skkn tiếng anh to what extent do the activities of unfinished story improve lai chau boarding high school students’ reading sub skill of predicting outcomes

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO LAI CHÂU
TRƯỜNG PHỔ THÔNG DÂN TỘC NỘI TRÚ TỈNH

SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM
To what extent do the activities of Unfinished Story improve Lai Chau
Boarding high school students’ reading sub-skill of predicting outcomes?

Tác giả: Nguyễn Thị Thu Hương
Trình độ chun mơn: Đại học
Chức vụ: Tổ phó
Nơi công tác: Trường Phổ thông Dân tộc Nội trú tỉnh Lai Châu

Lai Châu, ngày 20 tháng 5 năm 2013
1


PROBLEM
I. REASONS FOR SELECTING TOPICS
I have been teaching English for more than ten years. I love teaching
and I want to be a good teacher. In other words, I want to help the students
achieve the goal they hold in their lives. I want to perform what is required of
a teacher – controller, assessor, organizer, prompter, etc.
I am in charge of teaching English for grade 11 students. I have to teach
all 4 skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Is reading important actually? For many people, reading is the most
important and essential skill to master. According to Carrell (1984), “for many
students, reading is by far the most important of the four skills, particularly
English as a second or a foreign language”. It is not only a ‘goal’ but also an
‘essential tool’ in the development of each person. As Villamin (1984: 3 ) puts
it: " Reading is the key that unlocks the door to the world of enlightenment
and enjoyment."

Also, the European Commission of the European Union (2001)
considered that reading skill plays a very important role in each person’s
learning at school. So the teachers play a very important role in teaching
students reading comprehension so that they can become effective language
learners. During my teaching, I have recognized that though my students are
very keen on reading lessons, they have difficulty in reading skills, especially
predicting outcome sub-skill.
As the points mentioned above and in order to increase the students’
interests in learning reading skills, I decided to choose reading sub-skill of
predicting outcomes as my action research topic.
II. THE SCOPE AND SUBJECTS OF RESEARCH
The research questions that guide this action research are:
1. To what extent do the activities of Unfinished Story improve Lai Chau
Boarding high school students’ reading sub-skill of predicting outcomes?

2


2. How do the students feel about the use of unfinished stories to predict
outcomes of stories in teaching reading comprehension skills?
III. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
From the actual situation of teaching English in schools, I see the
limitations of students while learning English. So I want to help students
become more confident in their, favorite subjects English, learn better, and
achieve greater results. I decided to choose reading sub-skill of predicting
outcomes as my action research topic.
IV. THE NEW RESEARCH RESULTS
I want to test new methods of teaching reading to stimulate the curiosity
of students, promote active, creative students. The application of new methods
is to make teaching reading more interesting or to attract more students.

Students acquire knowledge faster, more realistic, more natural, longer
remembered all.
PROBLEM SOLVING
I. RATIONALE
1. DEFINITIONS
1. 1. What is reading?
There are many definitions about reading. Usually, it is related to the
involvement of the knowledge of the reader and the ideas given by the writer
within a specific context. Or in another shorter definition it can be the
“dealing with language message in written or printed form” (Urquhart and
Weir 1998: 14) which means that reading sometimes is associated with
symbols or figures such as maps, time-tables. However, they finally came up
with the definition that “reading is the process of receiving and interpreting
information encoded in language form via medium of print.” (Urquhart and
Weir 1998: 22)
Nuttall (1982) discussed some assumptions about reading which, in his
opinion, were not appropriate. One emphasized that reading focuses on
recognizing the printed words that he reasoned was only for early reading.
Another assumption insisted that reading should deal with pronunciation and
3


speaking and he said that it suits also only for early readers. In general the
common words which should appear in reading process are “understand”,
“interpret”, “meaning” and “sense”.
So, it can be drawn that reading definitions relates to meaning
extracting. It is true that people reading for many different purposes. Many
people read for work, study; many others read
for transport needs, entertainment or whatever. Reading in a foreign language
or English is, besides, to do “a linguistic exercise” also to get “meaning out of

