Fifty years have passed since the Foreign Language Department of Hanoi University came into existence, and countless generations of students have graduated from this renowned institution. Equipped with a solid foundation in foreign languages and proud of the dynamism and perceptiveness inherent in their field of study, these foreign language graduates have matured and achieved success in various aspects of society. Today, with foreign languages being an indispensable skill in the context of international integration, the teaching and learning of foreign languages presents many more issues that need to be addressed. Dr. Lam Quang Dong, Head of the Foreign Language Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, discusses this matter.
- Dr. Lam Quang Dong, during your time as a student in the 28th cohort of Hanoi University, what was the position of foreign languages in the university's curriculum and in social life?[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/13/img_7887.jpg" border="0" alt="Dr. Lam Quang Dong at the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Faculty of Foreign Languages (Hanoi University)" title="Dr. Lam Quang Dong at the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Faculty of Foreign Languages (Hanoi University)" width="240" height="160" align="right" ] -
Dr. Lam Quang Dong(
Dr. LQĐIn the early and mid-1980s, Russian was the dominant language due to friendly relations and cooperation with the Soviet Union. English and French were still considered "capitalist," so society remained reserved, although there was some cooperation with English- and French-speaking countries. French was even more open due to better Franco-Vietnamese relations compared to those with England and the United States. Job opportunities for Russian-speaking students were much higher than for English and French-speaking students. Therefore, Russian-speaking students (both specialized and non-specialized) made up the majority. Some Russian-speaking students, due to overcrowded classes, had to switch to French to fill the French classes (too few French-speaking students from high school entered university). English-speaking students were more stable. Outside of the specialized language program, foreign languages in general were considered a minor subject, with limited time allocated, mainly focusing on teaching grammar and reading comprehension using traditional methods. Listening and speaking skills were not emphasized. Generally speaking, foreign languages hold a secondary position in university studies as well as in society.
So, what difficulties did Dr. [Name], as well as his teachers and peers, encounter in studying and researching his field of study?But
Dr. LQĐThere were many difficulties regarding equipment, books, textbooks, and learning materials. Many textbooks were handwritten or mimeographed. There were no cassette players. Fortunately, there was a language lab where we could occasionally practice pronunciation. Mostly, we learned by rote, absorbing information from our teachers. There were almost no reference materials. If we found a good and inexpensive book at a foreign language bookstore or used bookstore, or were lucky enough to borrow one, we would read, study, and practice translating until the book was worn out. If we encountered difficulties, we would ask our teachers or seniors. Thanks to this, we learned things quite thoroughly and accurately, spoke and wrote correctly, and grasped many subtle nuances in language use, although our listening and speaking skills at that time weren't as good as we'd hoped.
The recent 50th anniversary celebration of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Hanoi University witnessed the successful, even famous, return of many students from the Faculty of Foreign Languages to various fields in society. Were these students "lucky" to enter society at a time when the country's socio-economic life was undergoing a transformation towards international integration, thus having the opportunity to fully utilize and develop the knowledge they acquired at university?[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/13/img_0019x.jpg" border="0" alt="First-year students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities during an English class" title="First-year students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities during an English class" width="240" height="160" align="left" ] -
Dr. LQĐIt's true that we're fortunate that the country has entered a period of reform and integration, opening up opportunities for foreign language students. However, these opportunities won't translate into tangible results if people lack the ability to seize and utilize them, as well as the capacity and effort to improve themselves. As Associate Professor Pham Trong Quat said in his speech at the commemoration ceremony on November 9th, foreign language students in particular, and university students in general, are equipped with a sharp tool to access the vast scientific knowledge of humanity by learning a foreign language.
At home, mother is the best, then the child; outside, there are many who are even more formidable than us.- Only by looking at the world can we see what we need to learn to improve ourselves - both personally and for the country. In learning foreign languages, besides knowledge of the culture, society, history, and politics of the native country, foreign language students at the Faculty of Foreign Languages are trained in many skills: logical thinking, analytical/synthetic thinking, presentation skills, writing skills, etc., in both foreign languages and Vietnamese. This is an important foundation for them to continue studying many other fields and succeed in many areas, including becoming experts with PhDs in various scientific disciplines, as you saw among the alumni who attended the 50th Anniversary Celebration on November 9th.
- Is it therefore easier for foreign language students to make a living compared to students in many other fields?But
Dr. LQĐIt's impossible to say it's easier. Many people have had to struggle, work hard, and find ways to make a living and get ahead. And currently, some former TNN students are still facing difficulties in their lives. In particular, Russian language students have had to switch to other foreign languages, mainly English, to work and have even had to learn other trades to make a living. They may have more opportunities to work for international organizations, or go abroad (which is also a last resort – many still wish they could work in their homeland), so their income is more advantageous compared to many other fields.
