A study on common English communication skill errors made by Faculty of English freshmen of Thuong Mai University and how to improve their communication skills

ABSTRACT
English as well as native speaker English as an important medium of
international communication is every part of the world. No one can deny that English is
a global language especially in this internationalization. In English skills,
communication skills can be considered as the most important skill. However, during
the learning and communication process, learners also make some mistakes that need
to be overcome to improve this skill better.
Therefore, I would like to discuss the common English communication skill
errors made by Faculty of English freshmen of Thuong Mai University and how to
improve their communication skills. And this is also the topic of my graduation thesis.
The survey is conducted with the first-year students of the English Faculty to collect
survey data.
I hope that this study will bring students awareness of the common errors in
learning communication skills and refer to some useful solutions that will help them
improve their communication skills.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Although doing study in a limited time, I received a lot of enthusiastic help from
so many people to complete this graduation paper. I greatly appreciate the enthusiastic
support.
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and profound thanks to
Mrs. Luong Thi Minh Phuong, one of the enthusiastic lectures of the English Faculty at
Thuongmai University and my supervisor. Thanks to the thoughtful guidance, I
finished the graduation thesis in the most complete way. Without any help from her, I
can hardly finish this graduation thesis.
Secondly, I am sincerely thankful to all the first-year students in the English

Faculty who helped me a lot in this study. They helped me complete the survey and
provided me with important data from the questionnaire so that I could analyze and
provide the best suggestions for my research.
Last but not least, I want to thank my family and my close friends for supporting
me. They helped me to be more spiritual and create good conditions for me to complete
my graduation paper well. I wish to thank all who have kindly given their advice with
source materials during writing.
I know my graduation paper still has mistakes due to my shortcomings. I would
like to receive your comments, suggestions and corrections for the perfect of my own
graduation paper.
Hanoi, April 15, 2021
Student
Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
1.1 Rationale
English is now a global language. Among hundreds of different languages, the
world has chosen English as a means of communication so that everyone can

understand each other. Vietnam is also increasingly developing and popularizing the
English language as an inevitable need.
It is the main language used on the Internet, business and many others fields.
Learning English includes many skills, in which English communication skills is an
important part. This study deals with fundamental errors in freshman English
communication skills and a number of solutions for improvement.
As a four-year student in English department, I understand the difficulties that
freshman students face when communicating in English. They have few opportunities
to practice communicating with foreigners and still have many difficulties in English
communication. That is why I choose the subject of study as: "A study on common
English communication skill errors made by Faculty of English freshmen of Thuong
Mai University and how to improve their communication skills". I hope that through
this research topic, I will point out some common errors in communicating in English
and offer some solutions to improve this skill in the best way.
1.2 Previous of studies
We all know that English has become an international language. That is the
reason why a lot of researchers and scholars conduct research and analyze it. There
have been lots of international and local studies which have been done recently relating
to English learning.
In relation to communication skills, Alqahtani Mofareh A, English Department,
Civilian Studies, King Khaled Military Academy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia conducted a
study on: "Difficulties Facing Students in English Language Conversation'' (2019).
This thesis addresses the poor language proficiency of English language students,
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particularly in terms of their conversational skills and/or ability to achieve the desired
standards of fluency in either the classroom environment or public sphere. It aims to

