Speaker
Description
In the Vietnamese context, language learners need to spend much time practicing to develop English speaking skills because of lacking the language environment. According to some research, university students encounter a number of difficulties in English-speaking development. Among teaching and learning methods, learner autonomy (LA) has been taken under consideration in recent years as it not only assists language learners to enhance language skills but also is necessary for their lifelong learning. This presentation aims to report the result of a study exploring English-majored students’ practice of LA in developing English speaking skills at a university in the Mekong Delta. The study used a mixed-method approach with the participation of 102 students. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used to investigate students’ practice of LA for their English speaking skills development. The result reveals that students intentionally set learning goals for developing English speaking skills as well as self-evaluate their English speaking performance; however, they do not actualize learning activities strictly. The presentation is expected to discuss the current situation of developing LA for university students in English learning and teaching to have some suggestions for students’ English speaking skills development.
