Communicative language approach in Vietnamese English as a foreign language teacher preparation and K-12 context: A qualitative case study

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach was acknowledged as beneficial in developing communicative competence for learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) which is needed in the modern time of international communication. However, studies have shown that it is not often easy to adopt and implement CLT in different teaching contexts that do not bear similar conditions and cultures. CLT approach despite its positive features has been found to be a challenge for EFL teachers in Asia including Vietnam. On that premise, this study investigated the effectiveness of the curriculum used for Vietnamese pre-service EFL teacher preparation with a focus on CLT at a major university in the northern part of Vietnam and its implementation at the K-12 schools. Using a qualitative case study, university instructors and in-service K-12 teachers were invited to provide their perceptions and experiences regarding the effectiveness of the current university curriculum with a focus on the CLT approach and its implementation at K-12 schools. Through individual interviews with four university instructors and five in-service K-12 teachers and utilizing archival data, the findings indicated that the curriculum provided theories and practice of teaching EFL with CLT for pre-service teachers as well as prepared them to overcome some of the challenges working with CLT at K-12 schools. However, other findings also showed that such aspects as practicum, university and K-12 school partnerships, theory and practice connection, contextualization of CLT principles to make them match with Vietnamese context needed improvement. It is clear that some modifications to the curriculum are needed for CLT approach to be fully integrated and practiced in Vietnamese K-12 school context.