This year’s British Council New Directions in English Language and Assessment conference will be held in Hanoi on 13 and 14 October 2016. New Directions is a series of expert-led events in East Asia that brings international and national perspectives and insight into trends and approaches in English language teaching, learning and assessment. The MoET National Foreign Language Project 2020 is a full partner.
New Directions 2016 is a space where policy makers, educational professionals, academics, teachers can interact, exchange information, and keep abreast of leading developments in the field of English language teaching, learning, and assessment.
English language skills provide real opportunities for better employment, for further study overseas, and for engagement with the whole world, and an effective language testing and assessment system which tests real skills in communication is essential in the teaching and learning process.
With the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) planning to make English the second language in Vietnam these topics will be of particular relevance and interest. At the conference experts from the MoET’s National Foreign Languages Project 2020 together with experts from the UK and other countries will look specifically at language testing in Vietnam, its challenges, and opportunities for development to support English students across the whole country.
Cherry Gough, Director, British Council in Vietnam said: ‘Good language testing is an essential part of the language learning process. We’re delighted that the East Asia New Directions Conference will be held this year in Vietnam. The conference will bring together the best UK, Vietnamese and East Asian experts in language testing to share research and best practice, to help Vietnamese teachers, institutions and employers find new ways to test real English language proficiency.
‘The UK is supporting teachers and learners of English across Vietnam through the British Council. We are proud to support the Vietnamese government in its effort to build its human capital with English. Knowledge of the English language creates opportunities for international education, better employment, and connections with people and organisations across the world.’
The 4th British Council New Directions in English Language Assessment conference will be held in Hanoi from 13 to 14 October 2016. Previous New Directions conferences in Asia have reflected the wide range of challenges facing language education both within the region and internationally. This year’s themes aim to highlight the approaches and solutions to these challenges in Vietnam. The conference will be of interest to academics and researchers, education officials, and teachers from all education sectors - higher, vocational, secondary and primary - as well as to parents and learners who are committed to improving their English language skills.
Registration for New Directions 2016 is now open.