[Reading level: B2 – Upper Intermediate]
Many years ago, I was quite surprised to find that my writing score was lower than my younger sister’s in an IELTS exam.
At the time, I was teaching English for an Australian-funded training project, using English daily at work—writing reports, even composing academic studies published in international journals. Meanwhile, my sister was merely a student majoring in biology.
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She had spent several months preparing systematically at a reputable center, determined to win a scholarship in Australia, while I took the test with minimal preparation. This made me realize that there is a significant difference between actual language ability and the score of a standardized test. It also explains why many people distinguish between learning to earn a certificate and learning to use the language.
Having taught and learned foreign languages for over three decades, both in Vietnam and abroad, I understand that people have diverse motivations for studying languages. Some learn out of passion, others to win scholarships, find jobs, or pass certain exams. None of these motivations are wrong—because learning a foreign language always starts from a personal need, and those needs are entirely valid.
I once taught at several public schools in Vietnam, where English learning mainly revolved around grammar and test preparation. Many students excelled at sentence structures and exercises but could not form a complete sentence when meeting a foreigner. In a monolingual environment, it’s hard to ask students to “learn for communication,” especially when all surrounding pressure is geared toward exams.
Later, when teaching in university foundation programs in Australia and encountering students from various countries, I also saw cases where students had relatively high IELTS scores but still struggled with academic communication and critical thinking in English. This shows that many teachers and learners focus too heavily on scores and certificates, instead of cultivating language use as a living tool.
I agree with the view that learning a language is for communication, study, and working in a changing world.
However, based on my teaching experience in Vietnam, I realize that “learning for communication”—although ideal—is not always feasible in many current educational environments. Overcrowded classrooms, limited class hours, curricula heavy on grammar and translation, combined with a lack of natural communication environments, make it difficult for both teachers and students to develop real-world language skills. Many studies have also shown that in non-English-speaking countries, the goal of learning a foreign language for communication—though considered ideal in theory and policy—is difficult to achieve in practice. Therefore, “learning to communicate” easily becomes more of a slogan than an effective and realistic educational practice.
In this context, studying for international certificates such as IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge English can still be a temporary solution—or even a visionary and practical choice. These standardized tests—if taught and learned correctly—still bring many benefits to learners. Many high school and university students preparing for IELTS shared that the process of training in all four skills—especially reading and writing—helped them seriously engage with reasoning and logical argumentation for the first time. These are abilities that are rarely developed methodically in school or even university curricula. As such, preparing for IELTS is not merely about passing a test—it becomes a journey of intellectual discovery, full of challenges and excitement. Many even feel that, compared to the initial goal of “getting the certificate,” the development of deeper thinking and language skills makes the learning experience far more enjoyable and meaningful.
After completing the exam, those skills and knowledge are not left behind—they continue to be useful in work, study, and daily life. Some regional studies also point out that standardized tests can act as “motivational agents,” giving learners clear direction and driving them to improve their overall language proficiency—so long as test preparation isn’t reduced to shortcuts and rote learning.
In reality, international certificates are also “academic passports,” serving as prerequisites for many Vietnamese students to access global learning and career opportunities.
Moreover, in Vietnam’s educational system—where assessment is often tightly tied to exam results—owning a reliable language certificate can help reduce pressure from domestic tests and open up more flexible pathways for advancement. If we can shift our approach from “studying to cope with tests” to “learning to understand and to use language in real life,” then the certificate is no longer the final destination, but a milestone marking a serious and goal-oriented learning journey.
The problem in foreign language education does not simply lie in whether the goal is to “study for the test,” “earn a certificate,” or “learn to communicate.” The core question that must be asked is: How are we doing it?
As educators or policymakers, the important thing is not choosing sides between “learning to communicate” and “learning to pass exams,” but rather how we can accompany learners on their journey to explore their true motivations—whether those are short-term goals or long-term visions.
