Promoting the effect of presentation skills - group discussion method in teaching Vietnamese literature to foreign students

Abstract

Currently, in the training curriculum of Bachelor degree in Vietnamese Studies (for an audience of foreign students), Vietnamese Literature is one of the compulsory subjects. This is an interesting subject, but hard for foreign students due to limited language skills nad capacities. Therefore, how to motivate foreign students to excitedly learn Vietnamese Literature and thoroughly understand literary works of Vietnamese literature? This paper raises some experiences in the application of the group discussion method based on the hierarchical theory of Benjamin Bloom's thinking when we teach Vietnamese Literature to foreign students, particularly fulltime regular students (in the formal system) studying at the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. This method helps teachers to maximize the motto “learnercentered”, and also helps students to make effective use of P.O.W.E.R studying methods (initiated by Professor of Psychology Robert S. Feldman, University of Massachusetts) in order to promote active, positive and creative learning.