Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Abstract
Reading is one of the most important skills for English language
learners. I did try to use many different tools to stimulate learners’ reading skill
but the result was poor. Then, I have conducted a research related to using
webquest to encourage my students’ learning English reading skill. Participants
were 50 students learning at Vo Truong Toan High School. It took me 8 weeks
to complete the research. Webquests were used to lead my students to reading
activities with certain themes in English textbooks. The study made use of my
students’ free time at home. Participants had to read and write their own
reflection at the end of every week. The research was divided into two stages.
At the end of the first stage, students had to do presentation in groups. The
procedures in the second stage was the same the first one to measure the
advancement of the participants
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Introduction
I have been working as a teacher of English at Vo Truong Toan High
School for 14 years. The current English textbooks are designed to teach
students four skills (i.e. reading, listening, writing, and speaking); however, the
officially working time in class is 4 periods per week. It is too difficult for
learners to practice and to absorb what had been taught in class rooms. The
suggested solution for this issue is to encourage learners’ autonomy. Webquest
is my choice because it meets some teaching requirements. Learners can make
use of time at home to read the instruction from webquest and complete all
tasks at home. As we know, to learn English effectively, learners have to
practice using it continually. Learning process takes time in both short and long
term. Webquest can help learners maintain the English learning. Working on
web webquest, learners are required to study frequently. Once more important
thing is that using webquest, students will know how to work in groups, how to
make use internet technology to find out necessary information for autonomy
learning. They will know how to co-operate with their classmates in working
community. A final and equally important point is that webquest will stimulate
learners’ home reading. Reading materials in webquest are not similar to doing
this in textbooks due to the fact that learners are supplied colorful pictures and
vivid clips from the various resources from the internet. In practical situations,
there are some advantages for both teachers and learners on using webquest to
support developing English reading skill. That is the cause of conducting the
study. I would like to measure and define the effect of doing English tasks
designed in webquest on Vo Truong Toan High School students’ reading skill.
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Literature review
Dudenny, G & Hockly, N (2007) states that webquest is a mini-projects
in which a large percentage of the input and material is supplied from the
internet. According to Dodge (1995) a webquest is an inquiry-oriented activity
in which some or all of the information that learners interact with resources
coming from the internet. So the resources that students can learn are rich and
variable. He also expressed that webquest is suitable for every kinds of
students i.e. excellent, good, average or below average. It belongs to certain
classes. Teachers can design suitable tasks and lead students to recourses which
are appropriate to learners’ abilities. Webquest is used as a tool to stimulate
learners’ autonomy. Spending more time at home for further reading activities
is always necessary if learners want to develop English skills. Webstquest
contains clear direction to help learners to find necessary information in
solving the issues of the lesson or requirement of teachers. Harmer (2007, p.
281) claims that it is worth pointing out that the author of the webquest tell the
students that this is more than just an assignment-it will help them learn.
Furthermore he expresses that webquest is a project used to develop multi
skills (i.e. reading, writing, speaking, and listening). Dodge (1995) shows that
webquest will give learners chance to cooperate with others in group and to
confide in his partners. Using webquest, students have chance to improve selfstudy. Distance education and library study are leading ways to improve
learners’ autonomy. In the age of modern technology, educators and learners
are able to make use of technology to upgrade learners’ knowledge especially,
in learning English.
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Research questions
1. What is the attitude of Vo Truong Toan High School students towards
learning reading through webquest?
2. What are the effects of using webquest on Vo Truong Toan High School
student’s reading skill?
The study
Research context
The study was conducted at Vo Truong Toan High School, Cẩm Mỹ district,
Đồng Nai province. This is a state school and English is a compulsory subject.
Following the national curriculum, English subject are taught 4 periods every week
with 4 skills; therefore, Students have little time to do further practice, especially
spending time reading in class. This is one of the main causes leading my students’
poor result at reading skill. The research was conducted on the first of October, 2014.
The purpose of the study is to find out the real effect of webquest and students’
further reading at home. Students had to complete the project in 2 months. At the end
of every week, participants had to submit 100-word reflections.
