For young children, the starting point in their learning to become global citizens is their home here in Ho Chi Minh City. Helping children to develop a deeper understanding of where they live – the language, traditions, problems facing the environment or society, the geography, and more - develops their “Vietnamese Perspective”. Children can then use and apply the understanding they have gained to learn more about the wider world. At BVIS, “Vietnamese Perspective” and “Global citizens” are explicitly linked as our school’s aide-memoire shows.
When planning for International Week, BVIS teachers refer to this cultural iceberg:
The younger children’s learning will focus upon the top of the iceberg whilst older children will learn about some of the more difficult concepts in the bottom part of the iceberg. Some examples of lessons might be:
- Language: learn key phrases and vocabulary
- Food: make and/or taste typical food items
- Arts: learn a song or dance.
- Traditions: hold a debate about a controversial tradition such as bullfighting in Spain
- Status: play a trading game which helps children to understand the challenges facing poorer nations
Our International Week is a journey across the world. Each Primary year group studies countries from a specific continent so that in time, as children get older, their learning journey will have taken them across all continents.