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Trang Dang

Monash University, Faculty of Education, Graduate Student

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Dr Trang Thi Doan Dang is a lecturer in the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Vietnam. She is a Teaching Associate in the Faculty of Education, Monash University, where she obtained her PhD qualification. She is also an EAL teacher at Chisholm Institute - Australia. Her research interests are in the fields of English language pedagogy, Applied Linguistics, and teacher professional development.
Supervisors: A/Professor Janet Scull and Dr Raqib Chowdhury

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James Cook University

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Ramon Llull University

University of Jyväskylä

Amanda Manypeney

University of Melbourne

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Stellenbosch University

The University of Sydney

Theophilus Adedokun

Durban University of Technology

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Papers by Trang Dang

Australian PhD graduates' agency in navigating their career pathways: stories from social sciences

Article, 2024

Despite limited opportunities for tenured academic positions, the number of PhD graduates in Soci... more Despite limited opportunities for tenured academic positions, the number of PhD graduates in Social Sciences has steadily risen in countries with developed research systems. The current literature predominantly portrays PhD graduates as victims, either of the higher education system or of their own optimism in pursuing an academic career. This paper takes an alternative stance by spotlighting the agency exhibited by PhD graduates in Social Sciences as they deftly navigate their career pathways amid the constrained academic job market. Specifically, we adopt an ecological perspective of agency to explore how PhD graduates in Social Sciences exercise their agency in navigating their career from the beginning of their PhD candidature until up to 5 years after graduation. We employ a narrative approach to delve into the employment journeys of twenty-three PhD graduates. Within this cohort, we select to report four participants from four Australian universities, each possessing distinct career trajectories. Our analysis highlights agency as the link between various personal and institutional factors that shape our participants’ career trajectories. Based on this finding, we offer recommendations for practice and policy changes
that appreciate PhD graduates’ agency

A Mediated Learning Experience Perspective on Engagement with Feedback Through a Sequence of Tasks

International Journal of TESOL Studies

Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, ... more Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, student engagement with teacher and peer feedback through a sequence of tasks (SOT) remains under-explored. The present study adopted mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to operationalize the sequence within the teacher's intervention and peer collaboration to facilitate Vietnamese secondary students' engagement. The study explores whether there is student engagement with feedback, whether their engagement satisfies the criteria of MLE, and how it is mediated through the SOT. The analysis of data from audio recordings and correcting texts indicated that there was student engagement with feedback that addressed MLE's criteria and was mediated by the teacher's mediational strategies, peer collaboration, first language, and the learning tasks. Although responding to teacher and peer feedback showed an indication of understanding, indirect feedback caused uncertainties in some cases, and responses to the rewriting task were somewhat transcendent. The findings validate a mediated view of language learning from which implications for research and L2 writing are drawn.

The effects of written collaborative correction on EFL Vietnamese students’ writing performance and reflections

Abstract for presentation at ALAA2016 conference

A Mediated Learning Experience Perspective on Engagement with Feedback Through a Sequence of Tasks

International Journal of TESOL Studies, 2022

Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, ... more Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, student engagement with teacher and peer feedback through a sequence of tasks (SOT) remains under-explored. The present study adopted mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to operationalize the sequence within the teacher's intervention and peer collaboration to facilitate Vietnamese secondary students' engagement. The study explores whether there is student engagement with feedback, whether their engagement satisfies the criteria of MLE, and how it is mediated through the SOT. The analysis of data from audio recordings and correcting texts indicated that there was student engagement with feedback that addressed MLE's criteria and was mediated by the teacher's mediational strategies, peer collaboration, first language, and the learning tasks. Although responding to teacher and peer feedback showed an indication of understanding, indirect feedback caused uncertainties in some cases, and responses to the rewriting task were somewhat transcendent. The findings validate a mediated view of language learning from which implications for research and L2 writing are drawn.

EFL learners’ roles in a mediational process of written corrective feedback

Transformation and Empowerment through Education, 2018

Vietnamese secondary students' engagement in correcting their EFL writing: Using peer group and teacher feedback

by Trang Dang and Raqib Chowdhury

Issues in Educational Research, 2022

Although the effect of teacher and peer feedback on writing improvement in the field of second la... more Although the effect of teacher and peer feedback on writing improvement in the field of second language teaching has been discussed in scholarly research for several decades, student engagement with both forms of feedback integrated into a sequence of discovery, correction and revision remains under-researched. This study investigates the impact of feedback during a teaching sequence to support students' writing development, along with students' engagement in each phase of the teaching design. Drawing on Vygotsky's concept of guided learning, the teaching sequence was developed to prioritise collaborative group work and address students' limited engagement with feedback-correction and revision practices. The sequence was administered to 31 Vietnamese secondary students over eight weeks, from which an exploratory method was adopted. The analysis of data from audio recordings and groups' rewritten texts exhibited varied levels of student engagement. Importantly, the findings demonstrate the potential for integrating forms of feedback into the correcting sequence through groupbased tasks to maximise students' learning.

Engagement with a Sequence of Feedback-Correction: A Case Study of Secondary School Students in Vietnam

International Journal of Instruction, 2022

This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students' engagement in a sequence of de... more This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students' engagement in a sequence of detecting, correcting, and rewriting tasks, and examined the factors affecting their engagement and/or disengagement in the process. The study draws on the principles of task-based instruction, involving eight mixed-ability groups (n = 31), and was designed to address student engagement with feedbackcorrection practices that has rarely been discussed in previous research and has therefore remained largely underexplored, especially in the context of Vietnam. Theoretical concepts of behavioral, cognitive, and social engagement were used to analyze data from audio recordings of students' interactions and their written responses to open-ended questions. The analysis of data showed that the eight groups engaged behaviorally, socially, and cognitively in the process, although their engagement varied according to the learning tasks, the teacher's intervention, peer support, English ability, and types of gaps. Findings from the eight-week intervention suggest teachers should consider factors which determine student engagement with feedback-correction practices. By offering students opportunities to act on specific language issues in their writing through detecting and correcting gaps and rewriting the corrected texts, engagement with feedback-correction practices can be useful in fostering accuracy development. This qualitative multiple-case study contributes new insights to the field by operationalizing the sequence of feedback-correction through collaborative learning to deeply understand students' multidimensional engagement in the process from which implications for L2 writing and further research are discussed.

