WNAM REPORT: Twice a week, small children in Vi Thanh city, the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, come to Po Thi Rang Say (Tram Cua) Pagoda to enroll in a free English class that gathers about 20 ethnic minority students.
Each lesson has a different topic and features various activities such as group work, quizzes, and outdoor sessions to help students improve their vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, along with soft skills.
Danh Thi Diem My, a student from Ward 4 of Vi Thanh, said they have more spare time in summer, so apart from learning the traditional script of their Khmer ethnic group at Po Thi Rang Say Pagoda, they also join in the free English class taught by members of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU).
All are excited at the quiz with prizes held in every lesson which helps them learn new words quickly, she said.
Le Hoang Phi Long, another student from Ward 4, said English is his favourite subject. Each lesson helps him learn new words of a different topic, from animals, vehicles, transport, and continents to daily objects. At home, he writes new words repeatedly to remember meanings and speaks out loud to memorise pronunciation.
Meanwhile, to HCYU members and volunteers, teaching English for free is a greatly meaningful activity and an impulse for them to reach out to children in remote and ethnic minority areas. It not only helps local children to enjoy a worthwhile summer but also equips them with much useful knowledge before entering a new school year.
Doan Nhu Huynh, a student at the Hau Giang Community College, shared that this is the first time she has taken part in teaching English to ethnic minority children whose intelligence and amiability have left unforgettable impression on her.
Huynh said she hopes to participate in more English classes for children, especially those in remote and ethnic minority areas.
So far, the HCYU Committee of Vi Thanh city has organised three English classes for ethnic minority children taught by volunteers from universities and colleges in Hau Giang and other localities.
Vice Secretary of the Vi Thanh HCYU Committee Vo Thi Thuy Bang noted that the committee has publicised the courses on foreign language skills and international integration so as to attract more young people, especially ethnic minority children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The HCYU Committee of Hau Giang province said the opening of free classes for children is one of the pioneering activities of the local youth in the 2024 Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign. The courses aim to equip children with more foreign language skills and create a space for them to take part in extra-curricular activities.
Forty-seven free English classes across the province are enrolling more than 1,450 students of different ages. The activity reflects the close ties among the HCYU, all-level administrations, and parents of the children. It also reveals the social consensus on support for the young in remote and ethnic minority areas to acquire knowledge and cultural values, according to the provincial HCYU Committee.
