iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ii
ABSTRACT
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATION
vi
LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES AND CHARTS
vii
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1
1. Rationale
1
2. Aims and objectives
2
3. Research methods
2
4. Scope of research
3
5. Significance of the study
3
6. Design of the study
3


v

1.2.3.1. The teaching situation
13
1.2.3.2. The learning situation
13
1.3. Summary
13
CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
14
2. 1. Methodology
14
2.1.1. Research questions
14
2.1.2. The participants
14
2.1.3. The instruments
14
2.1.3.1. Survey questionnaires
14
2.1.3.2. Class observation
15
2.1.3.3. Informal interview
16
2.2. Data analysis
17
2.3. Summary
18
CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

APPENDICES
I vi

LIST OF ABBREVIATION

School year : SY
Ss : Student(s)
Integrated approach : IA
Teaching and learning : T/L
Maritime College No. 1 : MC
Ministry of Education and Training : MOET
International Maritime Organization : IMO
English as a Foreign Language : EFL
English as a Second Language : ESL vii

LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES AND CHARTS

FIGURES

Figure1: Classification of integration (Meltem Huri, 2010)
6 TABLES
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
Globalization has not omitted maritime industry. Nowadays we can see
different nationalities on board. This cross-cultural labour mobility makes
many maritime English instructors aware that the quality of cadets in the global
seafarer‟s community needs a proper teaching pedagogy. Today‟s shipping
industry communicates through maritime English, the language of the sea.
Competent seafarers should also be proficient in understanding and using
maritime English, which is essential for the safety of life at sea, ship property,
pollution prevention, etc. Maritime English knowledge and skills can ensure
the effectiveness of communication between English speaking seafarers and
non-English speaking seafarers; and between seafarers and offshore personnel.
To a certain degree safety at sea depends on seafarers‟ communication in
maritime English. Proper command of maritime English is not only for the
essentials of seafarers but also for the appropriate operation of ship.
Taking into consideration the significance of the above, IMO
(International Maritime Organization) has officially adopted maritime English
as the language of maritime industry. But another important step is to ensure
that seafarers gain good maritime English communication skills. Most of the
maritime institutes realize that mastering communication skills is one of the
important components which ensure the safety at sea. To help seafarers to
achieve high quality performance, maritime English instructors should focus on
the particular terminology and communication skills that include listening,
speaking, reading, writing and try to find the most effective ways to teach the
language, trying to use or at least introduce some communicative techniques.
Lecturers in general play an essential part in achieving the goals of
teaching. In addition, the quality of maritime English teaching decides whether
the cadets will become competent seafarers to meet requirements of IMO

to provide guidance and suggestions in applying the method with the purpose
of teaching improvement.
3 3. Research methods
In this section, the author provided the description of the instruments for
collecting data that were used and also highlighted the strengths and weakness
of the research methods chosen.
The thesis is developed based on a survey research with three methods
including surveys questionnaire, class observation and informal interviews. A
Survey Questionnaire for teachers is used to collect data that relates to the
teachers‟ perspectives and attitudes towards the skills integration approach they
have applied. Class observation is a tool to check the answers of teachers in
reality. Informal interviews, on the other hand, ask broad questions, collects
data from participants and most importantly, to clarify information collected in
the survey questionnaire and observation. The next part is a detailed discussion
of the research methods used in the thesis. In short, the author‟s attempt is to
carry out a qualitative and quantitative research of the integrated skills
approach at Maritime College.
4. Scope of the study
As mentioned in the research‟s title, the research is aiming at an
investigation on the suitability of integrated-skills method at MC. Since then,
the author will study teaching and learning situation in the light of
communication language teaching with all English teachers at MC. Based on
theoretical background and actual observations, recommendations for teaching
renovation are given.
5. Significance of the study
Being one of two colleges in Vietnam specializing in Maritime industry,
MC has played a very important role in providing Maritime English lectures

Chapter 3: Findings and Discussions are reported.
PART III: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS presents a review of the
research and the recommendations for the improvement of the material with
selected suggestions for further research.

5 PART II: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
The process of the literature review involves the researcher in exploring
the literature to establish the status quo, formulate a problem or research
enquiry, define the value of pursuing the line of enquiry established, and
compared the findings and ideas with his or her own (Andresen 1997, adapted
from Bruce 1994). That is why, as stated in the title of the thesis, the
assumption has been made that the primary parts of the literature will be
involved in the definitions and types of integrated approach and the review of
literature concerning advantages and disadvantages of the method. The second
and most important part which provides the background of teachers and
students is the statements of problems. It embedded the current situation of
language teaching and learning at Maritime College. This assumption has
influenced both the structure and the content of the literature review.
1.1. Integrated teaching approach
1.1.1. Definitions
The philosophy of integrated skills approach is based on the concept that
in natural, day-to-day experience, oral and written languages are not kept
separate and isolated from one another. Instead, they often occur together,
integrated in specific communication events (Peregoy & Boyle, 2001).
Cunningsworth states that “In the actual language use, one skill is rarely
used in isolation Numerous communicative situations in real life involve

