English As A Foreign Language: Listening To Students And Teachers, A Case Study In Lao Pdr

This paper examines factors relating to teaching English at a public university in LAO PDR in order to, firstly, ascertain those issues that inhibit the development of proficiency in English and, secondly, to identify possible solutions. The following research question was posed: What factors are needed in Lao PDR to improve English language learning at the university level? Information for the study was gathered using questionnaires designed for and distributed to teachers and students. Both quantitative and qualitative data was analysed and a comparison made between the responses drawn from the two different groups. The solution is not a simple one, but the results identify a clear path forward. A significant problem identified in this study is the existence of different views regarding the learning process and the level of English language proficiency achieved by students at the completion of their degree. One of the proposed actions is as follows: implementing a language level test conducted at the beginning of each year that would provide teachers with a more reliable idea of what the starting point should be. They would then be able to create their curriculum using whatever materials they consider necessary. It would also be important to have smaller groups and for teachers to collaborate on the design of the materials and the activities and to reach an agreement as to which methodology should be used for each level. Since Laos's Higher Education system is very young, many teachers lack experience. Our suggestion is to form working groups of experienced teachers together with novel teachers to help each other.