English Major Students Research Articles

Exploration on the use of learning strategies in writing for English major students

Purpose: This study delves into the intricacies of writing learning strategies and systematically assesses their use. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: Certainly! Here’s the proofread version of your text: By using quantitative methods, which include systematic questionnaires and CET-6 tests (CET stands for “College English Test,” a standardized English proficiency exam in China), this study collected a large amount of data to gain an in-depth understanding of the overall use of writing learning strategies. The study also examined the use of these strategies in colleges and universities at different levels, as well as the differences in strategy use by learners of different genders. Finding: The study reveals that English major students utilize cognitive, metacognitive, and social-affective strategies to enhance their writing skills, with metacognitive strategies like planning and self-monitoring being particularly effective. However, challenges such as time management, motivation, and lack of guidance hinder effective implementation. Conclusion: Significant differences were found in the use of metacognitive strategies among Chinese students, indicating their infrequent use in English writing. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to improve strategy application. Implications: This study aims to provide a more in-depth and empirical understanding of writing education and to offer a strong basis for educational practice and policy-making. It seeks to offer practical writing teaching suggestions for educators to promote students' all-around development in writing.

Perceived Language Proficiency and Autonomous Motivation as Predictors to Perceived Communicative Competence in English

Introduction: The current study, following a sequential mixed-methods design, mainly aimed at investigating the possible predictors of perceived communicative competence (PCC) in English in perceived language proficiency (PLP) and autonomous motivation to learn English. Methodology: In doing so, 204 homogeneous university English-major students participated in this study based on convenience sampling, and a pool of six students joined the interview sessions based on purposive sampling. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and the multiple regression were conducted to analyze the data. Results: The results obtained from the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient confirmed that there was a medium, positive correlation between PLP and PCC in English, and also between autonomous motivation to learn English and PCC in English. Moreover, it was found that PLP was the best predictor of PCC in English. Following inter-coder reliability, the commonalities emerged from the students’ responses to the interviews yielded seven common themes, entailing good sense, desire to learn, participation, engagement, disengagement, teacher support, and ability to communicate fluently. Conclusion: The study yielded deeper insight into the effective role of factors, such as good sense, desire to learn, participation, and engagement in enriching their PLP and PCC. At the end, some practical implications are suggested for EFL learner and teachers.

A Study on the Use of Interactive Web Pages in Enhancing Speaking Skill among English Majored Students

This research paper investigates the effectiveness of interactive web pages as a supplementary tool for enhancing speaking skills among non-English majored students. By using survey research design with 122 students of English at The Banking Academy of Vietnam, the findings reveal some interesting results. Fluency aspect was believed the most beneficial aspect that interactive web pages can bring for students (M=4.01). Meanwhile, pronunciation obtained the least contribution to the improvement of speaking ability (M=2.69). However, further analysis indicated that the contributions of speaking aspects varied according to years of study. The mean of pronunciation aspect for Year1 (M = 3.57, SD = 0.58) was significantly larger than for Year 2 (M = 2.80, SD = 0.62), p < .001 and was significantly larger than for Year 3 (M = 2.21, SD = 0.38), p < .001. The result shows that students of year 1 believed that pronunciation was most enhanced through the use of interactive web pages (M=3.57) compared to M= 2.80; M=2.21 for year 2 and year 3 students respectively. The finding also reveals that the habits of using interactive web pages varied according to duration of study, i.e. first year students used pages to enhance speaking ability the least (M= 1.91) while the second year students use the most, M=4.33. The findings indicate that interactive web pages can significantly contribute to improving speaking skills among English majored students, providing valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers.

Research on Strategies for Improving English-Chinese Bilingual Reading Ability of College English Majors

The bilingual reading ability of College English majors is an important indicator to measure their English proficiency, which is of great significance for improving their cross-cultural communication skills and international competitiveness. However, in the actual teaching process, many students often have difficulties in reading comprehension, which affects their reading efficiency and comprehension quality. Therefore, understanding the factors that affect the bilingual reading ability of English majors in universities is of great significance for developing effective teaching strategies and improving students' reading ability. This study has identified strategies for improving the bilingual reading ability of English major students in universities through investigation and analysis, in order to serve English major teaching in universities.