Source: https://vnexpress.net/tam-ho-chieu-ielts-4883941.html
WORD BANK:
compose sth /kəmˈpoʊz/ (v): biên soạn cái gì
merely /ˈmɪr.li/ (adv): chỉ
major in sth /ˈmeɪ.dʒɚ/ (v): học chuyên ngành gì
systematically /ˌsɪs.təˈmæt̬.ɪ.kəl.i/ (adv): một cách bài bản
reputable /ˈrep.jə.t̬ə.bəl/ (adj): uy tín
determined to do sth /dɪˈtɝː.mɪnd/ [B2] (adj): quyết tâm làm gì
standardized test /ˈstæn.dɚ.daɪzd test/ (n): kỳ thi chuẩn hóa
distinguish between sth and sth /dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/ [B2] (v): phân biệt giữa cái gì và cái gì
earn a certificate /ɝːn ə sərˈtɪf.ə.kət/ (v): lấy chứng chỉ
diverse /daɪˈvɝːs/ [B2] (adj): đa dạng
out of sth /aʊt əv/ (prep): vì cái gì
passion /ˈpæʃ.ən/ [B2] (n): đam mê
valid /ˈvæl.ɪd/ [B2] (adj): chính đáng
revolve around sth /rɪˈvɑːlv/ (v): xoay quanh cái gì
excel at sth /ɪkˈsel/ [C1] (v): giỏi cái gì
monolingual /ˌmɑː.noʊˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/ (adj): đơn ngữ
gear sth toward sth /ɡɪr/ (v): hướng cái gì tới cái gì
struggle with sth /ˈstrʌɡ.əl/ [B2] (v): gặp khó khăn trong việc gì
critical thinking /ˈkrɪt̬.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/ (n): tư duy phản biện
cultivate sth /ˈkʌl.tə.veɪt/ [C1] (v): trau dồi, phát triển cái gì
feasible /ˈfiː.zə.bəl/ [C1] (adj): khả thi
curriculum /kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/ [C1] (n): chương trình học
in practice /ɪn ˈpræk.tɪs/ (phr): trong thực tế
a temporary solution /ə ˈtem.pə.rer.i səˈluː.ʃən/ (n): một giải pháp tình thế
visionary /ˈvɪʒ.ən.er.i/ [C2] (adj): có tầm nhìn
engage with sth /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/ [B2] (v): tương tác với cái gì
reasoning /ˈriː.zən.ɪŋ/ [C1] (n): lập luận
methodically /məˈθɑː.dɪ.kəl.i/ (adv): một cách bài bản
a journey of intellectual discovery /ə ˈdʒɝː.ni əv ˌɪn.t̬əlˈek.tʃu.əl dɪˈskʌv.ɚ.i/ (n): quá trình khai phá trí óc
initial /ɪˈnɪʃ.əl/ [B2] (adj): ban đầu
motivational agents /ˌmoʊ.t̬əˈveɪ.ʃən.əl ˈeɪ.dʒənts/ (n): tác nhân thúc đẩy
shortcut /ˈʃɔːrt.kʌt/ (n): đường tắt, học mẹo
rote learning /roʊt ˈlɝː.nɪŋ/ (n): học tủ
prerequisite /ˌpriːˈrek.wə.zɪt/ [C1] (n): điều kiện cần
flexible /ˈflek.sə.bəl/ [B2] (adj): linh hoạt
pathway /ˈpæθ.weɪ/ (n): con đường
shift to sth /ʃɪft/ (v): chuyển sang cái gì
approach /əˈproʊtʃ/ [B2] (n): cách tiếp cận
milestone /ˈmaɪl.stoʊn/ [C1] (n): cột mốc
oriented /ˈɔːr.i.ən.t̬ɪd/ (adj): có định hướng
core /kɔːr/ [C1] (adj/n): cốt lõi
long-term /ˌlɑːŋˈtɝːm/ (adj): lâu dài
vision /ˈvɪʒ.ən/ [C1] (n): tầm nhìn
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