Challenges in teaching new textbook english 6 at a secondary school in rural area in hanoi a survey study

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES ********************* TRẦN THỊ HẢI YẾN CHALLENGES IN TEACHING NEW TEXTBOOK “ENGLISH 6” AT A SECONDARY SCHOOL IN RURAL AREA IN HANOI: A SURVEY STUDY (Những thách thức việc dạy sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh trường THCS ngoại ô Hà Nội- nghiên cứu khảo sát) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231,01 HANOI – 2019 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES ********************* TRẦN THỊ HẢI YẾN CHALLENGES IN TEACHING NEW TEXTBOOK “ENGLISH 6” AT A SECONDARY SCHOOL IN RURAL AREA IN HANOI: A SURVEY STUDY (Những thách thức việc dạy sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh trường THCS ngoại ô Hà Nội- nghiên cứu khảo sát) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231,01 Supervisor: Dr Tran Thi Thu Hien HANOI – 2019 DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled “ Challenges faced by English teachers in teaching new textbook “English 6” at a secondary school in rural area in Hanoi: a survey study” is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Linguistics This is the result of my own work Except where the reference is indicated, no other person‟s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Approved by Signature Tran Thi Hai Yen i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my thesis supervisor, Dr Tran Thi Thu Hien for her appreciated advice, her gradual assistance and her useful correction, without which I would find it difficult to fulfill my thesis I am grateful to my colleges at secondary school, who are enthusiastic to help me in my data collection process as well as a lot of students who are willing to become participants in my research and support me with valuable responses Finally, I wish to appreciate my close friend, my classmates, my family who were supportive and helpful to give me necessary advices and stimulation during my thesis completion ii ABSTRACT This research emphasizes on examining the challenges encountered by English teachers in teaching the new English textbook for th grade learners at a secondary school in rural area of Hanoi, and comes up with essential recommendations for the issues For serving as the data sources of this study, three English teachers and 146 grade-6 students at the school have been surveyed and interviewed By triangulating data collected from instruments namely interviews, questionnaires and classroom observations, the challenges faced up with by English teachers were found out, including the learners‟ poor studying habits, learners‟ low level of English proficiency, time constraint, inadequacy of school facilities, shortcoming of supplementary teaching materials, immovable classroom setting and large class size To get better teaching practice with the new textbook “English 6”, the recommendations were proposed as an inevitable part of the study In other words, variety of suggestions for better teaching and using of the new textbook “English 6” were proposed with regard to the authoritative, the teachers, the learners, and the textbook designers iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATION vi LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES vii PART A: INTRODUCTION PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Textbooks 1.1.1 Definitions of textbooks 1.1.2 Roles of textbooks 1.1.3 Advantages and disadvantages of textbooks 1.2 Communicative language teaching (CLT) 1.2.1 Definitions of CLT 1.2.2 Principles of CLT 1.2.3 Peculiarities of communicative methodology 1.2.4 CLT in Vietnamese teaching context 10 1.3 Review of previous related studies 12 1.3.1 Previous oversea studies 12 1.3.2 Previous studies in Vietnam 13 1.4.Chapter summary 14 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 15 2.1 Setting of the study 15 2.2.1 Students 16 2.2.2 Teachers 17 2.3.Research methods 17 iv 2.4 Data collection instruments and procedures 18 2.4.1 Interviews 18 2.4.2 Questionnaires 19 2.4.3 Classroom observation 20 2.5 Data analysis 20 2.6 Chapter summary 20 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 21 3.1 Challenges faced by teachers in teaching new textbook “English 6” at a secondary school in rural area of Hanoi 21 3.1.1.Challenges related to students 21 3.1.2 Challenges related to teaching skills and language components 22 3.1.4.Other challenges 32 3.1.5 Challenges in teaching the new textbook “English 6” compared with teaching the former textbook “English 6” 34 3.2 Implications 34 3.2.1 For school authorities 35 3.2.2.For teachers 35 3.2.3.For students 38 3.2.4.For textbook designers 38 3.3.Chapter summary 38 PART C: CONCLUSION 39 REFERENCES 41 APPENDICE I APPENDIX I APPENDIX VI APPENDIX VII APPENDIX XI v LIST OF ABBREVIATION CLT: Communicative Language Teaching MOET: Ministry of Education and Training CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference NFL: National Foreign Language vi LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 2.1 The lessons‟ focus of the new textbook “English 6” 16 Table 2.2 The teachers‟ background information 17 Figure 3.1 Students‟ studying habits in English 21 Table 3.1 Lessons ranked according to their levels of difficulty in teaching 22 Table 3.2 Skills ranked according to their degree of difficulty in teaching 23 