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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Declaration of originality
i
Acknowledgement
ii
Abstract
iii
Table of contents
iv
List of abbreviations
vii
List of tables and charts
viii
Part 1: Introduction
1
1. Rationale of the study
1
2. Aims of the study
2
3. Scope of the study
2
4. Methods of the study
2
5. Significance of the study
3
6. Design of the study
3

1.4.1. Learner styles and learner strategies
10

7
1.4.2. Materials
11
1.4.3. Pronunciation and spelling
12
1.4.4. Prototypes
12
1.4.5. Contextualization
13
1.4.6. Learner autonomy
13
1.5. Strategies to enhance students‟ vocabulary
14
1.5.1. Developing a variety of techniques for the teaching of meaning
14
1.5.2. Encouraging the development of effective strategies
14
1.5.3. Exposing learners to vocabulary through reading and training lexical
inferencing

14
1.5.4. Teaching the effective use of dictionaries
14
1.5.5. Evaluating the vocabulary component of course books
15
1.5.6. Teaching vocabulary explicitly through a range of activity types
15

3.1.3. Interview
30
3.2. Major findings
32
3.2.1. Lack of necessary GE knowledge
32

8
3.2.2. ESP vocabulary pronunciation and meanings
32
3.2.3. Inappropriate materials
32
3.2.4. Lack of effective strategies for learning ESP vocabulary
33
3.2.5. Difficulties in teaching ESP words
33
3.2.6. Lack of learner autonomy
33
3.3. Suggested solutions
34
3.3.1. Enhancing the necessary GE knowledge
34
3.3.2. Developing resources for ESP vocabulary teaching and learning
34
3.3.3. Encouraging the development of effective vocabulary learning strategies
35
3.3.4. Developing the effective ESP vocabulary teaching
36
3.3.5. Encouraging students to form their learning autonomy
36
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ESP:
English for Specific Purposes
EBE:
English for Business and Economics
ESS:
English for Social Science
EST:
English for Science and Technology
EAP:
English for Academic Purposes
EOP:
English for Occupational Purpose
GB:
Great Britain
GE:
General English
UK:
The United Kingdom
USA:
10
LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS
Chart 1: Time length of learning English before college entrance
Table 1: Results in learning basic English
Chart 2: Most difficult part of ESP vocabulary
Table 2: Obstacles with ESP vocabulary learning materials
Table 3: Problems with learning ESP vocabulary in the course books
Chart 3: Teachers‟ instructing the meanings of ESP vocabulary
Chart 4: Teachers‟ instructing the uses of ESP vocabulary
Chart 5: Students‟ ways to learn new ESP words
Table 4: Students‟ practising ESP vocabulary during the class time
Table 5: Ways of revising ESP vocabulary
Table 6: Realization of transcription
Table 7: Realization of stressed syllable positions
Table 8: Recognition of word meanings in contexts
Table 9: Uses of word when describing the subject contents
Table 10: Uses of ESP word 11
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the study
Words take an important part in our daily social and occupational communications.
With teaching and learning English, especially English for Specific Purposes, words
appear as the materials and products of these procedures. McCarthy has stated that “no

for the navigation students will be drawn out from the results of this study.
2. Aims of the study
On doing this minor research, we aim at finding out the difficulties which the second-
year students have in learning maritime English vocabulary and some possible causes of
these difficulties. Five suggested solutions will be provided to help second-year students
overcome these obstacles.
3. Scope of the study
There have been a number of investigations on the difficulties in learning English
vocabulary up to now. This assignment covers some of the navigation students‟ prevailing
obstacles in learning maritime English vocabulary. The participants are 122 second-year
navigation students and four other ESP teachers at Haiphong Poly-technical College. The
results of this study will be used as suggestions for better teaching and learning ESP
vocabulary at Navigation Faculty of the college.
4. Methods of the study
When carrying out this assignment, the author prepares a questionnaire, a test and an
interview to investigate the second-year navigation students‟ difficulties in learning
maritime English vocabulary and find out some possible causes of these difficulties.
The questionnaire consists of 10 questions, basing on the information in the literature
review part and the aims of the study. This questionnaire is prepared in Vietnamese for the
learners to read, think and answer suitably and adequately. After that it is delivered to
second-year navigation students, and the answers are collected and analyzed. The real
difficulties in learning maritime English vocabulary and some possible causes to these
difficulties will be found out.
A test paper with two exercises on maritime vocabulary is also designed for the
learners, who have fulfilled the questionnaire, to take. The results of this minor test will
help find out the students‟ actual difficulties in learning maritime English vocabulary.
Besides, an interview with four other teachers teaching English I for Navigation
Students to the second-year students is also conducted. Each teacher is given four
questions and their answers will contribute to consolidating our findings about the
students‟ difficulties in learning ESP words and suggesting some solutions to overcome

