BANKING ACADEMY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ----- ----- GRADUATION THESIS STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD DELIVERING ENGLISH ORAL PRESENTATION IN CLASS Student : Ngo Bich Ngoc Class : K23ATCB Academic course : 2020 - 2024 Student ID : 23A7510097 Supervisor : Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Nga Hanoi, May 2024 DECLARATION I certify that the graduation thesis under the title “Students’ attitudes toward English oral presentations in class” is my original report. This paper has not been submitted to any previous institution or included in any prior dissertation for any recognition. All references to original sources were fully cited at the end of the study.
Additionally, this paper upheld ethical principles; all the participants voluntarily responded to the survey. Author of graduation thesis Ngo Bich Ngoc i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Nga, my supervisor, for her professional guidance and immense enthusiasm for assisting me in completing my dissertation. Her constructive comments helped me identify and correct flaws in my paper, giving me a clear and comprehensive view of how to conduct proper research.
I am extremely grateful to her time and effort throughout the writing process. I also want to extend my gratitude to all the lecturers at Banking Academy of Vietnam in general, and particularly to the beloved lecturers in the Faculty of Foreign Languages. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, I as well as many students in the faculty have accumulated a great amount of practical knowledge which is beneficial to our career prospects in the future. Last but not least, I also would like to thank all the participants who joined my survey despite their busy schedules.
Their honest and enthusiastic responses contributed substantially to this study. Once again, I sincerely express my gratitude to all the people assisting me in finishing this paper. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. vi LIST OF TABLES. vii LIST OF FIGURES. ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.
Statement of the problem. Rationale of the study. Significance of the study. Objectives of the study.
Scope and limitations of the study. Structure of the study .4 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. Definition of oral presentations. The benefits of presenting orally in English in class.
Different types of oral presentations. Roles of attitude to presenting in learning English. Factors affecting student’s attitudes toward oral presentation in English. Public speaking anxiety.
Previous studies on students' attitudes toward presenting orally in English .23 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD .29 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS. Frequency of giving and practicing English oral presentations in a course. Students’ general attitudes toward English oral presentations. Students’ feelings toward presenting orally in English.
Students’ perceived understanding of importance of English oral presentations. Factors affecting students’ attitudes toward presenting orally in English. Students’ attitudes toward delivering presentations orally in English. Factors affecting students’ attitudes toward delivering presentations orally in English.
Summary of the study. Suggestions for further studies .63 v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviation Meaning ATC Anh Tài Chính (Faculty of Finance and Banking English) BAV Banking Academy of Vietnam EOPs English oral presentations EFL English as a Foreign Language ESP English for Specific Purposes EAP English for Academic Purposes SPSS Statistics Package for Social Sciences vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Quality of the scale. Frequency of giving and practicing EOPs in a course.
Students’ feelings towards English oral presentations. Students’ perceived understanding of importance of EOPs for future use. Students’ perceived understanding of importance of EOPs for language and communication skills enhancement. Students’ perceived understanding of importance of EOPs for general learning purpose.
Public speaking anxiety. Public speaking anxiety .44 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Theoretical framework for the research. Public speaking anxiety .45 viii ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study is to investigate the attitude of English-majored students at the Banking Academy of Vietnam toward presenting orally in English and evaluate the factors influencing their attitudes.
To achieve this goal, a total of 95 senior students in the Faculty of Finance and Banking English (ATC) were selected to take part in the study. The quantitative research method via the use of a survey questionnaire was utilized in the data collection process. Therefore, based on the analysis, it can be summarized that, in general, ATC students hold a rather positive attitude towards making an oral presentation in English. Furthermore, it has been found that both internal and external factors affect their attitudes to make oral presentations through English.
The internal factor that has the most influence on students’ attitudes is language proficiency, while classmates is the external factor that plays the most significant role in shaping their attitudes toward presenting. The results from the study benefit students not only by helping them improve their methods and ways of making oral presentations but also help teachers to come up with innovative learning techniques, and foster a more enjoyable and positive attitude among students in the classroom. This study is beneficial for both English learners and lecturers to enhance their academic experience. ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the statement of the problem, the rationale, the significance, and objectives of the study.
It also mentinones the main research questions, scope, limitations, and the structure of the study. Statement of the problem English is regarded as the global language of communication and is likely to maintain its position in the foreseeable future; therefore, mastering this language offers a wealth of opportunities (the British Council, 2020). English serves as a universal communication tool, allowing individuals around the world to connect with others from diverse cultures, gain access to a broad range of resources, and obtain valuable insights into various fields, such as science, technology, and academia. In the educational domain, English is an important communication medium for disseminating knowledge across international boundaries, making it an indispensable part in the learning process of students.
