As seen in the framework of analysis, the data from the results of the questionnaire to students were in four small parts for analysis. The results of the first part were as follows:
Part A: Students’ opinions about ESP Teachers’ methodology.
Concerning the current ESP teaching methods at HCMC. CC., questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 were used to ask students.
(i) Students’ statement about the ways ESP teachers taught grammar structures and reading texts
The results from Table 4.1a showed that most of students (60/240 cases, 25.1% and 122/240 cases, 50.8%) (no answer from 1 case) strongly agreed or agreed that their English teachers usually taught grammar structures in isolation without context.
39 Table 4.1a How grammar structures were taught
Statement 1a.The English teacher usually taught grammar structures in isolation without context.
Frequency
Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 5 2.1 2.1 2.1
Disagree 21 8.8 8.8 10.9
Undecided 31 12.9 13.0 23.8
Agree 122 50.8 51.0 74.9
Strongly
Agree 60 25.0 25.1 100.0
Total 239 99.6 100.0
Missing System 1 .4
Total 240 100.0
Similarly, the results from Table 4.1b showed that most of students (127/240 cases, 52.9 % and 59/240 cases, 24.6%) (no answer from 3 cases) agreed or strongly agreed that their English teachers usually translated the reading texts into Vietnamese. The results from Table 4.1a and Table 4.1b showed that students were taught grammar and reading skill with traditional teaching methods. That made students demotivated in learning.
40 Table 4.1b How reading texts were taught
Statement 1b. The English teacher usually translated the reading texts into Vietnamese after students finished three tasks in each unit.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 3 1.3 1.3 1.3
Disagree 20 8.3 8.4 9.7
Undecided 28 11.7 11.8 21.5
Agree 127 52.9 53.6 75.1
Strongly
Agree 59 24.6 24.9 100.0
Total 237 98.8 100.0
Missing System 3 1.3
Total 240 100.0
(ii) Students’ responses about the teaching aids employed by their teachers Also in the students’ questionnaire, the respondents shared their thoughts about teaching aids used in ESP as showed in Table 4.2. Many students (44/240 cases, 18.3% and 140/240 cases, 58.3%) (no answer from 3 cases) confirmed that their teachers used blackboards and E-lesson plans in teaching ESP. Only some of students (8/240 cases, 3.3% and 19/240 cases, 7.9%) strongly disagreed or disagreed about the ideas that their English teachers only used blackboards and E- lesson plans to teach ESP. These results showed that some modern teaching aids were rarely used to teach ESP except E-lesson plans.
41 Table 4.2 The use of teaching facilities
Statement 2. The English teacher usually used blackboards and a laptop to show new words and their meanings in Vietnamese from the reading texts in teaching ESP.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 8 3.3 3.4 3.4
Disagree 19 7.9 8.0 11.4
Undecided 26 10.8 11.0 22.4
Agree 140 58.3 59.1 81.4
Strongly
Agree 44 18.3 18.6 100.0
Total 237 98.8 100.0
Missing System 3 1.3
Total 240 100.0
(iii) Students’ opinions about the ways ESP teachers used ESP documents Also referring to ESP documents, the figures from Table 4.3 stated that a great number of respondents (26/240 cases, 10.8% and 102/240 cases, 42.5%) (no answer from 3 cases) strongly disagreed or disagreed that their teachers usually added authentic documents beside available ESP textbook to teach. Only 9/240 cases, 3.8% and 58/240 cases, 24.5% strongly agreed or agreed that their teachers usually add some more authentic ESP documents to teach ESP. The results indicated that teachers rarely updated practical documents to teach ESP.
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Table 4.3 The use of additional practical documents to teach ESP
Statement 3: The English teachers used available ESP textbook and added practical documents to teach ESP.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 26 10.8 11.0 11.0
Disagree 102 42.5 43.0 54.0
Undecided 42 17.5 17.7 71.7
Agree 58 24.2 24.5 96.2
Strongly
Agree 9 3.8 3.8 100.0
Total 237 98.8 100.0
Missing System 3 1.3
Total 240 100.0
(iv) Students' ideas about ESP teachers’ help in explaining ESP terms
To know more about ESP teaching methods, this item was used. As seen from Table 4.4, a large majority of respondents (38/240 cases, 15.8% and 129/240 cases, 53.8%) (no answer for 2 cases) remarked that their ESP teachers explained careful ESP terms to help them understand before reading-comprehending phases.
