VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES wea TRAN NGOC THUONG AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD THE USE OF MOTHER TONGUE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS AT HON GAI HIGH SCHOOL ( Điều tra thái độ của giáo viên và học sinh đối với việc sử dụng tiếng mẹ đẻ trong lớp học tiếng Anh ở trường THPT Hòn Gai) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS FIELD: METHODOLOGY CODE: 601410 HANOI - 2010 vì TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Declaration Acknowledgement List of table List of abbreviations Abstract, Table of contents PART A: INTRODUCTION. Rationale hà Scope of the study to. Ams of the study tà Method of ths study. Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT Chapter I: Literature review eS 1.
Anaverview on the history of the mother tongue used in EFL. classraom 12 Arguments against and for L1 use Pe 1.1 Arguments against L1 use 12.1 The L1 Acquisition Argument wm wa 12.2 The language Compartmetalization Argument 1.3 Provision of the Maxinman Target Language Argument 1.2 Arguments Favouring L1 Use om 1.1 The Pedagogical Role 12.2 The Psychological Role 12.3 The Socio- cultural Role 1. Uses of mother tongue in L2 acquisition 1.4 Theoretical and Research Tividence Pavoring and Disfavoring 1.1 Use 15 Amount of L1 and the Leamers’ Level Chapter TT The study 11 Participants 11.2 Data Colicetion Tnstruments 112.1 The sludent questionnaire 112.2 Classroom observations TL23 Interviews IL3 Procedures for data collection IL4 Results 11.3 Interviews ILS Discussion PART C: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 1. Limitations 4, Suggestions for further research REFERENCE Appendix1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 w LIST OF ABBRIVIATIONS Li: First language 12: Second language EFL: English as a foreign language GMT: Grammar ‘Translation Method analysis of translation ‘Ihe Direct Method would soon be discredited when it failed in the public education systern (Brawn, 1994, p44), bul il would have a lasting influcnee on FS EFL classrooms The move away from LI use was later reinforced by Audiolingualism (1940s- 1960s) which saw language as a maller of labil formation.
Lt was seen as a collection of already established linguistic habits which would “interfere” with the establishment of the new set of linguistic habits that constituted the target langage, and was thus to be avoided al all costs. This theoretical opposition to tho use of 1.1 was compounded by the development of the TEFL “industry”- there are now many situations in which the teacher simply doesn’t speak or even understand the students’ language, simply because the loachor is an English native spsuker who does nol speak (he students’ native language In the last thirty years or so, there have contimsed to be some methodologies which avoid the use the Li, with ‘Total Physical Response being one of these methodologies. But others, like Suggestopaedia and Counselling Language Learning have included it as an intcgral part of classroom pedagogy. Recently though support for an English only policy has been declining, and some researchers and teachers have begum lo advocale more bilingual approach lo teaching „ which would incorporate the students’ L1 as a learning tool.
Others have even gone fir as saying the use of L1 in the classroom is necessary (Schweers, 1999, p6). Additionally,, new empirical findings of bilingual research have recently supported the use of T.1 in the classroom with a central argument that the side-ettect of L1 may be unwanted, resulting fiom the attitude of disaitected teacher (Butzcam,2003) In short, the pendulum of L1 use swings with the methodological change. Hor cxampts, during the leydays of the communicative approach, 1.1 use tended to be discouraged (Cole,1998; Cock,1999; 2001a, 2001b; Prodromou, 2001). The avoidance of learners” Li was also reflected in most of the L2 teaching material during this period (Atkinson,1987, 1995; Buckmaster, 2002, G.
Cook, 2001 b; Hawks, 2001), L2 Arguments against and for L1 use 1. Arguments against L1 use There is a varisly of arguments agains using the students’ mothar tongug (7.1) in the ESL or EFL classroom, Cook,¥ (2001b) presents three main arguments for avoiding using L1 1m the target language classroom PART A: INTRODUCTION ‘his part presenis the rationale, scope, aims, method, design and research questions, 1. Rationale ‘The role of mother tongue or L1 in L2 classrooms is a controversial issue in L2 education, Differenl researchers, teachers and slurdenls hold different attitudes towards this issue. Advocates ofa monolingual approach suggest that the target language should be the sole medium of commnnication.
in other words, L1 should be prohibited in the classroom for oplizual usc of the target language, As Atkinson (1993) has pointed out “every second spent using Li is a sccond not spent using English” (p. The mother tongue has been treated as a taboo subject, source of guilt anda hint of teachers” weakness to teach properly (Prodromou, 2001), 2 waste of lime Gannleviciene and Kavakiauskiene, 2002). This position has been influential and often assumed to be the hallmarks of good language teaching (Atkinson, 1995). In contrast, scholars such as Schweers (1999), Kramsch (1993), Alkinson (1987) anguc that classroom usc of tho Jaarncrs? native language has eortain advantages in some ways.
