Vietnam National University, Hanoi
University of Languages and International studies
FACULTY OF Post - Graduate STUDIES


NGUYỄN THỊ HIÊN A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH TO
GRAMMAR TEACHING ON STUDENTS’ INTEREST AT THE INSTITUTE
OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES- HANOI UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

(NGHIÊN CỨU TÁC ĐỘNG CỦA ĐƯỜNG HƯỚNG GIAO TIẾP TRONG VIỆC
DẠY NGỮ PHÁP TIẾNG ANH TỚI SỰ HỨNG THÚ CỦA SINH VIÊN TẠI
TRUNG TÂM NGOẠI NGỮ - ĐẠI HỌC NÔNG NHGIỆP HÀ NỘI) M.A MINOR THESIS Field
: English Teaching Methodology
Code
: 601410


Supervisor
: Trầ n Hiề n Lan, M.A

HANOI – 2011 iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART A: INTRODUCTION
I. Rationale
II. Aims of the study
III. Research questions
IV. Scope of the study
V. Methods of the study
VI. Design of the study

PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
I.1. An overview on language teaching methods in Teaching grammar
I.1.1. The Grammar – Translation Method with teaching grammar
I.1.2. The Audio – lingual Method with teaching grammar
I.2. Communicative language teaching (CLT) in teaching grammar
I.2.1. An overview of communicative language teaching (CLT)
I.2.2. Characteristics of CLT
I.2.3. Status of Grammar in CLT
I.2.4. Teaching grammar in the light of CLT
I.3. Students’ interest
I.3.1. Concept of students’ interest
I.3.2. Factors affecting students’ interest in the class

2. Limitations of the study
3. Recommendations for further study

REFERENCES
APPENDIXES

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PART A: INTRODUCTION
English is considered to be the most common and important language of the world
today in which a great number of people understand and use it.
In Vietnam, the economic open-door policy pursued by the government has increased a
demand for studying English. English is also seen as a necessary means for any graduate who
wishes to find a good job, especially in foreign companies. In correspondence to this trend, at
almost all colleges and universities, English is taught as a compulsory subject. Additionally,
there are many evening English classes at foreign languages centers opened to serve the
explosion in the demand for English.
However, both teaching and learning English in Vietnam are said to be not effective
because, as a matter of fact, the traditional method of teaching is still applied in many

th

century and although it has been generally acknowledged as the least effective teaching
methodology, the method is still widely used in many countries including Vietnam. Obviously,
the best point of this method is that it helps learners become good translators and use English
accurately. In addition, it requires few recourses and it is also easy to apply and cheap to
administer. That is why the method is still used in many classrooms where there is a great
shortage of teaching and learning facilities and equipment aids, where the class is large of
about 30 students, and where the teachers’ inadequate speaking skill are accustomed to
teaching procedures and where the exams still emphasize knowledge of grammar.
Nevertheless, the biggest disadvantage of this method is the learners find it difficult to
communicate in real-life situations, or their utterances are correct but inappropriate. This is the
result of the process of learning form and usage, but not use, and learning about the language,
not using the language to learn through authentic tasks. Furthermore, this method makes the
learners really passive in the process of getting knowledge. They just listen to the teacher’s
explanation and do not participate in the exploration of new knowledge.
I.1.2. The Audio – Lingual Method.
The Audio – Lingual Method was derived from “ Army Method” during the World
War II where there was a need for people to learn foreign languages quickly for military
purposes. It later developed into the so called Audio – Lingual method, which then has had
considerable influence on English language teaching all over the world. This method puts
listening and speaking in the first place. It uses sentence pattern as the base of teaching and
tries to avoid mother tongue as in class. Attention is paid to the need for mechanical practice
rather than explanation about the language because the ability to use the language as a means
of communication is the mastery of the linguistic system of the target language.
I. 2. Communicative language teaching (CLT) in teaching grammar
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sometimes acceptable, good grammar makes one’s speech better and more attractive,
especially in formal situations. Referring to the importance of grammar teaching,
To sum up, the rationale for teaching grammar is multifaceted and grammar is
acknowledged to be of importance in language study in general and in language teaching and
learning in particular.
I.2.4 Teaching grammar in the light of CLT.
To date, teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) are still confronted with the
crucial issue of choosing the best approach to improve their students' grammatical accuracy. It
cannot be denied that there has been a lot of progress in English language teaching since the
introduction of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). Obviously, applying CLT to
grammar teaching is necessary in order to deal with the disadvantages of Grammar Translation
method when being used to teach grammar such as the learners’ inappropriate utterances and
passive learning style. Nunan (1991) in the section “Focus on form: the role of grammar”
discusses the place of grammar in the recent language teaching.While grammar played a
dominant role in traditional classroom, it was just of marginal importance in earlier
communicative classrooms, which drew merely on meaning rather than form. Unlike in
traditional approaches, where grammatical mastery was ultimate learning objective, grammar
now is important but just as a means to the end and hence, is always put into context and
learned for the sakes of social functions. Communicative language classrooms, which focus on
both form and meaning, truly reflect the view of learning grammar as both processes and
products.
There are two main approaches to teach grammar. These are the deductive and
inductive approach. In deductive approach, the teachers give the rules and then students give
examples. In contrast, an inductive approach is when the rule is inferred through some forms
of guided discovery. The teacher gives example and asks the students to find out the rules

principles. Obviously, grammar plays an important role in ELT because learners cannot
communicate effectively without grammar. Furthermore, the understanding of grammar helps
us build up confidence in using the target language and encourages us to use the language
accurately and appropriately. Grammar is an integral part of language, so the more we can find
out about how grammar is learned and used, the more effectively we will teach it. In fact, there
have been many researches on grammar as well as grammar teaching. The problem here is that
how to teach grammar and which approach to grammar is appropriate. Nowadays, CLT, with

