Speakers
Description
Vietnam's national language plan (2025–2035) signals a paradigm shift in English language education, repositioning English from a foreign language to a second language in schools. While this policy carries profound implications for classroom practice, little research has examined how pre-service English teachers, who are the future implementers of this shift, perceive and respond to it. Grounded in Borg's (2003) teacher cognition framework, McKay's (2002) conceptualisation of teaching English as an international language, and Bandura's (1997) self-efficacy theory, this qualitative study investigates the perspectives of third- and fourth-year pre-service EFL teachers at the University of Foreign Language Studies, The University of Da Nang. Semi-structured interviews with 20 purposefully selected participants explore three dimensions: their understandings of the EFL-to-ESL shift as reflected in Vietnam's current language education policy; their attitudes toward the feasibility and relevance of this repositioning to their future teaching careers; and their evaluations of both their teacher education program and their own readiness to enact ESL-oriented classroom practice. Thematic analysis of interview data is expected to generate nuanced insights into the relationship between institutional preparation and pre-service teachers' personal sense of readiness. Findings are expected to inform ongoing discussions around teacher education reform and offer context-specific insights for institutions navigating the EFL-to-ESL transition in Vietnam and beyond.
Biography
Main Author:
Ha Ly Dieu Thao is a final-year pre-service English teacher at the University of Foreign Language Studies, The University of Da Nang, expected to graduate in 2026. Her research interests include pre-service teacher education and game-based learning in English language teaching. She was awarded Second Prize at the Student Scientific Research Conference at her institution in 2025 for her study on pre-service EFL teachers' perceptions and practices toward game-based learning, which was subsequently published in the International Journal of Scientific Development and Research (Volume 10, Issue 5, May 2025). She is currently investigating pre-service EFL teachers' perspectives on Vietnam's repositioning of English as a second language.
Co-author 1:
Nguyen Le An My is a final-year pre-service English teacher at the University of Foreign Language Studies, The University of Da Nang, expected to graduate in 2026. Her research interests include pre-service teacher education and technology in language teaching. She was awarded Second Prize at the Student Scientific Research Conference at her institution in 2024 as part of a collaborative study exploring technology in EFL learning. Upon graduation, she intends to pursue a Master's degree in Education. She is currently a co-investigator in a study examining pre-service EFL teachers' perspectives on the repositioning of English from a foreign to a second language in Vietnam.
Co-author 2:
Nguyen Quynh Nhu is a final-year pre-service English teacher at the University of Foreign Language Studies, The University of Da Nang, expected to graduate in 2026. Her research interests include linguistics and technology in language teaching. She was awarded Second Prize at the Student Scientific Research Conference at her institution in 2024 as part of a collaborative study exploring technology in language education. She is currently a co-investigator in a study examining pre-service EFL teachers' perspectives on the repositioning of English from a foreign to a second language in Vietnam.
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