English Learners’ Belief and Investment in English Pronunciation Learning

Apprehensive pronunciation is crucial for learners' language competence and is an integral aspect of language instruction. Although English major students in China demonstrate improvement in their overall English proficiency when they enter university, many still struggle with their English pronunciation. Scholars have identified several internal and external factors that influence English pronunciation learning. However, little attention is given to the role of learners’ beliefs and investment as possible factors that influence English pronunciation learning, which in turn affect the learning approach and learning strategy used. To fill the gap, the current study adopts a qualitative design with multiple case studies to explore students’ beliefs, investments, and the relationship between these two concepts within the normative, meta-cognitive and contextual approach as well as investment theory. A semi-structured interview was conducted on three university students with different language abilities. The data obtained was analysed using NVivo 12 software. The findings of the study indicate that middle and high-level participants held positive perceptions, while low-level participants held negative perceptions in terms of English pronunciation learning. The study also reveals two forms of investment; diverse investment and incidental learning. In addition, the relationship between students’ beliefs and investments exhibited complex phenomena such as positive and negative congruence as well as incongruence. Based on these findings, some pedagogical implications and areas for ongoing research were proposed.

Research on the Types and Influencing Factors of English Learning Motivation among English Major Undergraduates: A Case Study of Third-Year Students at a University in East China

English learning motivation significantly impacts learning efficiency. This study empirically investigates the learning motivations of 41 third-year English major students through a questionnaire survey conducted at a university in East China. The findings reveal that the learning motivations of English major undergraduates can be categorized into four types: personal interests, future development, experiential background, and social responsibility. Core factors influencing the types of learning motivation include students' personal cultural interests and their academic and career planning. Additionally, learning motivation is influenced by learning experiences, family environments, and social contexts. This research suggests that university English teachers should adopt a student-centered approach to tailor their teaching methods, thereby assisting students in establishing long-term, profound learning motivations. Furthermore, it encourages universities to implement social practice activities aimed at promoting intercultural communication.

Investigating The Impact of Communication Apprehension on Learning Public Speaking of English Major Students

Being able to stand in front of a crowd and speak in front of an audience is important for improving the academic achievement of individuals in the present as well as support for future career development. McCroskey and Richmond (1987) assert that the ability to speak in public is important for persuasion and effective communication because it allows people to confidently convey their ideas, engage an audience, and express themselves clearly. However, Horwitz et al. (1991) define linguistic CA as the feelings of discomfort or uncomfortable experienced by foreign language learners. Learning a foreign language can be stressful for many students, especially when they are in the classroom. This study aimed to investigate the impact of communication apprehension (CA) on the learning of public speaking skills among English major students at Nam Can Tho University. A quantitative data collection method was used to address three key research questions: (1) How does communication apprehension affect the learning of public speaking skills? (2) What are the common causes of communication apprehension among English major students? (3) What are the possible methods to reduce communication apprehension and improve public speaking skills? The study utilizes a questionnaire including 47 questions to identify common causes of communication apprehension (CA) to explore potential strategies to deal with CA in public speaking. The Reliability Analysis on 50 items of these clusters showed that the reliability coefficient of the questionnaire could be acceptable for all parts. The sample consisted of 135 university students enrolled in English Studies major in 4 different classes. They averaged around 18 to 22 years of age with 29,6 percent being males, and 70,4 percent being female. The result showed that the preparation skills significantly impact the result of public speaking. Besides, based on the questionnaire result, factors like inappropriate self-expectations, fear of evaluation, excessive focus on the topic, and fear of the audience's reactions have no effect or minor effect on their public speaking. The findings of this research help the students improve their public speaking skills and inform the development of effective interventions to enhance their communication competence.

Study on How to Improve Tourism English Major Students’ English Communicative Ability in Higher Vocational College

Study on How to Improve Tourism English Major Students’ English Communicative Ability in Higher Vocational College

Error Analysis of Collocation Translation from Thai into English of English Major Students

Error Analysis of Collocation Translation from Thai into English of English Major Students

‘She should have explained and convinced me!’: student engagement with supervisory feedback on undergraduate dissertations

ABSTRACT Informed by basic psychological needs theory, this multi-case study explored four supervisors’ feedback practices and their effects on Chinese English-major students’ engagement with feedback on their undergraduate dissertations written in English. Data comprised interviews with students and supervisors, stimulated recalls with students, audio recordings of supervisor-student conferences, and students’ multiple dissertation drafts with supervisory feedback. Cross-case comparisons were made to gauge the supervisory support. The analyses revealed salient differences in pedagogical caring, optimal structure, and autonomy support provided by the supervisors. The supervisees engaged affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively with supervisory feedback to different extents, and their engagement depended on the types and amounts of teacher support available. The findings of the study contribute to the application of basic psychological needs theory by extending it to undergraduate dissertation supervision. Practical implications for improving undergraduate dissertation supervision in the Chinese context are proposed.