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its foundation and on recent achievements in the field of linguistic and psychology, has been
considered to be the most effective approach to grammar teaching.
I.4.1. Grammar teaching techniques in CLT
It is obvious that different techniques create different degree of students’ participation
and interest in the lesson. For example, techniques which focus on grammatical and
phonological like choral repetition, drilling substitution, content explanation will result in
learners’ passiveness and limit their participation in learning. In contrast, the techniques that
involve students in communicative activities such as role-play, games, problem-solving, pair
and group work, discussion etc can encourage students to participate in the lesson.
I.4.2. Teachers’ personal qualities and characters.
Teachers are considered as a significant source of intrinsic motivation. A teacher’s
personality matters a lot because if it matches learners’ expectations, it helps build the learning
environment with good relationship between teacher and learners, one which may increase
learning motivation.
In addition, in order to get students involved in the lesson, teachers should be ones that
students trust and respect. Barry (1993) points out some characteristics a teacher should have
as follows: being natural, being warm and being tolerant.
In this literature review, the writer has presented different basic issues relating to some

and 10 teachers who were both at IFL and The Department of Linguistic and Foreign Culture.
They were selected randomly by the researchers.
II.2.2. Methods and Procedures
The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods in the study. As
mentioned in the above section, to collect information and data, three instruments:
questionnaire, interview and observation were used. All the subjects were informed of the
purpose of the study and willing to help the researcher to fulfill the author’s task.
II.2.3. Survey instruments
II.2.3.1. Questionnaires
- To gain data for the research, two kinds of questions were designed. One was designed
for 100 students who were taking different English courses at IFL and the other was for
the teachers. The second questionnaire was delivered to 10 teachers of English at
HUA.
II.2.3.2. Class observation

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To make the data more valid and reliable, the class observations were conducted in
order to gather further information and to witness the reality in which the teachers applied
CLT in their grammar teaching progress and how the students get interested in the activities in
the lesson. Then, the results of the observations would be compared with the results of
questionnaires.
II.2.3.3. Interview
Both teachers and students would be respondents to the researcher’s interview to
discuss for further information to have deep understanding of their evaluation to the impact of
CLT to grammar teaching. Their answers were copied and then translated into English. The
questions for the interviews are included in the Appendix 6.
II. 3. Data analysis and findings

In addition, to have a successful grammar lesson in a communicative way, the teachers
need create a friendly atmosphere between the teachers and the students, and give them more
praise and encouragement.
Apart from that, the training courses in CLT should be held regularly to help teachers
update their knowledge and exchange their teaching experience so that they can apply CLT to
teaching grammar to their teaching grammar effectively.
III.1. Suggested Communicative Activities for a grammar lesson.
In order to apply CLT to teaching grammar effectively, a variety of techniques and
activities should be used at different stages of a grammar lesson. In this thesis, the author just
suggests some popular techniques and classroom activities for the communicative practice.
III.1.1. Using games and problem solving activities.
The latest concern of the foreign language teachers is to make the students use the
target language communicatively. Among the activities or techniques, games and problem
solving activities are the most preferable communicative activities.
III.1.2. Using songs.
Songs and music always create relaxing and non-threatening atmosphere for students,
who are usually tense when speaking English in a formal classroom setting. In any case,
students find the lesson challenging and interesting as evident from songs.
III.1.3. Role play
Role play is used to refer to all sorts of activities where students imagine themselves in
a situation outside the classroom, sometimes playing the role of someone rather than
themselves, and using language appropriate to this new context.

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This activity is often used at the production stage.
III.1.4. Interview
Interview is also a learning activity that can be used to teach grammar. Students

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suitable exercises. Besides, teachers’ explanations, instructions together with the choices of
suitable activities for each lesson should be taken consideration so that their students get
interested in the grammar lessons. More importantly, the gaps between grammar teaching
styles and learning styles need to be narrowed. Teachers also need to reduce the students’
anxiety in public speaking by letting them work in groups, in pairs of mixed – ability students.
.Working in pairs or in groups can also deal with the problem of students’ low English
proficiency. In addition, to help teachers overcome the difficulties in the application of CLT,
the administrators should provide the teachers with more opportunities to expose to CLT by
attending the workshops or seminars about CLT. The teachers themselves should self-study to
improve their sociolinguistic competence as well as their teaching methods so that they will
feel self-confident to manage communicative classes.
In conclusion, it is undeniable that teaching CLT in the light of CLT makes a great
impact to the students’ interest in learning. The students are really motivated to learn with a
lesson in which grammar is taught in a real context and in communicative activities. To
manage a successful grammar lesson in a communicative way depends on many factors
including teachers, students, administrators, Among which, teachers are the central to long-
lasting changes that can affect the success this renovation.
The study has been made with great efforts to improve grammar teaching and learning
at IFL of HUA. Hopefully, it will get a lot of supports, advice and feedback from the teachers
of English, who are implementing CLT to teach grammar.
2. Limitations of the study
This study, though carefully done, has some limitations. Firstly, the research was only
conducted with a small number of students (100 out of 12.000 students of HUA) who were
studying at IFL not for all students at HUA. The study only focused on the impact of CLT to
the students’ interest in grammar learning and only some techniques were recommended.
3. Suggestions for further study
On the basic of the findings and the limitations of the study, the following
recommendations are made for further research.


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