Điều tra về nhận thức và thực tế giảng dạy tiếng anh sử dụng giáo trình lets go của giáo viên tại một số trường tiểu học ở huế

It aims to examine primary teachers‟ perceptions of teaching English to young learners, how teachers dealt with the content of the book, and whether they encountered any difficulties in

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I hereby acknowledge that the information reported in this paper is the result

of my own work, except where due reference is made The data and findings are true and with permission from associates

The thesis has not been submitted for any other degree or diploma or appeared in any other media

Signature:

Truong Thi Tu Liem Date: August, 2011

In the process of choosing and conducting the study, I

am fortunate enough to receive valuable assistance and support

My thanks first goes to my supervisor, Dr Le Pham Hoai Huong, for her warm support throughout the current study I am also deeply indebted to her for her experienced guidance and useful materials for the research topic

Secondly, I wish to send my great appreciation to all the teaching staff of the Department of ESP, especially the Medicine and Pharmacy section of Hue College of Foreign Languages for the most favorable conditions they created for me during the time I attended the M.A course

Thirdly, I would like to thank the primary teachers and administrators who participated in this study for their willingness to share valuable ideas and experiences of teaching English to primary children through the questionnaires and interviews

In addition, I respect the support from my colleague, Phuong Lan, for her whole-hearted help and encouragement when I was dealing with the data and searching for materials

I also would like to send my sincere thanks to all my friends of the English M.A class (2009-2011), especially Phuc An and Thanh Hai for assisting me during the thesis, especially the pilotting of the questionnaires

Finally, I would like to show my deep gratitute to my mother, my father-teacher, my brother and sister who are always by my side, give me mental support and most importantly, more inspirations to finish the thesis after a lot of difficulties

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT 6

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS 4

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background of the Research 7

1.2 Rationale for the Research 8

1.3 Research Questions 9

1.4 Scope of the Study 9

1.5 Thesis Outline 9

Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 10

2.1 Introduction 10

2.2 Features of the Young Learners 10

2.2.1 Motivation 10

2.2.2 Cognitive and Affective Domains 11

2.2.3 Creativity 11

2.2.4 Indirect Learning 12

2.2.5 Capacity for Finding and Making Fun 12

2.2.6 Imagination 12

2.2.7 Instinct for Interaction and Talk 12

2.3 Benefits of Starting a Foreign Language at a Primary School Level 14

2.4 Teaching English to Primary Children 15

2.5 Assessing Young Learners 16

2.6 Materials and Other Teaching Aids 19

2.6.1 Textbook 19

2.6.2 Other Teaching Aids 23

2.7 Ways to Effective Teaching and Learning 24

2.8 Textbook Adaptation 28

2.8.1 Definitions 28

2.8.2 Reasons for Adapting 28

2.8.3 Techniques for Adaptation 29

2.9 Previous Studies 31

2.10 Review of the Book Let‟s Go 35

2.11 Chapter Summary 35

Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY 37

3.1 Research Design and Approach 37

3.2 Participants and Research Sites 37

3.2.1 Teachers 38

3.2.2 Administrators 38

3.2.3 Research Sites 38

3.3 Instruments of data collection 39

3.3.1 Questionnaires 39

3.3.2 Interviews 40

3.4 Data collection procedure 41

3.5 Data analysis methods 41

Chapter 4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 42

4.1 Introduction 42

4.2 Results from the questionnaires 42

4.2.1 Teachers‟ perceptions of the necessity and benefits of teaching English to primary pupils 43

4.2.2 Teachers‟ perceptions of the suitability and appropriateness of the book Let‟s Go (Cluster 2) 44

4.2.3 Proper methods/techniques of teaching Let‟s Go to primary pupils (Cluster 3) 48

4.3 Current difficulties in teaching Let‟s Go to primary pupils 53

4.3.1 Current difficulties in terms of pupils‟ ability 53

4.3.2 Current difficulties due to other factors 55

4.4 Results from the interviews 57

4.4.1 The importance of the English teaching program using Let‟s Go at primary schools 58

4.4.2 Teachers‟ satisfaction with the results of this English teaching program with the book Let‟s Go 60

4.4.3 Strong points and weak points of the book Let‟s Go 61

4.4.4 Obstacles of using Let‟s Go 64

4.5 Chapter summary 66

Chapter 5 CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR

FURTHER RESEARCH 67

5.1 Summary of the Key Findings 67

5.2 Implications 71

5.2.1 Implications for teachers at primary schools 71

5.2.2 Implications for administrators at primary schools 72

5.2.3 Implications for learners 73

5.2.4 Implications for textbook designers 74

5.3 Contribution of the study 74

5.4 Limitations of the study 75

5.5 Recommendations for future research 75

5.6 Conclusion 76

REFERENCES

APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE

APPENDIX 2: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 Research sites and data collection 39

Table 3.2 Summary of the questionnaire components 40

Table 4.1 The reliability of the pilotted questionnaires Reliability Statistics 42

Table 4.2 The reliability of the questionnaires 43

Table 4.3 Mean scores of teachers‟ perceptions of the necessity and benefits of teaching English to primary pupils (Cluster 1) 43

Table 4.4 Mean scores of the suitability of using Let‟s Go to teach English to primary pupils 47

Table 4.5 Mean scores of different types of teaching methods used by primary teachers in Hue 50

Table 4.6 Mean scores of different ways of adapting the content of the book 51

Table 4.7 Mean score of teachers‟ current difficulties in teaching English to primary pupils 53

Table 4.8 Frequencies and percentage of teachers whose pupils can read correctly but not write appropriately 54

Table 4.9 Frequencies and percentage of teachers whose pupils are not of the same level of English 54

