Construction engineering students' evaluation of the esp programme at vinh university

criteria: price, quantities, availability. 1.2.4.2. Criteria defined by Sheldon (1988) Sheldon (1988) (cited in Hedge, 2000: 367-371) presents the list of evaluation criteria including: rationale, availability, user definition, layout/graphics, accessibility, linkage, selection/grading, physical characteristics, appropriacy, authenticity, sufficiency, cultural bias, education validity, stimulus/practice revision, flexibility, guidance, and overall value for money. 1.2.4.3. Criteria defined by Ur (1996) Ur (1996: 184) lists as examples of general criteria and specific criteria: general criteria (i.e. clear layout and print, provides periodic review or test sections) and specific criteria (i.e. attractive and colourful illustrations (which may be particularly relevant for younger learners), vocabulary and texts relevant to topic (if the materials are intended for students of science and technology)). 1.2.4.4. Criteria defined by Tomlinson (1999) Tomlinson (1999, cited in McGrath, 2002: 32) takes the definition of criteria a step further, suggesting four categories of specific criteria: (1) Media-specific criteria (i.e. those which related to the particular medium used. In reference to audio-recorded material, for instance, one might consider the audibility of the recording; (2) Content-specific criteria (i.e. those which related to the nature of the material, such as the choice of topics, situations or language in a business English book or the texts included and skills covered in a book focusing on the development of reading skills; (3) Age-specific criteria (i.e. the suitability of the material (e.g. visuals, cognitive challenge) for the age-group for which it is intended); (4) Local criteria (i.e. the appropriateness of the material for the particular environment in which it is to be used). 1.2.4.5. Criteria defined by McGrath (2002) McGrath (2002: 32-33) discusses criteria for evaluation to be “from general to specific”. In his view, one way of thinking about general criteria is as headings or ways of summarizing sets of more specific criteria and the specific criteria can only be determined on the basis of individual circumstances. He sets out a possible basic set of such criteria which consists of: Practical considerations (all components available; affordable; multi-level); Support for teaching and learning (additional components (teacher’s book, tests, cassettes), suitable or self-study); Context-relevance (suitable for course (length of course, aims of course, syllabus, exam), suitable for learners (age, level, cultural background), suitable for teacher, required resources available, evidence of suitability); Likely appeal to learners (layout, visuals, topics, suitable over medium term). In short, studying criteria is very important when an evaluation is carried out. One essential issue is that a wide variety of relevant and appropriate criteria for the evaluation of the ESP programme should be established and applied to evaluate the suitability of the programme to the learners’ needs and abilities. 1.2.5. Central questions in programme evaluation design Nunan (1992: 196) makes a list of questions which needs to deal with some practical issues in programme evaluation as follows: • What is the purpose of the evaluation? • Who is the audience for the evaluation? • What principles of procedure should guide the evaluation? • What tools, techniques, and instruments are appropriate? • Who should carry out the evaluation? • When should it be carried out? • What is the time frame and budget for the evaluation? • How should the evaluation be reported? It is useful to studying Nunan ‘s (1992) central questions in programme evaluation design before evaluating so that all factors that need evaluating will be covered. 1.3. LEARNER-CENTEREDNESS IN ESP 1.3.1. Learner-centered approach Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 19) state ESP as “an approach”, not as “a product” to stress the commonality of the language and learning in which the learners are centered. The learner-centered approach is based on the principle that learning is totally determined by the learner. Learning is seen as a process in which the learners use what knowledge or skills they have in order to make sense of the flow of new information. Learning, therefore, is an internal process, which is crucially dependent upon the knowledge the learners already have and their ability and motivation to use it. Learning should be seen in the context in which it takes place. Learning is not just metal process; it is a process of negotiation between individuals and society. Society sets a target (in the case of ESP, performance in the target situation) and the individuals must do their best to get as close to that target as is possible (or reject it). The learners will certainly determine their own route to the target and the speed at which they travel the route, but that does not make the target unimportant. The target still has a determining influence on the possible routes. Hutchinson and Waters (1987:19) emphasize that ESP is understood properly as an approach to language learning, which based on learner need. Historically, approaches to course design were developed from language-centeredness to skill-centeredness and then to learner-centeredness. Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 72-76) make a comparison about the approaches to course design to show the embracing feature of the learner-centered approach: A language-centered approach only determines the ESP course as the nature of the target situation performance; A skill-centered approach determines the ESP course as the nature of the target situation performance and looking behind the target performance data to discover what processes enable someone to perform; A learner- centered approach determines the ESP course as the nature of the target situation performance, looking behind the target performance data to discover what processes enable someone to perform, and looking beyond the competence that enables someone to perform, because what we really want to discover is not the competence itself, but how someone acquires that competence. 1.3.2. Learner-centered courses The learner-centered courses are different from other courses. These courses pay greater attention to the process of learning and they allow for learners’ preference on what should be taught. Brumfit (1984: 7) states that an ESP course is a direct factor concerning with purposes of the learners: “First, it is clear that an ESP course is directly concerned with the purpose for which learners need English, purposes for which are usually expressed in functional terms. ESP fits firmly within the general movement towards ‘communicative’ teaching of the last decade or so”. Any learner learns for his or her own purposes. He or she wants to learn what he or she needs. That appears more clearly in ESP learning. The ESP learners aim to learn about their specific fields. Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 16) distinguish ESP courses by the general nature of the learners’ specialism and they divide ESP into three large categories basing on the learners’ specialism: EST (English for Science and Technology), EBE (English for Business and Economics) and ESS (English for the Social Sciences). Nunan (1988) develops the learner-centered courses within an adult ESP context basing on the principles of learner-centeredness. He assumes that “in most learning context, it is impossible to teach learners everything they need to know in classes. Little class time therefore must be used effectively to teach those aspects of the language which the learners consider to be ‘mostly urgently required’” (Nunan, 1988: 3). Schleppegrell (1994: 233)’ opinion about the learners in an ESP course is to bring to class a reason for learning English and a real life context for its use; the learners should have knowledge of the specific vocation the course is addressing and well-developed learning strategies. In summary, chapter I has presented an overview of ESP and evaluation. The purposes for evaluation, criteria for evaluation central questions in programme evaluation design and the learner-centered in ESP imply that those are issues to carry out a programme evaluation in which the learners are centered. CHAPTER 2: AN OVERVIEW OF ENGLISH FOR CONSTRUCTION AT VINH UNIVERSITY Chapter 2 provides background information about English for Construction at Vinh University, including in the teaching and learning situation, a description of current ESP programme for Construction and the learners at Vinh University. 2.1. THE TEACHING AND LEARNING SITUATION OF ENGLISH FOR CONSTRUCTION AT VINH UNIVERSITY Russian was the dominant for foreign languages taught at Vinh University (previously called Vinh Pedagogical College) for a long time. After the collapse of the Soviet block, little attention was paid to the teaching and learning of Russian. Therefore, English has become most popular foreign language taught in Vietnam in general and at Vinh University in particular. According to the curriculum designed by the Ministry of Education and Training, English is a compulsory subject. At first, General English gained much more attention than English for Specific Purposes. In 2000, Vinh Pedagogical College was renamed as Vinh University and, since then English for Specific Purposes gained an increasing importance in the teaching and learning English. However, General English was taught in the first three courses and then ESP was taught in the fourth one. The teachers used the ESP materials of universities in Hanoi for the teaching in the fourth course. In recent years, with the requirement of the improvements in education in general and with the learners’ needs in particular, the teaching staff of Foreign Languages Department at Vinh University collected documents and designed the current ESP programme for Construction which was first taught for K.46 Construction Engineering students at Vinh University. 2.2. A DESCRIPTION OF CURRENT ESP PROGRAMME FOR CONSTRUCTION AT VINH UNIVERSITY The teaching staff of Foreign Languages Department at Vinh University collected to design the ESP programme for Construction. The ESP materials which were used for designing the programme are: English for Science and Technology – Architecture and Building Construction by James Cumming; English for Architecture and Construction compiled by Vi Thị Quốc Khánh, Nguyễn Thuý Vân, Nguyễn Thị Thu Hải and Trần Tuyết Lan; Tiếng Anh trong Xây Dựng và Kiến Trúc compiled by Võ Như Cầu. Many English texts for Construction are chosen from those materials to create the ESP programme at Vinh University. The ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University consists of 4 courses and it is described as follows: - Time allocation: + Course 1: The time allocated for English course 1 is 75 periods and the time for ESP is the time for reading because the reading texts from units 4-6 in the textbook Headway-Elementary by Liz and John Soars are replaced by some passages/ conversations relating to Architect and Construction. + Course 2: The time allocated for English course 2 is 75 periods and the time for ESP is the time for reading because the reading texts from units 7-12 in the textbook Headway-Elementary by Liz and John Soars are replaced by some texts / dialogues relating to Construction. + Course 3: The time allocated for English course 3 is 75 periods. At first, the time for ESP is the time for reading because the reading texts from units 13-15 in the textbook Headway-Elementary by Liz and John Soars are replaced by the ESP reading texts. Then the time is only for ESP because six other ESP reading texts are chosen to teach for the rest of the course. + Course 4 (only for ESP): The time allocated for the course 4 is 45 periods. There are 7 units in this course and each unit lasts 6 periods. 