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Host:
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Have you ever wondered why so many students in Vietnam’s public schools remain silent in
English classes? Even after learning all the necessary grammar and vocabulary, many still
struggle to communicate inside and outside the classroom. Is it just shyness—or something
deeper? Today, we’ll uncover the reality of classroom interaction, why it matters for
language learning, and how one powerful solution can transform the way students learn
English.
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Segment 1: Current Situation (1 min)
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In Vietnam’s public schools, English classes often follow a teacher-centered approach.
Teachers lecture, students listen, and interaction is mostly one-way. Students rarely ask
questions or engage in discussion. What i mean is, there is no, or very limited interaction
between students and teachers, Students- students( as they are not allowed to speak)
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Why is that happened?
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Sato and Ballinger have collected 4 Reasons for the failure to create a communicative
environment and to give authentic activities (Cited in Sato and Ballinger, 2016)
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(a) the teacher’s proficiency is insufficient to deliver the class in the target language (Gupta
2004);
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(b) the goal of L2 education focuses on passing certain language tests (e.g., university
entrance examinations) which are usually written (Lam 2015);
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(c) the teacher is an absolute authority due to the cultural norms (see Pritchard & Maki
2006; Ellis, Rod 1999); and
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(d) the big class size makes it virtually impossible for each student to have a chance to
engage in meaningful communication with the teacher (Khazaei, Zadeh, & Ketabi 2012)
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The result? Students have very few chances to practice speaking or negotiate meaning—key
processes for language acquisition.
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Segment 2: Why This Is a Problem (1 min)
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To me, as a learner, having time to speak, to practice is highly significant, as I can have a
chance to test, to make mistakes and learn from it. Making mistakes in the language
learning process means students are making progress. As Mackey, Abbuhl, and Gass (2012,
p.8) note:
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“The interactionist approach posits that the interactional work that occurs when a learner
and his/her interlocutor—whether a native speaker or a more proficient learner—
encounter some kind of communication breakdown is beneficial for L2 development.”.
Similarly, Ellis (1999) argues that classrooms lacking rich interaction hinder acquisition
because learners cannot experiment with language or receive scaffolding. In other words,
silence slows progress. Unluckyly, these kinds of interactions rarely occur in Vietnamese
classrooms where teacher-centered is prioritised.
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Here are the problems, and both studies report similar challenges to mine: oversized classes
and exam-focused teaching affecting ESP (Nguyen & Pham, 2016), and a lack of native
English-speaking teachers plus limited speaking opportunities (Vu & Nguyen, 2024).
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Vietnam belongs to the Expanding Circle in Kachru’s Three Circles Model, meaning English
is learned mainly as a foreign language. In fact, many Vietnamese students rarely interact
with native speakers outside the classroom. Inside the classroom, interaction with teachers(
or what i call High proficiency speakers) is also limited due to the named problems. These
challenges are systemic, and changing the system isn’t easy. My proposed solution focuses
on interaction, specificly, peer interaction, which can create more opportunities for
communication and help overcome the limitations of teacher-centered practices.
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Segment 3: The Solution – Student–Student (Peer) Interaction & Learner Control of
Discourse (3 min)
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Why do I choose interaction? I truly believe that interaction completely fosters students'
acquisition of language.
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According to Interaction Hypothesis, acquisition is promoted when the input to which
learners are exposed is made comprehensible through the interactional modifications that
arise when meaning is negotiated. Similarly, Ellis claims that when learners had the
opportunity to negotiate meaning, they were better able to comprehend input . Indeed,
when the input is comprehensive, they are more likely for learners to transform it into
intake, which mean they acquire the language
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Besides, Based on the Ten core assumptions of current CLT, Richard believes that second
language learning is facilitated when learners are engaged in interaction and meaningful
communication.
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Therefore, I do believe that interaction plays a central role in modern language classrooms
because it creates opportunities for learners to use the target language in meaningful ways.
Rather than relying solely on teacher-led exchanges, peer interaction encourages
collaboration, negotiation of meaning, and active participation. These qualities align closely
with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Interaction Hypothesis
which emphasizes communication as both the goal and the means of learning.
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Segment 4: Evidence & Evaluation
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People might think, My peer can not help me to develope my language.
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Research consistently demonstrates that peer interaction holds significant potential for
second language development. Allwright (1984) argues that learning can be enhanced
through peer discussion, while Vander Tavares (2016) emphasizes that regular, task-
focused group work fosters proficiency among ESL learners. Philp, Adams, and Iwashita
(2014) note that peer interaction differs from teacher–learner exchanges, offering unique
opportunities for language use and practice. Knight-Giuliani (2002) further shows that peer
interaction promotes language development by enabling learners to explain grammar,
share vocabulary, model pronunciation, and collaborate on writing tasks beyond teacher-
led instruction. Communicative language teaching approaches also highlight the importance
of learners listening to peers during pair and group work. Moreover, Nguyen, whose thesis
about Vietnamese students, (2017) reports that learners feel more confident speaking with
peers, gaining more time to express ideas and adjust their speech than when interacting
with teachers or native speakers. Collectively, these findings confirm that promoting
student–student interaction can enrich classroom discourse, increase confidence, and
create conditions for meaningful language learning.
