4.2.2.1 Problems arising from ESP teachers
The data from the questionnaire to students, the interviews with alumni and ESP teachers showed that one of the major problems in teaching and learning ESP at HCMC. CC. came from ESP teachers.
The first problem arose from ESP teachers was their teaching methods.
During ESP lessons, they only used grammar – translation method and sometimes lecture method. Although with the real conditions at HCMC. CC.: lack of teaching facility, the different levels of learners, etc…, using other methods was unable.
However, only using one method in teaching ESP made learners feel lazy and bored to learn and they were passive in participating in learning activities if their ESP teachers did not require. They almost forgot to review the lessons before going to school. What they usually did during ESP lessons was sitting, waiting for teachers to show new words from slides, reading aloud after the teachers and then writing down the final translation of the text to prepare for the exams. Everything related to the reading texts was done by ESP teachers; learners just went to school to read, to write the translation of the reading texts. According to the data obtained from the interview with alumni, many of them did not like learning ESP reading skill when their ESP teachers only listed all new words, asked them to read and then provided them with a good translation into Vietnamese of the ESP text because it was not very useful for them. The result of this method was that learners
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forgot to review and prepare the lessons before going to school. They did not care to study and therefore, it was pointless for teachers to hope that the students were creative and willing to practice.
The second problem was ESP teachers’ majored background. Most of ESP teachers were trained to teach General English and when becoming ESP teachers, they have not been trained in ESP teaching that is, the knowledge of the major they were in charge of teaching therefore they were not well-qualified enough to teach English for construction and architecture. Because of this, ESP teachers did not know how to conduct the course and they felt unconfident and nervous when teaching their students.
The third problem was the cooperation between ESP teachers and content teachers. Most ESP teachers did not feel comfortable to receive any useful helps in consulting in teaching ESP for construction and architecture. This showed that there was still a distance between ESP teachers and content teachers. Besides, at this school, ESP teachers did not keep the important role as being teachers at English centers made them unhappy.
4.2.2.2 Problems arising from students
The problems arising from students were seen from the results of the questionnaire to students, the interviews with alumni, teachers and recruiters.
The results of the questionnaire to students reported two common problems arising for students. According to the study, although many students had the good awareness of the role of ESP, most of them did not truly enjoy learning it. Many students just attended ESP course as a compulsory subject at HCMC. CC. The students lacked motivation in learning ESP. They did not have any awareness about studying for future work.
Ineffective teaching method was also a problem that students faced.
Teachers only used the Grammar – Translation method that made students bored in learning. Besides, the monotonous ESP textbook also made students feel unhappy in learning. They hardly found suitable documents that attract their learning.
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Besides the above problems, according to ESP teachers’ interview, the different levels of learners were also a problem arising from learners. With many different levels in English in a class, an ESP teacher found that it was very difficult to find a good and suitable method to teach them.
From the viewpoints of alumni, lacking major knowledge was also a big problem for students to learn ESP well at HCMC. CC. ESP course was taught in the first semester. At that time, students only studied two or three subjects related to their major. That was the reason why students did not have enough major knowledge to learn ESP easily.
In other previous investigations on the same topic, such as Nguyen (2002), Huynh (2005), Hoang (2009), Pham (2011), all of them had the same findings in exploring the problems that influenced students’ learning: i.e different levels in English, passive in learning, no motivation in learning. These factors made ESP course ineffective.
Besides, from many “Undecided” answers that students chose in their questionnaire as well as the comments of three recruiters, it could be noted that most of the students at HCMC. CC. were very passive in showing their viewpoints.
They even did not have any ideas when facing a problem. That brought a not good impression for recruiters about the students at HCMC. CC.: the students lack “soft skills”.
4.2.2.3 Problems arising from ESP textbook
All the results of students’ questionnaire, alumni and ESP teachers’
interviews showed the problems arising from ESP textbook.
The first problem was that the textbook was difficult when comparing with students’ English level and yet not very practical for them at work. The second problem was the quantity of vocabulary in the textbook was too large and too difficult to remember and also impractical. The next problem was that the grammar points were not very familiar with what they had learned in General English classes and impractical with long complex sentences. Lack of tasks for other skills except reading skill as well as no exercises for self-study was the last
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problem arising from ESP textbook at HCMC. CC. These findings concur with the results of some related investigations in this field such as Hoang (2009), Pham (2011), Tran (2011): too much theory of grammar, grammar sequencing is not clear, no answer keys, technical vocabulary designed in the textbook is impractical and the information in the reading texts is out- of-date.
In general, the results from questionnaire, interviews emphasized that the four problems identified above were the most alarming problems affecting the teaching and learning ESP at HCMC. CC. Among the above problems found from students, the lack of motivation in learning was the biggest problem that affected the results of ESP course. Besides, the lack of major knowledge as well as being shy in displaying personal ideas was one of the main barriers in learning ESP.
All findings discussed and identified above were summarized in following table.
81 Table 4.15 Summary of major findings The ESP teaching at
HCMC. CC.
- Using the Grammar – Translation method to teach ESP
- Only reading skill
- Explaining Grammar structures carefully - Giving the best translation for the texts - Using Vietnamese during ESP class The ESP learning at
HCMC. CC.
- Considering ESP as a subsidiary subject
- Going school to do texts’ translation for final exams - Being lazy and passive
Hypothetical sources of problems reviewed in chapter 2
Major problems in teaching and learning at HCMC. CC. found from the questionnaire, the interviews
Problems arising from ESP teachers
1 ESP teaching methods
2 ESP teachers’ majored background
3 The poor cooperation between ESP teachers and content teachers
Problems arising from students
1 Lack of motivation in learning ESP, being passive in showing their viewpoints
2 Lack of lexical knowledge 3 Lack of authentic materials
4 Affecting negatively from monotonous teaching methods
Problem arising from ESP textbook
1 The contents of ESP textbook were difficult when comparing with students’ English level but not very practical and updated
2 The quantity of vocabulary in the textbook was too large and too difficult to remember and impractical 3 Grammar points were too difficult, unfamiliar with
what they learned from General English and impractical with long complex sentences