Introducing reflective learning to second-year university English students in a rural province of Vietnam: a case study

Teaching English is a challenge at universities in regional areas of Vietnam because students often do not have adequate facilities to learn effectively. English educators and students have lamented low achievements in their gaining new knowledge of English language. Quality teaching and learning of English language require educators and students to actively update their knowledge of English language as well as to reflect on their teaching and learning techniques. Reflection and reflective practices are taught within the education discipline. Yet we could not find any papers that reported on how educators in a rural province of a non-English speaking country can apply their reflections to teach English. Through our online English study with second-year university students at Quảng Nam university, located in a rural province of Vietnam, we discuss (1) the rationale for the importance of social constructivist theory, scaffolding strategy and reflective practice in teaching and learning, (2) the application of reflective concept and the Brookfield’s Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQ) for teaching English, (3) reflection on our strategies for applying these concepts, (4) how the reflective concept can assist educators in teaching and, (5) how Facebook and the five-dimensional reflective cycle framework (5DRCF) can assist educators in teaching English language. Our study supports the view that scaffolding and reflection, within the 5DRCF, are effective strategies; and the Brookfield’s CIQ and Facebook are tools which can be used to teach English language in a way that enhances English students’ learning abilities. In this paper, we demonstrate how we have used Facebook and the 5DRCF to facilitate reflective practice among educators and students of English language in a five-week online English study course delivered by two educators in Sydney, Australia, to second-year English major students in Tam Kỳ, a central province of Vietnam.