ABSTRACT

English as a global language strongly influences Vietnam’s policies and practices for foreign language education. The National Foreign Language Project 2008–2020 (NFLP, 2020) has been portrayed as essential for cultivating an innovative, economically responsive, and socially responsible nation capable of regional and international integration. Reforms in English language education in Vietnam have brought about some remarkable changes, one of which is teachers’ professional development. This chapter reports a project aimed at exploring how in-service teachers experience their professional learning in context in Vietnam. More specifically, this study employed activity theory (Engeström, 1987, 2001) to illuminate how in-service teachers develop their professional learning. The data were collected from multiple sources at three schools in urban areas in Vietnam. The findings show a number of issues facing the participants in developing their professional learning in their own teaching contexts. This is significant for determining whether and how the hopes and resources invested in NFLP 2020 actually result in its projected benefits. The study puts forward implications for the design of a model for teacher professional learning.