Investigating teachers’ and students’ perceptions of communicative language teaching approach in grammar lessons for first year non english major students at nguyen tat thanh institute of international education

--- ∞0∞--- NGUYEN THI HOANG TRINH INVESTIGATING TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING APPROACH IN GRAMMAR LESSONS FOR FIRST-YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDE

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NGUYEN THI HOANG TRINH

INVESTIGATING TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING APPROACH IN GRAMMAR LESSONS FOR FIRST-YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS

AT NGUYEN TAT THANH INSTITUTE OF

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

HO CHI MINH CITY, 2022

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

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NGUYEN THI HOANG TRINH

INVESTIGATING TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING APPROACH IN GRAMMAR LESSONS FOR FIRST-YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS

AT NGUYEN TAT THANH INSTITUTE OF

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Major code: 8 14 01 11 MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL Supervisor: DO THI HOAI THU, Ph.D

HO CHI MINH CITY, 2022

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Tên đề tài:

INVESTIGATING TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF

COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING APPROACH IN GRAMMAR LESSONS FOR FIRST-YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT NGUYEN

TAT THANH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

Ý kiến của giáo viên hướng dẫn về việc cho phép học viên Nguyễn Thị Hoàng Trinh

được bảo vệ luận văn trước Hội đồng: Đồng ý cho phép học viên Nguyễn Thị Hoàng Trinh bảo vệ lại luận văn trước Hội đồng

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, ngày 27 tháng 12 năm 2021

Người nhận xét

Đỗ Thị Hoài Thư

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING APPROACH IN GRAMMAR LESSONS FOR FIRST-YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT NGUYEN TAT THANH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION” is my own work

Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contains any material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text

As a young teacher, the process of writing this thesis was the most difficult part of my life If there were not some precious people who supported me with their valuable ideas, this research would not be conducted

Firstly, I am deeply indebted to my supervisor Ph.D Do Thi Hoai Thu for her valuable support in every step of the research I express my sincere gratitude to her who really supported me with her invaluable ideas and perfect academic English Without her great support, patience and encouragement, I would not succeed

My special thanks are for my students at Nguyen Tat Thanh Institute of International Education (NIIE) who provided the precious data for the research I also thank the Head of English Department and my colleagues at NIIE for their permission and great support to conduct questionnaire and interviews

And I cannot find correct way to express my gratitude to my family Thank you for supporting me all through my life Thank you for being with me not just while writing this thesis but while breathing I owe everything I have to you

Thank you…!

In today’s globalized world, English proficiency is viewed as a critical tool for individuals and the country as a whole to increase their competitiveness As a result of the great demand for a new approach and the interest in its prospective route, the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach was imported into EFL contexts Vietnam, likewise, has been reported to have adopted and integrated CLT into its curricula While the CLT approach is used, grammar continues to play a significant role in an EFL student’s foreign language learning However, studies on teachers’ and students’ perceptions of grammar, specifically studies on the differences and similarities in teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the application of the CLT approach to teaching English grammar, have not been found much

in the Vietnamese literature For that reason, the current study was carried out by employing

a semi-structured interview as a qualitative approach with five teachers’ and nine students’ participation to investigate teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the CLT approach in grammar lessons for first-year non-English major students at Nguyen Tat Thanh Institute

of International Education The findings of the study revealed matches and mismatches between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of key components of teaching and learning grammar in CLT classrooms Based on the research outcomes, some implications for

and EFL students, were offered for teaching and learning grammar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1.2 Statement of the problem 4

1.3 Purpose of the study 8

1.4 Research questions 8

1.5 Significance of the study 9

1.6 Structure of the thesis 10

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 11

2.1 Introduction 11

2.2 Grammar 11

2.2.1 Definition of grammar 11

2.2.2 Significance of grammar teaching to students’ English language learning 12

2.3 Historical developments in EFL teaching and learning grammar in the Vietnamese context 13

2.3.1 English Grammar in Vietnam before Doi Moi 14

2.3.2 English Grammar in Vietnam from 1986 up to the Present 15

2.4 CLT 17

2.4.1 Definition of CLT 17

2.4.2 Main principles of CLT 18

2.4.3 Teaching grammar using CLT: Benefits and criticism 19

2.4.3.1 Benefits of teaching English grammar using CLT 19

2.4.3.2 Criticism of teaching English grammar using CLT 20

2.5 Perception 20

2.5.1 Definition of perception 20

2.5.2 The importance of teachers’ and students’ perceptions 21

2.5.3 Matches and mismatches between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of teaching and learning English grammar 24

2.6 Previous studies 26

2.6.1 Studies on the perceptions of teachers toward English grammar teaching

approaches 26

2.6.2 Studies on the perceptions of students toward English grammar teaching approaches 29

2.6.3 Studies on the gaps between teachers’ and students’ perceptions toward English grammar teaching approaches 31

2.7 Research gaps 32

2.8 Conceptual framework 33

2.8.1 The importance of English grammar teaching and learning for EFL learners 35

2.8.2 Students’ motivation for learning English grammar 36

2.8.3 Teaching and learning materials 38

2.8.4 Communicative activities 40

2.8.5 The use of the target language in the EFL classroom 41

2.8.6 Cooperative learning 44

2.8.7 Feedback in the EFL classroom 45

2.9 Chapter summary 48

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 49

3.1 Research methodology overview 49

3.2 Study participants 50

3.2.1 Research site 50

3.2.2 Research participants 51

3.2.3 Researcher description 52

3.3 Participant selection 55

3.3.1 Teacher participant description 56

3.3.2 Student participant description 58

3.4 Data collection 60

3.4.1 Data collection instrument 60

3.4.2 Data collection process 61

3.5 Data analysis 63

3.6 Qualitative criteria 66

3.7 Ethical issues 67

3.8 Chapter summary 68

CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 69

4.1 Introduction 69

4.2 Teachers’ perceptions 69

4.2.1 The first dimension: Learning goals 69

4.2.1.1 The importance of English grammar teaching and learning for EFL learners 69

4.2.1.2 Students’ motivation for learning English grammar 72

4.2.2 The second dimension: Teaching strategies 72

4.2.2.1 Teaching and learning materials 72

4.2.2.2 Communicative activities 74

4.2.2.3 Cooperative learning 77

4.2.2.4 The use of the target language in the EFL classroom 78

4.2.2.5 Feedback in the EFL classroom 79

4.3 Students’ perceptions 81

4.3.1 The first dimension: Learning goals 81

4.3.1.1 The importance of English grammar teaching and learning for EFL learners 81

4.3.1.2 Students’ motivation for learning English grammar 83

4.3.2 The second dimension: Teaching strategies 84

4.3.2.1 Teaching and learning materials 84

4.3.2.2 Communicative activities 85

4.3.2.3 Cooperative learning 88

4.3.2.4 The use of the target language in the EFL classroom 89

4.3.2.5 Feedback in the EFL classroom 91

4.4 Discussion 92

4.4.1 Matches between teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the CLT approach in grammar lessons (Research question 1) 92

