"Borderless" lessons

Apply creative and innovative teaching methods to stimulate students' and teachers' interest. Tran Thi Mai Khanh - Head of English at Bac Cuong Primary School, Lao Cai City (Lao Cai Province) - has made students love and not be afraid to communicate in English.

Ms. Mai Khanh said that helping students confidently communicate in English is a great effort of the school, teachers and parents. She has constantly learned and shared experiences with colleagues in improving the quality of teaching English to primary school students.

Teachers must always innovate teaching methods and actively research solutions to improve students' ability to use English in communication.

Specifically, Ms. Mai Khanh lets students learn English through games to help students approach the language in a fun way, "learning while playing" and without feeling stressed.

In addition, students learn English through domestic and global projects. This is an opportunity for them to connect with friends in a number of countries around the world (such as the US, UK, Australia, India, etc.). Organizing "borderless" lessons and global projects with classes in other countries is a great way to broaden students' horizons, while developing their communication skills and cultural understanding.

"Teachers must spend a lot of time learning about world teacher organizations, establishing relationships, learning from colleagues... From there, we create trust, exchange expertise and support each other in the implementation process. Not only do I spend time researching active teaching methods, I also improve my knowledge and skills to meet the increasingly high requirements of the subject as well as the receptiveness of students.

I usually connect via online education platforms like Zoom, or Google Meet. Then, I organize online lessons so that students from different classes in different countries can interact, learn and exchange on common topics such as culture, history, customs, environmental protection issues, technological developments, traditions and typical festivals, Steam…

Students have the opportunity to practice and improve their English communication skills in real-life environments, learn more about different cultures, and be creative in developing new ideas when participating in international projects," Ms. Mai Khanh shared.

In addition, students at Bac Cuong Primary School often participate in outdoor lessons, where they can use English to discuss and present on a certain topic. Ms. Mai Khanh said that this method helps students practice their communication and teamwork skills, while creating a positive and modern learning environment. Organizing lessons in nature, lessons in the library, extracurricular activities such as painting murals, presenting thematic topics according to each lesson content; drawing mind maps; learning to memorize vocabulary through dictionaries... helps students absorb knowledge naturally.

Ms. Mai Khanh always encourages students to be creative in learning English through forms such as composing poems, singing or telling stories in English. "I also encourage students to learn by themselves through language learning applications. Teaching English integrates interdisciplinary subjects such as math; science/natural/social sciences; music; fine arts... These methods not only help students learn English effectively but also help them develop creative thinking and reflexes when communicating," said Ms. Mai Khanh.

The efforts to innovate teaching methods of Ms. Mai Khanh and the teachers of Bac Cuong Primary School have brought proud results. "I see changes in each student, they are more confident in communication, the quality of competitions has improved, and at the same time, they develop listening and speaking skills effectively. They are interested and passionate about learning. English lessons bring joy and connection instead of restraint and shyness".

It is known that up to now, many initiatives and experiences in teaching English by Ms. Mai Khanh have been deployed and applied effectively in a number of primary schools in Lao Cai province.

Fun experience in English class

Huong Can High School (Thanh Son District, Phu Tho Province) has become more well-known in recent years because students in this remote school can use English quite well in communication. This "sweet fruit" is thanks to the innovation in teaching methods of teacher Ha Anh Phuong.

From the moment she began teaching, Ms. Phuong realized the difficulties that students here faced. Most of them had low English proficiency, lacked confidence, and had little opportunity to interact with native speakers. Faced with this challenge, Ms. Phuong used online learning platforms to connect students with international classes.

Through platforms such as Skype, Zoom and other educational applications, Ms. Phuong has organized classes connecting students at Huong Can High School with students and teachers in other countries. This not only helps students improve their English listening and speaking skills but also helps them understand more about the culture and learning methods of their international friends. For a school in the highlands, this is truly a breakthrough and something that few people can think of.

Not only does she teach online, Ms. Phuong also uses digital learning tools, such as video lectures and exercises on online learning platforms, to enrich her lessons. Thanks to her creativity and flexible application of technology, she has turned English lessons into interesting and rewarding experiences, making students more interested in this subject.

One of Ms. Ha Anh Phuong’s major goals is to promote English learning in rural and remote areas across Vietnam. She hopes that every student, no matter where they are, will have the opportunity to access quality education, be equipped with enough language skills to confidently enter the globalized world and become global citizens.

Ms. Lai Phuong Minh (Lao Cai City), whose child is in 3rd grade, shared that she finds that teaching English in a non-pressured way helps children feel interested and naturally "absorb it". At home, she still takes the time to chat with her child in English, let her child watch TV channels, listen to English music. Occasionally, she also talks to her mother's foreign friends. At first, she did not focus on whether her child spoke correctly or incorrectly, but what was important was that her child accumulated vocabulary, had quick speaking reflexes... This method also helps children easily overcome their shyness, practice English in real-life situations without fear of "losing points".

Without barriers, children will gradually improve their communication skills and confidently use English in daily life. "My daughter often urges her parents to take her to Sapa, just because there she has the opportunity to chat with foreign tourists. Seeing her still young but still confidently 'chat' with tourists for a long time, I feel very proud and happy!" - Ms. Phuong Minh shared.

(To be continued)

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/giao-vien-sang-tao-moi-truong-thoai-mai-giup-hoc-sinh-tu-tin-su-dung-tieng-anh-20250314202323062.htm