ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to acknowledge the assistance I received from a number of people in the
course of carrying out the research paper. I highly treasure the important role they played in
making the completion of this thesis a success.
First of all, I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Mr Nguyen Van Vinh for
painstakingly reading through my work from the beginning to the end and for his constants
advice and invaluable comments and suggestions. Without his continuous support I may not
have come this far.
Secondly, I want to express my thanks to the teachers of English at COFI at CMCC
who supplied me with basic and useful knowledge about how I could structure a research
project and what I should write in each chapter.
Thirdly, I wish to extend my special thanks to the students from B English class at COFI in
CMCC for their help and cooperation during my research at their class.
Last but not least, I owe my sincere thanks to my parents who have always inspired and
encouraged me to complete this study.
i
ABSTRACT
In Vietnam, English is one of the foreign languages that are compulsory from primary
school to university. However, teaching English to ethnic minority students has long been a
controversial issue. This research investigates the difficulties in English speaking skill
encountered by learners at COFI in CMCC with the hope to find out some suggested
solutions to the problems. The thesis is divided into 5 chapters: chapter 1 presents the
rationale, purpose, methods, research and significance of the study. Chapter 2 presents the
theoretical background of speaking, teaching and learning, and communicative language
teaching approach; Chapter 3 describes the methodology of the thesis. Specifically, the data
for this research was collected in the forms of survey questionnaires and. The participants of
the survey questionnaires were 4 teachers and 30 students. After the results of the survey
questionnaires had been clarified, Chapter 4 analyses and discusses the results from the
survey questionnaires. A lot of difficulties when teaching English speaking skill to learners
such as lack of time in using the new textbook, the poor teaching and learning conditions,
students' limited triangular language environment, low level of background knowledge, low

Table 4: Teachers attitudes towards English the materials teaching and learning at COFI in
CMCC 22
Table 5: Students's for reasons learning English 23
Table 6: Teachers methods in teaching English 24
Table 7: Some solutions to improve speaking skill of teachers 25
iv
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background to the study
In a short period of time English displaced other languages and became the leading
means of communication worldwide. Its domination continues to extend. The modern world
of media, mass communication, and Internet demands a good knowledge of English,
especially of spoken English. Every person wishing to get the benefits of modern education,
research, science, trade, etc., knows that it is impossible without a working knowledge of the
English language and good communication skills. A person without oral communication
skills will suffer in this era of competition and may find it difficult to achieve a higher
position. So, Center Foreign Language and Informatics at Ca Mau Community Colleges have
decided to establish, as the main purpose of English certificate level A, B, C the development
of the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Speaking is considered to be one
of the four macro skills necessary for effective communication in any language according to
most research, particularly when speakers are not using their mother tongue. But if you've
been learning for a while and don't find yourself really speaking with ease .Therefore, it is
reason why I choose the topic:
The difficulties and some solutions to improve speaking skill of B English students in
Foreign Language and Informatics center at CMCC
1.2. Statement of purpose
The aim of this article is to define the strengths and weaknesses of speaking skills of
today's students and to demonstrate the possibilities of enhancement of the speaking skills of
students learning English at Center for Foreign languages and Informatics in CMCC.
Base on the results of the current situation, I will give some solutions to improve
speaking skill for B English students in Foreign Language and Informatics Center at CMCC

