stones, of the attitudes and purposes of the author and the linguistic
means that they employ to achieve their ends. Through intensive reading, the
readers must arrive at a profound and really detailed understanding, not only
what it means but also of how the meaning is produced. The question “how”
here is as important as the question “what”.
The main conclusion to be drawn from all of these is that there are
different styles of reading and that they are determined, not by the text but by
the readers’ reasons for reading. However, to understand a text, these types of
reading are not used isolated. The effective reader is the one who is able to
adapt his style to his purposes and does not read everything slowly and
intensively, which is also the necessarily achieved goal of any teaching
reading program.
2.2.4. Theoretical background of reading strategies
4.1. Definition of reading strategies
There are many different definitions of reading strategies. it is stated
reading strategy as methods used in reading to determine the meaning of a text.
On this website also gave other definition of reading strategy as the varied
processes a reader uses to make meaning from written language. It can be seen
that, reading strategy is the ways that help readers read better.
4.2. Types of reading strategies
For most second language, learners who are already literate in a previous
language, reading comprehension is primary a matter of developing
appropriate, efficient comprehension. According to Brown, H. D (1994), there
are ten strategies for reading comprehension.
1. Identify the purpose in reading.
2. Use grapheme rules and patterns to aids in bottom-up decoding
(especially for beginning level learners).
5



3. Use efficient silent reading techniques for relatively rapid comprehension
(for intermediate to advanced levels).
4. Skim the text for main ideas.
5. Scan the text for specific information.
6. Use semantic mapping or clustering.
7. Guess when you are not certain.
8. Analyze vocabulary.
9. Distinguish between literal and implied meanings.
10. Capitalize on discourse markers to process relationships.
As above, Brown, H. D (1994) stated that there are ten useful strategies
for readers, but he also gave other strategies which many bring benefit for
them. Therefore, he showed the SQ3R strategies as following:
SURVEY: skim the text for an overview of main ideas.
QUESTION: the readers ask questions about what he or she wishes to get out of
the text. READ: read the text while looking for answers to the previously
formulated questions. RECITE: reprocess the salient points of the text through
oral or written language.
REVIEW: assess the importance of what one has just read and incorporate it
into long-term association.
First, it is SURVEYING. It means readers have to look at pictures,
photos, maps, bold prints, captions, and headings to help them for an idea of
the topic and purpose of the written texts.
QUESTIONING is the second technique. The readers pretend they are
interviewing the author of the written text. Based up on what they surveyed,
what questions do they want to ask the author, they write their questions neat to
the pictures, photos, maps, bold prints, captions, and headings.
The third technique is READING. They have to read the text, use a
pencil or pen to mark the text, and underline words or ideas that they think are
important.

One more strategy is RESPONDING. As the readers reads, they try to
find the answers to the questions they asked. Remembering that as they read,
they can ask more questions, be sure to write the answers in the margin.
REVIEWING is the fourth strategy. When the readers finish reading,
review the written text and answer some following questions: Can you answer
the questions that you asked? Do you understand everything about the written
text?
The last technique is REFLECTING. The readers close the text, think
about what they have read, discuss the main points with someone and answer
these questions: Do you agree or disagree with the author(s)? What surprised
you about the written text? What do you find to be confusing? What did you
learn?
2.2.4.2. Types of vocabulary strategies
Pyles, T and Alges, J (1970) stated “when most of us think about
language we think first about words. It is true that the vocabulary is the focus
of language. It is words that sounds and meanings interlink to allow us to
communicate with one another, and it is word that we arrange together to make
6


sentences, conversation and discourse of all kinds”. It indicates that vocabulary
is essential for learning a language.
According to Schimitt, N (1997), there are five following vocabulary
strategies:
4.3.1. Determination strategies: are used when reader are faced with
discovering a new word’s meaning without resource to other person’s expertise.
They can have the meaning of new words from many techniques: guessing
from their structural knowledge of the language, guessing from cognate,
guessing from context, using reference material, and word lists and flash cards.
4.3.2. Social strategies: are used for both discover the words meaning