4.4.1.1 Teaching and learning materials 92

4.4.1.2 Communicative activities 94

4.4.1.3 Cooperative learning 95

4.4.1.4 The use of the target language in the EFL classroom 97

4.4.1.5 Feedback in the EFL classroom 98

4.4.2 Mismatches between teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the CLT approach in grammar lessons (Research question 2) 99

4.4.2.1 The importance of English grammar teaching and learning for EFL learners 99

4.4.2.2 Students’ motivation for learning English grammar 101

4.4.2.3 Communicative activities 103

4.4.2.4 Feedback in the EFL classroom 105

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 107

5.1 Introduction 107

5.2 Research summary 107

5.3 Implications of the study 109

5.3.1 Implications for educational leaders 109

5.3.2 Implications for curriculum developers and managers 110

5.3.3 Implications for teachers of English and EFL students 110

5.4 Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research 112

REFERENCES 114

APPENDICES 122

APPENDIX A: Interview questions for university teachers (English version) 122

APPENDIX B: Câu hỏi phỏng vấn dành cho giảng viên đại học (Bản tiếng Việt) 124

APPENDIX C: Interview questions for university students (English version) 126

APPENDIX D: Câu hỏi phỏng vấn dành cho sinh viên đại học (Bản tiếng Việt) 128

APPENDIX E: Consent form 130

APPENDIX F: A sample of semi-structured teacher interview transcript 133

APPENDIX G: A sample of semi-structured student interview transcript 139

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1: Teacher participant characteristics 65 Table 3.2: Student participant characteristics 67 Table 3.3: Emerging themes and sample codes 71

ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study

With an ever-increasing number of people learning English as a second and foreign language, English has solidified its accreditation as a worldwide language A profound understanding of the language structures is the key to foreign language acquisition, so grammar plays an essential role in foreign language teaching and learning (Mart, 2013) According to Azar (2007), grammar lessons are crucial in language acquisition since it helps learners discover the nature of language Language is made up of predictable patterns that allow us to understand what we say, read, hear, and write Moreover, Azar (2007) adds that without understanding grammar, learners would only be able to transmit meaning through particular words or sounds, pictures, and body expressions Yannuar (2013) supports this by stating that learners should study grammar to become effective language users since grammar helps them arrange expressions such as fragments of statements and messages properly and meaningfully Therefore, many English teachers

in Asia consider grammar the decisive factor in mastering the language (Yannuar, 2013) Studying a language requires students’ capacity of utilization for even oral and written communication, and to some certain extent, of course, it is the role of the teacher

to create practical contexts for students to acquire that communicative ability However, the reality confronts language instructors with several constraints in teaching and learning English grammar in countries where English is used as a foreign language in Asia in general and in Vietnam in particular According to Pham (2005, as cited in Vu, 2017), several studies conducted to improve the quality of teaching and learning English

in Vietnam indicate that traditional pedagogy focuses on grammar and vocabulary acquisition in isolation rather than communicative competence Furthermore, Le (2011) states that due to the traditional Vietnamese view of foreign language teaching and learning, teachers in this specific nation devote insufficient attention to the outcome of

teaching grammar, considering that the number of students who have passed their examinations reflects the teacher’s teaching ability It is worth noting that this phenomenon leads to learners’ passive learning styles and teachers’ leading role in the classroom (Albahri, Yang & Moustakim, 2018; Le, 2011; Noori, Shafie & Mashwanti et al., 2017)

Consequently, the question of how to teach English grammar in an EFL context to help learners attain high efficiency has always been a primary concern for educators in Asia Therefore, many language teaching methods have been introduced, applied, and implemented in language teaching and learning over the past several decades In response to repeated criticisms of traditional English teaching for being ineffective, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been heavily promoted to English teachers in Asia (Alharbi, 2021; Ansarey, 2021; Butler, 2014) With the prevalence of CLT, there has been a shift in focus on the linguistic system as an end in itself to the successful application of that system in context, which forms a transfer from a focus on form to an emphasis on communication (Cook, 2003, as cited in Karakaş, 2013) This approach demonstrates that learning grammar is not about memorizing a set of rules without employing it in a meaningful interaction but using authentic language in real-life situations (Christianto, 2019) As a result, the current trend of teaching English as a foreign language in Asia has highly recommended CLT as one of the cutting-edge methods for the past quarter of a century (Nunan, 2003) The implementation of CLT in EFL classes provides a significant set of benefits for both teachers and students regarding the teaching and learning process The following are three distinct advantages of utilizing the CLT approach

First and foremost, CLT is a student-centered approach that treats students as creative language users and active participants (Richards & Rodgers, 2010; Shen & Wei, 2019) CLT, in particular, eliminates the flaws of the teacher-centered teaching method

by employing a range of learning content based on familiar topics and real-life situations

Simultaneously, students in CLT classrooms are given opportunities to express their individuality as well as share their ideas and opinions through the organization of a wide variety of interactive and communicative activities such as group discussions and role-plays, interviews, discussions, information gap activities, language games, language learning simulations, problem-solving tasks, and so on (Ansarey, 2021; Sreehari, 2012) Not only does this method help to enrich the learning content, but it also increases students’ dynamism and enthusiasm for the lessons