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Participants
5
Two classes, grade 12, were chosen for the experiment. The total students are
96 students in both of classes. They are chosen randomly from classes I am taking in
charge. Some of them are rather good at reading skill but majority of them are poor at
this skill. A half of them with 48 students took part in the experiment and the rest had
a role to play as control group. Most of the participants are at the age of 17 and they
have learning English for 7 years. They come from agrarian families in remote and
mountainous area so most of them have little chance to take other English courses at
language centers.
Procedures
At first all participants were required to sit to do a reading comprehensive test.
This activity supplied the first assessment about the participants’ reading skill.
Teachers spent time to give participants guidelines how to organize activities for
work and job delivery. The experimental group will be divided into 4 groups (10
students/group). Each group will choose for themselves a topic for reading and
presenting. It took participants 8 weeks to complete two webquests. There were two
stages in the research. At the end of week 1, 2, 3, every student had to submit a 60word personal reflection. The content of the reflection should answer every single
question in webquest. At the end of week 4, students had to do presentation in front
of the class. Teacher gave feedback and assessment. The second webquest would be
done at the second stage. At the end of week 5, 6, 7 all participants had to submit a
60-word personal reflection. At the end of week 8, students presented their project
and teachers gave feedback and assessment. Finally, all participants were required to
do a reading comprehensive test. The test result reflected the real effect of usage
webquest to encourage reading English learning skill.
Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
The first stage: From 1st October to 29th October, 2014.
At the end of this stage, I conducted the research by using questionnaire to
measure the attraction of using this method in encouraging students’ reading skill.
The second stage: From 1st November to 28th November, 2014.
At the end of this stage. questionnaire was used to test the attitude of the
participants towards learning English through webquest and interviews were used to
find more issues deriving from learning English through using webquest.
Statistics of the result in the first and the second stage was done together with
the data collected from the questionnaires and the interview at the end of every stage
Data collection and Analysis
Data was collected via three methods: questionnaires, portfolios and teachers’
assessment record
Questionnaire: This research uses questionnaire as the major instruments to
collect data. The questionnaire aimed at examining the attitude of participants
towards practicing reading skill through using webquest. At the end of the first stage
(week 4), participants would be delivered questionnaire and they had to answer
according to their viewpoints. A statistic was done (see appendix B, C). At the end of
the second stage (week 8) of the research, participants would answer the same
questions. The result at the first and the second stage would reflect exactly the effect
of webquest on the participants’ reading skills.
Portfolios: At the end of every week, students had to submit their personal
reflection for several reasons. Firstly, I would like to make sure that every participant
had done the home reading. Secondly, the personal reflection had a role to play as
measures of encouragement participants’ home reading. Thirdly, the reflection could
show participants’ current issues.
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Teachers’ assessment record: I also used the result of the assessment in the
first and the second stage (see appendix D) to measure the improvement of the
participants in reading skill.
Findings and Discussion
There are some significant points I have got from the data collection.
None of participants answered yes for the second question. This stated that
learning English reading through webquest is totally strange form to my students.
There are some advantages and disadvantages when teacher used new methods in
teaching reading skill. The positive one is that learners will be curious so they all are
eager to do the challenging tasks. The negative one is that learners have no much
experience when applying completely new forms to practice reading skill. The
answer for question 3 proved that participants, at first, thought this form of learning
quite strange but gradually when they became familiar with this. Students spent for
three weeks to be familiar with this learning activity. In the first stage, there was 43
% students liked learning through webquest. In the second stage, the number of
students who liked this form has been reaching to 58 %.
In the second stage, the attitude of the learners towards using webquest to
learn English reading has been changing positively. The reason for this can be
explained by the answer for question 4. Students found it easier to comprehend
reading texts in webquests. Half of them used google translation to grasp the content
of reading tasks. Thanks to this online translation tool, students could understand and
do the tasks in faster speed. In the first stage, there was 55 % students used this tool.
In the second stage, the rate increased to 72%.
Webquest might create reading pressure on the learners. It required the
learners to read and read to find information for the reflection and presentation.
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Participants finally recognized the value of using webquest in learning English
reading so majority of them suggested using this form in their learning. The teacher’s
result assessment in the first and second stage made clear that using webquest
brought learners improvement in reading skill. Webquest also helped learners
improve sub skills, i.e. how to attract someone’s attention in publish speaking and
how to discoursed on something in public effectively.
