THE DIFFICULTIES IN ESP READING COMPREHENSION

ENCOUNTERED BY ENGLISH–MAJORED STUDENTS

Tran Quoc Thao1,*, Duong My Tham2

1
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology,
475A Dien Bien Phu, Ward 25, Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2
Nong Lam University - Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung, Thu Duc, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Received 12 December 2017

Revised 21 March 2018; Accepted 28 March 2018

Abstract: This study aimed at exploring difficulties of ESP (English for specific purposes) reading
comprehension faced by English-majored students at one university in Vietnam. Eighty English-majored
students were involved in answering a close-ended questionnaire, and three ESP teachers were invited to
participate in semi-structured interview. The findings showed that students did not have much trouble in
dealing with reading ESP texts; nonetheless, it was sometimes seen that two common areas of difficulties
in ESP reading comprehension students were faced with were unknown words and background knowledge
of subject matters. This study further revealed that students did not confront much with difficulties of text
coverage, organization structure, and grammar used in ESP reading texts.
Keywords: difficulty, English-majored students, ESP, reading comprehension, Vietnamese context

1. Introduction courses are in high demand since there has

It has been widely noticed that ESP been a growing need for learning ESP among
(English for specific purposes) has gained EFL learners in order to meet the working
much concern in English language teaching requirements in their later professions.
and learning, and accordingly ESP courses are
Notwithstanding, EFL learners are faced
designed in accordance with learners’ need
with difficulties in ESP learning, especially in
(Hutchinson & Water, 1987). In ESL/EFL
courses, learners are prepared with knowledge ESP reading comprehension. As for English-
of ESP by having to read a large volume of majored students at one universtity in Vietnam,
academic texts in English; however, many it is not an exception. They still confront some
of them fail to acquire such knowledge due discernible problems when reading ESP texts,
to difficulties in comprehending such texts. which hinders them from being successful in
Different researchers have pointed out the their ESP learning process. For such reasons,
reasons learners encounter difficulties in this study aims at investigating the difficulties
dealing with ESP texts are a lack of both
in reading comprehension for ESP encountered
reading strategy knowledge and necessary
by English-majored students at tertiary level.
reading strategies (Dreyer & Nel, 2003)
The research questions are formed as follows:
and unfamiliarity of English use (Allen &
Widdowson, 1978). 1. What are the difficulties in reading
In the context of Vietnam, although comprehension for ESP encountered by
English is taught as a foreign language, ESP English-majored students?
2. What are the most and least common
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: 84-989637678
Email: [email protected] / tq.thao@ difficulties in reading comprehension for ESP
hutech.edu.vn encountered by English-majored students?
152 T.Q. Thao, D.M. Tham / VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.34, No.2 (2018) 151-161