conversation called dialogue and monologue.
Brown and Yule (1983) point out the ability to give uninterrupted oral presentation
(monologue) is rather different from interacting with one or more other speakers for
transactional and international purposes. It is much more difficult to extemporize on a given
subject to a group of listeners. That explains why speaking skill generally has to be learnt and
practiced carefully before giving a presentation.
A comprehensive discussion of the nature of speaking is provided by Bygate (1987),
who shows that in order to be able to speak a foreign language, it is obviously necessary to
have micro-linguistic skills, that is, to understand some grammar, vocabulary and the rules
governing how words are put together to form sentences. However, these motor-perceptive
3
skills, as Bygate calls them, are not sufficient since while producing sentences, we often have
to adapt them to the circumstances. He then presents the second set of speaking skills: the
interaction skills, which involve using knowledge and basic motor-perception skills in
deciding what to say and how to say it, while maintaining the intended relation with others.
2.2. Characteristics of speaking
Speaking has the following characteristics:
Firstly, its form and meaning are dependent on the context in which it occurs, including
the participants themselves, their collective experiences, the physical environment, and the
purposes for speaking. It is often spontaneous, open-ended, and evolving. However, speech is
not always unpredictable. Language functions (or patterns) that tend to recur in certain
discourse situations can be identified and charted.
Secondly, speaking requires that learners not only know how to produce specific points
of language such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary (linguistic competence), but also
that they understand when, why, and in what ways to produce language (sociolinguistic
competence).
Thirdly, speech has its own skills, structures, and conventions different from written
language. A good speaker synthesizes this array of skills and knowledge to succeed in a
given speech act.
Lastly, Bygate (1987) considers speaking as an undervalued skill in many ways. The

2.3.3. Methods of teaching and learning
The tradition of our teaching to bring the trend spreading information one way:
teachers, students take notes. Students often depend heavily on teachers: class, wanting to
say, recorded teachings that, on memorizing. Percentage of students learning attitude,
considering his discourses is only part of knowledge required, just the direction, very little.
This ingrained habit makes teachers often promote all of their ability to dominate classroom
time, students are also drawn back a modest way. Such learning can only be acceptable to
many theoretical courses, but learning a foreign language is a purely practical procedures and
practices to the clever, turning what he understood was what he used advantage.
5
Students, our students do not understand most of the English learning method how to
effectively, how to increase your vocabulary, how to listen understand who he said , using
the word what classic , listening with a few steps tapes this shows the learner should be
specified not only the road but also going further to match with the current trend of
integration.
2.4. Overview of previous studies
In this chapter, I will present some past researches in the same fields. There were many
opinions on English teaching and learning, such as:
In Viet Nam, like in many other countries, the problem of speaking skills is crucial. A
number of researchers investigated this field and came to the conclusion about students' low
level of speaking ability and their inability to speak confidently and fluently. One among the
many reasons to take into consideration might be the lack of confidence and anxiety about
making errors as stated by Trent (2009) and in other related studies. Most college students
are not confident in their ability to learn to speak; teachers must overcome their reluctance in
order to change this situation.
Zaremba and Zhang hypothesize that, of the four macro English skills, speaking seems
to be the most important skill required for communication (Zaremba, 2006). Students who
study English as a foreign language usually have limited opportunities to speak English
outside the classroom (Zhang, 2009) and also limited exposure to English speakers or
members of the international community. This might be one reason for teachers to provide

students in COFI at CMCC
3.5. Purpose
The study is conducted to investigate the current reality of the teaching of speaking skill
to non-English major students at TNU-CT on the basis of finding out relevant difficulties
experienced by the teachers of English and some recommendations including coping
strategies and classroom techniques and activities for them to minimize those difficulties.
Specifically, this research tries to explore the potential sources causing the difficulties in
teaching the skill of speaking and simultaneously identify the specific problems of those
sources respectively. Furthermore, some recommendations are made with the anticipation of
helping English Language teachers improve the quality of their teaching the speaking skill.
8
3.6. Method
In order to achieve the aims mentioned above, the researcher collects information from
the teachers of English who have been teaching English at COFI in CMCC. Firstly,
questionnaires are delivered to the teachers so that more information on the reality and
problems they face and solutions implemented can be collected. Then, questionnaires are also
given to the students to investigate their problems in learning speaking skills. The
information from questionnaires can help to draw a general picture about the reality of
teaching and learning speaking skills at COFI in CMCC and suggest some solutions for this
situation.
9
CHAPTER 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1. Overview about the COFI
Center of Foreign language and Information was established in 1998 with the first name
is Foreign language and Informatics Office of Center for Continuing Education (now is the
COFI of CMCC). It has the function of training about English and Information technology in
order to meet the requirement of local people, contribute to development of Ca Mau.
For the first time in operation, the COFI faced many difficulties and challenges. From
the stage of promotion, opening enrollment classes to the lack of faculty forces, quality and
professional work experience is limited. Especially, infrastructure and equipment to support