Figure 3.2.Students‟ challenges in studying listening skills 24 Firgure 3.3 Students‟ challenges in studying speaking skill 25 Firgure 3.4 Students‟ challenges in studying reading skill 26 Figure 3.5 Students‟ challenges in studying writing skill 27 Table 3.3 Language components ranked according to their level of difficulty in teaching 28 vii PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale With the purpose of enhancing English communicative competence effectively among Vietnamese youth, the National Foreign Language (NFL) project has been issued since the year of 2008 To satisfy the objectives set in the NFL project, the need of reformulating English teaching and learning serves as a requirement As a result, since 2012, the series of English textbooks from grade to grade 12 has been published and piloted in a number of Vietnamese institutions The new textbook series has been designed after the communicative approach with the hope of developing communicative competence of the learners This is considered a remarkable change from the former textbook series which also worked with skills but let teachers tend to focus more on grammar Since the series of the new textbooks has been piloted in several schools in Vietnam, most of teachers who teach the books in this series held positive attitude on the books‟ design, content and the book approach In addition, English teachers are encouraged to take part in training courses in new teaching methodology to adapt themselves well with the expected teaching and learning approach of the new textbooks Beside the positive features of the new textbooks recognized by most of English teachers, the new textbook requires the English teachers a lot of effort to cover all its aspects with expected method within the time bound Being a teacher who has used the new textbook “English 6” in teaching for years, the researcher realized that English teachers faced a number of challenges in teaching the new textbook with the expected teaching method For that reason, the study is carried out with the purpose of revealing the challenges that English teachers face up with in teaching the new English textbooks “English 6” at a secondary school in rural area of Hanoi, and come up with possible suggestions to solve the stated difficulties Objectives of the study The interrelated objectives of the study are indentifying the challenges that teachers have faced up with in teaching new textbook “ English 6” issued by 23 McGrath, I (2002), Materials Evaluation and Design for Language Teaching, Edinburgh University Press 24 Ngo Dinh Phuong (2016), An investigation into the difficulties that teachers and students face in using new English textbook at lower secondary schools in Nghe An in a mountainous province , M.A Thesis 25 Nguyen Thi Kim Phuong (2018), Challenges in teaching the new English textbook : A case study at Nguyen Tat Thanh secondary school, M.A Thesis 26 Nuna (1991), Communicative tasks and the language curriculum , TESOL Quarterly, 25(2), 279-295 27 Nunan (1992), Research Methods in Language Teaching, Cambridge University Press 28 Nunan.D (1989), Designing tasks for the Communicative Classroom, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 29 O‟Neil,R (1982), “Why use textbook?”, ELT Journal Volume 36/2 30 Okeeffe (2013), A framework for textbook analysis, Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275214893_A_Framework_for_Textb ook_Analysis 31 Richard (2001), The role of textbooks in a language program, Retrieved from: www Professorjackrichard.com/pdfs/role-of-textbooks 32 Richard,J.C, (1974), Communicative language teaching today, Cambridge University Press 33 Semistraitis, L (2003), Peculiarities of the Communicative Approach Retrieved from : http://webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/edoc/ia/eese/artic26/linas/3_2006.html 34 Sheldon, L (1987), Introduction in L Sheldon (ed) (1987a), ELT Textbooks and Materials: Problems in Evaluation and Development, ELT Documents 126, Oxford: Modern English Publications/ the British Council, 110 35 Sheldon,L (1988), “Evaluating ELT Textbook and Materials”, ELT Journal Volume 42/2 36 Srakang, L.& et al (2014), A study of teachers’ perceptions toward using 43 th English textbooks: a case study of 10 Grade English teachers in Maha Sarakham Province, M.A Thesis 37 Tomlinson (2012), Material development in language teaching, Cambridge University Press 38 Ur, P (1996), A course in language teaching: Practice & theory, Cambridge University Press 39 Vu Thi Thuy (2014), A study on the problems faced by teachers and students at Nhi Chieu upper secondary school in Kinh Mon District, Hai Duong Province in teaching and learning English speaking skills and solutions, M.A Thesis 40 Xiaoqing, L., (1996), Traditional and Innovation: a new way to explore a TESOL method, The Education Resources Information Center 41 Richards, J.C and C Rodgers, (1991), Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, Cambridge: CUP 42 Brown, H.D., (2007), Teaching by Principles New York: Addison Wesly Longman Inc 44 APPENDICE APPENDIX OBJECTIVES OF THE NEW TEXTBOOK “ENGLISH 6” The new textbook “English 6” is the first book of a four-level English language textbook for Vietnamese students of middle schools studying English as a foreign language It follows the systematic, cyclical and theme-based syllabus approved by Ministry of