MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUY NHON UNIVERSITY ------ NGUYEN VAN ANH PRIMARY EFL TEACHERS’ DIFFICULTIES IN TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THEM Field: Theory and Methodology of English Language Teaching Code: 8140111 Supervisor: Le Nhan Thanh, PhD. Binh Dinh- 2023 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN NGUYỄN VÂN ANH NHỮNG KHÓ KHĂN GIÁO VIÊN TIỂU HỌC TRONG VIỆC DẠY KỸ NĂNG NGHE VÀ NHỮNG CHIẾN LƯỢC VƯỢT QUA NHỮNG KHÓ KHĂN Ngành: Lý luận và phương pháp dạy học bộ môn Tiếng Anh Mã số: 8140111 Người hướng dẫn: TS. Lê Nhân Thành Bình Định - 2023 i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP The work contained in this thesis has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, my thesis contains no material previously published or written by any other person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself.
Binh Dinh, 2023 Signed: Nguyen Van Anh ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Without the great assistance of my supervisor, Dr. Le Nhan Thanh, this work would not have been achievable. I am deeply indebted to my supervisor since from the research proposal to the final version of this report, his vast knowledge, practical experience in the field, great enthusiasm and meticulous attention to detail have been an inspiration and kept me on track. I would like to offer my special thanks to those who participated in my research for their valuable time fulfilling the questionnaire and insightful information from the interview.
If it had not been for their willingness and enthusiasm, I could not have collected important data for my study. My deepest gratitude also extends to all of my wonderful classmates for the time we shared as well as the information and experience we gained from one another. Their continuous support and encouragement mean a lot to me in the accomplishment of this study. Last but not least, my family members have been tremendously significant to me in the pursuit of this project.
I would like to express my gratitude to my parents, who have always supported and guided me in my endeavors. They are the definition of positive role models. i ABSTRACT The study was carried out to examine the difficulties that EFL teachers faced when teaching listening English to students and to investigate the strategies that they used to overcome these difficulties. The author conducted a survey, interview, and classroom observation.
Specifically, this study involved 52 teachers from 10 primary schools in Binh Dinh province who are in charge of teaching English to 5th grade students. In addition, to get insights, the author also interviewed five teachers and observed five classes. The research results reflected the variety of difficulties that EFL teachers encounter in teaching listening skills. Their major difficulties included choosing the appropriate learning materials, designing major lessons, maintaining student focus, assessing student listening skills, etc.
In addition, in this study, the author also proposed effective strategies to help teachers overcome these challenges. These included providing appropriate learning materials, investing in modern equipment, training and skill development for teachers, and support from parents at home. It could be said that this study provided insights into the challenges that primary EFL teachers were facing when teaching English listening skills to 5th grade students in Binh Dinh province. A clear understanding of these difficulties and strategies for addressing them could help to create effective learning environments and support language development, especially the listening skills of 5th grade students in some primary schools in Binh Dinh province.
The limitations of the study are discussed. The thesis also addressed implications for primary school administrations, primary EFL teachers, and parents and suggested further studies. Keywords: listening skills, difficulties, strategies, EFL teacher, teaching listening ii TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP. i LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
v LIST OF TABLES. vi LIST OF FIGURES. vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. Aim and Objectives of the Study.
Objectives of the Study. Significance of the Study. Scope of the Study. Structure of the Thesis.
5 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. Definitions of Listening. Principles of Teaching English Listening Skills. Stages of Teaching Listening Comprehension.
Teacher’s Role in Teaching Listening. Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills. Difficulties From Teachers. Difficulties From Students.
Difficulties in Knowledge and Skills. Difficulties in Teaching Facilities. Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Teaching Listening Skills. Strategies to Overcome Teachers’ Difficulties in Teaching Listening.
Review of Previous Studies. Research Setting and Participants. Data Collection Instruments. Data Collection Procedure.
Administering the Questionnaire. Administering the Interviews. Administering the Observations. 48 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.
Findings From the Questionnaire. Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills. Causes for Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills. Strategies to Overcome Difficulties.
Strategies to Overcome Difficulties for Schools. Strategies to Overcome Difficulties for Teachers. Strategies to Overcome Difficulties for Parents. 67 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS.
Summary of the Major Findings. Limitations of the Study. Implications for Schools. Implications for Teachers.
Implications for Parents. Suggestions for Further Studies. 87 v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviation Explanation EFL English as a Foreign Language RO Research objectives vi LIST OF TABLES Table 3.Data From the Survey of Background Information of the Teachers. Data From the Questionnaire of Item Distribution.
Data From the Survey of Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills. Data from a Survey of Causes for Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills. Data From the Survey of Strategies to Overcome Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills (for Schools). Data From the Survey of Strategies to Overcome Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills (for Teachers).
