BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Description of the ESP course at the UL
The University of Law (UL) aims to train and equip students to become proficient lawyers, with approximately 1,000 graduates each year ready to work in various sectors, including domestic and international companies, courts, and government agencies To support this goal, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a mandatory course for all second-year students Students are divided into two levels: the first focuses on general English, requiring self-study until they achieve a TOEIC score of 350, while the second level is the ESP course, which necessitates a minimum score of 30 on the "Quick Placement Test" to enroll.
For twelve years, the University of Law (UL) has offered an English for Law course featuring topic-based and content-based syllabuses that include theoretical lessons in law The course utilizes key textbooks such as “Getting into Legal Terminology” (Le Hong Hanh, 1994), “English for Lawyers” (Le Hong Hanh, 1997), and “Improving Your Understanding Law in English” (Le Hong Hanh, 2004) In 2008, the UL's English teachers compiled the teaching material “Introduction to Law in English,” which serves as an essential resource for the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course This integrated course book aims to enhance students' understanding of legal English terminology and stylistic structures, while also developing their reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills The material draws from diverse sources, including newspapers, magazines, and reputable news outlets like the Voice of Vietnam and BBC News, as well as utilizing Microsoft software, including Encarta Premium 2007.
“Introduction to Law in English”
+Contractions +Apostrophes +Abbreviation +Articles +Periods
“Introduction to Law in English”
+Sentence variety +Complex sentences with noun clauses +Complex sentences with adjective clause +Complex sentences with adverb clause +Sentence combining
-Convention on the Rights of the
- Vietnam and China increase bilateral
-The current policies of the Vietnamese Communist Party
-Vietnam’s Education policies when joining WTO
-Illegal and de factor marriage
-Higher punishment for bomb hoax in Vietnam cooperation
-Vietnam’s economic achievements -Vietnam: Geography & Environment
- The implementation of intellectual property law.
Description of physical setting
The classrooms at UL are primarily designed for lectures, featuring two blackboards and a microphone, while some are equipped with a projector and screen for teachers to connect their laptops However, there are no dedicated language learning rooms available Most classrooms accommodate large groups of 60 to 100 students, posing challenges for English teachers in delivering effective instruction.
The library offers a limited selection of legal books, primarily in Vietnamese, with only a few English titles available for student reference Most of the law books are outdated, having been published 5 to 10 years ago, while newer materials are reserved for faculty use in each department As a result, students often face challenges due to the lack of up-to-date reading resources.
Teaching staff
The Division of Informatics and Foreign Languages at UL employs 12 English teachers, with four specializing in general English and the remainder focused on English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Among these full-time educators, four hold M.A degrees in TESOL, three are pursuing postgraduate TESOL courses, and the others possess B.A degrees in English Additionally, all teachers involved in ESP instruction have B.A degrees in Law acquired through in-service training.
The teaching staff at the UL, aged between 30 and 54, has extensive experience in English instruction, with most teachers having over 10 years of teaching English, while only two possess 3 to 5 years The significance of qualified educators in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is crucial, particularly for law-related subjects Consequently, only English teachers with a Bachelor of Arts in Law are permitted to teach the ESP course, ensuring that lessons are conveyed clearly and coherently.
Students’ profiles
Students’ age ranges from 20 to 25 (99% between 20 and 22, only 1% from
23 to 25) They are all native speakers of Vietnamese The majority of the students at the UL are female (76%) Male students only make up 24%
All of the students who attend ESP course have to pass the “Quick Placement Test” with the scores above 30 (5marks) to start this course
Students' English backgrounds vary significantly due to their diverse origins from different provinces and cities Those with seven years of English education demonstrate a higher proficiency compared to peers who have studied for only three years in high school Alarmingly, some students have only recently begun learning English after passing the national university entrance examination The primary challenges these students face include low English proficiency and a lack of motivation, as they often do not appreciate the importance of English until they encounter specialized legal texts or documents in the language.
Summary
This chapter has looked at the background of the English and teaching at the
The research for this M.A thesis emphasizes the importance of ESP teaching materials, the physical environment, the teaching staff, and the characteristics of the students, as these elements significantly influence potential solutions to the students' challenges.
