INTRODUCTION
Rationale
English is the most widely used international communication tool, making it essential for many Vietnamese learners to master the language for effective interaction with foreigners Despite having strong reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary skills, many struggle with real-life communication due to a lack of pragmatic knowledge This includes an understanding of social, cultural, and discourse conventions necessary for various situations According to Bachman (1990), successful communication requires foreign language learners to grasp not only grammar but also the pragmatic aspects of the language Without this awareness, Vietnamese students often face communication breakdowns in intercultural exchanges.
As an English teacher at Vietnam University of Commerce, the researcher has observed that students frequently struggle with effective communication in English, both in classroom settings and real-life situations Many students lack the appropriate strategies and linguistic forms necessary for successful speech acts, often neglecting key factors such as the relationship with their conversation partner This challenge intensifies when interacting with native speakers, as limited exposure to authentic communication contexts leaves them feeling confused and unable to respond appropriately Additionally, students often violate politeness and cultural norms, which hampers their ability to engage in intercultural communication This issue may stem from a lack of awareness regarding pragmatic aspects of language use and insufficient emphasis on these elements in their learning process.
Such a situation has inspired the author to carry out a research paper into
“Students’ pragmatic awareness and implications for English classroom teaching at
The Vietnam University of Commerce emphasizes the importance of enhancing pragmatic awareness among first-year non-English major students This article discusses strategies to improve students' understanding of pragmatic concepts, offering pedagogical implications aimed at increasing the effectiveness of English language teaching.
Aims of the study
This research aims to investigate the pragmatic awareness of first-year non-English major students at the university, with the goal of developing effective teaching techniques to enhance their understanding Establishing this awareness early in their academic journey is crucial, as it prepares students to take charge of their learning and lays a strong foundation for their future studies and lifelong learning By focusing on pragmatic aspects from the outset, these students can better orient their English studies, ultimately improving their learning outcomes Additionally, the findings are expected to contribute to the overall enhancement of teaching quality at the university.
Research questions
The study is aimed at answering two research questions:
1 How much are VUC 1 st year non-English major students aware of English pragmatic aspects?
2 What should be done to improve the students‘ pragmatic awareness?
Scope of the study
This study examines the pragmatic awareness of first-year non-English major students at VUC, who have not received explicit instruction in pragmatics Future research will explore the pragmatic awareness of English majors and upperclassmen Due to time limitations, the study includes a small sample size, and the survey for native speakers focuses solely on American participants, utilizing American social and cultural norms as the foundation for analyzing and assessing the appropriateness of the students' responses.
Significance of the study
This study aims to benefit VUC teachers, students, and Vietnamese education policymakers by enhancing the understanding of pragmatics in language learning and teaching It seeks to equip teachers with effective strategies to emphasize pragmatic aspects, enabling students to use English more effectively in their professional and academic pursuits Additionally, the research aims to boost students' pragmatic awareness, fostering greater engagement in classroom activities By presenting extensive literature, the study will offer insights for educators and policymakers to develop pragmatically authentic materials and pragmatic-oriented assessments Furthermore, it contributes to the knowledge of pragmatic awareness in Vietnam, an area that remains underexplored, while also suggesting new avenues for future research.
Design of the study
The study consists of three main parts as follows:
Part A: Introduction: This part presents the rationale, aims, methods, scope, significance and design of the study
Part B of the study encompasses four chapters, beginning with Chapter I: Literature Review, which explores existing literature to establish a foundational understanding of pragmatic awareness and identifies gaps in previous research justifying the current study Chapter II: Methodology outlines the comprehensive approach taken in the research, detailing the progression from the initial study design to the final stages of data collection and analysis.
Chapter III: Data Analysis and Findings: This chapter interprets the answer to the posed research questions: How much are VUC 1 st year non-English major students aware of English pragmatic aspects? What should be done to improve the students‘ pragmatic awareness? The findings end with conclusions and comments Chapter IV: Implications: This chapter recommends possible improvements for both teachers and students with an aim to raise the students‘ pragmatic awareness
Part C: Conclusion: This part summarises the main contents and findings of the study, limitations of the present study and some suggestions for further studies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter provides the theoretical foundation for the study by defining key concepts in pragmatics and pragmatic awareness, which clarifies the investigated subjects and highlights their significance.
