VietTESOL International Convention 2026

As English-medium instruction (EMI) expands rapidly across Asian higher education, universities in Vietnam are increasingly mandating content teachers to deliver courses in English under national language policy initiatives. Despite a growing body of research on EMI teacher identity, two significant gaps persist: the Vietnamese context remains underrepresented, and the anticipatory phase when...

As English education in Vietnam transitions from treating the language as a foreign subject to a functional second language, learners must move beyond passive theoretical knowledge to achieve active academic fluency. However, a significant "theory-practice gap" remains a primary obstacle. This corpus-based study investigates this gap by examining the usage of four-word lexical bundles in...

This study advances corpus-based critical discourse analysis by integrating corpus-based analysis with Fairclough’s three-dimensional model to examine hedging in English diplomatic discourse. Two research corpora are compiled, comprising over 200,000 words of American and British ambassadors’ speeches delivered to Vietnamese audiences. By integrating quantitative statistical tools from...

Song lyrics, though widely used in language classrooms, have rarely been studied through a corpus-linguistic lens. This study examines the lexical and semantic characteristics of two consecutive Taylor Swift albums — The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD, 2024) and The Life of a Showgirl (TLAS, 2025) — which differ sharply in emotional tone despite being released just one year apart. Although...

Phrasal verbs (PVs) are a frequent yet notoriously difficult aspect of English vocabulary, occurring roughly once every 150–200 words in authentic discourse (Gardner & Davies,2007; Biber et al., 1999). Their idiomatic meanings, polysemy, and syntactic irregularities often hinder acquisition, particularly for learners in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. In Vietnam, the Global...

This study examines the ideological and discursive functions of Disclaim resources in the 2024 U.S. presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris using Appraisal Theory (Martin & White, 2005) and Critical Discourse Analysis (Fairclough, 2010). It explores how linguistic features interact with discursive practices and broader social structures to construct ideological meanings and...

The development of English oral proficiency has been strongly emphasized in tertiary education, particularly among English majors. While learners may possess solid grammatical knowledge, applying a wide range of grammatical structures in spontaneous speech remains a significant challenge, which is yet to be extensively investigated in the Vietnamese context. Therefore, this study aims to...

This study investigates the use of stylistic devices in health-related headlines published in English online newspapers and examines how these linguistic features contribute to effective health communication in digital journalism. In contemporary online media, headlines play a crucial role in attracting readers’ attention and presenting complex health information in a concise and engaging...

This study examines common translation procedures used to translate English SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Social Media Marketing (SMM) terms into Vietnamese. The study analyzes 152 terms collected from Vietnamese digital marketing sources such as professional blogs, Facebook communities, platform interfaces, and industry webinars. Peter Newmark’s (1988) translation procedures serve as...

This study presents a systematic literature review of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education, focusing on challenges faced by teachers and students as well as pedagogical strategies used to support EMI implementation. Following a PRISMA-informed review procedure, 29 empirical studies published between 2016 and 2026 were selected from the ScienceDirect database. The findings...

This study examines how gendered voice is constructed in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and reshaped in two Vietnamese translations: Diep’s (2002) and Nguyen’s (2020). The study analyzes gendered-language features from dialogues in Chapters 1–23 of the English source text and compares their equivalents in the two Vietnamese versions. The analysis focuses on five interpersonal feature...

Conventional grading systems, built on partial credit, averaged scores, opaque rubrics, or teachers’ intuition, often obscure rather than communicate what students can actually do. Specifications grading offers a compelling alternative: assignments are assessed on a pass/fail basis against clearly defined criteria, with bundled token systems allowing students strategic flexibility. While the...

Artificial Intelligence-assisted speaking platforms are increasingly used in workplace English training to offer flexible speaking practice. However, it remains unclear how adult learners engage with these platforms, especially when their learning is shaped by work schedules, confidence, and limited time for practice. This study examines adult learners’ engagement in AI-assisted English...

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence writing tools has created new opportunities for university students, but it has also raised concerns about learner autonomy in English as a foreign language writing. This study examines how dependency on these tools relates to autonomous writing behaviour among engineering students at a Vietnamese university. Drawing on frameworks of learner autonomy...

This presentation reports an exploratory study investigating how Vietnamese EFL teachers adapt and localise intercultural teaching materials with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Grounded in intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and teacher agency in materials development, the study examines how teachers manage cultural representation, institutional expectations,...

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into education has created new opportunities for language assessment development. In Vietnam, recent educational reforms and changes to the Vietnamese National High School Graduation Examination (VNHSGE) have increased the demand for high-quality reading assessment materials. This study investigates the use of Claude.ai in AI-assisted...

This pilot research investigates the integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into the self-regulated learning (SRL) processes of non-English majors at a Vietnamese university. Grounded in Zimmerman’s (2002) cyclical model of SRL, the study examines how students employ GenAI across the forethought, performance, and self-reflection phases of their language acquisition. A...

As AI-based writing applications such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and automated feedback systems become increasingly integrated into language learning environments, understanding their psychological and pedagogical effects on learners has become essential. This study explores the relationship between AI-assisted writing tools and anxiety among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in academic...

The current research examines how EFL students engage with artificial intelligence (AI) within their Mobile English Learning Resource (MELR) ecologies for self-directed vocabulary learning (SDL). Using the Activity Theory (AT) framework, the research examines how AI influences students’ vocabulary learning processes and potentially alters their learning activity systems. A qualitative approach...

This study examines whether elements of self-directed learning (SDL) emerge in first-year students’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for academic writing. Grounded in the framework of self-regulated learning (SRL), the study categorises AI-assisted writing behaviours into three dimensions: AI-mediated planning regulation, AI-mediated performance regulation, and AI-mediated reflective...

The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) has opened new possibilities for personalized and flexible vocabulary development beyond the traditional classroom. This study investigates the effectiveness of AI-supported out-of-class mobile learning as a supplementary strategy for improving technical English vocabulary among A2-level...

Vietnam's national plan to reposition English as a second language (2025–2035) places significant expectations on learner autonomy and technology integration, with AI tools promoted as vehicles for extending speaking practice beyond the classroom. Yet whether AI‑supported self‑regulation actually reduces the affective barriers constraining Vietnamese learners' oral performance remains...

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into higher education has fundamentally reshaped English language teaching, yet how teachers exercise agency within AI-mediated environments remains underexplored. Drawing on an ecological theoretical framework, this study investigates teacher agency as a situated, dynamic construct shaped by the interplay between individual...

Abstract: Developing English speaking skills poses a significant challenge for vocational students in Vietnam due to performance anxiety and a lack of authentic and, transactional communicative contexts. Grounded in Game-Based Learning (GBL) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study investigates the dual impact of gamified role-playing activities under the mechanics of constraints (such...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines capable of performing tasks such as reasoning, learning, decision-making, and problem-solving (Russell & Norvig, 2021). This study investigates the application of AI in designing advanced English listening activities to support the preparation of high-achieving high school students for provincial-level...

The study investigated EFL teachers’ experiences and perceptions regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in conducting Master’s-level research in the Vietnamese context. A mixed-methods design was employed, utilizing a questionaire with 99 EFL teachers and semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers. The findings revealed that the teachers had positive and open attitudes toward using...

Name: Ha Thi Thu
Teacher of English at Tong Lenh High School, Son La Province, Vietnam
Email: hathuthuan85@gmail.com
Phone number: 0362682345

Applying ChatGPT-Integrated Chatbots to Enhance Vocabulary Learning and Learner Autonomy in Vietnam’s Emerging ESL Context
As Vietnam gradually shifts toward an ESL-oriented educational model, English learning is increasingly expected to promote...

Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of applying the flipped classroom approach in teaching speaking skills for Business English 2 to first-year students at College of Foreign Economic Relations. The research aims to examine whether the flipped classroom model can improve students’ speaking performance, classroom engagement, and learning motivation.
A quasi-experimental...

This study aimed to examine whether students showed any improvement through gamified ESP vocabulary lessons on the online platform Kahoot! at a Vietnamese university. It also explored the students’ perceptions of benefits and challenges of using this platform for ESP vocabulary learning. Action research with the two-loop cyclical process was employed in an ESP class to implement the...

Repositioning English from a Foreign Language (EFL) to a Second Language (ESL) requires practical community engagement, wherein provincial universities play a pivotal role. This study evaluates the effectiveness of applying the Total Quality Management (TQM) model to Service-Learning activities to facilitate this linguistic transition. A mixed-methods case study was conducted at Pham Van Dong...

