It is undeniable that English has become a linguistic communication for international communicating. In globalisation procedure, it is considered as the mean for advancing the relationship, development, cooperation and apprehension among the states worldwide. And it is unmissable baggage for anyone who wants to detect the new universe or acquire in front in their calling. Therefore, there has been an detonation in the demand for English in all conners of the universe.

In Vietnam, in recent old ages, peculiarly after the Education Reform, the state ‘s entry into the World Trade Organization together with opening its market to the universe outside, English has gained impulse. In fact, this drives people to English categories with the hope to be able to pass on in English to catch up with the rapid enlargement of information and engineering and to integret into the new universe. English is non merely taught at schools, universities but besides at many foreign linguistic communication centres, in portion -time categories.

At Sydney foreign linguistic communication centre ( SFLC ) , the figure of scholars keep increasing late. Surely, they come to the centre with the hope to hold bid of English to utilize it efficaciously. Being asked about their acquisition English, most of the scholars taking portion in the interview in this survey considered listening accomplishment as of the great importance since hearing has a function in speech production and it is really helpful to them to better their linguistic communication accomplishment. When pass oning, people are prepared to give response after they listen to the talkers. Therefore, the job of how to learn and larn hearing accomplishment is ever of the scholars and instructors ‘ great concern at Sydney centre.

However, at Sydney centre where I am learning, learners’listening accomplishment of most of the scholars is bad. Learners face a batch of troubles when they listen to the tape in English, and they found listening lessons tiring. One hypothesis is the current method of learning listening accomplishment is still performed with traditional manner in which while-listening is the dominant phase of the lesson. Learners are non well-prepared for what they are traveling to listen. Consequently, they become inactive and less confident. They found it disputing while listening to English.

Bing a instructor of English at Sydney centre, I am good cognizant of this state of affairs. And it is the clip the instructors at this centre did something to better the state of affairs. This drives me to my survey on “ the techniques for bettering hearing accomplishment for non-major pupils of English at Sydney centre ”

2. Purposes of the survey.

This survey is aimed at replying the undermentioned inquiries:

What methods are implemented in learning hearing at Sydney centre?

What are the techniques for bettering listeninging accomplishment for non-major pupils of English at this centre?

3. Scope of the survey.

I and two of my co-workers observed a category of 27 pupils of Pre-intermediate at Sydney centre during listening lesson. To bettering listening accomplishment for scholars of Pre-intermediate degree at Sydney centre, the instructors can do usage of assorted techniques and a figure of things should be done. However, I merely intend to depict the current methods of learning listening for pupils at my centre and to happen the jobs that appear in instruction and acquisition procedure so as to propose merely some techniques that are suited with the acquisition and learning context at my centre.

4. Method of the survey.

I used quatitative method in this survey. Measurement instruments designed for informations aggregation included unrecorded observation sheet for listening lesson and six inquiries for questioning 9 pupils.

Suggestions, recommendation and decision in this survey based on the information analysis.

Part 2: Development

I. Literature reappraisal:

There have been legion articles and books speaking about acquisition and learning listening skilll over the decennaries. To hold appropriate schemes and attacks using in diferrent learning context, it is necessary to take into consideration and have good apprehension of the factors associating to listening.

In order to fullfil the survey, relevant theoretical constructs are presented in this portion of the survey. They are as follow:

1.Nature of linguistic communication accomplishment

Harmonizing to Harmer J, four major linguistic communication accomplishments are summarize in the undermentioned manner

Medium

Skill

Address

Written word

Receptive

Listening and understanding

Reading and understanding

Productive

Talking

Writing

It is clear from the tabular array that listening and reading belong to receptive accomplishment as they involve having messages whereas speech production and composing involve linguistic communication production and are frequently refered to as productive accomplishment. However talking and listening normally go on at the same time. That is why learning hearing is ever associated with learning talking accomplishment. And instructors should choose listening undertaking more carefully.

2. The basic methodological theoretical account for the instruction of receptive accomplishments.

Harmer J ( 1991: 189 ) showed a basic theoretical account for learning receptive accomplishment which consists of five basic phases as follow:

– Lead

– Teacher directs comprehension undertaking

– Students listen or read for undertaking.

– Teacher directs feedback.

– Teacher directs text-related undertaking.

