[Vnbiz] Fwd: English textbooks for Vietnamese

[huong dang thu]

hi my bro and sis,
In my last Friday discussion among students' worry about studying
English, we received a question that why we don't teach English for
children from their elementary school (we start our English studying
in grade 6)? There was an answer that in many provinces of Vietnam,
other languages may be much more useful for their life (such as
children in Daclak will find BaNa language is more necessary in their
life to communicate with their neighbor).
Anyway, for I live with and work with children, I know that children
like studying English. With them, English is a funny thing that they
can play with. I have a younger sister who is currently in grade 3
loves her English class. Because in her English class, she learn to
sing songs, play games and perform plays in English. I know that
Vietnamese children are so curious, so eager and so quick in learning
the new thing, which involves English.
Chi Tram, I suppose that we shouldn't worry if "too much focus on
English would distract attention from other culturally important
subjects". I think we focus on English doesn't mean we ignore our
cultural subjects. If we do well in teaching English, then this
requires Vietnamese cultural subjects teachers try harder in their own
subjects. So focusing on English and appreciating our cultural
subjects do not go in conflict, I think.
I believe people keep thinking about promoting studying English in VN.
And I believe that they are working well. Anyway, I here want to share
my thinking. Actually, I meet chi Tram and anh Phong in the agreement
on the point 6 that bro Hoanh has raised. So I want to approve this
idea for more.
One day, if you have a little free time, let give yourself a walk
around HCM bookstores. Then you will find out that the cheapest book
in English for children is around 50 000 VND (I don't mean their
English textbooks but I mean the comics, fairy tale books...). So many
times, I want to buy for my little sister a comic book in English, my
small budget usually doesn't allow me to do so. Then, though we now
have more and more English books on shelve in our bookstores, the
number of people can access to them is still so small.
Also, this situation applies to students in other grades and students
in college. In my University library, I can find only around 10
bilingual books (Vietnamese-English). Up to now, I didn't find any
book in original English in my library.
I mention about this because I so much want to support the idea of
publishing publications in English for students. We may not provide
English textbook right away. (I think that if we want to provide
English textbook for Vietnamese students we should already have some
experience with it). But I think that we can provide some English
stuff for students in English right away. (I know in RMIT, students
are usually full up with English stuff. isn't is, anh Craig?). I think
provide English stuff for students will also bring us some experience
to know what and how to publish the following English textbook for
Vietnamese students.
I don't mean about English stuff in very high topic. I just mean in
very common topic. For example, I am joining with HI (Handicapped
International) for a small guidebook to provide high school students
skills when they join our traffic. In Vietnam, we usually talk about
traffic accident, alarm student with high risk on road. But the rough,
cold text in schoolbook can never wake us up! Meanwhile, a funny book
with funny pictures and humorous cites may attract us. We will so love
if we have one in English. :)

Wish my bro and sis wealth,
HeO