a text for some purposes” (Nuttall 1982: 4)
“Reading is an attempt to make meaning from what an author has
written”.
(Sloan and Latham, 1979: 3)
Other feels that “reading is thinking ….reading is the reconstruction of
the ideas of others”
(Karlin, 1980: 7 in Roger L.Rouch et al)
Reading is a key skill which people use to build up their knowledge of
the world. By reading we are able to fulfill our hunger for knowledge. In order
to strengthen this vital reading skill the study of the reading process is
important.
May (1986) divided the reading process into three aspects:
1. The visual perception of the language units (Syntax and spelling
pattern are the language units).
2. Giving specific meanings to the chain of related ideas. (The language
units combine to form meanings to be expressed in written form).
3. The reader perception of the meaning of the written word. (Readers
interpret the meaning of the writing according to their understanding).
Williams (1986) defines reading as “a process whereby one looks at and
understands what has been written”. The word “understand” here plays an
important role, so according to him “reading” does not take place if the reader
cannot understand what is read.

4


Various writers have attempted to define reading. “Reading is bringing
meaning to and getting meaning from printed and written materials”
(Finochiaro and Bonomo in Tarigan, 1987:8)
To read an understanding of the text, the readers undergoes a process of

reading. According to Goodman (1988), Reading is a psycholinguistic process
in that it starts with a linguistic surface representation encoded by a writer and
ends with meaning which the reader constructs. There is thus an essential
interaction between language and thought in reading. The writer encodes
thought as language and the reader decodes language to thought.
Nunan adds “ Reading is an interactive process between what a reader
already knows about a given topic/ subject and what the writer writes”
(Nunan, 1989)
Reading means to provide the learners with the ability to read written
materials in English language, such as books, articles, brochures and other
materials related to language and language instruction. The learners are
expected to master the ability of anticipating, predicting outcomes,
sequencing,

skimming,

scanning,

understanding

relationships

within

paragraphs, and organizing the text.
1. 2. Reading theories
Through many discussions, debates and researches, it is now agreed
among language specialists that there are three common reading models in
term of reading process. They are bottom-up, top-down and interactive. All
these three, however, need the support of schemata theory to make them

accomplished.
Bottom-up model looks at reading process from a natural way. It is said
that the process starts with words, word phrases, sentences, paragraphs and
finally with the whole text meaning. Actually, it is difficult for a reader to be
able to guess the whole text meaning before he can decode all particle
meanings at word, phrase, sentence and paragraph level. The reader, thus, has
to be a scanner to scan through letters, a decoder to decode those letters, a
librarian to recognize the words. (Urguhart and Weir 1998: 40) This process,
5


in my own opinion, is logical as you, normally, in a close look, see a single
tree or single words, phrases, sentences of the text first and see the jungle or
the whole text later when you stand far away to look back. In some ways, it is
a disadvantage as the part is seen before the whole reading. However, this
process describes a naturally way of human thinking and so it is still famous
and applicable in today.
Top-down model, differently, looks at reading process as a whole first.
Reader encounters the text with previous knowledge, experience and
assumptions (Richards 1997: 18). Urquhart and Weir (1998) argued that topdown is not the suitable word to describe this process and it is completely not
the reverse of bottom-up process. Indeed, the whole idea of the process is that
the reader’s expectation is very important in the procedure of understanding
the text and that expectation will definitely need the help of schemata of the
reader himself to comprehend the text. Schema theory, however, will be
discussed later in this piece of writing.
Interactive model, the model that is “currently accepted as the most
comprehensive description of the reading process” (Anderson 1999: 3) is the
combination of bottom-up and top-down mode. What Anderson noticed is that
this is the model that his students used the most and he believed that is the
most effective way to learn and teach reading in class. To recognize the

words, students have to use bottom-up model, but to understand what is
behind the lines they have to activate their world knowledge, which means
they top-down approach has to be used in order to get the understanding.
In general, whatever the model the reader uses in processing a reading,
there is one thing he has to rely on; that is his schemata or “organized
knowledge of the world, provides much of the basic for comprehending,
learning and remembering the ideas in stories and texts” (Ruddell R. B et al.
1994). If his schema about the topic of the text is so limited it will be not easy
for him to understand the text or he will have to try hard to digest new concept
or information from the text. In return, if his content schema about the topic is
big enough, the reading process for the text will be fast and the likely to relate
6


