The Lana Learn instructors in Vietnam are recognizing individual student growth as mid-term score increase displays progress.
The Lana Learn team in Vietnam is well into the second semester of its English language training program. After a successful mid-term exam, the instructors are taking some time to reflect on individual student success. Class Bravo instructor, Cedric Chigome, is recognizing one of his students, Lt. Col. Hai Kiệt who has been in the Vietnamese Army since 2001. Lt. Col. Kiệt scored 43 on the initial American Language Course Placement Test (ALCPT) back in May. He recently scored a 54 on the mid-term exam. This mid-term score increase shows an exceptional student growth of 26% in the last two months.
Lt. Col. Kiệt is married with two children, a boy and a girl whom he loves dearly. The reason I have decided to do the spotlight on him is that, since working at Unit 871, I have noticed a generational pattern in Vietnam. The mature students here possess this very resilient quality. They are incredibly hard-working and really set a great example for the rest of their peers.
Lt. Col. Kiệt is a great student because he is brilliant and absorbs the learned content quickly. Even more so, the way he behaves that has caught my attention. He has this charm and charisma that is thoroughly enjoyed by all but what really stands out is that he brings the rest of the class together in the most calm and respectful manner. The others really look up to him and are very attentive to the guidance and advice that he offers.
I see the way he mentors one of the other Naval students, Lt. Hùng. Lt. Hùng had been struggling in class and Lt. Col. Kiệt noticed this and took him under his wing. Lt. Hùng has since made big improvements. Additionally, he always looks very relaxed and now seems enjoy himself in class, certainly far more than he did before.
There is something special going on in the Vietnamese community. I experienced something similar with my previous installment of students, and in that class, it was Mr. Son. There is a sense of responsibility that senior students take to try their best to be available and mentor younger officers. They make it their responsibility to carry the group, and I have never experienced anything like this in all my years. It’s incredibly humbling and is something I will take with me going forward.
It helped me understand what makes the Vietnamese so close and so special. I don’t know if this comes from years in the war or whether it’s an innate cultural trait, but I think if the world did this…