VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES HOÀNG THỊ LAN ANH AN EVALUATION OF THE PRE-SERVICE EFL TEACHERS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PRE-PRIMARY STUDENTS AT A COLLEGE IN HANOI (Đánh giá chương trin ̀ h đào ta ̣o Tiế ng Anh cho sinh viên giáo du ̣c mầ m non ở mô ̣t trường cao đẳ ng ở Hà Nô ̣i) Minor master thesis Major: English Language Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Supervisor: Associate Professor Lê Văn Canh HANOI - 2018 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby state that I, Hoàng Thị Lan Anh, an MA student of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, certify with my signature that my thesis entitled ‗An evaluation of the pre-service EFL teachers training program for pre-primary students at a college in HanoI‘ is entirely the result of my own work. I have faithfully and accurately cited all my sources, including books, journals, newspaper articles, generics, doctoral dissertations, and online resources. I declare that I understood the concept of plagiarism and I acknowledge that my thesis will be rejected in case of plagiarism. The thesis contains no materials that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part, for the award of any other academic degree or diploma.
Supervisor‘s signature Student‘s signature Associate Professor Lê Văn Canh Hoàng Thị Lan Anh i LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank my thesis advisor Associate Professor Lê Văn Canh of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The door to Prof. Lê Văn CAnh office was always open whenever I ran into a trouble spot or had a question about my research or writing. He consistently allowed this paper to be my own work, but steered me in the right the direction whenever he thought I needed it.
I would also like to thank all the professors who inspired me thoroughly during this MA course so that this research project was born and carried out. Without their passionate lectures and input, the project could not have been successfully conducted. Last but not least, I must express my very profound gratitude to my family and friends for providing me with unfailing support and comfort throughout my years of study. I thank you all very much! ii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ABSTRACT Pre-service training program are intended to keep practicing teachers up-to-date as well as tackle issues which occur in their teaching practices.
Given the importance of that mandate, this present study explored the perceptions of the instructors and trainees of such a program at a college in Hanoi, Vietnam by focusing on both strengths and weaknesses based on the related theories, models and previous empirical research findings. The data gathered from teachers and trainees by means of survey and focus group interview revealed that the limitations of the program overweighs the strengths. The program was seen to provide pedagogical and theory components of a kindergarten English teacher. Yet, it was criticized to be out- of-date, less practical-oriented, lack of cultural knowledge, and lack of micro- teaching.
A number of suggestions were offered in the implications of the critical evaluation for future revision and/or designing a new in-service program. iii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS. iv LIST OF FIGURES.
vii TABLE OF APPENDICES. vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND. Rationale of the study.
The aim and objectives of the study. The scope of the study. Methods of the study. Design of the study.
What is evaluation?. The purpose of evaluation. What is program evaluation?. Why program evaluations?.
What and When to evaluate program?. Teacher Training program evaluation. Teacher training models. Teacher training for teaching English to young learners (TEYL).
Kindergarten and What are kindergarten children like?. 15 iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. Pre-Service Teacher Training Program. Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL).
What will include in the teacher training program for teaching English to young learners?. Evaluative studies on teacher training for teaching English to young learners. Evaluative studies on teacher training for teaching English. Evaluative studies on teacher training for teaching English to young learners.
The study context .3 Participants and Instruments. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. Findings from the student surveys. Professional knowledge and skills.
Personal knowledge and skills. Findings from the teacher interviews. Professional knowledge and skills. The strengths and limitations of the program.
34 v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. Strengths of the program. Limitations of the program. Limitation and further research .I vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1: Five stages of content analysis.
27 TABLE OF APPENDICES Appendix 1: Pronunciation Syllabus. I Appendix 2: Listening Syllabus 1. II Appendix 3: Listening Syllabus 2. IV Appendix 4: Listening Syllabus 3 .VII Appendix 5: Speaking Syllabus 1.
X Appendix 6: Speaking Syllabus 2. XI Appendix 7: Speaking Syllabus 3 .XII Appendix 8: Reading Syllabus 1. XVI Appendix 9: Reading Syllabus 2. XIX Appendix 10: Reading Syllabus 3.
XXII Appendix 11: Writing Syllabus 1. XXV Appendix 12: Writing Syllabus 2. XXVIII Appendix 13: Writing Syllabus 3. XXX Appendix 14: Methods to make young learners familiar with English Syllabus.