Secondary Students’ Perceptions of Their Engagement in a Correcting Process

International Education Studies, 2021

This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting pro... more This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting process within the sociocultural dimension of the teacher’s intervention and collaborative learning to facilitate student engagement with discovering, correcting, and rewriting practices. This correcting process was administered to eight mixed-ability groups of Vietnamese secondary students (n = 31) to investigate students’ perceptions of their engagement in the process from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives that have been under-researched so far. The statistical analysis of a closed-ended questionnaire shows that students strongly agreed with the practices and effectiveness of the process, accuracy improvement, approach preferences, and learning motivation. Eight students’ responses to semi-structured interviews elaborated on the benefits and disadvantages of group-correction and the significance of targeting errors, and on each correcting phase. While students’ responses sati...

Developing a Framework to Explore Local Researchers’ Engagement with Global Academia: The Case of Vietnamese Social Sciences Scholars

Asian Social Science, 2021

In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global ... more In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global knowledge system. However, in the context of Vietnam, interaction and engagement between Vietnamese social sciences researchers (VSSRs) with the global academic world are limited despite efforts from the Vietnamese government and tertiary institutions. This study explores the barriers that prevent Vietnamese scholars engaging with the international academic community. Eighty-two Vietnamese scholars in various fields of social sciences responded to an online self-reporting questionnaire including 13 closed-ended and nine open-ended questions. The results show that various individual factors (e.g., the researchers’ inadequate proficiency in English or limited research capacities), organisational factors (e.g., the lack of a supportive research environment, the lack of funding and resources, and unsupportive policies), and broader factors (e.g., political censors or the tradition of social ...

A Sociocultural Perspective on Scholars Developing Research Skills via Research Communities in Vietnam

Minerva, 2021

Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing rese... more Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing research skills, universities around the world have paid special attention to improving these two dimensions. However, developing research communities and research mentoring culture in Vietnamese universities largely remain at a nascent stage because these universities often have a short history of conducting research and limited research capacity. Drawing on a sociocultural perspective, this qualitative case study explores the experience of Vietnamese scholars in developing their research skills via their research communities and their perspectives towards domestic and international research communities. Interview data show that participants were active in establishing their own networks and tended to look outward, searching for support from international communities and mentors, since their institutes lacked collegiality and research collaborations. To develop institutional research communities and positive research culture, universities’ managers should consider factors including collective values, researcher individualism, and research traditions.

Engagement with a Sequence of Feedback-Correction: A Case Study of Secondary School Students in Vietnam

by Trang Dang and Raqib Chowdhury

International Journal of Instruction, 2022

This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students’ engagement in a sequence of de... more This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students’ engagement in a sequence of detecting, correcting, and rewriting tasks, and examined the factors affecting their engagement and/or disengagement in the process. The study draws on the principles of task-based instruction, involving eight mixed-ability groups (n = 31), and was designed to address student engagement with feedback-correction practices that has rarely been discussed in previous research and has
therefore remained largely underexplored, especially in the context of Vietnam. Theoretical concepts of behavioral, cognitive, and social engagement were used to analyze data from audio recordings of students’ interactions and their written responses to open-ended questions. The analysis of data showed that the eight groups engaged behaviorally, socially, and cognitively in the process, although their engagement varied according to the learning tasks, the teacher’s intervention, peer support, English ability, and types of gaps. Findings from the eight-week intervention suggest teachers should consider factors which determine student engagement with feedback-correction practices. By offering students opportunities to act on specific language issues in their writing through detecting and correcting gaps and rewriting the corrected texts, engagement with feedback-correction
practices can be useful in fostering accuracy development. This qualitative multiple-case study contributes new insights to the field by operationalizing the sequence of feedback-correction through collaborative learning to deeply understand students’ multidimensional engagement in the process from which implications for L2 writing and further research are discussed.

Secondary Students' Perceptions of Their Engagement in a Correcting Process

This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting pro... more This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting process within the sociocultural dimension of the teacher's intervention and collaborative learning to facilitate student engagement with discovering, correcting, and rewriting practices. This correcting process was administered to eight mixed-ability groups of Vietnamese secondary students (n = 31) to investigate students' perceptions of their engagement in the process from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives that have been under-researched so far. The statistical analysis of a closed-ended questionnaire shows that students strongly agreed with the practices and effectiveness of the process, accuracy improvement, approach preferences, and learning motivation. Eight students' responses to semi-structured interviews elaborated on the benefits and disadvantages of group-correction and the significance of targeting errors, and on each correcting phase. While students' responses satisfied MLE's criteria, their perceptions of the limitations of group-correction somewhat qualified the way reciprocity occurred. The findings suggest offering students opportunities to act on language issues in their writing and confirm the usefulness of engagement with correction-feedback practices from which implications for L2 writing and further research are discussed.

Direct versus Indirect Explicit Methods of Enhancing EFL Students' English Grammatical Competence: A Concept Checking-based Consciousness-raising Tasks Model

Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit ... more Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit grammar instruction (DEGI) (deduction) and indirect explicit grammar instruction (IEGI) (induction). This study aims to explore the effects of indirect explicit grammar instruction on EFL learners' mastery of English tenses. Ninety-four eleventh-graders were conveniently selected and randomly assigned into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). A pre-post tests design was used to collect the data. Before and after the treatment, the following tests were administered: rule analysis, grammar, and speaking. A delayed written test was given to both groups to assess students' retention of structure acquired; in addition, a questionnaire was provided to the EG to investigate their perception on the treatment. The results indicated that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in the analysis of grammar rules and the oral proficiency, except for the use of grammar structures in a pre-defined context. Convincingly, there was a positive correlation between the grammar rules and their subsequent use. This validates the cause and effect of grammar rules' acquisition and the use of them in receptive and productive stages. Also, the EG had favorable attitudes towards the instruction. This study may provide practical implications and techniques for improving EFL students' grammar performance in high schools in Vietnam.

A Sociocultural Perspective on Scholars Developing Research Skills via Research Communities in Vietnam

by Cuong H Hoang and Trang Dang

Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing rese... more Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing research skills, universities around the world have paid special attention to improving these two dimensions. However, developing research communities and research mentoring culture in Vietnamese universities largely remain at a nascent stage because these universities often have a short history of conducting research and limited research capacity. Drawing on a sociocultural perspective, this qualitative case study explores the experience of Vietnamese scholars in developing their research skills via their research communities and their perspectives towards domestic and international research communities. Interview data show that participants were active in establishing their own networks and tended to look outward, searching for support from international communities and mentors, since their institutes lacked collegiality and research collaborations. To develop institutional research communities and positive research culture, universities' managers should consider factors including collective values, researcher individualism, and research traditions.

