Speaker
Description
In recent years, there has been a growing interest among elderly individuals in learning English, driven by motivations such as enhancing cognitive function, engaging in social interactions with peers, and acquiring practical communication skills for travel or maintaining relationships with family members abroad. This demographic represents a valuable target group for English language education in Vietnam. To meet their learning needs effectively, it is essential to explore teaching methodologies tailored to the unique challenges faced by elderly learners.
This study examines the use of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in teaching English conversation skills to elderly learners, with a focus on the integration of Top Notch Fundamentals videos as a key tool for facilitating task-based activities. A mixed-methods research design, combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches, was employed to assess the perspectives of both elderly learners and teachers on the effectiveness of this method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and classroom observations from 79 elderly learners and 12 teachers at three campuses of English Town, an English language center in Ho Chi Minh City.
The findings suggest that incorporating Top Notch Fundamentals videos into the TBLT approach significantly enhances the learning experience by providing engaging and contextually relevant tasks. This combination proves to be an effective and practical method for teaching English conversation to elderly learners. Based on these results, it is recommended that English teachers consider using Top Notch Fundamentals videos as a valuable tool within a TBLT framework to create dynamic, interactive, and effective lessons for elderly learners.
Biography
My full name is Ngo Thi Thao My, and I have over 10 years of experience in teaching English, with a particular focus on working adults and elderly learners. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of teaching students with a wide range of goals, from conversational English to academic proficiency. I hold both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in English Language Teaching from Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Over the years, I have taught at several centers specializing in adult and senior learners, which has given me valuable insights into the unique needs of these groups.
For the past 4 years, I have been running my own small English language business, where I have been able to explore and implement innovative teaching methods to help my students achieve the best results. In addition to this, I have also created opportunities for other teachers to find employment and engage in the exchange of useful teaching methods, fostering a collaborative learning environment for both educators and learners alike.
One of my key professional goals is to continue exploring and developing teaching methods that cater to the unique needs of elderly learners, as I believe this demographic represents an underutilized potential market for English education in Vietnam. In 2023, I had the opportunity to present my research on using board games as a tool for teaching English to elderly learners at a TESOL conference.
I am here to share my passion for Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in teaching English to elderlies, which I used as the foundation for my Master's thesis. I am eager to continue my research on this unique learner group and contribute to improving English education for elderly learners. I look forward to exchanging ideas and learning from others in this field.