Lead- in and Teacher directs comprehension undertaking are the two satges done before listening or reading, in which pupils and the instructor prepare themselves for the undertaking and be familiar with the subject of the listening/reading. It aims at making outlook and eliciting pupils ‘ involvement and the instructor explains, direct the pupils ‘ intent for listening or reading.

In the 3rd and 4th phase, the pupils read or listen to a text to execute the undertaking the instructor has set and the instructor helps them to see if they do it sucessfully or pupils can look into the reply with each other.

In last phase, teacher directs text related to undertaking, instructor organizes some sort of follow-up undertaking related to the text.

This agreed with Davies P ( 2000: 76 ) that to do coursebook or listening pattern more realistic and interesting, the specific phases should be followed: Pre-listening, While-listening, Post-listening.

3. The importance of listening

Harmonizing to Harmer J, in order to develop communicative effeciency in pronunciation the pupils need to understand how sound are made and how emphasis are used. There are several ways to make this. They can listen to their instructor or native- talkers. And it is of import for the pupils to be exposed to the other voice, that is why listening to tape is so of import.

4. The rules behind the instruction of listening.

Harmonizing to Harmer J ( 1998: 99 ) , listening activities differ from other schoolroom exercisings in the undermentioned ways: the tapes go at the same velocity for everyone and the spoken linguistic communication usage particularly when it is informal. Therefore, the instructor demand to guarantee that pupils are well-prepared for listening and be clearly able to hear what they listen to. He suggested six rules behind the instruction of listening as follow:

– The tape recording equipment is merely every bit of import as the tape

– Preparation is critical

– Once is non be plenty

-Students should be encouraged to react to the content of a hearing, non merely to the linguistic communication.

– Different listening phases demand different listening undertakings.

– Good instructors exploit listening texts to the full.

5. Motivation

Motivation plays really of import function in learning and larning as “ positive attitudes and motive are related to success in 2nd linguistic communication acquisition ” ( Gardner, 1985 ) . And motive is “ a cardinal consideration in finding the readiness of scholars to pass on ” ( Gardner, 1985:10 ) .

Harmonizing to Harmer J ( 1991: 3 ) motive is some sort of internal thrust that encourages person to prosecute a class of action. For linguistic communication scholars who are motivated frequently perceive ends of assorted sorts including short-run end and long-run end. Long-run end might hold something to make to anticipate to acquire a good occupation in future or desire to get the hang a linguistic communication to pass on with other people. Short-run end might include things as desiring to go through an test or complete a unit in a book.

Harmer J seperates motive that pupils have into two chief classs: Extrinsic motive and intrinsic motive.

*Extrinsic motive concerned with factor outside the schoolroom and there are two chief types of such motive: integrative motive and instrumental motive.

-Instrumental motive: when scholars need English as an instrument to make a peculiar end such as acquiring a occupation or a wage rise or wagess. In this instance, hence, motive is the contemplation of an external demand.

– Integrative motive: when scholars internally want to incorporate himself into the civilization of mark linguistic communication ( English ) .

*Intrinsic motive concerned with what takes topographic point inside the schoolroom. It plays a critical portion in most scholars ‘ success or failure as linguistic communication scholars. For them, what go on in the schoolroom will be of critical importance in finding their attitudes to linguistic communication and in providing motive. There are some factors impacting intrinsic motive including physical conditions, method of instruction, the instructor and success. ( Harmer J, 1991:5 ) .

In short, motive plays a critical portion in developing linguistic communication accomplishment. It can be considered as both the cause and the consequence of linguistic communication larning accomplishment. That is, scholars who experience success in learnin may go more or in some context, less motivated to larn. Learner can be both extrinsically and per se motivated at one time and at the same clip.

II. Design and analysis of the research.

1. Design and methodological analysis

1.1 An overview of the research site.

Sydney information sciences linguistic communication centre is located in Xuan mai town, Chuong My territory, Hanoi metropolis. It trains pupils and people in this country and vicinity information sciences and foreign linguistic communications including English, Chinese and Korean. Like many other centres, the scholars at Sydney are assorted in footings of ages, professions and abilities. They are pupils, working scholars, school departer and school kids. The scholars at this centre are aged from 10 to forty or over. A big figure of them have learnt English for rather long clip before. While some have had three old ages of English at high school or six to ten old ages of English at primary school and secondary school. Some other merely experienced certain cognition of English from a group of portion -time or eventide categories.