identify the inability of students to learn English language conversation skills
accurately, the factors behind the difficulties faced by students seeking to communicate
in English and the practical solutions which enable students to master English
communication skills. The results of the study demonstrate that the difficulties and
challenges faced by students when speaking in English such as the fear of making
errors, imprecise understanding of English vocabulary and grammar, and incorrect
word and/or sentence articulation. To fully investigate this issue, a quantitative survey
instrument containing multiple questions was undertaken in addition to a number of
interviews with a random sample of students and teachers in order to elicit the main
student challenge in speaking English. To this end, the researcher elucidated the
research problem, importance, objectives, hypotheses, and methodologies, as well as
drawing conclusions.
Another study on communication skills was implemented by Panida Karachedee,
Faculty of Education, Burapha University: " Need analysis for English communication
skills of employees at HSBC in Thailand" ( January 2017). The study analyzed aspects
of communication skills, with the objective to outline the needs and problems of
English communication of the staff, and offer appropriate methods to improve
communication skills in English. By a quantitative survey instrument containing
multiple questions was undertaken, the study demonstrates that listening skill was the
English communication skill that Thai employees at HSBC in Thailand thought was
the most serious problem. The unfamiliarity of the foreigners’ accent and pronunciation
was considered as the most serious problem of listening skills. Besides, The inability to
use correct grammar in communication seemed to be a problem of Thai employees at
HSBC in Thailand. Finally, the research has clarified the problem and devised a
strategy to improve communication skills including internal training and taking English
courses at a language academy.
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The study: " A study on how to improve English communication skills of
receptionists in Muong Thanh grand Ha Noi hotel" (2018) by Tran Thuy Dung of
English Faculty, Thuong Mai University. The aim of this study is to identify problems
in English communication and find out some appropriate solutions to improve English
communication skills of receptionist in Muong Thanh Grand Hanoi hotel in which, the
study focuses on finding the reality of the staffs in Reception Department 's using
English in communicate with foreigns guests and giving them the suggestions for
better communication. The expectation is that the receptionists at MTGH hotel can
communicate in English confidently and fluently to achieve high efficiency at work.
Besides, another study “English communication skills of students with foreigners
- proposing solutions to join NGOs” (2008), the author selected English - major
students from four typical universities in Hanoi: VNU University of Languages and
International Studies,Vietnam National University, Foreign Trade University and Hanoi
University of Science and Technology. Foreigners mentioned in the study are good at
English communication skills and qualifications, most of whom are from Europe,
Australia and North America using English as their mother language. Research
methodology used in the article is investigation, interview and observation. The
research results show that when students communicate with English speakers in
different countries, the most common errors they encounter are intonation, accent and
regional culture.
1.3 Aims of the study
My research is to find out the basic mistakes that freshmen students of English
Faculty at Thuong Mai university encounter in their English communication, and find
solutions to help them improve their English communication skills. My research aims
at the following basic goals:
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Cover background knowledge of communication

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Analyze the situation of communication in English by first-year students of
English Faculty at Thuong Mai university and the common errors encountered
by themselves

●

Provide solutions to improve English communication skills for Faculty of
English freshmen of Thuong Mai University

1.4.

Research question
In order to accomplish the above mentioned aims, the study targets at finding the

answer to the following questions.
-

What is the attitude of first-year students of English Faculty at Thuongmai

University towards the oral English communication skills?
-

What are the common errors that the freshmen of English Faculty at

Thuongmai University encounter when communicating in English?
-

How to improve the oral English communication skills of freshmen students of

English Faculty at Thuongmai University?
1.5. Research subject
The research subject is to find out the common errors faced by English - major
freshman at Thuong Mai university in communication in English and offer some
solutions to improve this skill in the best way
1.6.

Scope of the study
Research topics are conducted on the scope of Thuong Mai University. The

research focuses on the freshmen in the English Faculty at Thuong Mai University to
point out their common mistakes when communicating in English and offer some
solutions to improve this skill in the best way. The study is conducted in the second
semester of the academic year 2020-2021. Due to time constraints, this study carries
out about 60 randomly selected students.
1.7. Research methodology
In this study, the author decided to use the quantitative and qualitative methods.
The data and information has been collected from two sources: the questionnaire and
interview.
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A questionnaire is set up which includes both open-ended and closed-ended
questions, allowing the respondents to give their opinions and views in the most
convenient way. Part one consists of the student’s background and basic information
and part two proposes some questions relating to common errors and the solution to
improve the oral communication in English.
The interview was designed into three questions to dip deeper into the issue.
1.8.