Vietnamese EFL Students’ Perceptions of Noticing-Based Collaborative Feedback on Their Writing Performance

English Language Teaching, 2016

It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial ... more It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial to learning achievement. However, feedback research remains relatively contentious due to learners' differing viewpoints on how feedback is best given. Although a large number of studies have explored learners' perspectives on collaborative feedback, little classroom-based research has promoted noticing through collaborative feedback. To address this, this study aims to infuse noticing-based collaborative correction into secondary classrooms to explore students' perceptions of such feedback practice on their written output. Forty-one students' responses to the list of close-ended questionnaires revealed a strong consensus about this potential approach although there are indications that the participants' dependent learning styles had influenced these findings. An obvious implication of this is that students might benefit from various scaffolding sources, and thus there is a need for teachers to be aware of the influence of reciprocal learning among learners so that the quality of feedback practices may be enhanced.

Direct versus Indirect Explicit Methods of Enhancing EFL Students’ English Grammatical Competence: A Concept Checking-based Consciousness-raising Tasks Model

English Language Teaching, 2012

Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit ... more Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit grammar instruction (DEGI) (deduction) and indirect explicit grammar instruction (IEGI) (induction). This study aims to explore the effects of indirect explicit grammar instruction on EFL learners' mastery of English tenses. Ninety-four eleventh-graders were conveniently selected and randomly assigned into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). A pre-post tests design was used to collect the data. Before and after the treatment, the following tests were administered: rule analysis, grammar, and speaking. A delayed written test was given to both groups to assess students' retention of structure acquired; in addition, a questionnaire was provided to the EG to investigate their perception on the treatment. The results indicated that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in the analysis of grammar rules and the oral proficiency, except for the use of grammar structures in a pre-defined context. Convincingly, there was a positive correlation between the grammar rules and their subsequent use. This validates the cause and effect of grammar rules' acquisition and the use of them in receptive and productive stages. Also, the EG had favorable attitudes towards the instruction. This study may provide practical implications and techniques for improving EFL students' grammar performance in high schools in Vietnam.

Developing a Framework to Explore Local Researchers" Engagement with Global Academia: The Case of Vietnamese Social Sciences Scholars

by Trang Dang and Cuong H Hoang

Asia Social Science, 2021

In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global ... more In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global knowledge system. However, in the context of Vietnam, interaction and engagement between Vietnamese social sciences researchers (VSSRs) with the global academic world are limited despite efforts from the Vietnamese government and tertiary institutions. This study explores the barriers that prevent Vietnamese scholars engaging with the international academic community. Eighty-two Vietnamese scholars in various fields of social sciences responded to an online self-reporting questionnaire including 13 closed-ended and nine open-ended questions. The results show that various individual factors (e.g., the researchers" inadequate proficiency in English or limited research capacities), organisational factors (e.g., the lack of a supportive research environment, the lack of funding and resources, and unsupportive policies), and broader factors (e.g., political censors or the tradition of social research) could significantly influence VSSRs" engagement with global academia. The study underlines the need for in-depth scholar-centred research to understand the process in which local researchers, who are disadvantaged by their contextual factors, participate in the international academic community. More importantly, findings are used to develop a potential framework to study local researchers" academic engagement with global academia.

Developing a Framework to Explore Local Researchers" Engagement with Global Academia: The Case of Vietnamese Social Sciences Scholars

In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global ... more In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global knowledge system. However, in the context of Vietnam, interaction and engagement between Vietnamese social sciences researchers (VSSRs) with the global academic world are limited despite efforts from the Vietnamese government and tertiary institutions. This study explores the barriers that prevent Vietnamese scholars engaging with the international academic community. Eighty-two Vietnamese scholars in various fields of social sciences responded to an online self-reporting questionnaire including 13 closed-ended and nine open-ended questions. The results show that various individual factors (e.g., the researchers" inadequate proficiency in English or limited research capacities), organisational factors (e.g., the lack of a supportive research environment, the lack of funding and resources, and unsupportive policies), and broader factors (e.g., political censors or the tradition of social research) could significantly influence VSSRs" engagement with global academia. The study underlines the need for in-depth scholar-centred research to understand the process in which local researchers, who are disadvantaged by their contextual factors, participate in the international academic community. More importantly, findings are used to develop a potential framework to study local researchers" academic engagement with global academia.

Direct versus indirect explicit methods of enhancing EFL students’ English grammatical competence: A concept checking-based consciousness-raising tasks model

English Language Teaching , 2013

Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit ... more Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit grammar instruction (DEGI) (deduction) and indirect explicit grammar instruction (IEGI) (induction). This study aims to explore the effects of indirect explicit grammar instruction on EFL learners' mastery of English tenses. Ninety-four eleventh-graders were conveniently selected and randomly assigned into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). A pre-post tests design was used to collect the data. Before and after the treatment, the following tests were administered: rule analysis, grammar, and speaking. A delayed written test was given to both groups to assess students' retention of structure acquired; in addition, a questionnaire was provided to the EG to investigate their perception on the treatment. The results indicated that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in the analysis of grammar rules and the oral proficiency, except for the use of grammar structures in a pre-defined context. Convincingly, there was a positive correlation between the grammar rules and their subsequent use. This validates the cause and effect of grammar rules' acquisition and the use of them in receptive and productive stages. Also, the EG had favorable attitudes towards the instruction. This study may provide practical implications and techniques for improving EFL students' grammar performance in high schools in Vietnam.

Vietnamese EFL Students’ Perceptions of Noticing-Based Collaborative Feedback on Their Writing Performance

Trang Thi Doan Dang, 2016

It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial ... more It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial to learning achievement. However, feedback research remains relatively contentious due to learners' differing viewpoints on how feedback is best given. Although a large number of studies have explored learners' perspectives on collaborative feedback, little classroom-based research has promoted noticing through collaborative feedback. To address this, this study aims to infuse noticing-based collaborative correction into secondary classrooms to explore students' perceptions of such feedback practice on their written output. Forty-one students' responses to the list of close-ended questionnaires revealed a strong consensus about this potential approach although there are indications that the participants' dependent learning styles had influenced these findings. An obvious implication of this is that students might benefit from various scaffolding sources, and thus there is a need for teachers to be aware of the influence of reciprocal learning among learners so that the quality of feedback practices may be enhanced.