Pragmatics, a crucial subfield of Linguistics, emerged in the late 1970s, building on the foundation laid by Charles Morris in 1938 Morris introduced the term while presenting his semiotic theory, which encompasses three key components: syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics.
Since its introduction by Morris, pragmatics has been defined in various ways by numerous scholars, including Leech, Levinson, Mey, Rose & Kasper, Stalnaker, and Yule Despite differing definitions, these scholars consistently focus on the intentions behind what speakers or writers mean Therefore, pragmatics can be succinctly defined as "the study of meaning" (Griffith).
2006, p 1) or ―the study of the use of context to make inferences about meaning‖ (Fasold
Pragmatics, as defined by Crystal (in Kasper, 2001), focuses on language use from the perspective of its users, emphasizing their choices, the constraints faced in social interactions, and the impact of their communication on others Essentially, pragmatics examines communicative actions within their sociocultural context According to Kasper (2001), these actions encompass not only speech acts like apologizing, complaining, complimenting, and requesting but also involve various discourse types and participation in speech events of differing lengths and complexities.
Pragmatics encompasses a range of study areas, including invisible meaning, context, deixis, reference, inference, anaphora, presupposition, and speech acts, as highlighted by Yule (2006) Key contributions from scholars such as Austin (1962) and Searle (1969) have introduced the concept of speech acts, which are categorized into three types: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts Building on their foundational work, researchers like Billmeyer (1990) and Cohen and Olshtain have further explored these concepts, enriching our understanding of communication dynamics.
(1993), Bouton (1994), and Tateyama (2001) have investigated some specific pragmatic aspects focusing on such speech acts as complimenting, apologising, and requesting and comprehension of implicature
Grice (1975) shifted the focus from speech acts to understanding how interlocutors effectively engage in conversation Meanwhile, Brown and Levinson (1978) and Leech (1983) concentrated on the concept of politeness in communication.
This study examines the division of pragmatics as outlined by Leech and Thomas (in Kasper, 2001), categorizing it into two essential components: pragmalinguistics and sociopragmatics The discussion will focus on these two aspects of pragmatics in relation to the application of speech acts.
The speech act theory, introduced by Austin in 1962, posits that certain utterances, known as performatives, do more than convey information; they function as actions themselves These speech acts enable individuals to perform various functions such as apologizing, promising, requesting, refusing, and complaining, effectively allowing them to influence the actions of others.
Austin (1962) categorised speech acts into different aspects: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary
A locutionary act refers to the utterance of a sentence that conveys a specific meaning and reference Every time a speaker articulates an utterance, they engage in a locutionary act, which involves producing a linguistically well-formed and meaningful expression.
An illocutionary act refers to the communicative function behind a spoken sentence, such as making a statement, offer, or promise, based on its conventional meaning For instance, the phrase "It's hot in here" can serve multiple purposes: it may simply comment on the temperature, or it could function as a request to open a window for fresh air The speaker's intent shapes the illocutionary force of the utterance, highlighting the importance of context in understanding communication.
A perlocutionary act refers to the effects an utterance has on the audience, which can vary based on the context, leading to feelings such as amusement or annoyance Among the three types of speech acts, the illocutionary act is considered the most significant, as it reflects the speaker's intended outcome behind their utterance Yule (1996) emphasizes that the concept of a speech act is often narrowly defined to focus primarily on the illocutionary force of an utterance.
Searle provided a classification of speech acts according to their functions; he divided them into five categories including ―representatives‖, ―directives‖,
(i) representatives, which commit the speaker to the truth of expressed proposition (paradigm cases: asserting, concluding, etc.)
(ii) directives, which are attempts by the speaker to get the addressee to do something (paradigm cases: requesting, questioning, etc.)
