MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES LE THANH NGUYET ANH SUMMARY OF THE THESIS EFL TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES REGA
Trang 1MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
LE THANH NGUYET ANH
SUMMARY OF THE THESIS
EFL TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND
PRACTICES REGARDING LEARNER AUTONOMY:
AN EXPLORATORY STUDY AT A VIETNAMESE UNIVERSITY IN
THE MEKONG DELTA
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
HUE, 2019
Trang 2This study was completed at:
University of Foreign Languages – Hue University
Supervisor 1: Dr Trương Bạch Lê
Supervisor 2: Assoc Prof Đỗ Minh Hùng, PhD
Reviewer 1: Assoc Prof Tôn Nữ Mỹ Nhật, PhD
Reviewer 2: Assoc Prof Lê Phạm Hoài Hương, PhD
Reviewer 3: Dr Nguyễn Gia Việt
This dortoral dissertation will be defended in the Thesis Examination Council of Hue University at 04 Lê Lợi Street, Hue City at …….a.m/p.m on ……./……/………
This dissertation can be found in the National Library and library of University of Foreign Languages – Hue University
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Chapter One INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the research
Learner autonomy (LA) is originated from European education (Benson, 2006) and whether it is suitable for Asian learning style (Pennycook, 1997) is both Western educators’ and Asian educators’ concern Therefore, this is a challenge to the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) as well as educators
For Mekong Delta, the Decision No.1033/QĐ-TTg, 30 June 2011 issued by the Prime Minister on developing education, training, and vocational training in Mekong Delta in the period 2011 – 2015 brought hopes for a breakthrough in enhancing the labors’ education and quality (Vietnamese Prime Minister, 2011) However, after five years this Decision was conducted, the quality of education and training in Mekong Delta was still lower than other regions in Vietnam (Đỗ Nam, Tân Thành, & Phùng Dũng, 2017), and this area has been a
“depression” in Vietnamese education, especially in teaching and learning English
Although there has been a lot of research about LA conducted around the world in many ways and a variety of studies of EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices towards learner autonomy in Western nations, Asian ones, and Vietnam such as Borg and Al-Busaidi (2012b), and Dogan and Mirici (2017) as well as EFL students’ perceptions and practices regarding LA
in Asian contexts generally and in Vietnam particularly (i.e Chan, Spratt, & Humphreys, 2002; Đặng Tấn Tín, 2012), their results have yet to be comprehensively generalised and final conclusions have yet to be made Up to now, there have been one thesis of LA (Trịnh Quốc Lập, 2005) and an article about this field (Nguyễn Văn Lợi, 2016) conducted in Cần Thơ University, in Mekong Delta, Vietnam
The research was conducted at the Faculty of Foreign Language Education at a university
in the Mekong Delta, South of Vietnam Most of the students who were attended English majors
at Foreign Language Education Faculty at the University obtained their weak background in English, especially the freshmen Up to the time this study starting to be conducted in 2014, there had not yet been any research related to LA for both teachers and students carried out in this faculty, although Dong Thap University (DTU) had run for nearly 15 years Hence, the present study made an attempt to clarify this as well as to provide more insights about LA in the views of Vietnamese-speaking EFL teachers and students
1.2 Aims of the research
First, this study aims to understand how Vietnamese EFL teachers perceive LA and express it in their teaching practice Second, it explores students’ understanding of LA and the ways they learn English autonomously Lastly, it investigates the relationship between the EFL teachers’ and the EFL students’ perceptions and practices of LA