Organization of the study
This study consists of four main parts:

•

Chapter 1: Overview of the study

General research topics include the reason for selecting this study, provide previous
research topics, aims of the study, identify research subjects, scope of the study,
research methodology and structure of this study.
•

Chapter 2: Theoretical background

This chapter gives an overview of what communication is, types of communication, the
importance of English communication skills and English communication errors.
Thereby, the author finds the common errors that English learners encounter and find
out the solutions to improve.
•

Chapter 3: Data analysis and research findings

This chapter focuses on analyzing research results and it is also the major part of the
study. Through the survey, the author learns the views of students about the common
errors in communicating in English with foreigners and the solutions to improve the
oral communication in English. The figures which were collected from the study would
be shown and analyzed in this chapter. This is the crucial part of all the studies.
•

Chapter 4: Recommendations and suggestions

This chapter proposes and suggests some solutions to overcome common errors in oral
communicating in English in general and the first-year students of the English Faculty
at Thuongmai University in particular.

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CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1. Definition of communication.
There are many definitions of communication posed by different writers.
According to Dwyer (2000), “Communication is the transfer of meaning.
Communication is any behavior, verbal or nonverbal, that is perceived by another.
Knowledge, feelings or thoughts are encoded and sent from at least one person and
received and decoded by at least one other. Meaning is given to this message as the
receiver interprets the message. A connection is made between the people
communicating. Communication lets us learn more about ourselves and the world
around us, share experience with others, persuade and influence others, and relax and
enjoy ourselves.” Verderber, R.F., Verderber, K.S & Berryman- Fink, C. (2008) define
“communication is the process of creating and sharing meaning in informal

conversation, group interaction, or public speaking”. Another definition is set by
Hybels, S & Weaver II, R.L. (1992). According to them, “communication is any
process in which people share information, ideas and feelings. That process involves
not only the spoken and written word, but also body, personal mannerisms and style,
the surroundings- anything that adds meaning to a message.”
From the definition, it can be summarized that Communication is the process of
sending and receiving information among people. It is a way of reaching others by
transmitting ideas and thoughts, feelings and values.
2.2. Types of communication
2.2.1. Oral communication
According to Bovee and others: “Verbal communication is the expression of
information through language which is composed of words and grammar.” And
another definition about verbal communication according to Penrose and others:
“Verbal communication consists of sharing thoughts thought the meaning of words.”

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Verbal communication can be defined as communicating your thoughts through
words. Such thoughts may be ideas, opinions, directions, dissatisfaction, objections,
your emotions and pleasures.
For example, when you conduct a meeting, have a conversation over the phone,
talk to a friend, write letters, emails or any other forms of conversation that you
perform with others using words.
2.2.2. Nonverbal communication
According to Levine and Adelman (1993) non-verbal communication is the silent
language, including the use of gestures, facial expressions, eye-contact and
conversational đistance, etc.

The phrase nonverbal communication refers to communication affected by
means other than words to most people. We need to understand that separating verbal
and nonverbal behavior into two separate and distinct categories is virtually
impossible. For example, how do we categorize sign language into verbal or nonverbal
communication? Under some circumstances, sign language can be translated to verbal
meaning word by word; On the other hand, it communicates without sounds and words
and carries meaning through gestures. Generally, when people refer to nonverbal
behavior, they are talking about the signals, to which meaning will be attributed, not
the process of attributing meaning. Nguyen Quang (2008) gives his own view on the
definition which seems to cover most important dimensions of nonverbal
communication. Nonverbal communication, according to this author, refers to "all the
components of the message that, when taken together, constitute the communication
which is not verbally coded but both vocally and non-vocally channeled”.
2.2.3. Written communication
According to the study about "Effective oral and written communication" ( 2018)
of R. Prabavathi and P. C. Nagasubramani, written communication is the oldest known
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form of communication. Any form of communication which is written and documented
from the sender to the receiver is known as written communication. Examples of
written communication include letters, memos, research papers, reports, etc.
It is a very concrete form of documentary evidence and can also be used for
future reference purposes. As the information is written, it can be easily distributed
to many people thus making it a bulk communication method. As the information
does not change from person to person, the accuracy of the information
conveyed is same across the entire audience.
To ensure an effective written communication form, it is a must to follow

