Exploring learning needs of highschool gifted efl students = Tìm hiểu nhu cầu trong học tập của học sinh cấp ba chuyên Anh

• Main Author: Đinh, Thị Hồng Ngọc
• Other Authors: Cao, Thúy Hồng
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Tiếng Anh > Dạy và học; Đào tạo năng khiếu; Nhu cầu sinh viên
• Online Access: http://repository.vnu.edu.vn/handle/VNU_123/95488
• Institution: Vietnam National University, Hanoi

Gifted students are often characterized as those who demonstrate distinctive characteristics, both intellectually and emotionally. Thus, they may have learning needs that are distinctive from non-gifted students. Failure to meet the needs of these learners may lead to their low motivation, low attention, and consequently low achievement in their learning process (Clinkenbeard, 2012; Schunk, 2012). Although gifted education in Vietnam has got a relatively long history, gifted English as a Foreign Language (EFL) remained somewhat under-researched and poorly understood. Studies that focus on learning needs of gifted EFL students in Vietnam is almost undetectable. This study thus aimed at discovering learners‘ and teachers‘ perceptions of gifted EFL students‘ learning needs. Data were collected through the questionnaires and finterviews with 137 gifted EFL students and five English teachers working with these students. Findings from the study suggest that (1) oral skills and activities were perceived as most important and had potential to generate highest level of engagement among gifted EFL students; (2) speaking and writing appeared to be the most challenging areas for gifted EFL as they often encounter problems like speaking shyness, lack of academic vocabulary and mother tongue interference; (3) students‘ motivation for advanced English lessons, and the national competition particularly, was not high; (4) high school gifted EFL students might have unique social-emotional issues such as high level of perfectionism and occupational indecision. These findings obviously contributed to the limited literature on gifted students, particularly gifted EFL students in Vietnamese context. Besides, they also had important implications for development and adaption of assessment methods, learning curriculum, learning materials, instructional designs and social-emotional assistance for this unique group of learners.