INTRODUCTION
Background
Together with integration trend in the world, English has been considered as the vital means of communication in all aspects of society such as politics, international trade and education, etc More and more people desire that they can be good at English in the hope to meet all society requirements and needs This is not an exception for Vietnamese people, who rush to English language centers, hoping for improvement of their English
One of the most important skills that a learner of English wishes to improve is undoubtedly speaking When asked for the reasons one comes to language center, probably the most common response will involve “I want to speak English well.”
Such a situation has brought about the demands in innovating the ways speaking is taught Great attention has been paid to this issue, and there have been many techniques and methods that a teacher can employ to teach speaking in his classroom Some most recent and updated teaching methods such as Audio lingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching Method came into existence as a result A teacher can conduct lots of oral repetition for his learners to acquire the native accent and produce immediate sentences in certain situation He can also give the students lots of chance to practice speaking in class However, after years of teaching English to Vietnamese students at IWEP, the researcher of this thesis paper believed that the teachers should first take the needs of the learners into consideration before applying any techniques or methods into teaching.
The Problem
The matter of individual differences in learning a foreign language, i.e learners’ needs in receiving new information has been discussed a great deal in language teaching books and journals because needs analysis always takes an important role in the success of teaching-learning process However, the subject of needs analysis has not yet received sufficient attention from researchers and language teaching professionals in our country Most teachers have no time to listen to what the students think and prefer and maybe they neglect one of the factors that make a happy and effective class atmosphere, which is learners’ needs in language learning As a result, Vietnamese learners rarely have input in their language teaching context
Development of learners’ communicative competence should be the aim of any language teaching approach as it is this ability which helps in establishing successful communication Communicative Language Teaching is a widely used approach in the field of ELT as its focus is the development of this ability However, implementation of CLT has not been successful in many contexts as it was in conflict with local learning culture One way to avoid this difficulty is to conduct a needs analysis before introducing CLT in an ELT context This can help in finding means for constructive interaction of CLT and contextual constraints Thus, this research is an attempt to shed some light on this subject by offering a generic and critical reflection on some of the needs analysis - related educational ailments that are common in Vietnam context
Just as many language centers in Ho Chi Minh City, IWEP received a high number of learners coming to learn English, especially for improving their speaking skills IWEP has more than two thousands students whose age range from five to forty five Fifty night classes of different levels are held each day, and students have six two-period lessons per week
Knowing that most learners want to improve their speaking skills, IWEP places an emphasis on English speaking development and the popular series Let’s Talk, Second Edition published by Cambridge University Press has been used for such classes The teachers are well-qualified and eager in their teaching The students are hungry for knowledge and want to improve their ability to speak
English as fast as possible However, teaching and learning speaking quality at IWEP has proven unsuccessful, and such has led to some discussion The problem of ineffective teaching and learning has caused a number of teachers at IWEP to consider their teaching methods and techniques Several teachers have begun to pay attention to the matter of needs analysis; that is to say, they have started to think about what their students really want and prefer to learn Some teachers have even conducted some sample analysis by giving out forms for students to complete They also conduct the trial teaching regarding the findings from the students, which has produced some promising results
Such a situation at IWEP, where the researcher has been teaching with great enthusiasm, has motivated me to write this study about needs analysis The main focus of this thesis is about how analyzing the learners’ needs can affect the teaching and learning speaking To be more specific, this paper looks at what is meant by assessing learners’ needs, why it’s so important, how it is carried out and how can it be utilised to help students and teachers in the field of improving the teaching and learning quality in the setting of IWEP in Vietnam.
Statement of Purpose
The aims of this study are (1) to identify the needs of intermediate learners in terms of target needs and learning needs in individual speaking process.(2) to estimate students’ strengths and weaknesses for English speaking skills, (3) to suggest some recommendations for teaching speaking skills.
Significance of the Study
So far many educators and theorists in the world have tried to attract teachers’ attention to the field of individual differences in language learning, as Nunan (1999: 10-14) realized that teachers needs to find out what their students feel they want to learn, and how they go about the task of learning He also comes to the belief that a key difference would be that in a learner-centered classroom, key decision about what will be taught, how it will be taught, when it will be taught and how it will be assessed will be made with reference to the learners
However, this situation seems to be quite new for Vietnamese educational system There are hardly a lot of researches into differences in learners’ needs, especially for the speaking Therefore, the researcher hopes that the study will help teachers recognize that they should teach what students need and they meet students’ needs in order to create the environment of the English language Moreover, intermediate students have opportunities to promote their autonomy which is really important for their higher education Finally, this study may also provide some of pedagogical and ethnic recommendations in the field of using material and teaching methods for enhancing speaking skills to intermediate students.
Research Questions
One main question of this study is:
What are intermediate learners’ needs in improving speaking skills at IWEP? Two sub-questions are also mentioned:
1 What are their target needs?
2 What are their learning needs in terms of teaching approach and use of teaching materials?
Assumptions
The study consists of the following assumptions:
1 The sample population of 120 students from all the six classes at IWEP is representative of the majority of students at this school
2 The methods and procedures of data collection and analysis are reliable and appropriate to obtain the information to answer the research questions
3 The teachers, students are ready to cooperate in the study and serious while giving information
4 The other teachers are very enthusiastic to the project
5 The students and teachers have no difficulty in understanding the items of the research questions and sub-questions.
Limitations
Due to the nature of the study and the research methods of data collection, generalization and recommendations will be limited to one in four skills of learning English, speaking skills at this school The scope of the study will be narrowed down to 120 students over the number of students at this school in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing only on the students’ needs The particular structure of the sample of population taking part in the study may also restrain generalization of the results The recommendations from this study may not be beneficial to others in similar situations.
Delimitations
If properly modified, and another bigger sample population can be selected, the study may be proven valuable and of great use at other educations in Vietnam where the issue of speaking skills is concerned.
