INSIGHTS INTO ACTIVATING PASSIVE VOCABULARY FOR STUDENTS
Nguyen Luong Hoang Thanh, M.A
School of Foreign Languages
Abstract
As agreed by many eminent linguists, the lexical factor has a crucial role in the process and practice of teaching a second or foreign language. However, it also goes without saying that, regardless of a learner’s language background, there is always a substantial difference between active and passive vocabulary, which impairs the language education and acquisition process. Therefore, many researchers have been studying how to help students activate their passive lexis. Starting with the literature review relevant to the topic, followed by the synthesis and generalization from the author’s own accumulated language teaching experience as well as observation, this theoretical paper extensively examines the distant yet intimate relationship between the two types of vocabulary and discusses some misconceptions associated with increasing active lexis. In the final analysis, the writer indicates constant revision as the foremost factor to help language learners achieve this goal. With this in mind, the topic is open for further study and investigation, and language instructors can use what they have learned from this paper as a stepping stone to study and deploy more effective teaching techniques to help students activate their passive lexis.
Keywords: active, passive, lexis, vocabulary
HOW TO PROMOTE INTERACTION OF ONLINE TEACHING IN VIETNAMESE CONTEXTS
Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc, M.A.
School of Foreign Languages
Abstract
At University of Economics, HCM City, the blended learning and online teaching have been applied recently. However, most students appear to be passive, demotivated and unresponsive to the online teaching. The aim of the study is to promote the students’ interaction in online teaching at the university. The research is based on the theory of enhancing the interactivity of online teaching including the interaction between the students and the content of the course, the interaction between the teacher and the students and the interaction between the students. The study has been conducted for two semesters consisting of 120 hours with the participation of 70 freshmen. During the course, the teacher assigns the tasks such as doing team projects or making a presentation online to each group after finishing one unit of the syllabus. The data of the research is collected through the teacher’s observation and the questionnaire designed to measure the students’ motivation and the effectiveness of their online learning process. The result proves the benefits of working jointly on the projects may enhance the students’ interaction as well as their communication. The students are engaged in collaborative learning during the course through the group work. These interactions can enhance the students’ motivation and efficiency of online learning, in other words, they can improve the students’ online learning performance. It is recommended that the importance of interaction need to be magnified in the online environment.
Key words: Interaction, blended learning, presentation, Vietnamese contexts
KNOWLEDGE AND NEW DESIGNS FOR ENGLISH WRITING INSTRUCTION
Ho Thi Phuong Nam, M.A
School of Foreign Languages
Abstract
At present, policymakers in some educational institutions have been deeply concerned about the lack of teachers who are willing to take responsibility for English writing courses. There is an inordinate number of learners, especially university-goers, attempting to participate in English writing courses. Most of them want to pursue these writing training classes to serve the purpose of attaining international English certificates which are considered to be prevalent among academics. International English certificate holders are likely to be broader opportunity holders, because they are on the way to make themselves stand out as being better in English than the rest. The curious paradox about this appears, so finding out the way to persuade teachers to be in charge of these English writing classes becomes problematic for educators. The rationale behind this might come from the fact that what English writing instruction involves and how writing instructors facilitate their students’ writing learning remain uncultivated. In the following paper, knowledge about writing teaching activities as well as suggestions for new designs in giving writing instruction will be offered.
LEARNING TO LISTEN TO THE LINKING, DROPPING AND TRANSFORMING OF SOUNDS IN NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS’ SPEECH WITH THE SUPPORT OF GOOGLE AND ITS YOUTUBE
Nguyễn Phương Chi, M.A.
School of Foreign Languages
Abstract
Connected speech with its phenomena of linking, dropping and transforming of sounds in a word or between words is very characteristic of natural spoken English. These phenomena are also referred to as linking, elision and assimilation which non-native learners of English should be helped to be aware of and get used to so that they can improve their listening comprehension and then fluency in spoken English. Nowadays, with the assistance of Google and its YouTube, it is quite easy and convenient for learners to get online access to books, articles and lessons on these issues, and at the same time practise listening to native speakers’ natural and rapid speech in real-life contexts. In this article, based on some online literature searches performed to collect relevant information from previous studies, some important and most typical phenomena of English connected speech with variations and examples, together with links to some websites on Google and YouTube, are presented to help learners get to what they need to understand and practise about these feartures of connected speech for the improvement of their listening comprehension and thereby speaking skills.
Key words: connected speech, phenomena, listening, Google, Youtube
TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING IN ONLINE LEARNING CONTEXTS: CORRELATION AND CHALLENGES
Truong Vinh Duy, M.A.
School of Foreign Languages
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has propelled a shift from traditional face-to-face classroom to online environment. This gives rise to teachers seeking alternative teaching methods in order to progressively engage learners in virtual classrooms. Among the methods, Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has established significant prevalence in the field of ESL/EFL over the last two decades (Ellis, 2009). While studies on the effectiveness of TBLT in face-to-face environment are abundant, research on whether the application of this method in online teaching and learning environments comes to terms with difficulties is rather insufficient. On this account, the present paper provides a brief theoretical background of TBLT and review of findings from studies addressing the positive impacts of TBLT in technology-mediated environments . The author also discusses potential challenges pertaining to TBLT itself, the obstacles of adopting TBLT online perceived by teachers and language learners and propose viable solutions for how these can be properly compromised.
Keywords: Task-Based Language Teaching, Technology-mediated Environment, Online Learning
WAYS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS, TEACHERS AND LEARNERS TO MANAGE VIRTUAL CLASSES EFFECTIVELY
Thai Hong Phuc, M.A.
School of Foreign Languages
Abstract
In the field of education, thanks to the invention of the internet and modern technological devices, online learning has been developing a lot in the past ten years, which gives people the opportunity to acquire knowledge anytime and anywhere. In the last two years, online learning has been more popular as the coronavirus pandemic has forced schools, colleges and universities to shut their doors. As more and more people are involved in online teaching and learning, more research on surveying the attitudes of teachers and learners towards online teaching and learning has been done. Recent studies have produced interesting findings showing that teachers and learners have been facing many problems when they have to change from face-to-face learning in class to online learning because virtual classes have their own benefits as well as challenges. Those research articles also give suggestions on what teachers and learners should do to overcome the difficulties of organizing and participating in online classes.
This paper aims at recommending the suitable actions that school and university leaders should take in the situation of emergency online teaching and learning. Besides, it also summarizes some ways for teachers to help learners in distance learning and increase the latter’s participation in virtual classes. Finally, it gives some useful pieces of advice for learners to plan, organize and take part in their online learning effectively.
Key words: school and university leaders, teachers, learners, manage, effective virtual classes, online learning
ENHANCING LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) UTILIZATION
Vo Dinh Phuoc, M.A.
School of Foreign Languages
Abstract
This paper is presented as part of the project “Promoting the IT utilization in academic curricula of the School of Foreign Languages.” Its purpose is to examine the current practice of IT utilization in the field of language learning and teaching in UEH, including the use of evolving technologies, the employment of modern electronic devices and software applications, as well as new educational approaches such as blended learning. Along with the system analysis, it points out the strengths and weaknesses of the use of IT in terms of technological resources in the SFL context. This paper also makes some strategic plans for this practice in UEH in the year to come. Hopefully, the recommendations presented in this paper will contribute to the improvement of language education in UEH.