Nghe An: Foreign language project contributes to innovation and breakthroughs in teaching and learning.

"The low point" in foreign language quality.

For many years, Nghe An has been known as a land of learning and has consistently ranked among the top in the country in terms of educational quality, especially in advanced education. However, alongside these achievements, the province's education system still faces difficulties and shortcomings, particularly regarding the quality of foreign language teaching and learning in schools.

English class for students at Ethnic Boarding High School No. 2. Photo: My Ha

This subject also shows a significant disparity between regions. While the average foreign language score in top-tier schools is consistently very high (above 8 points) in final exams like the High School Graduation Exam and the entrance exam for grade 10, foreign language scores are very low in schools far from urban centers and in remote areas.

In fact, recent years have shown that despite efforts, the quality of foreign language teaching and learning has improved slowly, with the average score increasing by only 0.25 points per year.

The uneven quality of English teaching across different regions is a challenge for Nghe An in implementing foreign language teaching and learning. Photo: My Ha

One of the main reasons is that many primary schools in the province currently do not offer foreign language instruction. The percentage of students studying the 10-year foreign language program remains low, especially at the high school level. The facilities and teaching equipment only meet the minimum requirements. Their utilization in some units is still inefficient.

Furthermore, although 100% of teachers meet the required training qualifications, the percentage of teachers meeting international standards for foreign language proficiency to implement the new foreign language program is still low. There is a shortage of teachers for foreign languages ​​other than English, and for teaching enhanced and integrated programs in secondary schools.

An English class at Nguyen Truong To High School (Hung Nguyen). This school showed remarkable progress in English results at the 2020 High School Graduation Exam. Photo by My Ha.

Currently, Nghe An has over 100 foreign language centers, but in recent years there has been a lack of connection with schools. Efforts to socialize and mobilize resources to improve facilities and build a foreign language learning environment in schools have not been effective; and there has been a failure to attract qualified and experienced teachers, especially native speakers, to teach foreign language programs.

Creating breakthroughs in foreign language teaching and learning in schools.

The limitations in teaching and learning foreign languages ​​in schools will, in the long run, also affect the quality of the province's human resources, especially during the period of integration with the region and the world.

In light of this situation, after nearly 7 months of preparation,Department of Education and TrainingWe advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Project 2445 on "Improving the quality of foreign language teaching and learning in educational institutions in Nghe An province in the period 2020-2025, with orientation to 2030" and officially started implementation from the 2020-2021 school year.

The foreign language project aims to ensure that by 2025, 70% of preschools meet the requirements to implement a foreign language introduction program for kindergarten children. (In the photo: An English lesson for children at Rainbow Preschool. Photo by My Ha)

The launch of this project is an effort by the education sector to meet the aspirations of the people and students throughout the province. The main objective of the project is to create a breakthrough in the quality of foreign language teaching and learning at all levels of education and training; to build an environment for teaching and using foreign languages ​​in the area; and to gradually improve the foreign language proficiency of students and trainees to international standards at all levels of general education and training, contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of human resources in the context of international integration.

The implementation of this project also serves as a foundation for Nghe An to prepare for the 2018 General Education Program, as the new program mandates that students learn a foreign language from grade 3. In particular, this project has opened up policy mechanisms to improve quality.foreign languageThis creates a mechanism and a favorable environment for centers to coordinate with schools to organize foreign language teaching.

Nghe An province aims to have 100% of its primary schools meet the requirements to implement an optional foreign language program for first and second graders by 2025. Photo: My Ha.

Through this, we also expect to bring about a new wave, changing the way teaching and learning is conducted in secondary schools, focusing on foreign language training with all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with a commitment to achieving international foreign language proficiency certificates upon graduation from each level (A1 for grade 5, A2 for grade 9, B1 for grade 12).

This also provides a favorable foundation, creating opportunities for students to study abroad, integrate internationally, and enhance their chances of finding employment within ASEAN and the region. Furthermore, it serves as a basis for building advanced secondary schools in line with international integration trends.