This study examines whether English-mediated social media use is associated with measurable English achievement and self-concept outcomes among Vietnamese university EFL students. While platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook provide frequent exposure to English, it remains unclear whether time spent using social media in English corresponds to externally anchored language...

Hybrid learning has become increasingly common in English language education, yet many courses still treat online and in-person components as separate parts rather than as an integrated learning experience. This presentation reports on a practice-based case study of a hybrid English course designed for busy adult learners who needed greater control over when and where they studied while still...

In the modern ESL classroom, smartphones often act as a double-edged sword, providing instant resources while simultaneously serving as a primary source of cognitive distraction. This presentation discusses the pedagogical outcomes of a "gated" technology policy implemented within a university-level IEP in Vietnam, where mobile devices are strictly put away except for highly targeted,...

The study focuses on the teaching purposes and language choices of teachers’ embedded commentary on upper secondary school EFL students’ writing within a test-oriented Vietnamese context. Well-grounded in an adapted classification framework (Derham et al., 2022; Hattie & Timperley, 2007), the research explores how educators balance the dual roles of judging and guiding. To achieve this, a...

Abstract
Overseas postgraduate study has become an important pathway for language teachers’ professional development. While previous studies have largely examined how returnee teachers negotiate their identities and adapt their pedagogical practices, less attention has been paid to how they understand and interpret themselves as professionals in the post-return phase. Addressing this gap,...

AI-supported tools are increasingly integrated into academic and professional workflows, providing teachers and researchers with information retrieval, content generation, and AI-assisted knowledge work. However, many current systems remain oriented toward short-term productivity and isolated interactions, offering limited support for sustaining reflective inquiry and professional learning...

In Vietnam, IELTS Listening preparation is often dominated by mock-test practice, which is widely perceived as the fastest route to score improvement. However, this practice may restrict the development of essential cognitive and metacognitive strategies for effective listening. This qualitative study investigates how online one-to-one tutoring supports the development of these strategies...

While an increasing number of studies have examined textbook images and gender representation in educational materials, fewer studies have investigated how gender is visually represented in English textbook images through Kress and van Leeuwen’s Visual Grammar. This study aims to examine gender representation in the American Language Hub Starter and American Language Hub Level 1 textbooks...

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into higher education, research attention has shifted from whether students use AI to how they employ AI to support meaningful learning processes. While existing studies have primarily examined learners’ perceptions of AI-assisted writing tools, limited research has explored how students actively incorporate these tools...

As Vietnam moves toward an ESL-oriented future, English language teachers are expected to respond to rapidly changing demands in communication, technology integration, and classroom pedagogy. However, many teachers, particularly freelancers and teachers outside major institutional systems, continue to experience limited access to sustained professional development and professional support. In...

As Vietnam transitions from an EFL to an ESL-oriented context, there is a growing need for sustainable models of teacher professional learning beyond traditional workshop-based approaches. This presentation reports on the design and evolution of a three-year Action Research Program implemented within the tertiary English language context.

Our program positions teachers as autonomous...

Vietnam’s transition from EFL to ESL requires not only curriculum reform but also sustainable implementation models that promote equal access to quality English learning opportunities. In many school contexts, learners may experience different levels of exposure to English due to variations in teacher availability, instructional quality, learning resources, digital readiness, and local support...

Online higher education has expanded rapidly in Vietnam, offering flexible pathways for working adults to pursue degrees. However, as they have to balance professional and family responsibilities, persistence remains a significant challenge. This qualitative multiple case study explores the persistence strategies of seven Vietnamese adult learners enrolled in an online Bachelor's degree...

This study examines how 15 B1–B2 level students in a multicultural Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) English Communication class at a private university in Tokyo perceived content-aligned small talk activities, framed through the heuristic pyramid model of willingness to communicate (WTC; MacIntyre et al., 1998). During a 13-week semester, students engaged in ten five-minute...

This study explores the relationship between career development and wellbeing among ESL teachers at a public university in Vietnam, an underexplored area in Southeast Asian higher education with implications for teacher retention and teaching quality. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a survey of 85 ESL teachers will identify patterns in career development engagement and...

The Vietnamese government recently mandated a strategic transition of English from a Foreign Language (EFL) to a Second Language (ESL) between 2025 and 2030, with a long-term vision toward 2045. This ambitious repositioning requires significant coordination across the educational sector, with universities playing a pivotal role in developing a workforce capable of facilitating ESL at lower...

Empathy is increasingly recognized as a key component of effective doctor–patient communication because it contributes to patient satisfaction, trust, and treatment adherence. However, for medical students learning English as a foreign language, expressing empathy appropriately in clinical interactions may present additional linguistic and communicative challenges. This study investigated the...

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has gained increasing attention in Vietnam as an approach to enhance both subject knowledge and English proficiency. Grounded in CLIL theory, particularly the 4Cs Framework (Content, Communication, Cognition, Culture) proposed by Coyle et al., this study examines how content-language integration is enacted in practice. It aims to (1) examine...

This presentation discusses methodological strategies, challenges, and innovations in applying Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) within higher education. Drawing on Coyle’s (2007) 4Cs framework and Villabona and Cenoz’s (2022) findings on the difficulty of balancing content and language integration, it argues that effective CLIL requires a dynamic synthesis of cognitive,...

This study investigates how English majors use collocations in speaking and draws practical implications for learning and teaching improvement. In order to obtain the research aim, the study specifically examines students’ understanding of collocations, their ability to use collocations in speaking, and their perceptions of collocation use in spoken performances. The research design is...

Mentoring is increasingly recognized as a central practice in teacher education, yet most research has focused on Western and resource-rich contexts. Limited attention has been given to mentoring in low-income and post-conflict settings, where resources are constrained and sociocultural norms strongly influence professional relationships. This study examines mentoring in Cambodia as a case...

The integration of generative artificial intelligence into language education demands pedagogical approaches that move beyond prohibition or uncritical adoption toward principled critical engagement. Yet few classroom frameworks exist that combine corpus linguistics with structured analysis of AI-generated text to develop second language writing. This presentation addresses that gap by...

As Vietnam moves towards treating English more as a second language than a foreign language, classrooms are under growing pressure to give students more chances to use English for genuine communication. In many classrooms, however, listening lessons still stop at checking answers, while speaking activities often remain controlled and predictable. This study explores whether listening-triggered...

Textbooks play a central role in English Language Teaching (ELT) by providing structured content and guiding instructional practices. In Vietnam, the Global Success textbook series has been officially adopted for nationwide use from the 2026-2027 academic year and is claimed to be developed according to the communicative approach in alignment with the 2018 General Education English Curriculum....

The increasing integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into teacher education has raised important questions about its role in fostering critical thinking among future teachers. This qualitative exploratory study investigates how pre-service English teachers perceive the role of GenAI in supporting their critical engagement during a digital pedagogy project, the critical...

This paper aims to deepen current understandings of the sociocultural dimensions involved in the provision of oral corrective feedback (OCF) in online L2 instruction. In particular, it examines how learners’ cultural backgrounds shape teachers’ oral error correction practices by drawing on the framework proposed by Chen and Liu (2021). Using qualitative content analysis, the study analyzed...

As Vietnam accelerates the transition from English as a Foreign Language to English as a Second Language under the 2025–2045 strategic vision, the national policy framework remains constrained by persistent, outdated notions of native-speakerism. While supporting the convention’s objective of advancing the national ESL roadmap, this presentation critically examines the paradox of implementing...

While pronunciation is vital for successful oral communication, it remains largely marginalised in general English programmes at Vietnamese universities, where non-majors often suffer from limited instructional time. This mixed-methods study investigates the effectiveness of an eight-week video-based shadowing intervention designed to improve the pronunciation of target codas (/t/, /s/, /n/,...

Learner motivation plays a crucial role in sustaining long-term engagement in English language learning. However, many learners struggle to maintain motivation when they cannot clearly connect their present learning efforts with meaningful future goals. Drawing on the concept of the L2 motivational self system, this presentation explores how reflecting on one’s future self can strengthen...

In many Vietnamese public high schools, vocabulary instruction continues to rely heavily on rote memorization of isolated word lists. While this approach may support short-term recall, it often results in limited lexical depth and unnatural language use. This study argues that developing structured lexical networks, rather than expanding vocabulary size alone, is essential for fostering...

This practice-oriented presentation reports on a teacher-led professional learning initiative implemented to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-oriented English project lessons in a Vietnamese lower- and upper-secondary school context. The initiative was developed from regular professional meetings of an English group and aimed to make lesson planning, classroom...

Dividing syllable structure remains a major problem for Vietnamese EFL learners, primarily due to the structural differences between their mother tongue and English. While traditional resources provide basic phonetic transcriptions and meanings, they often lack detailed structural analysis. This project introduces SyllableLab, an automated CALL platform designed to provide a comprehensive...

