The appropriateness of CLT focus on form instruction to high school students at To Hien Thanh School = Khảo sát sự phù hợp về việc dạy ngữ pháp theo đường hướng20150227

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ABSTRACT

The minor thesis is concerned with “ The appropriateness of CLT focus on form
instruction to high school students at To Hien Thanh School”.
It is aimed at finding out the appropriateness of teaching grammar in the light of CLT to
students at To Hien Thanh high school in general and students of grade 11 here in
particular. The objectives of study are to investigate contextual factors affecting the
application of CLT focus on form instruction to students; to evaluate contextual
appropriateness of the focus on form approach then to give some suggestions and some
solutions of teaching method to bring about better results in CLT English language
teaching and learning.
To achieve the aims and the objectives of the thesis, many references were selected, read
and filtered for information. The author used Survey questionnaires for 5 teachers and 100
students at To Hien Thanh high school, Class observation, Post-observation interviews. All
the data collected were consolidated and categorized. The results were analyzed and
presented in forms of tables and figures. The observational notes were jotted down to
provide the findings in form of reflections.
The minor thesis consists of three parts and three chapters. Part I is introduction. It
provides a general overview of the study with specific references to the rationale, the aims
and the objectives of study, research questions, research methods, context of study, data
collection method, scope of study, purpose and significance of study. Part II is
development. Part II consists of three chapters: Chapter I, Literature review, is concerned
with definitions and concepts of the terms: Focus on Form vs Focus on Forms, Contextual
Appropriateness of teaching methods. Chapter II, Research methodology, introduces
context of study, methodology, survey instruments, data analysis. Chapter III, Findings
and discussion, is devoted to a detailed description of findings and the discussion. In this
chapter, explanation and interpretation of the findings are explored. Part III, conclusion,
gives a conclusion, recommendations, limitations of the study and then gives some

suggestions for further study.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1.Rationale………………………………………………………………………………… 1
2. Aims and objectives of study……………………………………………………………2
3. Research questions………………………………………………………………………2
4. Research method……………………………………………………………………… 3
5. Context of study…………………………………………………………………………3
6. Data collection method………………………………………………………………… 4
7. Scope of the study…………………………………………………………………… 4
8.Purpose and Significance of study………………………………………………… … 4
9. Design of the study…………………………………………………………………… 4
PART II - DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………… 6
I.1. Focus- on- forms vs Focus- on- form……………………………………………… 6
I.1.1. Focus on forms……………………………………………………………….7
I.1.2. Focus on form……………………………………………………………… 8
I.2. Contextual Appropriateness of teaching methods………………………………….9
CHAPTER II: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
II.1. Context of study…………………………………………………………………… 10
II.1.1. The syllabus……………………………………………………………… 10
II.1.2. The participants……………………………………………………… 10
II.1.3. Textbook……………………………………………………………………11
II.1.4. The Socio-cultural environment 13
II. 2. Methodology……………………………………………………………………… 13
II. 3. The survey instruments…………………………………………………… 13

II.3.1. The questionnaires 13
II.3.2. Classroom observation………………………………………………… 14
II.3.3. The post-observation interviews with two teachers………………….…….15
II.4.Data analysis……………………………………………………………… …… 15
II.5. Summary………………………………………………………………………… 16
CHAPTER III: THE FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

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III.1. Findings and discussions………………………………………………………… 17
III.1.1. The findings from survey questionnaires and discussion…………………17
III.1.2. The findings from classroom observation and discussion…………………25
III.1.3. The findings from post-observation interviews and discussion………… 29
III.2. Summary………………………………………………………………… ……….31
PART III: CONCLUSION
1. Conclusion 33
2. Suggestions…………………………………………………… ………………………34
3. Limitations of the study…………………………………………………………… 34
4. Recommendation for further study………………………………………………… 35
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………… I
APPENDIXES……………………………………………………………………… III
Appendix I Survey questionnaire for teachers.……………………………… III
Appendix II Survey questionnaire for students IV
Appendix III Two lesson plans……………………………………………….….VI
Appendix IV Interviews…………………………………………………………XII

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS


CLT Communicative Language Teaching
ELT English Language Teaching
GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education
L1 First Language
L2 Second Language

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LIST OF TABLES

Number
of table

Name

Page


Table 1

Teachers’ teaching experience

19

Table 2

Teacher’s opinions about the role of grammar in teaching
English

20

Table 3

Teacher’s opinions about the purpose of grammar in teaching
English

21

Table 4

Teacher’s ways of teaching grammar

22

Table 5

Teacher’s ways of correcting students’ mistakes while
teaching grammar.

