Developing the Cadets’ English Oral Proficiency
in Military Academy
by
Nan-torng Lin
Department of Foreign Languages
Chinese Naval Academy
Abstract
This study aims at probing into the issue of developing the cadets’
English oral proficiency in the military academies (MAs) from the
communicative and pragmatic perspectives. Special reference is made to deal
with MA English instruction for the following reasons: First, English has
become an international language. In addition, English conversation is the most
practical and useful way to master the language. Second, the future works of
task-oriented cadets may be related to English oral communication, e.g. arms
procure affairs, arms training or advanced education at abroad, and being a
military attache or liaison officer. Third, since there is rare pressure of the
advanced education examination for the absolute majority of MA cadets, the
English teachers may not feel constrained to implement, or at least experiment
with, interaction-oriented teaching activities that are truly beneficial to
cultivating cadets’ oral proficiency in English.
In line with this theme, this thesis depicts the present state of the English
speaking ability among English-learning students in general as viewed by
researchers and language educators both in this country and abroad. In addition,
it emphasizes the idea that communication is the goal of foreign language
teaching/learning. As communication characterizes the ability to conduct
extended discourse, some notions such as speeeh act, utterance, and discoursal
cohesion and coherence that are relevant to discourse analysis are also
explicated.
Furthermore, oral proficiency, a reflection of communicative competence,
presupposes that a learner should be able to speak out not only in a
communicatively fluent way but also in a sociolinguistically appropriate way.
Thus, a knowledge of how native English speakers initiate and terminate a
conversation, of which topics are to be selected or what conversational rules are
to follow, and of what nonverbal features are involved in an oral
communication, is argued to be indispensable for cultivating English oral
proficiency. Hence, some data is devoted to this line of reasoning.
The data that is based on a questionnaire which is aimed at investigating
the state of English teaching and learning on oral communication at MAs is also
presented. The techniques of improving English speaking ability are further
explored and discussed. Finally, I reiterate the importance of functional and
pragmatic perspectives of a new English conversation course at MAs, stressing
that a conversation class should be well-planned and that interactive and
student-centered activities should be considered as the backbone for organizing
conversation classes. Some pedagogical suggestions for the theme of
developing the cadets’ English oral proficiency with communicative and
sociolinguistic competence being its focuses are also made.
Introduction
1.1
Importance of English Oral Proficiency in Military Academy
It is quite understandable that the goal of teaching and learning of
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is to train the learners to master the four
English language skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
However, the students’ speaking skill seems to be the weakest one because
many of them cannot carry on a simple English conversation with native
English speakers despite the fact that they have attended years of English
courses.
It would be unfair to thrust all the responsibilities of the inability to talk
in English on the students themselves. Almost the English language input for
them comes only from the teachers and the materials they used. Under such
circumstances, the students find it’s very difficult to gain opportunities to
improve their speaking ability. The status may be rooted in the respect of
teaching itself.
There are several factors that may cause the students’ inabilities to speak
English fluently. These factors can be briefly summarized as the following
points:
First, because speaking ability is not included either in the tests of the
individual schools or in any of the joint entrance examinations, the teaching of
speaking is often, if not intentionally, neglected by the teachers.
Second, many teachers complain about the constraints they feel by their
textbooks and the needs to cover all the contents in the available time for the
sake of examination.
Third, the class size is often too large to give each student enough time to
speak. Furthermore, the usual conversation lesson tends to be the situation as
what Alexander (1978: 1) has described as a “a random, unprogrammed affair
over which the teacher has little control. More often than not, time is needlessly
wasted away and nothing effective is added to the student’s knowledge and
skill.”
I make a special reference of this study to deal with the instruction of
English conversation at military academies for the following reasons: First,
English has become an international language. However, English conversation
is the most practical and useful way to master the language. Second, during the
transferring period of the second generation military strength, many military
personnel are sent abroad for arms purchase training. Without enough English
oral communication, the trainees can not be sured to really understand the
instruction of foreign instructor. Third, because Taiwan is developing the
practical diplomancy and establishing as an Asia-Pacific regional operations
center, English speaking ability is necessary for making people-to-people
diplomacy and getting foreign information (including business and military.)
Fourth, since there is rare pressure of the advanced education examination for
the absolute majority of MA cadets, the English teachers may not feel
constrained to implement, or at least experiment with, interaction-oriented
teaching activities which will be further discussed in this study later.
Purposes of the study
This study centers on developing English oral proficiency for the MA
cadets. The purposes of this study can be briefly stated as the following two
points:
(1) To probe the question of how conversational skills that can be
effectively cultivated from a communicative perspective for MA cadets.