According to the doctor, why is foreign language teaching at universities currently still ineffective?But
Dr. LQĐAnalyzing this would be a lengthy process. In short, there are three fundamental issues that I addressed in my 2007 article in the Vietnam National University, Hanoi Journal of Science: Firstly, the national foreign language training strategy and the national strategy for foreign language use are still incomplete. Foreign language training programs at all levels of the education system lack consistency, continuity, and development, and are not rational in terms of focusing on specific skills. Therefore, higher levels of education have to start teaching from scratch, failing to build upon the results of previous levels, resulting in wasted time, money, and effort from both the state and individual learners. Secondly, regarding foreign language teachers: teachers of less frequently used languages like Russian and French are increasingly becoming idle due to a lack of students. English and Chinese teachers, on the other hand, are overloaded. Therefore, a national strategy like the one I just mentioned is necessary. Due to overload, they have limited opportunities to study and research to improve their theoretical knowledge of foreign languages and foreign language teaching. The majority also have almost no opportunity to go abroad for training, internships, or further studies. This significantly affects the quality of foreign language teaching. Thirdly, on the part of the learners: there is insufficient investment in time, effort, and materials for learning foreign languages. They lack appropriate foreign language learning methods. They are not proactive in learning and practicing foreign languages. Some still have the mindset of learning just to get by, without considering using the foreign language in their future work. We always say that the success of learning a foreign language depends only 30% on the teacher, while 70% depends on the learner's self-training, much like teaching/learning to swim. A hesitant and apprehensive attitude, fear of making mistakes when speaking or writing, and often simply fitting foreign words into Vietnamese structures – these are major obstacles for foreign language learners. [img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/13/img_0145.jpg" border="0" alt="First-year students still have to learn counting and practice simple pronunciation" title="First-year students still have to learn counting and practice simple pronunciation" width="240" height="160" align="right" ]
- Combining foreign language skills with professional expertise remains a challenge for many students and young professionals today. Some even compare learning a foreign language to climbing a greasy pole—you climb up and then slide back down. What are your thoughts on this, Doctor?But
Dr. LQĐThis is also due to the reasons mentioned above. Learning a foreign language without practice and frequent use makes it impossible to become proficient and very easy to forget. That's why we see situations like "climbing a greasy pole" where university students have to reteach the high school curriculum, graduate students repeat what they learned in university, every word looks familiar but they don't understand it thoroughly, they make many mistakes, and some can't even write or speak a grammatically correct and clear sentence. As for listening, many students – excuse me – are completely clueless.
It is understood that the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, has proposed to the university a plan to train bachelor's degree students in specialized foreign languages. Could Dr. please elaborate on this idea and the Department's expectations for the future development of this project?But
Dr. LQĐThis is a training model that has been implemented in many countries and is beginning to be implemented in our country. It's also a model aimed at overcoming the weakness in foreign language skills that we just mentioned. To be proficient in a foreign language, learners must have the same learning methods, programs, and conditions as language majors, practicing their language skills from morning till night, at all times and in all circumstances, just like language majors. However, foreign language knowledge alone is not enough to meet the demands of the job. Therefore, students need to be equipped with both the necessary specialized knowledge and skills to ensure their employability after graduation. This trend is inevitable now and in the future. At the same time, we need to leverage the existing strengths in the specialized fields of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities through the model combining foreign language and specialized subjects that the University is proposing. For now, we are focusing on the Tourism and Management majors to successfully implement the pilot program, and will then expand to other majors at our university.
- Currently, some young people are choosing a roundabout path in their careers, meaning they want to earn a university degree in a foreign language before pursuing a second degree in another field they intend to pursue, ensuring they have both foreign language skills and specialized expertise. According to you, what are the downsides of this decision?[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/13/img_0031x.jpg" border="0" alt="Foreign language class of students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities" title="Foreign language class of students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities" width="240" height="129" align="right" ] -
Dr. LQĐThat's a sound decision. Students can pursue both a foreign language and a professional degree concurrently, semi-concurrently, or sequentially, depending on their abilities and circumstances. All three approaches are feasible, and as far as I know, a joint program between the University of Economics and the University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has already begun planning. This program perfectly meets the needs of students, and I believe Vietnam National University, Hanoi, should support it and create a more flexible mechanism, especially regarding tuition fees and financial management, to implement such models. Otherwise, a significant amount of funding will end up in the pockets of universities abroad or their branches in Vietnam, rather than our own university. This would make it even more difficult for Vietnam National University, Hanoi, to achieve its goal of "reaching international standards."
- Can you predict, in the near and distant future, what will be the trends in foreign language teaching in universities and the trends in foreign language use in society?But
Dr. LQĐPredicting the future is difficult. I only have suggestions and observations regarding the trend of learning and training in foreign languages in universities and using foreign languages in society, as mentioned above. This is inevitable if Vietnamese people and Vietnam truly want to improve the quality of education and integrate with the international community "without assimilating," while still preserving our national identity.
- So, what advice would you give to young people who want to have good foreign language skills to advance in their careers?But
Dr. LQĐTo swim as well as Yết Kiêu and Dã Tượng, you must practice swimming every day, with the guidance of a coach. Learning a foreign language is the same. Be proactive and diligent, learn and practice the language everywhere, from every possible source, using appropriate methods. Practice speaking, writing, and thinking "in the foreign language." Utilize all available equipment and materials. Consolidate and expand your foundational knowledge – the historical, cultural, and social background of both your country and the native language, because language use is never separate from that background. These are a few brief words; I hope you find them useful and can apply them to improve your foreign language skills. Good luck!
Thank you, Dr. Lam Quang Dong, for this conversation.
•Thanh Ha (perform)
