English In Vietnam Research Articles

Cultural diversity in organizational communication management at English course in Vietnam

English serves as the global lingua franca, facilitating communication and bridging cultural differences worldwide. Its significance in various sectors, such as business, technology, science, and media, solidifies its position as a universal means of communication. This study explores the increasing importance of English in Vietnam, particularly in major cities like Hanoi, where it plays a crucial role in business, tourism, and higher education. The focus is on Mercury Center, a prestigious language institution in Hanoi, which collaborates with foreign travelers as volunteer teachers to enhance Vietnamese citizens’ English proficiency. Using qualitative research methods, including interviews, direct observations, and literature reviews, the study assesses the impact of foreign volunteer teachers on language education in Vietnam. It reveals that students and parents highly value and trust foreign teachers for their perceived authenticity and expertise in English. These findings underscore the significance of cultural diversity in English language education. By embracing foreign volunteer teachers and creating a cross-cultural learning environment, language institutions like Mercury Center can provide a more enriching and impactful learning experience for Vietnamese students. Understanding and managing cultural diversity can lead to improved communication and contribute to the success of language education initiatives in Vietnam. The recommendation from these findings is to optimize the utilization of cultural diversity within educational institutions to enhance organizational performance, create an inclusive work environment, and improve workgroup efficiency by considering consumer preferences and needs while developing more effective marketing strategies.

IMPACTS OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ON ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING IN VIETNAM TODAY

With the inevitable requirements of integration and development, teaching and learning English in Vietnam is currently associated with the digital transformation process. The impacts include the application of information technology and AI in the teaching and learning process. This has brought many benefits and positive effects in improving English proficiency for Vietnamese people today

Problems and Solutions for Enhancing Awareness of Tense, Aspect, and Modality in Teaching and Learning English in Vietnam

The aim of the article was to review knowledge and research done by previous authors in terms of tense, aspect and modality. By introducing thorough classifications and examples of a range of knowledge that is less acquired and educated in Vietnam, the problems in teaching and learning tense, aspect, and modality are discussed to clarify the challenges that Vietnamese teachers and learner encountered. The measures were proposed to boost academic performance among learners, and improve teaching quality among teachers, reducing tiredness and boredom in grammar teaching and leading to alternative viewpoints for these ranges of knowledge.

A Study on Motivation of Second-year Students Enrolling in Math-through-English Teacher Training at a University in Vietnam

This study aimed to examine the motivation of 31 sophomores taking the Math-through-English teacher preparation program at the Faculty of Mathematics, Hanoi National University of Education. The study's use of quantitative and qualitative methods revealed that the second-year students were mostly intrinsically driven and had a modest level of motivation to complete this integrated course. This contributed to affirming that teaching science subjects in English was somewhat essential and influenced students' learning and career orientation. The three most common motivators were the lecturers, the voluntary aspect of MTE learning, and the pleasant relationships with classmates. Given the study's findings, various suggestions are made to improve the course's efficacy in particular and the use of teaching sciences through English in Vietnam generally.

Acquiring a scholar’s voice

Abstract
 We report preliminary results of a mixed-methods longitudinal study of academic writing by graduate students writing in English in Vietnam. The research involves Vietnamese EFL teachers (n=62) taking a 2-year MA Linguistics (TESOL) program delivered in hybrid mode. The program, jointly taught by an American private university and a large public university in Vietnam, uses an innovative scaffolded thesis model developed by the researchers. In program entry surveys, vocabulary was mentioned most often as a significant challenge for academic writing. We compared the vocabulary that our students used in early and late drafts of their theses against two reference corpora: The graduate level linguistics subcorpus of the BAWE corpus of student academic writing and COCAA 2010-12. Data from the first drafts of the introduction, discussion and conclusion sections shows the Vietnamese students compare favorably with both native and non-native students in the BAWE subcorpus in terms of lexical density measured as type to token ratio, but their use of both discipline-specific and “core academic” words is more limited in scope. Between drafts, the overall length of writing expanded by approximately 17% and students collectively added 302 word types including 25 core academic and 11 discipline specific. It is clear from our research that vocabulary cannot be disentangled completely from other aspects of academic writing such as lexical bundles, syntax, and cohesion. Our research will enhance writing pedagogy in EAP with suggestions for developing targeted and contextualized instruction in using academic vocabulary, and it will be of particular interest to instructors of advanced students writing in an EFL environment.

