Abstract
This case study explores the challenges and offers suggestions for Hanoi University of Civil Engineering (HUCE) students who are learning English as a foreign language. While English proficiency is increasingly critical in Vietnam, where international communication is considered essential, especially for engineering students, the current curriculum utilizing “New Headway” at the elementary level - 5th edition, combining partially traditional teaching methods, often fail to engage the students or meet the Ministry of Education’s proficiency requirements. This study, based on 215 student responses, investigates their language skills acquisition, preparation for industry challenges, confidence in classroom discussions, and satisfaction with the training. Findings indicate that most students struggle with vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, and lack motivation and effective orientation. Additionally, the study also highlights the need for innovative teaching methods which might later hamper the progress of enhancing their own language proficiency and ultimately improving their employability and success in the engineering profession. At the end, recommendations and suggestions for further studies are mentioned with the aim of fostering a motivating learning environment.
Author Information
Nguyen Kim Oanh, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, Vietnam
Paper Information
Conference: SEACE2025
Stream: Higher education
This paper is part of the SEACE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Oanh N. (2025) HUCE Engineering Students in Learning a New Language: Challenges and Suggestions ISSN: 2435-5240 The Southeast Asian Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 325-342) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-5240.2025.29
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-5240.2025.29
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