Vietnamese lessons focus on helping students to form and develop understanding in specific areas, including:

• love for nature, family, and Vietnam;
• cultural awareness;
• emotional stability;
• interest and love for learning;
• integrity in study and life;
• sense of responsibility towards self, family, society and the surrounding environment.

Students initially form basic reading, writing, speaking and listening skills such as:

• reading correctly and fluently;
• understanding content;
• correct spelling and grammar;
• writing sentences, paragraphs and short essays;
• speaking clearly;
• effective listening.

Students will also distinguish between and be able to read poems and stories; recognize the beauty of artistic words; develop imagination, understand and be moved by the beauty and goodness of people and the surrounding world expressed in literary texts.

The level of reading and writing is gradually increased with each class. After completing the programme, the level of achievement for each class are shown as follows:

For Grade 1

• Read a passage of about 90 words correctly. The reading speed should be about 40 – 60 words per minute.
• Correctly write a 30 – 35 word passage both by transcribing and by listening in 15 minutes.

For Grade 2

• Read a passage of about 150 words correctly. The reading speed should be about 60 – 70 words per minute.
• Listen to and then write out a poem or passage of about 50 – 55 words in 15 minutes.

For Grade 3

• Read a passage of about 200 words correctly. The reading speed should be about 70 – 80 words per minute.
• Listen, recall and write a passage of about 60 – 70 words in 15 minutes.

For Grade 4

• Read a passage of about 250 words correctly. The reading speed should be about 90 – 100 words per minute.
• Listen, recall and write a passage of about 80 – 90 words in 15 minutes.

For Grade 5

• Read a passage of about 300 words correctly. The reading speed should be about 100 – 120 words per minute.
• Listen, recall and write a passage of about 100 words in 15 minutes.

In Mathematics, students learn basic maths skills and knowledge regarding numbers and problem-solving, common quantities and their measurements, geometry and statistical factors like simple probabilities.

Grade 1:

• Read and write numbers up to 100. Add and subtract up to 100.
• Identify basic shapes such as: squares, triangles, circles, cubes and rectangular prisms.
• Solve problems with addition or subtraction of several units.

Grade 2:

• Read, write and compare numbers up to 1000. Add and subtract numbers up to 1000.
• Recognise the facts (or elements) of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Problem-solving with addition and subtraction.

Grade 3:

• Practice 2, 3, 4 and 5 times tables and division tables. Develop 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 times tables. Introduce numbers up to 100,000. Add and subtract 3 digit numbers.
• Introduce geometric elements. Find the perimeter and area of ​​rectangles and squares.
• Solve two-step problems and solve problems with geometric content.

Grade 4:

• Read, write and compare numbers up to a million. Introduce a billion. Practice solving problems with fractions with up to 2 or 3 steps.
• Solve expressions with numbers and variables using 4 mathematical operations.
• Introduce the rhombus and the formula to find the area of a ​​parallelogram or rhombus.
• Problem-solving: find two numbers from a  known sum or difference and their ratio, find two numbers based on a sum, and find the difference between them.

Grade 5:

• Read, write and perform calculations with decimals and measurements of time.
• Introduce the concept of percentages. Read and write percentages.
• Calculate perimeter, area and volume of shapes. Introduce the concepts of speed, time, and distance. Perform simple maths problems about uniform motion and motion in the same or opposite direction.

Students’ learning about history and geography includes applying knowledge and skills learned, forming and developing common competencies, self-control and self-study, communication and cooperation, problem-solving and creativity. The subjects help students explore the natural world and society around them and enhance national pride, love for nature and the homeland, raise awareness for protecting nature, preserving and developing Vietnamese cultural values, respecting cultural differences between countries and peoples, thereby contributing to the formation and development of patriotic, compassionate, hardworking, honest and responsible citizens.

The programme content includes basic and essential knowledge and skills about geography and history of the local region, Vietnam and neighbouring countries, and some basic features of geography and history in the world.