Question 4 are about the students reasons for learning and question 7 are methods of
teachers for teaching English in COFI
The questions 8 in the teachers survey questions about some solutions to improve
speaking skill for students
11
Table 1: Difficulties of students about learning speaking skill
12
Question Answer N of Ss %
1. What is often your
encounter difficulties
A. You aren't interested. 5 16
B. Large classes and no equivalent 3 10
C. Ability to speak English well you
have not
5 17
D. You lazy 10 35
E. Inappropriate curricula 2 7
F. You don't enough time to clearn. 4 15
13
Question Answer N of Ts %
5. What are your
difficulties in
teaching speaking
skills ?
A. Students low motivation 2 12
B. Students low level of English
proficiency.
3 45
C. Time limitation. 0 0
D. Students laziness. 2 16

projectors etc. To
cater for teaching
speaking English?
A. Yes 30 100
B. No 0 0
C. Only a few teaching facilities 0 0
3. What is your

views on learning
to speak English in
class?
A. Very important 14 46
B. Important 15 49
C. Little important 1 5
D. Not important 0
Table 3: Students attitudes towards English and facilities teaching and learning at COFI in
CMCC.
There are many reasons why the students at COFI do not willingly spend much time on
speaking skills in classes but one of those reasons comes from the present facilities used in
class. According to the data in the table above, we can conclude the students of COFI have a
negative opinion about the teaching and learning sources. Moreover, nearly 100% of them
say that the English Department offers only radios but not other modern equipment like
computers, projectors, T.V, video recorder, etc to make the speaking activities in class more
exciting
Surprisingly, the statistical results from question 3 above revealed that students in
general attached to speaking a considerable importance, that is, up to 45. 8% and 49.2% of
the students stated that speaking skill is a very important and rather important skill
respectively whereas only 5% of them supposed speaking skill is little important. Such a high
rating of speaking with students may stem from the reason which may be connected with the
demands of today’s society where the ability to speak at least one foreign language means a

D. Easy and boring. 3 47
the other hand, 20% teachers state that the current materials difficult but interesting. 13% of
the teachers consider these materials are interesting and stimulating because they can
discover new and useful things after each lesson so that they can widen their knowledge. The
teachers (47%) have the same opinion that their materials are easy and boring. From the fact
above, we can conclude both the teachers and the students of COFI have a negative opinion
about the teaching and learning sources.
Question Options
No of
students
(%)
6. Why
do you
learn
English?
(Tick
more
than one
option)
A. Obligatory subject in university curriculum 21 72.5
B. Interested in English or enjoy learning English 7 23.3
C. Extend future opportunities, i.e. jobs, promotion etc. 27 85
D. For the purpose of entertainment such as listening to
music, playing games, reading books, magazines,
newspapers…in English
8 24.2
E Widen your knowledge about countries in the world
(i.e. to learn about the language and culture of English -
speaking countries)
9 25

19
Table 6: Teachers methods in teaching English
The statistics from Table 1 clearly shows that all the teachers of English at COFI preferred
applying Grammar-Translation method in their teaching to applying CLT approach (60%) or
others. But the teachers was rarely applied in teaching English in general and teaching
speaking in particular (100%). In consistent with the statistical results above, the student
claimed that the teacher mainly focused on explaining and giving the forms of grammar
structures and providing the meaning of vocabulary, or in other words, the goal of teaching
was set on grammar accuracy, speaking fluency was neglected. As a result of traditional
methods, teachers occupied more class-time than students; hence, the students were not given
significant time and encouragement to develop their self-confidence and their speaking
ability.
20
Questions Options
No of
Ts
(%)
7. What teaching
methods are
currently applied in
your teaching
speaking?
CLT 3 60
Audio-lingual method 1 15
Grammar-Translation method 5 100
Direct method 2 45
Others 0 0
21
Question Answer N of Ts %
A. Ask students to learn by heart all