Australian PhD graduates' agency in navigating their career pathways: stories from social sciences

Article, 2024

Despite limited opportunities for tenured academic positions, the number of PhD graduates in Soci... more Despite limited opportunities for tenured academic positions, the number of PhD graduates in Social Sciences has steadily risen in countries with developed research systems. The current literature predominantly portrays PhD graduates as victims, either of the higher education system or of their own optimism in pursuing an academic career. This paper takes an alternative stance by spotlighting the agency exhibited by PhD graduates in Social Sciences as they deftly navigate their career pathways amid the constrained academic job market. Specifically, we adopt an ecological perspective of agency to explore how PhD graduates in Social Sciences exercise their agency in navigating their career from the beginning of their PhD candidature until up to 5 years after graduation. We employ a narrative approach to delve into the employment journeys of twenty-three PhD graduates. Within this cohort, we select to report four participants from four Australian universities, each possessing distinct career trajectories. Our analysis highlights agency as the link between various personal and institutional factors that shape our participants’ career trajectories. Based on this finding, we offer recommendations for practice and policy changes
that appreciate PhD graduates’ agency

A Mediated Learning Experience Perspective on Engagement with Feedback Through a Sequence of Tasks

International Journal of TESOL Studies

Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, ... more Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, student engagement with teacher and peer feedback through a sequence of tasks (SOT) remains under-explored. The present study adopted mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to operationalize the sequence within the teacher's intervention and peer collaboration to facilitate Vietnamese secondary students' engagement. The study explores whether there is student engagement with feedback, whether their engagement satisfies the criteria of MLE, and how it is mediated through the SOT. The analysis of data from audio recordings and correcting texts indicated that there was student engagement with feedback that addressed MLE's criteria and was mediated by the teacher's mediational strategies, peer collaboration, first language, and the learning tasks. Although responding to teacher and peer feedback showed an indication of understanding, indirect feedback caused uncertainties in some cases, and responses to the rewriting task were somewhat transcendent. The findings validate a mediated view of language learning from which implications for research and L2 writing are drawn.

The effects of written collaborative correction on EFL Vietnamese students’ writing performance and reflections

Abstract for presentation at ALAA2016 conference

A Mediated Learning Experience Perspective on Engagement with Feedback Through a Sequence of Tasks

International Journal of TESOL Studies, 2022

Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, ... more Although student engagement with feedback has been discussed in second language writing studies, student engagement with teacher and peer feedback through a sequence of tasks (SOT) remains under-explored. The present study adopted mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to operationalize the sequence within the teacher's intervention and peer collaboration to facilitate Vietnamese secondary students' engagement. The study explores whether there is student engagement with feedback, whether their engagement satisfies the criteria of MLE, and how it is mediated through the SOT. The analysis of data from audio recordings and correcting texts indicated that there was student engagement with feedback that addressed MLE's criteria and was mediated by the teacher's mediational strategies, peer collaboration, first language, and the learning tasks. Although responding to teacher and peer feedback showed an indication of understanding, indirect feedback caused uncertainties in some cases, and responses to the rewriting task were somewhat transcendent. The findings validate a mediated view of language learning from which implications for research and L2 writing are drawn.

EFL learners’ roles in a mediational process of written corrective feedback

Transformation and Empowerment through Education, 2018

Vietnamese secondary students' engagement in correcting their EFL writing: Using peer group and teacher feedback

by Trang Dang and Raqib Chowdhury

Issues in Educational Research, 2022

Although the effect of teacher and peer feedback on writing improvement in the field of second la... more Although the effect of teacher and peer feedback on writing improvement in the field of second language teaching has been discussed in scholarly research for several decades, student engagement with both forms of feedback integrated into a sequence of discovery, correction and revision remains under-researched. This study investigates the impact of feedback during a teaching sequence to support students' writing development, along with students' engagement in each phase of the teaching design. Drawing on Vygotsky's concept of guided learning, the teaching sequence was developed to prioritise collaborative group work and address students' limited engagement with feedback-correction and revision practices. The sequence was administered to 31 Vietnamese secondary students over eight weeks, from which an exploratory method was adopted. The analysis of data from audio recordings and groups' rewritten texts exhibited varied levels of student engagement. Importantly, the findings demonstrate the potential for integrating forms of feedback into the correcting sequence through groupbased tasks to maximise students' learning.

Engagement with a Sequence of Feedback-Correction: A Case Study of Secondary School Students in Vietnam

International Journal of Instruction, 2022

This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students' engagement in a sequence of de... more This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students' engagement in a sequence of detecting, correcting, and rewriting tasks, and examined the factors affecting their engagement and/or disengagement in the process. The study draws on the principles of task-based instruction, involving eight mixed-ability groups (n = 31), and was designed to address student engagement with feedbackcorrection practices that has rarely been discussed in previous research and has therefore remained largely underexplored, especially in the context of Vietnam. Theoretical concepts of behavioral, cognitive, and social engagement were used to analyze data from audio recordings of students' interactions and their written responses to open-ended questions. The analysis of data showed that the eight groups engaged behaviorally, socially, and cognitively in the process, although their engagement varied according to the learning tasks, the teacher's intervention, peer support, English ability, and types of gaps. Findings from the eight-week intervention suggest teachers should consider factors which determine student engagement with feedback-correction practices. By offering students opportunities to act on specific language issues in their writing through detecting and correcting gaps and rewriting the corrected texts, engagement with feedback-correction practices can be useful in fostering accuracy development. This qualitative multiple-case study contributes new insights to the field by operationalizing the sequence of feedback-correction through collaborative learning to deeply understand students' multidimensional engagement in the process from which implications for L2 writing and further research are discussed.

Secondary Students’ Perceptions of Their Engagement in a Correcting Process

International Education Studies, 2021

This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting pro... more This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting process within the sociocultural dimension of the teacher’s intervention and collaborative learning to facilitate student engagement with discovering, correcting, and rewriting practices. This correcting process was administered to eight mixed-ability groups of Vietnamese secondary students (n = 31) to investigate students’ perceptions of their engagement in the process from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives that have been under-researched so far. The statistical analysis of a closed-ended questionnaire shows that students strongly agreed with the practices and effectiveness of the process, accuracy improvement, approach preferences, and learning motivation. Eight students’ responses to semi-structured interviews elaborated on the benefits and disadvantages of group-correction and the significance of targeting errors, and on each correcting phase. While students’ responses sati...

Developing a Framework to Explore Local Researchers’ Engagement with Global Academia: The Case of Vietnamese Social Sciences Scholars

Asian Social Science, 2021

In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global ... more In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global knowledge system. However, in the context of Vietnam, interaction and engagement between Vietnamese social sciences researchers (VSSRs) with the global academic world are limited despite efforts from the Vietnamese government and tertiary institutions. This study explores the barriers that prevent Vietnamese scholars engaging with the international academic community. Eighty-two Vietnamese scholars in various fields of social sciences responded to an online self-reporting questionnaire including 13 closed-ended and nine open-ended questions. The results show that various individual factors (e.g., the researchers’ inadequate proficiency in English or limited research capacities), organisational factors (e.g., the lack of a supportive research environment, the lack of funding and resources, and unsupportive policies), and broader factors (e.g., political censors or the tradition of social ...