23

Table 6

Students’ opinions about grammar lessons at school

24

Table 7

Students’ opinions about the effectiveness of the ways of
learning grammar

25

Table 8

The activities do you enjoy taking part in when learning
grammar

27

Table 9

The ways students want their teacher to correct their mistakes

28


1
PART I : INTRODUCTION

1. Rationale

There is no doubt that English has been used as a tool of communication among native
speakers as well as non-native ones. No one can deny the important role of English in
every field of life. Nowadays, the demand for learning English is increasing in Vietnam.
People learn English for many purposes, such as getting jobs in foreign companies,
studying abroad, communicating in English with foreigners, passing exams, etc. Learning
English now is not only an interest but also a practical need for many people.
Together with the growing demand for learning English, there has been an innovation in
English teaching and learning methods everywhere in Vietnam. Nowadays, teacher not
only transfers knowledge but also guides, organizes students’ learning activities. The aim
of language teaching is to help students understand language as well as use it actively in
real life; after a language lesson, students can communicate in English. To reach these
purposes teachers have to try a lot.
In fact, at To Hien Thanh high school, teaching English grammar in the light of
communication has some problems, such as students’ levels, teachers’ methods, facilities,
textbooks, etc. Students here are almost bad at English. They are lack of knowledge of

English: vocabulary, grammar. They spend little time on learning English. They pay more
attention to learning natural science subjects: Maths, Physics, Chemistry. Because of
students’ bad attitude to learning English, the teachers of English at To Hien Thanh high
school have many difficulties in applying communicative language teaching. Further more,
facilities here are not good. There are no cassettes to teach listening. When teaching
listening lessons, teachers have to read tape scripts. Students have no chance to practice
English in real life, no chance to listen to English from native speakers. Besides those
reasons, textbook is also a difficult problem for students at To Hien Thanh high school.
Most tasks in textbooks Tieng Anh 10, 11, 12 are in the light of communication. Those
tasks give students situations to practise English and require them to use English actively.
It is very good for students to learn and practise , but for students at To Hien Thanh high
school, it is a problem.
In Vietnam each school year has two semesters . Students of secondary schools have at
least three English lessons per week. They have to take four or five written tests and only

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one oral test per semester. Furthermore, what they learned at secondary school is little. In
English lessons of high school, teacher almost starts from basic structures and the simplest
knowledge. With the experience of 18 years working as a teacher of English and of 14
years teaching English at To Hien Thanh high school, the author always concerns with
how to help students learn English better, how to motivate them in learning English and
how to reach the aim of teaching English in the light of communication. Those are the
questions the author always thinks of. Successful application of CLT requires certain
conditions such as class size, language environment, facilities, teachers’ facilitative role,
students’ active role, textbook, etc. Those things can not be all met in the context of
English teaching and learning at To Hien Thanh high school. The question of how to equip
students with grammatical competence so that they can use the language to communicate
in any situation has become a matter of teachers of English in general and teachers of
English at To Hien Thanh high school in particular.
For the above reasons, in this minor thesis, The author intends to investigate the

appropriateness of focus on form instruction in the light of CLT to high school students
at To Hien Thanh high school then to give some suggestions to make English teaching
and learning activities at To Hien Thanh high school more communicative. The author
hopes that this study will have some contribution to improving the application of CLT in
ELT in general, English grammar teaching in particular at To Hien Thanh high school.

2. Aim and objectives of study

The aim of the study is to find out the appropriateness of focus on form instruction in
the light of CLT to high school students at To Hien Thanh school.
The objectives of study are:
First, to investigate contextual factors affecting the application of focus on form approach
at To Hien Thanh high school.
Second, to evaluate contextual appropriateness of the focus on form approach at To Hien
Thanh high school.
Last, to give some suggestions and some solutions of teaching method so that applying
CLT in teaching and learning English at To Hien Thanh high school has good results and
effectiveness.


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3. Research questions: To achieve the aims and the objectives of the thesis, the
following research questions were proposed:
1. To what extent is focus on form instruction used at To Hien Thanh high school ?
2. How appropriate is focus on form instruction to students at To Hien Thanh
high school ?
3. What should teachers do to bring about better results in CLT English language
teaching and learning?
4. Research method
In order to explore the appropriateness of focus on form instruction to high school students

at To Hien Thanh high school the main methods utilized in this study are Survey
questionnaires for teachers and students, Class observation, Post-observation interviews
with two teachers . To carry out the study, many references were selected, read and filtered
for information.
With the aim of increasing validity and reliability of the data collected the author used the
following instruments:
Questionnaires: to find out the ways of teaching and learning grammar at To Hien Thanh
high school, then to find out the contextual appropriateness of teaching methods.
+ Questionnaire for students: to investigate students’ real situation of learning English
and to explore their expectation in learning English.
+ Questionnaire for teachers: to get teachers’ opinions about the ways they teach
grammar lessons.
Classroom observation: to clarify and test the validity of information about teaching
grammar in the light of communication. The author did not observe lessons of all 5
teachers but only two of them who are on behalf of two teaching styles.
Post-observation interviews with two teachers: the author conducted two interviews
with two teachers whose lessons had been observed to get better insights into teachers’
perceptions and attitudes toward teaching grammar in the light of CLT.
5. Context of study
5.1. The syllabus
In this part, only the syllabuses for students of grade 11 are mentioned.
5.2. The participants
There are two groups of subjects in this study:

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The first group: 5 teachers of English at To Hien Thanh high school. They are at the ages
of from 33 to 41 with from 8 to 18 years working as teachers of English.
The second group: 100 students of grade 11 at To Hien Thanh high school. They are
from17 to18 years old.
5.3. The textbook

In this study, the author intends to survey only students of grade 11, so the textbook the
author considered in this study is Tieng Anh 11 in order to find out whether the tasks in this
textbook are appropriate to students of grade 11 at To Hien Thanh high school.
5.4. The Socio-cultural environment
In this part the author mentions to the Socio-cultural environment in Vietnam in general
and at To Hien Thanh high school in particular.

6. Data collection method
All the data collected from questionnaire for teachers, questionnaire for students,
classroom observation, post-observation interviews with two teachers were consolidated
and categorized. The results were analyzed and presented in forms of tables and figures.
The observational notes were jotted down to provide the findings in form of reflections.

7. Scope of the studyThe study only focuses on teaching and learning grammar in the light
of communicative language teaching at To Hien Thanh high school. The subjects of the
study are students of grades 11 and teachers of English at this school.

8.Purpose and Significance of studyThis study is carried out to find out the
appropriateness of focus on form instruction to high school students at To Hien Thanh
School. Successful application of communicative language teaching in teaching grammar
not only helps teachers and students in teaching and learning grammar more actively and
more effectively but also helps change the students’ learning style from passive to much
more active.
This project can be significant in a number of ways. It helps to identify the appropriateness
of teaching grammar in the light of communication to students at To Hien Thanh high
school and suggests ways of improving students’ communicative competence.


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9. Design of the study

The study consists of three parts and three chapters:
Part I: Introduction, provides a general overview of the study with specific references to
the rationale, the aims and objectives of study, research questions, research method,
context of study, data collection method, scope of study, purpose and significance of study,
design of the thesis.
Part II: Development, includes three chapters:
Chapter one: Literature review. This chapter provides definitions and concepts of the
terms: Focus on Forms vs Focus on Form, Contextual Appropriateness of teaching
methods.
Chapter two: Research methodology, introduces the context of study, methodology, the
survey instruments and data analysis.
Chapter three: Findings and discussion. It is devoted to a detailed description of findings
and the discussion. In this chapter, explanation and interpretation of the findings are
explored.
Part III: Conclusion, gives conclusion, recommendations, limitations of the study and
then gives some suggestions for further study.

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PART II : DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW


This chapter provides definitions and concepts of the terms: Focus on form vs Focus on
forms, Contextual appropriateness of teaching methods.
I.1. Focus- on- forms vs Focus- on- form
The two extremes have been encapsulated by Long’s (1988,1991) proposal that grammar
instruction may be of two types: Focus on form and Focus on forms. They are two
different approaches of teaching grammar, but according to Long (1991) and Long and
Robinson (1998), both focus on form and focus on forms are valuable and should
complement rather than exclude each other.
I.1.1. Focus on forms
I.1.1.1. Definitions of focus on formsAccording to Ron Sheen “Focus on forms is equated
with the traditional teaching of discrete points of grammar in separate lessons.”.
Long (2000) described Focus on forms as a traditional teaching approach in which
teachers present the learners with reselected and sequenced linguistic items.
I.1.1.2. Advantages and disadvantages of focus on forms
* Advantages
Focus on forms provides understanding of the grammar by a variety of means, including
explanation in the L1, pointing out differences between the L1 and the L2, and aural
comprehension activities intended to focus students’ attention on the forms being used; it
provides written and oral exercises that entail using the grammar in both non-
communicative and communicative activities; frequent opportunities for communicative
use of the grammar to promote automatic and accurate use. Though it assumes that this is
the most effective mean of teaching grammar, it does not preclude any of the techniques

used in a focus on form, as it adopts an eclectic approach to classroom activities.
* Disadvantages
Focus on forms gives the great difficulty of learning the grammar and vocabulary of a
foreign language. It makes students not pay attention to develop their spoken language, not
have self-confidence in communicating in English with other people especially with
foreigners

