ENHANCING STUDENTS’ ACQUISITION OF ADJECTIVE ORDER IN WRITING BASIC SENTENCES BY APPLYING COMMUNICATIVE TRANSLATION ACTIVITIES: A CASE STUDY AT NEW LIFE IMMIGRATION LANGUAGE CENTER

Abstract

This study explores the effectiveness of Communicative Translation Activities (CTAs) as pedagogical tools for enhancing non-native English learners’ understanding and use of Adjective Order (AO) in English-to-Vietnamese translation. Based on two main assumptions, the research posits that CTAs improve learners’ English proficiency, cognitive engagement, and mastery of grammatical structures such as Adjective Phrases (APs). Conducted at the New Life Immigration (NLI) Foreign Language Centre (FLC), where the researcher is affiliated, the study employed a quantitative design involving direct observation, questionnaires, and CTA-based lesson plans. Two groups of adult learners, matched for English proficiency, participated in a seven-week instructional intervention. Data collected through grammar tests, translation tasks, and learner questionnaires were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics as well as thematic analysis. The findings indicate that CTAs significantly enhance learners’ ability to recall and apply AO structures, increase their engagement, and improve communicative fluency, thereby confirming the pedagogical value of translation-based instruction in foreign language learning.