English-Major Students’ Perspectives On The Active Learning Approach For Developing Speaking Skills At a University in Dalat

Abstract

The Active Learning Approach (ALA) has been considered a significant promise in language teaching due to its potentials in developing learners’ communicative competence. To understand how this approach works in the Vietnamese tertiary context, this study aimed to explore the perspectives of second-year English majors at a university in Da Lat regarding the effectiveness of ALA and what aspects of its application that influenced their perspectives. The study utilized a mixed-method approach, including surveys, semi-structured interviews, and class observations. The findings reveal students’ positive perceptions of ALA, especially regarding the think-pair-share activity. Main factors influencing their positive perspectives included intrinsic motivation, individual traits, past experiences with ALA, and classroom dynamics. However, several challenges in applying ALA in this context need to be addressed for the approach to reach its full potential in teaching and learning English speaking skills.