How I helped my daughter master English using Australian learning approach

Growing up as part of the 7X generation, I had very little understanding of the importance of English during my school years. It was not until I was nearly 30 that I began studying English seriously. With hard work, I achieved a high enough IELTS score to earn the Australian government’s Endeavour Scholarship in 2009. That opportunity not only gave me access to a wealth of knowledge but also introduced my family to an effective way of teaching and learning English.

While living in Australia, I observed how primary schools taught children English naturally and engagingly. Instead of relying on dense, dry textbooks, they used leveled storybooks that progressed from simple to more complex texts. Children read these books at school, guided by teachers on pronunciation and comprehension, and brought them home as part of the "Take-home reading" program. This approach encouraged students to select stories they enjoyed, read them with their parents, and discuss them with their teachers. As children’s reading skills improved, they moved on to more challenging material, making the process a fun, exploratory journey.

A girl reads a Dr. Seuss book. Illustration photo by Unplash/Josh Applegate

After returning to Vietnam, I enrolled my son in a private school known for its English programs. However, he struggled to adjust due to his hyperactive personality. We decided to transfer him to a public school closer to home, where the English resources weren't exceptional, but we implemented the Australian method of teaching English.

I compiled leveled readers from publishers like Oxford, Macmillan, and Cambridge. These resources included audio materials, exercises, and age-appropriate cartoons. By fostering a comfortable and natural learning environment, my son was able to perform competitively in English competitions and standardized exams throughout his school years, despite attending a public school.

A decade later, I used the same approach with my youngest daughter. She, too, attended a local public school but grew up surrounded by English books and shows like "Dr. Seuss", "Little Critters", "Peppa Pig", and "Oxford Read and Discover". Her strong foundation enabled her to participate in the English Olympiad for primary students in Hanoi.

Although she achieved impressive results, I couldn’t ignore the growing gap in English proficiency between students in public, suburban, and private schools.

Students at private institutions often benefit from systematic English programs, such as Cambridge’s, giving them a clear advantage in city- or national-level exams. By comparison, public school students who excel in English tend to be outliers.

Mastering a foreign language doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a long-term process. While the Government has recently introduced policies to promote English as a second language in schools, these efforts will likely fall short if we don’t address how English is taught, especially from an early age.

Through this article, I want to share my experience with a gentle but effective approach to learning English. I hope parents, teachers, and students find these methods helpful. By making small but meaningful changes in how we teach and learn, we can foster an environment where Vietnamese children can succeed in English and beyond.