and consolidate a word once it has been encountered. They can be defined as
those are used to understand to word by asking some one who knows it.
4.3.3.Memory strategies: are approaches which related new material to
existing knowledge using some form of imagery or grouping. The strategies
can be listed as followed: picture/ imagery, related words, unrelated words,
grouping, word’s orthographical, words’ affixes, roots and word class.
4.3.4.Cognitive strategies: this group includes repetition and mechanical
means of learning vocabulary such as: verbal and written repetition, word lists
and flash cards, study aid using and vocabulary notebook.
4.3.5. Meta - cognitive strategies: the readers use them to control and
evaluate their own learning by having a conscious overview of the leafing
process. The readers can employ such strategy as: using English-language
media, skipping or passing new words, continuing to study over time and
testing themselves with word test and using spaced word practice can be
considered as organized activities by the readers themselves.
2.2.5. Summary
Section 1 has presented the relevant literature, which has helped to for
the theoretical framework for the study. Different aspects related to learning
strategies, reading and reading strategies as well as vocabulary and vocabulary
strategies have been discussed.
Through what has been mention in this chapter, it is important to
reconfirm that when reading comprehension, reading strategies and vocabulary
strategies are necessary for any reader to acquire the language.
The next section will be a closer look into the present context of teaching
and learning English reading for the grade 10 students at Ham Rong upper
secondary school, with a view to working out strategies students use when
reading comprehension.
2.2: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
2.2.1. Introduction
This chapter includes three parts. The first one concentrates on the

setting of the study, in which participants and learning program will be given.
The second part will present the data collection and the last part is analysis on
the data collected from questionnaire, interview and class observation.
2.2.2. The setting of the study
2.1. Participants
7


A survey about reading strategies was conducted at Ham Rong upper
secondary school. As a result, the participants of the study are the teachers and
students who are teaching and learning English at this school. The teachers
have spent from 10 to 15 years teaching English. Besides, 10 form students in
this school are also very important participants. They have learnt English for 7
years.
2.2.2.2. Textbook
“Tieng Anh 10” which was the new textbook published in 2006 by the
Ministry of Education and Training Publisher Press consists of 16 units for two
terms. The topics are very various. Each unit has a reading lesson. It may contain
one, two or three tasks which students have to finish within a reading lesson.
2.2.2.3.Data collection
2.3.1. Questionnaire for students
To some extent, using survey questionnaire brings many benefits. It helps
the researcher collect and analysis data quite easily. Therefore, a questionnaire
was delivered students to find out what strategies students use when they
reading and how effective those strategies are.
The questionnaire used for students consists of 14 questions belonging to
three parts and was delivered randomly for 100 students at Ham Rong upper
secondary school at the end of an extracurricular activity. At first, the students’
general idea about reading texts and reading tasks will be found out in part 1.
Part 2 will reveal their reading strategies and the students’ vocabulary strategies

will be discovered in the last part.
2.3.2. Class observation
The author of the study randomly selected three classes (10A8, 10A9,
10A10) of Ham Rong upper secondary to observe. All activities, which the
students and teachers were performing in real reading lesson, were watched and
recorded. These enable the researcher to get reliable data. The classroom
observations were carried out in three stages: pre-reading, while reading and
post reading, and three times for three different units in these classes.
For each class, the researcher observed in a 45 minute lesson. The
reading lessons chosen to be observed were in Unit 11 - National Parks, Unit 12
- Music and Unit 13 - Film and Cinema . All of them were considered as long
texts and consisted of more new words than the previous lessons. The author
would like to observe how students faced to the exercises after reading texts.
2.3.3. Teachers interview
As mentioned above, there were two teachers of English who have taught
10 form were invited for a fifteen minutes interview. Each of them was asked
many questions related to the topics, the content of reading texts, the exercises,
the English learning results of students, the ways their students using in reading
comprehension, etc. The purpose of the interview was to get information by
10%
talking directly to the subjects.
0%
2.2.3. Data analysis
15%
2.2.3.1. Data analysis from
questionnaire for students
Students’ attitude toward reading texts and reading tasks
Question 1: How do you find the topics of the reading texts?
8
75%



Very intersting
Normal
Very boring
No comment

Chart 1: Students’ attitude towards the topics of the reading texts
According to chart 1, it can be clearly seen that most of students thought
that the topics of the reading texts were very interesting. Many of them said
that those topics helped them understand more about society and widened their
knowledge (75 %). No one thought that they are boring. Only 15 % of students
considered them normal while other 10 out of the students had no comment on
the reading texts.
Question 2: How do you find reading tasks?

