(Luận văn thạc sĩ) difficulties faced by first year students of tour guides at thanh hoa college of culture arts in english oral presentations

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

*****************
HOÀNG THỊ HUỆ

DIFFICULTIES FACED BY FIRST YEAR STUDENTS OF
TOUR GUIDES AT THANH HOA COLLEGE OF CULTURE
AND ARTS IN ENGLISH ORAL PRESENTATIONS
NHỮNG KHÓ KHĂN ĐỐI VỚI SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ NHẤT
CHUYÊN NGÀNH HƯỚNG DẪN VIÊN DU LỊCH
TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG VĂN HỐ NGHỆ THUẬT THANH HỐ
TRONG THUYẾT TRÌNH BẰNG TIẾNG ANH
M.A. MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Cohort: K18
Code: 60.14.10

Hanoi- 2011


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

*****************
HOÀNG THỊ HUỆ

DIFFICULTIES FACED BY FIRST YEAR STUDENTS OF

TOUR GUIDES AT THANH HOA COLLEGE OF CULTURE
AND ARTS IN ENGLISH ORAL PRESENTATIONS
NHỮNG KHÓ KHĂN ĐỐI VỚI SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ NHẤT
CHUYÊN NGÀNH HƯỚNG DẪN VIÊN DU LỊCH
TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG VĂN HỐ NGHỆ THUẬT THANH HỐ
TRONG THUYẾT TRÌNH BẰNG TIẾNG ANH
M.A. MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60.14.10
Cohort: K18
Supervisor: Phan Hoàng Yến, M.A

Hanoi- 2011


iii

ABSTRACT
The importance of English oral presentation is undeniable in the Tour guiding
work. Therefore, understanding the students of Tour guides’ difficulties in learning English
oral presentation skill is apparently necessary to gain effective ESP teaching and learning.
This minor thesis was carried out with an attempt to investigate the areas of
difficulties and obstacles that first years students of Tour guides have encountered when
learning English oral presentation skill at Thanh Hoa College of Culture & Arts (THCCA).
The minor thesis is organized in 3 parts:
Part I presents the rationale, aims and significance of the study, research questions, scope,
method and design of the study.
Part II consists of 4 chapters
The first chapter concentrates on the background of the study and the related

literature reviews, on which the contents of the study are based.
The second chapter focuses on developing the research methodology, in which the
two questionnaires for first year students of Tour guides and ESP teachers are chosen as
main instruments.
The third chapter is to present the data collected from the two questionnaires and to
analyze the data.
The fourth chapter aims at discussing the findings of the difficulties as well as some
solutions in the hope to develop students of Tour guides’ English oral presentation skill at
Thanh Hoa College of Culture & Arts.
Part III summaries the study and offers some suggestions for further study.


iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

THCCA: Thanh Hoa College of Culture and Arts.
ESP: English for specific purpose.
BA: Basic English.


v

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: The students’ time of learning English before entering the College
Table 2: The students’ difficulties in making English oral presentations in the class
Table 3: Students’ causes of difficulties
Table 4: Students’ suggestions
Table 5: The teachers’ experience of teaching ESP
Table 6: The teachers’ opinions of students’ attitudes

Table 7: Teachers’ teaching methods
Table 8: Teachers’ opinions of the topics and of the ESP syllabus
Table 9: Teachers’ opinions of the factors causing students’ problems
Table 10: Teachers’ suggested solutions to students’ problems
Figure 1: The students’ living conditions before entering the College
Figure 2: The students’ awareness of the importance of English oral presentation
Figure 3: The students’ evaluations of the topics in the textbook
Figure 4: The students’ evaluations of their ability of making English oral presentations
Figure 5: Teachers’ perceptions of the importance of English oral presentations
Figure 6: Teachers’ difficulties in teaching English oral presentations


vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT

i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ii

ABSTRACT

iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

iv

LIST OF TABLES

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

vi

PART I: INTRODUCTION

1

1. Rationale

1

2. Aims of the study

2

3. Scope of the study

2

4. Methodology

2

5. Design of the study

3

PART II: DEVELOPMENT

4

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

4

1.1. Current overview on oral presentations

4

1.1.1. A general view of oral presentation

4

1.1.2. Types of oral presentations

5

1.1.3. Structure of an oral presentation

7

1.1.4. The importance of English Oral presentations to students of Tour guides

8

1.2. Problems with English oral presentation of Tour guides

9

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY

12

2.1. The context of the study

12

2.1.1. ESP teaching and learning situation at Thanh Hoa College of Culture & Arts

12

2.1.2. Teaching staff

12

2.1.3. Students of Tour guides

12

2.1.4. Materials used for first year students of Tour guide at THCCA

13

2.1.4.1. The objectives of the course

13

2.1.4.2. The syllabus

14


vii

2.1.4.3. Materials

14

2.2. The research methodology

15

2.2.1. Research questions

15

2.2.2. The participants

15

2.2.3. The instruments of the study

15

2.2.3.1. The questionnaire for students

15

2.2.3.2. The questionnaire for teachers

16

2.2.4. Data collection procedures

16

2.2.5. Summary

16

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

17

3.1. The questionnaires for students

17

3.1.1. Methodology

17

3.1.2. Results

17

3.1.2.1. Student’s living condition and background of learning English

17

3.1.2.2. Student’s awareness of the importance of English oral presentations in

19

their future career.
3.1.2.3. Students’ evaluations of the topics and their oral presentation of Tour

19

guides in the class
3.1.2.4. Students’ difficulties in learning English oral presentation skill

21

3.1.2.5. Factors causing the students’ difficulties

22

3.1.2.6. Students’ suggestions

23

3.2. The questionnaires for teachers

25

3.2.1. Methodology

25

3.2.2. Results

25

3.2.2.1. Teachers’ teaching experiences

25

3.2.2.2. Teachers’ perception of the importance of English oral presentations to

26

students of Tour guides
3.2.2.3. Teachers’ opinions of Tourism major students’ attitudes to English oral

26

presentations
3.2.2.4. Teachers’ methods in teaching English oral presentations to first year
students of Tour guides

27

viii

3.2.2.5. Teachers’ opinions of the contents in the course book and of ESP syllabus

28

3.2.2.6. Teachers’ difficulties in teaching English oral presentations

29

3.2.2.7. Teachers’ opinions of the factors causing students’ problems and teachers’

29

suggested solutions
3.3. Conclusion

31

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

32

4.1. Findings

32

4.1.1. Students’ difficulties in learning English oral presentation

32

4.1.1.1. Students lack specialized knowledge of Tourism

32

4.1.1.2. Students have low English proficiency

33

4.1.1.3. Students lack body language performance

33

4.1.1.4. Students lack confidence

33

4.1.1.5. Students lack an ESP practice environment

34

4.1.2. Teachers’ difficulties in teaching English oral presentation

34

4.1.3. Other problems

35

4.1.3.1. Lack of a suitable training program

35

4.1.3.2. Lack of necessary facilities

35

4.2. Suggested solutions

35

4.2.1. For teachers

36

4.2.1.1. Improve sociolinguistic competence and specialized knowledge

36

4.2.1.2. Improve students’ performance skill in oral presentations

36

4.2.1.3. Build up students’ confidence

37

4.2.2. For students

37

4.2.2.1. Improve their knowledge of ESP

37

4.2.2.2. Improve their performance ability of English oral presentations of Tour

38

guides
4.2.3. For the administrators

38

4.2.3.1. Change the ESP teaching syllabus and equip conductive facilities

38

4.2.3.2. Provide ESP teachers with chances to take part in Tourism training

39

courses
4.2.3.3. Create an ESP practice environment for students of Tour guides

39


ix

PART III: CONCLUSION

41

1. Conclusion

41

2. Limitations of the study

41

3. Suggestions for further research

42

REFERENCES

43

APPENDIX

I


1

PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale

To students of Tour guides, English oral communication skill is very essential since
the industry is really in need of the graduates who have the skills. For first year
Vietnamese students of Tour guides at Thanh Hoa College of Culture & Arts, English oral
presentation is extremely important because they expect to use it frequently for their tour
guiding work. However, for nearly seven years of teaching ESP at THCCA, the researcher
of the study have realized the fact that many learners of Tour guides course after a long
time of learning English for Tourism find themselves unable to deliver an oral presentation
successfully. Among of them, there are a large number of first year students who always
find it difficult to make English oral presentations in the class.
2. Aims of the study
- investigating first year students of tour guides’ difficulties in English oral presentation
skill
- giving some suggestions and solutions to reduce difficulties and improve the teaching and
learning of English oral presentations in Tour guides training course.
In other words, the aims of the study are to answer the following questions:
1. What are the difficulties faced by first year students of Tour guides at Thanh Hoa
College of Culture and Arts in English oral presentations?
2. What are the solutions to overcome the identified difficulties?
3. Scope of the study
The research is limited to the exploration of difficulties encountered by first year students
of Tour guides at Thanh Hoa College of Culture & Arts in English Oral presentations.
4. Methodology


Conducting a survey questionnaire to investigate first year students’ difficulties
in English oral presentation skill.



Conducting a survey questionnaire to examine teachers’ view on first year

students’ difficulties in English oral presentation, their teaching techniques and
suggested solutions to the identified problems.



