Foreign readers offer advice to help Vietnam make English the second language in schools

Native teachers talk to students in an English class at a school in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: NP

After the English-language newspaper Tuoi Tre News published the article "English as a second language in schools: What to do to overcome the challenges?", foreign readers enthusiastically offered advice to help Vietnam realize the above policy.

According to readers, factors related to teachers, students, parents and curriculum will help this plan succeed.

In many countries, parents expose their children to English from a young age by communicating with them every day and letting them watch English-language entertainment programs, Arizona reader Marcia Ring shared her opinion under a Tuoi Tre News post on Facebook.

To succeed in making English a second language in schools, the Vietnamese education sector should first focus on "improving teachers' English communication skills," according to a reader with the Facebook account name Ayee Rull Hugo.

"The key is to have enough good English teachers first," said Lee Harvey from London.

Another reader suggested: there should be more content in English and students should use English more so that using this foreign language becomes a daily habit, even in school.

Recruiting native teachers for schools will help realize the policy of gradually making English the second language in schools, writes Alan Robins, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City.

He emphasized: "We should consider opening English communication centers, focusing on daily topics instead of focusing on teaching grammar or spelling."

Reader Scott Morley commented: "Vietnam can learn from other countries to hire foreign teachers who are fluent in English to teach domestic teachers."

Highlighting the role of self-study, reader Nelson Graigner James believes that students should improve their English skills on their own.

Agreeing that the success of the city's plan depends partly on the students' efforts, Marcus Stulak from New York affirmed: "It depends on the students' efforts."

According to a reader with Facebook account Buchi Chisom, students also play an important role in implementing the step-by-step plan to introduce English as a second language in schools, and students should be ready to receive all instructions and lectures in English from teachers.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ban-doc-nuoc-ngoai-hien-ke-giup-viet-nam-dua-tieng-anh-thanh-ngon-ngu-thu-hai-trong-truong-hoc-20241004090632332.htm