completeness, clarity and correctness in your writing. As there is no immediate
feedback that can be received, it is important that written communication is
detailed and accurate to ensure that the write message is communicated.
Also remember to keep the communication simple and without any errors.
Written communication also has its limitations like lack of feedback, absence of
modulations to convey message effectively, etc. These can be overcome effectively
by mixing oral communication with written so as to combine the advantages of
both along with eliminating the disadvantages
2.2.4. Visual communication
According to Brian Nuckols (1998):"Visual communication is a way to
communicate ideas graphically in ways that are efficient and help to convey more
meaning. It’s a critical element of any content marketing strategy. "
Visual communication is the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that
can be seen. Visual communication in part or whole relies on eyesight. Visual
communication is a broad spectrum that includes signs, typography, drawing, graphic
design, illustration, industrial design, advertising, animation, color, and electronic
resources.
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Visual communication refers to messages that can be seen. In business, visual
communication can be characterized as a helper. Whenever a heavy amount of
information is presented, a visual aid can help the message receiver comprehend the
message.
Indeed, clear communication is very essential. Hence it is very necessary to
develop strong communication skills. And in this study, the author focuses on verbal
communication.
2.3. Importance of English communication skills

According to Communication expert Harold Janis" "The world of business is a
world of action. Products are designed, made, and sold. People are hired. Serviced are
rendered. Policies are devised and implemented. Jobs are learned and performed. Yet
there is no practical way in which any of these events can take play without
communication".
In the present global world, communication plays a vital role in getting success
in all fields. Language is used as a tool for communication. Perfect communication is
not possible for people without using a language. Moreover, people cannot achieve
their aims, objectives, and goals without using proper language to communicate.
Therefore, there is a need for a language to communicate with others who live all
around the globe.
English has become a global language, a connecting link, a language of modern
science and technologies, a language of latest sciences, like information technology
and space science, a language of all competitive examinations-be they the state level,
national level or international level. Whether we realize it or not we are now living in
the world of information and communication technology.
By the end of the 20th century, English began to emerge as a global one. It has a
great acceptance at social, economical and political levels. The outlook behind the
usage of English has been changing significantly. In our country, the middle class is
also not keeping itself in isolation by neglecting the importance of English. In view of
the growing importance of English as a tool for global communication and the
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consequent emphasis on training students to acquire communication skills. No one can
get mastery over communication skills in a day or two. It is an academic imbroglio for
the students lacking in effective communication skills.
English language communication is the most common problem faced by

students. One who is good at effective communication thinks soundly, enjoys self
esteem, dignity and gets respect in society, academic or profession. People with
effective communication skills are more confident, because they know that they can
tell other people exactly what they need. In order to communicate effectively one has
to think ahead and organize one’s thoughts. In order to have the technical know-how
and other related skills you should learn to develop the competence in application of
English language.
In every walk of life, the language that we use for communication is very
important. If we do not have an effective language, the work which we take up remains
dull and cheerless. Among all the modern languages, English claims to be the most
popular language. It is because all international communications are carried out in
English. English is taught as a tool for international understanding. By learning this
language, one can overcome one’s prejudices, fanaticism, intolerance and narrow
mindedness and contributes one’s share to promote international understanding.
Communication is the central human activity. We are now witnessing the
emergence of an advanced economy based on information and knowledge. Probably
the most important skill for knowledge workers in the new environment is the ability to
communicate. This means to be able to listen and to express your ideas effectively in
writing and in speech. In order to achieve the desired success, a professional needs to
assess and respond to communication situations that occur constantly. The four main
goals of communication are
1. To inform
2. To request
3. To persuade and
4. To build relationships with others.
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Nowadays, in India without English, a student cannot enter the sophisticated
world of science and technology. Further, in the present global context, it is felt that
English is of paramount importance.
2.4 English communication errors.
Oral communication is quite different from other skills like reading, listening,
and writing. As it is unlike other skills, it requires a degree of real-time communication
with others directly. Learners often have a fear of communication, lack of confidence
in communication. They worry when speaking a foreign language, they might
pronounce it incorrectly and use the wrong grammatical structure, so native speakers
cannot understand what they are trying to say and they are also worried about losing
face or being criticized.
For the purpose of this study, the researcher has examined the fundamental
mistakes of freshman English faculty to find the fundamental error and propose
effective solutions to improve their communication skills. Here are some basic
mistakes encountered when communicating in English:
2.4.1. Linguistics errors
* Mispronounce:
One characteristic that many of us English learners encounter is their lack of
emphasis on pronunciation. In fact, learning English pronunciation is an important part
of learning how to communicate in English. Listeners will not be able to understand if
you pronounce incorrectly.
According to Burns and Joyce identified a group of factors that they are likely to
make learners reluctant to speak and one of these factors is “linguistic problem”.
Vietnamese learners often run into troubles when it comes to some important
characteristics in terms of pronunciation such as some difficult sounds, stress,
intonation and linking words which are totally strange compared to Vietnamese. Even
though it is clearly noticed that sound, stress, intonation and linking words of spoken
language convey crucial messages, many learners find it difficult to pronounce words,