Resorting to personal experience.

5. Design of the study


2

Part I (Introduction)
Part II (Development)
Part III (Conclusion)

PART II: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Current view on oral presentations
1.1.1. A general view of oral presentations
1.1.2. Types of oral presentations
1.1.3. Structure of an oral presentation
1.1.4. The importance of English Oral presentations to students of Tour guides
1.2. Problems with oral presentations of tour guides
A bad layout before making an oral presentation
Poor specialized knowledge of Tourism destinations
Bad English speaking skill
Nervousness
Bad communicative competence

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY
2.1. The context of the study
2.1.1. ESP teaching and learning situation at Thanh Hoa College of Culture & Arts
2.1.2. Teaching staff
2.1.3. Students of Tour guides
2.1.4. Materials used for students of Tour guides at THCCA
2.1.4.1. The objectives of the course
2.1.4.2. The syllabus
2.1.4.3. Materials
2.2. The research methodology
2.2.1. Research questions
2.2.2. The participants
2.2.3. The instruments of the study


3

2.2.3.1. The questionnaire for the students
2.2.3.2. The questionnaires for teachers
2.2.4. Data collection procedures
2.2.5. Summary

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. The questionnaires for students
3.1.1. Methodology
3.1.2. Results
3.1.2.1. Student’s living conditions and background of learning English
Over a half of students (57.5%) were from the countryside where the English learning
condition was poor. There were only 18.75% of the informants coming from the city/towns
where they had better conditions for learning English. More noticeably, 23.75% of the

students were from mountainous/remote areas where English seemed to be new for them.
In brief, a conclusion can be drawn out from the result of the two first questions that the
first year students of Tour guides at THCCA are affected by English learning conditions
and time of learning English before entering the College.
3.1.2.2. Student’s awareness of the importance of English oral presentations in their
future career.
Their responses could be explained by some reasons. Some of the students thought
English oral presentation skill was not necessary in their job because they might work in
Thanh Hoa province only, even they would work in the remote areas or the countryside
where projects for Tourism development have not been carried out and tour guides almost
have never had chances to communicate with foreign visitors. So, there was a certainty of
Tour guide students’ negative attitudes towards their ESP learning course
3.1.2.3. Students’ evaluations of the topics and their oral presentations of Tour guides
in the class
The majority of the first-year majors of Tour guides were not successful with presenting in
English and they complained the course book was difficult for them to learn. Some
students found the topics interesting but making English oral presentations about them


4

were not in a good procedure. Only about one third of them did the job quite well. The
following part will focus on the difficulties that they might encounter.
3.1.2.4. Students’ difficulties in learning English oral presentation skill
Many first year students of Tour guides at THCCA face the difficulties in preparation
before presentation such as lack of general knowledge of English (grammar, vocabulary
and structure), anxiety and incompetence of using body language. A practice environment
and time control were conveyed as the problems which need feasible solutions.
3.1.2.5. Factors causing the students’ difficulties
Learners’ low proficiency in English was a major factor that prevented them from

delivering oral presentations effectively according to the survey findings.They lost their
confidence in speaking. Background knowledge of Tourism was problematic to 41 students
(51.25%) who claimed that they are not provided with enough knowledge related to
Tourism fields. In addition, 32 students (40%) of them pointed out that conductive facility
caused their problems and they did not get enough feedback and assessment from the
teacher(s).
3.1.2.6. Students’ suggestions
81.25% of students believed that they had to improve their knowledge of English. And
to 70 students (87.5%), it was important for the teacher(s) to help the students to improve
their linguistic skills such as models of language, model presentations, verbal skills and
pronunciation. That requirement was a must for an effective presentation in English of
Tour guides. Besides, a large number of students (88.75%) considered that they need to
have strong confidence in oral presentations. That was certain because confidence was the
first important thing to help the speakers communicate successfully and gave an effective
presentation. Another high percentage of students (76.25%) wanted to join in speaking
clubs and oratory contests of ESP. These activities could be seen as an interesting
playground which would attract many students who wanted to improve English oral
presentation skill of Tour guides. In addition, a suitable training program was needed by 52
students (65%).
3.2. The questionnaire for teachers
3.2.1. Methodology


5

3.2.2. Results
3.2.2.1. Teachers’ teaching experience
We can see that more than half of teachers at THCCA have been teaching ESP for 03
years, which is very significant in term of their language adjustment and experience in
teaching English oral presentation skill to students of Tour guides.

