The effects of using internet based materials in developing learner autonomy in learning english reading skill for students at my hao high school, hung yen

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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES


NGUYỄN THỊ HỒNG THÚY

THE EFFECTS OF USING INTERNET-BASED MATERIALS IN DEVELOPING
LEARNER AUTONOMY IN LEARNING ENGLISH READING SKILL FOR
STUDENTS AT MY HAO HIGH SCHOOL, HUNG YEN

Hiệu quả của việc sử dụng tư liệu trên Internet
để phát huy tính tự chủ trong việc học kĩ năng đọc hiểu tiếng Anh
của học sinh trường trung học phổ thông Mỹ Hào, tỉnh Hưng Yên
MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS
FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY
CODE: 601410
SUPERVISOR: DO BA QUY, MEd.

HANOI – 2010


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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION

i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ii

ABSTRACT

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

iv

PART I: INTRODUCTION

1

1. Rationale

1

2. Aims of the study

4

3. Research questions

5

4. Methods of the study

5

5. Scope of the study

6

6. Organization of the Thesis

6

PART II: DEVELOPMENT

7

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

7

1.1 Reading

7

1.1.1 Definitions of reading

7

1.1.2 Extensive reading

8

1.2 Autonomy

9

1.2.1 Definition

9

1.2.2 Why develop learner autonomy ?

9

1.2.3 Characteristics of autonomous learners

10

1.2.4 The role of teachers in learner autonomy ?

11

1.3 Internet-based reading materials

12

1.3.1 Internet-based reading materials improve reading comprehension

12

1.3.2 Types of internet-based reading

14


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1.3.3 Criteria for choosing Internet-based reading materials

17

1.3.4 Considerations in using Internet-based materials

18

1.4 Summary

18

CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODS

19

2.1 Setting

19

2.2 The participants

19

2.3 Data collection instrumentation

20

2.3.1 Interview

20

2.3.2 Questionnaires

20

2.3.2.1 Questionnaire 1

21

2.3.2.2 Questionnaire 2

21

CHAPTER 3: DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS

22

3.1 Students‟ motivations, learning experiences and attitudes towards learning reading 22
before the experiment.
22
3.1.1 Interview
3.1.2 Questionnaire 1

26

3.2 Students‟ attitudes and ability after the experiment: Questionnaire 2

30

CHAPTER IV: MAJOR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

36

4.1 Major findings

36

4.2 Suggestions for the using of internet-based reading materials

37

PART III: CONCLUSION

39

1. Conclusions

39

2. Limitations and suggestions for further study

40

REFERENCES

41

APPENDIX


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PART A: INTRODUCTION
This part introduces the rationale, the aims, the research questions, the methods and the
scope of the study. It concludes with a presentation of the organization of the thesis.
1. Rationale for the study
In all of the educational contexts in Vietnam (including primary, secondary, and higher
education), no significant steps are being undertaken to promote autonomous language
learning within and beyond the classroom, and learning is mainly directed and evaluated by
the instructors. With the predominance of teacher-led English language instruction in
Vietnam, learners are seen as passive receivers of new information and are, therefore, unlikely
to develop the necessary skills to learn how to assess and control their own progress. In such
cases, learners do not sufficiently develop the skills to perform real-life communicative tasks
effectively. Consequently, although Vietnamese learners are more and more highly motivated
to learn English for socio-cultural and economic reasons, teacher feedback and classroom
observation at various institutions lead to the conclusion that their proficiency in English is
not at the desired level. In such a context, Vietnamese learners need to develop a critical
awareness of language learning and learning communication. These are the main
considerations of learner-centred language curricula which promote language learning
autonomy as proposed by Brindley (1990), Coleman (1988), the Council of Europe (2001),
Hutchinson and Waters (1988), Munby (1991), Nunan (1989), and Wilkins (1976). The
Common European Framework (CEF) (Council of Europe 2001) further elaborates upon the
concept of language learning autonomy, describing in a comprehensive way what language
learners have to learn to do in order to use a language for communication and what

knowledge and skills they have to develop to act effectively as autonomous learners.
Of the four language skills, reading seems to be the most important one because in the
learning process, it helps students develop other skills and provides knowledge on the target
language. Educational researchers have found that “there is a strong correlation between


