Students’ Perspective on BLV’s Online English Language Program - Nikol Nikolova

In 2019, the estimated total number of English speakers was 1.121 billion, making it the most widely spoken language in the world. As a result, it’s undeniable that speaking English is a vital tool in the labour market of our ever so globalized world. However, what may seem as easy as buying a textbook or enrolling in an online course is in fact a major challenge for children in rural areas who don’t have access to qualified teachers, resources and the necessary infrastructure. 

Recognizing this issue, Better Life Vietnam launched its online English learning program which aims to tackle the inequality in access to education and improve the career prospects of rural children and young people.

Motivations for Learning English
When asked about their primary motivations for joining the program, many children highlighted the importance of English in the world. They all recognized that English is essential for opening many doors and for providing invaluable knowledge to move forward in the world of work, teaching and travel. Students Vivian and Sarah both emphasized their desire to travel the world, while Curly openly stated “Studying English can help me to achieve my goals”.

On the other hand, another student, Linda, pointed out that aside from work and travel, she truly values the knowledge she gained and the learning process, which she thoroughly enjoyed. This stems from the teachers’ ability to create engaging lessons and the confidence they instil in their students. Students Curly and Linda commented on their teachers’ friendliness and generosity, while Sunny noted that the engaging lesson plans and thought-provoking questions helped her to stay focused and enjoy the process even more.

Not only are the teachers working with Better Life Vietnam engaging and highly qualified, but nearly every student interviewed commented that they felt confident in the online classroom due to their classmates being hard-working and sharing their enthusiasm and determination to learn English.

Future Plans
The online English learning program has helped to instil incredible confidence in the students as well as motivate them further to be ambitious in any profession they choose. When asked about their career aspirations, all of them showed their enthusiasm to serve their community and help make the world a better place. Students Julia and Lilly would like to be English teachers, whilst Vivian and Sarah have hopes of becoming doctors. 

It is truly inspiring to see all these young people become more confident in their skills in order to build a better future for themselves and for their community. 

If you are interested to learn more about volunteering with BLV and get involved, visit https://betterlifevietnam.org/ or contact us at betterlifevietnam@gmail.com.

“I want to thank all our teachers for teaching us English. We are very grateful.” - Julia.

“Thank you to Better Life Vietnam for giving me the chance to join this English program.” - Sarah.