INFORMATION ABOUT DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name of PhD student: Nguyen Van Tang  2. Gender: male

3. Date of birth: April 3, 1979 4. Place of birth: Hai Duong

5. Decision to recognize PhD students: Decision No. 2775/2020/QD-XHNV dated December 31, 2020 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities,Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process:

- Adjust the thesis topic name from "Survey of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic minority secondary school students in Dien Bien" to "Survey of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic minority primary school students in Dien Bien" according to Decision No. 3005/QD-XHNV dated October 12, 2022 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.,Hanoi National University on adjusting the title of doctoral thesis of graduate students.

- Adjust the thesis topic name from "Survey of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien" to "Survey of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien(Case of Dien Bien Dong district)"According to Decision No. 6347/QD-XHNV dated November 22, 2024 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities,Hanoi National University on changing/adjusting the title of the doctoral thesis of the graduate student.

- Decision No. 6645/QD-XHNV, dated December 5, 2024 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities,Hanoi National University on extending the study period of postgraduate students.

7. Thesis topic: Survey of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien(Case of Dien Bien Dong district). 

8. Major: Vietnamese Language,

9. Code: 9229020.04

10. Scientific advisor: Associate Professor, Dr. Trinh Cam Lan

11. Summary of new results of the thesis:

11.1. Purpose and research objects of the thesis

11.1.1. Research objectives of the thesis

Assessment of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic students in Dien Bien(case of Dien Bien Dong district)and identify factors affecting students' writing ability, on that basis propose solutions to improve writing ability for Thai ethnic students in particular and ethnic minority students in general.

The thesis hopes to provide some scientific arguments for the Education and Training Department of Dien Bien province to develop appropriate policies and solutions, contributing to improving Vietnamese language proficiency for Thai ethnic students, gradually contributing to improving the quality of Vietnamese language education in schools in ethnic minority areas of Dien Bien province in general. On that basis, it is possible to contribute some arguments to the theoretical research on language policies in ethnic minority areas in the current period.

11.1.2. Research object of the thesis

   The research object of the thesis is the Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien Dong district, Dien Bien province.

11.2. Research methods used

To achieve the set objectives, the thesis used research methods such as: linguistic fieldwork method, descriptive method, error analysis method, quantitative analysis method. The thesis also used some techniques such as statistics - classification, modeling and comparison when necessary.

11.3. Main results and conclusions

11.3.1. Main results

Chapter 1, the thesis has reviewed the studies related to language competence in general in the world as well as in Vietnam. Based on the actual survey, the thesis has generalized the errors in the expression of written language on the levels of phonetics - spelling, words, sentences, paragraphs. Through the investigation results, the thesis has drawn the linguistic situation ofThe Thai ethnic community in Dien Bien Dong is a multi-component situation, basically similar to the Mong, Lao, Kho Mu and other ethnic minorities in the Northwest region.

In Chapter 2, the thesis has developed a set of tools to survey and evaluate the Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien Dong based on the requirements for Vietnamese writing ability for primary school students from grades 1 to 3 according to the 2018 General Education Program and a set of tools to survey non-linguistic factors that the thesis believes can affect students' writing ability.

Chapter 3, with a toolkit designed based on the output standards of the general education program, conducted a direct survey in class to assess the Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic students from grades 1 to 3. The survey results were evaluated according to three requirements on Vietnamese knowledge, spelling, and sentence/paragraph writing for grades 1, 2, and 3. Each competency requirement was evaluated in detail for each component competency index corresponding to the output standards and tallied according to three levels: incomplete (level 1), completed (level 2), and completed well (level 3). In addition, the thesis conducted a survey of errors that students made in aspects such as spelling errors, word usage errors, sentence writing errors, and paragraph errors.

Chapter 4, from the results of a survey on the Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien Dong, through questionnaire survey data for both students and parents, the thesis gives some general comments on some general and specific factors affecting writing ability such as: Natural and social conditions; Environmental conditions (teachers, management staff and school facilities); parents' occupations, family circumstances, residential area (near or far from the district center), students' attitudes and language choices when communicating with friends at school, students' favorite or most difficult subjects, parents' interest in supporting their children's learning at home, and the language parents and students often communicate in at home. Based on identifying the causes that directly and indirectly affect the output standards of students, the thesis has proposed a number of solutions to improve the Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien province.