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In this method, teacher introduces knowledge, presents grammatical structures; students
listen to the teacher and write down what the teacher introduces. There is no
communicative environment for students to practise and students do not have chance to be
engaged in real-life communication. This approach is teacher-centered.
According to Long (1997), focus on forms does not identify students’ communicative
needs, does not ascertain their learning styles and preferences. It is an one-size-fit-all
approach. Linguistic grading, both lexical and grammatical, tends to result in pedagogic
materials of the basal reader variety and textbook dialogs and classroom language use
which are artificial and stilted. Focus on forms ignores language learning processes
altogether or else tacitly assumes a long discredited behaviorist model; ignores the major
role students will play in language development.
I.1.2. Focus on form:
I.1.2.1. Definitions of focus on form:
According to Fotos (1998) focus on form is a context based presentation of grammatical
forms, rather than overt teacher-led instruction.
Doughty & Williams (1998) mentioned that focus on form integrates attention to form,
meaning and use.
According to Long (1991) Focus on form refers to drawing students’ attention to linguistic
elements as they arise incidentally in lessons whose overriding focus is on meaning or
communication. Focus on form holds up the importance of communicative language
teaching principles such as authentic communication and student-centeredness. It
maintains the value of the occasional and overt study of problematic L2 grammatical

forms.
In short, Focus on form instruction is teaching grammar in the light of communication. It
refers to activities capturing learners’ attention to form while maintaining meaningful
communication. The aim of Focus on form approach is that all classroom activity need to
be based on communicative tasks and any treatment of grammar should arise from
difficulties in communicating and desired meaning. Further that treatment preferably takes
the form of quick correct feedback allowing for minimal interruption in communicative
activity and the treatment grammar depends on unplanned problems in communication
arising during communicative activities, there is no grammar syllabus.
I.1.2.2. Advantages and disadvantages of Focus on form

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* Advantages:
“ Focus on form derives from an assumed degree of similarity between first and second
language acquisition positing that the two process are both based on exposure to
comprehensible input arising from natural interaction.”
Focus on form helps learners “to recognize the properties of target structures in context
and develop their accuracy in their use” (Fotos 1998:32)
Focus on form instruction is paramount to spending little or no time on the discrete parts
of language; instead, the interest is on the use of language in real-life situations.
Focus on form instruction helps students learn how to use language in a way that emulates
realistic communicative scenarios. More to the point, teacher-student/student-student
classroom interaction, via both oral and written modes, should consume the majority of
class time. Likewise, evaluation centers on students’ abilities to actively engage in
authentic communication, using the forms they have learned during interaction.
As Poole (2003b) has pointed out, in many settings, the students and the teacher often
share a common first (or second, or third) language and culture, and thus can easily code-
switch in order to overcome communicative difficulties or fill communicative gaps.
Focus on form instruction encourages students to use language not only in order to practise
and automate structures, but also so that the teacher, as well as other learners, may be able

to identify learners’ errors and form-based difficulties in order to help learners overcome
them. It also encourages students to take responsibility for their own language skill
development and helps them gain confidence in their ability to learn and use the language.
* Disadvantages:
Focus on form approach refers to activities that capture learners’ attention to form while
maintaining meaningful communication. Thus, meaningful communication, crystallized
through pedagogical tasks, was the basis of the Focus on form treatment.
Focus on form “is also assumed that there are significant differences in the two processes:
that exposure is insufficient to enable learners to acquire much of the second-language
grammar, and that this lack needs to be compensated for by focusing learners’ attention on
grammar features”. Focus on form instruction, in Long (1991) and Long and Robinson’s
(1998) conception, seems optimally suited to classrooms that are small enough to enable
instructors to verbally address their students’ problematic forms, presumably via classroom
discussion, Q/A sessions, and impromptu and planned public speaking events. Likewise,

9
small classes would be needed for students to have significant amounts of peer interaction
both orally and in written form.
Focus on form instruction ignores the role of negative evidence in second language
teaching, and depends too much on positive evidence.
Learners who learn a second language through communicative classes do not gain high
levels of language proficiency (Higgs and Clifford 1982).

I. 2. Contextual Appropriateness of teaching methods
In the process of teaching and learning, the interaction between teacher, tasks and learners
happens in a context which includes the physical environment, the emotional environment,
the whole school ethos, the wider social environment, the political environment and the
cultural setting.