A Sociocultural Perspective on Scholars Developing Research Skills via Research Communities in Vietnam

Minerva, 2021

Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing rese... more Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing research skills, universities around the world have paid special attention to improving these two dimensions. However, developing research communities and research mentoring culture in Vietnamese universities largely remain at a nascent stage because these universities often have a short history of conducting research and limited research capacity. Drawing on a sociocultural perspective, this qualitative case study explores the experience of Vietnamese scholars in developing their research skills via their research communities and their perspectives towards domestic and international research communities. Interview data show that participants were active in establishing their own networks and tended to look outward, searching for support from international communities and mentors, since their institutes lacked collegiality and research collaborations. To develop institutional research communities and positive research culture, universities’ managers should consider factors including collective values, researcher individualism, and research traditions.

Engagement with a Sequence of Feedback-Correction: A Case Study of Secondary School Students in Vietnam

by Trang Dang and Raqib Chowdhury

International Journal of Instruction, 2022

This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students’ engagement in a sequence of de... more This exploratory study investigated Vietnamese secondary students’ engagement in a sequence of detecting, correcting, and rewriting tasks, and examined the factors affecting their engagement and/or disengagement in the process. The study draws on the principles of task-based instruction, involving eight mixed-ability groups (n = 31), and was designed to address student engagement with feedback-correction practices that has rarely been discussed in previous research and has
therefore remained largely underexplored, especially in the context of Vietnam. Theoretical concepts of behavioral, cognitive, and social engagement were used to analyze data from audio recordings of students’ interactions and their written responses to open-ended questions. The analysis of data showed that the eight groups engaged behaviorally, socially, and cognitively in the process, although their engagement varied according to the learning tasks, the teacher’s intervention, peer support, English ability, and types of gaps. Findings from the eight-week intervention suggest teachers should consider factors which determine student engagement with feedback-correction practices. By offering students opportunities to act on specific language issues in their writing through detecting and correcting gaps and rewriting the corrected texts, engagement with feedback-correction
practices can be useful in fostering accuracy development. This qualitative multiple-case study contributes new insights to the field by operationalizing the sequence of feedback-correction through collaborative learning to deeply understand students’ multidimensional engagement in the process from which implications for L2 writing and further research are discussed.

Secondary Students' Perceptions of Their Engagement in a Correcting Process

This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting pro... more This study draws on mediated learning experience (MLE) theory to contextualize the correcting process within the sociocultural dimension of the teacher's intervention and collaborative learning to facilitate student engagement with discovering, correcting, and rewriting practices. This correcting process was administered to eight mixed-ability groups of Vietnamese secondary students (n = 31) to investigate students' perceptions of their engagement in the process from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives that have been under-researched so far. The statistical analysis of a closed-ended questionnaire shows that students strongly agreed with the practices and effectiveness of the process, accuracy improvement, approach preferences, and learning motivation. Eight students' responses to semi-structured interviews elaborated on the benefits and disadvantages of group-correction and the significance of targeting errors, and on each correcting phase. While students' responses satisfied MLE's criteria, their perceptions of the limitations of group-correction somewhat qualified the way reciprocity occurred. The findings suggest offering students opportunities to act on language issues in their writing and confirm the usefulness of engagement with correction-feedback practices from which implications for L2 writing and further research are discussed.

Direct versus Indirect Explicit Methods of Enhancing EFL Students' English Grammatical Competence: A Concept Checking-based Consciousness-raising Tasks Model

Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit ... more Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit grammar instruction (DEGI) (deduction) and indirect explicit grammar instruction (IEGI) (induction). This study aims to explore the effects of indirect explicit grammar instruction on EFL learners' mastery of English tenses. Ninety-four eleventh-graders were conveniently selected and randomly assigned into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). A pre-post tests design was used to collect the data. Before and after the treatment, the following tests were administered: rule analysis, grammar, and speaking. A delayed written test was given to both groups to assess students' retention of structure acquired; in addition, a questionnaire was provided to the EG to investigate their perception on the treatment. The results indicated that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in the analysis of grammar rules and the oral proficiency, except for the use of grammar structures in a pre-defined context. Convincingly, there was a positive correlation between the grammar rules and their subsequent use. This validates the cause and effect of grammar rules' acquisition and the use of them in receptive and productive stages. Also, the EG had favorable attitudes towards the instruction. This study may provide practical implications and techniques for improving EFL students' grammar performance in high schools in Vietnam.

A Sociocultural Perspective on Scholars Developing Research Skills via Research Communities in Vietnam

by Cuong H Hoang and Trang Dang

Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing rese... more Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing research skills, universities around the world have paid special attention to improving these two dimensions. However, developing research communities and research mentoring culture in Vietnamese universities largely remain at a nascent stage because these universities often have a short history of conducting research and limited research capacity. Drawing on a sociocultural perspective, this qualitative case study explores the experience of Vietnamese scholars in developing their research skills via their research communities and their perspectives towards domestic and international research communities. Interview data show that participants were active in establishing their own networks and tended to look outward, searching for support from international communities and mentors, since their institutes lacked collegiality and research collaborations. To develop institutional research communities and positive research culture, universities' managers should consider factors including collective values, researcher individualism, and research traditions.

Vietnamese EFL Students’ Perceptions of Noticing-Based Collaborative Feedback on Their Writing Performance

English Language Teaching, 2016

It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial ... more It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial to learning achievement. However, feedback research remains relatively contentious due to learners' differing viewpoints on how feedback is best given. Although a large number of studies have explored learners' perspectives on collaborative feedback, little classroom-based research has promoted noticing through collaborative feedback. To address this, this study aims to infuse noticing-based collaborative correction into secondary classrooms to explore students' perceptions of such feedback practice on their written output. Forty-one students' responses to the list of close-ended questionnaires revealed a strong consensus about this potential approach although there are indications that the participants' dependent learning styles had influenced these findings. An obvious implication of this is that students might benefit from various scaffolding sources, and thus there is a need for teachers to be aware of the influence of reciprocal learning among learners so that the quality of feedback practices may be enhanced.