The next chapter will provide a review of previous studies related to the problem under investigation and some theoretical knowledge related to this study.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the literature pertinent to the study, following the background information presented earlier It encompasses five key subsections: the connection between English for General Purposes (EGP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP), an exploration of the reading process, effective reading strategies, the role of schema as a strategic approach, and the various types of background knowledge that influence comprehension.
2.1 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENGLISH FOR GENERAL PURPOSES (EGP) AND ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP)
Understanding the nature and benefits of teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) requires a comprehensive grasp of the complexities of language and language learning Language is inherently multifaceted, reflecting the diverse range of human activities and occupations Each occupation possesses its own unique language and cultural context, which can be categorized into two groups: those that are universally understood and those that pertain to specialized topics known only to a select few.
English for General Purposes (EGP) focuses on developing overall language proficiency, while English for Specific Purposes (ESP) tailors content and objectives to meet the distinct needs of specific learner groups (Hutchinson and Walters, 1987) Typically, learners engage with EGP prior to enrolling in an ESP course; however, some learners may seek immediate outcomes and opt to bypass EGP altogether.
According to Strevens (1988), learners can be categorized into two types: those studying a specific subject in English and those engaged in an occupation requiring English proficiency This distinction highlights that English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is relevant for individuals either pursuing academic studies or professional training Furthermore, it is essential to differentiate between learners who already possess knowledge of their subject or are employed in their field but use their native language, and those who are simultaneously learning English as part of their academic or occupational development.
In general-purpose language teaching, the needs of the learners are broadly defined and therefore teachers tend to impart knowledge of the language as a whole
A special-purpose program focuses on teaching specific language skills and vocabulary tailored to the learners' objectives, including essential communicative functions and relevant thematic content.
In summary, while there are both similarities and differences between English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for General Purposes (EGP), it is important to note that there is no distinct ESP methodology ESP teachers can significantly benefit from general English teaching practices, as the skills and techniques learned in general English can be effectively applied in the ESP classroom (Hutchinson and Walters, 1987).
It can be inferred that the principles, and techniques of teaching reading in EGP can be used and applied into teaching reading in ESP
According to Grellet (1991), effective reading involves efficiently extracting necessary information from a text He identifies two primary purposes for reading: for pleasure and for information Grellet emphasizes that reading is an active skill that requires guessing, predicting, checking, and self-questioning Additionally, reading comprehension serves a communicative function, necessitating that comprehension tasks be flexible and diverse.
According to Wallace (1996:4), reading is defined as the process of interpreting and responding to written text as a source of information This involves recognizing the writer's communicative intentions while the reader engages with the text to fulfill their own understanding goals.
According to Anderson et al (1992), the reading comprehension process is primarily influenced by three key elements: the text itself, the reader's background knowledge, and the contextual factors that aid in interpreting the text This perspective suggests that the depth of understanding gained from reading can differ based on the reader's specific learning goals.
Carter et al (1995) argue that reading is an active process that engages readers in the world created by the writer, prompting them to relate the text to their own experiences and interpret its meaning They emphasize that teaching methods should enhance the activity of reading and actively involve students, as motivation to read increases when the process is personally relevant To foster this motivation, the authors recommend starting by gathering students' ideas, feelings, and attitudes before they begin reading.
To sum up, Emmitt (1998:2) classifies reading into three broad categories,
Reading encompasses a hierarchy of skills, a psycholinguistic process, and a social practice Teachers often adopt an eclectic approach, integrating diverse theories and pedagogical methods based on their philosophies, contexts, and needs Consequently, a teacher's strategy for teaching reading may incorporate elements from various theoretical perspectives In summary, it is essential to consider these definitions and viewpoints on reading comprehension to enhance teaching effectiveness.
1 Reading comprehension is an active process so the activities in teaching should be flexible and varied
2 What the reader wants to learn from text is essential to decide on the level of detail learned from that text
Engaging learners by encouraging them to share their ideas, feelings, and attitudes prior to reading can significantly enhance their reading experience This approach not only reinforces the reading activity but also activates readers in diverse and meaningful ways.