14%

0% 6%

Very difficult
No comment
Easy
80%

Chart 2: Students’ attitude towards the level of difficulty of reading tasks
As can be seen from chart 2 that, more than 80 % of students found the reading
tasks were very difficult, especially, they could not do well most of the Tasks 1 after
every reading text. No one thought the tasks to be easy, there were 10% of the students
considering they were normal while 8 % of them had no comment.

Question 3: How do you think about the number of new words in reading texts?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

There are too many new words.
The number of new words is suitable.
There is only a few of new words
There are no new words.
I do not care about the number of new words in reading texts.

92

6

0
ABCDE

0

2


9


Chart 3: Students’ attitude towards the number of new words in reading texts
Among 100 students participated in this study, more than 90 % of them
thought that there were too many new words in reading texts. Whereas, 2 students
did not care much about the number of new words in reading texts, there were six
students in number asked saying that they were suitable (6 %). No one found
there were a few or no new words in the reading texts.
3.2. Students’ reading strategies
Question 4: What do you do before Reading?
Choices
Frequency
A. Observe pictures or headings to predict the content of the reading texts.
B. Make questions yourself which you think they are related to the reading text.

82 %
0%

C. Find the purposes of readings texts
D. Discuss with friends
E. Read the requirements of the reading tasks

0%
55 %
12 %

Table 1: Students’ strategies before reading
It can be clearly stated from Table 1 that almost students (82 %) were
interested in observing pictures or headings (if there are) to predict the content

of the reading texts. It was an easy way to guess the content of the texts. The
second rank was for discussing with friends (55 %). It helped them share ideas,
thoughts, feeling and whatever they thought about the topic. There were only 12
students (12 %) read the requirements of the reading tasks. Surprisingly, no one
made questions themselves or investigated the purposes of reading texts before
reading.
Question 5: What kind of Reading do you use in Reading the texts?

42%
58%

Reading aloud
Silent reading

Chart 5: Students’ types of reading
The data depicted in the Pie Chart above reveal students’ types of
reading. There are 58 % of students using reading aloud while 42 % of them
use silent one. It can be explained that they preferred practicing reading texts
rather than focusing on the content of the texts.
Question 6: Do you often underline new words in the Reading texts?
Choices
Frequency
A. Underline words you think they are important in reading texts
32 %
B. Underline all new words in reading texts
53 %
C. Underline the signal words: however, but, therefore, ect.
0%
10



D. Write nothing on the texts
65 %
Table 2: Students’ first discovering the reading texts
There were 53 % of them underlined all new words in reading texts as they
did not care about whether they has already learned those words or not, they
marked every word not familiar to them. Besides, the number of students who
underlined words which they think important in the reading texts took into
account for 32 % while many of them marked nothing on reading texts (65 %).
Question 7: What do you do when answering questions?
Choices
Frequency
A. Find the sentences containing the words appearing in the question to answer

19 %

B. Find the paragraphs which have similar idea with the question to answer
C. Find sentences contain the words appeared in the question to answer.

