Luận văn thạc sĩ VNU ULIS designing a british studies syllabus for the third year english major at foreign language department, nghe an teachers training college

Scope of the study

Due to the narrow scope of a minor thesis, this study only focuses on syllabus designing process, but not all the theories relating to syllabus design such as implementing, teaching method and evaluating It is also limited itself to designing a British Studies syllabus including objectives, contents, order of contents, assessment ect based on Survey's results of students' needs and the fact of teaching and learning for the third-year English majors at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers’ Training College.

Methods of the study

Then, the study used quantitative methodology to collect data through two questionnaires

This helps the author find out their target needs and learning needs for a British Studies course

- The first questionnaires were designed for the third-year English majors at FLD, NTTC

- The second ones were designed for some English teachers at English majored group at FLD, NTTC

Besides, several informal interviews were carried out for the English teachers of British Studies at FLD, NTTC by the use of qualitative methodology

After necessary data has been gathered, the author based on the collected numbers and percentage ratios to interpret the results of the study Then the findings were grouped together and compared to find out the important factors relating to the proposal of a British Studies syllabus for the third-year English majors at FLD, NTTC.

Design of the study

Syllabus

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There have been several ways in which a syllabus can be defined Jack C Richard (2001) states “a syllabus is a specification of the content of a course of instruction and lists what will be taught and tested” According to Wilkins (1997), syllabus is specification of the content of language teaching which have been submitted to some degree of structuring or ordering with the making teaching and learning a more effective process to Prabhu's more specific "specification of what is to be learnt" (1987:89) For Allen (1984), the syllabus is " that subpart of curriculum which is concerned with a specification of what units will be taught" (Allen 1984:61), whereas for Yalden (1987), it is primarily a teacher's statement about objectives and content, with formal and functional components in a dual progression of linear and spiral learning (cf Stern 1984:14) Brumfit (1984d) specifies content (linguistic, sociolinguistic, pragmatic, cultural, substantive) In contrast, Kumaravadivelu sees the syllabus as "a preplanned, preordained, presequenced inventory of linguistic specifications imposed in most cases on teachers and learners" and claims that this is a “ widely recognized” perspective (1993b: 72)

A universal definition for "syllabus" therefore seems impractical, since different educational theories and approaches differ on syllabus goals and functions What can be said is that syllabi tend to be representations, reflecting the originator's ideas about language learning:

"every syllabus is a particular representation of knowledge and capabilities And this representation will be shaped by the designer's views concerning the nature of language, how the language may be most appropriately taught or presented to learners, and how the language may be productively worked upon during learning” (Breen, 1987a: 83)

In defining syllabus, there are several conflicting views on the distinction between syllabus design and curriculum development Douglas Brown (1995) views curriculum/syllabus as designs for carrying out a particular language program Features include a primary concern with the specification of linguistic and subject matter objectives sequencing, and materials to meet the needs of a designated group of learners in a defined context

Karl Krahnke (1987:2) also holds that “ A syllabus is more specific and more concrete than a curriculum, and a curriculum may contain a number of syllabi”

Similarly, Allen (1984: 61) proposes “curriculum is a very general concept which involves consideration of the whole complex of philosophical, social, and administrative factors which contribute to the planning of an educational program Syllabus, on the other hand, refers to that “subpart of curriculum” which is concerned with a specification of what units will be taught” (as distinct from how they will be taught, which is a matter for methodology)

Traditionally, syllabus design has been as a subsidiary component of curriculum design

Curriculum is concerned with the planning, implementation, evaluation management, and

LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com administration of education programs Syllabus focuses more narrowly on the selection and grade of content

Nunan’ points of view, syllabus is understood in restricted sense, which means focusing on the content of learning and its organization And his following definitions of syllabus maybe the most suitable and clearest in this context of our study:

“The syllabus replaces the concept of “method”, and the syllabus is now seen as an instrument by which the teacher, with the help of the syllabus designer, can achieve a degree of “fit” between the needs and aims of the learner and the activities which will take place in the classroom” And “A syllabus is a statement of content which used as the basis for planning courses of various kinds So the task of the syllabus designer is to select and grade this content.” (Nunan, 1993)

1.2 The roles of syllabus in training program

Language syllabus design is a comparatively new area in applied linguistics, and it is the fact that there is some disagreement on almost everything that matters in syllabus design and development All of these controversial issues lead to different trends in language syllabus design Huchinson & Waters (1993) proposed three main approaches to Language syllabus design: Language-centered, Skilled-centered and Learning-centered approaches

In Skilled-centered approach, the syllabus is not a prime generator According to Huchinson

& Waters (1993), the skills and the texts negotiate with each other in the syllabus The skill syllabus plays a role in the initial selection of the texts and establishes criteria for ordering and adapting them The texts available, at the same time, will affect what can be focused on in the exercises and assessment

It is noticeable that in learning - centered approach, the syllabus is divided into two levels In level 1, the syllabus is called the general syllabus which outlines the topic areas and the communicative tasks of the target situation This general syllabus can be used as the basis for the initial selection of the texts and writing of exercises/ activities In level 2, a detail syllabus is generated from the materials selected in level 1 This syllabus is then checked against an independent syllabus produced from the needs analysis to deal with gaps and overlaps

Thus, in this approach, "the syllabus is used creatively as a generator of good and relevant learning activities rather than just a statement of language content Yet, at the same time it maintains relevance to target needs" Huchinson & Waters (1993)

In view of amount of work that goes into syllabus design and the considerable weight of authority that syllabuses have, Huchinson & Waters (1993) also considered whether they are necessary This reveals that just as there are acknowledged and hidden reasons for having a syllabus

The most importance is that the syllabus “provides a practical basis for the division of assessment, textbooks and learning time” Moreover, teachers and learners can be supported “ language learning task” which appear manageable in a syllabus The syllabus also has a useful investment since teachers’ planning and thoughts aim to develop the course without wasting time and money Besides, with aims and objectives of a syllabus, teachers and learners can know “why it is to be learnt” and “what is to be learnt” The syllabus supplies people who involving in the course “a set of criteria for materials selection” such as defining the kind texts to look for or produce, the items to focus on in exercises ect Finally, syllabus users are provided a visible basis for testing which determines the learners’ success and failure through a course

Steps in designing a syllabus are differently set up by language experts Long and Crookes (1993:12) propose that tasks should be considered as the starting point of syllabus design while Hughes (1990) suggest the important step must be the choice of aims and objectives

However, both of the two views above only rely on the subjective points of those authors, not coming from the needs of the learners themselves According to Nunan (1991) and Yalden (1987), the design of syllabus must start with needs analysis Nunan (1991) states that:

The roles of syllabus in training program…

Language syllabus design is a comparatively new area in applied linguistics, and it is the fact that there is some disagreement on almost everything that matters in syllabus design and development All of these controversial issues lead to different trends in language syllabus design Huchinson & Waters (1993) proposed three main approaches to Language syllabus design: Language-centered, Skilled-centered and Learning-centered approaches

In Skilled-centered approach, the syllabus is not a prime generator According to Huchinson

& Waters (1993), the skills and the texts negotiate with each other in the syllabus The skill syllabus plays a role in the initial selection of the texts and establishes criteria for ordering and adapting them The texts available, at the same time, will affect what can be focused on in the exercises and assessment

It is noticeable that in learning - centered approach, the syllabus is divided into two levels In level 1, the syllabus is called the general syllabus which outlines the topic areas and the communicative tasks of the target situation This general syllabus can be used as the basis for the initial selection of the texts and writing of exercises/ activities In level 2, a detail syllabus is generated from the materials selected in level 1 This syllabus is then checked against an independent syllabus produced from the needs analysis to deal with gaps and overlaps

Thus, in this approach, "the syllabus is used creatively as a generator of good and relevant learning activities rather than just a statement of language content Yet, at the same time it maintains relevance to target needs" Huchinson & Waters (1993)

In view of amount of work that goes into syllabus design and the considerable weight of authority that syllabuses have, Huchinson & Waters (1993) also considered whether they are necessary This reveals that just as there are acknowledged and hidden reasons for having a syllabus

The most importance is that the syllabus “provides a practical basis for the division of assessment, textbooks and learning time” Moreover, teachers and learners can be supported “ language learning task” which appear manageable in a syllabus The syllabus also has a useful investment since teachers’ planning and thoughts aim to develop the course without wasting time and money Besides, with aims and objectives of a syllabus, teachers and learners can know “why it is to be learnt” and “what is to be learnt” The syllabus supplies people who involving in the course “a set of criteria for materials selection” such as defining the kind texts to look for or produce, the items to focus on in exercises ect Finally, syllabus users are provided a visible basis for testing which determines the learners’ success and failure through a course.

Steps in designing a syllabus

Steps in designing a syllabus are differently set up by language experts Long and Crookes (1993:12) propose that tasks should be considered as the starting point of syllabus design while Hughes (1990) suggest the important step must be the choice of aims and objectives

However, both of the two views above only rely on the subjective points of those authors, not coming from the needs of the learners themselves According to Nunan (1991) and Yalden (1987), the design of syllabus must start with needs analysis Nunan (1991) states that:

"Pedagogically, the most powerful argument in favor of needs-based course is a motivational one The need to motivate students has become a clich One way of improving motivation is to orientate content towards those areas that they perceive most interests by learners and which as being most relevant, and to develop methodologies, which enhance the learners' self-concept rather than destroying it"

Therefore, according to this view, steps in designing a syllabus are illustrated as follows:

Needs analysis-Objectives and aims–Sequencing - Teaching method - Testing and evaluation

The question here is why we should mention needs analysis as one of the essential steps in designing a language syllabus The answer, according to Nunan (1993), is to provide the input, which is relevant to the needs of given learners Moreover, need analysis is the most characteristic feature of course designs This is a complex process, involving much more than simply looking at what the learners will have to do in the target situation

In a discussion about the significant role of needs analysis, Nunan (1993: 75) stated "needs analysis is considered as the initial process for specification of behavioral objectives and it is from these objectives that detailed aspects of the syllabus such as functions, topics, lexis and structures are derived" The information collected from a need analysis will be very important for the designers to specify the objectives needed in the content of the syllabus Thus, the

LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com researcher needs to know what kind of the necessary information in a need analysis Many language experts concerned this question Especially, Hutchinson and Waters (1993) focused on two important kinds of needs namely, target needs and learning needs

Goal setting has become an important step in the development of a language program

Language is no longer seen as a discrete grammatical existing in isolation, but as a set of resources and options for achieving a variety of goals outside the language classroom In other words, language is perceived as a tool rather than as end in itself However, what a syllabus designer should start from in setting course goals From a survey of corps, Nunan

(1991) points out: " the course can reflect the sort of uses to which the target language will be put, the contexts and situation in which it will be used The skill that will be developed and the level at which the courses will be conducted"

The term "goal" refers to the general purposes for which a language program is being taught or learnt Setting goals requires judgment to ensure that the goals are appropriate, not only to learners' needs, but also to the constraint of the educational institution or system, and the length and scope of program based on the syllabus

Goals can be analyzed according to their orientation on the process/ product continuum

Product - oriented goals are mostly appropriate with general English course Product - oriented goals can be derived directly from the learners themselves, that is, by asking the learners why they are learning the language Learners are involved in the process of establishing goals Learners' preferences are arranged into a hierarchical order through a process of negotiation between learners And the goals language programs are set based on these learners' preferences The process - oriented goals are generally appropriate with special purpose course, which are established by the teacher or course designer before the course itself begins

The next step, after the general goals of a course have best set, is to specify the ways in which the goals will be achieved This is a difficult task, the one which, over the years, has caused a great deal of contention and controversy Recently most courses take a multidimensional approach, specifying and integrating functions, notions and structures in syllabus design This makes the task for the syllabus designer much more complex because he/she must select sequence and integrate vertically and horizontally

Wilkin (1997) suggested that notional syllabuses would probably be best suited to a post - beginner level In addition, in fact, most of the materials and course based on communicative language learning principles are designed for students who have reached a pre - intermediate level and therefore have enough grammatical knowledge to fulfill communications

Selecting interesting and relevant content is more difficult task One of the problems in developing general courses for adults, in Nunan's opinion (1991), is that the interests of the learners in a given group differ What is interesting to one learner can be uninteresting to another However, this problem can be overcome through needs analysis and negotiated goal setting Therefore, "it would seem that most course bad material waters proceed on an proceed on an intuitive basis when selecting content"

The following step that a syllabus designer has to do is to grade the content In other words, he needs consider how to grade the grammatical, notional, and functional components

Grading described by Richard, Platt, and Weber (1993) that the arrangement of the content of a language course or a textbook is presented in a helpful way Gradation would affect the order in which words, word meaning, tenses, structures, topics, functions, and so forth are presented Gradation may be based on the complexity of an item, its frequency in written or spoken English, or its importance for the learner

1.3.5 Selecting and grading tasks and activities

First, we would like to mention here some definitions of term "task" According to some applied linguists, task is a piece of work undertaken for oneself or for others, freely or for some rewards Thus, examples of task including painting a fence, dressing a child, filling out a form, buying a pair of shoes and others in other words by "task" is meant the hundred and one things people do in everyday life

Needs analysis in syllabus design

As mentioned above, a number of language experts have given different meanings of needs