English as a Global Language: An Exploration of EFL Learners’ Beliefs in Vietnam

In the era of globalization, the English language has been considered a global language that plays a vital role in many countries. This research paper discusses the beliefs of EFL learners related to the significance of English in Vietnamese contexts. These language perceptions consist of Vietnamese students' attitudes toward the importance of English in Vietnam, their motivations for learning English, and the status of English teaching and learning in Vietnam. Data collected from the questionnaire with the contribution of 514 participants from 4 universities in Ho Chi Minh City has been analyzed for shedding light on the issues of language beliefs. The results indicate that English is regarded as a prevalent international language. To have better job opportunities and to gain competitive advantages are the two main reasons why Vietnamese students learn English. The focus on exam-oriented teaching and learning of English, however, is still prominent in the educational environment in Vietnam. Finally, although communication in English is still a problem of Vietnamese EFL learners, English is expected to become a second language in Vietnam in the near future.

ENGLISH TEACHERS’ SATISFACTION WITH THE QUALITY OF GENERAL ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TRAINING PROGRAM: THE CASE OF THE MEKONG DELTA, VIETNAM

Many policy changes in teaching and learning English in Vietnam have been implemented. To make those changes successful, the quality of English teachers is paid remarkable attention to by stakeholders. In particular, the quality of their teaching is said to be the determining factor in the success or failure of the changes. Since then, many professional development programs for English teachers have been implemented in Vietnam. This research explores Vietnamese teachers’ satisfaction with the effectiveness of a large-scale general English proficiency training program provided by MOET’s National Foreign Languages Project for school teachers in the Mekong Delta. Employing questionnaires with 174 school teachers in the Mekong Delta, the study sheds light on the main factors that these teachers perceive as crucial factors that influence the quality of the training program and their satisfaction. Findings from the survey reveal that the teachers were highly satisfied with the training program, and the critical factors impacting the training effectiveness included training materials, training duration, teaching and learning facilities, qualified trainers, and support from management. These findings provide a solid foundation for proposing an efficient model training program to effectively support English language teachers in the Mekong Delta to accomplish the required English proficiency level.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0261/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

KHMER CULTURE IMPACTING STUDENTS’ ENGLISH-SPEAKING PERFORMANCE IN ETHNIC MINORITY BOARDING SCHOOLS

<p>This study aims to determine the main problems that hinder Khmer students’ English-speaking performance. A quantitative approach was used to understand the factors influencing the poor English-speaking performance of Khmer students. In this work, questionnaires were employed as a research instrument to collect quantitative data. The sample was Khmer students, aged from 15 to 18 years old at ethnic minority boarding schools in a province in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The results from the questionnaire show that Khmer cultural factors, namely students’ characteristics as well as the boarding school educational system could hinder students’ English-speaking performance. Based on the problems found, this study gives suggestions to help bilingual students in Vietnam improve their English-speaking performance. It is believed that this research forms the basis for future studies on bilingual students learning English in Vietnam.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0555/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Learner Autonomy in English Language Learning: Vietnamese EFL Learners’ Perceptions and Practices

Learner autonomy has been regarded as an important value which is expected to be present in any English language students as it can have positive effects on their learning. In Vietnam, the notion of learner autonomy has attracted more attention, and various studies have been conducted on teacher beliefs and practices regarding learner autonomy over the last decade. Nevertheless, not much evidence has been provided on how EFL students perceive and practise autonomous learning, especially at a time when there has been a shift towards student-centered instruction. To contribute to bridging this gap, this study is aimed to report on an investigation into Vietnamese EFL students’ perceptions and practices of autonomous learning. Data were collected from 50 English-majored students at a university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam by using a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. It was found that the students had an agreement on the importance of learner autonomy in their language learning. However, their perceived level of abilities to act autonomously was just above average. This result was the same as that found on their frequency scale of reported practices of autonomous activities inside and outside the classroom. Therefore, it is suggested that, to better enhance learner autonomy in teaching and learning English in Vietnam, it should be integrated into English language instruction by making it an integral part of EFL curricula.

