English from grade 1 is a right move, but will grammar stuffing overload our children?

My child is in grade 1 at a public primary school in Hanoi. I support the government's plan to mandate compulsory English from grade 1 by 2030. English is the global "key" to study, work, and international exchange. My six-year-old is already effortlessly picking up simple phrases thanks to early exposure, proving that children learn languages faster and more naturally than we used to starting in grade 6.

For this ambitious project to be truly feasible, the preparation must be thorough and equitable. While many schools in big cities already offer English from grade 1, often with foreign teachers, the reality in rural, mountainous, and remote areas is starkly different. Many of these schools lack qualified English teachers, facilities, and teaching equipment. Implementing the policy simultaneously without equal investment risks widening gap between urban and rural students.

An English class at Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Manh Tung

My biggest concern is the current teaching methodology. Currently, English learning in primary school largely consists of memorizing vocabulary and repetitive grammar exercises, which fails to create a natural communicative environment. The goal is to establish English as a "second language," meaning students must be able to use it to learn other subjects, communicate, and access information. This cannot be achieved with theory-heavy lessons. It demands an "English-filled" environment: integrated lessons, English signage, interactive extracurricular activities, and a shift away from test-driven instruction.

First graders are just mastering reading and writing Vietnamese; introducing a new language with a different alphabet and pronunciation simultaneously, without the right approach, could easily lead to fear and aversion to English from the start.

I urge the education ministry to design the grade 1 English program to be gentle, lively, and age-appropriate. Learning through games, songs, role-playing, and storytelling—where children learn as if they are playing—will foster love and natural acceptance, rather than fear of testing and evaluation. Parents, even those who don't speak English, also need guidance on how to support their children by creating an encouraging environment, such as watching simple English cartoons.

Ultimately, the success of this policy rests on the quality of the teaching staff. An elementary English teacher must possess subject mastery, understand child psychology, and know how to truly inspire. If this engaging, play-based model can be replicated nationwide, I believe compulsory English from grade 1 will be profoundly effective.