Intensive training of English teachers

According to experts and leaders of many general education institutions, to make English compulsory from grade 1, the most difficult problem that needs to be solved is the lack of teachers.

The Prime Minister has just signed and issued Decision 2371/2025, approving the Project "Making English the second language in schools for the period 2025 - 2035, with a vision to 2045" (abbreviated as the English Project).

Training and fostering 200,000 teachers

The goal of the English Project is that this language is widely, regularly and effectively used in teaching, communication, management and educational activities of schools; forming an ecosystem of English use in educational institutions from level 1 to level 3.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) estimates that the English Project will impact about 50,000 educational institutions with nearly 30 million students and about 1 million managers and teachers at all levels, fields of study and training sectors.

For preschool education, to successfully implement the project, there needs to be 1 English teacher position per educational institution. Thus, it is expected that 12,000 English teacher positions will be created in public preschool education institutions nationwide.

For primary schools, to have a solid foundation and ensure the successful implementation of the project's objectives, the Ministry of Education and Training proposed to implement compulsory English teaching from grade 1 of the 2018 General Education Program (currently compulsory from grade 3). This will create nearly 10,000 English teacher positions in primary schools across the country.

In addition, according to the Ministry of Education and Training, it is necessary to train and foster English and professional and pedagogical skills for at least 200,000 English teachers from now until 2035 to meet the needs and goals of the project.

Students of the integrated English program in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: DANG TRINH

Teachers must not only be good at English

According to experts, to make English a compulsory subject from now until 2030, the education sector as well as localities must overcome many challenges, especially the lack of teachers and recruitment sources.

English has been a compulsory subject since grade 3, but statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training show that this subject is currently facing the most serious teacher shortage at the primary level. In the 2024-2025 school year, primary schools will still lack 6,621 IT teachers and 5,780 foreign language teachers.

One of the reasons why localities have not yet recruited all the assigned additional staff is the lack of recruitment sources. In fact, the number of English teacher training graduates is low, many candidates choose to work at foreign language centers or businesses with higher incomes.

A lecturer at Hanoi National University emphasized that language proficiency is a key factor for teachers. However, when English is the second language, language proficiency alone is not enough, teachers must also have a thorough understanding of the topics taught in class. At this point, language is only a means of communication, the focus is on helping students acquire subject knowledge. This is an important difference.

Professor Nguyen Quy Thanh, Principal of the University of Education - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, believes that making English a second language is about training thinking and learning about culture, not just speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. When it becomes a second language, English must be used in all subjects, not just English. Teaching culture in English is very different from teaching English. Therefore, according to Mr. Thanh, there needs to be a preparation period of at least 10 years.

Need to have policies to attract and treat

To develop the teaching staff and improve the quality of training, the solution proposed by the Ministry of Education and Training is to survey and evaluate the English proficiency of teachers, lecturers of English and teachers of other subjects in English at all levels, majors and training levels. On that basis, build, complete and promulgate an appropriate English proficiency framework for each subject, as a basis for training orientation, fostering and career development.

In addition, develop a team of teachers and lecturers to ensure compliance with the orientation of implementing English as a second language in schools; Organize training programs and professional development for teachers and lecturers of English, teaching in English.

The Ministry of Education and Training emphasized the need to improve and standardize the capacity of training institutions for English teachers and lecturers; teachers and lecturers teaching other subjects and majors in English. Promote the development of a linkage model between pedagogical universities, specialized language universities with preschool education, general education, vocational education, and continuing education institutions in training and providing professional support for teachers, especially English teachers and teachers of other subjects in English.

In addition, there should be a mechanism to detect and reward students with outstanding English skills; policies to attract new graduates with good English skills and support English teachers to work in disadvantaged areas. At the same time, mechanisms and policies to employ foreigners with good English skills to teach at public educational institutions should be studied...

Three stages of implementation

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the English Project implementation period is 20 years (from 2025 - 2045), deployed in 3 main phases.

In which, phase 1 (2025 - 2030) - building the foundation and standardizing: English is used regularly and systematically in the educational environment. At this stage, the notable goal is that 100% of general education institutions nationwide teach English compulsory from grade 1 (currently applied from grade 3); 100% of preschool education institutions in cities and urban areas in favorable areas ensure implementation conditions for children to get acquainted with English...

Phase 2 (2030 - 2035) - expansion and enhancement: Promote more frequent use of English.

Phase 3 (2035 - 2045) - completion and improvement: English is used naturally; developing an ecosystem of English use in the educational environment, communication and school administration.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/rao-riet-dao-tao-doi-ngu-giao-vien-tieng-anh-196251030205758831.htm