Direct versus Indirect Explicit Methods of Enhancing EFL Students’ English Grammatical Competence: A Concept Checking-based Consciousness-raising Tasks Model

English Language Teaching, 2012

Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit ... more Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit grammar instruction (DEGI) (deduction) and indirect explicit grammar instruction (IEGI) (induction). This study aims to explore the effects of indirect explicit grammar instruction on EFL learners' mastery of English tenses. Ninety-four eleventh-graders were conveniently selected and randomly assigned into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). A pre-post tests design was used to collect the data. Before and after the treatment, the following tests were administered: rule analysis, grammar, and speaking. A delayed written test was given to both groups to assess students' retention of structure acquired; in addition, a questionnaire was provided to the EG to investigate their perception on the treatment. The results indicated that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in the analysis of grammar rules and the oral proficiency, except for the use of grammar structures in a pre-defined context. Convincingly, there was a positive correlation between the grammar rules and their subsequent use. This validates the cause and effect of grammar rules' acquisition and the use of them in receptive and productive stages. Also, the EG had favorable attitudes towards the instruction. This study may provide practical implications and techniques for improving EFL students' grammar performance in high schools in Vietnam.

Developing a Framework to Explore Local Researchers" Engagement with Global Academia: The Case of Vietnamese Social Sciences Scholars

by Trang Dang and Cuong H Hoang

Asia Social Science, 2021

In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global ... more In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global knowledge system. However, in the context of Vietnam, interaction and engagement between Vietnamese social sciences researchers (VSSRs) with the global academic world are limited despite efforts from the Vietnamese government and tertiary institutions. This study explores the barriers that prevent Vietnamese scholars engaging with the international academic community. Eighty-two Vietnamese scholars in various fields of social sciences responded to an online self-reporting questionnaire including 13 closed-ended and nine open-ended questions. The results show that various individual factors (e.g., the researchers" inadequate proficiency in English or limited research capacities), organisational factors (e.g., the lack of a supportive research environment, the lack of funding and resources, and unsupportive policies), and broader factors (e.g., political censors or the tradition of social research) could significantly influence VSSRs" engagement with global academia. The study underlines the need for in-depth scholar-centred research to understand the process in which local researchers, who are disadvantaged by their contextual factors, participate in the international academic community. More importantly, findings are used to develop a potential framework to study local researchers" academic engagement with global academia.

Developing a Framework to Explore Local Researchers" Engagement with Global Academia: The Case of Vietnamese Social Sciences Scholars

In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global ... more In recent years, local scholars have been playing an increasingly significant role in the global knowledge system. However, in the context of Vietnam, interaction and engagement between Vietnamese social sciences researchers (VSSRs) with the global academic world are limited despite efforts from the Vietnamese government and tertiary institutions. This study explores the barriers that prevent Vietnamese scholars engaging with the international academic community. Eighty-two Vietnamese scholars in various fields of social sciences responded to an online self-reporting questionnaire including 13 closed-ended and nine open-ended questions. The results show that various individual factors (e.g., the researchers" inadequate proficiency in English or limited research capacities), organisational factors (e.g., the lack of a supportive research environment, the lack of funding and resources, and unsupportive policies), and broader factors (e.g., political censors or the tradition of social research) could significantly influence VSSRs" engagement with global academia. The study underlines the need for in-depth scholar-centred research to understand the process in which local researchers, who are disadvantaged by their contextual factors, participate in the international academic community. More importantly, findings are used to develop a potential framework to study local researchers" academic engagement with global academia.

Direct versus indirect explicit methods of enhancing EFL students’ English grammatical competence: A concept checking-based consciousness-raising tasks model

English Language Teaching , 2013

Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit ... more Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit grammar instruction (DEGI) (deduction) and indirect explicit grammar instruction (IEGI) (induction). This study aims to explore the effects of indirect explicit grammar instruction on EFL learners' mastery of English tenses. Ninety-four eleventh-graders were conveniently selected and randomly assigned into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). A pre-post tests design was used to collect the data. Before and after the treatment, the following tests were administered: rule analysis, grammar, and speaking. A delayed written test was given to both groups to assess students' retention of structure acquired; in addition, a questionnaire was provided to the EG to investigate their perception on the treatment. The results indicated that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in the analysis of grammar rules and the oral proficiency, except for the use of grammar structures in a pre-defined context. Convincingly, there was a positive correlation between the grammar rules and their subsequent use. This validates the cause and effect of grammar rules' acquisition and the use of them in receptive and productive stages. Also, the EG had favorable attitudes towards the instruction. This study may provide practical implications and techniques for improving EFL students' grammar performance in high schools in Vietnam.

Vietnamese EFL Students’ Perceptions of Noticing-Based Collaborative Feedback on Their Writing Performance

Trang Thi Doan Dang, 2016

It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial ... more It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial to learning achievement. However, feedback research remains relatively contentious due to learners' differing viewpoints on how feedback is best given. Although a large number of studies have explored learners' perspectives on collaborative feedback, little classroom-based research has promoted noticing through collaborative feedback. To address this, this study aims to infuse noticing-based collaborative correction into secondary classrooms to explore students' perceptions of such feedback practice on their written output. Forty-one students' responses to the list of close-ended questionnaires revealed a strong consensus about this potential approach although there are indications that the participants' dependent learning styles had influenced these findings. An obvious implication of this is that students might benefit from various scaffolding sources, and thus there is a need for teachers to be aware of the influence of reciprocal learning among learners so that the quality of feedback practices may be enhanced.

EFL learners’ roles in a mediational process of written corrective feedback: Writing accuracy and responses (Routledge Publisher)

Transformation and empowerment through education: Reconstructing our relationship with education, 2019

Written corrective feedback (WCF) has been theoretically and empirically regarded as beneficial t... more Written corrective feedback (WCF) has been theoretically and empirically regarded as beneficial to learning, yet its influence on writing accuracy remains inconclusive in research studies, due largely to the type of delivery and short length of students’ engagement. Addressing these issues, the study discussed in this chapter revealed the impact on accurate writing performance of the correcting phases: discovering gaps, correcting practice and revising texts. The chapter also reports learners’ responses to the three phases that they experienced. Framed by the mediated learning experience (MLE) theory, the study avoided positioning learners as passive feedback recipients, focusing instead on learners’ agency through mutual learning in the correcting process. The study adopted a mixed-methods design, initiated by a quasi-experiment, followed by the semi-structured interviews. Intact classes, each with 31 students, were assigned a collaborative group (CG) and a teacher guided group (TGG). The correcting treatment lasted for eight weeks, involving eight correcting topics, with 120 minutes for each. Results from the Mann-Whitney U tests on pre- and post-writing tasks revealed that the WCF had positive impacts on writing accuracy. However, the CG outperformed the TGG in the pre- and post-writing tasks in a between-groups design. Thematic analysis from eight students’ responses in the CG indicated both positive and negative views and their preferences. These findings might have resulted from the learning context and the power of collaborative correcting practice within which students acted as active learners, working on their gaps to improve their writing performance. The pedagogical and theoretical implications of this study are also discussed.