previous knowledge and new one is also faster. Let look at a simple example
in the sentence “She broke her ankle after jumping from the first floor
window.” If you are coming form a culture with the conventional concept
about the first floor as the ground floor, this sentence would seems odd to you.
However, even if you are not familiar with that type of construction, you have
prior knowledge about that concept, your schemata would allow you to
acknowledge the first floor as the floor above the ground floor and that
sentence would be just fine for you. So, schema theory is also another aspect
that worth to look at in the reading process.
With those mention models about reading, bottom-up, top-down,
interactive models and schema theory, reading instructors can now prepare for
themselves strategies and skills in teaching reading more effectively.
2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2. 1. Unfinished stories
Unfinished stories are the stories which are made incompletely or
naccomplishedly in order to create the curiorsity of readers.

(Random House Dictionary, Random House, Inc 2011)
2. 2. Predicting outcomes
Predicting outcomes is the conclusion reached through a process of
logical thinking which makes a final product, where by the readers declare or
foretell in advance the prophesy of the story’s content.
(Collins English Dictionary 2009 © William Colins Son and Co.Ltd)
Feuerstein, T. & Schcolnik, M (1997) stated that prediction is an
important strategy both in the pre-reading and the while-reading stages.
Before we begin to read a text, we usually have a good idea of what the text is
about, and sometimes we even know what it will include. For instant, when
we read the heading of a report, we already know a lot about it if we are
familiar with the topic. We use headlines to build certain expectations about
the contents or tone of the article. Our expectations may be wrong, but we use
them to prepare ourselves for what is to come. If we continue to read for
details, we have a general idea of what to expect. We continue to make
7


predictions as we go along. We predict the next word in the sentence; we
predict the idea following. In other words, we predict on the basis of our prior
knowledge. This knowledge is the basis on which we acquire new knowledge.
When reading, we always predict. We become aware of our predictions only
when we are wrong. When we recognize that we have made a mistake, we
usually have to reread a word, a sentence, or a section. When our expectations
are met, we are not aware of our predictions. We just go on. A valuable
experience is to stop our reading from time to time, to assess the "predictive
ability" we have.
Rough & Birr (1984) stated that children are given the opportunity to
think through a sequence of events and carry it through to a logical
conclusion. This thinking process can be accomplished in many ways. The

technique typically used is to have children read a part of a story, discuss what
they read, and then either write or tell what they think will happen next (P.52).
Predicting uses the internal organization of a text and is the strategy of
guessing or predicting what is coming next in a text by means of specific cues
contained within the text, ie
- grapho-phonic (words, sounds, individual word structures)
- syntactic ( grammatical structures)
- semantic ( content words, the use of the reader’s existing
understanding of the content) Ian, G. McPhail (1993: 74)
Davies, F. (1995: 160) said that prediction is considered as a means of
investigating the process of reading. It is an activity that has rich potential at
all levels of reading development and in all contexts. The objective of
prediction is to have children use their prior knowledge to predict what
happens in the story depending on their schema of the story structure, the title
of the story, the characters and the setting of the story.
According to Sadler, C, R. (2001, p.41), prediction strategy acts as a
motivator and gives purpose to the reading. It also allows students to be
honest in their prediction and to do a self-evaluation. Students are able to

8


make predictions based on their prior knowledge. Comprehension is
determined through a logical prediction.
I hope that the finding of action will help Lai Chau boarding high
school students overcome difficulties in reading and shed some light on my
own practices.
II. STATUS OF THE PROBLEM
My school was established in 2004 with only four classes and a few
teachers at that time. Now it has 12 classes with 380 students and 32 teachers

but there are only 4 English teachers.
Generally, the level of students of my schools is weaker than that of
other schools in the area. Most of them are from ethnic minorities; moreover
they don’t learn English at primary school. For them, English is the most
difficult subject, especially when it is compulsory. They have many
difficulties in learning English in general and in learning reading
comprehension in particular. Their abilities and their current reading levels
don’t meet the demand of the reading skill. They almost lack reading subskills and they don’t recognize the importance of learning reading as well.
My students are weak in the following reading sub-skills of identifying
facts and details, recognizing cause and effect, sequence of events, inferring
meaning from contextual clues as well as predicting outcomes but I think they
are weakest in the reading sub-skill of predicting-outcomes.
III. MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM
1. Research Design
The study will be conducted with the research design below.
Research Questions
1. To what extent do the

