Teachers' low proficiency challenges Vietnam's ambition to make English second language: US testing giant
The English proficiency of Vietnamese teachers is the biggest challenge to making English a second language in schools, according to the U.S.-based Educational Testing Service (ETS), following a survey of 35,000 teachers across six provinces and cities.
Pushkar Saran, executive director of ETS in Southeast Asia and South Asia, expressed admiration for Vietnam's plan to make English a second language in schools from 2025 to 2045. The organization, known for its standardized tests like TOEFL, TOEIC, and GRE, surveyed 35,000 teachers across six Vietnamese regions. While most teachers considered themselves proficient in English, the study revealed a need for substantial improvement in both English educators and teachers of other subjects.
Even among the most skilled teachers, there were areas requiring enhancement, according to the survey. Saran emphasized that teacher quality and quantity pose significant obstacles to Vietnam's ambitious goal. Vietnam would require an additional 22,000 English teachers in preschools and primary schools within the next five years.
ETS is collaborating with the Vietnamese ministry to investigate the integration of artificial intelligence in teacher training and student assessment methods.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress International's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
