Linguistic minority learners in mainstream education in Vietnam: an ethnographic case study of Muong pupils in their early years

This thesis presents a case study of some young linguistic minority learners in mainstream education in Vietnam. Using ethnographic approaches, the study focuses on some selected Muong-speaking children who experienced difficulties with learning in their first year of primary education. The study therefore aims to observe the process and situations in which these struggling children become categorised as ‘slow’ learners, and what the consequences are for these children.
By employing an ethnographic approach, the study involved an extended data collection period, during which semi-structured interviews and participant observations were extensively carried out. Such an approach allows for an in-depth study of the perspectives of participants, as well as emphasizing the significance of the researcher identity. In this process, a careful collection and analysis of relevant documentation and participants’ work samples was also undertaken. The different layers surrounding these learners, both at school and at home, were observed and recorded. An analysis of observed lessons and samples of work from particular situations, identified in field notes, suggests that there are significant factors that may not be recognised in schools that negatively influence the learning of these children.
The study flags up complicated issues regarding pupils at the lowest end of the learning spectrum, where changes in the education system may not be enough to adequately or effectively address their learning problems. Such issues challenge any potential developments in education policy by suggesting that socioeconomic issues may negate any attempt to improve the learning experience of economically disadvantaged linguistic minority children in some situations.
The conclusion suggests that further study into the issue over a longer period of time would provide a fuller picture of the learning journey for children like those studied here. This also identifies the multifaceted difficulties that the education authorities in Vietnam face when addressing educational equity for all groups of learners. Overall, the study offers an alternative perception when examining the underachievement of linguistic minority learners in mainstream classes, as well as exploring the extent to which a learning programme and/or an education system could be made more equitable and accessible for all learners.