Intercultural interaction between vietnamese military students and foreign teachers in english classroom context

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ************************* NGÔ THỊ CHÚC INTERCULTURAL INTERACTION BETWEEN VIETNAMESE MILITARY STUDENTS AND FOREIGN TEACHERS IN ENGLISH CLASSROOM CONTEXT: A CASE STUDY OF A MILITARY SCHOOL (SỰ TƯƠNG TÁC LIÊN VĂN HÓA GIỮA SINH VIÊN QUÂN SỰ VIỆT NAM VỚI GIÁO VIÊN NGƯỜI NƯỚC NGOÀI TRONG LỚP HỌC TIẾNG ANH: NGHIÊN CỨU TRƯỜNG HỢP Ở MỘT TRƯỜNG QUÂN SỰ) M.A MAJOR PROGRAMMME THESIS Field: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS Code: 60220201 HA NOI – 2014 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ************************* NGÔ THỊ CHÚC INTERCULTURAL INTERACTION BETWEEN VIETNAMESE MILITARY STUDENTS AND FOREIGN TEACHERS IN ENGLISH CLASSROOM CONTEXT: A CASE STUDY OF A MILITARY SCHOOL (SỰ TƯƠNG TÁC LIÊN VĂN HÓA GIỮA SINH VIÊN QUÂN SỰ VIỆT NAM VỚI GIÁO VIÊN NGƯỜI NƯỚC NGOÀI TRONG LỚP HỌC TIẾNG ANH: NGHIÊN CỨU TRƯỜNG HỢP Ở MỘT TRƯỜNG QUÂN SỰ) M.A MAJOR PROGRAMMME THESIS Field: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS Code: 60220201 Supervisor: DR HOÀNG THỊ HẠNH HA NOI – 2014 DECLARATION BY AUTHOR I, NGÔ THỊ CHÚC, hereby certify that this thesis, which is entitled “Intercultural Interaction between Vietnamese Military Students and Foreign Teachers in English Classroom Context: A Case Study of a Military School”, is created from my original work I have firmly declared the contribution of others to my thesis such as data analysis, practical strategies, and all other research that was employed or reviewed in my thesis This thesis is the result of my own study in the fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts at Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi Hanoi, 2014 Ngô Thị Chúc i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis would not have been finished without the assistance I received from many people and organisations I would like to express my thankfulness to:  my supervisor, Dr Hoànng Thị Hạnh for being immeasureably helpful for my work and for her detailed advice, invaluable comments and suggestions Without her endless support this thesis would have been impossible  the students and teachers who have participated in the study with their priceless time, attempt and keenness  the staff at the studied military school for their valuable support during my data collection process  Ms Lê Minh Thu for her precious help in inviting the foreign teachers to participate in this research  my sister, Ngô Thị Nhâm, for her endless support and encouragement  the Post-Graduate staff and my classmates at the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for providing me with basic knowledge about how to structure a research project and the opportunity to improve my research knowledge and skills  my colleagues at Military Academy of Logistics for their support, encouragement and constructive comments on my work  my parents and parents-in-law for their wholehearted support and motivation  my small family including my husband, Phạm Ngọc Hiệp, and my daughter Phạm Trúc Linh for their love and support Without their support and collaboration, this thesis would have been impossible ii ABSTRACT This study explores the intercultural interaction between Vietnamese military students and foreign teachers in English classroom context as well as the participants’ perceptions of those interactions using qualitative case study methodology The participants are a class of 18 Vietnamese military students and two foreign teachers in a military school in Hanoi Four data collection instruments were employed: classroom observation, retrospective interviews, focus group interviews and individual open-ended interviews The interaction were analyzed using Chaudron’s (1988) interactive features of classroom behaviours and Hofstede’s (1986) nature of teacher-student interaction related to individualism versus collectivism and power distance dimensions of culture The findings show that the teacher-student intercultural interaction had the characteristics of both individualism and collectivism, and both large power distance and small power distance The students participated quite actively in the lessons The foreign teachers align themselves with their own teaching styles with lots of communicative activities during the lessons and independence of students was encouraged However, there was a mismatch between the students’ and teachers’ expectations The perceptions of both students and teachers about their classroom interaction were positive Both student and teacher participants in this study perceive that differences between two cultures