Necessary skills of an English teacher in managing English classes at Thach Thanh 3 High school = Các kĩ năng cần thiết của giáo viên Tiếng Anh trong quản lý lớ

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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
------

TRƢƠNG THỊ THU HIỀN
M.A. MINOR THESIS

Necessary skills of an English teacher in managing English
classes at Thach Thanh 3 High school
(Các kĩ năng cần thiết của giáo viên Tiếng Anh trong việc quản lí lớp học
ngoại ngữ ở trường THPT Thạch Thành 3)

Field: Methodology
Code: 60.14.10

Hanoi, 2011


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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
------

TRƢƠNG THỊ THU HIỀN
M.A. MINOR THESIS

Necessary skills of an English teacher in managing English
classes at Thach Thanh 3 High school
(Các kĩ năng cần thiết của giáo viên Tiếng Anh trong việc quản lí lớp học
ngoại ngữ ở trường THPT Thạch Thành 3)

Field: Methodology
Code: 60.14.10
Supervisor: VŨ THUÝ QUỲNH, M.A

Hanoi, 2011


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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
TT: Thach Thanh
TT3: Thach Thanh 3
CLT: Communicative Language Teaching

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1: The results of teachers’ attitudes
Table 2: The results of the teachers’ experiences in English teaching
Table 3: The results of dominant roles applied in English classes
Table 4: The results of the roles which are difficult to apply in English classes at TT3
high school
Table 5: Characteristics of the students participating in the English learning survey
Table 6: The results of the students’ attitudes
Table 7: Ranking and percentage of the importance of items contribute to an effective class
manager
Table 8: The results of the students’ experiences

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND TABLES
PART I - INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
2. Aims of the study
3. Scope of the study
4. Methods of the study
5. Research questions
6. Significance of the study
7. Organization of the study
PART II - DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Different views on the roles of an English language teacher
1.2. The importance of the language teacher in managing an English class
1.3. Characteristics of a good English language teacher
1.4. Communicative approach in English language teaching
1.4.1. Definition of Communication
1.4.2. The nature of Communicative Language Teaching
1.5. Kind of activities in English language teaching
1.5.1. Whole-class teaching
1.5.2. Pair work/Group work
1.5.3. Individual work
1.6. Summary
CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY
2. 1. Background of the study

2.1.1. Description of the English syllabus in TT3 high school
2.1.2. Description of the students at TT3 high school
2.1.3. Description of the teachers at TT3 high school


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2.1.4. Description of physical setting
2.2. Design and methodology of the study
2.2.1. The participants
2.2.2. Research instruments
2.2.3. Methods of data analysis
2.3. Summary
CHAPTER III: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
3.1. Questionnaires
3.2. Informal Interviews
3.3. Summary
CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS
4.1. Findings
4.1.1. Research question 1: How did English teachers at TT3 high school manage their
English language classes?
4.1.2. Research question 2: What are the difficulties in managing their English classes?
4.1.3. Research question 3: What are some suggestions to manage English classes more
effectively?
4.2. Pedagogical implications
PART III - CONCLUSIONS
1. Summary of the study
2. Limitations of the study
3. Suggestions for further study
4. Conclusions
REFERENCES

APPENDIXES


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PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
English is an international language; it has become a compulsory subject for
students at schools in Vietnam nowadays. In English classes, teachers have to take
different roles in managing their students. Ince (2000) emphasized that teachers should
know how to manage the classes and teach students to manage themselves.
There are many common important roles that English teachers act in language
teaching. Moreover, they need to know more about the skills to manage English classes
well. Like many English teachers in Vietnam, teachers of English at TT3 high school faced
with a common problem: lack of necessary skills in managing classes. In fact, there are
many reasons for the shortage of necessary skills. Thus the present study therefore, tries to
find out the solutions to change the situation. This led the author to the choice of the study:
“Necessary skills of an English teacher in managing English classes at TT3 High School”
2. Aims of the study
The aims of this study is to look into the theoretical background of an English teacher and
his/her roles in classroom management, investigate the use of teacher’s roles in managing
English classes in TT3 high school - a school located in Thach Thanh district, Thanh Hoa
province. It also helps English teachers at TT3 to aware of the difficulties they and their
students have to cope with. The findings and suggestions are also suggested to overcome
these constraints.
3. Scope of the study
The study is designed to explore the necessary skills of an English teacher in managing
English classes at TT3 high school.
4. Methods of the study
The study employs survey research in which two mains instruments of data collection
namely informal interviews and questionnaire were used. The data collected for the study

came from two sources: the students and English teachers at TT3 high school. The
collected data is, then calculated, analyzed, compared and finally interpreted for the results
of the study.
In addition, document analysis of relevant materials was reviewed which laid the
theoretical foundation for the study.
5. Research questions


