Speaker
Description
As Vietnam moves from an EFL to ESL orientation, English is increasingly used in professional and workplace contexts rather than only in classrooms. This shift highlights the growing importance of effective workplace English training in supporting employees’ communication needs. This study investigates Vietnamese professionals’ perspectives on the effectiveness of workplace English training programs across different industries. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining data from 195 questionnaires and 10 semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that while participants generally perceived training programs positively and reported increased confidence in using English, significant challenges remain. These include a gap between theoretical knowledge and practical workplace application, limited opportunities for real-life communication, and insufficient workplace-specific content. The study also identifies key factors influencing training effectiveness, including instructor delivery and learner self-efficacy. The findings suggest that workplace English training should be more needs-based, practical, and tailored to specific professional contexts. The study provides pedagogical implications for ESP and contributes to ongoing discussions on English language education in Vietnam’s transition from EFL to ESL.
Biography
Phương Lan Trần is a lecturer of English at Thai Binh Duong University, Vietnam. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom. She teaches both English major and non-English major students. Her research interests include English for Specific Purposes (ESP), workplace English, language teaching methodology, and technology in language education. She has experience conducting research on workplace English training effectiveness in Vietnam. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between classroom instruction and real-world language use, particularly in professional contexts.
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