VietTESOL International Convention 2026

The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT) has transformed English language teaching; however, teacher education programs in Vietnam often struggle to prepare pre-service teachers adequately. This study investigates the needs of English pre-service teachers regarding the curriculum for the course Application of ICT in English Language Teaching. Using a mixed-methods design, 85 English pre-service teachers at a public university in northern Vietnam were surveyed and ten of them attended in-depth interviews. Findings reveal that ICT use is highly prevalent and perceived as essential for learning and future teaching careers. Students express strong needs for AI-powered tools for rapid slide design and lesson plan creation, instructional videos, self-learning management apps, and interactive platforms for warm-up and post-activities to energize classrooms. While students appreciate software support for ELT, they emphasize the need for creativity and continuous updates. Crucially, students want the new curriculum to integrate applications into lesson delivery steps, as the current curriculum focuses narrowly on technical operations without connecting to pedagogical steps. Emerging challenges include limited laptop access, costs of premium applications, unstable internet in mountainous areas, restrictions on mobile phone use in classrooms, and insufficient prior training in methodology courses, which hinders effective lesson design. These findings highlight the urgent need for an updated curriculum that integrates ICT tools into pedagogical practice, provides cost-effective and offline-friendly resources, and offers hands-on lesson planning training aligned with methodology courses.