TTLA: Modal expressions in Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners

DOCTORAL THESIS SUMMARY

Author name:Pham Thuy Chi

Thesis title:Modal expressions in Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners

Dissertation field: Linguistics

Major: Linguistics Code: 62.22.02.40

Name of postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi

1. Purpose and research objects of the thesis

The purpose of the thesis is to apply some theoretical frameworks on modality as a basis for explaining the semantic representation of means of expressing modal meaning in Vietnamese. From there, the thesis clarifies the basic semantic characteristics of some lexical means of expressing modal meaning in Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners. On that basis, the thesis proposes the optimal handling and distribution of modal means in practical Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners. At the same time, the thesis also proposes ways to explain and effectively teach means of expressing modal meaning to foreigners.

The research object of the thesis is the means of expressing modal meaning in Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners.

2. Research methods used

- Descriptive method in linguistics with specific techniques such as: statistics, classification, comparison, contrast, transformation, insertion, etc.

- Methods of semantic analysis, contextual analysis, qualitative analysis combined with quantitative, deductive and inductive analysis in scientific research.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

- The thesis has surveyed, compiled, classified and described the lexical means expressing modality in Vietnamese language teaching books for foreigners.

- The thesis has interpreted the semantics of means of expressing modality.

- Through the survey of the distribution of modal means in textbooks, the thesis proposes a reasonable distribution orientation as well as an effective teaching method in teaching Vietnamese modal means to foreigners.

3.2. Main conclusions

- From a system of theoretical foundations that has been determined and has been consistent, the thesis has collected, surveyed, classified, compared, statistically analyzed specific data on four types of lexical means expressing modal meaning in 11 language teaching textbooks currently used in teaching Vietnamese to foreigners: modal verbs, modal adverbs, modal auxiliary words and modal particles. The survey aims to point out the importance of teaching these means to foreigners, overcoming difficulties in teaching modal means to foreigners.

- Based on the survey of the means of expressing modal meaning as above, the thesis has evaluated the level and frequency of appearance of these means of expressing modal meaning in textbooks and at the same time proposed a reasonable orientation for distributing the means of expressing modal meaning into the 6-level foreign language competency framework (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2).

- In order to effectively teach modal means to foreigners, in addition to explaining the means simply, the teaching method is also an important factor. The effective method in teaching these means proposed by the thesis is the method of teaching grammar according to the communicative approach.

KEY SUMMARY ON DOCTOR THESIS

Author: Pham Thuy Chi

Topic: The means of language expresses modality in Vietnamese textbooks for foreigners

Science major: Linguistics

Specialization: Theoretical Linguistics Code: 62.22.02.40

Post Graduate Training Unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities – VNU-Hanoi.

1. Objectives and research objects of the thesis

The objective of this thesis is to apply some theoretical frameworks of modality as the basis for interpretation of semantic expressions of the means of expressing modality in Vietnamese. Hence, the thesis explains the basic semantic features of some vocabulary expressing modality in Vietnamese teaching syllabus to foreigners. Based on that, the thesis proposes the direction and optimal allocation of the means of education in Vietnamese language teaching for foreigners. At the same time, the thesis also recommends effective ways of explaining and teaching means of modality expressions for foreigners.

The study subjects of the thesis are means of expressing modality in the curriculum of Vietnamese language teaching to foreigners

2. Research Methodology

- Descriptive methods in linguistics with specific techniques such as statistics, classification, contrast comparison, transformation, crossover, etc.

- Methods of semantic analysis, context analysis, quantitative and qualitative analysis, interpretation and induction in scientific research.

3. Key findings and conclusion

3.1. Key findings:

- The thesis has examined, made statistics, classified and described the means of modality in Vietnamese language teaching books for foreigners.

- The thesis has interpreted semantics of means of expressing modality.

- By examining the distribution of the means of expressing modality in the syllabus, the thesis proposed a rational distribution orientation as well as effective teaching methods in teaching the means of Vietnamese expressions vocabulary for foreigners.

3.2. Conclusion:

- From a system of theoretical frameworks, the thesis has been conducted to collect, survey, classify, compare, collect statistics and analyze specific languages ​​​​on four types of vocabulary expressions in 11 teaching syllabi used for teaching Vietnamese language to foreigners: modal verbs, modal adverbs, modal adjectives and modal particles. The survey aims to show the importance of teaching these methods to foreigners, and to overcome the difficulties of teaching this field to foreigners

- Based on the survey of the means of modality as above, the thesis evaluated the level and frequency of appearance of these means in the syllabus and proposed orientation for distributing the means of modality in the framework of 6 –level foreign language skills (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2).

- In order to meet the requirements of teaching effective modal expressions to foreigners, in addition to simply interpreting the means, teaching method is also an important factor. The method of teaching these means is proposed by the thesis as a method of teaching with the communication approach.