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Advice for teachers -
Vietnamese Second Language

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 4

Unit 4 – Area of Study 1: Interpersonal communication

Theme: The world around us
Topic: The influence of science and technology
Sub topic: Manufacturing

Outcome 1

Share information, ideas and opinions in a spoken exchange in Vietnamese.

Examples of learning activities

  • Watch a documentary about manufacturing in Vietnam. List all major centres of manufacturing, what they produce, whether it is predominantly artisan or large-scale, and any other significant characteristics mentioned in the documentary.
  • Research statistics about one manufacturing industry, its economic contribution to Vietnam and to its town or region, and identify any negative aspects or downside to this industry.
  • Research the state of manufacturing in Australia and compare it to the state of manufacturing in Vietnam. Discuss findings as a class.
  • Listen to a discussion about a manufacturing company in Vietnam. Note key information about it in terms of size of operation, number of employees and how the manufacturing is carried out. Prepare a poster about the company to highlight its major features.
  • Debate, in small groups, the topic ‘Is manufacturing vital to a country’s wellbeing?’ Use information gleaned about manufacturing in general and examples from the individual company studied.
  • Write a 250-word evaluative report on the debate topic for an economics magazine.
  • Present the report as a PowerPoint and a three-minute speech.
  • Read an article on manufacturing in Vietnam and answer comprehension questions on it.
  • Listen to a news item about a manufacturing company and answer comprehension questions on it. Synthesise answers to produce a 100-word summary of the article and news item.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Write a formal letter to the director of Vietnam Expo to persuade them to mount an exhibition about your choice of manufacturer and its product in Vietnam stating how it might inspire others to value the positive impact of manufacturing.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

A formal letter to the director of Vietnam Expo

  1. Conduct research into products in Vietnam that are available in Victoria, or that you would like to see available in Victoria. List them on a class poster.
  2. Individually or in pairs, choose one product. Read and listen to at least three different pieces of information about it.
  3. Write notes about the product, including information such as: the company that manufactures the product, where it is situated in Vietnam, how many of the products are sold or used here, plus any other significant information.
  4. Look at formal letters written in Vietnamese. Annotate an example to highlight salient features.
  5. Look at the website of Vietnam Expo to ascertain its current interests, structure and style of exhibitions. Note points that could be used in your letter.
  6. Read two examples of persuasive writing from Vietnam. Analyse the writing for specific vocabulary and/or grammar features used.
  7. Draft a plan that incorporates all of the above to make your letter appropriate for the task.
  8. Add to the plan your information about the product, the company and its impact in Victoria.
  9. Write suggestions about how these elements could best be presented in an exhibition; include visual, written, audio and interactive elements.
  10. Write the formal letter incorporating all the prepared content and ideas. 

Unit 4 – Area of Study 2: Interpretative communication

Theme: The Vietnamese-speaking communities
Topic: The Vietnamese cultural heritage
Sub topic: The Vietnamese New Year festival

Outcome 2

Analyse information from written, spoken and viewed texts for use in a written response in Vietnamese.

Examples of learning activities

  • Read a newspaper article on Vietnamese New Year traditions.
  • Read a poem on Vietnamese New Year. Discuss how the poet describes the Vietnamese New Year celebration.
  • Watch a video clip and make notes on the Vietnamese New Year celebration. List the customs and discuss their significance.
  • Research information about different aspects of Vietnamese New Year (for example, decorations, food, flowers) for further study.
  • Give a two-minute speech to the class about an aspect of Vietnamese New Year.View several illustrations that depict the Vietnamese New Year festival and write captions to accompany them.
  • Write a 250-word evaluative report about New Year festival celebrations in Vietnam.
  • Search for literature, paintings or other artistic products associated with the Vietnamese New Year festival. Consider whether the artistic product is of the ancient time or contemporary. Compare ideas with other students to increase knowledge on this topic. Write these up as notes.
  • Visit a Vietnamese New Year festival organised by local businesses or the Vietnamese Community.
  • Answer a series of questions about the exhibits seen.
  • Write a 250-word persuasive letter to a friend encouraging them to maintain the Vietnamese New Year traditions.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Plan a role play between two friends participating in a New Year festival.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

