Ha Tinh Specialized High School began teaching math, chemistry, and computer science in English for grade 10 students last month, Principal Hoang Ba Hung announced on 16/11/2024. This initiative aligns with the national project "Making English a second language in schools for the period 2025-2030, with a vision to 2045".
The program offers one English-taught lesson per week for each subject, complementing the regular curriculum. 4 teachers lead these lessons, all demonstrating high English proficiency. Two graduated from English Math and Chemistry programs at Hanoi National University of Education, and one math teacher achieved an 8,0 IELTS score.
The school plans to continue this program for current grade 10 students throughout their three academic years. However, it cannot extend the program to grade 11 and 12 students yet due to a shortage of qualified teachers.
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Grade 10 students at Ha Tinh specialized high school during an English math lesson. Photo: Hung Le |
Phan Van Duc Nhat, a math teacher, noted that the primary challenge in teaching math in English is students' exposure to specialized terminology. For effective lessons, teachers meticulously prepare learning materials, standardize terms, and develop a system of English-language probing questions.
"Students quickly grasp concepts, confidently communicate, and show strong reasoning skills", Mr. Nhat observed.
Nguyen Tran Bao Thi, a student in grade 10 Math 2, expressed enthusiasm for these lessons. She finds they foster bilingual thinking and enhance her English speaking and communication abilities.
According to the principal, students generally engage well and acquire knowledge effectively. While the school aims to recruit more bilingual teachers, this process requires approval from higher authorities and involves multiple stages. Currently, the school focuses on training its existing teachers and encourages them to improve their English proficiency through self-study.
Nationwide, over 60 specialized high schools operate under the main curriculum set by the Ministry of Education and Training, supplemented by specialized topics developed by teachers. A few schools have previously experimented with teaching subjects in English, including High School for Gifted Students, University of Science (part of Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), and Hanoi National University of Education Specialized High School.
Duc Hung