Of eight full clip instructors learning at the centre, three have been trained at Hanoi university of foreign surveies. Three other graduated from Hanoi Open University and two instructors have been trained from in-service preparation class. All of them have experiences in instruction, nevertheless the linguistic communication cognition and new learning attacks should be more consulted..

At Sydney centre, English learning screens all degrees from Beginner to Intermediate or Advanced. Each class usually takes three months ( three lessons per hebdomad, each lesson lasts 120 proceedingss ) . Coursebooks are major agencies in learning and larning and they are chosen based on pupils ‘ demand, ability and ages. Coursebooks are being taught here including three books of New-headway and Lifelines. Besides, Listening comprehension and note-taking ( By K. James, R.R. Jordan ) and Talking of course ( By Bruce Tillitt ) have been used as auxiliary stuffs to develop hearing and speech production accomplishment.

1.2. Subject of the survey

I and two of my co-workers are perceivers to detect one listening lesson taught by one of the instructor in a category of 27 pupils of pre-intermediate pupils at the centre. Listening state of affairs in the category is an interview. To guarantee the dependability and cogency of the survey, the three perceivers worked independently and the criterias for observation sheet ( based on Ruth Wajnryb, Classroom Observation Tasks, Cambridge University Press, 1992, p.35 ) were discussed in inside informations before being in used. The perceivers got permission from the instructor who was observed. The category was divided indiscriminately into three groups of 9 pupils each. Each perceiver is in charge of one group to detect their behavior and number the figure of pupils who can make the undertaking set by the instructor. These perceivers besides observe teacher at the same clip. The inquiries for interview were in both English and Vietnamese so that the interviewees could reply them decently.

1.3 Instruments of informations aggregation

In order to hold good apprehension of the issues under treatment, it is indispensable to mention to an of import beginning of informations aggregation associated with the literature reappraisal. I hope to suggests learning techniques that can be worked out to better current hearing accomplishment learning and larning at Sydney centre by agencies of literature reappraisal comparision and by cross look intoing with the information obtained from the unrecorded observation and pupil interview. To carry through the purposes of the survey, measurement instruments designed for informations aggregation included observation sheet and 6 inquiries to interview pupils. ( see appendix ) .

2. Datas analysis

2.1 From unrecorded observation:

Table 1: Consequences from unrecorded observation ( Teacher and pupils ‘ behaviors during 30-minute listening lesson ) .

Events

Time

( proceedingss )

What instructor does

What pupils do

Before listening

3

Introduce the subject of the listening lesson.

State pupils what they are traveling to make after listening to the tape.

Listen to the instructor.

Open the book and read the inquiries for post-listening undertaking.

While-listening

18

Play the tape for three times.

The first clip: the whole tape so inquire if the pupils can reply any inquiries in post-listening undertaking.

The 2nd clip: play the tape once more with some intermission to inquire foretelling inquiries.

The last clip: play the tape and intermission after sentence to repetition.

Listen to the tape and take note.

Answer the instructor ‘s inquiries.

After- hearing

9

Ask pupils to reply comprehension inquiries so compare their replies with their spouses.

Finally, work in group to sum up the content of the hearing

Work in braces and in groups to make the undertaking.

Table 2: Number of pupils can finish while and post- hearing undertaking

Group name

While-listening undertaking

Percentage

Post-listening undertaking

Percentage

Group 1

2

22 %

3

30 %

Group 2

3

30 %

4

44 %

Group 3

3

30 %

4

44 %

Other remarks: most of the pupils do the post-listening undertaking with the aid of tapecripts. The category atmostphere is really deadening.

