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THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY
Socialist Republic of Vietnam

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

ENGLISH LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS IN TEACHING THE
BASIC ENGLISH COURSE AT THAI NGUYEN
UNIVERSITY (TNU) SYSTEM

A Dissertation
Presented to
The Faculty of Graduate School
Batangas State University
Batangas City, Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Of Doctor of Philosophy
Major in English

By:
LUU THI HUONG
June 2015


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Socialist Republic of Vietnam

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

APPROVAL SHEET
This dissertation entitled “ENGLISH LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS IN
TEACHING THE BASIC ENGLISH COURSE AT THAI NGUYEN
UNIVERSITY (TNU) SYSTEM” prepared and submitted by LUU THI HUONG
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
major in English has been examined and is recommended for Oral
Examination.
MATILDA H. DIMAANO, Ph.D.
Adviser
PANEL OF EXAMINERS
Approved by the committee on Oral Examination with a grade
of _________.
DR. AMADA G. BANAAG
Chairman
DR. MARIA LUISA A. VALDEZ
Member

DR. FELIX M. PANOPIO
Member

DR. MYRNA G. SULIT
External Representative
Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy major in English.


Comprehensive Examination: PASSED

_____________
Date

MATILDA H. DIMAANO, Ph.D.
Dean, Graduate Studies
College of Arts and Sciences


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Socialist Republic of Vietnam

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

ABSTRACT
Title

: English Language Functions in Teaching the Basic English
Course at Thai Nguyen University (TNU) System

Author

: Luu Thi Huong

Course


: Doctor of Philosophy

Major

: English

Year

: 2015

Adviser

: Dr. Matilda H. Dimaano

Summary
This study aimed to determine the English language functions in
teaching Basic English Course at Thai Nguyen University (TNU) System with
functional enrichment activities as output of the study. The study covered the
student’s writing and reading performance in the seven language functions
namely; instrumental, regulatory, interactional, personal, heuristic, imaginative
and representational language functions in terms of awareness, degree of
importance; teaching reading and teaching writing as well as the teachers’
assessments on the said language functions.
The study was conducted in the four (4) Thai Nguyen Universities in
Thai Nguyen City and used 40 teachers teaching Basic English course and
300 First Year College students. The study tested the following null
hypotheses that there is no significant difference on the teacher’s assessment


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in the writing and reading performance of students, and that there is no
significant difference between the teacher’s assessment and the writing and
reading performance of students. The study made use of descriptive method of
research. It utilized the following research instrument: teacher – made – test
and survey questionnaire. The data gathered were statistically treated with the
use of frequency distribution and percentage, weighted mean, standard
deviation, independent t-test.
Findings of the study revealed that in terms of how Basic English course
in the seven language functions are being carried out in the beginning College
English course relative to awareness, all of the seven items obtained an
affirmative response, which is 100 percent which means that the teacher
respondents are unanimously aware of the seven functions of language. For
the degree of importance, results revealed that five items got ratings of >3.5
which is verbally equivalent to important

which means that the teachers

generally perceived the language functions as important to the students and
must be considered at the teaching of beginning English course. The item with
the highest score and deemed to be very important is instrumental function
and followed by heuristic language. It is the perception of the teacher that
these two language functions are the most important ones for the students to



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survive their tertiary education.
In carrying out the teaching of the functions of language in reading,
results showed that five out of the seven activities listed had ratings of >50
percent in the seven language functions which means that the teacher
respondents generally agree on the relevance of the five activities in seven
functions of language with reading a novel or short story as the activity with
highest frequency score of 84.91 percent which means that this activity is the
best example of the personal function of language. For carrying out the
teaching of the functions of language in writing, results showed that two out of
the six activities listed had ratings of >50 percent in the seven language
functions which means that the teacher respondents only see two of these
activities as suitable examples of the seven functions of language with writing
an instruction or procedure as the activity with the highest frequency score of
52.83 percent which means that this activity is the best example of the
informative function of language.
In addition, the reading performance of the students in the seven
functions of language was all above 50 percent with equivalent ratings of
average with the highest percentage of correct items or 65.25 percent in
heuristic language followed by informative language and ersonal language