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stress the right syllables or apply the reasonable intonation and linking sound to spoken
language.
* Lack of vocabulary
Wilkins (in Thornbury, 2002) states that “without grammar very little can be
conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”. This statement means that
when somebody only knows about grammar, but he does not know words to say, his
idea cannot be expressed. In other words, one of the language elements that has to be
mastered by learners in learning a language is vocabulary.
A rich vocabulary will increase learners' understanding, thereby developing
communication skills, helping learners convey ideas and messages to listeners. On the
contrary, the limited vocabulary will cause learners to make mistakes such as using too
difficult vocabulary or using the wrong context of the words, resulting in incorrect
content transmission and affecting the quality of conversation.
* Use difficult grammar
In the real communication, nobody paid much attention to the correct grammar
expression, but emphasized the content and how to reply. Besides, there are a lot of
grammatical rules in the English language, so it is difficult for the students to correctly
understand and use grammar. The nervous of new grammar is the serious error for
students when communicating . Grammatical competence can help speakers apply and
perceive the structure of English language correctly that leads to their fluency (Latha,
2012). If learners do not know the rules of grammar, they will never be able to
communicate using English effectively.
It is common among English language learners to overdo complex sentence
structures when it is not needed. Explaining this may be because the speaker is afraid
that the listener will not understand if it is not grammatically correct. However, that
makes it even easier for you to make mistakes. The grammar in English

communication does not need to be too complicated. You can see that when
communicating in English, native speakers use very simple structures. This way, you
can hear them and easily understand them.
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2.4.2 Errors about communication culture:
Each country has its own communication culture, foreigners also have their own
communication culture characteristics, so when communicating with someone who
makes those mistakes, it will bring them a feeling of discomfort, not really
satisfied.Anderson and Lynch (1988) said that “when we learn a foreign language, we
acquire some degree of familiarity with the foreign culture”. It is so important, but
learners often encounter basic mistakes such as: Lack of calm when not understanding
what foreigner says, do not look directly into foreigner's eyes while speaking,...
2.4.3 Errors about psychology
Psychology is very important in commnuncation,it directly affects the quality of
the conversation. Speakers often feel insecure, unwilling to communicate with
foreigners because they are afraid of making mistakes when speaking, do not have a
natural reflex when speaking, so they feel confused because they do not know how to
answer.They are not confident in their foreign language skills and are afraid of others
to criticize them.
It is assumed that “when people speak in a second or foreign language, they
become more apprehensive and tense and thus more unwilling to participate in the
conversation” (Horwitz el al., 1986; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1989). Before the
conversation occurs, learners may have many ideas in their mind, but when they come
to a real communication with foreigners, their mind just goes blank and cannot produce
words or sentences due to the tense and shyness.
This is a common problem that language learners encounter, they are too shy to

