Da Nang moves to make English a second language in schools
DNO - Da Nang is taking steps to make English a more natural part of school life, moving beyond traditional language lessons to create learning environments where students can use English to study, communicate and interact.
At the Nguyen Hue Secondary School in Hai Chau Ward, Da Nang, the effort is taking shape through a pilot model of content and language integrated learning (CLIL), which combines subject knowledge with English instruction.
During a recent training session, teachers observed a bilingual Mathematics lesson designed to demonstrate how subject teachers and English teachers can work together.
Nguyen Van Viet, the Deputy Head of the school’s Foreign Languages Department, used a Grade 6 Mathematics problem to illustrate how English can be incorporated into classroom activities.
The demonstration focused not only on introducing subject-specific vocabulary, but also on choosing appropriate English content, giving classroom instructions in English and creating opportunities for students to interact in both languages.
The school plans to pilot CLIL during the 2026 - 2027 academic year, with the Foreign Languages Department forming a support team for teachers of Mathematics-Informatics, Natural Sciences and Gifted Education.
The approach helps students acquire knowledge in their regular subjects while also giving them opportunities to encounter and use English in the learning process.
Teachers from different disciplines work together from the lesson-planning stage, then jointly assess the results.
Subject teachers evaluate students’ understanding of academic content, while English teachers focus on language use, interaction and students’ ability to apply newly introduced terminology.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to implement the national project to make English a second language in schools for 2025 - 2035, with a vision towards 2045.
From July 13 to August 22, the Da Nang Department of Education and Training also organized a free online self-learning programme for school teachers, using an AI-integrated learning platform.
Meanwhile, local authorities are seeking to expand opportunities for students to use English beyond the classroom.
In Ngu Hanh Son Ward, a partnership with the University of Foreign Language Studies under the University of Da Nang is implementing a programme to strengthen English skills among primary school students from 2026 to 2030.
The programme includes teacher training, English-friendly school models, clubs, festivals and experiential activities, alongside the development of digital learning materials and the use of technology and artificial intelligence.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Long, rector of the university, said early exposure to English can help children develop communication skills, critical thinking and adaptability in an increasingly connected world.
He emphasised that students need opportunities to experience, communicate and interact in English rather than learning the language only within scheduled lessons.
The message was also highlighted at VietTESOL 2026, an international conference hosted in Da Nang under the theme “Repositioning English: From a Foreign Language to a Second Language”.
For Da Nang, the goal is not simply to make English another subject in the curriculum, but to gradually make it a familiar part of everyday school life - a language students can use to learn, connect and engage with the wider world.