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Republic of the Philippines

which indicates that the students gave their best performance on this
application of heuristic language because among the different functions of
language, this is the one that the students would be expected most to develop
and apply as they pursued more knowledge in their tertiary education.
As regards level of students’ writing performance in the seven functions
of language, results showed that they were all above 50 percent with
equivalent ratings of average. The highest percentage of correct items is
obtained in personal language with a score of 72.35 percent followed by
instrumental language and informative language which indicates that the
students gave the best performance on the use of personal language or the
language of self-expression.
In the differences between reading and writing performance of students,
results show that the students’ performance in five out of seven functions of
language for reading and writing are significantly different as indicated by their
p-values of less than 0.05. This indicates that the reading and writing
performance of the students for these five functions of language are apart from
each other and are not related which means that the language function in the
receptive skill of reading is not contiguous with the same language function in
the productive skill of writing. It was only in two language functions namely:


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Socialist Republic of Vietnam

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

regulatory and informative where the p-values were greater than 0.05,
indicating that the reading and writing performance in these functions are not
significantly different and are related to each other.
In relation to teachers assessment of the reading and writing
performance of students based on the seven functions of language, findings
showed that ten out of 14 items obtained an agree score of >50 percent. Five
of these items pertain to both reading and writing respectively which means
that the teacher respondents consider these items as valid areas for evaluating
the students’ performance in the seven functions of language. Four items got a
disagree score of <50 percent.

These items pertain to the imaginative

language and the heuristic language of both reading and writing. The scores
obtained on these items were 41.51 percent for reading and 18.87 percent for
writing.
According to teacher respondents’ perceptions of the frequency of use
by the students, results indicated that all of the items got the ratings of >4.0
where four items with an always rating were in reading and three items were in
writing.

The total rating for both reading and writing were 4.5 with verbal


equivalent of always which means that the seven functions of language are
extensively employed by the students.


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As for teacher respondents’ assessments according to their degree of
importance, findings showed that all the items had mean scores of >3.8 or
equivalent to moderately important where four items with a rating of Very
Important belonged to Reading and three items in writing. The total ratings for
both reading and writing were 4.5 with verbal equivalent of Very Important
which means that that all the seven functions of language in both reading and
writing are very important competencies that the students must demonstrate
and lessons along these lines must be taught to the students.
As to comparison of the assessment of teachers and the reading and
writing performance of students, results of the study showed that all the
reading and writing performance of the students are significantly different from
the frequency of use ratings of the teachers which implies that the student’s
reading and writing performance is not related to the teacher’s assessment
and that the reading and the speaking performance of the students in the
seven functions of language are generally independent of the teacher’s
assessment.
In relation to the output of the study in the form of proposed functional
enrichment activities in reading and writing, these are based on the seven

functions of language to supplement this particular group of Vietnamese


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teachers and students. There are also some considerations which are utilized
as bases such as low performance score of the students in the tests based on
the seven functions of language; low frequency of use scores based on the
teacher

respondents’

perception;

and

meaningful

relationship

of

the


performance scores with the teachers’ assessment.
The study recommended that the proposed functional enrichment
activities be reviewed prior to its utilization; that the students must be given
varied

language

learning

activities

to

enhance

reading

and

writing

performance; and a similar study on the functions of language maybe
conducted in other provinces in Vietnam.


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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The researcher wants to express her sincere gratitude and appreciation
to the following persons who contributed much to make this work possible.
Dr. Dang Kim Vui, President Thai Nguyen University, for giving me the
chance to be included in the Ph.D. English program in partnership with
Batangas State University;
Dr. Matilda H. Dimaano, Dissertation Adviser, for the wholehearted
assistance, and encouragement and for generously sharing her precious time
reading and reviewing the manuscript as well as for providing useful materials
and references. Her expertise in the field of research contributed much in the
improvement of this research paper;
The Panel of Examiners Dr. Myrna G. Sulit, Dr. Amada G. Banaag, Dr.
Maria Luisa A. Valdez, Dr. Felix M. Panopio, for their valuable insights and
ideas;
Dr. Remedios P. Magnaye, Recording Secretary, for her dedication and
commitment in preparing and encoding the minutes of defense proceedings;
Dr. Nguyen The Hung, Director of the International Training Center, Thai
Nguyen University, for his encouragement;
The teachers and student respondents of the study, for their active


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participation;
Colleagues and friends for their encouragement; and
Her parents and sibling for their support and for being her source of
inspiration.

Luu Thi Huong


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BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

DEDICATION
This humble work is dedicated to my parents, husband, and two
daughters for their moral support, and love.