not hinder their intercultural interaction in the classroom Nevertheless, misunderstanding was hidden during the interaction without being conscious of by both students and teachers The findings raise awareness of cultural differences for both students and teachers involved in intercultural interaction in the classroom The study proposes practical suggestions for international teachers of English in Vietnam and Vietnamese students who study English with foreign teachers in their home country or go overseas to study, especially in Australia iii NOTES ON QUOTATIONS FROM THE DATA Excerpt 3.1 – JANE – 20.03: Excerpt 3.1: Excerpt number in chapter JANE: Pseudonym of the teacher 20.03: The observed lesson was on March, 20 S1: Student number SS: Students T: Teacher RI: Quotes taken from retrospective interview IO: Quotes taken from individual open-ended interview FG: Quotes taken from focus group interview Jane-RI21.03: Jane: Pseudonym of the teacher who produced the quoted utterance RI21.03: Quote taken from Retrospective Interview taking place on March, 21 Lyn-IO: Lyn: Pseudonym of the teacher who produced the quoted utterance IO: Quotes taken from individual open-ended interview Manh-FG1: Manh: Pseudonym of the student who produced the quoted utterance FG1: Quote taken from Focus Group Interview number […]: quotations are partly omitted iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Vietnamese Teacher-Student Interaction versus Australian Teacher-Student Interaction Related to the Individualism versus Collectivism and the Power Distance Dimensions of Culture…………… 14 Table 2: List of Teacher Participants …………………… ……………… 21 Table 3: List of Student Participants ……………… ……………………… 22 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Comparison of value orientations: Vietnam versus Australia 12 Figure 2: Stages of Data Analysis …………………… …………………… 30 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION BY AUTHOR i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii NOTES ON QUOTATIONS FROM THE DATA iv LIST OF TABLES v LIST OF FIGURES vi TABLE OF CONTENTS vii PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Contextual motivation Significance of the study 3 Aims and scope of the study 3.1 Aims of the study and research questions 3.2 Scope of the Study 4 Organization of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEWS 1 Review of theoretical background for the study 1.1.1 Culture 1.1.2 Culture and communication 1.1.3 Intercultural communication 1.1.4 Intercultural communication versus Cross-cultural communication 1.1.5 Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) 1.1.6 Classroom interaction 1.1.6.1 Definitions of interaction in the classroom 1.1.6.2 Features of classroom interaction 1.1.6.3 Classroom interaction and foreign/second language acquisition 10 1.1.7 Cultural dimensions and teacher-student interaction in the classroom 11 vii 1.1.8 Individualism versus Collectivism and teacher-student interaction 12 1.1.9 Power distance and teacher-student interaction 13 1.1.10 Vietnamese and Australian teacher-student interaction influenced by cultural factors 14 1.2 Reviews of relevant studies 15 1.3 Summary 17 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 19 2.1 General Method 19 2.1.1 Qualitative Research 19 2.1.2 Case Study 19 2.2 Participants and Site 20 2.2.1 The School 20 2.2.2 Participants 21 2.2.2.1 Teacher Participants 21 2.2.2.2 Student Participants 21 2.3 Data Collection Instruments 23 2.3.1 Classroom Observation 23 2.3.2 The retrospective interview 25 2.3.2.1 Retrospective interview with students 26 2.3.2.2 Retrospective interview with teachers 26 2.3.3 Individual open-ended interview 27 2.3.4 The focus-group interview 27 2.4 Transcription and analysis of data 28 2.4.1 Transcription 28 2.4.2 Analysis 29 2.5 Validity of the study 31 2.6 Summary 31 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 33 viii * Pair (13) and (14) were in one pair, but (13) didn’t talk much It seemed that (14) was more active When T came up to (13), he was writing something The T asked: What are you doing? Then she checked their work but it had not finished The T asked (13) to be quick  Asked T: What were you thinking /feeling at that time? Did you want to say anything to him at that time? * Pair (5) and (6) finished their work and asked the T: “Please check us”, The T smiled and asked them: Check you or check the article? Both the T and the two SS laughed and they seemed feel relaxed  Ask T and SS (5, 6) how they was feeling at that time * While T was checking the work of the pair (15) and (16) Pair (5) and (6) spoke some Vietnamese  Ask T: Did you notice that? If yes, ask: What were you feeling at that time? If you could go back to that situation, would you say anything differently to them? * T came up to pair (13) and (14) and saw that (13) was not doing his work T said: P., you look relaxing and then asked him to check their work with (14)  Ask T: What were you thinking/ feeling at that time? Did you want to say anything to him at that time?  