Strategies used by undergraduate Englishmajored students in oral communication

156 L.V.Tuyen, H.T. An, T.K.Hong / VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.36, No.1 (2020) 156-179
STRATEGIES USED BY UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH-
MAJORED STUDENTS IN ORAL COMMUNICATION
Le Van Tuyen*, Huynh Thi An, Tran Kim Hong
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH)
475A-Dien Bien Phu Street, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City-Vietnam
Received 16 December 2019 
Revised 28 January 2020; Accepted 14 February 2020
Abstract: Communication strategies (CSs) play a significant role in enabling EFL students to achieve 
a higher level of English proficiency and good ability in oral communication. Helping both EFL teachers 
and students gain awareness of CSs is essential in the Vietnamese context. This study, therefore, aimed 
to explore the most commonly used strategies in English oral communication among English-majored 
students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), Vietnam. Two instruments were 
employed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data, namely (1) the questionnaire and (2) the focus 
group with the participation of 213 English-majored sophomores, juniors and seniors. The findings of the 
study revealed that the most commonly-used speaking strategies are ‘fluency-oriented’, ‘message reduction 
and alteration’, and ‘negotiation for meaning while speaking’, and that the students used achievement 
strategies more often than reduction ones; and the most commonly-used listening strategies are ‘negotiation 
for meaning while listening’, ‘non-verbal’ and ‘scanning’. The findings also revealed that there are no 
significant differences in the use of CSs among the three academic levels of students. It is expected that the 
findings of the study would partly contribute to the enhancement of communicative competence (CoC) and 
the use of CSs among students at HUTECH in particular and at the Vietnamese tertiary level in general.
Keywords: communicative competence, communication strategies, English-majored students, academic 
levels, Vietnamese context
1. Introduction
1The process of integration into the 
region and the world requires Vietnam to 
train high quality manpower. It is the duty 
of universities to provide most of the skilled 
manpower resources to society. Regional and 
global competition and the era of industry 4.0 
entail students’ integration of their language 
skills and their specialized knowledge to 
compete on the demanding job market and 
keep up with the world. For students, it is not 
easy to accomplish this task. After many years 
of learning English both at secondary school 
* Corresponding Author: Tel.: 84-982362727
 Email: lv.tuyen@hutech.edu.vn
and at university, a majority of Vietnamese 
students, after graduation, can neither speak 
English fluently nor confidently (Tran, 
2013). Their real level of English cannot be 
significantly improved and is still very far 
from the requirements of their future jobs 
(Le, 2013). “Who or what is to blame for 
this deficiency, teachers, non-native speaking 
context, or students themselves?” Or “Should 
other reasons be discovered?” 
Second or foreign language acquisition 
and the development of CoC require language 
students to participate in real-life interaction, 
which demands ample efforts and abilities to 
deal with unexpected situations and problems 
when interacting with both native and non-
native English speakers (Peloghities, 2006). 
157VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.36, No.1 (2020) 156-179
Thus, CSs play an integral part for students 
to cope with speaking and listening problems 
in the process of language acquisition. 
Nevertheless, most of the EFL students in 
Vietnam are not aware of the importance 
of using CSs; and their use of strategies in 
English oral communication is still limited 
(Le, 2018). Therefore, raising students’ 
awareness of the use of CSs is a must. 
According to Stern (1983), to have in-
depth understanding of the use of CSs, studies 
should be conducted in different contexts, 
under different language learning conditions, 
and at different levels of language proficiency. 
So far CSs seem to have been a major area 
of investigation and exploration in the field 
of second or foreign language acquisition. 
That is because these strategies do not only 
help overcome problems but they can also 
significantly contribute to improving and 
building up strategic competence (SC) for 
English users (Ounis, 2016); especially, 
different learning contexts may have different 
impact on students’ use of CSs and their 
communicative performance (Kitajima, 
1997). Nonetheless, a review of the 
relevant literature revealed that studies with 
respect to the use of CSs by Vietnamese 
tertiary students are quite few. To fill this 
gap, this study aims to investigate the use 
of strategies in oral communication by 
English-majored students at tertiary level 
of Vietnam. More specifically, it attempts 
(1) to explore the common strategies used 
to deal with speaking and listening skills 
among English-majored students at Ho 
Chi Minh City University of Technology 
(HUTECH); and (2) to examine whether 
there are significant differences in the use of 
CSs among three academic levels, namely 
sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Based on the objectives, the current 
study attempted to answer the two following 
questions: 
1. What are the most common strategies 
used in oral communication by English-
majored students at HUTECH?
