VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES ----------------------- TRẦN MINH HẰNG TEACHER TRAINERS AND MASTER STUDENTS’/IN-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES OF THE NEEDED COMPETENCIES FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS: A SURVEY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Khảo sát quan điểm của các giảng viên sư phạm và học viên Cao học/những giáo viên đang giảng dạy tại trường Đại học Ngoại Ngữ, Đại học Quốc Gia Hà Nội về những năng lực sư phạm cần thiết của giáo viên tiếng Anh M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 HANOI – 2016 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES ----------------------- TRẦN MINH HẰNG TEACHER TRAINERS AND MASTER STUDENTS’/IN-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES OF THE NEEDED COMPETENCIES FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS: A SURVEY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Khảo sát quan điểm của các giảng viên sư phạm và học viên Cao học/những giáo viên đang giảng dạy tại trường Đại học Ngoại Ngữ, Đại học Quốc Gia Hà Nội về những năng lực sư phạm cần thiết của giáo viên tiếng Anh M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60140111 Supervisor : Dr. Dương Thu Mai HANOI – 2016 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DECLARATIONS I, Tran Minh Hang, certify that this thesis is the result of my own research and the substance of the research has not been submitted for degree to any other university or institution.
Hanoi, 2016 Trầ n Minh Hằ ng i LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For the completion of this thesis, I have received great assistance and support from many people without whom the work could not have been fulfilled. First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and my profound appreciation to my supervisor, Dr. Duong Thu Mai, from Vietnam National University, Hanoi – University of Languages and International Studies for her guidance, precious suggestions, valuable critical feedback and encouragement in the process of completing this thesis. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Dr.
Huynh Anh Tuan, the Head of Faculty of Post Graduate Studies and all his staff members who have been of great help. My great thanks go to all the lecturers of Faculty of Post Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their interesting lectures and suggestions for the topic of my study. Thanks are also due to my teacher trainers and my MA classmates K22 at the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University and Hanoi Metropolitan University for their assistance and cooperation in completing the interviews and questionnaires. Last but not least, I would like to give my deepest gratitude to my parents, my older brother, and my friends for their moral support and encouragement throughout my training course.
The study still has limitations, therefore all the suggestions and recommendations would be warmly welcomed. ii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ABSTRACT English language teachers who hold an essential role in education system are expected to be highly competent in order to enhance the student learning outcomes. Hence, improving teachers‘ competence has been considered one of the key factors of educational reforms in many countries, including Vietnam. To address this issue, the initial task is to identify the training needs as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the English language teachers.
This study aims to investigate professional competence and training needs of the in-service English language teachers – MA students at ULIS, VNU. The data were collected from interviews with three teacher trainers, and survey questionnaires with 65 English language teachers. The results showed that the majority of the English teachers had high training needs in most competencies. Furthermore, beside the positive perceptions of their own competence, the targeted teachers had some challenges in reaching professionalism.
It is of great importance for the teachers in this study to be aware of the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. On this basis, the study recommends a number of directions for the targeted teachers to help them be more qualified. It is hoped that the findings can be used as a good source of professional development materials not only for the targeted teachers but also for the language policy makers in education. iii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATIONS.
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS. iv LIST OF FIGURES. Aims of the study. Scope of the study.
Significance of the study. Method of the study. Design of the study .6 CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW. Teacher competence and competencies.
Definitions of teacher competence and competencies. Frameworks of Teacher Competence. English language teachers’ competencies. Frameworks of English teachers’ competencies.
Previous studies on English language teachers’ competence. English language teachers’ competence in Vietnam. English language teachers’ training needs. English language teachers’ training needs.
Previous studies on English language teachers’ training needs. Teachers’ self-assessment. 18 iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. The setting of the study.
The data collection instruments. Teacher trainers’ interview. Teacher’s survey questionnaires. Data collection and data analysis procedure.
Teacher Trainers Interview. Teachers Questionnaire Data. 22 CHAPTER III: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. Findings of the study.
The needed competencies for the targeted MA students from teacher trainers’ perspectives. The needed competencies for the targeted MA students from their own perspectives. The targeted teachers’ self-assessment of their own competence after finishing the Master course. Discussion of the research questions.
The needed competencies for the targeted MA students from their own perspectives. The targeted teachers’ self-assessment of their own competence after finishing the Master course. Limitations of the study. I PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND TRAINING NEEDS.