2. Literature review and those who cannot tackle ESP content in

It is agreed that reading comprehension depth cannot recall information learned or
is the ability to read the text and understand locate information explicitly stated in a text
its meaning. In that sense, comprehension (Abdulghani, 1993).
requires the reader to be an active constructor Recent studies (e.g., Ali, 2012; Mehdi
of meaning by dint of comprehension & Mansoor, 2013; Rosyidah; 2013) have
strategies. Many scholars (e.g., Eskey, 2002; recognized different obstacles of ESP
Gascoigne, 2005; Khalaji & Vafaeeseresht, reading comprehension. Rosyidah (2013)
2012) have asserted that reading conducted a study determining the students’
comprehension is a complex process to which difficulties in reading comprehension in ESP
different approaches, viz. top-down, bottom- and their efforts to solve those difficulties
up and interactive approach, are applied. at University of Muhammadiyah Malang.
The top-down approach is the way in which The subjects of the study were seventy-five
learners use their knowledge of the genre to students. The results of the study showed that
predict what will be in the text (British Council, difficulties faced by the students in reading
2006), whereas the bottom-up approach is ESP were from language and metalinguistic,
the process in which readers must recognize phonological processing, word recognition
a multiplicity of linguistic signals (e.g., problems, text-processing problems and other
letter, morphemes, syllables, words phrases, difficulties such as lecturers, teaching methods
etc.) and use their linguistic data-processing or uninteresting instructions. In the context of
mechanism to impose some sort of order on Vietnam, different studies in ESP (e.g., Ha,
these signals (Brown, 2001). The interactive 2011; Nguyen, Pham & Nguyen, 2016) have
approach combines the interactions between been found. Most recently, Nguyen et al. (2016)
readers and text with the bottom-up and top- conducted a study to analyze the effects of
down elements (e.g., Aebersold & Field, applying reading through ESP materials under
1997; Gascoigne, 2005) because it is argued the criteria of the communicative approach
that neither bottom-up nor top-down could among a large group of senior law students at
successfully describe the reading process a university in Vietnam. The findings showed
(Eskey, 2002). that reading ESP materials motivated students
Regarding ESP, a general understanding to increase both vocabulary and knowledge of
of ESP is that it refers to the teaching and their own field of study and encouraged them
learning of English for particular learners and to use English in everyday situations.
purposes (e.g., Dudley-Evans & St John, 1998; 3. Methodology
Widdowson, 1983). Since ESP contains both
content-based and language-based knowledge, Research context
learners of ESP courses are required to be This mixed-methods study was
good at a specific field of knowledge and conducted at one university in Vietnam
language. The reality, nonetheless, has shown offering two training programs in English,
that ESP learners often suffer from various namely Technical English language teaching
problems ranging from acquiring the content methodology and English language.
to mastering language. It is further pointed out Although both programs have many courses
that ESP learners who struggle to comprehend different from one another, students from
the content have limited knowledge of both programs are required to study various
language must (e.g., Ho, 2016; Pulido, 2004), ESP two-credit courses such as English
VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.34, No.2 (2018) 151-161 153

for Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Table 1. Areas of difficulties in ESP reading
English for Mechanical Engineering, English comprehension
for Information Technology, English for
Areas of difficulties in ESP Number
Environment Technology, and Business No.
reading comprehension of items
English, which aim at providing students
1 Unknown words 4
with technical and language knowledge
2 Text coverage 2
for different working environments, viz. 3 Background knowledge 2
vocational colleges, industrial parks, export 4 Organization structure 2
processing zones, companies, etc. where Grammar (Tenses, linking
technical English is required. 5 4
words, Pronouns)
Others (motivation, timing,
Research participants 6 18
strategies, materials)
This study involved eighty English- Total 32
majored students (male: 20%; female:
80%) conveniently sampled in answering a Regarding semi-structured, two main
questionnaire. Their age ranged from nineteen interview questions and follow-up questions
to twenty-seven. In addition, 59% of students were used to collect ESP lecturers’ in-depth
allocated from one to three hours per week information of difficulties encountered by
to ESP learning at home, while there were students when they read ESP materials.
27%, 10% and 4% of students spending three
to five hours, five to seven hours and more Data collection procedures
than seven hours weekly respectively to study With respect to the questionnaire, one
ESP at home. Three ESP lecturers (1 male; hundred questionnaires were delivered to
2 females) who had more than five years of students in person, and it took the participants
teaching experience were purposively invited about twenty minutes to answer it; however,
to participate in a semi-structured interview. eighty questionnaires were collected.
Research instruments As far as the semi-structured interview is
concerned, three interviewees were invited to
Two research instruments (questionnaire
take part in a 30-minute interview conducted
and semi-structured interview) were
individually in Vietnamese and recorded for
employed to collect data. The questionnaire
for students, which was adapted from later analysis.
Nguyen’s (2012) questionnaire, includes two Data analysis procedures
parts: Background and content. The former
This study generated two types of
features questions about students’ background
data: quantitative and qualitative data. The
information such as gender, age group, and
time spent on ESP at home. The latter includes former obtained from close-ended items in
thirty five-point Likert-like scale (never true, questionnaires were analyzed by using SPSS
rarely true, sometimes true, usually true, and to do descriptive statistics. The latter garnered
always true) items divided into six categories from interviews were analyzed by using
(Table 1) asking about difficulties of ESP content analysis approach, i.e., by dint of
reading comprehension. This questionnaire three steps, viz. familiarizing and organizing,
was translated into Vietnamese in order that coding and recoding, and summarizing and
participants would not have any difficulties in interpreting. Three interviewees were coded
understanding the questions. as T1, T2 and T3.
154 T.Q. Thao, D.M. Tham / VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.34, No.2 (2018) 151-161