3 periods left is used for a mid-term test and revision. - Contents: The contents of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University is described in the following table: Table 2: The description of the contents of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University Course 1 Course 2 Course 3 Course 4 Topics The plans of single-storey house and two-storey house Description of a Building, Properties, The Layout of Frames, Steel Beams, Types of Construction and Building Materials, Foundation Concrete, External Walls, Stability of Concrete Block Walls, The Structural Elements of a Building, Columns and other Compression Members, Frames, Arches, Roofs, Slabs and Floors Aggregates, Reinforcing Steels, Precast Units, Drilling, The Driving of Piles, Placing Concrete, Settlement of Foundations Length of the ESP reading texts about 60 - over 100 words about over 160 - 450 words about 140 - 200 words (for 3 ESP reading texts); about 375 - 450 words (for 6 ESP texts later) about 350 - 430 words Grammar Present Simple (active and passive), Prepositions of position, There is/are The Passive (present simple, can), Relative Pronoun “which”, have to / must Transitive verbs and Intransitive verbs, Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous, Modals: must, should, should be, may/might, can/could, Conditional Sentences, Present Participle and Past Participle Compound Nouns, Relative Clauses, Passives, Infinitives, Future Tenses Types of exercises matching, conversations, true(T)/false (F) answering questions, true(T)/ false(F), gap-filling true(T)/false(F), answering questions, verb tenses, translation answering questions, gap-filling, verb tenses, translation 2.3. THE LEARNERS The K46 Construction Engineering students of Technology Department - Vinh University are aged from 20 to 27. Most of them are at the ages 22, 23 and 24. They have been learning English for the time period of 2 to 12 years. Those factors seem to be their advantages in learning English. However, those students have some disadvantages in learning English. Two main disadvantages are described as follows: - The first disadvantage is about the students’ language background. They come from different parts of the country. Some of them come from the rural areas; the others come from cities and towns. The students who come from cities have learned English a lot at schools before going to university, whereas the others have learned only little even there some students have never learned English before entering Vinh University. This mixture has caused certain problems to teaching and learning because some students find classroom activities relaxing while the others find those activities too hard in the same class. The common observation is the students who know English a lot are active and the students who know little are shy or passive during the class time. It is a challenge for the teachers in such a mixed class because the teachers cannot satisfy all students’ needs. - The second disadvantage is about the students’ typical learning styles. They usually depend on the teachers. The students prefer written work. The dominant method of teaching is the transmission model in which the teachers say or read or write and the students copy. Another learning style is that the students are not in the habit of using dictionaries. They prefer everything being translated. Above advantages and disadvantages make the teachers find out his or her own methods and techniques in teaching English in general, and ESP in particular for each type of students. In summary, chapter 2 provides an overview of English for Construction at Vinh University with the teaching and learning situation, a description of current ESP programme for Construction and the learners. Those are realities which make this study to be developed and the findings will be presented in chapter 3. CHAPTER 3: THE STUDY This chapter presents a description of the methodology employed to collect data for this thesis at first (i.e. participants, data collection instrument and procedure). Next to, it reports the results of the survey (the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University and their needs) and the major findings. Finally, it provides some suggestions to improve the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University. 3.1 METHODOLOGY 3.1.1 Participants 164 students including 163 male and 1 female of K46 Construction Engineering of Technology – Vinh University were invited to participate in the survey. These students are from two classes (46K1 and 46K2). They are in the third-year and they have the same English proficiency level. At the time when I did the data collection, they had finished four English courses with their subject matter relating to Construction. Those students think that the learning of ESP is very important (83%) and important (17%). Their main purposes of learning ESP are: to be able to read and translate ESP texts/documents (67.1%); to widen ESP vocabulary (20.7%); to learn grammar (6.7%) and for the others (5.5). 