PRACTICE SPEAKING ENGLISH THROUGH MAKING PODCASTS: LHU STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE, DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS

Abstract

Podcasts have been considered a quite popular tool for those who study English as a foreign language (EFL) when they help improve leaners’ listening, prononuciation and vocabulary. In Vietnam, students, especially at tertiary level, face difficulties in English speaking skill due to the lack of opportunities to interact with native English speakers and English language teachers regularly. Therefore, practicing speaking skill via podcast production (voice recordings or videos) has been somewhat applied in English language classrooms as a tool for develop autonomous English language learning. This study aims to examine the differences in non-English major’s and English majors’ attitudes towards practicing English speaking skill via producing podcasts for their autonomous learning. It also explores their difficulties and practical solutions they have used to deal with such difficulties. To collect data, online close-ended and open-ended questionnaires were posed to 216 students (both English and non-English majors) from Lac Hong University, Vietnam. Then, the data from close-ended questions was processed via SPSS, and the open-ended questions were described and analysed comprehensively. The findings showed that there were slight differences between English majors and non-English majors, but all participants had positive attitudes toward practicing speaking through podcast production. They faced similar difficulties in producing podcasts like emotional barriers, preparation, linguistic issues (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation), etc. Finally, their practical solutions of regular speaking practice and the integration of online English applications to deal with such difficulties have been described carefully; however, all participants highly appreciated face-to-face communication with real partners in their English learning process.