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reading and academic success”. In other words, a student who is a good reader is more likely
to do well in school and pass exams than a student who is a weak reader.
Being aware of the importance of learning reading, authors of new English 11 have
chosen interesting topics for reading lessons with the aim to promote students in reading and
improve their reading comprehension. However, some of them are not familiar with students,
genres and contents of the readings in the textbooks only are not enough

to enhance

students‟interest in reading and reading comprehension. From the researcher‟s teaching
experience, successful reading depends on many factors such as reading stratergies for
processing the text, background knowledge and linguistic competence. Thus, besides the
reading texts in the textbooks students need to read more outside the classroom to enrich their
vocabulary as well as their background knowledge. That means students must read
extensively.
Through daily conversations with the teachers and students, the reseacher has found
that the main reasons why students are not interested in reading lessons are their lack of
background knowledge as well as vocabulary about the topics they are reading. Some topics
are unfamiliar, some others are boring so the students find it difficult to understand them.
Some students say that there are texts that they have read several times without understanding
anything. Moreover, time for reading lesson at high school is limited. There are 3 English
lessons every week. In five or six lessons, there is only one for reading, it means that there is

not much time for reading. In extra classes at school the teachers tend to pay more attention to
grammar exercises. The students have opportunities to practise vocabulary but in separated
sentences, not in reading texts. Because teaching reading is time consuming, the teachers
often neglect it. Large class size adds to the difficulties the students encounter in the reading
lessons. Another important reason is their lack of motivation. „Practice makes perfect‟, that is
the reason why teachers have to find ways to enhance students to read more so that they can
improve their reading ability.


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Materials for extensive reading are available everywhere. But Internet-based materials
seem to be the most suitable for high school students. There are several reasons for choosing
Internet-based materials. First of all, in recent years, the use of the World Wide Web
(WWW) as a resource for language learning materials has gained increasing popularity
among language teachers and learners. The Internet can now be used for supplementing and
reinforcing what we do in the classroom as well as providing rich opportunities whereby
students can start learning languages on their own. Moreover, students generally have
positive feelings about learning languages via the Internet. For example, Kung and
Chuo (2002) conducted a study of students‟ attitudes towards learning English through
websites. Despite some difficulties encountered, they found that students had an overall
positive attitude to using websites in their learning of English. Secondly, the Internet
facilitates individualization of instruction and introduces a more interesting platform to
learn by incorporating multimedia into the process (Soboleva, & Tronenko, 2002).
Thirdly, it enhances the accessibility of information, language materials in this case, as
well as offering various ways to connect with the target speech community (Warschauer,
1996). Unlike traditional textbook-based teaching, language materials on the Internet can
be updated periodically. Recent

literature

on

methodological

and

pedagogical

considerations requires language learners to become active participants in the process
rather than passive recipients of information. In this age of information explosion,
language learners are encouraged to be explorers and creators of language, and assessors of
their own linguistic progress (Brown, 2001; Su & Kinshuk, 2002). Two other important
aspects are the issues of learner autonomy and motivation. Learner-oriented Internet-based
language teaching materials demand that the individual background of learners, their
needs, and learning styles are accommodated (Soboleva, & Tronenko, 2002). In other
words, learner-directed language instruction provides learners with the control of choosing
materials, sequencing it, as well as deciding on the pace of delivery (Su & Kinshuk, 2002).
Communicative language teaching and learner autonomy have become increasingly important
for language teachers in the last few decades. Students are no longer expected to memorize


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lists of grammar rules and vocabulary items but to understand and convey meaning
with an adequate knowledge of the form, use, and appropriacy of the language (Brown,
2001). They do not need to be spoon-fed all the time. Mistakes are natural in the language
acquisition process and learners are encouraged to be willing to learn and to take
responsibility for their own progress. Finally, students at this age are curious and they like
reading something new, atractive and linked with modern technology. Internet-based

materials are plentiful with various topics.
In fact, at My Hao High school, teaching and learning reading are mostly based on
textbooks. Therefore, the sutents don‟t seem to be interested in reading lessons. Many of them
find reading difficult and boring and even some are afraid of reading. After reading a text,
they don‟t understand much about its content or they misunderstand the author‟s ideas. As a
high school teacher, I think that something has to be done about raising students‟interest in
reading and helping them comprehend the texts better. This minor study is inspired from the
idea that whereas many educators enthusiastically embrace the use of Internet-based reading
materials, little theoretical and empirical research exists that demonstrates how Internet-based
reading materials are useful in improving high school students‟ reading comprehension skills
and how to organize Internet-based reading activities effectively. Moreover, when seeking for
materials to design the lessons, I realise that Internet is a useful source of information for high
school students to increase their background knowledge. And that‟s the reason why I decided
to choose the topic “The Effects of Using Internet-based Materials in Developing Learner
Autonomy in Learning Reading Skill for Students at My Hao High School, Hung Yen”.
In light of these circumstances, this paper will investigate whether Internet-based
materials are effective in developing learner autonomy in learning reading skill for students at
My Hao High School, Hung Yen. To achieve this goal, the study will focus on the exploration
of factors that affect the students‟ reading comprehension in My Hao High school, whether
they are able to set language learning goals and work towards them, how the Internet-based
reading materials used within and beyond the classroom promote autonomous learning.


