According to the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), 98% of all students want to learn English.  While I knew that English was the most popular foreign language, I didn’t realize it was THAT popular.  This popularity, however, is a double-edged sword.  While it makes it easier to focus resources on one area, it is exceedingly difficult to meet the skyrocketing demand for quality instruction.  (MoET has found that 75% of primary school and 90% of high school teachers did not meet its standards.)

There are also many young people who want to learn at least a second foreign language, especially an Asian language such as Chinese, Korean or Japanese.  In doing so many will see their job prospects brighten and they will hasten Vietnam’s integration into the global economy.

Finally, there are young Vietnamese who are able to develop excellent English proficiency without the benefit of studying in an English-speaking country.  This has to do with “linguistic intelligence,” private instruction (e.g., a tutor or proprietary language center), opportunities to interact with English-speaking foreigners and the chance to improve their English skills in a work environment.

Follow this link to read the rest of this 17 December 2013 article.