3.1.2. Data collection instrument Questionnaire is used as an instrument to collect data for this study. I discussed with two groups of students chosen randomly to get some information about their evaluative comments and their needs before designing the questionnaire. The questionnaire is designed without requiring informing the students’ names. The questions in the questionnaire are presented in English and then Vietnamese in the brackets. The responses for questions are mainly designed by the “multiple-choice” form. The questionnaire (see Appendix 1) consists of three sections: - Section 1 was designed to get the information about the learners: gender, age, the time of learning English, the thought of the importance of learning ESP, and the main purpose of learning ESP. - Section 2 was designed to collect the information on the learners’ evaluation of the ESP for Construction at Vinh university; relating to the time allocated for the learning ESP in the courses, the contents and general evaluation. - Section 3 was designed to gather the information about the learners’ needs. 3.1.3. Procedure 164 questionnaires were administered to K46 Construction Engineering students while they were in their classrooms. The teacher guided to the students how to write the answers. The teacher also helped them remember the programme when they asked. They spent about one hour on remembering, thinking and answering the questions. After they finished, the teacher collected their questionnaires to gather and analyze the data. 3.2. DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.2.1. Learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University 3.2.1.1. Learners’ evaluation on the time allocation for ESP in the courses As mentioned in previous chapter, time allocated for the courses 1, 2, and 3 is 75 periods for each and the time for ESP is the time for reading because the reading texts in the textbook are replaced by the ESP reading texts. And the time for the course 4 (only for ESP) is 45 periods. The learners’ evaluation on the time allocation in the courses is presented in the following chart: Chart 1: Learners’ evaluation on the time allocation for ESP in the courses As shown in chart 1, over half of the learners (66.5%) evaluate the time allocated for the first course is enough and about half of the learners (51.8%) evaluate the time allocated for the second course is enough while 43.3% the learners think that the time allocated for the third course is little and 50.6% the learners think that the time allocated for the fourth course is little. There are not any learners who complain that the time allocated for the courses is too much and much. In general, the figures in chart 1 show an evaluation as: For most of learners, the time allocated for ESP in the courses 1 and 2 is enough and the time allocated for ESP in the courses 3 and 4 is little. 3.2.1.2. Learners’ evaluation on the ESP reading texts Usually, the main purpose of the ESP programme is to help the learners be able to use English for their professional purposes, especially to read professional documents in their specific fields. The ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University was designed with the ESP reading texts which are evaluated by the learners in charts 2, 3 and 4 hereunder. Considering the topics of the ESP reading texts, the figures are revealed in chart 2: Chart 2: Learners’ evaluation on the usefulness of the topics of the ESP reading texts in the courses As shown in chart 2, no one thinks that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the courses 1, 3 and 4 are not very useful and useless. There is a few who thinks that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 2 are not very useful and useless (4.3% the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 2 are not very useful and only 0.6% the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 2 are useless). Most of the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts are useful (95.1% the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 1 are useful; 90.8% the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 2 are useful; 94.5% the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 3 are useful; 70.7% the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 4 are useful and 13.4% the learners think that the topics of the ESP reading texts in the course 4 are very useful. In general, those figures show that the learners satisfy with the topics of the ESP reading texts in the courses. Considering the length of the ESP reading texts, the figures are revealed in chart 3: Chart 3: Learners’ evaluation on the length of the ESP reading texts in the courses The figures in chart 3 indicate that no one thinks that the ESP reading texts of the course 1 are long as well as no one thinks that the ESP reading texts of the courses 2, 3, and 4 are short. While the length of the ESP reading texts in the courses 1 is evaluated to be OK, the length of the ESP reading texts in the courses 2, 3 and 4 is evaluated to be long. One noticed thing that over half of the learners (65.2%) find the length of the ESP reading texts in the course 1 suitable while over half of the learners (67.7%) complain about the length of the ESP reading texts in the course 2 unsuitable. That shows a sudden rise of the length of the ESP reading texts in the course 2. Considering the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text, the figures are revealed in chart 4: Chart 4: Learners’ evaluation on the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the courses It is demonstrated in chart 4 that the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the course 1 is suitable to most of the learners (76.2% the learners think that the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the course 1 is OK). No one thinks that the amount of technical vocabulary in the course 1 is much and too much as well as no one thinks that the amount of technical vocabulary in the courses 2, 3 and 4 is little or too little. However, one noticed thing is that while no one thinks that the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the course 1 is much, 89.6% the learners think that the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the course 2 is much. It also shows a sudden rise of the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the course 2 as well as a sudden rise of the length of the ESP reading texts in the course 2 displayed in chart 3. 