(iii) commissives, which commit the speaker to some future course of action (paradigm cases: promising, threatening, offering)
(iv) expressives, which express a psychological state (paradigm cases: thanking, apologizing, welcoming, congratulating)
Declarative statements can lead to immediate changes in institutional circumstances and often depend on complex extra-linguistic frameworks Examples of such declarations include excommunicating an individual, declaring war, christening someone, or terminating employment.
1.1.2.2.1 Definitions and aspects of pragmalinguistics
Pragmalinguistics encompasses the tools used to express communicative acts and interpersonal meanings, including pragmatic strategies like directness and indirectness, as well as various linguistic forms that can either soften or intensify communication This concept is particularly relevant in the study of pragmatics, focusing on the specific resources that different languages offer for conveying particular illocutionary acts (Leech, 1983, p 11).
In short, pragmalinguistics refers to knowledge of the linguistic means to perform speech acts (Schmitt, 2002, p 80) For example, a request can be made in the following ways:1-
Requests can be categorized into three types: a direct request, such as "Pass the salt, will you?"; a conventionally indirect request, like "Can you pass the salt, please?"; and a non-conventionally indirect request, exemplified by "I like my food quite salty." Similarly, Kasper (2001) illustrates two forms of apology: the straightforward "Sorry" and the more elaborate "I’m absolutely devastated—could you possibly find it in your heart to forgive me?" While both expressions convey an apology, they are used in different contexts, showcasing the speaker's choice of pragmalinguistic resources Pragmatics encompasses two key aspects: conventions of means, which refer to strategies for realizing speech intentions, and conventions of forms, which involve the specific linguistic items used For instance, requests can vary from direct statements, like "You must lend me your car," to more indirect expressions, such as "I would like to borrow your car."
―Could you lend me your car?‖, or ―My car has broken down.‖, and so on
Searle (1969, 1975), building on Austin's theories, introduced the concept of indirect speech acts, highlighting that direct speech acts have a clear connection between their form and function In contrast, indirect speech acts lack this straightforward relationship, meaning their illocutionary force is not derived from their surface structure Essentially, indirect speech acts involve a primary illocutionary act that is expressed through a secondary act For instance, when visiting someone else's home, one might say, "I don't suppose you have any cold water?" instead of directly demanding, "Give me a drink."
The phenomenon of ―indirect speech acts‖ is considered universal across all languages and it is those indirect speech acts that make up the majority in everyday conversations
METHODOLOGY
This chapter outlines the context of the VUC, detailing the research design and the methodological steps taken in this study It provides a comprehensive overview of the participants, data collection instruments, and the procedures and methods used for data analysis, all integral to the investigation.
The research conducted at VUC focused exclusively on non-English major students, who are required to complete six semesters of English courses, ranging from level 1 to 6, equivalent to English 1.1 and English 1.6 These courses emphasize business-related topics, equipping students with practical skills for their future careers Each course is worth two credits and follows a structured schedule of 24 class meetings, 9 group presentations, and 12 self-study periods.
In the first semester, students undergo a written exam to determine their class placements, followed by the English 1.1 course in the second semester This course utilizes the textbook "English 1.1," adapted from "Market Leader" by David Cotton, David Falvey, and Simon Kent, published by Longman in 2004 The primary goal of the course is to equip students with fundamental grammar, vocabulary, and essential skills for effective business communication A key component of the textbook is the "Skills" section, which focuses on developing critical business communication abilities and familiarizing students with common scenarios, such as introducing, suggesting, and apologizing Each unit's "Skills" activities reinforce language points through controlled and free practice, while the "Useful language" box provides necessary expressions and structures to enhance students' pragmalinguistic knowledge The textbook emphasizes various speech acts, including greeting, requesting, thanking, and responding, to ensure students are well-prepared for real-world business interactions.