You can read the chapter online via the following link:
https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QMB7DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA36&dq=EFL+learners%E2%80%99+roles+in+a+mediational+process+of+written+corrective+feedback:+Writing+accuracy+and+responses&ots=-vV7fI3phU&sig=cU9Zw06geedgnjuSPH7KZJOSF-A#v=onepage&q=EFL%20learners%E2%80%99%20roles%20in%20a%20mediational%20process%20of%20written%20corrective%20feedback%3A%20Writing%20accuracy%20and%20responses&f=false

A Mediated Learning Experience Perspective on a Sequence of Feedback-Correction

CAMTESOL CONFERENCE , 2022

This paper reports on part of a larger study investigating Vietnamese EFL secondary students' ref... more This paper reports on part of a larger study investigating Vietnamese EFL secondary students' reflection on the practices and consequences of the sequence of feedback-correction. Drawing on Feuerstein's mediated learning experience theory, the sequence of detecting errors, correcting the identified errors, and rewriting practice was operationalised by the sociocultural dimension of the teacher's intervention and group-based learning. This quasi-experimental study is to address students' limited engagement with feedback-correction practices as discussed in the recent literature and as can be observed in secondary schools in Vietnam. The same sequence was administered to two intact classes (n = 62), but they received different correcting strategies-direct and indirect corrective feedback. The two classes' responses to a closed-ended questionnaire showed their strong agreement with the effectiveness of the sequence, despite their significantly different responses to writing improvement, approach preferences, and learning motivation. Students' voices collected from the follow-up semi-structured interviews elaborated on the benefits and disadvantages of group-correction and the significance of targeting types of errors and each correcting phase. The findings confirm the usefulness of engaging students in the mediated correcting process and contribute to the ongoing debate over the effectiveness of feedback-correction in writing.

Teacher-trainer: English Textbook 12: Put Theory into Practice

Training Teachers in HCM City, 2006

Teacher-trainer: Effective Ways to Implement the English Textbook 11

Training Seminar for Teachers in HCM City, 2007

Direct versus Indirect Explicit Methods of Grammatical Competence: A Concept Checking-based Consciousness-raising Tasks

CamTESOL Conference on English Language Teaching, 2014

Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit ... more Two approaches to grammar instruction are often discussed in the ESL literature: direct explicit grammar instruction and indirect explicit grammar instruction (IEGI). This study aims to explore the effects of IEGI on EFL learners’ mastery of English tenses. The subjects were conveniently selected and randomly assigned into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). Pre-post tests including rule analysis, grammar, speaking, and delayed written test were used. Additionally, a questionnaire was administered to investigate the perception on the treatment. The EG significantly outperformed the CG in the analysis of rules and the oral proficiency, except for the use of structures in a pre-defined context. Convincingly, there was a positive correlation between the rules and their subsequent use. Also, the EG had favorable attitudes towards the instruction. This study may provide practical implications for improving EFL students’ grammar performance in high schools in Vietnam.

The Relationship between Noticing and Feedback

Monash Education Research Community (MERC) Conference , 2015

From theoretical perspectives, feedback and noticing have been regarded as indispensable componen... more From theoretical perspectives, feedback and noticing have been regarded as indispensable components in second language (L2) learning. The former has been viewed as a supportive agent for language learning in behaviorist and cognitive theories in L2 learning (Ellis, 2009) and the latter, being a form of attention, enables learners to be aware of a gap between their learning performance and the target language (Schmidt, 2001). Although several studies have explored the efficacy of feedback on L2 writing development, the integration of noticing into direct and indirect feedback process has not been fully carried out. To address this, this quasi-experimental proposal (i.e. pre-, post-test design) examines the interconnection between noticing and feedback (i.e. direct and indirect) on L2 development. Also, it seeks the perceptions of learners and teachers on feedback practices (i.e. a survey questionnaire, and semi-structured interview). This project is likely to have profound contributions to writing instruction and feedback research agenda.

Key words: Noticing; feedback; writing instruction

Vietnamese EFL Students’ Perceptions of Noticing-based Collaborative Feedback on their Writing Performance

Monash Education Research Community (MERC) Conference , 2016

It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial ... more It has been theoretically and empirically acknowledged that collaborative feedback is beneficial to learning achievement. However, feedback research remains relatively contentious due to learners’ differing viewpoints on how feedback is best given. Although a large number of studies have explored learners’ perspectives on collaborative feedback, little classroom-based research has promoted noticing through collaborative feedback. To address this, this study aims to infuse noticing-based collaborative correction into secondary classrooms to explore students’ perceptions of such feedback practice on their written output. Forty-one students’ responses to the list of close-ended questionnaires revealed a strong consensus about this potential approach although there are indications that the participants’ dependent learning styles had influenced these findings. An obvious implication of this is that students might benefit from various scaffolding sources, and thus there is a need for teachers to be aware of the influence of reciprocal learning among learners so that the quality of feedback practices may be enhanced.

Key words
Collaborative feedback; noticing and scaffolding

The Effects of Written Collaborative Correction on EFL Vietnamese Students’ Reflections and their Writing Performance

The Applied Linguistics Association of Australia (ALAA) Conference , 2016

Group work has been widely applied in language classrooms and regarded as useful to learning, yet... more Group work has been widely applied in language classrooms and regarded as useful to learning, yet the impact of written correction can be either beneficial or ineffective (Hattie & Timperly, 2007). Although previous research has investigated the value of teacher and peer feedback on learners’ perceptions and/or on their written output, the effectiveness of written correction remains debatable depending on its type and delivery. It is still not known whether the integration of cognitive and social elements into learning activities such as engaging multiple-ability groups in noticing/discovering the gaps in their collaborative writing, correcting errors, revising their first drafts, and comparing the revision with their initial writing can improve correction practice. To address this, this mixed-methods study (i.e., sequential exploratory strategy) aims to investigate the effects of collaborative written correction on secondary students’ writing performance but equally important to explore learners’ perspectives on these problem-solving sequences, a suggestion in recent literature. Intact classes, each with 31 students, were assigned a collaborative correction group (CCG) and a teacher correction group (TCG) in the primary treatment which lasted 8 weeks, 135 minutes each, with eight topics of correction; four letters and four descriptions. Following the primary stage, phase 2 looked in specific cases, using a qualitative method to better understand the dynamics of collaborative correction. Initial findings of the pre- and post-letter/description writing assessment indicated that although the CCG outperformed the TCG on letters, the performance of descriptions did not quite reach statistical significance. Thematic analysis from the semi-structured interviews revealed a strong concord with this collaborative practice. An obvious implication of this is that various scaffolding techniques from sociocultural views of language learning might be beneficial, and thus there is a need for teachers to execute scaffolding strategies in a specific class to promote collaborative learning.