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CHAPTER II: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study, as indicated in chapter one, was intended to find out the appropriateness of
focus on form instruction to high school students at To Hien Thanh high school. The
objectives are to investigate the ways of teaching and learning English grammar through
communicative activities, to evaluate contextual appropriateness of teaching methods and
then to give some suggestions, some solutions of teaching method so that applying CLT in
teaching and learning English at To Hien Thanh high school has good results and
effectiveness.
How to achieve those aim and objectives? In this part the author presents the research
methodology chosen and the data collection procedures.
II.1. Context of study
II.1.1. The syllabus

II.1.1.1. Course description
This syllabus is proposed for students of grade 11. It is organized in topics, which are
spirally accompanied by a number of communication tasks, language functions, forms,
structures, skills and vocabulary accordingly. There are sixteen units in the textbook. Each
unit consists of four skills and language focus with the objectives, language functions and
structures, communication skills, suggested materials and activities to practise.
II.1.1.2. Goals and Objectives
Textbook Tieng Anh 11 is written for basic English program. It provides students
opportunities to expose to and practise communicative skills. It contains 16 units with
different topics. Each unit has five lessons: Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing and
Language Focus. There are tasks in the light of communication for students to do and
practice.
The objective of this book is that after each unit students can do exercises in workbook,
further exercises and communicate in English fluently, have some knowledge of countries,
people, cultures of some English speaking countries .
II.1.2. The participants
The participants in this study were 5 teachers of English (all of them are females)and 100
students of grade 11 who have studied English for 6 years.
II.1.2.1. Teachers

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Teachers are the most important factors in the process of teaching. The study investigates
the perceptions and attitudes towards applying CLT in teaching grammar of five teachers
of English at To Hien Thanh high school. Five teachers involve in the survey aged from 35
to 41. All of them are female. Their experience in teaching English varies from 8 to 18
years. Of these teachers, one is taking master course at Vietnam National University,
Hanoi – University of Foreign Languages and International Studies; three graduated from
Vietnam National University, Hanoi-University of Foreign Languages and International
Studies; the rests graduated from Vinh Universities. All of these teachers have experiences
of teaching large multilevel classes. However, none of these teachers have attended a

training course in English speaking countries. Therefore, to some extent, their
qualifications show the limitations of the teachers in terms of communicative competence
in language teaching. Most of them have a great desire to acquire knowledge of
communicative competence and claim to apply it in language teaching. The varieties of age
and teaching experience are hoped to increase the reliability and the value of the study.
II.1.2.2. Students
Students are important elements in the process of teaching and learning. It is essential to
collect as much information as possible before the syllabus is designed, lessons are planned
and method of teaching is chosen. The study investigates the appropriateness of focus on
form instruction to 100 students of grade 11 and what they want in learning English
grammar. The age of students of grade 11 is from 17 to 18. Their English level is low and
of mix-ability. All of these students have 6 years of learning English (4 years at secondary
schools and 2 years at high school). When learning at secondary schools, they did not pay
attention to learning English because English is not a main subject. At high school, English
is considered as one of six compulsory subjects in General Certificate of Secondary
Education (GCSE). Because of lack of English knowledge at secondary school, they have
many difficulties in learning English at high school, so English becomes difficult for them
to learn. They are not interested in learning English lessons, especially grammar lessons.
Many students can hardly communicate in English because of lack of vocabulary,
grammatical knowledge. They often feel shy and afraid of making mistakes.
II.1.3. Textbook

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In this study, the author intends to consider only the textbook Tieng Anh 11. The purpose is
to find out whether knowledge and tasks in this book are appreciate to the level of students
of grade 11 at To Hien Thanh high school.
II.1.3.1. The concept of textbooks
According to Richards (1995), textbooks are key components in most language programs.
They serve as basis, they may provide the basis for the content of the lessons, the balance
of skills taught and the kinds of language the students take part in which occur in the

classroom. Further more, textbooks may serve primarily to supplements the teacher’s
instruction. They may provide the major source of contact they have with the language
apart from input provided the teacher.
II.1.3.2. The role of textbooks
McElroy stated that “the textbook is decidedly not the sole condition of an effective class;
quality of teaching is more important” (1934: 5). 75 years later, an enormous body of
research on the role of the textbook in EFL classrooms has accumulated around the globe,
indicating that ‘successful’ learning and teaching in primary and secondary EFL school
environments is dependent on a wider spectrum of factors, not only on the quality (or
quantity) of English language learning materials. The importance of the teacher is, of
course, undisputed
II.1.3.3. Summary of Adapting the textbook Tieng Anh 11
Tieng Anh 11 is one of a new textbook series for upper secondary school students
institutionalized recently in the school nation-wide. The textbooks Tieng Anh 10, 11, 12 in
general, the textbook Tieng Anh 11 in particular have helped teachers to change their
teaching toward a greater emphasis on communication and student-centeredness.
The new textbook is more communicative, more interesting, and more motivating to their
students than the old one. Each unit has five lessons to practice different skills, such as,
Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing and Language Focus. Language focus consists of
Pronunciation and Grammar. They are very clear and active. The reforming of the task-
based curriculum in English language teaching for secondary schools is intended to enable
the students to communicate in English more effectively with requirements: “Discuss the
question”; “Work in pairs. Look at the people below and describe their physical
characteristics”; “ Work in pairs. Ask and answer the following questions”; “ Work in