Luu Thi Huong


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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE........................................................................................ i
APPROVAL SHEET............................................................................ ii
ABSTRACT......................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT........................................................................ x
DEDICATION....................................................................................... x ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS...................................................................... xiii
LIST OF TABLES................................................................................ xvi
LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................. xvii
CHAPTER
I. THE PROBLEM
Introduction............................................................ 1
Statement of the Problem ..................................... 8
Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study..... 10
Significance of the Study ....................................... 11
II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Conceptual Literature............................................. 13
Research Literature................................................ 30


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Synthesis ............................................................... 37
Theoretical Framework ......................................... 40
Conceptual Framework ......................................... 43
Hypothesis............................................................. 45
Definition of Terms................................................. 45
III. RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURE
Research Environment .......................................... 48
Research Design .................................................. 49
Subjects of the Study ............................................ 50
Data Gathering Instrument..................................... 52
Data Gathering Procedure..................................... 55
Statistical Treatment of Data ................................ 56
IV. PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF
DATA .................................................................... 58
V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary of Findings............................................. 101
Conclusions ........................................................... 113
Recommendation .................................................. 114
BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................. 115


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APPENDICES………………………………………………………… 120
A. Questionnaires............................................................. 121
B. Letters of Request....................................................... 139
C. Documentations.......................................................... 146
D. Psychrometric Conversion Table................................ 151
CURRICULUM VITAE……………………………………………….

153


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LIST OF TABLES
Table

Title

Page

1

Distribution of the Respondents ………………........................51


2

Seven Functions of the English Language according
to Teachers’ Awareness.........................................................59

3

Seven Functions of the English Language according
To the Degree of Importance...................................................60

4

Levels of Students’ Performance in the Seven Language
Functions According to Frequency...........................................63

5

Levels of Students’ Writing in the Seven Language
Functions According to Frequency...........................................67

6

Levels of Students’ Reading Performance in the
Seven Functions of Language..................................................69

7

Levels of Students’ Writing Performance in the
Seven Functions of Language..................................................71


8

Students’ Language Performance in
Reading and Writing.................................................................73

9a

Teaching Reading in the Basic English Course Based on the
Seven Functions of Language.................................................75


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9b

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
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Teaching Writing in the Basic English Course Based on the
Seven Functions of Language......................................................76

10a

Students’ Frequency of Use in Reading Based on the Seven
Functions of the English Language..............................................78

10b


Students’ Frequency of Use in Writing Based on the Seven
Functions of the English Language...............................................79

11a

Degree of Importance in Reading Based on the Seven
Functions of the English Language...............................................80

11b

Degree of Importance in Writing Based on the Seven
Functions of the English Language...............................................81

12

Comparison of the Assessment of Teachers and Students’
Performance in Reading and Writing............................................83

13

Bases in the Design of Functional Activities for Students
and Teachers................................................................................85


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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure
1

Title

Page

Research Paradigm of the Study ……………........................44


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BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
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CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM
Introduction
The increasing use of the English language globally has had a large
impact on many other languages, leading to language shift and even language
death, and to claims of linguistic imperialism. English itself has become more

open to language shift as multiple regional varieties feed back into the
language as a whole. English is a global language. People hear it on television
by politicians from all over the world and whenever people travel, they see
English sign and advertisement. A language achieves a genuinely global
status when it develops a special role that is recognized in every country.
These points add to the complexity of the present day world situation,
but they do not alter the fundamental point. Because of the three pronged
development of first language, second language, and foreign language
speakers, it is inevitable that a global language will eventually come to be used
by more people than any other language. English has already reached this
stage.
English is the dominant business language and it has become almost a
necessity for people to speak English if they are to enter a global workforce.


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BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

Research from all over the world shows that cross-border business
communication is most often conducted in English. Its importance in the global
market place therefore cannot be understated,

learning English really can

change people’s life.

During the last decades, the world has witnessed lots of cultural, social,
political, economical and technological changes. In this new, global world,
people have had to meet the needs brought about by these changes in order
to keep up with them. One of the most important needs is language learning.
By the help of the developments in technology and science, people all over the
world have to communicate with people from other countries, which require the
learning of different foreign languages. The most commonly used language in
the world is English. In fact English is known as a key to open the door into
bustling world of rapid changes and development. Everyday an increasing
number of people are trying to learn English for different purposes with the
hope that they can use it effectively.
One of the main goals of language teachers is to provide students with
the tools to be effective communicators in teaching the language. Often when
students are assigned projects and assignments their lack of practical tools to
produce the actual language becomes evident. In these cases, students


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BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

might very well have the necessary resources to accomplish the task, but
teachers might need to consider a communicative approach to teaching the
language, focusing on the functions of language, to properly equip students to
complete assigned tasks.
Many people believe it’s important to have knowledge on the functions of

language for specific purposes. Whether they are apologizing, expressing a
wish or asking permission, they use language in order to fulfill that purpose.
Each purpose can be known as a language function. Savignon (1983)
describes a language function as the use to which language is put, the
purpose of an utterance rather than the particular grammatical form an
utterance takes. By using this idea to structure teaching, the instructional focus
becomes less about form and more about the meaning of an utterance. In this
way, students use the language in order to fulfill a specific purpose, therefore
making their speech more meaningful.
The basic communication goals can be expressed in terms of situations,
functions and topics. It is up to the teacher to plan the situations within which
students will be able to use their language for a purpose in the classroom
context. By creating a situation the teacher is providing the necessary context
students need to use the language for a function.