Overview of the Thesis
Chapter I introduces the background for the research
Chapter II covers a literature review related to the study in terms of the theoretical background and some previous researches
Chapter III focuses on research methodology employed in the study, including research questions, a discussion of the research design, a brief description of the study’s subjects and instruments, and finally the data collection procedures
Chapter IV analyses the research findings in terms of the subjects’ responses to the instruments, and a brief discussion of the findings is provided at the end of this chapter to give the foundation for the next chapter
Chapter V provides some recommendations for improving the quality of teaching and learning English, especially the speaking skills to the IWEP learners The conclusion of the research is also included in this chapter
This chapter has presented a brief overview of the thesis in terms of the background, the problem, and how the thesis paper is organized The next chapter will be provided with a literature review about related reading in the issue of needs analysis in teaching and learning speaking.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Definition of terms
According to Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary, seventh edition, ‘need’ is defined as ‘the things that somebody requires in order to live in a comfortable way or achieve what they want’
In that sense, ‘need’ describes an item or an ability which is so important to a person and which he does not have or is not very good at Without it, the person cannot live a contented life; therefore, he is assumed to try his or her best to achieve the so-called ‘need’
In a linguistic context, “needs” can have different meanings; however, the common definition that most authors would agree on is that “needs” are those skills which a learner perceives as being relevant to him (Dickinson, 1991:91)
Needs can also be divided into target needs and learning needs (Hutchinson and Waters, 1996:55) It’s essential to distinguish between the two Target needs are
“what a learner needs to do in the target situation, concerning with the important area of language use like necessities, lacks, and wants On the other hand, learning needs are interpreted as what a learner needs to do in order to learn In this light, learning needs seem to be involved more with the learners’ feeling They also account for the situations of language learning, such as why learners come to classes, what learners need to achieve, what their attitudes towards learning actually are (Hutchinson & Waters, 1996:62) Learning needs also explain how students can improve their language competence from a starting point (nearly nothing) to their destination (some achievement of the language)
According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987), learning needs must be considered when designing a course, not just the target needs The learning situation is of great use and is the key to successful language teaching and learning In this respect, the learners’ knowledge, skills, strategies, and motivation should be taken into account
Learners’ needs are the gap between the starting point (where a student is now) and the final destination (where they want to get to) Understanding learners’ needs means bridging the gap in their knowledge and ability, and a set of criteria for accessing learners’ needs is needed so that they can get what they are looking for in the process of learning In other words, learners’ needs are approached from two directions; target needs and learning needs (Hutchinson and Waters, 1996:55)
Based on Hutchinson and Water (1987:55)
Needs analysis is an information gathering process When needs analysis first appeared, it was not very much related to the field of language teaching It came to the world of English language teaching when Tudor (1996:66) stated that the development of a perception of need within CLT in the 1970s had a widespread influence on needs analysis work
According to Robinson (1991:8), needs analysis is seen as the fundamental key of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Initially, most of the information on needs analysis came from ESP (West 1994:7) Hutchinson and Waters (ibid) support the use of needs analysis for learning purposes since there is always a perceptive need of some kind when it comes to the case of language learning
Needs analysis is considered as ‘fundamental’ to the planning of general language courses and in language curriculum planning needs analysis can be utilized as means to a number of things, such as a device for gathering input (Richards 1990:1), the helper in setting goals, objectives and content for language programme (ibid:2), provider of data for reviewing and evaluating programs (ibid), etc
A learning programme which is not relevant to the needs of learners cannot result in productive learning experience The answer to this matter can be interpreted as because need is connected with motivation, which definitely affects the learning process
According to Dudley – Evans & Jo St John (1998:125), a throughout description of needs analysis should cover several areas The first item should be taken into consideration is target situation analysis & objective needs, which gives some basic professional information about the learners and answers the question
“Why do learners need English?” The next item determines the wants, means, subjective needs through which personal information of the learners is revealed, one example is what their attitudes towards learning English are Present-situation analysis identifies the learners’ position in terms of language competence, such as their skills and ability to use the target language The learners’ lacks can be easily understood as a gap between where the learners are now and whether they want to get to, of course in terms of the language Learning needs get the idea of language learning information, such as ways to effectively learn a language What is wanted from the course gets access to the true needs of the learners Analyzing this will certainly be of great help in improving the learners’ method of learning And last but not least, the area that needs analysis should not ignore is the environment of the language learning course through Means Analysis
Broadly defined, needs analysis is a procedure to collect information about learners’ needs (Richards, 2001) Needs analysis is important in several different areas, such as Specific Purpose (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987) and English for Academic Purposes (Jordan, 1997), and also in general language courses espousing learner-centered curricula (Nunan, 1988; Tudor, 1996), task-based curricula (Long
& Crookes, 1992), as well as performance-assessment (Norris, Brown, Hudson, & Yoshioka, 1988).
Classification of needs analysis
Needs analysis covers a lot of different areas and can be classified into different key groups, each of which focuses on different factors contributing to a successful language learning process Target-situation analysis (TSA) focuses on learners’ needs at the end of the course and target level performance (Jordan, 1997:
In language learning needs analysis, TSA (Target Situation Analysis) focuses on learners' needs at the end of the course, specifically what they wish to achieve upon completion Conversely, PSA (Present Situation Analysis) assesses learners' initial skill levels and language abilities at the beginning of the course (Jordan, 1997: 24) Learning-centered approaches categorize needs into necessities, lacks, and wants, emphasizing the importance of understanding learners' specific learning needs (Jordan, 1997: 25) Unlike learning-centered approaches, strategy analysis (SA) concentrates on identifying learners' preferred learning styles and strategies, highlighting effective methods to enhance language acquisition (Allwright, 1982; Nunan).
Learning style refers to the learners’ preferred method of learning, such as auditory, visual, or kinesthetic/tactile approaches, which influences how they most effectively acquire language—whether through listening, observing pictures, or using touch In contrast, learning strategy involves the mental processes learners employ to understand and internalize the language, focusing on how they utilize their cognitive skills West (1994) emphasizes the importance of identifying learners’ deficiencies by assessing their lacking areas using a three-point scale—none, some, or a lot—so targeted measures can be implemented to address these gaps Additionally, Means Analysis (MA) considers the local learning environment, including facilities, teachers, and teaching methods; a well-equipped and supportive local setting significantly enhances the outcomes of the language learning process.
Learners' needs and improvement of their speaking skills
Needs analysis plays a crucial role in language teaching by focusing on learners’ communication needs Conducting a needs analysis at the start of a course helps determine its potential for success This process ensures that the curriculum aligns with learners' specific requirements, increasing overall effectiveness Effective needs analysis is essential for developing targeted language instruction that meets learners’ goals and enhances engagement.
