To make your life easier in the classroom (Public schools) it is advisable to have some tools available to help.
Why?
Classroom sizes in Vietnam are pretty big. You can walk into a class of 50 students every day. If you are not prepared you will be exhausted by days end. You need help to project your voice.
What do I need?
First off a wireless headset with a blue tooth connection to a speaker will save your voice after a day in the classroom.
I currently use an “Aporo” wireless headset and Sony 30 watt speaker (XB32). As well as this I run all my audio recordings through Google drive on my cell phone.
Any good wireless headset and speaker will work. I recommend you try before you teach.
My cell phone is also connected via blue tooth to the Sony speaker. I have pre-saved all my audio recordings to my cell phone and pre-program the tracks I need for the lessons ahead.
I also use a mini projector for any visual presentations and display it on a wall in the classroom. Or I use a whiteboard or a rollout screen. I also have the audio output of the projector connected to the Sony speaker.
If you want to make your classroom experience more exciting and easier for you, invest in your future.
Here are a couple of items that may help.
I hope this helps. Also, have a look at my other posts, they might even help you.
The main areas of employment and teaching are in either privately or company owned schools’ ( such as VUS, ILA and a host of others) or in the public schools’. Primary or secondary schools’ will be what I am focusing on but you still have the option of Universities.
In this section I will be covering schools’, the classroom, salary expectations, recruitment and things that will make your job easier. Most of the following information is from personal experience from other teachers and myself. ( Teachers who have been in the industry for a long time).
Schools and Class sizes.
The government or public schools’ I will talk about are the primary and secondary schools’. A lot of teachers like to work in the public schools’ because they work normal hours. The hours are normally 7am to 4.30pm with a 2-hour lunch/nap break through the hottest part of the day. This is a guide only and your hours may be different to the above. Most teachers don’t work the whole day and your schedule may be morning or afternoons or a mixture of both. To work at these schools’ you will need to find a recruitment agency ( Such as Power English) or work in a privately owned school that has a contract with one of the schools’. There are a lot of recruitment agencies and their professionalism can range from non-existent to excellent. As a new teacher to Vietnam you can find a wealth of information on Facebook with groups like FETV (Foreign English Teachers in Vietnam) and English Teachers in Vietnam both of which offer good advice and feedback.
Be wary, some schools’ and recruitment agencies are not that strong in their H. R skills. In the worst instances, some smaller schools’ have been known to quickly disappear along with your monthly salary. Fortunately this does not happen as frequently as it did in the past. One of the first pieces of advice I received was to have 2 or 3 different jobs to protect you from the above. If one school closed along with your salary you would be OK financially because of the other 2 schools’. Thanks to stricter guidelines and controls this has become a rare occurrence. Generally the longer the school or recruitment agency has been around and the better the reputation the less likely anything untoward will happen.
Class sizes in public schools’ tend to be a lot higher than “western” classrooms. You should expect class sizes to be 40 – 50 students on average. There are exceptions and you will come across smaller class sizes in public schools’ especially in more affluent areas. Along with the number of students the actual size of the class can be larger than you may expect. I would suggest investing in a microphone and speaker so you don’t lose your voice while teaching. I personally recommend a wireless blue tooth headset that connects to a speaker with an output of around 30 watts. My preference is an Aporo headset with a Sony blue tooth speaker. I have this connected to my mobile phone and run all my audio through Google drive. I can thus prepare everything before class and know it will work. This gives me the freedom to walk around the classroom and being heard by everyone and not straining my voice. Most of the schools’ do provide some equipment but I prefer to use my own because of set up time and the hit or miss scenario of whether the provided equipment actually works. You can quickly lose the attention of the students if you spend 10 – 15 minutes of your lesson setting up the schools’ equipment. Large class sizes mean the attention span of the students can be short and the noise levels can be high.
I have a mini projector for my visual needs. ( more on the classroom equipment later).