4 Teaching approaches which reinforce the activity of reading and which activate the reader in different ways may be appropriate approaches
5 The importance to motivate the students is that they need to see the point of reading
2.2.2 Reading purposes and reading skills
Students engage in reading for various reasons, including academic requirements, career preparation, and personal enjoyment To facilitate this process, educators should strive to make reading more accessible Numerous studies conducted by educational experts highlight the diverse purposes behind students' reading habits and underscore the numerous benefits that reading offers.
Nunan (1999: 251) finds that there are seven main purposes for reading:
1 To obtain information for some purposes or because we are curious about some topic;
2 To obtain instructions on how to perform some task for our work or daily life (e.g., knowing how an appliance works);
3 To act in a play, play a game, do a puzzle;
4 To keep in touch with friends by correspondence or to understand
5 To know when or where something will take place or what is available;
6 To know what is happening or has happened (as reported in newspapers, magazines, reports);
Once learners have determined their purposes for reading, they will be able to apply appropriate skills to texts, which facilitate their reading process
Harmer (2000:68) shows readers some benefits of reading:
- Any exposure to English (provided students understand it more or less) is a good thing for language students
- Reading texts also provide good models for English writing
- Reading texts also provide opportunities to study language: vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, and the way we construct sentences, paragraphs and texts
According to Willis (1998:188), the term of skills is used in two ways:
1 The four main language skills are listening, speaking, reading and writing
2 “Enabling” skills, which are sub-skills, e.g the ability to pick out the main points in the reading text to guess the meaning of unknown words from context
A great number of researchers make great efforts to answer the question
What reading skills students should acquire in the learning process Below are a number of reading skills supported by Grellet (1981:12):
- Skimming: Quickly running one’s eyes over a text to get the gist of it
- Scanning: Quickly going through a text to find a particular piece of information
- Extensive reading: Reading longer texts, usually for one’s own pleasure This is a fluency activity, mainly involving global understanding
- Intensive reading: Reading shorter texts, to extract specific information This is more an accuracy activity involving reading for detail
Moreover, Hill (2001:1-29) presents an overview of several important reading skills:
- Identifying (topics, main ideas, details, similar meanings, purpose);
- Finding support from the text;
Reading researchers usually divide reading strategies into two major categories: cognitive and metacognitive
Cognitive strategies play a crucial role in helping readers derive meaning from texts Research in reading has commonly categorized these strategies into two main types: bottom-up and top-down approaches, as highlighted in studies by Block (1986), Carrell (1989), and David and Bistodeau.
Aebersold and Field (1997) highlight that reading involves multiple cognitive processes, where readers initially employ bottom-up strategies This approach focuses on understanding information at the sentence level, emphasizing the identification of word meanings, grammatical categories, sentence structure, and specific details within the text.
METHODOLOGY
Research design
To address the research questions, a survey was conducted using questionnaires for both teachers and students This design was chosen because surveys effectively explore, describe, and explain individuals' characteristics, attitudes, views, and opinions (Brown, 2001).
Qualitative research, as noted by Seliger and Shohamy (1997:18), employs diverse methods for data collection, often utilizing multiple techniques within a single study to create a comprehensive understanding of the activity or event under investigation This multifaceted approach not only enriches the findings but also enhances validation In this research, questionnaires served as the primary instrument for data gathering.
Questionnaires are an effective tool for gathering data from large groups of subjects, as they can vary in the explicitness and specificity of their items (Seliger and Shohamy, 1997:126).
To effectively understand the challenges students face in learning to read, particularly with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) texts, it is crucial to consider a substantial sample size This study involves over 255 students and 8 English teachers, making questionnaires the most appropriate method for data collection in this research context.
Participants
In the early weeks of the second term of the 2007-2008 academic year at the UL, a survey was conducted targeting two primary groups of participants.
