Teacher in mountainous region receives Australian Government scholarship.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hien (27 years old, a teacher at Tay Tra High School, Quang Ngai) is preparing to go abroad to pursue a Master's degree in Education , specializing in English language teaching methodology, with a full AAS scholarship from the Australian Government.

Ms. Minh Hien connects with scholarship applicants to support students who have been accepted into universities and colleges - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

In 2023, when assigned to teach at Tay Tra High School – a school with many students from ethnic minority groups – Ms. Hien recounted how she deeply felt the educational gap between urban and remote areas. Wanting to bridge that gap, Ms. Hien decided to seek opportunities to study abroad.

Based on my own experience, I want to apply technology in education to support students from ethnic minority communities.

Ms. NGUYEN THI MINH HIEN

Actively participate in international conferences.

With that determination, even in the mountainous region, she actively pursued scientific research and participated in international conferences. Based on her experience, Ms. Hien wrote about the application of the Internet in English learning at Tay Tra High School (Students Perceptions of Using Internet Applications for English Learning at Tay Tra High School), which was published in the proceedings of the VietTESOL 2022 International Conference.

Recently, with the topic of applying AI in teaching reading skills, she became a young speaker at the TESOL Elevate 2024 Conference organized by the US Embassy.

Sharing about her scholarship application journey, Ms. Hien said it was a long and arduous one, requiring her to balance teaching with participation in seminars, research, and social activities related to her profession...

Having been rejected twice for the Fulbright (USA) and Chevening (UK) scholarships, she was filled with disappointment and self-reproach, wondering if she had been on the right track. However, undeterred, she then applied for an Australian Government scholarship. This time, with her experience and good health, she performed well in the interview.

According to Ms. Hien, to have a chance of competing for a full government scholarship, she maintained a high GPA from university onwards, participated in scientific research, academic competitions, and social activities related to her field of study...

"I hope my journey can inspire young people who are still struggling to find scholarships, just like I was before, to have more confidence and strive to achieve their goals," Ms. Hien shared.

Ms. Minh Hien guides her classmates on using technology applications to learn English - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

A desire to improve English skills for students.

At the school where Ms. Hien teaches, the majority of students are from ethnic minority groups. Vietnamese is their second language, and having to use Vietnamese to teach English – their third language – presents her with considerable challenges.

"This has presented me with many challenges to overcome. Based on my own experience, I want to apply technology in education to support ethnic minority students here," Ms. Hien shared.

In 2022, with her project "Raising Students' Awareness of Using Internet Applications in English Learning at Tay Tra High School," she significantly helped improve students' academic performance.

Accordingly, the percentage of students achieving a "good" grade or higher increased by 17.51%, the percentage of students with poor grades decreased, and one student achieved an "excellent" grade. This is also one of the first studies on the use of Internet applications in teaching English to ethnic minority students in disadvantaged areas of Vietnam.

At the same time, she connected 12 ethnic minority students who had been accepted into universities and colleges with Mr. Robert Vos, a Vietnamese-Canadian, to receive support in applying for scholarships to encourage them to attend school. Because of their difficult circumstances, many of them are unable to afford education, but she believes that these students will be a valuable human resource for the district's future development.

Ho Su Ra - a former student of the school, currently a second-year student at Pham Van Dong University (Quang Ngai) - shared that Ms. Hien is very approachable and always helps students in all circumstances. Many students really like her easy-to-understand teaching style and her enthusiasm for students, not only during class but also outside of class hours, she is always ready to help.

Invest a lot in the subject.

Commenting on Ms. Minh Hien, Mr. Vo Hong Truong - the principal of Tay Tra High School - said that although she has only worked at the school for two years, Ms. Hien is always enthusiastic about teaching English. In particular, she is always creative and invests a lot in the subject, and many students enjoy learning with her and have made significant progress.

"Ms. Hien is a dynamic and passionate teacher, and I highly appreciate her dedication to teaching. She regularly participates in provincial and national English workshops. Furthermore, she is very approachable to her students," Mr. Truong shared.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/co-giao-vung-cao-nhan-hoc-bong-chinh-phu-uc-20250221110751102.htm