Speaker
Description
The global diffusion of English continues to fuel scholarly debate, yet investigations into how Expanding Circle countries articulate the conceptual shift from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English as a Second Language (ESL) in national policies are relatively sparse. This study analyzes Vietnam's current policy evolution, which endeavors to elevate English from a standalone academic subject to a versatile second language embedded system-wide in education. Through qualitative thematic discourse analysis, it scrutinizes three foundational policy texts: the extended National Foreign Languages Project, the formally endorsed scheme “Making English the Second Language in Schools for the 2025–2035 Period, with a Vision to 2045” (Decision 2371/QĐ-TTg, October 2025), and supporting frameworks including phased roadmaps and related decrees (e.g., Decree 222/2025/NĐ-CP on foreign-language instruction). The analysis uncovers three recurring policy emphases: (1) English framed as an essential driver for global integration, economic growth, and workforce readiness; (2) deliberate promotion of English-medium teaching, routine classroom communication, extracurricular engagement, and institutional operations to establish a pervasive English-using environment; and (3) sustained adherence to standardized native-speaker benchmarks in syllabus design, testing, and proficiency metrics, notwithstanding the emphasis on functional utility. These patterns expose an inherent policy paradox in Vietnam's ESL aspirations—ambitious functional goals juxtaposed against enduring normative ideals. The paper considers ramifications for curriculum innovation and teacher professional development, proposing that drawing on Global Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca perspectives would enable policies to more authentically reflect the plurilingual, contextually diverse communication demands Vietnamese learners encounter in international, digital, and transnational spheres.
