Faculty of Foreign Language

Le Thi Bich Ngoc D06K52
Faculty of Foreign Language
Ha Noi University of Technology

The Situation of Learning English for Electrical Engineering of D06k52 Students
in Faculty of Foreign Language, Ha Noi University of Technology

Abstract
This report was concerned with the situation of learning English for Engineering
(EEE). It is fact that ESP subjects, especially EEE are worried problems. Although EEE
is one of compulsory subjects, many students in FOFL, HUT did not get good marks and
d06, k52 students were not an exception. The objective of this report was to investigate
the advantages and disadvantages of learning EEE as well as the main reason why they
did not get good mark in the final test. Techniques of gathering data including different
types of questionnaires administered to students in d06, k52 in FOFL, HUT. The study
found that most of them found difficulties in learning EEE. Although teacher was very
enthusiastic for teaching, the main difficulties they met are the lack of basic knowledge
and new terms. Moreover, the main reason they got bad marks are that most of them did
not learn EEE until the test. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that
school or FOFL should have general subjects for consolidating the basic knowledge for
students before learning ESP. Moreover, glossary should be written at the end of each of
lesson to help students understand lesson more and easier. And finally, some methods
should be done to check student’s lesson correctness.
1


Introduction
This report discusses the situation of learning EEE of d06, k52 students in FOFL,
HUT. Before studying this topic, a small survey was carried out to investigate the attitude
and score for EEE of d06, k52 students in the final test. And it was very surprised that 62,
5 % students got C marks and found it difficult to cope with learning EEE. The result of

this small survey is table 1 in the end of this report. Nowadays, many projects have been
carried out to study many topics relating ESP subjects in school. However, the research
which was concerned about the situation of learning EEE of d06, k52 students in FOFL;
HUT has not yet been done. Therefore, the objectives of this research is to consider the
advantages and disadvantages they meet when learning EEE as well as the main reason
why they got bad marks in final test in order to help students and teachers have solutions
to improve the quality of learning ESP , especially EEE in FOFL, HUT.

Literature Review
ESP subjects, especially EEE are becoming concerned issues. Many people want to
learn it, but they found it really boring and the reading section in some books did not meet

2


their demand. According to Duc Lam (2009), EEE is really difficult. The reading section
in book is too basic; they were not up-to-dated. They only dealt with issues such as
phenomenon’s related to magnet, or magnetic flux… but it doesn’t explain why they
occur like that. That is the reason why EEE is really boring.
According to Anh Kien (2008), in his opinion, the simple method to learn ESP well is
to read many ESP related documents. The more they read, the better your ESP knowledge
is. Moreover, according to DKC05 (2009), learning General English well does not mean
that learning ESP will be well. If one person, who learns English very well, does not read
any catalogs or ESP related books, he / she will not be able to understand it well. The
main reason is that the terms in ESP subjects are very different from the words in the
general English. In his opinion, learning general English well is only the foundation for
learning ESP well.
In other word, people who want to learn ESP subjects well have to spend a lot of time on
reading ESP documents and studying on it. ESP subject is not the general English. Their
grammar is the same but the vocabulary of ESP subject is more difficult than the general

English. Therefore, to learn ESP subjects better, learners should have the basic
knowledge of general English. It is really useful for learn ESP subjects effectively and
help learns to save more their time.
And according to the course requirements in textbook of English for Electrical
Engineering, FOFL’s students have to consolidate and prepare the lesson at home before
going to school.

3


Furthermore, there is a fact that although students in D06 have mastered the
general English, they did not study EEE well. Most of them sometimes or never follow
these above requirements. They seldom read or repair lesson before going to class. They
did not spend a lot of time on studying it. From these facts, they could not understand all
things learned in class and then, they got bad mark in final test.]

Methodology
The situation of learning EEE of d06, k52 students in FOFL, HUT is investigated
through questionnaire survey. Questionnaire was designed in form of respondentcompleted one, and consists of 6 questions: 5 pre-coded questions and 1 attitude scales.
Objects are all 16 students in d06, k52 in FOFL, HUT. They were required to tick into the
answers they chose. After being designed, this questionnaire survey was tested out on a
scale of all students in another FOFL’s class, and 2 pre-coded questions need to be
improved. And then, each of students in d06 completed one copy of the questionnaire.
4


After collecting necessary information, the results were analyzed and evaluated. And
finally, the researcher plotted information in diagram and explained in the report.
Questionnaire survey is really useful for collecting information which was used for
supporting topic. By using this method, researcher can investigate the common

difficulties and advantages students had during the fifth term when they studied EEE.
Moreover, the main reason of getting bad mark in the final test will be found quickly and
easily.