This study employs both qualitative and quantitative methods to achieve its research objectives The author justifies this dual approach, highlighting the advantages of questionnaires for gathering quantitative data efficiently Utilizing a quantitative questionnaire is deemed suitable for assessing participants' pragmatic awareness in selecting the most appropriate responses Conversely, qualitative analysis is more effective for exploring students' understanding of pragmatic elements, as it reveals insights into their opinions and reasoning that quantitative methods may overlook Therefore, the integration of both methods is considered ideal for this research.
The study involved 5 American participants and 50 first-year non-English major students at VUC, comprising 2 males and 3 females aged 24 to 35, all residing in Vietnam The student group included 35 females and 15 males, aged 18 to 22, from five different faculties, with participants evenly distributed across these faculties Most students had at least four years of English learning experience, including one with 13 years of experience, ensuring they possessed the necessary grammatical knowledge for the survey Importantly, none had lived in an English-speaking country before the research To enhance the reliability and validity of the study, a random sampling procedure was utilized.
The study utilized a descriptive research design that integrated both qualitative and quantitative instruments to achieve its objectives, providing a comprehensive understanding of participants' awareness (Creswell, 2008) Two similar questionnaires were employed: one for five native speakers to establish a benchmark for evaluating the responses of VUC students, and another translated into Vietnamese to assess the students' pragmatic awareness The questionnaires were divided into three parts: the first gathered background information, including age, gender, nationality, and English study experience; the second consisted of 16 multiple-choice questions, each accompanied by situational descriptions and options for responses, with a slight variation allowing native speakers to suggest their own responses if none were deemed appropriate; and the third part featured 11 judgment questions related to the appropriateness of utterances in specific contexts, focusing on high-frequency activities in cross-cultural communication and the speech acts outlined in the textbook English 1.1.
18, 27), requesting and responding (items 1, 3, 7, 8, 15, 16, 20, 25), inviting (items 10,
The article discusses the structure of a survey questionnaire designed to assess participants' understanding of various speech acts, including parting, thanking, and conversation topics Notably, the speech act of requesting was emphasized due to its complexity, requiring learners to navigate factors like politeness and cultural norms Participants were asked to provide brief explanations for their choices, aiming to evaluate their pragmatic awareness To enhance the questionnaire's validity, the researcher sought input from experienced colleagues and friends in EFL teaching and language assessment, leading to clarifications on politeness variables and modifications of redundant or unnatural expressions.
The English version of the questionnaire was administered to five American native speakers to establish norms for selecting appropriate expressions, as there is no concrete standard for language appropriateness A total of 50 Vietnamese questionnaires were distributed to students at VUC at the end of the English 1.1 course in June 2012, with the purpose clearly communicated to test their pragmatic awareness and ensure data collected would be used solely for research Instructions were provided in Vietnamese to enhance understanding, and students were permitted to consult dictionaries and the researcher for clarification, eliminating any linguistic barriers Each student completed the questionnaire individually within a 45-minute timeframe, with a 100% response rate and all submissions deemed valid.
The study utilized quantitative data expressed in percentages and presented in tables to assess student participants' awareness of various speech acts Qualitative data from participants who answered correctly were analyzed through content analysis to identify general patterns of pragmatic awareness (Miles & Huberman, 1994; Patton, 2002) These patterns were documented alongside the frequency of mentions by participants The researcher translated student responses from Vietnamese and grouped relevant quotations for analysis To ensure consistency and minimize bias, the data analysis and categorization were conducted solely by the researcher.
This chapter provides a detailed overview of the study's setting, research methods, instruments, and procedures employed Key findings will be presented and analyzed in Chapter Three.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Research findings from a questionnaire administered to native speakers indicate unanimous agreement on their responses, as all participants selected the most suitable utterance for each given situation The correct answers to the questions can be found in Appendix 3.
This section analyzes and discusses the research findings on students' pragmatic awareness, focusing on seven key speech acts: greeting, addressing, introducing, requesting and responding, inviting, parting, and thanking and responding, along with the pragmatic aspect of selecting conversation topics The analysis will be presented in an organized manner, highlighting the students' pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic awareness as evidenced by their accurate responses to each question.
