Speaker
Description
English Modal Verb (MV), serving as tools for expressing attitudes and stances toward a proposition, is widely embedded in academic contexts with growing importance in global communication. Numerous studies have examined EFL students' use of MVs in Argumentative writing (AW); however, there appears to be a lack of analysis within the scope of Cognitive Linguistics (CL), a relatively new perspective in the field. This study fills this gap by investigating the current practices and perceptions of using MVs in AW among EFL Vietnamese English-major undergraduates from a Cognitive Linguistic Perspective. The mixed-methods study first examines a corpus of their writing essays of a given topic using a CL-based framework to identify the MVs use pattern, then analyses data from a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews for further insights into their perceptions of using MVs. The research findings show that in terms of frequency, MV items were employed by Vietnamese undergraduates with varying frequency in the corpus, with “can”, "should ", "will" being used most frequently. While some MVs were overused, others could be omitted where necessary, resulting in indicating an overly assertive tone in argumentation. Among the two meanings of MVs, students tend to use MVs in Deontic/Social meaning more than in Epistemic/Logical meaning. Despite generally acknowledging the importance of MVs in AW, students claim some challenges in use and underlying reasons. This study calls for a more systematic and practical approach of MVs that would provide EFL learners with a more sustainable use of MVs in sustainability-oriented education.
Biography
- Quynh Anh Truong is a graduate with an excellent Bachelor’s degree in English Linguistics from the Faculty of English at Hanoi National University of Education. Throughout her studies, she maintained a strong academic record and was awarded scholarships for six consecutive semesters. She also gave a presentation in annual seminars of Learning Methodology organized by the Faculty of English in two years. Her recently completed graduation thesis calls for a more systemic approach to MVs in the academic contexts, especially the curriculum. Currently, Quynh Anh is involved in academic development activities related to English linguistics and English Language Teaching.
- Thi Minh Nguyet Le is a lecturer at the Faculty of English, Hanoi National University of Education. She has been working as an English teacher and an English teacher trainer for more than 15 years. Her research interests include English Teaching Methodologies and particularly Teaching English to Young Learners.