As bilingual education expands across Vietnam and other multilingual contexts, the success of implementation increasingly depends on teacher capacity rather than policy intentions alone. This presentation is grounded in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), bilingual pedagogy, and practitioner-based evidence from Edison Schools’ bilingual education model. It explores how teachers...

The shift from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English-Medium Instruction (EMI) in Vietnamese higher education requires English teachers to develop new pedagogical competencies, particularly facilitating learner autonomy through reflection, a practice central to ESL contexts but often absent in teacher-centered EFL classrooms. Grounded in Schön's reflective practice framework and Kemmis...

This study examines how dialogic mentoring conversations support novice teachers’ reflective practice and emerging teacher agency in a Vietnamese TESOL professional development context. Using a qualitative mentoring case study design, the study followed three novice EFL teachers through a baseline interview, three dialogic mentoring sessions, and post-session reflection logs. The analysis...

Digital formative assessment (DFA) has become increasingly integrated into tertiary EFL classrooms due to its potential to enhance student engagement, provide immediate feedback, and support ongoing learning. However, while previous studies have highlighted the benefits and challenges of DFA, less is known about how teachers adapt their practices to sustain DFA implementation in authentic...

In the context of rapid digital transformation in Vietnamese higher education, technology has become increasingly embedded in English language teaching and learning. However, empirical evidence regarding its impact on learner autonomy remains limited. This study investigates the relationship between digital transformation and learner autonomy in English language learning among university...

Keywords:
teaching English, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), teacher perceptions, communicative approach.
Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) has been advocated as a potentially effective approach in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in Asian contexts, including Vietnam. However, little is known about perceptions of tasks used by teachers in actual classroom practices at...

The rapid proliferation of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education has heightened interest in students’ experiences of learning through English. Previous research has generally treated learning strategies and learning challenges as separate constructs, with less attention paid to the interaction of these dimensions with students’ learning needs in a systemic framework.
This study...

Traditionally, teachers assess student writing through feedbacking and rubric-based scores, a process that can be both subjective and time-consuming. This study addressed the gap by employing a corpus-based approach. Two sets of narrative-reflective essays written by Thai university students were collected as the target corpora, and two sets of AI-generated essays with narrative-reflective...

Vietnam's National Plan 2025–2035 repositions English as a second language and a strategic driver of economic competitiveness, yet military training environments remain a significant gap in the blended learning literature. This paper presents the design and implementation of a locally networked blended learning framework at the Naval Technical College, a military institution preparing...

As English shifts from foreign language to second language, sustained professional development for educators is becoming increasingly important. Teachers must be equipped with the skills needed to meet evolving instructional demands and to progress professionally. They not only need to be given opportunities to pursue continuing professional development (CPD), but also recognition for their...

The concept of Functional Load has been increasingly applied in research on English language teaching and assessment, with many studies using it as a primary theoretical framework to examine L2 speech intelligibility and listeners’ perceptions of foreign-accented speech. However, learners’ own perspectives on pronunciation priorities have received relatively little attention. Drawing on...

As English is repositioned as a broader educational, academic, and communicative resource in Vietnam, English teachers face substantial changes in how their professional roles are defined and enacted. This shift, conceptualized as an EFL-to-ESL-oriented educational transition rather than a completed sociolinguistic movement, not only alters curriculum goals and classroom practices but also...

This study examines the effectiveness of a structured 4P strategic framework (Predicting, Pinpointing, Paraphrasing, and Polishing) in enhancing EFL learners’ real-time processing in gap-filling listening tasks. Addressing the persistent gap between learners’ metacognitive awareness and their ability to apply strategies under time pressure, the study operationalizes metacognitive listening...

This study investigates the impact of FrameVR, a metaverse-based platform, on English speaking skills and students’ perceptions in a Vietnamese high school context. The research is theoretically grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model, the Affective Filter Hypothesis, and Social Constructivism. Regarding the research methodology, a quasi-experimental design was employed with 90 Grade 11...

This presentation reports on a classroom-based pilot study investigating the use of modular visual grammar instruction to support first-year Vietnamese non-English-major university students with low proficiency in learning English tenses. Drawing on Cognitive Load Theory and modular instructional design, the study reconceptualizes grammar abstractness into a system of visual blocks...

Vocabulary learning is significantly challenging for vocational college EFL learners, especially in ESP courses where learners are required to understand and use technical terminology in workplace- related contexts. The purpose of this study was to investigate how explicit vocabulary instruction and ChatGPT-assisted practice improve ESP vocabulary learning for vocational college EFL learners....

ABSTRACT
This study investigates the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and interactive platforms as "digital scaffolding" to enhance English writing skills for Grade 6 students in the disadvantaged context of Chu Puh Commune, Gia Lai Province. Following the Global Success curriculum, 120 students and 5 teachers participated in an 8-week action research cycle consisting of planning,...

This study explores the use of creative writing and children’s literature to enhance English for Specific Purposes (ESP) competence among graphic design students. English proficiency is an essential competence in the creative industries. This study investigates the integration of creative writing and children’s literature as innovative approaches in ESP learning.
Using a qualitative...

English language classrooms are increasingly diverse, requiring more flexible approaches to support meaningful second language use. However, limited flexibility in instructional design can create barriers to engagement and understanding, particularly for neurodiverse and plurilingual learners. Using a reflective, practice based approach grounded in experience supporting students with...

Amidst the contemporary paradigm shift towards digital educational transformation and continuous curriculum revisions in Vietnam, cultivating high-level communicative competence for gifted learners has become a critical pedagogical priority. However, English-majored students at gifted high schools in remote, northern mountainous provinces face unique geographical and instructional constraints,...

This study investigates the implementation and pedagogical impact of the Systemic Functional Linguistics Genre-Based Approach (SFL-GBA) in secondary literacy education across global contexts. Drawing on a corpus of 33 empirical studies published between 1995 and 2024, the review maps how SFL-GBA has been enacted in Years 7-12 classrooms across diverse languages, learner populations, and...

In many Vietnamese EFL classrooms, the heavy reliance on textbooks and written exercises often marginalizes personalized oral interaction. Consequently, students lack a conducive environment to develop speaking proficiency and struggle to apply English meaningfully in authentic, everyday contexts. This study investigates the effectiveness of using personalized digital portfolios on the Google...

In today’s technology-driven world, digital video communication plays an increasingly important role in students’ academic and social lives. However, many secondary school students still experience anxiety and low confidence when speaking English in front of cameras. Teacher-supported video production activities can provide meaningful opportunities for speaking practice, creative language use,...

This study investigated the effects of NotebookLM-supported English learning on Grade 9 students’ self-learning capacity in a Vietnamese lower secondary school. A quasi-experimental design was employed with 80 students, including 41 students in the experimental group and 39 students in the control group. The experimental group used NotebookLM as a teacher-curated AI learning support tool,...

In Vietnamese upper-secondary English classrooms, speaking practice is often constrained by large classes, limited lesson time, and learners’ fear of public error. This study examines a structured generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) feedback model designed to support Grade 10 students’ monologic English speaking. The model was organized around three connected phases: preparation, guided...

Limited opportunities for authentic interaction and sustained speaking practice remain significant challenges for Vietnamese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). This study examined the effects of AI voice chatbots on developing speaking skills for English-major students at a Vietnamese university. The research was theoretically grounded in Social Constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978)...

A move that was proposed by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to change English from a foreign language to a second language during the period of 2025–2035 is a remarkable move towards improving their global competitiveness. This strategy is based on the assumption of the existence of a universal way of learning that favors metropolitan areas with enough educational resources....

Vietnam's move from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English as a Second Language (ESL), which is part of the 2025–2035 national language policy, is the beginning of a major change in the place of English in education. Though this shift is designed to encourage more students to use English in academic and professional settings, it raises concerns about equity in access and continuing...

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has long been recognised as a practical approach to language education in technical and vocational institutions, yet its implementation in military training environments in Vietnam remains largely underexplored. In most military technical colleges, English continues to be taught primarily as a foreign language (EFL), with curricula that prioritise general...

Drawing on Kirkpatrick Model and Guskey’s Model of Teacher Change, this embedded case study evaluates the effectiveness of a pioneering MA TESOL program in Vietnam from the perspectives of its alumni across four dimensions: (1) overall impressions of the program; (2) knowledge, skills, and attitudes obtained; (3) changes in pedagogical practices, attitudes, and philosophy; and (4) changes in...

Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) have increased interest in their use for automated writing assessment. Although previous studies have examined the extent to which AI-generated ratings align with human ratings, alignment alone may not adequately reflect effective rating behavior. In rater-mediated assessment, some degree of variation among human raters is expected due to...

In response to Vietnam’s English-as-a-Second-Language policy, the development of university lecturers’ pedagogical readiness for English-medium instruction (EMI) has been provided with greater attention. Existing EMI research in Vietnam, however, has largely conceptualized readiness as an individual matter, primarily emphasizing lecturers’ language proficiency and pedagogical competence...

Automated writing feedback is increasingly used in second-language writing, but less is
known about how explanation-based feedback shapes learners’ revision decisions and
sense of ownership. This explanatory mixed-methods study examined Vietnamese tertiary
EFL students’ engagement with ProWritingAid in an English for Specific Purposes writing
course. Sixty-eight second-year English majors...

The fast growing development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has given rise to new possibilities for promoting English speaking as a medium of instruction at an enhanced level in EFL classrooms. We’re seeing chatbots like ChatGPT and AI speaking assistants for interactive speaking practice, instant feedback and personalized learning with chatbots more and more heavily supported by AI. This...

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly integrated into EFL classrooms to support digital multimodal composition (DMC). However, limited evidence explains why learners with similar proficiency levels experience GenAI-assisted tasks differently, particularly in affective engagement and vocabulary learning. This qualitative study investigates (1) how similarly proficient EFL...

As English education in Vietnam is repositioning from an EFL to an ESL focus, inclusive teaching becomes an essential consideration in promoting equitable participation, especially in mixed-ability classrooms. In many cases, lower-proficiency learners often experience difficulties accessing grade-level reading texts, which can lead to cognitive overload and disengagement. As ELT in Vietnam...

Argumentative writing is a cornerstone of academic English instruction, yet it remains one of the most challenging genres for EFL learners to master-particularly when it comes to constructing logically sound arguments. This study examines the prevalence, types, and underlying causes of logical fallacies in the argumentative essays of English-major undergraduates at a teacher education...

Refusal is a face-threatening speech act that requires a high level of pragmatic competence influenced by sociocultural factors. While L1 speakers navigate these nuances intuitively, L2 speakers often face pragmatic failure due to cross-linguistic interference. This study employs discourse completion tasks, role-play scenarios, and semi-structured focus group interviews to collect data from 20...

Social task engagement has been extensively explored within task-based language teaching settings. However, research on this construct situated within a text-driven, task-based (TDTB) approach remains an emerging strand. Adopting a descriptive quantitative research design with supplementary qualitative insights, the current study aimed to examine fifty Vietnamese English-majored students’...

This article explores the potential of EduEnglishAI as a prototype AI-supported platform for Vietnamese EFL writing instruction. Writing is an important but challenging skill for high school EFL students, who often struggle with grammar, vocabulary, organization, coherence, and idea development. At the same time, teachers in large classes may find it difficult to provide timely and detailed...

Academic writing is a fundamental skill in higher education, particularly for EFL learners; however, many students continue to face difficulties across different stages of the writing process, including understanding genres, generating ideas, organizing content, and revising effectively. While previous studies have explored the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT in language learning, limited...

Artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT have recently been increasingly integrated into language education. This study explored the use of ChatGPT in enhancing intercultural competence among English-majored students at University of Foreign Language Studies – The University of Danang. Specifically, it investigated students’ usage practices, influencing factors, and perceived benefits and...

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has increased university students’ use of AI-generated content, raising concerns about academic integrity, authorship, and ethical decision-making. This study examines the ethical awareness, attitudes, and behaviors of 253 language students at a language-training university in Vietnam regarding AI-generated writing. Using a...

In recent years, Vietnam has been hampered by a persistent and widespread shortage of qualified EFL teachers despite the nation’s ambitious goals regarding foreign language teaching and learning. Such context has necessitated a deeper understanding of EFL pre-service teachers’ motivation to teach in order to better inform teacher training and retention in the profession. While the concept of...

Abstract: The effectiveness of Generative AI (GenAI) in supporting academic writing has intensified the reliance of higher education students on AI-assisted tools. While studies in Vietnam have acknowledged its growing manifestations, especially among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, the contributing factors in academic contexts remain under-researched. This study aims to fill the...

ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool, has been increasingly employed in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. While previous studies have investigated EFL students’ perceptions and acceptance of ChatGPT in learning English through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), little research has documented these among first-year Vietnamese EFL students in English...

Emerging discussion have boomed with respect to the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into academic writing instruction. Despite their increasing accessibility, certain AI-powered writing tools are deployed to facilitate surface-level language correction rather than the entire writing process. Furthermore, research on their implementation seems to be limited in higher secondary...

Vietnam's 2025 National High School Graduation Examination (NHSGE) reform represents a significant shift in English language assessment, reducing discrete grammar items in favour of reading comprehension and higher-order thinking tasks. The changes align, at least on paper, with Vietnam's broader national ambition to reposition English from a foreign language subject to a functional second...

This study explores ELT teachers’ perceptions of the shift from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English as a Second Language (ESL) in Vietnam higher education, focusing on how the perceptions arise from different stages of ESL adoption. Qualitative approach using in-depth interviews, and a focus group discussion are adopted with participants who have experienced ESL teaching and those...

In rural Vietnamese high schools, English is frequently taught as a strictly academic subject, leaving students with little exposure to authentic communicative use beyond the classroom. This practitioner-research study explores how AI conversational agents can facilitate a contextual shift from an EFL to a functional ESL orientation by creating an "AI-Powered Sandbox" - a structured digital...

This research investigated the application of Data-Driven Learning (DDL) using corpus in addressing collocational errors in academic writing among Vietnamese EFL students majoring in English Language Studies. Unnatural lexical combinations in academic essays were mainly due to mother-tongue interference, limited exposure to authentic English input and word-for-word translation strategies. To...

As Vietnam moves from an EFL orientation toward wider use of ESL and English-medium instruction, English language teaching professionals have an important role to play beyond preparing students and lecturers for language readiness. This practice-oriented presentation examines how established expertise in ELT can contribute to English-medium instruction through pedagogy, curriculum support,...

Despite ongoing reforms in English language education in Vietnam, a persistent gap remains in primary classrooms: students are exposed to English instruction, yet have limited opportunities to use the language meaningfully. This paper addresses the gap by proposing a practical, classroom-based approach to reposition English from a subject of study to a medium of everyday use.
The study draws...

The globalisation of education has strengthened the position of English as the dominant lingua franca in higher education globally and across Asia. While certain countries, such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, have integrated English in teaching at both secondary and tertiary levels, Vietnam maintains a strong tradition of delivering the national curriculum in Vietnamese at the...

This study aims to explore English learning motivation among non-English major students at a private university in Vietnam. Drawing on the “L2 Motivational Self System” framework of Zoltán Dörnyei, it examines the influence levels of the three core components in constructing students’ English learning dynamics. A quantitative research method was employed with a questionnaire administered to...

As Vietnam shifts from traditional EFL toward more communicative ESL-oriented English education, there is a growing need for practical tools that help learners move from passively receiving feedback to actively self-regulating their language development. This presentation introduces a bespoke AI-mediated mobile application designed and developed by the presenter to support self-regulated...

This study investigates pre-service teachers’ perceptions and readiness for English-medium instruction in Vietnam’s emerging second-language policy context. Focusing on full-time undergraduate students, the study is expected to survey 200 pre-service teachers at the University of Danang – University of Education. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, teacher cognition, and EMI/CLIL...

Teaching practicum plays a significant role in preparing pre-service teachers for professional teaching contexts. However, the transition from practicum experience to full-time teaching remains challenging for many early-career ESOL teachers in Vietnam. This presentation explores how novice teachers perceive the influence of teaching practicum on their professional development during the early...

Transitioning from EFL to ESL demands more than communicative competence — it requires English to function as a genuine cognitive operating system. Yet in an era of generative artificial intelligence, polished student writing increasingly masks gaps in authentic thinking, making it difficult for educators to assess whether learners truly own the ideas they present.
This presentation...

For many Vietnamese students, speaking English remains one of the most challenging aspects of language learning. Despite years of studying grammar and vocabulary, many learners still feel anxious, afraid of making mistakes, or reluctant to speak in front of others. In public-school classrooms, limited speaking opportunities and fear of embarrassment often result in low participation during...

Aligned with the 2018 General Education Program’s shift toward competency-based teaching, this study addresses the persistent challenges in rural Mekong Delta: students’ passivity, mixed-ability constraints, and limited parental support. Implementing a multi-layered pedagogical framework on 374 students across An Ninh D and My Thuan A Primary Schools, the authors propose five integrated...