Tape recording equipment has hapless talker, sometimes go faster, sometimes slower

Discussion:

It is clear from unrecorded observation that, the instructor spent 18 proceedingss ( 60 % ) of the lesson on while-listening activity while merely 3 proceedingss ( 10 % ) was for pre-listening undertaking. More surprisingly, in pre-listening phase the instructor merely introduced the subject for listening and so directed the pupils ‘ intent for listening by stating “ you have to reply the inquiries about what you ‘ve listened to the tape ” . Meanwhile the pupils did nil but listening to the instructor carefully and read the inquiries for the post-listening undertaking. Looking back at what was presented in the literature reexamine portion of this survey and in compared with a basic methodological theoretical account for the instruction receptive accomplishments given by Harmer J ( 1991:90 ) , it is evidently that the instructor about ignored lead-in undertaking in pre-listening phase. The instructor and the pupils did n’t prepared themselves for the undertaking and the subject of the hearing. They were non equiped with vocabulary and constructions for what they were traveling to listen to. In other word, the instructor did n’t make outlooks and elicit the pupils ‘ involvement in the lesson. That led to unsucessful consequences in while and post- hearing phase. The consequences from table showed that merely 8 pupils ( 29,6 % ) could make the while-listening activity and 11 pupils ( 40 % ) could finish the post-listening undertaking with the aid of tapecripts. These perceivers besides commented that the category atmostphere was rather deadening and silience. The pupils were non willing to take part in pairwork and group work set by the instructor. In fact, the instructor did nil to actuate unwilling pupils.

2.2: From the interview:

To acquire better understanding about the current state of affairs of learning and larning listening accomplishment at Sydney centre, 9 pupils were chosen to take portion in the interview right after the lesson finished. The inteviewers are besides the perceivers. Each group ( Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 ) has three members to be interviewed. Among the three members of each group, the interviewer intended to take the most active member, the least active member and the other was selected indiscriminately. To guarantee the dependability and cogency of the survey, the inquiries translated into Vietnamese. These are the six inquiries for the interview:

1, How do you experience about your hearing accomplishment? ( You feel you are larning really good / reasonably good / do n’t cognize / non really good / severely ) .

2, How do you happen listening lessons? ( interesting, reasonably interesting / drilling )

3, How do you happen listening of import to you?

4, What are your troubles in listening lessons?

5, What would you wish to make more in listening lessons?

6, What are your suggestions to your instructor in order to do listening lessons more effectual?

These inquiries were designed to research the pupils ‘ attitude toward listening lessons and their desire.

Question 1: Merely 2 pupils ( 22 % ) said their hearing was reasonably good, while 6 others

( 66 % ) said they learned really severely. Another did n’t give her reply.

Therefore the instructor should make something to assist the pupils to better their hearing accomplishment.

Question 2: Unfortunately, when being asked about how they found their listening lessons, 7 pupils ( history for 77,7 % of the inteviewees ) said that their lessons were tiring and rather hard. More surprisingly, there was no reply for interesting lesson. Merely two pupils found the listening lessons reasonably interesting.

In inquiry 3, most of the pupils agreed that listening is really of import for them. They come to the centre with the hope to be able to pass on good in English so as to go through unwritten test at their university or to acquire a good occupation after their graduation from university. Since listening plays a function in communicating, they should larn how to listen and how to talk good.

Obviously, the pupils have motive, here is their instrumental motive. Because they have both short and long-run end for their linguistic communication acquisition and they wanted to comprehend their ends. So, the inquiry is what the instructor should make to hold good consequence on their motive?

When asked inquiry 4, all the pupils said that they had trouble in understanding fast natural native address, placing the chief points, the cardinal words and maintaining up with all the information so non being able to believing in front or foretelling. Besides, the pupils have hapless background cognition and vocbaulary. They added that they are non used to listening to the tape because when they were at high school they frequently listened to the instructor reading and the forcus of the lesson was on grammar. So, what the instructor should make here is to happen the manner to assist their pupils overcome these troubles.

Question 5: Very interestingly, 90 % of the interviewees said that they would wish to discourse more about what they are traveling to listen before listening to the tape. That would non merely assist them to be familiar with the content of the hearing but besides give them opportunity to better speech production accomplishment. Particularly, the pupils found it good to be taught and explained cardinal words and constructions that will look in listening text. Merely 10 % thought that they merely listen with the tapecripts auxiliary.

Question 6: The replies they gave were about the same as what they said in inquiry 5. Furthermore, they want the instructor to inquire more predicted inquiries while they are listening.

Part 3: Findingss and recommendation

1. Findingss:

Harmonizing to the findings from the unrecorded observations and consequences from the inteview, factors doing listening category drilling, hard and unsuccessful are assorted. They are grouped into three chief classs which are as follow:

* Current inappropriate instruction method.