It is a common problem that learners find it difficult to exactly state their language needs Moreover, they cannot make a difference between needs, wants, and lacks A good teacher must be aware of the concepts and able to adjust the course to make it for the learners’ needs
This paper presents learners’ needs analysis project or approach which the researcher has studied for enhancing speaking skills in classes of intermediate level at IWEP
When analyzing learners’ needs in terms of speaking, a clear picture of what and how students need to learn will be given and in return an enhancement to their speaking skills will improve the situation To do so, we must look at (1) the problems of learners when it comes to speaking English, (2) the learners’ motivation, (3) the teaching method of learner-centeredness, and (4) the use of authentic materials in teaching
2.3.1 The problems of learners of speaking skills
We have looked at the importance of speaking in the aforementioned section and that most language learners would want to improve their communication skills prior to other skills However, during the learning process problems may arise and should be carefully considered so that appropriate measures can be taken
According to Byrne (1991: 75), problems of learners regarding the speaking skills can include linguistics, psychology, cognitive aspect, L1 (L1), personality, and social-cultural factors In terms of linguistics, a certain problem for language learners is that they do not know enough necessary language to express themselves in communication The problem can involve a lack or wrong use of grammar, vocabulary items, etc The psychology matter is related to the so-called “shyness” This can be easily understood when you call a student to express his or her opinion in front of the class, this is when shyness takes over him or her, and no appropriate spoken language can be produced Cognitive aspect has something to do with the learners’ ideas Nothing can be got out of the learners’ mouth when they do not have anything in their mind to talk about
Tackling this problem requires the teachers’ teaching competence to provide learners with suitable ideas and topics Mother-tongue use is a terrible disaster that may prevent learners’ progress in L2 acquisition learning According to Ur (1996:
121), learners who share the same L1 tend to use it rather than the target language due to several reasons: L1 is easier and more natural to use In addition, personality can strongly affect the learners’ speaking skills (Stevick, 1976; Brown, 1994; Ellis,
1994) The socio-cultural factors also enhance learners’ communicative competence It places an emphasis on the society and the culture of the target language speaking community According to Brown (1994), learners have to learn and understand something of the culture of the speakers and of that language if they want to successfully learn it In this sense, learners have to know when and where to say what to whom in a social context in terms of language competence
Motivation is one of the key factors that influence the rate and success of foreign language learning
According to Ellis (1985:116), motivation is viewed as the internal needs or interests that govern and influence a person’s performance in doing something Motivation cannot be seen directly and clearly from the person, however We view situation from what that person doe Another way to define motivation is “inner drive, impulse, emotion or desire that moves one to a particular action.” (Brown,1994:52) Thus a person is called “motivated” in doing something when he is enthusiastic or willing to pursue and improve his performances One very simple example of motivation is the incentives such as good pay, promotion, etc given to one during his work When receiving such, they will try to work harder and more efficiently; by that he s trying to achieve his desired goals with his motivation
In the matter of language learning, Williams and Burden (1997:94) identify motivation as “a state of temporary or prolonged goal-oriented behavior which individuals actively choose to engage in” This is to see motivation as being long- termed and short-termed motivation On another hand, Gardner (1985; cited in Ellis, 1985:117) classified motivation into two types: the integrative motivation and the instrumental motivation Integrative motivation deals with the learners’ willingness of blending with the cultures of the native-speakers’ society to become part of that speech community That shows how the word “integrative” means in the context
To give an example, people who immigrate to new countries will have this motivation Compared to integrative motivation, Brown considered instrumental motivation as the means “for attaining instrumental goals: furthering in career, reading technical material, translation” in the language learning context
It’s important that the learner motivation in learning language involves
“communicative needs”, according to Little (1995) Generally understood,
“communicative needs” is the use of language to communicate However,
“communicative needs” is interpreted differently in different language contexts If learners live in a bilingual or a multilingual community, they need to use the second language to communicate inside the speech community On the other hand, if learners live in a foreign language situation, for example, the learning of English in Vietnam, the language is used mainly for communication with outsiders
The situation stated above in Vietnamese contexts can lead to the answer as to why some learners don’t have a clear conception of themselves when they use the language to fulfill their communicative needs Since the communication is with outsiders, learners are in circumstances which don’t require from learners’ the use of immediate English This can be a lack of motivation in learning English
For the students, the successful application of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is strongly affected by the learners’ motivation Harmer (1991, p.3) views motivation as “some kind of internal drive that encourages somebody to pursue a course of action” Also, he classifies motivation into the two kinds which the students possess: extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation The former, which includes integrative motivation, focuses on factors outside the classroom, instrumental motivation The latter related to those inside the classroom is affected by factors as physical conditions, method, the teacher and success
Harmer (1991) indicates that the integrative motivation creates for the learners a strong desire to engage themselves into the target language community Learners strongly wish to know as much as possible about the culture of the target language community On the other hand, the instrumental motivation indicates learners who wish to get better language competence for practical purposes, such as a better job, a higher position, or a higher status
Summary
This chapter has provided the theoretical background for the research The following areas are covered: (1) definitions of terms regarding needs and needs analysis, (2) classifications of needs analysis, (3) the role of needs analysis in language learning and improvement of the learners’ speaking skills The next chapter will be presented with the research methodology employed for this thesis paper.
METHODOLOGY
Research setting
The research was conducted in the period of 4 months (from 8 th April 2009 to 12 th August 2009) at IWEP, which is a very popular place in Ho Chi Minh City for Vietnamese learners to come and practice their English IWEP has more than 2,000 students ranging from the age of 5 to 45 with 50 night classes of different levels held each day Students have three two-period lessons every week
Most of the students and teachers had not participated in this kind of survey before They felt particularly interested in answering the questions basically based on their needs It is a chance to improve the quality of English language teaching and learning, especially the speaking skills.
Research design
The research was aimed at one hundred and twenty intermediate learners who took evening classes at IWEP, where Let’s Talk 2, Second Edition was used as their primary textbook for intermediate speaking classes Its purposes are to (1) understand the learners’ needs of the language learners at intermediate level, (2) apply those needs in a relation with the improvement of their speaking skills, and
(3) find the suitable approaches to help improve the learners’ speaking
Concerning the technique of choosing samples, the convenience sampling technique was taken use of, i.e the researcher chose the samples that are close to her the most Since the researcher has taught six classes at IWEP, and there were twenty students in each class, the total number of students is one hundred and twenty
The researcher conducted twenty four two-period class observations of the speaking lessons in the first place The research took detailed notes basing on a list of questions, paying careful attention to the primary aim of the observations, which are to (1) investigate the speaking activities of the teachers used for the learners and
(2) determine the participation of the students in the lesson The observations were done in different classes in a period of 8 weeks, that is to say, 3 observations for each week
After the observations were done, teachers’ and students’ questionnaires were designed and delivered to 120 students and all of them were kindly asked to return the questionnaires right afterwards 18 teachers of different age and experience in teaching also had their questionnaires and were given a period of 3 days to fill them in The students’ questionnaire aimed to gather information on (1) the language background of learners and (2) how they really wish to learn and improve their speaking Also, the teachers’ questionnaire collected the data about
(1) the preferred teaching activities of speaking and (2) the perceptions of the teachers on the problems of speaking and ideas on how to solve them Each student and teacher subject was carefully informed of the purpose of the research in general, and the meanings of the question items in the questionnaires so that their responses could be accurate
The data collection was done mainly through the qualitative method with the class observations and the quantitative method with the data collected from the questionnaires
With respect to data processing, the researcher employed the use of Microsoft Office Excel (the 2007 version) to process the data It was also used for drawing the figures for illustrations (i.e., pie charts and bar charts) in chapter 4 – data analysis and findings
After the data has been process, there will be an analysis drawn out to answer the research questions stated at the beginning of the chapter.