A minority of students (11/240 cases, 4.6% and 22/240 cases, 9.2%) strongly disagreed or disagreed that their ESP teachers did not explain careful ESP terms to help them understand before reading-comprehending phases. These results showed that teachers helped students understand ESP terms. However, that made students lazy in self - study.
43 Table 4.4 The teaching of ESP terms
Statement 4: The teacher explained carefully ESP terms to help students understand before reading and comprehension phase.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 11 4.6 4.6 4.6
Disagree 22 9.2 9.2 13.9
Undecided 38 15.8 16.0 29.8
Agree 129 53.8 54.2 84.0
Strongly
Agree 38 15.8 16.0 100.0
Total 238 99.2 100.0
Missing System 2 .8
Total 240 100.0
(v) Students’ responses about their ESP teachers’ correction
From the figures of Table 4.5, we could see that the ESP teachers did most of the work for their students with 36/240 cases, 15.0% and 131/240 cases, 54.6%
respondents strongly agreed or agreed that their ESP teachers carefully corrected their translation of the reading text or grammar points and then ESP teachers offered the best translation for reference. Only some students (32 /240 cases, 13.3%) disagreed with that statement. This result helped to assume that most of ESP teachers used grammar – translation method to teach ESP.
44 Table 4.5 The correction of students’ translation
Statement 5: The teacher carefully corrected students’ translations and offered the best translation of texts for reference.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 13 5.4 5.4 5.4
Disagree 19 7.9 7.9 13.4
Undecided 40 16.7 16.7 30.1
Agree 131 54.6 54.8 84.9
Strongly
Agree 36 15.0 15.1 100.0
Total 239 99.6 100.0
Missing System 1 .4
Total 240 100.0
Part B: How ESP courses are learnt at HCMC. CC.
To know how the picture of the students’ ESP learning styles at HCMC.
CC. is, questions 6, 7, 8, 9 were used.
(i) Students’ activities during ESP classes
The results gave common views in learning ESP at HOCHIMINH City College. As seen from Table 4.6, only a small number of respondents, 66/240 cases (27.5%) admitted that they usually participated in class activities (pair work, group work,…). This answer was proved from the real situation of the researcher’s ESP class. More than a half of students were not interested in ESP lessons. They went to class for checking attendance. All of ESP teachers (4/4) had the same ideas with this result. This was reinforced by a large number of respondents who strongly disagreed or disagreed with this statement (137/240 cases, 57.1%). 33 students (13.8%) even did not remember whether they did join in pair work or group work activities. That showed students were lazy and passive in learning.
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Table 4. 6 Students’ participation in class activities
Statement 6: During ESP lesson, students usually participated in class activities (pair work, group work...).
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 32 13.3 13.6 13.6
Disagree 105 43.8 44.5 58.1
Undecided 33 13.8 14.0 72.0
Agree 54 22.5 22.9 94.9
strongly
Agree 12 5.0 5.1 100.0
Total 236 98.3 100.0
Missing System 4 1.7
Total 240 100.0
(ii) The interaction between ESP teachers and students during ESP classes Similarly, from the results of Table 4.7, the number of respondents who usually put questions to get feedback from ESP teachers or gave personal ideas about ESP lessons was rather small (104/240 cases, 43.3%). The number of students who disagreed or strongly disagreed about making questions or giving personal ideas beside teachers’ requirements was quite high (137/240 cases, 57.1%) more than a half. 33 cases did not know whether they made questions or gave personal ideas beside teacher's requirements. If learners wanted to express their aspirations about the lessons or show their ideas or thoughts about the lessons, they had to put questions to their teachers and if they want to gain more knowledge, they have to practice what they have learnt. However, students at HCMC. CC. in this questionnaire seemed to neglect “practice”.
