Teachers’ performance in the classroom

Through the 11 observed lessons it was shown that many teachers (4/10 teachers) had problems with their pronunciation, particularly, final sounds, syllable clusters and intonation. So it was difficult for them to give children an accurate linguistic model to imitate.

For example: In grade 5, unit 9. “What did you see at the zoo”

T: Good job, sit down please ok we are saw many animal at the roo (zoo) ok today we are continue unit 9 what did you see at the roo (zoo) whole class open book on page 58 ok. or

T: “Look at the board listen and repeat unit 9 what did you see at the roo (Zoo)”

In the above lesson extract, the teacher did not speak the sentence with correct intonation and word stress, let along grammatical accuracy.

Some teachers (6/10) demonstrated problems with classroom language and low level of communicative competence. Some tended to use Vietnamese more frequently than English in their teaching. By contrast those who were quite fluent in English, demonstrated difficulties in adjusting their language to suit children’s level, They tended to use unnecessarily long and complicated sentences (they do not concern that they are teaching grade 3 students or grade 5 students, they use the same complicated instruction and interacting language ).

Two-third of the observed teachers (7/10) seemed to have great difficulties in adapting the textbook, creating interesting situations to introduce new language and interacting with children in English in an appropriate and natural way.

Surprisingly that, even though all 10 teachers got B2 degree, they still had many challenges in teaching English through English to children. Many of them said that they rarely had chance to use English for real communication (when they were at university, all their trainers were Vietnamese, they explained mainly in Vietnamese and teachers never had chance to speak to foreigners) so

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whenever they spoke English, they felt not confident. As they thought that their students were young, they felt more comfortable to speak in Vietnamese.

Difficulties relating school facilities:

Among 11 observed lesson observations at 10 schools around the province, seven of them were teaching in the rural areas, others in the urban areas. Most of the schools in the rural areas had specifically designed classrooms for teaching and learning English. These classrooms were equipped with a projector, internet connected computer, but the projector did not work in two cases. There was one case where the teacher was observed using her smart phone to use the e-version of the textbook. By contrast, in the schools located in the urban areas, the lesson was delivered in the staff-meeting room where the teacher had access to a smart TV, but she didn’t use it. Other three teachers taught at regular classes. All 4 classes in schools in urban areas were crowded with students (over 40), and teachers couldn’t arrange desks suitably to learning activities.

Students’ difficulties facing students

Observing students from 11 classes, many of them keen on English, they looked happy delivered every time moving to English room. Even though, a vast number of them had difficulties. They could not concentrate on the lesson, their teacher produced long sentences and they couldn’t follow, they produced language not in natural way. Sometimes they do not have turn to perform in front of class or group because of crowed class. When working in groups, the group leader does not give them support so they get difficulties.

In the schools where English is taught in a separate classroom, it takes time to move from class to English room because the two rooms are not on the same building, or not on the same floor. Especially, when it rains or shines, students cannot move to English classroom and teacher has to travel to class to teach without teaching facilities.

By contrast, in the schools that do not have separate classrooms for English, students rarely have chance to take part in relaxing and exciting activities because they are not allowed to make noise, otherwise they will disturb the neighbouring classes.

In conclusion, the data collection finding shows that teachers in urban and rural areas have different difficulties in their teaching job. Advantages of respondents from urban areas may be the challenges of those in rural areas and vice versal. Some challenges are common for both: class size is not good for teaching and learning foreign language, especially when teachers are asked to change teaching method, they have to guide to every single students and use variety teaching activities to adapt primary children’s learning characteristics;

Lack of schools facilities may be not because they are not equipped, difficulty is because schools do not have English rooms and teachers cannot bring teaching facilities along to every class.

Implications

- Training courses should be appropriate and useful to teachers.

- Proficiency at B2 level is not decisive to effective teaching The finding of this study indicates that a vast amount of teachers (90%) have highly appreciation with the training courses they have attended and all 10 teachers whose lessons are observed got B2 level but their teaching practices are still not as successful as expected. Not only do the teachers achieve common European framework B2 level which is regulated by the Ministry of education but they also must be well trained in teaching methods, they sometimes have to act as artists, singers, dancers, good story tellers and so on.

- Communicative English environment for teachers and children is essential. Teachers not only have ability to create an exciting and relaxing atmosphere but they also should bring chance for children to take part in

conversations meaningful and naturally. They also need to create communicative environment for them to develop oral skill. “Teacher-student interaction is one of the most important ways to create interest and build rapport with children. Thus, fluency in English is vital if teacher are to use a more interactive, activity-based approach suitable for children”, (Moon, 2005).