Subjects
The subjects participated in this research were put into two groups: the learners and the teachers There were 120 learners and 18 Vietnamese teachers of English All of them were learning and teaching English at IWEP at the time of the research (from 8 th April 2009 to 12 th August 2009)
Most learners attending English classes at IWEP have the same purpose: to improve their English so that they can achieve academic success or satisfy society needs Coming to night classes, they are highly motivated to learn and improve their English The learners chosen for this study are at intermediate level; that is to say, they have a decent understanding of English grammar and can use English to communicate quite decently using the language, though several mistakes are noticed when they speak English
All the students attending IWEP classes have to take a placement test so that they can be grouped into the suitable classes according to their skills In other words, all the learners chosen for this study are good representatives of the so-called
It is essential that the learning atmosphere in classes is learners-centered Learners should take up every opportunity to use the language in various activities organized by the teachers Different learning styles and different language backgrounds of learners are the common problem, since they have already studied English for a long while before coming here
Most teachers in charge of intermediate classes have a good Bachelor Degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Some of them have a in Master Degree the same major All are experienced and dedicated to teaching
It is a policy at IWEP that teachers have to engage students totally in the learning process Teachers just act as a facilitator, advisor, organizer, etc during the lesson but aren’t actually responsible for the learners’ practice
Twenty four classes were involved in the research, all of which were at intermediate level The primary textbook was Let’s Talk 3 and aimed at improving the learners’ speaking skills.
Instruments
The main source of data for this research comes from the learners themselves In order to get the accurate information, different kinds of instruments have been used
Twenty four speaking lessons were observed during the study The observation form was used for each time the observation was conducted The observation purposes were to investigate throughout the actual activities of the teachers and the students’ participation during the lesson
The teachers were well informed of the observations beforehand The purpose of the observation was also stated clearly before the classes, which was done for getting relevant information The teachers were also advised to continue teaching in their usual way and not to change it by any means, so that the research would get the accurate information
The observation forms, included as an appendix at the end of this research paper, highlight key elements essential for effective speaking lessons These forms utilize a 5-choice checklist to provide a structured evaluation of important factors during speaking activities Each element is carefully interpreted to emphasize areas that require special attention, facilitating both assessment and improvement of speaking instruction.
Question 1 accesses the time for the speaking lesson which the teacher conducted
Questions 2 – 4 determine the preferred teaching style of the teacher During class observation, we will recognize whether the teacher did enough preparation for the students’ speaking activities (otherwise, the students just kept silent and say nothing!), whether the teacher engaged students in pair work and group work activities, whether the teacher monitored the students during the speaking time and gave the students enough help when they needed
Questions 5 – 8 determine the activities of the students in a real speaking lesson Their speaking ability and level of active participation in activities were well taken notice of Moreover, a lot of attention was also paid to the difficulties they had when speaking, one of which was the Vietnamese use during activities
Question 9 verifies the teaching activities of the teacher at the end of the lesson By this, the researcher meant the correction and feedback for learners’ speaking improvement Careful observation of the post-stage was of great importance in this means
Question 10 seems to be of little use and somewhat impractical since one may argue that we cannot access students’ improvement by how they seem to feel However, the appearance of students is also important at the end of the lesson That the students look happy and pleased means that they have got something useful out of the speaking lesson On the other hand, when the students look bored and sleep, it’s a sign that the speaking lesson doesn’t actually give them anything useful Element 10 pays attention to the students’ achievement at the end of the lesson so that a better teaching practice can be produced later
The study utilized two English-language questionnaires: one for learners and one for teachers, each containing multiple-choice or open-ended questions Learners responded to 17 questions, while teachers answered 11, focusing on two key areas: learning motivation and perspectives on teaching and learning English both inside and outside the classroom These questionnaires were carefully designed to explore the participants’ attitudes towards English education and their overall engagement with the language.
In this study, although questionnaires for learners are typically written in Vietnamese to ensure clarity and avoid misunderstandings, the questionnaire used was in English This decision was based on the assumption that intermediate-level learners possess sufficient English proficiency to comprehend and interpret the questions accurately.
Specifically, the questionnaire for learners is structured as followed:
Questions 1-5: students are asked to give their personal information such as gender, age, the time they first studied English, and their jobs The information collected will be useful in determining the needs of learners of different genders, age groups, jobs, and English learning background
Question 6 determines the reasons why learners study English; in other words, why they have come to IWEP
Question 7 accesses learners’ most favorite English skill Four options – listening, speaking, reading, and writing – are listed
Question 8 finds out the purposes for which students enjoy the speaking skill
This question is of great help in this research since it goes directly into the topic of research: to investigate the learners need to improve their speaking skills
Questions 9 and 10 specify the way students practice their English – how often and when The data collected will usefully contribute to the improvement on how learners can practice their English well
Part 3 – Opinions about speaking English in and out the classroom:
Question 11 accesses learners’ ability to use English in the classroom
Question 12 confirms the situation in which learners study speaking, that is, whether the teachers spend too much, just enough, or too little of the class time teaching speaking to learners
Questions 13-15 find out about learners’ preferred learning style These questions will help analyze how they wish to learn, whether they enjoy role-play activities or presentation on topics, whether they wish to do speaking activities individually, in pairs, or in groups
Question 16 asks for learners’ opinions about the difficulties they may have when practicing speaking in class This question will give a brief overview of how students perceive the difficulties themselves, and will help teachers lessen the difficulties by providing them enough help
Question 17 accesses the most suitable method students prefer to practice English speaking
The student questionnaires are specifically designed to address the central research question: "What do learners need in a speaking lesson?" Meanwhile, the teacher questionnaires are structured to gather insights that complement this focus, helping to identify effective teaching strategies and areas for improvement in facilitating student speaking skills.
Data collection procedure
First of all, permit for the research was obtained from the principal of IWEP so that the research can be carried out
During the observation sessions, teachers were well informed about the process, which took place across twenty-four classes over eight weeks The researcher systematically documented class activities and student participation, emphasizing these elements as crucial factors in developing effective questionnaires.
The questionnaires were given to 120 learners of different classes and
18 teachers Learners completed the questionnaires on the very same day while the teachers were given a duration of 3 days to work on them before giving them back.
Summary
This chapter outlines the research methodology used to gather information to address the study's key questions It includes detailed descriptions of the research setting, participant teachers and learners, and an overview of data collection instruments such as observations and questionnaires The chapter also explains the procedures for data analysis The findings derived from this methodology will be presented in the following chapter.
DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
Sample analysis
This research was conducted with 120 intermediate learners and 18 teachers at IWEP, focusing on improving speaking skills using the "Let’s Talk 2, Second Edition" textbook As outlined in Chapter III, Methodology, the study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of this resource in enhancing students' speaking abilities at the intermediate level The integration of "Let’s Talk 2" facilitated targeted speaking practice, providing valuable insights into its impact on both learners and teachers within the academic setting.
Below is the information collected through the questionnaires, which shows the characteristics of the learner subjects:
Characteristics of learner subjects Quantity Percentage
Table 4.1: Characteristics of learner subjects
The research on 120 intermediate learners at IWEP reveals diverse age groups, with 15% under 15 years old classified as young learners The 15-20 age group accounts for 25.8% of participants, while the largest segment, at 44.1%, falls within the 21-30 age range, highlighting a prominent interest among young adult learners As age increases, the percentage of learners decreases, dropping to 10% for those aged 31-40 and only 5.1% for learners over 40, indicating that interest in learning English diminishes with age.
In terms of gender, it can be seen that the female outnumbered the male learners with the percentages of 44.1% and 55.9%, respectively
The data reveals that only 7.5% of learners have been studying English for less than one year, while 22.5% have learned the language for 1 to 4 years The majority, 57.5%, have been studying English for 5 to 10 years, likely representing high school or university students Additionally, only 12.5% of learners have over 10 years of English learning experience.
Regarding the teacher subjects, there was a total number of 18 teachers whose characteristics are clearly presented in the table below:
Characteristics of teacher subjects Quantity Percentage
Table 4.2: Characteristics of teacher subjects
The youngest teachers in the age group from 22 to 25 years old made up 33.3% of all the teacher subjects The second group of teachers, ranging between
The majority of teachers are aged 26 to 30 years old, accounting for 55.5% with 10 teachers, while teachers aged 31 and above represent 11.2% of the total Female teachers significantly outnumber male teachers, constituting 61.1% compared to 38.9% These demographics highlight the youthful dominance in teaching staff and a clear gender imbalance favoring females.
All the teachers had the qualifications needed for teaching: 72.2% of them had B.A Degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other
Languages) and 27.8% had already got M.A Degree in the same major Most of the
B.A teachers were still in the progress of acquiring the M.A Degree
The majority of English teachers, accounting for 61.1%, have less than five years of teaching experience, highlighting a predominantly novice workforce Teachers with 5 to 10 years of experience comprise 27.7% of the total, representing a significant intermediate group The most experienced educators, with over ten years of teaching, make up 11.2%, indicating a smaller but vital segment of seasoned professionals This distribution underscores the importance of supporting early-career teachers while recognizing the value of experienced educators in the English teaching community.
During the research, a total of 24 class observation sessions were conducted, with three sessions held each week These observations utilized a qualitative method, providing in-depth insights into classroom dynamics and teaching practices This systematic approach allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the teaching environment, making it a valuable tool for educational assessment and analysis.
(1) the real activities of a speaking lesson conducted by the teachers, and (2) the learners’ participation and problems, if any.
Class observation analysis
After 24 class observations, the findings were collected as follows:
4.2.1 The real activities of a speaking lesson conducted by the teachers
During the observation sessions, the researcher identified that speaking lessons consistently follow a structured format comprising pre-speaking, while-speaking, and post-speaking stages Each stage involves distinct activities designed to enhance language proficiency, with all activities meticulously documented for analysis This consistent lesson structure highlights effective teaching practices in speaking instruction and provides insights into the sequential approach used to facilitate language development.
During the pre-speaking stage, teachers provide learners with essential input including vocabulary, grammatical structures, and ideas for discussion topics This stage can be likened to preparing ingredients for a recipe, where necessary components are assembled to facilitate effective communication Providing solid preparation at this phase helps build learners' confidence and language skills before engaging in speaking activities.
In this stage, the teachers introduced the topic of discussion or the overall theme of the lesson in the first place Then the teachers raised some questions related to the topic and asked students to work out the answers, either individually, in pairs, or in groups This step helped the learners acquire some ideas to talk about the topic Afterwards, the learners were presented with the vocabulary items related to the topic and some useful structures that they could use during speaking Some activities the researcher noticed during this stage were vocabulary or grammar games, puzzles, quizzes and songs, which were short and served the purpose of introducing the topic or providing the learners with necessary input Sample passage or reading texts were also applied in some lessons so that learners had something as a model to ease the speaking process
In the while-speaking stage, the teachers set the speaking task in motion, which means that the learners actually practiced speaking English in this stage They worked individually, in pairs or in groups, to do the speaking task assigned by the teachers During this stage the teachers acted as a monitor, facilitator, helper, etc In other words, the teachers walked around the class room and monitored the learners’ speaking, gave help when learners had problems with vocabulary and grammatical structures The teachers also took notes of the learners’ mistakes during their speaking
Several activities were employed in this stage, which tried to maximize the learners’ talking time Such could be problem-solving tasks, presentations, role-plays, group discussion The teachers carefully introduced the tasks (most of the time the introduction of worksheets were included in this part) and how to do them, first, and then illustrated a model with one or more students
The teachers carefully prevented the use of L1 right from the beginning so that no L1 intervention could be observed After necessary preparations had been done, the teachers assigned the learners to work in pairs or in groups, then the tasks were conducted and the learners’ speaking was observed meticulously
In the post-speaking stage, the teachers called on some learners to report their speaking in front of the rest of the class More discussions and feedback from either the teachers or the learners were also noticed The teachers gave the learners corrections to their mistakes and some recommendations on how to improve their speaking
Above is the explanation of the three stages of a speaking lesson There could be differences in the way teachers conducted the lessons; however, the typical speaking lessons overall during the observation sessions all followed the same procedure
4.2.2 The learners’ participation and problems
Apart from the activities of a speaking lesson, the observations also investigated the learners’ participation and problems
During the observations, the researcher noticed that the learners participated in the activities moderately They followed the teachers’ directions and did the tasks assigned
In the pre-speaking stage, learners tried to answer the proposed questions to get the ideas for the topic When being assigned vocabulary or grammar games, puzzles, songs, they completed them and asked necessary questions
In the while-speaking stage, the learners were asked to work in pairs or in groups to do the speaking tasks The researcher noticed a reluctant tendency among some learners when they had to work with different people, which means they had not been used to working in pairs or groups They were shy and did not dare to express themselves and such situation resulted in stagnation in the completion of the tasks Moreover, the researcher took notice of the use of L1 among some learners during the activities They tended to resort to L1 when they wanted to ask for the meanings of some new words, or more frequently, when they did not know what to say about the topic
In the post-speaking stage, some of the learners were asked to come to the front of the class and presented their opinions or the results of their group discussion Such chances were given to random learners To some good and confident learners, it was a chance to practice speaking and they confidently presented their opinion However, it is a common situation that learners who had to do the job were shy and afraid of public speaking and they ended up stuttering the same thing again and again This can be clearly seen in the use of presentations, of which some learners were even terrified.
