FULL NAME: TÔ THÁI NGỌC DUNG

CODE: M1618008

CONTEXT ANALYSIS

Hoang (2016) states that the Vietnamese Government has always concerned deeply

with foreign language teaching and learning. He indicates that one of the most important

solutions to improving the quality of teaching and learning English in Vietnamese schools is

“the renovation in curriculum design and textbook development”. The first step in planning the

curriculum is to look at the context within which teaching and learning will take place. In this

study, an urban high school in Chau Doc city, An Giang province will be analyzed. There are

15 English teachers who are serving approximately 1,400 students at grade 10, 11, and 12. All

students of English classes must attend 4 periods (45 minutes per one period). The teachers not

only have many years of experience (4-20 years) but also achieve C1 level (14/15 teachers have

achieved C1 level). Students’ language proficiency is better at grammar. According to the

school’s annual report, nearly 28% of the students come from families with low income, so for

some cases, many parents as well as the students do not care much about the learning of the

students. At the national level, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has initiated

to carry out the Vietnam National Foreign Language (VNFL) Project 2025 with a view to

enhancing the students’ English proficiency after graduating from high school. However,

through a short interview, the vice headmaster revealed only 28 % of students attained the

average score (5.0/10.0) which is required to pass the national exam. As a result, the students’

English proficiency is not competitive and does not meet the social needs in Chau Doc city. In

recent years, Chau Doc city has become a popular destination for tourists both nationally and

internationally, so the service industries need staff who can speak English to serve foreign
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tourists. In short, all these aspects should be taken into account when planning, designing and

developing the curriculum.

Can Tho, March 12, 2019

Reference:

Hoang. (2016). Renovation in Curriculum Design and Textbook Development: An Effective

Solution to Improving the Quality of English Teaching in Vietnamese Schools in the Context

of Integration and Globalization. VNU Journal of Science: Education Research, Vol. 32, No.

4 (2016) 9-20.