Teaching Assistants in Vietnam

Working towards EFA and MDG

A PEDC project intervention

Situation of ethnic minority children

• Children not knowing enough Vietnamese language for it to be their language for learning

• Some may not have access to pre-school programs – and are not ready for primary school

• More likely to be living in less accessible areas –less access to books and other reading materials

• Many likely to be living in poverty (lack of good nutrition, increased health problems) which affect learning potential

This can lead to:• reduced access and

enrolment,• increased repetition and

drop out,• low achievement, • incompletion of full

primary cycle.• fewer graduates from

primary school• early drop out from lower

secondary school, particularly girls

Teaching Assistants

• Recruited from local ethnic minority community – can speak ethnic minority language and Vietnamese.

• Provides language and cultural bridge between school and family

• Supports children before entry into primary school, during transition and for the first three grades of primary school.

Teaching Assistants - Duties

• Establish and facilitate school readiness classes

• Make and use teaching and learning aids

• Visit families and encourage children to go to school regularly

• Support students and monitor progress of individual children

Teaching Assistants

Improving:

• access

• enrolment

• regular attendance

•achievement

Teaching Assistants and School Readiness

Teaching Assistant collects students from their homes

The good shepherd….. 12 students can walk to school safely

Students arrive at school, safely and on time.

Students receive support in Vietnamese and in their mother tongue

Parents feel secure that their children will get home safely – and are more willing to send them to school.

RESULT: The Teaching Assistant ensures that students have access to school, no matter where they live, are enrolled at the correct age and are supported daily to ensure regular attendance and good achievement.