Second, students’ language fluency is emphasized in the CLT classrooms by giving them more opportunities to practice speaking (Shen & Wei, 2019) In CLT classroom, a high emphasis is put on students’ meaningful use of authentic language to communicate effectively and appropriately in various contexts (Wang, 2010) Students’ errors made during CLT classes are considered a product of the creative language learning process (Richards, 2006, as cited in Jansen, 2019) Instead, the type of corrective feedback widely encouraged and accepted in CLT is implicit and does not interfere with communication (Wu, 2000) This helps to improve students’ flexibility and adaptability

in using language and their self-confidence

Last, CLT places stress on the use of a diverse range of authentic or ‘from-life’ materials, such as television programs, journals, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, lectures, advertisements, radio station broadcasts, road signs, audio-visual programs, and

so on (Shen & Wei, 2019; Sreehari, 2012; Wang, 2010) Not only does this way of exposing students to authentic materials help them acquire strategies necessary for understanding the target language as it is used in real-life communication by native speakers, but it also helps them transfer what they have learned in the classroom to the real world (Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

As a result of globalization, the Vietnamese government has selected English, widely regarded as a global language, as the most significant foreign language at all national education levels in Vietnam, notably in higher education (Hoang, 2010;

Nguyen, 2009) Even though English is significant to Vietnamese higher education students, English majors and non-English majors have been criticized for poor English skills (Kieu, 2010) As a result, in the late 1990s, CLT, which has been applied in Vietnam, has become a research topic of many scholars to highlight the significance of this communicative method in teaching and learning English by and large, teaching and learning English grammar in particular With the government’s promulgation of the curricular framework for university education in foreign languages, the role of CLT as a preferred teaching methodology was established in tertiary education (Le, 2011)

1.2 Statement of the problem

Despite widespread agreement that CLT is an effective teaching approach for improving students’ ability to communicate successfully in everyday life situations, many studies (Ahmad & Rao, 2016; Carless, 2003; Kainth & Kumar, 2015; Madkur, 2018) have shown that its implementation, particularly in EFL contexts where English

is taught as a foreign language, has been a failure The failure can be attributed to the challenges and difficulties faced by EFL students and teachers and problems in the education system and administration

The first challenge in unsuccessfully implementing this teaching approach in EFL classrooms relies on students’ low English proficiency (Abdulkader, 2016; Huang, 2016; Noori, 2018) This is because CLT concentrates on using the target language and does not favor using mother tongue in the classroom while students have poor mastery of target language structures and grammar As a result, this is a significant obstacle that may render CLT inappropriate for low-proficient EFL students (Thamarana, 2015) Another barrier students face is their low learning motivation (Huang, 2016; Rao, 2002)

As Sreehari (2012) adds, because English is merely a compulsory school subject or a maybe beneficial tool for practical reasons such as passing grammar-based exams, getting a degree or a job in the future, EFL students lack such urgent motivation in learning a foreign language (Rao, 2002)

In addition, a variety of teacher-related issues may contribute to the failure of CLT adaption in EFL classes Numerous studies by different Asian researchers (Abdulkader, 2016; Huang, 2016; Noori, 2018; Vaezi & Abbaspour, 2014) have indicated that inadequate English proficiency, a lack of knowledge or skills in designing and organizing various communicative activities, as well as a lack of time to prepare CLT materials and a heavy teaching load are key problems for teachers (Alam, 2018; Huang, 2016) Furthermore, problems in the educational system and administration that prevent CLT implementation must also be addressed These issues consist of large classes and the lack of funding for CLT classes Administrative support is regarded as an essential component to the success of CLT (Karim, 2005) Many previous studies from EFL contexts of Taiwan (Huang, 2016), Iran (Sarab et al., 2016), Vietnam (Ngoc & Iwashita, 2012), Thailand (Tieocharoen & Sucharat, 2019) have identified large classrooms as a barrier to CLT implementation

More crucially, despite its benefits, one of the most concerning factors explaining why CLT is still challenging to adopt in the EFL classroom is the disparity in teachers’ and students’ perceptions about the use of CLT in the EFL classroom (Tomlinson & Dat, 2004) The authors discover that teachers always keep lecturing in class because students are regarded as passive, unwilling to participate in activities, and hardly speaking English

in class Meanwhile, students frequently feel deprived of opportunities to discuss with their classmates to share ideas or prepare for teachers’ inquiries They also point out that students expect their teachers to organize group work activities to strengthen their communicative abilities According to Ganjabi (2011), in an effective language teaching process, students’ beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes can be attributed as crucial and determining factors The inconsistency in teachers’ and students’ beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes about teaching and learning has posed a significant barrier to successfully implementing any language teaching method in the classroom As a result, students’

beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes should be considered when determining the challenges and obstacles they confront in the classroom (Hiew, 2012)

of International Education (NIIE), where the researcher has been teaching for more than three years, also shows the disparity in teachers’ and learners’ perceptions One of the most important goals that all lecturers at NIIE strive to achieve is to improve students’ grammar accuracy in a dynamic and creative environment to prepare for various purposes For that reason, the teachers are constantly experimenting with different teaching methods in their classrooms, with CLT being one of the most popular Despite their best efforts, however, not every student is enthusiastic about the current teaching approach applied by the teachers in grammar classes Some students remain hesitant or uninterested in mastering grammar Some students drop out of school even after each semester for various reasons, including learning English in a class that does not meet their needs or feeling out of touch with the curriculum Unfortunately, the issue related

to the difference between the expectations and perceptions of teachers and students towards teaching and learning, particularly teaching and learning grammar, has never been considered or resolved thoroughly

Regarding the mismatches between the teachers and learners concerning the perceptions of grammar, Trigwell et al (1999) indicate that students’ perceptions of learning have been linked to their descriptions of the teaching approaches they have previously experienced In contrast, teachers’ perceptions of effective teaching have also been associated with teaching activities Vermetten et al (2002) emphasize that disparities in perceptions may prevent teachers from adjusting their behaviors to match the behaviors of their students, which might have negative impacts on teaching and learning results Vermetten et al (2002) also suggest that mismatches between how students learn and how teachers use teaching strategies may make it challenging for students to meet their goals, such as improving their learning efficiency and critical

thinking skills In the same vein, Schmitt et al (2008) point out that differences in perceptions between students and teachers might have a detrimental impact on students’ motivational and affective outcomes, influencing their academic performance