This study examines how the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools shapes academic procrastination, with a particular focus on the role of self-regulation in AI-mediated learning. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in educational contexts, it can function both as a cognitive support and as a shortcut that may alter students’ engagement with academic tasks. A mixed-method design was...

To empower learners’ critical awareness of gender balance and create progressively inclusive classrooms, educators have a significant role in curating learning materials that serve as catalysts for change (Alameddine & Chehimi, 2024). Gender socialisation’s impact is evaluated by the level at which it is integrated into the learning materials as Hoang and Tam (2026) explain. According to Njeri...

This study examines the grammatical cohesion of fifteen fishermen-turned-tour guides from Camarines Norte, Philippines, through the lens of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Grounded in Halliday and Hasan’s cohesion taxonomy and focused on the textual metafunction, it analyzes how cohesive devices are manifested in spoken tourism discourse, what errors are most commonly produced, and how those...

This study analyzes grammatical errors encountered by Vietnamese EFL learners in IELTS Writing Task 2 at an English center. By employing a mixed-methods approach, the paper examines a corpus consisting of 65 essays composed by 21 intermediate-level students. A five-step error analysis model was used together with a Linguistic Category Taxonomy, which was incorporated into the analysis...

The rapid development of large-scale language models is blurring the lines of communication between humans and machines. Although AI today is capable of communicating like humans, its pragmatic capacity, particularly its natural communication abilities, remains a topic requiring clarification. Previous studies have often applied Grice's (1975) Principles of Cooperation theory in a normative...

This study explores the relationship between growth mindset and English speaking performance among university students in a Vietnamese EFL context. While mindset has been widely studied in general education, its role in speaking development remains underexplored in Vietnam.

Using a mixed-methods design, the study collected quantitative data from 169 English-major students and qualitative...

This study explores how guided AI verification supports grammar performance and metalinguistic awareness among English majors in EFL grammar learning. While generative AI tools can provide immediate grammar explanations, students may rely on these outputs without sufficient critical evaluation. The study used a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design over eight weeks. The experimental group...

As Vietnam strives to transform English into a second language within national schools, a paradox remains: students often master complex grammar yet remain silent during daily classroom activities. This study argues that the core barrier is not unwillingness to communicate, but a systematic lack of accessible functional language resources retrievable under real-time class interactions....

This study investigates the readiness of high school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Can Tho City regarding the upcoming policy shift from multiple textbook series to a single, unified nationwide textbook. Utilizing an empirical survey design, data were collected from 55 high school EFL teachers representing various educational institutions across both urban centers and...

Regarding Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, a great deal of research has focused on teachers’ beliefs about communicative language teaching, the gap between teachers’ beliefs and practice, and the process of becoming professionals. However, the literature has failed to seriously address the fundamental question of how teachers’ beliefs about language learning are...

In the era of artificial intelligence, ChatGPT has been utilized for various purposes, including writing instructions in contexts such as the IELTS test. Acknowledging such importance, this study aims to investigate how IELTS teachers currently use ChatGPT for IELTS Writing Task 2 essay feedback. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, with triangulation from a questionnaire, interviews, and chat...

The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in English writing classrooms has been shown to enhance the quality of writing products. However, less is known about whether such improvements translate into independent writing ability. Drawing on cognitive offloading theory and metacognitive calibration research, this study aims to examine the mismatch between students’ perceived writing...

As schools worldwide experiment with artificial intelligence and Vietnam accelerates its own digital shift in English classrooms, writing remains one of the hardest skills for high school students to master. Grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of scaffolding and employing the Teaching and Learning Cycle as the instructional framework, this study explored whether Deepseek, an AI-powered...

Over the past two decades, the development of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) programs has gained rapid momentum in Vietnamese higher education institutions, leading to immeasurable benefits for students in terms of higher language proficiency, improved professional communication skills and better career prospects. However, a large proportion of instructors in business programs are...

Although the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is widely used to describe language proficiency, classroom implementation often lags behind policy because teachers need practical routines that translate CEFR “can-do” descriptors into observable performance and usable formative evidence. This study examined whether a rotational pair-work intervention could improve Thai...

The integration of artificial intelligence tools into primary ELT has gained significant attention globally, yet evidence-based practice in rural Vietnamese contexts remains scarce. This action research study investigates how artificial intelligence tools — specifically generative artificial intelligence and intelligent note-taking platforms — can be purposefully integrated into Grade 3...

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has been recognized as an effective approach to improving English learning in primary education through the integration of subject content and language development. By learning language in meaningful contexts, students can enhance their English communication skills while developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Among...

While Arts and Crafts are popular project-based activities in the EFL curriculum, they traditionally overemphasize manual crafting at the expense of active language production and modern digital literacy. This action research explores the effectiveness of integrating digital transformation into Arts and Crafts projects to foster English language proficiency and digital skills among 50...

As higher education in Vietnam repositions English from a foreign language to a second language, culture courses remain an underexplored space for fostering intercultural competence and ESL identity. This study examines how a Western culture course shapes ESL identity and global citizenship readiness among third-year English majors. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design,...

Children with autism spectrum disorder often encounter significant barriers in traditional English as a Second Language classrooms due to sensory sensitivities and communication challenges. This study introduces BuddyPuppy, a specialized web-based platform designed to support language acquisition and social development through visual-spatial learning strategies within a sensory-friendly...

This talk explores the innovative ways we can incorporate positive psychology principles into SLA for adult learners to support their academic self-esteem, motivation, and performance. Positive psychology focuses on positive elements and well-being in human psyche and experience rather than only psychological problems and distress. It approaches human difficulties from the standpoint of...

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has attracted increasing attention as an approach to integrate subject matter and language instruction. In the context of Vietnam, with English repositioned from a Foreign to a Second language, CLIL has emerged as an increasingly popular approach to help students achieve the dual objectives of language proficiency and subject awareness and...

This study examined the pedagogical performance and intercultural development of Filipino student-teachers participating in an international internship program in Bangkok, Thailand. Anchored on Knight’s internationalization framework and Kolb’s experiential learning theory, the research investigated how international teaching practicum contributes to teacher preparation in Southeast Asia....

Effective vocabulary instruction necessitates that teachers employ questioning techniques to facilitate both meaningful communication and cognitive growth (Chin, 2007; Salmon & Barrera, 2021; Ye et al., 2025). Nevertheless, a discrepancy often arises between teachers’ beliefs and their actual practices in the classroom (Basturkmen, 2012; Borg, 2017; Duong, 2024; Mardali & Siyyari, 2019),...

The role of L1 in EFL vocabulary instruction remains a contested issue in SLA research. While communicative approaches have traditionally discouraged L1 use in favour of immersive L2 exposure, growing evidence suggests that L1-mediated instruction can serve as a meaningful cognitive scaffold. Yet whether this scaffolding produces more durable vocabulary retention than L2-only instruction over...

With the rapid adoption of generative AI tools in language learning, understanding how learners’ strategic approaches influence their acceptance and use of these technologies has become increasingly important. This study examined the relationships between language learning strategies and AI acceptance for English learning among Vietnamese EFL students (N = 355) from various universities in...

Research engagement is increasingly promoted in TESOL teacher education as a way to support professional learning, critical reflection, and inquiry-oriented teaching. However, less is known about how pre-service TESOL teachers experience learning to conduct research when it is embedded in compulsory coursework. This study explores the emotions and agency of Vietnamese pre-service TESOL...

At its core, the purpose of EFL for the vast majority of students is to facilitate interaction with non-Vietnamese visitors who are customers in a hospitality, tourism or commercial environment or to smooth the obstacles involved routine business dealings or travel overseas. For a much smaller but growing number, however, it is also to foster collaborative projects, develop skills that are not...

Although lexical bundles (LBs) have been widely studied, learner variation in LB use remains underexplored. In this study, we employed Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify distinct patterns of LB use among Vietnamese EFL learners in English academic summary writing. A corpus consisting of 220 summaries was compiled and analyzed with AntConc. Four-word LBs were retrieved based on frequency...

There have been great concerns over the role of EFL teachers given the popular use of generative AI tools among students, particularly in higher education. Many discussions have focused on how EFL teachers and students can leverage these powerful tools to optimize educational outcomes, but few has been made on how these learners perceive the role of human educators in this new landscape. This...

Over the past two decades, there has been a renewed interest in applied linguistics regarding the nature of teacher identity and its influence on language teaching and learning. This paper investigated the core components of the professional identity of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) when working with native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) in a private middle school in...