speak out their opinions or look directly and communicate with native speakers. Due to
incorrect pronunciation, being afraid of making mistakes leads to shyness and
avoidance of speaking English.
2.5. Factors affecting English communication errors of students
2.5.1. Limitation of vocabulary knowledge
A rich vocabulary will increase learners' understanding, thereby developing
communication skills, helping learners convey ideas and messages to listeners. "If a
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language could be considered as a house then its grammar could be considered as
cement and its vocabulary could be figuratively compared to bricks To build a
complete house, no only cement but also bricks are needed Without bricks, no house
can be built, even when plenty of high quality cement is available (Nguyen Huyen,
2004). The limitation of vocabulary knowledge affects learners' communication ability,
creating basic mistakes, especially mistakes using wrong vocabulary context.
2.5.2. Be afraid of making pronunciation and grammar mistakes
Oral communication is quite different when comparing to other skills as reading,
listening and writing. Since it is unlike other skills, it requires some degree of real time
to communicate directly with other people. Learners have often got the fearful feeling
of making mistakes when trying to say or express things in a foreign language. They
are worried when they speak in a foreign language they may pronounce incorrectly and
use wrong grammar structures, hence, native speakers can not understand what they try
to say and they also have anxiety over losing face or getting criticism.
According to Burns and Joyce (1997) identified a groups of factors that they are
likely to make learners reluctant to speak and one of these factors is “linguistic
problem”. Vietnamese learners often run into troubles when speaking, they are often
afraid of making grammar mistakes. Even though it is clearly noticed that sound,

stress, intonation and linking words of spoken language convey crucial messages,
many learners find it difficult to pronounce words, stress the right syllables or apply the
reasonable intonation and linking sound to spoken language leading to the grammatical
and pronunciation errors
2.5.3. Lack of professional environment to speak
It is essential to have a professional environment to practice English. Hyland in
the survey “Asian Journal of English Language Teaching” (January ,2007) investigated
learners from eight disciplines at five Hong Kong institutions. The findings of his
research indicated that proficiency in English was a significant factor in the academic
success of an English environment.Lack of English communication environment
makes learners become passive, unconfident when communicating with foreigners.
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Especially with their pronunciation, swallowing, and speaking speed different from
Vietnamese teachers, which will make learners lose their temper and misunderstand the
content of the conversation.
2.5.4. Worried about making mistakes and fearful of criticism
It is assumed that “when people speak in a second or foreign language, they
become more apprehensive and tense and thus more unwilling to participate in the
conversation” (Horwitz el al., 1986; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1989). Before the
conversation occurs, learners may have many ideas in their mind, but when they come
to a real communication with foreigners, their mind just go blank and cannot produce
words or sentences due to the tense and shyness.
This is a common problem that language learners encounter, they are too shy to
speak out their opinions or look directly and communicate with native speakers. Due to
incorrect pronunciation, being afraid of making mistakes leads to shyness and
avoidance of speaking English.

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CHAPTER III: RESEARCH FINDINGS
3.1. Research methods
3.1.1. Participants
This research will be conducted with the participation of 60 first-year students of
English faculty at Thuongmai University. By conducting questionnaires surveys over
the internet, the received data analysis will be clear and the most truthful result. All the
participation is random and voluntary without any constraint.
3.1.2. Research instruments
Regarding the aims of the research, the study has been conducted in both
quantitative and qualitative methods in order to reduce the potential limitations of
using only a single approach. The data have been collected by means of questionnaire
and face-to-face interview.
3.1.2.1. Questionnaire
a. Aims of the questionnaire
According to Brow (2001, citited in Markey & Gass, 2005), “Questionnaires are
any written instruments that present respondents with a series of questions or
statements to which they are to react, either by writing out their answers or selecting
from among existing answers”.
Markey & Gass (2005) using questionnaires as an instrument which allows
researchers to gather information in such a short time with comparable information.
For that reason, the researcher decided to apply the questionnaire to access nformation.
Because the subjects of the survey are the first-year students of English Faculty, the
survey questionnaire will be designed as multiple-choice questions with answers to
gather more objective answers that measure the level and senses of the person being

surveyed.
b. Questionnaire design
The survey has been conducted with the aim of investigating some common
mistakes in oral English communication of first-year students of English Faculty at