According to a review of the literature, there has been a considerable increase in the number of studies investigating teachers’ beliefs and attitudes in grammar teaching

in EFL contexts during the past decade (Ahmad & Rao, 2013; Aljohani, 2012; Azad, 2013; Borg & Burns, 2008; Kalsoom & Akhtar, 2013; Le & Barnard, 2009; Lee, 2014; Mowlaie & Rahimi, 2010; Nagaratnam & Almekhlafi, 2013) or studies on those of learners (Asassfeh et al., 2012; Gamble et al., 2013; Khuong, 2015; Mirazna & Hikmah, 2019; Pham & Nguyen, 2014); however, few previous studies (Deng & Lin, 2016; Hawkey, 2006; Lee & Choi, 2019; Ngoc & Iwashita, 2012) have tended to focus on investigating both teachers’ and learners’ perceptions of CLT implementation Not surprisingly, to the best of my knowledge, Ngoc and Iwashita (2012)’s study is one of the few exceptional studies on both learners’ and teachers’ perceptions of CLT in the Vietnamese context In their study, 37 teachers and 88 university pre-intermediate to intermediate English students in Vietnam were given a questionnaire to gather information regarding grammar instruction, error correction, group and pair work, teachers’ role in the Vietnamese context, and then their responses were compared The researchers (Ngoc & Iwashita, 2012) claim that the findings show that both groups had positive attitudes towards CLT, but that they failed to use a more qualitative approach, such as interviews or group discussion, to generate data that would have provided richer accounts of learners’ perspectives Another restriction is that it is unclear whether claims made in the questionnaire replies may represent actual classroom practice in Vietnamese universities or not

As a result, the current study’s significance arises partly because it has not received much attention in the Vietnamese context before Notably, this study attempts to address the issues relating to both teachers’ and students’ perceptions of using the CLT approach

in grammar lessons and fill the existing research gaps in previous research on this topic

at the university level Second, the current study employs semi-structured interviews with both faculty and first-year non-English major students at NIIE This helps the study provide in-depth insights directly from the participants, which would be impossible to identify with a quantitative approach Finally, this study gives the most recent and fresh findings on the perceptions and attitudes of both students and lecturers at the university level, which were also studied many years ago

1.3 Purpose of the study

This study aimed at investigating teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the CLT approach for grammar lessons More specifically, the researcher wanted to investigate the matches and mismatches between teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the CLT approach in grammar lessons for first-year non-English major students at NIIE

1.5 Significance of the study

This study is conducted with both theoretical and practical significance In terms

of the theoretical importance of this study, a significant contribution is made to the existing literature by adding critically synthesized information related to the perceptions

of both teachers and students of CLT in EFL classrooms, particularly in their grammar lessons The current study highlights the critical need for such research by exploring the teachers’ and students’ perceptions of CLT in grammar lessons, specifically as an innovative approach, which is not always successfully implemented in EFL classrooms (Ansarey, 2012; Mustapha & Yahaya, 2013) Furthermore, the study also provides further understanding about the contemporary situation of teaching and learning grammar in Vietnam under the implementation of the CLT approach in its efforts to modernize the higher education system Therefore, the study’s findings may hopefully

be utilized as a reference for those who want to conduct research on related topics

In terms of the practical significance of the study, the study is crucial since it was designed to investigate in depth the perceptions of CLT in grammar lessons among the participating teachers and students who play the role of two main agents in teaching and learning This study considers students’ perceptions, attitudes concerning the implementation of CLT in their grammar classes, as well as their needs and preferences,

to let students’ voices be heard Importantly, students’ perceptions of which teaching methods would best encourage their learning may assist teachers in their efforts to accommodate and adjust their practice to keep on a level with their students Knowing more about what kind of teaching and learning approaches might be advantageous to their learning grammar could help students make better decisions about how they should engage in the learning process and direct their learning Furthermore, the study’s findings are valuable for teachers who want to apply this approach to design and organize activities in grammar lessons to achieve the optimum effects in CLT classes at NIIE and other Vietnamese universities in general Teachers are entitled to determine if the

teaching approach is appropriate for their students In addition, this study serves as a reference for academic administrators and students in deciding whether CLT is acceptable for their students

1.6 Structure of the thesis

This paper is organized as follows

Chapter 1 (Introduction) gives a brief overview of the background of the study

This chapter also focuses on the statement of the problem, the purpose of the research, the research questions, and the significance of the research

Chapter 2 (Literature Review) provides theoretical backgrounds and critical

analysis of related literature Also, in this chapter, conceptual framework that fills the gap in the literature body and address the problems are presented

Chapter 3 (Methodology) introduces the research methodology that underpins the

study It describes the research design and some related issues Particularly, the subjects and situation, instruments are illustrated, and how they are designed Furthermore, reliability and validity are shown Finally, it mentions the data collection

Chapter 4 (Research findings and discussion) provides the analysis of the

findings and the discussion in the light of prior related studies

Chapter 5 (Conclusions and recommendations) presents a summary of major

findings and a discussion of implications, limitations, and suggestions for further studies

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction

This chapter begins with the definition of grammar and the significance of grammar teaching to students’ English language learning Next, a discussion of historical developments in EFL teaching and learning grammar in the Vietnamese context is presented The chapter continues with a description of the definition of CLT and several aspects of this approach Within the fifth part, the importance of teachers’ and students’ perceptions of teaching grammar, the matches or mismatches between students and teachers’ perceptions of teaching and learning grammar, and the matches and mismatches of teachers’ and students’ perceptions and practices are also presented Finally, the chapter provides the research gaps, the research questions, and conceptual framework

2.2 Grammar

2.2.1 Definition of grammar

Definitions of grammar are widely discussed within the literature (Brinton, 2000; Celce-Murcia, 2001; Ellis, 2006; Harmer, 2007; Nassaji & Fotos, 2011; Richards & Schmidt, 2010; Thornbury, 1999) One of the definitions of grammar is mentioned by Thornbury (1999) He describes grammar as an instrument for forming meaningful sentences in the target language Grammar is one of the aspects of language that should

be learned and taught It serves as the backbone of any language Similarly, Nassaji and Fotos (2011) state that grammar is fundamental to the existence of a language A clear understanding of linguistic structures is the key to the acquisition of a foreign language, and consequently, teaching grammar is an essential part of foreign language instructions According to Harmer (2007), grammar is defined as the rules of word formation and combination to form meaningful sentences in a language Similarly, Richards and