First of all, Mounfort (1981: 27) states that needs can mean "what the users - institution or society at large regards as necessary or desirable to be learnt from a program of language instruction" This definition views needs from the subjective standpoints of authorities but not learners themselves Secondly, in the light of goal-oriented perspective, according to Widdowson (1983: 2) needs refers to "students" study or job requirements, that is, what they have to be able to do at the end of their language course" Needs in this sense are described as objectives or requirement of the course

In contrast, Brindley (1984: 28) sees needs as "wants, desires, demands, expectation, motivation, lacks, constraints, and requirement" This view implies that students may have their personal aims in addition to the requirement of their studies or job Therefore, this definition proved to be more sufficient because it combines the views of both previous definitions

Hutchinson and Waters (1993) state two important kinds of needs namely, target needs and learning needs

A target need, according to Tom Hutchinson and Waters (1993), is defined as "what learner needs to do in the target situation, that is the situation in which learners will use the language they are learning" It is more useful to look at target situation in terms of necessities, lacks and wants

Tom Hutchinson and Waters (1993) states that "necessities is the type of need determined by the demands of the target situation, that is, what the learner has to know in order to function effectively in the target situation"

For instance, an engineer needs to understand diagrams or catalogues, and exchange information with foreign engineer He or she will also need to know the linguistic features (discourse, functional, structural, and lexical) which are commonly used in the situations

LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com identified This information is relatively easy to get It is a matter of "observing what situations the learners will need to function in and then analyzing the constituent parts of them" (Tom Hutchinson and Waters, 1993)

Besides, the information about necessities can be gathered through the advertisements of job vacancies in the newspapers and interviews with users (Robinson, 1991: 12)

It is essential to know what the learner knows already, so those course designers can decide which of the necessities the learners lacks For example, one target situation necessity might be to read texts in a particular subject area Whether or not the learners need instruction in doing this will depend on how well they can do it already In other words, "the target proficiency needs to be matched against the existing proficiency of the learners The gap between the two can be referred to as the learners' lacks" (Tom Hutchinson and Waters ,

To decide what the learners' lacks are, interviewing teachers is a useful method Moreover, the learners should be tested before starting the course (Robinson, 1991: 14)

Target needs are considered not only in terms of necessities and lacks but also in terms of wants, with the actual learners playing active role, that is, the learners have views as to what their needs are Their wants include their goals (for study, for future job, for training ); their objectives (for instance, at the end of the course they will be able to overcome the difficulties in Cross Cultural Communication related to the content of the course); and what they want to learn (skills, topics, and language)

Wants are varied among different learners "Learners may well have a clear idea of the necessities of the target situation: They will certainly have a view as to their lack But it is quite possible that the learners' views will conflict with the perceptions of other interested parties: course designers, sponsors and teachers" Tom Hutchinson and Waters (1993) If the learners believe that English language teaching should consist of practice in grammar and general vocabulary, they may well be, at the very least, disconcerted when the English teacher appears to be teaching their specialism There can be no clear-cut answer to the question what the course designer should do in this situation It is important that the course designer or teacher should be aware of such differences and take account of them in materials and methodology Thus, a satisfactory syllabus should meet the needs of all related parties

This is a challenge to the syllabus designer

To get information easily from a large group of learners about their wants, Robinson (1991:

12) suggests that we should use questionnaires

We have considered the needs so far only in terms of target needs, the starting points (the lacks), the destination (necessities) together with the dispute as to what that destination should be (the wants) What they have not considered yet is the route Tom Hutchinson and Waters (1993) say that "How are we going to get from our starting point to the destination? - This is learning needs"

It is naive to base course design simply on the target objectives, just as it is untrue to think that a journey can be planned solely in terms of starting point and the destination The needs, potential and constraints of the route (the learning situation) must also be taken into account, if we are point to have any analysis of learners' needs

Learning needs or the learning situation include the resources and administrative constraints (time, length of the course, length of the period, classroom and the teaching aids), the learners (their age, level, motivation and strategies) and the teachers (their level and difficulties in teaching)

In short, this section has discussed the most characteristic feature of a course design - needs analysis It is not a simple process and both target needs and learning needs must be combined harmoniously The next chapter would analyze and discuss the learning needs and target needs in the target situation in some terms of goals and objectives, contents, tasks/activities, recourses and administrative constraints, the learners and the teaching staff.

Viewpoints of teaching Country Studies

It is evident that the study of language cannot be separated from the study of the country's background knowledge of that language such as people, geography, history, government and politics, economy, cultures and lifestyle, education, transportation and environment

Therefore, it is important to raise the teachers' and students' countries studies awareness of the target languages If the students are well equipped with the country's background knowledge, they can better understand the language

However, there is a variety of perspectives in teaching Country Studies which are focused into two point of views First, the course of Country Studies aims to offer the students opportunities to enrich their vocabulary, to sharpen their pronunciation and their grammatical knowledge as well as to improve their language and research skills to meet all the demand of their current study and their future careers Another view is the Country Study course is to providing the students with general knowledge of the countries’ people and culture with focus on the national identity, cultural life, beliefs and values as well as their expressions in the society The course is also to help the students to build up a panorama of the countries’ political, economic and educational systems that may serve as the first steps in their lifelong in-depth studies into fields of their needs and interest As results, the teaching methods,

LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com materials and other tasks in teaching Country Studies are different in two viewpoints The teachers and learners may use intensive reading materials as the main method to gain the aims’ course Second, the others use extensive readings for their teaching and learning In the study, the auhor combination of critical thinking, independent study skills and critical reading, too The Five Cs of foreign language education: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities are known as the five goals necessary for foreign language learning in the 21st century These standards describe the content of world language learning and form the core of standards-based instruction in the world languages classroom (ACTFL, 1999) These also reflect the author’s beliefs and values about EFL teaching and will be applied to my teaching British Studies course

- Communication: Communicate in Languages Other Than Vietnamese The communication standard stresses the use of language for communication in "real life" situations It emphasizes "what students can do with language" rather than "what they know about language." Students are asked to communicate in oral and written form, interpret oral and written messages, and show cultural understanding when they communicate and present oral and written information to various audiences for a variety of purposes

- Cultures: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures Cultural understanding is an important part of world languages education Experiencing other cultures develops a better understanding and appreciation of the relationship between languages and other cultures, as well as the student's native culture Students become better able to understand other people's points of view, ways of life, and contributions to the world

Especially, in teaching British Studies, the teacher help the learners to gain knowledge and understanding of the country's background knowledge of that language such as British people, geography, history, government and politics, economy, cultures and lifestyle, education, transportation and environment

- Connections: Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information World languages instruction must be connected with other subject areas Content from other subject areas is integrated with world language instruction through lessons that are developed around common themes

- Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture Students are encouraged to compare and contrast languages and cultures They discover patterns, make predictions, and analyze similarities and differences across languages and cultures Students often come to understand their native language and culture better through such comparisons Thus in order to effectively learn English at the university and successfully use it in communication as well as in their future careers it is essential that the English

LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com language majors gain an insight into one of the most influential cultures that give birth to the English language and that provide the environment for its development - the British culture

- Communities: Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home & Around the World

Extending learning experiences from the world language classroom to the home and multilingual and multicultural community emphasizes living in a global society Activities may include: field trips, use of e-mail and the World Wide Web, clubs, exchange programs and cultural activities, school-to-work opportunities, and opportunities to hear speakers of other languages in the school and classroom (ACTFL, 1999)

These principles also influence instruction by allowing the researcher to quickly assess their course syllabus and course materials for strengths and weaknesses Through the use of these principles, teachers can create a more acquisition-rich learning environment in which students can both enjoy learning and make substantial progress in their attempts to acquire the foreign language.

