Teaching Vietnamese to ethnic minority students

In accordance with Circular 23 of the Ministry of Education and Training, which regulates the teaching and learning of Vietnamese for ethnic minority children before entering first grade, schools in the province have implemented the program through practical measures, creating a solid foundation to help students easily access knowledge in other subjects.

This is the first Vietnamese language enrichment lesson of the new school year for first-grade students at Lung Cu Ethnic Boarding Primary School.

In the month of August, in the remote highlands, the sounds of "eh" and "ah" from first-grade students at Lung Cu Ethnic Boarding Primary School resonate throughout the classrooms. The children are participating in an intensive Vietnamese language course at the beginning of the new school year. Teacher Hoang Thi Tam shared: "This year, most of the first-grade students are from ethnic minority groups, so they don't speak standard Vietnamese fluently yet. Following the plan of the Ministry of Education and the province, we started teaching intensive Vietnamese at the beginning of August to help them get used to the new learning environment, stabilize their psychology, and form basic learning habits and routines. This also helps teachers identify early on any difficulties or limitations of the students so that appropriate teaching methods can be implemented."

In the 2025-2026 school year, Lung Cu Ethnic Boarding Primary School will have 29 classes and 793 students. This includes 4 first-grade classes with 166 students. Ms. Duong Thi Thanh, the school principal, said: “From the beginning of the school year, the school has developed a plan and directed the organization of enhanced Vietnamese language teaching for students using the materials “Guide to Teaching Children to Speak Vietnamese” for all first-grade classes. Simultaneously, we organize diverse educational activities such as physical education and sports , experiential activities, school library activities, and competitions to learn about the Vietnamese language. With a good foundation in Vietnamese, students can learn other subjects more easily, understand lessons better, and thus learn and absorb knowledge at the primary school level faster and more effectively. Strengthening Vietnamese language skills helps students participate effectively in learning activities according to the 2018 General Education Program.”

At Thuong Nong Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School in Thuong Nong commune, first-grade students are continuing the final weeks of their "Enhancing Vietnamese Language" program at the beginning of the new school year. According to Principal Tran Thanh Chien, this school year has 5 first-grade classes with 182 students. The students are mainly from the Tay, Mong, and Dao ethnic groups, and their Vietnamese language skills are limited, leading to shyness and awkwardness when coming to school and communicating. Since August 4th, the school has implemented Vietnamese language instruction, a program lasting four weeks. Along with this, the school is also promoting awareness and responsibility among parents, students, and teachers regarding the enhancement of Vietnamese language skills for ethnic minority children. Teachers encourage students to communicate in Vietnamese at all times and in all places – during class, recess, flag-raising ceremonies, and class activities – helping them become more confident and assertive in front of crowds. In particular, teachers proactively identify the number of students struggling with Vietnamese in each class within the grade level to provide timely instruction. The teaching process focuses on the four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Most students, after being introduced to the language from the second week onwards, have become more confident, entering the new school year with a sense of self-assurance and integrating more easily.”

According to data from the Department of Education and Training, in the 2025-2026 school year, the province will have 279 primary schools, 6,645 classes/groups, with 179,604 students. Of these, 149,239 are ethnic minority students, accounting for 83.1%. Effectively preparing ethnic minority children in Vietnamese before they enter first grade, along with teaching activities and organizing programs to enhance Vietnamese language skills, will be crucial factors in promoting and improving the quality of teaching and learning in ethnic minority areas throughout the province.

Text and photos: My Ly

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202509/day-tieng-viet-cho-hoc-sinh-dan-toc-thieu-so-5f25b88/