Specifically, it is to explore the rationale of developing English oral proficiency
of the MA cadets through interactive activities in a hope that they can
communicate in the linguistically accurate, communicatively fluent and
sociolinguistically appropriate way. An emphasis is laid on the functional use of
language as communication.
(2) Learning activities that are beneficial to the developing of cadets’
oral proficiency will also be discussed. Since it has been argued that the
teachers of English conversation who adopt a functional/pragmatic approach
can promote the students’ oral skills, thus, re-evaluating the role of language
lab for the functional use and proposing to make use of the resources in the
community for promoting students’ listening comprehension and speaking
ability in real-life communication of using English are necessary to carry out.
Theoretical Framework
Research Method
1.. Trying to make a balance between theory and practice
The related theories have been broadly reviewed. A questionnaire as a tool
of investigation is also applied in this study. It was conducted among randomly
sampled 150 cadets in the four MAs (including the Chinese Military Academy,
Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Fu Hsing Kang College). The
questionnaire is aimed at finding the fact for the sake of the relevance of the
discussion per se. The analysis of the questionnaire may disclose the situation
and problems of English oral proficiency in respect of teaching and learning the
English language. The answers of the questionnaire were calculated by the
Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS).
B. Adopting a functional/pragmatic approach
Considering more recent findings in English language teaching and learning,
I have discussed techniques, we believe that they are the most conducive for
cultivating our cadets’ oral proficiency. For example, I argue that the English
native speakers should be invited to join in the cadets’ English conversation
class and that the teachers should make more use of the English language
resources in the community to facilitate the development of our cadets’ English
oral proficiency.
Definition of Important Terms
To facilitate discussions selected for this study, a few special terms
need to be clarified here. They are listed in the following:
(1) Oral Proficiency:
The ability to conduct verbal exchange by transferring known
grammatical forms and vocabulary to new combinations used to express
meaning in new situations in a linguistically accurate and sociolinguistically
appropriate way (summarizing Chastain, 1976: 334, 358 ＆ Li Shiau Chu,
1984: 12).
(2) Conversation:
It is a rule-governed, interpersonal communication activity
involving at least two interlocutors, a speaker and an addressee, engaging in a
give-and-take transmission of message. To elaborate clearly, conversation is
also a coherent, well-structured piece of discourse, which involves an opening,
a proper topic shifting, interruption and topic termination, and is balanced by
appropriate turn-takings. Thus, during the process, each speaker uses his
grammatical competence and follows conversational rules to make him produce
not only grammatical sentences but also utterances that are clear, relevant to the
topic, and most importantly, socially acceptable as well as polite (Shih, 1986:
1-2).
(3) Linguistic Competence:
It is the linguistic knowledge that enables the speaker of a language to
produce and understand an unlimited number of familiar and novel utterances
(O’Grady ＆ Dobrovolsky, 1987: 4).
(4) Communicative Competence:
A language speaker’s underlying knowledge of the linguistic system
and the norms for the appropriate use of language in particular speech situations
(O’Grady ＆ Dobrovolsky, 1987: 337).
Factors That Cause the Problem
1. Teacher-centered teaching. Under traditional teaching method, students
have very little time to speak English and to do interactive activities and to use
the target language.
2. English oral ability is not tested in the joint entrance examination (at both
high school and college levels.) As a result, particularly under the
examination-oriented teaching, the training of speaking is unintentionally
neglected by EFL teachers.
3. Students do not actually use English in daily life. It cause that English is
learned only as a subject in the classroom and not as a practical tool to convey
messages in a communicative way. In other words, what is learned in class is
hardly ever applied to interpersonal communication. Furthermore, there is
hardly enough exposure to English either in class or outside classroom.
All these factors have led to a situation that students at large can not carry on
a simple English conversation despite the fact that they have learned English
for many years.
Findings and Resolutions
A. Findings
1. Learning English just for examination. Most of the subjects indicate the
purpose of learning English is to meet the examination requirement. In Table 1,
the subjects who are “instrumentally” motivated (about 68.6) outnumber
those who are “intergratively” motivated (about 31.3). Thus, the cadets will
have higher motivations to learn English well, if more opportunities are
provided to them, such as advanced education, arms purchases training, etc.
