VietTESOL International Convention 2026

Amid growing policy efforts to reposition English from a foreign language to a second language in Vietnam, the education system is pursuing reforms that extend English beyond language classrooms into broader subject teaching. While this shift reflects aspirations for stronger English competence and global integration, it also raises important questions about systemic readiness to sustain such transformation. This paper critically examines how this policy shift reshapes expectations for teacher education. Drawing on communicative language teaching, sociocultural theory, and policy analysis, it interrogates assumptions underpinning the reform. The analysis suggests that current policy narratives may overestimate institutional and teacher readiness, particularly in expecting content teachers to adopt English-mediated instruction without sufficient linguistic competence or pedagogical support. Key challenges include uneven English proficiency, limited practice-based training, and disparities in access to professional development and digital resources, especially in under-resourced contexts, which may widen existing educational inequalities. The paper argues that repositioning English requires more than symbolic policy change; it demands sustained, context-sensitive investment in teacher education and systemic capacity building. The presentation will offer practical implications for redesigning teacher education curricula, strengthening professional development pathways, and supporting effective implementation of English-medium initiatives in Vietnam. Without such efforts, the transition risks remaining aspirational rather than producing meaningful transformation in classroom practice.