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The study searched for the answers of the 3 research questions:
- How did English teachers at TT3 high school manage their English classes?
- What are their difficulties in managing English classes?
- What are some suggestions to manage English classes more effectively?
6. Significance of the study
The significance of the study might be, first, it fills the gap of necessary skills in managing
English classes. Second, it sheds the light on some pedagogical issues in managing English
classes in Vietnam general and in Thanh Hoa particular.
7. Organization of the study
This study consists of three parts:
Part I: Introduction presents the rationale, the aims and objectives, scope, the methods,
significance and organization of the study. The research questions are also mentioned in
this part.
Part II: Development includes four chapters:
Chapter I: Literature review reviews the theory related about roles of an English teacher.
Chapter II: Methodology of the study discusses the methods of the study, i.e. Describes
background of the study, participants, design and methods of the study.
Chapter III: Presentation and analysis of data discusses the presentation of statistical
results and analysis of data.
Chapter IV: Findings and suggestions focuses on the answers of three research
questions, and presents pedagogical implications

Part III: Conclusions summarize the study with limitations of the study, presents some
suggestions for further studies.


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PART II: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Different views on the roles of an English language teacher
Based on the results in the study of Arafat S (683-685), (Vol. 19 (2), 2005)
(research on the roles of English Language Teachers as Perceived by Learners of English)
showed that:
Regardless of the amount of time the teachers spend with their students in
managing English classes. They have different roles that affect their student’s learning.
Some of these functions display through daily contact with students in the classrooms and
concern relate instructions, others results from students affect to teachers in the large
school settings and may affect students’ general linguistics, social and cultural
development.
Language teachers must make decisions all the time. Some of the decisions are
relatively minor ones, but other decisions that the teacher should consider might be the
major roles of the teacher in managing English classes and what are the potential roles that
the teacher can play and lead to best results in proving students with chances to participate
and to be responsible for their learning. These roles have been dealt with differently in
different teaching methods.
Suggestoptia Lazanov (1982), O’Connell (1982) and Racle (1979) viewed the role
is the authority in the classroom, students must trust their teacher and respect him/her.
Lazanov also showed that students will retain information better if they get it
from someone whom they can trust and who has authority on them.
The role of the teacher as suggested by Gattegno (1972), Madesen (1979) is the
role of an engineer or a technician. The learners are helped by the teacher in their learning.
The teacher will help their students if they need.

Blair (1982) and Curran (1976) indicated that counselor role is the major role of the
teacher. To learn the foreign language, students can be threatened. Thus, the teacher helps
them overcome the difficulties dealt with learning it.
The roles of the teacher according to the communicative approach as suggested by,
Celce-Murcia (1983), Brumfit (1979) and Madsen (1983) that the teacher is seen as
facilitor of the learners’ learning.


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Harmer (1991) showed that the roles of the teacher is to provide students with
different situations related to the real life. Students will have many choice to practice
authentic situations which make them understand more easily. Students are shown how to
perform language functions are decided which functions are more important for which
level.
According to Diller (1978) and Paulston (1971) suggested that in the classroom the
teacher directs the activities and the students’ role is less passive than the others. They are
more like partners in two process: teaching and learning. In this role, the teacher
participates and works with students in activities.
The roles of teachers are different so teachers should base on students’ need in their
learning process to act these roles to get high effectiveness.
Prodromou (1991) also suggested several roles for the teacher, for example, a
manager, a monitor, a counselor, an informant, facilitator, a social and a friend.
Stevick (1996) suggested that teachers and students have many expectations in
order to have effective language classrooms. This state means that both teacher and
students should be involved in the activity. They may get interactions during the teaching
and learning process.
Underhill (1989) also believed that the teachers can play difference roles. They can
be lecturers, teachers and facilitators.
Larsen-Freeman (1986) believed that the teacher can be a supporter. Teacher
should encourage students to work individual to promote their self reliance. The teacher is

also seen as a motivator and stimulator, a prompter.
These point of views show that when teachers act any roles, they have to consider
what their students need and expect from them. Teachers know what and how to do with
their students in using these roles to work in learning activities.
Harmer J (1994) mentions list of roles of a language teacher as a prompter, a
participant, a resource, an assessor, a controller, a tutor, an observer and an organizer.
In the role of a prompter teacher helps students with vocabularies, gives a group / a
pair suggestions on how to continue. Teachers also prompt students to use English, asks
questions to check understandings so that students can work on their own. Nevertheless
teacher need to do it sensitively and encouragingly with description.


