In the summer days, when many city children participate in talent classes, in Ta Van Mong village (Ta Van commune, Lao Cai province), more than 10 young children are excited to come to a very special class.
No tuition fees, no expensive textbooks, what they receive is English lessons and the belief that knowledge can open the door to the future.
The lecturer is Sung Thi Dinh, a H'Mong girl born in 2002.
Few people thought that this girl born in the highlands could fluently communicate in English with international tourists. After many years working as a tour guide and running a homestay in her hometown, Dinh taught herself foreign languages every day to serve her work.
It was the process of interacting with foreign tourists that made Dinh realize one thing: English is not just a skill, but also a "ticket" to help people in community tourism areas change their lives.
Thanks to the job of regularly communicating with international guests, I find English very important. I always hope that the young children in the village will also have the opportunity to learn foreign languages to be more confident and have more opportunities in the future," Dinh shared.
From that thought, the young girl decided to open a free English class right in the village. Each class, Dinh directly guides the children from simple vocabulary, pronunciation, basic communication to practical situations often encountered when chatting with foreign guests.
The classroom atmosphere is always lively with games, songs and short conversations in English. Dinh's desire is not only to teach the children another language but also to help them be bolder, dare to speak and dare to dream.
Hang Thi Xa (10 years old) said that every day when there is a class, she comes very early. "I am very happy to learn English. Later, knowing English will make any job more convenient and have a better life," Xa said innocently.
And Hang A Cho (14 years old) hopes to be able to speak English fluently in the future to work right in his hometown, without having to leave the village to work far away.
According to the young girl, in a tourism-developed locality like Ta Van, English can become the key to helping people get rich on their own land.
When they have foreign languages, people can introduce their national culture to international friends, do tourism better and increase income. I also hope the class will spread the spirit of sharing so that more and more people will join hands to help children in mountainous areas have better learning conditions," Dinh expressed.
In Ta Van Mong, the economic conditions of many families are still difficult. Accessing foreign language classes is almost a luxury.
Therefore, Dinh's free class has become a rare opportunity for children to access a new language that they previously only knew through textbooks.
According to Mr. Cao Ba Quy, Chairman of Ta Van Commune People's Committee, the locality is orienting community tourism development in a professional and sustainable direction. Therefore, improving people's capacity, especially English communication skills, is very important.
Free English classes like in Ta Van Mong village are very commendable. This is a practical model, contributing to improving skills for the young generation, creating human resources to serve community tourism development in the future," Mr. Quy assessed.