The private and company owned schools’ are well resourced and perhaps apart from bringing your own “Flash cards’ ( A5 size cards that shows a picture of a word to be learnt) you will probably not need to bring any of your own equipment. Also, the class sizes are a lot smaller which means you are in a more Teacher and student friendly environment. Class sizes are normally around the 10 – 15 people level but can be more or less. The “private” schools’ are normally well provided for and can have computers, DVD’s, CD players, overhead projectors and microphones depending on the level of commitment of the owners. While it is good to have these resources it is without a doubt the skills of the teacher that make it an effective class. The other major difference between public and private schools’ are the teaching times. The hours for a private school are in the evening, Mondays to Fridays, 5.30pm – 7pm and 7.30pm – 9pm. (Some classes can be 2 hours long) and Saturdays and Sundays. These being 8am – 9.30am and 10am – 11.30am in the morning. Afternoon classes 3.30pm – 5.00pm and evening classes 5.30pm – 7pm and 7.30pm – 8pm. Each school can have different hours for teaching as laid down by the school owners or managers. There can be different levels of resources for the teacher but as standard most schools’ have course books and flashcards. As a teacher in either a public or private school you will be expected to follow a course curriculum.
Books, Schools and class curriculum
Whether you work for VUS, ILA or the British International school Vietnam or a public school or one of the many other schools’ or kindergartens you will be expected to follow a curriculum. Most schools’ will want you to teach about 2 pages per lesson. This is where your skills and techniques will come into play. One of the standard books of old ( and still being used) is Family and Friends 1,2,3, etc. When you first start, and look at the 2 pages you are asked to teach, you may well think… How am I going to make these 2 pages last for 2 hours, let alone 15 minutes. When you first start teaching it is advisable to have a range of material in your bag. Educational games are a lifesaver that will help you fill in the time as well as being important to the lesson. I am a firm believer in the laugh and learn style of teaching. If you make the lesson entertaining and fun the students will remember the content. If the lesson is boring the content will go in one ear and out the other. Young children, 4-6 year old, love coloring and there is a lot of material on the web that can help. education.com/worksheets, english4-kids.com, bogglesworld.com, worksheetfun.com, firstpalette and a lot of others provide free resources to the busy teacher.
For the older children you can provide handouts that are lesson related. They can be for work or fun. A great website for these students is englishworksheets.com. And you will, over time, learn a lot of games that are helpful in teaching and learning. You have games like “stop the bus’, English charades, ABC animals, food,countries etc. ( A -apple, b – banana, c – candy etc), hangman and the list goes on and on. You will get to the stage where you can walk into any class and be able to teach at least one lesson off the cuff.
Adults, especially those who pay the fees themselves, are arguably the easiest students to teach as they are the most motivated to learn. Kindergartens are also a rewarding area for teaching if you like young learners. They also have the least time for a lesson because of the childrens attention span. Lessons run for 30 minutes and you must be able to break the lesson down into 3-4 minute time slots to keep the attention of young learners.
Every age group and skill level brings its rewards and challenges. If I was to go through and list everything my website would be bigger than “War and Peace”
In all of these classes you will have a T.A (teachers assistant). Some can be helpful, some not so much. They are generally provided to keep the students in order, however you should be able to do this by yourself. You must have the overall authority in the classroom and keeping firm control of the classroom is paramount in being respected and giving a good lesson. Classrooms should be fun but the students must know the boundaries. A good teacher will find the techniques to running a successful class.
Salary expectations and recruitment
All salaries are negotiable but the average salary is around the 400,000 dong to 550,000 dong range for a native English speaker (N.E.S). Salaries legally have to be quoted in Vietnamese dong but these prices are equal to $17.20 to $23.65. Salaries can be lower or higher and can come with other benefits that will be offered or negotiated at the interview.
Facebook and Facebook groups are a great way to find a job. Word of mouth and introductions are also another great way to gain employment. I would love to know how many jobs have been gotten over a few drinks in bars and clubs. One service I can provide is introduction to schools’ and recruitment agencies if it is required.
Conclusion
I have attempted to cover as much as possible in this section but undoubtedly have missed one or two things. This website is a work in progress, so please continue to come back. Introduce yourself, make friends with myself and others. And, most importantly, I wish you a bright future as an English teacher.
There are certain ways that will make it easier for both the teacher to teach and the student to learn English as a second language. This will help you to understand more about teaching English in a foreign country.
How do students learn
Before we move into teaching styles and the methodology of teaching it is a good idea to reflect on how languages are learnt. If you can think when a baby is born it does not come forth into the world with a full range of vocabulary.
He or she spends the first years of life listening and absorbing the fundamentals of the language.
The first skill learnt is the Listening skill which is the foundation of all the other skills. ( I can quite often guess the nationality of the teacher because of the pronunciation of the student).
This is, arguably, the most important skill. The second skill in learning order is the speaking skill. Once the child has heard enough sounds, he or she will start putting together words and then phrases and sentences. The third and fourth skills are reading and writing and are higher learning skills.
