Rationale
In recent years, English has emerged as a vital global language, spoken by numerous native speakers and recognized as a second or official language in many nations Following Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the emphasis on teaching and learning English as a foreign language has significantly increased, making it a mandatory subject in the majority of national curricula.
The primary aim of learning and teaching English is to enable students to master communicative activities, particularly for freshmen at Hanoi University of Industry (HaUI) For most non-English majors at HaUI, developing speaking skills presents a significant challenge This concern about student engagement in speaking lessons drives the researcher to seek effective solutions to enhance motivation in English speaking classes.
Using visual aids in language teaching has been shown to be an effective method for enhancing speaking skills Bowen highlighted the significance of visual aids, stating that they play a crucial role in stimulating foreign language learning, as the eyes serve as the primary channel for acquiring knowledge To maximize learning, students should engage both their auditory and visual senses.
Research indicates that 83% of the information processed by the brain is visual, while only 11% is auditory This highlights the importance of visual aids in the learning process, as students tend to retain information better when they can see and touch it rather than just hear it Incorporating visual aids into lessons fosters communicative situations that encourage student participation, making the learning experience more engaging and effective For instance, using maps in direction lessons or real objects and pictures for descriptive tasks enhances student interaction and comprehension.
This research, titled “Attitudes of Teachers and First-Year Non-English Major Students at Hanoi University of Industry Towards the Use of Visual Aids in English Speaking Lessons,” aims to explore the application and benefits of visual aids in teaching English speaking skills It will provide effective strategies for utilizing visual aids to enhance speaking lessons, serving as a valuable resource for educators at HaUI and beyond Ultimately, this study seeks to contribute to the improvement of English speaking skills among first-year non-English major students at Hanoi University of Industry.
2 The aims of the study
- To investigate the teachers and students’ attitudes toward speaking skills
- To investigate the teachers and students’ attitudes toward the use of visual aids in teaching and learning speaking skills
- To investigate the application of visual aids in the field of teaching speaking skills
- To explore the benefits of using visual aids in teaching and learning speaking skills
- To explore the problems faced by teachers and first-year non-English major students at HaUI
- To give some recommendations to exploit visual aids more effectively
This study explores the attitudes of teachers and students at Hanoi University of Industry (HaUI) towards the use of visual aids in enhancing speaking skills It aims to provide valuable insights into the current practices of incorporating visual aids in English speaking lessons for first-year non-English major students Additionally, the research seeks to offer practical suggestions for effectively utilizing visuals in teaching English speaking, enabling educators to refine their teaching methods accordingly.
4 Research scope of the study
This article focuses exclusively on visual aids that enhance the teaching and learning of speaking skills It does not address other forms of visual support, such as teachers' gestures and facial expressions, as these are primarily utilized for vocabulary instruction.
This paper only focuses on types of visual aids such as boards, pictures, realia, video, etc which are well applicable to particular conditions at Hanoi University of Industry
This study employs both qualitative and quantitative methods to achieve its objectives, utilizing data collected from survey questionnaires and direct interviews The quantitative data gathered from the surveys were analyzed statistically, while direct interviews were conducted to enhance the findings from the questionnaires Together, these approaches aim to provide valid and reliable data for the research.
The study consists three main parts:
Part one: Introduction which provides specific reference to the rationale, aims, significance, scope, methodology, and organization of the study
Part two: Development which includes three chapters
- Chapter one: Literature review which gives the brief view on attitudes, the basic theoretical background of speaking skills and the overall view of visual aids
Chapter Two: Methodology outlines the research questions and provides an overview of the research methods utilized to address these inquiries This chapter offers a concise description of the subjects involved, the procedures followed, and the instruments used for data collection, all aimed at uncovering the answers to the research questions.
- Chapter three: Data analysis and discussion show the data collected from the survey questionnaires and the interview Also, these data will be discussed in this chapter
In conclusion, this study highlights the significant impact of visual aids on enhancing speaking skills in educational settings It recommends incorporating various visual tools to facilitate effective teaching and learning experiences Additionally, the article suggests avenues for further research to explore the long-term benefits and diverse applications of visual aids in language instruction.
This chapter explores the theoretical framework and research underpinning the study, focusing on fundamental concepts related to attitudes, speaking skills, and the use of visual aids to establish a comprehensive background for the investigation.
Over decades of research, attitudes have been defined in various ways Jung describes attitude as a "readiness of the psyche to act or react in a certain way" (1971, p.687) In contrast, Bootzin, Bower, Crocker, and Hall define attitude as "an evaluative response to a particular object, idea, person, or group of people," highlighting that this response reflects individual preferences or aversions (1991, p.628).
According to Triandis (1971), attitudes are defined as a tendency to respond positively or negatively to various stimuli, including ideas, objects, people, and situations These attitudes are closely linked to our opinions and beliefs, and they are shaped by our personal experiences.
Attitudes are a hypothetical construct reflecting an individual's level of like or dislike for an object, and they can be complex, with individuals experiencing both positive and negative feelings simultaneously This understanding is crucial for the current study, which investigates the perceptions of teachers and first-year non-English major students regarding the effectiveness of visual aids in English speaking lessons.
Attitudes are essentially judgments that consist of three key components: affective, behavioral, and cognitive According to Fazio (1986), these attitudes typically arise from direct experiences or observational learning within one's environment Understanding this ABC model is crucial for comprehending how attitudes are formed and influenced.
- An affective or emotional component: An individual's degree of preference for an entity, how people feel about the object E.g “ I feel good when I am around my friend”