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Teacher joins in activities to encourage students to participate and help them with
the answers when the teacher acts as a participant. Teacher can be dominant because when
he/she participate in activities if he/she isn’t careful, students will become passive.
Teacher acts as a resource is a person for students to ask information they need and
where to find further information. Encouraging and directly making students more
independent with their learning.
In the role of an assessor, teacher provides students feedback, corrects, grades and
provides criteria for them. In this role, teacher should make it clear for students to get their
clear ideas, should be fair and be sensitive support.
When teacher acts as a controller, he/she teaches, give announcement, lead a
question and gives students knowledge. Teacher restores order when students do tests or
misbehavior. Besides these advantages, this role has some disadvantages. Students become
passive because they do not have much chance to speak and do not have experimental
learning. Teacher may be tired and students may be bored. There are no activities so the
classroom atmosphere boring.
Teacher helps students when students work on long projects, directs, guides and
points them. In the role of a tutor, teacher should be careful not to take over. Teacher don’t

focus on the person who he/she likes, distribute your tutoring to everyone who needs it.
In the role of an observe, it is very important for teacher to give students useful
feedback and helpful to take notes. If it is a success, it will give teacher different feelings.
If they are problems, they will help teacher find the ways to help them to solve. Teachers
should be careful not to be intrusive (officious). Teacher should sit in the back not get to
close students or he/she will disturb students when they are thinking.
Organize is one of the most important roles that teacher have to perform in English
class. In this role, teacher organize activities, puts students into groups or pairs, tells them
how to do it, how to start or how to end. When students start activities, teacher gives short
and clear instruction and tells them how much time they have. When students end, teacher
stops the students and gives them feedback.
Arafat, S (687 - 688) (research on the roles of language Teachers) also emphasized
in the study:
Cross (1995) on the other hand emphasized that prospective language teachers
should try their best to be in contact with current affairs, global issues, social concerns,


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local businesses, economic issues and the target culture. Their roles as language teachers is
not limited to the classroom, it should not be separated from real life.
Balderrama (2001) described the teachers’ roles and believed it is basic to the
struggle for educational equity and achievement. She emphasized the attempts to humanize
teachers’ roles in critical examination of schooling. The teacher should actively study and
pay attention to the psychological learning atmosphere and the inner process of learning.
The aim is to enable learners to take much responsibility for their learning.
Peterson (2004) believed that teaching is a profession in which teachers are
accustomed to be in the spotlight.
Harmer (1983) believed that the role of the teacher should go beyond the traditional
classrooms.
Clarkson (2000) offered her reflections of two types of English teachers as a longtime teacher and a teacher in fourth year of teaching. They talked about their experiences

on their careers and their relationship with each other. They left a deeply emphasized on
their mentor importance and their significance roles.
In fact, in language teaching, there are many roles that English teachers should
decide whether they are the major or not to effectively act in English class. They have to
assume different roles and play them in suitable ways. There are many roles which the
teachers should find the appropriate ones to their learners to get higher quality of teaching
and learning process.
1.2. The importance of the language teacher in managing an English class.
There are many different expressions about the importance of English teacher.
Alberto & Troutman (1986: 404) mentioned that “classroom management can be defined
as the teacher’s ability to co-operatively manage time, space, resources and students
behaviors to provide a climate that encourages learning”. From this statement, we can see
that the teacher plays an important role in managing English classes. Teacher has abilitiy to
manage and encourage learning environment in the classroom.
Moreover “success in learning a language depends less on materials, technique and
linguistics analysis, and more on what goes on inside and between people in the
classroom” (Stevick: 1980:4 cited in Gebhard: 1996: 69). These factors support teachers
play their roles well. We will not get the successful and effective classes if we have enough
things, such as: materials, teaching aids, time, knowledge, suitable technique, English


