An investigation into the implementation of the learner centered approach to english teaching at doan thi diem high school in ben tre province

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY- HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LEARNER CENTERED APPROACH TO ENGLISH TEACHING AT DOAN THI DIEM HIGH SCHOOL IN BEN TRE PROVINCE A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By BUI THI TRUC LINH Supervised by PHAN THANH HUNG, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, JANUARY 2023 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my former supervisor, Dr Tran Thi Thanh Dieu, for her useful guidance and considerable support I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Phan Thanh Hung, for his continuous guidance and support His great expertise and diligent editing have been really beneficial to me I am grateful for my time conducting the research study under his careful and caring supervision This study would not have been accomplished without the great support from the management, the English teachers and students at Doan Thi Diem high school, Ben Tre province I would like to give special thanks to their valuable time spent for sharing information and assisting me at the research site Finally, I would like to express my thanks to my lecturers and friends who have supported me during my study at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities ii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I certify that this IMPLEMENTATION thesis OF entitled THE “AN LEARNER INVESTIGATION CENTERED INTO APPROACH THE TO ENGLISH TEACHING AT DOAN THI DIEM HIGH SCHOOL IN BEN TRE PROVINCE” is my own work This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other institution Ho Chi Minh City, December 15th, 2022 Bùi Thị Trúc Linh iii RETENTION OF USE I hereby state that I, BUI THI TRUC LINH, being the candidate for the degree of Master of TESOL, accept the requirement of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the originality of my thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Library for the care, loan or reproduction of theses Ho Chi Minh City, December 15th, 2022 Bùi Thị Trúc Linh iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Organization of thesis chapters CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview of Learner-centered approach 2.1.1 Definitions of Learner-centered approach 2.1.2 Origins of Learner-centered approach 2.1.3 Underpinning theories of Learner-centered approach 2.1.4 A Shift towards Learner-centered approach in English education 14 2.2 Learner-centered approach in English education in Vietnam 16 2.2.1 Upper-secondary education system in Vietnam 16 2.2.2 Initiatives of Learner-centered approach in Vietnam 17 2.2.3 English education in Vietnamese secondary schools 17 2.2.4 Cultural influence on English education in Vietnam 19 2.3 Previous studies on Learner-centered approach 20 2.4 Theoretical Frameworks 24 2.4.1 Brandes and Ginnis’s (1986) Principles of Student-centered Learning 24 2.4.2 Neumann’s (2013) framework of Student-centered learning 26 2.4.3 APA’s psychological principles of Learner-centered practice 27 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 31 3.1 Research questions 31 3.2 Research design 31 3.2.1 Mixed methods research 31 v 3.2.2 Case study approach 32 3.3 Context of the study 35 3.4 Participants and Sampling procedures 36 3.5 Research tools 37 3.5.1 Individual interviews with English teachers 37 3.5.2 Observation field notes 39 3.5.3 Questionnaire to students 39 3.6 Data collection procedure 40 3.7 Data analysis scheme 41 3.7.1 Analysis of individual interview data 42 3.7.2 Analysis of class observation field notes 43 3.7.3 Analysis of questionnaires 44 3.8 Ethical Considerations 48 3.9 Reliability, Validity, and Triangulation 48 3.9.1 Reliability 48 3.9.2 Validity 48 3.9.3 Triangulation 49 3.10 Summary 49 4.1 Findings 50 4.1.1 Findings from individual interviews 50 4.1.2 Findings from Class Observations 65 4.1.3 Results from Questionnaires 68 4.2 Discussion 72 4.2.1 Perspectives on learner-centered Approach 72 4.2.2 Reasons for the adoption of Learner-centered approach 75 4.2.3 Implementation of Lerner-centered approach to English education 76 4.2.4 Challenges to the implementation of Learner-centered approach 77 4.2.5 Implications for the future development of Learner-centered approach 80 4.2.6 Summary 83 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 85 vi 5.1 Summary of the study 85 5.2 Main research findings 85 5.2.1 Perspectives on Learner-centered approach 85 5.2.2 Reasons for the adoption of Learner-centered approach 86 5.2.3 Implementation of Learner-centered approach 86 5.2.4 Challenges to the implementation of Learner-centered approach 87 5.2.5 Implications for the future development of LCA 87 5.3 Limitations of the study 88 5.4 Recommendations 88 5.5 Summary 90 REFERENCES 91 APPENDICES 98 APPENDIX A 99 APPENDIX B 100 APPENDIX C 101 APPENDIX D 104 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS APA The American Psychological Association EFL English as a Foreign Language ESL English as a Second Language GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education LCA The Learner-centered Approach MOET Ministry of Education and Training TESOL Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages viii LISTS OF TABLES Table 2.1 Changing views on the nature of language and learning: Traditionalism and communicative language teaching 15 Table 2.2 APA’s learner-centered psychological principles 28 Table 3.1 List of teacher participants 37 Table 3.2 List of student participants 37 Table 3.3 Stages for collecting data 41 Table 3.4 A summary of participants