TTLA: Modal expressions in Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners

1. Full name of the researcher:Pham Thuy Chi2. Gender:Female

3. Date of birth: 14/03/1981                                                     4. Place of birth:Hanoi

5. Decision on recognition of PhD student No.:2999/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH, dated December 30, 2013 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process:

- Decision on extending study period: from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017.

7. Thesis topic name:Modal expressions in Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners.

8. Major:Linguistics9. Code: 62 22 02 40

10. Scientific instructor:Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Van Thi

11. Summary of new results of the thesis:

The thesis has surveyed, counted, classified and described the lexical means expressing modality including: modal verbs, modal adverbs, modal auxiliary words and modal particles. The thesis included 11 textbooks teaching Vietnamese to foreigners in the survey, including 5 textbooks at elementary level, 4 textbooks at intermediate level and 2 textbooks at advanced level. Each type of means was surveyed in terms of: quantity, frequency of use in the textbooks, explanation of meaning, function and instructions for use.

From the survey results, the thesis proposes to explain these means in a simple, easy-to-understand, and concise manner to meet the criteria of the teaching objectives for foreigners. For these means, to be simple and easy to understand, the thesis proposes not to name the means in the process of explaining the meaning but to focus on how to use these means in the grammar explanation section. The most effective way of explanation is to explain the semantics and how to use these means in specific contexts and circumstances.

The thesis has proposed the direction of distribution and handling of modal means of expression for Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners. The thesis has proposed to classify modal expressions into levels and levels in the direction of increasing the quantity for more completeness, from simple to complex, from more common to less common levels, at the same time, it is necessary to base on the level of politeness and formality of modal means.

An effective teaching method for teaching modal means of expressing meaning to foreigners is the communicative method of teaching grammar. Based on the application of a reasonable distribution orientation as well as an effective teaching method for these modal means of expressing meaning, the thesis builds a number of exercises to help students easily remember and skillfully use Vietnamese modal means of expressing meaning in the communication process.

12. Practical application:

The research results of the thesis will contribute positively to the teaching and compilation of Vietnamese teaching materials for foreigners. At the same time, the results of the thesis can also be useful references for the work of compiling dictionaries, translating, interpreting, comparing Vietnamese with other languages, etc.

13. Further research directions:

The thesis limits the scope of research to the lexical means expressing modal meaning in Vietnamese language teaching textbooks for foreigners and stops at four groups of lexical means: modal verbs, modal adverbs, modal auxiliary words, modal particles. Researching and examining other means of expressing modal meaning such as phonetics, grammar, modal idioms, etc. will open up new research directions in other research projects.

14. Published scientific works related to the thesis:

- Pham Thuy Chi (2013), “Some thoughts and experiences on teaching Vietnamese Reading and Comprehension”,Proceedings of the Scientific Conference: Research and training in Vietnamese studies and Vietnamese language - theoretical and practical issues,Hanoi National University Publishing House, pp. 366-375. ISBN 978-604-934-482-4.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2017), “The Semantics of Already”,Research – Teaching Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language: Theoretical and Practical Issues,Hanoi National University Publishing House, pp. 51-60. ISBN 978-604-62-8436-9.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2017), "Some final modal particles in Vietnamese imperative sentences and politeness in communication",Research and teaching Vietnamese studies,Ho Chi Minh City National University Publishing House, pp. 92-101. ISBN 978-604-73-5445-0.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2017), “Teaching and learning lexical means expressing Vietnamese modal meanings for foreign students”,Magazine Language & Life(10), pp. 71-77.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2018), "Means of expressing modal meaning in Vietnamese",Teaching and Researching Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language 2018, Ho Chi Minh City National University Publishing House, pp. 39-49. ISBN: 978-604-73-6155-7.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name:Pham Thuy Chi2. Sex:Female

3. Date of birth: 14/03/1981                                    4. Place of birth:Hanoi

5. Admission decision number:2999/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH, on December 30, 2013 by Rector of USSH, VNU Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process:

- Decision on extension from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017.

7. Official thesis title:The means of language expresses modality in Vietnamese textbooks for foreigners.

8. Major:Linguistics9. Code: 62 22 02 40

10. Supervisors:Associate Prof. Vu Van Thi, PhD.

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

The thesis has investigated, listed, categorized and described the means of vocabulary expressing modality, including modal verbs, modal adverbs, modal adjectives and modal particles. 11 Vietnamese textbooks for foreigners mentioned in the survey include 5 coursebooks at elementary level curriculums, 4 at intermediate and 2 at advanced. Each type of means was investigated in terms of: number, frequency of use in the coursebooks, interpretation of meaning, function and instruction.

From the results of the survey, the thesis proposes the explanation of these means in a simple, straightforward and concise manner to meet the criteria of teaching objectives for foreigners. As for these means, to gain simplicity and comprehensibility, the thesis has proposed not to name the means in the meaning interpretation process but to focus on the use of these means in the grammar clarification. The most effective way of explanation is the interpretation of the semantics, the means of using it in specific contexts and situations.

The thesis has suggested the direction of distribution and processing of modality means for the coursebooks being used to teach Vietnamese to foreigners. The thesis proposed to categorize the modality means into stages, levels in the direction of increasing the number to the full, from simple to complex, from the more popular to the less common At the same time, it should be based on the level of courtesy and ritual of the modality means.

The effective teaching method for teaching means of language expressing modality for foreigners is the method of teaching grammar in the direction of communication. Based on the rational distribution-orientation application as well as the effective teaching methods of modality means, the thesis builds some exercises to help students easily memorize and use fluently the means of language expressing the modality of Vietnamese in the communication process.

12. Practical applicability, if any:

The results of the thesis will contribute positively to the teaching as well as the development of Vietnamese teaching materials for foreigners. At the same time, the results of the thesis may also be useful references for dictionary compiling, translating, interpreting, comparing Vietnamese and other languages.

13. Further research direction, if any:

The thesis limits the scope of the study as means of vocabulary expresses modality in the coursebooks of Vietnamese language teaching to foreigners and results in four groups: modal verbs, modal adverbs, modal adjectives and modal particles. The study on other modal means, such as phonetics, grammar, idiomatic modal expressions, etc., will open new research directions in other researches.

14. Thesis-related publications:

- Pham Thuy Chi (2013), “Some thoughts and experiments on teaching Vietnamese reading comprehension”,Scientific conference proceedings: Research, Training Vietnamese studies and language – theory and practice,VNUH Publishing house, pp. 366-375. ISBN 978-604-934-482-4.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2017), “The semantic meaning of Already”,Research – teaching Vietnamese studies and language – theory and practice,VNUH Publishing house, pp. 51-60. ISBN 978-604-62-8436-9.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2017), “Some modal particles at the end of Vietnamese request and courtesy in communication”,Research and Teaching Vietnamese studies,VNU Ho Chi Minh Publishing house, pp. 92-101. ISBN 978-604-73-5445-0.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2017), “The teaching and learning practice of Vietnamese modality vocabulary means for foreign students”,Language and Life(10), pp. 71-77.

- Pham Thuy Chi (2018), “Means of vocabulary expressing modality in Vietnamese language”,Training and research in Vietnamese studies and language 2018,VNU Ho Chi Minh Publishing house, pp. 39-49. ISBN: 978-604-73-6155-7.