The average percentage of appropriate responses by speech acts is shown in the table below:
Speech acts Correct answer rate
Table 3.1: Average percentage of appropriate responses by speech acts
The data presented in Table 3.1 reveals that students exhibited a low average percentage of appropriate responses to the speech acts in the questionnaire, at just 34.5%, indicating below-average awareness of speech acts Notably, Table 1 shows that the speech acts of requesting and responding had the highest correct answer rate at 56.5%, which is surprising given the challenges these directive acts pose to learners, as they can threaten the hearer's face and require significant cultural and linguistic knowledge (Brown and Levinson, 1987) Conversely, the speech act of greeting, despite its commonality, recorded the lowest correct answer rate at only 15%.
Greetings play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships during social interactions, and they vary significantly across different cultures Vietnamese greetings differ from typical English-language expressions, posing challenges for Vietnamese students in adapting to these norms To assess students' understanding of the speech act of greeting, questions 2, 5, and 6 were specifically designed.
Table 3.2: Students’ awareness of greeting
Greeting is a fundamental speech act that students at VUC encounter during their first academic year, yet only 15.3% answered correctly in a recent study Specifically, in question 2, just 44% of students selected the correct option, B Among those who answered correctly, only two demonstrated pragmalinguistic awareness by acknowledging that option B is a conventional greeting The remaining students showed sociopragmatic awareness by emphasizing the context of the interaction, stating that "B is the most appropriate to greet our friend the first time in a day."
However, nobody identified the difference between ―Hello, how are you?‖ and
In American culture, greetings are typically brief and conventional, with phrases like "Hello, how are you?" commonly used among colleagues, friends, and classmates when they meet for the first time each day Respondents noted that asking "How are you getting on?" is considered inappropriate unless the speaker is aware of the listener's current activities, as native speakers often prefer to avoid overly specific topics Among surveyed students, 36% favored the greeting "Hi, Michael, how are you going?" while only 16% selected the Vietlish expression "What wind brought you here?"
In response to question 5, the survey revealed a low level of pragmatic awareness among respondents, with only one student selecting the correct answer, C, "How are things?" This student highlighted a pragmalinguistic aspect, noting, "We use C because it is a general greeting." Meanwhile, a slight majority (54%) opted for A, "Hi, John, where are you going?" and 36% chose B, "Hi, have you eaten?" These students justified their choices by asserting that these greetings were appropriate for the context of the conversation.
In Vietnamese culture, greetings like "meet each other right after dinner" reflect a preference for discussing concrete topics, as it demonstrates care and attentiveness towards the listener However, many Americans find such direct inquiries intrusive and inappropriate, as they often avoid discussing personal matters to respect privacy and maintain boundaries This cultural difference highlights the varying approaches to communication and social interaction between Vietnamese and American societies.
In question 6, Tom was surprised to encounter a long-lost friend, exclaiming "No!" However, none of the participants selected "No" as the correct answer; instead, half opted for "Oh" and the other half for "Hey." This indicates that the students were unfamiliar with the American cultural nuance where "No" can serve as an exclamation of surprise, in addition to its function as a negation.
Effective communication hinges on how individuals address one another, particularly in cross-cultural contexts Appropriate addressing reflects the speaker's acknowledgment of the listener's social status, which is crucial for building and maintaining strong interpersonal relationships Conversely, improper use of addressing terms can come across as rude, potentially halting communication and damaging relationships To assess students' pragmatic awareness of speech acts, questions 4 and 17 in the questionnaire were specifically designed.
―addressing‖ The average percentage of students who chose the correct answer was 42%
Table 3.3: Students’ awareness of addressing
In both Vietnam and English-speaking countries like England and America, a person's name typically includes a given name and a surname However, the order of these names differs significantly: in English, the given name precedes the surname, while in Vietnamese, the surname comes first, illustrating the cultural variations in naming conventions.