Data From the Survey of Strategies to Overcome Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills (for Parents). 65 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.The EFL Teachers’ Genders. The EFL Teachers’ Age. The EFL Teachers’ English Teaching Experience.
Quantitative Data Collection Procedure. Qualitative Data Collection Procedure. Process of Qualitative Data Analysis. Difficulties Teacher Face During Teaching Listening Skills.
Causes for Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills. Strategies to Overcome Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills for Schools. Strategies to Overcome Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills for Teachers. Strategies to Overcome Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills for Parents.
66 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Chapter one presents the introduction to the study. This chapter discusses six parts, namely the rationale, the aim of the study and research question, the scope of the study, the significance of the study, and the outline of the study. Rationale English is regarded as an international language, which is the bridge for cooperation and development among countries around the world. Therefore, learning and using English is very important.
In this era of globalization, English is an international language that can be used by all countries in the world. In Vietnam, English is the most commonly used foreign language. On September 30th, 2008, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 1400/QD-TTG, approving the project "Teaching and learning foreign languages in the national education system.
It is also a subject in the final examination in Vietnam, and all students must pass it. The role of the teacher is that of a facilitator, helping students learn English. Harmer (2008) states that the term "facilitator" is designed to help students learn. In learning a foreign language, it is necessary for learners to master language skills, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as components such as vocabulary, structure, and pronunciation.
Listening is one of the key abilities in learning and imparting English among these four language skills. Ur (1989) asserts that teaching listening comprehension is one of the major tasks in TEFL. Listening is different from hearing. Andrade (2006) defines listening as the ability to hear attentively and to understand what others are saying.
In addition, Gilakjani and Sabouri (2016) state that listening is a process of receiving what the speaker says, making and showing meaning, negotiating meaning with the speaker and answering, and creating meaning through participation, creativity, and empathy. In conclusion, listening is not merely hearing what another speaker is saying, but it is a process of 2 understanding and comprehending what others are saying. In order to generate stronger English speakers, listening skills should be taught efficiently in the EFL classroom. As Andrade (2006) proposed, listening is a complementary skill to speaking, and it is important to stress listening in teaching English to the students for becoming good speakers.
When learners have good listening skills, they are exposed to new knowledge and different perspectives. Listening skills help people learn from others, expand their knowledge, and develop themselves. This can apply in many areas of life, from education to work and personal life. However, teaching listening is neglected in that teachers are generally less aware of its importance for students.
The teaching of listening is a neglected and poorly taught aspect of English in many EFL programs (Gilakjani & Ahmadi, 2011). Therefore, listening has long been regarded as the most difficult and challenging skill for both foreign language teachers and pupils these days. As Bingol, Celik, Yildiz, and Mart (2014) describe, second language learners have significant problems with listening comprehension because of the fact that schools pay more attention to structure, writing, reading, and vocabulary. In reality, in many primary schools in Vietnam in general and in Binh Dinh province in particular, teaching English listening skills has not been paid attention.
Furthermore, in the process of teaching English, teachers encounter many difficulties from the teacher's side and from the learner's side: difficulties in knowledge and skills, difficulties in facilities, and difficulties in terms of time. These difficulties come from many different reasons, such as the limited capacity of teachers and the lack of support from the school. This affects the effectiveness of students' future English learning and application. Therefore, proposing the strategies to overcome challenges and difficulties in the process of teaching listening skills is extremely necessary and urgent for primary schools in Binh Dinh province today.
Researching primary school teachers' difficulties in teaching listening skills is important in the educational context in Vietnam, especially in Central Vietnam, where culture and education have been developed. Despite the increase in educational quality, gaps still exist in the training and development of language 3 skills, especially listening skills. Moreover, in Vietnam, the learning culture often focuses on learning foreign languages, in which English plays an important role. However, many studies on teaching listening skills at the elementary level are still limited, especially in the context of teaching English as a foreign language.
Hence, research on teachers' specific difficulties in imparting and developing listening skills in Central Vietnam is currently insufficient to provide the specific guidance and strategies to overcome them. For the above reasons, the author decided to choose the topic: "Primary EFL Teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills and strategies to overcome them" as the research topic for my master's thesis. This study deals with teachers' current and potential problems in teaching listening skills in primary schools in Binh Dinh, examines teachers' solutions to these difficulties, and then proposes appropriate teaching methods and strategies that can facilitate English listening lessons. The results can provide useful information for English teachers, schools, and the government to create better policies that can improve English language teaching (ELT) in Binh Dinh.
Aim and Objectives of the Study 1. Aim The study aims to investigate EFL teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills and their strategies to overcome them. Objectives of the Study In order to achieve this aim, the researcher will try to fulfill the following objectives: The first research objective is to investigate EFL teacher’s perceptions of difficulties in teaching listening skills. The second research objective is to discover the factors affecting on difficulties in teaching listening skills.
The third research objective is to examine their strategies to overcome them.