Speaker
Description
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is playing an increasingly vital role in higher education in Vietnam, particularly at medical and public health institutions where students are required to use English to access international research, participate in global conferences, and work in integrated healthcare environments. However, ESP instruction at the Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH) continues to face a range of systemic challenges that warrant rigorous scholarly investigation. This report presents findings from a mixed-methods study conducted during the 2024-2025 academic period, aimed at examining the current state of ESP teaching and learning at HUPH. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey administered to 150 undergraduate students, semi-structured interviews with six ESP instructors, and document analysis of the curricula and teaching materials currently in use. The study draws on Dudley-Evans and St. John's (1998) theoretical framework of ESP and Hutchinson and Waters' (1987) learner-centered needs analysis approach. The findings reveal three core issues: (1) a substantial gap between students' general English proficiency and the linguistic demands of terminology and academic discourse in public health; (2) a shortage of teaching materials contextually grounded in the Vietnamese public health setting; and (3) limited collaboration between language instructors and subject-matter specialists. On this basis, the report puts forward practical recommendations for enhancing the quality of ESP instruction at health training institutions in Vietnam.
Biography
Phan Thi Thuan Yen is a lecturer of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) at the Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH), Vietnam, where she teaches academic and professional English to students across health-related disciplines, including public health, epidemiology, health management, rehabilitation sciences, laboratory science, data science, and social work. She holds a Master's degree in English Language Teaching from the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS–VNU).
Her research focuses on ESP curriculum development and learner needs analysis in health sciences education. Her current mixed-methods study (2024-2025), grounded in the frameworks of Dudley-Evans and St. John (1998) and Hutchinson and Waters (1987), investigates the state of ESP teaching at HUPH, identifying key challenges including gaps in students' language proficiency, a shortage of context-specific teaching materials, and limited collaboration between language instructors and subject-matter specialists.
Through this work, she aims to develop practical, evidence-based recommendations for strengthening ESP instruction at health training institutions across Vietnam, helping future health professionals engage confidently with the global scientific community.
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