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Trew has labored within the discipline of English educating for over 25 years. He’s the creator of many books which can be well-known to English learners in serval international locations.
In 2006, he left the U.Okay. and got here to Vietnam to work as a advisor and moderator of English e book content material for DTP Schooling Options Vietnam (DTP).
Why did you resolve to work because the content material advisor and moderator of English books at a Vietnamese training company?
In 2006, because the mission director of Oxford College Press (OUP), I traveled to Vietnam for the primary time to conduct coaching workshops and labored with native groups right here.
At the moment, the nation supervisor of OUP in Vietnam, additionally the top of DTP, requested if I want to transfer to Vietnam and arrange a publishing staff with him. I had the chance to do issues that I’d by no means finished earlier than with numerous roles taken through the years as a instructor, coach, analysis director, and creator. The DTP was fairly an enormous problem, as a result of it required not solely writing books but in addition organising a staff specialised in enhancing and publishing.
A really younger, formidable firm with extremely motivated individuals satisfied me to say sure.
You could have labored in lots of international locations and areas, together with the U.Okay., the Center East, different international locations in Southeast Asia, and Japan. What makes Vietnamese textbooks totally different?
Mainly, textbooks mirror a rustic and its target market. Many of the worldwide textbooks that we see available in the market at the moment are made within the U.Okay., the U.S., or Europe. In lots of circumstances, these books are designed for various capabilities. For instance, within the U.Okay. or the U.S., the lessons are sometimes small in dimension and geared up with units like interactive screens, computer systems, and photocopiers; due to this fact, the content material options intensive communication and discussions.
The surroundings could be very totally different in Vietnam. The category dimension is giant, which isn’t handy for college students to maneuver round and do energetic duties, and lecturers have to organize quite a lot of paperwork and paper sheets. That is why the top of DTPasked me to return right here; as a result of he understands the market and needs to satisfy evolving training wants.
The important thing level right here is {that a} publishing firm ought to actually “perceive” the precise scenario of educating and studying, resembling class dimension, viewers, and – most significantly – indigenous tradition, when producing a textbook.
Grant Trew, advisor and moderator of English e book content material for DTP Schooling Options Vietnam (DTP). Photograph by DTP |
What are an important standards within the technique of compiling and revising books?
A textbook ought to come from the necessity of lecturers and college students. Due to this fact, it’s mandatory to handle questions like how the e book can be used, in what circumstances, for what stage, and with what class dimension, and many others. Then it’s essential to map out two vital issues. The primary is to construct a syllabus based mostly on the customers’ necessities, resembling what the lecturers need to train, what their focus is, and the way they perceive the method of pure language development. We even have requirements based mostly on the Frequent European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to make sure our syllabus is acceptable for every stage.
As well as, we additionally take into consideration the design of every lesson and unit to make them extra participating.
The following step, which I imagine is the central thought for making textbooks, is to assemble preliminary suggestions from the market earlier than finishing the e book, then to make sure that essentially the most applicable and high quality product is delivered to lecturers, college students, and oldsters.
The making of a textbook is a protracted course of. The important thing right here is to know lecturers and college students properly.
You stated textbooks ought to signify the nation’s traits and convey native cultural elements. How is that this finished?
On the one hand, tradition is a really essential a part of language communication, it principally influences nearly every little thing we do. To begin with, understanding the tradition is essential once you journey or work, or interact with foreigners. One thing you say may be misunderstood due to cultural variations. That is why at DTP, we attempt to current distinct conditions and contexts that clearly spotlight variations between Vietnamese and Western cultures.
So as soon as conditions and contexts are recognized, the Vietnamese writing staff will think about and point out whether or not the content material is complicated, deceptive or attention-grabbing.
Then again, it’s not solely about understanding Western tradition. I imagine that books additionally train learners how one can introduce and clarify their very own cultural traditions and historical past. Once I first got here to Vietnam, there have been many unusual issues round me, so I needed to ask my buddies and colleagues: “What is that this?” and “Why do individuals do that?” They might reply that it was tough to clarify in English. That is why we all the time need our books to offer learners with vocabulary for particular conditions, in order that they will introduce their very own nation, custom and tradition with readability.
It has been stated that Vietnamese overseas language textbooks are nonetheless heavy on idea and lack sensible software. What does DTP do about this?
By way of studying overseas languages, most textbooks in Asia concentrate on grammar relatively than precise communication and interplay. To resolve this drawback, we’re doing analysis and constructing a syllabus with 12 ranges – grade 1 to grade 12. It’s a lengthy and difficult journey. My aim for 12th-grade college students in Vietnam is that after they attain this stage, they are going to be properly ready and prepared for the IELTS examination, getting scores of round 5.5.
Second, we need to inculcate confidence in making shows, expressing concepts and opinions all through the 12 years of education. Beginning on the elementary stage, the books will apply simulation and role-playing strategies for youngsters to get used to such workout routines. Then on the secondary stage, they may have extra alternatives to debate, develop the dialog, and know how one can categorical their opinions, agree or disagree with others.
This course of can be constructed up steadily, in order that by the point they attain grade 12, they’re assured in shows and comfy with role-playing. Academics will discover the going simpler, too.
With the web and smartphones getting used to help information acquisition, how has the position of books modified?
We have now quite a lot of studying instruments these days, like nice cellular apps for studying vocabulary. Nevertheless, for me, actual educating occurs in a correct classroom, and books stay the simplest and most correct resolution for face-to-face educating and studying. After all, sooner or later, know-how can dominate all facets of life, however learners will nonetheless must work together in individual, via stay chats, and many others., utilizing physique language and facial expressions. One of the simplest ways is to be taught with a mix between real-life interactions and tech purposes.
How will training develop with larger tech purposes?
I believe digital actuality (VR) can be a game-changer for training. With VR, we will actually see one another in the identical room, individuals can take part in actions collectively, play video games, increase palms just about. Academics can observe college students’ expressions to see whether or not they’re drained, hungry, or bored. When the lesson includes a well-known place in Vietnam, we will just about go to that place and work together with one another there.
What are your plans for the speedy future?
My staff and I at DTP are within the technique of finishing “Tieng Anh i-Study Good Begin” and “Tieng Anh i-Study Good World” – a set of 12 English textbooks. We plan to arrange seminars on educating strategies for the i-Study Good Begin (major stage) and I-Study Good World (center and highschool) textbook collection in Might.
After going via greater than two years of the pandemic, we have now had the chance to change into extra versatile and progressive, which I imagine is a good benefit for DTP. We’re additionally researching methods to use digital know-how successfully. Though distance studying was broadly utilized amidst the pandemic, I imagine it has quite a lot of untapped potentials. Due to this fact, we are going to proceed to analysis and discover one of the best use of digital know-how in educating and studying.
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