11.3.2. Conclusion

   Based on the theoretical foundation of language competence in general, Vietnamese language competence and Vietnamese writing competence in particular and the requirements for Vietnamese writing competence in grades 1, 2, 3 of the 2018 General Education Program, using a system of research methods of Sociolinguistics, the thesis has outlined an overall picture of Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in grades 1, 2, 3 in Dien Bien Dong district, Dien Bien province. The thesis also initially pointed out a number of linguistic and non-linguistic factors that affect the students' writing competence. However, the thesis only focused on surveying and analyzing survey results for students in grades 1, 2, 3 of 3 communes. The survey results were only conducted on a set of tools such as a Vietnamese test at the end of the school year by quantitative assessment.

12. Further research directions:

In the future, if conditions permit, we hope to study the remaining component competencies such as reading, speaking and listening to complete the picture of Vietnamese language proficiency of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien. In addition, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive survey of Vietnamese language proficiency of ethnic students in the district and province and have a comparative view to consider the level of competency of students of each ethnic group, thereby having appropriate policies and solutions to help students of each ethnic group improve their Vietnamese language proficiency to more easily access the 2018 General Education Program and new textbooks.

13. Publications related to the thesis:

- Nguyen Van Tang (2021), “Some characteristics of the language situation of the ethnic Thai community in Dien Bien Dong district - Dien Bien province”,The First International Scientific Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, ISBN 978-604-9962-20-2, pp. 2019 – 2037.

- Nguyen Van Tang (2022), "The situation of using mother tongue and Vietnamese of Thai women in Muong Luan commune, Dien Bien Dong district",Language and Life Magazine,No. 10 (331)-2022, ISSN 0868-3409, pp. 112-120.

- Nguyen Van Tang (2024), “Developing assessment tools and surverys on the writing skills of grade 1 ethnic Thai students in Dien Bie Dong district, Dien Bien province, Viet Nam”,The Second International Scientific Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, ISBN 978-604-43-1656-7, pp. 803 - 820.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name: Nguyen Van Tang

2. Sex: Male

3. Date of birth: April 3, 1979

4. Place of birth: Hai Duong

5. Amission decision number 2775/2020/QD-XHNV dated December 31, 2020 by University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process:

         - Adjustment of the thesis titlefrom“Surveying the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic junior high school students in Dien Bien”big“Surveying the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien”according to Decision No. 3005/QD-XHNV dated October 12, 2022, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, regarding the adjustment of the PhD thesis title of the candidate.

- Adjustment of the thesis titlefrom“Surveying the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien”big“Surveying the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien (Case study of Dien Bien Dong district)”according to Decision No. 6347/QD-XHNV dated November 22, 2024, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, regarding the modification/adjustment of the PhD thesis title of the candidate.

- Decision 6645/QD-XHNV dated December 5, 2024 by University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi on extending the study period of doctoral students.

7. Dissertation title: Survey the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien (Case of Dien Bien Dong district).

8. Major: Vietnamese Language

9. Code: 9229020.04

10. Supervisors: Asst. Prof. PhD. Trinh Cam Lan

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis

11.1. Purpose and research subjects of the thesis:

11.1.1. Research purpose of the thesis

To assess the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic students in Dien Bien(case study of Dien Bien Dong district)and identify the factors affecting their writing competence. Based on these findings, the thesis proposes solutions to improve the writing competence of Thai ethnic students in particular and ethnic minority students in general.
The thesis hopes to provide scientific evidence for the Education and Training sector of Dien Bien province to develop appropriate policies and solutions, contributing to enhancing Vietnamese language competence for Thai ethnic students. This, in turn, aims to gradually improve the quality of Vietnamese language education in schools in ethnic minority areas of Dien Bien province. Furthermore, the thesis seeks to contribute theoretical insights into the study of language policies in ethnic minority regions in the current period.

11.1.2. Research object of the thesis.

Research object of the thesis is Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien Dong district, Dien Bien province.

11.2.Research methods used
To achieve the set objectives, the thesis employs research methods such as: linguistic fieldwork, descriptive methods, error analysis, quantitative analysis, and some techniques including statistical classification, modeling, and comparison when necessary.