be included in this chapter.
Part 3 is the conclusion, which summarizes the study, states its limitations, and
suggests further investigation into the problem.
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PART 2: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter introduces some background information about English for Specific
Purposes, vocabulary, terminology, factors affecting learning vocabulary, and some
strategies to enhance students‟ vocabulary.
1.1. English for Specific Purposes
1.1.1. Definition of ESP
To understand the term ESP correctly, we will ponder on certain following
clarifications. The first one is that of Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 19). They define ESP
as „an approach to language teaching in which all decisions as to content and method are
based on the learners‟ reason for learning‟. This elucidation emphasizes that ESP should
pay suitable attention to the learners and their motions for studying it.
In an understandable way, Martin (1992: 16-23) has explained the E, S and P elements
of ESP. The „S‟ element is inclined to mean „specifiable‟. For the „E‟ of ESP, there is a
general field of „languages for specific purposes‟ (LSP). The „P‟ in ESP refers to the
learner‟s purpose, which was defined as „a combination of pre-determined or pre-selected
goal and ongoing intentionality and motivation‟. This definition of ESP shows us a simple
segregation of the three elements and explanation of each one. We can see that the
learner‟s purposes on learning specific English have been mentioned clearly.
Evans and St John (1998: 2-5) use „absolute‟ and „variable‟ characteristics to clarify
the term ESP. Their definition is as follows: „1. Absolute characteristics: ESP is designed
to meet specific needs of the learner; ESP makes use of the underlying methodology and
activities of the discipline it serves; ESP is centered on the language (grammar, lexis, and

Martin (1992: 39-41) suggests the varieties of ESP. He introduces five basic degrees of
specificity. These vary in the way that the learners‟ target objectives (skills, knowledge and
affect) are specifiable (whether by the teacher, the course sponsor or the learner).
- Type I: The targets are very specifiable, predictable or routine. Objectives are narrow
skills (content secondary) with specific and routine text-types encountered. For example,
an international hotel needs to train waiter or waitresses to serve in their restaurant.
- Type II: The targets are specifiable or predictable in terms of types. Objectives include
skills and some content. The text-types encountered can be identified as genres, routine
and non-routine. One example of this type is the English course not for specific company.
- Type III: The targets are half specifiable, half unpredictable. The objectives consist of
content and skills balanced. The text-types encountered contain a wide range of definable
types. An example of this type is the case in which the students of a polytechnic need to
cope with the English needed in the world of work after graduation.

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- Type IV: The targets are not primarily predictable, but with some important specifiable
elements. Objectives are content-focused and skills subordinate with a wide range of
variable and unpredictable text-types. For instance, the students need competency in all
skills, and at an advanced level, over a wide range of unpredictable content and text-types.
- Type V: There are very few specifiable or unpredictable targets. The objectives include
balanced content and skills with a wide range of definable text-types. Examples of this
type are general purpose courses for adults.
In the relation of five degrees to the traditional types of ESP, Martin (1992: 42-43)
specifies EOP objectives at Type I, II and II degrees and correlates EAP with type IV
specifiability.
Hutchinson and Waters (1987) see the division of ESP branches as results of learner‟s
purposes in learning English. This way of classification only points out the names and the
learning targets of ESP division. In a different way, Martin also mentions the target ESP
objectives, and he introduces the varieties of ESP with the use of such terms as „learner‟s
target objectives‟ and „specifiable‟. The first way of classifying ESP seems a traditional