And similarly to a baby learning a language this can be an effective guide in teaching English to an ESL (English as a second language) student. however, we do not have years to teach in the same way and time frame that a baby has to learn its native language.
Integrating the four skills can develop communicative competence because it focuses on the realistic communication, which is the main pursuit of teaching and learning in modern society
Teaching styles.
You will ultimately find your own teaching style and classroom techniques as you develop as a teacher. some recognized styles of teaching T.P.R (Total physical response), The communicative approach, meaningful learning, and the old-fashioned rote learning. Most teachers will cherry-pick from the below teaching techniques to suit themselves.
T.P.R is a language acquisition method developed by psychology expert, Professor James Asher. TPR uses a combination of language and physical actions to engage students in the language learning process.
Total Physical Response has a lot of benefits, particularly for beginners and young learners.
The pairing of movement with language is innately associated with effective learning
Students actively use both the left and right sides of their brains
It works with both small and large groups
It sharpens students’ listening skills
Students are not required to speak until they are ready to, therefore creating a “safe zone” that greatly lowers inhibitions and stress
Students will appreciate the change of pace and potential for humor.
Kinaesthetic learners (who respond well to physical activities) and visual learners (who learn best with visual cues) will get a lot out of TPR.
The Communicative approach.
Teaching through language. A strong concentration on listening. It emphasizes interaction as both the means and ultimate goal of the study.
The communicative approach is based on the idea that learning a language successfully comes through having to communicate real meaning. When learners are involved in real communication, their natural strategies for language acquisition will be used, and this will allow them to learn to use the language.
Example
Practicing question forms by asking learners to find out personal information about their colleagues is an example of the communicative approach, as it involves meaningful communication.
In the classroom
Classroom activities guided by the communicative approach are characterized by trying to produce meaningful and real communication, at all levels. As a result, there may be more emphasis on skills than systems, lessons are more learner-centered, and there may be some use of authentic materials.
Meaningful Learning
The concept or theory of meaningful learning is that learned information is completely understood and can now be used to make connections with other previously known knowledge, aiding in further understanding. Meaningful learning is often contrasted with rote learning, a method in which information is memorized sometimes without elements of understanding our relation to other objects or situations. Meaningful learning is to feel that all the pieces of a concept, idea, theory, formulae, or argument fit together.
ADVANTAGES OF MEANINGFUL LEARNING
Meaningful learning helps students achieve success in the classroom by:
Encouraging understanding, not memorization
Encouraging active learning techniques
Focusing on the outcome of the learning process
Relating new information to prior knowledge
DISADVANTAGES OF MEANINGFUL LEARNING
The challenges associated with meaningful learning include:
Takes longer to achieve
Should be tailored for different types of learners
Some students may face challenges with meaningful learning, as it requires building off previous knowledge. This is where dedicated teachers and tutors can help ensure students understand concepts so that meaningful learning can continue to happen.
Rote Learning
Rote learning is a more traditional form of teaching. It is based on repetition until the students remember the words and phrases. Rote learning is defined as the memorization of information based on repetition.
ADVANTAGES OF ROTE LEARNING
There are some benefits of Rote Learning, including:
Ability to quickly recall basic facts
Helps develop foundational knowledge
DISADVANTAGES OF ROTE LEARNING
The drawbacks of learning by memorization include:
Can be repetitive
Easy to lose focus
Doesn’t allow for a deeper understanding of a subject
Doesn’t encourage the use of social skills
No connection between new and previous knowledge
May result in a wrong impression or understanding a concept
While being able to quickly recall pieces of information is helpful, to understand information on a deeper level students must use a different method of learning.
It’s your move.
Students have different levels of interest and ability and learn in different ways. Auditory, kinesthetic, visual, etc. But if students “laugh and learn” the subject matter is more easily absorbed and retained.
There are many different ways of teaching and you will find the way that is most suitable and effective for yourself. One of the best ways to test if you are being effective is the engagement of the students.
When you are doing your teacher training you should be introduced to these different styles and hopefully given the chance to practice them. Just like anything, your teaching style and techniques will be perfected with practice.
Teaching On-Line / Schools that want teachers
Look at this post about schools that are looking for online teachers. On-Line Schools.
I also do placement of ESL teachers across Vietnam.
Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.
There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.
