Speakers
Description
This study explores the relationship between career development and wellbeing among ESL teachers at a public university in Vietnam, an underexplored area in Southeast Asian higher education with implications for teacher retention and teaching quality. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a survey of 85 ESL teachers will identify patterns in career development engagement and perceived wellbeing, followed by interviews with a purposively selected subsample across career stages. The study expects to find a positive correlation between participation in career development activities such as reflective teaching, mentoring, and professional learning and enhanced wellbeing, as indicated by increased job satisfaction and a stronger professional identity. However, contextual challenges like excessive workload and limited institutional support may hinder wellbeing despite the availability of opportunities. Teaching experience is anticipated to affect how participants navigate their professional identity within institutional and sociocultural contexts. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study aims to extend the theoretical framework within the Vietnamese EFL context, providing practical insights for administrators and policymakers. The objective is to develop culturally responsive professional development frameworks that foster sustainable psychological well-being among ESL educators.
Keywords: career development, teacher wellbeing, ESL, professional identity, mixed-methods, Vietnam, higher education
Biography
I am Nguyễn Thị Như Huệ, a Business English lecturer at Hanoi University of Industry, where I teach undergraduate courses in professional and workplace communication. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in English Linguistics, awarded with Distinction, from the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from Southern New Hampshire University, United States.
My teaching and research are grounded in applied linguistics, with a particular focus on connecting theoretical perspectives to pedagogical practice in contextually meaningful ways. My research interests lie at the intersection of language education and discourse analysis, particularly in examining classroom interaction, instructional discourse, and the broader dynamics of English language teaching in Vietnamese higher education through discourse-analytical frameworks.
I am particularly interested in conducting context-responsive and practice-oriented research that explores how language functions in authentic educational settings to inform more effective and evidence-based pedagogical approaches. Through my participation in VietTESOL, I aim to engage with the wider ELT community, exchange research-informed perspectives, and contribute to ongoing scholarly discussions on English language education in Vietnam.
| Affiliate type | University |
|---|