Both of the ways to point out the roles of ESP teachers have their own importance.
They imply that the teachers should be aware of the students‟ needs, have basic knowledge
of the subject areas, and act as actual learners. In the author‟s point of view, ESP teachers
need to master somehow the specific knowledge of the major subject and fundamental
teaching knowledge so that they can help the learners better and more thoroughly.
Vocational students need to use simple but effective specific English in their working
conditions, therefore, the language skills are learnt in a combination with specific
knowledge for better communication.
1.2. Terminology
1.2.1. Definition of terminology
Terminology is defined as „the process of compiling, describing, processing and
presenting the terms of special subject fields in one or more languages‟. It is „not an end
itself, but addresses social needs and attempts to optimize communication among
specialists and professionals by providing assistance either directly or to translator or to
committees concerned with the standardization of a language‟. (Cabré, 1999: 10-12)
Terminology may be considered as a system of words or symbols to name a typical
phenomenon or phenomena in natural and social research fields in a scientific way. It also
includes necessary methods in language contents and study to reach sufficient and suitable
terms. Additively, there may be terms which are accepted and used by a large number of
individuals and terms which are admitted by a restricted group of persons. 18
1.2.2. Characteristics of terminology
Features of terminology have been mentioned in certain research works since the
appearance of this field. One of the theories in terminology concentrates on „assigning
terms to concepts‟. This research field is „primarily concerned with the relationship
between the real objects in the real world and the concepts represent them‟. (Cabré, 1999:
7-8) Terminology also cares about the „nature of things in the real world‟ and the
relationships formed in this world. (Cabré, 1999: 8) In addition, it is considered as „closely

Taking the learning and teaching ESP into account, words may be considered as what to
learn and to teach and also what to help the two procedures to happen smoothly. When
dealing with new ESP words, we should learn their meanings, pronunciation, spelling and
uses in real communication on board vessels.
1.3.2. Classification of words
There are a number of ways to divide words into their corresponding groups. We can
consider the following ways of classifying them.
Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 165-166) mention four types of vocabulary: structural
(because, we, just, those, etc.), general (cargo, vessel, anchor, seaman, habour, etc.), sub-
technical (boiler, derrick, pump, piston, etc.) and technical (starboard side, port side,
evacuation, gypsy, etc.).
Another categorization by McCarthy (1990) considers the terms core vocabulary and
procedural vocabulary. Core words may be „the most frequently occurring ones‟ in any
given lexical field. We use procedural vocabulary to state other words, to rephrase them
and explain them and to arrange them in communication. (1990: 49-52)
The first arrangement of words seems simpler and lists the ESP word types of technical
fields. The second one, on the other hand, uses two general concepts to segregate the
vocabulary in usage. For the goals of using the ESP vocabulary in real communication on
board vessels, we should divide the English words into sub-groups: one sub-group based
on the learners‟ needs, the other depending on the usefulness of the vocabulary items and
the last not of these two aspects. (Meara, 2002: 37)
1.3.3. Four strands in learning vocabulary
In his researches into vocabulary teaching and learning, Nation (2003: 133-134) has
broached four strands which applied for all aspects of language in general and for
vocabulary learning in particular. These strands have disclosed the relationship between
learning vocabulary with the four language skills, fluency and language features.
1.3.3.1. Learning from meaning-focused input
This strand includes learning vocabulary from listening and reading. The learners of
English should have known ninety-eight percent of the occurring words, and the rest will


and to raise their awareness about others they might develop‟. (Hedge, 2000: 19) There are
some types of learner strategy to consider such as cognitive, meta-cognitive,
communication and socio-affective strategies.

