English-only Approach in Vietnamese Non-major EFL Tertiary Education: Teachers’ and Students’ Perceptions

Abstract

English-only approach has been prevailing in many English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching contexts. However, when being applied in EFL classes, this practice has been shown to be challenged by different factors such as students’ and teachers’ limited proficiency. This qualitative study investigates how lecturers and students perceive an English English-only approach in non-major EFL classes at two public colleges in Vietnam in order to enhance the efficiency of using English to teach English and improve students’ English skills. Data were collected by interviewing lecturers and focus groups of students. Findings reveal that both lecturers and students shared viewpoints on the benefits of an English-only approach, but not all of them thought this approach would be effective in classes. Results also show the complexity of lecturers’ perspectives regarding the feasibility of an English-only practice, which was explained by the lecturers’ previous education and the interwoven experiences as language learners and language teachers. This study suggests a bilingual English-dominant approach in non-major EFL classes in the Vietnamese context.