Under the impacts of globalisation: the rising power of English as a foreign language (EFL) and the corresponding response of EFL policy in Vietnam

Foreign language planning and policy in developing countries such as Vietnam have been experiencing transformations since the whole nation, heading to a knowledge economy, is subject to the influence of globalisation with cross-border flows of people, ideas, technology advancement and policies. The entrance of international organisations into the country such as the World Bank (WB), World Trade Organisation (WTO) or the participation in regional organisations like Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) or Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have even more accelerated the impacts on the foreign language planning, in which English is put at heart. As part of the vision for the country to be more recognisable in global and regional political, economic and cultural forums, English as a foreign language (EFL) has received fervid support from the Vietnamese government. This has led to numerous changes in the EFL policy during the past decades. The paper will examine how English has gained power in the Vietnamese society, looking emphatically into the push from these international organisations. It will also draw on policy documents regarding the EFL planning policy to shed light on how English is placed within the schooling system in response to globalisation to argue that English is regarded by the Vietnamese government as a powerful tool to mediate its global integration.