This subject aims to form and develop in students the initial understanding of ethical and accepted standards of behaviour. It helps students to recognise and adjust their own emotions, attitudes and behaviours. They will also observe, understand and learn about their family, homeland, country and behaviour, plan and implement personal goals, and form basic, necessary habits and routines for academic and personal life. In the 2022-2023 school year, students will study the following themes:

Grade 1

Topics covered include:

• Self-care
• Love your family
• Take care of your family and loved ones
• Classroom rules
• Routine activities
• Independence
• Honesty
• Preventing accidents and injuries

Grade 2

Topics covered include:

• My hometown
• Respect teachers and love friends
• Understand the value of time
• Admit and correct your own mistakes
• Keeping your personal belongings safe at school and being responsible for belongings at home
• Identify and express your feelings
• Learn to ask for help and support from others
•  Follow the rules of public places

Grades 3, 4, and 5

Topics covered include:

• Understanding yourself
• Relationships with others (Interpersonal relationship)
• Working relationship
• Developing a relationship with the community, country and humanity
• Developing a relationship with nature

This subject helps students develop an initial understanding of Information Technology and its applications in life and learning.

Students develop the ability to use computers in learning other subjects, in a range of activities and for entertainment in order to improve the quality of education and create the conditions for students to adapt to modern life. Students will use computer tools to solve problems.

Grade 3+

• Topic 1: Getting to know computers
• Topic 2: Practising drawing
• Topic 3: Text editing
• Topic 4: Design a presentation

Grade 4

• Topic 1: Discover your computer
• Topic 2: Practising drawing
• Topic 3: Text editing
• Topic 4: Design a presentation
• Topic 5: Logo World

Grade 5

• Topic 1: Discover your computer
• Topic 2: Text editing
• Topic 3: Design a presentation
• Topic 4: Logo World
• Topic 5: Studying music

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has just issued a document guiding the implementation of the Practical Activities Program in Primary School in the General Education Program issued under Circular No. 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT dated 26 December 2018 of the Minister of Education and Training (GDPT 2018 Program).

In terms of content, the Practical Activities program prescribes three content circuits for grade 1: self-directed activities, social-oriented activities, nature-oriented activities, and four content circuits for Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5: self-directed activities, social-oriented activities, nature-oriented activities and career orientation activities. In addition, local educational content is integrated in the Practical Activities including basic or current issues of culture, economy, society, environment, career guidance.

In terms of type, practical activities are carried out through four main types of activities: assemblies, class activities, educational activities by thematic and club activities (of which the club is elective type). Organized experiential activities are held inside and outside the classroom, inside and outside of school according to group size, class size, grade level or school size.

Maths concepts are taught within the Vietnamese curriculum, the aim of Maths in English is to ensure that students understand maths-related vocabulary in English. Vocabulary covered includes numbers, fractions, decimals, shapes, measures and directions. In Grade 5 links are made to the Cambridge Maths curriculum in preparation for transition to Year 7 where Maths is taught in English.

Preparatory

Students follow the targets from Stage 1 Cambridge English as a Second Language curriculum.

Topics covered include:

• Me
• My family
• My favourite things
• My school
• My classroom
• Places around us
• Getting around
• My day
• People and animals.

Key skills developed:

• Speaking and Listening – Be able to give basic information about themselves and respond to questions, describing objects in terms of colour and size, describing actions of people and animals.
• Reading – Learn the English alphabet and begin to blend sounds together to read regular 3 and 4-letter words, learn high-frequency words, share simple traditional stories with the teacher.
• Writing – Labelling pictures, using word mats to copy topic words, begin to write simple sentences with support.

Grade 1/2

Students follow the targets from Stage 2 and Stage 3 Cambridge English as a Second Language curriculum.

Topics covered include:

• Weather
• Clothes
• Feelings
• The world around us
• Our bodies
• Free time
• Jobs
• Famous people
• Keep in touch.

Key skills developed:

• Speaking and Listening – Be able to give basic information about themselves and respond to questions, describing objects in terms of colour and size, describing actions of people and animals.
• Reading – Learn the English alphabet and begin to blend sounds together to read regular 3 and 4-letter words, learn high-frequency words, share simple traditional stories with the teacher.
• Writing – Labelling pictures, using word mats to copy topic words, begin to write simple sentences with support.

Grade 3/4

Students follow the targets from Stage 4 and Stage 5 Cambridge English as a Second Language curriculum.

Topics covered include:

• My country
• Different countries
• Planning a trip
• Sport
• Food and health
• In your head
• Transport
• Travel
• Changing times.

Key skills developed:

• Speaking and Listening – To be able to confidently talk about themselves including information about their family and interests, listen to longer stories and recall the main events, understand key information in a range of topics.
• Reading – Learn long vowel sounds and common letter combinations, develop decoding skills and build up sight vocabulary, start reading simple stories and information texts independently.
• Writing – Start to spell regular words, understand some spelling rules like plurals, write sentences to tell a story and record information. Begin to understand sentence structure and use of verbs, adjectives and pronouns.