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To be more specific, Knight-Giuliani (2002) conducted an ethnographic study in two
advanced ESL classes at a U.S. university to explore the role of student-initiated peer
interaction in language learning. The participants were adult learners from diverse
linguistic and cultural backgrounds, including Spanish-speaking countries, East Asia, South
Asia, and the Middle East, enrolled in high-level ESL writing courses. Through classroom
observations and interviews, the study found that peer interaction significantly supports
language development by enabling learners to explain grammar, share vocabulary, model
pronunciation, and collaborate on writing tasks. In addition to linguistic benefits, students
acted as tutors and advisors, providing cultural insights and emotional support, which
created a more learner-centered environment. The findings suggest that encouraging peer
interaction can fill gaps left by teacher-centered approaches and enhance both linguistic
competence and classroom engagement (Knight-Giuliani, 2002).
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Now, how can we encourage them to engage in activities? How can we take them out of
their comfort zone, where they have stuck for years?
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Ellis (1999): When learners control discourse, interaction becomes richer, fostering uptake
and experimentation (pp. 223–224). Similarly, Rather than limiting their role to
transmitting knowledge, teachers should actively pose questions that stimulate interaction.
At the same time, drawing on students’ knowledge can make ESL classrooms more
interesting and effective (Knight-Giuliani, 2002).
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In that way, we give the learner the right to control or choose the discourse of the class. It
may help because it ensures the learner's interest. Learners are more likely to be motivated
to talk about topics they themselves have nominated. At the same time, it provides the
teacher with information regarding what learners are capable of saying on their own.
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Example:
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Imagine a class where students work in pairs to plan a weekend trip. Instead of the teacher
deciding everything, students choose where they want to go and what they want to do. They
talk about their own ideas, ask questions when they do not understand, and explain their
meaning to each other. The teacher listens and helps when necessary. This kind of
interaction helps students use English more and learn better.
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Segment 5: Conclusion
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Create interactive spaces. Student–student interaction and learner control of discourse are
key to making classrooms acquisition-rich. Supported by theory—Interaction Hypothesis,
CLT, Sociocultural—and research. I do believe this approach is practical and powerful.
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Closing line:
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Interaction isn’t just talk—it’s the engine of language learning.
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References
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Allwright, R.L. (1984) ‘The importance of interaction in classroom language learning’,
Applied Linguistics, 5(2), pp. 156–171.
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Ellis, R. (1999) Learning a Second Language through Interaction. Philadelphia: John
Benjamins Publishing Company.
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Jarvela, S. (ed.) (2011) Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning. Chantilly: Elsevier.
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Knight-Giuliani, L. (2002) The benefits of student-student interaction among adult students
in the English as a second language classroom. Rutgers The State University of New Jersey,
School of Graduate Studies.
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Long, M.H., 1996. The role of the linguistic environment in second language acquisition. In:
W.C. Ritchie and T.K. Bhatia, eds. Handbook of second language acquisition. San Diego:
Academic Press, pp.413–468.
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Mackey, A. and Goo, J. (2007) ‘Interaction research in SLA: A meta-analysis and research
synthesis’, in Mackey, A. (ed.) Conversational Interaction in Second Language Acquisition: A
Series of Empirical Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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Nassaji, H. (2015) The Interactional Feedback Dimension in Instructed Second Language
Learning: Linking Theory, Research, and Practice. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
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Nguyen, T.H. (2017) EFL Vietnamese learners’ engagement with English language during
oral classroom peer interaction. MA thesis. University of Wollongong.
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Nguyen, T.T.H. and Pham, T.T.M. (2016) ‘Difficulties in Teaching English for Specific
Purposes: Empirical Study at Vietnam Universities’, Higher Education Studies, 6(2), pp.
154–164. doi:10.5539/hes.v6n2p154.
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Philp, J., Adams, R. and Iwashita, N. (2014) Peer Interaction and Second Language Learning.
New York: Routledge.
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Richards, J.C. (2006) Communicative Language Teaching Today. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
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Sato, M. and Ballinger, S. (eds) (2016) Peer Interaction and Second Language Learning:
Pedagogical Potential and Research Agenda. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins
Publishing Company.
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Tavares, V. (2016) The Role of Peer Interaction and Second Language Learning for ESL
Students in Academic Contexts: An Extended Literature Review. York University.
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Vu, H.T. and Nguyen, H.H. (2024) ‘Challenges to Vietnamese Students Learning to Speak
English’, Academia Lasalliana Journal of Education and Humanities, 5(2), pp. 1–?. Available
at: [Link]
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