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Thuongmai University as well as suggest some solutions to improve their
communication skills.
As the main purpose of completing the study well, the researcher applied both
semi-structured interviews known as an informal conversation in which someone is
asked their opinions about a product or issue and structured questionnaires considered
as closed and direct questions in order to ensure the gathered results are as reliable as
possible.
Hence, the questionnaire is carefully designed with nine questions. It has been
separated into two parts: part one consists of some background information of students
to identify what they think about the importance of listening and speaking skills.
Part two consists of common errors of oral communication skills that the first-year
students have faced and solutions they have applied. The first two questions intended
to see the common mistakes they encountered in English communication. The next
question was about the solutions that students have applied and identified whether they
were effective or not. Thereby, if that solution is effective or is not will be used in
suggesting solutions to improving their communication skills.
3.1.2.2. Interview
a. Aims of the interview
An interview is formal meetings between two people (the interviewer and the
interviewee) where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information,

qualities, attitudes, wishes etc,... It is also known as a flexible and adaptable way so
that this method is usually used for many researches to dig deep into the study and
explore more about the personal ideas which can not show clearly in the questionnaire.
b. Interview design
To accomplish the survey, face-to-face interviews have been conducted in the
form of conversation between the researcher and three first-year students. It took place
during recess in class , hence the participants felt free and comfortable to answer the
questions as well as express themselves.

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The interview consists of three questions to dive more into the study and get
deeper point of view. The first question was about to identify their ideas in terms of the
importance of English communication skills. The second question aimed to get the
information about the common mistakes that students have encountered when
communicating with foreigners. From the present situation, the last question was asked
to see what solutions they often use to improve their communication skills. Each
interview lasted for five to seven minutes.
3.1.3. Data collection process
To increase the reliability and value of the study, a random sampling procedure
was applied in the survey questionnaire, and data collection was done through face-toface interviews. All questions used are reasonable and appropriate to the aims of the
study. The data collection process is described as below:
Questionnaire:
Designing the questionnaire: The questionnaire will be set up and survey for 60
students over the internet. It was divided into two parts and consists of ten questions to
collect the data including general information of the participants, attitude with
communication english, common mistakes and the last is about solution.

Collecting data: the researcher uses google form to conduct the survey. The
questionnaire will be set up by GG form. The researcher gets a link from this app then
sends a link of the survey to groups of first-year students of English Faculty and
messages to the ones who are the researcher’s friends. For the most objective results,
the researcher asks them to pay attention and seriously answer the questions in their
own views. The collected data will be checked and analyzed by the researcher
according to the system of tables and data.
Interview: Three freshmen were randomly selected to gather clearer data on the
subject of study. This is a one-to-one chat, performed in 5 to 7 minutes. During
questioning, the researcher recorded the participants' responses and made a note to
make the collected information more reliable.

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3.2. Findings
Of the 60 students surveyed, there are 50 valid survey samples, below are the results of
the 50 students surveyed:
3.2.1. Students’ background information
The questions in part 1 are designed to learn about information related to English
communication skill including: the number of years of English learning, chances as
well as locations to communicate in English with foreigners,feeling when
communication in English, perception of the importance of communication skills
When asked about the number of years studying English, as a result, 100% of the
surveyed students studied English for more than seven years. Thenceforth, we can see
that students have learned and become familiar with English for a long time, probably
from middle or even elementary.
Chart 3.1. Frequency of using English to communicate