4. Results and discussions understand what they read.

However, firstly, students usually
4.1. Results get stuck with vocabularies (T2).
When students face new information
4.1.1. Areas of difficulties in ESP reading in ESP reading texts, they have
comprehension difficulties in terminologies and
background knowledge (T3).
As seen from Table 2, two categories,
Furthermore, interviewees also mentioned
namely unknown words (M=2.9, SD=1.43)
that their students did not face any difficulties in
and background knowledge (M=2.9, SD=1.40)
understanding the grammar used in ESP reading
were the biggest factors hindering students’
texts as they were English majors. A particular
ESP reading comprehension, followed by
example of this is that one teacher confirmed
others (M=2.8, SD=1.45). Noticeably, text
that “Well, the grammar problem is almost
coverage (M=2.5; SD=1.51) and organization
nonexistent, they do that part very well.”(T1)
structure (M=2.5, SD=1.50) also contributed
Hence, ESP teachers suggested some
to students’ low ESP reading comprehension.
ways in order to help students overcome such
It is further observed from Table 2 that students
difficulties. They said:
sometimes had difficulties with grammar
Before learning this subject,
(M=2.4, SD=1.53) in reading ESP texts. [students] should be well-prepared,
Table 2. Areas of difficulties in ESP reading looking through the contents of the
comprehension lesson and read the materials in
Vietnamese, so they can understand
Areas of difficulties n=80 how the machine works, then they
No. in ESP reading can use it effectively (T1).
comprehension M SD
The common solution for this
1 Unknown words 2.9 1.43 problem is that students should
2 Text coverage 2.5 1.51 read ESP materials as much as
possible in order to be familiar with
3 Background knowledge 2.9 1.40
terminologies and reading might
4 Organization structure 2.5 1.50 become easier for them. In addition,
Grammar (Tenses, they should cooperate with non-
5 linking words, 2.4 1.53 English majors in other faculties
Pronouns) to help them work with their ESP
Others (motivation, project in order to get full exposure
6 timing, strategies, 2.6 1.45 to ESP materials (T2).
materials) Students should practice at home as
much as possible to be well-prepared
With respect to the qualitative data before learning new lesson (T3).
garnered from interviews, it was revealed that Specifically, in respect of the first category
all three ESP teachers stated that their students of unknown words which consists of four
could not understand accurately the meaning items (Table 3), it was sometimes true that
of the unknown words and their background students were unfamiliar with terminology
knowledge was not substantial enough to (item 1: M=3.2, SD=1.42), could not “guess
understand the content of ESP reading texts. the meaning of unknown words or phrases”
For example, two interviewees shared that: (item 2: M=3.1, SD=1.42), and did not “have
Their most common problem is enough vocabularies to translate a text” (item
their background knowledge in 3: M=2.9, SD=1.42), and it was rarely true that
ESP. There are some contents
students did not “have enough vocabularies to
that they have never or rarely
approached so they do not understand a text” (item 4: M=2.6, SD=1.46).
VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.34, No.2 (2018) 151-161 155