Table 4.10 Frequency of item 7: Too many pupils in a class 56

Table 4.11 Frequency of item 9: Ineffective sound system 56

Table 4.12 Frequency of item27: Shortage of teaching and learning facilities 56

activities to the content of the book 51 Chart 4.5 Percentage of teachers who reported to remove activities 52 Chart 4.6 Mean scores of difficulties in terms of pupils‟ ability 54

ABSTRACT

This study investigates issues relating to teaching English using Let’s Go at some

primary schools in Hue It aims to examine primary teachers‟ perceptions of teaching English to young learners, how teachers dealt with the content of the book, and whether they encountered any difficulties in the teaching process

The data were collected through questionnaires and interviews Forty primary teachers and five primary school administrators in Hue participated in the study

The collected data identified the teachers‟ perceptions and practice of teaching Let’s

Go to primary children The results indicated that primary school teachers of

English had positive perceptions toward teaching English to young learners Even

though many of the teachers agreed upon the good features of the book Let’s Go, a

few of them still did not feel satisfied with the content of this book and therefore some adaptations such as changing, adding, replacing and removing activities were carried out

Four main problems in primary teachers‟ implementation of teaching English to young learners were found: (1) children could read correctly but could not write appropriately, (2) they did not have the same level of English, (3) oversized classroom and (4) ineffective facilities

Based on the findings, suggestions were given to teachers and administrators at primary schools, young learners and also for textbook designers so that the English teaching and learning situation at the primary level can be enhanced

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Research

English is widely perceived as one of the most valuable global commodities – the currency for global mobility and individual success – and governments are investing large sums of money in improving the standards of teaching and learning English worldwide (Whitehead, 2007, p 9) This is a huge issue with aspects related

to different groups of people in the society, from kindergarten children to graduates and even the elderly people As Scott (1998) mentions, the importance of teaching English to young learners has been especially emphasized in recent years One reason for this has been the introduction of primary EFL teaching in a number of European countries – but it is also a world-wide phenomenon Since the 1980s, as Rixon (1992) says, many countries have witnessed a marked increase in the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL) at the primary level of education

It is the view of Lightbown and Spada (2006) that the acquisition and maintenance of more than one language can help us reach many personal, social, and economic opportunities Since Vietnam began its „open door‟ policy, together with the modernization of the whole world, the English language has gained national significance The government has stressed the importance of English, as it will play a crucial role in the country‟s drive to modernization According to Ha Van Sinh (2006, p 111), the “Economic and political changes over the past decade have brought about a more significant role for EFL in all spheres of life English has become an effective means of attaining well-paying jobs and promotions and accessing higher education” Also, the concern of the parents is that their children not only learn basic English but also acquire high levels of English language proficiency Some language institutes, generally serving adults, now attract a large number of children aged from six to twelve

On August 17, 2010, the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam made the announcement No.4919/BGDDT-GDTH about the directions for the school year 2010-2011 applied for primary education According to this latest regulation, all primary schools in Vietnam will start teaching an optional foreign language from grade three with at least two periods per week For the English subject, each region

can have their own choice of the suitable textbook for teaching namely Let’s Learn English, Let’s Go, Family & Friends, Phonics Series, Learning Box UK, etc

In Thua Thien Hue province, the chosen book is Let’s Go and this book has

proved itself to be rather relevant to the current situation of teaching and learning English at primary schools However, there are still some inevitable problems, such

as the inadequacy of vocabulary and grammar, the repetition of the content, which require the teachers‟ attention if they are to use this book effectively and significantly Therefore, in this thesis, the researcher would like to focus on

teachers‟ awareness as well as the teaching process using Let’s Go in our

educational system these years

1.2 Rationale for the Research

The abovementioned issues concerning the implementing of teaching English for primary children have affected a great deal to the teaching and learning situation

of our country lately This is also an issue of great concern from educators who wish

to witness our children education move forward with a more rapid speed because, apparently, language acquisition is one of the most impressive and fascinating aspects

of human development (Lightbown & Spada, 2006) As for the researcher, being able

to tutor a couple of children classes has nourished the love of young English learners within her and also the desire to devote the best for the development of this stage of education Seeing the benefits of teaching a foreign language at this early age, and considering the fact that this issue is somehow new to Vietnamese education, the researcher wishes to conduct “An investigation into teachers‟ perceptions and

practice of teaching Let’s Go to children at some primary schools in Hue”

1.3 Research Questions

The research aims to seek answers to the following questions:

1 What are the primary teachers‟ perceptions of teaching English to primary children?

2 What are the realities of teaching and learning English using Let’s Go at

primary schools?

1.4 Scope of the Study

This research was limited to 14 primary schools in Hue city The main participants were the teachers of English and the pupils‟ parents at some primary schools in Hue city

1.5 Thesis Outline

This research paper is composed of five chapters The first chapter gives a brief introduction about the background of the research and addresses the research questions Chapter two gives a detailed description of the factors related to teaching English to primary children and discuss what previous authors stated about this issue Chapter 3 makes clear the research plan and the methodology used to carry out the research The next chapter presents and analyzes the data Lastly, chapter 5 summarizes the main points of the research and gives some suggestions for the

teaching and learning of English at primary schools, using Let’s Go

Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to review the theoretical framework of the present study It begins with the features of the young learners The next part presents the benefits of starting a foreign language at the primary school level The following section points out some opinions regarding teaching English to primary children After that, ways to assess young learners are showed The next section presents matearials and other teaching aids relating to English teaching at primary schools Later, ways to effective teaching and learning are discussed and textbook adaptation is brought into discussion The following section offers a review of previous studies relating to the topic of this research so as to pinpoint the gaps in the

literature Also, a review of the book Let’s Go is given The last section provides a

summary of the whole chapter

2.2 Features of the Young Learners

There have been a number of opinions about this aspect In this paper, the researcher would like to focus on some important points from different authors to present a more vivid picture of the young learners‟ characteristics