Responses to the learners' questionnaire
The data analysis of the information collected from the questionnaires distributed to 120 intermediate learners and 18 teachers at IWEP The learners’ questionnaires were returned to the researcher right away after they had filled out the information In contrast, the teachers had a period of 3 days before submission so that they had time to carefully consider the items in the questionnaires
All the subjects were given meticulous explanations about how to complete the questionnaires in order that no questions could be left unanswered
The data gained from the questionnaires will be arranged into two main categories: (1) Learning motivation and (2) Learners’ opinions about speaking English regarding their preferred learning styles
In the learners’ questionnaires, their personal information was collected first, and then came the learners’ motivation for studying English There were 5 questions in this part and the learners were asked to choose the most suitable option regarding their own learning motivation and experience
Question 6: What are your reasons to learn English?
Chart 4.1: Learners’ reasons for learning English
The most popular reason for learning English, among the 120 intermediate learners surveyed in the research, was to get better career opportunities with a high percentage of 43.3% The second highest percentage shows 28.4% of the learners decided to study English to meet the requirement for college or university graduation; that is to say, they studied English so that they could graduate from college or university, according to the policies of the Education and Training Ministry Pleasure, travelling, advancement or personal developments were not so popular reasons among the learners with the percentages of 7.5%, 10%, and 10.8% respectively
Question 7: Among four English communication skills, which one do you like best?
The preferred English communication skills
Chart 4.2: Learners’ preferred English communication skills
As shown in the pie chart, the four skills get different preferences from the learners Most learners – 41.3% of them preferred to learn speaking Those who enjoyed listening made up a percentage of 28.5%, which is still high among the four skills Reading and writing got the least preferences from the learners with the percentages of 20% and 10.2%, respectively
Question 8: You like speaking English for which of the following purposes?
Table 4.3: The purposes for which learners like speaking English
Among the proposed purposes for learners’ speaking English, working for an international company got the most attention with 65.8% learners choosing Next, 29.2% of learners chose speaking English for keeping in touch with friends and foreigners The last three purposes receive moderate choices from the learners: acting in a play, playing a game, doing a puzzle with 12.5%, inspiring everyone in the meetings, presentations, seminars with 17.5%, and being self-confident in communication with 15.8%
Purposes for which learners like speaking English
To act in a play, play a game, do a puzzle 15 12.5%
To keep in touch with friends and foreigners 35 29.2%
To work for an international company 79 65.8%
To inspire everyone in the meetings, presentations, seminars and so on 21 17.5%
Question 9: How often do you practice speaking English?
Never Seldom Sometimes Usually Always
The frequency of learners' practicing speaking English
The frequency of learners' practicing speaking English
Chart 4.3: The frequency of learners’ practicing speaking English
It is good news that 44.1% of learners usually practice speaking English The number of learners who always practice speaking stood at 23.4% The lower frequencies, sometimes, seldom, and never got the lower percentages of 17.5%,
Question 10: Where do you mostly practice speaking English?
The location in which learners practice speaking English
Table 4.4: The location in which learners practice speaking English
Up to 39.2% of learners chose foreign language centers as a place to practice speaking English 28.3% of them practiced in their school class These were the highest percentages, which mean that foreign language centers and school class are the most popular places for learners to practice their speaking Among the other places, home got a decent percentage which was 21.7% learners while company received the least attention with just 10.8% of learners
4.3.2 Opinions about speaking English in and out the classroom
Question 11: How can you speak English in the classroom?
Chart 4.4: The speaking ability of learners
In question number 11, students had a chance to assess themselves in terms of their speaking ability 45% of the students found themselves at the neutral position; they spoke English neither badly nor well The percentages of learners who admitted their speaking ability as being bad or very bad are 21.7% and 12.5%, respectively This shows a disappointing result of the learning and teaching process
– the number of learners who do not have enough communication competence is still very high while those who speak English well or well made up only 11.7% and 9.1% of the total number of learners
Question 12: How often does your teacher create speaking opportunities in class?
The frequency of teachers in creating speaking opportunities for learners
Chart 4.5: The frequency of teachers in creating speaking opportunities for learners
In question 12, the majority of learners, 30.2%, believed that they got a moderate number of speaking opportunities in class The others had fair different opinions about this, 25.4% of learners thought they got a lot of chances for speaking and 19.1% of learners claimed they received far a lot of opportunities Seems unsatisfied with the opportunities they received, 16.5% of learners stated that they got few opportunities and 10% asserted they got far from few opportunities
Question 13: What makes you prefer to speak in English?
Table 4.5: the factors affecting the learners’ preferences for speaking English
From the table above, 44.2% of learners valued the importance of interesting materials in speaking English Next, a patient and knowledgeable teacher is another key factor in affecting their speaking, according to 33.3% of learners These two are the most important factors based on the learners’ opinions
It appears that learners have not realized the significance of funny English environment, students talking time, and good school facilitiesá which received the attention of only 19.2%, 17.5%, and 19.2% learners, respectively
Question 14: How do you enjoy the following speaking activities?
The activities/ frequency Very little Little Moderately Much Very much
Speaking based on passage texts or dialogue texts
Speaking by games, songs, quizzes and puzzles
Speaking based on the topics
Speaking based on role plays
Speaking based on group discussion
Table 4.6: The levels of learners’ enjoyment for some popular speaking activities
From the table above, the majority of learners (47.3%) do not seem to enjoy any speaking activities based on passage texts or dialogue texts Speaking based on presentations also got little attention from the learners with 28.7% learners
Speaking by games, songs, quizzes and puzzles received a moderate enjoyment with 39.2% learners Similarly, 41.5% of learners also enjoy speaking based on group discussion in a moderate degree In contrast, the percentages of learners who enjoyed speaking based on role-plays and topics were high: 47.5% and 36.4%, respectively
Question 15: What are the levels of frequency that you prefer to take part in these following patterns of interaction in class?
The interaction/ frequency Never Seldom Sometimes Usually Always
In groups with more than 3 people
Table 4.7: The frequency the learners prefer to take part in different kinds of interaction in class
As is shown in the table, learners prefer to take part in different patterns of interaction 37.8% learners stated that they always enjoyed the interaction from whole class to teacher 52.3% of learners said they would usually like working alone 32.8% learners asserted their shyness of standing in front of the class when saying that they never enjoyed the interaction from individuals to teacher
Regarding the pair work and group work, the result from table shows that most learners have not been able to adapt themselves into the new teaching method when the percentages of learners who seldom and sometimes like working in pairs and groups were still high: 39.5% and 50.7%, respectively
Question 16: Do you think these difficulties affecting learning speaking English?
