DEL CONDOMINIO DE MERCADOS

In this sub-section I focus on how the teachers view themselves as English language teachers and how others perceive them. The data reveals how these perceptions are interwoven with concepts of normativity in relation to primary English language teaching.

For many of the teachers, the increased focus on the importance of English that the NFLP 2020 has brought, has had a positive effect on their conceptions of themselves as English language teachers; “I think we are very important person in Vietnam today”

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(T.Nhung.INT2/10.12.13). Indeed, societal pressures to begin English from an early age suggest the importance placed on primary English language teachers, as Chi notes below:

…in recent years it has been more concerned [about English] and people have been aware of the benefits of English to find a job, a good job, so parents want their children to learn English from young age to have the basics for the next level of education.

(T.Chi.INT1/12/11/13) This increased attention on English language teachers (and particularly those in the primary sector since English is a new addition to the basic national curriculum) has raised their profile in society. Yet it has also raised questions surrounding the normative values of what constitutes a good teacher in terms of their language level and methodological practices. Indeed although the teachers in my study recognise the growing importance of their role, they all had qualms about their ability as English language teachers implementing the new curriculum.

I was very nervous because the curriculum is different from what we used to do. The approach is speaking and listening, while we teach the children the grammar, the basic grammar so that I feel very nervous. How, by what way could children reach it? So nervous.

(T.Lien.INT2/7.11.13) …it’s my job, it’s very important but it’s difficult too. Difficult because working with children it’s a big problem… they are so young and their memory is not long yes and it’s difficult to teach them.

(T.Thanh.INT1/29/11/13)

These extracts illuminate the fact that none of the teachers had prior training in teaching English to young learners, as was highlighted in section 5.3.3.7, and thus many continue to lack confidence in how to deal with primary students. The extracts also highlight the worries many of the teachers have about adopting a new communicative approach; a way of teaching which constitutes a significant shift from previous behaviours and practices.

The main requirement for teachers as part of the new curriculum is to achieve a B2 level of English language proficiency. The teachers in my study view the B2 certificate as an essential qualification in order “…to become a teacher to teach the new textbooks” (T.Bao.INT1/8/11/13). They also recognised that with the increased importance of English at primary level, a good level of English is necessary to avoid professional loss of face, particularly in urban schools where many of the students

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attend classes in private language centres and have a better level of language knowledge and proficiency than their teacher, as Chau articulates below:

…some teacher don’t get B2, I think they don’t know how to teach the children with their knowledge. English is important. English is spoken all over the world and many of my students can speak English very well and if I can’t speak English they say ‘oh’, and they look at me!

(T.Chau.INT1/29.11.13) The pressure on teachers to pass the B2 course is considerable in order to avoid both this loss of face and more permanent repercussions.

…if I cannot get the B2 I think the way they [principal and parents] look at me will be different.

(T.Bao.INT1/8.11.13) I mean many teachers afraid of being sacked if they don’t get B2 .

(T.Lien.INT1/5.11.13)

However it is interesting that although all the teacher participants hold a B2 certificate, many of them still feel their level of English is poor, as Lien (T.Lien.INT1/5.11.13) explains “…although I have B2, I always consider that I am under B2 level”. Similarly, Chi (T.Chi.INT1/12/11/13) expresses concern about her English ability “I think my speaking skill is very, very bad…” and dismisses her achievement of B2, “I don’t believe myself!” This view seems to be slightly contradictory because on the one hand many of the teachers feel that they have gained some degree of status and credibility in getting their B2 certificate because it required them to take an exam which incorporated similar components to the valorised IELTS and TOEFL tests, yet at the same time they express concern particularly about their level of pronunciation. When teachers talk about their low English language proficiency, it seems to be their pronunciation they are referring to. This may be because there is a clearer norm and means of evaluation of pronunciation in terms of what is perceived as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ or ‘good’ or ‘bad’, while more general communication is harder to evaluate in the same way. Chi below remarks on the importance of pronunciation and the effect ‘bad’ pronunciation may have on her students, yet as shown in her words above, she feels that she lacks this ability to motivate her students.

I think when we teach primary students, pronunciation is the most important part. Good pronunciation gives students confidence in speaking. In case they see a word but fail to pronounce it, they will feel discouraged.

