VNU Journal of Foreign Studies

VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs <div class="description-journal"> <div class="description-journal"> The Journal of Science was established in 1985 for the publication of national and international research papers in all fields of natural sciences and technology, social sciences and humanities. Since then, the journal has grown in quality, size and scope and now comprises a dozen of serials spanning academic research. With the rapid expansion of the field of Economics, the VNU Journal of Science is delighted to announce the launch of the VNU Journal of Science: Foreign Studies (JS: FS) since 2002. This serial publication provides researchers with the opportunity to publish research covering aspects in these areas in the popular VNU Journal of Science series. As a fully open access publication, the journal will provide maximum exposure for published articles, making the research available to all to read and share. The journal will be published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December. Scope JS: FS is an open access journal publishing double-blinded peer-reviewed research papers, discussions and reviews dealing with Linguistics, Foreign language education, International studies, Related social sciences and humanities. Peer Review Process Any manuscript followed the journal’s scope and author guideline will be assigned to the managing editors. All manuscripts have undergone editorial screening and anonymous double-blind peer-review by the at least one independent expert in the field. The managing editor makes an editorial decision, which is subject to endorsement by the Editor – in Chief. Abstracting and Indexing </div> </div> en-US tapchincnn@vnu.edu.vn (Tạp chí Nghiên cứu nước ngoài) tapchincnn@vnu.edu.vn (VNU Journal of Foreign Studies) Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:57:16 +0000 OJS 3.2.1.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IMPLEMENTATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT COURSES: PERSPECTIVES FROM LECTURERS AND STUDENTS AT HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5851 This study explores the implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) in language skills development courses for English majors at Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE). The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, collecting quantitative data through questionnaires with 207 students and 18 lecturers, and qualitative data through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with selected lecturers. The findings demonstrate that lecturers and students generally perceived DI as necessary; however, its implementation was uneven. In addition, DI implementation was limited to content and process differentiation, while product and learning environment differentiation were less evident. The findings also identify a number of factors that influenced the implementation of DI, including large class sizes, limited lesson duration, rigorous curriculum, learner diversity and other teacher-related factors. The study suggests that a clearer insight into the concept and greater support from the university are required to enhance DI implementation in university English classrooms. Tuan Anh Trieu Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5851 Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 UNDERSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT EMOTIONS AND LEARNER ENGAGEMENT IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CONTEXTS THROUGH CONTROL-VALUE THEORY: A NARRATIVE REVIEW https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5767 Guided by the Control-Value Theory (CVT) (Pekrun, 2006), this narrative review synthesizes the existing literature on the relationship between achievement emotions and engagement in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education context. This paper reviews studies since the early introduction of CVT in 2002 up to the present (2026) in order to focus on both foundational concepts and the most recent developments in the field. Emotions such as enjoyment, boredom, and anxiety affect behavioral, cognitive, and social engagement via cognitive and self-regulatory pathways; however, the findings have been inconsistent across contexts highlighting how emotional valence and activation level lead to these inconsistencies. The review also explores the reciprocal relationship between achievement emotions and engagement, wherein emotions impact engagement, and engagement also influences emotions in return. It is also important to adopt context-sensitive research approaches or employ mixed-methods studies to effectively capture both individual emotional trajectories and generalizable patterns in learners’ achievement emotions. Optimizing students' achievement emotions is therefore critical to sustaining high-quality engagement in the EFL classroom. Thi Diem Hang Hoang Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5767 Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 A FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING DIGITAL ASSESSMENT LITERACY OF LANGUAGE TEACHERS: THE EXPERTS’ FEEDBACK https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5696 Assessment has long been acknowledged as a crucial part of teaching practices, which serves multiple purposes including providing feedback and enhancing learners’ performance (Brown, 2004). In the current era of technology and artificial intelligence (AI), teachers have employed a wide range of online assessment platforms and tools to deliver tests, maintain interaction, and provide feedback to students. In this context, teachers’ language assessment literacy increasingly encompasses digital assessment literacy. Meanwhile, the term “digital assessment literacy” has not been clearly and consistently defined. In the existing literature, “digital assessment literacy” is often separated into “assessment literacy” and “digital literacy” or is defined through a simple or