and data collection methods for each research question 42 Table 3.5 Example of coding interviews 43 Table 3.6 Theme codes 46 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 A social constructivist model of teaching-learning process 10 Figure 2.2 Theoretical Frameworks 30 Figure 3.1 Methodological overview 35 Figure 3.2 The process of data analysis for this study 45 Figure 3.3 Themes for the first research question 48 Figure 3.4 Themes for the second research question 48 Figure 4.1 Timeframe for the interaction with classroom activities 68 Figure 4.2 Percentage of student respondents for perspectives on learner-centered methods 70 Figure 4.3 Percentage of student respondents for the benefits from learner-centered methods 70 Figure 4.4 Percentage of student respondents for the difficulties students faced with learner-centered methods 71 Figure 4.5 Percentage of student respondents for reasons underlying challenges with learner-centered methods 72 x There is a prominent paradox in Vietnamese education: while the government appears to be committed to the ambitious education reform by adopting new teaching and learning techniques, there are no clear guidelines or convincing policies on how LCA is defined and should be implemented in the context of Vietnam Therefore, it is suggested that a clear and elaborate instruction for implementing LCA should be issued in order that teachers have a source on which their teaching can base, and likewise, management can examine and support the adoption of the approach To the school School administrators should be clear about the changes in education policies They should know about the changes clearly, including the rationale behind the adoption of this new approach, what the goals of this change are and what is needed to achieve the goals It is by this knowing that the school can engage its staff members in implementing the approach effectively To the students The needs and interests of the students are prioritized in student-centered techniques, but this also requires students to assume more responsibility for their own learning Without student involvement, the instructor and school cannot properly use this teaching strategy To the teacher Professional development for teachers is strongly recommended for the development of LCA It is necessary to redesign curricula to make them suitable for LCA The timeframe for each course in the curriculum should be sufficient Besides, ensuring adequate time for students’ self-study is necessary It is important to look into students' viewpoints and involve them in curriculum design Teachers should be encouraged to collaborate in groups in order to be able to choose teaching course books and create effective teaching curricula As Steiner-Khamsi (2014) states, “the local context is key to understanding why policies are borrowed, how they are locally modified and implemented, and what impact they have on existing structures, policies, and practices” (p 162) Although 89 this study provides a brief overview of the introduction and implementation of student-centered learning at a particular research location, it does not examine the third issue Given the findings in this study, further research into the effects of a student-centered approach on Vietnam's current educational system would be highly recommended 5.5 Summary This chapter has provided the readers with the conclusions of the research study conducted at Doan Thi Diem High School, Ben Tre province, Vietnam Employing Brandes and Ginnis’s (1986) Principles of Student-centered Learning, Neumann’s (2013) Framework of Student-centered Learning and APA’s Psychological Principles Framework of Learner-centered Practice, this study concludes that the practice of the learner-centered approach at the research site manifests as the centered on contour of the framework, where the content is still determined by the institution Limitations of the research have been identified and a number of suggestions for further study have been proposed 90 REFERENCES Anderson, G J (1998) Fundamentals of educational research (2nd ed.) Falmer Attride-Stirling, J (2001) Thematic networks: An analytic tool for qualitative research Qualitative Research, 1, 385-405 Barman, B (2013) Shifting Education from teacher-centered to learner-centered paradigm, The Global Journal of English Studies, 1(1), 14-28 Barr, R B., & Tagg, J (1995) From teaching to learning-A new paradigm for undergraduate education Change, 27(6), 12 Brandes, D., & Ginnis, P (1986) A Guide to Student-centered Learning Black Well Brown, J K (2008) Student-centered instruction: Involving students in their own education Music Educators Journal, 94(5), 30-35 Bryman, A (2012) Social research methods (5th ed.) Oxford University Press Burns, R B (1994) Introduction to research methods (2nd ed.) Longman Cheshire Carlile, O., & Jordan, A (2005) It works in practice but will it work in theory? The theoretical underpinnings of pedagogy Emerging issues in the practice of university learning and teaching All Ireland Society for Higher Education Chu, T.L.H (2014) The Conceptualisation and Implementation of the Learner-centred Approach to TESOL at Tertiary Level in Vietnam: A Case Study [Doctoral dissertation, Curtin University] 91 Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K (2000) Research methods in education (5th ed.) Routledge Falmer Cornelius-White, J H., & Harbaugh, A P (2010) Learner-centered instruction: Building relationships for student success Sage Publications Creswell, J W (1998) Qualitative research and research design: Choosing among five traditions SAGE Creswell, J W (2014) Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.) SAGE