Huge growth in business and tourism have joined to make Vietnam one of the largest job markets for teaching English in the world.
After fifteen years of living and teaching in Vietnam I can provide you with a wealth of knowledge if you wish to teach in Vietnam.
I do this for two reasons. The first is I hope you can find a job that you will love and secondly I have a small school and I am always on the lookout for new teachers.
How to get paid to teach English.
Ho Chi Minh City is arguably the largest job market for teaching English in Vietnam. Low costs of living ( furnished apartments from $300 to $600 per month US$) can mean teachers in Vietnam can save the equivalent of $500 to $700 US$ per month all while enjoying a vibrant, exciting culture and amazing nightlife.
I am going to walk you through the things you will need, from teaching, finding a job, my experiences, day to day living and the pros’ and cons’ of life in Vietnam. I will also drill down into classroom activities, styles of teaching, classroom activities and sizes and job opportunities.
I will provide contacts for arranging visas and teacher training and how to get your motorbike license. I will try to cover as much as I can to make your trip to Ho Chi Minh City as easy as possible.
Things you need before you teach.
Some things you must provide to you future employer can be started to be gathered in your home country. You must provide a police check. This can be done at your local police station. This will show you have a clean criminal record and have not been arrested.
I got this quite easily from the country I was living in which was Australia. I waited for 7 working days and it was provided to me on an official Police letterhead stating my full name, address and passport number.
You will also have to provide a health check to show you are able to teach. You can do this in Vietnam but you may have communication problems with any non-English speaking staff. I organized mine with my local Doctor in my home country and this was satisfactory for my employer.
Although once I was employed, my employer, arranged to have me re-checked in Vietnam. (At their expense).
Degree or Non Degree. While a number of people will tell you can not teach without a degree, it is possible. If you need specialized help in this area please leave contact details in the comments section.
However, a degree in any subject is becoming essential. The degree does not have to be education related ( although it helps find a better paying job) and I have seen some very strange degrees shown.
So dust off your degree in surfing and prepare to become a teacher. In these days of COVID some schools and agencies are more willing to bend the rules than others.
I am offering no judgment call on degree or non-degree N.E.S ( Native English Speaker) but only providing current information on employment opportunities. With all your paperwork please arrange for notarized copies and also bring your originals.
I will talk about Visa costs, Work permits and training TESOL, TEFL, CELTA etc) as well as motorbike license costs within this post.
The Professional Engish Teacher.
What else do you need to maximize your income potential. Please bring suitable work attire. As I mentioned before, Vietnam can be quite traditional and teachers are expected to follow a dress code applicable to their role.
I am still surprised at the “new” teacher who is dressed in jeans and T-Shirt asking for a pay rise in an interview situation. I have been on the receiving end of this. Remember, we are in Vietnam and a lot of the labor laws are not at work here.
Trousers, short sleeve shirts and shoes with socks are deemed acceptable. There is no need to wear a tie or jacket.
If you have tattoos please try to cover them up in both the interview and classroom. As silly as this all sounds, if you are in an interview situation, this will give you an edge in getting the job you want.
It is Wet and Warm
Ho Chi Minh City has two seasons. Hot and wet and hot. So bring clothes that work around the seasons. You can buy cheap clothes in Vietnam but if you are a “big” size you may have difficulties in finding something that fits.
I now get my own clothes and shoes made at prices that are less than normal off the rack prices. It is hot in H.C.M.C., so bring clothes that will help you feel comfortable until you acclimatize.
Even though it is now much better, when I first came to Vietnam it was difficult to find underwear that was not too tight. So, throw in a couple of extra pair until you find a shop or department store that caters to your size.
Work Permits, Visa costs and Other Paperwork.
Work permits, Visa costs, Teacher training costs and License costs.
In this section I will give you a breakdown in costs and some contacts that I have personally used and found to be reliable.
The currency of Vietnam is the dong and everything I quote will be in either the Dong or in US$. Currently 100,000 dong is equivalent to $4.30 US.
As a rule of thumb take off 4 zeros and halve what is left. That will give you a quick ( although not 100% accurate) conversion rate between the dong and US$. A good idea is to download a currency conversion app for your phone called ‘Xe”
Vietnam Visa.
To get into Vietnam you will need a visa. These are broken down into Tourist or Business visa’s. I strongly recommend doing the business visa as that is what you will need to be able to work in Vietnam.