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language qualification…) but without skills in controlling the class. Nevertheless it is
obvious that the language teacher with necessary skills plays an important role in teaching
an English class.
Harmer (1991) shows that skills in managing classes are very important since they
help to ensure the success of the teachers and the activities which are in used in the class.
However, Davies and Pearse (2000: 117-123) claims that “you can not plan
everything that will happen in a lesson. You need strategies to respond to actual events,
including unexpected ones”. This statement means that teacher doesn’t know the situations

happen unexpectedly in his/her lessons in advance, he/she needs skills to dealt with them.
Therefore, skills in managing English classes are actually essential for teaching and
learning process.
Hension and Eller (1999:45) mentioned that: “In order to be effective, teachers
must be proactive, facilitative, imaginative classroom managers”. Besides many other
factors “the procedures, strategies, and instructional techniques” teachers use to manage
students behaviors and learning activities may affect on the classroom management. The
most important and the most difficult skill a teacher must be creating an environment that
is conducive to learning and by managing the ongoing teaching - learning process.
1.3. Characteristics of a good language teacher.
Effective teachers are born with the skills to teach. It is possible to develop and
train someone to be an effective teacher. (Carr, 1998; Hunt, Touzle, & Wiseman, 1999).
But this is very natural and personal characteristics except being well trained. Many
teachers lack even the most Basic English classroom managements skills. English teachers
at TT3 also have to cope with this matter.
Smith (1995:89) expressed that “what makes a teacher good, is the organization of
a classroom and techniques involved rely heavily on the teaching style”. He seemed to
emphasize the role of teacher as an organizer who organizes activities for students in the
class. When teacher organizes activities well, students will get the things they need.
Nevertheless it depends much on the teaching style that teacher use in the class.
Ince (2000), in his research (on the subject of classroom management), analyzed
and showed that: “Smith looks should happen in an ideal classrooms by attempting to
identify “good” and “bad” teaching style. Also there is a common idea that the better
teacher and the more effective classroom is the quality of teaching and learning process.


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Smith’s (1988) viewed that a “good” teacher is able to raise students’ self-esteem,
develop a positive work ethos without resorting to a punitive regime, praise rather than
criticize and use students’ enthusiasms and interests in a creative and positive way”.

Teacher shouldn’t concentrate much on their work. Students have chance to work more
comfortable with encouragement but little criticism to make them less bored with their
mistakes but more motivative. Students will feel more confident when teacher gives them
interest and pleasure in their work.
However, based on Altman’s (1981) (research on students’ view of the good
language teacher):
“- A real language teacher is on my side
- A real second language teacher lets me be and tries to understand what it is like to be me
- A real second language teacher accepts me whether he or she likes me or not
- A real second language teacher doesn’t have expectations of me because of what I have
been or what he or she has been
- A real second language teacher is more interested in how I learn than what I learn
- A real second language teacher doesn’t make me feel anxious and afraid
- A real second language teacher provides many choices
- A real second language teacher lets me teach myself even if it takes longer
- A real second language teacher talks so I can understand what he or she means to say
- A real second language teacher can make mistakes and admit it
- A real second language teacher can show his or her feelings and let me show mine
- A real second language teacher wants me to evaluate my own work”
The following are the views of some French learners of English (from research by
D. Girard, 1997) (the “top ten” chosen from a list of twenty):
“- The good language teacher makes his course interesting
- He teaches good pronunciation
- He explains clearly
- He speaks good English
- He shows the same interest in all pupils
- He makes them participate
- He shows great patience
- He insists on the spoken language

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- He makes pupils work
- He used an audio - visual method”
(From Peck A (1988). Language Teachers At Work. Prentice Hall)
Besides the criteria of a good language teacher in general, it also depends upon the
perception of students. A language teacher should show their skills in teaching process in
the role of a class manager. The up above ideas, I aim to raise our awareness about the
various roles of a teacher in my short assumption. The English teachers need good
characteristics to help students do well in classrooms. These characteristics of a good
language teacher may be suitable or inappropriate in Vietnam in general and in TT3 high
school in particular. Because not all the characteristics can be “taught” for all the teachers
but due to the teacher’s individual personality. The fact that the roles of a language teacher
becomes effective only when they support the necessary things which students are in need
of them and authentic context.
1.4. Communicative approach to language teaching
1.4.1. Definitions of Communication.
There are many different definitions of Communication. In Thompson’s book
(2003: 9) “Communication and Language”, he considers that “communication is such a
well-integrated part of our day-to-day existence that we tend to take it for granted rarely
passing to consider what it involves or just how important it is to us”.
Fiske’s ideas (1990) also recognized that: “Communication is one of those human
activities that everyone recognizes but few can definite satisfactorily” (Fiske 1990: 1) and
“communication is too often taken for granted when it should be taken to pieces” (Fiske
1994: 8).
Thompson, N (2003: 10) “I quickly recognized that communication is used in a
number of senses and at a number of levels to indicate the transmission of information or
even, as in the transport networks example, the transmission of goods and people”.
He quietly agreed with Fiske’s ideas “The most relevant definition of
communication for present purposes is social interaction through messages”. When talking

about the definitions ò communication, two related aspects are mentioned in their ideas is
“social” and “interaction”.