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Willing (1989: 9-10) thinks cognitive style as the „individuals‟ unique methods of
operation in the mental sphere.‟ These styles also correlate very highly with certain broad,
psychological and personality factors.
„Learning strategies may mean possession of specific study skills or techniques; a
general ability to take the initiative or simply, an enthusiasm for learning.‟ They can be
grouped into two parts. The first one is managing the learning processes, which includes a
number of activities „suggested to help learners become aware of the nature of language
and language-learning and of their own preferences, habits, strengths and weaknesses as
learners‟. The second part is managing information, which encourages „learners to take
more responsibility for planning and evaluating their own learn‟. (Willing, 1989: 1-5)
As a whole, learning styles refer to individual choice of cognition. A number of
elements such as culture, psychology and personality make influence on learning styles.
Selecting the suitable manner for a student requires his or her learning experience and
assessment. Thus, as teachers, we should suggest choosing the most appropriate learning
style for each learner as well as encouraging them to follow their right styles.
Learning strategies refer to techniques in mastering a language item or skills. The
former view point has listed four groups of learning strategy in a brief way. The latter
classifies these into two parts (managing the learning processes and managing information).
This classification seems a detailed and useful guidance for learners and teachers to
improve English language acquisition processes.
1.4.2. Materials
It appears as an agreement that materials affect the learning vocabulary in a supportive
way. Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 107-108) define some principles in the actual writing
of the materials as follows:
a. Materials provide a stimulus to learn. Good materials do not teach: they encourage

McCarthy, 1997: 143) In addition to this, „the degree of sound-script correspondence in a
word is a facilitating- or difficulty-inducing factor‟. (Schmitt and McCarthy, 1997:144) An
English written word may give no evidence for its similarity in pronouncing. Long words
are considered as more problematical ones than the short because of the quantity of input.
1.4.4. Prototypes
Hedge (2000: 123) introduces the prototypes as one of the culturally affected factors
influencing acquisition. These prototypes are defined as the foremost example of a
particular conceptual category, the one that springs most easily to mind when a learner
hears a word. For example, we may see or hear the word „vessel‟. If a general cargo vessel
is the kind of vessel the learner first thinks of, it is a prototype, and other vessels are non-
prototypes.

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McCarthy (1990: 45) states that „in any given field, some words will seem more salient,
will spring more immediately to mind, and will be perceive as classic example of that
field‟. He also says that „for a variety of reasons, some cultural, some personal it seems
shared widely across speech communities, certain entities are seen as more central
representatives of their class than others.‟
Both of the researchers may share the same ideas that prototypes refer to the first image
or notion of a word occurring in the learner‟s head when he or she hears or reads it.
Learners need to be provided with precise and typical pictures related to the vocabulary
items to form suitable prototypes.
1.4.5. Contextualization
Davies and Pearse (2000: 63) state that „an appropriate context helps learners begin to
understand the use of the item as well as its basic meaning. The item is associated with a
certain type of context or situation.‟
„If learners have to perform certain activities on unfamiliar words in texts, there is a
good chance of retaining the words. The activities comprise guessing meaning from
context and from word to word, verifying meaning by checking in a dictionary, and
analysis of the word form to recognize relationships between the new word and others

visual aids, using antonyms, or asking the learners to check the word meanings in a
dictionary.
1.5.2. Encouraging the development of effective strategies
During class hours, we ought to help students to form and expand their new strategies
in learning vocabulary as well as consolidate existing ones. For instance, learners may be
encouraged to copy new words in their notebooks or make a word network of vocabulary
related to a particular item.
1.5.3. Exposing learners to vocabulary through reading and training lexical inferencing
If the textbook misses a comprehensive approach, the teacher will need to help students
develop inferencing strategies, drawing attention to the available instruction and applying
it through careful and repeated work. „The more active the learner needs to be; the more
likely the word will be remembered‟. (Hedge, 2000: 130) The teacher will need to exploit
texts both for reading strategy development and for vocabulary acquisition.
1.5.4. Teaching the effective use of dictionaries
Dictionaries have become one of the important classroom and individual resources.
Teachers can advise students to make suitable use of dictionaries, especially technical ones.
If a good monolingual dictionary is stored as a class resource, the teacher can ask a student
to look up an unknown word.

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1.5.5. Evaluating the vocabulary component of course books
Contemporary course books vary a great deal to the extent that they represent a concern
with vocabulary learning. Teachers need to assess the vocabulary components of the book
and supplement it where necessary. The first step is to evaluate the book in terms of its
professional targets with relation to vocabulary or to check the claims in the teacher‟s book.
Then the teacher will need to evaluate the particular lexicon and methodology related to
the learners‟ needs.
1.5.6. Teaching vocabulary explicitly through a range of activity types
Teachers need to establish rules for their own classroom practice in this area.
Vocabulary is well-contextualized through listening or reading materials. We should use

