Vietnamese Technology Program: The teacher works hard but the students learn a lot.

The Vietnamese technology program for first graders by author Ho Ngoc Dai is receiving mixed opinions on social networks. In Nghe An, teachers all affirm that the program is very effective. Nghe An Newspaper recorded some opinions of teachers who have taught and are teaching the program on this content.

Teacher Phan Thi Cuc (Hung Dao Primary School, Hung Nguyen):She worked hard but the students learned a lot.

When we first implemented the technology program, we found many difficulties, firstly the information channel between parents and teachers, the reading method at home and at school is different. But after 6 years of teaching, I found that the program has many advantages in pronunciation and spelling.

Some parents worry about the sound of C, K, Q. Traditionally, these three letters are different. But in the new program, after learning the spelling rules, children will know when to write C, K, Q. For example, the letter K goes with e, ê, i; the letter Q always goes with the middle sound u to form qu, C always comes before the vowels: a, ă, â, o, ô, ơ, u, ư....

In the first lessons of the school year, teacher Phan Thi Cuc guided first graders to practice writing. Photo: My Ha

This program also has the advantage that students know exactly what they learn. The teacher will teach the spelling of each lesson. Previously, students had to start writing by copying from week 27 onwards.

In the technology program, students can grasp the words but they do not need to understand the words. They just need to grasp the words to make sounds. I also support this program, although it is hard for teachers, students learn a lot.

Master Tran Thi Hao (Head of Literature - Vietnamese Language Department - Primary School, Nghe An Pedagogical College):Students are excited about learning technology programs.

For nearly 10 years now, we have been teaching Vietnamese Technology at Nghe An Pedagogical College and it is the main subject for students. Therefore, when doing internship or graduating, students are no longer surprised with this program.

Through teaching, we see the success and advantages of the program, which is to achieve the goals of Vietnamese 1 in general, forming listening, speaking, reading and writing skills for students, especially reading and writing skills, contributing to training thinking and forming and developing knowledge about nature, society and people.

Second, the new point of the program is that students are trained in Vietnamese skills, going from sounds to letters so that students can grasp the structure of the language. Students are also focused on reading and writing skills (listening and writing at the same time, different from the "copying practice" of the current program). And, at the end of grade 1, students can read well and write correctly.

Besides, when teaching this program, teachers are less pressured. Teachers only need to follow the correct procedures as indicated in the design book. Students also follow the activity procedures so they are more interested.

However, besides that, the program also has difficulties: It is a rather heavy program. With a limited time, students have to grasp the rhymes, rhymes with main sounds, rhymes with final sounds, rhymes with full medial sounds, main sounds, final sounds and read relatively long reading passages... so there are difficulties for students, especially for ethnic minority students and large classes. Therefore, completing all skills is difficult.

Class time of first graders. Photo: My Ha

The program focuses on reading and writing skills but neglects listening and speaking skills like the current program. In addition, with the "vacuum" view of meaning, the meaning of new words and the meaning of the reading are not focused on and students do not grasp the meaning of the words and the meaning of the lesson.

To teach this program, teachers must learn and master the process. Parents who want to teach their children must do the same.

Besides, should the textbook writers also fix some problems such as reducing the load, reducing the length of some reading and writing lessons, increasing the time for listening and speaking skills for students, increasing the word interpretation and understanding the meaning of some reading lessons. For each class, ensuring the number of students will make teaching and learning more effective.

TeacherPhan Thi Hong Mai(Principal of Trung Do Primary School, Vinh City):Many reactions are unorthodox, not understanding the whole program

I started to approach and teach the technology program from the first years of the pilot program at Hung Dung 1 Primary School more than 20 years ago. At that time, I myself found that the new program was contrary to the old program that we had learned.

However, the advantage is that it teaches the essence of Vietnamese, so students studying this program grasp the essence of phonetics and the rules of writing very well. At that time, many students who finished grade 1 had better knowledge of phonetics than students in grades 4 and 5.

Students of Trung Do Primary School, Vinh City. Photo: My Ha

In terms of learning methods, it is very clear and scientific. Thereby, it also helps students to organize the class systematically and control the effectiveness of students immediately and correct them promptly. In addition, when learning the essence, they will also understand correctly and thoroughly.

Even before they know how to read and write, students are familiar with the chain of sentences into sounds, into words, and from words, students separate them into specific parts and do not separate them mechanically, but know how to listen, know how to perform manual operations, and know how to think.

Later, I did not directly teach, but thanks to my professional management work, I also saw the adjustments of the technology program to make it closer to the learners and easier for teachers to access in order to build and organize teaching.

By being able to perform the operations, the students of this program are bold and confident. Before entering the Vietnamese Technology subject, students have also learned the skills in the two weeks of the program, so they can approach it easily.

At the present time, I hear a lot of debate, even a lot of reactions. But I see that many reactions are not mainstream. The people who react are mainly people who have not studied the program, have not done research. The number of educators who react is not much, or if they react, they do not fully understand the program.

Faced with the reactions, which more or less caused confusion for parents, we had anticipated that situation. Usually before each school year, when the class gathered, we directed teachers to talk to parents and the teacher guided parents to coordinate with the school.