3.2.1.3. Learners’ evaluation on grammar Besides providing the learners a range of technical vocabulary through the reading texts, the objective of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University introduces to the learners new grammatical items and structures in the ESP reading texts. The level of difficulty in grammar of the ESP reading texts in the courses is shown by the learners in the following chart: Chart 5: Learners’ evaluation on the level of difficulty in grammar of ESP reading texts in the courses As shown in chart 5, no one evaluates grammar in the courses very easy. Generally, grammar in the courses is evaluated OK. (68.3% the learners think that grammar in the course 1 is OK. 70.7% the learners think that grammar in the course 2 is OK. 54.3% the learners think that grammar in the course 3 is OK. 53% the learners think that grammar in the course 4 is OK). 3.2.1.4. Learners’ evaluation on exercises Exercises are designed to consolidate the learners’ knowledge after each ESP reading text, but the levels of usefulness are found differently. The learners’ evaluation on the usefulness of exercises in the courses is presented in chart 6: Chart 6: Learners’ evaluation on the usefulness of exercises in the courses The figures in chart 6 show clearly that 100% the learners evaluate exercises in the courses 1, 2, 3, are useful; 98.8% the learners (nearly 100%) evaluate exercises in the course in the course 4 are useful. There is no one who thinks that exercises in the courses are not very useful or useless. Although exercises are evaluated to be useful by most of the learners, the various types of exercises are evaluated most difficult by the learners mentioned in chart 7: Chart 7: Learners’ evaluation on the most difficult types of exercises As can be seen from chart 7, to the different learners, the types of exercises evaluated most difficult differently. Any types of exercises are thought most difficult. And it is seen very clearly that the majority evaluate translation to be most difficult (account for 64.6%). Considering the learners’ satisfaction towards practice through exercises in the courses, the figures are revealed in chart 8: Chart 8: Learners’ satisfaction towards practice through exercises in the courses The figures in chart 8 show that over half of the learners satisfy with practice through exercises. 70.7% the learners find practising through exercises in the course 1 is enough. 54.9% the learners find practising through exercises in the course 2 is enough. 54.3% the learners find practising through exercises in the course 3 is much. 52.4% the learners find practising through exercises in the course 4 is much. No one complains that practising through exercises in the courses 1, 2, 3, and 4 is too much or too little. 3.2.1.5. Learners’ general evaluation Generally, what the learners achieve after finishing the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University. Chart 9 displays their achievement after the ESP programme finishes. Chart 9: Learners’ achievements after finishing the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University It is demonstrated in chart 9 that only a small percentage (0.6%) does not obtain anything. The rest achieves something: 33.5% the learners (account for the most percentage) translate ESP reading texts, 20.1% the learners enrich ESP vocabulary, 9.8% the learners improve reading, 6.1% the learners improve grammar, and 29.9% obtain mentioned things. Considering how the learners’ satisfaction towards their needs after finishing the ESP programme, the figures are revealed in chart 10 as follows: Chart 10: Learners’ satisfaction towards their needs after finishing the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University According to the learners’ assessment shown in chart 10, over half of the learners (58.5%) satisfy the ESP programme in general. 23.2% the learners find little for their needs. 14% the learners think much for their needs. 3.7% find very little for their needs. And a small percentage (only 0.6%) does not satisfy with the ESP programme. 