How do good and poor speakers differ in their learning style?
Graduation Thesis
Presented to
the Faculty of the Department of
English Language and Literature
Notre Dame Seishin University
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirement for the Degree
Bachelor of Arts
By
Kana Okuno
2013
Contents
Abstract
Chapter One: Speaking ability
1. Introduction
1.2 Speaking ability
1.2.1 What is speaking ability?
1.2.2 Who is the good speaker?
1.2.3 What are the levels?
1.3 Research Question
1.4 Conclusion
Chapter Two: Questionnaire and the test
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The experiment
2.2.1 Introduction to the experiment / questionnaire
2.2.2 Method
a) Subjects
b) Test design
c) Procedure
d) Results
2.3 Summary
Chapter Three: Discussion of the questionnaire and the test
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Summary of the results
3.3 Discussion of the results
3.3.1 Data of the self-assessment questionnaire
3.3.2 Data of the speaking test
3.3.3 Data from the English Interviews
a) Good Speakers
b) Poor Speakers
3.4 Answering the Research Question
3.4.1 Implication
3.4.2 Limitation of the Experiments
3.4.3 Further Research
3.5 Conclusion
References
Appendices
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Abstract
English is one of the important languages for many people all over the world these days. As the world is becoming globalized, the demand of English is also becoming stronger. Business people, teachers, students, adults, children, and so many ordinary people can use English as usual. It means, there are a lot of people who can understand English. Of course there are a lot of people who cannot understand English though. Speaking is the very basis of communication, so if someone can speak a foreign language in other countries, it is going to be very easy and useful to live. Even though we studied English in school, we all could not speak English well. There are good and poor speakers, and they have their own studying methods to become good speakers.
In Chapter One, we presented the definition of speaking ability and found several points to judge who are supposed to good speakers. Furthermore, we discussed 6 levels of speaking ability, and we showed how the level changed.
In Chapter Two, we looked at the results of the self-assessment questionnaire, English speaking test, and English interviews. The self-assessment questionnaire was taken by university students, and they were asked their speaking ability. An English test was taken by selected students from the questionnaire, and after that, they had an interview in English about their studying method to become English good speakers. There were varied and individual opinions emerged for each student.
In Chapter Three, we analysed the results of the English speaking test and interview. We could find that good speakers kept using and speaking English almost every day. However, poor speakers did not have much time to use and speak English. We found that the chance and time to use and speak English divided them into good and poor speakers.
Chapter 1: Speaking ability
1.1 Introduction
Today, English is one of the most important languages which are used in almost all the countries. English can connect many people who were from different countries easily. When we travel to other countries where the spoken language there is different and not English, we might be able to use English there though. English is the global language, so even in Japan; there are lots of chances to see English in many situations. For instance, most places have direction board with Japanese and English.
In Japan, we all have studied English since we entered the junior high school. Also, there are many people who started studying English before they entered the junior high school these days. However, not so many Japanese people can use and speak English well, because they do not have enough time to use English, and they do not have to use and speak English in Japan. Most people in Japan studied English in their school since they were in junior high school, so they can know what the sign said. If they had to talk to people in English, most of them were not able to produce what they wanted to say, most people might be able to read some English sentences, words, and letters of the alphabet though.
Each person’s English ability is different, even if they are in the same English class in school. For instance, some students can get high score on their English test, but they might not to be able to speak English well. Also, some can speak English well, but they might not to be able to get a high score on their test. Their English and speaking ability might be changed depending on how much they studied or how it influenced by their lives. Each one may have their own way and beliefs of study. Before knowing some key points to be good and poor speakers, we have to find out who are a good speakers or poor speakers.
1.2 Speaking ability
1.2.1 What is speaking ability?
Speaking ability is the level at which people speak English. Having a good speaking ability not only means people who can speak English very well. This is usually true, but we can say also it may not be true. There are many people who can speak English fluently and will be judged as good speakers. However they might have just mastered grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, intonation, accent, and diverse points the basic of English. There are more points to judge who really the good speakers supposed to be.
1.2.2 Who is the good speaker?
The main point of good speakers is that they are able to express themselves clearly. They are supposed to be able to speak English well and fluently, but not only that point are included to this. There are diverse points to be called “good English speakers.” Cole (2012) said that there are four criteria for regarding who are supposed to be called “good English speakers.” Those criterions are: 1. Fluency and Coherence, 2. Pronunciation, 3. Lexical resource, and 4. Grammatical range and accuracy.
1. Fluency and Coherence
These criteria “Fluency and Coherence” clarifies how fluently people speak and how well they link their ideas together.
To speak very fast or reply to very long answers is not so good. Fluency is a combination of:
1. speed of speech
2. length of answer
3. pausing correctly.
(e.g.) Coherence: She plays tennis at the park where you went yesterday.
Incoherence: She tennis plays at the park go yesterday you.
Coherence is the ability to:
1. expand your answers
2. answer the questions directly
3. add relevant detail to explain or illustrate your answers
4. connect your sentences by using tenses and connectors.
2. Pronunciation
This criterion, “Pronunciation” clarifies how accurate their pronunciation is. The main point is how easy people’s pronunciation is understand by other people, and whether they are able to make their meaning clear. In this section, we do not need to think about accent, so it does not matter which “British English accent” or “American English accent” we speak. The meaning of this good pronunciation includes:
1. basic word pronunciation
2. linked speech sounds
3. correct sentence stress
4. correct use of intonation (rising and falling.)