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2. Aims of the study
This study aims at improving the quality of teaching/learning to read English as a
second language for grade 11 students at My Hao high school by using Internet-based
materials.
To achieve this aim, the study sets out to obtain the three following specific objectives:

1. To investigate the situation of learner autonomy in learning reading among high
school students in My Hao high school.
2. To apply Internet-based materials in teaching reading and find out how effective they
are in helping develop learner autonomy in learning reading skill.
3. To offer recommendations for the application of Internet-based materials to improve
learner autonomy in reading comprehension skill of grade 11 students in My Hao high school.
3. Research questions
In order to achieve the mentioned aims, the study is intended to find answers to the
following questions:
1. What is the current situation of students‟autonomy in learning reading?
2. What are the effects of Internet-based reading materials on the level of
students‟autonomy?
3. What are the recommendations for improving learner autonomy in learning reading
at My Hao high school?
4. Methods of the study
With the aim of finding out the role of Internet-based reading materials in helping
improve learner autonomy in learning reading comprehension skill for students in high
school, a survey approach is adopted for this study. Participants will be 48 students of class
11A12 of My Hao high school. First, interviews will be conducted on a group of 24 students.
These students will be randomly selected among the students of class 11A12. All the


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interviews will be fully written down and analysed. At the same time, a questionnaire will be
given to discover the students‟attitudes towards reading skill and their learning experiences.
Data will be analyzed to identify the situation of learning reading, the factors affecting their
reading comprehension. Then all 48 students will be guided to use Internet-based reading
materials for 2 months. Questionnaires will be conducted after that to find out if Internetbased materials help improve the students‟autonomy in learning reading comprehension skill.
5. Scope of the study

Internet-based reading materials play a more and more important part in raising the
effectiveness of teaching and learning foreign languages in general, English in particular. This
study focuses on the role of Internet-based reading materials in helping improve reading
comprehension skills for students in My Hao High school and offers some suggestions for the
intergration of Internet-based materials in high school teaching and learning curricular in
Vietnam.
6. Organization of the thesis
This minor thesis consists of three parts.
The first part “Introduction” includes the rationale for the study, the aims, research
questions, methods, scope of the study as well as the organization of the thesis.
Part B “Development” consists of four chapters. The first chapter “Literature Review”
discusses the knowledge relevant to the research topic including the theoretical background of
reading comprehension, learner autonomy and the roles of Internet-based materials. The
second chapter “Research methodology” presents the context of the study, the participants,
research methods. The third chapter deals with data and data analysis. The fourth chapter
mentions the major findings and recommendations to use Internet-based materials in
improving learner autonomy in learning reading.
The last part of the study “Conclusion” summarizes the findings, giving out some
limitations and recommendations for further study.


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PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter reviews the relevant literature relating to reading comprehension, learner
autonomy and the role of Internet-based materials in improving reading comprehension skill.
The chapter begins with definitions of reading and some information about extensive
reading. The second section of the chapter presents background knowledge about learner
autonomy. The last section discusses the role of internet-based materials in helping to develop

students‟autonomy in learning reading.
1.1 Reading
1.1.1 Definitions of reading
Reading is a huge topic. It is a receptive skill. Reading can be defined as a process,
which involves a reader, a text and a resultant interaction between the two (Goodman,
1996; Rumelhart, 1977 as cited in Singhal, 1998). Brindley (1994) in her introduction to
the reading section of teaching English offers a helpful starting point: “Reading is a complex
area. We can use the term to mean the process itself, or a respond to literary text. It can mean
the retrieval of information in a non-literary text, or take on the wider meanings like „reading
the situation‟. Reading is not confined to print in a book. It is central to the debate about
meaning and the construction of the reader. It is linked to the issues of standards in education,
and to one of the functions of education itself – the production of the literate society”. This is
a relatively focused view of reading. Anderson et al (1985) provides a broader view of the
same territory: “The majority of scholars in the field now agree on the nature of reading:
Reading is the process of constructing meaning from written texts. It is a complex skill
requiring coordination of a number of interrelated sources of information.”
Reading is a holistic act. Success of reading comes from practice over long periods of
time. And also, there may be more than one interpretation of a text. The interpretation
depends on the background of the reader, the purpose for reading, and the context in which
the reading occurs. Reading is very necessary for daily life. Harmer (2003) emphasized the


