Hue City, Vietnam – On July 23-24, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and Hue University’s Faculty of Foreign Languages (Hue University) collaborated with educational institutions nationwide to host the international seminar titled “Assessing English Language Competency for High School Students.”
The seminar was attended by key figures, including Deputy Minister of MOET Nguyen Vinh Hien, Associate Professor Phạm Xuân Thanh – Deputy Head of the Examination and Educational Quality Assurance Department (MOET), Associate Professor Nguyễn Xuân Thành – Deputy Director of the Secondary Education Department (MOET), and the National Foreign Language 2020 Project Management Board. Numerous lecturers and experts in the field of language assessment from both within and outside Vietnam were also present to share their experiences.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Associate Professor Phạm Xuân Thanh stated, “In recent years, MOET has placed great importance on and actively pursued strategies related to assessing foreign language competency, viewing it as a crucial breakthrough in the process of revitalizing foreign language teaching and learning in Vietnam. From this perspective, MOET has also developed policies aimed at changing the way foreign languages are taught and skills are developed, focusing on applying knowledge and language skills for communication and collaboration, particularly in the context of current global integration.”
At present, MOET is focusing on two key projects: the establishment of a National Examination Center and the creation of a Foreign Language Competency Assessment Center. These projects aim to implement assessments of foreign language certifications both within and outside educational institutions, directly influencing the development of language competency within schools. Today’s seminar marks a significant practical step toward achieving the goal of assessing and evaluating foreign language competency in Vietnam.
The seminar had three main objectives: evaluating the current state of English language competency testing in high schools, exchanging ideas and sharing international language assessment trends and their applicability in Vietnamese secondary education, and introducing and discussing the latest online English language testing software and websites in Vietnam.
Notably, the seminar introduced the latest online language learning and testing software in Vietnam for the first time, receiving high praise from experts in the field of language assessment, lecturers, and English teachers nationwide. The software is the result of a collaborative effort by information technology and assessment experts from Hue University, KOBO Joint Stock Company, and Vietnam Education Trade and Development Limited Company.
What sets this software apart is its ability to accommodate all current international language assessment formats. In the future, this software is expected to serve the needs of language learning and testing in Vietnam at an affordable cost.
Deputy Minister of MOET Nguyen Vinh Hiển, who also heads the National Foreign Language 2020 Project Management Board, commended Hue University’s Faculty of Foreign Languages for successfully pioneering the design and implementation of language assessments, which is a part of MOET’s efforts to revamp the entire foreign language teaching and learning process.
He emphasized, “Language assessment, especially in English, is a challenging task, but if done successfully, it will bring great honor. This seminar holds particular significance as its participants are at the forefront of the comprehensive transformation of foreign language teaching and learning.”
The Deputy Minister stressed the importance of modernizing the assessment of not only English but also other subjects, as without this renewal, improving educational quality would be difficult. He further highlighted the need to evaluate the meaning and purpose of assessments, their functions, and methods to achieve the most advanced cognitive perception.
He also stated that the reform of general education programs, including the renewal of subject assessments, particularly in foreign languages, is a crucial part of Resolution No. 29-NQ/TU by the 11th Central Committee’s Executive Committee.
Published by Dantri