How to teach and learn effectively?

The decision immediately caused a stir in public opinion, with many supporting and opposing viewpoints. Disagreements arose from two main reasons. Firstly, assessment always plays a crucial role in measuring the effectiveness of training programs; secondly, the quality of foreign language teaching and learning (specifically English) in Vietnam has always been a pressing issue.

The pressing issues in foreign language teaching and learning.

The status of foreign languages in general, and English in particular, has increased significantly in just a few years, especially since the Ministry of Education and Training allowed the conversion of an IELTS 4.0 or equivalent score to a perfect 10 on the high school graduation exam. Public opinion has also repeatedly expressed concern about the proliferation of IELTS preparation centers and the fact that IELTS scores are becoming one of the criteria for evaluating someone's proficiency.

Ngoại ngữ không bắt buộc trong thi tốt nghiệp THPT: Làm sao để dạy, học thực chất?
- Ảnh 1. — A foreign language lesson for students in Ho Chi Minh City with a native speaker.

The quality of foreign language teaching and learning at the secondary school level has remained largely stagnant. Since 2008, the Ministry of Education and Training has implemented the National Foreign Language Project with the goal of improving the proficiency of the population (especially young people), but pressing issues persist. Secondary schools still focus solely on teaching vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension; language skills tests are merely superficial; and most importantly, young people still lack fluency in foreign languages.

The nature of the high school graduation exam in foreign languages does not adequately assess language skills; it primarily tests grammar and vocabulary. Although the exam includes questions that indirectly assess speaking and writing skills, the number and format of these sections are still very limited, leading to the possibility of answering correctly simply by learning tricks, without needing equivalent language skills. Furthermore, the average score for the English subject in the high school graduation exam remains low and varies significantly across regions and provinces.

Overcome obstacles if you want to change the way foreign languages are taught.

Many believe that removing foreign languages from the high school graduation exam will reduce pressure on both teachers and students, making foreign language learning more relaxed and enjoyable. Without the rigid structure of purely grammar and vocabulary exams, English teachers will have more opportunities for students to practice their language skills, thus improving the overall quality of teaching and learning.

Many experts also point out that because foreign language proficiency remains a mandatory requirement for college and university students, young people still have to learn foreign languages to meet graduation requirements; and to obtain international certificates, learning language skills is mandatory. As a result, overall foreign language proficiency will improve.

These predictions could very well come true, but with certain prerequisites, and that poses a challenge for the education sector.

Specifically, making foreign language exams non-compulsory would give teachers more pedagogical autonomy. However, practical experience in Vietnam shows that in subjects not requiring exams, the practice of "teaching just for the sake of it," "testing for fun," or "inflating grades" is very common. The root cause of this problem lies in three factors.

Rào cản cần vượt qua khi ngoại ngữ không còn là môn thi THPT bắt buộc - Ảnh 3. — With foreign languages no longer being a compulsory subject in the high school graduation exam, both teachers and students need to overcome many obstacles to truly move towards effective teaching and learning.

Firstly, teachers are completely free from any pressure regarding "external evaluation," meaning they teach, assign tasks, grade, and determine the scores themselves.

Secondly, the emphasis on academic achievement in many places creates a negative pressure, forcing teachers to "consider" how many points their students should score to avoid reprimand. When a predetermined percentage of excellent and good grades is set, and the power to decide on scores rests almost entirely with the teacher, negative consequences are very likely to occur.

Another issue is that the Ministry of Education and Training has confirmed that the structure of the foreign language exam for the 2025-2030 period will remain multiple-choice. This means that students who choose to take the foreign language exam will still have to study purely grammar and vocabulary as before. So, will teachers have the "courage" to change their foreign language teaching methods?

Ultimately, teacher qualifications remain a major question. Do current secondary school teachers possess sufficient pedagogical skills and are they ready to transition to teaching skills?

The role of foreign languages is increasingly important today. With globalization accelerating through increasingly modern communication platforms, the rapid development of post-Covid-19 connectivity platforms, and the "invasion" of AI in many fields, knowing a foreign language is a huge advantage for anyone in the world , not just Vietnamese citizens.

To make foreign language assessment in high schools effective, and to transform it into a positive challenge, the training program, teacher quality, and educational policies remain major challenges.

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