Schmidt (2010) describe grammar as the combination of linguistic structures and the production of sentences by arranging words or groups of words In like manner, Brinton (2000) defines grammar as a set of rules or principles of how a language works, including its system or structure According to Celce-Murcia (2001), grammar is regarded as a form and is also used for meaning creation People who employ grammar deliver their message in an accurate and meaningful way and utilize their understanding of grammar

to make others understand exactly what they are trying to convey

From the above definitions, it can be concluded that grammar is related to the form

of words and sentences This also shows that the process of language can create structural meaning

2.2.2 Significance of grammar teaching to students’ English language learning

The significance and role of grammar teaching in English language learning have been variously discussed in the research Specifically, Azar (2007) highlights that the instructions on grammar are of great importance as they aid learners to find out the linguistic nature Furthermore, Ellis (2006) emphasizes that teaching grammar employs any teaching techniques that make students attend to a particular form of grammar in a manner that enables them to understand it from the metalanguage or comprehend and produce the form to get it internalized

Within the literature, grammar teaching has traditionally involved presenting and practicing grammatical points It involves the teacher’s use of various techniques to provide explanations and instances of grammatical points so that students can understand and use them appropriately (Cook, 1993) According to Ellis (2006), there are two typical types of grammar teaching The first one includes explaining grammar rules with no practice, while the other aims to get students to explore the grammatical points themselves by solely giving them practice without the teacher’s explanation of the rules

In contrast with the above traditional teaching of grammar, research has recently emphasized the communicative effects of grammar teaching on students For example,

Wilkins (1981) states that grammar is a way of satisfying students’ communicative needs He argues that the development of students’ essential capability of communicating cannot take place without a sound understanding of grammar Littlewood (1981) holds the same point of view, claiming that the better students can acquire grammar rules, the better their communication ability in the target language is; the level of attention paid to what students mean to convey to others increases the personal degree and unpredictability of the meanings In addition to these ideas, Savage, Bitterlin and Price (2010) highlight the use of appropriate grammatical points is the key

to the success in communicating or understanding what people want to convey through reading, speaking, listening, and writing In conclusion, the integration of grammar with communication is essential to the development of learners’ ability to communicate effectively (Ellis, 2002)

Grammar plays a vital role in every step of language teaching The lack of grammar proficiency will limit learners’ progress in mastering the target language (Widodo, 2006) In this regard, Zhang (2009) argues that learners of English that do not receive enough instructions on grammar are not able to form meaningful sentences or communicate in English accurately and fluently As a consequence, grammar remains

an important element of a language, and grammar teaching is considered an essential part of language teaching plans Brown (2007) argues that questioning the needs of teaching grammar is unnecessary; indeed, it is suggested that grammatical rules should

be acquired while learners are encouraged to communicate accurately and fluently in various contexts

2.3 Historical developments in EFL teaching and learning grammar in the Vietnamese context

This section examines the historical development of grammar teaching and learning for EFL students in Vietnam, with particular reference to the case in Vietnamese higher education before and after the Doi Moi (Renovation) policy

2.3.1 English Grammar in Vietnam before Doi Moi

Before the Doi Moi policy, education in Vietnam was under the influence of Chinese and French ideologies, which resulted from their long period of colonization This has left a long-lasting effect on the educational and cultural features of Vietnam, which still exist up to now During this period, the teacher was always seen as the major source of knowledge for students and therefore must be highly respected at any cost (Pham, 2010) Nguyen (2011) comments that this resulted in the fact that students were unlikely to discuss the lessons openly or question their teacher to avoid being impudent

or ill-mannered In addition to that, students were not seen as individuals with unique characteristics, and their way of interpreting the lessons was considered unnecessary (Pham, 2007) As a consequence, the emphasis of teaching was placed on how to help students transmit and internalize knowledge efficiently rather than encouraging their creation and construction of knowledge (Jin & Cortazzi, 1995, as cited in Pham, 2011)

In other words, knowledge was solely transmitted in a one-way process from the teacher

to students

Before Doi Moi, it was a common belief that teachers could teach grammar deductively and instruct students to acquire grammatical points To be more specific, to teach a particular grammatical point, a sentence pattern was first introduced to students

as an example, and later they were instructed to substitute and transform the given sentence to create new ones Next, the teacher let students create their sentences based

on the given examples Finally, the students were required to translate all the sentences into Vietnamese and vice versa Although the teacher did attend to improve students’ speaking skills, especially their accuracy, the fact that the sentences made up by students were formed out of context led to the scarification of their fluency

The period before Doi Moi witnessed the prevalence of Grammar Translation (GTM), the earliest method in teaching grammar The primary aim of this method is to help students acquire grammatical rules and vocabulary items while reading and

comprehending literature in the target language Students’ perfect translation and accurate application of the grammatical rules are considered an indication of their success in mastering the target language Besides GTM, Richards (2006) also mentions the methodologies related to the assumptions: Audio-lingual Method and Structural-Situational Approach One feature of an audiolingual lesson is the selection and the use

of some key structures from the given dialogue as the basis for pattern drills of different kinds During the lesson, the teacher might provide learners with an explanation of grammar At the beginning stage of the lesson, sentence-level practice such as substitution drills is given to learners so that they can memorize the sentence patterns Next, they are asked to copy the paragraphs or use the grammatical points in the paragraphs by changing tenses or mood The form-based approach, including the controlled-to-free approach and the paragraph-pattern approach, places emphasis on grammar, syntax, and organization Meanwhile, the PPP instructional cycle (Presentation, Practice, Production) is applied in the situational approach where the new grammar structure is presented and then practiced in a controlled context before being used by students in various contexts to improve their fluency However, such grammar-based methodologies have recently been replaced by functional-based teaching As Bourke (2008) reports, the once-respected traditional methods based on deep learning and grammar memorization caused mixed reactions in the 1970s because of their limitations, leading to the emergence of new methods that eliminate traditional grammar instructions in favor of natural communication in the classroom

