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Description
This study examines how Vietnamese EFL teachers utilized scaffolding strategies within English listening classes. It delves into the frequency and effectiveness of scaffolding tactics employed across pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening stages. Data were collected through observations of English listening classes and interviews with six EFL teachers from three high schools in central Vietnam, representing different ranking levels based on admission exam results for the school years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. The analysis involved both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data were analyzed to determine the frequency of scaffolding strategies employed, while qualitative data provided insights into teachers' interpretations and challenges. The findings reveal that instructors often employ strategies such as teaching new vocabulary in the pre-listening stage, repeating activities during the while-listening stage, and providing feedback in the post-listening stage to enhance student comprehension, critical thinking, and metacognitive awareness. Furthermore, it was found that there were disparities between teachers’ reported and observed practices due to factors such as time constraints and varying interpretations of effective scaffolding. These findings have significant implications for listening instruction and teacher training in similar contexts.
Keywords: English as a Foreign Language, scaffolding strategies, listening instruction, teacher training
