1 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES  NguyÔn thÞ bÝch h»ng the implementation of the new ENGLISH textbook for grade 10 in innovation: a case study (®iÓn cøu vÒ viÖc thùc hiÖn cuèn s¸ch gi¸o khoa tiÕng anh 10 míi trong ®æi míi ph¬ng ph¸p) Combined Programme Thesis Field: Methodology Code: 60.14.10 Supervisor: L£ V¡N CANH HA NOI – 2009 2 CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT I certificate that this combined thesis entitled “the implementation of the new English textbook for grade 10 in innovation. A case study” is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts is the result of my own work, except where otherwise acknowledge and that this combined thesis or any part of the same has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other universities or institutions. Signed: Hanoi, February 2009. 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The completion of this study would not have been possible without the assistance of special and wonderful people. First of all, I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness and gratitude to Mr. Le Van Canh, for his unfailing encouragement, constant support and supervision during all stages of the study. His enthusiastic assistance, guidance, support, and his wisdom greatly contributed to the fulfillment of my thesis. I would also like to thank my supervisor for his patience in reading and editing my draft. It must be an excruciating experience. I am also indebted to Dr. Nguyen Hoa, Dr. Le Hung Tien, Dr. Hoang Van Van, Dr. Vo Dai Quang, Dr. Nguyen Quang, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thuy Minh, Dr. Roger Barnard and all the professors for their encouragement and wonderful lectures while I was taking the M.A course in language methodology at College of Foreign Languages Vietnam National University (VNU). Their constructive ideas, assistance and advice helped me much during various stages of learning and my M.A study. Many thanks to Dr. Roger Barnard who gave me significant materials and valuable suggestions during the process of my writing literature reviews. My heartfelt gratitude is also to the four English teachers and students of Hadong upper secondary school for their tremendous supports in the collection of data and information for my study. My appreciation also goes to my loving parents, my uncle Dr. Nguyen Huu Tho, my husband and my two little sons whose unconditional love, understanding, encouragement, and support are invaluable during my whole study. Special thanks to my friends, Luong Quynh Trang and Nguyen Ngoc Quynh for their critical reading and comments on my dissertation. They helped me in more ways than they can ever imagine how huge help they made the fulfillment of my thesis. 4 Last but not least, I wish to express my acknowledgment to other individuals who have indirectly contributed to the completion of this thesis. To all these people I only hope that the achievement of my thesis will be favorable enough to satisfy their expectation. Ha Noi-2008. Nguyễn Thị Bích Hằng. 5 Abstract Innovation in ELT tends to be materialized through the introduction of new materials, textbooks, teaching methods, and teacher education programs. There is a taken- for-granted view that the introduction of the new textbook which claims to be based on the findings of current theory and research results in the improvement of teaching. Despite the fact that textbooks can influence the quality of classroom teaching and learning, there has been relatively little research in ELT on how teachers use the textbook inside the classroom. Through interviews, classroom observation, and informal chats with classroom teachers this study demonstrates the gap between the intended innovation embedded in the textbook and the actual delivery in the classroom. Also, the study seeks to identify factors that affect the way teachers use the textbook. Some conclusions deriving from the study will be drawn to inform teacher educators of how to help teachers approach the innovative textbook more effectively. 6 TABLE CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i ABSTRACT ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale 1 2. Aims of the study 1 3. Research questions 2 4. Research methodology 2 5. Scope of the study 3 6. Significance of the study 3 7. Organization of the study 4 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW 5 1. The role of textbooks in English language teaching 5 2. The role of textbooks in ELT innovation 9 3. Previous Study on the Use of textbooks in ELT Innovation 13 4. Conditions Necessary for the Success of Curricular Innovations 15 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 19 1. Background 19 2. Research Questions 20 3. Rationale for choosing a case study 20 7 4. The Case 22 5. Participants of the study 23 6. Instruments 23 6.1 Classroom observation 6.2 Post-observation interview 6.3 Data collection and data analysis procedures 6.3.1. Data collection procedures 6.3.2. Data analysis procedures 7. Conclusion 24 25 25 26 27 27 CHAPTER IV: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 28 I. Findings I.1. Teachers’ Classroom Practice I.1.1. Teachers’ Adaptation of the Textbook I.1.2. Dependence on the Textbook I.1.3. Emphasis on forms rather on communication I.1.4. Teaching is more product-based than process-based I.1.5. Extensive use of L1 28 29 29 31 32 33 33 I.2. Factors affecting teachers’ implementation of the new textbook I.2.1. Teachers’ understanding of communicative teaching approach 39 8 I.2.2. Teachers’ perceptions of their students’ level of English proficiency 40 I.2.2. Teachers’ perceptions of their students’ motivation and attitudes towards learning English 41 II. Discussion 42 III. Conclusion 46 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION 48 V.1. Summary of the findings 48 V.1.1. How is the new textbook implemented in the classroom? 48 V.1.2. To what extent does such implementation match the underlying methodology of the new textbook? 48 V.1.3. What are teachers’ rationales for their innovation implementation? 