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Table 4.7 Students’ participation without teacher’s elicitation
Statement 7: During ESP lesson, students usually put questions to get feedback from English teacher or gave personal ideas without teachers’ elicitation.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 11 4.6 4.6 4.6
Disagree 85 35.4 35.9 40.5
Undecided 37 15.4 15.6 56.1
Agree 84 35.0 35.4 91.6
Strongly
Agree 20 8.3 8.4 100.0
Total 237 98.8 100.0
Missing System 3 1.3
Total 240 100.0
(iii) The students’ opinions in upgrading their English level
From the results of Table 4.8, the number of respondents who usually self – studied to upgrade their English besides class lessons (112/240 cases, 46.7%) was more than the number of students who did not usually self-study to upgrade their English level (94/240 cases, 39.2%). However, there were still many students who were Undecided about their self-study to upgrade their English besides class lessons (37/240 cases, 15.4%). This result meant that they did not really care about self-studying.
47 Table 4.8 Students’ self- study
Statement 8: Students usually self-studied to upgrade their English besides class lessons because of many reasons.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 21 8.8 8.8 8.8
Disagree 73 30.4 30.7 39.5
Undecided 32 13.3 13.4 52.9
Agree 96 40.0 40.3 93.3
Strongly
Agree 16 6.7 6.7 100.0
Total 238 99.2 100.0
Missing System 2 .8
Total 240 100.0
(iv) The students’ motivation in learning ESP during ESP courses
Another statement confirmed the lack of students’ motivation in learning ESP. From the results of table 4.9, 84/240 cases (35%) a quite small number of respondents reviewed old ESP lessons before the next ESP ones. Doing homework, reviewing old lessons and self-studying are the duties of learners before going to school. However, learners at HCMC. CC. in this questionnaire were not conscious of this when we see the figure from table 4.9 a large number of students (123/240 cases, 51.3%) who strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement “I usually reviewed old ESP lessons before the next ESP ones”. 31 cases did not remember whether they reviewed old ESP lessons before the next ESP ones and 2 cases ignored this statement. This showed that the students lacked motivation in learning.
48 Table 4.9 Students’ revision before class
Statement 9: The students usually reviewed old ESP lessons before the next ESP ones.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 18 7.5 7.6 7.6
Disagree 105 43.8 44.1 51.7
Undecided 31 12.9 13.0 64.7
Agree 71 29.6 29.8 94.5
Strongly
Agree 13 5.4 5.5 100.0
Total 238 99.2 100.0
Missing System 2 .8
Total 240 100.0
Part C: Students’ opinions about problems arising from ESP textbook
Questions 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 were used to ask students to find out their opinions about the ESP current textbook at HCMC. CC.
(i) Students’ responses about ESP textbook’s level
From the figures of the table 4.10, we could see that students’ opinions about the level of ESP textbook were different. More than 39% of students (94 cases) did not think the current ESP textbook was too difficult for them. The number of students who thought that the current ESP textbook was too difficult for them was smaller than, with 84 cases (35%) meanwhile there was still a number of students (58 /240 cases, 24.2%) who did not know the ESP textbook was easy or difficult. 4 cases did not give the answer for this question. This indicated that the textbook was not very suitable for most of the students’ English level.
49
Table 4.10 Students’ opinions about ESP textbook level
Statement 10: Current ESP textbook was too difficult for students’ English level.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 21 8.8 8.9 8.9
Disagree 73 30.4 30.9 39.8
Undecided 58 24.2 24.6 64.4
Agree 71 29.6 30.1 94.5
Strongly
Agree 13 5.4 5.5 100.0
Total 236 98.3 100.0
Missing System 4 1.7
Total 240 100.0
(ii) Students’ responses about ESP textbook’s construction and architecture knowledge
From the results of the table 4.11, 147/240 cases (61.2%) agreed or strongly agreed that current ESP textbook provided them with a lot of construction and architect knowledge (no answer for 5 cases). This contrasted with the alumni’s ideas that the ESP course did not support them a lot about the knowledge in construction and architecture major. Only 35/240 cases (14.6%) thought that ESP textbook did not provide them a lot of construction and architecture knowledge.
53/240 cases (22.1%) did not decide the current ESP textbook provided them with a lot of construction and architecture knowledge. This number was not small. This showed that there were different thoughts about the textbook’s content knowledge.