The teacher's questionnaire was completed by eight educators with over five years of experience in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) at UL Among them, three hold a Master's degree, two are currently pursuing their M.A in TESOL, and the remaining three have completed a post-graduate TESOL course at USSH All participants also possess a Bachelor of Arts in Law and have experience teaching both English and Law to students, providing them with valuable insights into students' strengths and weaknesses in learning English.
The study involved 255 students aged 20 to 25 enrolled in the "Introduction to Law in English" course Participants were split into two groups: a controlled group of 130 students who adhered strictly to the teaching materials, and an experimental group of 125 students who utilized Schema building techniques in their studies.
This selection was driven by three key objectives: first, to identify the factors hindering students from engaging with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) texts; second, to assess any shifts in students’ perceptions as the course advanced; and third, to explore the potential of Schema theory in enhancing reading skills among Law students in the context of ESP.
Instruments
The thesis utilized three sets of questionnaires targeting 255 students across two groups and eight English teachers The initial questionnaire assessed students' skills prior to the course, while the second evaluated their progress upon completion The third questionnaire gathered teachers' insights on students' reading skill acquisition and the instructional strategies employed in teaching reading.
All participants were clearly informed about the purpose of the questionnaires and received detailed instructions on how to respond, ensuring clarity and minimizing misunderstandings To maintain the objectivity of the collected data, no comments or explanations that could influence their responses were provided during the completion of the questionnaires Once finished, all questionnaires were submitted promptly within the allotted time (refer to Appendix 2 and 3).
Two sets of questionnaires were administered to students during the course The initial questionnaire aimed to gather information on learners' gender, age, and challenges faced while reading English for Specific Purposes (ESP) texts, as well as the strategies employed by students and teaching methods used in reading classes The follow-up questionnaire, given at the course's conclusion, was designed to compare results with the first and assess whether students had successfully overcome their reading difficulties.
Schema theory helped them improve their reading skills
The questionnaire utilized terminology familiar in language teaching and reading skills development To enhance comprehension, a Vietnamese version was provided, ensuring that students of varying proficiency levels could easily understand the content Participants selected their answers from multiple-choice options, with an additional space for open-ended responses to express their thoughts.
The initial questionnaire is divided into three sections, with Part 1 featuring four questions that gather information about the respondents' ages, gender, scores from the Quick Placement Test, and their motivation for learning English.
Part 2 of the evaluation includes questions 5 through 8, focusing on the challenging aspects of ESP texts as perceived by respondents Question 5 addresses difficulties related to vocabulary, grammar, and themes within ESP texts Question 6 emphasizes the significance of background knowledge, including new information, vocabulary, and grammar that students encounter in the reading material Question 7 specifically examines the complexity of vocabulary in ESP texts, highlighting issues with multi-meaning words, specialized terminology, and multi-syllable words Lastly, question 8 explores grammatical challenges in the texts, such as noun phrases, articles, and conjunctions.
Part 3, dealing with the students’ reading strategies, is presented by question
Questions 9 through 13 of the questionnaire assess various aspects of reading skills among respondents, including their use of bottom-up and top-down strategies, as well as the integration of background knowledge in their first language Question 10 evaluates students' skimming skills, while question 11 focuses on their scanning abilities Additionally, question 13 investigates whether the teaching methods employed by instructors effectively enhance students' inferring skills The second questionnaire, administered at the end of the course, aims to gather further insights into these areas.
The second questionnaire consists of three sections, with Part 1 featuring two questions focused on students' evaluations of their teacher's reading lesson methods and the specific reading challenges they are able to overcome.
Part 2 consists of six questions to elicit the information about vocabulary, grammar, topics that the students can overcome after they have practiced Getting started or Pre-reading tasks
Part 3 comprises seven questions aimed at gathering insights on the development of background information, the frequency of Schema usage by teachers, the appropriateness of ESP materials, and the importance of establishing Schema prior to reading ESP texts.