Research that examines longitudinal growth of lexical sophistication in L2 writing offers useful implications for setting realistic goals, providing learners with relevant learning contents, and devising suitable assessment practices. However, this examination is often moderated by text length and topic familiarity and consequently most studies in this area have controlled these two factors at...

Abstract

Because of profound linguistic and cultural differences, literary translation from Vietnamese into English remains challenging, as expressive nuances, metaphorical imagery, and culture-bound elements are difficult to render fully and adequately. In this context, this study employs contrastive, descriptive, statistical, and qualitative methods to examine loss and gain in the...

While institutional debates over repositioning English in Vietnam have largely centred on curriculum reform and policy architecture, a quieter ecological shift may already be underway through the everyday digital practices of language learners themselves. This presentation reports on a mixed-methods study drawing on survey data and reflective narratives from 210 Vietnamese pre-service EFL...

This study develops and empirically tests a structural equation model (SEM) examining how gamification in mobile-assisted vocabulary learning (MAVL) shapes English learning identity among Vietnamese foundation-level university students. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the L2 Motivational Self System, and Flow Theory, the model specifies five latent constructs – gamification, learner...

This study applies the language ecology framework and the translanguaging approach to explore the linguistic interactions among mother tongues, Vietnamese, and English within the multilingual language ecology of ethnic minority students in Vietnam’s northern mountainous region. The main objective is to analyze the current situation and propose solutions for repositioning English from a formal...

This study investigates the role of multilingualism in shaping the position of English within diverse linguistic ecologies. As globalization intensifies, English functions simultaneously as a global lingua franca and a local communicative resource, creating tensions between language policy, cultural identity, and pedagogical practice. Using qualitative case studies and policy analysis, the...

This study investigates an innovative multimodal pedagogical framework designed to alleviate "translation paralysis" among nursing students at the CEFR A1 level. While traditional English for Specific Purposes (ESP) curricula often focus on rigid technical tasks that can overwhelm beginner learners, this model shifts the educational paradigm by utilizing Human-AI synergy. Under this framework,...

Against the backdrop of the National Foreign Languages Project and the growing internationalization of higher education in Vietnam, English-Medium Instruction (EMI) has emerged as a significant educational phenomenon in Vietnamese universities. Despite the rapid expansion of EMI, research on how students strategically cope with learning disciplinary content through English remains limited,...

Assessment in Vietnamese university EFL departments is increasingly shaped by standardization requirements, yet the ways lecturers work together to interpret, negotiate, and sustain shared assessment practices remain underexplored. Drawing on the Communities of Practice framework, this qualitative study views EFL departments as professional spaces where assessment knowledge is not only applied...

Teacher identity is increasingly understood not as a fixed trait but as a dynamic multiplicity of “I-positions.” Drawing on Dialogical Self Theory (DST) by Herman (1992), this comparative case study examines how three Vietnamese EFL teachers reconstruct professional identity as they negotiate the external voices of an MA TESOL program. Data from semi-structured interviews and program-related...

As Vietnam moves toward an EFL-to-ESL transition, learners are increasingly expected to use English beyond the classroom in academic and global communicative contexts. While Willingness to Communicate in English has been widely examined in formal classroom settings, less attention has been paid to non-English majored students’ willingness to communicate outside the classroom where authentic...

English-medium instruction (EMI) has expanded rapidly in Vietnamese universities, yet much of the existing work focuses on policy, programme-level implementation, or STEM and business subjects, with relatively little evidence from social science classes. This study addresses that gap by examining how students in an English-medium course on Globalization and Global issues perceive their...

Since the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the field of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching has undergone profound transformations. However, there remains a lack of empirical research on pre-service teachers’ perceptions of ethical AI use in Vietnam. Drawing on the Technological Pedagogical Content Ethical Knowledge (TPCEK) framework, this study investigates pre-service EFL...

This study explores Vietnamese English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) students’ perceptions and interpretations of person deixis within intercultural pragmatic contexts, focusing on both English and Vietnamese pronoun systems. Using a comprehensive set of questionnaire responses collected from students majoring in English, the research investigates how learners comprehend and differentiate the...

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has reshaped higher education, particularly in technology-enhanced language learning (TELL). While digital transformation offers increased flexibility, accessibility, and learner autonomy, it also raises concerns regarding sustainability, including cognitive overload, reduced interaction, and imbalance between physical and digital learning...

The aim of this study is to analyze the pragmatic function and interactional authenticity of dialogues contained in the “Every Day English” section of Global Success textbooks for Vietnamese highschool students (grades 10-12). A mixed methods approach has been adopted in this study. A quantitative study was carried out based on 336 utterances using two frameworks: Searle's (1976) Speech Act...

This study investigated pre-service EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding gamified digital assessment during their teaching practicum. Grounded in the TPACK framework and formative assessment theory, the study explored teachers’ beliefs about the effectiveness and pedagogical value of gamified digital assessment, as well as the factors influencing its implementation in EFL classrooms....

Vietnam's national language plan (2025–2035) signals a paradigm shift in English language education, repositioning English from a foreign language to a second language in schools. While this policy carries profound implications for classroom practice, little research has examined how pre-service English teachers, who are the future implementers of this shift, perceive and respond to it....

Vietnam’s recent foreign language education reforms have emphasized strengthening English teaching and orienting English toward the role of a second language in the national education system. In response to these changes, teacher education programs are expected to prepare future English teachers with pedagogical competence, adaptability, and professional autonomy. This study investigates the...

The research surveys the processing factors, including level of confidence and familiarity, as well as learner strategies in biblical idiom comprehension on adult EFL learners in Vietnam. The data is collected from 253 participants, divided into three groups: non-Christian, Christian, and members of Christian religious orders, via an online survey consisting of 20 biblical and non-biblical...

Early-career EFL teachers often enter the profession under considerable pressure as they move from pre-service preparation into full professional responsibility. In Vietnam, these pressures are shaped by rising expectations for English teaching and the complex realities of school-based work. Against this background, this presentation reports a qualitative narrative inquiry into the...

This paper reports on a thesis study investigating professional development models for ESL teachers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, where teaching takes place in geographically remote, ethnically diverse, and under-resourced settings. The region is characterised by multilingual realities, uneven educational access, and policy conditions that complicate both English language teaching and...

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is critical for second language (L2) acquisition, especially in collaborative learning settings emphasizing autonomy. Prior research has inspected factors affecting SRL individually within general learning contexts through variable-centered methods that disregard individual differences. This study applied person-centered latent profile analysis (LPA) on 373...

Integrating disciplinary content into English language teaching has gained increasing attention as universities seek innovative approaches to preparing graduates for successfully thriving in a highly professional global environment. Amidst the gradual shift of English instruction from a foreign language towards a second language orientation, Vietnamese universities are making initiatives to...

As the demand for English proficiency in legal professions continues to increase, particularly in
the field of international commerce, English for Legal Purposes (ELP) has emerged as a critical
area within English for Specific Purposes (ESP). This paper reports a classroom-based study on
the use of flipped learning to improve Legal English writing in a Vietnamese ESP course...

Though it is generally understood that students need some form of preparation before embarking on a study abroad program, it has been found that many programmes only focus on administrative matters such as insurance, visas, and personal safety. In addition, students are often positioned as ‘passive vessels’ (Jackson, 2007), having little to no input in their own preparation. Considering this,...

Language assessment literacy relates to the practical skills, theoretical knowledge, social context, and classroom impact of language assessment. A lack of language assessment literacy among teachers is a common concern for language teaching institutions. To address this, the presenters used an established language assessment literacy framework to identify five domains as particularly...

While English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses in higher education often emphasize the acquisition of specialized vocabulary and disciplinary knowledge, less attention has been paid to how learners actively construct meaning from professional and academic texts. Drawing on Reader-Response Theory, which positions readers as active participants in the meaning-making process, this study...

The integration of generative AI into translator education has introduced a productive tension: although AI tools increase access to translation support, interaction designs that provide translations on demand may bypass the communicative reasoning central to translation competence. This study examines translation technique use and functional reasoning among 20 Vietnamese undergraduates...

Vietnam’s 2025 policy move to position English as a second language in schooling recasts the task of English teacher education. The issue is no longer only whether pre-service programmes prepare future teachers to teach English effectively as a school subject, but whether they prepare them to support broader, more regular, and educationally meaningful uses of English across teaching,...

As Vietnam transitions English from a foreign to a second language (ESL), the ability to clearly convey meaning in spoken communication becomes a fundamental necessity. Ludwig Wittgenstein famously posited, "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." For A1-B1 learners, however, their "worlds" are severely constrained by speaking anxiety. This study reveals that their reluctance...

