Speaker
Description
In an interconnected world where English serves as a lingua franca for sustainability dialogues and global collaboration, the impact of out-of-class English exposure on developing robust proficiency is critical. This study attempts to quantify this impact, particularly relevant for contexts like Vietnam adopting English as a Medium of Education (EME). Analysing three consecutive cycles of PISA (2022, 2018, and 2015) in Singapore by using R and fixest package to run multivariate regression with school fixed effects, and after controlling for various student characteristics (social economic status, immigration, labour participation, parental education levels), results show that students who speak English at home significantly outperform those who speak different home languages by approximately 30 PISA points—roughly equivalent to one year of education. This finding implies that fostering English-rich environments beyond formal EME settings is crucial for accelerating learners' linguistic development, thereby better equipping them to engage in international sustainability dialogues, access global knowledge, and develop the critical thinking skills necessary for active global citizenship.
Biography
Mr. Duc Anh Duong is an English instructor at Vinh University. He is undertaking a Master's degree in Economics and Policy Development at Kobe University, Japan. His interests include bilingualism, student achievement, and educational attainment, among others, categorized under the broader field of educational economics. He previously obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Hanoi University of Science and Technology and a Bachelor's degree in English studies from Hanoi University. He possesses a robust foundation in statistics, mathematics, and linguistics. He believes that English instruction should facilitate individuals in accessing a wealth of knowledge, ultimately translating into employable abilities.
