VietTESOL International Convention 2026

The implementation of the General Education English Curriculum has brought an important change to English language teaching in Vietnam. The curriculum emphasizes significantly on communicative competence, learner-centered teaching, and the integration of language skills. However, the success of this reform largely depends on how teachers interpret and implement the curriculum in their actual classroom contexts. This study, therefore, examines high school English teachers’ perceptions of the factors influencing effective curriculum implementation in the Mekong Delta. It focuses on the facilitators that support implementation, the challenges teachers face, and their suggestions for improvement.
This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Questionnaire data were collected from 50 high school English teachers in the first phase, followed by semi structured interviews in order to provide deeper insights into the survey results. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, whereas the qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis.
The findings show that teachers generally view the curriculum positively, especially for its focus on communication and integrated language learning. At the same time, they reported several practical challenges, including differences between textbook demands and students’ actual ability, pressure from exams, limited teaching time, large classes, and unequal access to resources. The study also points to the need for more practice-oriented teacher training, more flexible teaching materials, stronger support at the school level, and better alignment between curriculum objectives and assessment practices.