Another type of certificate for foreigners to teach English in Vietnam

The Ministry of Education and Training has for the first time issued a training program and certification for foreigners to teach English in language centers.

On January 23, Mr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff, Ministry of Education and Training, stated that this aims to improve the quality of foreign language teaching and learning in Vietnam, including the quality of English teaching and learning at foreign language and computer training centers.

The group of teachers at the foreign language center who must participate in this program includes: native speakers (English), foreigners with a college degree in English, or those with a college degree and a foreign language proficiency certificate at level 5 (C1) or higher according to the 6-level foreign language proficiency framework used in Vietnam, or equivalent.

The program consists of 11 modules, totaling 160 lessons, each lasting 45 minutes. The core content includes basic knowledge about the context and culture; the Vietnamese education system; and some regulations regarding teaching and learning in Vietnam.

In addition, learners are provided with methods for teaching English language knowledge; listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills; teaching methods for Vietnamese children and teenagers; methods for testing and evaluation; and the application of information technology and the exploitation and development of learning materials in English language teaching.

However, after the program was issued, some English language centers with foreign teachers wondered whether their teachers were required to study and obtain a certificate. They also wondered what would happen if the teacher already had an international English teaching certificate such as TESOL. These issues were not addressed in the Ministry's document.

According to Mr. Duc, the Ministry's program targets individuals who are proficient in English but lack appropriate pedagogical skills.

"Therefore, foreigners who have the required foreign language proficiency and a recognized English teaching certificate are not required to take this program," a representative from the Department of Teachers shared.

According to the Ministry's Department of International Cooperation, some of the recognized English language teaching certificates in Vietnam today include TESOL, TEFL, and CELTA.

Students learn with foreign teachers at Res English Center. Photo: Res English Center — Students learn with foreign teachers at Res English Center. Photo: *Res English Center*

Regarding teaching and certification, the Ministry allows teacher training institutions to proactively develop and implement teaching materials, which can be online or in-person. Facilities, instructors involved in developing and reviewing materials, and teaching must meet certain conditions and report to the Ministry for monitoring, inspection, and evaluation.

Several universities have announced enrollment for this training program. For example, the University of Foreign Languages, Hue University, is recruiting students with fees ranging from 17.9 to 19.9 million VND.

A 2019 statistic showed that there were nearly 4,000 foreign language and computer training centers nationwide, concentrated mainly in major cities, with Hanoi alone having nearly 750 centers. Many centers advertise "100% foreign teachers".

According to regulations, foreigners are granted work permits to teach English in Vietnam if they have a suitable teaching qualification or a language/other specialized degree along with a suitable English teaching certificate such as TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, DELTA, etc.

However, many foreigners without this certificate are still hired by some language and computer training centers to teach on an hourly basis due to the demand for "learning with native speakers," raising concerns about quality.

Duong Tam

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