mechanical combination of these two literacies. This study proposes a conceptual framework for examining the digital assessment literacy (DAL) of language teachers and conducts an exploratory content validation through expert consultation. The framework is constructed on the basis of related models of assessment literacy and digital literacy (Davies, 2008; Fulcher, 2012; Pill & Harding, 2013; Taylor, 2013; UNESCO, 2018). Experts in the field of education, including those specialized in assessment and technology, were invited to provide feedback on the proposed framework, specifically its components and sub-components. Feedback on the plausibility and content relevance of the framework as well as other specific comments relating to necessary additions, omissions, or revisions were taken into consideration. The refined framework may serve as a conceptual foundation for further research on stakeholders’ perceptions of language teachers’ digital assessment literacy and its impact on teaching and assessment practices. Quynh Hoa Nguyen Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5696 Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 PERCEIVED DIFFICULTY AND TRANSLATION PERFORMANCE IN CULTURE-SPECIFIC ELEMENTS: EVIDENCE FROM EFL LEARNERS https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5828 Culture-specific elements are widely recognised as challenging in translation, yet the alignment between learners’ perceived difficulties and their actual performance remains underexplored. This study examines these dimensions together with students’ perceived causes of difficulty in translating culture-specific elements. A mixed-methods design was adopted, combining questionnaire data from 113 students with analysis of translation outputs from a subset of 40 students. The findings show that the learners tended to regard idioms and proverbs and culturally marked items as difficult, while perceiving more familiar elements, such as food and forms of address, as less challenging. However, translation performance varied considerably across categories, with over-literal translations and inadequate cultural renderings accounting for more than 80% of responses. The results also indicate only partial alignment between perceived difficulty and observed performance, suggesting that learners’ awareness does not fully capture the complexity of translation tasks. These findings highlight the importance of integrating cultural knowledge, strategic awareness, and reflective practice in translation instruction. Thi Mai Huong Tran, Thanh Tra La Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5828 Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 EVALUATING THE LEVEL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING INVESTMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON DARVIN AND NORTON’S INVESTMENT MODEL IN A VIETNAMESE UNIVERSITY https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5692 The level of investment in foreign language learning plays a decisive role in the success of the foreign language learning process and contributes significantly to promoting professional development. This study explores the basic concepts of investment in foreign language learning based on the investment model of Darvin and Norton (2015) and professional development activities in the context of a university in Vietnam. Based on the investment model of Darvin and Norton (2015), the study delves into three factors including identity, capital, and ideology that affect the level of investment in foreign language learning for professional development. Utilizing methods including interviews, observation, and document analysis, the study's findings reveal the complex interaction among identity, capital, and ideology in shaping learners' investment orientation toward professional growth, concurrently illustrating the extent of the research subjects' foreign language learning investment for professional development. Based on this in-depth perspective on learner investment in language learning within the Vietnamese university context, these findings offer valuable theoretical and practical insights into language education. The research specifically concerns the factors affecting learner investment in foreign language study for professional development based on the three core components consisting of identity, capital, and ideology. The study simultaneously evaluates the level of foreign language learning investment in a university setting in Vietnam. Thi Mien Nguyen Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5692 Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF STUDENTS’ EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN TASK-BASED EFL READING LESSONS https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5722 This study investigates how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university students’ emotional engagement develops over time across task-based reading lessons. Adopting a short-term longitudinal mixed-methods design, the data were collected from 66 Vietnamese EFL students over five task-based reading lessons within half a semester. The quantitative data were collected via repeated questionnaires administered after each reading task, while the qualitative data were obtained from follow-up interviews with ten selected students. The quantitative results revealed a significant change in emotional engagement across tasks, with engagement increasing after the initial task, peaking midway through the sequence, and declining slightly in the final task. The qualitative findings further showed that students’ emotional engagement was characterized by evolving patterns of enjoyment, enthusiasm, curiosity, and limited boredom, which were closely related to task design, topic relevance, interaction, and novelty. The findings indicate that emotional engagement in task-based reading lessons is dynamic and task-sensitive rather than stable over time. The study highlights the importance of sequencing and designing reading tasks that sustain positive emotional engagement throughout a task sequence in EFL classrooms. Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc, Tran Ba Tien Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5722 A REVIEW OF TOURISTS’ READERSHIP IN THE LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5850 This article reviews the literature of Linguistic Landscape studies in tourism discourse to examine how the tourists read and experience the Linguistic Landscape. 19 peer-reviewed journal articles were examined and included in the literature. The selection criteria consist of topic relevance and the content focus. The research procedures involve searching and screening databases to gather relevant data before synthesizing the retrieved information. The findings indicate that the readership of tourists: (1) can be conceptualized from psychological, sociological, spatial, and ideological dimensions; (2) can be investigated primarily through the implementation of structured questionnaires, physiological experiments, interviews and participant observation; (3) is fundamentally characterized through the symbolic consumption of local scripts, the active co-construction of space through subjective experiences, and the multimodal, holistic engagement with non-textual semiotic resources. This review highlights the optimization of the Linguistic Landscape to enhance the tourist experience and underpin tourism management practices. Linh Phuong Dam Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5850 TIME PRESSURE, ANXIETY, AND COPING STRATEGIES IN VSTEP WRITING TASK 2: A QUALITATIVE STUDY WITH A2 EFL LEARNERS https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5730 This small-scale qualitative study explores how first-year English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students perceived time pressure, experienced anxiety, and explained their coping strategies while completing a timed VSTEP Writing Task 2 essay. The study involved 10 students in an intensive English program at a Vietnamese university whose entry proficiency was approximately A2 CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and who were working toward B2/VSTEP-related demands. The data were drawn from timed 40-minute essays, immediate post-task written reflections, and task-elicited interviews conducted within one week. Using reflexive thematic analysis, the study examined the learners’ reported perceptions of time pressure, anxiety triggers, and coping rationales. The findings suggest that the participants commonly experienced timed writing through persistent clock awareness, difficulty initiating and sustaining ideas, fear of not finishing, and reliance on completion-oriented strategies such as simplification, content reduction, and limited revision. The study offers a context-specific qualitative account that may inform pedagogical support for lower-proficiency learners preparing for timed argumentative writing in VSTEP-related contexts. Ha Phuong Nghiem Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5730 CONTEXTUAL INFLUENCES ON ASSESSMENT IDENTITY: VIETNAMESE EFL LECTURERS’ FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN THE MEKONG DELTA https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5775 This study examines how contextual factors shape the assessment identity of Vietnamese EFL university lecturers and the adaptive strategies they employ in formative assessment practices, drawing on the frameworks of Looney et al. (2018) and Xu and Brown (2016). The semi-structured interviews with 15 EFL lecturers from the Mekong Delta region were analyzed thematically within a qualitative research design, and two interrelated themes were identified: (1) assessment identities shaped by resource constraints, workload pressures, institutional policy tensions, and cultural values - particularly face-saving principles - that fundamentally affect feedback delivery and student interactions; and (2) lecturers’ professional resourcefulness in employing diverse methodologies, creative task design, selective technology integration, and student-responsive differentiation to enhance assessment effectiveness despite contextual limitations. Critically, the findings extend Looney et al.’s (2018) framework by demonstrating that cultural competence constitutes an integral additional dimension of assessment identity in Vietnamese EFL contexts, with assessment identity developing through continuous negotiation between pedagogical ideals and contextual realities, characterized by professional agency and creative problem-solving. These findings contribute to understanding professional identity development in resource-constrained settings and offer implications for designing professional development programs that build on lecturers’ practical strengths, address contextual adaptation strategies, develop cultural competence, and foster collaborative learning communities in similar EFL higher education contexts. Thi Bich Phuong Ly, Hoang Yen Phuong Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5775 EXAMINERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF A COMPUTER-ASSISTED ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5691 Computer-assisted language testing (CALT) is of great development in the last ten years thanks to the technological advances in the 4.0 era and due to the COVID-19. Increasingly, test takers - including young learners - are becoming accustomed to completing both standardized and classroom-based assessments online or with digital support. Widely recognized platforms such as IELTS, APTIS, and Duolingo exemplify this shift toward digital testing environments. Simultaneously, educators are gaining experience in transitioning from traditional paper-based assessments to computer-based formats. This evolution raises important questions about how examiners perceive and assess language performance in digital contexts. It is noteworthy to listen to examiners’ voices in regard to evaluating performances on computers