Ask (13): Why weren’t you doing the work at that time? How were you feeling when the T said that you looked relaxing? If you could go back to that situation, would you say anything differently?  Observer’s comments: The lesson went on smoothly; the SS seemed to follow the instructions strictly and asked little questions The T was enthusiastic and active She offered help when SS needed and spend time on the whole class, not several pairs only IX Appendix G - The List of Questions Used during the Individual Open-Ended Interview with Teachers Could you please tell me what you think about your Vietnamese students? Do you remember the first lesson you had with Vietnamese students? Can you tell me something about it? How you think about your interaction with your students in the classroom? What you expect your students to during the lessons? Can you tell me about any particular life experiences that you think may help you in interacting with your students? Can you tell me about any particular life experiences that you think may hinder you in interacting with your students? X Appendix H - The Translation of the Vietnamese Open-Ended Questions Used during the Focus Group Interview with Students Can you tell me what you think about your foreign teachers? Do you remember the first lesson you had with foreign teachers? Could you please tell me something about it? What you expect your teachers to during the lessons? How you think about your interaction with your foreign teachers in the classroom? What you think makes your interaction with foreign teachers a positive experience? What you think hinder your interaction with foreign teachers? XI Appendix I - Transcription Symbols Sequencing [ A left bracket indicates the beginning of an overlap in speech ] A right bracket indicates the end of an overlap in speech Timed Intervals (.) A period in parentheses indicates a micro pause, that is, a pause of less than one second (3) Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of a pause by seconds So (3) is a pause of seconds Characteristics of Speech Production Word Word Underlining indicates some form of stress from pitch or loudness - A dash indicates a cutoff A period indicates falling intonation , A comma indicates continuing intonation ? A question mark indicates a rising intonation WORD Upper case indicates especially loud sounds relative to the surrounding talk Transcriber’s Doubts and Comments () Empty parentheses indicate the transcriber’s inability to hear what was said (( )) Double parentheses indicate the transcriber’s nonlinguistic features of the transcription XII description of Appendix J – Sample of Retrospective Interview with the Teacher # Generated by TranscriberAG # Nombre de locuteurs : # Nombre de Pistes : # Langue : eng # Durée :00:06:56,954 ** Ngo Chuc: - {0} Today the seats are different ** Jane: - {0} Yes I thought of you and I move everyone Sorry ** Ngo Chuc: - {12.6398} and during the lesson, Lien, you know, this one (point to the diagram) - {20.373} number 14, she said that: "Jessie, I don't want to be the teacher to correct this" ** Jane: - {21.286} uhhuh - {28.6291} (laugh) Yeah ** Ngo Chuc: - {31.598} So what did you think at that time? ** Jane: - {34.6111} I think [disfluence=hesitate] you know for the students at first though they always ask "why aren't you correcting them?" and you have to explain "well, if I correct it you will learn nothing because I already knew that it's wrong and it's something that I think students take a long time to get used to that [disfluence=hesitate] they you know just can't imagine that the teacher isn't going to correct everything And you saw that they still make me check it That's just fine but from now I just want them to sort of try themselves ** Ngo Chuc: - {69.383} Yeah So how were you feeling at that time, at the time that she told you that sentence? ** Jane: - {77.752} [pronounce=unintelligible] and you know I don't have any feelings I was expecting it and she said it in kind of a joking way that I wasn't [disfluence=hesitate] really pay that much attention ** Ngo Chuc: - {93.3301} So if you could go back to that situation, what would you say to her? ** Jane: - {98.5181} I think I would probably say something like: "Oh, you're a doctor and so you are obviously very smart and you have good skills so you