Ho Chi Minh City pilots teaching in English: Which model to choose?

Students of Phan Chu Trinh Primary School (Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City) during an English learning activity with foreign teachers - Photo: MY DUNG

Which model should be chosen to bring the highest efficiency?

Ms. Tran Thuy An (Principal of Minh Duc Secondary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City):

Should choose the subject and then spread it according to the roadmap

Ms. Tran Thuy An

Ho Chi Minh City cannot immediately "impose" English teaching in schools even when selecting schools to pilot 100% of classes, grades and subjects.

The reason is because the quality of students is uneven, teachers' English is not good, and they have not received specialized training in English.

However, public schools in Ho Chi Minh City can implement English teaching according to a roadmap based on the State's incentive and support mechanisms for teachers.

Accordingly, general schools can teach math and natural science subjects in English first, following the initial encouragement and support mechanism of foreign teachers; or provide training for Vietnamese teachers on English proficiency for teachers who already have good English communication skills.

At the same time, there is a mechanism to encourage teachers of other subjects to support improving English standards in communication and teaching.

For management, to make English the language of communication in schools, enhance interaction between teachers, and create a good environment for teaching in the classroom, schools need to create spaces that require teachers to speak English and have a mechanism to encourage teachers to improve their English skills in teaching.

The implementation roadmap could be 4-5 years to ensure coverage of teaching using English as a second language in all subjects.

Mr. Le Xuan Quynh (Head of Language Department, Faculty of Communication and Design, RMIT University Vietnam):

Start piloting from kindergarten and primary school

Mr. Le Xuan Quynh

It is possible to start a second language generation in English from kindergarten and primary school onwards. With the current reality of Ho Chi Minh City, a second language generation in English from kindergarten and primary school will be easier to implement.

However, this model also needs to take into account the teaching staff, the teaching program, and the foreign teacher factor...

Specifically, the biggest difficulty in making English a second language in teaching does not come from the learners but from the Vietnamese teachers. How can we have enough teachers to make English a second language if the teachers are only trained and not professionally trained in English?

Therefore, although Ho Chi Minh City is the first unit to pilot the introduction of English as a second language into teaching, the State's policy is that pedagogical universities need to train teachers in English.

Pedagogical universities need to immediately enroll and train pedagogical students in subjects, first of all natural subjects such as mathematics, physics and chemistry, in English, and lecturers can come from English-speaking countries.

Ms. Tran Van Thy (head of English department, Nguyen Thuong Hien High School):

Foreign teachers support Vietnamese teachers

Ms. Tran Van Thy

The most important thing in a teaching environment using English as a second language is that students are interested in communicating and have the ability to listen and understand English.

To do this, schools need to prepare English teaching staff to complement each other and have appropriate teaching methods to encourage students to use English regularly, continuously and every day.

To enhance and encourage students to listen and speak English, pairs of foreign teachers (under the English Enhancement program) and Vietnamese teachers will coordinate in the teaching program.

At our school, since 2004 until now, English teaching in each class of this school has always been implemented in parallel with two Vietnamese teachers and one foreign teacher in each class.

Accordingly, based on the English level of each class, the Vietnamese-foreign teacher pairs will have a program suitable for each class. Therefore, some classes have more presentation activities, but there are classes that prefer group activities, presentations, document preparation, etc.

With what has been done, the model of foreign teachers supporting Vietnamese teachers in teaching in the early stages could be a good model if this team is selected from the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City.

Important for career development

Ms. Le Thi Quy Thuc - Vice Principal of Nguyen Du Secondary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - said that English proficiency is very important in developing job opportunities.

"Many of my students with good English skills after graduating and working in Ho Chi Minh City said that they easily have high salaries and good job opportunities compared to students with weaker English skills," said Ms. Quy Thuc.

"Immerse yourself" in an English environment

Students of Nguyen Thuong Hien High School, Ho Chi Minh City in the Got Talent playground to improve their English proficiency - Photo: VAN THY

Speaking with Tuoi Tre, Do Minh - a former French major student at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, currently living and working for Microsoft in the US - said that many years ago, when he was a student at the school, Minh and his family understood the role of English in applying for scholarships, international integration and good job opportunities.

Minh said that at that time, teachers at school began to encourage students to communicate in English in class and to regularly listen, watch, and "immerse" themselves in English environments to have the opportunity to receive scholarships from universities around the world . Thanks to that, Minh and his friends' communication, listening, and use of English improved a lot.

As a result, despite being a French major student, Minh received a scholarship from a prestigious university in Australia. He then continued to receive a scholarship from one of the top 10 prestigious universities in the US and was later recruited by Microsoft, now becoming an artificial intelligence expert at this world-leading technology company.

Similarly, Le Chan - an IT consultant in Germany, a former student of Nguyen Thuong Hien High School, class of 2008-2011 - said that although at that time, listening and speaking English at school was not much in the classroom program, students practiced at the school's English Club, conducted by students under the guidance of subject teachers.

Every week, the club will have two extracurricular sessions (Wednesday and Saturday) to communicate in English on a topic. Here, students can speak English more and have time to debate in English... Besides, since 2009, the school has had a Got Talent playground and implemented separate English programs to improve students' English communication skills.

"My activities in class, at school and my role in the club (club president) have given me good English skills, opening the door to studying abroad. Currently, my customers include both Germans and people from other countries, so presenting, speaking, presenting and communicating in both German and English is necessary. Having a good level of English is an advantage for me" - Le Chan said.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tp-hcm-thi-diem-day-hoc-bang-tieng-anh-chon-mo-hinh-nao-20240917091715853.htm