Abstract

This article examines the phenomenon of silence in foreign language classrooms at Vietnamese universities from psychological, cultural, and classroom-environment perspectives. Drawing on theories of foreign language anxiety and language acquisition, this article argues that silence should not be viewed solely as a negative behavior, but also as a strategic and active learning process among students. Drawing on theoretical perspectives and recent empirical studies, this article calls for a more flexible and comprehensive view of silence in the process of foreign language teaching and learning. Based on this perspective, this article proposes several pedagogical strategies to create a psychologically safe learning environment, reduce communication pressure, and encourage students to participate more confidently in foreign language interactions in the classroom.

Keywords: Classroom silence, foreign language teaching, higher education, learning strategies, student participation.