1.3 Research questions
1 What are EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices of LA?
2 What are EFL students’ perceptions and practices of LA?
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Chapter One is introduction Chapter Two is literature review Methodology is in Chapter Three Chapter Four is findings and discussion Chapter Five is conclusion and implications
Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Learner autonomy
2.1.1 Definition of learner autonomy
LA was primitively defined as the “ability to take charge of one’s own learning” by Holec (1981, p.3) and up to now this definition has been cited in LA literature most
2.1.2 Roles of learner autonomy
In the last three decades LA is still an interesting topic and has an extremely powerful effect on language teaching and learning (Benson, 2006; Blidi, 2017) One more major reason for continuing exploring and developing LA at tertiary education is for the purpose of life-long
learning for both teachers and students
2.1.2.1 Learner autonomy in Asian EFL higher education
Recently, a large number of studies about the benefits of LA and the importance of fostering LA in foreign/second language education in Asian context have been conducted This shows the positive role of LA in this field in Asian university settings Cakici’s findings (2017) showed that LA was highly valued by participants, and they were willing to take more responsibilities for and make decisions about their own language learning
2.1.2.2 Learner autonomy in Vietnamese EFL higher education
Trịnh Quốc Lập (2005, p.17) indicates that one of the goals of English Language Teachers training programs in Vietnamese universities is LA development Đặng Tấn Tín (2012, pp.26-27) shows that LA “directly contributes to both processes and outcomes of learning activities”, helps “students to face the challenge of technical difficulties”, and “is especially important for knowledge construction and sustainable learning in today’s globalized world”
2.2 Learner autonomy in foreign language education
2.2.1 Learner autonomy as ability
Holec (1981, p.3) defines LA as “ability to take charge of one’s own learning Thus, LA is the ability to proceed to learning independently and consciously Dickinson (1994) makes these
LA cognitive abilities of language learners clearer through being able to recognize the
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objectives of what they learn in the classroom, plan their own learning goals, choose a suitable
type of learning strategies, and manage and evaluate their implementation of learning strategies
2.2.2 Learner autonomy as responsibility
All of the above definitions of LA imply that language learners should take responsibility for their learning Holec (1981, p.3) also mentions that LA is that “to take charge of one’s learning is to have, and to hold, the responsibility for all the decisions concerning all aspects of this learning” Taking LA as responsibility also means developing a set of behaviors and skills which Benson and Voller (1997, p.2) classify into five main components: to “study entirely on their own”; form “a set of skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed learning”; activate their “inborn capacity which is suppressed by institutional education”; implement their
“responsibility for their own learning”; and “determine the direction of their learning”
2.2.3 Learner autonomy as cognitive processes
Wenden (1991, p.15) believes that autonomous learners are the ones who “have acquired the learning strategies, the knowledge about learning, and the attitudes that enable them to use these skills and knowledge confidently, flexibly, appropriately and independently of a teacher” She argues that to develop LA, knowledge about learning strategies (cognition, self-management), knowledge about language learning (metacognition), and knowledge about learner attitudes are essential Harris (2003, p.4) states that “metacognition is concerned with guiding the learning process itself and so includes strategies for planning, monitoring and evaluating both language use and language learning; key elements in developing autonomy”
2.2.4 Learner autonomy in lifelong learning
Thomson (1996, p.78) indicates that language learning is “a life-long endeavor” Borg and Al-Busaidi (2012b, p.3) hold that LA “prepares individuals for lifelong learning” LA is learners’ lifelong learning process after they graduate from university According to Blidi (2017), the development of lifelong learning is deemed to strongly impact on policies of education and trends in teaching and learning in Europe as well as in the globe because it is considered as the solution to connect education products and the important and essential things
of social economy
2.2.5 Learner autonomy as cultural challenge
LA has been considered as a concept affecting language teaching and learning in different settings, and culture has become an important factor in relation to its suitability and effectiveness LA has been considered as a cultural characteristic in Western countries versus Asia countries Ho and Crookall (1995) show that Asian learners, consisting of Vietnamese learners, have the same strong beliefs of social relations and relational hierarchy in the classrooms Đặng Tấn Tín (2010) states that influenced by the Asian culture, the common philosophy of Vietnamese education practice is more absorbing and memorizing and less experimenting and creating knowledge In Mekong Delta, LA seems to be one of the big challenges Hồ Sỹ Anh (2018) indicates that only 12% of Mekong Delta people graduated from
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high school to university in 2014, which was the lowest rate in comparison with other regions