The teacher questionnaire differs from the students' first and second questionnaires, comprising two sections The first section gathers background information and explores teachers' perceptions of students' reading difficulties, while the second section assesses teachers' views on schema theory and the importance of schema building (Refer to Appendix 4)
• Question 1 is about teachers’ experience in teaching ESP at the UL;
• Question 2 focuses on which skills in English teachers considered as the most important one for Law students;
• Question 3 refers to teachers’ perception on students’ difficulties in reading
• Question 4 relates to teachers’ assessment about the difficulties of ESP text;
• Question 5 relates to teachers’ opinion about the importance of readers’ knowledge, vocabulary and grammar before reading the ESP texts;
• Question 6 refers to teachers’ expectation towards students’ improvement in vocabulary, grammar, reading skills;
• Question 7 relates to teachers’ techniques applied in teaching Pre-reading;
• Question 8 and 9 aim at finding teachers’ opinion about the necessity of skimming and scanning skills towards students;
• Question 10 is about teachers’ opinions about the background information towards students;
• Question 11 aims at finding teachers’ opinion about schema-building for students before reading ESP texts;
• Question 12 is about teachers’ frequency of applying schema-building in
• Question 13 relates to teachers’ suggestions for students to develop reading skills in reading ESP texts
• Question 14 is used for the teachers to reflect whether the lessons in the ESP teaching material are suitable or not suitable for Law students.
Data collection procedures
3.4.1 Data collection procedure of the Quick Placement Test
The Quick Placement Test results were utilized to categorize 255 participants into two equally proficient class types: controlled and experimental This group was divided into eight classes, comprising 130 students in four controlled classes and 125 students in four experimental classes The test was conducted simultaneously in two halls, overseen by teachers from the Department of English at the UL.
3.4.2 Data collection procedure of the questionnaire
At the start of the course, students completed a questionnaire during the break, which was collected immediately afterward to ensure a consistent number of participants They were also informed about the research's purpose and the importance of their contributions to the survey's success.
To ensure full participation, the second student questionnaire was distributed two days before the course concluded, allowing time for all students to respond Each of the two class types received an equal number of questionnaires, resulting in the collection of 255 completed answer sheets per session With the assistance of the teachers, it took two weeks to gather all responses, achieving a remarkable participation rate of 100%.
Eight questionnaire sheets were distributed to teachers involved in controlled and experimental classes at UL The participating teachers, who are colleagues of the researcher, showed enthusiasm and willingness to respond to the questionnaire and share their experiences in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) As a result, all completed questionnaires were collected within two days.
Teaching settings
The experimental teaching at the University of Law (UL) took place from October 6 to December 27, 2008, over a 12-week course Each week included 9 hours of instruction, with 1.5 hours dedicated to reading comprehension The course utilized the ESP teaching material titled “Introduction to Law in English” (Parts I and II), developed by UL's English faculty in February 2008.
The experiment was conducted on 255 students, who are mostly second-year students, taking the ESP course at the UL
To make sure the basic for evaluating the students’ ability in English, a
Quick Placement Test which was bought from Oxford University Press and
University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate was used (See Appendix 1)
It will be carried out by the second year students before they start the course
“Introduction to Law in English”, which is only for students who are going to study ESP
The test assesses students' reading skills in relation to legal texts, using a standard score of 30 as the benchmark for course eligibility Students scoring below this threshold are classified as low-proficiency and are not permitted to enroll in the course.
The experimental teaching aimed to compare a controlled group with an experimental group to determine if schema-building techniques could enhance students' reading skills and address challenges associated with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) texts While the controlled group adhered strictly to a step-by-step learning approach based on the ESP material, the experimental group engaged in pre-reading activities, including reading mini-texts, group discussions, and collaborative tasks This approach emphasized building background knowledge to better understand new information presented in subsequent texts.
The lesson plan was structured into four key stages: warm-up, pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading During the warm-up, students brainstormed words related to the topic and discussed them with peers In the pre-reading stage, they matched over ten new vocabulary words with their definitions While reading, students engaged with the text and completed True/False and phrase-matching exercises Finally, in the post-reading stage, they utilized dictionaries to explore collocates, meanings, and synonyms, and tested each other's recall of word usage within the text.
