Speaker
Description
In many Vietnamese EFL school settings, English is still mainly treated as a classroom subject rather than a natural part of students’ daily lives. As a result, students often rely on mental translation from their mother tongue in familiar English-speaking situations. To reposition English as a functional second language (L2), it must be integrated into the subconscious. This study evaluates an “English-rich environment” model designed to encourage more intuitive English use in daily school life and gradually develop automatic language responses without intermediary translation. An action research study was conducted at a middle school involving 100 students during a six-week intervention with continuous English exposure across school activities. The intervention focused on transforming the linguistic environment through a bilingual signage system, multimodal learning corners, and the integration of English into school-wide announcements and routine activities. Data were collected through field observations, student surveys, and teacher feedback reports. The results showed a significant improvement in students’ language use behaviors. The percentage of students actively using natural conversational expressions increased from 25% to 55% after the intervention. In addition, the end-of-term survey revealed that 75% of students felt more confident when English was visible throughout the school, while 68% regularly participated in activities at the learning corners during break time. These findings suggest that creating an English-rich and interactive environment can help transform English from a classroom subject into a functional communication tool, thereby encouraging more natural and sustainable language use among students.
Biography
Nguyen Quynh Mai is an English teacher at Tam An Secondary School, Dong Nai, Vietnam. Teaching in a suburban public school context, she is interested in finding practical ways to move beyond traditional grammar-focused instruction and encourage students to use English more naturally in daily life. Her work focuses on communicative language teaching, learner-centered pedagogy, and the creation of English-rich learning environments. She has experience designing multimodal learning activities and personalized digital portfolios to support speaking development and increase students’ confidence in communication. Her current research interests include classroom-based innovations and technology-supported approaches that make English learning more engaging, meaningful, and accessible for secondary school students.
Bach Tuyet Nguyen is an English teacher at Tam An Secondary School, Dong Nai, Vietnam. Working in a suburban public school setting, she is interested in improving student engagement and creating more interactive English learning experiences beyond traditional teaching approaches. Her professional interests include speaking skill development, classroom communication, and the use of digital tools to support language learning. She has participated in collaborative classroom-based research projects focusing on personalized learning and communicative competence. Through her teaching practice, she aims to help students become more confident and active English users by applying practical, student-centered activities that connect classroom learning with students’ real-life experiences and everyday communication needs.
| Affiliate type | Vietnamese public school |
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