can diagnose, diagnose the essay" ** Ngo Chuc: - {113.667} Yes So you remember ah, yes, the same Linh, but when you checked the work of Hieu and his partner, ** Jane: - {124.564} uh huh? ** Ngo Chuc: - {125.912} but Linh didn't her work She just turned to them and listened to what you were saying to that pair ** Jane: - {134.325} yes ** Ngo Chuc: - {135.136} so did you feel anything at that time? ** Jane: - {138.708} I felt sorry a little bit, [disfluence=hesitate] not upset but I thought "Ah, Linh, please go back and correct your work" but I know that it's like [disfluence=hesitate] they like to see other people's correction and they like to see like XIII maybe why I'm explaining something in a particular way so [disfluence=hesitate] you know it makes it's very slow and [pronounce=unintelligible] you could see people everywhere ** Ngo Chuc: - {163.143} ah yes So at that time what did you expect she to do? ** Jane: - {175.337} I was hoping, maybe not expecting, I was hoping that she will be listening to my correction and thinking that how she will apply it to her writing but I think to be honest she was just looking for a break ** Ngo Chuc: - {185.514} ah (smile) OK So you remember this one ? (point to the diagram) Hieu, ** Jane: - {191.272} uh huh? ** Ngo Chuc: - {191.936} at 9:15 he changed his seat, ** Jane: - {197.143} yes ** Ngo Chuc: - {197.557} come back to the ah, and then I heard that you told him that "why, why you seat here?" - {207.605} and he said that he had finished the work So what did you think at that time? ** Jane: - {216.046} I really thought like [disfluence=hesitate] he shouldn't have moved, he should have stayed with Tuan Anh, his partner, because I think that he is much stronger, he has much stronger skills than Tuan Anh and he if he was more cooperative, Tuan Anh could learn some more from him But I [disfluence=hesitate] I didn't say anything because [disfluence=hesitate] I [pronounce=unintelligible] that he must they must have both finished ** Ngo Chuc: - {240.36} ah yeah So if you could go back to that situation, will you would you say anything differently to him? ** Jane: - {248.592} Yeah I think I would say to him you know: "Where is Tuan Anh? Could you please get back to Tuan anh and double check Make sure there's no mistakes and both look at each other's work." ** Ngo Chuc: - {259.75} Yes I see OK this one is the last one Ah when you have checked the work with Linh and his her partner ** Jane: - {274.853} uh huh ** Ngo Chuc: - {275.142} You were going ah to leave that pair to come to help other pairs but ah she said: "One more question" ** Jane: - {285.1} (laughing) ** Ngo Chuc: - {286.455} remember that one? So at that time what did you think? ** Jane: - {291.252} I actually thought this is really good I like I [disfluence=hesitate] they of course they should have waited while I was talking to other students but I get really happy when students they want to ask more questions They're asking in English, they're asking why something is I like it when they argue with each other, too, about a point of grammar That means they're actually thinking about it So it didn't didn't really bother me I'm sure this upsets the other students, not me XIV ** Ngo Chuc: - {317.337} so the last question I would like to ask you, did any reactions of the students during the lesson that make you more enthusiastic or less enthusiastic in the lesson? ** Jane: - {335.331} ahh yes, [disfluence=hesitate] where where are they? Hoan and [disfluence=hesitate] Dat were working together, ** Ngo Chuc: - {345.661} Yes, they're here (point to the diagram) this one ** Jane: - {346.191} and they're quite somethimes they can be a little bit passive but they were having a a discussion with each other about were the sentences correct, and they explained "I think it's correct because" or "no no I think it's correct because" and I thought at that one I thought "OK This is working" and that makes me feel more enthusiastic [disfluence=hesitate] You know writing correction is pretty boring , so I was very pleased with that ** Ngo Chuc: - {372.532} Yes OK And others that make you less enthusiastic? ** Jane: - {379.259} ah [disfluence=hesitate] there wasn't really I mean when Hieu moved I thought I was less enthusiastic but I just thought "Oh, common Please the activity" Ahh and I was also quite pleased with Minh and Phuong They were doing well together Phuong is quite passive and he really listened to Minh He was still [disfluence=hesitate] quite passive but not as passive as before It seemed Minh could explained things to him and he seemed to understand that all ** Ngo Chuc: - {410.496} Yes Thank you so much ** Jane: - {413.797} No