Language learning beyond the classrooms: Experiences of Vietnamese English major and non-English major students

Abstract

Research increasingly shows that the rapid growth of digital technology has added unprecedented affordances for many English as a foreign language (EFL) learners to advance their English proficiency beyond the classrooms. However, it is not yet well understood if Vietnamese English major (EMajor) students (who have English as their discipline), and non-English major (NEMajor) students (who have English as a minor curriculum component), differ in their language learning beyond the classrooms (LLBC). Drawing on the LLBC framework, this qualitative study reports on the LLBC experiences of Vietnamese EMajor and NEMajor students. Data were obtained through LLBC diaries using the Diaro application and stimulated recall interviews and coded thematically according to the LLBC dimensions. The findings showed that LLBC was predominantly mediated digitally. The EMajor students had higher levels of LLBC engagement and selected English-only resources more frequently than did their NEMajor peers. However, many students from both cohorts faced challenges using English-only resources; in contrast, they learned more effectively with bilingual resources. This study suggests that it is essential for researchers, educational policymakers and teachers to understand the characteristics of EMajor and NEMajor students’ LLBC ecologies to enhance their language learning experiences inside and outside the classrooms.