Most of the course books apply this type of integration. There is no
topical/thematic unity among the skills activities, but they reinforce the same
grammatical item. Therefore, one/a unit of the course book is completely Integration of 3 areas Integration of skills

centred on items such as tenses, articles, adverbial forms and so on with its
skills activities.
This type of integrated unit in a book can be confused with a wholly
grammar-based unit. The difference between a wholly grammatical unit and a
grammatically integrated unit is that while the former one ignores the
communicative value of language, the second one recognizes it by using
different skills communicatively, focusing on a grammatical item. That is, the
course book is still communicative with its follow-up activities although it
gives importance to grammar a great deal.
Skills activities might be presented in different topics and settings but
focusing on only one grammatical item and without logical links among them.
There are no logical links among them because if there were, it means that
there would also be a topical/thematic integration taking place.
Functional Integration
It focuses on gathering and using skills in an organization around one
social functions of language. Therefore, it is concerned with elements such as
invitations, 24 apologies, suggestions, refuses and so forth. It helps the student
to recognize that he has a real purpose for speaking. A functional element or
expression is given in all skills activities but there is not topical or thematic
unity among the skills. Sometimes both can operate or sometimes, the same
grammatical item is presented besides the same functional element in skills
activities.
Thematic/Topical Integration
In this type of integration, skills are practiced in conjunction with each
other around a topic in the way they are integrated in real life. If there is a
context, and skills activities are not isolated from this context, there thought to
be a topical unity among activities. They follow each other meaningfully; there
seems to be a storytaking place with logical connections. Whenever the writers
have examined the course books for the integration of skills, this is the only
8

integration of skills, the notion of “smoothness” should be provided. That is,
activities should be chosen so correctly that the transition between activities
9 should be smooth. This approach is consistent with the communicative
language teaching and whole language as both emphasize meaningful and
authentic language use and link oral and written language development.
Sanchez (2000) emphasizes that practicing receptive and productive skills in
isolation in the past have made the transition from „in-classroom‟ to „out of
classroom‟ practices „artificial‟. In the language learning process, listening,
speaking, reading, and writing should be treated as integrated, interdependent,
and inseparable elements of language. No language process should be separated
from the whole teaching task.
To summarize, using an integrated skills approach enables students to
develop their ability in the use of two or more of the four skills within real
context and in a communicative framework. According to Finocchiaro (1973) a
good teacher recognizes the importance of integrating discrete language skills
in the communicative situations, which simulate or duplicate the real life
situations in which students will need to use the foreign language.
1.2.4. An integrated approach to teaching reading
Reading, in comparison with the other three skills, namely speaking,
writing or listening, is not attractive. Learners are often not in the good mood
for reading all of the time. King (1968) summarizes some of the problems that
reading teachers encounter as follows: students are becoming more and more
dependent on the teacher while dealing with fewer and fewer activities in the
classroom; another problem is that teachers are doing most of the work for their
students, as a result of which students‟ language skills and linguistic
competence can not satisfactorily. Consequently, students are bored and lose
interest in reading texts, which are solely followed by comprehension

4. If something is taken in through more than one channel, it is more likely to
be learned well. Practices in these skills can be mutually reinforcing; that is, the
channels can reinforce each other.
5. Students even of the same age, sex and cultural background are often not
interested in the same thing (1981, p. 93). Similarly, their interests over the
skills activities may have differences.
The facts stated above require the use of skills together. Harmer (1983)
has pointed out that one of the teacher‟s responsibilities is that the students
11 should practise all the skills. He finds separating skills ridiculous and he adds
that “Someone who listens to a lecture may take notes and then write a report
of the lecture. The same person might also describe the lecture to his friends or
colleagues and follow it up by reading an article that the lecturer suggested.”
(1983, p. 47)
Byrne (1990) confirms this with an example. For instance, one sees an
ad in the newspaper (for a job, holiday or device); talks about it to someone
else or rings him up or writes a letter or chats on the computer. These kinds of
activities could follow and provide a natural setting for language
teaching/learning.
1.2.5. The disadvantages of integrated approach
While generally agreeing with the general concept of integrating
language skills teaching method, many of the beginning language teachers
voice concern throughout the integration is a challenge for them. It is claimed
that the skills integration approach is high demanding for teachers in terms of
language proficiency, pedagogical experience, technical terminology, the time
constraints inhibiting the repetition of the experience in various classes, and the
problems of determination of priorities of different language skills. Teachers
are always assigned to teach many kinds of classes with different level of

