Vietnamese language teaching doubled for Ethnic minority children

BTO - Enhancing Vietnamese language teaching for preschool and elementary school students in ethnic minority areas has contributed to improving their abilities and basic skills in using Vietnamese. Moreover, creating a premise for children to learn and acquire knowledge of the next grades in the best way.

The project "Enhancing Vietnamese language for preschool and elementary school students in ethnic minority areas" in the period of 2016-2020 has been implemented in 50 schools, 282 groups, preschool classes, 47 schools, and 66  ethnic minority primary schools in 7 districts in the province (Tuy Phong, Bac Binh, Ham Thuan Bac, Ham Thuan Nam, Tanh Linh, Ham Tan, Duc Linh). According to the evaluation of the Department of Education and Training (DoET), the province has implemented the project after 5 years (2016-2020).

There were 4,892 out of 9,557 ethnic minority (EM) children of preschool moving up to primary school accounted for 51.19% while 100% of EMC have get enhanced with Vietnamese language. As a result, children are capable of acquiring and understanding Vietnamese language. They often communicate in Vietnamese bravely and confidently in preparation for entering grade one. As for primary school, the quality of Vietnamese learning are also improved significantly, especially the ability to use Vietnamese among students in grades 2 to 5. Most of the children have the ability to speak, listen, comprehend and communicate in daily activities and meet learning requirements.

In order to get that result, in recent years, the provincial education branch has implemented many practical solutions with high efficiency. For primary schools, under the guideline of school-year tasks, the Department of Education and Training has directed its subordinate divisions to urge schools with EM students to organize Vietnamese language enhancement for kids in summer in preparation for their first grade. During the school year, those schools have extended teaching Vietnamese periods (from 350 periods up to 500 periods for grade 1 students), while increasing the integration of teaching Vietnamese in subjects and educational activities. They can also apply second language teaching methods to teach Vietnamese language.

Additionally, it needs to increase Vietnamese speaking time for students, and apply appropriate methods depending on the subjects, but focusing on the factors that both transfer the knowledge of the lesson and increase the national language through games. Along with that, teaching and learning materials, equipment, toys, and signs are in enhanced to build a Vietnamese environment in schools, fostering the EM children to contact with others in Vietnamese language frequently.

Besides, a majority of preschool and elementary schools have done quite well in education socialization, mobilized parents and some organizations and individuals to get involved in supporting for lunch meals and kitchens building, purchasing equipment and toys, building exercise development areas and creating a children-centered educational environment.

In particular, models of "Green Library", "Mobile Library", "Friendly Library" and the "Loving bookshelves" programs are taken care to encourage reading habits and create a Vietnamese communicative environment, contributing to building a reading culture among children. In addition, schools are suggested to coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Women's Unions at all levels to build reading clubs in the residential areas. In the meantime, young parents should set up a Vietnamese language environment at home, strengthen communication in Vietnamese with children and organize 5-year-old kindergarten children to interact with elementary students and attend Vietnamese speaking festival, etc.

In the coming time, the Department of Education and Training will continue advising on investing and building facilities and classrooms to admit children under 5 years old, ensuring 2 sessions per day and day-boarding; funding for strengthening Vietnamese language in the summer for children before entering grade 1, and supporting teaching equipment for elementary school pupils in ethnic minority areas. Continuously, schools deploy effectively the campaign "Every teacher and educational staff to help specially-disadvantaged students". Along with that, teachers who are ethnic minorities in the locality or those who have much experience in caring and educating EM children are arranged to such schools to help children improve Vietnamese language.

Translated by Ul (Source: Binh Thuan Newspaper)