Facilitating Online Learning of Vietnamese for Overseas Vietnamese

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Lan Trung, head of the Vietnam Association of Linguistics, vice president-general secretary of the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Lan Trung, head of the Vietnam Association of Linguistics, vice president-general secretary of the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese shared about Vietnamese language learning of our compatriots abroad.

Parents ask questions in Vietnamese, children answer in foreign languages

What is the current situation of Vietnamese and foreign languages in Vietnamese families far from the Fatherland?

Having lived in Europe for nearly 10 years, alongside overseas Vietnamese, I understand the challenges faced by grandparents and parents when their children and grandchildren cannot speak Vietnamese. It is common for parents to ask their children questions in Vietnamese and receive answers in foreign languages.

While they may understand, their pronunciation is often unclear due to a lack of proper Vietnamese language education. This leads to embarrassment when speaking Vietnamese. If children refuse to speak the language, it becomes difficult to maintain a sustainable Vietnamese community.

What do you think about preserving the Vietnamese language in the Vietnamese community abroad?

When we encounter Vietnamese communities abroad where only foreign languages are spoken, it feels unfamiliar and cold. The presence of the Vietnamese language creates a sense of warmth and connection to our homeland. However, there are difficulties when it comes to teaching Vietnamese to the younger generations.

While our people desire for their children to learn Vietnamese, various factors make it challenging for parents to fulfill this goal.

What do you think about activities of the Vietnamese language after one year of implementing the project on honoring Vietnamese language day in the overseas Vietnamese community?

Over the past years, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs-Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made significant efforts to support the teaching and learning of Vietnamese among overseas Vietnamese communities. These efforts have been appreciated by the overseas Vietnamese community.

What are the activities to honor Vietnamese?

The Ministry of Education and Training has provided specific directions and close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs has successfully implemented the promotion, encouragement, and support of Vietnamese community organizations abroad in organizing festivals, Vietnamese language competitions, and artistic activities such as singing, reciting poems, composing songs, and writing scripts in Vietnamese.

These activities have fostered a renewed sense of emotion and beauty within the overseas Vietnamese community, strengthening their connection to their roots and raising awareness about the importance of preserving and honoring the Vietnamese language.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Lan Trung is the head of the jury of the Vietnamese language contest in Taiwan in August 2023.

Learn Vietnamese online

What needs to be done in the near future to further promote the preservation and development of the Vietnamese language?

During my interactions with overseas Vietnamese in Japan, they expressed their concerns: “Our children have limited time. They need to prioritize learning Japanese and improving their English, leaving little time for Vietnamese classes.”

Therefore, there is a need for more suitable and effective tools for teaching and learning Vietnamese, beyond traditional printed materials.

During a visit to Thailand, I saw stacks of unused Vietnamese learning books in a facility. Overseas Vietnamese hope for online learning materials that allow children to study independently.

Parents would be able to assist their children in practicing Vietnamese anywhere and anytime, whether at home, during meals, on vacations, or outings.

The Vietnam Association of Linguistics and the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese have made significant contributions in recent years. They have collaborated with domestic and foreign agencies to promote and create favorable conditions for the advancement of Vietnamese language teaching within the community.

We are committed to continuing our collaboration with departments and organizations both at home and abroad to further promote the conservation, preservation, and development of the Vietnamese language.

Rosie Nguyen (Translates)

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