Canada more than ten years ago. The teachers are classified as three groups
basing on their teaching experience. The first group of seven teachers have
over ten years of teaching experience. The second group are five teachers who
have from five to ten years of teaching experience, the remaining are those who
have up to five years of teaching experience.
1.3.2. Students' background
Maritime College No. 1 is located in the centre of Hai Phong city. It is
near Chua Ve port and not far from the Port of Hai Phong. The school is
established in the 1980s and has trained many generations of labour forces
majoring in Maritime profession. English is considered as language of the sea
so although it is not a major at the school, it is one of the most important
subjects for students.
13 Maritime College No. 1 accepts students through out the country but
students mainly from cities and towns alongside the coastlines of Vietnam.
These students are from rural areas where they have little chance to study
English. Only 10% of the students have good background knowledge of
English as they come from the urban areas in big cities such as Hai Phong,
Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Thai Binh, Hai Duong provinces, etc.
Students are selected through an entrance examination for college level.
As for other levels such as secondary and vocational students, these procedures
are determined via documents assessments. There are only about three hundred
students accepted to study at college level. About 1,200 students are learning at
secondary and vocational courses. The requirements for these students are the
completion of twelve years of primary and secondary education. At high school
they were not taught English in accordance with the national standard.
As most of them come from rural areas, where English is paid less
attention, it is a difficult subject that get them a great deal of effort. At

Engine Department, Navigation Department, and Electro-Mechanical
Department. Besides, there are some classes belonging to Accounting
Department and Informatics Technology Department. All of the students here
have to learn English for at least three semesters during their course.
1.4. Summary
Chapter one has presented the definition, roles of integration of four
skills teaching method as well as the advantages and disadvantages that need to
be taken to be account. In addition, the detail introduction of current settings of
teachers and students at Maritime College are provided as background for the
developments of the thesis.
CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.1. Methodology
This Chapter describes how to collect information using a set of tools
including survey questionnaire, class observation, and informal interviews.
2.1.1. Research questions
To fulfil the aims mentioned above, the research addresses the following
questions:
15 What are the advantages and disadvantages of using integrated approach
at Maritime College No.1, Hai Phong?
In other words, this study focuses on the evaluation of feasibility of
integrated teaching method at MC based on discussing its advantages and
disadvantages among all English teachers and then relevant solutions and
recommendations of applying this method will be given to demanding both
teaching and learning settings at MC.
2.1.2. The participants
The study investigates the feasibility of applying integrated approach of
twenty three (23) teachers in Maritime College No. 1, Haiphong. They are both

serving for the improvement of the current learning and teaching situation. The
questionnaires were given to the population of 23 teachers who have taught or
have been teaching English at Maritime College.
2. 1.3.2. Classroom observation
Systematic classroom observation is a quantitative method of measuring
classroom behaviors from direct observations that specify both the events and
behaviors that are to be observed and how they are to be recorded. Generally,
the data that is collected from this procedure focuses on the frequency with
which specific behaviors or types of behavior occurred in the classroom and
measure their duration. There are several elements that are common to most
observational systems.
 a purpose for the observation
 operational definitions of all the observed behaviors
 training procedures for observers
 a specific observational focus
 a setting
 a unit of time
 an observation schedule
 a method to record the data
 a method to process and analyze data
(Stallings and Mohlman, pp. 469–471)
17 Prior to the use of systematic observational methods, research on
effective teaching typically consisted of subjective data based on personal and
anecdotal accounts of effective teaching. In order to develop a scientific basis
for teaching, researchers began to use the more objective and reliable measures
of systematic classroom observation.
Class observation is specifically to closely understand what the teachers

compliment the other main methods employed in this research. The informal
interviews with the teacher informants and the student sample were conducted
after the survey information had been obtained to clarify information from the
surveys. The results of the interviews were noted; any variance thus can be
revealed and adjusted with other methods.
Within this research, interviewing teachers is to get better perceptions
and attitudes towards integrated approach at the Maritime College. It is a
structured, unstructured and semi-structured interview. It is also a tool in help
the researcher to understand more what the teachers have done and answered in
the Questionnaire and Class observation.
2.2. Data analysis
In order to collect the required data, the researcher decided to employ a
combination of three data collection instruments: teacher surveys, class
observation and informal interviews with the aim of getting the fullest
evaluation of the integration method from the teachers. The research is
expected to achieve the main following contents:
+ Teachers‟ perceptions of feasibility of Integration of skills to Reading at
Maritime College;
+ Advantages of Integrated Approach;
+ Disadvantages of Integrated Approach;
+ Feasibility of Integrated Approach, Recommendations and suggestions.
The data are then analyzed both descriptively and interpretively. The
quantitative data are presented in the form of charts while qualitative data from
open ended questionnaire items and interview are presented by quoting relevant
responses from respondents.
19 2.4. Summary
A discussion of data collection instruments have been conducted in this

Chart 1: Teachers’ current language teaching approaches at MC

Chart 2: Appropriateness of the integrated Approaches
According to the Figure, 80% of teachers agreed that integrated
approach is appropriate to apply at Maritime College No. 1 in current situation.
Only 20% of the teachers disagreed that this approach was inappropriate to use
in teaching at present. Majority of teachers thought that English language
80%
20%
Appropriate
Inappropriate
Grammar-
translation
Audio-lingual
Method
Communicative
Language
Teaching
Integration of
Teaching
Methods
(Eclectic
Method)
0%
10%
20%
30%