Making English the second language for Hanoi students: Challenging but achievable mission

Hanoi's quest to make English the second language in schools is tangled in a complex web of challenges and opportunities. This edition of The Hanoi Times' "Words on the Street" column looks at the ongoing initiatives to build English proficiency among teachers, the particular challenges arising in different subject areas, and the larger impact on students across the city. From classroom strategies to policy debates, we explore what it really takes to make this ambitious vision a reality.

A major step forward in the city's attempts to make English the second language in schools has been taken by almost 1,900 English teachers in Hanoi, who have started a specific training program aimed at improving their IELTS scores.

Previously, 255 English teachers with an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher participated in an information technology and teaching methods training program in Australia between 2022 and 2023.

However, this initiative should have been launched much earlier if Hanoi wanted to teach all subjects in schools in English, apart from Vietnamese, of course. Teachers need more than strong language skills to teach students.

Pham Thu Phuong, a teacher at a high school in Hanoi, told The Hanoi Times that this is not a goal that can be achieved overnight.

She has observed that when teaching subjects such as math, science, and physics, science teachers are more comfortable in shifting to the communication of knowledge in English. They can use visual aids and gestures to convey information to students beyond verbal explanations. 

However, when it comes to the social sciences, such as literature, history, geography, or civics, the challenge is much greater because they require teachers to be more eloquent and, therefore, more proficient in English. These subjects in Vietnam are traditionally heavy on theory with minimal hands-on practice.

There's no guarantee that English teachers trained to teach other subjects will be able to teach them with even minimal efficiency. On the other hand, acquiring the skills necessary to teach English is almost unattainable for teachers of other subjects.

Phuong also pointed out that her school hires foreign teachers to teach math and other science subjects. Of course, foreign teachers command significantly higher salaries than their Vietnamese counterparts.

"It's far-fetched to imagine a foreign teacher teaching Vietnamese history to Vietnamese students, as there would be concerns about the accuracy and sensitivity of the content being taught. I don't need to remind you of cases where some foreigners have shown disrespect to our national heroes."

It's not about discrimination, but it must be Vietnamese teachers who teach Vietnamese history. The passion, patriotism, and national spirit they possess are unmatched in conveying the historical sacrifices, tenacity, and independence of the Vietnamese people.

This example underscores the significant challenges of making English the second language in schools, a task that requires considerable effort and several supporting factors.

First, students need to be immersed in a consistent English-speaking environment throughout their 12 years of schooling. Integrated schools could provide a solution by offering a unified curriculum from Grade 1 to Grade 12.

English may be the only language taught for one or two class periods of the twelve-year curriculum of these integrated schools. The result would be a generation of students who are as fluent in English as they are in their native language.

These model classes should ideally have a maximum of 20-25 students to allow for more interaction between teachers and students, thereby improving their English skills on a daily basis.

The second issue is the current shortage of teachers in Hanoi who are both proficient in English and knowledgeable in specialized subjects. As mentioned earlier, teaching science subjects in English seems more feasible than teaching social sciences.

The nearly 2,200 English teachers who are being trained to update their language skills would address only a fraction of the need for English language instruction in the schools. This number of teachers is insufficient to meet the full demand for English instruction among students.

This shortage has led schools to hire foreign teachers, which increases their operating costs. Naturally, tuition fees will rise.

Teacher training colleges and universities also need to offer more English majors to help students improve both their communication skills and their ability to teach in a foreign language.

In addition, making English the second language will be more feasible for schools located in urban areas. Most graduates in pedagogy prefer to stay in urban areas, where there are more job opportunities and access to technological solutions to support their professional work.

The ugly truth is that families in rural and suburban areas still place a higher priority on "core" topics like math, literature, physics, and chemistry because they think these subjects would benefit their children more or open up better employment options.

Although university entrance and admissions processes have evolved, this mindset is still prevalent in these areas. As a result, students often neglect English and other "word-heavy" subjects.  

In fact, Hanoi needs to explore teaching subjects in English to keep up with other cities in the region and around the world. However, even in major Southeast Asian cities, English is not as widely used as one might expect.

When I worked in Bangkok back in 2016, I was surprised to find that not everyone understood what I was saying. Maybe my English wasn't that good!

Regardless, this underscores the importance of structured English instruction in schools. Look at the non-native English-speaking students in Vietnam - they communicate confidently in English even if their accents and accuracy are not perfect.

In the context of increasing international integration, standardizing English in education is not just about teaching the language. It's about preparing the younger generations to compete in the global job market.

With an education system where English becomes the second language, students will have direct access to global knowledge without language barriers. This will improve the quality of education and enable them to develop their knowledge and skills comprehensively.

Standardizing English in schools not only helps students become proficient in the language, but also lays the foundation for them to excel in other subjects through English, thereby enhancing their critical thinking, self-learning, and research skills. These are vital skills in today's world, where knowledge and information are becoming increasingly diverse and abundant.

Making English the second language is a challenging but achievable goal in the current context. It will take a long-term plan, significant investment and specific solutions.

This aim can definitely be attained with the will and efforts of all parties, especially the government and educational institutions, even though the road ahead is fraught with challenges.

Improving teachers' English skills is a critical first step, but it shouldn't stop there. In addition to investing in buildings and instructional strategies, we must continue to develop  other training initiatives.

Only in this way can English be used as a second language in Vietnamese schools, improving the quality of education and preparing the younger generation for international integration.