in Vietnam
2.2.6 Learner autonomy in this study
Based on above analyzed definitions of LA and sociocultural conditions in Mekong Delta
in the South of Vietnam, in the current study, LA is redefined as language learners’ cognition, ability to take responsibility for their own learning by setting learning goals, planning, practising, monitoring and assessing their autonomous learning processes through teachers’
guide and orientation, as well as their lifelong learning
2.3 Aspects of learner autonomy
2.3.1 Technical aspect of learner autonomy
According to Benson (1997, p.19), technical aspect of LA is clearly shown as “the act of learning a language outside the framework of an educational institution and without the intervention of a teacher” He emphasizes the physical situation for autonomous learners to take and develop their responsibility for their own learning He uses positivism for this aspect because he believes that “knowledge is a more or less accurate reflection of objective reality”
(Benson, 1997, p.20)
2.3.2 Psychological aspect of learner autonomy
Psychological aspect relates to learners’ attitudes and awareness ability when they have their responsibility for their own study Benson (1997, p.19) defines psychological aspect of
LA as “a capacity – a construct of attitudes and abilities – which allows learners to take more responsibility for their own learning” The psychological perspective starts to be clearer as Little (2003) connects Holec’s definition (1981) and his in order to concretize that autonomous students have full perceptions regarding and understand their courses’ goals, approve their responsibility, actively plan study and conduct their learning activities, and usually assess their
learning effects
2.3.3 Political aspect of learner autonomy
Political aspect of LA is based on critical theory and focuses on learners’ “control over the processes and content of learning” (Benson, 1997, p.19) This version of LA is the approaches that permit learners to manage both their own learning and the institutional settings
It seems to be learners’ rights in learning Also, critical theory emphasizes the social contexts and the form of LA as access, control, power, and ideology (Pennycook, 1997) which are looked
for in particular locations, circumstances, groups, institutions, and socioeconomic positions
2.3.4 Sociocultural aspect of learner autonomy
Basing on Benson’s three aspects of LA (1997), Oxford (2003) introduces one more aspect
of LA into her framework that is sociocultural perspective This perspective emphasizes social interaction in shaping learners’ cognition and language development Oxford (2003) bases herself on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (1978) to form this aspect of learner autonomy through environmental stimulation and social interactions with learning environments where people’s cognition has developed
Trang 7The concept of language teachers’ perception is defined by Borg (2006) as teachers’ cognition of what they consider, are familiar with, and believe Basing on Borg and Al-Busaidi’s questionnaire (2012b), Benson’s views (2011), and Little’s views (1991, 1999), Xhaferri, Waldispuhl, Xhaferri, and Eriksson-Hotz (2015, p.13) list ten concepts which are used
as a framework to explore beliefs about LA, namely technical views, psychological views, social views, political views on LA, the role of the teacher in LA, the relevance of LA to diverse cultural contexts, age and LA, language proficiency and LA, the implication of LA for teaching methodology, and the relationship of LA to effective language learning
Learners’ perceptions of LA are an important issue for both educators and learners themselves investigated by a number of language researchers White (1995, p.209) states that only when learners have developed their “understanding of the nature of language learning, and
of his/her role in that process”, can they gain ability to practice LA
Regarding students’ practices of LA, Holec (1981, p.3) clarifies students’ LA ability and responsibility for their learning through five vital actions to practice LA, namely “determining objectives, defining content and progressions, selecting methods and techniques to be used, monitoring procedure of acquisition, and evaluating what has happened” Littlewood (1999) gives a model of three features: language acquisition, learning approach, and personal development, and develops definition of learner autonomy in two levels of proactive autonomy and reactive autonomy
2.4.3 Relationship between perception and practice of learner autonomy
Discussing the interaction between perception and practice, Bodenhausen and Hugenberg (2009, p.14) indicate that “perception is linked to action in some fairly obvious ways” They illustrate the connection of input, perception, cognition, and action in a diagram:
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Target
Figure 2.1: The interaction of perception, cognition, and action
(Bodenhausen & Hugenberg, 2009, p.15)
The figure 2.1 shows that one’s perception through his or her cognition guides his or her action and the action, then, impacts on perception
Teachers’ perceptions are a crucial part in teaching practice because they straightly influence teachers’ selection of objectives and activities Buchmann (1986) shows that objectives of education may shape teachers’ beliefs regarding what is suitable for teaching and teachers’ conceptions about their professional role Conceptions of their role, in turn, shape their teaching practice