Positive signs

Immediately after the plan was issued, the implementation of foreign language teaching and learning in this school year has seen positive changes. In particular, based on the provincial plan, many localities have also developed plans to implement enhanced English programs, focusing on innovating teaching, testing, and evaluation methods to create conditions for developing critical thinking skills, practical skills, and communication abilities.Englishof teachers and students.

To date, more than 2,000 primary school students in Vinh City have participated in the enhanced English program. Photo: My Ha

Specifically, Do Luong district has collaborated with English language centers in the area to implement an enhanced English program in 7 secondary schools. Con Cuong district, starting from a pilot program in some kindergartens and primary schools in the central area, has expanded the enhanced program to many other primary schools throughout the district this year.

In Vinh City specifically, while previously only a few primary and secondary schools implemented the enhanced English program, this year the Department of Education and Training is directing it in a more systematic way.

After years of implementing enhanced English programs and increasing the number of lessons with foreign teachers, the foreign language learning of students in Vinh City has seen significant improvements. (In the photo: A foreign language lesson with a foreign teacher at Trung Do Secondary School. Photo by My Ha)

Specifically, to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning, starting this school year, the city is pursuing a policy of enrolling students in enhanced English classes with entrance exams and guaranteed outcomes for participating students. During their studies, in addition to the regular curriculum, students will receive supplementary lessons at language centers taught directly by native English-speaking teachers.

A positive sign is that, despite being only the first year of implementation, the number of parents and students registering is very high, exceeding the set target. To date, according to statistics from the Department of Education and Training, 23 primary and secondary schools throughout the city have implemented the enhanced program with 54 classes and over 3000 students participating. The socialization of English language teaching in schools is also a policy of the education sector aimed at implementing the foreign language project.

To encourage this, the sector has also issued regulations and mechanisms to allow educational institutions to autonomously coordinate with foreign language centers to organize enhanced education programs in schools, ensuring quality, committed learning outcomes, and the voluntary participation of learners and parents. This includes gradually promoting parallel teaching of both international and Vietnamese curricula; and integrating foreign language teaching, especially English, with other subjects according to both international and Vietnamese curricula for students who need it.

To implement the foreign language project in Nghe An, a survey and reassessment of the entire teaching staff will be conducted. Photo: My Ha

To effectively implement the foreign language project, the Department of Education and Training has also advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue mechanisms and policies to promote the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Most recently, this includes the mechanism for direct admission to Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School and Huynh Thuc Khang High School for students with certain qualifications.International English certificate.

In the coming years, to improve the quality of foreign language education, the Department also identifies the teaching staff as a decisive factor. Therefore, starting this school year, the department will conduct surveys and assessments of the current state of foreign language teachers in schools and centers to develop plans for training and improving their skills and qualifications to meet the requirements of curriculum reform and improvement.

Therefore, this allows teachers to participate in enhanced programs, teaching both international and Vietnamese curricula simultaneously; and integrated programs that combine foreign language teaching with other subjects according to both international and Vietnamese curricula.

The enhanced English program encourages schools to collaborate with language centers and increase the number of lessons with native English-speaking teachers to improve all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Photo: My Ha

Simultaneously, we will develop enhanced, integrated, and parallel programs; build a foreign language teaching and learning environment in schools and throughout society to create an environment for students to teach, learn, and use foreign languages; and promote a concentrated foreign language learning environment using the "Popular Education" method. In addition, we will continue to invest in infrastructure and enhance foreign language teaching and learning equipment for educational institutions in the province, prioritizing those in mountainous and particularly disadvantaged areas.

With many important objectives, the Foreign Language Project 2445 on improving the quality of foreign language teaching and learning in educational institutions in Nghe An province from 2020-2025, with a vision to 2030, hopes to make a significant contribution to improving the English proficiency of students in Nghe An and opening up many opportunities for students in the province in the near future.