Instruments
1. Reading

activities of Unfinished

comprehension students at Lai

Story improve Lai Chau

tests. (1 pre-

Chau high

Boarding high school

test and 2 post

school.

students’ reading sub-

tests)

(N= 40)

skill of predicting

2. Lesson
9

Subjects
Grade 11

Statistical tools
. Frequency
count.
. Percentage.
. 1-tail t-test.
. 2-tail t-test.


outcomes?

plans.
3. Observation

2. How do the students

4. Student

feel about the use of

questionnaire.

unfinished stories to
predict outcomes of
stories in teaching
reading comprehension
skills?
2. Independent variable and Dependent variable
Below diagram will illustrate the two main variables of the study.

1. To what extent do the activities of Unfinished Story improve Lai Chau Boarding high
school students’ reading sub-skill of predicting outcomes?

Independent variable

Dependent variable
Students’ ability
of predicting
outcomes in
reading

comprehension
skills.

The use of
unfinished stories

Operational Definition

Operational Definition

Teacher divides the story into strips,

Students’ ability to predict what

gives one by one, asks them to read it would happen next based on the
and guess what will happen next.

contextual clues of the previous
10


paragraphs. This will be measured by
pre and post reading tests.

3. Data collection procedures
The data collection procedures are illustrated in the diagram below.
Grade 11 students at
Lai Chau high school
(n = 40)

Selected students for the research are those
who will have the cores of less than 7/10 in
the reading pre-test.

Control group

Experimental group

Group A
N: 20
Boys: 10
Girls: 10

Group B
N: 20
Boys: 10
Girls: 10

Constant:
- Age: 16
- N: 40 students
- Boys: 20
- Girls: 20

Tr

One
month

No use of

unfinished
stories

Observatio
n

Use of
unfinished
stories

Reading - test 1

one
month

No use of
unfinished
stories

Observatio
n

Use of
unfinished
stories

Reading - test 2

Compare the results of two groups
11

Constant:
- Teacher
- Reading topics
- Duration
- Materials
- Checklist


Student questionnaire

Results
Class

the reading pre-

Test 1

Test 2

20 students 20 students
Score
1-6
7-10
16= 40%
24= 60%

20 students 20 students
Score
1-6

7-10
10= 25%
30= 75%

test

11B1

40 students
Score
1-6
7-10
20=
20=
50%

50%

3.1. Selecting the subjects
A reading pre-test will be given to the whole class. Only those who
score less than 7 over 10 will be selected to do the experiment.
The students selected will be assigned to two groups (A and B) which
are equal in number and gender. Each group is 20 students (10 boys and 10
girls). The students in group A will be taught reading comprehension with
comprehension questions only and students in group B will be taught with
unfinished stories.
3.2. Collecting data
After one month, (3 periods/ week) I will have students in the two
groups do the same first post-test, at the same time and the same time duration
(45-minute test) and score their tasks. To be more reliable, I will ask my

colleague to mark the papers. The scores then will be used in this analys.
After the first post-test, the two groups will continue to be taught using
the same method for another month. A second post- test will be given at the
end of this period. The marking procedure will be the same as the first test. I
also ask the former colleague to score the tasks and collect the marks for the
data. In addition, during the teaching process, I will observe and use checklist
to see the improvement of the students.
12


