First time in Vietnam: Students' practical abilities are particularly recognized according to ASDAN

From scores to practical competence: a new perspective on student progress

ASDAN's (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) programs are being implemented in many countries around the world, especially in the fields of special education, inclusive education, career guidance and supporting students to transition to adult life.

ASDAN not only evaluates students by what they know, but also records what they can do with what they have learned, in communication, self-service, cooperation, problem-solving, community participation and preparing for adult life.

For students with special educational needs, this is considered a particularly meaningful approach, because their most important advances are sometimes not fully reflected in academic tests. It can be preparing a simple meal, actively communicating with others, completing a task assigned, using public transport, or gradually participating in a real learning and working environment. ASDAN helps those abilities be recognized by specific evidence, rather than just based on emotional assessment or academic results.

Dr. Stella de Bode - Principal of Vin Nexus Center - said: "The most important thing is not how much knowledge students have, but what they can do with what they have learned. We want each student to have the opportunity to build an independent life and be recognized by their own abilities.

New milestone in special education in Vietnam

Becoming an ASDAN member not only helps Vin Nexus Center implement international programs and certifications of this organization, but also adds an important piece to the school's training model.

In the VNC model, Cambridge plays the role of an academic framework, helping students access language, mathematics, science and thinking according to a standard structure. ASDAN adds a layer of practical competence, helping to record how students apply knowledge to daily life. Therefore, Cambridge is not replaced by ASDAN; the two systems are combined to connect "know" and "do".

For parents, ASDAN's clearest value is to provide a framework for recognizing practical abilities, helping to track their child's development journey more specifically and comprehensively.

Instead of just looking at academic results or scores, parents can see their children's progress in life skills, communication skills, self-reliance, spirit of cooperation and ability to participate in practical activities, through specific evidence such as images, videos, learning products and personal competency profiles.

In particular, students' efforts in daily life can be recognized through competency profiles and appropriate international certifications, contributing to building a foundation for learning orientation, career orientation and social integration in the future.

Becoming an ASDAN member not only adds an international certification system to Vin Nexus Center, but also contributes to opening up a new approach to special education in Vietnam where students are seen by what they can actually do, instead of their own limitations or differences.

The ultimate goal of education is not to stop at completing the curriculum, but to help students develop self-reliance, promote their own strengths and prepare for adult life in the most appropriate way for each student's ability. When abilities are properly recognized, every small step forward is valuable, each strength has the opportunity to be developed, and each student has more opportunities to build an independent, confident life and be recognized by society. That is also the goal that Vin Nexus Center pursues: to help each student find the most suitable development path to step into the future with their own abilities.