7 years of diligently 'nurturing words'

Phung Thi Hai Yen (born 1992, native of Vinh Phuc, now Phu Tho province) has been attached to the work of teaching free English to the elderly in Hanoi for 7 years. During that time, she has spent countless hours preparing lesson plans, teaching classes and organizing tests for her special group of students.

The free English class was opened by chance. In 2019, while listening to a lecture at a pagoda, Yen learned about a free English teaching program to provide knowledge to the elderly. Impressed by the meaningful act, she volunteered to become one of the enthusiastic teaching volunteers.

She was surprised by how enthusiastically seniors responded to the program. At one point, nearly 500 people registered to join the classes. Communication was handled through group chats, and classes were held at participants’ homes. Yen and her friends prepared lesson materials and took turns teaching.

At the time, Yen managed two classes on Kim Nguu Street and Nguyen Chi Thanh Street. Some sessions attracted as many as 70 to 80 elderly learners, and the group sometimes had to borrow space at a local temple to accommodate everyone.

The “students” ranged widely in age, with the youngest around 60 and the oldest 88. Despite their age, they remained diligent and serious about learning. Yen herself is passionate about teaching and continues improving her own English to deliver lessons more effectively.

Later, as Hai Yen's friends found it difficult to arrange their schedules and gave up teaching, her class alone remained steadily open for the past 7 years and has never been empty of students.

Currently, she runs 3 classes in Nguyen Chi Thanh, Xa Dan, and Minh Khai, with about 15-20 students per class. The venues are members' homes or the community room of an apartment building. Among them, two classes open on Saturday mornings and one on Monday evenings every week.

Giving knowledge, receiving joy

Accompanying the free English class for the elderly for seven years, Hai Yen has received immeasurable joy.

Yen shared that in the beginning, she faced many challenges in teaching. In their twilight years, the seniors' hearing and vision were not clear, so she had to speak loudly and use large font sizes for more effective teaching and learning.

Sometimes she spent nearly two hours introducing just one new word because students needed more time to understand and remember, but the students in the class would still look bewildered as if they had heard nothing. There were sessions where she spent 2 hours just introducing one new word.

Many times, she would explain at length, but the students in the class would still look bewildered as if they had heard nothing. There were sessions where she spent 2 hours just introducing one new word.

Many seniors found learning English too difficult and felt discouraged. Some even wanted to quit after just 1 or 2 sessions. At those times, Hai Yen understood she had to slow down and be more patient.

“I told them: ‘Learning now and forgetting later is normal. If you remembered immediately, you would be a superhero. Let's just be normal people, okay?’ Hearing that, they happily continued studying,” Yen recounted.

Yen often brings seasonal snacks such as ice cream, fruit and cakes to share with learners. In return, students bring homemade food for everyone. Over time, the class has become a meaningful gathering space where elderly participants enjoy companionship and learning.

She still remembers one day when heavy rain flooded parts of Hanoi. Expecting that many students might skip the class, she was surprised to find them already waiting. Some had arrived with wet clothes and wrapped themselves in blankets borrowed from the host’s home before continuing the lesson.

“There was also a student whose legs were so painful that walking was difficult. The class was on the second floor, and he slowly climbed each step from the first floor. Seeing that nearly brought me to tears,” Yen said.

Some students even asked doctors for permission to leave the hospital for a couple of hours just to attend class. In another case, a student with a serious illness kept it hidden in order to continue learning. Only after the person passed away did Yen and the class realize what had happened.

Stories like these made her understand how deeply the elderly cherish the English classes.

Ha Nguyen