Classroom observation is a meaningful professional activity through which teachers reflect on the practice of others, and for pre-service teachers it is a critical site for professional development. This study investigates how pre-service EFL teachers drew on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories to interpret their supervising teachers' instructional choices, specifically how form and...

Vietnam's 2025 National High School Graduation Exam (NHGE) shifted from decontextualised discrete-item and grammar- and vocabulary-focused testing to discourse-embedded reading comprehension and cohesion tasks. This reform of the high-stakes exam aims to increase alignment with the 2018 General Education Curriculum and the Vietnamese Government’s 2025-2035 plan to reposition English as a...

In the context of digital transformation and the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), English self-directed learning activities in higher education are shifting from traditional learning models toward more personalized, flexible, and learner-autonomous approaches. Although studies on AI-assisted language learning have increasingly attracted scholarly attention, limited research...

As Vietnam continues shifting from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) toward English as a Second Language (ESL), English education is often framed around Vietnamese as the common language of schooling and English as the second language to be developed. This frame, however, does not fully reflect the experiences of many ethnic minority learners. For these learners, an indigenous language may...

The national initiative to reposition English from a foreign language to a second language in Vietnamese education has created important implications for universities under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS). Traditionally, English instruction in these institutions has mainly followed an EFL-oriented approach emphasizing language knowledge and examination performance. However, growing...

This presentation discusses the conference theme, "Repositioning English," by analyzing Japan’s efforts and experiences through the integrated paradigm of Global Englishes, with an emphasis on the concept of English as an International Language. Despite its status as an Expanding Circle country with limited intranational functions for English, Japan developed an aspiration for the ownership of...

Recent educational reforms and increasing orientations towards EMI and internationally-oriented English education have intensified discussions surrounding Vietnam’s emerging EFL-to-ESL transition. Within this context, teacher’s books accompanying official textbooks function not merely as instructional materials, but as policy-mediated pedagogical artefacts that construct particular...

In technical universities, general English (GE) curricula often suffer from low student motivation because non-English majors perceive standard topics as disconnected from their professional identities. While literature has extensively explored Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), limited research addresses how Generative AI (GenAI) can transform basic GE tasks...

Vietnamese university English teachers are navigating two converging transformations: the national repositioning of English from a foreign to a second language, and the rapid penetration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education. Together, these forces are repositioning not only the language itself but also the teachers who profess it. Tasks once considered constitutive...

Formative assessment is often conceptualised as a process in which teachers elicit, interpret, and use evidence of student learning to inform instructional decisions. In contexts transitioning from EFL to ESL, where there is an increasing emphasis on meaningful communication and learner participation, this process becomes particularly important yet challenging. However, in many classrooms,...

Debate has long been promoted as a productive task for developing oral communicative competence, argumentation, and higher-order thinking, yet its systematic integration into Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher-education programmes remains uneven and under-theorised. Despite a growing body of research on debate in EFL contexts, few studies have examined scaffolded debate...

This study investigates how Vietnamese teachers newly introduced to Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) conceptualize and implement the integration of language and content in their classroom design. Drawing on a corpus of ninety-one lesson plans and accompanying teacher reflections, the analysis applies the Cognitive–Linguistic Integration Framework (CLIF) to examine teachers’...

Service-learning, as a form of experiential learning method, provides preservice teachers opportunities to bridge theory and practice by engaging in meaningful, community-based teaching experiences. Although research on service-learning has been increasingly conducted worldwide, empirical studies examining its impact on teacher professional identity, particularly in the Vietnamese EFL context,...

Professional learning is most effective when it responds to teachers’ immediate contexts, priorities, and constraints. However, in multi-campus institutions, centrally designed professional development may not always align closely with the teaching realities of smaller satellite campuses. This presentation shares the development of monthly teacher-led discussion clubs at RMIT Vietnam’s Danang...

As Vietnam moves towards treating English as a second language rather than a foreign one, outlined in Decision No. 2371/QĐ-TTg dated 27 October 2025, there is a growing need for classrooms that can support this transition; yet most existing classrooms still follow a traditional layout that lacks both the immersive atmosphere and technological tools necessary for effective language learning. To...

As artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools become increasingly integrated into language learning, understanding how learners strategically employ these technologies and how such use relates to their motivation and engagement is essential. This study (n = 390) investigates students’ strategic use of AI and its relationship with their attitudes toward English learning and intended learning...

Integrating technology into higher education has shifted the baseline for what makes a competent English teacher. However, the student perspective on this shift remains largely overlooked. We still know very little about how learners evaluate their instructors' digital competencies in practice. This exploratory study aims to fill that void by investigating the contrast between students'...

The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence has transformed language education by creating new opportunities for interactive and autonomous learning. In English language teaching, AI-powered conversational tools such as ChatGPT have recently gained attention for their potential to support speaking practice beyond traditional classroom settings. Grounded in technology-enhanced language...

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have increasingly informed the development of General English textbooks, including Voices by National Geographic Learning, where themes such as environmental protection, gender equality, health and well-being, decent work, and responsible consumption are used as contexts for language learning. In Vietnamese higher education, such materials are often...

This qualitative research investigates how 13 in-service primary and secondary English teachers in Japan make instructional and assessment decisions while addressing tensions between curriculum expectations and students’ actual proficiencies, learning needs, and classroom realities across diverse educational contexts. Grounded in a collaborative action research framework, the research project...

This study investigates the readiness and professional development requirements of pre-service English teachers for the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools into their pedagogical practices, in accordance with Vietnam's recently ratified policy on "Making English a Second Language in Schools 2025-2035, with a vision to 2045." The research involved 58 pre-service English teachers...

In the context of Vietnam’s test-oriented education system, where English writing is often disregarded due to its exclusion from national graduation exams, teachers face considerable emotional challenges in teaching this skill. This qualitative study explores the emotional experiences and emotion regulation strategies of Vietnamese high school English teachers when teaching writing. Grounded...

The study investigates the challenges faced by teachers in implementing the policy of making English the second language in schools in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam. From the data collected and theoretical reviews by the author, solutions are suggested in order to overcome these difficulties. The study is primarily an investigation, applying both quantitative and qualitative data collection. A...

Interaction plays a crucial role in classrooms regardless of the teaching modality. In the current context of online language education, particularly synchronous online teaching, organizing interactive activities becomes even more critical. However, limited research has explored how language teachers in higher education settings structure and implement interaction during synchronous online...

As Vietnam repositions English from a foreign to a second language, teachers become the frontline agents who turn policy intent into classroom reality. Yet how teachers actually enact culturally grounded, glocalized content, and what this reveals about their professional learning needs, remains underexplored. This study examines teacher practice through the lens of glocalization theory and...

In the rapid pivot to ESL paradigm from EFL, observations, despite being a powerful tool for quality control, is often a high-stress, low-frequency administrative bottleneck. Given the transition toward ESL, sustainable professional development requires a continuous, low-stakes collaboration rather than isolated, high-pressure evaluations. The workshop aims to equip participants with a simple,...

Light from electronic devices has very negative effects on the nervous system, often resulting in reduced and poor quality sleep. Poor sleep and sleep deprivation have a significant effect on the brain and behavior. Sleep deprivation degrades the connection between the prefrontal cortex (executive decisions) and the amygdala (fear and emotions), making people more impulsive and prone to...

As Vietnam shifts toward ESL-oriented English education, improving students’ speaking confidence and classroom participation has become increasingly important in English language teaching. This research investigates the effects of translanguaging strategies on 70 Vietnamese high school students’ speaking confidence and classroom interaction in English speaking lessons. In this study, students...

The positive effects of reflective practices in education have been widely reported. However, little research attention has focused on how to facilitate reflective practices among aspiring primary English teachers. Through four nine-week online courses delivered by educators in Australia to fourteen undergraduate students living in central Vietnam between February 2024 and March 2026, we offer...

Motivation is a key factor in successful EFL acquisition and is influenced by teacher-related components. One of those components is teachers’ social and emotional competence. However, studies investigating the relationship between teachers’ social and emotional competence and student motivation in high school settings remain under-researched. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the...

This study investigates the extent to which AI (ChatGPT 5.5, Thinking standard) can replicate the fine-grained clausal and phrasal complexity of advanced L2 Vietnamese IELTS learners in argumentative writing. A comparative corpus analysis of 60 human-made IELTS Task 2 essays (20,267 words) and 60 AI-generated essays (20,398 words) was conducted using the TAASSC tool, with statistical analyses...

Understanding the economic and social value of English remains a critical yet underexplored dimension of language policy and planning. The Economic Value of English (EVE) project builds on the Future of English: Global Perspectives to examine how English contributes to economic and social development, and how this value is articulated across policy, education, and lived experience.
Drawing on...