2.3.2 English Grammar in Vietnam from 1986 up to the Present

Doi Moi, the recent economic reform in Vietnam that began in 1986, has brought Vietnam into a new stage of development in all aspects of life, including education Since then, English has flourished and expanded rapidly in Vietnam due to the need for international communication and economic renewal In the new economic situation of Vietnam, with the growth of international businesses and trades, as well as the

development of global commerce as well as the increase in the number of overseas visitors, English communication skills have been regarded as the key to finding employment in tourism as well as other industries In the educational context of Vietnam, English is included in the national secondary school graduation examination, and it is mandatory for students to learn English at schools and universities The increasing demand for English proficiency has challenged the existing and admittedly low-standard English teaching This results in the need to consider whether communicative language teaching that is established in other educational situations is appropriate and relevant to the context of Vietnam

Unlike traditional methods that have been adopted for a long time in Vietnam, CLT was first introduced in the late 1970s and has been regarded as the most dominant and recommended method that can meet Vietnamese students’ needs for communication in English as well as one of the preferred methods in the Asian area (Liao, 2004) According

to Opp-Beckman and Klinghammer (2006), CLT tends to focus on a holistic, top-down approach to language learning In CLT, the focus is more on function, or the use of language in given situations, than on form, the linguistic details of the language In fact,

it is recognized that communication would not take place effectively without the presence of structure and grammar Teaching grammar in this phase is even considered important on the condition that teachers relate it to their learners’ communicative needs and experiences (Savignon, 1993) This approach involves instructing grammar by combining meanings, functions, and form-function mapping In addition, in this period, the syllabus includes a wide range of suggested types of texts, including print, visual, and electronic materials, which offer students various models of language use that are appropriate for different interlocutors, aims, and situations (Chew, 2005)

In the Vietnamese contexts, many instructors are interested in finding appropriate approaches and methods to improve EFL teaching Pham (2000) argues that grammar analysis, structure explanation, and limited use of translation must be essential

components of lesson plans for teaching Vietnamese learners, especially beginners and adult learners In addition to that, the lesson focus should be placed on meaning rather than form so that learners can realize and achieve the primary purpose of learning English, which is to communicate effectively in English He also emphasizes that the failure of adopting new teaching methods such as CLT in Vietnam results from the rigid

or formulaic application, and therefore the adoption of these modern teaching methods should involve a close and careful consideration of the Vietnamese cultural values and contexts Consequently, Khuong (2015) recently suggests that grammar lessons with a PPP instructional cycle should be adopted with further improvement in the way that the grammar items can be taught concurrently with context through communicative tasks

To be specific, during the presentation stage, an authentic listening script can be used as

a reading task, which can help students explore the target structure in terms of form understanding, meanings, and use After the presentation stage, controlled practice tasks are given to students so that they can communicatively practice the grammatical form

At the production stage, communicative activities or free activities are employed so that students freely produce the learned structure and therefore achieve the goal of communicative competence During these stages, the use of pair-work and group-work

is highly recommended, and the provision of teachers’ corrections and feedback during their observation and control of the class is of great importance

2.4 CLT

2.4.1 Definition of CLT

The view of CLT is explored differently in the literature According to Richards and Rodgers (2001), CLT is viewed as an approach rather than a method Richards and Platt (1992) clarify that CLT is an approach to teaching a second or foreign language that emphasizes that the goal of language learning is communicative competence This view is close to that of Thornbury (2006), who defines CLT as an umbrella term used to describe a major change in emphasis in language teaching, which is away from teaching

language systems in isolation to teaching people how to use these systems in real communication Therefore, several researchers consider CLT to be one of the most influential and effective language teaching methods for improving students’ communicative competence (Liao, 2000; Savignon, 2002; Ying, 2010).

2.4.2 Main principles of CLT

In CLT, it is believed that communicative function is more important than linguistic structure Littlewood (1981) states that one of the main principles of CLT is to systematically focus on function as well as language structure, and merge them into a more fully communicative view Mastering only these sentence patterns cannot help students communicate in the target language Students need to learn the communication functions of these structures

The CLT approach is used for language teaching while the target language is used

in the classroom According to Larsen-Freeman (2000), the target language is a vehicle for classroom communication, not just the object of learning If students continue to use their native languages, they will not be able to communicate in the target language Appropriate use of language is emphasized rather than accuracy Accuracy comes

at the later stage It is believed that accuracy automatically appears when students learn

to use the language appropriately

The CLT approach is not limited to oral skills Reading and writing skills need to

be developed to promote students’ confidence by integrating all four language skills This means that CLT applies equally to reading and writing activities that engage readers and writers in the interpretation, expression, and negotiation of meaning In other words,

it is important to recognize that it is not only the speaker (or writer) who is communicating Instead, communication through language happens in both the written

and spoken mediums, and involves at least two people

The main goal of using the CLT approach is to allow students to communicate in the target language Therefore, during the communicative activities, teachers should

tolerate mistakes because encouraging students to speak in the target language is more important Teachers can pay attention to students’ errors and correct them after the activities are completed.

The CLT approach provides students with opportunities to communicate in the target language It helps encourage collaboration among students Richards and Rodgers (1986) point out that teachers should allow students to interact with others through pair-work and group-work, or in their writings so that they have a chance to share the information with one another

Language teaching techniques are designed to engage students in the pragmatic, authentic, and functional use of language for meaningful purposes Therefore, teachers should create situations and communicative activities that facilitate real communication Emphasis on the major activities such as creative role plays, simulations, dramas, games, projects can help students learn how to use language in a social context

2.4.3 Teaching grammar using CLT: Benefits and criticism

2.4.3.1 Benefits of teaching English grammar using CLT

According to Richards (2006), thanks to the CLT approach, the formats of English grammar lessons from focusing mainly on grammatical structures and traditional practice through controlled activities (especially learning by heart conversations and grammatical structures) have been fundamentally changed into the application of interactive activities (including group-work and pair-work activities, role plays, or project-based activities) In the same vein, Harmer (2007) argues that activities in CLT typically involve students in real or realistic communication

Pham and Nguyen (2014), for example, conclude in a study conducted in Vietnamese contexts that teaching English grammar using the CLT approach not only helps students improve their grammar competence and use it effectively in communication (at least in oral production), but also increases students’ motivation to learn English grammar Nguyen and Nguyen (2004) discover that students in a

communicative English grammar class with numerous interactive activities are more engaged in learning than students in a grammar-translation class with typical controlled activities In conclusion, the CLT approach makes English grammar lectures more engaging and dynamic, while also providing students with the opportunity to apply English grammatical structures in context