2. What are the differences in the use of 
strategies in oral communication among three 
academic levels of English-majored students 
at HUTECH?
2. Literature review
2.1. Strategic competence
Strategic competence is one of the 
components of CoC which was proposed 
explicitly by Canale and Swain (1980) and 
Bachman (1990) or implicitly by Hymes 
(1967), CEFR (2001) and Littlewood (2011). 
Accordingly, all the components of CoC 
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285–295.
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learning English in Vietnamese universities. The 
Internet Journal Language, Culture and Society, 38, 
138-145.
Willems, G. M. (1987). Communication strategies and 
their significance in foreign language teaching. 
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Yaman, S., & Özcan, M. (2015). Oral communication 
strategies used by Turkish students learning English 
as a foreign language. In M. Pawlak & E. Waniek-
Klimczak (Eds.). Issues in teaching, learning and 
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176 L.V.Tuyen, H.T. An, T.K.Hong / VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.36, No.1 (2020) 156-179
CHIẾN LƯỢC GIAO TIẾP CỦA SINH VIÊN 
CHUYÊN NGÀNH TIẾNG ANH 
Lê Văn Tuyên, Huỳnh Thị An, Trần Kim Hồng
Trường Đại học Công nghệ TP. Hồ Chí Minh (HUTECH)
475A Điện Biên Phủ, Phường 25 Quận Bình Thạnh-TP. Hồ Chí Minh
Tóm tắt: Chiến lược giao tiếp đóng vai trò quan trọng trong quá trình hỗ trợ sinh viên học tiếng Anh 
nâng cao trình độ và khả năng giao tiếp, giúp giáo viên và sinh viên tiếng Anh nhận thức đầy đủ về những 
thủ thuật giao tiếp rất cần thiết trong môi trường giáo dục ngoại ngữ ở Việt Nam. Chính vì thế, mục đích của 
bài nghiên cứu này là khám phá những chiến lược được sử dụng phổ biến nhất trong giao tiếp bằng tiếng 
Anh của sinh viên trường Đại học Công nghệ Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh-Việt Nam. Nghiên cứu sử dụng cả 
hai phương pháp định tính và định lượng để thu thập dữ liệu, đó là (1) bảng câu hỏi khảo sát và (2) phỏng 
vấn theo nhóm. Tổng số 213 sinh viên năm 2, năm 3 và năm 4 chuyên Anh tham gia vào nghiên cứu. Kết 
quả của nghiên cứu cho thấy các chiến lược giao tiếp như ‘hướng đến sự lưu loát’, ‘giản lược và thay đổi’ 
và ‘thỏa hiệp về nghĩa khi nói’ được sinh viên dùng nhiều nhất khi nói tiếng Anh. Đối với kỹ năng nghe, 
sinh viên sử dụng nhiều nhất ba chiến lược, bao gồm: ‘thỏa hiệp về nghĩa khi nghe’, ‘lướt ý’ và ‘phi ngôn 
ngữ’. Ngoài ra, kết quả của nghiên cứu cũng cho thấy không có sự khác biệt trong cách sử dụng chiến lược 
giao tiếp bằng lời nói giữa sinh viên năm thứ 2, thứ 3 và thứ 4. Bài nghiên cứu hy vọng đóng góp phần nào 
đó vào quá trình cải thiện năng lưc giao tiếp và khả năng sử dụng những chiến lược giao tiếp để nâng cao 
kỹ năng tiếng Anh cho sinh viên Đại học HUTECH nói riêng và sinh viên đại học ở Việt Nam nói chung. 
Từ khóa: năng lực giao tiếp, chiến lược giao tiếp, sinh viên chuyên Anh, cấp lớp, bối cảnh Việt Nam
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: Student questionnaire
Dear students,
We are conducting a study on oral communication strategies used by English-majored students 
at HUTECH. Could you please complete the three parts of the questionnaire? Your information 
provided for us will only be used for the purpose of research so please do not leave any item 
unanswered.
