UK–Viet Nam: Partnership in innovation 2022 event

Introduction

The British Council in Viet Nam in collaboration with National Foreign Language Project (NFLP) and Department of International Trade (DIT), British Embassy in Viet Nam are now launching a new round of UK-VN partnership to continue exploring a more inclusive and accessible approach to the provision of English language teaching and learning in Viet Nam post Covid-19. This event will also celebrate the pilot UK-VN Digital Learning Innovation Fund projects.

Date: Tuesday 26 April 2022
Time: 15.00–17.00 (Hanoi time), 09.00–11.00 (London time)
Delivery mode: Virtual via Zoom
Language: English and Vietnamese with simultaneous interpretation
Agenda: Please find it in the Downloads
Register link: https://bit.ly/37EKINQ

Participation link will be provided to registered list prior to the event.

Event Objectives

To celebrate Digital Learning Innovation Fund (DLIF) projects 2021–22: Digital Learning Innovation Fund has encouraged partnerships between the UK and Viet Nam which have generated new research, insight and/or innovations to improve the teaching and learning of English by 2025 and beyond. The three existing projects will disseminate some of the key highlights from their projects and make recommendations for sustainability beyond the project period as well as share available resources for English teachers created as part of the projects’ outputs.
To launch a new round of UK–VN partnership in Viet Nam: The programme aims to explore a more inclusive and accessible approach in ETL testing and assessment as well as professional development for teachers. The five TAG projects and two research will outline their plans for the next 12 months as well as potential opportunities for external stakeholders to get involved in the projects.

Targeted Audiences

Viet Nam: Representatives from MOET, NFLP, Departments of Education and Training (DOETs), universities/colleges, education institutions and organisations, ELT providers, DLIF partners, TAGs partners, researchers, and English teachers.
UK: Sir Steve Smith, UK International Education Champion, and representatives from Department of International Trade (DIT), British Embassy/British Consulate General, British Council global and EA, universities/colleges, education institutions and organisations, ELT providers, DLIF partners, TAGs partners, researchers, and trainers.

Context

The British Council has operated in Viet Nam since 1993. Since then, we have cooperated closely with the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and the National Foreign Languages Project (NFLP) on a wide variety of projects and programmes to improve the standard of English language teaching, learning and assessment in state primary and secondary schools, universities and vocational training institutions throughout the country.

English Language Teaching (ELT) development in support of NFLP’s 2025 Strategy has always been a priority area for the British Council. NFLP and the British Council in Viet Nam continually seek ways to develop cooperation in the areas of English language teaching, learning and assessment and this is evident in the activities proposed in the Collaboration Plan 2021–2022 with a vision for cooperation until 2024–2025, including (i) research and insight, (ii) engaging with stakeholders in both Viet Nam and the UK, (iii) capacity building and continuing professional development, and (iv) curriculum, resources and assessment.

Through this strategic collaboration, the British Council seek to partner with representatives from both the UK and VN ELT sectors to identify, pursue and implement various large-scale activities related to reforming English in formal education that supports NFLP’s priority to improve the quality of foreign language teaching and learning, where UK ELT sector expertise and experience is well placed to offer support.

Indeed, as the UK’s International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, is expected to say at the event, ‘The UK has a longstanding commitment to support the ambitions of Viet Nam to raise proficiency in English language, drawing on the expertise and experience of the UK’s world-leading ELT sector. And this is a key strand of cooperation under the incredibly active and productive UK/Viet Nam Education Memorandum of Understanding’.

Covid-19 has had a massively disruptive effect on education systems globally, including here in Viet Nam. This highlights the need for innovative and sustainable digital solutions that can promote access to quality English education for learners, while building teacher capacity.

The British Council Viet Nam has supported UK–VN partners to implement the pilot UK–VN Digital Learning Innovation Fund projects in 2021–22. To continue improving the quality of English language teaching and learning as well as testing and assessment post Covid-19, the British Council Viet Nam continue strengthening UK–VN partnership in research and professional development for English teachers in 2022–23.

