My friend regrets not learning English early after getting promoted to department head

I have a close friend from high school who is very bad at English. After securing his first job, he worked hard and was eventually promoted to head of the sales department. However, this position required frequent communication with foreign clients, forcing him to scramble to enroll in various English courses. Unfortunately, he could only manage to learn a few basic sentences. He often confided in me that he wished he had started learning English earlier.

Another friend of mine, despite coming from a poor family, was extremely diligent. Since he could not afford extra classes, he primarily studied at home. After graduating from university, he took an IELTS preparation course at a reputable center in HCMC. Once he obtained his IELTS certificate, he was immediately hired by the center and is now the head of one of its branches.

These are just two real-life examples that highlight the importance of learning English early. We never know when we will need to work with foreigners. Becoming fluent in English requires a long period of practice and cannot be achieved in just a few months unless have a talent for languages.

So what makes you fluent in English? The answer is reflexes. By definition, reflexes are the body's automatic responses to external stimuli. In English, or any other language, communication reflexes mean being able to understand and respond to questions and statements immediately without taking too much time processing them.

Reflexes are essential for smooth communication. When someone takes too long to respond and stumbles over their words, the conversation loses its flow. In countries like the Philippines and Singapore, where English is used daily, people naturally develop good language reflexes. In Vietnam, where English is not the primary language, building these reflexes requires early and consistent practice.

You can choose whenever you want to learn English, but the advantages of doing so early cannot be ignored.

English education in Vietnamese schools focuses almost entirely on grammar and written language. No one becomes fluent just by reading textbooks and memorizing sentence structures. True proficiency is measured by communication. Children, for example, first listen, then understand and start speaking before learning to read or write.

This is why language should be learned in the order of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Listening is the foundation for other skills. Listening and speaking are skills that help develop reflexes. Unfortunately, schools prioritize active skills like reading and writing, leaving many students and graduates unable to communicate with foreigners.

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.