EFL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF CASE-BASED LEARNING IN AN ENGLISH PUBLIC SPEAKING COURSE

Abstract

This article reports on a study that investigated EFL undergraduate students' perceptions of the effectiveness of case-based learning in an English public speaking course at a Vietnamese university. The students were exposed to various cases over the course and were required to analyze and prepare for their public speeches in English. Data were collected through student journals, reflective reports, and focus group interviews. The results indicated that the use of case-based learning made the class engaging and interactive and was effective in improving students' critical thinking and confidence in delivering English public speeches. The students also reported that the method allowed them to apply their knowledge to real-life situations. These findings suggest that case-based learning can be a valuable pedagogical method for teaching English public speaking courses in Vietnamese universities and may potentially be adopted in other educational contexts to improve students’ critical thinking and communication skills.