EFL Teachers' Evaluation on “Skillful-Teaching Writing and Reading 02”

In case that many reforms in learning and teaching English in Vietnam were implemented, exploring the effectiveness of different coursebooks was raised to be a sufficient need. This research is more qualitative than quantitative in its nature, aiming to investigate EFL teachers’ evaluation of the coursebook Skillful – Reading & Writing 02 in a specific educational institution in the Mekong Delta. Thirteen teacher participants using the books were invited to participate in this study. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by using two instruments, questionnaires and semi-interviews. The study provided a new checklist for evaluating materials in teaching and learning reading and writing. The findings showed that (1) the merits of the coursebook Skillful – Reading & Writing 02: e.g. colorful illustrations, numerous online learning resources accompanying online accounts, suggestive topics, updated contents, and impressive study skills component; and (2) demerits of the book in terms of writing section which does not match the general objectives of the program. Likewise, (3) the cons are regarding quite small font size and long listening activities of the coursebook. Additionally, some implications were suggested in this study to enhance the effectiveness of using sufficient materials for higher educational institutions.

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN AN EFL SETTING – A CASE STUDY AT A UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM

Teaching for enhanced learning experience has well-received great interest from many teachers and educators around the world. In the EFL setting, tremendous efforts have been recognized in taking students out of a conventional classroom to experience a new way of learning which stimulates interest and creative thinking, which improves communication and collaborative skills, and which exposes students to more meaningful real-life situations. Project-based learning (PBL) is an answer to this, and it has developed as an alternative to teaching a foreign language with a focus on enhanced learning experience and increased creative teambuilding and group skills through meaningful projects. This paper presents how PBL has been adopted at the University of Foreign Language Studies – the University of Danang (UFLS-UD). It revisits the significance of PBL, the structure of a PBL activity, and reports how PBL has been situated in the local context of teaching English to students majoring in English in Vietnam. The reflections reported here showcase the gains through the path of action research enacted by individual teachers who act as change agents or enablers of this innovative teaching and learning approach and whose efforts have been recognized by means of several adaptations made to bring real life and a sense of community into language instruction.

Difficulties in teaching English for Specific Purposes: Empirical study at Vietnam universities

This article was written by Hoa and Mai entitled ”Difficulties in teaching ESP (English for specific purposes): Empirical Studies at Vietnamese Universities” which provides information regarding difficulties experienced in teaching ESP; both difficulties related to students, teachers, environment and so on. This research is based on a literature review in teaching English in Vietnam. In this article, many suggestions are written to overcome some of the difficulties that can be applied by readers according to the difficulties faced, whether they are in Vietnam or other countries.

Perceived teacher support and students’ acceptance of mobile‐assisted language learning: Evidence from Vietnamese higher education context

AbstractTeachers play key roles in advancing the use of mobile devices for language learning in both formal and informal settings. However, in contexts where top‐down educational policies are prevalent, the roles of teachers are usually overemphasized while learners–the end‐users of educational technologies remain largely ignored. Less understood is what roles students expect teachers to play in facilitating their acceptance of mobile‐assisted language learning. This study was conducted in an attempt to fill this gap using the extended technology acceptance model (TAM). Survey data from 293 higher education learners of English in Vietnam were analyzed by the Rasch‐based path model. Results indicated that students showed stronger desire for teachers’ orientation toward appropriate use of mobile resources for language learning both inside and outside the classroom than teachers’ demonstration of mobile‐assisted language learning activities in the classroom. The findings offer useful implications for teachers, researchers, and language education policy makers in fostering the use of mobile devices for language learning. What is already known about this topic? Teachers’ role in promoting learners’ adoption of mobile‐assisted language learning is under‐researched. In contexts dominated by top‐down educational policies, the voice of learners is largely ignored. Learners’ expectation of teachers’ roles in promoting their adoption of mobile‐assisted language learning needs more empirical evidence. What this paper adds? This paper highlighted the important roles of teachers in orienting students toward appropriate mobile learning resources for out‐of‐class learning. Teachers were considered by learners as “guide on the side” rather than “sage on the stage” in enhancing their adoption of mobile‐assisted language learning. Implications for practice/policy Teacher training programs on mobile‐assisted language learning can be redesigned to enable teachers to better support mobile‐assisted language learning in and outside the classroom. Teachers should be better able to enrich their knowledge of various mobile learning resources to support their students.

