The first 9th-grade male student in Lao Cai to achieve an 8.5 IELTS score.
VnExpress•15/11/2023
Minh Duc, 14 years old, achieved an 8.5 IELTS score on his first attempt, becoming the first junior high school student in Lao Cai to reach this score.
Nguyen Minh Duc, a 9th-grade student from Le Quy Don Secondary School, achieved an IELTS score of 8.5 on the test held on November 4th. Specifically, Duc scored a perfect 9.0 in Listening, 8.5 in Reading and Speaking, and 7.0 in Writing.
According to Ms. Luu Thi Tuyet Mai, homeroom teacher of class 9C, Duc is the first 9th-grade student in Lao Cai to achieve this score.
"I didn't dare check my grades at school because I was afraid they would be low. A score of 8.5 was truly beyond my expectations; I was a little emotional," Duc shared.
Nguyen Minh Duc, a 9th-grade student at Le Quy Don Secondary School. Photo: Provided by the family.
Even in kindergarten, Duc was exposed to English because he enjoyed watching train videos online. From the end of second grade, recognizing his aptitude for languages, his teachers encouraged him to participate in English competitions. His best achievement to date is last year's second prize in the Lao Cai province's 9th-grade English competition.
Duc learned about IELTS through an introductory session at school. Wanting to take the test to improve his academic opportunities, Duc spent his 6th and 7th grades focusing on building a solid foundation of knowledge and mastering the different question types for each skill. He only started practicing with sample tests at the beginning of this year, doing 2-3 tests per week.
Achieving a perfect score of 9.0 in the Listening section, Duc considers this part a "lifesaver" for IELTS candidates. His initial learning method involved familiarizing himself with different question types to master fundamental skills such as underlining keywords and paraphrasing. After each test, the student checked his answers, identified any mistakes, and listened again to better understand the content.
Duc also practices listening using the shadowing method. Specifically, after recording the dialogue in the lesson, he tries to repeat exactly what he heard. This learning method also helps Duc improve his pronunciation skills.
Duc also had no difficulty with the Reading section, thanks to his solid foundation in grammar.
In the Speaking test, despite scoring 8.5, Duc shared that this was the skill he used to be most insecure about. This stemmed from his experiences in the national team training sessions.
"The constant lack of ideas prevented me from completing the 2.5-minute speeches, so I couldn't get a perfect score in the gifted student competition," Duc shared.
The male student and his friends, who had previously taken the IELTS exam, practiced speaking to correct each other's mistakes and learn from each other's experiences. In addition, he also consulted practice questions from online resources to prepare.
In the Writing section, parts 2 and 3 required Duc to present a principle in a classroom or workplace environment. Duc wrote about punctuality because, in his opinion, this principle helps students increase their awareness and productivity, as well as create a positive image for the school. The male student believes he scored highly in this section also due to his clear and fluent pronunciation. He only used academic vocabulary related to the topic of the essay sparingly, rather than overusing it.
Regarding the Writing test, Duc said that Part 1 required analyzing a bar chart, and Part 2 required candidates to compare group learning and individual learning.
Because analyzing the charts took a lot of time, Duc had to write quickly to finish Part 2 on time. Duc believes that group study helps students discuss, share work, and complete assignments faster and more efficiently. Meanwhile, studying alone is suitable for independent individuals who prefer quiet. Regarding drawbacks, Duc says that group study is easily distracted by private conversations or phone use, while studying alone can lead to psychological problems or difficulties in verifying information. As a result, the male student achieved a score of 7.0.
Minh Duc is the MC for extracurricular programs at Le Quy Don Junior High School. Photo: Provided by the family.
Ms. Tuyet Mai said that Duc's IELTS exam coincided with the mid-term exams of the first semester, but he worked very hard and achieved excellent scores in all subjects. Besides academics, she noted that her student was an exemplary class leader and actively participated in school activities.
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Currently, Duc maintains several habits that help him practice English outside of school hours, such as watching the TED Ed YouTube channel with many academic videos on diverse topics. The male student is also an audience member of beauty pageants, considering the contestants' English speeches as a learning resource.
The male student is also focusing on preparing for the provincial-level English proficiency competition in the coming weeks.
"If I win first prize, I'll be admitted directly to Lao Cai Specialized High School. From sixth grade until now, I've only ever come in second place," Duc said.
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