33 %
60 %

D. Answer question from what you understand about the text.

4%

Table 3: Students strategies when answering questions
From table 3, it can be seen that the percentage of students who answered
questions by finding the sentences containing the words appearing in the
questions to answer was very high, it accounted for 60 %. Four in one hundred

students answered questions from what they understood about the text. Other
19 % of the students found the sentences, which contained the words appearing
in the questions and the last 33 % of them found the paragraphs, which had the
similar idea with the question to give answers.
Question 8: What do you do when Reading the texts?
Choices
Frequency
A. Discuss with friends
22 %
B. Find interesting structures to take notes
0%
C. Write summary about the text
0%
D. Find other reading passages which have the same topic
0%
E. Do nothing
88 %
According to table 4, one can see that 82 % of students asked teachers or
friends whenever they met new words, while 38 % of them had other strategies
when facing to new words. They read from the beginning to the ending of the
text without paying any attention to the new words. Only 25% of them tried to
guess the meaning of words, which they thought that those words were
important in reading texts. No one looked up dictionary because they had no
dictionary.
Question 9: How do you guess the new words?
Choices
Frequency
A. Base on their part of speed: noun, verb, adjective, ect.
0%
B. Base on the affixes, such as prefixes and suffixes

0%
C. Base on the words or phrases next to them.
91 %
D. Base on your own ideas.
53 %
Table 5: Students’ strategies when guessing the meaning of new
words
The information obtained from the Table 5 indicates that 91 % of
11


participants guessed the meaning of new words in reading texts by basing on
words or phrases next to them, and 53 students (53 %) based on their own
opinions to guess that meaning. No one based on the part of speed or affixes
such as suffixes or prefixes to discover the meaning of new words.
Question 10: What do you do to learn new words in the reading texts at home?
Choices
A. Read aloud words or phrases and compare them with the Vietnamese meaning.
B. Engage them with the words have the same category
C. Engage them with synonyms and antonyms
D. Use pictures
E. Read and write new words many times.
F. Do not learn new words of the text at home.

Frequency
34 %
0%
0%
5%
20 %

64 %

Table 6: Students’ strategies to learn new words in the reading texts at home
The aim of question 10 is to find out what strategies students use to learn
new words in the reading texts at home. It is surprised that more than 60 % of
students did not learn new words at home while no one learnt new words by
engaging them with the words have the same category or engaging them with
synonyms and antonyms. There were 34 % of them reading aloud words or
phrases and comparing them with the Vietnamese meaning. 20 % of them read
and wrote new words many times. Besides, there were only 5 participants using
pictures to learn new words.
4. Students’ vocabulary strategies
There are three classes (10A8, 10A9, 10A10) at Ham Rong upper
secondary school with two different teachers were observed.
Question 11: What do you do when you face new words?
Choices
Frequency
A. Stop and ask teacher or friends for helps.
82 %
B. Try to guess the meaning of every word in the text
25 %
C. Read from beginning to the ending of the texts without paying
38 %
any attention to the new words.
D. Look up dictionary
0%
Table 7: Students’ strategies when facing to new words
The first observation was taken placed in class 10A8 with unit 11National Parks. At pre-stage, teacher asked students to list as many as possible
national parks they have known. Students worked in groups to find out the
answers. There were some of them not really focusing on finding answers as

they did not know the names of national parks. After that, teacher introduced
new words, students took note. When teacher asked students to read the text,
the class became noisier. Teacher guided them to do exercises and called on
some students to go to the board to write their answers, unfortunately most of
them gave incorrect ones. There was no post reading.
The second observation was put in class 10A9 with unit 12- Music. It
seemed that this was a difficult lesson because there were many new words
which readers cannot guess the meaning. At pre-stage, it was not easy for
students to match suitable kinds of music with their definitions because they
12


did not know what kind of music they listen to. Teacher wrote new words on
the board and students took note. It seemed that students did what teacher
asked them to do without any interest. Although teacher supplied all new
words and translated all statements in task 1, students still could not finish
them. In task 2, they worked in groups to answer the questions but they
misunderstood questions. Teacher called on a student to present the roles of
Music basing on their own opinion at post reading stage.
The last observation took place in class 10A10 with lesson 13-Film and
Cinema. At beginning of that period, teacher asked students some questions
related to the topic of reading to guess the content of the text. After introducing
new words, teacher asked them to read the text to finish task 1. It seemed that it
was quite difficult for them. They did exercises from first to last one. At post
stage, teacher listed some years and asked students to talk about the
development of film basing on those years.
There were some similarities among three classes that when teacher
asked them to work in groups, they did the tasks mechanically. They worked in
groups but they used their mother tongue. The atmosphere in class was very
noisy but they did not focus on lesson, they were interested in chatting together.