The activities/ frequency Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree
Be afraid of making mistakes / Shyness
Lacking of ideas for topic discussion
Using mother language in speaking activities
No much time to self-study 3% 8.7% 23.5% 28.5% 36.3%
Table 4.8: The difficulties affecting the learning speaking English
Responses to the teachers' questionnaires
The data analysis helps to interpret the data obtained from the questionnaires distributed to the 18 teachers participating in the research at IWEP
All the data collected from the teachers’ questionnaires were based on their own teaching experiences and opinions about how to improve teaching speaking skills in the language classroom
Apart from the teachers’ personal information regarding age, gender, education background, and English teaching experience, the main focus of the teachers’ questionnaires was put on their opinions towards teaching speaking
To be more specific, the preferred teaching styles of the teachers were of the main concern
Opinions about teaching speaking English in EFL classroom Question 5: How can your students speak in class?
Chart 4.6: The learners’ speaking ability from the teachers’ opinion
Based on the teachers’ opinion, 33.3% of their students had a neutral ability in speaking English The number of learners who spoke English very badly was very high at 22.2% Regarding those who spoke badly, they made up 16.7% of the total number Another 16.7% represent those who spoke English well The lowest percentage, 11.1%, characterizes the learners with very good speaking ability
Question 6: How often do you create speaking opportunities in class?
The frequency of teachers in creating speaking opportunities for learners
Chart 4.7: The frequency of teachers in creating speaking opportunities for learners
In question 6, 38.4% of the teachers claimed that they created a lot of speaking opportunities for their students Those who gave far a lot of speaking opportunities made up 16.9% of the total number The moderate degree was chosen by 21.5% teachers, that is to say, 21.5% teachers stated that they made enough speaking opportunities for learners The percentages of teachers who created little or very little frequency of speaking opportunities were low: 16.6% and 6.3%, respectively
Question 7: What makes your learners prefer to speak in English?
Total checks % Funny English environment 12 66.7% Students talking time 13 72.2%
Patient and knowledgeable teacher 8 44.4% Good school facilities 12 66.7% Interesting materials 18 100%
Table 3.10: The factors affecting the learners’ preferences to speak English
It can be clearly seen from the table that all teachers (100%) agreed that interesting materials was the most important factor that can arouse the learners’ interest in speaking English The next factor, students talking time, was given attention from 72.2% teachers; that is to say, they believed that the more time learners are given to express themselves, the more interested they will be in speaking English Funny English environment and good school facilities got the same percentage, which was 66.7% The last factor, patient and knowledgeable teacher received the least attention with just 44.4% teachers
Question 8: Which speaking activities do you often conduct to teach students in speaking class?
The activities/ frequency Very little Little Moderately Much Very much
Speaking based on passage texts or dialogue texts
Speaking by games, songs, quizzes and puzzles
Speaking based on the topics
Speaking based on role plays 4.4% 6.3% 15.7% 23.3% 50.3%
Speaking based on group discussion
Table 4.11: The speaking activities the teachers often conduct in class
The table above illustrates the speaking activities that the teachers often conduct in class during speaking lessons According to the table, speaking activities based on the topics or role-plays were the most popular ones that the teachers created far a lot in class with 45.2% and 50.5% of teachers, respectively The next popular activities were games, songs, quizzes, and puzzles, which 58.6% of teachers created a lot Activities based on presentations and group discussion also got a lot of attention from the teachers with the percentages of 38.3% and 46.5% In contrast, speaking based on passage texts or dialogue texts were conducted only moderately in the class with 46.1% teachers
Question 9: You often organize class speaking activities in which of the following ways?
The interaction/ frequency Never Seldom Sometimes Usually Always
In groups with more than 3 people
Table 4.12: The interactive organization of speaking activities in class
In question 9, teachers who always conducted speaking activities in pairs made up a high percentage of 53.5% It is also seen that group works were usually organized during speaking lessons by 46.4% teachers Similarly, the interaction from whole class to teacher was usually conducted by 29.8% teachers
29.1% of the teachers sometimes organize the speaking activities between whole class and teacher The last interaction, which was alone, was seldom conducted by
Question 10: Which motivating activities do you apply to encourage students to speak in English?
Table 4.13: The motivating activities to encourage students
In question 10, teachers were asked to identify the activities they frequently use in class to motivate students to speak English The results revealed that all teachers (100%) agreed that offering gifts or presents is the most effective and popular method to encourage learner participation in speaking activities.
Fining those who use L1 was the second popular method, which was applied by
88.9% of the teachers Giving good marks received attention from 83.3% of the teachers Giving advice and complimenting were the least popular activities with 66.7% and 77.7% of the teachers, respectively
Question 11: Do you think these difficulties affecting learning speaking English?
The difficulties/ frequency Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree
Be afraid of making mistakes / Shyness
Lacking of ideas for topic discussion
Using mother language in speaking activities
No much time to self-study 0% 15% 47.7% 24.1% 13.2%
Table 4.14: The difficulties affecting the learners’ speaking English
Most teachers agree that the primary challenges hindering students' progress in speaking English include fear of making mistakes or shyness (68.5%), lack of ideas for discussion topics (41.5%), and reliance on their mother tongue during speaking activities (56.4%) Additionally, 44.5% of teachers consider multi-level classes to be a significant obstacle in learning speaking skills Lack of sufficient time for self-study was viewed as a neutral issue by 47.7% of teachers, indicating varied perceptions about its impact on learner progress.
Discussion of the findings
The study reveals key insights into the learning and teaching processes at IWEP, based on data collected through class observations and questionnaires It highlights the characteristics of a typical speaking lesson at IWEP, explores learners’ motivations behind their speaking practice, and identifies their preferred learning and teaching styles Additionally, the research discusses various challenges that impact the effectiveness of learning speaking skills among students.
4.5.1 The characteristics of a typical speaking lesson
According to class observation analysis, effective speaking lessons typically follow a logical three-stage process This method begins with the pre-speaking stage, where learners are provided with essential vocabulary and topics to prepare for their speaking activity During the while-speaking stage, students practice using their prepared language skills to communicate confidently Finally, in the post-speaking stage, teachers offer constructive feedback to reinforce correct speaking practices and address areas for improvement, ensuring continuous language development.
In their speaking lessons, teachers employ a systematic approach to help learners acquire English effectively Students first receive input, enabling them to develop their language skills before producing spoken output Teachers then monitor and assess the learners’ responses, ensuring a structured and logical language learning process This method promotes gradual improvement and mastery of English through a step-by-step, coherent teaching strategy.
