The lack of English teachers is one of the biggest obstacles in implementing the 2018 General Education Program in many provinces and cities. However, with the goal of gradually making English the second language in schools as stated in Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW of the Politburo, many solutions have been proposed and implemented.
Not easy but must do now
When discussing the requirement to make English the second language in schools, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Marie Curie School (Hanoi), said that for more than 10 years, the school has invested heavily in English.
The school's students' level is higher than the average of public schools, far exceeding the standards of the Ministry of Education and Training, but it has not yet met the requirement of "English as the second language in school".
According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang, this is a big problem, not easy to implement, cannot be done in a few decades but must start now to "gradually make English the second language in schools" as Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW of the Politburo.
Accordingly, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang said that first we need to make a model, then expand it, with the general spirit that wherever it can be done first, we should do it, whatever subject we can be done first, we should do it, and we should encourage big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. to do it first.
These cities also need to "give the green light" to some schools that have the conditions to teach in English some subjects such as math, physics, chemistry, biology, etc. If they teach in English, they should stop teaching in Vietnamese. Subjects taught in which language should be tested and examined (enrollment, graduation) in that language.
In addition, Mr. Khang also pointed out that it is necessary to implement teaching in English for a number of majors and professions at university and college levels such as information technology, semiconductor technology, maritime, aviation, tourism, hotels, etc.
It is known that, in response to the requirement to improve the quality of English teaching, before the 2024-2025 school year, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training summoned 1,900 teachers to participate in a training course to improve international English standards according to the national foreign language project.
These are teachers who have met the standards according to the 6-level foreign language competency framework of Vietnam and are teaching at all levels of general education, vocational education - continuing education. In recent times, Hanoi has had many solutions to improve the quality of English teaching, including organizing training courses to improve the qualifications of English teachers at home and abroad.
Hanoi has had many solutions to improve the quality of English teachers.
Encourage "locomotives" to do it first
Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Van Hieu acknowledged that many countries have successfully implemented the bilingual education model, making English the second language in schools.
From international experience, according to Mr. Hieu, it is necessary to focus on a number of solutions such as: Building a favorable environment for learning and using English, encouraging students to use English in daily communication.
Innovate English teaching and learning methods, focus on developing communication skills, and applying English in practice. Improve the quality of English teachers, improve the quality of teachers of subjects with English proficiency, meeting the requirements of teaching in an international integration environment.
Strengthen international cooperation in the field of English education, learn advanced experiences from countries that have successfully implemented English as a second language teaching programs in schools and countries with developed education systems.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong emphasized that the Ministry of Education and Training will advise the Government to soon issue a national project on making English the second language in schools.
These include solutions regarding resources, policy mechanisms, teacher training, creating opportunities for native teachers to cooperate and work in Vietnam...
"We need five main pillars: state management, scientists-experts, trainers, schools, and businesses to join in contributing ideas to implement this national project.
In my opinion, by 2025, this project can be completed and the roadmap and implementation solutions can be clearly defined. We need to implement solutions synchronously, including identifying immediate, long-term and breakthrough solutions. Thus, the approach is synchronous but we must identify breakthrough solutions, not spread them out horizontally, and implement them wherever there are suitable conditions.
"Encouraging localities with sufficient conditions such as Ho Chi Minh City to be the locomotive leading and orienting effective English teaching and learning," Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong emphasized.
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/dua-tieng-anh-thanh-ngon-ngu-thu-hai-trong-truong-hoc-khong-dan-hang-ngang-thuc-hien-20241023111756942.htm
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