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Description
As Vietnam moves toward an English as a Second Language (ESL) framework, students in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs face increasing cognitive demands, particularly in Accounting and Logistics. Learners are required to process technical knowledge while expressing it accurately in English, often leading to cognitive overload when retrieving specialized terminology interferes with task performance.
This study explores a psycholinguistic approach to reducing this burden, focusing on automaticity and lexical chunking. Instead of learning isolated vocabulary, students are encouraged to use frequently occurring professional expressions as complete units, such as record transactions, prepare financial statements, inventory management, and shipment tracking. This approach aims to support faster retrieval and more fluent communication in task-based contexts.
A mixed-methods action research design was conducted with 200 students at the College of Foreign Economic Relations (COFER) over a ten-week period. An experimental group received chunk-based, task-integrated instruction, while a control group followed a traditional vocabulary-based approach. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests, questionnaires on cognitive load and anxiety, and classroom observations.
Findings indicate that the experimental group demonstrated greater fluency, faster task completion, and reduced hesitation. These students also reported lower cognitive strain and higher confidence in professional simulations. The study suggests that incorporating formulaic language into ESP instruction can effectively reduce cognitive load and enhance learners’ performance in English-mediated professional contexts.
