Clasificación generacional de los adhesivos

Nguyen Xuan Vang (2004, p.447) points out that “the government fully recognizes that English has become an international language and that it is the language for business, commerce, computer science and efficient use of the internet, which is indispensable in the modern world”. In addition, he states, “English has really become increasingly popular and important for Vietnamese. Young people in Vietnam now consider the mastery of English and the acquisition of computer skills as their passports to a good career, particularly in multinational organizations. In this context, it is undoubtedly obvious that ELT in Vietnam will naturally witness further and more wide-ranging developments” (p.453). He also confirms that English is standing at the highest position with a much greater status than the three other most popular foreign languages in the Vietnamese educational system: French, Russian and Chinese.

For general education school level, English has been recently introduced as an optional subject at primary level, especially in the two largest cities of Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi, and compulsory for those who are shifting from secondary school (years 6-9) to high school (years 10-12). In fact, Vietnam MOET (18/9/1996) issued a document No. 6627/TH providing information for the adoption of English as an

optional subject at primary school level, running two hours per week and starting from the second semester of Grade 2. Following this, English started to be taught from grade 1 in the school year of 1999-2000 in Ho Chi Minh City. Nguyen Xuan Vang (2004, p.449) concludes that 98% of students at all school levels choose English to study as a foreign language rather than other languages.

All school students follow the national framework and study English using textbooks designed by the MOET. As English is one of the subjects needed to be passed in the national examinations for secondary and high school students, it is considered a main goal. Unfortunately, this kind of examination which is designed in accordance with the national framework is in written form only, including reading comprehension, grammar and translation. Therefore, in preparing their students for such exams, teachers fail to implement communicative approaches in their classrooms and use teaching methods relevant to the students‟ goals of passing the exams (Kim Lien, 2006). They follow the framework using grammar translation methods rather than communicative approaches because students need strong knowledge of grammar and vocabulary for the examinations ahead. In addition, classes are always large,

consisting of over 40 students sitting in rows that face the teacher, which is not conducive to working in groups. Hence, students at general education levels lack opportunities to study using communicative approaches, leading to their inability to communicate in English.

For university level and over, after 1975 English was not paid attention, probably due to the lack of teaching staff and the shortage of teaching materials and facilities. In addition, Vietnam had not opened its door to look at the world outside, being directly influenced by the Soviet Union and Eastern communist bloc countries. Nowadays however, English language programs are delivered nation wide but the focus of English language training is the ability to read texts related to students‟ majors or disciplines (Nguyen Xuan Vang, 2004). However, those proudly entitled

undergraduate students now have more options and use textbooks chosen by their own universities. Although students still have to follow the national framework, especially for the national examinations, each university is allowed to teach students

with teaching materials of their own choice. In fact, even non-English major students have to study general English during their two first years, often having two 45 minute periods per week with each session consisting of 50 to 200 students, depending on the classroom or theatre. However, due to the national examination requirements they study English mostly in written form with little or no communication. As To Minh Thanh notes, English training curricula at university levels mainly focus on

vocabulary, grammar structures and reading comprehension skills (2006). Students often do reading comprehension and many exercises on grammar. In the last two years they start reading their specialized materials depending on the university and major. Therefore, university students lack being trained in communicative

approaches. In response to this weakness, prospective university students rush to private English language centres where they believe they will be able to improve their communicative skills.

As earlier mentioned, private English language centres are mushrooming in Vietnam nationwide for many reasons and are places where students believe the weaknesses in their English classes for general education and non-English majors can be met. The textbooks or learning materials used are designed and written mostly in English speaking countries. Introduction is given by either local teachers or local and foreign staff from either English speaking countries such as America, Australia and England, or from expanding circle countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. These teachers bring diverse types of teaching methods to the centres, and depending on school fees, students receive different qualities of service. If they pay low school fees, they will probably be offered English classes with many students, limited facilities and local teachers only. If they pay high school fees, they will certainly be offered English classes with few students, modern facilities and either both local and foreign teachers or foreign teachers only mentioned in Section 7.2.7. These teachers bring communicative approaches in English including group work and pair work, and inhibit the use of mother language. As a result, the English language learning

environment at private English language centres is likely to be better than in either general government education or non-English major university levels.

Vietnam MOET (2008a) issued instruction No.30/2008/QD-BGDDT on 6 June 2008, to guide organizing institutions engaged in teaching, assessing and issuing foreign language certificates. Item No. 4 details conditions for registering a training institution as: (a) fully conduct the content, timeframe and curriculum designed by the MOET; (b) officially have experienced administration staff in education, qualified teaching staff, and class sizes of 40 students maximum; (c) adequately provide

students with teaching materials; and (d) follow instructions on infrastructure,

learning and teaching facilities in order to meet course requirements to make sure that rooms have enough lights, tables and chairs, as well as a board and adequate learning and teaching facilities with average space not being under 1.5 m2/student; make sure that there are offices for the board of directors, teachers‟ lounge and library; make sure that there are language labs and practice rooms; and make sure there are enough facilities to support management tasks. Item No. 9 details that (a) test content must include four macro skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking; (b) time allocation is 90 minutes and 120 minutes in accordance with levels A, B and C; and (c)

requirements of the test must be fulfilled.

In addition, on 1st September 2008 the Vietnam MOET (2008b) issued instruction No.7984/BGDDT-GDTrH on teaching foreign languages in which they stated that Vietnam focuses on maintaining and promoting foreign language teaching staff in both quantity and quality and maintains responsibility for language training. Teachers must focus on the four macro skills of language in order to improve communication skills, and create various teaching styles to make sure students have opportunities to use the target language. Training organizations must be equipped with teaching facilities, especially visual and audio equipment designed to assist in improving the four macro skills identified by the MOET. It also encourages all training

organizations to fund modern facilities for students such as language learning programs in order to promote communication skills as well as internet services. Assessment and evaluation are based on language knowledge, cultural understanding, and the four macro skills in language learning.

As some researches have been undertaken on CLT implementation to date in the Vietnam language education system, the researcher will present some of the difficulties found. For example, Le Van Canh (1999, pp.4-5) states, “the pre- determined syllabus and prescribed textbook are also frustrating to teachers if they are committed to communicative methods. In Vietnam, the Ministry of Education and Training designs the national curriculum and sets the syllabus in schools. The

Ministry also monitors the implementation of the syllabus and sets the school final examinations. The syllabus and the textbook, once approved by the Ministry, become laws that must be strictly observed and with the misinterpretation of the principle of „testing only what students have learnt‟, test writers confine the test content to what is covered in the textbook”. He also explains how large class sizes of from 45 to 52 students per class and learning hours limited to few hours per week make it difficult to implement communicative approaches in which students can work in pairs/groups and conduct communicative activities. Large class sizes where students sit in long rows of fixed desks facing the front make it difficult for teachers to organize communicative activities for CLT. Therefore, students do not have opportunities to practise English speaking skills in the classroom, leading them to not doing this outside the classroom either.

Nguyen Xuan Vang (2004, p.451) notes some difficulties in conducting CLT in teaching organizations including shortage of English teachers, lack of teaching facilities and textbooks. Kam (2004, p.18) also reveals this trend pointing out that Vietnam is facing some difficulties such as shortages of English teachers, teaching materials, and teaching spaces and class sizes. The shortage of teachers including both locally trained and foreign language teachers has led the Ministry of Education and Training to draw up a foreign language school teacher plan of requirements for up to 2010 (see Chart 1 below).