When foreign schools teach Vietnamese

In the US alone, there are about 200 centers and facilities teaching Vietnamese, while the number of Vietnamese classes in Thailand is 39. The number of Vietnamese language centers in Cambodia and Laos is 33 and 13, respectively - according to statistics from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the end of 2022.

Spartan Newsroom , run by the School of Journalism at Michigan State University (MSU - USA), commented that the Vietnamese language program at MSU's Community Language School (CLS) is creating a buzz.

Vietnamese is one of eight language courses offered through CLS. Among those enrolled is Peter Truong, a Vietnamese American and current MSU freshman.

Peter Truong grew up with parents from Vietnam. He speaks Vietnamese but cannot read or write. Therefore, he enrolled in Vietnamese courses through CLS in Fall 2020 (September to December) and Spring 2021 (March to May).

Khi trường nước ngoài dạy tiếng Việt - Ảnh 1.

The first Vietnamese language courses at Brown University attracted many Vietnamese students. Photo: THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Also an MSU student, Elijah Savoie learned Vietnamese to... communicate more easily with his girlfriend's parents, who are of Vietnamese descent. Savoie personally found it difficult to keep up with most of his classmates, who were Vietnamese and had spoken Vietnamese as a child. However, he persevered with the program, which includes online courses in speaking, listening, writing, and reading.

Vietnamese classes at Brown University (Rhode Island) and Princeton University (New Jersey) also attract many Vietnamese American students, with beginner and intermediate-level classes taught via Zoom.

According to The Daily Princetonian (Princeton University newspaper) and The Brown Daily Herald (Brown University newspaper), the opening of this Vietnamese class was based on a request from students since 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the class to be interrupted and will not be held until 2022.

Most students want to understand more about their native culture and language. Therefore, in addition to teaching basic grammar and vocabulary for beginners and reading and writing for intermediate students, students are supported to communicate well in real-life situations. Many speakers of Vietnamese origin are invited to class so that students have the opportunity to talk. Experienced and enthusiastic lecturers who teach Vietnamese are invited to participate to help beginners learn.

Returning to the region near Vietnam, in September 2022, the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia established the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that this decision will encourage Cambodians to pay attention to Vietnam, benefit Cambodians living in border provinces, promote trade and create job opportunities.

In Thailand, according to VNA, Mr. Ngo Huong Nam, Ambassador - Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese ( Ministry of Foreign Affairs ), has proposed that the Royal Rajabaht University open more Vietnamese language courses in addition to specialized subjects to attract Vietnamese children.

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