Be careful to avoid adverse effects.

However, according to many teachers, instead of forcing children to learn knowledge in advance, the important thing is to help them practice necessary skills and prepare mentally before entering first grade.

Urgently looking for preschool classes

Since the Lunar New Year 2025, many parents with children in preschool have been busy looking for literacy and pre-primary classes with the hope that their children will have a solid foundation before entering first grade. In parent groups in Ho Chi Minh City, many parents are worried when their 5-year-old children have not yet learned the alphabet and can only count from 1 to 10. Many people go online to ask for advice on the right time to send their children to pre-primary school.

Questions such as "How long should I let my child start preschool?", "Are there any teachers who teach preschool?", "My child was born in 2019, is it too late to start preschool in the summer?" were discussed enthusiastically.

Even parents whose children were born in 2020 and will be entering kindergarten next year have already researched the right time for their children to learn to read first. Under the posts, many parents share their experiences, while centers take the opportunity to introduce programs and tuition fees.

Ms. Vu Thanh Huyen (living in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) said that her daughter will enter first grade in only 5 months, so from the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, she has been wondering whether to send her child to preschool or not.

At first, she consulted groups and found that many people said that the first grade curriculum was not too difficult, so there was no need to study it in advance. However, when she realized that most of the parents in the class had registered their children for the course, she decided to find a center and let her child study from February.

Sharing the same concern, Mr. Vuong Hoang Binh (living in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City) was afraid that his daughter would not be able to keep up with her friends when she entered first grade, so he sent her to pre-primary school from November 2024. He shared that the class helps his child get acquainted with the alphabet, spelling table, auxiliary table, numbers from 1 to 10 and addition and subtraction within 10.

“After researching, I found that pre-primary education is very necessary, so I decided to register my child. A class has 40-50 students, teachers cannot guide each child. Learning in advance helps children get used to letters, numbers, how to hold a pen, sitting posture, etc. When entering first grade, children will also be more confident. If the whole class knows letters and numbers but my child does not know anything, the child will easily feel inferior and gradually become shy,” Mr. Binh shared.

Need to equip skills

According to many teachers, teaching children pre-primary knowledge is not really necessary, and can even have the opposite effect. Pre-primary school is an important transition, so parents should focus on equipping their children with skills and a stable mentality instead of forcing them to learn early, which can easily lead to stress and boredom.

Students of Tran Hung Dao Primary School (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) are excited about the program on skills to respond to school violence at school.

Ms. Pham Bao Hanh - Principal of Tan Phong Kindergarten (District 7) said that at preschool level, children learn through fun activities and activities according to their own needs under the guidance of teachers.

Meanwhile, in primary school, children must complete learning tasks according to the class's progress, comply with school regulations and know how to take care of themselves. This is a big change that can cause difficulties for children when entering first grade.

Therefore, families need to be mentally prepared so that their children do not get shocked when changing environments, helping parents reduce pressure during this period. “If children learn the program ahead of time, they may be subjective and lose focus when entering first grade.

Instead, parents should talk to their children about teachers and friends, and arouse their excitement about the new school. Train your children to go to bed early, wake up early, and be on time, and create a neat study corner to form a sense of self-awareness. Teaching the first grade curriculum too early is not suitable for the development of children under 6 years old, and can affect their overall development,” Ms. Hanh shared.

Sharing the same view, Ms. Van Ngoc Tuong Vy - teacher at Le Van Viet Primary School (Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City), said that each stage of a child's development requires a suitable educational method. Before entering grade 1, parents only need to familiarize their children with letters, and pronunciation will be officially instructed at school.

“It is important to equip children with essential skills and a strong mentality. In particular, it is necessary to practice skills such as communication, cooperation, self-service, self-toileting, etc. so that children can confidently integrate into the new environment. In addition, parents should encourage children to boldly express their opinions and seek help when necessary,” Ms. Vy emphasized.

Dr. Bui Hong Quan, Head of the Department of Preschool Education (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education), shared: "If children are sent to preschool with the purpose of teaching knowledge in advance, it is completely inconsistent with the laws of child development.

Pre-primary school is the “golden period” for children’s physical development, thinking ability, learning style training and helping children enjoy self-study. When these characteristics and personalities are trained, children’s future learning path will be easier and simpler.

Cam Giang (According to Giaoducthoidai.vn)

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/126018/Can-trong-de-tranh-