This paper examines the transition from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to an English language ecosystem through a policy-driven approach in An Giang province, Vietnam. Drawing on provincial policy and implementation data, the study analyzes how a structured ecosystem is being developed to support sustainable language use in schools.

Empirical evidence from early implemntation indicates...

Recent educational reforms in Vietnam have placed increasing emphasis on the use of English in primary education, creating new demands on teachers' ability to communicate effectively in English during classroom instruction. While English language proficiency has received considerable attention in teacher education, less is known about the specific Classroom English competencies that...

Student engagement plays a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of teacher feedback in writing. Despite the increasing interest in student engagement with feedback, limited research has examined how students behaviorally engage with teacher digital feedback during the revision process. This study traced students’ behavioral engagement with teacher digital feedback and explored the...

This study investigates the syntactic nature of sentence fragments in the academic
writing of English-major undergraduates in the Philippines. Although fragments are
commonly treated as surface-level errors, emerging research in second language writing
and generative approaches to L2 syntax suggests that they may index deeper patterns
of interlanguage development. Using a corpus of 50...

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has been increasingly promoted in Vietnam’s education system as part of broader efforts to strengthen learners’ English proficiency. However, teachers report ongoing challenges in integrating subject content and language meaningfully within exam-orientated and resource-constrained contexts. This doctoral study examines how participation in the...

This presentation explores the transition from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English as a Second Language (ESL) for primary students with special educational needs. In the current educational context in Vietnam, moving toward an ESL approach helps students use English more naturally in daily life. However, applying this transition to students with disabilities requires specific...

Translanguaging has become one of the most influential ideas in TESOL, but its conceptual scope, pedagogical functions, and institutional viability remain under debate just as Vietnam embarks on a national project to reposition English from a foreign to a second language across 2025 to 2035. This presentation reports a systematic literature review with thematic synthesis of empirical post-2020...

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers in Vietnamese higher education face a profound professional paradox: despite demonstrating strong intrinsic motivation to collaborate, they remain systematically prevented from engaging in meaningful Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). This mixed-methods study, conducted at a leading economics university in Hanoi, collected survey data from 58...

Reluctance to speak remains a persistent challenge in EFL classrooms, particularly in Asian educational contexts where fear of making mistakes, peer judgment, and limited communicative opportunities may inhibit oral participation. This qualitative study explores how experienced Vietnamese EFL teachers perceive and respond to learners’ reluctance to speak in speaking classrooms. Drawing on the...

This presentation investigates how AI-generated dialogue activities combined with personalized speaking tasks can enhance speaking confidence among Vietnamese EFL learners. Grounded in communicative language teaching, learner-centered pedagogy, and willingness-to-communicate theory, the study responds to the challenge that many students in Vietnamese classrooms experience anxiety, limited...

This study examines how AI-generated personas can address the limitations of conventional role-play in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classrooms for Tourism students. Traditional classroom activities often fail to reflect the complexity and unpredictability of real-world service encounters.In this approach, AI tools are used to create diverse tourist profiles with different cultural...

The study investigated the effectiveness of English-language film clips in supporting the listening and speaking development of non-major students at a university and their perceptions toward film-based learning. A quantitative research design was employed, consisting of two connected but analytically separate components: a six-week quasi-experimental intervention and a broader survey. The...

Research has shown that the gradual release responsibility technique and the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model strongly promote student learning in educational programs. However, few studies have examined the influence of integrating the gradual release responsibility technique with the SIOP model on teacher education. This study, therefore, employed a pretest and...

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of using simulation in improving cadets’ oral communication skills in Military English at the Military College of Special Forces. The research employed a quasi-experimental design involving 30 third-year non-English major cadets with an English proficiency level equivalent to A2 CEFR. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire, pre-test...

The study validates the self-regulation for AI-based learning scale (SRAILS) for measuring students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) in AI-driven English Medium Instruction (EMI) classrooms at the Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam. Using a mixed methods design, survey data were collected from 238 EMI students, followed by semi-structured interviews to interpret quantitative...

Large class size is a prominent challenge in EFL education, particularly in developing countries. This study investigates the effectiveness of video-making tasks in enhancing learner engagement, interaction, and classroom management in large English classes at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys of students (n = 120)...

Teaching is fundamentally an “emotional practice”. While emotional labor has piqued the interest of researchers across various settings recently, this topic of concern remains underexplored in the context of Vietnam, particularly regarding EFL pre-service teachers. Meanwhile, although the teaching practicum is a significant transition where pre-service teachers encounter professional...

Abstract
Organizational commitment plays an important role in lecturers’ professional engagement, retention, and contribution to higher education institutions. However, little is known about how Vietnamese returnee EFL lecturers perceive their organizational commitment after returning from overseas postgraduate study. This multiple case study investigates the varying levels of organizational...

Despite learners’ increasing adoption of AI tools in English language learning, limited attention has been paid to how they relate to the internal structure of deep approaches to learning, particularly the distinction between deep motive and deep strategy. This study examines how Vietnamese EFL students engage with AI across these two dimensions. It draws on data collected from 313 university...

As Vietnam moves toward an ambitious vision of positioning English as a second language within its education system, questions arise not only about curriculum, assessment, and teacher preparation, but also about learners’ readiness to engage with English beyond the traditional English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. A key aspect of this readiness concerns whether learners perceive...

This study investigated rater severity, inter-rater reliability, and rating processes in the Writing Task 2 assessment within a high-stakes English proficiency examination context. Conducted at an English center in Hanoi, Vietnam, the study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. In the quantitative phase, seven teachers independently rated ten essays using the official band...

Mindset, implicit beliefs about the changeability of one's own ability, has been shown to predict adaptive or maladaptive responses to setbacks. In (English) language education, scant attention has been paid to teachers’ mindset despite its potential to unpack teachers’ motivational patterns while approaching instructional challenges, especially in in-transition contexts like Vietnam (i.e.,...

Morphemic analysis is considered a useful strategy for inferring the meanings of unfamiliar words through prefixes, suffixes, and roots. However, students’ perceptions and experiences of using this strategy in Vietnamese high schools remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate high school students’ perceptions of morphemic analysis strategies and explore the benefits and challenges...

The transition from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English as a Second Language (ESL) has recently attracted increasing attention in Vietnam as the country aims to strengthen its global integration, educational quality, and workforce competitiveness. This shift reflects broader national efforts to enhance the role of English not only as an academic subject but also as a practical...

The present study explored the role of AI-generated images in contextualized grammar learning among EFL undergraduate learners. Grounded in multimodal learning perspectives and contextualized grammar instruction, the research examined how AI-generated visuals may support learners in connecting grammar forms with meanings within communicative contexts rather than relying solely on rule-based...

English language education in Vietnam is expected to move from EFL to ESL, requiring learners to be frequently exposed to large amounts of level-appropriate English input beyond traditional classroom-based textbooks. ChatGPT can be an effective tool to facilitate this transition by producing a large number of extensive reading materials within a short time. However, few studies have examined...

This research investigates the washback effects of the IELTS test, as an institutional exit proficiency requirement, on the English learning of students at four universities in the business and economics field in Hanoi. The study adopts a mixed-methods design, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore how the IELTS test influences students’ learning regarding both...

Professional growth in higher education is often celebrated as aspiration, commitment, and academic maturity; however, it can become a demanding script that lecturers are expected to perform. This duoethnographic study examines how five lecturer-researchers in Vietnamese higher education narrate their academic growth movement. Guided by Ball’s concept of academic performativity and Positioning...

English proficiency has become increasingly important for academic achievement, workplace readiness, and participation in the global community. Despite its significance, many students in English as a Foreign Language (EFL)contexts continue to face substantial challenges in developing communicative competence and achieving fluency. This study investigated the English learning challenges...

Written corrective feedback has long been central to L2 writing instruction, yet a persistent gap exists between teacher investment in feedback and learners’ meaningful engagement, particularly concerning affective engagement. At the same time, the growing presence of AI-mediated feedback tools in writing classrooms is opening new possibilities for how feedback can be delivered. Grounded in a...

English language education in Vietnam is gradually shifting from an EFL model, where English is mainly treated as a school subject, to an ESL orientation that emphasizes its use as a tool for communication. However, in many rural primary classrooms, students have very limited exposure to English outside the classroom. This challenge is further intensified by large class sizes of around 35 to...

The transition of English from a foreign language to a second language (L2) within Vietnamese educational institutions emphasizes the integration of English into everyday school operations rather than just isolated classroom subjects. To date, there have been limited studies analysing this policy through a desk-based research approach rather than by listening to teachers themselves. This study...