Enrich your foreign language skills.

Summer is the ideal time for young people to dedicate time to improving their foreign language skills. Nguyen Doan Ngoc Anh (21 years old, from Binh Duong province) said that she started learning Japanese during the summer, before officially entering university.

Packed with luggage

From his first year, Ngoc Anh was determined to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) at an advanced level and achieved the JLPT N4 certificate on his first attempt. He recounted: "In the early stages of learning Japanese, I struggled with the Kanji alphabet, but I persevered to master the language because of my desire to understand the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun and my interest in the strategic cooperation between the two countries." He enthusiastically participated in many beneficial activities, winning first place in the "Colors of Japanese Culture" competition in 2022 and a scholarship from the "I Am a Japanese Teacher" competition in 2023 organized by the University of Economics and Finance Ho Chi Minh City. This Gen Z student is also an advisor to the Hikari Japanese Language Club at the university.

Thanks to her experience in numerous competitions and diverse projects, Ngoc Anh (left) has a solid command of the Japanese language.

Like most Vietnamese students who started learning English early, Nguyen Tran Gia Man (22 years old, from Long An province) also discovered her interest in Chinese when she entered 10th grade. By 12th grade, Gia Man confidently took the HSK 4 Chinese proficiency test. Although Chinese was not her main major at university, this advantage helped her receive the Fall Online Scholarship Program 2021 and Spring Online Scholarship Program 2022 from East China Normal University (ECNU - China). Man spent six months studying online in an international environment, accumulating valuable experiences and skills.

Quynh Nhu (left in the photo) participating in a cultural exchange activity between Van Lang University and Korean students.

Leveraging this strength, Gia Man participated in translation for international student exchange programs and can fluently combine English and Chinese. Recently, Man completed her internship and was offered an assistant director position at a Chinese company specializing in technology and logistics. In the future, Man aims to pursue higher education, specializing in international business, with a goal of attending a university in Shanghai, China. "Besides working, I'm taking advantage of my free time to study Chinese. I mainly study on my own, so I proactively search online and seek support from students and teachers... with the goal of passing the HSK 6 exam before leaving," Man shared.

Good at foreign languages, fulfilling your passion.

Because she loves K-pop movies and music, Phan Quynh Nhu (22 years old, from Dong Nai province) started learning Korean in middle school to better understand her idols. Later, she decided to pursue Oriental Studies at Van Lang University. Nhu said she constantly seeks opportunities to practice: "Taking notes and studying from books helps me build a foundation of knowledge. I also regularly improve my communication skills, and watching movies has significantly improved my Korean listening and speaking abilities. One of my study methods is to dedicate two hours, with the first 30 minutes focusing on grammar, then selecting 10 related vocabulary words to memorize, and reading many texts to learn how to write and understand how to speak. Every evening, I spend 30 minutes practicing listening, initially passively, then checking subtitles and listening again," Nhu said.

Translation work helped Gia Man (right) strengthen her foreign language skills.

When studying with native-speaking teachers, Nhu confidently overcame her fear of mispronunciation because she wasn't reprimanded for mistakes and received direct corrections. Her self-study method combined with discipline helped her progress quickly. Currently, Nhu understands 80%-90% of what Koreans want to convey and has a TOPIK II Level 4 certificate. Quynh Nhu actively participates in the K-SPEED Korean public speaking competition and works as an interpreter for volunteer groups from Korean universities visiting Vietnam. Nhu emphasizes: "I developed soft skills through social activities and exposure to the local culture and people. I believe that learning Korean is not just about learning a new language; understanding the way Koreans think and act gives me a multi-faceted perspective."

Ngoc Anh aims to achieve the N3 level Japanese language proficiency certificate by participating in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test this July. He is also finalizing his application for an internship in Japan to experience the culture and gain practical experience with the language. His previous activities supporting and guiding Japanese students visiting and studying in Ho Chi Minh City have further strengthened his confidence in this choice.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/lam-giau-von-ngoai-ngu-196240511205523272.htm