What is the official schedule for IOE school-level exam in 2024 in Vietnam? What are the features of the English subject in Vietnam?

What is the official schedule for IOE school-level exam in 2024 in Vietnam?

On October 22, 2024, the Organizing Committee of the Internet Olympiad of English (IOE) issued Guideline 02/2024-2025/HD-IOE, guiding the organization of the IOE School-Level Examination for the academic year 2024-2025, aimed at primary and lower secondary school students in Vietnam.

According to the plan, the IOE school-level examination will be held over three days from November 28 to November 30, 2024, with a total of six examination sessions, applicable for grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Each examination session will be divided into multiple time slots for question openings, and each grade will participate according to the specified time slot.

Detailed information about the examination schedule, sessions, and specific time slots will be announced for students, parents, and schools to track.

Official Schedule for the IOE School-Level Examination in 2024 download

What is the official schedule for IOE school-level exam in 2024 in Vietnam? What are the features of the English subject in Vietnam?​ (image from the Internet)

What are the features of the English subject in Vietnam?

According to the General Education Program for the English subject issued along with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the features of the subject are as follows:

- English is a compulsory subject in the general education curriculum from grade 3 to grade 12. As one of the tool subjects in general schools, English not only helps students form and develop communication skills in English but also contributes to the formation and development of general competencies, to live and work more effectively, to better learn other subjects, and to engage in lifelong learning.

- The English subject provides students with an important international communication tool, helping them exchange information, scientific knowledge, and advanced technology, discovering cultures, thereby contributing to building understanding between peoples, forming a global citizen awareness, and contributing to the development of personal qualities and capabilities. Through learning English and exploring different cultures, students can better understand and appreciate their language and cultural heritage.

- As a compulsory subject in the general education curriculum, English directly relates to and interacts with many other subjects/educational contents such as Literature/Vietnamese, Natural and Social Sciences, History and Geography, Arts, Physical Education, Information Technology, Experience Activities. English is also a tool for teaching and learning other subjects, especially Mathematics and natural science subjects.

- The fundamental objective of the General Education Program for the English subject is to help students form and develop communication skills through practicing listening, speaking, reading, writing, and language knowledge (phonetics, vocabulary, grammar).

The communication skills and language knowledge are built on specific communication competency units, within themes and topics that suit the needs and abilities of school students to help them achieve the requirements specified in the 6-level Foreign Language Competency Framework for Vietnam.

- The content of the General Education Program for the English subject reflects the basic orientations outlined in the overall General Education Program by the Ministry of Education and Training, specifically:

+ At the primary level (grades 3-5), English teaching helps students initially form and develop communication abilities through four skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, with a greater focus on listening and speaking.

+ At the lower secondary level, English teaching continues to help students form and develop communication skills, simultaneously developing thinking skills and enhancing students' understanding of the culture and society of nations around the world as well as a deeper understanding of their culture and society.

+ At the upper secondary level, English teaching assists students in developing English communication skills based on the foundation of the English program at the primary and lower secondary levels, equipping students with lifelong learning skills for continuous learning and future work capability development.

What are the perspectives on constructing the English program in Vietnam?

According to the General Education Program for the English subject issued along with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the perspectives are as follows:

[1] The General Education Program for the English subject adheres to the stipulations stated in the overall General Education Program by the Ministry of Education and Training, including common orientations on viewpoints, objectives, necessary achievements, educational plans, and orientations on educational content, methods, assessment of learning outcomes, and conditions for program implementation.

[2] The General Education Program for the English subject is structured with communication competency as the goal of the teaching process; language knowledge is a means to form and develop communication skills through listening, speaking, reading, writing. At the primary level (grades 3-5), priority should be given to developing listening and speaking skills. At the lower secondary level, communication skills in listening and speaking continue to be developed, with combined skills training to eventually equally develop all four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing at the upper secondary level.

[3] The General Education Program for the English subject is designed based on a system of interrelated themes and topics that are meaningful and suitable for the learning and living environment of students, appropriate for developing communication abilities according to required achievements for each educational level.

The theme and topic system reflects culture that should have national and international aspects; educational content should be selected and can be repeated, expanded over the years in a spiral approach to reinforce and develop students' communication abilities. Through implementing the theme and topic system in the Program, students can also be equipped with content from other subjects at an appropriate and feasible level.

[4] The General Education Program for the English subject ensures that student learning activities are central in the teaching process. English communication skills of students are developed through positive, proactive, creative learning activities. Teachers are organizers and guides during the teaching process, encouraging students to participate in language practice activities to the maximum extent and gradually enhancing self-learning abilities.

[5] The General Education Program for the English subject ensures continuity and connection in English teaching between the primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary levels. The continuity and connection are reflected in that after each educational level, students achieve a proficiency level according to the 6-level Foreign Language Competency Framework for Vietnam.

[6] The General Education Program for the English subject ensures flexibility, adaptability, and openness to meet needs and be suitable for diverse English teaching conditions in different localities.