Nghiên cứu dạy và học tiếng Anh tại Đại học Công nghệ TP.HCM (HUTECH)

English teaching and learning in Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), Vietnam A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Thi Hong Nguyen MA in TESOL School of Education College of Design and Social Context RMIT University March 2015 Declaration I certify that except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the author alone; the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any other academic award; the content of the thesis/project is the result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program; any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is acknowledged; and, ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed. Thi Hong Nguyen 24 August 2015 i Acknowledgements On the completion of this research, I have received great assistance from many wonderful people in different meaningful ways. I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to these persons. First, I wish to express my deepest gratitude and thanks to my Senior Supervisor, Doctor Wendy Warren for her guidance and valuable advice.

She has supported and encouraged me to proceed and complete the research effectively. Also, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and thanks to my Associate Supervisor, Professor Heather Fehring, who has been always helpful, given me critical advice and valuable feedback for my thesis. I also wish to express my warm and sincere thanks to my friend, Asher Warren, who spent precious time copy editing my thesis, with patience and enthusiasm. Along the way, I also wish to acknowledge Ms Louise Prentice and all the staff of the School of Education, College of Social Context and Design of RMIT University, who have been always considerate, supported and provided me with tremendous assistance during my study.

I would also like to express my deep and sincere thanks to the Management Board, the teachers, the staff and the students of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), who provided me with great assistance and a comfortable atmosphere during the data collection phase of this study. My warm and sincere thanks go to my dear colleagues, and my dear friends who were willing to give help and support to me when I needed it, sending me valuable books, articles and documents which were helpful for my thesis: Yuhong Lu, Anh Thi Pham, Quynh Hai Thi Pham, Huyen Minh Bui, Cam Hong Thi Khuong, Urip Sulistyo, Ngan Kim Tong, Di Thanh Ba Duong, Tuyen Song Do, and Thu Hoai Nguyen. ii I would also like to thank my parents in law for their kind assistance and thoughtfulness. To my sisters in law and brother in law, their understandings and kindness mean so much to me.

My appreciation also goes to my beloved husband, Hoa Quoc Nguyen. He has always been beside me, encouraged me and supported me in any possible ways he can. With his love, care and kindness, I have been confident to proceed my study. To my lovely kids: Hong Phuc Tien Nguyen and Minh Quoc Gia Nguyen, who have been always a great motivation and inspiration to me, so that I can complete my thesis with joys and happiness.

To my wonderful brothers: Duc Minh Nguyen and Cong Thanh Nguyen. Their kind and constant support and understandings have encouraged me so much. Without them, I could not have come to this success. My deepest and sincerest appreciation goes to my wonderful and loving mum and dad.

Without their love, care, support and encouragement, I could not have achieved this pride and success. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements. ii List of Tables. xiv List of Figures.

xv List of Abbreviations. Background and Context. Research Problem and Reasons for Choosing the Research Topic. Purpose of the Study.

Scope of the Study. Mixed methods research. Significance of the Study. Outline of Thesis Structure.

Background and Context. Brief History of Language and Education in Vietnam. History of language in Vietnam. Current status of English in Vietnam.

English as an important subject. Common pedagogical practices of teaching English in Vietnamese classrooms. The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). An overview of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Challenges facing the higher education sector in Vietnam. Recent legislation and vision for Vietnamese higher education. An overview of HUTECH. History and background information.

HUTECH’s mission and vision. The administration organization and academic faculty of HUTECH. Education policy and curriculum at HUTECH. Procedures and qualifications for admission to HUTECH.

Evaluation and grading system. English programs in HUTECH. English major and non-major English teaching in HUTECH. English teaching staff.

Professional development for English teachers. Foreign Language Teaching and Learning. General theories of teaching and learning. Goals of language teaching and learning.

Student-centered approach. The use of teaching materials. Four major methods in foreign language teaching. Grammar-Translation Method.

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). English in higher education in Vietnam. Implementation of CLT in Vietnam. Previous Studies about English Teaching and Learning.

Research studies about the roles of teaching aids, about teachers and learners in ELT. Research studies about English teaching methods and policies for TEFL. Research studies about factors affecting English teaching and learning. Research studies relating to English teaching and learning in Vietnamese context.

RMIT Research Processes. Philosophical Worldview: Pragmatism. Mixed Methods Case Study Approach. Mixed methods research.

Sampling and Selection of Participants. Selection of participants. Quantitative data analysis (survey questionnaires). Qualitative data analysis (interviews and class observations).

Validity and Reliability. Students’ Perspectives of English Teaching and Learning in HUTECH. General information about data presentation. General information about the students who participated.

Students’ English Background Knowledge. Majors taught in English. Time allocated for English. English skills being taught in classes.

Native English teachers and non-native English teachers. Students’ English Levels. About the university. Teachers’ Perspectives of English Teaching and Learning in HUTECH.

General Information about Participating Teachers. Teachers’ Educational Background. Positive Aspects of English teaching and learning in HUTECH. Language teaching methods.

Facilities and equipment. Benches and tables. HUTECH leaders’ support. Increasing the time amount for English.

Negative Aspects of English Training in HUTECH and Suggested Solutions. Time allocated for EFL. Time for teaching English speaking and communication. Speaking tests in examinations.

Benefits for students. Schedule and timetable. Disparity of students’ English levels. Facilities and equipment.

Room and multimedia room allocation. Number of cassette players at Ung Van Khiem campus. Support from HUTECH leaders. Programs for teachers’ professional development.

Response time to the teachers’ problems. Funds for English improvement activities outside class time. Students’ attitudes and motivation for English study. Professional development for teachers.

Using English for teaching major subjects. Feedback from teachers and students. Full-time positions and work load. Suggestions for an Ideal EFL Training Program in HUTECH.

Balance between financial profit and education quality. Independence for teachers and students. EFL program hurdle. Good and enthusiastic teachers.

Smaller class size. Managers’ Perspectives of English Teaching and Learning in HUTECH. General information about managers participating. Positive aspects of English training in HUTECH.

Allocated time for EFL. Facilities and equipment. Support from HUTECH leadership. Focus on teacher’s performance.

Tendency to recruit young teachers. Policy to attract good teachers. Fair treatment for all teachers. Respect feedback from teachers and students.

Professional development for teachers. Negative Aspects of English Training in HUTECH. Teachers’ use of ICT and technical equipment. Class size and disparity of students’ English abilities.

Problems with teachers’ teaching styles and methods. Lab rooms and equipment management. Limited students’ autonomy. English Teaching and Learning in HUTECH through the Observations of Classroom Practices.

Adequate facilities and equipment. Songs and games. Warm up activities. Grammar driven teaching model.

Teachers’ limited ability in classroom management. Disparate student proficiency. Use of facilities, teaching aids and technology. Underestimation of students’ role as a learner.

Discussions, Recommendations and Conclusions. Facilities and Equipment in HUTECH. Curriculum for English Teaching and Learning in HUTECH. Time allocated for English.

Testing and assessment. Disparity of students’ English abilities. Proficiency and attitudes across disciplines. English as a medium for instruction.

HUTECH Leaders’ Support and Management. Finance and education. Dealing with feedback at HUTECH. Teacher professional development.

Teacher recruitment and assessment. Teacher-Related Factors. Teachers’ use of teaching aids. Teachers’ teaching styles.

Types ofteachers in English classes. Student-Related Factors. Students’ opportunities to practise English outside class time. Limitations of the Study.

Recommendations for Future Research and Researchers. Confirmation of Candidature Letter. Approval Letter from HUTECH Vice Rector. Ethics Approval Letter.

Plain Language Statement and Consent Form. Plain Language Statement. Pre-pilot questionnaire. Questions for teachers.

Questions for managers. Interview Schedule for Teachers and Managers. Class Observation Notes. Class Observation Schedule.

Tables of Quantitative Data. Sample of Textbook Pages. 340 xiii List of Tables Table 3.1 Teachers’ Rapport Attributes .2 Teachers’ Delivery Attributes.3 De-motivating Factors .4 Teacher-Related De-motivating Factors .2 Coding for Teacher and Manager Interview Participants .3 Coding for Class Observations .1 Teachers’ General Demographic Information .2 Teachers’ Educational Background. 157 xiv List of Figures Figure 2.

Student respondents’ ages. The time students started their English learning. The length of time students learned English. Students’ opportunities to live or study overseas and use English.

Students’ opportunities to practise English outside classes. English practice activities outside classes. Students’ evaluation of the English syllabus. The helpfulness of using English as a medium of instruction in some major subjects.

Students’ support for the use of English in teaching some major subjects. Reasons for which students opposed some of their major subjects being taught in English. Time allocated for English subject in HUTECH. English skills and knowledge usually being taught in classes.

English teachers’ enthusiasm. English teachers’ teaching style. The use of pair work and group work in English classes. Types of teachers who students preferred to study English with.

Students’ evaluation of facilities and equipment in their English classes. Number of students in English classes. Students’ perceptions of the English levels of their classmates. Students’ interests in learning the English language.

The necessity of English to students. Reasons for studying English. Students’ effort for their English study. Students’ English lesson preparation before classes.

Students’ English study at home. Students’ communication in English outside class time. The appropriateness of the tests and exams with the study programs. The role of the speaking tests in the improvement of students’ English speaking and communication skills.

Students’ expectations of an English teacher. Students’ expectations of HUTECH. 153 xvi List of Abbreviations ALM Audiolingual Method ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations CC Communicative Competence CEFR Common European Framework for Reference CLT Communicative Language Teaching CHEAN College Human Ethics Advisory Network EFL English as a Foreign Language ELT English Language Teaching ESL English as a Second Language GTM Grammar-Translation Method HUTECH Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology HDR Higher Degree by Research ICT Information Communication Technology IELTS International English Language Testing System MOET Ministry of Education and Training TESOL Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language TEFL Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESL Teaching English as a Second Language WTO World Trade Organization xvii Abstract Nowadays, English is known as a global language. A great deal of research in teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL) has been carried out.

However there has been little research in this area conducted in higher education institutions in Vietnam. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap. It focused on English teaching and learning in Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH). A mixed methods case study design was used in this study.

Data collected quantitatively from students’ questionnaires were utilized to analyze students’ perspectives towards English teaching and learning in HUTECH.