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1.4.2. Communicative Language Teaching
1.4.2.1. The nature of Communicative Language Teaching
Littlewood (1981:1) emphasized, “one of the most characteristic features of
communicative language teaching is that it pays systematic attention to functional as well
as structural aspects of language”. Both grammatical and functional teaching are paid
attention in CLT. CLT means little more than an integration of these aspects.
1.4.2.2. The Techniques of Communicative Language Teaching
The techniques of CLT can be described by different criteria.
Techniques and class management procedures are discussed by Savignon (1983),
associated with a number of CLT classroom procedures, for examples, language games,
role plays, pair/group activities. Both activities and ways in which they are exclusively
used to CLT classrooms.
The Techniques of Communicative Language Teaching are described by its
features. Nunan (1991a: 279) gives five features to characterize CLT. CLT attached with
interaction, authentic texts, personal experiences …
Johnson (1998: 23) also offered five core characteristics of communicative
methodology that give applications of it. They are: appropriateness, message focus,
psycholinguistic processing, risk taking and free practice.
CLT seems to be an approach rather than a method in a communicative view of
language and language learning. It refers to many principles in which they can be used
with classroom procedures as mentioned above .
1.5. Kind of activities
1.5.1. Whole-class teaching
(Harmer, 2001: 114) mentions: “when people think of teaching and learning they
frequently conjure up a picture of students sitting in rows listening to a teacher who stands

in front of them”. In teaching and learning, there is a big relationship, that is an interaction
between teachers and students. Though whole class teaching has many limitations, it has
many practical advantages.
1.5.2. Pair work/Group work
Students may be organized to do work in pairs or small groups in the classroom.
Especially, it is very important when teacher organizes activities for students. There are
many definitions of pair work/group work.


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Pair work
According to Doff (1998: 137) , the whole class is divided into pairs by the
teacher. Every students works with his or her partner in pairs and all the pairs work at the
same time.
Students works in pair work has some advantages, Harmer (2001: 116) wrote “in
pair wok students can practice language together, study a text, research language or take
part in information-gap activities. They can write dialogues, predict the content of reading
texts, or compare notes on what they have listened to or seen”. Through pair work students
can work together, share ideas and thoughts.
Group work
“Group is a group of students working together. A class can be divided into small
groups to work together (usually four or five students in each group), as in pair work, all
the group work at the same time”. ( Doff: 1988: 137).
“The advantage of small group work is that it promotes maximum participant from
all students”. (Felisa Tibbitts). Group work encourages students to share the thoughts and
ideas when they work with their participants.
When we want to divide the class into teams for games or preparation phase, we
need a larger group for learning activity.
1.5.3. Individual work
The students sometimes don’t work in pair work or group work, they have to work on

their own. Students . have to work independently with their own thinking. Working in
individual, pair or group work depends much on the demand of the tasks or activities.
Some time teachers have to use all kinds of activities in class.
Ur, P (1999: 233) stated: “this can range from students going exercises on their own
in class, to situations in which teachers are able to spend time working with individual
students, or when students take charge of their own learning in self-access centre or other
out-of-class environments”. Individual work makes students promote their autonomy.
1.6. Summary
The chapter presents the related literature which are considered to be essential for
laying the background for the study. To achieve a good quality of teaching and learning
English language processes, the roles of teachers in managing English language classes
with necessary skills is essential. Next chapter will present the school context, participants,
data collection and data analysis.


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CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY
2. 1. Background of the study
2.1.1. Description of the English syllabus in TT3 high school.
English is a compulsory subject in TT3 high school and students here have English
lesson during the first and second term of the school year. There are three levels of
English: English 10, English 11 and English 12. In 2007, the English textbook used here
still was three-year-course textbook, now we are teaching seven-year-course textbook at
TT3 high school.
The English text book chosen is English 10, 11, 12. Each textbook consists of 16
lessons which have been covered through out the school year with mid-term tests in
between. Each lesson concludes 5 periods with the aims of practicing four language skills
(reading, speaking, listening, writing) and language elements. There are new textbooks
with many visual aids like pictures, drawing and creative suitable for applying CLT in
teaching. By using these textbooks, it’s hoped that students’ communicative competence