Nguyen Van Duc Elizabeth Mandel
(Surname) (Given name) (Given name) (Surname)
In Vietnamese culture, it is customary to address individuals using their given names, such as Mr Duc, while in Western contexts, surnames are often preferred, as seen with Ms Mandel instead of Ms Elizabeth In the United States, addressing women can vary, with "Miss," "Mrs.," and "Ms." being common options "Ms." is generally favored as it does not disclose a woman's marital status, thereby enhancing formality and politeness In professional settings, it is advisable to use formal titles unless instructed otherwise by the individuals you are meeting.
In question 4, only 24% of students selected the correct answer, C (Glad to meet you, Ms Mandel), highlighting a lack of understanding of sociopragmatic aspects of politeness Six students noted that option C was appropriate because it shows deference, is suitable for formal situations, and is the most polite way to address a woman for the first time However, none of the students recognized the distinction between using first names and surnames in English.
American culture emphasizes equality in social interactions, leading individuals to address others, regardless of age or social status, by their first names as a sign of respect and familiarity For instance, children may call older individuals by their first names, such as "Marry" or "Ben," rather than using surnames In contrast, Vietnamese culture typically uses given names across all social contexts A survey revealed that 40% of participants felt it was inappropriate for Pham Hung to address Mr Black by his first name, suggesting that doing so could be perceived as overly formal or aloof Many Americans believe that if Mr Black, who is older and of higher status, prefers to be called "Andy," it signifies a desire for friendship, making it acceptable for Hung to reciprocate with a first name Some students noted that introducing oneself properly is crucial in such interactions, highlighting the importance of context and cultural norms in communication.
Introduction is often used to build up a good relationship between communicators
Improperly executed interactions can lead to breakdowns in communication Questions 18 and 27 were specifically crafted to assess participants' understanding of introductions According to Table 3.4, only 24% of the participants were able to successfully perform this speech act.
Table 3.4: Students’ awareness of introducing
IMPLICATIONS
This chapter offers valuable recommendations for VUC English teachers and students to enhance their understanding of pragmatics and cultural nuances, addressing the students' low pragmatic awareness stemming from insufficient pragmatic knowledge and cultural insights related to the target language.
To equip language learners for success beyond the classroom, it is essential for teachers to offer consciousness-raising opportunities that enhance awareness of linguistic forms, meanings, and contextual factors (McLean, 2004).
By attending to pragmatic factors in foreign language situations, students will be able to make informed choices in negotiating effective communication
Teachers must equip students with essential language structures and expressions to effectively perform speech acts By expanding their repertoire of these structures, students can better recognize various speech acts For instance, familiarizing students with common suggestion phrases, such as "Why don't we ?", "What/How about + noun/noun phrase/V-ing?", and "I suggest/recommend + V-ing/(that) somebody (should) + V-infinitive," is crucial for enhancing their communication skills.
In other words, teachers should integrate the teaching of grammar with that of pragmatics so that students can have thorough understanding of speech acts
Teachers should emphasize to students that speech acts can be expressed in various forms, with one form capable of conveying multiple functions For instance, there are numerous ways to request a favor, such as borrowing a car, including phrases like "Could you lend me your car?" or "My car has broken down." Similarly, a single statement like "It's raining" can serve different communicative purposes depending on the context, such as stating a fact, expressing a wish to stay indoors, making a request to close doors, or voicing a complaint about the weather.
Teachers should differentiate between direct and indirect speech acts to help students understand the illocutionary force of utterances, ensuring they grasp the speaker's intention effectively.
Sample activities are provided in Appendix 4
4.2 Raising students’ awareness of politeness
Students need instruction on executing various speech acts in English, tailored to different social contexts, such as status, distance, and levels of imposition among conversation partners Educators should create diverse, contextualized activities to actively engage learners, ensuring that the key variables of politeness are integrated into these tasks Additional activity suggestions can be found in Appendix 4.