UNIT 10: EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AIMS TO ATTRACT INVESTMMENT
1 PIRACY: Have you ever photocopied/downloaded things illegally? Have you ever bought fake goods? Answer these questions with your partner(s) Talk about how bad the following actions are: a Copying someone’s essays / theses b Photocopying non-copiable books c Videotaping movies and TV shows from the television; downloading music on the Internet illlegally d Pirating optical disks (music CDs, film DVDs and software)
Write down all of the different words you associate with the word
“ Intellectual property ” Put the words into different categories with your partner(s) and talk about them
MEANING MATCH: Match the words/ phrases with their meanings
1 to testify a to increase, to raise
2 confidence b a supplementary international agreement, the first copy of a treaty or other such document before its ratification
3 intellectual c to bear witness (to), to give or provide evidence
4.globalisation d an authorized messenger or representative, a diplomat of the highest rank accredited as representative from one country to another
5 copyright e growth to a global or worldwide scale
6 ambassador f The legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusively dispose of their works
7 to boost g full trust, assurance, faith
8 commitment h The act pledging or engaging oneself; a pledge or promise; obligation
9 counterfeiting i of or relating to the intellect or its use, of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind
10 protocol j made in imitation of what is genuine with the intent to defraud, fraudulent
The reading lesson comprised three stages: pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading During the pre-reading stage, mini-texts were created using Microsoft PowerPoint to provide background information on the upcoming topic and introduce new vocabulary This approach aimed to activate students' prior knowledge and prepare them for the main text.
Teachers facilitated group discussions by providing questions on the topic, allowing students to express their opinions and engage with related issues Additional activities at this stage included encouraging students to infer the meanings of new vocabulary and identify new words within the text, ensuring they used the correct word forms.
During the while-reading stage, teachers guided students through short sections of the text, posing questions to assess comprehension and encouraging them to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words from context They also facilitated understanding of text structures through techniques like skimming and scanning The primary objectives of this phase were to ensure comprehension and support students in effectively engaging with the text.
At the conclusion of each reading lesson, students were prompted to connect the text to their own experiences and knowledge through personal questions and tasks designed to elicit their opinions, fostering personal engagement Additionally, writing tasks displayed on the computer screen helped students recall and reflect on what they had learned during the class.
UNIT 10: EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AIMS TO ATTRACT INVESTMMENT
2 Mini-text B: Form of Intellectual Property :
Intellectual Property , creative works that have economic value and are protected by law Intellectual property laws reward the creators of most types of intellectual property by
1- a allowing b preventing c forgiving others from copying, performing, or distributing those works without permission The main purpose of this protection is to provide for people to produce scientific and creative
2- a measures b laws c incentives works that benefit society at large Some types of intellectual property are automatically protected by law from the moment of their creation
The main categories of intellectual property include patents, copyrights, and trademarks Patents safeguard inventions that show technological advancement, while copyrights protect a wide range of creative works such as literature, art, music, and film.
3 Complete the sentence : Using the correct form of the word
1- Very little has been achieved in the of the peace agreement signed last week [Implement]
2- We need a big win our confidence [Boost]
3- The country was on the verge of collapse because of the of violent rebel attacks [Intensify]
4- He admitted possessing and delivering currency.
[Counterfeit] 5- If someone with an order, they are in accordance with what is required or expected [Comply]
4 Group discussion : Each group chooses one question, discussing with your group members and then presenting the answer of your question in the class a How important is it to protect intellectual property rights (IPR)? b What can international companies like Coca Cola or Microsoft Corporation do to stop their products from pirates? c In Vietnam, are counterfeit products imported? Are they produced locally?
Intellectual property rights (IPR) violations are prevalent, with goods often traded freely in both streets and shops These offenses can be classified as criminal activities and may even be linked to organized crime Protecting IPR is believed to enhance the advancement of human rights Additionally, the processes for patent and trademark registration in Vietnam share similarities with those in the European Union and the United States.