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Socialist Republic of Vietnam

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Republic of the Philippines

Language functions have two categories: micro functions which refer to
the specific individual use and macro functions which serve more overall aims
according to Finch (1998). Micro functions consist of seven functions such as
physiological function in term of releasing physical and nervous energy, phatic
function for sociability, recording function, identifying function, reasoning
function, communicating function, and pleasure function. Macro functions refer

to the ideational function, interpersonal function, poetic function, and textual
function.
Language learning as explained by Halliday (1975) is learning how to
mean since what a child develops is a meaning potential and children are
motivated to develop language because it serves certain purposes or functions
for them. The identified functions of language include the instrumental,
regulatory, interactional, personal, heuristic, imaginative and representational.
Among these language functions, the physical, emotional, and social needs of
a child are developed by the first four functions as these are where they use
language in order to express their needs.
These language functions as the child moves into the mother tongue
give way to the metafunctions of the language. There is an insertion of
additional level of content in between the two levels of the simple


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BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
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protolanguage system in this process. Lexicogrammar and semantics are
placed instead of the level of content.
In relation to Vietnam’s policy on teaching and learning foreign
languages, the 12 year project initiated by the Minister of Education and
Training of Vietnam (MOET)

is called “Reforming and improving the


effectiveness of teaching and using English in Vietnam’s National Education
System from 2008 to 2020”. The goal of the Vietnam government in line with
this National Foreign Language 2020 Project (NFL 2020) is for the workforce
to have the capacity to make use of English to improve their global economy
as well as to redevelop the teaching and learning of English in all school levels
and training degree. It is envisioned that graduates of vocational schools,
colleges, and universities in Vietnam can speak the language fluently by the
year 2020.
In the study of language, it is of significant importance that students
develop their language skills. These language skills are vital tools for complete
communication. These are reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Writing is one among the basic skills in learning a language. It is both
social and cognitive process. Students viewed writing as a necessity. They
are aware that this can improve thinking as well. Students find writing as most


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BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
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difficult among the language skills because of its complexity. Their writing skill
is one way to know their academic success or performance and it is also a
basic requirement to participate in any endeavor in their personal life as well
as in the global economy.
The basic level of writing required by colleges or universities for

incoming students who want to study is not meet since there are large number
of adolescent graduates from high school who are not equipped with the basic
literacy skills needed like lacking the ability to write to meet the growing
demands of the college curriculum. Students who have poor writing skills are
also referred to as low performing writer. They are those students whose
writing skills do not meet the adequate demands of the class.
Writing difficulties like all other learning problems can be frustrating on
the part of the students’ education and self -esteem.

A student who has

problem in writing would experience interference in his learning.

He is

unmotivated and lacks enthusiasm to write because of his inadequacy of the
skill.
Problems that confront teachers regarding students’ problems in writing
focus on what students will write and how to motivate them to write about
interesting topic. If students do not have the proper or right perspective, writing


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for them becomes a boring act. So that teachers look for a way to combine
other skills in teaching for students to have freedom to meaningfully express
them.
Reading as a language skill helps students expand their knowledge in
large messages or paragraphs. It is one of the most important skills that a
person can acquire. It helps the learner to understand the world by enabling
them to learn about the past and plan for the future. For academic success,
reading is important since it is also considered a critical skill. In the educational
system reading is well integrated that either educational or academic success
is considered synonymous to reading success.
Reading is the key that unlocks the door in the world of enjoyment.
Reading is perhaps the most important language skill to develop in all learners,
requiring a multi-faceted process. Therefore, reading should become
indispensable to learner because if they don’t learn reading especially from the
beginning, they would surely find difficulty in learning other skills.
Students do not become good readers due to the following reasons:
poor ability or for making insufficient effort, unsuitable course books, which do
not encourage them to read and do not raise their interest of reading, wrong
attitude of the teachers and students about the subject, inappropriate teaching