2.2.1 Motivation

Teaching young learners requires a major different approach from teaching adults One of the most obvious differences between these groups, according to

Kirkgoz (2006), is motivation; that is, the purpose for which each group is studying

the language and factors that keep their interest alive It has been suggested that gaining an understanding of young learners‟ needs, interests, and developmental processes takes precedence over other considerations that might weigh more heavily

in teaching English to adult learners (Cameron, 2001; Moon, 2000; Rixon, 1992)

2.2.2 Cognitive and Affective Domains

Another difference between teaching young learners and adults lies in the cognitive and affective domains Differences have been observed in how young learners of English process foreign language, and it has been pointed out that language acquisition is affected by differing mental processors of children versus adults (Harley, 1986; Krashen, Scarcella, & Long, 1982)

Sharing this point of view, it is also claimed that children may have less hesitation about trying out a new language (Freeman et al, 2004, King et al, 2007) Besides, children are not generally spoken to the same high level terms as adults, and are usually given less subtle tasks to perform (King et al, 2007) Furthermore, cognitive development in young children stems from action and interaction with the world around them This begins with physical (or „concrete‟) objects in a problem-solving sequence that is gradually internalized and develops the child‟s thinking ability In terms of how this related to language acquisition in children, language is basically seen

as a representative system, one of a variety of „symbol systems‟ developed throughout childhood to represent new knowledge acquired as children engage in a physical way with aspects of their environments (Lightbown & Spada, 1999)

2.2.3 Creativity

Halliwell (1992) says that in the early age of their mother tongue development children excel at making a little language go a long way They are creative with grammatical forms They are also creative with concepts This phenomenon is fundamental to language development This process would appear to be a very deep-rooted human instinct It actually occurs naturally when the need to communicate has been temporarily intensified by some activities which generate real interaction or calls on the imagination

2.2.4 Indirect Learning

Also according to Halliwell (1992), even when teachers are controlling an activity fairly closely, children sometimes seem to notice something out of the corner of their eyes and to remember it better than what they were actually supposed to be learning At times this can be a frustrating experience for the teachers but this capacity too can be turned to our advantage in the language classroom It is part of the rather complex phenomenon of indirect learning

2.2.5 Capacity for Finding and Making Fun

Children have an enormous capacity for finding and making fun At times, one may wonder why our children choose the most inconvenient moments to indulge in

it Each child brings his/her own individuality to much that he/she does Similarly,

no matter how well we explain an activity, new variations are always invented somewhere within the classroom However, it is hard to deny that it may occasionally be better than the teachers‟ original ideas

2.2.6 Imagination

Children always have great interest in imagination and fantasy However, it is more than simply a matter of enjoyment In the primary school, children are very busy figuring out the things around them They are identifying patterns and also deviation from that pattern They test out their versions of the world through fantasy and confirm how the world actually is by imagining how it might be different In the language classroom this capacity for fantasy and imagination surely plays a very significant part

2.2.7 Instinct for Interaction and Talk

Among the instincts and attributes that children bring to the classroom, the instinct for interaction and talk is probably what the teacher can benefit the most It

is also the most obvious, so there is no need to labor the point This particular

capacity can surface unbidden and sometimes unwanted in all classrooms It is one

of the most powerful motivators for utilising the language As language teachers,

we are fortunate that we can build on it (Halliwell, 1992)

Looking at this issue with a different aspect, Littlewood (1984) pays attention to the difference between children and adults in terms of acquiring a new language According to this author, many people think that children can learn a second language better than adults When we refer especially to immigrant families, we can easily find out that the children have learnt the language of their new community with native or near-native proficiency, while the adults always show traces of foreignness

Littlewood (1984) states that the most common explanation for this observation is that there is a „critical period‟, during which the brain is flexible and language acquisition can occur more naturally and easily Around puberty, this period ends, and adolescents and adults can no longer call upon these natural learning abilities Consequently, language learning will become an artificial and tiresome process

This author points out some possible explanations for the mentioned factor, for example:

- Children often have more favourable learning conditions: They are usually exposed to the language for a longer amount of time and receive more intensive attention from the native speakers

- They are likely to be exposed to simpler language which they can understand more easily

- They are less likely to have negative attitudes towards other speech communities or other factors that may produce barriers to interaction and learning (such as fear of rejection)

- Older learners rely too much on „learning‟, whereas children are content to let „acquisition‟ take its place (which means the adult‟s tendency to analyze and apply conscious thoughts to the learning experience may block some of the natural processing mechanisms through which the new language is acquired)

2.3 Benefits of Starting a Foreign Language at a Primary School Level

According to Tagliere (2008), there are many benefits to starting a foreign language at an elementary school level Children who study a foreign language at this age have been shown to have greater mental flexibility, creativity, divergent thinking skills, and higher-order thinking skills, as well as improved listening skills and memories Strictly from a logical point of view, beginning a foreign language earlier would supply the children with a longer sequence of instruction, increasing the likelihood that true proficiency in a language would be achieved

Moreover, recent research on the developing brain approves the beginning of learning a foreign language during the early elementary school years in order to take advantage of the natural process of language acquisition during this „critical period of development‟ Helena Curtain and Carol Pesola (1994), Gladys Lipton (1992) and Myriam Met (1998) have summarized a variety of research findings in their books They provide the following significant benefits of early foreign language learning:

- Children are capable of learning and excelling in the pronunciation

of a foreign language (Krashen, et al 1982)

- Early foreign language learning has shown no sacrifice of basic skills, but rather shows positive results in areas of standardized testing (Rafferty, 1986; Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991; Armstrong & Rogers, 1997)

- Children who had been exposed to a foreign language show greater cognitive development in areas such as mental flexibility, creativity, divergent, thinking, and higher order thinking skills (Landry, 1974; Hakuta, 1990)