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Table 4.11 Student’s opinions about contents of ESP textbook
Statement 11: Current ESP textbook provided students with a lot of construction and architecture knowledge.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 7 2.9 3.0 3.0
Disagree 28 11.7 11.9 14.9
Undecided 53 22.1 22.6 37.4
Agree 128 53.3 54.5 91.9
Strongly
Agree 19 7.9 8.1 100.0
Total 235 97.9 100.0
Missing System 5 2.1
Total 240 100.0
(iii) Students’ responses about ESP textbook’s vocabulary
To find out students’ opinions about the quantity of technical terms (vocabulary) in the textbook, statement 13 was designed. As shown in table 4.12, nearly half of the respondents (116/240 cases, 48.4%) agreed or strongly agreed that the quantity of vocabulary in the textbook was large and difficult to remember.
This idea contrasted with some alumni’s opinions that the number of vocabulary in the textbook was not enough for their current work. 52 students (21.7%) did not know their answer as well as 7 cases did not have the ideas for the answer. 65/240 cases (27.1%) did not admit that quantity of vocabulary in the textbook is too large and too difficult to remember.
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Table 4.12 Students’ opinions about vocabulary teaching in ESP textbook
Statement 12: Quantity of vocabulary in the textbook was large and difficult to remember.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 10 4.2 4.3 4.3
Disagree 55 22.9 23.6 27.9
Undecided 52 21.7 22.3 50.2
Agree 99 41.3 42.5 92.7
Strongly
Agree 17 7.1 7.3 100.0
Total 233 97.1 100.0
Missing System 7 2.9
Total 240 100.0
(iv) Students’ responses about ESP textbook’s grammar structures
As can be seen from the table 4.13, in this statement, the total number of respondents was 236 cases, no answer for 4 cases. 94/ 240 cases (39.2%) thought that grammar in the textbook was difficult and unfamiliar with what they learned from General English while 90 respondents (37.5%) strongly disagreed or disagreed that grammar in the textbook was difficult and unfamiliar with what they learned from general English. 52 cases (21.7%) did not have any ideas and 4 cases neglected this statement.
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Table 4.13 Students’ opinions about grammar structures in ESP textbook
Statement 13: Grammar in the textbook was difficult and unfamiliar with what students had learned from General English.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 19 7.9 8.1 8.1
Disagree 71 29.6 30.1 38.1
Undecided 52 21.7 22.0 60.2
Agree 84 35.0 35.6 95.8
Strongly
Agree 10 4.2 4.2 100.0
Total 236 98.3 100.0
Missing System 4 1.7
Total 240 100.0
(v) Students’ suggestion about adaptation for ESP textbook
As shown from the table 4.10, nearly a half (118/240 cases, 49.2%) of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that ESP teachers should adapt the textbook to suit the learners’ proficiency. This idea was the same as some alumni’s ideas.
However, the alumni’s suggestion was to adapt ESP textbook based on the needs of real work and society. Only 39/240 cases (16.3%) disagreed or strongly disagreed to adapt current ESP textbook. However, the number of respondents who did not know should or should not adapt ESP textbook was much higher (79/240 cases, 32%) than the number of disagreed respondents.
53
Table 4.14 Students’ suggestions of textbook revision
Statement 14: Students suggested that the teacher should revise the textbook to suit the learners' proficiency.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 12 5.0 5.1 5.1
Disagree 27 11.3 11.4 16.5
Undecided 79 32.9 33.5 50.0
Agree 95 39.6 40.3 90.3
Strongly
Agree 23 9.6 9.7 100.0
Total 236 98.3 100.0
Missing System 4 1.7
Total 240 100.0
Part D: Problems arising from the students
From the results displaying in table 4.15, the number of students who had problems in learning ESP in the first semester was rather high (120/ 240 cases, 50%) meanwhile only 21.7% of students (52 cases) did not feel difficult when learning ESP in the first semester. This number was also smaller than the number of students who did not know whether studying in the first semester was difficult or not. It could be seen that besides students had problems not only in learning ESP in the first semester but they also lacked professional knowledge in construction and architecture and they were not very interested in learning English and did not care to form their own opinions.
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Table 4.15 Students’ opinions about the suitable time for ESP course
Statement 15: Teaching ESP in the first semester when students did not have professional knowledge in construction and architecture made it difficult for them to understand the terminology.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly
Disagree 12 5.0 5.0 5.0
Disagree 40 16.7 16.8 21.8
Undecided 66 27.5 27.7 49.6
Agree 98 40.8 41.2 90.8
Strongly
Agree 22 9.2 9.2 100.0
Total 238 99.2 100.0
Missing System 2 .8
Total 240 100.0