could be developed as students can learn and relate to the real things from daily life.
Students are required to work in individuals, in pairs, in groups to practice English in
common situations with English teachers managing classes. Additionally, students also
have chances to listen to both native and non-native English speakers from the tapes used
with these textbooks. These textbooks also aim at developing students’ reading skill and
writing skill. At the end of each term, students have the final test for semester.
2.1.2. Description of the students at TT3 high school
Like many students in other high schools, in order to be 10th form students of TT3
high school, they have to pass a national examination. Students mostly come from
countryside which mainly being 80% students are Muong Ethnic Minority and remote area
with low living-condition in Thach Thach District, Thanh Hoa province. Students there
don’t have similar level of English language proficiency to each other because at many
secondary schools in TT, students have not been taught English yet (students have learnt
French or other foreign language or the lack of English teachers). This led to a big gap
among 10th students when they entered high school. Nowadays students seems to be more
aware of the importance of learning English and they have more motivation in learning it.
Although English is a difficult subject, students at TT3 still like learning it. Besides many
other subjects, students often have three periods of English per week, and take part in 15


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minutes test, 45 minutes test in the examination at the last semester. In class, they are given
many chances to practice mainly four language skills: reading, speaking, listening and
writing skill. They are organized to work in pair or group, given from the teachers’
feedbacks, helped with vocabularies/grammar, corrected and graded.
2.1.3. Description of the teachers at TT3 high school
In TT3 high school, there are eight English teachers aged from 28 to 35, one male
and seven female teachers. Three English teachers have been trained at Hong Duc
University in Thanh Hoa province, three are trained at Vinh University and one teacher
who has been trained at VNU - CFL (as a French teacher and now obtain another

university degree as an English teacher) and one teacher who has been graduated from inservice training at Hanoi University. Now two of them are studying post graduate at Hanoi
National University and one teacher is studying at Hanoi University. In the past, most of
these teachers mainly used the Grammar - Translation Method - a way of teaching and
learning a foreign language on the basis of detailed analysis of grammar rules and
application of these rules to the translation of sentences and texts into the mother tongue
and into English. Now, the text book is designed for CLT in which the use of procedures
that develops four language skills through the roles of a language teacher. The skills used
in managing English classes are still limited which causes a large amount of difficulties in
teaching and learning process.
2.1.4. Description of physical setting
In TT3 school, English teaching and learning activities are mostly carried out
inside the classrooms with the classroom equipments - blackboards, student desks and
teacher tables. The teaching aids for English lessons are some cassettes recorders, radios,
overhead projectors.
In term of class size, the number of students is an English class is quite large from
40 to 58 students per class. This large number causes a great deal of difficulties for
teaching and learning and in managing an English class.
The materials for reference and self-study are not available for teachers and
students at TT3 high school. In the school library, there are only some English books but
they are unsuitable to the level of the students here. Teachers find their own references
outside but for students it is not easy to do so themselves.


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2.2. Design and methodology
2.2.1. The participants
In total, 120 students at TT3 high school and eight English teachers participated in
this study. The students are chosen randomly from 10th form, 11th form and 12th form and
consists of 78 female and 42 male students at the age from 16 to 18. They may be from
different classes, the researcher intends to take 20 from each class of the teachers in the

English group. They come from different wards but most of them come from the
countryside. They started to learn English from secondary school, it means that they have
learnt English for four years. The teachers are all young, aged 28 to 35.
2.2.2. Research instruments
The researcher employs two following instruments in order to get the needed
information: delivered questionnaires and informal interview.
There are two types of questionnaires, one for the teachers and the other for the
students, There are ten questions in each of them. The questionnaires are mainly used for
exploiting teacher’s and student’s knowledge, behavior, experience and their attitude
toward the roles of teacher in class in managing English classes.
There is an informal interview for two random English language teachers. It is
carried out during the break time the last semester of the school year 2010 – 2011 in two
weeks. It is a friendly conversation in which the researcher asks selected teachers questions
randomly and take notes during the break time.
2.2.3. Methods of data analysis
In fact, the process by which the researcher interprets the data collected from the
survey research are questionnaires and informal interview. The data was collected,
analyzed, compared and finally interpreted for the results of the study.
2.3. Summary
This chapter present the background and methodology of the study. Through this
chapter we can see the participants and research instruments of collecting the data.