- Acquiring a foreign language has shown to enhance listening skills, memory and a greater understanding of one‟s own language (Lapkin, et al., 1990)

- Children who study a foreign language have an improved concept and sense of achievement in school (Holobrow, et al., 1987; Caine & Caine, 1997)

self Children studying a foreign language develop a sense of cultural pluralism, openness and appreciation of other cultures (Pesola, 1991; Curtain, 1993; Met, 1995)

2.4 Teaching English to Primary Children

In the past decade, schools have shown increased interest in beginning the study of foreign languages in the early grades A number of reports relating to this trend have indicated that the study of foreign languages should begin early (Met & Rhodes, 1990) Another influence on the trend toward an early start is research that points out that the early study of a second language results in cognitive benefits, gains in academic achievement, and positive attitudes toward diversity (Rosenbusch, 1995)

Some other educators, such as David Hayes (2007), are still questioning the right grade that a foreign language should be added to the curriculum He discusses that all over the world teaching English at the primary level is on its way to become the standard and English is more and more a component of basic education rather than a component of foreign language teaching in the secondary school This change in policy has an extreme impact on most educational systems since a new subject has to be accommodated in the primary curriculum with accompanying implications for the human and material resources needed to support the introduction of the new subject In addition, changes are not just necessary in the new grade levels in which English is introduced – whether this is in Grade one or later in the primary cycle – but throughout the entire system as earlier introduction

of a subject inevitably requires adjustment to the curriculum and materials in all subsequent grades

Another author from Nha Trang, Vietnam gives his own idea that the English curriculum was first implemented in grade one Then, due to criticism that this addition created a heavy workload for grade one students, the Ministry of Education and Training and Khanh Hoa city decided to delay implementation of the English curriculum until grade three, when the mother tongue has been relatively established (Ha, 2006)

From the above information, we can figure out that teaching English at the beginning of primary years may do either harm or good Therefore, the wiser choice can be around the third year at primary schools, which coincides with the decision

of the Ministry of Education and Training lately (see 1.1)

2.5 Assessing Young Learners

As teachers, we are responsible for children‟s progress first to the children themselves, also to the parents, the head teacher, the school authorities, and others Therefore, the evidence of the children‟s progress is always needed Resorting to traditional tests, although they are widely accepted and generally considered objective, is not the ideal solution for children Children have their unique features that make them different from any other learning groups Traditional tests may have negative influence on their self-esteem, motivation, and general attitudes towards learning and the target language

The recognition that children have special needs has led to the development of effective teaching methodologies that put the children‟s creativity and their love of play, songs, rhymes, activity and role play into consideration These methodologies also recognize children‟s limitations in terms of their short attention span, their perceptive development, and their particular areas of interest Since these methodologies have been introduced into classroom teaching, classrooms have become more learner-centered as well as child-friendly

Assessment, on the other hand, although an integral part of teaching that should reflect and supplement the methodologies used in class, has not developed in the same way This problem has long been recognized but only recently addressed Some teachers resort to external exams under pressure of accountability, tailoring their lessons to train their children for the chosen exam By doing things this way, they often fail to notice methodologies appropriate to children (Georgiou & Pavlou, 2003)

As what these two authors present in their book, there are a wide range of ways to assess the children, for example using portfolio assessment, projects, self-assessment, peer-assessment, traditional tests, take-home tasks, observations, conferencing and so on However, with the conditions available as well as the ability of each group of pupils, we can still figure out our own favorable ways to assess them

Concerning this issue, Shaaban (2001) suggests some assessment techniques that can be used for effective and practical measurements of students‟ abilities, progress, and achievement in a variety of educational settings:

 Nonverbal responses: At the early stages of learning, before the revelation of speech, children should be instructed and assessed largely through the use of physical performance responses and pictorial products (Tannenbaum, 1996)

As an assessment technique, this type of response may help lower the level of anxiety normally associated with evaluation, as students see it as a natural extension of learning activities Also, this technique fits very well within the Total Physical Response methodology for early language development (Asher, 1998)

 Oral interview: Pierce and O‟Malley (1992) suggest using visual cues in oral interviews at the early stages of acquisition Thus a student may be asked to choose pictures to talk about, and the teacher‟s role is to guide the student by asking the questions that require the use of related vocabulary

 Role-play: This informal assessment technique combines oral performance and physical activity Children of all ages feel comfortable and motivated when assessed through this technique Kelner (1993) believes that role-play can be an enjoyable way of informal assessment that could be used effectively within a content-based curriculum

 Written narratives: this way of assessment could be achieved through purposeful, authentic tasks, such as writing letters to friends, writing letters to favorite television program characters, and writing and responding to invitations Young learners enjoy story telling and are absolutely motivated to listen to stories as well as to tell them Therefore, the teachers should always take advantage of this interest

 Presentations: Presentations are necessary for assessment because the teacher can get a comprehensive record of students‟ abilities in both oral and written performance Moreover, presentations give the teacher some insights into students‟ interests, work habits, and organizational abilities

 assessment: Young learners may also participate in self-assessment assessment may seem inappropriate at first, but it can yield accurate judgements

Self-of students‟ linguistic abilities, weaknesses and strengths, and improvement (McNamara and Deane, 1995) Self-assessment can be carried out using K-W-L (Know-Wonder-Learned) charts or Learning logs (record of the students‟ experiences with the use of the English language outside the classroom)

 Dialogue Journals: This way of assessment is interactive in nature; they take the form of an ongoing written dialogue between teacher and student They are informal and provide a means of free and uncensored expression, enabling students to write without worrying about being corrected (Peyton and Reed, 1990)

 Peer and Group Assessment: The current trend in EFL/ESL teaching methodology stresses the need to develop students‟ ability to cooperative with others in groups For example, students can write evaluate, encouraging notes for members of the team about their positive contribution to team work