13
groups. Discuss the following questions …”;“ Work in groups. Talk about your school
problems and offer solutions”; etc.
Despite of the good textbooks, the goal of teaching grammar in the light of communication
at To Hien Thanh high school is remained unachievable. There are three major reasons :

Firstly, teachers’ perception of their students’ low level of English proficiency is a reason
for the teaching remaining largely teacher-fronted and the language of instruction and
classroom management was mainly Vietnamese. Secondly, teachers’ perception of their
students’ motivation and attitude towards learning English is also an explanation for their
grammar-traditional approach. Thirdly, the amount of knowledge of each lesson is too large
for students at To Hien Thanh high school to learn in 45 minutes, because their knowledge
of English at Secondary Schools is almost empty. Entering the high school they restarted
learning English from the basis and the simplest knowledge of English.
II.1.4. The Socio-cultural environment
To Hien Thanh high school, like many other high schools in many parts of Vietnam, is
located in an area where the opportunity for using English is rare. This makes the students
and the parents unaware of the importance of English. Furthermore, the students’ learning
habits are rote-learning memorizing facts and learning for examinations. Because of this,
both teachers and students focus too much on memorizing rules instead of trying to use
English for communication.
II.2. Methodology
Criteria to evaluate the appropriateness
To evaluate the appropriateness of focus on form instruction in the light of CLT to high
school students at To Hien Thanh high school, the author based on the following
criteria. First, the ways teachers use to teach grammar and teachers’ experiences. Second,
students’ ability in learning English grammar or students’ level. Third, equipments for
teaching English. Fourth, appropriateness of class size in teaching and learning English
grammar in the light of communication. Last, the appropriateness of tasks in the textbook
to students.
II.3. The survey instruments
This study employed the quantitative method which helped to provide background data for
finding out appropriateness of focus on form instruction to students at To Hien Thanh high
school. In order to obtain in-depth and rich data, the study used a variety of research

14

instruments and sources of data: questionnaire for teachers, questionnaire for students,
classroom observation and post-observation interviews with two teachers.
II.3.1. The questionnaires
According to Selinger and Shohamy(1989) a questionnaire is widely used in second
language acquisition research to solicit information about certain conditions and practices,
in particular to collect data on phenomena which are not easily observed, such as
perceptions and attitudes. It is also used to obtain background information about the
research subjects(Koul 1984). A number of techniques are used to collect data through
questionnaires. The kinds of questions are various, consisting of Yes/No question, Multiple
choice, Ranked question, question in Liker scale. In this study the author used
questionnaires for two groups: Teachers and Students.
II.3.1.1.Questionnaire for teachers
The first questionnaire was designed for 5 teachers of English at To Hien Thanh high
school (see Appendix I). It contains five multiple-choice questions. The questionnaire was
delivered to teachers and collected within 4 weeks. It consists of two parts:
+ Part one: is the personal information of the respondents’ teaching experience.
+ Part two: comprises the perception and attitude scale to find out the teachers’
perceptions and attitudes to teaching grammar in the light of communication. This main
section consists of seven questions.
The questionnaire for teachers emphasizes on: the teachers’ teaching experiences
(Question 1); the teachers’ perceptions and attitudes to the role of grammar in teaching
English(Questions2); the teacher’s opinions about the purpose of teaching grammar in
teaching language (Question 3); the teachers’ ways of teaching grammar (Question 4 ); and
the teachers’ opinions about grammatical mistake correction (Question 5).
II.3.1.2. Questionnaire for students
The second questionnaire was designed for 100 students of grade 11 at To Hien Thanh
high school (see Appendix II). It contains four multiple-choice questions. Students had
four weeks to complete the questionnaire. To ensure the students’ accurate
misunderstandings before answering the questions. All of the questions were written in
Vietnamese. Their answers were also written in Vietnamese, which enabled them to

express their ideas fully and with ease.