11.3. Main results and conclusions

        11.3.1. Main results

Chapter 1, the thesis provides an overview of studies related to language competence in general, both globally and in Vietnam. Based on field surveys, the thesis summarizes errors in written language expression across aspects such as phonetics-orthography, vocabulary, sentence structure, and paragraph composition. Through the investigation, the thesis concludes that the linguistic situation of the Thai ethnic community in Dien Bien Dong is multi-faceted, fundamentally similar to that of the Hmong, Lao, Kho Mu, and other ethnic minorities in the Northwest region.

Chapter 2: The thesis developed a set of tools to survey and evaluate the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien Dong. These tools were based on the required competencies for Vietnamese writing for primary school students from grades 1 to 3, as outlined in the 2018 General Education Program. Additionally, the thesis designed a set of tools to survey non-linguistic factors that were considered potentially influential on students' writing competence.

         Chapter 3: Using the tools designed based on the output standards of the general education program, the thesis conducted direct classroom surveys to assess the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic students from grades 1 to 3. The survey results were evaluated based on three requirements: Vietnamese language knowledge, spelling, and sentence/paragraph writing for grades 1, 2, and 3. Each competency requirement was assessed in detail through corresponding sub-competency indicators aligned with the output standards, and grouped into three levels: incomplete (level 1), complete (level 2), and excellent (level 3). Furthermore, the thesis analyzed errors made by students in areas such as spelling, word usage, sentence construction, and paragraph writing.

           Chapter 4: Based on the survey results of the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien Dong, and data collected from questionnaires administered to both students and parents, the thesis provides some general observations on common and specific factors affecting writing competence. These factors included: natural and social conditions; environmental conditions (teaching staff, management staff, and school facilities); parents' occupations, family circumstances, residential location (near or far from the district center); students' attitudes and language choices when communicating with peers at school; their favorite or most challenging; parental support for their children's learning at home; and the language commonly used at home by parents and students. By identifying the direct and indirect causes affecting students' learning outcomes, the thesis proposed several solutions to improve the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien Province.

11.3.2. Conclusion

Based on the theoretical foundation of language competence in general, Vietnamese language competence, and Vietnamese writing competence in particular, as well as the required competencies for Vietnamese writing for grades 1, 2, and 3 under the 2018 General Education Program, the thesis employs a set of sociolinguistic research methods to outline a comprehensive picture of the Vietnamese writing competence of Thai ethnic primary school students in grades 1, 2, and 3 in Dien Bien Dong District, Dien Bien Province. The thesis also preliminarily identifies some linguistic and non-linguistic factors affecting the students' writing competence. However, the study focuses only on surveying and analyzing the results for students in grades 1, 2, and 3 from three communes. The survey results were based on a single set of tools, implemented as a Vietnamese language test at the end of the academic year, using quantitative assessment methods.

12. Future research directions

If conditions permit in the future, we hope to explore the remaining components of language competence, such as reading, speaking, and listening skills, to complete the overall picture of Vietnamese language competence among Thai ethnic primary school students in Dien Bien. Additionally, conducting a comprehensive survey of the Vietnamese language competence of students from various ethnic groups across the district and province, and making comparative analyzes to assess the competence levels of students from each ethnic group, would be essential. This would help in formulating appropriate policies and solutions to enhance the Vietnamese language competence of students from each ethnic group, enabling them to better access the 2018 General Education Program and the new textbooks.

13. Thesis-related publications

- Nguyen Van Tang (2021), “Some characteristics of the language situation of the ethnic Thai community in Dien Bien Dong district - Dien Bien province”,The First International conference on the issues of social sciences and humannities, University of social sciences and humanities – Vietnam national university Hanoi, ISBN 978-604-9962-20-2, pp. 2019 – 2037.

- Nguyen Van Tang (2022), “The situation of the use of mother tongue and Vietnamese by Thai women in Muong Luan commune, Dien Bien Dong district, Dien Bien province”,Journal of Language and Life(10) -2022, ISSN 0868-3409, pp. 112-120.

- Nguyen Van Tang (2024), “Developing assessment tools and surverys on the writing skills of grade 1 ethnic Thai students in Dien Bie Dong district, Dien Bien province, Viet Nam”,Second International conference on the issues of social sciences and humannities, University of social sciences and humanities – Vietnam national university Hanoi, ISBN 978-604-43-1656-7, pp. 803 - 820./.