Factors Affecting Learner Autonomy in EMI Studying of English-Major Students at some Economics Universities in Hanoi, Vietnam

This paper aims to synthesize and analyze factors affecting learner autonomy in EMI learning and proposes effective solutions to eliminate existing issues related to learner autonomy. Employing a quantitative method, the sample for this study consisted of 224 Business English majors enrolled in the top three economics universities in Hanoi, Vietnam, including National Economics University (NEU), Foreign Trade University (FTU), and Thuongmai University during the academic year 2023-2024. The findings showed that some factors such as motivation, attitude, learning strategies, and English proficiency have a significant impact on learner autonomy in EMI learning, especially motivation, which has the strongest positive influence. Teachers, teaching methods, and learning materials motivate and develop students' learning autonomy. Moreover, the findings also revealed that learning culture might have the least influence on how students control their learning. From these findings, students can recognize which factors actively support their learning autonomy in EMI learning or likely hinder their understanding. These findings recommended that students, teachers, and universities implement specific solutions for nurturing and developing learner autonomy in EMI classrooms and university learning environments.

The Influence of Writing Workshops on First-Year English Majored Students’ Writing Skills - A Study at a University in Vietnam

The Influence of Writing Workshops on First-Year English Majored Students’ Writing Skills - A Study at a University in Vietnam

ACADEMIC EMOTIONS OF LEARNING ENGLISH THROUGH ENGLISH NATIVE SPEAKER’S VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE: STUDENTS’ VOICE

Academic emotions are the feelings or emotions that students experience when they are learning. This study aimed to analyze students' academic emotions regarding the use of English-native speaker videos on YouTube for learning vocabulary. A qualitative design was used to conduct the study, which employed a questionnaire and in-depth interviews to collect data. The participants of this study were third- and fifth-semester English major students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Kendari. The findings showed that, in terms of positive emotions, students enjoyed the learning process and were motivated to continue learning vocabulary. It was because the videos of English native speakers on YouTube provided interesting material, easy-to-understand pronunciation, and freedom to choose topics. Students were optimistic about the benefits of these videos for vocabulary improvement and proud of their learning achievements when learning vocabulary. Furthermore, in the negative emotions, it showed that the students did not feel desperate when learning vocabulary through native speaker videos on YouTube, and students generally do not get bored because they can overcome boredom in various ways, such as choosing short videos, changing to other videos, or taking short breaks. These conclusions suggest that English-native speaker videos on YouTube are an effective and enjoyable vocabulary learning medium for students.

Students’ perceptions towards project-based learning: A Vietnamese case study

Project-based Learning (PBL) is a process related to foster students’ knowledge and understandings via learning activities. PBL approach has been officially adopted and implemented at Thu Dau Mot University (TDMU), Vietnam since 2018, but it has not been working effectively in the Faculty of Foreign Languages when it comes to complaints from English-majored students. Conducted both quantitatively and qualitatively through the tools of a questionnaire and interviews, the current study aims at exploring the opinions of 165 university students majoring in English towards PBL activities in Vietnam. The descriptive study uses statistical and document analyses to gain a deep insight into students' responses with reference to both motivational and demotivational factors towards PBL application at the university. The current study reveals that most English language students at TDMU have a favorable impression of PBL in their English courses. The perceptions are almost positive due to the belief that PBL is helpful to the students in various aspects. It offers a flexible learning environment, encourages learners of EFL to engage in genuine language learning methods, and ultimately results in improved academic performance. Towards its fruitful benefits, PBL is believed to be a method that has the potential to be successfully implemented for the advancement of EFL education, thus enhancing students’ language skills and enable them to study English more dynamically, effectively, and excitingly. The findings imply that there are various motivational factors perceived by the students with reference to PBL and they almost highly appreciate the convenience and flexibility of PBL in their language courses. The results also indicate several demotivational factors and suggested activities when it comes to PBL application in English courses at the university.

Students’ Perception of Using YouTube to Learn English: A Case Study at Van Lang University

The research is set to examine students’ perspectives on using YouTube for English language learning and its impact on their motivation and autonomy in education. A mixed-methods approach was employed, which surveyed 333 English-major students at Van Lang University using a 24-item multiple-choice questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The questionnaire was based on the TAM model, which includes three factors: Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and Intention of Use. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten students to delve deeper into their individual experiences and perspectives, focusing on the themes of skill development, motivation, and autonomy. Data revealed that students generally find YouTube an effective tool to motivate them to learn English and give them control over their learning. Also, apart from listening, students are found to have their speaking skills enhanced to some extent. This research recommends that English teachers adapt and adjust the use of YouTube for both in-class assignments and homework. Therefore, teachers may encourage their students' motivation and autonomy, eventually resulting in more effective and enjoyable language learning.