problem XV Appendix K – Sample of Retrospective Interview with the Student Người vấn: Ngô Thị Chúc Người vấn: Lien Thời gian vấn: 21/3/2013 Thời lượng: phút 20 (Retrospective interview cho buổi học ngày 21/3/2014) Nội dung B (Lien): Em hồi hộp A (Chúc): Hồi hộp (cười) Đây nhớ chị cảm giác có đoạn lớp ý lúc làm bài, chị có nghe em nói với Jessie “Jessie I don’t want to be the teacher to correct this” khơng? Có nhớ khơng? Thế lúc em có nghĩ khơng? Có cảm thấy khơng? B: Lúc em thấy em thấy cô Jessie cô thật vất vả mà cô phải đọc tất mà bọn em viết ngớ ngẩn này, chữa hết em nghĩ giáo viên phải đau đầu Đấy cảm thông với giáo viên thơi A: Thế lúc em có mong muốn giáo nói với hay phản ứng với mình? Em mong làm gì? B: Không em nghĩ câu chia sẻ A: À… ý em câu chia sẻ ý em không muốn làm không? B: Dạ Tức thực em lười, em đọc bạn nhiều câu khó hiểu (tiếng cười) Lúc em điên hết đầu A: Thế lúc có nói là…chị nhớ nói em bác sĩ em phải học cách chẩn đoán ý, em có nghe thấy khơng? “You have to diagnose” có nghe thấy không? B: Em không để ý 10 A: À Có lúc mà mà cô chữa bọn em xong nhớ, xong lại quay sang chữa bên cạnh anh Hiếu hay anh bên cạnh nhóm đấy, em có quay sang nghe chữa cho bạn khơng? Thì lúc lúc em lại khơng quay lại làm mà em lại quay sang lắng nghe cô chữa bạn bên cạnh? XVI 11 B: Thì em xong rồi, câu hỏi em xong Thực lúc em chờ để muốn hỏi thêm xem có khơng cịn em với bạn Tuấn trả lời xong rồi, ngoảnh xem bên cạnh có hay ho khơng… 12 A: À để xem có học khơng nghe thơi? 13 B: Thì nhịm sang lại học hay cịn khơng thơi, với chờ cô quay lại chữa tiếp cho em 14 A: À chờ cô chữa Thế cịn (dừng 3s) nói chung có hai trọng điểm chị ý Thế mà em quay lại thời điểm em có làm khơng hay là… 15 B: Thì em 16 A: Em có mong muốn làm nói với em khơng? 17 B: Thì em mong muốn cô chữa cách cụ thể nữa, chữa dành cho nhiều thời gian Ví dụ là…Thực có nhiều lỗi băn khoăn mà lớp cịn học sinh khác nên cô phải dành thời gian cho người Nhưng lịng lúc muốn cô dành nhiều thời gian cho 18 A: Ừ (cười) mong muốn học sinh (cười) Ừ chị cảm ơn XVII Appendix L – Sample of Individual Open-Ended Interview with the Teacher # Generated by TranscriberAG # Nombre de locuteurs : # Nombre de Pistes : # Langue : eng # Durée :00:20:31,296 * Ngo Chuc: - {0} ok this is the last interview (smile) ** Jane: - {0} ok (smile) * Ngo Chuc: - {13.01} Yeah, so, ah in the previous interview I asked you about ah your feeling, your thought on your interaction in the classroom ** Jane: - {2.20203} uh huh * Ngo Chuc: - {21.017} But today I just ask you just about your thought your belief your experience of teaching a Vietnamese students class ** Jane: - {21.0981} ok * Ngo Chuc: - {21.9691} So just a few like [disfluence=hesitate] ** Jane: - {33.8161} [disfluence=hesitate] I think that Vietnamese students are always [disfluence=hesitate] very keen to [disfluence=hesitate] to aquire knowlegde But I think sometimes the students have had a difficulty [disfluence=hesitate] not in what is being taught but how it is being taught because sometimes it requires [disfluence=hesitate] the way I teach requires people to be a little bit more active and to {pronounce=unintelligible} what we teach maybe in a diffirent way to what they're familiar with so sometimes students are alittle bit resistent But actually after a while most people (s [disfluence=hesitate] f they dont necessarily most students they don't agree with the way I teach they learn to ( [disfluence=hesitate] operate in the class the way I teach But I think you know like I always read that Asian students and Vietnamese students are very (silent) passive learners but I'm I'm not sure that's true I think they just [disfluence=hesitate] are not used to [disfluence=discoursemarkup -] (silent) [-disfluence=discoursemarkup] being asked more open-ended questions I don't think they're passive I think they just are unfamiliar * Ngo Chuc: - {119.126} ah hah maybe you mean that that is their style, their style of learning ** Jane: - {124.999} yeah But a lot of research show that you know Vietnamese students are passive but I don't think that the case I think maybe traditionally the classroom environment has required them to be that way * Ngo Chuc: - {120.776} uh huh I see So you remember the first lesson that you had with Vietnamese students? ** Jane: - {150.519} yeah I taught ah conversational English * Ngo Chuc: - {138.877} uh huh ** Jane: - {156.467} and they were quite low level students maybe elementary between elementary and preintermediate And it's such a strange class because the topic was like how to make a conversation [pronounce=unintelligible] I have never had to go to that class so I didn't really know how to teach it And [disfluence=hesitate] I taught some basic XVIII phrases but [disfluence=hesitate] I the way I normally start a class like asking an openended question but the students was just * Ngo Chuc: - {157.474} yeah ** Jane: - {189.072} they they couldn't answer either they didn't know how to or their English wasn't good enough And I hadn't learnt yet like [disfluence=hesitate] I just used my English but now I know that there are some words in English that my Vietnamese students have never heard ah but there are some words in English that they know very well like lovely, elegant, suitable, comfortable So at first lesson I didn't know which words they would be more familiar with so confusing for everybody * Ngo Chuc: - {223.654} uh huh yeah ** Jane: - {223.467} yeah and the students were so lovely and so enthusiastic but [disfluence=hesitate] it was just there was just a big gap between my culture and their culture * Ngo Chuc: - {233.963} yeah uhm you mean that it is the gap between the cultures or it is also the gap ah because of the the language competency? ** Jane: - {243.298} I think actually both because you can tell about culture in the choice of words that you use and the words that I use in English in Australia are different from the words [disfluence=hesitate] the English words that they had learnt because my culture is different from from the English needed and their competency * Ngo Chuc: - {263.111} Yes In fact Vietnamese students like me we don't have a lot of chance ah chances to talk to speak with foreigners And it is also because of the the characteristics of the language We don't have intonation we don't have something like that so maybe ah speaking is the weak weakest uhm skill of Vietnamese students ** Jane: - {265.428} I think so yeah Also because it requires so much [disfluence=hesitate] you have to be confident to to try to make the words and maybe if you don't have that confidence then it's even more dificult * Ngo Chuc: - {306.1} yes I see And I just ask you how long have you been teaching Vietnamese students, I mean the military students ** Jane: - {317.384} ah military students this is my third years * Ngo Chuc: - {318.188} ah really? so how how you think about your interaction with (silent) Vietnamese military students at [location=871] ? ** Jane: - {329.57} I have to say these are my favourite students They are here to learn They have a clear purpose They're really keen to learn too And it's unusual that sometimes my students are also English teachers So [disfluence=hesitate] I always have been of a [disfluence=hesitate] not a problem but I try considering like how can I teach English to English teachers without offending them or making ashamed like their experience so far haven't been good enough * Ngo Chuc: - {361.976} yeah so uhm I just wonder that during the lesson with military students what you expect the students to do? ** Jane: - {378.625} Ah ok I expect them [disfluence=hesitate] to kind of leave their military personality at the door like their rank and even their responsiblity to their country XIX I want them to leave that outside and to be students like when they were kids Be in the classroom and experience things and just take it as learning rather than like them having a pressure to represent their military * Ngo Chuc: - {412.959} ah yes ok so any thing any characteristics of the the military students that you can find out? ** Jane: - {423.145} I [disfluence=repeat] [disfluence=hesitate] Mostly my expectation completely changes my opinion, or my original expectation I thought I would be very serious and ? and they would be exactly [pronounce=unintelligible] but [disfluence=hesitate] the military is just like a big community and people are very warm and ss [disfluence=hesitate] extremely [pronounce=unintelligible] or come and touch you or your hair or * Ngo Chuc: - {455.829} ah really? ** Jane: - {455.632} and [pronounce=unintelligible] a lot of concern That really surprises me I didn't think the military students would be like that * Ngo Chuc: - {462.154} uh huh I see So so are there any experience, particilar experience in your teaching practice that you think it can help you to to maybe [disfluence=hesitate] can help you in interacting with students Any experience in life? ** Jane: - {489.506} ah I think I grew up in Melbourne, in a part of a city which is really multicultures and my school has 44 different nationalities and most of them a lot of Vietnamese people And I think when you go to live in an area where you are so familiar with people have been different from you It makes it much easier to work in the classroom because [disfluence=hesitate] in the classroom I'm the different one (silent) but when I'm at school everybody else is different So I was, as a kid I was sympethy for people who are different I try to I put myself in their shoes So when I go to the classroom I am the different one so I know how that feels and I have to try [pronounce=unintelligible] that like to [disfluence=hesitate] identify the differences but also to show how [pronounce=unintelligible] people [pronounce=unintelligible] similar * Ngo Chuc: - {546.036} so what about your experience with military students during your teaching time any experience with them that can maybe can facilitate can maybe motivate you in your teaching? ** Jane: - {564.506} yeah actually (silent) we we don't get many female students here and I've noticed in the classroom dynamic sometimes that female students are viewed as slightly [pronounce=unintelligible] by their other male students And I really like [disfluence=hesitate] to be honest that female students are the best in the class so I really that inspires me because I think well [disfluence=hesitate] these women come and help [pronounce=unintelligible] other people who are lower [pronounce=unintelligible] when they just [pronounce=unintelligible] they're the top students the hard working * Ngo Chuc: - {603.76} ah ** Jane: - {604.585} and that really inspires me to try and [disfluence=hesitate] have lessons that are interesting for everybody that so that the VPO will see that XX [disfluence=hesitate] these lessons obviously work well for women and then they should start filling our courses with more girls * Ngo Chuc: - {620.302} yes I see So one more question that I ask you about the thing the experience you have that can help you in your interacting with students but so any other experience that can maybe can get can make you have trouble or can maybe can make you think that it will hinder your interaction with students? ** Jane: - {645.707} ah I think personally one of them is I don't speak any Vietnamese and even I speak a little bit So there are [pronounce=unintelligible] small things in Vietnamese culture that affects the way students learn English and I don't necessarily undertand [disfluence=hesitate] those small differences so it's hard for me to prepare or anticipate how students are going to react or what the outcome might be, especially things like in Australia we talk about our opinion about everything goverment, politics, everything very open and I know that typically Vietnamese students are not comfortable discussing [disfluence=hesitate] those things in the classroom or open area * Ngo Chuc: - {700.229} yes ** Jane: - {700.173} and there are lots of things they think it's very political but I don't I find that stricky after really consider like would my students feel comfortable talking about it, how why and how can I fix that * Ngo Chuc: - {715.649} so ah maybe during the time that you teach ah your class here, any maybe any accident or any moment that can (smile) make you feel that you ah can make you maybe less enthusiastic in your lesson? ** Jane: - {738.755} For sure About [disfluence=hesitate] I think it's my first year here We had a student He was in our AEC class I'm really sure why because he didn't [disfluence=hesitate] have any interest in learning English And he had an opinion that was (silent) to me that's was crazy that you know like [disfluence=hesitate] I gave an activity they had to find an article from a newspaper online * Ngo Chuc: - {769.48} ah hah ** Jane: - {787.404} But he refused to look at any English news * Ngo Chuc: - {773.865} ah yeah ** Jane: - {788.576} He only looked at Vietnamese and then he translated Vietnamese into English but [disfluence=hesitate] and when I asked him [pronounce=unintelligible] : "No You were told [pronounce=unintelligible] an English news sites, it can be any English news site." And he said like: "No English news sites are all full of lies and [disfluence=hesitate] " * Ngo Chuc: - {793.245} ahhh yeah So what did you think at that time? ** Jane: - {798.371} I just [disfluence=hesitate] it really makes me completely uninspired I just didn't want to [disfluence=hesitate] there was no way I can change his thinking and his thinking will prevent him from learning and I thought I couldn't teach this man because he wasn't willing * Ngo Chuc: - {817.136} yeah I see ** Jane: - {820.648} to open his mind a litle bit XXI * Ngo Chuc: - {819.825} uh huh What about the others? ** Jane: - {822.878} other students you know [disfluence=hesitate] maybe they don't agree with like maybe they don't want to read the English news but everybody else did it and they tried their best but he really was not interested And that's really up to me that