INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name of doctoral candidate: Nguyen Van Tang  2. Gender: male

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

5. Decision on admitting doctoral students: Decision No. 2775/2020/QD-XHNV dated December 31, 2020, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.,Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process:

- The thesis title has been changed from “Survey of Vietnamese Writing Proficiency of Thai Ethnic Minority Junior High School Students in Dien Bien” to “Survey of Vietnamese Writing Proficiency of Thai Ethnic Minority Primary School Students in Dien Bien” in accordance with Decision No. 3005/QD-XHNV dated October 12, 2022, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.,Hanoi National University regarding the adjustment of the doctoral dissertation title for research students.

- Adjust the thesis title from “Survey of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic minority primary school students in Dien Bien” to “Survey of Vietnamese writing ability of Thai ethnic minority primary school students in Dien Bien”(Case study: Dien Bien Dong district)"according to Decision No. 6347/QD-XHNV dated November 22, 2024, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities",Hanoi National University regarding the change/adjustment of the doctoral dissertation title for research students.

- Decision No. 6645/QD-XHNV, dated December 5, 2024, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities,Hanoi National University regarding the extension of study time for doctoral students.

7. Thesis title: Survey of Vietnamese writing skills of Thai ethnic minority primary school students in Dien Bien(The case of Dien Bien Dong district). 

8. Major: Vietnamese Language

9. Code: 9229020.04

10. Scientific supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Cam Lan

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

11.1. Purpose and scope of the thesis

11.1.1. Research objectives of the thesis

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

This thesis hopes to provide some scientific arguments for the Education and Training sector of Dien Bien province to develop appropriate policies and solutions, contributing to improving Vietnamese language proficiency for Thai ethnic minority students, and gradually improving the quality of Vietnamese language education in schools in ethnic minority areas of Dien Bien province in general. Based on this, it may contribute some arguments to the theoretical research on language policy in ethnic minority areas in the present era.

11.1.2. Research Subject of the Thesis

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

11.2. Research methods used

To achieve the stated objectives, the thesis employed research methods such as linguistic fieldwork, descriptive methods, error analysis methods, and quantitative analysis methods. The thesis also utilized techniques such as statistical classification, modeling, and comparison when necessary.

11.3. Main results and conclusions

11.3.1. Main results

Chapter 1 of the thesis provides an overview of research related to language proficiency in general, both globally and in Vietnam. Based on practical surveys, the thesis summarizes errors in written language expression across phonetics, spelling, vocabulary, sentences, and paragraphs. Through the investigation, the thesis identifies the linguistic situation of...The Thai ethnic community in Dien Bien Dong is a multi-component situation, fundamentally similar to that of the Hmong, Lao, Khmu, and other ethnic minorities in the Northwest region.

Chapter 2 of the thesis developed a set of tools for surveying and evaluating the Vietnamese writing ability of ethnic Thai primary school students in Dien Bien Dong, based on the required Vietnamese writing proficiency for primary school students from grades 1 to 3 according to the 2018 General Education Program, and a set of tools for surveying non-linguistic factors that the thesis believes may influence students' writing ability.

Chapter 3, using a toolkit designed based on the learning outcomes of the general education curriculum, conducted a direct classroom survey to assess the Vietnamese writing skills of Thai ethnic minority students from grades 1 to 3. The survey results were assessed based on three requirements regarding Vietnamese language knowledge, spelling, and sentence/paragraph writing for grades 1, 2, and 3. Each competency requirement was evaluated in detail, with each component competency indicator corresponding to the output standards and counted at three levels: not completed (level 1), completed (level 2), and well completed (level 3). In addition, the thesis surveyed the errors students made in areas such as spelling errors, word usage errors, sentence writing errors, and paragraph writing errors.

Chapter 4, based on the survey results of Vietnamese writing ability among Thai ethnic minority primary school students in Dien Bien Dong, using survey data from questionnaires administered to both students and parents, presents some general observations on several common and specific factors influencing writing ability, such as: natural and social conditions; environmental conditions (teachers, administrators, and school facilities); parents' occupation, family circumstances, residential area (near or far from the district center); students' attitudes and language choices when communicating with peers at school; students' favorite or most difficult subjects; parents' concern for supporting their children's learning at home; and the language parents and students commonly use in communication at home. Based on the identification of direct and indirect causes affecting students' learning outcomes, the thesis proposes several solutions to improve Vietnamese writing skills for Thai ethnic minority primary school students in Dien Bien province.

11.3.2. Conclusion

   Based on the theoretical framework of language competence in general, Vietnamese language competence, and Vietnamese writing competence in particular, and the required Vietnamese writing competence for grades 1, 2, and 3 of the 2018 General Education Program, using a research methodology of sociolinguistics, this thesis has outlined an overall picture of the Vietnamese writing competence of ethnic Thai primary school students in grades 1, 2, and 3 in Dien Bien Dong district, Dien Bien province. The thesis also initially identifies some linguistic and non-linguistic factors that influence the students' writing competence. However, the thesis only focuses on surveying and analyzing the results of surveys conducted on grade 1, 2, and 3 students in three communes. The survey results were only obtained using one tool, a Vietnamese language test at the end of the school year, with quantitative assessment.

12. Directions for further research:

In the future, if conditions permit, we hope to study the remaining component competencies such as reading, speaking, and listening skills to complete the picture of Vietnamese language proficiency among Thai ethnic minority primary school students in Dien Bien. In addition, a comprehensive survey of Vietnamese language proficiency among ethnic minority students in the district and province, along with a comparative analysis to assess the proficiency levels of students from each ethnic group, is essential. This will allow for the development of appropriate policies and solutions to help students from each ethnic group improve their Vietnamese language skills, making it easier for them to access the 2018 General Education Program and new textbooks.

13. Publications related to the dissertation:

- Nguyen Van Tang (2021), “Some characteristics of the language situation of the ethnic Thai community in Dien Bien Dong district - Dien Bien province”,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 among 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”,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 titlegirl“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 titlegirl“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 Điện Biên (Case study of Điện Biên Đông 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 categorized 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./.