23
CHAPTER III: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
This chapter presents the collected data from two instruments: questionnaires and informal
interview.
3.1. Questionnaires.
3.1.1. The results of language teaching survey questionnaires.
No

1

2

5

6

8

Questions
Do you think that
teacher’s roles in an
English language class
play the most important?
In your opinion, you use
your roles in English
language classes…

Options
a. Yes
b. No
c. Others:

Number
Percent
of
(%)
teachers

7
87.5
0
0
1

12.5

a. Well
4
50
b. Normally
3
37.5
c. Not so badly
1
12.5
d. Badly
0
0
When
students
are a. Actively
5
62.5
organized
to
do b. Passively
1
12.5

activities,
they c. Forcedly
2
25
participate…
d. Others:
0
0
According to you, an a. The teacher plays appropriate roles
8
100
English class is managed b. Classes are organized in a suitable
6
75
way for the learning activities
efficiently when…
c. Students have good co-operation
5
62.5
with the teacher
d. There is discipline and harmony
5
62.5
in the class
e. Others:
1
12.5
The factors which you a. The teacher’s teaching experiences
3
37.5

think can affect most on b. The good organization students
5
62.5
the success of managing activities
c. The English language proficiency
classes…
1
12.5
of the teacher
d. The English language proficiency
6
75
of the students
e. The hard work of the students
7
87
f. The co-operation of the students
4
50
g. The teacher’s good preparation
7
87.5
h. Others:
0
0
(Table 1: The results of teachers’ attitudes in English teaching survey)


24
For the question about the importance of the teacher’s roles, most of the teachers

(87.5%) recognized teacher’s roles play the most important in an English language class.
Only one person (12.5%) chose other options and none of them chose option b.
Question 2 is about how the teacher’s roles were used in English language classes.
50% of teachers found they used their roles in English language classes well and 37.5% of
them used it normally and one person admitted using it not so badly. None of them chose
using it badly.
Question 5 mentions about the ways students participate in activities when they are
organized by their English language teacher. Most teachers (62.5%) say that their students
participate actively, forcedly (25%). Surprisingly, 12.5% of teachers answered that their
students participate passively. This means that their students don’t understand what is
going on in the class (day-dreaming). None of them chose other options.
In the next question, quite all the teachers (100%) answered that an English
language class is managed efficiently when the teachers play appropriate roles, next is
classes are organized in a suitable way for the learning activities (75%). When teacher
plays appropriate roles which means they put students into pair work / group work, get
students involved, tell them how to start or finish the various activities. Students have good
co-operation with the teacher (50%) and there is discipline and harmony in the class are
equal (50%). Only one person (12.5%) chose other options. To answer for question 8, the
factors can affect most on the success of managing classes. With the same view in the
question 3, most of teachers (87.5%) considered teacher’s good preparation and the hard
work of students (87.5%), next is the English language proficiency of the students (75%),
then the teacher’s good organization students activities (62.5%). The others have little
influences on the teacher’s roles. No person chose other options.
After answering all questions about the benefits, the importance… of the teacher’s
roles, most of teachers see that using the roles in managing English language classes so
well. The hard work of students, the teacher’s good preparation, the students language
proficiency, the teacher’s natural activities organization are main factors affect most on
the success of the teacher’s roles. Besides these factors, there are also some difficult factors
mainly are language class sized, students at different levels, class facilities and due time
per learning period. These factors depend much on the classes they are in charge.

25
Questions

No

(%)

6

75

managing English classes b. Well organize students activities

5

62.5

the most successfully, the c. Have good co-operation from students

3

37.5

teacher has to…

d. Make the tasks suitable to the students

4

50

e. Set clear goals for students

1

12.5

f. Others:

0

0

8

100

b. To make the class more interesting

4

50

d. To get students in good orders

6

50

e. To make students more motivative

8

100

f. Others:

0

0

7. According to you, which a. Language class-sized

8

100

are the most difficult factors b. Students at different levels

8

100

in the roles of a class c. Students not co-operate well

4

50

manager?

6

75

2

25.0

8

100

c. Maintain discipline in the class

5

62.5

d. Well organize activities naturally

7

87.5

6

75

f. Control the tasks

4

50

g. Others:

0

0

3.

In

your

Options
opinion, a. Prepare the lessons carefully

4. What are the benefits of a. To help the teaching and learning
managing English language process run smoothly
classes well?

9.