* Subjective factors from the scholars

* Objective factors.

1.1 Current inappropriate instruction method

The consequences from the unrecorded observation showed that the hearing lessons at Sydney centre are still performed in traditional instruction method in which text and instructor are centre of the category. During the lesson there is much teacher speaking clip ( TTT ) but less student speaking clip and the forcus of the lesson is on listening to the tape. The pupils are non active in their acquisition. Although there is much TTT ( she repeated sentence by sentence after the tape ) , it is n’t given in the right clip. Teacher should talk more in pre-listening phase than while-listening phase to fix for the pupils with vocabulary and constructions related to listening lesson. Besides, the consequences from observation stated that, the pupils were non given the opportunity to discourse about what they were traveling to listen hence they were non motivated and the category became less communicative. In category, learners merely sit in silence, take note and reply the instructor ‘s inquiries when necessary. They could merely finish the piece and post-listening undertaking with batch of instructor ‘s aid and supplementary of tapecripts. Besides, it is n’t necessary for the instructor to reiterate every word and sentence after the tape since it is listening comprehension and extended hearing.

In short, when looking back at the basic methodological theoretical account given by Harmer J presented in literature review portion of this survey, it is clear that the teacher about ignored pre-listening phase which is considered an of import phase to make outlooks and arouse pupils ‘ involvement. So the lesson failed to success.

1.2 Subjective factors from the scholars.

It can be easy seen through the inteview consequences that the about every scholar at Sydney centre surveies English to pass on and go through unwritten test at their university, hence ; besides speech production accomplishment, hearing is a important accomplishment for them. However they found it challenge while listening. The research consequences besides draw the grounds for this as follow:

* Their low proficiency in English

* their deficiency of motive

1.2.1: Low proficiency in English

Learners ‘ low proficiency in English is one of major factor that make listening a challenge for them. Although the topics of the survey have learnt English since they were at secondary school, their vocabulary, grammar and even pronunciation are still really hapless. Futhermore they get used to listening to their instructor, they are given a small opportunity to pattern listening to the tape at their school or university. So, when they listen to the native talker on the tape they frequently feel shocked.

1.2.2. Lack of motive

Motivation is known as a really of import factor in learning linguistic communication, so deficiency of motive influences study consequences a batch. Many pupils at this centre conveying extrinsic motvation to the schoolroom. However, as being suggested in the literature portion, what happens in the schoolroom will hold an of import consequence on pupils who are already in some manner extrinsically motivated. Bing a new-born centre, Sydney has n’t been good equiped. And the method by which pupils are taught is sill inappropriate. Harmonizing to Harmer J, physical conditions and learning method have consequence on scholars ‘ motive.

In short, the pupils at Sydney centre deficiency of intrinsic motive.

1.3. Objective factors

1.3.1. Troubles from the text edition.

As mentioned above, the chief text edition used for degree B at Sydney centre is New-Headway pre-intermediate. This book is non designed for learning listening merely, it covers four accomplishments at the same. In one 120-minute lesson, pupils learn all things: speech production, listening, composing and speech production. Some hearing in this book is rather long with batch of vocabulary. Many pupils find it hard. Although, holding some auxiliary book for hearing, the instructor has to complete hearing in the text edition foremost. That is the ground why the instructor can non frequently give excess hearing activities.

1.3.2. Poor physical conditions.

Tape, CDs particularly the tape recording equipment are non good plenty for the scholars in all corners of the category to listen. A portion from that, there is noise from vehicles outdoors ( because the centre is following to high manner N0 6 ) . All these factors consequence the scholars ‘ acquisition.

2. Suggested techniques for bettering scholars ‘ hearing accomplishment at Sydney centre.

2.1: Suggested for the instructor:

Harmonizing to the consequences from unrecorded observation, it is unedited that the learning method presently applied in learning hearing accomplishment at Sydney centre is debatable. This affects scholars ‘ survey consequences a great trade. I suppose that it is high clip the instructors at this centre did something to better their instruction method.