Table 1: Subjects’ Response to the Purposes of Learning English
Purposes
To meet the examination requirement (examination at school and
ECL or TOEFL tests) and prepare for advanced education or
training
To understand the characters and operational processes of advanced
Percentages
63.3
5.3
weapons
To understand more of British and American cultures and societies
To live in English speaking countries and become a member in the
community
Others
20.0
11.3
0.0
2. The cadets don’t have enough exposure to English. From Table 2, 3, 4, 5,
It was found that majority of them have very little even no opportunity to speak
English on the class. And many cadets don’t cultivate a habit of doing
self-talking to practice speaking English. Furthermore, only few of the subjects
daily listen to English radio programs and only cadets always read English
materials other than textbooks.
Table 2: Subjects’ Opinions on Exposure to Speaking English on English Class
Opportunity
Very much
Not much
Very little
Not any
Percentages
20.0
55.3
20.0
4.7
Table 3: Subjects’ Opinions on Simulative Speeches through
Self-Talking to Practice Speaking English
Frequency
Always
Sometimes
Seldom
Never
Percentages
10.0
42.7
34.0
13.3
Table 4: Subjects’ Comments on Listening to the English Radio Programs
Frequency of Listening
Daily
Sometimes
Seldom
Never
Percentages
12.7
40.7
36.7
9.9
Table 5: Subjects’ Comments on Reading English Materials Other
Than Textbooks
Frequency of Reading
Always
Sometimes
Seldom
Never
Percentages
18.0
46.7
29.3
6.0
3. I also find a strange thing that most of the cadets want to have good
English speaking skill, but they are not active to speak. Many cadets expect to
invite English native speakers to converse with them. However, only few of
them will to take the initiative in conversing with native speakers either on or
outside the campus. This phenomenon may cause from “face” issue and the
traditional teacher-dominated teaching method.
4. Data shows that majority of the subjects ignore the importance of
interactive activities. Only few of them like the teaching activity of role play
and small-group discussion.
5. I also find that most of the cadets take positive attitude to lab classes. An
overwhelming majority are interested in attending lab classes. Furthermore,
most of them are very interested in watching films of target culture at lab.
classes.
B. Now I want to discuss some ways that can be used to develop English oral
proficiency.
1. On learning aspect
a. At first, the cadets must be highly interested and very active in learning to
speak English. They can initiate an English conversation with English teachers
or classmates in class. Particularly, taking the initiative in carrying on a
conversation with native English speakers whenever occasion arises.
b. Students should have strong motivation to learn English. To expose
themselves to the target language by constantly listening to/watching English
radio/TV programs or language tapes. They may use off time to attend language
cramming schools where small conversation classes are offered by native
English speakers, or attend English Bible classes.
c. They shoud associate themselves with target culture, such as making
friends with native speakers and exchanging correspondence with foreign
friends.
d. Cadets should cultivate a habit of “self-talking in English” because by
this way, they have more time to practice speaking English and to describe
things in English. Furthermore, they should try to think in English as often as
possible.
e. They should not be afraid of making errors while speaking English. Also
they seek opportunities to take part in English speech contests within or outside
schools.
f. They try hard to imitate the pronunciation and intonation of native
speakers and Pay close attention to how native speakers produce utterances,
too.
g.The cadets should usually contact with English reading materials, such as
newspapers, magazines, and other booklets of various sorts to broaden their
vocabulary for speaking. Furthermore, after reading an article, briefly retell the
story in English to increase impression and practice speaking are necessary.
h. They are suppose to consult English-English dictionaries as possible as
they can. More English words, phrases, and sentences can be acquired through
consulting those dictionaries. In addition, on a real conversation, they can have
direct response in English without the process of Chinese-English mutual
transfer. Therefore, they are able to speak English more fluently and
appropriately.
2. On the aspect of teaching
a. At first, the teachers should improve their English speaking ability. It is
hard to promote cadets’ English oral proficiency without a teacher with
proficient English speaking.
b. Teachers are supposed to readjust the conversation class from
teacher-dominance to student-centeredness. Through various interactive
activities, cadets have more time to practice English.
c. Sociolinguistic component should be combined into English conversation
course. Thus, cadets’ utterances can be expected to be not only linguistically
accurate and communicatively fluent but also sociolinguistically appropriate.
f. The role of language lab should be reestimated and reinforced. A
language lab should be turned into functional use by enabling students to watch
video-tapes or films showing how native speakers conduct both verbal and
nonverbal communications. All these issues can be carried out in a language lab
with all the modern facilities installed. No matter what, a functional/pragmatic
teaching of English conversation will get nowhere without acompanying with
the dynamic audio-visual presentation in class.
g. Teachers should employ the resources in the community, such as
exposing cadets to authentic listening materials so that they will be sensitive to
the differences between classroom English and daily-life English that English
native speakers normally speak.
h. Last way is native speakers may be used effectively. Native speakers of
English who are accessible in the community should at times be invited to join
English conversaation classes.