British Studies programs in some Vietnamese Colleges and Universities

British Studies course is intended for the third-year students at the Department of Anglo- American languages and cultures, Colleges of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi as part of their fulfillment of the Bachelor of Art in TESOL

The course aims at providing the students with general knowledge of the British people and culture with focus on the national identity, cultural life, beliefs and values as well as their expressions in the British society The course is also to help the students to build up a panorama of the British political, economic and educational systems that may serve as the first steps in their lifelong in-depth studies into fields of their needs and interest Another objective of the course is to offer the students opportunities to enrich their vocabulary, to sharpen their pronunciation and their grammatical knowledge as well as to improve their language and research skills to meet all the demand of their current study and their future careers

The students are adapted to several topics of the British Studies syllabus such as brief history of Britain, Identity and social profiles, beliefs and values, political system, economic system, working life and leisure life, educational system The teaching tasks and activities are mainly lectures and discussion, self-study, presentation and discussion

The course has two credits of 30 forty-five minute periods and it lasts 15 weeks During the course, students have to take oral presentation and get a take-home exam

1.6.2 British Studies programs at Department of Foreign Languages, Vinh University

This course is intended for the fourth-year students at the Department of Foreign Languages, Vinh University

The course aims at providing the students with general knowledge of the British history, British constitution, the educational system, British customs and British traditions, foods, flowers, holidays and festivals in UK, characteristics of UK citizens, British business culture/ etiquette The course also is to enrich their vocabulary, to sharpen their pronunciation and their grammatical knowledge as well as to improve their language and research skills to meet all the demand of their current study and their future careers The course has two credits of 30 forty-five minute periods and it lasts 9 weeks Students have one period for self-study each week The teacher in charge of each group arranges one more class for discussion and review in the last week The essessment is carried by one presentation and another final written exam During the course, the students take some tasks/ activities of learning such as working in groups or pairs to discuss the related issues, presenting the ideas of the topics and writing the essays

In short, as a result of considering these views of teaching and learning Country Studies in general and taking a look at some British Studies in Vietnam, the teachers understand how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal development, understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills The teachers use an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation and plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals The teachers also understand and use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner

2.1 The setting of the study

Nghe An Teachers’ Training College was founded on 1960, located in Vinh city, Nghe An province There are various faculties such as Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Foreign Languages Department and the others Annually, a number of 2000 students are admitted and a small number is adopted to FLD as English majored students FLD has been re-founded since 1997 to train teachers of English for junior high schools in Nghe An province

However, in recent years, FLD has been training for English bachelor students, too The training program is based on the English majored curriculum for teachers' training as well as bachelor students set by MOET All students have to experience three stages of English studying which is divided into six semesters as follows:

- Stage 1: the first or pre-intermediate level occupies the first year Students in this stage are taught and drilled in the basic language structures with their four language skills

- Stage 2: the intermediate level is students at the second year They also are taught four language skills for the last year and the stage aims at the perfection of the students' ability to communicate based on the language functions

- Stage 3: The stage covers the last year The students are expected to reach the upper- intermediate level and are asked to study different subjects such as English Literature, Teaching Methods, British Studies and so on British Studies is taught in 45 lass-hours

Current British Studies materials are subjectively selected by the teachers in charge of the subject First, at the early days, British Studies was taught by some foreign volunteers in 60 class hours during the last stage of the course Since 2000, students have been studying the subject with the use of the reading textbook "Tìm hiểu đất n-ớc Anh qua các bài đọc hiểu" written by Nguyen Thi Minh Chau and Christ Tapher published by NXB DHQG, TP HCM in

30 class hours Recently, there are five teachers in our FLD to be in charge of teaching the subject British Studies although FLD has a staff of 37 teachers of English The process of teaching and learning British Studies has encountered with many difficulties including the learning condition, the English staff, the time allotment and so forth Therefore, the study of designing a British Studies syllabus for the third-year English majors at FLD, NTTC is set up and hoped to be practical, applicable and suitable for students.

Research questions

This study is carried out to find answers to the following questions:

1 What are the third-year English majored students' needs for British Studies course at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers’ Training College?

2 What are the components of a British Studies course for the third-year English majored students at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers’ Training College?

Subjects of the study

1 What are the third-year English majored students' needs for British Studies course at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers’ Training College?

2 What are the components of a British Studies course for the third-year English majored students at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers’ Training College?

The information about both target needs and learning needs is collected and analyzed In the study, questionnaires and interviews techniques were used

Questionnaires were used as a main data collection method in this study

The first questionnaires were carefully designed and piloted with some students in other classes K4A to examine whether they helped to elicit the kind of data necessary for study

Based on the feedbacks from those students, some inappropriate and ambiguous questions to the students had been improved

Then, the questionnaires were delivered to 32 students after they had just finished British Studies course The delivered students were well instructed by the researcher The questionnaires consisted of four sections such as goals, requirements of the British Studies course, topics and sub-topics in the British Studies syllabus and tasks/activities in a syllabus of the British Studies

The other questionnaires were completed by 15 teachers of English majored students at FLD, NTTC The questionnaires consisted of four sections such as requirements of the British Studies course, topics and sub-topics in the British Studies syllabus and tasks/activities in a syllabus of the British Studies

Together with questionnaires, the researcher used semi-structured interviews to get in-depth information about the subjects in the study It took about one hours to interview 5 teachers of English majored students in the meeting hall after the meeting and process the obtained information The interview included two sections such as sub-topics of the British Studies syllabus and tasks/activities in a syllabus of the British Studies

2.4 The subjects of the study

To answer the question "who provides the information for the needs analysis?”, Robinson (1991: 11) states that the source of information are the potential students, the language teaching institution (teachers and administrators), ex- students and those who are or will be concerned with the students' specific job or study situation

The first questionnaires were administered with 32 third - year English majors of FLD, NTTC who had just finished the BSC in the fifth semester These students were selected on the class lists from number 1 to number 16 in classes K4B and K4C Their ages ranged from 19-22

