UEFers Breaking through the “Intermediate Loop” Barrier on Their Journey to Enhance English Skills

In the quest to master English, many learners have experienced the feeling of being “stuck in place” despite investing considerable time and effort. Starting from this concern, on the morning of December 17, the Faculty of English organized English Workshop 5 with the theme “Breaking The Intermediate Loop,” creating an open, interactive, and practical academic space for students struggling at the intermediate level.

Accompanying UEFers in this program was Mr. Han Ngo, an English Educator at RMIT Vietnam and a Master’s degree holder in TESOL from Sheffield Hallam University, UK. With a solid academic background and practical teaching experience, the speaker guided the session in a friendly and profound manner, helping students reflect on their journey of learning English in a more systematic and scientific way.

Workshop Attracts a Large Number of UEFers, Creating a Vibrant Learning Atmosphere

At the beginning of the program, Mr. Han Ngo established the foundation by clarifying the nature of English as a foreign language. According to the speaker, learning English is not simply about memorizing vocabulary or doing grammar exercises; instead, it is a harmonious combination of two main pillars: systems and skills. The systems include vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, while skills are divided into receptive skills (Listening, Reading) and productive skills (Speaking, Writing). This approach helps students recognize that an imbalance between these two pillars is one of the reasons learning English may not be effective.

A/Prof. Pham Huy Cuong, Head of the Faculty of English, Presents a Thank You Letter to the Speaker

From this foundation, the speaker continued to analyze factors influencing success in learning English, including teaching methods, exposure to the language, motivation, talents, learning strategies, personality traits, and age. Rather than viewing these as fixed barriers, the expert emphasized that learners can proactively adjust their habits and strategies to optimize each factor, thus making sustainable progress in their language proficiency.

One topic that garnered significant interest was the concept of the Learning Curve. The speaker pointed out that the process of learning English is not always a steady upward trajectory; there will be periods of rapid progress and phases of stagnation. Notably, the most common “bottleneck” is the Intermediate Loop. Typical manifestations of this state include understanding more than one can express, a tendency to use familiar vocabulary and structures, and the feeling of not making progress despite consistent study. Accurately naming the issue helped UEFers realize that this stagnation is not a personal failure, but rather a normative phase in the language learning process.

The Speaker’s Own Journey to Master English Provides Strong Inspiration for UEFers

From this understanding, Mr. Han Ngo encouraged learners to question their daily approach to English, including their choice of materials, study duration, and the level of proactivity in using the language. This is viewed as an important starting point to break free from the intermediate loop, as only by identifying ineffective habits can learners make conscious changes.

Through the content “Breaking the Intermediate Loop,” the speaker suggested four significant changes in how to learn English. These changes are transitioning from passive reception to active engagement with the language; moving from rote memorization to flexible use in communication; shifting from familiar expressions to more diverse and nuanced language; and evolving from independent study to feedback-oriented learning. These transitions are seen as keys to help learners overcome feelings of stagnation and achieve sustainable progress at the intermediate level.

UEFers Actively Discussing and Sharing Perspectives with the Speaker

In addition to the expert sharing, the workshop also included interactive group activities, providing opportunities for students to participate directly in discussions and answer questions in English. Through this exchange and mutual feedback, the learning atmosphere became open, allowing students to confidently express their viewpoints while better identifying their English proficiency and areas for improvement in communication.

With a scientific, approachable, and inspiring approach, it is believed that English Workshop 5 helped UEFers reflect on their English learning journey more clearly and realistically. “Breaking the intermediate loop” is no longer an abstract concept but a significant turning point that encourages students to proactively change their mindset, persistently adjust their methods, and learn English more effectively on their journey to conquer new limits.