The result of the first test (appendix E) shows that quality of participants in
both experiment group and control group are approximately similar. In experiment
group, there were 6 participants occupying 12,5% obtained scale A(1-4) and these
numbers in control group were 7 participants with 14,7%. To the scale B (5-6), the
proportion in the two groups was 29% and 27% respectively. The rates of
participants got scale C(7-8) in experiment group were 33,4%, 2% more than that in
control group. The percentages of participants having scale C(7-8) in experiment
group were 25%, 2% less than that in control group.
After spending 2 months for the research, the result of the second test
(appendix F) states that there was a fluctuation in both of the groups. The percentages
of participants having scale A (1-4) fell sharply, 6,2% for experiment group and 3,3
% for the another. This states that learning reading through webquest created
positive effect on reading skill of the learners. The proportion of participants having
scale B (5-6) increased in two groups; The rates reaching scale B in experiment
group to control group were 35,4% and 31,3% respectively. Experiment group was
3,9% higher than that in control group. There was no considerate change in scale C
(7-8) and D(9-10).
Overall, making comparison the first and the second result, we see clearly
that. Webquest truly had much effect on learners being at lower grade; however they
had little influence on the participants having higher grade. Learning reading through
webquest exerted positive effect on the weak learners; it helped the learners improve
their reading skill.
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
9
Conclusion
Webquest is considered a new form of learning to my students; however, after
two months using this, I harvested quite good products. I think that I will use this
regularly in my teaching job for long term. The research result stated that Webquest
has some priorities for learning English in modern age. Using webquest means that
we have made use of technology for learning. First, webquest can motivate learners
in learning English with pictures, clips which are supplied from varied resources
from the internet. Learning through webquest, students avoid boring lessons.
Secondly, teachers can control learning activities of their students and lead them to
certain reading themes from far distance. I think it is useful for the learners to
increase vocabulary in certain aspects at home. Thirdly, it is the best way to stimulate
the learners’ autonomy. Reading pressure that webquest created on participants was
positive. They had to do this activity frequently within the time they did the project.
Finally, learning through webquest, students will have chance to cooperate with their
classmates. They also have opportunity to express themselves in front of the class.
By the way, some sub skills will be practiced and done better and better.
Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
References
Dodge, B. (1995). Some Thoughts About Webquests. Retrieved 13 March 2012, from
Distance-Educator.com
Dudenny, G & Hockly, N. (2007). How to teach English with technology. Edinburg
Gate: Pearson Longman
Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching (4th ed.). Edinburgh
Gate: Pearson Longman
Ur, P. (2012). English Language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Appendix A
Questionnaire
Topic: Using webquest to encourage Vo Truong Toan High School students’ reading
skill
Dear students,
This questionnaire is designed to investigate the attitude of learners towards learning
English reading through webquests. Please answer the following questions. Your
information will be used for designing the English reading programs only and kept
confidential. It will take you only several minutes to complete the questionnaire.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Please circle the appropriate response
Question 1: What is your current English level? (Trình độ tiếng Anh của bạn hiện
tại?)
A. excellent (xuất sắc)
B. good (giỏi)
C. fair (khá)
D. poor (dở)
Question 2: Have you ever learned English through webquest before? (Bạn đã học
T.A bằng webquest trước đây?)
A. Yes (có)
B. not yet (chưa)
Question 3: Learning English reading through webquest is _______
A. interesting
B. neutral (trung bình)
C. boring
Question 4: Understanding the reading texts in webquest is ______
A. very difficult
B. rather difficult
C. easy
Question 5: How much time a day do you spend reading English texts in webquest?
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
A. Half an hour
B. an hour
C. an hour and a half
D. 2 hours
12
Question 6: Should teacher use webquest to encourage reading activities at home?
(Giáo viên nên sử dụng webquest để khuyến khích học sinh đọc ở nhà?)
A. yes
B. no idea
C. no
Question 7: What are your advantages and disadvantages as learning English reading
through webquest? (Thuận lợi và khó khăn khi học tiếng Anh qua webquest là gì?)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Question 8: Do you have any suggestion for strategies of teaching and learning
English reading through webquest? (Bạn có đề nghị gì về cách dạy và học tiếng Anh
qua wenquest?)