According to Horwitz (1987), learners’ beliefs can affect their attempts in learning new languages and decide what they do Moreover, Riley (1996, p.128) shows that learners’ beliefs strongly influence their language learning process more than their teachers’ stimulation on them because “it is their beliefs that hold sway over their motivation, attitudes, and learning procedures”
2.5 Assessing as learning in learner autonomy
2.5.1 Assessment as learning as an indispensable segment of LA
According to Earl and Katz (2006, p.41), assessment as learning (AaL) is “an active process of cognitive restructuring that occurs when individuals interact with new ideas” In this process, students are “the critical connectors between assessment and learning” Similarly, Berry (2008, p.47) states that this approach offers students’ learning responsibility, urges students to learn in depth, and focuses on “assessment as a process of metacognition for students”
2.5.2 Teachers’ role
In assessment as learning, teachers play the crucial role, including “designing instruction and assessment that allow all students to think about, and monitor, their own learning” (Earl & Katz, 2006, p.42) Likewise, Berry (2008) states that teachers’ role in AaL is to plan their teaching with the opportunities, which helps students self-assess and peer-assess their learning Furthermore, teachers should observe and assess learners’ practices of LA, and then they may have a teaching plan to support their students to develop autonomy Besides, teachers have to self-assess their instruction of LA activities
2.5.3 Learners’ role
To become the active, involved and critical assessors in assessment as learning, students are like ones with personally analyzing, evaluating, and critically considering what they implement in learning Then, they can adjust, adapt, or change their present study goals, and
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plan their new learning objectives Therefore, students are the connectors between teaching and learning (Berry, 2008) Furthermore, Gardner (1999) considers self-assessment as an important element to look back and decide learners’ level of knowledge and skills
2.6 Previous studies on EFL teachers’ and students’ perceptions and practices of LA
In the Western, Dogan and Mirici’s study’s results (2017) showed that there was a missing link between teachers’ perceptions and practices of LA Teachers felt it hard to involve students in making decisions on their own language learning Besides, Balcikanli (2010) indicated that the student teachers possessed a clear understanding of LA However, it was difficult to involve themselves in making decisions on some aspects such as choosing time and place of a class, or in selecting materials in learning because they were not allowed
In Asia, Borg and Al-Busaidi (2012b) showed that the teachers had positive perceptions towards the notion of LA and its advantages for language students However, the participants shared difficulties which they met were fixed curriculum, students’ weak LA experience, students’ demotivation, students’ trust in their teachers, students’ learning English out of classes, students’ aim in passing exams, etc In Iran, Azizi’s findings (2014) showed that students believed in some LA activities they and their teachers shared duty together Yet, some other students perceived that they had to take certainly responsibility for conducting them In some others, students thought that their teachers took responsibility, especially the activities related to methodological aspects, study planning, activity control
In Southeast Asia, Keuk and Heng (2016) showed that the Cambodian EFL teachers admitted that it was hard for EFL teachers to apply the current curriculum, learning resources, desirable level of LA in practice, and they did not have enough necessary knowledge and skills
to conduct studies of LA In addition, Tapinta (2016) revealed that Thai EFL teachers had a strong belief in developing LA They also recognized the role of them as facilitators in students’ learning process
Furthermore, in Vietnam, Nguyễn Thanh Nga’s results (2014) indicated that overall teachers did not have full understandings of the concept and did not enhance LA due to many factors such as difficult conditions of their teaching settings, and the strict courses Especially, they did not know how to foster LA In addition, Đặng Tấn Tín (2012) indicated that the participants had positive perceptions of initiating learning opportunities as well as of the vital role of technology to help their learning However, he stated that “the relationship between perception and performance of LA is not strong [ ] Learners cannot always do what they want
to do for their learning even though they understand that it is necessary and useful to do so” (Đặng Tấn Tín, 2012, p.184)
2.7 Summary
This chapter presents an overview of definitions, aspects, perceptions, and practices, self-assessment of LA in literature in previous studies
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3.2.1 Teacher participants
A total of 20 Vietnamese-speaking EFL teachers in the Foreign Language Education Faculty, (DTU in the Mekong Delta), voluntarily took part in the interview It should be noted that by the time the current study was conducted, none of them had attended any workshops or
training programs exclusively on EFL students’ LA
3.2.2 Student participants
There were 285 current English majors in Foreign Language Education Faculty at the university, volunteering to complete the questionnaire Of 285 participants, 60 voluntary students responded to interview questions It should be noted that none of them have yet to attend any training programs exclusively on EFL students’ LA
3.3 Data collection methods
3.3.1.2 Group interview