3.2.2. Learners’ needs 3.2.2.1. Learners’ need for organization According to the design of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University, the reading texts in the textbook in the courses 1, 2, and 3 are replaced by the ESP reading texts. The learners’ attitude towards that replacement is indicated as follows: Chart 11: Learners’ attitude towards the necessity of replacing the reading texts in the textbook by the ESP reading texts To answer the survey question of whether the reading texts in the textbook should be replaced by the ESP readings texts, 69% the learners do not agree with replacing the reading texts in the textbook by the ESP reading texts and 31% the learner agree with that replacement. The learners’ need for the time allocation only for ESP is displayed in the following chart: Chart 12: Learners’ need of the time allocation only for ESP course Looking at chart 12, the figures show the learners’ different needs for the time allocation and the biggest percentage (56.7%) indicates that 75 periods is the time allocation which the learners need for only ESP. 3.2.2.2. Learners’ need for extra materials and exercises The learners’ need of providing extra materials is presented in the following chart: Chart 13: Learners’ need for providing extra materials The result displayed in chart 13 shows that over half of the learners (59%) need extra materials and they suggest the topics as shown in chart 14 as follows: Chart 14: Learners’ preference to the topics of extra materials According to the results shown in charts 13 and 14, extra materials are suggested to be necessary and their favourite topics for extra materials is construction engineering with 57.3% the learners suggest. Besides the learners’ need of extra materials with their favourite topics, the learners need some types of exercises to improve their studying and it is demonstrated in chart 15: Chart 15: Learners’ preference to the types of exercises It can be seen from the figures in chart 15 that the learners need all type of exercises listed, and translation is the type of exercise which 64.6% the learners (account for over a half) need to improve their studying. 3.2.2.3. Learners’ need for the teacher’s use of language in teaching ESP Language used in teaching is one of very important factors in the Teaching of English as Foreign or Second Language (TEFL/TESL), especially for non-English major students. It has an influence on the learners’ acquisition because the way how the teacher uses language(s) for his or her lectures entails whether the learners understand or not. The following chart provides the survey result of the learners’ need for the teacher’s use of language in teaching ESP: Chart 16: Learners’ preference to the teacher’ use of languages in teaching ESP The figures in chart 16 show clearly that most of the learners want their teachers to mainly use Vietnamese for the ESP lectures. The majority of the learners (account for 98.2% the learners - nearly 100% the learners) want the teachers to use Vietnamese mainly for the lectures. There is a very small number of the learners (only account for 1.8%) want the teachers to use English mainly and sometimes use Vietnamese to explain difficult expressions. No one wants his or her teacher only use English for the ESP lectures. 3.2.3. Major findings Based on the data analysis and discussion of the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University in this chapter, the suitable and unsuitable aspects of the programme have been revealed regarding the following points. 3.2.3.1. The suitability of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to the audience Most of the K.46 Construction Engineering students of Technology Department at Vinh University taking the ESP programme for Construction are male and aged from 22 to 27. They have experienced from 2 to 12 years of studying English. Therefore, there is a match between the subjective and objective audience. Generally, the ESP programme for Construction is evaluated to be a good choice for the learners at Vinh University in terms of the audience. 3.2.3.2. The suitability of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to the aims According to the survey results, the learners’ main purposes of learning ESP are to widen technical vocabulary (account for 20.7%) and to be able to read and translate ESP texts (account for 67.1%). In addition, the data in chart 9 shows that a lot of the learners obtain their purposes after finishing the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University. Therefore, it can be concluded that the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University is suitable with the learners’ aims at Vinh University. 3.2.3.3. The suitability and unsuitability of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to the time allocation in the courses As described in chapter 2, the time allocated for ESP in the courses 1, 2, and 3 is the time for reading and the time allocated in the course 4 (only for ESP) is 45 periods. Furthermore, the learners’ evaluation on the time allocation for ESP in the courses in chart 1 shows their satisfaction toward the time allocation in the courses 1, 2. The learners do not satisfy with the time allocation in the course 4 and they need more time for the course 4. In short, the time allocation for the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University is evaluated suitable in the courses 1, 2 and 3 and is evaluated unsuitable in the course 4. 3.2.3.4. The suitability and unsuitability of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to the contents In view of the contents, the suitability and unsuitability of the programme are discussed with some aspects, such as: the topics of the ESP reading texts, the length of the ESP reading texts, the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text, and grammar. A good point of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University is the learners’ satisfaction with the topics of the ESP reading texts described in chart 2. This is an attempt of the teaching staff of Foreign Languages Department at Vinh University because most of the topics of the ESP reading texts give the usefulness for the learners (as mentioned in table 2) which is relevant to the learners’ subject speciality. For this criterion, the programme is a good choice for the learners because it matches with the learners’ subject needs. However, the findings of the survey show the length of the ESP reading texts and