English Phonological Errors in Pronouncing Similarly-Spelled Words by Linguistics III Class Students

Phonological errors in pronunciation are common practices not only among beginners who just started to learn English but also among English major students who have been dealing with English study for many years. While speaking in English as a second language in formal situations, they often mispronounce words with similar spellings. This study investigated how the pronunciation of English learners was influenced by words with the same spelling. The participants were the Linguistics III students from the English Department of the Faculty of Education at Klabat University. They were required to pronounce a list of commonly mispronounced words. The results of this research showed that the students frequently mispronounced words with similar orthography. These phonological errors were prevalent among English learners, including those majoring in English.

Survey on English Speaking Anxiety of English Majors and Analysis of Teaching Countermeasures

This study examines the anxiety encountered by English major students during English speaking practice and explores effective pedagogical strategies to address it. A questionnaire survey was conducted among first-year English major students at a university in Chengdu, Sichuan, and data analysis was performed using SPSS 28.0 to evaluate the students' self-efficacy in English speaking. Findings indicate that a majority of students experience moderate levels of anxiety in spoken English expression, primarily due to fear of errors, non-conformity to language contexts, and self-imposed pressure. Such anxiety negatively impacts learning outcomes, manifesting as diminished confidence and interest. To counter these issues, a range of pedagogical strategies are suggested, including the transformation of teaching philosophies, enhancement of instructional methods, guidance for students in embracing mistakes as part of the learning process, and support in adjusting learning expectations. The study highlights the importance of creating a supportive classroom environment through active student participation and cooperative learning to alleviate anxiety. Additionally, timely feedback from educators is emphasized to foster students' confidence and a sense of accomplishment. The conclusion suggests that the implementation of targeted teaching strategies can significantly mitigate students' anxiety in English speaking and enhance their proficiency. This research offers actionable insights for improving English speaking instruction, with the potential to boost students' learning efficiency and motivation(Liu, M., & Xiangming, L., 2019).

The Relationship between English-majored Students’ Morphological Awareness and Vocabulary Size

The aim of the study is to figure out the relationship between morphological awareness and vocabulary size. More specifically, the primary purpose of the current study concerned whether English-majored students’ morphological awareness existed the correlation with their vocabulary size. There were two tests used in this study. The Vocabulary Levels Test was adapted from Al Farsi (2008), cited in the Vocabulary Levels Test (Nation, 2001). The test was to measuring English-majored students’ ability to memorize learned English vocabulary. In terms of a modified version of the Morphological Awareness Test (McBride-Change et al, 2005) was also adapted from Al Farsi (2008), which was used to determine vocabulary size. Besides, Independent Samples Test was run by the software to investigate if there was the difference of the tests’ results between male participants and female participants. Participants in this study were senior English studies majors at Nam Can Tho University. One hundred and seventeen students were chosen at random to participate in this study. The participants varied in age from twenty-two to twenty-six. They were all native speakers of Vietnamese who had studied English as a foreign language for at least 10 years. There were seventy-five female participants and forty-two male participants. They were tested at their university during the second semester of the 2022–2023 school year. The results showed that English-majored students’ morphological awareness at Nam Can Tho University had the average correlation with their vocabulary size. In addition, there was no significant difference between male and female students.

Crafting Lexical Fluency: An Exploration of Vocabulary Learning Methods among English Major Students

Vocabulary plays a crucial role in the development of skills in a second language, with comprehending word meanings emerging as a key objective in the language acquisition process. An effective approach to enriching second language vocabulary knowledge involves providing learners with a variety of vocabulary learning methods. This research aimed to investigate the preferred vocabulary learning methods of students majoring in English. Questionnaires based on Schmitt's (1997) vocabulary learning strategy taxonomies were distributed to collect quantitative data. 120 English-majored students at a private university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam participated in this study. The result showed that methods for vocabulary learning for discovery and consolidation were preferred by English-majored students including “using bilingual dictionary”, “guessing the meaning of new words through context, “Asking classmates for the meaning of a new word”, “learning vocabulary from social networking platforms (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram,...), “learning the spelling of a word, “making a mental picture of a situation in which the word might be used”, “taking notes newly learned words in class”, written repetition”, and practicing vocabulary by conversing with other people in English”.

Complexity in Using Collocations in Writing among English-Majored Students at a University in Vietnam

Collocation is a useful method to help vocabulary, phrases, and sentences in writing become diverse, more vivid, and colorful. To promote EFL students’ use of collocations, this study explored the challenges that English-majored studentsfaced when applying collocations in writing. A quantitative approach was applied to this study. The data was collected through a questionnaire with 200 participants who were English majors ata private university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The results showed that the difficulties faced by students were at a high level. More specifically, English-majored students faced the most challenges in two factors, namely Vocabulary and Guessing meaning collocations in the right contexts. Based on these results, several strategies have been proposed for students and lecturers to improve the use of collocations.