Paper Title
Impact of Virtual DMGA Scaffolding-Based Module on Improving The EFL Speaking Skills Among ESP Vietnamese Learners: A Proposal

Abstract
Teaching speaking to EFL learners in an ESP classroom is a demanding process. In today's technologically advanced world, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the major educational issues faced by EFL teachers is to look for ways to support students’ speaking learning in online settings. In this context, it is believed that the quality of scaffolding is crucial in the design of educational programs that are offered to language learners using online platforms. The purpose of this paper is to present a research proposal that attempts to investigate the impact of a virtual DMGA (Diagnosing, Modeling and Sharing, Guiding, Applying) scaffolding-based module on improving the EFL speaking skills among ESP Vietnamese learners. The study will employ a mixed-method, quasi-experimental, pre-and post-test design. The participants are first-year undergraduate students of the ESP Department at a public university in Vietnam, who will be assigned to two intact groups, namely the intervention group and the control group. The instruments used in this research will include both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The Speaking Performance Test will be used as the pretest and posttest to evaluate the participants’ speaking performance before and after the virtual intervention. Additionally, the effects of scaffolding will be examined through follow-up interviews. The DMGA scaffolding model is proposed as the framework for the module development during the 15-week intervention. It is expected that the application of the virtual DMGA model could have a significant impact on ESP students’ speaking performance, and the research procedures are workable and practical. Keywords - Scaffolding, DMGA, Speaking Skill, Online Learning, COVID 19, Vietnam