More than 180 centers and companies cooperate to introduce children to English in Ho Chi Minh City

Chart of the number ofpreschools for children to get acquainted with English in Ho Chi Minh City

The information was given at the Workshop to evaluate the results of organizing English classes for preschool children according to Circular 50 of 2020 of the Ministry of Education and Training, organized by the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City this morning, January 12.

Only 20.7% of children in independent kindergarten classes are exposed to English.

At the workshop, Ms. Luong Thi Hong Diep, Head of the Preschool Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that this is the third year that preschools in the city have organized and developed direct activities for children to get acquainted with English.

The program is implemented according to the decision of the Ministry of Education and Training. Currently, there are 18 programs for preschool children to get acquainted with English that have been assessed and licensed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

In the 2023-2024 school year, Ho Chi Minh City has 449 public kindergartens out of a total of 474 schools that introduce children to English, a rate of 94.72%. The number of non-public schools that introduce children to English is 401/787 schools, a rate of 50.9%.

This rate in private independent kindergartens is much lower, only 20.7%.

Team of teachers participating in teaching English in preschools in Ho Chi Minh City

If we count the total number of preschool children in Ho Chi Minh City who participate in English familiarization programs, the whole city has 156,878 children out of a total of 273,438, a rate of 57.3%. According to Ms. Luong Thi Hong Diep, this rate is still low and needs to be improved.

Regarding the teaching staff, Vietnamese teachers make up the majority (72.1%). Foreign teachers are 20.7%. Native teachers are only 7.3%.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training said that there are currently more than 180 units coordinating to implement the program for preschool children to get acquainted with English in preschools. Among them, there are more than 50 companies and more than 130 foreign language centers, English and other forms such as schools with contracts with foreign teachers to teach permanently at the unit, some schools in convents run by nuns and some other types.

Difficulties to be solved

Ms. Luong Thi Hong Diep said that introducing children to English has initially brought about practical results, helping children to get acquainted with a second language early; through learning English, children have become bolder, more confident in communication, interested, and without pressure. In addition, children can experience, explore, and discover the surrounding environment in many diverse forms, meeting their needs and abilities according to the motto "play while learning, learn by playing".

However, introducing children to English in preschools still faces some difficulties.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training gave an example of the low number of children participating in English immersion at independent group classes, due to the lack of facilities to ensure the conditions for organization. Preschool children in suburban districts from near-poor households cannot collect fees for organizing English immersion for their children, leading to children not having the opportunity to access foreign languages.

Preschool children in an English familiarization activity

Or there are units where the number of children participating in an hour of English familiarization activities is still large, affecting the quality of teaching.

Some preschools cooperate with foreign language centers to organize English classes for preschool children, which is not in accordance with regulations.

There is also a phenomenon where teachers at the center coordinate activities to help preschool children get acquainted with English without certificates of professional training in preschool education pedagogy or methods for helping children get acquainted with English organized by colleges and universities of education that train preschool teachers.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training said it will continue to direct the Departments of Education and Training to request preschool education facilities and units to coordinate in improving the quality of organizing English familiarization for preschool children, in order to manage well, implement effectively, and prepare well for learning English at the next levels.

"We continue to strengthen the inspection and supervision of preschools in coordinating with units to organize English for preschool children. At the same time, we observe the organization of activities and control records according to the provisions of Circular 50 of 2020 of the Ministry of Education and Training. The Department always creates conditions for units to participate in learning and sharing effective models of organizing English for preschool children," said Ms. Luong Thi Hong Diep.

The workshop on the morning of January 12 saw the participation of many opinions from management staff and education experts. Ms. Mai Yen Hang, Principal of the City Kindergarten, shared the results and experiences in effectively introducing preschool children to English at school. The Department of Education and Training of Cu Chi District shared experiences in managing the English introduction program for preschool children in the district.

Mr. James Moran, Academic Director of EMG Education, presented his opinions on the necessity of evaluating the results of the English introduction program for preschool children according to Circular 50. And Viettel representative shared about the solution of applying technology and robots to support children to get acquainted with English in preschool education facilities....

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/hon-180-trung-tam-cong-ty-phoi-hop-cho-tre-lam-quen-tieng-anh-o-tphcm-185240112094320234.htm