Ha Anh Phuong is one of the 50 finalists for the 2020 Global Teacher Prize. (Photo: VOV)

“I’m so surprised and happy to be nominated for the prize. I was supported by my relatives and my friends, including a number of foreigners,” Phuong said.

Born in mountainous Yen Lap district, Ha Anh Phuong began learning English at a local boarding school. Having limited access to a foreign language environment, Phuong took any opportunity to practice English by writing letters to foreigners, speaking English with her friends, reading English newspapers, or watching English news on TV.

After earning a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Hanoi University, Phuong returned to Phu Tho and began teaching there.

85 percent of the students at her school are ethnic minority children who have few opportunities to practice their English with foreigners. Phuong has helped her students meet this challenge by using online teaching models and connecting them with children at other schools around the world through Skype. She also teaches English to students elsewhere in Asia, and in Europe, Africa, and America.

“There are various activities in the “borderless classroom model.” We set up a project to send a message about ending plastic waste. The project has been joined by people in 20 other countries. My students and I have 'virtually travelled' to 30 countries without a visa,” said Phuong.

Ha Anh Phuong and her students work on project “Say no to plastic straws” (Photo: vietnamnet.vn)

In a typical English lesson at Huong Can High School, students make project presentations in English on the topic “Say No to plastic waste”.

With a laptop, a Skype account, and a stable internet connection, students join a discussion with their peers from 6 other countries on 4 continents.

“In Ms. Phuong’s class, we can communicate with foreigners. This learning method is quite different from the traditional method. We’re learning about other cultures while promoting Vietnamese culture to the world,” said Ha Mai Phuong, a student at Huong Can High School.

Ha Anh Phuong provides free online classes to poor children living in slums in India and South Africa. 

“I’m recognized as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert because I belong to a group of English teachers from different countries who provide lessons to students in disadvantaged areas,” she said.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Phong, Deputy Head of Huong Can High School, says Phuong is a pioneer in creating innovative lessons that fight plastic waste and promote cultural exchange.

“Phuong’s teaching method using Skype is being replicated in our school, especially now that COVID-19 is preventing students from physically coming to school,” said Phong.

Phuong intends to develop an English teaching Youtube channel and launch several other English teaching projects.