Thank you very much. 
Part 1: Personal information
1. Your age:
2. Your gender:..
3. Your academic year:..
Part 2: Use of speaking strategies
In the table below there are 32 English oral communication strategies. How often do you use 
these strategies in learning? Please read them carefully and circle the responses 1-Never (N), 
2-Rarely (R), 3-Sometimes (S), 4-Often (O), or 5-Always (A). 
177VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.36, No.1 (2020) 156-179
No Items N R S O A
Social affective strategies
1 I try to relax when I feel anxious. 1 2 3 4 5
2 I try to enjoy the conversation. 1 2 3 4 5
3 I try to give a good impression to the listener. 1 2 3 4 5
4 I actively encourage myself to express what I want to say. 1 2 3 4 5
5 I don’t mind taking risks even though I might make mistakes. 1 2 3 4 5
6 I try to use fillers when I cannot think of what to say. 1 2 3 4 5
Fluency-oriented strategies
7 I pay attention to my rhythm and intonation. 1 2 3 4 5
8 I pay attention to my pronunciation. 1 2 3 4 5
9 I pay attention to the conversational flow. 1 2 3 4 5
10 I change my way of saying things according to the context. 1 2 3 4 5
11 I take my time to express what I want to say. 1 2 3 4 5
12 I try to speak clearly and loudly to make myself heard. 1 2 3 4 5
‘Negotiation for meaning while speaking’ strategies
13 I make comprehension checks to ensure the listener understands what 
I want to say.
1 2 3 4 5
14 I repeat what I want to say until the listener understands. 1 2 3 4 5
15 While speaking, I pay attention to the listener’s reaction to my speech. 1 2 3 4 5
16 I give examples if the listener doesn’t understand what I’m saying. 1 2 3 4 5
Accuracy-oriented strategies
17 I pay attention to grammar and word order during conversation. 1 2 3 4 5
18 I notice myself using an expression which fits a rule that I have learned. 1 2 3 4 5
19 I correct myself when I notice that I have made a mistake. 1 2 3 4 5
20 I try to emphasize the subject and verb of the sentence. 1 2 3 4 5
21 I try to talk like a native speaker. 1 2 3 4 5
‘Message reduction and alteration’ strategies
22 I reduce the message and use simple expressions. 1 2 3 4 5
23 I use words which are familiar to me. 1 2 3 4 5
24 I replace the original message with another message because of feeling 
incapable of executing my original intent.
1 2 3 4 5
Non-verbal strategies while speaking
25 I try to make eye contact when I am talking. 1 2 3 4 5
26 I use gestures and facial expressions if I can’t express myself. 1 2 3 4 5
‘Message abandonment’ strategies
27 I leave a message unfinished because of some language difficulty. 1 2 3 4 5
28 I ask other people to help when I can’t communicate well. 1 2 3 4 5
29 I give up when I can’t make myself understood. 1 2 3 4 5
30 I abandon the execution of a verbal plan and just say some words when 
I don’t know what to say.
1 2 3 4 5
‘Attempt to think in English’ strategies
31 I think first of a sentence I already know in English and then try to 
change it to fit the situation.
1 2 3 4 5
32 I think of what I want to say in my native language and then construct 
the English sentence.
1 2 3 4 5
Part 3: Use of listening strategies
178 L.V.Tuyen, H.T. An, T.K.Hong / VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.36, No.1 (2020) 156-179
In the table below there are 26 strategies used to cope with difficulties in listening. How often 
do you use these strategies? Please read them carefully and circle the responses 1-Never (N), 
2-Rarely (R), 3-Sometimes (S), 4-Often (O), or 5-Always (A). 
No Items N R S O A
‘Negotiation for meaning while listening’ strategies
1 I ask for repetition when I can’t understand what the speaker has said. 1 2 3 4 5
2 I make a clarification request when I am not sure what the speaker has said. 1 2 3 4 5
3 I ask the speaker to use easy words when I have difficulties in comprehension. 1 2 3 4 5
4 I ask the speaker to slow down when I can’t understand what the speaker has 
said.
