The online consultation program "What are the advantages of a high IELTS score when applying for university admission?" took place yesterday, March 19, broadcast online at thanhnien.vn , via Facebook fanpage, YouTube channel, and TikTok of Thanh Nien Newspaper, attracting a large number of followers.
JOURNEY TO 9.0 IELTS
Master (MSc) Tran Anh Khoa (28 years old), Academic Director at DOL English, was a student majoring in English at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Ho Chi Minh City, graduated as the second-highest student in English Language at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University), achieved IELTS 9.0 in December 2024 with 9.0 in reading, 9.0 in listening, 8.5 in writing, 8.5 in speaking. Khoa said that he started learning English in grade 1 and was the top scorer in the entrance exam for grade 1 of the English intensive class at Phung Hung Primary School, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Thus, the 20-year journey of learning English - conquering IELTS also began from there.
Guests discuss learning English and tips for getting high scores on the IELTS exam in a consulting program at Thanh Nien Newspaper.
PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH
But if we say 2 weeks, it's not wrong, because that's the time Anh Khoa practiced and "plowed" to get a score of 9.0. Before that, he had achieved 8.5, so in the last 2 weeks before the exam, he practiced more, focusing most on listening and speaking on topics that he felt he wasn't confident about.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tran Thien Minh (28 years old), SAT instructor at DOL English, who also achieved 9.0 IELTS, had a different journey. In primary school, he attended an international school, then attended secondary school at Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted (at that time, this school still trained both secondary and high school levels). When he was in grade 10 at the Gifted High School (Ho Chi Minh City National University), he achieved 8.0 IELTS on his first attempt.
On his second attempt in 2020, Minh scored 9.0 IELTS. However, on his third attempt, due to some problems, he only scored 8.5. Not satisfied with this score, he tried hard to practice the test, especially in the writing section. On his fourth attempt recently, he scored 9.0 IELTS. "In my opinion, the most difficult part of the IELTS test is to maintain good form both during the test and during the review. If you memorize and learn tricks, it will be very difficult to get a high score. The important thing is to apply the thinking learning method," said the SAT instructor at DOL English.
Why should you be good at foreign languages WHEN there are so many translation apps?
Mr. Thien Minh believes that if we use machines to translate, we will lose the human element in transmitting information. Meanwhile, Master Tran Anh Khoa said that new words are being developed very quickly, and artificial intelligence cannot keep up. For example, there are many slangs on the internet that ChatGPT does not know.
DO YOU NEED TO BE GOOD AT ENGLISH TO STUDY ECONOMICS OR MEDICINE ?
When asking questions online to the guests yesterday afternoon, an audience member raised the above question. Master Tran Anh Khoa answered by giving an example: "My sister studies economics, a high-quality program taught in English, so being good at English is very necessary. But even when studying a university program in Vietnamese, being good at English also helps students have the opportunity to refer to English documents, which is very useful."
Mr. Tran Thien Minh, who graduated from an economics university in Australia, shared his personal experience: "Being good at English helps me to refer to a lot of knowledge abroad. For anyone, when graduating, being good at English will also help them work better, because the economy today is globalized." Mr. Minh said that many of his students are doctors and medical students and shared: "If they are not good at English, it will be difficult for doctors and medical students to read books, refer to, and research foreign medical situations. If you study economics or medicine, being good at English will open up many opportunities for the future."
Following the program, an audience member asked: "Is it true that learning a foreign language becomes more difficult as you get older?". Master Tran Anh Khoa admitted that it is true that older people may encounter certain difficulties when learning a foreign language, especially in terms of pronunciation. However, in return, older students have better logical thinking and problem-solving abilities than younger students, so everyone can understand and apply the Linearthinking method.
Ms. Nguyen Thao Chi, Mr. Thien Minh and Mr. Anh Khoa (from left to right) share interesting information about learning English and preparing for the IELTS exam.
Photo: Dao Ngoc Thach
Explaining more clearly about the Linearthinking method, Mr. Tran Thien Minh said that this is essentially a system of methods, inside there are different small methods used to solve different skills. For example, in the Writing and Speaking skills, there is the Specify method (concrete the problem) to help learners think of deeper ideas and arguments. Or the Simplify method (simplify) in the Reading skill helps learners grasp the main idea of long and difficult sentences. The common point of the methods is that they are highly logical and thoughtful, and can help learners progress quickly when applied well.
ENGLISH STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSITIES' ENTRANCE AND OUTPUT
The issue that students who are about to take the 2025 high school graduation exam and apply for admission to universities are interested in is the English entrance and exit standards of universities under Ho Chi Minh City National University, especially international joint programs. Answering at the program, MSc. Nguyen Thao Chi, Head of the Department of Communications and Business Relations, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University), said that the official admission regulations have not been announced by the Ministry of Education and Training, but according to the current drafts, although English is one of the elective subjects, in reality, the D block combinations with foreign languages (including English) account for quite a lot. This year, there may be new adjustments and regulations related to admission with international certificates. However, when entering university, you must achieve a certain level, especially in English-enhanced programs, international standards or joint training, usually 5.5 IELTS or higher.
Students review IELTS using AI tools
Photo: Ngoc Long
There are no specific regulations regarding English entrance standards for universities and each school and each major may require different levels. Candidates should note that this year there will be significant changes compared to before, and should carefully refer to the admission plan of the school they want to apply to see if there are any changes in the admission method. At the same time, you also need to carefully research how to convert international certificates, what the form is... of the school you are applying to.
Regarding English output standards, MSc. Chi said that most majors require a level equivalent to B1 in the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework for Vietnam. Some majors require higher levels such as B2, C1. As for joint training programs abroad, students are required to achieve a sufficient level of academic English to continue studying at the partner school.
Don't "take root quickly"
Many students are stressed before important exams such as the 10th grade entrance exam, high school graduation exam, and university entrance exam. Master Anh Khoa, who passed the 10th grade English major exam at the Gifted High School (Ho Chi Minh City National University), Ho Chi Minh City University of Education Practice High School, and Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, gave advice: "Students should be serious about studying from the beginning, do not wait until the exam date to study "fast-track foundation". It can be effective for the final exam, but not for the 10th grade entrance exam and high school graduation exam".
Tran Thien Minh, who passed all 7 of his 10th grade wishes, including Ho Chi Minh City University of Education's Practical High School and Ho Chi Minh City National University's Gifted High School, said that his motivation comes from seriousness in studying. "I want to tell parents, students, and those who are about to take important exams to stay calm. Parents should unite and give their students the best motivation so that they have hope and maintain their faith in passing the exams," Minh shared.
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