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Keynote Speech #4

A Bibliometric Analysis of English Language Teaching in Vietnam in SCOPUS database between 1992 and 2023: Examining Growth, Research Trends, and Policy Implications

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE

“Toward English as a second language in schools: �What should educational institutions and educators prepare?”

Authors: Nguyen Thi Lien Huong (M.A.), Dr. Pham Hung Hiep, Dr. Tran Thi Tuyet

Presenter: Nguyen Thi Lien Huong

Background & Rationale

• ELT expansion in Vietnam driven by national policies and globalisation.
• Key policy: Project 2008–2020 – improving foreign language proficiency across all education levels.
• Growth of English-Medium-Instruction programs through Joint Training Programs (JTPs) & Advanced Programs in higher education.
• Shift in research publishing: From domestic to international publications.

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→ Need for a comprehensive understanding of ELT research development, key hubs, and thematic trends.

→ Assess methodological patterns and research gaps to inform future directions.

Research Objectives

1️⃣ Examine the current state of ELT research in Vietnam – volume, trajectory, and educational levels covered.

2️⃣ Identify key research hubs (institutions, authors, and publishing trends).

3️⃣ Analyse thematic trends – what has been studied, what gaps remain.

4️⃣ Evaluate methodological approaches – qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods.

5️⃣ Provide insights for future research directions to support ELT development.

Research questions

1. How has the volume and trajectory of ELT research in Vietnam evolved over time, and how does it address different educational levels (K-12, higher education, vocational education, lifelong learning)?
2. What methodological approaches are most commonly used in ELT research in Vietnam, and how does their distribution impact the depth and generalizability of findings?
3. What are the main publishing outlets and institutional contributors to ELT research in Vietnam, and how do research networks, including international collaborations, shape academic output?
4. What are the major thematic and emerging trends in ELT research in Vietnam, and what future directions can be anticipated?

Methodology: Bibliometric

• Bibliometric analysis method to synthesize, evaluate and visualize research data
• Database: SCOPUS
• Time: 1992 - 2023
• Dataset (after screening for eligibility): 524 publications
• VOS Viewer for visualizing scientific landscape

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

RQ1: Publication Growth

RQ1: Types of Publications

RQ1: Educational Levels

• HE dominance → reflecting emphasis on EMI and internationalisation of VN universities.
• Limited research in K-12 → insufficient attention toward school level.
• LLL and TVET underexplored → gap in research on adult learners and workforce-oriented English training.
• No research on ECE → gap in understanding early English acquisition.

RQ2: Methodological Approaches

• Qualitative research dominates → strong preference for in-depth exploration of language learning and teaching experiences.
• Efforts to integrate quali- and quanti- approaches for more comprehensive analysis.
• Fewer studies focus on statistical or experimental approaches in ELT.
• Others = conceptual, review, reflective, analytical, case-study-based research.

RQ2: Methodological Approaches

RQ3: Publishing Outlets

RQ3: Geographical Distribution

63

23

13

RQ3: Affiliations

RQ3: Affiliations

• Traditional hubs: Uni of Queensland, Monash, VNU, etc.
• Emerging hubs: UDN, CTU, FPT, UEH.
• Limited collaboration among VN HEIs.

RQ3: Authors & Research Groups

RQ3: Authors & Research Groups

RQ3: Research Outputs

• High research output, low citation impact: Vietnamese scholars publish extensively but struggle with international visibility.
• Australian universities lead in citation impact → International collaboration is key to research influence and access to prestigious publishing outlets, stronger research funding, and wider dissemination networks.
• Expanding research landscape: Emerging researchers and institutions are gaining recognition beyond traditional hubs.
• Geographical imbalance in research output: VNU Hanoi remains a key but traditional hub, while recent domestic research growth is concentrated in the South (Can Tho University, UEH, HCMUT).
• More research collaboration is needed.

RQ4: Thematic Trends (Sources)

Innovations and Practices in ELT and Applied Linguistics

Language Policy, Planning & Teacher Professional Development

Educational Research and Technology Integration

Open Access and Multidisciplinary Research

RQ4: Thematic Trends (Docs)

ELT in Vietnam: Pedagogical approaches, cultural perspectives, and policy implications

EMI in Vietnam and Asia: Challenges, policies and teacher agency

Language Policy and Planning in Vietnam and Southeast Asia

Learner perspectives and psychological factors in English language learning

English language teacher education and professional development

Corrective feedback in ELT

Teacher identity, cultural diversity and metaphorical language in ELT

Network representation → showing thematic clusters

RQ4: Thematic Trends (Docs)

ELT in Vietnam: Pedagogical approaches, cultural perspectives, and policy implications

EMI in Vietnam and Asia: Challenges, policies and teacher agency

Language Policy and Planning in Vietnam and Southeast Asia

Learner perspectives and psychological factors in English language learning

English language teacher education and professional development

Corrective feedback in ELT

Teacher identity, cultural diversity and metaphorical language in ELT

Overlay representation → showing temporal prevalence

RQ4: Keyword Analysis

Teacher development and classroom practices

EFL teaching and learning strategies

Language policy, identity and regional context

Technology and digital learning in ELT

Specialized Areas in ELT

EMI and Higher Education

Network representation → showing thematic clusters

RQ4: Keyword Analysis

Teacher development and classroom practices

EFL teaching and learning strategies

Language policy, identity and regional context

Technology and digital learning in ELT

Specialized Areas in ELT

EMI and Higher Education

Overlay representation → showing temporal prevalence

RQ4: Research trends

Current & emerging trends

• Corrective feedback in ELT
• Learner perspectives and psychology
• EFL teaching and learning strategies
• Teacher identity & cultural diversity
• Technology and digital innovation in ELT research

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Traditional but returning trends

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• EMI & teacher agency
• Language policy and planning

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CONCLUSION

Implications

Policy implications

• Strengthen international collaboration and research mobility.
• Conduct long-term assessments of national ELT policies (e.g. Decision No. 1400/QĐ-TTg).
• Support emerging research institutions with funding and policy incentives.
• Issue policies to reduce geographical research imbalance.

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Research implications

• Expand ELT research beyond HE to K12, TVET, LLL and ECE.
• Diversify methodologies → integrate quantitative, experimental and longitudinal studies.
• Fill gaps in learner-centered ELT research: motivation, anxiety, self-efficacy
• Expand research on technology-enhanced learning, long-term impacts on language assessment, etc.

Limitations

• Scopus database coverage → exclude non-indexed, Vietnamese-language and grey literature (government reports, conference proceedings)
• Publication bias → focus on English-language, peer-reviewed sources, underrepresenting local research.
• Methodological constraints → measure quantity, not research quality or impact.
• Time frame limitations → may not fully capture emerging trends.
• Thematic classification → keyword-based clustering may oversimplify interdisciplinary research.

Thank you!