Language Education and Research Conference 2024 (LERCON 2024)

On the morning of October 16, 2024, the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking (HUB) successfully convened the scientific conference titled "Language Education and Research 2024" (LERCON 2024).

 

The conference welcomed the participation of Associate Professor Dr. Nguyễn Đức Trung, the Rector of the University, along with the management team of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, faculty members, students, and presenters from various institutions.

 

In his opening address, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyễn Đức Trung commended the Faculty of Foreign Languages for its significant development, which aligns with the university's interdisciplinary growth strategy. He further emphasized that LERCON 2024 is a high-caliber conference, featuring research papers in both English and Chinese. Dr. Trung also highly appreciated the joint efforts of the Organizing Committee and the Faculty of Foreign Languages in organizing the event, expressing hope that next year’s LERCON will expand to a national scale.

 

 

 

The conference featured five research presentations on linguistics, covering skills including listening, speaking, and writing in English, as well as Chinese language studies.

 

The first presentation, delivered by M.A. Nguyễn Thành Tuân and titled “Challenges and Advantages of Implementing the Flex Model Blended Learning in Teaching Business English to Full-Time Students at Ho Chi Minh University of Banking,” highlighted the benefits and significance of applying various Blended Learning models, particularly the Flex Model, in teaching Business English courses at Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking.

 

 

 

The second presentation, titled “Exploring the Effects of MALL Application on Students’ Listening Skills and Learning Motivation,” was delivered by M.A. Hồ Phương Thảo and Ms. Ngô Lê Hoài Nhung from Tôn Đức Thắng University. The focus of the presentation was on the application of information technology in teaching, specifically the use of mobile applications to support students' listening skills. The study shows that the use of apps for practice could lead to improvements in listening skills and increase learner’s motivation.

 

 

 

 

The third presentation, delivered by Dr. Lâm Thành Nam and titled “Washback Effects of School-Based Oral Assessment on Teaching and Learning EFL Speaking Skills,” explored the washback effects caused by speaking assessments at the tertiary level. The study conducted at three universities in Vietnam revealed that assessing speaking skills has positive influences on teaching, such as changes in teaching and learning methods. Additionally, the research suggested ways to address existing limitations in the assessment process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fourth presentation, delivered by M.A. Nguyễn Lê Trâm Anh entitled “Examining Prewriting Activities for English Majors at Ho Chi Minh University of Banking,” addressed the importance of prewriting activities. The motivation for carrying out the research stemmed from the researcher’s observation that students tend to prioritize the acquisition of vocabulary and grammar over brainstorming activities before writing. The study demonstrated that engaging in prewriting activities helps students organize their essays better and improves the overall quality of their writing. The findings suggest that prewriting activity should be regularly implemented in the classroom.

 

 

 

The fifth presentation, titled “Discussing Democracy in Chinese Language Classrooms and How to Implement It,” was delivered by Nguyễn Gia Quy. The focus of the presentation was on making classrooms more democratic and student-centered. After observing a Chinese language class, the researcher highlighted challenges related to traditional beliefs, cultural norms, technology, and resources in the classroom. These factors need to be taken into consideration to foster a more democratic learning environment.

 

 

 

 

The presentations by the representatives of the research groups was followed by a lively discussion among the speakers, faculty members, and students. Through the Q&A session, several research topics on language teaching and learning we discussed, and several fuure research directions were identified.

 

 

In the closing remarks of the conference, M.A. Nguyễn Ngọc Phương Dung, representing the Organizing Committee, acknowledged the contribution of the presenters and participation of the faculty members and students. She expressed hope that LERCON would serve as a bridge to connect researchers, lecturers, doctoral students, and master's students in pursuing language research and education, particularly in foreign languages. Additionally, she expressed a desire to receive future support for LERCON conferences which will expand in its scope next year.