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importance of reading as follow “it will helps us to achieve some clear aims. Thus, for
example, we read a road sign so that we know where to go. We read the instructions on a
ticket machine because we need to know what to do next”.
Different scholars of different approaches provide different definitions of reading.
However, “In spite of the constant shift in focus throughout the history of reading
research, it has been generally recognized that reading is a very complicated process

involving a variety of factors that interact with one another” (Kim, 2002). Due to this
complex nature of reading and the fact that it is one of the most important language skills,
most scholars in language methodology agree that there is a need for incorporating
multimedia into reading instruction. Reading should be supported with pictures,
diagrams, video, and audio (Brown, 2001). Learners need to be provided with sufficient
scaffolding to be able to achieve more effective reading comprehension (Brandl, 2002).
1.1.2 Extensive reading
So many studies have been conducted to find out ways to improve reading
effectiveness. Recently, there has been a lot of reseach about the effects of extensive reading
in improving students‟ reading comprehension. Research suggests that one of the best ways to
help students increase their language proficiency is to encourage them to read extensively.
Besides, free voluntary reading or sustained independent reading results in better reading
comprehension, writing style, vocabulary, spelling, and grammatical development. Students
who reported reading more English books experienced significantly greater improvement in
reading ability and vocabulary knowledge than those who reported reading less. The students
also reported that the extensive reading program helped them to improve their English. They
overwhelmingly found extensive reading to be not only more pleasurable, but also more
beneficial for language acquisition than instruction in grammar. Colin Davis suggested that
any classroom would be the poorer for the lack of an extensive reading programme and would
be “unable to promote its students‟ language development in all aspects as effectively as if
such a programme were present” (1995:335), he also claimed that such a programme would
make students more possitive about reading, improve their overall comprehension skills, and


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give them a wider passive and active vocabulary. Strong (1996) also stated that “extensive
reading of literature can encourage students to develope possitive attitudes toward reading”.
1.2 Autonomy
1.2.1 Definition

Since the primary concern of this study is EFL student teachers'autonomy as language
learners, definitions of autonomy here refer to both students and teachers'autonomy just as
learners. Holec (1981, p.3) defines the term as "the ability to take charge of one's own
directed learning". Little (2003) points out more precisely that "the practice of learner
autonomy requires insight, a positive attitude, a capacity for reflection, and a readiness to be
proactive in self-management and in interaction with others" (cited on line). In this sense,
autonomous learners decide what to learn, when and how to learn it by taking responsibility
for their learning. This process of personal responsibility in monitoring their own progress
entails the use of self-assessment as one of the instruments to determine their level of
knowledge and skills (Gardner, 1999). It is seen as one of the pillars of learner autonomy
because it helps learners to focus on their own learning (Harris, 1997).
1.2.2 Why develop learner autonomy?
Good learners are learners who are capable of take responsibility for their own
learning. They know how to make all the decisions involved. In other words, “… They know
how to learn” (Holec, 1981, p.147). More and more research has been done on learner
autonomy and independence (Holec, 1981; Benson, 2000) and its importance to a successful
learning process. Learner autonomy as described by Holec (1981) promotes the independence
of the learner throughout the entire learning process within a course of study and beyond.
Borrowed from the field of language learning is the notion that learner autonomy is central to
the learning process and promotes the idea of the effectiveness of a resource centre in which
learners can actively learn (Esch, 1994; Sheerin, 1989, 1997; Sturtridge, 1997; Benson, 2000).
In language teaching, teachers can provide all the necessary circumstances and input, but
learning can only happen if learners are willing to contribute. Learner autonomy is crucial to


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an effective language learning experience.There‟s a saying “you can bring the horse to water,
but you can not make him drink”.
It‟s obvious that autonomy is essential in the learning process and it is the goal of the

current dominant learner-centered approach. In classes, learners are the centre of the learning
process, they should be provided with chances to show their activeness, creativeness and
abilities. Autonomy “empowers learners within the learning process and prepares them to be
lifelong learners” (Pulist, 2000, p.1). To promote learning results of the students, developing
learner autonomy is “an unavoidable methodological option” (Narcy, 1994).
1.2.3 Characteristics of autonomous learners
Rousseau ([1762] 1911, cited in Candy, 1991: 102) regards the autonomous learner as
someone who is obedient to a law that he prescribes to himself. Within the context of
education, though, there seem to be seven main attributes characterising autonomous learners
(see Omaggio, 1978, cited in Wenden, 1998: 41-42):
1. Autonomous learners have insights into their learning styles and strategies;
2. take an active approach to the learning task at hand;
3. are willing to take risks;
4. are good guessers;
5. attend to form as well as to content, that is, place importance on accuracy as well as
appropriacy;
6. develop the target language into a separate reference system and are willing to revise
and reject hypotheses and rules that do not apply; and
7. have a tolerant and outgoing approach to the target language.
(cited on line)
However, to develop learner autonomy, besides the above characteristics need to be
taken into considerations the following skills:
1. Choosing instructional materials;
2. Setting learning objectives and prioritizing them;
3. Determining when and how to work on each objective;


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4. Assessing progress and achievements;