Non-Language-Major Students' Autonomy in Learning English in Vietnam

Non-Language-Major Students' Autonomy in Learning English in Vietnam

Experimental results of the impact of some types of exercises improving reading comprehension skills in teaching chemistry in English on high school students

The article briefly presents the situation of teaching chemistry in English in Vietnam and the world as a whole It also confirms the importance of reading comprehension skills in English and shows the experimental results of the impact of some exercise types to improve reading comprehension skills in teaching chemistry in English on secondary school students’ performance. According to the results of the group of experimental and control groups, the paper indicates the difference in the students’ levels of reading comprehension skills in English through some types of exercises suggested. The results show that after the experiment, the student’s reading comprehension skills when reading the chemical contents in English were improved, and especially there was a clear constructive advance in using them. Thereby we conclude that the types of exercises impacting the student’s performance are effective, and we also confirm their value.

Teachers' Perceptions about Using Songs in Vocabulary Instruction to Young Language Learners

There is an increasingly pressing demand for improving the quality of teaching and learning English in Vietnam to meet the needs and interests of learners in the global integration. Research into vocabulary instruction through songs has indicated its positive effects on young learners' vocabulary gains and language learning, including English as a foreign or second language. However, little research focuses on the use of songs perceived by teachers in vocabulary instruction to young learners within the teaching and context in Vietnam where English is taught as a foreign language. This paper therefore considers teachers' perceptions about this instructional delivery at a foreign language center in the Mekong Delta. A descriptive study was conducted with seventy-five teachers from an English language center in the Mekong Delta. Data on teachers' perceptions about using songs to teach young learners' vocabulary were collected through the questionnaire and follow-up semi-structured interviews as part of a wider study over fifteen-week semester time. The findings indicate that teachers had positive perceptions about songs used in vocabulary instruction for young learners. Also, the findings provide teachers with insightful views of the effectiveness of implementing songs in promoting young learners' vocabulary and serve as a useful resource for teachers and practitioners by suggesting how to use songs to facilitate young learners' vocabulary. The paper concludes by giving pedagogical implications for further research into seeking alternative ways to maximize young learners' vocabulary learning.

English in Vietnam

AbstractOver the past few decades, English has emerged as a lingua franca and the dominant foreign language in the fast developing and populous society of Vietnam, placing the country in the center of the Expanding Circle. This paper presents a sociolinguistic profile of English in Vietnam following Berns’ framework. The profile begins with a demographic description and defines how Vietnam can be considered part of the Expanding Circle. We discuss the functional distributions of English in Vietnam by (i) chronicling its instrumental function from Chinese domination in Vietnam in 111 BC until recent years, (ii) detailing its administrative function before and after the country's Economic Reforms of the 1990s, (iii) revealing its interpersonal function in contemporary Vietnamese society; and (iv) illustrating how English borrowings and nativizations are used in the media. We conclude with a discussion of Vietnamese learners’ attitudes towards English learning and different English varieties.

INTEGRATING CULTURE INTO EFL TEACHING BEHIND CLASSROOM DOORS: A CASE STUDY OF UPPER SECONDARY TEACHERS IN VIETNAM

In the context of globalization, intercultural integration has gained a better position in teaching and learning English in Vietnam, even in general education. In fact, intercultural objectives and intercultural content have been added to the expected curriculum and pilot coursebooks for teaching English in upper secondary education. Prior to the implementation of the new curriculum, it is essential to explore how teachers deal with intercultural content provided in the coursebooks. From the view of intercultural teaching, this study focuses on the positionality of intercultural objectives and intercultural teaching strategies in teachers’ practice. Data collected from 101 teachers through questionnaire and six class observations illustrate that (1) teachers did not include intercultural objectives in EFL lessons and (2) they rarely conducted intercultural language activities in their teaching practice. It is recommended that intercultural education needs more attention from educational managers to support the EFL teachers in upper secondary schools to incorporate culture into their teaching more effectively, which contributes to the accomplishment of a reformed English curriculum objective – building comprehensive intercultural competence for the students.

ENGLISH-VIETNAMESE CODE SWITCHING IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH IN VIETNAM(Case study on some English classes in USSH, VNU)

ENGLISH-VIETNAMESE CODE SWITCHING IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH IN VIETNAM(Case study on some English classes in USSH, VNU)

Interrelation between Language and Culture in English Teaching: Some Substantial Challenges and Effective Strategies for Teachers of Second Language English in Vietnam

Interrelation between Language and Culture in English Teaching: Some Substantial Challenges and Effective Strategies for Teachers of Second Language English in Vietnam