Grade 5

Students follow the targets from Stage 6 Cambridge English as a Second Language curriculum.

Topics covered include:

• Education
• People at work
• The arts
• Everyday wonders
• Entertainment
• Money
• Things that have changed our lives.

Key skills developed:

• Speaking and Listening – Communicate with greater confidence and express ideas and opinions, to be able to present information on a range of topics, and listen for key information in longer discussions.
• Reading – Develop confidence and fluency, reading comprehension including inference, understanding of characters and events, making predictions.
• Writing – Extend understanding of sentence structure and punctuation, develop accurate use of verbs and understanding of tenses. Write short stories and informational texts with greater accuracy.

Each year group follows a selection of topics from the Cambridge Science curriculum. Science provides an excellent opportunity for students to extend their knowledge of the world as well as extend their English vocabulary. A range of practical activities help students to develop their observational skills and other scientific skills like making predictions, measuring and interpreting data.

Preparatory

Students follow the targets from Stage 1 Cambridge Science curriculum.

Topics covered include:

Topics are taught integrated within the English curriculum.

Key skills developed:

Observe changes over a period of time, notice patterns and grouping objects or living things, make simple comparisons, ask questions and develop appropriate vocabulary.

Grade 1/2

Students follow the targets from Stage 2 and Stage 3 Cambridge Science curriculum.

Topics covered include:

• Living things in different places
• Polar explorer
• The science of my toys
• Growing and keeping healthy
• Journey to the international space station
• Plants

Key skills developed:

Make more detailed observations, carry out experiments and investigations, take measurements, find out information from books and videos, explain their findings and draw simple conclusions.

Grade 3/4

Students follow the targets from Stage 4 and Stage 5 Cambridge Science curriculum.

Topics covered include:

• Electricity
• States of matter
• Earth and beyond
• Living things including plants
• Lights and shadows
• Animals including humans.

Key skills developed:

Gain a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas, know that scientific questions can be answered in a variety of ways

Grade 5

Students follow the targets from Stage 6 Cambridge Science curriculum.

Topics covered include:

• Forces and movement on Earth and beyond
• Animals
• Materials
• Human health and disease
• Types of rocks
• Ecosystems

Key skills developed:

Gain a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas, know that scientific questions can be answered in a variety of ways, use appropriate scientific vocabulary to explain their observations and findings, know how to carry out a fair test and make accurate observations or measurements.

Drama is both a creative subject and also improves communication, promotes literacy, improves story recall, and generally assists with public speaking (a skill required in all manner of jobs later in life).

Led by Ms Jennifer, who has a Master of Arts in Education (majoring in Drama Education and Theatre Arts), the Drama programme is the only one of its kind offered at international schools in Da Nang and Hoi An. Ms Jennifer has spearheaded, produced, and directed productions at Universities, International Schools and Festivals for over 15 years and is an incredibly motivating educator.

Students will learn:

• Communication skills (voice and tone, facial expressions, body language, speech enunciation and pronunciation);
• Public speaking skills;
• Creative thinking and problem solving through scenery building, prop creation, costume design, and improvisation;
• Confidence such as delivering lines on stage, handling unexpected situations promptly and effectively;
• Commitment. Putting together a show can take weeks, and it’s important for everyone involved to follow the production through from beginning to end. Even short practices in drama class require the performers to stay on task throughout the scene; and
• Cooperation and collaboration. Drama class is very much a group effort. You’re not putting on the production alone. Rather, you must work closely with everyone in the performance including the other actors, directors, musicians, and backstage crew.

• • Increase confidence, moving with increasing control, fluency and variety;
  • Improve their understanding of concepts, rules, tactics, strategies and compositional ideas;
  • Participate in respectful and responsible ways, engaging appropriately and safely;
  • Improve knowledge and understanding of how physical education can contribute to a healthy and active lifestyle;
  • Develop transferable skills promoting physical, cognitive, and social development, and become independent, critical and reflective movers and thinkers.

• Develop creative skills that will help with many aspects of their future learning and development;
• Learn to see themselves as artists and become increasingly reflective and independent;
• Develop the skills needed to express ideas creatively and to communicate visually;
• Understand their place and the place of others in a creative, innovative and interconnected world.

• To cultivate a joy of music through participating in meaningful and enjoyable experiences;
• To develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to contribute as musicians;
• To collaborate with others in purposeful and expressive ways through singing and playing instruments;
• To nurture their individual and collective creativity;
• To use their growing knowledge to explore and generate music that is unique, relevant and valuable.