The frequency of using English to communicate significantly affects students'
progress in English communication skills. Through the chart 3.1 shows, only 30% of
the respondents often use English to communicate. Meanwhile, 62% are people who
only use English occasionally to communicate. The number of students who rarely use
English to communicate is 8%.
3.2.2. Students’ attitudes toward oral English communication skills
Chart 3.2. Students’ perception of the important of communication skills
From the figures it is apparent that having perfect oral English communication
skills is the goal of the learners when learning English. Most of the students surveyed
have evaluated oral English communication skills as very important and it is also a key
to catch the eyes of recruiters in the future. Of the 50 students surveyed, 62% of
students recognized that communication skill plays an extremely important role in
learning and using English. Other students also quite highly appreciate the role of oral
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English Communication skills with 14% of students choosing “ fairly important” and
24% of students choosing “very important” opinion and no one of respondents denied
the role of this skills. Taking into account the statistical data, we can surmise that most
students are aware of the importance of improving their English skills.
In addition, in face-to-face interviews with freshman English Faculty, they also
highlighted the importance of English communication skills and gave reasons for their
attitudes. Linh replied: "For me, communication skills are very important, because I am
a student of English Faculty, having good communication skills gives me a lot of
benefits in studying, especially my subjects with foreigners." Nga shared: "With good
English communication skills, I can find a good part-time job, and confidently make
friends with friends from different countries"
Hence, after accumulating their points of views, the researcher found out the

most common idea as English is currently an international language in the world. It is
the bridge to help students develop themselves in studying, working and relationships
Chart 3.3. Feeling when communicating in English
Aware of the importance of such English communication skills, but when asked
about feelings when communicating English with foreigners, we received surprising
data:
The pie chart shows that the number of students who are excited in
communicating with foreigners is 24%, 18% of students feel fun when communicating
with foreigners. However, 58% of students feel shy when communicating with
foreigners. Most students have a very long time to learn English, but the number of
students

who

feel

shy

when

communicating

with

foreigners

is

huge.

As first-year students in the English Faculty, you are starting to become familiar
with subjects taught in English, including foreign and native teachers. Most of students
choose for themselves an environment to improve your English communication skills.
The following table surveys the locations to help students connect with foreigners to
practice communication English.
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Questions
What locations help
you connect with
foreigners to practice
communication skills?

Options

Number
of student
23

Percentage
(%)
46

20

40

English course

29

58

Ho Guom

24

48

Your own method

0

0

Yes

5

16

No

25

84

Social media: Facebook,
Youtube, Twitter, etc.
School

Do you think that
methods work well in
improving your
communication skills?

Table 3.1: Locations help students connecting with foreigners to practice
communicating in English.
The places to connect with native speakers such as social networks, schools,
English courses, and Ho Guom are mostly popular among students, earning the results
respectively: 46%, 40%, 58%, 48%. In addition, through table 3.1, most of the children
have applied to many different places to connect with native speakers with the aim of
communicating better and being more confident when talking with foreigners.
However, when asked about the effectiveness of these practices, 84% of respondents
said the method they used did not improve their English and only 16% said that the
method of learning is effective. fruit with them. When it comes to open-ended
questions regarding why those methods don't work with them. Some common reasons
are given, such as, "I do not spend a lot of time practicing English", " I am not
confident enough to be able to speak with many foreigners at the Ho Guom, usually the
conversation of We are very short”, " There are very few subjects to communicate with
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foreigners in school, there are many students in the classroom so the chance for me to
talk to native teachers is very little "

In short, when it comes to English background, all the first year students in the
English department participating in the survey are trying very hard to improve their
English learning ability. Besides, they all understand the importance of English
communication skills and have used methods that help to approach foreigners to
improve their communication skills. However, the results were not as good as
expected.Besides, some of the reasons why those methods did not bring out the
efficiency were exposed as well as to help the researcher to suggest useful and helpful
solutions to improving their English communication skills.
3.2.3.Common errors of students in oral English communication skills.
3.2.3.1. Errors related to linguistics
One of the main reasons for this study is to find out the fundamental errors that
freshmen English faculty encounter when speaking English verbally. It is absolutely
essential to ask them about the common mistakes as well as the degree of those errors
that they have encountered when communicating English. Results from the
questionnaire about pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar errors are respectively
displayed as follows:

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