or with computer support (Forrester, 2020; Yulianto & Mujtahid, 2021). This study investigates Vietnamese examiners’ perceptions on a specific computer-based English proficiency test. The qualitative data collected from focus-group discussions with six examiners provided insightful information on their perceptions and experiences on the test. Their insights offer a nuanced understanding of how they experienced digital interfaces, and how test takers are assessed with such an assessment mode. The findings from this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the human dimension in CALT, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in digital assessment, especially the role of examiner agency and reflective practice in shaping reliable assessment. Thi Phuong Thao Nguyen Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5691 RETHINKING ASSESSMENT: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN THE AI ERA https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5681 This article re-examines the role of assessment within the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing specifically on differentiated instruction. As AI tools become more integrated into education, traditional, one-size-fits-all assessment methods are proving to be inadequate for capturing the full scope of student learning. This paper argues for a paradigm shift, urging educators to rethink assessment by embracing a differentiated approach where students can demonstrate their mastery through diverse and creative products. We explore how AI can serve as a powerful ally in this process, offering new ways to automate feedback, analyze complex student outputs, and provide personalized support that goes beyond conventional grading. However, this shift also presents significant challenges, including concerns about academic integrity and the ethical use of AI. By reviewing current literature and proposing a forward-looking framework, this paper highlights the potential of AI to not only streamline the assessment process but also cultivate a more equitable and student-centered learning environment. Hoai Thu Trinh Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5681 REIMAGINING ACADEMIC LITERACY IN THE GENERATIVE AI ERA: ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR DISCIPLINARY LEARNING IN EMI ECONOMICS PROGRAMS https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5699 Students studying English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) programs, particularly in economics, often face challenges due to students’ insufficient academic literacy and content-language misalignment. The rapid rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) introduces a new dilemma; while it potentially displaces low-level linguistic tasks, it also raises worries about academic integrity and learning competence. This study evaluates academic skill deficits in preparatory courses (Pre-EMI courses) and examines students’ shifting perceptions of essential disciplinary literacies in the AI era. To achieve this aim, an explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used. To be specific, a quantitative survey (N=64) and qualitative interviews (N=5) gathered data from senior economics students on the effectiveness of preparatory courses, the necessity of 21 academic skills, and their value shift due to Generative AI. The quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and the qualitative data were analyzed thematically to reveal a significant preparedness deficit across all skills, notably in critical evaluation of information, argument development in academic writing, and higher-order analytical skills. Importantly, although AI reduces the need for basic linguistic mechanics, the students affirm the importance of higher-order cognitive skills such as critical analysis, data interpretation, and discipline-specific reasoning. The findings confirm that success in EMI requires procedural disciplinary literacy and thus, suggest an urgent need to restructure preparation courses to integrate discipline-specific skills and critical AI literacy to close the identified skill gaps. Thi Huyen Trang Tran Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5699 TEACHER CONCEPTUAL CHANGE IN TESTING AND ASSESSMENT IN THE ERA OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BOOM https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5695 With the boom of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the past few years, the impact of those tools in education is undeniable. Besides the benefits of AI in reducing lesson planning and content design, teachers also face significant challenges in maintaining fairness and validity in testing and assessment. Through a mixed-methods approach employing a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, this study aims to investigate teachers’ conceptual change in testing and assessment in the context of AI boom in terms of their perceptions of AI’s general effects on assessment, the things that motivate or hinder teachers’ use of AI, their concerns about the use of AI, and the process in which their conceptual change occurred. The research findings show that teachers demonstrate different levels of conceptual change because they understand AI assessment transformation potential, yet lack knowledge about sophisticated AI-based methods. The biggest concerns among the participants include a lack of digital proficiency as well as a fear of reduced teacher agency and academic integrity, which also suggests the need for additional measures to enhance teacher AI literacy, foster ethical use of assessment, and support pedagogical innovation. The concerns indicate that their conceptual change process remains in progress. This research contributes to understanding how educators can effectively navigate the evolving demands of testing and assessment in a rapidly digitizing educational landscape. Thanh Van Nguyen Copyright (c) 2026 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5695