3.2.2.2. Teachers’ perception of the importance of English oral presentations to
students of Tour guides
These teachers believed that in the development process of communicative language, their
students who wanted to become good Tourist guides have to master English oral
presentation skill. Especially in the figure, no teacher considered this skill unimportant and
very unimportant.
3.2.2.3. Teachers’ opinions of Tourism major students’ attitudes to English oral
presentations
According to the results of table 6, 02 teachers (33.3%) said that their students felt bored
and the same rate revealed the students were bored with the English oral presentation
lessons, whereas there was 01 teacher (16.6%) pointing out that their students considered
the lessons neutral. And only 01 teacher (16.6%) believed the students were interested in
English oral presentation skill. Nobody thought that their students felt very interested in the
lessons.
3.2.2.4. Teachers’ methods in teaching English oral presentations
Teachers expressed they have made their efforts to encourage students’ motivation in
learning. That was also their hope to help students deliver well – done English oral
presentations of Tour guides. None of the six teachers chose traditional grammar teaching
method.
3.2.2.5. Teachers’ opinions of the contents in the course book and of ESP syllabus
We could realize a very high rate (83.6%) believed the ESP teaching syllabus currently
carried out in the College was unsuitable and it should be changed in the hope of moving
ESP training program to the third semester when students of Tour guides had finished two
semesters of learning Basic English. This idea was the same with students’ want in the
previous sections. Only 1 teacher (16.6%) confirmed the syllabus was suitable. This


6

statement could be understood as the good solution to provide students of Tour guides a

long-term program of learning English oral presentations (5 semesters).
3.2.2.6. Teachers’ difficulties in teaching English oral presentations
Figure 6 shows the problems faced by the six teachers in the ESP class. 02 teachers
(33.3%) said they got the problem of a low strategic and sociolinguistic competence during
the lessons. Another trouble from 3 teachers (50%) was the lack of specialized knowledge
of Tourism. There is one teacher (16.6%) said that she lacks ESP teaching experience.
3.2.2.7. Teachers’ opinions of the factors causing students’ problems and teachers’
suggested solutions.
Teachers should have suitable methods for a good English oral presentation of Tour
guides; two other solutions suggested by 1 teacher are: teachers should be more
enthusiastic to encourage students’ motivation and the contents of the book should be
suitable for students’ proficiency. This idea was not agreed by all the teachers because they
thought their teaching methods were suitable, they were enthusiastic enough and the topics
in the course book were neutral to students.
3.3. Conclusion
Having studied the above points, the researcher realized that there were some major
problems faced by the first year student of Tour guides in their English oral presentation
skills. These problems will be discussed in the next chapter of the study.

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS
4.1. Findings
4.1.1. Students’ difficulties in learning English oral presentation of Tour guides
- Lack of specialized knowledge of Tourism
- Low English proficiency
- Lack of body language performance
- Lack of confidence
- Lack of an ESP practice environment
4.1.1.1. Students lack specialized knowledge of Tourism
4.1.1.2. Students have low English proficiency
4.1.1.3. Students lack body language performance

7

4.1.1.4. Students lack confidence
4.1.1.5. Students lack an ESP practice environment
4.1.2. Teachers’ difficulties in teaching English oral presentation of Tour guides
ESP teachers lack specialized knowledge of Tourism
4.1.3. Other problems
4.1.3.1. Lack of a suitable training program
4.1.3.2. Lack of necessary facilities
4.2. Suggested solutions
4.2.1. For teachers
4.2.1.1. Improve specialized knowledge of Tourism
4.2.1.2. Improve students’ performance skill in oral presentations
4.2.1.3. Build up students’ confidence
4.2.2. For students
4.2.2.1. Improve their knowledge of ESP
4.2.2.2. Improve their performance ability of English oral presentations of Tour
guides
4.2.3. For the administrator
4.2.3.1. Change ESP teaching syllabus and equip conductive facilities
4.2.3.2. Provide ESP teachers with chances to take part in Tourism training courses
4.2.3.3. Create ESP practice environment for students of Tour guides

PART III: CONCLUSION
1. Conclusion
The thesis mentioned an understanding of oral presentation as well as some
literature reviews related to English oral presentation of Tour guides. In addition to this,
presented in the study are the results of the two questionnaires about ESP teachers and

Tourism major students’ attitudes towards the importance of English oral presentation to
the Tour guiding work; the current situation of teaching and learning English oral


8

presentation at THCCA; as well as teachers and students’ difficulties, causes and solutions
to improve first year students of Tour guides’ English oral presentation skill at THCCA.
Based on the results of the study, the researcher has given some suggested solutions
in the hope of helping first year learners of Tour guides overcome the difficulties of
learning English oral presentation skill.
Last but not least, it is hoped that the research on the matter can be improved in the
near future and that this study would be useful for ESP teachers and students of Tour
guides at THCCA.
2. Limitation of the study
3. Suggestions for further research


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