Dano-Hinosolango (2014) The impact of learner-centered teaching on students’ learning skills and strategies International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education (IJCDSE), (4) Mindanao University of Technology Ellis, G (1994) The appropriateness of the communicative approach in Vietnam: An interview study in intercultural communication La Trobe University Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2008) Decision No 1400/QĐ- TTg on the approval of the project entitled “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, Period 2008-2020” Vietnam Gray, D E (2014) Doing research in the real world (3rd ed.) SAGE Handa, M (2009) Learner-centred differentiation model: A new framework Australian Journal of Gifted Education, 18(2), 55-66 Harmer, J (2007) How to teach English Pearson Education Limited 92 Hien, P D (2010) A comparative study of research capabilities of East Asian countries and implications for Vietnam Higher Education, 60(6), 615-625 Hinds, D (2000) Research instruments In D Wilkinson & e Inc (Eds.), The researcher's toolkit: The complete guide to practitioner research (pp 41-54) Routledge Hoang, V V (2018) The current situation and issue of teaching of English in Vietnam University of Languages and International Studies Hoidn, S (2016) Student-centered learning environments in higher education classrooms Springer Holliday, A (1994) Appropriate methodology and social context Cambridge University Press Hu, G (2002) Potential cultural resistance to pedagogical imports: The case of communicative language teaching in China Language, Culture and Curriculum, 15(2), 93-105 Kawishe, T K (2016) Implementation of learner centered methods within the constraints of shortage of instructional resources and facilities: A case study of Itigi district council [Master’s thesis, Mzumbe University] Killen, R (2016) Effective teaching strategies: Lessons from research and practice (7th ed.) Cengage Learning Australia Merriam, S B (1998) Qualitative research and case study applications in education (2nd ed.) Jossey-Bass Publishers 93 Maxwell, J A (2005) Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach Sage Publication McCombs, B L., & Whisler, J S (1997) The learner-centered classroom and school: Strategies for increasing student motivation and achievement (1st ed.) Jossey-Bass McMillan, J H (2007) Classroom assessment: Principles and practice for effective standards-based instruction Pearson Education, Inc McMillan, J H., & Schumacher, S (2010) Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (7th ed.) Pearson Metto, E (2014) Learner-Centered Teaching: Can It Work in Kenyan Public Primary Schools? American Journal of Educational Research, (11A), 23-29 Miles, M B., & Huberman, A M (1994) Qualitative data analysis An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.) Sage MOET (Institute for Educational Strategies and Curriculum Development) (2007) English Curriculum Educational Publishers Namwong, O.A (2020) Learner-centred approaches in teaching English in Thailand [Doctoral dissertation, Massey University] Nguyen, P.M., Terlouw, C., & Pilot, A (2012) Cooperative Learning in Vietnam and the West–East educational transfer Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 32(2), 137152 94 Naruemon, D (2013) Thai pre-service teachers' beliefs about the learner-centred approach and their classroom practices [Doctoral dissertation, Newcastle University] Neumann, J W (2013) Developing a new framework for conceptualizing “studentcentered learning” The Educational Forum, 77(2), 161-175 Nunan, D (1988) The learner-centered curriculum: A study in second language teaching Cambridge University Press Nunan, D (2003) The impact of English as a global language on educational policies ans practices in the Asian-Pacific region TESOL Quarterly, 37(4), 589-614 Nunan, D., & Lamb, C (2001) Managing the learning process In D Hall, A Hewings & ebrary Inc (Eds.), Innovation in English language teaching: a reader (pp 27-45) Routledge in association with Macquarie University and The Open University O'Neill, R (1991) The plausible myth of learner-centredness or the importance of doing ordinary thing well ELT Journal, 45(4), 293-304 O’Neill, G., & McMahon, T (2005) Student-centred learning: What does it mean for students and lecturers? AISHE (All Ireland Society for Higher Education) Pham, T (2016) Student-centredness: Exploring the culturally appropriate pedagogical space in Vietnamese higher education classrooms using activity theory Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 41(1), Richardson, V (2003) Constructivist pedagogy Teachers College Record, 105(9), 1623-1640 95 Schweisfurth, M (2013a) Learner-Centred Education in International Perspective Journal of International and Comparative Education, 2(1), 1-8 Steiner-Khamsi, G (2014) Cross-national policy borrowing: Understanding reception and translation Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 34(2), 153-167 Thanh, P T H (2010) Implementing a Student-Centered Learning Approach at Vietnamese Higher Education Institutions: Barriers under Layers of Casual Layered Analysis Journal of Futures Studies, 15(1), 21-38 Thompson, J (2009) Changing chalk and talk: The reform of teaching methods in Vietnamese Hanoi University of Agriculture Tran, P L T (2018) Student-centered Learning in Higher Education in Vietnam: A comparative study of public and private universities [Master’s thesis, University of Oslo] Tran, T T (2013a) The Causes of Passiveness in Learning of Vietnamese Students VNU Journal of Education Research, 29(2), 72‐84 Truong, T D., Hallinger, P., & Sanga, K (2017) Confucian values and school leadership in Vietnam: Exploring the influence of culture on principal decision making Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 45(1),77-100 Tudor, I (1996) Learner-centredness as language education Cambridge University Press 96 Tsegay, S.M (2015) Students’ Experience in Student-Centered Learning at Higher Education Institutions in China: A Case Study International Journal for Educational Studies, 7(2) Van, Đ H (2006) Learner-Centeredness and EFL Instruction in Vietnam: A Case Study International Education Journal, 7(4), 598-610 Vygotsky, L S (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes Harvard University Press Weimer, M (2013) Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice (2nd ed.) Wiley Williams, M., & Burden, R L (1997) Psychology for language teachers: A social constructivist approach Cambridge University Press Yin, R K (2003) Case study research: design and methods (3rd ed.) Sage Publications 97 APPENDICES APPENDIX A - INTERVIEW QUESTIONS APPENDIX B - CLASSROOM OBSERVATION SHEET APPENDIX C - QUESTIONNAIRE APPENDIX D – CONSENT FORM 98 APPENDIX A INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SECTION 1: TEACHERS’ GENERAL INFORMATION Name: Years of teaching experience: SECTION 2: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS What are your understandings about learner-centered approach ? What are the reasons why you apply the methods to teaching English at school? What are the ways you choose to deliver the methods in your English teaching? What challenges are you facing with implementing learner-centered approach? What you suggest for the development of learner-centered approaches? 99 APPENDIX B CLASSROOM OBSERVATION SHEET SECTION Class: Date: Time: Teacher: Number of students present: Topic/ Unit: SECTION Classroom layout: ……………………………………………………… Classroom size: ………………………………………………………… Classroom atmosphere: ……………………………………………… What to observe How long Students’ involvement/ interaction: Teacher’s involvement/ interaction: Instructional strategies/ teaching methods resources: Classroom activities: 100 and APPENDIX C QUESTIONNAIRE SECTION 1: Please answer the questions by circling the answer as appropriate What gender are you? a male b female Which grade are you in? a grade 10 b grade 11 c grade 12 How long have you been learning English? a less than years b 5-10 years c more than 10 years SECTION 2: What you think about learner-centred methods to teaching English? Please check all ideas that apply to you (more than one may be applicable) a learner-centred methods are useful for my study development b learner-centred methods cause some difficulties with my study c learner-centred methods give me both advantages and disadvantages with my study Please explain your views: ……… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… How learner-centred methods help you to learn English? Please check all ideas that apply to you (more than one may be applicable) a improve my independent study b develop cooperative abilities and share my understandings with others c develop their critical thinking d encourage me to work at my own individual pace Other ideas: ………………………………………………………………………………………… 101 …………………………………………………………………… What challenges you have with learner-centred methods? Check all challenges that apply to you (more than one may be applicable) a I feel unfamiliar with learner-centred approach b I not have enough opportunities to show my ability in classes c I get less encouragement from teachers d There are not enough resources to practice inside and outside classes e These methods need me to work harder and make me tired Other challenges: ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… What reasons you think cause these challenges? Please check all ideas that apply to you (more than one may be applicable) a Inadequate guidance of learner-centred approach to learning English c Inadequate facilities for self-study such as lab, library, computers, d The content of the English textbooks is not practical for my daily life e Not all teachers implement learner-centred methods to us f The workload of my study g Little time for my study Other reasons: ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… …… Thanks for your participation!!! 102 APPENDIX D – CONSENT FORM RESEARCH STUDY PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM SCHOOL: Doan Thị Diem High School NAME OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT: An investigation into the implementation of the learner centered approach to English teaching at Đoan Thi Điem high school in Ben Tre province GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To find out the extent to which English language education with learner-centered approach is being adopted, and to identify the challenges to the implementation of learner-centered approach to English language education at Doan Thi Diem high school I agree to participate in the study conducted by Bui Thi Truc Linh I understand and consent to the use of audio recording during the interview I understand that the information and data are for research purposes only and that my name and image will not be used for any other purposes I relinquish any rights to the recording and understand the recording may be copied and used by the researcher without further permission I understand that participation in this study is completely voluntary and I agree to immediately raise any concerns or areas of discomfort during the study Please sign below to indicate you have read and understand the information on this form and that any questions you might have about the study have been answered Date: _ Please write your name: Please sign your name: _ Thank you for your participation 103