Moreover, good English communication skills are also beneficial for students in their academic prospects. Whether it is studying abroad, participating in exchange programs, or accessing global educational resources, English proficiency is pivotal. Proficiency in English helps not only broaden one’s knowledge but also improves their career prospects as there are a large number of existing multinational corporations and global institutions predominantly operating in English, which is the lingua franca of international business. These companies and organizations conduct their business regardless of geographical borders and time zones.
Additionally, in theses institutions, employers highly appreciate the candidates who can communicate effectively in English because from interacting with colleagues and clients to presenting to senior management, English oral fluency is a prerequisite. Moreover, being adept in both verbal and written English is vital because misinterpretations can easily arise without effective communication. Therefore, enhancing communication skills in English is not just advantageous but essential for achieving success. 1 Apparently, communication is not an innate quality, but it can be learned (Don, 2014).
One must devote a lot of his time and effort to practicing this skill. Acknowledging the importance of communication skills for students, educational institutions have incorporated this technique in multiple courses within the official curriculum, providing students with opportunities to expose regularly and get frequent practice in this skill. Presenting orally is one of the most prevalent forms of communication taking place in school. This method is almost always required in a course at university or college since both students and their instructors can reap many benefits from it.
Now, oral presentation is not confined to students’ mother tongue, it also occurs in their second language, such as English. However, not all English- majored students succeed in producing an effective and compelling presentation in class; the majority of these students still have to face a lot of difficulties while presenting. This exerts a negative influence on their academic performance as well as mental wellbeing. Considering the above factors, students' attitudes toward English oral presentations (EOPs) become crucial.
When students adopt a positive attitude toward acquiring new knowledge, they can effectively apply the theories they have learned to practical settings (Wrenn, 2009). Consequently, attitudes occupy a crucial role in determining the success of oral presentations delivered by students, which are advantageous to their learning process and achievements. Rationale of the study Understanding the enormous role of taking a positive attitude to the effectiveness of presenting orally in English, lecturers at Faculty of Foreign Languages of Banking Academy of Vietnam (BAV) have already integrated EOPs into the official lesson plan. In some courses, these oral presentations also constitute 10 to 15 of the students’ final grade.
In fact, there have been several studies on students’ attitudes toward EOPs. However, most of those studies usually underlined the importance of communication and presentation skills, demonstrated how these skills can be learnt effectively, or 2 pointed out some major difficulties encountered by students while presenting in English. There were some studies focusing on factors affecting attitude toward giving English presentations to students, but the researchers only enumerated these factors without grouping them into categories. Considering the significant role of EOPs in learners’ academic attainment, there is a need for a study to further explore this issue.
This is the gap for the study in this graduation thesis. Significance of the study This research is carried out to investigate the attitude toward presenting orally in English of ATC students at BAV. The findings from this study can benefit both students and lecturers. The results obtained can offer insights into those factors affecting students’ attitudes toward EOPs, helping them cultivate a positive attitude and feel more stimulated to produce effective oral presentations.
This study can be used as a reference for lecturers to fully exploit these EOPs during their class to maximize the effectiveness of this activity. Teachers can recognize students' difficulties, then flexibly modify their teaching method to motivate students, help them adopt a positive attitude, and thus enhance their presentation skills at school. This study can serve as a valuable foundation, assisting students in their future academic and professional communication. Although this study focuses only on one basic skill within the context of higher education, particularly BAV, it can still be useful for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students worldwide.
Objectives of the study This paper aims to investigate the attitudes on presenting orally of English- majored students at BAV. The findings can be beneficial for both students and lecturers. Students who want to adopt a positive attitude toward presenting can enhance their academic performance, while lecturers also can optimize the use of EOPs in their class in order that their students can acquire knowledge more effectively. Research questions This study primarily addresses the two following questions: 1.
What are English-majored students’ attitudes toward delivering presentations orally in English? 2. What factors affect students’ attitudes toward delivering presentations orally in English? 1. Scope and limitations of the study This small-scaled study was conducted in April 2024, with the aim of investigating the attitudes of final-year English-majored students toward delivering English oral presentations at BAV. All participants in this study were students from K23ATC at Banking Academy of Vietnam.
A questionnaire was employed to gather data on students' attitudes towards the presentations in English. However, this study still has some inevitable limitations. Firstly, the sample populuation was small because of the availability of participants. Therefore, this small sample size could potentially restrict the generalizability of the findings of this current research.
Despite these limitations, the researcher is optimistic that this study holds the potential to offer helpful insights into the attitudes of senior English- majored students about presenting at BAV. The study’s results can help students foster a more positive attitude towards English presentations and provide some relevant information for future research on this topic. Structure of the study This study is divided into five chapters.