Group interview has a lot of benefits which have been researched by many researchers on the world (Bogdan & Biklen, 1992; Watts & Ebbutt, 1987) First, using group interview helps researchers develop and obtain a wider set of answers from interviewees through their own stories than in individual ones Next, it brings to researchers diverse thoughts or ideas And then, it saves time because the interviewer can interview a group of people at the same time Psychologically, when interviewed in groups, students will not be asked alone and can be stimulated to remind them of more ideas relating to the topic while they are listening to their friends’ story
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3.3.1.3 Interview for teachers
Teacher interviewing questions were divided into three parts: definitions and role of LA, teachers’ reflections about applying LA in their teaching, teachers’ evaluation of their EFL students’ autonomous level and their self-assessment of instructing and organizing LA
activities for their students
3.3.1.4 Interview for students
EFL students’ interview questions were designed with three parts: their perceptions towards definitions of learner autonomy and its role in higher education, their reflections of
what they have done after class, and their evaluation of their own LA ability
3.3.2 Questionnaire
Questionnaire is an effective tool to collect information data and save time for informants
to answer Kumar (2011, p.141) indicates the benefits of questionnaire that “it is less expensive”; “it offers greater anonymity”
Questionnaire developing process
For the current study, the unbalanced five-point Likert-type scale (5) was used because a point Likert-type scale was widely accepted as a proxy interval level of measurement in line with common practice in educational research (Dornyei, 2003)
5-The questionnaires were grown in four steps: 1 piloting, 2 revising, 3 testing again and getting feedback, and 4 including feedback into a final version of the questionnaire The researcher looked back qualitative data carefully, and based on the theories in LA for language learners in literature, empirical studies, and mixing previous questionnaires in this field such as Chan et al (2002), Dafei (2007), Sakai and Takagi (2009), Duruk and Kecik (2014), and Talley (2014), to formulate a new questionnaire Perception, setting goal, and planning study sections were not adapted from previous studies because they were not suitable for purpose of the present research Therefore, the rest items were designed and developed due to interview results and literature review
Students joined in interview in 12 groups of five They took turn to tell their own autonomous learning life while their friends were listening They could support their details later they forgot during interview time Each group shared their own story in one hour
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In Phase 1, qualitative data were recorded and administered by the researcher Every participant was coded for both students and teachers For instance, students No.1, No.2 were coded S1, S2, and teachers No.1, No.2 were T1, T2, and so on For student interview, each group of five students’ transcription was put and saved in separate file in order Similarly, every teacher’s transcription was stored separately
In Phase 2, after collected, questionnaire was managed and coded by the researcher Each finished questionnaire was numbered hand-writtenly in order on the first page In addition, it was coded with student year and put in order in the pile
3.5.1.2 Translating data
Interview questions were designed in English and then translated into Vietnamese and used to ask teachers and students in interview process After that, the current researcher had to translate the interviewed data into English to serve the purposes of this research
3.5.1.3 Data analysis and reconcilement
In the current research, transcribed and translated information from interviews of EFL teachers and students was analyzed to respond questions 1, 2, and 3 After analyzed, teachers’ views were being compared with students’ ones to find out the similarities and differences in their perceptions and practices of LA
3.5.2 Quantitative data analysis
Report information of a survey through questionnaire was used a software program named Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to code and give statistics This analysis indicated the means, standard deviations Besides, validity and reliability of these statistics were being paid attention because they “lead to meaningful interpretations of data” (Creswell, 2014, p 200)
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3.6 Research reliability and validity
Table 3.5: Summary of Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficients
Scales Cronbach's Alpha Number of Items
3.8 Summary
This chapter just presented the research design with a mixed methods approach with an exploratory study with in-depth interview, group interview, and questionnaire The participants’ information, and two phases of the research were mentioned
Chapter Four FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Teachers’ perceptions and practices of learner autonomy
4.1.1 Teachers’ perceptions of the concept of learner autonomy
Twenty EFL teachers who were interviewed about their understanding of EFL students’
LA shared a number of ideas in three domains of LA: ability, responsibility, and cognition First, one-fifth of teachers stated that EFL students had to have their ability of autonomous
learning in diverse ways For instance, T1 mentioned that EFL students had to “adjust their learning actively”, and master “the ways to learn autonomously, and self-research” In addition,
T17 seemed to understand the concept of LA deeply since she mentioned two LA terminologies,