5. Evaluating the learning program.
1.2.4 The role of teachers in learner autonomy?
The language teacher had a significant role as a resource person for autonomous
language learning. Railton and Watson (2005, p.192) likewise emphasize the significance of
guidance in the autonomous learning process: "Autonomous learning is as much a skill as
learning to drive - it must be taught, it requires practice, and it is assessed against specific
criteria. Unless they are taught, how to take the wheel for themselves, learner students, like
learner drivers, may be at risk."
Holden and Usuki (1999) who questioned Japanese students'perceptions of learner
autonomy likewise concluded that it was not the learners who were innately passive, but it
was the educational system that created an environment which discouraged learner autonomy.
The follow-up studies of Usuki (2001; 2002) provided more evidence that Japanese students
were aware of their needs as autonomous learners, but a gap between their awareness and
their actual behavior seemed to be the main problem because of the negative effect of the
educational system. Ho and Crookall (2000), in investigations into learner autonomy in the
more traditional organization of classrooms in China, discussed in detail the cultural traits that
both hindered and encouraged autonomy in such a setting, concluding that it was through
concrete actions of taking responsibility that genuine autonomy was learnt.
The general impression is that the Vietnamese educational system is mainly directed and
evaluated by the authority and, as a result, has a significant influence on learner autonomy in
Vietnamese context. The majority of the students lacked necessary critical thinking and
reflection skills to cope with the requirements of academic life such as skills of how to plan,
conduct and evaluate research. Most importantly, there is reality in Vietnamese High schools
that teacher factors hindered the development of learner autonomy because the teachers
themselves had been trained within the same education system, and were unable to change
their habits.


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Little (1995), McGrath (2000), Smith (2000), and Tort-Moloney, (1997) also provide
evidence that teachers who themselves are not autonomous language learners may have a
negative influence on the development of autonomy in their students. Stiller and Ryan (1992),
and Clemente (2001) likewise suggest that teacher autonomy support and involvement (and
parental support for autonomy and involvement) have direct links with students'assimilation
of their classroom context and subsequent academic outcomes. Usuki, (2002) attracts
attention to teachers'attitudes towards their students which may play a key role in learner
autonomy. Probably, those are the reasons why most of the things have stayed the same in
Vietnamese educational system although it has been changed periodically for decades. For
example, the last trend is towards the innovation in teaching and learning methods. Yet,
traditional approaches to learning and teaching are still being used by many teachers with old
beliefs since the beliefs that individuals have play a decisive role in the process of
autonomous learning (Cotterall 1995).
There may be some other factors hindering teachers from effectively involving
themselves in this process. Firstly, they may be afraid of the students who improve fast
independently while the teachers make little or no progress because they are not autonomous
learners themselves. Secondly, some schoolteachers can earn money without trying hard, and
then they do not strive to learn new things. In that connection, introducing new things to
students can be a good starting point.
1.3 Internet-based reading materials
1.3.1 Internet-based reading materials in improving reading comprehension
Thanks to the ever expanding flexibility and versatility of IT in performing many
jobs, most of the language teaching authorities support using it in facilitating teaching in
general, teaching English in particular. With recent advancements in software technology,
multimedia computing and extensive use of the Internet (Soboleva, & Tronenko, 2002),
computers have become so widespread in schools and language institutions and their uses
have expanded so dramatically that language teachers must now begin to reconsider the
implications of using computers for teaching languages (Warschauer, 1996; Blake, 1997).

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Internet technology is a “medium of global communication and a source of limitless authentic
materials” (Warschauer, 1996). With the emergence of the Internet technology, e-mail, listserves, streaming audio-video, chat rooms, audio-video and message boards, language
learners now have more chances to improve their language competence. Easier access in
terms of distance and time considerations, self-paced language study, low affective
filter, increased motivation, opportunities to access and use authentic language, and hence
enhanced learner autonomy are among the advantages of using the web in language
teaching and learning. Internet-based reading provides language learners with a much better
opportunity for initiative in language learning, enhancement of learning strategies.
Engagement in meaningful authentic exercises promotes enthusiasm and motivation on the
part of the learners. Internet-based reading helps create relaxed (in terms of learner anxiety)
environments. Internet-based reading establishes a basis for reflecting on the experience of
language learning, self-correcting, self-evaluating, and searching for information on any
linguistic and/or socio-cultural aspect learners might want to learn more about right on
the spot, something that cannot be realized easily in traditional type of media (Kennedy,
1989).
The Internet as a resource can enrich and expand language instruction. There are
numerous reasons in favor of integrating the Internet into a language curriculum. Chun and
Plass (2000, p. 161) mention general capabilities of features of the WWW that have the
potential to enhance language learning. These are a) the universal availability of authentic
materials, b) the communication capabilities through networking, c) the multimedia
capabilities, and d) the nonlinear (hypermedia) structure of the information. The most
compelling reason is definitely the convenience in accessing and obtaining an endless supply
of authentic materials in target languages. The WWW has brought the world to the fingertips
of each learner. Applying the WWW to foreign language teaching also provides the
opportunity to meet the Standards in several ways (Walz, 1998): "Competence in more than
one language and culture enables people to gain access to additional bodies of knowledge; …
all students learn in a variety of ways and settings; … language and culture education

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incorporate effective technologies; and using the Web is consistent with learning theories
about learning to read authentic materials" (p. 104).
Son (2003) carried out a research study to examine the effectiveness of three different
types of reading text formats, namely paper-based format, computer-based non-hypertext
format, and computer-based hypertext format. The motivation in conducting this research
study was to find out the degree of usefulness of hyperlinks on the online lexical resources,
which provide readers with optional assistance during

independent

reading.