4.3 Raising students’ awareness of cultural norms
4.3.1 Integrating culture into language teaching
Linguists emphasize the critical role of culture in language education, highlighting that language and culture are intricately connected; teaching a language without its cultural context is ineffective (Stern, 1992) Valdes (1986) reinforces this notion, asserting that culture cannot be separated from language instruction For effective communication, it is essential to have a shared understanding of the target culture, as this awareness can reduce misunderstandings and prevent conflicts To achieve this, educators should implement strategies that integrate cultural knowledge into their language teaching practices.
4.3.1.1 Enforcing the teaching of British and American cultural background
Understanding the significant differences between Eastern and Western cultures is essential for students to effectively comprehend and use English Teachers play a crucial role in enhancing students' cultural awareness, particularly in aspects such as greetings, introductions, expressions of gratitude, and invitations For instance, when teaching greetings, educators should highlight the cultural nuances associated with this speech act, emphasizing distinctions between Vietnamese customs and those of the target language This includes variations in greeting someone for the first time, greeting friends, and the various ways to express greetings.
4.3.1.2 Creating culture-rich learning environment
Learners in a foreign language environment often face limited opportunities to engage in meaningful communication and observe native speakers, hindering their ability to develop pragmatic awareness According to Bardovi-Harlig (1998), increased interaction with native speakers enhances a learner's pragmatic skills However, VUC students typically have minimal exposure to English interactions, resulting in challenges and potential failures in effective communication.
Creating a culture-rich learning environment is essential for students to engage with English, even if direct communication with native speakers is challenging Teachers should focus on integrating linguistic and cultural knowledge while encouraging practical application of what students learn One effective method is to use role-play activities, such as simulating a restaurant scenario where students take on the roles of waiters and customers This interactive experience not only allows students to practice speaking and listening skills but also helps them understand and navigate foreign social conventions To enhance the effectiveness of these activities, teachers must provide sufficient cultural context beforehand, ensuring students are well-prepared for meaningful communication with native English speakers.
The syllabus serves as a crucial guide for English teaching, and to effectively integrate cultural education, it is essential to include specific requirements regarding cultural content and teaching methods In Vietnam's examination-oriented education system, the English syllabus is primarily focused on preparing students for various tests, often neglecting cultural aspects Therefore, enhancing the syllabus with cultural elements is vital to ensure a more comprehensive integration of culture into English teaching.
4.3.3 Providing more authentic teaching materials
To effectively teach English in Vietnam, it is crucial to expose students to authentic language materials that reflect real communicative situations Authentic language, as opposed to contrived examples, allows students to engage with the language as it is genuinely used, enhancing their learning experience Given the limited opportunities for direct interaction with native speakers, teachers must provide realistic language resources to facilitate exposure to the target language By immersing students in authentic materials, they can better imitate native speakers and develop a sense of linguistic appropriateness, ultimately fostering their pragmatic awareness and natural language acquisition.
Textbooks play a crucial role in foreign language acquisition, necessitating a comprehensive consideration of various factors that influence students' learning abilities To enhance language learning, "authentic materials" should incorporate social factors, cultural elements, and customs relevant to the target language, particularly in the context of Vietnamese reality This approach enables students to understand native speaker communication styles and behaviors, fostering the ability to think and act like native speakers during interactions Increased exposure to native-like materials significantly enhances students' competence, allowing them to engage in cross-cultural communication more naturally and effectively.
In addition to textbooks, students can enhance their understanding of target language countries through various supplementary materials Literary works provide rich insights into a nation's culture, psychology, customs, and social dynamics, making them valuable extensive reading resources Utilizing English novels, magazines, newspapers, movies, and TV series can significantly enrich the learning experience.
The cultivation of pragmatic competence in students hinges on the practical application of pragmatic knowledge in real communication To enhance cultural immersion and facilitate natural English learning, teachers should incorporate diverse modern teaching aids and methods For example, showcasing original English films, integrating language training programs, and creating multimedia courseware can be effective strategies Additionally, inviting foreign teachers for lectures and experts for reports can broaden students' cultural perspectives and provide exposure to authentic English, thereby deepening their understanding of cultural differences between Vietnam and Western countries.
4.4 Improving the pragmatic teaching in the way of holding tests and exams