Lê Thị Thu Hiền, a teacher at Y Đôn Secondary and High School in Đak Pơ commune, said she had seen students become more willing to speak, discuss problems and answer questions in English after nearly two years of teaching maths in the language to grades 10 and 12.
Principal Nguyễn Xuân Thành said educational experts had praised her student-centred teaching methods. The lessons, he added, provide a foundation for the school to expand its integrated English teaching model.
In one lesson with class 10A6, Hiền used fruit, images and digital presentations to introduce sets and their elements.
The practical activity, conducted in English, linked mathematical concepts to familiar objects and encouraged students to participate.
Her aim is to help pupils use English while learning maths, with mathematical understanding remaining central to each lesson.
Hiền uses artificial intelligence and digital tools to prepare images, scenarios and activities suited to her students’ abilities.
She selects accessible topics to help them build mathematical vocabulary alongside communication and presentation skills.
Students in disadvantaged areas such as Đak Pơ have fewer opportunities to experience this kind of learning than those in better-resourced communities, she said.
Teaching maths in English also adds to the difficulty of a subject many already find challenging.
For that reason, she prioritises content that students can understand and find engaging.
Lessons introduce mathematical terms through images and charts before students work in groups and present their answers to the class.
Interactive true-or-false questions also encourage participation while developing logical thinking and comprehension of maths problems written in English.
Nguyễn Thị Bảo Trâm, a student in class 10A6, said the approach was appealing and gave pupils with limited English vocabulary an opportunity to become familiar with using the language in their studies.
Hiền said some students who had previously been reluctant to contribute were now more confident in English-language discussions and question-and-answer activities.
Nguyễn Xuân Thành, Principal of Y Đôn Secondary and High School, said that Ms. Lê Thị Thu Hiền’s math lessons in English have received high praise from educational experts for their modern, student-centered teaching methods.
The success of these lessons provides an important foundation for the school to further expand the integrated English teaching model in natural science subjects, contributing to the effective implementation of educational innovation and international integration.
“Building an English-speaking environment is one of the school’s three pillars of development.
To improve teaching quality, all English teachers participate in regular training on the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology, practical communication techniques, and competency standards based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The school also invites language experts for training sessions and encourages teachers to pursue self-study and take international certification exams,” the Principal of Y Đôn Secondary and High School added.