Also, go for the six-month visa as you do not wish to disrupt your teaching time by doing a “visa run” to another country. A reputable company called Vietnam-visa has offices in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and can help with all your visa needs from Visa on arrival to visa extensions and provide a wealth of information.
Below are the costs for a Visa, 1 to 6 months for single or multiple entries. You will see both tourist or business visas for one or over three people. Tourist Visa
Vietnam-visa has offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam-visa Vietnam- visa 6th floor, Win Home building, 23rd floor, vinacomex Tower. No. 9 Hoa Cau. Pham Hung road Ward 7, Phu Nhuan District, Me Tri Ho Chi Minh City Tu Liem Hanoi
One of the other pieces of paper you will need is a work permit, if you want to be legal. Your school will help you obtain a work permit and they may pay half or the full amount.
Technically if you are married to a Vietnamese person you do not need a work permit, however this is not well-known and you will probably be forced into getting a work permit.
There are a number of private enterprises that can help with this but It is best to let the school handle this. I have heard some horror stories of fake work permits and early exits from Vietnam.
If you wish to teach English in Vietnam for longer than three months it is a legal requirement to have a work permit.
Fees can range from $50.00US for a U.S. A citizen up to $500.00US for a South African.
Drivers License.
After you have been in Vietnam for a while and have become used to the chaotic traffic you may wish to obtain your own drivers license. You can either transfer your existing license or resit the test entirely. I chose the second option which turned out to be very easy and remarkably cheap, less than 500,000 dong. Approximately $24.00US.
However, if you wish to transfer your original license, these are the steps you need to take.
First, get the following together:
Official translation of your Driving License (2 copies) from your home country (you must find an official translator for your language with notary powers to do this – your Embassy/Consulate should be able to inform you, for some language you might be able to do it at the People’s Committee on 47, Le Duan in District 1, HCMC)
Notarized copy of your Driving License translation (2 copies) which has to be done at the Department of Justice of Ho Chi Minh City) – some official translators may do the two above steps for you, but the important thing is to get the stamp from the Department of Justice on your Driving License’s translation
2 copies of your Passport (first page, visa/resident card, and entry stamp) – simple black & white copies
Filled in form from the Transit Authority (Download here) or get it at the Department of Transport when applying
Original Resident card (if applicable)
Original Driving License from your home country, and your old Vietnam Driving License in case of renewal
Original Passport
Then, go to the Department of Transport (the driving license holder needs to be present) – for Ho Chi Minh City the address is Sở Giao thông vận tải, 252 Lý Chính Thắng, Phường 9, District 3, HCMC located in the end of the alley – it can be difficult to find,
Once there, go straight into the building (1st floor).
The security guard can point you in the right direction (they usually know what foreigners are there for)
At the counter, present all the documents listed above – the officer will certify that all is in order
If you forgot to copy some documents, you can find copy shops nearby
When handing all the documents, you will have to pay 135,000 VND for the application fee
You will then be asked to sit by a wall and they will take your photo on the spot
Note that at this point your Vietnamese driving license will only reflect the types of vehicles stated in your original driving license from your home country
This means that if you have a B1 (car) driving license in your home country, but not an A class (motorbike up to 175cc ), you will still need to add it later to your Vietnamese license. For the motorbike license, you just have to pass a practical exam (you will be excused from the theoretical part, which is considered by the Vietnamese as proven by the driving license you are converting now).
After everything is done, you will get a confirmation form stating your name, your license type, and the completion date for the conversion (usually after 10 working days).
You will be directed to a little table in the corner of the room where a Post officer will ask you to fill in your preferred address to receive your Vietnam driving license
Fill in your postal details and pay 30,000 VND to receive it directly, or you can come back in person to collect it
They will inform you of the exact date the courier will come to your stated address – you can put your office address, and give the receipt to someone else to collect it)
The officer will give you a receipt which you will have to hand to the courier that will come to deliver your Vietnam driving license
Total Issuing Cost for your Vietnam Driving License: 200,000 VND (for the translation/notarization) + 135,000 VND(application fee) + 30,000 VND (postal fee) = 365,000 VND.
Ready for the next steps? You’re almost there!
Now use your converted license to get your Vietnamese license.
(not needed if your original driving license already had it – and you don’t have to take the theoretical exam in any case)
Warning, the following steps will be harder to do without speaking Vietnamese or without the help of a Vietnamese friend.
