Speaker
Description
The shift toward student-centered learning has become a growing priority in Vietnamese higher education, particularly in efforts to foster learner autonomy and active engagement. Despite this pedagogical shift, many non-English major students continue to display passive learning behaviors in English classrooms. This study aims to investigate the roles students are expected to undertake in a student-centered English learning environment and examines the extent to which these roles are actually enacted in practice. The research was conducted at Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City. Data were collected through a survey of 190 non-English major students and in-depth interviews with 15 English teachers. The study identifies six core student roles within the student-centered framework: knowledge constructor, self-directed learner, collaborator, reflective learner, problem solver, and active participant. Findings reveal a significant mismatch between teachers’ expectations and students’ actual engagement. While instructors emphasize the importance of learner responsibility and participation, students often remain reliant on teacher direction and exhibit limited autonomy in their learning processes. Many students lack awareness of their expected roles in a student-centered context. The study highlights the need to enhance student awareness of their roles in English language learning and proposes practical strategies to bridge the gap between pedagogical intention and classroom reality. These include redesigning instructional methods, integrating reflective learning activities, and fostering learner responsibility in non-major English programs.
Keywords: student-centered approach, learner roles, non-English majors, English education, learner responsibility
Biography
M.A. Nguyễn Thị Huỳnh Như
Nguyễn Thị Huỳnh Như is currently an English lecturer at the University of Information Technology, with over nine years of teaching experience. Her academic interests include educational management, technology integration in language teaching, and teaching methodologies. She is particularly passionate about leveraging digital tools to enhance language learning outcomes and foster student engagement.
She is committed to creating supportive and inclusive learning environments that promote students’ language proficiency and intercultural competence. In addition to her teaching duties, she actively contributes to academic publications and collaborates with fellow educators to develop innovative instructional materials. Her professional goal is to equip students with the linguistic and cultural skills necessary to thrive in a globalized world.