X v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 : Student teachers‘ perspectives in knowledge of language & language learning .2 : Student teachers‘ perspectives in language content & curriculum.1 : Student teachers‘ perspectives in language teaching methodology, lesson planning & conducting a lesson.2 : Student teachers‘ perspectives in assessment of language learning, resources and technology for language teaching .29 Figure 3 : Student teachers‘ perspectives in knowledge of learners .30 Figure 4 : Student teachers‘ perspectives in professional attitudes & values in language teaching .31 Figure 5 : Student teachers‘ perspectives in practice & context of language teaching .1 : Student teachers‘ self-assessment of their knowledge of language, language learning .2 : Student teachers‘ self-assessment of their knowledge of language content and curriculum .1 : Student teachers‘ self-assessment of their knowledge of language teaching methodology, lesson planning & conducting a lesson .2 : Student teachers‘ self-assessment of their knowledge of assessment of language learning, resources and technology for language teaching .37 Figure 8 : Student teachers‘ self-assessment of their knowledge of language learners .38 Figure 9 : Student teachers‘ self-assessment of their professional attitudes & values in language teaching .39 Figure 10 : Student teachers‘ self-assessment of their practice & context of language teaching .40 vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. Introduction In this part, the rationale for carrying out this study is presented followed by a brief presentation of the aims and objectives, the research questions, the methods, the scope and the significance of the study. Finally, the thesis structure is introduced. Rationale As English becomes vital to most countries all over the world, it is taught from pre-school to higher education.
English language teachers who are considered to have substantial impacts on their students‘ achievement therefore are among the most important elements of the education system, as Rockoff (2004) indicated: ―teachers also have a fundamental role in their learners‘ academic achievement and their quality can highly influence student outcomes‖. In order to encourage students to learn effectively and efficiently, a teacher has to perform a large number of activities both inside and outside of the classroom. Each teacher is expected to possess a certain amount of knowledge, skills, as well as attitudes, which together is known as teacher competence. Teacher competence is crucial that can lead to positive individual student development and even lessen the aggressive behavior in the classroom (Çubukçu, 2010).
In reality, as entering the 21st century, the real situation of teaching and learning English is a major topic of discussion in the education domain. More particularly, the status of language teaching has changed over time; for example, many new developmental policies in knowledge, teaching methods, or programs have been updated in order to achieve the targets and to skill the force of the education system, the English language teachers. Consequently, teachers must keep up with these changes to move towards professional competence which includes subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, knowledge of teaching and learning, curricular knowledge, teaching experience, and certification status (Shulman, 1986, Grossman, 1995). 1 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com It has become a major issue for teaching staff to innovate and upgrade their competence through training programs, which is to cope with the new advancement.
In fact, ―teachers who need to be well-trained at the beginning of their careers and provided with high quality in subsequent years in their profession (Hargreaves, 1998, p.38) are the key assets of schools‖. Teachers, such as, non-native speakers of English as in this study, should recognize the need of professional competence and training in order to address the demands of society. Vietnam is not the exceptional country in the world that considers professional competence and training needs as essential factors for any English language teachers. Since Vietnam has implemented Doi Moi policies, one of the issues on this landscape of change is the development of new English language teacher generations.
Accordingly, the Vietnam government has decided to carry out an important project entitled ―Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, Period 2008-2020‖ (dated 30 September, 2008 of the Prime Minister on the country). The project offers many opportunities for Vietnam because it can help a massive group of teachers be aware of the importance of English teaching standards and encourage them in gaining higher professional competence in their career. The project is an attempt of the government to promote teachers‘ motivation to become skilled language instructors. By highly appreciating the great influences of professional competence and training programs on education system, English language teachers are active to learn and develop themselves continuously during their teaching career.
However, up till now, research findings on English language teachers‘ professional competence and their training needs in Vietnam are rare. Specifically, there has not been any investigation of the English language teachers – TESOL Master students at ULIS, VNU, a leading institution in English language teacher training nationwide. They are young, energetic in-service English teachers coming from various kinds of educational institutions in English language teaching. They 2 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com are also the typical human resources who keep a decisive role in transforming the educational goals into a reality.
Moreover, with the participations in MA course, most of these long-term teaching staff perceive that improving their competence with the master's degree is a vital stimulant for their teaching practice, especially for the young teachers whose experience and practical teaching knowledge are not still sufficient. A study into these teachers‘ competence and training needs should be able to yield interesting results. In addition, the findings may hold crucial importance to the design of training courses for the teachers, including both formal courses such as MA and seasonal trainings at institutional, local or ministerial scale. Hopefully, the findings of the study may also be a source of reference for language policy makers towards more effective English language teaching and learning in similar contexts in Viet Nam.