Results
1.

The course requirements in textbook of English for Electrical Engineering:

Before the lesson
- Students are required to prepare for the lesson by doing homework and tasks their
teachers ask them to do.

5


-Students are expected to find materials related to each lesson’s topic to support the
lesson
During the lesson
- Students are expected to take full and active participation in all class activities.
After lesson
- Students should revise previous lessons regularly
- Students are encouraged to keep their own vocabulary book for EEE terms
- Students should search for materials in different EEE fields to consolidate their
language skills and their EEE knowledge.

2.

Whether or not student in d06 met difficulties when studying EEE?

Difficulty in studying EEE

Always

Sometimes

Never

No opinion

Attitude score

1

2

3

4

Number of respondents
Total

10
10

6
12

0

0

0
0

Chart 2.1

The total of score is: 10 + 12+ 0+ 0 =22

6


Dividing by the number of respondents, the mean score is: 22: 16 = 1, 375
The Mode = 1
The results of the questionnaire used for ensuring that if the students had difficulties in
learning EEE or not are presented in the chart 2.1. The mean score and the mode are
calculated. (SEEE appendix for decoded meanings)

3.

Advantages in studying EEE:

40
35
30
Q4a

25

Q4b

20

Q4c

15

Q4d

10

Q4e

5
0

chart 3.1

Chart 3.1 illustrates the advantages or interest of learning EEE. Q4b and Q4e show the highest
level of advantages while Q4a makes up the lowest level. What Q4a, Q4b or other codes stand
for is listed in Summary of Questionnaire Survey attached at the end of the report.
4.

Difficulties in studying EEE:
7


chart 4.1

percentages of

respondents

80
60
40
20
0
Q5a

Q5b

Q5c

Q5d

Q5e

difficulties

Difficulties in learning EEE are shown in chart 4.1. In this chart, Q5a and Q5c points out
the highest level or the difficulties students met most and the Q5b shows the lowest point
or the difficulty which students rarely got. The Summary of Questionnaire Survey
attached at the end of the report will show what stand for Q5a, Q5b…, and other codes.

5.

Why

good marks in

students did not get
final test

12.5%

25%

8
62.5%

chart 5.1


This chart 5.1 shows the main reason causing the bad marks of students for EEE. The
yellow piece shows the highest percentage. However, the lowest percentage is invisible
because it is 0 %. In this chart, yellow is used for Q6a, violet for Q6b, and green is for
Q6c. SEEE the Summary of Questionnaire Survey attached at the end of the report will
show what stand for Q6a, Q6b…, and other codes

Analysis and discussion:
K52 in FOFL-HUT is the first course applied the credit-based training. It means that
students can choose the subjects they like to learn and shorten their training time for term
of 4.5 years. However, they cannot avoid studying ESP subjects. Although ESP subjects
including EEE are one of the compulsory subjects, many students, especially students in
d06, k52, found EEE difficult. The Mean score: 1.375 shows that most of students in d06,
k52 found that they always meet difficulties in studying EEE.
9


To help students study EEE well, the material facilities in FOFL have been

improved, for example, air-conditioner, projector… were installed in some classes. The
purpose of this is to supply students with better environment for studying. Beside the
advantages of material facilities, other factors making students interested in EEE are that
teacher is very enthusiastic and EEE connects to their future jobs. With 37.5 % students
in chart 3.1, it is fact that teacher’s role and future job are really important factors
building the student’s interest in some subjects including EEE. Because EEE is a difficult
subject, if students do not find the interested feeling from teacher or other things, they
will feel bored quickly and do not want to learn it any more.
In spite of these above advantages, most students still have many difficulties in
studying EEE such as difficult exercises… However, the main difficulties seem that
students lack of basic knowledge and there are many terms in each lesson. Many people
think that FOFL’s students learn ESP subjects very well because they have mastered the
general English. This ideal is totally wrong. General English and ESP subjects have many
differences with each other. Their grammar is the same, but their vocabulary is different.
The term in ESP subjects is much more difficult than one in the general English, it is not
as popular as general English is. And it can be said that General English only is the
foundation for studying ESP subjects well. Moreover, the program FOFL’s students are
trained is focused on studying linguistic subjects, therefore, it is reasonable when they did
not have the basic knowledge and met difficulties in studying terms in EEE. However,
with the figures in the chart 4.1 (75%), this situation is really a worried problem for
quality of training EEE in FOFL, HUT.