About the projects

Celebrating Digital Learning Innovation Fund (DLIF) projects 2021–22

The Digital Learning Innovation Fund has encouraged partnerships between the UK and Viet Nam which have generated new research, insight and/or innovations to improve the teaching and learning of English by 2025 and beyond. The three existing projects will disseminate some of the key highlights from their projects and make recommendations for sustainability beyond the project period as well as share resources for English teachers created as part of the projects’ outputs.

The Digital English Theatre project was designed by IH Belfast, the Hands Up Project and Can Tho University to demonstrate how theatre can be successfully integrated into language learning curricula, through the use of existing digital resources, in order to improve communication skills and motivate both teachers and learners.
IH London and Hanoi Pedagogical University 2 (HPU2) developed an open CPD self-access course for Grade 6 teachers. Course materials have been developed in conjunction with over 60 teachers taking part in a mentoring programme over the last 12 months.
ViVEXELT (Viet Nam Virtual Exchange for English Language Teaching) has seen over 120 teachers in Viet Nam and the UK participating in online collaborative courses and virtual communities of practice as an innovative model of continuing professional development for English language teachers. The ViVEXELT community of practice has supported participants to reflect on ELT. Such reflections would inform the creation of reusable and shareable ELT digital resources, such as CPD videos. which would be made available to all. Coventry University and Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) have already had strong credentials in EdTech and have partnered in the UK–VN Higher Education Partnership (HEP) project.

Launching Teacher Activity Groups (TAGs) 2022–23

The Teacher Activity Group projects aim to establish a network of pilot TAGs focusing on teachers from between one and three Departments of Education and Training (DOET) areas, develop content and implement TAG programmes across a 12-month period as well as monitor and evaluate the TAG projects and their impact on teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD). At the event, the five TAG projects will outline their plans for the next 12 months as well as potential opportunities for external stakeholders to get involved in the projects.

International House Bristol will implement a professional development project for English language teachers in Viet Nam in collaboration with a Vietnamese HEI, Hanoi University of Education to address a key teaching and learning need of teachers in two mountainous areas of north Viet Nam, Son La and Bac Kan provinces.
Manchester Metropolitan University will implement the project named “Continuing professional development for school-level English language teachers in Viet Nam through Teacher Activity Groups: An identity-focused approach” in collaboration with a Vietnamese HEI, Hue University to address a key teaching and learning need of teachers in Hue, a central province in Viet Nam.
The University of Glasgow in partnership with the Viet Nam National Institute of Education Sciences (VNIES) to implement the project named “Developing teachers’ capacities to teach English across modes, media and language boundaries with creative and arts-based resources” in Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh and Ninh Thuan provinces. This project aims to deliver on this mission by implementing, tracking and evaluating an innovative methodology that invites learners to explore languages across modes, media and creative sources of culture.
The Celtic English Academy in partnership with Can Tho University will bring teachers from elementary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools in Ben Tre and Dong Thap provinces and Can Tho city to form a community of practice in the form of TAGs.
International House London will implement a professional development project for English language teachers in Viet Nam in collaboration with a Vietnamese HEI, Hanoi Pedagogical University 2 to address a key teaching and learning need of teachers in two DOETs in the mountainous areas of north in Yen Bai and in Nghe An, centre of Viet Nam.

Launching Research projects

The two research grants aim to fund research study that will assess the quality and quantity of existing provision in two separate but related areas of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Viet Nam.

Research on 'Understanding and improving classroom-based language assessment practices’ will be co-conducted by the University of Huddersfield in collaboration with University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) in Viet Nam. It aims to investigate the provision of English language assessment and testing (including online and automated provision) to ensure fairness and inclusivity, particularly will have impact on the classroom practice through teacher engagement with the resulting online toolkit and community of practice.
Research on ‘Online provision of digital teaching and learning resources in Viet Nam’ will be co-conducted by Manchester Metropolitan University in collaboration with a Vietnamese research team to provide a landscape review of online English Language Teaching (ELT) with a focus on equitable provision of digital resources and access to online learning for both teachers and learners at public schools in Viet Nam.