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Nguyễn Thúy Hòa Tạp chí KHOA HỌC & CÔNG NGHỆ 112(12)/1: 267 - 271

267

IMPROVING ICTU STUDENTS’ ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

THROUGH USING ENGLISH IN ENGLISH CLASS

Nguyen Thuy Hoa*

College of Information and Communication Technology – TNU

SUMMARY

This paper presents a study on the use of English in class in learning English of the second - year

non - English major students at Thainguyen University of Information and Communication

Technology (ICTU). Many researchers have pointed out opportunities and usefulness of using the

target language in teaching a foreign language. However, the results of the study showed that the

students at ICTU have to cope with many difficulties preventing them from using English in class.

That is the reason why many of them cannot use English effectively after the course. The paper

also presents some suggestions to help students overcome the challenges to use English in class

more effectively.

Key words: Using English in class, communicative approach, “social” language, organising

language, explaining language.

INTRODUCTION*

Since the early sixteenth century,

methodologists and educationists have been

developing methods and approaches to serve

the purposes of teaching and learning foreign

languages, such as: the Grammar-Translation

method, the Oral approach and Situational

language teaching, the Audio Lingual

method, Communicative Language teaching,

Total physical Response, the Silent Way, the

Natural Approach and Suggestopedia [3]. . .

Most of the above methods have more or less

strict attitudes towards student's mother

tongue used in the classroom, and agree that

the target language should be the language of

the classroom.

The use of English, a target language, as a

means of learning English in the classroom,

has also been mentioned in books by Jack.C.

Richards and Theodore S.Rodgers; Diane

Larsen - Free man; Janet Willis; H. Douglas

Brown…

In ICTU, English language is considered as

an extremely necessary tool for students not

only to study but also to work . Despite of

about nine years studying English at school

and two years studying English at ICTU, most

of students cannot use English effectively.

* ĐT: 0942342189; Email: [email protected]

One of the reasons is that, during a long time

studying English, the students have not

effectively exploited English as a means to

learn English.

Being aware of the advantages of using

English in English class, the author would

like to do this research to look into some

features of it, find out the difficulties

preventing students from using English in

English class, and suggest some relevant

solutions to develop students' ability of using

English in English class.

Advantages of Using English in English class

The value of using English in class can be

exploited by teachers. According to Doff [1],

if a teacher uses English most of the time, it

will give students practice in listening and

responding to spoken language. These can

also help students to "pick up" words,

expressions beyond the language of the

textbook. When the teacher gives a speech,

students have a chance to be familiar with

intonations and stresses used in the spoken

language. They may not have much

opportunity for these outside the class. Doff

[1] has also pointed out that in the lesson

itself, the language used is often unnatural

and artificial. The situations such as new

things, late comers, and local events… can