Table 3. Difficulties in the area of unknown Table 5. Difficulties in the area of

words background knowledge
n=80 n=80
Item Content Item Content
M SD M SD
The terminology is I do not know anything
1 3.2 1.42
strange to me. 7 about the topic when I 2.6 1.47
I cannot guess the read.
2 meaning of unknown 3.1 1.42 I do not understand much
words or phrases. about the content of the
I think I do not have reading texts because of
8 3.1 1.42
3 enough vocabularies to 2.6 1.46 my limited background
understand a text. knowledge of the topics of
I think I do not have the reading texts.
4 enough vocabularies to 2.9 1.42
translate a text. Table 6 of category of organization
structure indicates that participants seldom
The second category of text coverage encountered obstacles in dealing with the
has two items (Table 4), and it was noticed complexity of the structure of the reading
that students did not often have difficulties in texts (item 9: M=2.5, SD=1.49) and the
“generaliz[ing] the meaning of a paragraph” organization of paragraphs (item 10: M=2.5,
(item 5: M=2.4, SD=1.54) and “explain[ing] SD=1.51). Nor did they, as seen in Table 7
the meaning of the passage/ the process of category of grammar, find difficulties in
because [they] do not understand the context” recognizing tenses (item 11: M=2.2, SD=1.62;
(item 6: M=2.6, SD=1.48). item 12: M=2.4, SD=1.55), understanding
Table 4. Difficulties in the area of text the use of linking words (item 13: M=2.7,
coverage SD=1.44), and determining pronouns used in
sentences (item 14: M=2.5, SD=1.52).
n=80
Item Content
M SD Table 6. Difficulties in the areas of
I CANNOT generalize the organization structure
5 2.4 1.54
meaning of a paragraph.
n=80
I CANNOT explain the Item Content
meaning of the passage/ M SD
6 the process because I 2.6 1.48 I cannot define the structure
9 2.5 1.49
do not understand the of the reading texts.
CONTEXT. The text is definitely
complex to understand
10 2.5 1.51
As observed from Table 5 containing because of the organization
of paragraphs.
items of background knowledge, participants
self-reported that they sometimes did not
“understand much about the content of
the reading texts because of [their] limited
background knowledge of the topic of the
reading texts” (item 7: M=3.1, SD=1.42),
and rarely did they not “know anything about
the topic when [they] read” (item 8: M=2.6,
SD=1.47).
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Table 7. Difficulties in the area of grammar Two obvious examples are:

My students have to deal with a lot
n=80 of ESP vocabulary, so sometimes
Item Content
M SD they cannot read as fast as they
Tenses want. (T2)
The text has many tenses The layout of ESP reading texts
11 2.2 1.62 also hinders my students from
in each paragraph.
12 The tenses are so complex. 2.4 1.55 comprehending whole content of
ESP reading texts. (T1)
Linking words
What is more, two interviewees
The usage/ meaning of
revealed that their students did
linking words in ESP is
13 2.7 1.44 not have much trouble with their
really different from what
motivation of ESP reading materials
I have learnt.
and reading strategy use. They
Pronouns shared:
I feel confused to My students are not faced with
14 determine the pronouns in 2.5 1.52 problems of using reading strategies
sentences. to understand the reading texts. (T1)
My students feel that ESP courses
Among four areas of category of others are useful for their future jobs. (T3)
(Table 8), it was found out that timing( M=2.9, When it comes to category of others -
SD=1.1) and ESP materials (M=2.9, SD=1.4) motivation (Table 9), it was found out that
were the factors most affecting respondents’ students were not demotivated in reading ESP
ESP reading comprehension, followed by materials since they did not “think ESP is not
Motivation (M=2.5, SD=1.3) which was not useful to [them]” (item 15: M=2.3, SD=1.59),
a serious factor causing respondents problems and they did not suppose that “The lessons are
in ESP reading comprehension. Strategies boring” (M=2.6, SD=1.47), either. Moreover,
(M=2.2, SD=1.4) was noticed to be the least they also believed that their teachers’ teaching
difficult factor influencing participants’ ESP instructions were not a factor causing
reading comprehension. them trouble in “understand[ing] teachers’
Table 8. Difficulties in the area of others instructions on ESP lessons” (item 18: M=2.7,
SD=1.45), but they sometimes were not
No. Content M SD encouraged to read because their teachers did
1 Motivation 2.5 1.3 not “give [them] interesting or useful topics”
to read (item 17: M=2.8, SD=1.43). In another
2 Timing 2.9 1.1
aspect of motivation, it was discovered that
3 Strategies 2.2 1.4 participants had “a purpose when [they] read”
4 Materials 2.9 1.4 (item 19: M=2.0, SD=1.73), and they self-
reported that “when a text becomes difficult”,
Aligning with the quantitative data, they sometimes still wanted to reread it (item
qualitative data indicated that ESP teachers 20: M=2.9, SD=2.42).
confirmed that their students sometimes could
not manage to finish their ESP reading texts
due to the abundant number of technical
words in ESP reading texts, and the designs
of reading materials did not support their
students in understanding ESP reading texts.
VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.34, No.2 (2018) 151-161 157