2.4.3.2 Criticism of teaching English grammar using CLT

Besides the benefits of teaching grammar using the CLT approach, there is quite

an astounding amount of criticism, which is based on the evidence that CLT failed to fulfill its many promises to EFL teaching and learning grammar in the Vietnamese context First and foremost, the CLT approach emphasizes fluency rather than accuracy

in grammar and pronunciation, which can be seen as an important part of the language

As a result of not enough focus on English error correction and explicit grammar instruction, students may give priority to meaning and they might make incoherent and incorrect sentences in terms of the grammatical structure of the English language Moreover, another criticism of the application of the CLT approach is that it may not be appropriate for beginners because they need to have more practice to participate in oral communication Thus students with low levels of proficiency in the target language may find it difficult to participate in oral communicative activities and, if the exams used by

an institution are grammar-based, communicative fluency may not be appropriate

2.5 Perception

2.5.1 Definition of perception

The term “perception” has been defined variously by different scholars (Chee et al., 2002; Critcher, 2010; Ossorio, 2006; Steward & Stylvia, 1990) Steward and Stylvia (1990) define perception as an active process in which one selectively perceives, organizes, and interprets what one experiences According to Chee et al (2002), an individual’s mental awareness, experience, knowledge, motivation, and social interactions can all influence interpretations Critcher (2010) divides perception into two

categories: judgment and behavior, which are explained as follow Judgement of perception is empirical in nature since you must first experience something before you can perceive it Because a perception judgment only judges an object or thing based on the senses It does not necessitate pure concepts of comprehension but only the logical connection of concept Regarding behavior, it is describable as an individual’s attempt

to bring about some state of affairs - either to effect a change from one state of affairs to another or to maintain a currently existing one (Ossorio, 2006) In other words, behavior

is the collection of actions and mannerisms performed by individuals in conjunction with themselves or their surroundings

Based on the definition above, it can be concluded that perception is a process of how a person is selecting, organizing and interpreting information inputs and the existing experiences and then interpreting them to create the whole description means This study

tries to explore the perceptions of teachers and students toward the use of CLT in grammar lessons in EFL classes Perceptions from these two participant groups are very crucial to the teaching and learning process because it is of great importance that teachers are aware of students’ perceptions which can provide valid and trustworthy evaluations

of teaching practices (Marsh, 2007) The reliable and valid use of student perceptions is evident for a wide range of educational levels including primary school, middle school, and high school (Peterson et al., 2000)

2.5.2 The importance of teachers’ and students’ perceptions

The significance of students’ perceptions has been well researched in previous studies (Entwistle et al., 2000; Goodman et al., 2011) Entwistle et al (2000) suggest that students’ perceptions play a crucial role in student learning because it is influenced

by perceptions of teaching rather than teaching approaches Similarly, it is students’ perceptions of teaching that affect how they learn and feel, not the instructions themselves (Frenzel et al., 2007; Schutz & Lanehart, 2002) Entwistle et al (2000) also emphasize that students’ perceptions of teaching affect their choice of learning

approaches, which exerts an influence on their academic achievements In addition, students’ perceptions result in their corresponding attitudes towards learning, which in turn affect their learning outcomes Goodman et al (2011) claim that how much effort students put into learning activities depends on how they perceive the instructions, teaching process, and learning tasks As such, students’ perceptions make a significant contribution to their intrinsic motivation In particular, those who are highly intrinsically motivated are likely to attend classes regularly and get engaged in classroom activities actively, which can lead to better academic achievements (Bakker et al., 2015; Mukorera

& Nyatanga, 2017) The way they learn and how they teach and learn are linked to their past experiences and how they think about their current teaching and learning situations, all of which have a big impact on how well they learn (Ginns et al., 2007)

Moreover, Cotterall (1999, as cited in Jafari & Shokrpour, 2012) suggests that awareness of students’ thoughts can help inform teachers about students’ expectations and their favored teaching and learning approaches, which teachers should pay attention

to According to Zimmerman (2001), science teachers are able to adjust the pace and level of their teaching approaches thanks to invaluable information obtained from a detailed understanding of students’ perceptions Minor et al (2002) find that the effectiveness of teaching is closely connected with the qualities of teachers, including a student-centered awareness, having a scholarly insight into the subject matter, being professional and passionate about teaching, having effective communication skills, accessibility and competence in teaching, designing assessments and providing helpful feedback This finding also aligns with what Alkharusi et al (2014) suggest about the student-centered approach, which students consider to be the most effective one

It is noted that decision-making for a classroom activity is a painful process When deciding on a particular classroom activity, teachers should always carefully consider its type, the students who take part in the activity, and the context in which the activity takes place In order to do that, teachers need to understand as much as possible about the

language teaching and learning process Undoubtedly, teachers remain a crucial factor

in the classroom atmosphere, and they play a critical role in L2 learning This important role results in teacher-centered classes, in which teachers are dominant

However, in recent years, the focus of the learning process has been shifted to language learners with the adoption of new teaching approaches These approaches make students the center of the learning process Student-centered approaches are referred to

as those in which learners can no longer avoid the responsibility of contributing to their language learning In place of passively relying on knowledge transmission from the teacher, students become active participants in designing and evaluating their language learning process Consequently, students can help share the burden with the teacher while the teacher facilitates their learning by offering them critical evaluation As teachers, we should accept the fact that teaching cannot become an effective and enjoyable process without learners’ participation in the lessons In order to encourage them to participate actively in learning, teachers should make the learning process interesting for their students To be specific, learners should not consider learning a burden, or feel under an obligation to learn Instead, they can enjoyably learn the target language while getting involved in interesting classroom activities in an enjoyable atmosphere As can be seen, in order to create a student-centered classroom where students can learn actively in an enjoyable learning environment, teachers’ and learners’ perceptions of language teaching and learning processes have great significance

In addition to the importance of the insights into students’ beliefs about the role of grammar in language learning, a thorough understanding of how their ideas about language learning were formed plays an essential role Students’ previous experiences

in language learning may be one of the factors that shape their beliefs In addition, teachers’ beliefs about language teaching are highly likely to contribute to their choice

of teaching methods, which in turn has a great influence on the shaping of students’ beliefs about teaching and learning