Another

question Son was interested in was the learner attitudes towards the effectiveness of
incorporation of hyperlinks into reading materials. Defining hypertext as „non-sequential text
which is organized to allow readers to access to non-linear information‟ and pointing out
that hypermedia applications can enrich learning tasks by providing learners with various
types of online information, Son (2003) contends that the integration of text with sound and
images eventually paves the way for greater comprehension of the reading text as well as
better pronunciation and contextual use of lexical items in a way that traditional paperbased texts cannot achieve.
In his article on net-based

reading Brandl

(2002)

investigated

the ways

of

exploration of authentic reading materials on the World Wide Web and found out that
there are a lot of possibilities of integrating online reading resources into reading classes
whereby

higher

motivation, more effective and faster reading comprehension can be

attained.
1.3.2 Types of Internet-based reading
In this section, I will present three different types to Internet-based reading, which can
help students improve their reading comprehension skills using the materials from the
Internet. Based on these three types of reading I will conduct the study to find out how
Internet-based materials help improve reading comprehension skills of the students at My Hao
High school.
* Teacher-determined lessons


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The reading activities and materials of this type are comparable to the computer as an
online electronic workbook. The teacher prescreens and selects reading materials or cultural
readings from Internet-based, designs comprehension activities, and makes them available
through his/her Web page. By pre-selecting and preparing the readings, the instructor tailors

the contents and tasks to the students' proficiency level. The tasks are designed to support the
reader'scomprehension process focusing on textual, linguistic and cultural features. Reading is
a silent process that is best done individually. The learners get to explore authentic reading
materials outside of class at their own pace. This frees up classroom time that can be spent
more effectively getting students involved in communicative language learning activities.
Furthermore, depending on the instructional program design, students'answers may be
forwarded to the instructor. Students'responses to reading tasks are limited by the capacity of
the teachers‟packages. Tasks can be true/false, matching, or multi-choice answers, or short
answers. To create such activities, skills and expertise in language pedagogy, instructional
design, and some programming are required. The latter may include experience with HTML
editors, HTML or Internet-based authoring packages such as Half-Baked Software, or
WebCT. Other technological skills such as the use of scanners and graphic programs are
recommended.
* Teacher-facilitated lessons
Internet-based reading activities that have gained most wide-spread attention and
popularity among language teachers and students are those in which the instructor provides a
set of learning tasks that engage the learners in exploring reading materials in their authentic
environments. The instructor determines a particular topic and set of goals for his lesson, such
exploring English wedding, American education. The teacher prescreens and selects a set of
sites to ensure its contents are appropriate for their pedagogical goals. Through a particular
task design, the instructor facilitates the students'reading process and guides the learners to
explore a variety of pre-selected resources, thus providing a clear goal to be accomplished by
the students. Furthermore, the tasks should be designed so that they are not so broad that
students wander aimlessly through the material yet open enough to provide multiple paths,
outcomes, and interpretations, which can form the basis for classroom interaction. In this way,


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the teacher controls the navigational scope and the number and kind of Internet sites that the

students access. Despite the restriction, the learner has some autonomy as the tasks provide
the learner a choice in the sites he or she accesses and explores. Task types usually include
comparisons, gathering factual information, descriptions, and short summaries. The outcome
of the student assignments is clearly defined, but open-ended. The teacher's role can best be
described as a guide and facilitator. The students follow the teacher's lead but get to explore
the contents themselves. Teachers should list the most popular search engines such as Google,
Yahoo ....
* Learner-determined lessons
Learner-determined lessons follow an approach to integrating Internet-based resources
that is entirely learner-centered. The learners determine the topics, reading materials, and the
way they go about exploring the readings themselves. They decide on the process and the
product, formulate the goals, identify Internet-based resources, and make a decision on how
the outcomes should be evaluated. In this way, the students take on the roles of self-directed
and autonomous learners, and take full charge and responsibility for their outcomes. The
teacher only gets involved in the role of a facilitator offering support and guidance throughout
the process as much as necessary. Types of assessment may include teacher-, self-, or groupassessment. Assessment of learner outcomes may be teacher-directed or student-determined.
Examples are short writing assignments, essays, or mini-projects or presentations that show
the students'analytical and interpretative skills of cultural readings and texts. The
technological skills required to implement this approach are minimal. If the teacher is to
provide guidance to his/her students on searching the Internet, then knowledge about Web
browsers, search engines and their effective use are indispensable.
There is no doubt, the vast amount of authentic resources on the Internet provides
learners an opportunity to improve their reading skills. Yet, to make the integration of WWWbased activities a successful learning experience, it requires effective organization and
presentation of that information.