5. Data analysis from interview
There were two teachers to be interviewed. Both of them were asked the
same questions but their answer had some similarities and differences.
When being asked about the results of English in 10 form at am Rong upper
secondary school, both of them sang the same song that they were very low and
bad. Most of them got marks from 3.0 to 6.5 at the end of the first term.
Therefore, the teachers faced to many difficulties when working with them.
They said that their students’ knowledge of English was limited while the
reading texts were too long with them, there were also too many new words
hence they could not cover the idea of reading texts. About reading tasks, they
complained that there were many too difficult exercises for students to do.
Especially, it was task 1 of unit 2, 9, 11, 12 and 13 with the following requests:
- The words/ phrases in the box below all appear in reading passage. Use them
to complete the sentences.
As a result, they always have had to adapt them correspond with their students.
Both of them considered that the topics of reading texts are very
interesting and realistic with students. Students can learn much from them.
When being asked about what they have done before reading, the first
teacher said they she went directly into lesson by introducing new words.

13


Other said that, she always asked them to observe pictures or asked them
some questions to lead to new lesson. In addition, about students, they did
what their teachers asked.
While reading, if students met new words, they always stopped to ask
teacher immediately. It seemed to be affected the readers’ speed when
reading. After reading, they sometimes asked them to summary the reading
texts but they did nothing.

SECTION 3: MAJOR FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS
1. Introduction
This chapter consists of two parts. The first part focuses on the major
findings inferred from the data analysis in chapter 2. From these findings, some
suggestions will be given which can be useful for readers when reading
anything. Those suggestions are the second part of this chapter.
2. Major findings
After analyzing the data collected from questionnaire and interview were
done by teachers of English and students in the grade 10 at Ham Rong upper
secondary school, some points can be realized that all of them were interested
in the topics of every reading text. There were many attractive topics such as A
day in the life of…, School talk, Undersea world, Film and cinema, Music and
etc. The reading texts seem too long with those students. There were many new
words in reading texts, which prevented them understanding the reading texts
and finishing reading tasks. There were also some unsuitable exercises with
students because their limited ability, hence they could not finish the reading
exercises well.
2.1. Students’ reading strategies
Many students had their own strategies for reading comprehension but
they were not effective. The first thing could be pointed out that they did not
use variety of strategies when reading. Their strategies were limited in number.
Before reading, many of them were interested in looking at pictures and
headings (if there are) or discussing with friends rather than making questions
themselves, or finding the purposes of readings texts as well as seeing the
requests of the reading tasks. Also there were many people doing nothing at
this stage. As a result, they did not understand clearly about the text.
When reading texts, many of them read aloud, so it affected their reading
speed. At that time, the atmosphere in class became noisy, so the students could
not concentrate on their reading and finishing reading tasks.
When first discovering the text, many of them underlined all new

words. However, for them, most of words in the texts were new words.
Because there were too many marks in reading texts, the readers will lose the
attention on the texts. There also had many people marked nothing on the
texts, therefore, they did not know what information is more important and
what is less important one to pay attention.
When answering questions, they did not know what they have to fill with
those questions. As a result, they usually found the sentences containing the
words appearing in the questions to answer; hence, many of their answers were


incorrect at all. However, when did reading exercises if they find what is easier
they will do first, and what is more difficult they will do later, it will help them
save time when reading. Most of students did nothing after reading. Therefore,
they were easy to forget what they have learnt. There were only some of them
discussing with friends, but they used their own language.
In short, most of students’ reading strategies were teachers’; thus
students were always passive when they read the texts and finished the reading
exercises.
2.2. Students’ vocabulary strategies
Vocabulary is an important part when reading.
When facing new words, they stopped immediately and asked teacher or
friends for help. It affected their reading speed. Looking up dictionary was a
good way to discover the meaning of new words, but no one used this way
because they had no dictionary. When guessing the meaning of new words, the
students based on words or phrases in the text to them. It will help them have a
general idea about those words.
Consolidating new words at class and learning new words at home were
also good ways to get more words about the topic. However, many of students
did nothing at these stages. Therefore, their vocabulary was so limited.
All in all, it can be seen that students used discussing strategies at any