3.2.1. Lesson Plans
Each lesson lasts 45 minutes. The lesson shows the whole procedure
that occurs in the class.
The procedure is carried out to investigate second language English
reading comprehension under conditions of instruction.
To Group B: I start the lesson by asking questions about Embarrassing
Experience to lead students to the lesson. Then, let students read the first
paragraph about embarrassing experience and check their answers. Before
students read the second paragraph, I ask them to predict the outcome with
question “What would happen next?” or “What would people do next?”
- Teacher divides the story into strips, gives one by one, asks students to read
and guess what would happen next.
- Teacher asks students to look at the first paragraph of the text, answer the
questions and predict what would happen.
MY MOST EMBARRASSING EXPERIENCE
Paragraph 1:
My most embarrassing experience happened a few years ago, when I
was a grade 9 student. In those days, my biggest dream was a red hat – a
floppy cotton hat like the one my pop star idol wore in her video clip. I thought
I would look great in it.

- Teacher poses sign post questions for students to answer.
1. How old was she?
2. Who was the pop star?
3. What would happen next?
Paragraph 2:
My father knew this, so on my birthday he gave me some money so
that I could buy the hat for myself. I was extremely excited and decided to go
to the shop at once. I got on the bus and sat down next to a schoolboy about
my age.
1. Did she and the schoolboy talk to each other?
2. How could she get money to buy the red hat?
3. What would happen next?
- Teacher continues the procedure for each paragraph until the lesson
finishes.

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To Group A: I don’t apply unfinished stories to Group A. They will be taught
reading comprehension in traditional way.
(Please, see appendix 1, 2)
3.2.2. The reading tests
Three reading tests will be used for the research, one pre-test and two
post-tests to collect the necessary data and students’ test papers are raw
materials for analysis. Each test will last 45 minutes. All of them will be
designed in the same way to make sure that their results are valid and reliable.
They will consist of one passage with the same length, the same text type, and
ten questions including five multiple-choice questions and five open-ended
ones. All the questions focusing on predicting outcomes are based on the
passage. The two groups of students will do these three tests.

The pre-reading test aims at helping the teacher to see at what levels the
students are. Also, through their results of testing, the teacher can identify the
problem areas, students’ strengths and weaknesses.
There are two post- reading tests. The first one is carried out after one
month of the research and the second is done after the next two months. The
results of the pre-reading test and two post- reading tests are used as the tools
for the researcher to analyze to see how much progress the students have
made in reading sub-skill of predicting outcomes.
( Please, see Appendix 3)
3.2.3. The questionnaire
Questionnaires will be given to the students of the two groups after the
second written test to find out their attitudes towards reading sub-skills of
predicting outcomes. It will have eight closed ended questions. The
questionnaire will be written in English and translated into Vietnamese to
guarantee that the subjects can understand and give correct answers
( Please, see Appendix 4)
3.2.4. Observation and checklist
In the process of teaching reading, I will observe the students’ answers.
Class observation helps to know the students’ performance and their attitudes
14


towards learning reading sub-skill of predicting outcomes.
The checklist will be designed in detail to help the teacher to observe
what the teacher does during the teaching of reading and how much the
students infer correctly for the first time, and the second time, etc.
( Please, see Appendix 5)
4. Data analyses
The data collected will be analyzed by both descriptive and inferential
statistics respectively.

4.1. Descriptive statistics
The cube chart or bar chart will be used to summarize the general data
of the three tests’ results to see the relationship between the variables.
4.2. Inferential statistics
Besides the descriptive statistics, I will use inferential statistics with
percentage to compare the students’ improvements in each tail and then the
two tails together to see whether the difference is large enough to be
significant.
5. RESEARCH SCHEDULE
Stage
Activity
1
- Preparing the reading pre-test.

Date
1 week (Nov 5th to 12th , 2011)
st

- Having students do the pre-test.
- Scoring the test and choosing the
2

subjects in the two classes.
- Using unfinished story for class Next four weeks (Nov 13th ,
B and comprehension questions for 2011 to 13th Dec, 2012)

3

class A.
- Preparing the first reading post- 6th week (14th Dec to 21st ,

test.

2011)

- Having students do the post-test.
- Scoring the test and collect the
4

data.
- Going on using unfinished story Next four weeks (Dec 22nd ,
for class B and comprehension 2011 to 22nd Jan, 2012)
15


5

questions for class A.
- Preparing the second reading 11th week (23rd Jan to 30th Jan,
post-test.

