HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES -------------------- NGUYEN THI THUY HANG ONLINE AUTONOMOUS STRATEGIES BY EFL STUDENTS AT LE QUY DON HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIFTED STUDENTS IN QUANG TRI PROVINCE MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, University of Foreign Languages and International Studies, Hue University THUA THIEN HUE, 2022 HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES -------------------- NGUYEN THI THUY HANG ONLINE AUTONOMOUS STRATEGIES BY EFL STUDENTS AT LE QUY DON HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIFTED STUDENTS IN QUANG TRI PROVINCE MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CODE: 8140111 SUPERVISOR: DR. TRUONG BACH LE THUA THIEN HUE, 2022 ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ -------------------- NGUYỄN THỊ THÚY HẰNG CHIẾN LƯỢC TỰ CHỦ TRONG VIỆC HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ TRỰC TUYẾN CỦA HỌC SINH TRƯỜNG TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG CHUYÊN LÊ QUÝ ĐÔN - TỈNH QUẢNG TRỊ LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ LÝ LUẬN VÀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC BỘ MÔN TIẾNG ANH MÃ SỐ: 8140111 NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA HỌC: TS. TRƯƠNG BẠCH LÊ THỪA THIÊN HUẾ, 2022 STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted for a degree in any university. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, my thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself.
Signed: Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hằng Date: 07/ 11 /2022 i ABSTRACT This research was carried out with the aim of investigating autonomous English language learning beyond classroom by the students at Le Quy Don High School for Gifted Students in Quang Tri Province, pertaining to strategies, online resources, affordances, and challenges. The mixed methods design was employed in this research, with the use of questionnaire delivered directly to 200 student participants and semi-structured interviews conducted with ten students. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and thematic analysis, respectively. The results revealed that the student participants adopted autonomous strategies, namely setting goals, planning learning activities, choosing learning resources, choosing learning methods, monitoring, and evaluating learning activities, at a medium level of frequency.
In terms of online learning resources, the highest frequency of use was witnessed by such resources as online dictionaries, You Tube videos, and social media, whereas the lowest utilization frequency belonged to emailing, radio, and discussion forums. Besides, the most frequently-reported affordances included stable Internet connection, ability to find relevant materials, and time available. At the same time, the most frequently-reported constraints involved learning methods and strategies, financial resources, and lack of knowledge about sources of technical assistance. From the research findings, certain implications were suggested for both students and teachers with a view to optimizing the use of autonomous strategies and online resources to better English language learning and teaching.
In addition, suggestions for further studies were put forward. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude to people supporting and helping me during the research. I would first like to express my sincere and profound gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Dr. Truong Bach Le, for his enthusiastic support, patience, and great encouragement throughout this project.
His comprehensive instructions and timely feedback significantly assisted me to accomplish this paper. I would also like to acknowledge Ms. Tran Thi Thao Phuong as the second reader of this thesis, and I am gratefully indebted to her for her valuable comments on this thesis. I would like to express my gratitude towards the student participants in the questionnaires and interviews for their significant contributions to the completion of this research project.
Without their support and participation, the study could not have been successfully conducted. I would also like to express my immense gratitude towards my colleagues at Le Quy Don High School for Gifted Students in Quang Tri Province for their intensive support during my course as well as my thesis study. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my family and friends for their assistance and encouragement during my master course and my research project. iii List of Tables Table 3.
Themes, subthemes, and items in the questionnaire Table 3. Demographic characteristics of the student respondents to the questionnaire Table 3. The interpretations of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient values Table 3. The reliability statistics of the questionnaire Table 4.
The interpretation of mean scores Table 4. Frequency of online out of class English learning Table 4. Targeted language elements and skills Table 4. Frequency of overall online autonomous learning strategies Table 4.
Setting goals of learning Table 4. Planning learning activities Table 4. Choosing online resources Table 4. Choosing learning methods Table 4.
Monitoring learning activities Table 4. Evaluating learning activities Table 4. Used online resources Table 4. Affordances and challenges in online autonomous English learning Table 4.
Affordances and challenges: Low frequency and high frequency iv List of Figures Figure 2. The dynamic model of learner autonomy v List of Abbreviations EFL. English as a Foreign Language SPSS. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences vi TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP.
iii List of Tables. iv List of Figures .v List of Abbreviations. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii Chapter 1: Introduction.
Background of the study. Rationale of the study. Scope of the study. Significance of the study.
Structure of the thesis .7 Chapter 2: Literature Review. Learner autonomy in language education. Conceptions of learner autonomy. Perspectives of learner autonomy.
Domains of learner autonomy. Online language learning. Definition of online language learning. Digital affordances of online language learning.
Online language learning practices. Online informal learning of English. Online language learning in the current study. Online autonomous strategies.
Language learning beyond classroom. Strategies for autonomous learning. Summary of the chapter. Data collection procedure.
