Impact of Pictures on Young Learners' Speaking Ability at a Primary School in Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam

Abstract

Research into the use of pictures has been widely known as influencing how learners speak English as a foreign or second language. In the context of primary schools, especially in the community as Tra Vinh, such study has not been investigated so far. This paper therefore examines the impact of pictures on young learners' speaking ability at a primary school. A mixed-methods design was undertaken with 139 fourth graders from six classes. The data discussed in this paper include tests, classroom observations and semi-structure interviews. The findings reveal that pictures influenced young learners' speaking ability and that these learners had positive attitudes towards the use of pictures in speaking lessons. Implications are also presented.