Table 9. Difficulties in the area of others - Table 10. Difficulties in the area of others -
motivation timing
n=80 n=80
Item Content Item Content
M SD M SD
I think ESP is not useful The time to read a text is
15 2.3 1.59 21 2.7 1.44
to me. short.
16 The lessons are boring. 2.6 1.47 My reading speed is slower
22 2.9 1.42
Teachers do not give than my friends.
me interesting or useful I spend a lot of time looking
17 2.7 1.45 up the meanings of the new
topics to encourage my 23 3.0 1.41
reading. words in the dictionary
I cannot understand when reading ESP texts.
18 teachers’ instructions on 2.0 1.73 Table 11. Difficulties in the area of others -
ESP lessons.
strategies
I don’t have a purpose
19 2.6 1.47
when I read. n=80
When a text becomes Item Content
M SD
20 difficult, I don’t want to 2.9 1.42 I do not know how to decide
reread it. 24 what to read closely and 2.4 1.42
what to ignore.
The next area of difficulties is timing I cannot use illustrations
(others) as seen in Table 10, which reveals (tables, figures, & pictures)
25 2.0 1.47
that it was sometime true that students had to to help me better understand
what I am reading.
struggle with the ESP reading texts because
When reading ESP texts, I
time constraint (item 21: M=2.7, SD=1.44); 26 translate every word into my 2.3 1.41
their “reading speed is slower than [their] native language.
friends” (item 22: M=2.9, SD=1.42); and
they “spend a lot of time looking up the As shown in Table 12 of category of others
meanings of the new words in the dictionary - materials, it was found out that students
when reading ESP texts” (item 22: M=3.0, “prefer watching a video of an ESP topic to
SD=1.41). Nonetheless, the data in Table 11 reading a text” (item 29: M=3.1, SD=1.42),
of category others – strategies shows that and they realized that “It is hard to find
respondents did not have much trouble in reliable resources of ESP documents” (item
ESP reading strategies as they “know how 30: M=2.9, SD=1.41). Additionally, it was
to decide what to read closely and what to sometimes true that “The illustrations of a text
ignore” (item 24: M=2.4, SD=1.42), and have are complicated [for students] to understand”
to “translate every word into [their] native (item 27: M=2.9, SD=1.42), but they were not
language” when reading ESP texts (item very “strange to understand” (item 28: M=2.5,
26: M=2.3, SD=1.41), but they could “use SD=1.49).
illustrations (tables, figures, & pictures) to
help [them] better understand what [they are]
reading” (item 25: M=2.4, SD=1.42).
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Table 12. Difficulties in the area of others - I do not understand

materials much about the
content of the reading
n=80 texts because of my
Item Content 3 8 3.1 1.42
M SD limited background
The illustrations of a knowledge of the
27 text are complicated to 2.9 1.42 topics of the reading
understand. texts.
The illustrations of I prefer watching a
28 a text are strange to 2.5 1.49 4 29 video of an ESP topic 3.1 1.42
understand. to reading a text.
I prefer watching a I spend a lot of
29 video of an ESP topic to 3.1 1.42 time looking up the
reading a text. meanings of the
5 23 3.0 1.41
It is hard to find reliable new words in the
30 resources of ESP 2.9 1.41 dictionary when
documents. reading ESP texts.