To do scholars in general more interested in listening lesson and the lessons more effectual, instructors at Sydney centre are suggested to:

Use the three-stage learning method: pre-listening, while-listening and post- hearing, or in inside informations follow the five phases in basic methodological theoretical account which was presented in literature review portion of this survey. This agreed with Davies P ( 2000: 77 ) that listening pattern and coursebook can be made more realistic and interesting by following specific phases: pre-listening, while-listening and post-listening. He recommended utilizing specific techniques for different phases. Pre-listening phase is really of import as it is to fix for scholars what they are traveling to hear. Therefore instructors should allow scholars discourse a relevant image or experience, associate thoughts and vocabulary with the subject, predict or write inquiries about the subject.

Harmonizing to Harmer J ( 1991:232 ) when the tape is highly hard and long. There are figure of things the instructors should make:

* Pre-listening phase activities:

– Preview vocabulary: instructor should take a little figure of cardinal words that pupils may non cognize. And so acquire them to think what will be said based on the words.

– Give pupils the first tierce of the tapecript: instructor can utilize this technique if the hearing state of affairs is an interview programme, a narrative. By giving them the first tierce of the tapecript to read at place and so in category discuss with each other about how it is traveling to stop or what is traveling to go on, scholars are more aroused to listen to the tape so as to cognize whether their anticipation is right or incorrect.

-Give pupils the interviewer ‘s inquiries: this technique is particularly utile with interview. Students may be given interviewer ‘s inquiries to foretell what the interviewee ‘s replies will be. They can even function play the interview before they listen to it.

By making these things, the instructors create pupils ‘ outlook and involvement because they are prepared for what they are traveling to listen to.

And for Ur P ( 1991:110 ) , by supplying the pupils with some thoughts of what they are traveling to hear and what they are asked to make with it helps them to win in the undertaking, every bit good as raising motive and involvement. To make this, Ur P suggested to utilize a ocular focal point such as a image, diagram, or map.

* While- hearing phase

– Do n’t play all the tape straight off: Harmer J advises instructors to play half of the tape and so acquire pupils to foretell what will go on next.

-Use the tapecript: if the pupils are holding trouble in get bying with the tape, the instructors can allow them look at the tapecript after the first twosome of listening. The instructors could besides cut the tapescript into paragraphs- or even smaller pieces- which they have to set in the right order as they listen to the tape.

* Post-listening phase

As for Davies P ( 2000: 77 ) , in post-listening phase, instructors should form some activities so as the scholars can give their sentiments, relate similar experiences. They can function play a similar interaction, compose a brief study, compose a similar text or debate the subject.

In short, there is a figure of techniques that instructors can use in different phases of a hearing lesson. Depending on state of affairs of listening and features of the category, the instructors can take the 1s that help do the lessons the most effectual. And more of import thing the instructors should hold a careful lesson planning.

2.2 Suggestion for the centre.

In comparision with what was presented in literature portion of this survey, it is clear that listening lesson at Sydney did n’t run into the rules behind learning listening in term of tape and tape recording equipment. The tape recording equipment has a hapless talker, sometimes it goes faster, sometiimes it goes slower. Therefore, it ca n’t be heard all around the schoolroom. That besides affects hearers. So, the director of the centre should acquire tape recording equipments repaired or changed the new 1s. More of import, the should be solution to minimise noise from exterior.

Part 3: Decision

General speech production, the survey on: techniques for bettering hearing accomplishment for non-major pupils of English at Sydney centre has reached the purpose. It has found the reply for its two inquiries. By utilizing informations aggregation instrument of unrecorded observation the research worker has investigated the current state of affairs of learning and larning listening accomplishment at her centre and besides happen out the factors doing the hearing lesson here tiring and less effectual. By agencies of literature comparision and by cross- checking with the information from the observation, inteview, I have suggested some learning techniques that can be worked out to better current instruction and larning listening accomplishment at the centre. However this survey has some restrictions: foremost, the figure of scholars and instructors involved in the study is still limited, so the findings may non be generalized to all scholars. Second, the techniques suggested in this survey are selected from different dependable but limited beginning, so I would wish to stress that these techniques are non the lone 1s appropriate for learning hearing, but I thinks they are practically possible for his context.

It is hoped that this survey study will supply a basic for my farther invention research. And to acquire a better and more efficient survey, in my farther research, I should ask for more scholars and instructors to take part in the surveies.

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