Summary
To create a comprehensive overview of the research, the thesis author utilized three sets of questionnaires as the primary data collection instrument The first set was administered to second-year students at the beginning of the course, followed by a second set given to the same students at the end of the course The final set of questionnaires was distributed to English teachers involved in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in both controlled and experimental classes The data collected from these questionnaires were meticulously analyzed using SPSS software.
For clarity and ease of reference, the questionnaires have been renamed: Version 1 refers to the initial questionnaire administered to students prior to the experimental teaching, Version 2 denotes the second questionnaire given after the experimental teaching, and Version 3 is designated for the questionnaire distributed to teachers involved in eight classes.
4.1.1 The similarities of students in two groups:
4.1.1.1 The age of the students:
Age Controlled class Experimental class
TABLE 4.1: Students’ ages in two types of class
Table 4.1 reveals that 99% of the students, totaling 252 out of 255, were aged between 20 and 22 at the start of their ESP course, while only 1%, or 3 students, fell within the 23 to 25 age range.
The ages of students in both the controlled and experimental groups were nearly identical, with 99% and 98% of students aged between 20 to 22 years old, and only 1% and 2% aged between 23 to 25 years old This similarity in age distribution ensures consistency between the two groups.
FIGURE 4.1: The ages of students in two types of class
4.1.1.2 The gender of the students:
TABLE 4.2: Students’ gender in two types of class
Not only being the same in ages, there were also the same numbers of male and female students in two types of class 95 students (73%) in the controlled class and
92 students (74%) in the experimental class were female and 35 students (27%) in the controlled class as well as 33 students in the experimental one were male
TABLE 4.3: Students’ Placement Test Score
In the study, 102 students (78%) in controlled classes achieved average scores ranging from 5 to 6.5, while 101 students (81%) in experimental classes attained similar average scores Conversely, only 28 students (22%) in the controlled classes and 24 students (19%) in the experimental classes received good marks between 7 and 10 The findings indicate that both groups of students were comparable in age and performance.
FIGURE 4.3: Students’ Placement Test scores
4.1.2 Students’ assessment of difficulties in reading ESP texts
In Question 5 of Version 1, students from both controlled and experimental classes reported similar perceptions of ESP vocabulary difficulty In the controlled classes, 74 students (57%) found the vocabulary "difficult," while 11 students (8%) deemed it "very difficult." Similarly, 66 students (53%) in the experimental classes rated it as "difficult," and 16 students (13%) considered it "very difficult." Only 6 students (5%) in the controlled classes and 4 students (3%) in the experimental classes viewed ESP vocabulary as "not difficult." Additionally, 39 students (30%) in the controlled groups and 39 students (31%) in the experimental groups rated it as "slightly difficult."
The data suggests that students lacked familiarity with new legal terminology and the subjects covered in the ESP text Additionally, they received no prior instruction on these elements before attempting to read the material Consequently, the vocabulary used in ESP texts posed a significant barrier to their reading comprehension.
Not difficult Slightly difficult Difficult Very difficult
(13%) TABLE 4.4: The difficulty of vocabulary
FIGURE 4.4: Students’ assessment of vocabulary
Question 3 of Version 2 asked the students to evaluate the difficulty of vocabulary after finishing Pre-reading task applied in the controlled class and the experimental class; the result showed us positive indicators in the experimental classes After applying schema-building method, the students believed that the difficulties of vocabulary have been reduced
Not difficult Slightly difficult Difficult Very difficult Before After Before After Before After Before After
8 (6%) TABLE 4.5 : The difficulty of vocabulary after the experimental teaching
Dif f ic ult V ery dif f ic ult
FIGURE 4.5a: The students’ assessment of vocabulary in the experimental group
FIGURE 4.5b: The students’ assessment of vocabulary in the controlled group
A comparison of Figures 4.4 and 4.5 reveals significant differences in the assessment of vocabulary difficulty levels in ESP texts between controlled and experimental classes The experimental class experienced a reduction of over 30% in vocabulary difficulty, while the controlled class saw only a 9% decrease.
