Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh

Language Assessment at Schools in Vietnam: Teachers’ Perspectives and Implications

This presentation will focus specifically on the English language assessment practices in Vietnamese schools and how they are perceived by teachers by drawing on research and reports by NFLP in 2021. The presentation will analyze the challenges that Vietnamese language teachers face in assessing students' language proficiency, and how these challenges impact their perceptions of language assessment. The presentation will then discuss the role of policy makers and administrators in addressing the challenges of language assessment in Vietnamese schools and the need for administrators to collaborate with teachers in designing and implementing effective language assessment practices. As effective language assessment requires a high level of assessment literacy among teachers, the presentation will also suggest ways for teacher training programs in Vietnam to provide greater opportunities for teachers to develop this literacy. Finally, implications of these practices for policymakers, administrators and teacher trainers in improving language assessment practices in the context of English language education in Vietnam will be provided.

Speaker bio

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh is currently Head of English Department and Deputy Chair of National Foreign Language Project of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education (HCMUE-NFLP). He also serves as the coordinator of the joint MA TESOL program of HCMUE and Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand). He specializes in English language teaching and EFL teacher training. He has more than 15 years of experiences in teaching, developing and implementing English language teacher training programs in many southern provinces of Vietnam. His research interests include curriculum design and development, teacher training, and language and culture.