the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text are unsatisfactory with the learners. As described in charts 3 and 4, a sudden rise of the length of the ESP reading texts as well as the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the course 2 cause a problem for the learners. It can be found that the sudden rise of the length of the ESP reading texts in the course 2 entails the sudden rise of the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text in the course 2. Therefore, this unsuitability can not be well met the learners’ needs and abilities and it should be improved. Regarding to grammar, this ESP programme for Construction does not focus on introducing grammar but providing the learners a range of technical vocabulary and English texts for Construction to help them enrich their technical vocabulary and be able to read and translate ESP reading texts. The grammatical items are basic grammar explanation to the learners when they appear in the ESP reading texts. Generally, the learners’ evaluation on the level of difficulty in grammar of ESP reading texts in the courses displayed in chart 5 expresses their satisfaction for their abilities and needs. In summary, in term of contents, it can be concluded that the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University meets the course requirements and the learners’ needs about the topics, grammar but it fails to meet the learners’ abilities about the length of the ESP reading texts and the amount of technical contained in each ESP reading text. 3.2.3.5. The suitability of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to the methodology As described in table 2, the types of exercise are designed for comprehension check or consolidating grammatical items when the ESP reading texts are used to replace the reading texts in the textbooks in and translation is mostly designed when only ESP happens. The learners’ evaluation on the usefulness of exercises in the courses in chart 6 is the learners’ satisfaction up to nearly superlative level. The learners’ satisfaction towards practice through exercises in the courses showed in chart 8 seems a strong point of the programme. One noticed thing is that the type of exercise which is evaluated most difficult (displayed in chart 7) - translation - is also the type of exercises which the learners need most to improve their studying (displayed in chart 15). Therefore, this type of exercises needs extending and improving to make it more suitable to the learners’ abilities. Besides, the teacher’ use of languages in teaching ESP is one of very important factors which mostly come to a result whether the learners understand their lessons or not. According to the survey result described in chart 16, the learners’ need of the teacher’ use of languages in teaching ESP is using Vietnamese mainly and that is the way which the teachers at Vinh University for their lectures up to now. Generally, in view of methodology, the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University meets the course requirements. There is a little improvement which is for translation because this is the type of exercise evaluated most difficult and it is also learners’ favourite type of exercises for their needs. 3.3. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE ESP PROGRAMME FOR CONSTRUCTION AT VINH UNIVERSITY Based on the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University and the survey results of the learners’ needs, the author provides the following suggestions hoping that they may help improve the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University in the coming years. 3.3.1. Omitting the replacement of the ESP reading texts for the reading texts in the textbook in the courses 1, 2 and 3 According to the survey results shown in chart 11, it is not necessary to replace the reading texts in the textbook by the ESP reading texts in the courses 1, 2 and 3 because the learners want to concentrate on learning General English before learning ESP. Therefore, it is useful to omit such replacement and ESP should only be taken place in the course 4. 3.3.2. Modifying the time allocation for ESP According to the current ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University, the time allocation for the course 4 which is only for ESP is 45 periods. As can be seen in chart 1, over half of the learners evaluate that it is little and they need more time. In addition, the survey result of the learners’ needs in chart 12 shows that over half of the learners find 75 periods for only ESP suitable to them. Hence, the time allocation for ESP in the course 4 should be 75 periods. 3.3.3. Modifying the length of the ESP reading texts and the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text The ESP reading texts of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University were designed by getting the ESP texts out of the collected ESP materials described in chapter 2. The length of those texts and the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each text do not satisfy the learners with their evaluation in charts 3 and 4, especially the sudden rise of the length entailing the sudden rise of technical vocabulary. Therefore, omitting some paragraphs may be one of the improvements. Actually, the information of the ESP texts is necessary for the learners to improve their ESP knowledge as well as their specialized knowledge. Hence, the improvement of the time allocation is considered a useful method. At present, the time allocation for each unit in the course 4 is 6 periods and the time allocation for each unit should be 9 periods in the future. 