3. Lexical resource
This criterion, “Lexical resource” clarifies how accurate and varied their vocabulary is. The main point is how clearly people are able to express themselves using enough words and vocabulary. Common mistakes are to use long words without really knowing what they mean. This is judged by people’s ability to:
1. have enough vocabulary to discuss a range of topics
2. to use vocabulary accurately
3. be able to explain yourself when they do not have the right word.
4. Grammatical range and accuracy
This criterion, “Grammatical range and accuracy” clarifies how accurate and varied their grammar is. This might be the most difficult and important thing to judge who are good speakers. Those people who are supposed to be called good speakers:
1. need to avoid grammar mistakes especially when they use present, past, or future’ tenses
2. need to use a range of grammatical structures and they should not just use simple sentences all the time.
Also, Lazaraton (2001) said fluent speech as good speakers do is,
1. use reduced forms, contractions, vowel reductions, and elision
2. use slang and idioms
3. not use bookish words
4. acquire the stress, rhythm, and intonation of English.
1.2.3 What are the levels of speaking ability?
Each one have their own speaking ability and their ability is different by each one. There is a system that is used by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the U.S. government which shows people’s speaking ability. This definition of each proficiency level can apply to any languages, so it can be used for knowing people’s Japanese speaking ability. There are 6 levels to show how people speak that language. The level is from Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Superior, Distinguished, and to Educated Native Speaker.
Figure 1 The Inverted pyramid of Language proficiency
0. Novice: Prefunctional Level
This is the very first entry level for people who start studying languages. People who are at this level, they can use or speak discrete words or phrases which they are rarely combined to. It might be hard for people at this level to live in the country where the language is spoken. This is the starting line for beginners.
1. Intermediate: Survival Level
This is the first functional level for people who want to live in the country where the foreign language is spoken. People at this level can speak the basics of the language. They have limited grammar and vocabulary, so they usually speak incomplete sentences. Also they sometimes make some mistakes in their pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.
2. Advanced: Limited Working Proficiency
This is the first utility level in speaking. People who are at this level are allowed to work, study, and socialize using the foreign language. To get this level, people need more grammar, more vocabulary, and fluency. Even though people are in this level, some people may make a number of mistakes in their expressions, but they can have good conversation with other people. If this is someone’s goal, they have to have some times to talk to native speakers. Experience will make people to be the learners in this level.
3. Superior: Professional Proficiency
This level is the professional proficiency, so people who are at this level need to have mastered all the grammatical features of the language and enough vocabulary to use in their conversation. They can participate in any conversations which are difficult and have a variety topics even it includes some professional topics.
4. Distinguished: Near Native Proficiency
This level is the very high, next to the real native speakers. People who are at this level is almost like native speakers, and they have great proficiency of fluency, grammar, vocabulary, idiom. They need to stay or live many months or many years in the country where the foreign language is spoken.
5. Educated Native Speaker
This is the real native speaker’s level. Native speakers are people who have lived there since they were born and used the language as their first language in that country where that language is spoken, so people who studied the foreign language are not called native speakers.
1.3 Research Question
We have seen some important features of speaking ability and the levels. Even if the students in the university were divided into some classes, there are slight and big differences in speaking ability that each student has. In the next two chapters we are going to find how they think of their own speaking ability, and how they study or do to be good speakers.
Research Question 1: How do good and poor speaker differ in their learning style?
Research Question 2: What is the big difference between good and poor speakers’ learning style?
1.4 Conclusion
This chapter mentioned what speaking ability means, some features of good English speakers, and introduced 6 kinds of people’s speaking level. In Chapter Two, we will ask subjects about how they studied to be good English speakers using the questionnaire, giving subjects an English speaking test, and had an interview in English. The aim of the questionnaire is to know what students think about their own speaking ability in their general conversation in Japanese and English. We also will look at their learning styles for speaking. This is going to be checked by given a speaking test and individual interviews in English. The speaking test judges who are good speakers and poor speakers, and also find out what learning styles for speaking makes difference between good speakers and poor speakers.
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Chapter Two: Questionnaire and the test
2.1 Introduction
In Chapter One, we looked at that what speaking ability is and students’ learning styles. In this chapter, we will look at the results of the questionnaire and the speaking test. We will investigate 1) students’ self-assessment of their speaking ability and 2) how different their learning styles for speaking are. Then, we can find good speakers and poor speakers.
2.2 The Experiment
2.2.1 Introduction to the experiment / questionnaire
The aim of this questionnaire is to find out what students think about their own speaking ability in their general conversation in Japanese and English. We also will look at their learning styles for speaking. This is going to be checked by given a speaking test and individual interviews in English. The speaking test judged who are good speakers and poor speakers, and also find out what learning styles for speaking makes difference between good speakers and poor speakers.
2.2.2 Method
a) Subjects
The subjects were 31 female junior and senior students in Notre Dame Seishin University who are in the English department, so all of them were majoring in English linguistics and English literature. Their ages were from 20 to 22 years old. 68% of all had studied abroad before. The shortest stay was 3 weeks and longest is 32 weeks.
b) Test design
Two types of experiments, a test and a questionnaire were used. The first part of the questionnaire asked the background of the subjects that could find how many years they have studied, their motivation for studying English, and their thoughts about studying English. This had 25 questions and each question had five choices to answer. Those questions are all about speaking. At the end of the questionnaire, there were a few questions for subjects who experienced staying in foreign country that use English. The aim of this questionnaire is to know how students feel and think about their own general and English speaking ability. All questions in this questionnaire were designed by the researcher.