The visually impaired girl achieved an IELTS score of 7.5.

Ma Thi Phuong, 24 years old, a visually impaired student majoring in social work at the University of Science - Thai Nguyen University, recently achieved an IELTS score of 7.5 through self-study.

Ma Thi Phuong, a girl with an IELTS score of 7.5, also recently won first prize at the 3rd National Informatics Competition for the Blind.

Previously, Phuong also realized her dream of reaching out to the world by receiving an Erasmus+ Mobility student exchange scholarship at the University of Valladolid, Spain, and a Southeast Asian Young Leaders Initiative scholarship at the University of Connecticut, USA in 2024.

Ma Thi Phuong at the University of Valladolid, Spain

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

The journey from darkness into the world.

The life of Ma Thi Phuong, a Tay ethnic girl, took a challenging turn shortly after she passed her entrance exam to grade 10. A sudden illness, optic neuropathy, caused her vision to deteriorate rapidly, leaving her blind. Having fallen into despair and had to defer her studies for a year, Phuong recovered her spirits thanks to her belief in knowledge and her curiosity about the world. She returned to school, facing countless difficulties, but diligently taught herself how to use computers and supporting software.

Recently, she and her friend developed Zablind, a tool to assist visually impaired users in using Zalo, and won first prize at the National Informatics Competition for the Blind in the software innovation category. Recognizing that the popular Zalo platform in Vietnam lacked shortcuts and was not well-compatible with screen readers, posing significant difficulties for the visually impaired, Phuong and her friend modified the Zalo PC interface, adding shortcuts and element label reading capabilities. This solution has helped visually impaired users overcome barriers, making communication, learning, and work much more convenient.

Dr. Ta Thi Thao, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Science, Thai Nguyen University, was impressed by Ma Thi Phuong's perseverance, unwavering will, and indomitable spirit in the face of difficulties. “Besides her studies, Phuong actively participates in projects supporting people with disabilities, such as teaching English, providing technical assistance, and helping them access technology and social services. This demonstrates Phuong's community mindset and spirit of dedication. To me, Phuong is an example of resilience, self-confidence, and a desire to live a meaningful life,” Dr. Thao shared.

AI-powered English learning strategies to achieve an IELTS score of 7.5.

Thanks to her disciplined study methods, combined with the strong support of technology, and the necessary adjustments from the examination board for visually impaired candidates, Ma Thi Phuong achieved an IELTS score of 7.5.

The breakthrough in Phuong's learning method lies in her use of AI as a personal tutor. For speaking skills, she prepares answers in advance for predicted question sets, then uses ChatGPT to suggest more natural ways of expressing herself or to add idioms to make her speech more lively and sound more like a native speaker. She also self-learns English through apps and websites like HelloTalk, Tandem, and Airtalk to chat with foreigners, improve her listening and speaking skills, and practice her reflexes.

Phuong (far left) won first prize at the National Informatics Competition for the Blind.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

The biggest challenge for visually impaired individuals lies in writing skills, especially with visual data. To overcome this, Phuong uses AI to convert chart data into tables or plain text accessible to screen readers, and employs tools like Poe and ChatGPT to receive detailed feedback on grammar and logical thinking. For listening and reading skills, she prioritizes websites with screen reader-friendly interfaces, such as mini-IELTS.

Phuong believes that: "Blind and disabled people need to proactively seek opportunities for themselves. For me, setbacks are not the end but the door opening to a new path, because I am the one who is in control of my own life."

Sharing her future plans, the 7.5 IELTS scorer is working hard to complete her scholarship application for a master's program in public policy. This determination stems from her study abroad experience, where she noticed the difference in professional support services for students with disabilities compared to the lack of such support in Vietnam. After acquiring knowledge, Phuong aspires to contribute to the community, participate in policy advocacy, and coordinate development projects to promote the integration of people with disabilities into society, ensuring they have equal opportunities and are not left behind.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-gai-khiem-thi-dat-75-ielts-185251205080606317.htm