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Appendix B
Questionnaire result
Questions
Question 1
Answer
%
Question 2
Answer
%
Question 3
Answer
%
Question 4
Answer
%
Question 5
Answer
%
Question 6
Answer
%
Question 7
Answer
Question 8
Answer
A
B
C
D
What is your current English level?
Excellence
Good
Fair
Poor
45
25
30
Have you ever learned English through webquest before?
Yes
Not yet
100
Learning English reading through webquest is
Interesting
Neutral
boring
43
55
12
Understanding the reading texts in webquest is______
Very difficult Rather difficult
Easy
23
54
23
How much time a day do you spend reading English texts in
webquest?
Half an hour
An hour
An hour and a
2 hours
half
65
23
12
Should teacher use webquest to encourage reading activities at
home?
Yes
No idea
No
44
20
36
What are your advantages and disadvantages as learning English
reading through webquest?
Advantages: Using google translation (55%)
Disadvantages: Spending too much time at home for reading
(62%)
Do you have any suggestion for strategies of teaching and learning
English reading through webquest?
No idea (100%)
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Appendix C
Questionnaire result
Questions
Question 1
Answer
%
Question 2
Answer
%
Question 3
Answer
%
Question 4
Answer
%
Question 5
Answer
%
Question 6
Answer
%
Question 7
Answer
Question 8
Answer
A
B
C
D
What is your current English level?
Excellence
Good
Fair
Poor
45
25
30
Have you ever learned English through webquest before?
Yes
Not yet
100
Learning English reading through webquest is
Interesting
Neutral
boring
58
40
2
Understanding the reading texts in webquest is______
Very difficult Rather difficult
Easy
9
67
24
How much time a day do you spend reading English texts in
webquest?
Half an hour
An hour
An hour and a
2 hours
half
66
24
10
Should teacher use webquest to encourage reading activities at
home?
Yes
No idea
No
59
12
29
What are your advantages and disadvantages as learning English
reading through webquest?
Advantages: Using google translation (72%)
Disadvantages: Spending too much time at home for reading
(63%)
Do you have any suggestion for strategies of teaching and learning
English reading through webquest?
No idea (100%)
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Appendix D
15
The average assessment result of 4 groups in the first stage.
Requirement
Content
Answer 5 questions smoothly and fully
Presenters can answer all the questions of the audience
Performance
Slide of presentation is clear, creative and there are no
spelling mistakes.
Spoken language is clear
Non verbal language of the speakers is attractive
Presentation
Time management (Every speaker has 5 minutes to present
their sections)
Presentation is coherence, logical
There is little mistakes of pronunciation
Total
Scale of
marks
4
2
Teacher’s
assessment
2
3
1
1.5
0.5
1
0.5
0.5
1
1
3
0.5
1
0.5
0.5
5.5
1
1
10
The average assessment result of 4 groups in the second stage.
Requirement
Content
Answer 5 questions smoothly and fully
Presenters can answer all the questions of the audience
Performance
Slide of presentation is clear, creative and there are no
spelling mistakes.
Spoken language is clear
Non verbal language of the speakers is attractive
Presentation
Time management (Every speaker has 5 minutes to present
their sections)
Presentation is coherence, logical
There is little mistakes of pronunciation
Total
Scale of
marks
4
2
Teacher’s
assessment
2
3
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
10
1
1
0.5
1
1
1
0.5
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Using Webquest to Encourage Vo Truong Toan High School Students’ Reading Skill
Appendix E
16
The result of the first reading comprehensive test
Experiment
al group
marks
Control group
Scale A (1-4)
6 (12,5%)
7
(14,7%)
Experiment
al group
Control
group
Scale B (5-6)
14
13
(29%)
(27%)
Experiment
al group
Control
group
Scale C (7-8)
16
15
(33,3%)
(31,3%)
Experiment
al group
Control
group
Scale D (9-10)
12
13
(25%)
(27%)
Appendix F
The result of the final reading comprehensive test
Experiment
al group
marks
Students/
%
Control group
Scale A (1-4)
3
5
(6,3%)
(10,4%)
Experiment
al group
Control
group
Scale B (5-6)
17
15
(35,4%)
(31,3)
Experiment
al group
Scale C (7-8)
16
13
(33,3%)
(27%)
Appendix G
The webquest was used in the research
Control
group
Experiment
al group
Control
group
Scale C (9-10)
12
15
(25%)
(31,3%)
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