1 2 3 4 5
5 I make clear to the speaker what I haven’t been able to understand. 1 2 3 4 5
Fluency-maintaining strategies
6 I pay attention to the speaker’s rhythm and intonation. 1 2 3 4 5
7 I send continuation signals to show my understanding in order to avoid 
communication gaps.
1 2 3 4 5
8 I use circumlocution to react to the speaker’s utterance when I don’t understand 
his/her intention well.
1 2 3 4 5
9 I ask the speaker to give an example when I am not sure what he/she has said. 1 2 3 4 5
10 I pay attention to the speaker’s pronunciation. 1 2 3 4 5
Scanning strategies
11 I pay attention to the subject and verb of the sentence when I listen. 1 2 3 4 5
12 I especially pay attention to the interrogative when I listen to WH-questions. 1 2 3 4 5
13 I pay attention to the first part of the sentence and guess the speaker’s intention. 1 2 3 4 5
14 I try to catch the speaker’s main point. 1 2 3 4 5
‘Getting-the-gist’ strategies
15 I don’t mind if I can’t understand every single detail. 1 2 3 4 5
16 I anticipate what the speaker is going to say based on the context. 1 2 3 4 5
17 I guess the speaker’s intention based on what he/she has said so far. 1 2 3 4 5
18 I try to respond to the speaker even when I don’t understand him/her perfectly. 1 2 3 4 5
Non-verbal strategies while listening
19 I use gestures when I have difficulties in understanding. 1 2 3 4 5
20 I pay attention to the speaker’s eye-contact, facial expression and gestures. 1 2 3 4 5
‘Less-active-listener’ strategies
21 I try to translate into native language little by little to understand what the 
speaker has said.
1 2 3 4 5
22 I only focus on familiar expressions. 1 2 3 4 5
Word-oriented strategies
23 I pay attention to the words which the speaker slows down or emphasizes. 1 2 3 4 5
24 I guess the speaker’s intention by picking up familiar words. 1 2 3 4 5
25 I try to catch every word that the speaker uses. 1 2 3 4 5
26 I pay attention to the first word to judge whether it is an interrogative sentence 
or not.
1 2 3 4 5
179VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.36, No.1 (2020) 156-179
APPENDIX B: Questions for focus group interviews
1. What problems do you often cope with when you speak English to someone inside or outside 
the classroom?
2. How do you feel whenever you start to speak English to someone? 
3. What do you often pay attention to when you speak English to someone (e.g. pronunciation, 
vocabulary, or grammar)?
4. How do you often speak English? For example, do you speak slowly, quickly, softly or loudly? 
Do you try to speak as a native speaker?
5. What kinds of expressions do you use when you speak to someone? For example, do you use 
complex or simple expressions, familiar words or difficult words to express ideas?
6. What do you do if you speak to someone but he/she seems not to understand what you say? 
7. What do you often do if you don’t know how to express your ideas? For example, do you use 
gestures and facial expressions, get eye contact or look away?
8. What will you do if you can’t make yourself understood? For example, do you just say some 
simple words and stop talking, or always try to keep the conversation? 
9. Do you often think of what you want to say in Vietnamese first and then make up the English 
sentence?
10. What problems do you often cope with when you listen to someone speaking English? 
11. What do you ask the speaker to do when you don’t understand what he/she says? For example, 
do you ask him or her to clarify the meaning, use easy words, speak slowly or repeat words?
12. What factors of the speaker do you often pay attention to when you listen to her/him? For 
example, do you pay attention to rhythm, intonation, pronunciation, gestures, intention, main 
points? Do you pay attention to the verb, subject, or types of questions?
13. Do you try to guess what the speaker is saying based on the context or his/her attention?
14. What do you often do when you understand a little about what the speaker says? For example, 
do you stop talking?
15. What do you do to show that you don’t understand what the speaker says? For example, do 
you use gestures, facial expressions, eye-contact, or translate what you hear into Vietnamese little 
by little? 
16. What do you often pay attention when listening to someone speaking English? For example, 
do you concentrate on familiar words, sentences, types of questions which the speaker emphasizes 
or do you try to catch every word?