2012)

- Having students do the post-test.
- Scoring the test and collect the
6
7
8

data.
- Data analyses

- Discussion and findings

12th week (1st Feb to 8th, 2012)
13th week (9th Feb to 16th,

- Writing report

2012)
14th week (17th Feb to 23rd,
2012)

IV. THE EFFECT OF EXPERIENCE INITIATIVES
After applying the new method in teach reading in English, it is clearly
seen that students were more fascinated in the lessons with unfinished stories.
Students can complete the story by answering questions excitingly. I find that
my students become more interesting and, the quality of lectures also become
effective than the one with old teaching method. In addition the new method
creates a good environment to help students communicate in English
creatively.
In just a short time applying this new method, I noticed students are
braver, more creative in thinking and communication. Their memory are
enhanced as well.
Teaching this new reading strategy "predicting - outcome" is likely to
be widely used in schools and for students different subjects.
CONCLUSION
I. THE LESSONS LEARNED
I have learned a lot trying and using this new teaching method.
For my own conclusion, to be an effective instructor, each needs good
preparation of the lesson before teaching. The goals or requirements of the
lesson should be targeted right at the beginning. Also, students' need, ability

should be masted thoroughly before hand. Only then, the teaching could be
fun and worthy.
16


II. SENSE OF INITIATIVE EXPERIENCES
With the above topics, to make interesting lectures, students learn better
in the process of learning English. I made myself a new approach in teaching
reading skills. I realize that this job brings positive results. Students are
excited to learn all, understand the content quickly and are also inculcated the
readings content.
III. THE ABILITY TO DEPLOY APPLICATIONS
Can apply the method of teaching reading skills "predicting - outcome"
to teach the subjects in English reading. This method is applied at the upper
secondary level in general and schools in particular boarding.
IV. THE RECOMMENDATIONS, SUGGESTIONS
For teachers
- Need regular professional training and self-teaching
- Always create an environment for students to speak English
- A combination of active listening, speaking, reading English form
"and play - to learn"
For students
- Practice positively, give comments in class
- Carefully prepare lessons before class, after learning all the lessons
ended.
- Do homework
- Regularly read books, newspapers and magazines in English
For leaders
- Should pay more attention to the English department.
- Should provide sufucient reference books

- Should have professional workshops with participants from not only
the school to create chances for English staff to share experiences and to learn
from one another.

17


References.
Anderson, N. (1999). Exploring Second Language Reading. Newbury House
Teacher Development
(Collins English Dictionary 2009 © William Colins Son and Co.Ltd)
Davies, F. (1995). Penguin English Applied Linguistics. Introducing
Reading. London and USA: Penguin Books Ltd.
Denive et al.1987. Research in Reading English as a Second Language.
Washington, D.C, USA: TESOL
Feuerstein, T. & Schcolnik, M (1997). Enhancing Reading Comprehension
in the Language Learning Classroom. Alta Book Center, Publishers 14
Adrian Court BurlinKame, California 94010 USA.
Gunderson, Lee. 1987. ESL literacy Instruction – a Guide Book to Theory
and Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents.
Goodman, Kenneth S. (ed) 1968 The Psycholinguistic Nature of the Reading
Process. Michigan: Wayne State University Press.
Ian, G. McPhail. 1993. Teaching and Learning Stratergies for ESL Learners
R-12 Education department of South Australia.

18


Karlin, Robert. 1984. Teaching Reading in High School: Improving
Reading in the Content Area; New York, Harper & Row

Nuttall, C. (1982). Teaching Reading Skills in a Foreign Language.
Cambridge University Press.
Ruddell, R. B. et al. (1994). Theoretical Models and Process of Reading (4th
ed). International Reading Association, Inc (Random House Dictionary,
Random House, Inc 2011)
Rough, R, L. & Birr, S. (1984). Teaching Reading. New York and London:
Teacher College Press.
Sadler, C, R. (2001). Comprehension Strategies for Middle Grade Learners.
Canada: International Reading Association, Inc.
Urquhart, A. H. and Weir, C. J (1998). Reading in a Second Language:
Process, Product and Practice. Longman.
Williams, Eddie. 1986. Reading in The Language Class- room. London:
Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