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1.3.3 Criteria for choosing Internet-based reading materials
The number one selection criteria for Internet-based materials is that they help fulfill the

learning outcomes for the students. The teachers as well as the students should pay attention
to choosing appropriate materials because there may be some criteria that prevent achieving
the primary goal. If the reading level is too far beyond the level of the students or if the
content is too complex for the target group, then the students will never access the
information. Here are some criteria for choosing Internet-based reading materials.
Criteria 1. Topic. The materials provide opportunities for reading more in depth on a subject,
which can facilitate second-language acquisition, especially when most of the vocabulary and
structures are recycled.
Criteria 2. Background Knowledge of the Reader. Materials should make sure that the passage
is on a topic known to students. Reading texts with so many new words is as hard as learning
about scientific programming.
Criteria 3. Exploitability: Will the passage allow the teacher to accomplish the objectives of
the reading lesson? Consider thematic, lexical and structural appropriateness in light of the
text you chose. Do they have the potential to match up with the objectives of the subject? Can
students explore the text meanings through the structure and text conventions, and acquire
some new vocabulary as well?
Criteria 4. Lexical Appropriateness. Materials is considered suitable if the new vocabulary
matches the level of the students‟ abilities.
Criteria 5. Readability and Length of Passage. Consider also the length of the passage and
how long it would take you to complete the reading lesson. Five relatively short mini texts
might be better than one infinitely long text.
Criteria 6. Syntactic Appropriateness. Syntactic constructions in a passage affect its
readability. If the new structures have been taught, the students can be instructed to scan the
text and underline syntactic constructions that are new or difficult, or which they do not
quickly recognize or understand. Otherwise you may need to reteach certain structures.


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Criteria 7. Organization: Logical/Rhetorical Ordering of Ideas. One of the main objectives of

reading lessons is understanding the main ideas and significant details of a text.
Criteria 10. Appearance of the Reading Passage: layout, print, type size. It is a good idea to
choose the text that has accompanying photos or pictures with captions that illustrate the
topic? Are paragraphs in each text/file clearly defined? Are the lines numbered? Is the font
clear and attractive? This can enhance reading speed. Materials that are visually appealing can
reinforce students‟motivation.
1.3.4 Considerations in using Internet-based materials
As pointed out above, there are numerous convincing arguments in favor of integrating
Internet-based materials into a foreign language curriculum. At the same time, several
arguments can be made that ask for a more cautious approach when using the Internet. The
Internet is not an ideal way of delivering instruction, and there are numerous challenges to
overcome. First, there are still many limitations on interactivity and bandwidth. Second, the
hyper-linked structure and presentation of information on the Internet may easily cause
students to get lost. Third, we have no control over the quality and accuracy of the contents of
the information. In other words, the use of the Internet resources completely depends on
reader judgment, which presupposes solid language proficiency and critical reading skills.
Fourth, little theoretical and empirical research actually exists that demonstrates how to make
use of Internet-based materials or how to design tasks that allow the learners to explore these
materials and yield expected learning outcomes. In the same vein, little is known about
students'attitudes towards the integration of Web-based readings in the foreign language
curriculum.
1.4 Summary
Through the brief literature review, it is clear that there are many factors involved in L2
reading comprehension process. Autonomy is seen as a capacity or ability for active and
independent reading. The relevant literature emphasizes the role of Internet-based materials
in language learning. It can be concluded that internet-based reading materials can help
develop learner autonomy in learning reading skill.


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CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODS
This chapter deals with the methods that have been applied to achieve the aims and
objectives of the study. It gives a detailed description of the setting and participants of the
study as well as data collection instruments.
2.1 Setting of the study
Founded in 1961, My Hao High school is located in My Hao district, a highly
developed industrial area. Having got good teaching and learning traditions, it is considered
one of the best high schools in Hung Yen province.
Having been upgraded to a national standardized high school, in recent years, the school
management board has considered the application of IT in not only managing but also in
teaching and learning to make real innovation on its way to develop. The school has a local
network with nearly 100 computers granted to learning activities. The computers are
connected to the LAN, providing access to the Intranet and Internet. 25 computers of these are
installed with software called Magic Class, which supports teaching and learning English.
Many other softwares are installed to help the teachers prepare E-lessons more easily.
Available Internet-based materials are useful sources that help motivate students in learning
English.
The English division has 13 qualified and responsible teachers who know how to attract
their students to learning environment and encourage them to take part in extracurricular
activities. Many students here are interested in learning English. They find English an
important subject.
2.2 The participants
The subjects of this study are the students of class 11A12. It is a selected class. It has
48 students (41 females and 7 males). The students are interested in learning English. All of
them desire to enter a foreign language college after they finish school. They have been
learning English for 6 years. Generally, they are at the same proficiency level. However,
during the years in lower secondary schools, the main method that their teachers often used to
teach them was the grammar-translation one. Furthermore, they were not provided with