4.1.2. The most and least common

Meanwhile, the top five least
difficulties in ESP reading comprehension
common difficulties in ESP reading
Among thirty-two difficulties in ESP comprehension(Table 14) participants faced
reading comprehension, it was discovered were the lack of understanding teachers’
(Table 13) that the top five most common instructions on ESP lessons (item 18),
difficulties in ESP reading comprehension the inability to use illustrations for better
students encountered were that they were understanding of what students are reading
not familiar with terminology used in ESP (item 25), the wide variety of tenses in each
(item 1), they could not guess the meaning paragraph (item 11), the underestimate of the
of unknown words or phrases (item 2), they usefulness of ESP (item 15) and the word-by-
had to check their meanings in the dictionary word translation (item 26). This implies that
(item 23), they did not have much background participants were not much demotivated by
of topics of reading texts (item 8), and they their teachers’ instructions and the usefulness
seemed to prefer watching something rather of ESP courses, and they did not have
than reading a text in terms of ESP (item 29). difficulties in understanding grammar used in
This means that participants lacked technical ESP reading texts and using reading strategies
vocabulary and background knowledge, to read ESP reading texts.
and they had problems with the current type
Table 14. Top five least common difficulties
of ESP reading materials and timing when
in ESP reading comprehension
reading ESP reading texts.
n=80
Table 13. Top five most common difficulties Rank Item Content
M SD
in ESP reading comprehension
I cannot understand
n=80 1 18 teachers’ instructions 2.0 1.73
Rank Item Content on ESP lessons.
M SD
I cannot use
The terminology is
1 1 3.2 1.42 illustrations (tables,
strange to me.
figures, & pictures)
I cannot guess the 2 25 2.0 1.47
to help me better
2 2 meaning of unknown 3.1 1.42 understand what I am
words or phrases. reading.
VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol.34, No.2 (2018) 151-161 159

The text has many in ESP reading comprehension. They reported

3 11 tenses in each 2.2 1.62 that they allocated their time to studying ESP
paragraph. at home not much as the majority of them
I think ESP is not
4 15 2.3 1.59 spent from one to three hours on a weekly
useful to me.
When reading ESP basis studying ESP at home. It should be,
texts, I translate thus, suggested that students should allocate
5 26 2.3 1.41
every word into my more time to studying ESP materials at home
native language. before class as it is noticed that “Ideally,
4.2. Discussion students should allow two hours of study for
every one hour spent in class” (Marie, n.d.).
The findings show that English-majored
It was further revealed that timing and
students did not often encounter difficulties in
materials were two sub-categories, which also
reading ESP texts; nevertheless, when getting
were noticeable factors influencing students’
stuck with ESP reading comprehension,
ESP reading comprehension. This result
two significant factors which hindered them
may be explained by the fact that because of
from comprehending ESP reading texts
unfamiliarity with technical words, students
were insufficient technical vocabulary and
background knowledge of ESP subject may have insufficient time to read and be
matters. One of the possible explanations for unable to read the ESP texts, and because of
this may be that students were not exposed unfamiliarity with ESP content, they may
to ESP terminology very often, which may find ESP reading materials rather difficult to
cause them some problems in understanding a understand. Therefore, it may be suggested that
particular ESP reading text. Besides, students “[p]roviding background knowledge through
had to learn different ESP courses of various pre-reading as well as previewing content for the
fields, so comprehensibly they lacked much reader seems to be the most obvious strategies
background knowledge of those ESP subject for ESP teacher to come up with the problems
matters. This finding is aligned with the results students have in reading comprehension”
of the study conducted by Ha (2011) who (Alemi & Ebadi, 2010: 6) so that students
concluded that students often had difficulties would activate their prior knowledge as well
in dealing with ESP reading texts because as get familiar with unknown technical words
of inadequate ESP vocabulary and limited prior to reading ESP texts.
background knowledge of the ESP subjects. By contrast, it was found out that students
Therefore, it is advisable that students should did not think that they had problems with text
be an active constructor of meaning when coverage, organization structure, and grammar
reading since reading comprehension is of ESP reading texts. It may be obvious that as
not a simple skill, and it involves readers in the respondents, English-majored students had
reading between the lines. Moreover, during sufficient English knowledge to understand the
the process of reading, students must not general content, structures, and grammar use of
only look at the words on the pages (bottom- ESP reading texts, difficulties in such categories
up processing), but also activate background did not obstruct students from comprehending
knowledge (top-down processing), and then the content of ESP reading texts. Additionally,
build all the elements into comprehension in respect of strategies and motivation, the
(Rumelhart, 1980). In another aspect, it may results indicated that students could use
be due to students’ low autonomy in studying reading strategies relatively well to cope with
ESP materials, which may lead to difficulties the difficulties of ESP reading texts, and they
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realized their motivation in ESP courses. This problems of technical vocabulary, background
result of the current study is partially supported knowledge, type of ESP reading materials
by the previous research carried out by Mehdi and timing in reading ESP texts, while the
and Mansoor (2013) who reported that ESP top five least common difficulties were about
readers used different reading strategies while motivation in reading ESP texts, grammar
reading ESP texts although ESP readers’ English used in ESP texts, and reading strategies.
proficiency was at pre-intermediate level. Taken together, these results suggest that
As regards the most common difficulties students should be encouraged to be self-
confronted by students when reading ESP texts equipped with technical vocabulary and
were mainly about the problems of technical knowledge of ESP subject matters by searching
vocabulary, background knowledge, type of ESP for the meaning of new technical vocabulary
reading materials and timing in reading ESP texts, and reading the in-advance-given ESP reading
and the least common difficulties were those of materials in order to get familiar with technical
motivation in reading ESP texts, grammar used words and concepts used in ESP reading lessons.
in ESP texts, and reading strategies. It seems In respect of ESP teachers, it is advisable that
that these results further confirmed the above- different pre-reading activities should be carried
mentioned findings of this study which may be out so as to trigger students’ prior knowledge
due to the fact that although the students were by applying the interactive reading method.
English-majored, they were still faced with Moreover, teachers should also supply ESP-
the use of technical vocabulary and lack of related reading materials to students so that
knowledge of ESP subject matters which may their students can understand concepts and
lead to unfamiliarity of ESP reading materials and terminology used in the class reading texts.
hindrance of inefficient time of reading ESP texts.
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TÌM HIỂU KHÓ KHĂN SINH VIÊN CHUYÊN NGÀNH