stages in a reading lesson.
3. Suggestions
Through data analysis and major findings, some suggestions will be given to
improve situation.
3.1. Suggestions for reading strategies
An English reading lesson includes three stages; hence, the suggestions
will be given, basing on these stages:
3.1.1.Pre-reading
During pre-reading, the readers can be encouraged to do a number of things:
Talking about the pictures accompanying the text and trying to figure out the
title and subtitle to predicting the content of the reading text is the first
suggestion given for pre-reading. For example, in unit 5, the readers can see
many things in the picture: CPU, CD ROMs, key board, VDU, mouse, printer,
ect and the title “TECHNOLOGY AND YOU”. They will remind the readers
think something related to computer, technology in social life and help them
easy to connect with the content of the text.
Establishing a reason for reading should be encouraged. It means that the
readers set the purpose for their reading. It will determines reading speed and
help them know what is important. When they have a purpose, they tend to
remember more of the text.
One strategy that can be carried out at pre-reading stage is expressing
attitude about the topic, reviewing experiences in relation with the topic. The
purpose of this strategy is that the readers can compare their attitude with the
author’s about the topic and find out what is similarity and what is difference
between them. For example, when seeing
the
topic
“SPECIAL
EDUCATION” and the Braille Alphabets which use for blind and deaf



people, the readers might think poor them, they have strong feeling, etc.
After reading, they can know their thought is similar with author’s or not.
Discussing with friends about the topic will be also used. It will help the
readers have more information about the topic because they can share opinions,
thoughts, ideas, feeing about the topic.
In short, strategies in pre-reading will give the readers a general idea about
the topic and help them easy to catch information when reading the text.
3.1.2.While-reading
While-reading seems to be the most important stage in reading lesson
because at this stage, the students read the text for understanding to finish the
reading tasks.
Controlling reading speed will be encouraged. Controlling reading rate
means adjusting the readers' space according to what they are reading and why
they are reading. When they are reading material that does not demand
complete careful attention, they push themselves to move through it quickly.
But when they are reading critically, they read much more slowly and
deliberately. It will save the readers’ time while reading.
Underlining or using a highlighter to indicate key words or phrases in
the text is also highly appreciated strategy. In running text, the readers focus on
key terms; they may be in boldface or in italicized. Text to mark includes
definitions, items in lists and main idea within a text. Remembering that the
readers mark only important words or phrases, not really all the material. Often,
they will want to mark the topic sentence in each paragraph. The topic sentence
is usually the first sentence of the paragraph. It tells what the paragraph about
and is followed by sentences that amplify and further explain it. Occasionally,
the topic sentence is the last in a paragraph, serving as a summary of material
that precedes it. Some paragraphs have both a topic sentence at the beginning
and a summary at the end, which in effect restated the topic sentence.
Remembering that the opening and closing paragraph in a text are particularly

important.
To focus on reading text, the readers are encouraged to use silent reading
because reading aloud will affect their attention and their partners’.
The readers’ results of reading are expressed from how many correct
answers they can give. Therefore, reading through all questions of the tasks
before starting reading the text should be used because they can know what
is important and unimportant information when reading. It will help them set a
limit to the information to answer the questions easily.
3.1.3. Post reading
Post reading is a stage, which helps the readers check and discuss what
they have read, done and thought about the text. It will help them understand
deeply about the topic and the reading text. There are many strategies can be
used at this stage:
A common strategy is writing summary about the text. Summarizing the
text briefly in five or six sentences can be carried out. It will help the readers
remember what they have learnt easily and clearly.
Comprehension questions are just one of strategy appropriate for post


reading. However, these questions are different from questions in pre-stage.
They are question inferred from the text to remember information not
predicting information.
Taking note will bring the readers long-term memory about the text.
They can take note what they think that is interesting. Nowadays, there are
many material about one topic; therefore, finding and reading more other
materials about the topic will give the readers a deeply point of view about
one topic.
3.2. Suggestions for vocabulary strategies
A major strategy in helping readers to build vocabulary for reading is
guessing word meanings from contextual clues and background knowledge.