A role-play to explore the Vietnamese New Year festival

  1. Analyse information from a range of texts about Vietnamese New Year.
  2. Create a glossary of specific terminology and vocabulary related to this topic.
  3. Write a 200-word summary of the different aspects of the festival, including customs and traditions, food, costumes or decorations.
  4. Give a two-minute talk to a small group about the relationship of this festival to the Vietnamese people. Include an estimate of its importance or significance to Vietnam.
  5. Review the range of question forms, their particular vocabulary and grammatical features to use in a role-play.
  6. Listen to, or watch, examples of people discussing either this festival or a similar one. Note the linguistic and culturally appropriate ways the speakers relate to each other.
  7. With a classmate, practise using some of their expressions and ways of delivering a message.
  8. Write a script to incorporate what you have learned so far.
  9. Add to the script with informative and evaluative ideas about the Vietnamese New Year festival.
  10. Practise the role-play aloud with the classmate to hone pronunciation and delivery, and to ensure ideas are conveyed clearly.
  11. Perform role-plays to the class.

Unit 4 – Area of Study 3: Presentational communication

Theme: The world around us
Topic: Communication and media
Sub topic: Vietnamese newspapers and magazines published in Australia

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in Vietnamese.

Examples of learning activities

  • Conduct research into Vietnamese newspapers and magazines published in Australia and circulated in school or language department libraries as well as online. List all the titles and types of publication.
  • Research online to discover the highest selling Vietnamese newspapers and magazines in Australia to learn more about them.
  • Read an article about print and digital media in Vietnam. Answer questions about the article.
  • Listen to people discussing their reading habits in Vietnam. Write a list of their opinions and note their preferences for reading hard copy or digital forms of print media.
  • Read a newspaper or magazine with a classmate. Consider: How much of it can be understood without using a dictionary? What is of interest to people in Vietnam? How does it compare to similar newspapers or magazines in Australia?
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Complete an activity based on listening and reading texts in order to answer a series of questions about Vietnamese newspapers and magazines published in Australia.
  • Discuss Australian newspapers and magazines and write a 100-word informative summary. Finish it with a statement about why you read newspapers and magazines, or why you do not.
  • Read two blogs by different people, one of whom loves newspapers and magazines and the other dislikes or is indifferent to them. Write a list of reasons for and against the reading of newspapers and magazines.
  • Discuss as a class if and how newspapers and magazines play a role in today’s society.
  • Give a two-minute speech persuading the class to read more newspapers and magazines.
  • Debate in groups the topic ‘Newspapers and magazines are obsolete’. Write a 200-word summary of the debate stating whether or not you agree with the winner’s stance.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

Responses to a series of questions based on texts about Vietnamese newspapers and magazines

Visit the website of a Vietnamese newspaper or magazine and read the comments left by its users. Create a matrix of pros and cons offered, as well as vocabulary, expressions and grammar used by the commentators.

  1. In a class discussion, comment on comprehension exercises previously completed. Analyse the texts, questions and required answers for general clues and/or specific ideas for how to study for reading and responding tasks.
  2. Read and annotate an article for homework. Discuss in class how each class member tackles reading comprehension. For example: Do you read it through once to get the gist? Do you read it and highlight unknown words? Do you look up every word in a dictionary? Do you translate the whole text? When do you read the questions? Do you read them first and then only look for clues to them in the text? Which of these would work best when there is a time limit?
  3. Do the same with a listening text. Discuss how different class members take notes while listening. For example: Do you try to write every word? Do you write how some words sound so you can look for them in a dictionary later? Do you just listen and take no notes the first time you hear the text and then write some notes the second time?
  4. Create a class poster with everyone’s comments about how they read and listen most effectively.
  5. Each student finds a 200-word article, three-minute talk/conversation or three-minute video on the topic of effective reading and listening techniques to share with classmates for study and/or practice.
  6. Re-answer a previous comprehension exercise to practise successful responses.
  7. Complete practice comprehension tasks individually and in the next lesson discuss the answers as a group. Correct your own work and note areas that need attention.