TIẾNG ANH GẶP PHẢI KHI ĐỌC HIỂU VĂN BẢN
TIẾNG ANH KỸ THUẬT
Trần Quốc Thao1, Dương Mỹ Thẩm2
1
Trường Đại học Công nghệ Tp. Hồ Chí Minh,
475A Điện Biên Phủ, Phường 25, Bình Thạnh, Tp. Hồ Chí Minh, Việt Nam
2
Trường Đại học Nông Lâm Tp. Hồ Chí Minh, Linh Trung, Thủ Đức, Tp. Hồ Chí Minh, Việt Nam

Tóm tắt: Nghiên cứu này nhằm tìm hiểu những khó khăn mà sinh viên đại học chuyên ngành
tiếng Anh tại Việt Nam gặp phải trong quá trình đọc hiểu văn bản tiếng Anh kỹ thuật. Tám mươi
sinh viên chuyên ngành tiếng Anh tham gia trả lời bảng câu hỏi, và ba giáo viên dạy tiếng Anh
kỹ thuật tham gia phỏng vấn bán cấu trúc. Kết quả cho thấy sinh viên không gặp nhiều khó khăn
khi đọc các văn bản tiếng Anh kỹ thuật; tuy nhiên, nếu có thì hai nhóm khó khăn mà sinh viên
gặp nhiều nhất là từ vựng chuyên ngành kỹ thuật và kiến thức chuyên ngành kỹ thuật. Ngoài ra,
các vấn đề về nội dung chính, cấu trúc và ngữ pháp được sử dụng trong các văn bản tiếng Anh kỹ
thuật không phải là các yếu tố gây nhiều khó khăn cho sinh viên.
Từ khóa: khó khăn, sinh viên chuyên ngành tiếng Anh, tiếng Anh kỹ thuật, đọc hiểu, ngữ cảnh
Việt Nam