Get the documents below:
04 photos [3x4cm] with blue background for the driving center
01 photo (any size, any background) for the health check
Copy of your Passport (1 copy, first page, visa/resident card, and entry stamp)
Filled in form (available on the spot at the driving center)
Health check results
Original Vietnam Driving License
Original Passport
Original Resident Card (if applicable)
Your first step will be to have a health check to show you are able to drive.
There are only 3 certified hospitals in HCMC (if you live in another city you can get the list of certified hospitals at your local driving center) to get it done:
An Sinh Hospital, 10 Trần Huy Liệu, Phường 12, Phú Nhuận, Hồ Chí Minh (google map link) – cost around 1,5M VND.
Binh Thanh Hospital, 112AB Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Phường 1, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh (google map link) – cost around 600,000 VND
Giao Thong Van Tai Hospital, 136 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám, Phường 12, Quận 10, Hồ Chí Minh (google map link) – cost around 185,000 VND.
The health check fee is from 185,000 VND to over 1M VND, depending on the hospital.
You don’t need to schedule a visit and can just show up directly but you might need to wait on busy days.
You should wear formal clothes (long pants, no shorts) and avoid drinking (too much) alcohol the day before, as they will test your urine and your breath for alcohol.
Bring along your original passport and a photo to apply for the health check, just follow the steps and get the results.
This part will definitely be easier with a Vietnamese friend.
Then, go to the driving center – for HCMC it is located at Vocational Colleges 7,Trường cao đẳng nghề số 7, 51/2 Thành Thái, Phường 14, District 10, HCMC
Once there, you will be given a form to fill in your personal information.
With your health check approved in hand, go back to the front office where they will inform you of the available exam schedules and ask you to choose one
You will be asked to pay the license issuing fee
They will give you a receipt which serves as your exam registration
They will return all original documents to you straight away
On the exam date (can be any day – mine was booked for 7 AM), go back to the same place with your exam registration receipt in hand
Bring also your original Passport, Vietnam Driving License, and Resident Card
The exam takes around 15 minutes and is a just a basic route that you need to complete (roundabout, narrow path, driving over bumps, that’s it) – the motorbike is provided
Note that you cannot use your own bike, and have to use their bike – a semi-automatic old motorbike. You should definitely practice a few times beforehand. You can just show up at the driving center any day from 7:30 am to 5 pm, and rent a test bike for 50,000 VND for 30min practice (the office is located at the entrance gate)
Results are announced as soon as you completed the test
You will then sign the issuance form
10 working days later, they will issue a new Vietnam driving license for you for both car and motorbike
Total Fees:
– License issuing fee: 135.000 VND
– Exam fee: 90.000 VND
– Health Check fee: 70.000 VND
And if you prefer to avoid the hassle and time spent on getting a driving license, we recommend the agency IzyViet that can take care of everything for you. International licenses are not valid in Vietnam and if you drive without a license you probably won’t be covered by health insurance.
Hi, welcome to Teaching ESL in Vietnam 2021. The site where you can find information about teaching in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. What to expect in the classroom and what it is like to live and work in one of the most vibrant cities in South East Asia.
The main aim of this website is to help you decide if teaching in HCMC, Vietnam is for you and how to get a job and make money as quickly as possible.
My House in Vietnam
MY STORY
My name is Steve and I have been living and teaching in Vietnam for fifteen years and now have my own school. I would like to help others to achieve their dream of teaching abroad while avoiding the pitfalls. Both my parents were teachers, my brother is a teacher and my daughter is a teacher. So it must be in the blood.
I have been living and teaching in Vietnam for the last fifteen years and have had some amazing experiences and met some fantastic people. The one thing I always wished for was one place to go to where I could find the information that would help me progress as a teacher and avoid some traps.
I would like to tell you a little more about me that may help you understand what motivates me. The first and most important thing is I am married to a wonderful Vietnamese lady and we have two children, Bao and Ngoc. We live in an extended family that includes nieces, nephews, and grandparents.
When I first met Nga she and I had great problems communicating which led to confusion and arguments. So I was motivated to both learn Vietnamese and teach her English. That’s where it started. As cliched as it sounds, I teach English to help people understand one another and avoid conflict.
I believe one of the major roads to conflict is the lack of understanding between different cultures. However, I am also fully aware that there must be some reward for the time taken to provide this opportunity to the students.
Hopefully, this website can provide at least a starting place to answer questions about teaching in Vietnam.