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Appendix 1
MY MOST EMBARRASSING EXPERIENCE
1. My most embarrassing experience happened a few years ago, when I was a
grade 9 student. In those days, my biggest dream was a red hat – a floppy
cotton hat like the one my pop star idol wore in her video clip. I thought I
would look great in it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. My father knew this, so on my birthday he gave me some money so that I
could buy the hat for myself. I was extremely excited and decided to go to the
shop at once. I got on the bus and sat down next to a schoolboy about my age.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. The boy glanced at me and turned away. There was a sneaky look on his
face, but I didn’t think much about it. I was busy imagining how I would look
in the hat. After a while, I turned round and noticed that the boy’s schoolbag
was open.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. Inside it, I saw a wad of dollar notes exactly like the ones my father had
given me. I quickly looked into my own bag – the notes had gone! I was sure
that the boy was a thief. He had stolen my money.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5. I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I decided just to take my money back from
the schoolboy’s bag, without saying a word about it. So I carefully put my
hand into the boy’s bag, took the notes and put them in my own bag.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6. With the money I bought the pretty hat of my dreams. When I got home, I
showed it to my father.
“How did you pay for it?” he asked.
“With the money you gave me for my birthday, of course, Dad” I replied.
“Oh? What’s that then?” he asked, as he pointed to a wad of dollar notes on
the table.
20


Can you imagine how I felt then?

Appendix 2
Dinner Party
Mr and Mrs Smith both loved cooking. Mr Smith
also wanted a better job in his company. They
decided it was time for a dinner party. 21
Mr Smith
phoned his new boss Mr Plummer and invited him
and his wife to dinner on Friday night


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------On Friday afternoon, Mr and Mrs Smith spent a
long time cooking a delicious dinner. They
prepared fresh salmon, filled with prawns and

chilli.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------They laid the table with silver candles and bottles
of wine. Then, they got ready.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mrs Smith put on a black evening dress and Mr
Smith wore his best suit. Everything was perfect.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Plummers arrived on time at eight o'clock.
"Let's have a drink!" said Mr Smith. They all went
into the dining room.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22


Then they saw the table and they were
horrified. The main plate was empty. The
salmon had gone! Mrs Smith burst into tears.
"Don't worry, love! We can still have fish!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mr Smith rushed out of the house. He ran to the
Fish and Chip shop down the road and bought
four portions of fish and chips. The great British
takeaway! And they all had a lovely evening. So
did their pet cat...

Appendix 3
Table of specification for reading pre-test.

Question
number
1
2
3
4

Reading sub-skills

Question

types
Identifying main facts and details
True/false
Identifying cause and effect
Matching
Identifying sequence of events
Ordering
Inferring meaning from contextual MCQ
23

Level

No. of

LC
IC
RO
IC

items
3
3
3
3


5

clues
Predicting outcomes

O-E questions

IC

6

Appendix 4
THE QUESTIONNAIRE
For each of the following item, put a tick in the appropriate box to
express your opinion.
Category Scale:
SA – Strong agree

A – Agree

D – Disagree

SD – Strongly Disagree

S/
N
1
2

Items

N – Not sure

SA

I can improve predicting outcomes, one of the reading
sub-skills through the activities.
I can understand the text and improve reading subskills of predicting outcomes,
24

A

N

D SD


3
4
5
6
7

8

I can easy understand the text and predict what will
happen next.
I understand very well how to predict the things in a
text.
I like to share my ideas to my partners about the text I
have read
These activities are difficult for me.
I do not use this strategy outside the classroom.
I am able to apply the reading sub-skills I have learnt
from the strategy.

Appendix 5
Observation sheet (for observer)

Observation sheet
Class:

Class teacher/ Observer:

Lesson:
Date:
Students’ response
Setting up the activity
Interaction patterns
Competition vs. cooperation
Classroom management
Appeal of reading sub-skill of predicting
outcomes

Reading sub-skill of predicting outcomes and
learning benefits
25