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03/08/2017

 

In 2014, VVOB Vietnam introduced a comprehensive approach to successful transition from pre- to primary school in four provinces in Vietnam. Through close collaboration with various educational stakeholders, the programme strengthened the capacities of provincial and district educa­tion officers, school leaders, teachers and parents to address the issue of transition, a crucial time for pupils’ future learn­ing outcomes. Mr Nguyen Tan Tu (Head of Primary Division, provincial Department of Education and Training – DOET) and Ms Nguy­en Thi Lien (Head of Propaganda Division, Vietnam Women’s Union - VWU), both from Quang Nam province, share their experiences.

To all children's benefit

Mr Nguyen Tan Tu: “Strengthened school leaders and the intro­duction of the topic of transition into the official DOET instruc­tions to schools have led to significant changes at school level. School leaders are now more aware of the importance of a posi­tive transition and can offer quality support during the process. They develop, implement, and evaluate school plans aimed at supporting children during transition. The programme also established a closer collaboration between pre- and primary schools. For instance, preschool children visit primary schools, and joint professional teacher meetings and cross-school class observations are set up. This enables teachers from both educa­tion levels to learn about the nature of the other’s work. They can align their teaching and learning methods, to the benefit of all children’s development. Also, the cooperation between schools and families has been strengthened significantly.”

Powerful learning environments

Mr Nguyen Tan Tu: “Through collaboration between pre- and primary schools, teachers now find ways to ensure continuity for learners between the two school levels. This challenges teachers to create adjusted and powerful learning environments that are safe and marked by rich learning and play activities. Vari­ous primary schools have redecorated their grade 1 classrooms to be more in line with what is commonly experienced by children in preschools. Teachers also try to design meaningful tasks that are inspired by children’s interests and are therefore more appeal­ing. After all, making the transition from play to more intentional learning with textbooks and tasks is very challenging for many young children. Teachers also started to pay more attention to ‘scaffolding’, which means that they offer tailored support to the learning needs of individual children. An increased number of good practices are clearly visible in many of our schools and are also being documented so they can be shared.”

Parental involvement

Ms Nguyen Thi Lien: “The cooperation between VVOB and Quang Nam Women’s Union has brought about changes in how parents support their children during the pre- to primary school transition. At provincial level, we organised trainings for our own staff members, who continue to discuss the transition issue at communal level. During Women’s Union Club meetings, parents are made aware of the importance of the transition process and are given practical tips on how to support their children. Both teachers and parents have reported positive changes in their children when parents play a more proactive role in the process. Sometimes it is just about supporting children’s independence by giving them small tasks at home, supporting their learning through play, reading story books, and communicating with chil­dren about their daily life experiences. In addition to improving parents’ capacity in supporting their children, the closer cooperation between the Women’s Union and the education sector has really contributed to improving the quality of early education.”

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This article was published in VVOB Annual Report 2016: http://www.vvob.be/vvob/en/news/annualreport2016