V. Educational Implications from My Thesis
A. The thesis presents useful teaching techniques for developing oral
proficiency. Including some illustrations and examples that cause teachers easy
to understand and carry out those techniques.
B. This study present practical learning strategies on English-speaking. Those
are mentioned in fourth section above and are beneficial for developing cadets’
English oral proficiency.
C. Some useful suggestions are proposed. Those are condusive to improving
teaching programs and facilities on promoting English speaking ability.
VI. Conclusion
Finally I want to give a brief summary about my thesis.
A. it is found obviously that the results of the questionnaire I adminstered
correspond with other researchers’ investigation, such as the state of teaching
and learing as well as learners’ desires on English oral communication.
Furthermore, some of the useful techniques are presented and hopefully they
can be benificial to both the teachers and cadets at MAs on developing English
speaking ability.
B. It is my sincere hope that the teaching of English as a foreign language in
military academies can be efficiently boosted, and the cadets’ English speaking
abilities can be reinforced in particular because speaking is the most practical
and functional in the four English skills. And some theories and approaches
demonstrated in this study can be adopted for practice. However, up to now we
have not seen a profound satisfactory theory of second language acquisition; the
best ways to reach oral proficiency are to listen to native speakers’ conversation,
to imitate their pronunciations and usages, etc., and the most important is to
practice speaking or using the target language as much as one can. Both the
teachers and cadets should keep the maxim: “Practice makes perfect.” in their
minds.
C. And mastering a foreign language, a student must get through the painful
stages of using the language and practicing speaking the language at times.
After all, communication is the goal of language learning and speaking is the
most practical and useful way to master a language, so I do think developing
cadets’ English oral proficiency is the most important thing on English teaching
and learning at MAs.
Outline
I. Motive and Purposes of This Study
A. Motive
1. The problem is that the students’ English speaking ability is generally fail
to achieve reasonably after taking a long period of English training course.
2. Cadets’ future jobs are task-oriented and may be related to English oral
communication.
B. Purposes
1. To explore the question of how conversational skills that can be
effectively cultivated from a communicative perspective for MA cadets.
2. To discuss teaching ＆ learning activities that are beneficial to the
development of military cadets’ oral proficiency in English.
II. Research Methods
A. Trying to find a balance between theory and practice
B. The research is conducted through a functional/pragmatic approach.
III. Factors That Cause the Problem
A. Traditional teacher-centered teaching
B. English oral ability is not tested in the joint entrance examination
C. Students do not actually use English in their daily lives. Furthermore, there
is hardly enough exposure to English either in class or outside classroom.
IV. Findings and the Ways That Can Be Developed as Suggestions for MA
Teachers and Cadets
A. Findings
1. Learning English for examination (see Table 2)
2. Don’t have enough exposure to English (see Table 4, 11, 12, 13)
3. Want to have good English speaking skill, but not active to speak (see
Table 7, 8)
4. Ignoring the importance of interactive activities (see Table 18)
5. Taking positive attitude to lab classes (see Table 19, 20)
B. Ways
1. On the aspect of learning:
a. With highly interested and very active in learning to speak English
b. Strongly motivated to learn English
c. Associating themselves with target culture
d. Cultivating a habit of “self-talking in English”
e. Not afraid of making errors while speaking English
f. Trying hard to imitate the pronunciation and intonation of native speakers
g. Usually contact with English reading materials
h. Trying to consult English-English dictionaries
2. On the aspect of teaching:
a. Improving teachers’ English speaking ability
b. Readjusting the conversation class from teacher-dominance to
student-centeredness
c. Sociolinguistic component should be incorporated into English
conversation course
f. The role of language lab should be reestimated and reinforced
g. Eemploy the resources in the community
h. Native speakers may be used effectively
V. Educational Implications:
A. Presenting useful teaching techniques for developing the cadets’ oral
proficiency
B. Presenting practical learning strategies to the cadets’ on English-speaking
C. Some useful suggestions are proposed
VI. Conclusion
A. The results of the questionnaire I adminstered correspond with other
researchers’ investigation. In addition, some useful techniques are presented
and hopefully they can be benificial to both the teachers and cadets at MAs on
developing English speaking ability.
B. Speaking is the most practical and functional in the four English skills.
Both the teachers and cadets should keep the maxim: “Practice makes perfect.”
in their minds.