Speaker
Description
With the implementation of the unified textbook policy in the 2026-2027 school year, Global Success series transitions from a market leader to Vietnam's national standard for English education. This milestone presents an opportunity to evaluate and refine the curriculum’s alignment with the gender equality goals of the 2018 General Education Program. This study contributes to the examination of the consistency between gender frequency and social roles within the Grade 10 textbook of this series. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes 95 visual characters and textual discourses across three thematic units (Family Life, Inventions, Gender Equality). Findings highlight a significant achievement: the textbook successfully attains a progressive quantitative balance (54% female vs. 46% male), effectively promoting gender equality. However, qualitative multimodal analysis suggests room for further refinement, as female characters often remain associated with domestic or service-oriented contexts, while male characters dominate technical discourses. The study concludes that while the equal representing number is successful, how characters appear requires further optimization. It may offer constructive recommendations for future textbook revisions and teacher adaptations to ensure the national standard fully embodies modern gender equality.
Biography
Thu Phuong Mai is a CELTA-certified English language educator and researcher with expertise in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Originally from Hanoi, Vietnam, she graduated as valedictorian with a BA in TESOL before earning a Master of Arts in Education from University College London, where her thesis examined gender equality in English textbooks in Vietnam.
With experience spanning multiple cultures and contexts, Thu Phuong has designed and delivered ESP programs for employees at global organizations including L'Oréal Group and Kyber Network, and has worked as a private tutor grounded in the England national curriculum. Her teaching philosophy centers on learner-centric methodologies and the thoughtful integration of interactive technology to create meaningful, inclusive learning experiences.
Thu Phuong brings to her work a distinctive blend of academic rigor and practical classroom insight, shaped by training at the University of Cambridge and hands-on experience with multicultural and multinational learners. Her areas of interest include curriculum design, gender equity in education, international perspectives on educational reform, and the intersection of language teaching with cultural sensitivity.
She is passionate about empowering learners through adaptable, empathetic instruction and continues to contribute to language education across both corporate and academic settings.
| Affiliate type | Vietnamese public school |
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