15
The aim of the questionnaire is to investigate students’ ways of learning English and their
attitudes to learning English grammar lessons. It consists of four questions.
The questions for students focus on the following categories: the students’ evaluation of
their English grammar lessons (Question 1); students’ opinions about the levels of
effectiveness of the ways of learning grammar (Question 2) ; the activities students like in
learning grammar(Question 3) and the students’ opinions about grammatical mistake
correction (Question 4)

II. 3.2. Classroom observation
Apart from the survey questionnaires for non-English majors and teachers, classroom
observation was employed to clarify and test the validity of information about teaching
grammar in the light of communication. The two lessons the author took observation were
carried out in two classes 11 by two teachers being on half of two teaching styles. Teacher
A always tries to apply CLT in teaching grammar; teacher B always applies two
approaches: focus on form and focus on forms in teaching grammar. The purpose of the
classroom observation is to evaluate whether the teachers would give the lessons carefully;
the ways teachers motivated as many students as possible into the learning activities; the
ways those teachers monitored their classes; the ways they used to evolve compulsory
knowledge in 45 minutes.
II. 3.3. The post-observation interviews with two teachers
Selinger and Shohamy (1989) point out that the use of interview as data collection
instrument permits a level of in-depth information, free response and flexibility that can
not be obtained by other procedures. In this study, post-observation interviews consisting
of four specific and defined questions were used. The post-observation interviews were
conducted with two teachers who teach grammar in two styles. The interviews took place
in a face-to-face situations with the subjects. The purpose of the interviews is to discuss for
further information to have in-depth understanding of their evaluation on the

appropriateness of focus on form instruction to students at To Hien Thanh high school.
II. 4. Data analysis
The findings of the study with reference to the intended research questions are presented in
this part. There are three types of data which were analyzed and presented separately, i.e.
questionnaires for teachers and students data; classroom observation data and post-

16
observation interview data. All the collected information from the questionnaires,
interviews was consolidated and categorized. The results were analyzed and presented in
forms of tables and figures.
There were five survey questionnaires delivered to 5 teachers of English and four survey
questionnaires delivered to 100 students of two classes 11. In addition, the classroom
observation notes were jotted down to provide the findings in form reflections. Besides
delivering questionnaires, there were also two post-observation interviews with teachers.
Information gained through interviews was added to support the interpretation, making the
collected information more reliable and valid.
Firstly, all the collected information from the questionnaires was consolidated and
categorized. The results were analyzed and presented in forms of tables and figures. The
observational notes were jotted down to provide the findings in form of reflections.
Secondly, the analysis of the classroom observation data was presented to provide
empirical information of how the intended innovation embedded in the new textbook was
actually implemented in the classroom.
Thirdly, the data collected from the post-observation interviews with two teachers after
observed lessons were analyzed and presented. Collecting data from classroom observation
and post-observation interviews with two teachers, the author decided to categorize into
two main issues: 1) Teachers’ classroom practice and 2) Factors affecting teachers’
teaching. The outcome of this part was used to answer the second research question about
how appropriate focus on form instruction was to students at To Hien Thanh high school.
II. 5. Summary
This chapter presents the research questions, criteria to evaluate the appropriateness,

the participants of the study, the survey instruments of data collection, and data analysis.
In order to achieve the aim and the objectives of the study, different instruments for data
collection were used: survey questionnaires for teachers and for students; classroom
observation and post-observation interviews with two teachers. By employing these
instruments, the author hopes to achieve more reliable and valid data. In the next chapter,
chapter three, findings and discussions will be presented. .




17
CHAPTER III : FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part analyzes the data collected from
survey questionnaires for teachers and students. The second part analyzes the data
collected from the classroom observation. The third part analyzes the data collected from
the interviews with two teachers whose lessons had been observed. In this chapter the
author analyzes the context of teaching and learning grammar at To Hien Thanh high
school. Based on the analysis and the findings from three parts above, three research
questions at the part 1.3 will be answered.
Data analysis of the questionnaires for teachers and students, of the classroom observation
and of the post-observation interviews show how appropriate is focus on form instruction
to high school students at To Hien Thanh School. The results are presented as follow.
III.1. THE FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
III.1.1. The findings from survey questionnaires and discussion.As stated above,
survey questionnaire is to find out the ways of teaching and learning grammar at To Hien
Thanh high school, then to find out the contextual appropriateness of teaching methods.
The fact of grammar teaching and learning involves two main factors: the teachers’ and the
students’ attitudes toward grammar teaching and learning, the teachers’ common and the
students’ favorite methods and techniques used in grammar teaching and learning.

