tailieunhanh - Using English to teach English: Classroom English competence of English language teachers in Vietnam

The National Foreign Language Project 2020 (Project 2020) has been laying its emphasis on the development of general English language proficiency and English language teaching methods of English language teachers in Vietnamese schools. This article argues that these focuses might overlook an area which is essential for these teachers to use English efficiently in the classrooms: the development of classroom English proficiency. | VNU Journal of Science: Education Research, Vol. 33, No. 4 (2017) 1-11 Using English to teach English: Classroom English competence of English language teachers in Vietnam Vu Hai Ha* Trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ, ĐHQGHN, Phạm Văn Đồng, Cầu Giấy, Hà Nội, Việt Nam Received 30 November 2017 Revised 15 December 2016; Accepted 25 December 2017 Abstract: The National Foreign Language Project 2020 (Project 2020) has been laying its emphasis on the development of general English language proficiency and English language teaching methods of English language teachers in Vietnamese schools. This article argues that these focuses might overlook an area which is essential for these teachers to use English efficiently in the classrooms: the development of classroom English proficiency. This argument is corroborated by a case study with qualitative data collected from videotaping 113 teachers in their microteaching sessions. It reveals certain limitations in their classroom English competence, especially linguistic and strategic competence. The article concludes by putting forward certain suggestions for Project 2020 as well as future studies to explore other facets of this competence. Keywords: . 1. Introduction * Vietnam (equivalent to CEFR B2); and English language teachers at upper-secondary schools to achieve Level 5 on the framework (equivalent to CEFR C1). A wide range of English language teacher training programs with the focus on English language teaching methods have also been offered as well [1-4]. In this context, this article argues that the two areas of training above might be insufficient for these teachers to conduct their English language teaching using English itself as the means of communication and instruction. In other words, the focus on general English as required by the CEFR or the Foreign Language Competence Framework for Vietnam might overlook the development of classroom English competence of Vietnamese teachers from primary to secondary levels.