Vietnamese Woman Preserves Mother Tongue in a Foreign Land
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"Mom, why do I have to learn Vietnamese?"
This is not just a question posed by a Vietnamese child living abroad, it is a concern shared by many Vietnamese parents overseas. Parents and grandparents face a significant challenge in how to ensure that their children and grandchildren retain their mother tongue and national spirit while growing up in a foreign country. Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh, who spent 17 years in Russia, is no stranger to this issue. She once faced the same question herself, worried that her child might not become fluent in Vietnamese.
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh teaches the Vietnamese language to students in the Federal Republic of Germany. |
"I even delayed sending my child to kindergarten because I wanted them to speak Vietnamese well first," she shared in an interview. She created a Vietnamese-speaking environment at home, fostering conversations, reading books, and writing poems for her child. Her poetic lullabies became a spiritual gift for children, especially those far from their homeland.
With perseverance and creativity, Nguyen Thuy Anh helped her child master Vietnamese and paved the way for many other Vietnamese children abroad to learn the language naturally and engagingly.
Spreading love for Vietnamese through television
On March 31, 2023, more than 90 online platforms around the world broadcast the debut of “Hello Vietnamese language”, a Vietnamese language teaching program produced by VTV4’s External Relations Television Department in collaboration with the Vietnam Education Publishing House. The program marked a significant breakthrough in teaching the Vietnamese language and promoting it among the overseas Vietnamese community.
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh (R) shares with readers about Andersen's fairy tales. |
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh, who played a key role in developing the “Hello Vietnamese language” textbooks and served as a host of the show, emphasized: "We want children not just to learn Vietnamese but to love it." This goal is achieved through interactive activities like games, songs, stories, poems, and folk rhymes.
Each episode revolves around everyday scenarios, helping children use Vietnamese naturally in daily conversations. The show’s "Country Studies" segment, which features cultural and historical stories, reinforces children’s connections to their roots.
The program strengthens language skills and fosters a deep appreciation for Vietnamese culture, an essential step in preserving the language and identity of the overseas Vietnamese community, especially for those born and raised abroad.
Vietnamese summer camp - Nurturing the national spirit
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh’s dedication to the Vietnamese language extends beyond television. In 2012, with the support of Le Xuan Lam, the principal of Lac Long Quan Vietnamese School, she organized the first Vietnamese summer camp in Poland. This groundbreaking initiative created a Vietnamese-speaking community for children living abroad.
Initially, only 30 children registered for the camp, but by the opening day, that number had grown to 80. The children participated in fun and creative activities while practicing their Vietnamese in real-life situations, which greatly improved their communication skills. “We saw how emotional parents became when they watched their children singing Vietnamese songs and speaking in full sentences,” shared Nguyen Thuy Anh.
The children engaged in storytelling, acting in plays, making crafts, and playing sports, which allowed them to use Vietnamese in a natural, creative environment. This is the most effective and sustainable way to learn a language applied by Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh.
Since then, the Vietnamese summer camp has become an annual event in Poland, Germany, and other countries, attracting hundreds of Vietnamese children and families abroad. The model has spread and become an indispensable part of life for the overseas Vietnamese community, creating lasting memories for the younger generation.
The mission continues
Since returning to Vietnam in 2009, Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh’s mission to promote the Vietnamese language has grown stronger. Although she now lives in her homeland, she remains deeply connected to the overseas Vietnamese community through various language education projects, including summer camps, online programs, and the “Hello Vietnamese Language” textbook series.
One of her greatest accomplishments has been developing diverse teaching methods, from online lessons to hands-on activities at summer camps, ensuring that Vietnamese learners everywhere can enjoyably access the language. She frequently emphasizes that preserving Vietnamese is not an individual task but a shared responsibility among families, teachers, and society at large.
With her unwavering passion, Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh is helping to maintain the bond between young Vietnamese around the world and their cultural heritage. Her projects demonstrate that language is more than just a means of communication. It is a symbol of identity, culture, and national pride.
Born in 1974 in Hanoi, Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh studied at Moscow State Pedagogical University in Russia. After returning to Vietnam in 2009, she has worked in the fields of culture, arts, and education, particularly promoting children’s reading. She is the founder of the “Reading with Children” club, the leader of EcoCamp, a vocational summer camp, an advisor for the teen counseling section of the Literature and Youth magazine, and the Vice President of the Children's Literature Council under the Vietnam Writers’ Association. In 2021, Forbes magazine honored her as one of the Top 20 Most Inspirational Women of the Year. Her “Hello Vietnamese Language” textbook series won first prize at the 6th National Book Awards in 2023. Poet Cao Xuan Son, a member of the 6th National Book Award Council in 2023, highly appreciated his colleague's book series. He said: "As a reputable scientist, having experienced practical activities with Vietnamese children abroad, the founder and maintainer of the Reading with Children Club, and at the same time a writer and poet with many works associated with children, author Nguyen Thuy Anh has single-handedly created an admirable feat." He said the book series not only meets the standards of phonetic knowledge but is also appealing and interesting in its form of expression. Children can learn while playing and play while learning. The books combine both lectures and practice. The books teach Vietnamese and enrich knowledge of the homeland's behavior, customs, habits, and landscapes. Thanks to the books, readers and learners preserve their native language. Due to this "Hello Vietnamese Language" series, parents have additional reliable support and a lovely companion to help their children nurture their love for Vietnam. |
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