Education and Training in October 2011, which concentrates on the language components (Grammar, Vocabulary, Pronunciation) to promote four language skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing The new textbook “English 6” consists of 12 topic-based units, each covering lessons to be taught in 45 minutes The objectives of the new textbook “English 6” are introduced in the Teacher book as follow Unit Unit 1: My new school (7 lessons)   pronounce correctly the so        Unit 2: My home (7 lessons)    use t use t use t ask a read web talk listen write pron in c use t use p aren      Unit :My  friends  (7 lessons)        Unit 4: My  neighbours  (7 lessons)     Unit 5: Nature    wonders of II ask a read listen write pron use l use per use t iden gues surr read adv listen write pron use t use a read neig talk neig listen neig write pron use l use e  the world  (7 lessons)   use c use m talk liste  read   Unit 6: Tet  holiday (7 lessons)    Unit 7: television write pron exte pra iden (wi get t write  pron     use t use c wh ask a read fam chi   Unit Sports Games (7 lessons) 8: and   liste write pronounce the sounds /eә     use t use t use t use i read    Unit 9: Cities of the world     (7 lessons)     Unit 10: Robots    (7 lessons)       Unit 11: Our    World IV listen write pron use t use t use t gues surr read listen write pron use t use ' use t N( ask a read app talk app listen write app pronounce the sounds /ɑ:/  Greener talk use t use c talk  (7 lessons)   Unit 12: Robots       V liste pla write pronounce sounds /ɔɪ/ and  (7 lessons) read use t use „ read skil talk the liste wil write APPENDIX INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS Is there any difficulty related to students when you teach new textbook “English 6”? If yes, what is/ are it/ they? Is there any difficulty that you encounter when you teach skills in communicative method? If yes, what is/ are it/ they? Is there any difficulty that you encounter when you teach language components (vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar)? If yes, what is/ are it/ they? Rank the lessons from the most difficult to the least difficult for you to teach? Is there any difficulty related to lesson procedure that you cope up with? (Is there any difficulty related to starting the lessons, teaching the main content of the lessons, ending the lessons?) If yes, what is/ are it/ they? Is there any difficulty related to school infrastructure when you teach the new textbook “English 6”? If yes, what is/ are it/ they? Is there any difficulty that you cope up with when you use supplementary teaching materials, such as teacher book? If yes, what is/ are it/ they? What are your recommendations for better teaching and learning with the new textbook “English 6”? VI APPENDIX CÂU HỎI ĐIỀU TRA VỀ NHỮNG THÁCH THỨC HỌC SINH GẶP TRONG VIỆC HỌC SACH GIÁO KHOA TIẾNG ANH MỚI Phiếu điều tra nhằm thu thập liệu cho nghiên cứu với chủ đề “ Những thách thức việc dạy học sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh mới” Để nhằm thực tốt công tác dạy học sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh năm học tiếp theo, mong em trả lời câu hỏi bảng khảo sát Đây hồn tồn khơng phải kiểm tra nên KHƠNG BẮT BUỘC CĨ CÂU TRẢ LỜI ĐÚNG SAI mà CAC Ý KIẾN CÁ NHÂN em đóng góp cho thành cơng nghiên cứu Xin chân thành cảm ơn nhiệt tình hợp tác em! Hướng dẫn: Em tích vào trống ý kiến cá nhân riêng em câu hỏi sau Sự trung thực em giúp ích cho khảo sát Cảm ơn em! PHẦN A: CÁC THÔNG TIN CƠ BẢN Họ tên: (có thể để trống) …………………………………………………… Giới tính: Nam/ Nữ Học sinh lớp: …………… ; Trường: ………………………………………… Em học Tiếng Anh năm? ………………………………… PHẦN B: NHỮNG KHÓ KHĂN EM GẶP KHI TIẾP CẬN SÁCH GIÁO KHOA TIẾNG ANH MỚI THÓI QUEN HỌC TẬP CỦA EM Nhà em có máy tính có kết nối Internet khơng? Em có sử dụng sách tham khảo Tiếng Anh để học nhà không ? Bố mẹ có kiểm tra hay hướng dẫn em học Tiếng Anh nhà không? Em có thói quen xem phim, nghe nhạc, đọc sách Tiếng anh nhà khơng? Em có học Tiếng Anh qua sách mềm hay trang web điện tử khơng? Em có tham gia lớp học thêm Tiếng Anh nhà khơng? Em có học Tiếng Anh thơng qua cách khác khơng? KHĨ KHĂN EM GẶP KHI HỌC CÁC BÀI LUYỆN KĨ NĂNG NGÔN NGỮ TRONG SÁCH GIÁO KHOA TIẾNG ANH MỚI Em thấy học kĩ sách giáo khoa tiếng anh khó với em nhất? Vì sao? Em gặp khó khăn học kĩ Nghe sách giáo khoa tiếng anh ? 10 Em gặp khó khăn học kĩ Nói sách giáo khoa tiếng anh khó với em nhất? 11 Em gặp khó khăn học kĩ Đọc? sách giáo khoa tiếng anh khó với em nhất? 12 Em gặp khó khăn học kĩ Viết? sách giáo khoa tiếng anh khó với em nhất? Em liệt kê mà em cho khó học sách giáo khoa Tiếng Anh ? (Vui lòng ghi rõ) ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… Cảm ơn hợp tác em ! Chúc em học tốt! X APPENDIX CLASSROOM OBSERVATION CHECKLIST Checklist XI ... Challenges faced by teachers in teaching new textbook ? ?English 6? ?? at a secondary school in rural area of Hanoi 3.1.1 .Challenges related to students Question in the interview aims at investigating... report entitled “ Challenges faced by English teachers in teaching new textbook ? ?English 6? ?? at a secondary school in rural area in Hanoi: a survey study? ?? is submitted in partial fulfillment of... Setting of the study The study is conducted at a secondary school founded in 20 06 in a rural area of Hanoi The school has 15 classes There are classes of grade and each class has approximately