This paper presents a study on the use of English in class in learning English of the second - year non - English major students at Thainguyen University of Information and Communication Technology (ICTU). Many researchers have pointed out opportunities and usefulness of using the target language in teaching a foreign language. However, the results of the study showed that the students at ICTU have to cope with many difficulties preventing them from using English in class. | Nguyễn Thúy Hòa Tạp chí KHOA HỌC & CÔNG NGHỆ 112(12)/1: 267 - 271 IMPROVING ICTU STUDENTS’ ENGLISH PROFICIENCY THROUGH USING ENGLISH IN ENGLISH CLASS Nguyen Thuy Hoa* College of Information and Communication Technology – TNU SUMMARY This paper presents a study on the use of English in class in learning English of the second - year non - English major students at Thainguyen University of Information and Communication Technology (ICTU). Many researchers have pointed out opportunities and usefulness of using the target language in teaching a foreign language. However, the results of the study showed that the students at ICTU have to cope with many difficulties preventing them from using English in class. That is the reason why many of them cannot use English effectively after the course. The paper also presents some suggestions to help students overcome the challenges to use English in class more effectively. Key words: Using English in class, communicative approach, “social” language, organising language, explaining language. INTRODUCTION* Since the early sixteenth century, methodologists and educationists have been developing methods and approaches to serve the purposes of teaching and learning foreign languages, such as: the Grammar-Translation method, the Oral approach and Situational language teaching, the Audio Lingual method, Communicative Language teaching, Total physical Response, the Silent Way, the Natural Approach and Suggestopedia [3]. . . Most of the above methods have more or less strict attitudes towards student's mother tongue used in the classroom, and agree that the target language should be the language of the classroom. The use of English, a target language, as a means of learning English in the classroom, has also been mentioned in books by . Richards and Theodore ; Diane Larsen - Free man; Janet Willis; H. Douglas Brown In ICTU, English language is considered as an extremely necessary tool for students not only to study but