 Student Portfolios: The concept of portfolio was borrowed from the field of fine arts where portfolios are used to display the best samples of an artist‟s work (Brown, 1998) The purpose of a portfolio in the context of language teaching is to demonstrate the extent of a student‟s communicative ability in the target language through samples of oral and written language through samples of oral and written work (Wolf, 1989) If portfolios are done clearly and systematically as an alternative means of assessment, they can have a lot

of advantages over traditional forms of assessment (Pierce and O‟Malley, 1992; Brown and Hudson, 1998; Moya and O‟Malley, 1994): (1) they provide the teacher with a detailed picture of a student‟s language performance in a variety of different tasks, (2) they can enhance students‟ self-image as they participate in the decisions about content and can help them identify their strengths and weakness in the target language, (3) they integrate teaching and assessment in a continuous process

2.6 Materials and Other Teaching Aids

2.6.1 Textbook

Definition

Ur (1996) gives his definition of textbook as a book which each teacher and usually each student has a copy, and which serves as the basis for a language course

The role and benefits of textbook in a language program

It is claimed by Richards (2001) that textbook is a key component in most language programs To students, textbooks provide (a) the basis form which the content of the lessons is developed, (b) the balance for skills teaching, and (c) practicing activities To teachers, textbooks may serve as a primary supplement to the teacher‟s instruction

Cunningsworth (1995) adds that the use of textbooks is also an advantage for the ELT curriculum since they are an effective resource for self-directed learning, presentation material, ideas and activities They are also a reference source for students, a syllabus where they reflect predetermined learning objectives and support teachers, especially novice ones

Sharing similar ideas about the importance of textbook, Sheldon (1988, p 237) compares textbooks with “the visible heart of any ELT program” Furthermore, a textbook forms a backbone of any language-teaching program More specifically, it provides framework of the program so that teachers and learners know where they are going and what is coming next Without textbooks, a program may have no central core and learners may not have a syllabus that are systematically planned and developed (Ur, 1996)

However, Richards (2001) warns that textbook can deskill teachers if the teachers use textbook and teachers‟ manual as the main teaching source and to make the major instruction decisions for themselves

This opinion receives disapproval from other authors, namely McDonough and Christopher (1993) They belive that textbook cannot deskill teachers but can train them In other words, teachers with less experience can make use of a textbook together with the teacher‟s manual as a medium of their initial teacher training

We should also pay attention to opinions from other theorists who are against the use of textbooks such as Allwright (1982) This author states that textbooks are too inflexible and generally reflect the pedagogic, psychological, and linguistic preferences and biases of their authors For this view, textbooks determine and rule the methods and procedures of language teaching and learning by indirectly imposing external language objectives and learning components on students as well

as inappropriate instructional patterns on teachers

According to Weddel (2009), certainly one important reason for using textbooks for instruction is simply that learners like books In fact, learners seem to prefer having textbook in their hands rather than using nondisposable texts Some pre-literate level learners may have never owned or even opened a book while others with extensive native language educational backgrounds may have studied numerous textbooks Whatever the case, teachers can usually agree that learners consider books essential to learning to speak English

Betsy Parrish (2004, p.227) describes the following benefits of using a textbook:

 It assures a measure of structure, consistency, and logical progression in a class

 It minimizes preparation time for teachers

 It allows learners to review material or preview other lessons

 It meets a learner‟s needs or expectations of having something concrete to work from and take home for further study

 It provides novice teachers with guidance in course and activity design

 It may provide multiple resources: tapes, CDs, videos, self-study workbooks etc

Choosing a textbook

The very first step to begin a teaching and learning procedure is putting our heads together to find the text-book that is appropriate for the features of each nation Halliwell (1992) proposes a complete guidance when choosing a textbook through identifying the potential strengths or weaknesses of any specific book From the point of view of the teacher:

 Do the book‟s priorities match with your priorities? E.g.: If you take learning through communicating as your priority, does the book aim to set

up genuine interaction? Real language use?

 Does the book seem to do what it claims to do? E.g.: If it claims to set up real language use, does it provide pair work which really involves communication and not just learnt dialogues?

 Is it clear how to use the book?

 Is the book clearly structured and sequenced?

 Does it provide integrated revision of key items?

 Are there additional materials provided which you personally can‟t otherwise obtain? E.g.: Authentic materials? Native speaker tapes?

 Does it offer lots of practical ideas?

 Does the book develop a balance of the language skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing which suits your needs?

 Does it provide plenty of varied practice of any one set of language items?

 Does it help you to set tests if they are required by your school?

 Does it manage to avoid sexual, racial and cultural stereotypes?

 From the point of view of the children:

 Does the book look interesting and fun?

 Can the children easily see what they have to do?

 Does the book provide much for them to do independently?

 Does it give them activities and tasks which are interesting and worthwhile in themselves and which are not just language exercises?

 Does it provide plenty for those children who cannot yet read and write with confidence?