When I first arrived in Vietnam I wasted a lot of time finding my way around and there was no central source of information. So I have decided to give back a bit of my time in trying to help others.
WHY DO I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE
I would like to help others mainly so they can enjoy the same lifestyle I have led over the last fifteen years. I see people knocking themselves out in jobs they don’t like. And I think we all deserve to be happy. There is no greater feeling than going to work and loving what you do.
To create the opportunity for someone who may be socially disadvantaged by teaching them English ( So they can get a better life) and be paid for it is nothing less than amazing. So if I can help you become a great teacher and improve others’ lives in the process I will be happy.
THE GOAL OF MY SITE
The goal of my site is to help you help others. If I can provide enough information that helps you decide if you want to become a motivated and amazing kick-ass teacher I will be happy that I have helped start your journey. If you ever need a hand or have any questions, feel free to leave them below and I will be more than happy to help you out.
All the best, and remember a good teacher can change your life.
The culture of Vietnam is one of the oldest in Southeast Asia. Vietnamese culture is rich and diverse and was heavily influenced by Chinese culture due to 1,000 years of Chinese rule.
To help you understand the Vietnamese it helps to know a little about the culture. In Vietnamese culture, kinship plays an important role in society. While western culture is known for its individualism, Vietnamese culture places value on the roles of the family. It is still not uncommon to find three or four generations living under one roof.
Another example of the traditional values of Vietnamese culture are that weddings are still one of the most important traditions. The value of family is a very important aspect of Vietnamese life.
There are plenty of on-line sites and books that deal with Vietnamese culture if you wish to delve deeper into this area.
Also, as a brief guide, Vietnam stretches along the coastline of the South China Sea with borders to China in its north, Laos in the northeast and center and Cambodia in the southwest. It occupies approximately 127,243 square miles (329,560 square kilometers) which is about the same size as New Mexico.
There are about 90 million Vietnamese in this are with about 9 million living in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese is the official language however a lot of Vietnamese also speak English. It is a very good idea to try to master the basics of Vietnamese as you will be shown much respect for attempting the language.
When meeting, a handshake or a small bow of the head is and appropriate form of greeting. Business cards (passed with two hands) is a valuable tool in making acquaintances. If you are given a business card, take the time to read it before putting it in your pocket.
Even though it is becoming old-fashioned, it is still wise not to point the soles of your feet towards any “household shrines” Also when summoning someone, make sure the fingers are pointed downwards not upright. Even though these will not cause any major offense it will show to your guests that you have taken the time to learn and understand some culture.
Loss of face is still important to most Vietnamese so try to be discreet and respectful if you have a problem. You might be seething with a feeling of injustice but screaming and shouting will not help. If you have a problem try to resolve it in private.
Ho Chi Minh city and places to visit.
The largest city (formerly known as Saigon) is H.C.M.C and one of the most dynamic and engaging cities in South east Asia. HCMC represents the new young energetic nation that has left the wars and conflicts behind it. Vietnam has boasted one of the fastest rates of economic growth in the world.
Cities like HCMC and Hanoi are abundant with modern vehicles, upscale clothing shops, excellent restaurants and grand shopping malls. It also has endless construction that runs hand in hand with ancient pagodas and old French architecture.
HCMC was originally built as part of the Khmer civilization based in what is now Cambodia and today you will find millions of motorbikes swerving past old French villas and modern skyscrapers like the Bitexco tower.
If you come to live and teach in HCMC you might also wish to explore these amazing highlights.
1) Benh Thanh market; Dig out your bargaining skills and barter with the locals for anything from fresh flowers, cheap clothes,and souvenirs. There are also a number of places you can eat so you can make a day of shopping and enjoying the local cuisine.
2) Reunification Palace; The ex-home of the President of the Republic of Vietnam. It has been converted into a museum and is frozen in time in 1975. Close your eyes and you can hear the tank knocking down the fates and storming the Palace.
3) The War Remnants Museum; A fascinating museum that documents the struggles, injustices and brutality of war. You will find a modern museum with a large selection of old weapons and equipment along with a very humanistic approach to the American / Vietnamese war.
4) District 1 and Dong Khoi. From high tea to getting high is the difference between the backpackers’ area of Bui Vien to the 5 star hotels of Dong Khoi and its surrounds.
5) District 1,2,3,7 and 10 are where you will find a lot of ex-pats who live in HCMC. However, we are now spreading out to all districts and provinces.
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