4.1.2.2 Grammar point in ESP texts
Time Type of class Not difficult Slightly difficult Difficult Very difficult
Before experimental teaching Exp Class 37
After experimental teaching Exp Class 43
(5%) TABLE 4.6: The difficulty of grammar in ESP texts
Dif f icult V ery dif f icult
Afte r the e xpe rim e ntal te aching
The results from Table 4.6 indicate that students in the experimental classes experienced minimal changes in their assessment of grammar difficulty, averaging around 3% to 4% Similarly, students in the controlled classes reported a change in grammar difficulty perception ranging from 6% to 8% These findings suggest that grammar points do not significantly hinder reading comprehension.
FIGURE 4.6: The difficulty of grammar in ESP texts
4.1.2.3 Topic of the ESP texts
Not difficult Slightly difficult Difficult Very difficult
21 (8%) TABLE 4.7: The difficulty of topic of the ESP texts
In Question 5 of Version 1, both groups of informants displayed similar responses regarding the difficulty of ESP texts A significant 42% of students (105) across all classes found the topics challenging, while only 8% (21) rated them as very difficult Conversely, 16% of students (42) viewed the topics as not difficult, and 34% (87) considered them slightly difficult This consensus among students can be attributed to the fact that many of the English topics related to Law were relatively unfamiliar to them.
After the experimental teaching The difficulty of gramar
FIGURE 4.7: The difficulty of topic before experimental teaching
Not difficult Slightly difficult Difficult Very difficult
After the experimental teaching, the perception of the difficulty of ESP topics significantly changed among students In response to Question 3 in Version 2, 34% of the 126 students in the experimental classes reported that ESP topics were not as difficult as they had previously thought Additionally, 38% found the topics slightly difficult, while 25% still considered them difficult, and only 3% rated them as very difficult This indicates a notable reduction in perceived difficulty, with a decrease of 24% compared to the results in TABLE 4.7, highlighting the effectiveness of the Schema-building methods used in the experimental classes.
In the controlled classes, student preferences showed minimal change, with only a 3% variation Specifically, 20 students (15%) perceived the ESP topics as not difficult, a slight decrease from 18% in the pre-experimental phase Meanwhile, 52 students (40%) rated the topics as slightly difficult, and 51 students (39%) still found them difficult Only 7 students (5%) considered the ESP topics to be very difficult.
FIGURE 4.8: The difficulty of the topics of ESP texts after experimental teaching
According to Rona (1997), a schema represents the mental organization of information related to specific ideas or topics, shaped by an individual's prior knowledge and experiences Analysis of Tables 4.7 and 4.8 reveals that students in the controlled class struggled with understanding ESP texts due to insufficient cognitive experience Without a well-developed schema, students find it challenging to comprehend reading materials effectively Consequently, it is essential for teachers to activate students' prior knowledge and schemata before engaging with ESP texts to enhance understanding and learning outcomes.
Not difficult Slightly difficult Difficult Very difficult Before After Before After Before After Before After
TABLE 4.9: The difficulty of topics of ESP texts before and after the experimental teaching
To have a clear picture, the two below charts would show the changes in overcoming the difficulty of topics of ESP texts in the two groups
FIGURE 4.9a: The comparison of the difficulty of Topics of ESP texts in the controlled group
The difficuly of Topics of ESP texts
Before exp teaching After exp teaching
FIGURE 4.9b: The comparison of the difficulty of Topics of ESP texts in the experimental group
Content Controlled class Experimental Class Total a) Look up the vocabulary and translate into VN first
114 (45%) b) Look up the vocabulary and understand sentence structures in advance
94 (37%) c) Guessing and using their background knowledge
47 (18%) TABLE 4.10: Students’ strategies in pre-reading
According to Table 4.10, a significant majority of students preferred to first look up new vocabulary before translating it into Vietnamese, with 45% from controlled classes and 44% from experimental classes expressing this preference Additionally, 37% of students in both class types indicated they preferred to explore new vocabulary and sentence structures before reading sentence-by-sentence Conversely, a smaller percentage of students, 18% in the controlled class and 19% in the experimental class, opted for different methods.
“guessing the content of ESP text by the title, pictures or using their background knowledge related to the topic”