49 V.2. Recommendation for more effective use of the new textbook 50 V.2.1. Physical dimension 51 V.2.2. Professional dimension 52 V.2.3. Administrative dimension 53 V.2.4. Providing teachers with more professional support 54 V.3. Limitation of the study 55 V.4. Suggestions for further study 56 V.5. Conclusion 58 REFERENCES 59 APPENDICES I Appendix 1: Confirmation Letter I 9 Appendix 2: Classroom Observations Schedule II Appendix 3: Post-Observation interview schedule III Appendix 4: Observations and Post-Observation interviews 1-6 IV 10 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION I. RATIONALE For some decades Vietnam has seen an explosion in the demand for English and the knowledge of English has become the passport to a better job in all aspects of modern life. English is taught as a compulsory subject in almost all secondary schools in 61 provinces and cities throughout Vietnam where students learn English for three 45-minute periods a week, which means that before entering upper secondary schools students had four years experience studying English “communicatively” in lower secondary schools. However, the fact is that after those years of learning English, not many pupils have a clear cut purpose of learning English in their mind and they are likely passively motivated to learn English basing on the textbooks and teachers’ method of delivery. Consequently, most pupils find themselves unable to use English for day-to-day communication after having passed the English national examination as a requirement for the General Education Diploma. To remedy such a problem and to satisfy the demand of its economic open door policy as well as its integration into the world economy, the Vietnamese has required the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) to reform English language teaching at upper secondary schools toward a greater emphasis on communication and student centeredness. In implementing this reform, a new textbook series for upper secondary school students have recently been institutionalized in schools nation-wide. It has been claimed that the new textbook will help teachers to change their teaching toward a greater emphasis on communication and student-centeredness. However, the practical information about how the prescribed change affects teachers, students, and the school as well as how teachers respond to such prescribed change has not been researched yet. This study is an attempt to look into the issue more empirically. It is my hope that the findings of this study will inform concerned people of how innovation is being implemented and what further actions are needed to achieve the targeted success. [...]... designed as a single qualitative case study, it is limited to the exploration of the implementation of the new textbook for Grade 10 in one particular secondary school Generalization is therefore not intended The reasons for the scope of the study was that the new textbooks for 10th grade have been in use for three year meanwhile 12 the textbooks for grade 11 is being used at the first time, 12 th grade... transmission and interpretation teaching continuum, and teachers’ understandings and their prior training had an impact on the extent of their implementation of the curriculum initiative In Vietnam, Mr Canh (2008) used questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to explore upper secondary teachers’ beliefs about, and their self-reports of the implementation of, the new English curriculum with the new... nominated by provincial educational authorities, who then went back to the provinces and ran the workshop for other teachers (among whom were the four teachers in this study) These workshops usually lasted 10 days each during the summer break with key trainers being the textbook writers themselves During the workshop, teachers were introduced the structure of the textbook, the underlying methodology and... were supported to employ in delivering the textbook 2 Research Questions This is a single qualitative case study The major goal of the study is to examine the implementation of the new textbook for grade 10 at an upper secondary school on the outskirts of Hanoi The design and methodology oriented around the following research questions: 1 How is the new textbook implemented in the classrooms? 2 To what... Economically, this area is developing fast The school was founded in 2005 At the time when the study was conducted, the school had a pupil population of almost 1600 Of this pupil population, 560 were in Grade 10 Admission was selected according to their academic records in the junior high school One of the prerequisites for admission was that the pupils had earned the title “hoc sinh tien tien” for all four... about the observed behaviors All these instruments will be discussed in detail in the following sections 6.1 Classroom observation According to Hopkins (cited in Mr Donough, J and Mr Donough, S 1997, p .101 ) “Observation is a pivotal activity with a crucial role to play in classroom research” Observing classrooms helps to see the various interactions between the instructor and students Over time patterns... out, then the validity of information in the way that teachers empirically use to implement the new textbooks can be tested and clarified In this study, I observed all four teachers who are in charged of 10 th grades, and among the classes I observed, there were two lessons of speaking skill, two of reading skill, two of language focus, one of listening and one of writing skill 6.2 Post-observation interview... implementation, on the 18th of March I decided to come to meet the leader of the school to ask for cooperation for my study It was really lucky for me to be given warm welcome by all four English teachers of 10th graders Some days later, on March 27th 2008, I wrote them a letter to inform them of my visits to their lessons in advance Data collection methods used for the study comprised classroom observation... question presented in chapter I Following is the description of the data in detail I Findings In order to get empirical information about the way teachers implemented the new English textbook for grade 10 I came to visit 8 English lessons which were conducted by four different teachers, the participants of the study, at a private senior high school for three weeks from 27 April 2008 to 20 April 2008 . ENGLISH textbook for grade 10 in innovation: a case study (®iÓn cøu vÒ viÖc thùc hiÖn cuèn s¸ch gi¸o khoa tiÕng anh 10 míi trong ®æi míi ph¬ng ph¸p) Combined. ph¬ng ph¸p) Combined Programme Thesis Field: Methodology Code: 60.14 .10 Supervisor: L£ V¡N CANH HA NOI – 2009 2 CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT I certificate that this