Need a specific roadmap

Improving foreign language proficiency for students and gradually making English the second language in schools is one of the key tasks set forth by the Politburo in Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW, dated August 12, 2024. The plan of key tasks and solutions for the 2024-2025 school year of the Education sector also sets out the requirement: "Research and develop projects and plans to gradually make English the second language in schools".

Prof. Dr. Le Anh Vinh, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, said: “Improving students’ foreign language proficiency is not only an educational task but also an important strategy to promote the country’s sustainable development. In particular, using foreign languages ​​as a means of teaching in different subjects not only helps improve the quality of education, but also helps students practice multidimensional thinking, flexibility and readiness to adapt to new challenges.”

Recognizing that this is a difficult task that cannot be done quickly, but to achieve the expected goal, Prof. Dr. Le Anh Vinh said that we must set out a clear plan and have a specific roadmap. Each educational institution needs to have a plan to incorporate English into the school's curriculum, so that English becomes an educational tool, making English a second language at a certain level.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Mai Huu, Head of the National Foreign Language Project Management Board (Ministry of Education and Training), said that policies related to foreign language development are an urgent need for all schools from primary to university. With different starting points for each educational institution, with many difficulties, but to achieve the goal of making English the second language in schools, it is necessary to prepare steps to make it a reality in the future.

Innovation in teaching and learning methods

Deputy Director of the Department of Primary Education (Ministry of Education and Training) Ta Ngoc Tri said that to realize the tasks set by the Politburo, it is necessary to have correct and timely actions; with changes ahead; learn from the experiences of countries around the world; set criteria to determine what is a second language in schools; closely coordinate between agencies and organizations, towards a common goal - a bright future, helping the young generation of Vietnam improve their qualities, abilities, and confidently integrate internationally in the era of rising up.

In order to improve students' foreign language skills, the Department of Education and Training and schools have implemented many solutions and diverse activities. The Hanoi Department of Education and Training held a conference to activate the Foreign Language Self-Study Month in 2025 on February 20.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong said that the Conference to activate the Foreign Language Self-Study Month 2025 marked a new step forward in the innovation of foreign language teaching and learning methods, meeting the increasing demands of modern education. Foreign Language Self-Study Month is a practical movement, aiming to encourage students of high schools in the city to improve their self-study ability, develop language skills, and at the same time create a vibrant, effective and creative learning environment. Schools have actively implemented many useful activities, recognizing the enthusiastic participation of students and the companionship of teachers.

Previously, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training launched the Foreign Language Self-Study Month movement to all students and teachers of educational institutions in the area. Since then, on the FSEL online learning platform, more than 615,000 people have registered to participate, including more than 593,000 students and nearly 22,000 teachers. Of which, the number of accounts that have completed confirmation is nearly 615,000, the number of accounts that have completed and are completing the English proficiency assessment is more than 515,000, reaching 83.86% of the number of accounts that have completed confirmation.

Right from the first days of implementation, the Foreign Language Self-Study Month movement has received special attention from students, teachers and schools. Many students, after completing the proficiency test, wanted to start studying immediately, such as students in Hoang Mai and Hoai Duc districts. Many teachers and principals also proactively registered for the proficiency test and enthusiastically participated in the 4-week self-study journey, such as in schools such as Trung Vuong Secondary School, Hoang Mai Secondary School, etc.