Also, and this is equally important, students’ perceptions of learning are closely connected with how they describe teaching approaches that they have previously experienced (Zimmerman, 2001) There is an association between teachers’ perceptions

of teaching effectiveness and how they conduct classroom activities (Kember et al., 2004) While teachers’ and students’ perceptions of effective teaching practices have been well-researched in developed countries, there is a lack of empirical research on this area in the Vietnamese contexts, where students are presumed to take less active roles in teaching and learning (Dao & Hayden, 2010) For this reason, it should be noted to facilitate students’ learning in the unique context of Vietnam by gaining a broad understanding of their opinions about teaching approaches In order to do that, it is highly recommended to find out about Vietnamese teachers’ and students’ perceptions, as well

as the differences in their perceptions

2.5.3 Matches and mismatches between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of teaching and learning English grammar

Many research studies (Könings et al., 2014; Vermetten et al., 2002) have maintained that teachers and students have their own perceptions of teaching and learning and that investigating the differences in their conceptions is assuredly beneficial Könings et al (2014) suggest that while effective teaching and learning processes, as well as optimal learning outcomes, can result from the similarities in students’ and teachers’ perceptions, there is a demand for paying specific attention to explore the differences in their perceptions According to Vermetten et al (2002), teaching and learning can be negatively affected if teachers fail to adjust their behaviors

to fit in with those of their students, which might result from a difference in their perceptions They also suggest that the mismatches between how students learn and how teachers adapt teaching strategies may become a hindrance to accomplishing educational objectives, such as improving learning efficiency and reasoning skills Other studies (Schmitt et al., 2008) show that the differences in students’ and teachers’ perceptions

might result in adverse impacts on students’ motivational and affective outcomes, which subsequently exert significant influence on their academic performance As a result, the investigation into differences in perceptions is of great importance

In addition, the insights into how the perceptions of teachers and students are similar and different can provoke educational adjustment and development (Cook-Sather, 2003, as cited in Terzi, 2020) Additionally, Cook-Sather (2003) recommends that reflection on the teaching process and designing learning activities can be encouraged when teachers pay more attention to students and understand their perceptions The disconnect between teachers’ and students’ perceptions will pose huge challenges to teaching and learning, and the lack of mutual understanding, as well as disparities in the perception of approaches to teaching, might hinder students’ academic achievement (Moradi & Sabeti, 2014) For instance, Atmaca (2016) states that the difference in how teachers and students expect corrective feedback in written form can create a strong possibility that they misunderstand or misinterpret the value of feedback Atmaca (2016) also suggests that these mismatches can hinder students’ learning progress Furthermore, Brown (2000) focuses on comparing students’ and teachers’ perceptions of effective foreign language learning He reveals that the students he studied preferred a grammar-based approach to English learning, whereas their teachers tended

to favor a more communicative approach to English language teaching This mismatch

in their preferred approaches was evidenced in their different perceptions of the use of English, error correction, and group work Nevertheless, most of the research studies on teaching approaches have focused mainly on either teachers’ or students’ perceptions Indeed, few studies have made a comparison between teachers’ views on approaches to teaching and those of students (Moradi & Sabeti, 2014)

In today’s educational contexts, there is a demand for the mutual adaptation of teachers’ and students’ responsibilities and tasks This requires teachers and students to collaborate more, which emphasizes the congruence between their educational

perspectives Therefore, it is worth emphasizing the significance of examining the differences between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the teaching and learning process In fact, there are some great disparities between students’ and teachers’ perceptions in several aspects of teaching and learning practices

In particular, several research findings have indicated teachers’ inclination towards

a deductive method despite educational reforms and curriculum changes that advocate communicative practices For example, Kalsoom and Akhtar (2013) reported that English language teachers teaching at the secondary level in randomly selected schools from 8 districts in the Punjab province of Pakistan preferred the deductive grammar teaching approach They found that most teachers strongly believed in the effectiveness

of explicit grammar instruction as their pedagogical rationale

Several studies (Aljohani, 2015; Borg & Burns, 2008), on the contrary, reveal that teachers were in favor of teaching grammar items inductively by eliciting the rules indirectly from the language in meaningful contexts For example, Aljohani (2015) finds that teachers believe that form and meaning should be taught in a meaningful context Furthermore, another study investigating teachers’ views about grammar teaching showed teachers’ strong beliefs in avoiding grammar teaching in isolation and that it should be integrated into meaningful contexts Although teachers believed that grammar

knowledge leads to accuracy in the language, they thought that an inductive approach to grammar teaching was better than a deductive one (Borg & Burns, 2008)

Another study, which sought teachers’ attitudes toward CLT in Iranian high schools and institutes, discovered that positive attitudes toward CLT were shared by all teachers who highly advocated the adoption of CLT principles in their classes (Razmjou

& Riazi, 2006) Several further studies (Ahmad & Rao, 2013; Azad, 2013; Khuong, 2015; Lee, 2014; Mowlaie & Rahimi, 2010; Nagaratnam & Almekhlafi, 2013; Ngo, 2009) that surveyed teachers’ perceptions and attitudes regarding CLT practices in EFL classroom settings also reveal that teachers usually favor the implementation of CLT in their classes

Although much research has been conducted to determine EFL teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards grammar instruction, very little has been done in the Vietnamese context According to Le and Barnard (2009), explicit grammar guidance and error correction were found to be two desired emphases in the language teaching process in Vietnam In their survey research, they examined teachers’ attitudes toward English grammar teaching The findings revealed that Vietnamese teachers considered English grammar a central feature of the language and a crucial element of their pedagogy Similarly, in a small part of their study, Lewis and McCook (2002) report that Vietnamese teachers suggested that grammar explaining traditionally was important in their teaching process

On the contrary, Ngo (2009) suggests that teaching grammar through a based approach with implicit grammar instruction and a communicative approach may also increase learners’ acquisition of grammar and learning motivation In recent research, Khuong (2015) proposes that grammar lessons remain essential to retain the PPP process, but further enhancement should be taken into account in order to teach the grammar elements through communicative tasks concurrently with context