Ll can have productive pedagogical, affective and socio- cultural roles, Atkinson (1987) claims that “the potential of mother tongus, as a classroom resource is so great that its role should merit considerable attention and discussion in any allempl to develop @ ‘post- communicative approach’ lo TEFL for adolescents and adults"(p. Therefore, the use of students native language should not be banned. From my personal experience both as a student and teacher of English as a foreign language, I belicve that the appropriate usc of the students’ native language is of some benefits te students’ learning. ‘This belief motivates me to carry out this study, which aims lo exarnine how the 1.1 is used in the English banguage classroom, TTopefidly.
the current study’s findings will partially help more people especially foreign language teachers acknowledge the role of Li in the EEL classroom as well as know how to balance L and L2 use inthe KEL classroom appropriately 2. Scope of the sturly The study limits itself to the use of students’ native language as well as the teachars PART A: INTRODUCTION ‘his part presenis the rationale, scope, aims, method, design and research questions, 1. Rationale ‘The role of mother tongue or L1 in L2 classrooms is a controversial issue in L2 education, Differenl researchers, teachers and slurdenls hold different attitudes towards this issue. Advocates ofa monolingual approach suggest that the target language should be the sole medium of commnnication.
in other words, L1 should be prohibited in the classroom for oplizual usc of the target language, As Atkinson (1993) has pointed out “every second spent using Li is a sccond not spent using English” (p. The mother tongue has been treated as a taboo subject, source of guilt anda hint of teachers” weakness to teach properly (Prodromou, 2001), 2 waste of lime Gannleviciene and Kavakiauskiene, 2002). This position has been influential and often assumed to be the hallmarks of good language teaching (Atkinson, 1995). In contrast, scholars such as Schweers (1999), Kramsch (1993), Alkinson (1987) anguc that classroom usc of tho Jaarncrs? native language has eortain advantages in some ways.
Ll can have productive pedagogical, affective and socio- cultural roles, Atkinson (1987) claims that “the potential of mother tongus, as a classroom resource is so great that its role should merit considerable attention and discussion in any allempl to develop @ ‘post- communicative approach’ lo TEFL for adolescents and adults"(p. Therefore, the use of students native language should not be banned. From my personal experience both as a student and teacher of English as a foreign language, I belicve that the appropriate usc of the students’ native language is of some benefits te students’ learning. ‘This belief motivates me to carry out this study, which aims lo exarnine how the 1.1 is used in the English banguage classroom, TTopefidly.
the current study’s findings will partially help more people especially foreign language teachers acknowledge the role of Li in the EEL classroom as well as know how to balance L and L2 use inthe KEL classroom appropriately 2. Scope of the sturly The study limits itself to the use of students’ native language as well as the teachars iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Students’ preférence for Li use in the classroom Table 2. Students’ self report on Teacher’ LI nse Table 3.
Students’ self report on the purpose of Teacher’s L1 use ‘Table 4 Students" hypothetical opinions of'Teachers’ reactions to their use of L] in. The fiequency of teachers’ use of LL in various lessons, iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Students’ preférence for Li use in the classroom Table 2. Students’ self report on Teacher’ LI nse Table 3.
Students’ self report on the purpose of Teacher’s L1 use ‘Table 4 Students" hypothetical opinions of'Teachers’ reactions to their use of L] in. The fiequency of teachers’ use of LL in various lessons, and students’ attitudes towards the use of Li in the Lnglish language classroom, ‘The study conducted at Hon Gai Upper Sccondary School in Quang Ninh 3. Aims of the study The study aims to investigate the use of students’ mother tongue- Vietnamese- in the English classroom ai Ton Gai Upper Secondary Schoot. More specifically, the study tries to seek answars to the following, baste questions: 1.
What is the attitude of teachers and students towards using Vielnamese in the English classroom? 2, How otten do teachers and students use Vietnamese in EFL classtoom? 3. What do teachers and students use Vietnamese m EFL classroom for ? 4. Methods of the study Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used, including classroom observations, interviews, and questionnaire © Classroom observations Six conveniently- selected classes (of about 45 minutes in length) taught by three differcnt Icachors were observed Lo find out how frequerily and on what occasions Vietnamese is used. © Interviews Post- observation interviews were conducted in order to gain insights into the teachers’ rationale of using I.1 in the classroom.
The interviews were transcribed filly and analyzed qualitativ: according to cmozping, themes. © Questionnairs A questionnaire (see Appendix 1) was administered to 190 students to find out their attitudes towards using Vietnamese in the English classroom. ‘The questionnaire items were devetoped with refercuce to the lilcrature on the benefits aud tinilations of using students’ LI in an L2 classroom. Design of the study The thesis cousisis of three patls: Part A is the introduction, which presents the rationale, the scope, the aims, the methods and the design of the stady.
Part B consis of two closplars Chapter £, the literature review, staris with a brief review of the literature on the role of mother longus in EFL. classrooms, This includes major arguments against and for the use of LI, and the pedagogic purposes for which student's native language could be employed in the L2 classroom, Finally, an insight into the theoretical and research evidence favoring and disfavoring the use ofI. are presenled, Chapter H, the study, presents the participants, the data collection instruments, the results and the discussion of the findings Part C he conclusion of the stuly. In this perl, some recommendations on the use of mother tongue in EFL classroom, the limitation of the study and some suggestions on further research are presented The appendixes arc the last part of the study following the reference and students’ attitudes towards the use of Li in the Lnglish language classroom, ‘The study conducted at Hon Gai Upper Sccondary School in Quang Ninh 3.
Aims of the study The study aims to investigate the use of students’ mother tongue- Vietnamese- in the English classroom ai Ton Gai Upper Secondary Schoot. More specifically, the study tries to seek answars to the following, baste questions: 1. What is the attitude of teachers and students towards using Vielnamese in the English classroom? 2, How otten do teachers and students use Vietnamese in EFL classtoom? 3.