10


When being asked how they learnt EEE at home, many students gave various
answers. From the chart 5.1, 43.75% students only learnt it until the test, 31.25% learnt it
when they had free time and 37.5% only learnt it before one day. These figures show that
students in d06, k52, FOFL, HUT did not spend a lot of time on studying EEE. According
to the above literature review, ESP subjects are the special one which require a lot of time

to learn. If students want to learn it well, they have to read many documents related to the
ESP subjects. It is one of the most effective ways to study EEE well. However, most of
students in d06 did not follow this. And as a result, they could not understand issues or
lessons deeply and did not get good marks in the test. Their state of learning EEE at home
is the main reason causing bad score of students.

Summary and conclusion
EEE is the difficult subject. Although students study in good environment, with the
help from the enthusiastic teacher, they still get difficulties in studying it such as lack of
basic knowledge or difficult terms. Moreover, in spite of the compulsory subject, EEE is
not spent a lot of time for studying by students.

11


From these facts, some recommendations are given that Faculty or teacher should
have solutions for help students consolidate their basic knowledge learned in high school.
Doing homework is very important, therefore, some methods should be applied to check
the students’ correctness of previous and new lesson at home strictly.
ESP subjects, especially EEE are very important. If students master it well, they will
easily approach the modern science and technology in the world.
During the process of conducting this research, the researcher cannot avoid some
difficulties as well as limitations:
•

Firstly, the scale of this report is too small. It is only studied on the students
in D06, K52, in FOFL, HUT. Therefore, the result of this report cannot
illustrate the situation of learning EEE of all students in FOFL exactly.

•

Secondly, the researcher only investigates the advantages , disadvantages
and reasons causing bad marks. The solution for this situation is not found.
Therefore, this report is expected to be used for the foundation for the future

researches which will be studied on another topics which will investigate the solution for the
situation of learning EEE in FOFL, HUT.

References

12


•

Pham Thanh Duong, MA; Luong Trung Kien, MA English for Electrical

Engineering Course requirement Ha Noi, 2005, pp ii
•

Duc Lam , Phương pháp học ngành Điện, http:

(09:22 AM, 1/31/2009)
•

Anh Kien (2008), Phương pháp học ngành Điện, http:

( 6/10/2008; 07:19 PM)
•

DKC05 (2009), Phương pháp học ngành Điện, http:

(02/07/2009; 4:12 PM)

13


Appendixes
1. The Summary of Questionnaire Survey
Sample size

16

Meet difficulties or not
Q3a: always

10

Q3b: Sometimes

6

Q3c: Never

0

Q3d: No opinion

0

62.5
37.5
0
0
Advantages of studying EEE
Q4a: easy to understand

1

62.5

Q4b: enthusiastic teacher

6

37.5

Q4c: reality connected content

4

25

Q4d: attractive context

2

12.5

Q5a: lack of basic knowledge

6

37.5

Q5b:unthusiastic teacher

12

75

Q5c: many terms

0

0

Q5d: difficult exercises

12

75

Q4e: connect to future job

Difficulties in learning EEE

14

Q5e: less homework

5

31.25

Q5f: laziness

2

12.5

Q5g: lack of time

8

50

1

6.25

Q6b: learn when free

0

0

Q6c: learn before one day

5

31.25

Q6d: only learn until the test

6

37.5

Gender:

7

43.75

9

56.25

7

43.75

learn EEE at home:
Q6a: learn suddenly

Male
Female

2. Table 1: Score of the finale EEE test.

15


Score
Male
Female
Total
percentage

A
0
0
0
0%

B
2
2
4
25%

C
6
4
10
62.5%

D

1
1
2
12%

F
0
0
0
0%

3. Questionnaire survey
Hello, I are from our class, d06, k52. I am conducting a survey on the situation of learning
English for Engineering (EEE) of all members in our class. Would you mind answering a few
questions? It will take fust a few minutes and your answers will be kept confidential.

Q1: Your score of final EEE test?
a) < 4,0

F

b) 4,0  5,4

D

c) 5,5  6,9

C

d) 7,0  8,4

B

e) 8,5  10

A

Q2: Did you often have any difficulties when studying EEE?
a) always

1

b) Sometimes

2

c) Never

3

d) No opinion

4
16


Q3: which interest did you feel when studying EEE?
a) Easy to understand
b) Enthusiastic teacher
c) Reality connected content

d) Attractive context
e) Connect to future / expected job

Q4: which difficulties did you meet when studying EEE?
a) Lack of basic knowledge
b) Enthusiastic teacher
c) Many terms
d) Difficult exercises
e) Less homework
f) Lack of time
g) Laziness
h) Others:…..

17


Q5: how did you learn EEE at home?
a) Learn suddenly
b) Learn when free
c) Learn before one day
d) Only learn until the test
Q6: Your gender:
a) Male

M

b) female

F

18