Weddel (2009) points out a different set of criteria for choosing an effective textbook as follows:

 Receptive skills before productive (listen/read before speak/write)

 Integrates different learning styles: aural, oral, visual, kinesthetic

 Incorporates and varies different methodologies and techniques: Natural Approach, Communicative Competence, TPR, meaningful

interchanges, conversations, drill, role play, information gap, problem solving, jazz chants, interview etc

 Grouping strategies: individual, pair, group and team work

 Incorporates higher level thinking skills and problem solving

 Sufficient student practice

 Grammar: taught in context; spiraling activities

 Interactive/communicative approaches

 Vocabulary: target vocabulary in lesson, recycled in lesson

 Reading: pre-read, read, post-read activities; theme recycled

 Writing activities integrated in text

 Assessments and self evaluations at end of unit; final tests

 Design and Format: illustrations, type size, color/black white, layout

 Pace appropriate to level

 Promotes cross-cultural awareness

2.6.2 Other Teaching Aids

- Aids such as charts and pictures form an integral part of teaching English as a second language, and should be regarded as extensions

2.7 Ways to Effective Teaching and Learning

The following are some ideas of Scott and Ytreberg (1998) about how to have effective teaching with primary children:

Words are not enough:

The spoken word should not be the only thing to be relied on Activities for the younger learners should therefore include movement and involve the senses

Play with the language:

The teachers should let the pupils talk to themselves The children are able to make up rhymes, sing songs, tell stories We can let them play with the new language – let them talk nonsense, experiment with words and sounds since playing with the language in this way is not only very common in first language development but also a very natural stage in the first stages of foreign language learning

Language as language:

It takes some time to become aware of language as something separate from the events taking place Most eight to ten year olds already have this awareness in their own language The spoken word is often accompanied by other clues to meaning – facial expression, movement, etc We should take advantage of these clues as much as possible

Variety in the classroom:

Since concentration and attention spans are short, variety is a must – variety of activities, pace, organizations and voice

Routines:

Children benefit from knowing the rules and being familiar with the situation

As a result, the teachers should have systems, routines, organize and plan the lessons We can also use familiar situations, familiar activities or repeated stories, rhymes, etc

Cooperation not competition:

It is noted for the teachers that rewards and prizes should be avoided Other forms of encouragement can be much more efficient We should try to make room for shared experiences – they are an invaluable source of language work and create

an atmosphere of involvement and the feeling of being together

Teachers can group the children together when necessary This does not necessarily mean that the children are to work within groups all the time, but most children like to have other children around them, and it is needless to say that sitting with others encourage cooperation a great deal

Grammar:

Children have an amazing ability to absorb the language through play and other activities that they find delightful The ability of learning grammar rules is not the most important factor to tell how good the child is in a foreign language Very few of our pupils will be able to cope with grammar as such, even at the age of ten

or eleven They may be very aware and clear about the foreign language, but they are not usually mature enough to talk about it As teachers, we should note the structures, functions and grammar items which we want our pupils to learn as well

as those they already know, but our actual teaching should only include the barest minimum of grammar taught as grammar, and then for the older children only (Scott & Ytreberg, 1998)

It can be easily realized that children can learn much more effectively when the language is attached to any exciting story or characters which are closely related

to the daily life

Slattery and Willis (2001) mentioned some other tips for teachers to help children learn a new language better:

- English should be used in class as the main language for communication

- To help the children understand the instructions as well as the orders, teachers should make use of gestures, actions, and pictures

- Children always have the need to talk in order to learn Therefore, teachers should let children use their mother tongue for communication sometimes, especially to start with

- The teachers should recast in English what children say to him/her in their mother tongue

- The teachers should answer the children in English as much as possible

- The teachers can use their mother tongue for support when conducting

a new activity or if no one understands

- The teachers should talk a lot in English to the pupils because they need to hear English Some recommended things to talk about are:

 Where things are

 Pictures or things that children can see

 What the teacher and the pupils are doing in class

 What the teacher wants his/her pupils to do next

In the past 15 years, Mary Slattery (2008) has carried on her research on using puppets when teaching English to children This teaching method had received numerous significance in language classes with children in different parts

of the world She mentions in her book, „Teaching with Bear‟, that puppets fascinate and engage in a special way Specifically, in the classroom puppets can:

 Delight children and sustain their attention

 Be used to establish and maintain a non-threatening environment

 Help children to understand their own behavior and its consequences

 Be used to show acceptance and develop children‟s self-esteem

 Support children‟s many ways of learning

Also according to this author (Mary Slattery, 2008), “learning takes place when children are actively engaged in seeing, hearing and doing” (p 12):

 Visual involvement: Students can watch their puppet and his movements, look

at photos of his professions and interests, make posters or cards that connect with other areas of learning, use small drawings and colors as a memory aid, make colored mind maps showing visual and English vocabulary associations

 Auditory involvement: Children can listen to the teacher as he/she speaks to the puppet (giving him instructions, asking him questions, commenting on his possessions), listen to other children speaking or getting help as they try to say words in English to the bear, sing songs and saying chants and rhymes using the puppet, listen to each other speaking about posters, cards, and mind maps

 Kinesthetic involvement: When interacting with the puppet (Bear) and physically do things for him, children can move, handle his possessions (putting on his clothes, tidying his bed), make things for their puppet and for each other (cards, puzzles, and games), make their own puppets and resource materials and expressing English vocabulary through gesture and action

 It is also amazing for some teachers to discover the various roles that Bear can take in the classroom:

 An assistant who shows an activity step by step

 A learner like the children in their class, who can get things wrong and need help

 A helper when children are trying to solve a problem

 A surprising character who knows about children‟s interests and introduces some novel items

 A friendly little bear who appreciates children‟s efforts and increases their self-esteem

2.8 Textbook Adaptation

2.8.1 Definitions

Tomlinson (1998) makes clear that textbook adaptation is making changes to textbooks, or materials, in order to improve them and make them more suitable for a particular situation This definition is relatively close to that of another author, Cunningsworth (1995), that textbook adaptation is the action of teachers to suit the particular situation where the textbooks are being used

2.8.2 Reasons for Adapting

Textbook adaptation has been carried out here and there so as to create a harmony of the learners, the teachers, and the content of the lessons No one can deny the fact that “A textbook is a key component in most language programs Therefore, learning how to use and adapt textbook is hence an important part of a teacher‟s professional knowledge” (Richards, 2001, p 1) Additionally, according

to Tanner and Green (1998), changes of some sort are inevitable if the teacher wants

a book to suit his/her purposes, situation, and especially learners

A list of reasons given by McDonough and Shaw (1993) has covered a great deal of aspects of the textbook with the mismatch that teachers can face with:

 Not enough grammar practice of particular difficulty

 The communicative focus means that grammar part is introduced unsystematically

 Reading texts include too much unfamiliar vocabulary

 Questions to check the students‟ comprehension are too easy, because the answers can be easily picked from the text without necessary understanding

 Listening tasks are inauthentic

 Pronunciation is not adequately supported with guidance

 Subject-matters are inappropriate for the learners‟ age group as well as their intellectual level

 Photographs and other illustrations are not culturally suitable

 The amount of material is too great or too little to cover in the teaching periods

 No instruction for teachers on handling group work and role play activities in large classes

 Dialogues are too formal and they do not really represent the daily speech

 Audio materials are inconvenient to use because of problems with room size and other technical equipments

 Variety in the activities are too much or too little

 Vocabulary list and key to the exercises are not included

 Accompanying tests are not offered

There may be even more reasons for adapting if we look closely at each circumstance However, the teachers‟ decision whether to adapt or not must be derived from all the unique features of their students so that the teaching can reach its goal

2.8.3 Techniques for Adaptation

There are various actions you can take to tailor a selected textbook to fit your teaching situation Tanner and Green (1998) noted four ways of adapting textbooks below:

- Changing: Make minor changes to the existing content in the textbooks

- Replacing: Replace one activity with another related one which fits better

in the situation of the class

- Removing: Remove one (or more) textbook activity from the content

- Adding: Add an extra activity in an area not mentioned sufficiently in the textbook

Richards (2001) referred to this issue with his own points of view Basically, his ideas are similar to those of Tanner and Green (1998), but some further information was also added as follows:

- Modifying content: If the content does not suit the target learner because

of factors relating to the learners‟ age, gender, social class, occupation, religion, or cultural background, it may be modified

- Adding or deleting content: Compared with the need of the program, the content may be too much or too little Whole units or sections of them may have to

be dropped For example, a course may focus primarily on listening and speaking skills and hence writing activities in the book will be omitted

- Reorganizing the content: Teachers may consider reorganizing the syllabus

of the book, and reorder the the units in a more favorable way to teach Besides that, within a unit, the teachers can decide not to follow the sequence of activities in the unit but to reorder them for a particular lesson

- Modifying tasks: If the teacher want the tasks and exercises to have additional focus, those tasks need to be changed For example, a listening activity that focuses on listening for information is adapted so that students listen a second

or third time purpose

- Extending tasks: Tasks and exercises may contain insufficient practice In this case, additional practice should be placed

Interestingly, the two authors mentioned earlier (McDonough and Shaw, 1993) present some similar ways to adapt textbook and add some others that are also persuasive enough:

- Adding: materials are supplemented by putting more into them, while taking into account the practical effect on time allocation In this way of adaptation, the techniques of extending and expanding can be applied Extending means to supply more of the same, and expanding, then, is adding to the methodology by

moving outside it and developing it in new directions, for instance by putting in a different language skill or a new component

- Deleting or omitting: By contrast to the adding method, the material in this method is taken out rather than supplemented As figured out in the previous section that material could be added both quantitatively (extending) and qualitatively (expanding), the same point applies when a decision is taken to omit material

- Modifying: this refers to the internal change in the approach of focus of an exercise or other piece of material The aspect of “content” can be sub-divided into two related headings The first one is re-writing, when some of the linguistic content needs modification The second is re-structuring, which applies to classroom management

- Simplifying: Teachers can simplify the length of instructions and explanations that accompany exercises and activities or reduce the complex sentences in the reading texts and even the design of the material to make learners easier to understand In order to bridge the gap between the learners‟ characteristics and materials, simplification has a number of further implications

- Re-ordering: This method means adjusting the sequence of presentation within a unit, or taking units in a different sequence from that originally intended

We, as teachers, can re-order different available language items within a unit by putting them in the notion of relationship and scales of systematic based on the learners‟ level

2.9 Previous Studies

In the field of teaching English to young learners, there have been quite a lot

of studies from different parts of the world Those studies share the same interest in investigating the English learning situation of the young learners However, in the search for studies which are more closely related to the topic of this thesis –

Teaching English to children using Let’s Go, only one formal writing was found in which the author made an evaluation of the book Let’s Go 1 in the Let’s Go series

One author, Lenka Přibilov (2006), from Masaryk University in Czech Republic conducted a research named „Teaching vocabulary to young learners‟ The research dealt with three main issues: (1) the need of a teacher to know his or her learners and to understand their needs and problems, (2) the question of motivation and including fun and games into the teaching process, and (3) the usage of different methods and approaches for teaching young learners This study also included several lesson plans which focus on using different methods while teaching vocabulary to young learners

To get an overall view on the teaching of English to young learners in Taiwan, Wan Wei-Pei (2008) did an investigation into „Teaching English to Young Learners

in Taiwan: Issues Relating to Teaching, Teacher Education, Teaching Materials and Teacher Perspectives‟ In this study, a questionnaire-based survey of a sample of teachers of English in Taiwanese primary schools (166 respondents) was conducted, focusing on teacher background and training, views about national and local policies, approaches to course content, methodology and teaching resources, and perceptions of their own proficiency in English and of their own training needs The thesis came up with an investigation of some of the problems associated with the implementation of this policy by combining research involving teacher cognition with research involving the criterion-referenced analysis of a sample of textbooks produced in Taiwan for young learners and a sample of lessons taught in Taiwanese primary schools