There were 5 males and 27 females, three-forth of whom came from the countryside The English proficiency levels were reported to be at the intermediate level Table 2.1 summarizes the background information about the subjects such as the genders, ages and the self-assessed English proficiency

Table 2.1 Student subjects’ background information

The third-year English majored students were chosen as the subjects of the study for some reasons Firstly, the English training program is based on the English majored curriculum for English majored teachers’ training set by the MOET The third-year majors are compulsory to study British Studies Secondly, the training quality of English majors is a great concern to both the college authority and teachers at FLD Finally, the students are ones who the author has been directly teaching These will have favorable conditions to carry out all the steps of the research process

The teachers were chosen to be the subjects of the study including two groups for:

Questionnaires: 15 teachers who have been teaching English for English majored students were the first group The reasons for choosing these teachers were that they have taught the third-year English majored students and the British Studies was taught as a compulsory subject for the English majored students and the English bachelor students These teachers all hold M.A Degree in English Their ages ranged from 25-38 There were 3 males and 12 females Table 2.2 summarizes the background information about the subjects such as the genders, ages and their English proficiency

Table 2.2 Teacher subjects’ background information Interviews: the second group was 5 teachers to be interviewed They all have been teaching

British Studies They have some experience to reveal their in-depth information in the interview All of them were females and their ages ranged from 36-40 They all hold M.A Degree in English

Data collection procedures

The data collection procedures started in early September and ended in mid November 2009

The procedures included the following steps: i) In the first two weeks of September, the pre-questionnaires were piloted by 5 third - year English majored students of K4A to examine whether they helped to elicit the kind of data necessary for the study ii) In the third week of the September, the first questionnaires were delivered to the students iii) Next, the teachers were given the second questionnaires when they have finished teaching the semester of the year school iii) Then semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 teachers of English at FLD which support the researcher to gain further information These teachers were interviewed sometime in the first week of October iv) The treatment of the collected data lasted for 6 weeks from October to mid November into percentage ratios

All of the work was finished in November.

Summary

This chapter reported the methodology for this study in terms of the study setting, research questions, data collection instruments, subject of the study and data collection procedures

Firstly, a setting of the study was clarified and the obtainment of the research questions was made Then, data collection instruments including questionnaires, interviews were presented in details with discussions of advantages and disadvantages of each instrument Finally, data collection procedures were introduced and statistical procedures were explained

Chapter three: Results and Data analysis 3.1 Target needs

3.1.1 Necessities 3.1.1.1 In terms of topics and sub-topics

In order to collect the information on students’ necessities of topics, the syllabus designer interviewed five teachers who have been teaching British Studies at FLD, NTTC for their advices on what topics or sub-topics should be included in the syllabus All the interviewed teachers agreed that BSS should consist of the following topics such as British people, geography of Britain, British history, British government and politics, economy in Britain, British education, cultures and lifestyle in Britain, transportation and environment

Not relevant Numbers and Percentages of Teachers’ and

7 Cultures and lifestyle in Britain

Table 3.1 Teachers’ and students’ ranking of topics

Table 3.1 shows teachers’ and students’ expectation of the topics including in the syllabus

Almost of them (nearly 100%) agreed with the given topics Only a few of them thought that economy in Britain and British government and politics were not very necessary or fairly relevant so as to the percentage ratio up to appropriately 70% However, neither students nor teachers expressed the disagreement with the above topics Both the teachers and students did not suggest any other topics for the BSS

When being interviewed about the sub-topics areas, most of teachers agreed that British people ancestors, British people today, family relationship and social classes, main parts of Great Britain, climate and temperature in Britain, British education systems are the most important sub-topics of a BSS Then, sub-topics such as a brief account of British historical events from 16th - 19th century, Britain's decline as a world power in the 20th century should be included, too Only one out of five interviewed teachers would like to add British identity as a sub-topic of the syllabus To determine what topics and sub-topics areas to be relevant to in the syllabus, the author not only surveyed fifteen teachers whose duties were to teach English majored students and English bachelor students but also considered the 32 students’ expectations on the topics The teachers’ and students’ expectations of the sub-topics including in the syllabus are shown in table 3.2

Not relevant Numbers and Percentages of Teachers’ and

3 Family relationship and social classes

4 Main parts of Great Britain

5 Climate and temperature in Britain

6 A brief account of British historical events from 16th - 19th century

7 Britain's decline as a world power in the 20th century

8 British parliament: the Prime Minister and the Cabinet

9 General election and political parties

10 The Queen and British Royal Family

11 The historical economic problems and today economy

12 The work force and the trade unions

15 Festivals and special days in Britain

16 Sightseeing and accommodation in the U.K

17 British social customs (dress, food and eating), superstitions and stereotypes

Others British tourism and cultural identities

Table 3.2 Teachers’ and students’ ranking of sub-topics

There was a minority of students and teachers gave the ideas of non-relevant for choosing the historical event in 16 th -17th centuries, environmental problems, and transformational systems

A majority of them strongly expressed their agreement by putting the ideas that the sub-topics were very relevant and relevant to be in the syllabus According to them, it was also necessary to provide students with the knowledge about the British tourism and cultural identities in Britain as there are trends going abroad for different purposes of English learners

LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com today Some teachers (49%) and students (45%) gave one more sub-topic British tourism and cultural identities

Eventually, the results of the students’ needs about the topics including in the syllabus are confirmed by one more closed-question and analyzed as follow:

How do you evaluate the content of the topics in British Studies lessons?

Percentages very interesting and useful 31 97% not very interesting and useful 1 3% boring and unnecessary 0 very boring and useful 0

Table 3.3 Students’ ranking of topics and sub-topics

As the results of table 3.1 and 3.2, eight given topics and 19 sub-topics above were useful for students and they felt interested in studying 97% of students evaluated the topics and sub- topics in the syllabus were very interesting and useful And only 3% of students did not have the same ideas

In short, all the topics and sub-topics were given in the surveyed questionnaires and interviews would be used in the BSS However, the BSS should be included one more sub- topic British tourism and cultural identities as the students’ and teachers’ expectations As the results of the survey, the contents of the sub-topics and the order of the topics and sub-topics would little be changed in chapter 4 – A proposed syllabus

3.1.1.2 In terms of tasks/ activities

The teachers are the people who know exactly what types of tasks are most suitable in the syllabus Therefore, the designer chose 5 types of tasks to ask 15 teachers at FLD, NTTC for their advices on what activities/tasks students need to master in their BS and responses were shown in table 3.4 below:

What are the types of tasks/activities needed to be in syllabus?

Order Items Numbers and Percentages of

Table 3.4 Teachers’ and students’ ranking of tasks

According to them, giving presentation was the most necessary (100%) as this is the first foremost when students are in the third-year They had to comprehend and report what they have 93% of students thought that doing reading exercises were also important because of the time allotment There was not enough time to practise in the limited class-hours The others such as watching films obtained 80%, taking part in seminars reached 87% and participating in cultural games gained 67% A minority of teachers (16%) gave their other tasks that writing assignments would be in the syllabus

All the interviewed teachers who have been teaching BS agreed with the given tasks/ activities, one out of them thought that it would be added writing assignments as a supporting activity for students

To sum up, all the tasks here were useful and needed to be used in the syllabus based on the teachers’ questionnaires

As seen from the above table, 97% of students had the same ideas that they needed to give presentations while studying BSC It is the easiest and fastest way to get and revise the knowledge which they have learnt and achieved from the various sources such as on the internet 88% of students expressed their preference to watching films and participating in cultural games These activities are visual and adapt their eyes for rest while being busy studying and useful and forgettable ways of consolidating the knowledge A fewer percents of students (78%) agreed to take part in seminars They were reserved to share the ideas in the large class because of being not good at presentation skills After all, reading exercises at home and in classrooms led students to be rather busy Therefore, not all students thought it was important to do reading exercises at home (94%) However, these activities are helpful and necessary

How do you take part in activities in British Studies?

Percentages very enthusiastically 29 91% enthusiastically 2 6% quite enthusiastically 1 3% boringly 0

Table 3.5 Students’ ranking of tasks

To confirm the students’ responses on the tasks/activities including in the syllabus, one more question was administered and shown in table 3.5 The result can be 97% of students enthusiastically part in the activities in BS A minority of students (6%) felt not very interested in participating the tasks in the British Studies class

It meant that the tasks/ activities included in the BSS are almost suitable and helpful for students Fortunately, the teachers of FLD, NTTC extremely shared the same ideas with the syllabus designer

What are your constraints in studying British Studies course?

Table 3.6 Students’ ranking of constraints in studying BS

It can be seen from table 3.6 that most of students lacked background knowledge of British country, more than a half of them (65%) did not know much about the country whose language that they were studying Therefore, in terms of vocabulary seemed to be a problem with students (22%)

Moreover, since their BSC duration was short (45 class-hour), a quarter of students (25%) considered time as one of their constraints It was not enough time for them to get all information of BS which they enjoyed

Learning needs

Thanks to the investment from NTTC, FLD has one Linguistic Practice Room consisting of

40 cabins in which students can work in a small class-size The Linguistic Practice Room is very well-equipped with the computers, TV, DVD players, cassettes and earphones Besides, teachers could register to use one projector or overhead available at FLD They were very useful equipments for showing pictures and models and for good Especially the animated ones which made the lesson much more interesting and easier to understand This was a great advantage for the teaching and learning BS

However, there was only one projectors meanwhile there was a number of teachers who were eager to use it Therefore, it was not easy to get a suitable arrangement when registering for class-hours Moreover, unlike at the English-majored universities in which the average class- size is between 15-25 students, the numbers of students at FLD ranged from 30 to 50 Large- sized classes caused many difficulties in English teaching and challenges for teachers of

English to implement activities Therefore, the students had fewer chances to control and practise four English language skills in the class According to the results of survey questionnaires, 30% of students thought that facilities were in constraints when they were studying BSS

As mentioned above, the lack of time was one of the main reasons which cause teachers many difficulties Before the BSC was taken 90 class hours, and then was decreased to 60, but a BSC now is limited in 45 class hours which lasts 45 minutes In order to help students acquire the target needs, the syllabus designers must select the content, tasks or activities very carefully so that nothing irrelevant or not very useful is taught to students In addition, teachers of BS would select necessary parts to teach in the classroom and leave some others for students to study by themselves at home Table 3.6 shows the students’ ranking in constrains of time is 25%

Material selection has great impact on syllabus design It may decide what should be or should not be included in the syllabus Materials for English specific purposes in general and

BS in particular at FLD were usually written basing on the materials collected from several sources such as internet, FLD library some brought home by teachers Due to the inexperience in designing syllabus, some contents were too difficult, others were too simple tasks or activities These were not motivating enough The contents of the materials were mainly selected from the copied materials and internet Therefore, there were not many illustrative pictures that made students difficult to imagine Most of tasks and activities in these materials were tedious, limited in just some types and similar from unit to unit, even though without any tasks Therefore, a few students (15%) thought materials were one of their difficulties in studying BS This evaluation of the existing materials is very useful for the syllabus designer to improve content, tasks and activities in a new one

3.2.2 The learners 3.2.2.1 Age and level

The third-year students at FLD are mostly at the age of nineteen and twenty-two This is really an advantage because they are young and active These characteristics may help them to absorb and digest new information better or to be able to face challenges In addition, adult learners prefer learning by problem-solving of repetition which children learners enjoy

Therefore, when designing and selecting activities and tasks, the syllabus designers should consider this matter

However, it was a fact that most of the students were from the mountainous areas of Nghe An province They had little background knowledge of the country which they were studying

They are out of date with the information around Vietnam and others, too Moreover, the students are reserved to use the modern facilities to study and get information For those, there was a majority of students who had constraints in lacking background knowledge and 22% of students had difficulty in vocabulary

In general, these back draws were not very high compared to the requirement of the syllabus

In terms of their motivation in studies, some first weeks of BSC, the students early recognized that the subject was very interesting to study and useful to for their future Thus, their motivation in studies BSC was not only to pass the end-term examination but also to gain further improvement in knowledge to support for their future jobs and lives

3.2.2.2 Motivation for learning/ learning styles/ preference

Students’ motivation for learning British Studies is very important factor which decides much the success in students’ study A majority of students felt that BS was very useful for their future

It is shown clearly from the above table that all of the surveyed students at FLD had positive attitude towards learning BS 84% of them considered it very necessary and the rest thought it was necessary Students’ awareness of the importance of BSC is really a great encouragement to the teachers at FLD

There was no surprise on seeing that an overwhelming majority of the students, accounting up for nearly 100% need a BSC for their study or future job or for both It means that they are all instrumentally motivated Also, they were fully aware of the British studies knowledge in case they would have to deal with the tourism or transact with foreign partners or go abroad in their future jobs Besides, they realized the importance of a BSC in their current study of other courses at FLD, NTTC as well as their further studies later Their enjoyment was achieved 16% They felt interested in studying BSS

Therefore, BSC could satisfy their needs and the students would be surely be all motivated to try their best to achieve the success in BSC

The teaching staff at FLD, NTTC consists of 30 teachers, were divided into two grouped English major and non English major groups, aged between 27 – 50 Most of them have finished four or five years course of English at universities Among them, twenty teachers have taken MA degrees in English and 12 were now studying for MA degrees at University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and Vinh Universities Most of these teachers were young and very enthusiastic and helpful in teaching and eager to learn and apply new things However, none of them have been trained to be specialized in teaching BS

All of the above findings in the thesis significantly helped the author to set up a BS and the next chapter a proposed syllabus, a sample tests and unit were introduced

4.1 Aims and objectives of the course

Basing on the results of the situation and data analysis this syllabus aims at providing students with British Studies The objectives of the British Studies course are:

- to achieve knowledge of British people, geography, history, government and politics, economy, cultures and lifestyle, education, transportation and environment Hence, the British Studies course can support the learners to have good attitudes towards the country and the target language they are studying and raise students' across-cultural awareness between two countries Vietnam and Great Britain

- to enrich a variety of terms relating to British people, geography, history, government and politics, economy, cultures and lifestyle, education, transportation and environment

Time allotment

The course is designed for the third - year English majors at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers' Training College As the time allowance for the whole course is 45 class- hours, the syllabus is intended to have 8 units equivalent to 8 topics Each unit is designed to occupy from 4 or 5 forty-five minute teaching periods The students will have 6 class-hours to review They will be required to do two written tests in two class-hours; one oral test in one class-hour (mid-term test) and one achievement test (Final test) The timetable is planned by the college administrators.

Content and tasks/activities

Eight topics and 19 sub-topics are chosen for designing the target syllabus and the gradation of these topics and sub-topics is carried out on the basis of the result of the question 1, section III presented in table 3.1 and 3.2 The topics and sub-topics will be ordered based on the principle that it should go from the most important aspects to the least important ones The topics and sub-topics therefore should be selected and graded according to this order:

7 Sightseeing and accommodations of tourism in the U.K

8 + British social customs (dress, food and eating and so on), superstitions and stereotypes or cultural identities

4 British education 9 British education systems

12 Britain's decline as a world power in the 20th century

13 British parliament: The Prime Minister and the Cabinet

19 The work force and the trade unions

Table 4.1.The topics' and sub-topics' order

The first reason for choosing only 8 main topics is that the allowance of time for the subjects is only 45 class-hours Secondly, these eight topics are included in the training program and they are all important topics that students have to take when studying British country

Moreover, the results from the questionnaires (see table 3.1 and 3.2) surveying the teacher's and students' opinions on the needed topics show that teachers consider these topics the most important and necessary to the majored students and according to the students' point of view, they are also of great important as well

Needs analysis has been necessarily done before designing a syllabus or materials However, during the lesson, teachers’ observation to find out more accurate students’ needs would be very helpful Basing on their observation, teachers can change the following tasks or activities suitably and flexibly to meet students’ needs: watching films, taking part in seminars, giving presentations, doing reading exercises, participating in cultural games, and writing assignments.

Organization of the syllabus

The detailed syllabus is included 8 units covering 4 aspects: topics, objectives, task/activities and language focus This syllabus runs for 15 weeks (45 class-hours) Each unit is intended for 4 or 5 class-hours of 45 minutes each The students will have 6 class-hours for Stop and Check They will be required to do two written tests in two class-hours; one oral test in one class-hour (mid-term test) and one achievement written test (Final test) The timetable is scheduled by the FLD with the agreement of NTTC

The topics and sub-topics are compulsory at classroom time, but the exercises or other activities may be optional (at home or in classroom), depending on the actual situation of the teaching and learning process The detailed proposed British Studies syllabus for the third- year English majors at FLD of NTTC can be seen in table 4.2

Unit Topics and sub-topics Period Task/activities Language focus

1 British people + British people ancestors and British identities

+ British people today + Family relationship and social classes

In order to get the objectives, the students have to do following tasks and activities:

- watching some images of British ancestors

- reading the documents of British people today and do comprehension-check

2 Geography of Britain + Main parts of Great Britain + Climate and temperature in Britain

- discussing about the deferent between Vietnamese and British climate and temperature

- listening to people are talking about British climate and temperature

3 Cultural and lifestyles + Festivals and special days in Britain + Sightseeing and accommodations of tourism in the U.K

+ British social customs (dress, food and eating and the others), superstitions and stereotypes or cultural identities

- watching some landscapes, accommodations of tourism in the U.K

- reading and discussing document of British and Vietnamese social customs (dress, food and eating and the others), superstitions and stereotypes or cultural identities

STOP and CHECK THE FIRST PROGRESS TEST

4 British Education + British education systems + Story of British schools

- reading the materials and give opinions towards the Vietnamese and British education systems

- understanding a story of British schools

5 British History (16 th - 20 th century)

+ A brief account of British historical events from 16th - 19th century

+ Britain's decline as a world power in the 20th century

- watching films about historical events in 17th to 18th century in Britain

- watching British parliament and government

+ British parliament: The Prime Minister and the Cabinet

+ General election and political parties

+ The Queen and British Royal Family

- reading materials of British general election and political parties

STOP and CHECK THE SECOND PROGRESS

- watching pictures of transportation means in Britain

- discussing the differences between the environmental problems in Britain and Vietnam

8 Economy in Britain + The historical economic problems and today economy

+ The work force and the trade unions

- holding a seminar to discuss historical economic problems in Britain and its today economy; the work force and the trade unions

REVISION THE THIRD PROGRESS TEST

See a sample of a unit in appendix 4

Assessment

In order to motivate students, the assessment should be undertaken throughout the course

Due to the limited time and the assessment regulation at FLD, the formal test is the most effective way to assess of the syllabus and the course as well

Besides, several quizzes after the lessons help teachers realize what is confusing to students and explain it timely The results of the test would reveal students’ strengths and weaknesses so that teachers and students can adjust their method of teaching and learning Followings are the suggestions for the assessment of a British Studies course:

- Participation and anti-participation represent 10% for students’ regular attendance and their enthusiastic contribution in all activities in the classroom

- Three progress tests accounts for 30% in which students are required to do two tests of writing and one oral test after Stop and Check

- Final test represents for 60% in which students are required to do a written test

The timetable is scheduled by the FLD with the agreement of NTTC

See a sample of a test in appendix 5

Materials available

After having completed designing a syllabus, the course designer now has to turn it into actual teaching materials

If the existing materials are well-matched with students’ needs, the designer can select the most suitable text or units If not, he/she has to design another materials by either writing a new materials (materials development) or selecting different parts from existing materials, modifying them, adding extra activities designed by himself/herself and then arranging them in one material (materials adaptation) Due to the fact that materials best fit students’ needs (their specific subject area, course type, interest and so forth are not available, materials writing is typical in teaching British Studies

- Christopher, Garwood 1992 Aspects of Britain and the U S A Oxford U P

- Mc Dowall, David 1995 Britain in close-up London Longman Press

- O' Driscoll, James 1995 Britain (The country and its people: an introduction for learners of English) Oxford University Press

