Speaker
Description
This research paper investigates: (1) the impact of an out-of-class extended interview project on the communicative competence of non-English major students, specifically fluency, accuracy, and lexical resource; (2) the extent to which learner autonomy shifts from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English as a Second Language (ESL) through authentic experiences. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, this study examined forty first-year students enrolled in the first introductory English course at the Faculty of Building Materials, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering during the 2025–2026 academic year. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group conducted out-of-class interviews with at least ten informants for each question in the “Can you understand these people?” section of the English File Pre-Intermediate textbook (4th edition), whereas the control group only practiced the interview tasks under conventional, time-constrained classroom conditions. Data were collected via a pre-test, a post-test, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis revealed that the experimental group achieved statistically significant improvements in overall communicative competence, outperforming the control group in mean scores. Qualitative data indicated that executing the out-of-class interview project required students’ considerable effort and time, and simultaneously enhanced language skills as it required them to conduct face-to-face interviews, transcribe spoken data, and deliver a comprehensive presentation on their interview records. Furthermore, the intervention fostered learner autonomy in real-world settings. These findings suggest that out-of-class interview projects serve as an effective pedagogical tool to enhance speaking performance and facilitate the transition from an EFL to an ESL context.
Biography
M.S. Thao Thi Phuong Lai is currently an English lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages at Hanoi University of Civil Engineering (HUCE). Regarding my educational background, I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English Language Teacher Education from the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS-VNU) in 2010. Subsequently, I earned my Master's degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from Southern New Hampshire University, USA, in 2014.
Over my 15+ years of teaching English at HUCE, I have dedicated myself to both pedagogical practice and academic research. Notably, I successfully defended an institutional-level research project, rated "Excellent," which investigated the application of information-gap communicative games to enhance vocabulary retention for first-year students. Additionally, I authored a scientific paper titled "Impact of Discourse Structure on the Speaking Performance of English 1 Students at HUCE," published in the Journal of Tradition and Development—a prestigious journal recognized by the State Council for Professor Title of Vietnam. I have also collaborated with colleagues to co-author four supplementary textbooks tailored for General English and TOEIC preparation courses at HUCE.
My primary research interests lie in exploring innovative English teaching methodologies and adapting them for non-English majors. Since HUCE students specialize in technical and engineering fields—with many originating from regional areas—they often face distinct barriers in English communication and presentation skills. Attending this symposium, my core objective is to acquire deeper insights into the transition from teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English as a Second Language (ESL). Managing this transition for non-English majors presents a major challenge, and I highly anticipate adopting new, effective strategies to refine my future teaching practice.
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