Factors Affecting the Learning of English Proverbs and Idioms of English-Majored Students at University of Khanh Hoa, Vietnam

Abstract

Teaching English through idioms and proverbs is one of the ways to help students’ better understanding the use of English. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the frequency, interest and learning style of idioms and proverbs among first-year students at University of Khanh Hoa, Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam. It is hypothesized that teaching of idioms and proverbs increase students’ vocabulary, help them understand grammar and sentence structure, grasp the meaning and culture of English, and finally use English naturally and confidently. This study adopted a quantitative strategy to answer research questions by employing descriptive analysis based on survey data collected between August 2022 and April 2023, at University of Khanh Hoa, Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam. A sample of 83 first-year English language students majoring in English and 14 English lecturers at University of Khanh Hoa, Khanh Hoa Province participated in the survey organized through Google Form. The data was analyzed by collating the participants’ responses in tabular forms showing the number, frequency and the percentage of responses for each option, and help understand their opinion and perception.  A comparative approach was also taken to differentiate the learning of English idioms and proverbs with the methods used in the Vietnamese language. The findings revealed that students with better English proficiency of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills; a good learning environment and a good knowledge of culture and history learnt English proverbs and idioms more quickly. It is suggested that teachers need to teach idioms and proverbs combined with illustrations to promote students’ critical thinking.