Evaluative criteria of the study. Summary of the chapter .53 Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion. Results of the study. Online autonomous language learning strategies.
Targeted language elements and skills in online autonomous learning. Online autonomous language learning strategies. Online resources used for autonomous language learning. Affordances and challenges in online autonomous EFL learning.
Online autonomous language learning strategies. Online resources used for autonomous language learning. Affordances and challenges in online autonomous EFL learning. Summary of the chapter .95 Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications.
Summary of findings. What online autonomous strategies do EFL students use for their language learning?. What online resources do EFL students use for their autonomous language learning?. What affordances and challenges do EFL students have in their online autonomous language learning?.
Implications for EFL students. Implications for EFL teachers. Limitations of the study. Recommendations for future studies.
Summary of the chapter .114 x Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter firstly presents the background of the study. It then describes the rationale, the objectives of the study and research questions. Additionally, it mentions the significance and the scope of the study. Finally, a brief outline of this thesis is also provided in the chapter.
Background of the study The 21st century’s global world has confirmed the increasing importance of English in several sectors such as science, tourism and education, to name but a few. Besides, it is the language of international communication with an estimate of two billion users by 2020, as well as the language of the media and the Internet with millions of books, newspapers and websites on nearly every subject available in English or with English versions (Nishanthi, 2018). In other words, a command of English language serves as not only an indispensable and powerful tool to attain personal and professional goals but also a passport to success in securing a place in the job market. To have such a command of English, learners’ constant practice and patience is a must because in the ideal learning conditions regarding learners, teachers and educational environment, basic skills for interpersonal communication and language proficiency for academic purposes require a continuous exposure and active language learning during a period of two to three years and five to seven years, respectively (Cummins, 2008).
In Vietnam, English as a foreign language, hence forth EFL, is a compulsory subject from grade three in primary education to grade twelve at high schools, where students have three separate forty-five-minute lessons per week. Accordingly, like in all other high schools in the Vietnamese context, students at Le Quy Don High School for Gifted Students in Quang Tri Province study EFL as a compulsory subject. Being members of English-majored classes only entails 1 additional three periods for fostering English knowledge and skills, which just increases the English-majored students’ exposure to English language and does not change the nature of EFL. This is not enough, at least in terms of time allotted, not to mention other constraints such as the lack of English-speaking environment or the examination orientation, for learners to develop a high command of English.
Therefore, in order to acquire practical mastery of English as a foreign language, besides the requirement to make full use of teachers’ instructions and learning activities during class time, learners need to continue their learning outside classroom on their own, which pertains to the concept of out-of-class language learning. The Internet and the development of information technology have provided language learners, especially EFL learners, with numerous opportunities to be exposed to authentic sources of language input and interactions. Internet access and advanced technological devices have also blurred the boundary between formally constructed language learning in conventional classrooms and informally unconstructed language learning out of the classrooms. Specifically, with the availability of the Internet, EFL learners can have access to a wide range of learning apps and authentic materials derived from digital media, and immerse into English speaking communities on social networking sites catering for any topical knowledge or content.
The flourishment of research on digital tools for EFL, mobile mediated English learning or technology-mediated English learning, has confirmed the inevitable trends of integrating technology in education, embracing EFL learning and teaching. In contrast to the pre-internet era when EFL teachers and EFL conventional classrooms functioned as nearly the only source of target language exposure and interaction available for EFL learners, today EFL learners can enjoy diverse sources of authentic materials and language contacts outside classrooms. Besides, EFL 2 learners can bring what they learn beyond classroom into the formal language classes and vice versa, what they have acquired in formal language classes should serves as preparation for the learners’ real life communication. These emerging settings and scenarios of EFL education evoke a dire need to get an insightful understanding of the learners’ practices of out-of-class language learning, especially those accompanied by the utilization of resources available online.
Rationale of the study Out-of-class language learning refers to “non-prescribed activities that students carry out independently to broaden their knowledge of a subject” (Benson, 2011, p. Unlike intentionally structured and hierarchical classroom discourse involving simple and predictable rituals and routines with deliberately displayed language, discourse beyond the classroom is somewhat unstructured with authentic language in multifaceted contexts of use (Nunan, 2014). A large body of related research in a variety of contexts suggests that students’ active engagement in language learning beyond the classroom can obtain improvement in language proficiency, confidence, and motivation (Benson, 2011; Nunan, 2014). Out-of-class language learning is also argued to embrace the potentials for compensating for the limitations of in-class contexts in terms of the personalization of tasks and activities, material authenticity, and language exposure (Orhon, 2018).
Most importantly, out-of-class language learning presents a supportive scenario with abundant opportunities for promoting learner autonomy (Richards, 2015). Learner autonomy, which is often defined as “the ability to take charge of one’s own learning” (Holec, 1981, p. 3), is increasingly taken into consideration as an imperative in foreign language learning.