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modern facilities that were necessary for their learning such as cassettes, videos, computers….
Therefore, the students are not very active in class.
[

2.4 Data collection instruments
The data is collected by means of questionnaires and interviews.
2.3.1 Interview
Kvale (1996) states that interviews are a particular useful research method for getting in
deep information about a specific research issue or question. He supposes that this is a
personal form of research and interviewer works directly with the respondents, the
information about opinions or impressions is often easier to collect through oral interviews.
Nunan (1992) characterized interviews in terms of their degrees of formality. In an
unstructured interview, the interviewee is allowed to talk freely with little intervention from
the interviewer. In a semi-structured interview, the interviewer does not prepare questions in
advance but can control the scope of the talk by raising a topic or an issue. Predetermined
questions are only needed in a structured interview which is mostly a “questions and answers”
session.
In this study, a structured interview was carried out among twenty four students of class
11A12 at My Hao high school. Here, the researcher would like to get information about the
students‟reading habits, the factors affecting their reading comprehension and whether they
use the Internet-based materials for extensive reading.
2.3.2 Questionnaires
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other
prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. According to Richards
(2003) questionnaire is an effective way of information gathering about some aspects of
learners “such as beliefs, attitudes, motivation and preferences”. Questionnaires have
advantages over some other types of surveys in that they are cheap, do not require as much

effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and often have standardized
answers that make it simple to compile data (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).


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2.3.2.1 Questionnaire 1
Questionnaire 1 (see Appendix 2) was given to 48 students before the experiment to
investigate the goals of the students in learning English, their attitudes towards learning
reading skill, the current situation of the students‟autonomy in learning reading and the
materials they use in learning reading. Forty eight copies of the questionnaire were given to
the students and collected in class after 45 minutes. Questionnaire 1 consists of 5 questions.
Question 1 aimed to investigate the students‟ goals in learning English.
Question 2 investigated their attitudes towards reading skill.
Question 3 asked information about the types of reading materials they often used for
independent learning.
Questions 4, 5 aimed to discover the students‟opinions about Internet-based reading
materials and if Internet-based reading materials could promote autonomous learning or not.
2.3.2.2 Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 2 (see Appendix 3) was given to the 48 students after the experiment to find
out the students‟attitudes towards Internet-based reading materials and to see if they helped
the students promote autonomous learning. There were six questions in the questionnaire. The
questionnaires were given to the students and collected after 30 minutes.
Question 1 aimed to find out what they thought of the Internet-based materials provided
for this study.
Questions 2, 3 aimed to investigate the difficulties they encountered when they used
Internet-based materials and their opinions about the role of Internet-based materials in
helping to promote autonomous learning.
Question 4 asked the students to evaluate their progress.
The last two questions investigated the benefits of Internet-based materials in improving

reading comprehension skill and what should be done to improve learner autonomy in
learning reading skill.


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CHAPTER 3: DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS
This chapter provides information about the current situation of learning English
reading skill at My Hao high school before the experiment and the students‟attitudes towards
learning reading after the experiment. It consists of two sections of data analysis, which aim at
answering the three research questions at the beginning of the study.
3.1 Students’ motivations, learning experiences and attitudes towards learning reading
before the experiment.
3.1.1 Interview
Twenty four students (randomly selected) were interviewed for about 20-30 minutes for
each student from February 15th to March 6th, 2010. The interviews took place in an informal
atmosphere, so that the students felt free to express themselves. The researcher took notes
during the interviews since the students did not feel comfortable talking on tape. Four main
questions constructed for the students are as follows:
1. Are you interested in learning reading? Why and why not?
2. What are the main factors that affect students‟ reading comprehension?
3. How much time do you spend for independent learning?
4. Have you ever used Internet-based reading materials? If yes, how do you find them?
The students' responses to the questions have been classified and calculated as
percentages. Below is the detailed data:
3.1.1.1 Responses to question 1:
Are you interested in learning reading? Why and why not? Please explain.
The interview data showed that 71% of the students (see Chart 1) were not interested in
reading lessons. The main reasons are their lack of background knowledge as well as
vocabulary about the topics they are reading. Some topics are unfamiliar, some others are

boring so the students find it difficult to understand them. Some students say that there are
texts that they have read several times without understanding anything. Moreover, time for