The Design and Use of English Language Teaching Materials in Vietnamese Secondary Schools

Abstract

English is recognised by the Vietnamese government as an important tool in the country's national strategy for socio-economic development. For this reason, the teaching of English in Vietnam begins at secondary schools and efforts have already been made to enhance the quality of learning in that context. Curriculum goals for teaching English are set by the Ministry of Education and Training in Vietnam and these goals are embodied and communicated to teachers in the form of a series of seven textbooks. Textbooks thus provide a backbone to classroom practice in the context of limited access to English as a language of communication. In designing new materials, it is important to understand the characteristics of current materials and how they are used by teachers and students. The purpose of the present study was therefore to gather information in two secondary schools about how teachers and students said they used the textbooks and then compare this information with policy statements, observations of classroom practice, reflections obtained from interviews with participants, and with examples of lesson planning. Information was also recorded about the preferences expressed by both teachers and students in respect to textbook design and use. The point of view of teachers was obtained by questionnaire from all teachers of English in the two schools, and from observations of nine classes taught by five teachers, followed by interviews with the five teachers. The point of view of students was obtained from 478 students representing 11 classes from the junior and senior levels of the two schools. Forty of those students took part in eight group interviews following the observation of class lessons. Lesson plans from 17 teachers were a further source of evidence as to how textbooks were being used in the English programme. The results showed convergence of opinion on the use and design of ELT materials. Both teachers and students were using the organisation of the lessons in the textbook as a template for the work undertaken in the classrooms. The textbook was rarely used as a resource, in the sense of guiding learning opportunities or clarifying where further learning opportunities might be required. Although both teachers and students wanted a more communicative emphasis in the curriculum, the pervasive influence of competition and examinations had a constraining effect on what was given priority to in using the textbooks and in what was attended to in the curriculum. This study offers a preliminary representation of the standards that ELT materials should meet in order to improve the quality of language teaching and learning and to contribute to the successful achievement of the national curriculum goals. A textbook series must be realistic with respect to language development, offer options for teaching and learning practices, and be in a reflexive relationship with national assessment procedures.