Has the school not focused enough on listening and speaking skills ?
Many experts say that schools need to focus more on English listening and speaking skills for students (Illustration: Huyen Tran).
According to statistics, in 2023-2024, the IELTS scores of Vietnamese people in listening, speaking, reading, and writing were 6.3, 5.7, 6.4, and 6.0 respectively. The average IELTS score of Vietnamese people was 6.2, ranking 28th out of 39 countries that administer the IELTS test, a decrease of 5 places compared to 2022 (ranked 23rd) despite similar scores.
Compared to 2022, the listening and speaking skills of Vietnamese candidates decreased by 0.1 points. The average listening and speaking scores of Vietnamese people are lower than the world average (world averages are 6.6 and 6.3 respectively), while the other two skills are on par.
Furthermore, the most common IELTS scores among Vietnamese people are 6.0 (21%), 7.0 or higher (23%), and only 1% achieve 8.5, with very few candidates reaching 9.0.
Regarding this issue, PhD student Ha Dang Nhu Quynh, academic director of DOL English, said that the main reason is that the way English is taught in schools in Vietnam often focuses more on reading and writing skills than listening and speaking practice.
"Listening and speaking are two skills that are very difficult to teach well because they are instantaneous and rely heavily on reflexes. Inadequate facilities and teaching staff, and traditional tests that focus on reading and writing make it difficult for students to improve," said Ms. Quynh.
Furthermore, according to Ms. Quynh, students often do not fully grasp the nature of the skills, leading to inappropriate application. They tend to use academic vocabulary when speaking, which may be suitable in writing but lacks natural communication, is easily misinterpreted in context, and affects fluency and pronunciation.
According to PhD student Quynh, to improve scores, students need to have the appropriate learning mindset for each skill.
"Candidates can access websites for exercises and tests, which have answers and detailed explanations to practice passive skills such as reading and listening. As for speaking and writing skills, students can use artificial intelligence (AI) to continuously and automatically grade and correct their work," Ms. Quynh suggested.
The age at which people take the IELTS exam is getting younger, and women tend to achieve higher scores than men.
According to a 2023 report by the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences and the National Foreign Language Project Management Board, the age of Vietnamese people taking the IELTS exam is getting younger. In 2018, IELTS candidates aged 16-18 (accounted for about 1.5%) and 19-22 (about 13%) took the exam. However, after 5 years, the number of candidates aged 16-18 increased 20 times, and the 19-22 age group more than doubled.
NCS Quynh stated that there is no specific age limit for taking the IELTS exam. However, in addition to testing language skills, IELTS also requires a certain level of social knowledge, so students should only take the exam when they have sufficient experience and knowledge.
"The earliest age to take the IELTS test should be in grade 9 or early grade 10. However, students should not consider IELTS as the ultimate goal. They should build the right mindset to learn English," Ms. Quynh shared.
Statistics also show that female candidates have higher average scores than male candidates. In the Academic test, women scored 6.23 points, higher than men's 6.18 points. Or in the General Training test, women scored 6.2 points, higher than men's 6.11 points.
Explaining this phenomenon, Ms. Quynh stated that women generally excel at learning a second language.
Many studies have shown that women use different areas of the brain to process language, while men mainly activate brain areas related to sound and image processing. Therefore, women learn languages more flexibly, comprehensively and effectively.
"In addition, women are often sociable and have a high social nature, so they communicate and practice languages more than men. However, this is just a general trend; specific results also depend on each individual's learning motivation, learning method and time investment," she said.
It is noteworthy that the IELTS scores of Vietnamese people are lower than before. In 2023-2024, the score range of 4.0-5.5 (34%) increased compared to 2022 (29%). However, the score range of 6.0-7.5 (61%) is lower than in 2022 (65%).
Compared to the world, our country's score is higher than Thailand, China, and Japan, but modest compared to some Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar.
IELTS, an English proficiency test, is recognized by many countries, educational institutions, and employers worldwide, attracting millions of test-takers.
In Vietnam, more than 100 universities and educational institutions accept IELTS certificates as a substitute for English language proficiency. Candidates who achieve an IELTS score of 4.0 or higher are exempt from the foreign language subject in the high school graduation exam.
Ky Huong
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/diem-ielts-cua-nguoi-viet-giam-5-bac-ky-nang-nghe-noi-con-yeu-20241014161800562.htm
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