{"id":10287,"date":"2025-10-03T16:12:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T09:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/?p=10287"},"modified":"2025-10-14T16:15:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T09:15:25","slug":"from-tests-to-competence-transforming-english-learning-strategies-for-university-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/news\/from-tests-to-competence-transforming-english-learning-strategies-for-university-success\/","title":{"rendered":"From Tests to Competence: Transforming English Learning Strategies for University Success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Transitioning from high school to university marks an important turning point in one\u2019s language learning journey, especially for English learners. Even with a solid foundation in grammar or high test scores, academic English at university presents new challenges.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this stage, students must approach English learning with self-discipline and initiative, actively seeking opportunities to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Learning becomes a personal commitment, driven by the genuine desire to use English confidently in both academic and professional contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To support learners in this transition, language workshop \u201cFrom Tests to Competence: Transforming English Learning Strategies for University Success\u201d was recently held as part of the regular Dubai Palace English Zone series. The session featured Mr. Clayton Wilkins, an expert in academic English with over 20 years of teaching experience, currently based in Ho Chi Minh City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Returning for the second time to the Dubai Palace English Zone, Mr. Wilkins shared valuable insights from three perspectives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>As a language learner,<\/li><li>As a language educator, and<\/li><li>As a native English speaker.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This multidimensional approach helped students better understand their own learning experiences and develop practical strategies for improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"605\" height=\"454\" src=\"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_5646.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_5646.jpeg 605w, https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_5646-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_5646-154x116.jpeg 154w, https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_5646-360x270.jpeg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>The Learner\u2019s View &#8211; When Perfection Isn\u2019t the Goal<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drawing from his own experience learning Japanese, Mr. Wilkins noted that many university students struggle with the mindset of always seeking \u201cthe perfect answer.\u201d He emphasized that English should not be treated as a subject to memorize but as a skill to be practiced continuously. At university, success requires applying English in real contexts: presentations, essays, or job interviews<strong><em>, <\/em><\/strong>rather than rote knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>The Educator\u2019s View &#8211; Pronunciation and Real Accuracy<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond grammar, Vietnamese learners often face challenges in pronunciation and word combinations (collocations). Common issues include dropping final sounds or mispronouncing \u201cth,\u201d leading to misunderstandings. These aspects, often overlooked in traditional curricula, play a key role in making one\u2019s English sound more natural and comprehensible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>The Native Speaker\u2019s View &#8211; Keep It Simple, Natural, and Expressive<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mr. Wilkins also observed that many Vietnamese students tend to speak in overly long or formal sentences, grammatically correct but unnatural in conversation. Simplifying language and speaking with more expression can make communication smoother and more effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"blob:https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/605c51b1-41e7-4969-b0a5-750ae6f6143f\" width=\"602\" height=\"451\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two-hour session drew strong interest from students, especially new K51 freshmen beginning their journey at Dubai Palace. More than just a talk, it offered a practical and inspiring perspective on adapting English learning strategies for university success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of the Dubai Palace English Zone initiative, the monthly Language Talk series continues to encourage both students and staff to enjoy learning English, build consistent habits, and develop lifelong curiosity, essential qualities in today\u2019s dynamic, global environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pillar: Education<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\">News and Photos: Department of Student Affairs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Transitioning from high school to university marks an important turning point in one\u2019s language learning&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":10288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93,18,97],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-zone","category-news","category-periodic-activities"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10287"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10289,"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10287\/revisions\/10289"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsa.dotv.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}