3.3.4. Developing translation According to the survey results shown in charts 7 and 15, translation is the most difficult type of exercise evaluated by the learners and it is also the type of exercises which the learners need most to improve their studying. That survey results suggest the improvements to develop this type of exercises. The writer of this minor thesis would like to give suggestions to develop translation as follows: - Before translating the ESP reading texts into Vietnamese, the teacher provides the learners with some English simple sentences which he or she chooses from the ESP texts and requires the learners to translate them into Vietnamese. e.g.: - Coarse aggregates are usually gravels or crushed stones. - The coating of concrete protects the steel from corrosion. - A continuous footing supports a row of three or more columns. - After translating the ESP reading texts into Vietnamese, the teacher provides the learners with some Vietnamese sentences which he or she summarizes the main ideas of the ESP texts and requires the learners to translate them into English. e.g.: - Đổ bê tông là quá trình vận chuyển bê tông vừa mới trộn từ thiết bị vận chuyển đến vị trí cuối cùng trong ván khuôn. - Móng là một kết cấu bên dưới được đặt ở phía dưới mặt đất để truyền tải trọng xuống lớp đất hoặc đá nằm ở dưới. - Cốt liệu trong thiên nhiên thường được chia thành 2 loại: cốt liệu mịn và cốt liệu thô. 3.3.5. Reorganizing the contents The survey results suggest that ESP should be taken placed in the course 4 when the learners finish General English. The writer of this minor thesis would like to suggest a new organization of the contents in which two new topics (Cement, Footings) are added because the writer finds that that addition makes up a logical organization. The suggested contents are described in the following table: Units Topics Grammar Types of exercises 1 Cement Infinitive - verb forms - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation 2 Aggregates Compound Nouns - matching - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation 3 Reinforcing Steels Relative Clauses - gap-filling - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation 4 Placing Concrete Gerund - verb forms - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation 5 Footings Past Perfect and Past perfect Continuous - verb tenses - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation 6 Frames Modals verbs (active and passive): must, have to, should, ought to - verb forms - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation 7 Slabs and Floors Present Participle and Past Participle - verb forms - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation 8 Roofs Conditional Sentences -verb tenses - comprehension check (answering questions or true (T)/false (F), etc.) - translation Table 3: The description of the suggested ESP contents for Construction at Vinh University in the course 4 *Note: The suggested time allocation: 75 periods (9 periods for each unit and 3 periods for revision and test). 3.3.6. Using the omitted contents as extra materials As can be seen in table 3, the suggested organization consists of 8 ESP reading texts while the current ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University consists of 25 ESP reading texts. Therefore, the writer of this minor thesis suggests that the omitted ESP reading texts should be used as extra materials. In summary, this chapter describes the methodology employed to collect data at first. Next to, from analyzing the collected data, it provides the data presentation of the learners’ evaluation on the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University and their needs. Based on the data analysis and discussion, major findings present. At last, it provides suggestions for the improvements the programme. PART III: CONCLUSION The importance of learning ESP is undeniable and evaluation of the ESP programme is very important in language learning. This study, therefore, has been carried out to have a better insight into the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to determine whether that ESP programme is suitable with students’ abilities and needs so that changes need to be made to improve the programme. In general, the findings have shown that most of the students were satisfied with the current ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University. The fact is that a majority of the students were goal-oriented learners. In other words, they had a clear goal of learning ESP. Because they might think that they would need ESP to access information about their future careers, most of them set expansion of technical vocabulary and translation of ESP texts as their goal of learning English. This ESP programme was evaluated to be suitable to audience, aims, methodology and to be both suitable and unsuitable to time allocation in the courses and contents. Therefore, if this ESP programme is used again in the future, there is a must for changes and supplementations which take into account suggestions in chapter 3 of part II. The learners would like to separate learning ESP from learning General English and the time allocation for only learning ESP should be much more. Besides, translation should be developed because this is the most difficult type of exercise evaluated by the learners and it is also the type of exercises which the learners need most to improve their studying. Like other studies, this study has its own limitations due to the limited time and scope. A greatest limitation is that this study only used one instrument which is the questionnaire for data collection. More research on evaluation would be used more instruments. 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