Being

teaching

d. Class facilities
successful
English,

teacher should.

in a. Use appropriate methods at pre, while
the and post stages of teaching
b. Change roles appropriately to the
teaching stages and activities

e. Provide clear instruction before the
work with samples

(Table 2: The results of the teachers’ experiences in English teaching)


26
In question 3, almost of the teachers (75%) thought that the teacher’s lessons
preparation is the most important factor. It means that in order to manage English classes
successfully, the teacher has to prepare every lesson well before. 62.5% of them considered
the teacher has to organize students activities well. This related to the roles of teacher when
he/she controls or organizes class activities. Half of the teachers (50%) answered the
teacher has to make the tasks suitable to the students. They seemed not to concentrate on
the students co-operation from students (37.5%) and to set clear goals for students (12.5%).
None of them chose other options.
Question 4 is about the benefits of managing English language classes well. All the
teachers (100%) answered is to help the teaching and learning process run smoothly and to

make students more motivate (100%). Half of them saw the benefit of teacher’s roles is to
make class more interesting (50%) and 50% of getting students in good orders. Only one
person (12.5%) chose to help the teaching and learning process run smoothly. They seemed
not to find the benefits of the teacher’s roles in it. None of them chose the other options.
In the question 7, noticeably 100% of the teachers in this school say that the most
difficult factors in the roles of a class manager are language class-sized and students at different
levels (100%). They paid less attention to class facilities (75%), then due time per learning period
(62.5%) and not good student’s co-operation (50%). No one chose other options.
For the last question to get successful teaching, 100% of teachers considered
changing roles appropriately to the teaching stages and activities, 25% of using appropriate
methods at pre, while and post stages of teaching, organizing students activities well
(87.5%), providing clear instruction before the tasks with samples (75%), maintaining
discipline in the class (62.5%). While 50% of teachers chose controlling the work (62.5%).
No one chose other option.
Dominant roles in your English classes
Teacher’s roles
Number of people

Percent (%)

Controller
8
100
Organizer
8
100
Assessor
8
100
Prompter

8
100
Participant
8
100
Resource
8
100
Tutor
8
100
Observer
8
100
(Table 3: The results of dominant roles applied in English classes at TT3 high school)


27
Difficult roles in your English classes
Teacher’s roles

Number of people

Percent (%)

Controller

0

0

Organizer

7

87.5

Assessor

5

62.5

Prompter

6

75

Participant

6

75

Resource

0

0

Tutor

0

0

Observer

0

0

(Table 4: The results of the roles which are difficult to apply in English classes)
100
90

Controller

80

Organizer

percent

70

Assessor

60

Prompter

50

Participant

40

Resource

30

Tutor

20

Observer

10
0
Dominant roles

Difficult roles

This chart describes the results of dominant roles in English language classes and
the difficult roles in English language classes at TT3 high school
As we can see the data on the chart, these results agree with Larsen-Freeman
(1996) who believed that teachers can play different roles in the English language
classrooms. The chart shows that all teachers (100%) have coincidence in 8 dominant roles

that they are in charge of applying to their English classes. However, they still have
difficulties in these roles. On the contrary, of 8 teacher’s roles, 87.5% of teachers


28
considered that the teacher’s roles in their as a controller, prompter (75%), participant
(75%) and assessor (62.5%). This means that the teachers at TT3 high school have used
their roles in English language classes but they find some roles difficult to apply in their
English classes. If the English language teacher acts these roles well, students will obtain
what they need through various learning activities. So understanding of the difficult roles
of teachers help teachers adjust to make it suitable for their students English language
proficiency. These data help the researchers see the dominant roles applied and the difficult
roles to apply in English language classes, find out the suitable ways in using the teachers’
roles.
After answering the questions about the dominant roles applied and the difficult
roles to apply in English language classes at TT3 high school, the teachers displayed the
options which they chose with the considerable percentages.
3.1.2. The results of language learning survey questionnaire
120 sheets of language survey questionnaires were delivered for students in all
three grades 10, 11, 12. Forty students were chosen randomly from each grade, twenty of
them from level A and another twenty from level B. The students were from eight classes
taught by different teachers. Students were chosen freely in order to have different abilities
of English study with different attitudes to English learning. Of course, they are both
genders (male and female).

Grade

English study result of the previous

Gender

Number

term

Male
10

11

12

Female

Excellent

Good

Fare

Bad

A

20

8

10

1

7

9

3

B

20

9

12

2

8

9

1

A

20

10

16

0

12

4

2

B

20

5

14

3

7

6

4

A

20

4

11

0

14

4

2

B

20

6

15

5

15

5

0

(Table 5: Characteristics of the students participating in the English learning survey)