XXXIV Appendix 15: Activities to Make Young Learners Familiar with English Syllabus. XXXVIII Appendix 16: Speaking Translation Syllabus. XL Appendix 17: Writing Translation Syllabus. XLIII Appendix 18: English Literature for Young Learners Syllabus.
XLV Appendix 19: Grammar Syllabus .XLIX Appendix 20: Level 3 in Vietnamese Standardized Test of English Proficiency. LII Appendix 21: The survey form. LVI Appendix 22: Focus Group Interview. LVII Appendix 23: Link between Research Questions, Data Sources and Data Collection Methods.
LVIII vii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS PEF Pre-primary Education Faculty EF English Faculty EPTP English pre-service training program NCE National College for Education VSK Values, Skills and Knowledge TEYL Teaching English to Young Learners EFL English as a Foreign Language viii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Chapter I INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1. Rationale of the study At this moment, teaching English for small children in the kindergarten is one of the top issues throughout the world in general and in Vietnam in particular. According to the top linguists and experts, the three – to - five – year – old period of time of a child is the golden age for learning a foreign language. In addition, preschool teachers play a very important role in the child's English learning.
In fact, recent surveys conducted by some experts at National College for Education show some problems. English teachers do not really understand psychological and physiology of preschool age. On the other hand, preschool teachers are limited in their ability to speak foreign languages, which results in poor pronunciation and / or use wrong words in situations. This is very influential to children‘s English accepting process in the golden period.
Therefore, the training of English teachers for small children is extremely important and urgent today. In my opinion, one of the prerequisites for such high-quality human resource training is the teaching program for junior students, who will be English teachers for children in the kindergarten in the near future. However, from my teaching experience as well as my collecting data from students, I realize that the contemporary pre- service training program has not really met the requirements of necessary competence and quality of an English teacher for small children. Therefore, it is very necessary for me to conduct research: ―An evaluation of the pre- service EFL teachers training program for pre-primary students at a college in Hanoi‖.
The aim and objectives of the study The main purpose of this study is to point out the strong points and the 1 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com weak ones of the temporary pre-service EFL teachers training program at National College for Education. The objectives of the study are to evaluate the strength and the limitation of the temporary pre-service EFL teachers training program at National College for Education. At which point, recommendations are hoped to give to improve the weak points of the temporary pre-service EFL teachers training program at National College for Education. The research question is: What are the strengths and limitations of the current English pre- service training program (EPTP) for teaching kindergarten children at National College for Education (NCE) regarding the professional knowledge and skills? 1.
The scope of the study The study is concerned with the assessment of the current English teaching program for pre-teachers in the kindergarten. It was conducted at National College for Education, Hanoi, Vietnam. The data was collected through a survey by using questionnaires for twenty-five – female - senior students at Pre-primary Education Faculty (PEF), and interviews for five lecturers at English Faculty (EF). Methods of the study The study was carried out by some steps as follows: First of all, the survey questionnaire for last year students was employed to find out their opinions about the temporary pre-service EFL teachers training program at National College for Education.
Moreover, the students‘ solutions for the limitation that their curriculum needs adjusting were recorded. Secondly, personal interviews for instructors at English faculty were proceeded to compare between their thought and their students‘ real 2 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. From their sharing and their students‘ offers, it helps all of them to have a deeper understanding about their current training program. After that, the data was collected, sorted, and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to obtain results.
Finally, recommendations for the solutions to the limitation of the temporary training program to improve for better curriculum for the next courses. Design of the study This present study consists of five chapters in a close link together. In this first chapter Introduction, the initial part briefly introduces the rationale of the study and the background to which the study was set up. The aim and objectives of the study were discussed in the second part followed by the scope of the study and a brief introduction of the methods.
The design of the study was proposed as the last part of this chapter. Chapter two presents the theoretical framework and the literature review of the study. First, it sought to answer the question what evaluation and its purpose are. Next, it discusses the components of a program evaluation in details to set the theoretical background.
After that, it attempted to propose teacher training models and Peacock‘s (2009) model as an example. In setting the background, the components of teaching English to young learners were introduced before a critical review of previous findings on teacher training program for TEYL. Chapter three discusses the context of the study as an initial part before discussing the methods used. In this chapter, the participants and instruments were discussed in details to validate the data collection procedures and the analysis of the data.
3 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Chapter four presented the findings and discusses the findings in comparisons with previous empirical studies. This chapter aimed at answering the research question and validating the findings of the study. The last chapter recapped the whole study project and restated the findings before proposing some suggestions depending on the findings and the limitations as well as further research directions were offered. 4 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Chapter II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.
What is evaluation?