III.1.1.1. Questionnaire for teachers
The aim of using Questionnaire for teachers is to get teachers’ opinions about the ways
they teach grammar lessons.
Question1: How long have you been working as a teacher of English?
Teachers’ teaching experience
Number of teachers
Percentage ( % )
8 - 10 years
3
60 %
11 – 18 years
2
40 %
Table 1: Teachers’ teaching experience
It can be seen from the table 1 that the English teachers at To Hien Thanh high school are
rather young with teaching experience from 8 years to 18 years. Three teachers have from
8 to 10 year teaching experience. It accounts 60 % of the English teachers of the school.
Two teacher have from 8 to 10 year teaching experience. It accounts 40 %.It shows that the

18
English teacher group here are enthusiastic and willing to acquire new methods and
approaches to help their students gain essential knowledge.
Question2: What do you think of the role of grammar in teaching English ?

Teacher’s opinions about the role
of grammar in teaching English


Number of teachers

Percentage ( % )
Very important
3
60 %
Important
2
40 %
Not important
0
0 %
Table 2: Teacher’s opinions about the role of grammar in teaching English
According to the results in the table 2, most of the surveyed teachers (60 %) believed that
grammar is very important to English language teaching. The rest (40 %) had an idea that
grammar is important. No one of them thought that grammar is not important. The fact that
most teachers realize the importance of grammar in English language teaching is a
convenient prerequisite that encourage teachers to devote in grammar teaching. In fact
grammar is very important, as at high school, students have to be equipped with
grammatical knowledge not only for academic purposes but also for a number of grammar-
based tests and exams. An awareness of the importance of grammar in teaching and
learning English is partly reflected the way of teaching and learning grammar lessons
compared with other skills’ lessons.
Question3: What is the purpose of teaching grammar ( in your opinion ) ?

Teacher’s opinions about the purpose of
grammar in teaching English


Number
of teachers

Percentage
( % )
To help students get good results in exams
3
60 %
To help students communicate in English better
1
20 %
To present grammar structures → practice / do the
given tasks in the textbook

1

20 %
Table 3: Teacher’s opinions about the purpose of grammar in teaching English

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Based on the data in the table 3, it is not surprising that the biggest purpose of teaching
and learning English at schools in general, at high school in particular is to prepare for the
exams. From the surveyed data, we can see that most of the surveyed teachers (60 %) said
that the purpose of grammar in teaching English is to help students get good results in
exams. In fact, students do not have to take any oral tests, only written tests, so to pass the
written tests and to get good results, they must do grammar exercises as much as possible.
Only one teacher (it accounts 20 %) thought that the purpose of grammar in teaching
English is to help students communicate in English better and one teacher (it accounts 20
%) thought that the purpose of grammar in teaching English is to present grammar
structures then practice / do the given tasks in the textbook. In fact, students can not pass
the exams if they only do the given exercises in the textbook.
Question4: In what way(s) do you often teach grammar ?

Teacher’s ways of teaching grammar


Number
of teachers

Percentage
( % )
Presenting new grammar structures → asking
students to make sentences

0

0 %
Explaining the sentences containing new grammar
found out in the lesson by students → eliciting the
rules → asking students to do exercises in the
textbook

1


20 %
Giving examples → illustrating grammar rules or
structures → asking students to do exercises in the
textbook

1

20 %

Giving examples → illustrating grammar rules or
structures → giving students situations to make
sentences using the explained grammar rules before
doing exercises in the textbook



3


60 %
Table 4: Teacher’s ways of teaching grammar
Looking at the table 4 we can see that none of the surveyed teachers use the way of
presenting new grammar structures then asking students to make sentences. They said that

20
it is difficult for students to remember and make sentences. Only one teacher (it accounts
20 %) said that she usually uses the second way: explaining the sentences containing new
grammar found out in the lesson by students → eliciting the rules → asking students to do
exercises in the textbook when teaching grammar. She wants her students to brainstorm by
reading the lesson and finding out the sentences containing new grammar then she explains
those sentences. For her it is one of the best way that helps students remember new
grammar structures easily. The same number as the second way, there is one teacher (it
accounts 20 %) said that she usually uses the third way: giving examples → illustrating
grammar rules or structures → asking students to do exercises in the textbook. She
believes that students will remember easily and immediately if they are asked to apply the
theory they have learned in doing exercises in the textbook. On the other hand, most of the
surveyed teachers (60 %) show that the last way in the table: giving examples →
illustrating grammar rules or structures → giving students situations to make sentences
using the explained grammar rules before doing exercises in the textbook is the best way to

teach grammar.
Question5: What is your opinions about correcting students’ mistakes while teaching
grammar ?

Teacher’s ways of correcting students’ mistakes
while teaching grammar


Number
of teachers

Percentage
( % )
Interrupt students to correct whenever they have
mistakes

0

0 %
Listen carefully to all what students are saying, then
correct some common mistakes

2

40 %
Correct concretely every mistake students have
made

0

0 %
Encourage students to use new structures they have
learned in speaking English as much as possible,
correct only common mistakes, never interrupt
students



3


60 %