Besides, from students’ evaluation of the existing materials, it is obvious that the existing materials lack of illustrative pictures or activities Hence, great effort should be spent on searching illustrative pictures or activities on the internet Such websites as http://www.britannia.com/history;http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/british/britintr.html;http://ww w.everything2.com/index.pl?node=British can be valuable image sources to make lessons more interesting and motivating, teacher can also make use of power point software and projectors to introduce students maps, flags, palace, photos, sightseeing, and for good so that it is clearer and easier for students to imagine and understand

It can be concluded that the British Studies syllabus should be used flexibly and creatively to achieve the most effectiveness The course designers as well as other teachers should make use of modern technology like internet, power point, projector and ask subject teachers’ cooperation to make the existing materials more meaningful and motivating to students

In this chapter, the author has proposed an aims and objectives of the British Studies course first Then, an organization of a general syllabus and a detailed covering 4 aspects: topics and sub-topics, the time allotment, objectives, tasks/activities and language skill focus after doing careful analysis about students’ need and learning situation at FLD, NTTC were introduced

Furthermore, some suggestions for designing materials, teaching and assessment in a BSS course are also provided

In short, understanding students’ needs, their background knowledge and linguistic level, teachers should know how to apply a designed material and syllabus most effectively to be successful in teaching British Studies course Moreover, teachers must be prepared to find out how language is used in real world situations and teach that language Teachers must also acknowledge the fact that much of the language that our students need will not be found in any course books or pre-packaged materials; therefore, they must be willing take advantage of training and professional development opportunities, and should rely on the expertise of more experienced colleagues

It is clear that a syllabus plays an important part in teaching and learning process An appropriate syllabus contributes to the success and fulfills the objectives of an English course

As a result the need for designing an appropriate British Studies syllabus for the third - year English majors at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers' Training College is inevitable

The study has centered on designing a British Studies syllabus for the third - year English majors at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers' Training College After providing theoretical background knowledge relating to the study in the literature review such as syllabus definition in distinguish with curriculum, roles of syllabus, steps and needs analysis in syllabus design David Nunan’s points of views towards syllabus have been adapted in this study The four main steps in designing a language syllabus has been focused: needs analysis – objectives and aims – sequencing – teaching method – testing and evaluation A brief description of teaching and learning situation at FLD, NTTC has been described in the study setting The researcher has reported subjects of the study, data collection instruments and procedures Then, a survey has been carried out and analyzed to find out students' target needs and learning needs perceived by both teachers and students to answer the first research questions The results of needed analysis helped the author make the British Studies syllabus more practical and appropriate to the target situation

A general syllabus and a detailed one have designed with topics and sub-topics, time graduation, objectives, tasks/ activities Moreover, a sample test and unit have been introduced These achievements fulfilled the problems raised in the second research question

Attempts have also been made for giving suggestions for writing materials, teaching and assessing

The study has gained the achievements with the best efforts of the researcher and much support and great help from many concerned people but this study cannot avoid some limitations Not only have some limitations but also some suggestions been focused for further research in the last words of the study as below:

Firstly, there is a limitation regarding the data collection and analysis Because of the time and financial constraints the questionnaires were carried out with a limited number of 32 English majored students and 15 teachers of English majored students and the interviews with

5 teachers of British Studies only

Another disadvantage is that they may introduce elements of subjectivity and personal bias, and rapport may cause the interviewee to response in a certain way to please the interviewer

Besides, as an inexperienced one, the researcher might make several mistakes in the data interpretation while conducting the survey

Who interested in this matter or/and have met the same difficulties may continue this study for further improvements

The researcher will use it as an official syllabus for the third-year English majors at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers’ Training College to teach them in the next year with approve of the researchers’ college and department Moreover, the syllabus will be continuously refined as part of an ongoing process of adjustment and improvement

The research will combine with experienced subject teachers to design official and fixed British Studies syllabus for the third-year English bachelor students at Foreign Languages Department, Nghe An Teachers’ Training College The training qualities of English bachelor students are great concern to both the college authority and teachers at FLD, NTTC

1 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (1999) The Interstate New

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The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect ideas of the students of the English section at the Nghe An Teachers‟ training College (NTTC) to design a British Studies course for the third- year English majors at Foreign Languages Department of NTTC The course is expected to be appropriate to the training objectives of the NTTC and to meet the students' needs Your ideas are very useful making a great contribution to my study

Section I: Goals of British Studies course

1 Do you think learning British Studies is a very necessary b fairly necessary c unnecessary

2 What are the reasons that you study on British Studies course? (You can choose more than one answer) a for enjoyment b for enjoinment c for your study d for the job

3 How do you feel British Studies lessons at the class? a not satisfied b not very satisfied c neutral d satisfied e very satisfied

4 What are your constraints in studying British Studies course? (You can choose more than one answer) a vocabulary b background knowledge c time d materials e facilities f others

Section II: Requirements needed to be achieved at the end of the British Studies course for the third- year English majors at Foreign Languages Department of NTTC

Please rank the following objectives in order of importance from the most important to the least important ones (from 1 to 4) and add other expectations of your own.(You can choose more than one answer)

⁯ - to develop four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing

⁯ - to enrich a variety of terms relating to culture, politics, education, society ect

⁯ - to achieve information of Vietnamese and British cultures, politics, education, societies etc

⁯ -to raise students' awareness of cross-cultural awareness between two countries: Vietnam and Great Britain

⁯ - to be able to successfully pass the final examination on British Studies Others (specify):

Section III: Topics and sub-topics needed to be included in the syllabus of British Studies

1 Please tick in the boxes the topics and sub-topics which have been learnt that you think should be included in the British Studies course

3 British history (16 th - 20 th century)

Items Sub-Topics Very relevant

7 Britain's descline as a world power in the 20th century

8 British parliament: The Prime Minister and the cabinet

12 The work force and the trade

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16 Sightseeing and accomodation in the U.K

17 British social customs (dress, food and eating ect.), superstitions and stereotypes

2 How do you evaluate the content of British Studies lessons? a very interesting and useful b not very interesting and useful c boring and unnecessary d very boring and useful

1 What are the types of tasks needed to be in syllabus? (You can choose more than one answer) a watching films b taking part in seminars c giving presentations d doing reading exercises e participating in cultural games f others:

2 How do you take part in activities in British Studies? a very enthusiastically c quite enthusiastically b enthusiastically d boringly

The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect ideas of the teachers of the English section at the NTTC to design a British Studies course for the third-year English majors at Foreign Languages Department of Nghe An Teachers‟ Training College (NTTC) The course is

Tiêu đề	Designing a British Studies Syllabus
Tác giả	Phạm Thị Thu Hiền
Người hướng dẫn	Hoàng Thị Xuân Hoa, PhD
Trường học	Vietnam National University, Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies
Chuyên ngành	English Teaching Methodology
Thể loại	Minor M.A Thesis
Năm xuất bản	2010
Thành phố	Hanoi

Định dạng
Số trang	66
Dung lượng	1,65 MB