depressed me and I don't want to teach those people (smile) * Ngo Chuc: - {839.101} (smile) So that's is the difficulty that you ran into when you teach here But any any advantages I mean any good memory ah during your teaching here Ah any situation that can make you more enthusiastic? ** Jane: - {858.687} Yeah We [disfluence=hesitate] Actually in the same class We watched ah movie, we watched Romeo and Juliet It was really difficult for the students * Ngo Chuc: - {870.324} Yes ** Jane: - {870.424} Ah and at the end of a they were given a topic a card that had one scene in the movie And they had to act out the scene in front of the class Actually I thought [disfluence=hesitate] they're not going to this, they'll be embarrassed and they were just wonderful, they [disfluence=hesitate] they went in and they did everything at the best of their ability really involved * Ngo Chuc: - {894.081} ah really? ** Jane: - {893.64} and that really inspired me * Ngo Chuc: - {899.244} ah yeah So ah during the time you teach in Vietnam, you think that ah are there any cultural factors that maybe can hinder your interaction with the students? ** Jane: - {914.889} uhm (smile) Probably yes I mean Australian culture is very different from Vietnamese culture Or if it is the same, I don't know enough Vietnamese to understand Vietnamese culture [disfluence=hesitate] It doesn't really hinder [disfluence=hesitate] Nothing really hinder my teaching or my experience But it just I have to really think about if I think something acceptable is this the same in Vietnam, or opinion like uhm what is beautiful and what is not beautiful when we discussed Students think I'm crazy because of like I say:"Oh no dark skin is beautiful" * Ngo Chuc: - {958.722} ah I see Many Vietnamese girls and men like bright ** Jane: - {965.287} yeah white skin * Ngo Chuc: - {968.106} But like me not beautiful skin in Vietnam ** Jane: - {970.469} But in Australian it's beautiful * Ngo Chuc: - {972.194} really? ** Jane: - {972.371} Yes this one everybody wants * Ngo Chuc: - {973.302} ah ** Jane: - {973.412} (laugh) * Ngo Chuc: - {973.617} so different right? ** Jane: - {976.444} yeah * Ngo Chuc: - {977.072} So what about the ah so are there any cultural factor that uhm maybe falicitate your interaction, your teaching here? XXII ** Jane: - {988.742} yeah I well I think [disfluence=hesitate] maybe some cultural things that Vietnamese people seem very romantic like they have such a love for romance and [disfluence=hesitate] poetry and music, so for me I would like if we have some kind of songs that were studied in classroom, films that have romance People people here seem much more interested in love and romance than than in Australia * Ngo Chuc: - {1015.8} ah ** Jane: - {1016.72} So that kind of nice you can use that one idea to teach the whole or other things as well * Ngo Chuc: - {1023.3} yes ok i see so ah thank you very much for your time In fact I asked more questions than I expected ** Jane: - {1032.82} (laugh) * Ngo Chuc: - {1032.42} so because it is the the last interview and I will have to work with the data when I finish the report I can send it to you ** Jane: - {1043.86} I'd love to see it Thank you for coming to observe me * Ngo Chuc: - {1044.45} And really love to observe the class, especially your class and I like the way that you smile ah during your class time I think it can make other people feel comfortable when they maybe even they are [disfluence=hesitate] tired or bored of ** Jane: - {1071.16} oh thank you * Ngo Chuc: - {1071.42} of the the class time I think I will maybe I will learn that from you ** Jane: - {1079.85} (laugh) It's been really good having you in my class 'cause you maybe actually think a little bit more about the dynamic what's happening in my classroom So I actually really enjoyed it Thank you * Ngo Chuc: - {1121.81} I have to say thank you again for your time ** Jane: - {1128.05} Please let me know how your ah how your [pronounce=unintelligible] of time * Ngo Chuc: - {1132.91} Yes Thank you so much ** Jane: You’re welcome (smile) XXIII ... describe and interpret inter-cultural interaction between Vietnamese military students and foreign teachers in English classroom  to describe and interpret how Vietnamese military students and foreign. .. Vietnamese military students and their foreign teachers interact in English classroom? 70 1.2 How the Vietnamese students and their foreign teachers perceive their inter-cultural interaction in. .. for military students to study in English speaking countries such as America, Australia and New Zealand In the current context, the need for understanding of intercultural interaction between Vietnamese