Keywords: collaborative correction, problem-solving, scaffolding

Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112. http://rer.sagepub.com/content/77/1/81

The State of English Teaching in Primary and Secondary Education in Vietnam: Practices and Challenges

Symposium: Education in Vietnam: Exploring Contemporary Policies and Practices , 2017

In recent years, there has been a rapid change in English teaching and learning in Vietnam, espec... more In recent years, there has been a rapid change in English teaching and learning in Vietnam, especially primary and secondary education levels. The trend is projected by a recent 2008-2020 policy, aiming to innovate its language pedagogy, being the goal of this presentation. This paper first provides an overview of learning English of primary and secondary learners. For pupils (Years 3-5), English is an elective subject, whereas, it is mandatory for secondary students (Years 6-12) who need to achieve satisfactory results from different tests and exams. In order to respond to the innovation, we need to consider a number of challenges and possibilities.The most obvious factors that may influence the teaching quality are teachers’ English proficiency and the Confucian culture, prioritising teacher authority, dependency and nurturing (Sullivan, 2000) which may discourage learners’ discovery, collaboration, and creativity – and by extension, critical thinking in language learning. Therefore, learners are reluctant to cooperate with peers because they believe that knowledge only comes from the teacher (Luu T.T., 2010). This trend is opposed to a socio-cultural perspective on language development, emphasising the importance of social negotiation, facilitators (teacher expert and advanced peers), problem-solving activities, and learners’ participation (Lantolf & Thorne, 2007). Although attempts have been made to reform language teaching and students are considered as hard-working and resourceful, the other contextual dimensions: exams, motivation, and large class size may interfere the process. It is strongly recommended that Vietnam with its intrinsic motivation and potential educators can cope with such challenges if we critically review English teacher professional development, curriculums, and assessment systems that are also potential research areas.

Keywords: language pedagogy, socio-cultural perspective, reform

Written Corrective feedback: A mediational process

The Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Conference 2017 , 2017

Written corrective feedback (WCF) has been commonly used in English writing classrooms and is con... more Written corrective feedback (WCF) has been commonly used in English writing classrooms and is considered a beneficial strategy for learning. However, feedback research is a topic for discussion which calls for more classroom-based investigations into students’ engagement with feedback (Hyland, 2010; Lee, 2013; Van Beuningen, 2010). Although previous empirical studies have investigated the impact of teacher and peer feedback on learners’ writing performance and/or their beliefs, the effectiveness of such practice remains divisive due to its type and delivery. It is still not known whether three correcting phases of: noticing/discovering gaps, correcting practice, and revision can enhance the power of WCF on written output, and especially how learners participate in these phases. This study addresses these underexplored aspects, but the focus is on participation in the correcting phases rather than the nature of corrective/negative feedback or error correction. Feuerstein’s Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) provides a set of essential and reinforcing criteria upon which the correcting design and the analysis of participation are based. MLE emphasises that individual learning experience is constituted through interactions with teacher or peers.
This study adopted an embedded quasi-experimental design by embedding classroom observations into the eight correcting sessions. Intact classes, each with 31 secondary students in Vietnam, were assigned a collaborative group (CG) and a teacher guided group (TGG). The intervention lasted 8 weeks, 120 minutes each, with 8 topics of correction. The observations looked into how mixed-ability groups mediate learning through their participation within and among groups in the CG. The Mann–Whiney U Tests on pre-/post-writing of the CG and the TGG indicated that both methods of correction positively influenced students’ writing performance. However, in a between-groups design, the CG outperformed the TGG in terms of production of letters and descriptions; U = 335, p = .040, r = -.26 and U = 340, p = .047, r = -.25. Additionally, initial analysis of note-taking and audio-recording from the observations exhibited three groups of learners: non-participant, supported participant, and active participant. An obvious consequence of this might result from the three factors: the correcting design, reciprocal involvement, and contextual aspects. I conclude that WCF may prove valuable for Vietnamese EFL learners when they are offered opportunities for participation in social exchanges during the correcting sequences.

Key words
Written corrective feedback; writing performance; mediated learning experience; teacher and peer feedback

Written Corrective Feedback in EFL Writing: A Mediation-based Process

The American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference 2018 , 2018

While written corrective feedback (WCF) is commonly used in English writing classrooms, research ... more While written corrective feedback (WCF) is commonly used in English writing classrooms, research into WCF remains contentious. The debate over the effectiveness of WCF has called for more classroom-based investigation into students’ engagement with feedback. Although a large number of WCF studies have been conducted, little is known regarding whether the three correcting phases of: noticing/discovering gaps, correcting practice, and revision can enhance the power of WCF on written output, and especially how learners participate in these phases. This study examines these under-researched aspects, accentuating participation in correcting sequences rather than the nature of correction. Feuerstein’s Mediated Learning Experience (MLE), which emphasises that individual learning is modified through interaction with teacher and peers, provides essential criteria for designing the correcting treatment and analysing students’ participation.
The study adopted an embedded quasi-experimental design. Classroom observations were embedded into 8 correcting sessions of 120 minutes each. Intact classes, each with 31 secondary students, were assigned a collaborative group (CG) and a teacher guided group (TGG). The observations in the CG explored how mixed-ability groups participate in and among groups. Findings from the pre- and post-written tasks revealed that teacher- and group-correction strategies had positively influenced students’ writing performance. However, in a between-groups design, the Mann–Whiney U Tests indicated that the CG outperformed the TGG in two different types of written tasks. In a within-groups design, while the CG significantly improved on two written tasks, only improvement in one type of task was found in the TGG. Thematic analysis of the observations exhibited three groups of learners: non/selective-participant, supported-participant, and active-participant, which might result from three factors: the correcting design, reciprocal involvement, and contextual aspects. This study offers recommendations for providing students with social exchanges during the correcting sequences and incorporating WCF into English writing instruction in the local curriculum in Vietnam.

Key words
Written corrective feedback; writing improvement; mediated learning experience; student engagement

Writing the Research Approach and Design

Higher Degree Research Seminar, Faculty of Education, Monash University, 2018

Experiences of a PhD from Monash Education: Self-reflection and Self-position from a Sociocultural Perspective

2020 International Graduate Research Symposium, 2020