Beside the three-stage procedure, a typical speaking lesson has the following characteristics:
In speaking lessons, a variety of activities are employed at different stages to keep learners engaged and energized These diverse activities help activate learners’ energy, prevent boredom, and enhance speaking skills through dynamic, interactive practice Incorporating multiple activities ensures a more effective and engaging learning process, encouraging active participation and improving overall language fluency.
Incorporating pair work and group activities enhances learner interaction and engagement These collaborative tasks help students experience practical, real-life communication by working with classmates, fostering social skills and teamwork Utilizing pair and group work in language learning creates a more dynamic and meaningful educational environment, encouraging students to apply their skills in authentic contexts.
To effectively acquire a new language, learners should refrain from switching to their native language (L1) during speaking activities While L1 can serve as a helpful confirmation when necessary, excessive use can hinder progress by reducing practice opportunities and potentially slowing language development Preventing L1 use encourages more immersive practice, fostering greater fluency and confidence in the target language.
4.5.2 Learners’ motivation regarding the reasons and purposes for their learning speaking
Most learners come to study English at IWEP do want to improve their English skills for better career opportunities It is a common saying among
Proficiency in English significantly boosts employment prospects for Vietnamese people, as evidenced by a survey showing 43.3% of learners study English specifically for better job opportunities Many aspire to work for international companies, with 65.8% of learners aiming for careers in multinational organizations, highlighting the strong link between English skills and access to well-paid, global career pathways.
Speaking is the core and most essential English skill, with 41% of learners prioritizing it because “learning a language means learning to speak it.” Regarding practice environments, 44.1% of learners typically practice speaking English in foreign language centers (39.2%) and school classes (28.3%), highlighting that foreign language centers are the most popular venues for language practice This suggests that without attending foreign language centers, learners may gradually lose their speaking competence over time.
4.5.3 The preferred learning and teaching styles
Most learners are motivated to improve their English speaking skills, aiming to speak fluently However, a significant portion of students—45% based on self-assessment and 33.3% according to teachers—remain neutral in their speaking proficiency Alarmingly, 21.7% of learners feel they speak English poorly, with teachers' evaluations indicating an even higher percentage—22.2% of students speak very badly This highlights the ongoing challenges in developing effective English speaking skills among learners.
To improve learners’ speaking skills, teachers must create ample speaking opportunities for practice A survey reveals that 28% of learners feel teachers provide only moderate speaking opportunities, while 39% of teachers believe they offer many chances to speak This highlights that learners desire more speaking practice, and teachers are responsible for increasingly providing diverse opportunities to meet this need.
Engaging and interesting materials significantly motivate learners to practice speaking English, accounting for 44.2% of their preferences, while the support of patient and knowledgeable teachers influences 33.3% of learners Teachers universally endorse the use of engaging materials, with 100% agreement, emphasizing their importance in facilitating language learning Additionally, 72.2% of teachers believe that increasing students' speaking time can greatly enhance their speaking skills, highlighting the critical role of ample practice and resourceful materials in developing English proficiency.
Survey results show that learners prefer speaking activities focused on topics and role plays, while activities like games, songs, puzzles, and group discussions are moderately favored The least preferred activities among students are speaking based on passages or dialogues and presentations Interestingly, teachers most frequently conduct activities such as games, songs, puzzles, presentations, role plays, and group discussions, which indicates a discrepancy between learners’ preferences and teachers’ practices in speaking instruction Incorporating learner-preferred speaking activities can enhance engagement and improve language proficiency.
Teachers tend to favor speaking activities based on passages or dialogue texts because students perceive them as practical and useful, driven by their motivation to learn effectively In contrast, activities like games, songs, puzzles, and group discussions are viewed more moderately, as students often see less immediate benefit and may feel shy or bored during presentations or reading tasks Teachers aim to make lessons engaging by incorporating games, songs, and puzzles to create an exciting classroom environment, while also using presentations to boost students' confidence and sense of achievement Role plays and group discussions are strategically included to provide real-life experience, fostering practical language skills in learners.
Most learners primarily work alone in class, with 52.3% usually preferring individual activities, highlighting a need to promote more collaborative learning strategies Interaction with teachers remains significant, with 32.8% engaging individually and 37.8% participating in whole-class interactions, yet many learners rarely utilize pair or group work, as 39.5% seldom work in pairs and 50.7% sometimes work in larger groups This indicates a gap in adopting cooperative learning methods essential for mastering English Conversely, teachers actively encourage peer interaction, with 53.5% facilitating pair work and 46.4% organizing group activities with more than three students, believing that increased speaking opportunities enhance language acquisition Overall, fostering more learner-learner interaction can significantly improve students' English proficiency compared to solely teacher-led activities.
4.5.4 The problems affecting the process of learning speaking
Over half of the learners surveyed (50.8%) experience fear of making mistakes or shyness when practicing speaking skills, which can hinder their language development A significant challenge for 37.7% of learners is the lack of ideas for discussion topics, making it difficult to engage in meaningful conversations Additionally, 46.6% of learners are unaware of the potential negative impact of using their native language (L1) during speaking practice, which can impede fluency improvement Furthermore, 37% of learners feel that insufficient time for self-study limits their progress in language learning Addressing these issues can enhance speaking confidence and overall language proficiency.
Summary
This chapter concludes the research by summarizing key findings and offers recommendations to enhance English speaking skills teaching at IWEP It emphasizes the importance of implementing effective teaching strategies and practices identified in previous discussions to improve student performance The suggestions aim to support instructors in delivering more engaging and effective English speaking lessons, ultimately elevating the overall teaching quality at IWEP.
After conducting research at IWEP, the researcher successfully identified answers to the study's key questions To ensure clarity and help readers easily understand the findings, the researcher emphasizes the importance of two essential concepts: "target needs" and [the second term].
“learning needs” mentioned in chapter two
Target needs represent the goals learners希望 to achieve after completing a course, focusing on their desired outcomes and accomplishments Essentially, they define what learners aim to accomplish at the end of their learning journey, guiding course design to meet these specific objectives Understanding target needs is crucial for aligning educational content with learners’ expectations and ensuring effective skill development.
Learning needs refer to learners' preferred learning styles and strategies, emphasizing the actions they need to take to effectively acquire knowledge Understanding these needs helps tailor educational approaches to better support individual learning preferences and optimize learning outcomes.
Understanding the close relationship between target needs and learning needs is essential, as a learner's actions and efforts directly influence their eventual achievements Recognizing what a learner needs to do to learn effectively can significantly impact their success Addressing both target needs and learning needs ensures more tailored and effective learning outcomes, ultimately enhancing overall performance and skill development.
The research focuses on identifying the target needs and learning needs of intermediate learners at IWEP These insights help understand the specific language requirements of learners at this level The findings highlight the importance of tailoring instructional content to meet students’ actual communication needs By analyzing both target needs and learning needs, the study aims to improve language instruction and enhance overall learner proficiency.