Chung, a student at Albert Einstein Interlevel, couldn’t hide his surprise when he received the results of his first try on the IELTS exam on March 22.

Besides scoring 8.5 in both Speaking and Listening, he got an 8.0 in Reading and 7.5 in Writing. This is a rare result for a student in grade 6.

Bao Chung told VietNamNet that he was overjoyed and shocked by the outcome. “After the test, I thought I’d get a 7.5,” he admitted.

Le Thi Lien, Bao Chung’s mother, said the family was bursting with joy. The result exceeded expectations but was entirely deserved given his hard work.

Her son, who turns 12 this September, showed an aptitude for English from a young age. When he started grade 3, after demonstrating exceptional skills in an assessment test, Bao Chung was awarded a 100 percent scholarship by Albert Einstein School.

From a young age, Bao Chung has had a structured study plan and worked diligently. “At the start of grade 3, he told me to sign him up for all the English certificate exams, so he wouldn’t ‘forget knowledge and could build confidence.’ He set a goal to take the IELTS in grade 6. I didn’t set expectations or pressure him, I just supported him,” Lien recalled.

Bao Chung said he doesn’t have any special secret in learning English, just “always trying hard and never giving up".

One of his effective ways to learn English is seizing every chance to talk with foreigners. “Chatting with them helps us improve speaking skills, learn new words, phrases used in different contexts, and correct pronunciation. It also helps me build new relationships,” Bao Chung said.

For listening skills, he practices with gradually increasing speeds. “In the IELTS test, you only get to listen once, so daily practice with fast listening and catching keywords makes the test easier,” Chung explained.

With vocabulary, he said phrasal verbs deserve the most attention since they’re used daily in communication and appear frequently in the speaking test. To learn and remember new words, the best way is reading books, or watching YouTube videos or English movies. 

Chung regularly practices with sample tests. He times himself to balance how long he spends on each section. While working, he prioritizes easy questions before tackling harder ones in order to finish faster and stay calm.

Luu Tuan Anh, Chung’s homeroom teacher and English instructor, described Chung as a smart, energetic student with excellent language skills. “Even though he’s only in grade six, his social knowledge, critical thinking, and English communication skills are truly outstanding," he said.

Thanh Hung