Cameron (2003) noted that “skills and knowledge in spoken English to conduct whole lesson orally” is one of the three knowledge and skills teachers of young learners need. Teachers also should balance the use of L1 and L2 in the class in order to achieve the aims creating meaningful reason and making sense for very young children to learn English and environment for using English.

- The result of the research reveals that there shouldn’t be the same training work shop for teachers from areas, because teachers from different areas have different challenges. The advantages of teachers in this area may be the challenges of teachers in other areas and teachers’ skills are different too.

- Isolation from the professional community is likely to affect negatively not only teachers’ professional growth but also their professional motivation. To address this problem, holding teachers’ conferences (locally called adcamp) or) in which teachers are informed the contents of workshops to prepare things to share and get from each other can be a good solution. They also can choose the aspects they need to improve and discuss in the conferences. Holding adcamp is also effective way to solve different challenges of teachers from different places, that way of teaching English to primary school students workshop increases the reality in training. In a research report in 2017, Le Van Canh also recommended that “lesson study” group can be an effective way to improve English teachers’

teaching skills. Through these conferences, teachers can get a lot of professional benefits from their colleagues. These include enrich teaching experience by delivering practice teaching or observing lessons on certain aspects, feeling

more confident in using creative teaching activities, creating communicative environment, using more appropriate language to the students’ levels, adapting materials, using technology in more effective ways, etc. Thus, adcamp can be held easily in every month (not like other training courses, annually opened). It is good mean for teachers to self upgrade language competence and teaching methods. Qualified and student educators require training in bilingualism, second language acquisition and language and culture. Though some external theoretical training, second language acquisition and language culture is needed.

A multi-lingual approach to education, requires more is in the process of implementing (Smith, 2005; 266 O’Connor & Geiger WCED, 2006). Moreover, chances for English teachers to experience in English speaking countries need to be added in training program. They cannot be good teachers if they do not know about the language original and the culture of the countries where language comes from.

- Teaching English to primary school students’ conditions must be improved.

The finding of this survey indicates the unsatisfactory conditions. Below are the common constraints. The first constraint is teachers’ heavy teaching schedule. Every teacher had to teach many hours per week because there are not enough teachers. As a result, they did not have time to study for themselves, to design effective lessons as well as build up their love for the teaching job. They got burnt-out or lost motivation.

Classrooms are too small for suitable teaching facilities. This caused difficulties to teachers and students in changing teaching and learning methodology.

Therefore, in order to increase teaching English to primary school studentsand learning result, the local government, educational managers have to:

- Recruit enough teachers to teach all students at least 4 periods per week.

- Considering reducing the class size to 20, and reducing teachers’

teaching hours to less than 20 hours per week so that teachers can invest more time in professional development and planning the lesson. According to an English forum for teaching children in Taiwan in June 2009, each class should include from twenty to twenty five children so that all of them can get guidance and feedbacks from the teacher equally. It was impossible to develop the communicative skills the CEFR proposed. Moreover, teachers reported to have 40 t0 45 students per class with no exceptions made from a subject such as English which “requires a more personalized interaction between teacher and students, especially it is learned as a foreign language, and the classroom is the only opportunity for students to learn and practice the foreign language”

(Usma, 2015, p.107)

- Invest to build English rooms at schools which equipped with enough teaching faculties. Teaching facilities decide the teaching and learning’s success.

Slattery (2001). Beside the existing teaching facilities like chalk, board, cassette player, course book, it is necessary to equip the classroom with modern facilities such as smart television, projectors, overhead projectors, screens, cassette players, and microphone. In addition, flashcards, pictures, puppets, posters, word cards, etc. The modern facilities will make the lesson more attractive as the teacher can explain the subjects lively and effectively. It also helps to save time and energy. Furthermore, it is very important to equip a library with references books for teachers and students.

- Creating language environment cannot be omitted. There must be investigation for the environment of teaching, learning and using English.

English club; outclass activities, reality situation (speaking to foreigners) for students to experience are recommend.

It is understandable that if teaching is not effective and proper, students can hardly be motivated to learn (Thu Trang & Baldauf, Jr. 2007). This is really a

big challenge should we take into consideration the warning by Cameron (2003) that: If unsuccessful early learning demotivates pupils, and they come to believe that English lessons are difficult, or boring, or a waste of time, then secondary teachers will not only need to keep pupils motivated for a further five years;

somehow they will also have to remotivate those who already feel they cannot succeed in language learning (p. 106)

In short, this chapter presents the survey findings, discussion, implications and some suggestions to overcome challenges of teaching English at primary school. Not only do the teachers but also the educational managers get benefits from those suggestions. This has a significant contribution to the present education in the province in particular and in the whole country in general.

How do young learners learn English?

Challenges on the part of teachers