since its foundation in 2001. ESP has become one of the main subjects in the major courses
of the training fields, one of which is maritime profession. Maritime English is one of the
two basic education backgrounds for seamen to pass their entrance interviews and to find
their jobs on board vessels.
English subject for the college level students is divided into two stages: basic English
(or general English) and major English. The first stage of basic English covers 120 class
periods for college level, which are divided into two 60-period terms. The second stage
depends on each major subject such as information technology, navigation, marine
engineering, accounting and enterprise administration. The students of navigation will
learn three terms of major English. The third term includes 90 periods of maritime English,
the fourth 60 and the fifth 45. During the second year‟s time, they will study the course
books English I for Navigation Students and English II for Navigation Students in
corresponding 90 period and 60 period stages.
Ten teachers in the Foreign Language Department of the college differ in their ages
(the teachers‟ ages range from 24 to 40) and ESP teaching experience. The teachers are
supposed to fulfill both GE and ESP classes during each school-year. ESP teaching plans
include classes for English on Navigation, Marine Engineering, Information Technology,
Electricity and Electronics, Accounting, Marine Administration and Shipbuilding
Technology. New teachers tend to be assigned to cover GE periods. After one or two
years‟ teaching experience, the department has some professional meetings and decides to
designate suitable teacher for each major.
2.2. Research question
In order to achieve the aims of the study, the following question will be answered in
this minor research:
What difficulties do the second-year navigation students have in learning maritime
English vocabulary?

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2.3. Subjects of the study
The 122 participants in this research come from ten classes of the navigation vocational


28
interpretation. The overall purpose of this test is to find out the actual problems in learning
ESP words.
2.4.3. Interview
As part of our research, we gave four questions to four English subject teachers. Our
purpose is to receive their own opinions about the difficulties in learning ESP words, some
possible causes of these difficulties and the suggested ways to overcome them. Interviews
are considered as „procedures used for gathering oral data in particular categories, but also
for gathering data that was not anticipated at the outset.‟ (Brown, 2001: 5) Individuals,
groups and telephone are the ways to conduct interview. Individual and telephone
interviews are chosen to gather data from the English subject teachers to gain their true
opinions.
2.5. Data collection procedure
The questionnaire was distributed to 122 learners during their class time. The students
were instructed to fulfill all the questions freely and trustfully. The test papers were also
delivered to them simultaneously for completion as part of the study. The statistics were
collected when the second-year students had gone through thirty periods of ESP, and they
have finished two modules of their course books as planned.
In addition, four other ESP teachers were invited to take part in the individual
interviews. Their answers were significant and essential sources, and their suggestions help
to draw out the solutions for the problems in learning ESP vocabulary at the college.
The answers to the questionnaire and the test were collected, synthesized, categorized,
described and interpreted to draw out relevant comments and conclusions. The information
was presented in percentage in the tables and chart. The data gained from the interview
was synthesized, summarized and grouped according to each question.
Based on the study context and conditions, three data collection instruments have been
selected so that the students‟ real problems of learning ESP vocabulary can be discovered.
The accuracy and reliable results obtained during the process of study required great care
and precautious analysis on the outcomes.

seen from the above bar graph that most navigation second-year students have learnt basic
English for seven years (about 59.8%). About 19.7% have learnt English for three years,
while 16.4% have done for more than seven years. A small number of learners (4.1%) have
never studied the language before. From the information given, it can be inferred that the
navigation students participated in this study differed in their starting points of learning
English before the college entrance.
3.1.1.3.2. Question 2: At what level was your result in Basic English I and II?
Table 1 demonstrates the results in learning basic English, based on the navigation
students‟ final marks and own assessments at the end of basic English I and II sub-terms.
As presented in this table, no answer goes to the very good level, while most responses
(61.5%) fall into average one. The number of students good at English subject only
accounts for nearly one fifth of the statistic results. About 23% of the survey participants
gained unsatisfactory outcomes. From the statistics given, it can be concluded that about
one quarter of navigation students have not met the requirements of basic English
knowledge to continue their ESP subjects.

Contents
Percentage
Very good
0%
Good
19%
Average
61.5%
Under average
23%

Table 1: Results in learning basic English

3.1.1.3.3. Question 3: What is the most difficult to you when you are learning ESP