Mentioning the belief of the teachers, Posen Liao (2007) presented a study on teachers‟ beliefs about teaching English to elementary school children The author asserted that understanding teachers‟ specific beliefs about English teaching can inform researchers and teacher trainers about how teachers are likely to implement their teaching, and how to provide appropriate teacher education programs The

results of this study revealed that elementary school English teachers in Taiwan, both in-service and pre-service ones, share a similar and consistent set of beliefs Most of them have common beliefs about: (1) the nature of children‟s English development, which is in accord with the research literature on foreign language learning, (2) English teaching methods and techniques employed in the classroom, which are basically in tune with the teaching principles of CLT, and (3) a strong sense of self-efficacy as English teachers in terms of doing their work, which may have a positive impact on their performance based on the research findings of educational psychology

Yuko Goto Butler (2004) implemented a case study on the level of English proficiency that elementary school teachers need to attain to teach EFL The study was conducted with participants from Korea, Taiwan and Japan In this study, the majority of the elementary school teachers sampled in those countries perceived their proficiency levels to be lower than the minimum levels they thought necessary

to teach English under current educational policies Both Taiwanese and Japanese teachers indicated that they felt least proficient in the domain of oral grammar Besides that, the self-reported data gathered for this study suggest that the teachers surveyed feel they urgently need to improve their English proficiency to implement their country‟s English language policies

Regarding materials for young learners, a researcher from United Kingdom, Paul Dickinson (2010) proposed his study on “Evaluating and adapting materials for young learners” This is the only writing that reveled findings when researching on

the book Let’s Go In this writing, the researcher made an attempt to show that

while commercially produced materials can be valuable language resources, evaluating and adapting activities within the materials can intensify their potential

for teaching and learning This evaluation of Let’s Go 1 revealed that:

- The book is colorful and appears interesting and fun to young learners

- The coursebook and other materials are clearly laid out

- Both teachers and learners find the materials easy to use

- The content of the language and topics are generally appropriate, but need to be adapted or supplemented for the local context at times

- The suggested teaching methodology in the teacher‟s book is not compatible with either learning-or learner-centred approaches

- The grammatical/structural approach to presenting and practising language possibly restricts creativity and independence of the learners‟ responses

- The materials, while based on a particular approach to language teaching and learning, can be adapted to suit alternative approaches

- The written tests and quizzes are valid in terms of the language they measure, but are not a valid means of assessing oral language learning

In Vietnam, Doan (2010) carried out an investigation into how speaking is taught in English classes for children in Hue She made use of surveys (including 30 teachers), interviews (including 20 teachers) and 15 class observations Findings indicated that the choice of speaking activities depended on the classroom teacher However, most of the activities chosen were the same as those in the textbook such

as: Let's Go, Super kids, namely, pair work and group work Some teachers used

games in their classes but those games were far from what was taught and learnt in the class Those findings suggest that the use of different speaking activities in the class is still limited as opposed to the communicative class which requires the diverse use of different speaking activities Therefore, that language environment in the classroom may not be created effectively for the sake of teaching and learning a foreign language The conclusion session pointed out that at each teaching stage, the widely use of teaching techniques may help to explore the advantage of each individual, of pairs or of groups in the language learning environment In terms of teaching materials, although there are various textbooks which have been used in

the light of learner-centered and communicative approach, it is recommended that the teacher should not follow rigidly all the tasks designed in the textbooks in his/her speaking class Based on the understandings of the learners' level of English proficiency as well as learners' attitudes, the teacher could make any possible changes, even omitting a task if need be

2.10 Review of the Book Let’s Go

The Let's Go books are a series of six textbooks (plus a starter book) widely used nowadays for teaching English to children Each book combines a carefully controlled grammatical syllabus with functional dialogues, alphabet and phonics work, listening tests in every unit, and songs and chants by Carolyn Graham They are published by Oxford University Press The authors are R Nakata, K Frazier and B Hoskins Each level includes a Students' Book, a Workbook, a Teacher's manual,

Students' and Teacher's cards, and a cassette tape or CD There is also a ROM available from Dyned Inc

CD-This book has been used for primary schools in Hue for over 10 years and has received positive comments about the design as well as the content ever since The design of the book is eye-catching and vivid, the content is relatively good Therefore, the use of this textbook is being increased in primary schools in Hue

2.11 Chapter Summary

In this chapter, a variety of issues relating to the teaching of English to primary school pupils are presented so as to prove that teaching English to young learners has been paid more and more attention lately In spite of all the differences

in the aspects that each teacher involves in, a review of the education literature shows that teachers all over the world are making efforts to develop the teaching and learning quality

In Vietnam, although the implementation of teaching English to primary children using Let‟s Go has received a lot of attention from teachers as well as learners and their parents, there has been an absence of studies on using Let‟s Go to teach English to children at primary schools By conducting an investigation into this issue at some primary schools in Hue, the research hopes to figure out some significant facts about this book as well as the perceptions and practice of teaching English to children using this book so that the teaching and learning procedures can

be more and more effective

Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design and Approach

This study adopted a descriptive research design According to Herbert and Elana (1989), a descriptive design is applied in order to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena and to depict „what exists‟ regarding the variables or conditions in a situation In order to answer the projected research questions, both qualitative and quantitative approaches were applied As Condelli and Wrigley (1999, p 1) mention, “The best research design

is a mixed method design that integrates qualitative and quantitative research” One reason is because the qualitative approach can “help identify what works, but

it still has limited explanatory power” Besides, the qualitative approach can provide data that can give insights into how findings work and how findings can

be translated to practice

Quantitative method made use of the questionnaires in order to seek for the

insight into the teachers‟ perception and practice of teaching Let’s Go to their

primary children Thanks to the collected data, some conclusions as well as implications for teaching English to primary children were proposed In addition, the qualitative method was also applied so that we can have a more thorough understanding of the situations as well as the perceptions of the participants The data from the interview also confirmed the result of the questionnaires

3.2 Participants and Research Sites

There are two groups of participants in this study as follows: