Many parents desire their children to study in an international school to help them broaden their opportunities and develop flexible thinking. However, parents may also be apprehensive that students may forget their own traditional culture. Here are some guidelines to help students integrate into the international environment.
Constantly improving English will help children to acquire more knowledge and better integrate into the labor market. However, besides the importance of English, they should also routinely cultivate and use their mother tongue, if not English, in four key areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Children benefit from being fluent in their native language and this helps them preserve their unique cultural identity.
In a dynamic international environment, students should be open minded, confident, and proactive in their learning activities. In particular, they should always be willing to listen, learn, and understand others. For Vietnamese parents, families can actively search out the land, people, and culture of Vietnam through the lessons of history, geography, literature, travel experiences, or simply living in the community. The library features thousands of books on Vietnam, including beloved folktales and poetry by luminaries, such as Pham Ho and Tran Dang Khoa. These readings will help you to immerse children in the home country language and culture.
Respect, preserve and, traditional start from very small and simple actions. Students should meet their teachers, school staff, and other children with polite greetings, make concessions to other children, show respect for adults, give help, be kind to classmates and friends, and use polite language. In addition, festivals traditions of Vietnam such as the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival are an opportunity to actively understand and appreciate the culture of the country where we all live.
International learning environments are inclusive and always welcome all cultures from different countries but the values of the school’s host country and each individual do not go missing. Children will have the ability to integrate well when studying abroad in the future and will not forget their own roots.
Ms. Phan Ngoc Thao Ngan – WASS Teacher