The readers try to figure out words from their contexts. One way for readers to
guess the word meanings is analyzing it in terms of what they know about it.
- Looking for prefixes: -un, -in, -inter, -super, -so, -il, etc will give the readers
clues about its meanings. For example, considering the word international in
unit THE WORLD CUP. “National” belongs to one country. The prefix “inter”
means lots of, so the meaning word international can be figure out as
“belonging many countries”.
- Looking for suffixes:-tion, -cian, -ly, -ful, -tive, etc may indicate the part of
speed it is. For example, in unit 9 - UNDERSEA WORLD, the readers can meet
many new words: the word biodiversity they can see that this is a noun, or word
independently, it is an adverb, etc.
It is suggested that teachers should spend more time in introducing
a topic, encouraging skimming, scanning, and activating schemata before
reading. Students can bring their knowledge and skills to a text when they have
been given a chance to “ease to” the text. Students have no dictionary to look
up new words; hence, teachers should supply them new words before new
reading lessons. It will give them time to prepare new lesson at home, and easy
to finish all the tasks carried in new lessons at class.
While reading, it is suggested that teachers should guide students how to
read, where to focus on, how to face to new words and how to answers
questions


PART 3: CONCLUSION
1. Summary of the main findings
From the practical reason that reading is one of the most difficult skills
when learning English. Students in upper secondary school find many difficulties
with this skill. The researcher would like to find out what strategies they use when
reading comprehension. A study has been conducted by theoretical study, doing a
survey questionnaire, observing classes and interviewing namely “Some

strategies used to teach Reading Skill to 10 grade students at Ham Rong
High School”.
The study has been divided into three parts. The first part is the
introduction of the study.
Development is part 2. This part contains three sections. Section 1 is
Literature Review, in which some general theories related to reading strategies
and vocabulary strategies such as theoretical background of learning strategies,
reading, reading strategies as well as vocabulary strategies have been
presented. The second Section (Data collection and Analysis) consists of three
smaller parts. The first part focused on the setting of the study, in which the
description of participants and textbook has been given. The second part is the
data collection from questionnaire, class observation and interview. Data
analysis is the last one. This part analyzes the data collected from previous part.
From this analysis, some major findings and suggestions have been given in
th
Section 3; the researcher has found out that most of the grade 10 students at
Ham Rong Upper Secondary School are passive with reading texts and reading
tasks. They find many difficulties when facing to new words, answering
reading exercises and do not know how to familiar with them. Some
suggestions have also presented which can help them learn reading better.
2. Implications for more effective Reading Skill
From the results above, the findings do
not correspond with the hypothesis of the study. At first, it is said that the
students will use different variety strategies in reading comprehension and they
are effective for them. In reality, these strategies are very poor in number and
ineffective for them. This study is finished in a short time, with the limitation in
the knowledge. There are, therefore, mistakes are probably inevitable. Thereby,
all the considerations, suggestions, comments, remarks and contributions from
teachers, students and anyone who is interested in this field will be highly
appreciated. This graduation paper emphasizes on finding what strategies

students use when reading comprehension and giving some suggestions, which
can help students choose suitable strategies for them and teachers will have more
information when guiding students reading. Therefore, the study, to some extent,
has contributed a small part in teaching and learning English reading at Ham
Rong Upper Secondary School.
The author of the research is fully aware of how students use strategies in
reading comprehension and how effective those strategies are, just only focuses
on learning reading not every skill. It is the author’s hope that she would go
further with the investigation of the following issues: studying on writing


strategies, studying on listening strategies, studying on speaking strategies.
XÁC NHẬN CỦA THỦ
TRƯỞNG ĐƠN VỊ

Thanh Hóa, ngày 24 tháng 4 năm 2018
Tôi xin cam đoan đây là SKKN của mình viết,
không sao chép nội dung của người khác.
(Ký và ghi rõ họ tên)

Nguyễn Văn Toàn