This paper clarifies the position and characteristics of “Lesson Study” (Jugyo-Kenkyu), focusing on the relations between the current school reforms and lesson study in Vietnam, through multiple analysis of directions and contents of the reforms and field study of the present situation in Nguyen Truc junior high school as a case study which has implemented lesson study in a successful way. In this paper, I will provide some viewpoints on what qualities and abilities school teachers are required to have and what roles lesson study should play in the course of the implementation of new education system in Vietnam.
With intention to achieve this research object, in the first section, official policies related to the new school curriculum and the new textbook authorization system in Vietnam are discussed. In the next section, official policies related to teacher training are analyzed in the light of what school teachers are required in new education system in Vietnam. In the third section, the former style of educational practices and the present situation of educational practices and learning in Nguyen Truc junior high school is analyzed from the two aspects of students’ learning community and teachers’ learning community with special focus on literature class. In the fourth section, the result of a survey on the current situation of “Professional Learning Community” (PLC) in 5 junior high schools in Vietnam, is introduced.
In the light of these points, it is concluded that lesson study has a function to promote the current Vietnam’s school reforms that require school teachers to provide educations for students from creative and integrated perspectives on a student-centered basis as well as a function to contribute to enhance and strengthen collegiality of school teachers in co-building lesson plans, co-reflecting on the classroom practices, and co-choosing textbooks for quality education.