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The perception of primary teachers’ low level of competence is emphasised in both educational and public spheres which see English language teachers being the sole agents of change and view reform outcomes as dependent on their skills and knowledge, or lack of. There have been numerous headlines in both the English and Vietnamese press reflecting this perception which have not gone unnoticed by the teachers (see Chapter 2). This view of a deficit in teacher capacity is also expressed by some of the teachers’ principals and one school principal has no qualms about telling me her English language teachers were not effective in the classroom.

My two kids learnt English from the teachers here and frankly, the teachers were not good…their teaching methods are out-dated. I have four teachers of English but I am only slightly satisfied with one for her pronunciation…

(School Principal District A. Translated/22.4.14)

During a visit to Chau’s school I observed similar views in interactions with a maths teacher which I recorded in my Research Journal:

When I arrived at the school, I was met by a maths teacher who showed me into the staffroom where I waited for Chau. She had good English and seemed proud to show off her language skills. When Chau came into the room she seemed a bit intimidated by this teacher and she avoided speaking English by giving one word answers or commenting in Vietnamese. This was not normal behaviour for Chau. These feelings I had were confirmed at the end of the day when I asked why the same maths teacher was sitting in her Grade 3 class. Chau replied that it was because the maths teacher’s daughter was in that class and she often sits in to check. I asked how she felt about that but she didn’t answer …. I think there was more she wanted to say, but she felt uncomfortable.

(RJ/3.12.13)

This account suggests that the maths teachers’ lack of confidence in Chau’s teaching ability reinforces Chau’s own self-conceptions of her low language ability, creating an environment where she is unlikely to take risks. So, despite having B2 certificates, the teachers appear to have an uphill struggle in gaining credibility as English language teachers in the eyes of others. This seems to be partly influenced by their general low status as primary school English teachers, since “if someone is good they will not teach at primary schools” ((School Principal District A. Translated/22.4.14)

Despite the teachers’ own perceptions of the significance of their role in the NFLP 2020, the increased importance of English appears to have done little to change the

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status of primary English language teachers, particularly since English has yet to be officially ratified as a compulsory subject in the primary school curriculum and so does not constitute part of the national exit exams needed at the end of primary education. As Lien comments below, echoing many of the other teachers, school colleagues continue to view her role as inferior and less important than the core curriculum subject teachers’ role.

I hope that after 2020 our life will be more comfortable … the viewpoint from other colleagues, from basic teachers, and I hope that especially the principal, because the principal now say that the English is not as important as Maths and Vietnamese so they haven’t invested a lot for English and I hope that after this project they will have other viewpoint… many teachers say that English is just a short break for children to relax after Maths and Vietnamese. So they think that the English teacher is not as important or have important roles as other teachers. I feel rather sad about it because we are all teachers. We receive the salary, we have the same salary, but why? Why they look down at us? I don’t like it.

(T.Lien.INT1/5.11.13) Lien’s words express her unhappiness about the way others appear to regard her as having no real standing in her school. The communicative approach outlined in the new curriculum has done little to alter colleagues’ perceptions of the primary teachers, particularly since “English classes are a bit noisier than those of other curricular subjects” (T.Chau.INT2.Translation/16.12.13), suggesting less serious fun and games rather than a more traditional approach used in the majority of Maths and Vietnamese classes where the class teacher “teach[es] in a different way where the students only sit and they don’t need to talk like in an English class” (T.Bao.INT2/14.11.13). This creates tension for the teachers as they have to deal with frequent complaints about noise from the other teachers and often their school principals, highlighting the inconsistency across the system whereby there is no apparent attempt to raise awareness of what the new curriculum is asking English teachers to do. Lien, for example, comments that:

It’s difficult for English class and sometimes I myself have the complaints from the principal ‘Why is your classes so noisy?’ ‘Why children go out of their seat?’.

(T.Lien. INT1/5.11.13) The low status afforded the teachers and their own conceptions of their ability, reinforced by others’ perceptions, do little to foster an environment where the teachers are likely to take risks and go against what is expected of them, because, as Nias (1989, pp. 202-203) points out

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…it matters to teachers themselves…who and what they are. Their self- image is more important to them as practitioners than is the case in occupations where the person can easily be separated from the craft.

This is confirmed in the data by one of the university teachers who comments that ...they [primary teachers] are not really brave enough to introduce more like different ways and ideas... they do not dare to or they feel that maybe they do not have enough authority to sort of decide the way they teach.

(UT.Phuong.INT2)