Language Link Vietnam was delighted to organize our first Christmas competition with Sai Dong Urban primary school! To keep the level of challenge accessible to all students, grades 1 and 2 made their own Christmas card, grades 3 and 4 wrote a letter to Santa and included their wish list, and grade 5 created their own Christmas story.
The event was well-received across all schools and grades, and the lower-level grades have been keen on participating the most. We were delighted to see how enthusiastic the students were, and as a result we received hundreds of submissions!
Choosing the winners wasn't easy, as students demonstrated that they were all very creative. We particularly enjoyed receiving videos as well as photos of students working on their project, and it was great to see younger generations using outside-the-classroom skills. One of the deciding factors was the language used, and we were impressed with the overall level of English the students included in their work.
We would like to thank all the participants, school and parents for making this event memorable and successful, and congratulations to the winners!
In addition, all students participating in the contest will receive a consolation gift.
1. Grade 1 winners.
First - 1A4 - Bùi Thanh Vân.
We liked that by using video and card she used modern and traditional materials. The song was also a nice touch, as were the effects on the video. She has obviously tried hard in English and it shows her English is coming along very well. Well done for speaking English naturally. The 3D part of the card is very striking and stands out immediately.
Second - 1A1 - Vũ Quỳnh Chi.
Everyone agreed this is a great card. It is really creative, has a lovely message, and it is nice to see Chi at work making the card. We especially liked the front of the card where she used a variety of materials, like colored card and cotton. The snowflakes are a lovely touch too. The message was very warm and the handwriting is beautiful.
Third - 1A2 – Nguyễn Viết Minh.
Writing is kept to a minimum, but we appreciated that Viet Minh addressed his card to his teacher and wished him a Merry Christmas. The front of his card is designed really well, with the 3D Christmas tree looking sharp and neat and requiring a good amount of artistic talent.
2. Grade 2 winners.
First - 2A1 – Trần Thảo Linh.
It is very nice that Thao Linh addressed the cards to her teacher and her TA. It is very nice to thank them at this time of year. The message inside was very nice and personal and the English used is totally accurate and uses some interesting words. We loved the picture which shows you having fun in the snow.
Second - 2A2 – Nguyễn Khánh Linh.
Khanh Linh’s card contained a nice message to Santa that used a range of good structures that she’s learned in this semester. Her card makes good use of her craft skills, with a 3D Christmas tree design that would make the card look great hung up over the fireplace!
Third - 2A1 – Nguyễn Nhật Minh.
Nhat Minh’s card was decorated nicely with some quite intricate work in painting the snowflakes. It also contained a nice message for all the teachers at the school. We really enjoyed the inclusion of the clay Christmas models, which sit really well alongside the card.
3. Grade 3 winners.
First - 3A4 - Đinh Thanh Đức.
An original idea using the naughty and nice check box. The message is short and sweet and works well. The design of the Christmas tree and the presents is beautiful along with all the other decorative elements. It shows that Thanh Duc put a lot of effort into designing the letter. Well done!
Second - 3A2 – Đỗ Kim Chi.
The handwriting is beautiful and the message to Santa is really sweet, showing off a lot of the language that Kim Chi has learned in English class. It’s impressive to see her correct her mistakes and the drawings at the bottom are a nice touch.
Third - 3A4 - Khúc Phạm Trường Phúc.
I really like the way that Truong Phuc has decorated his picture with both day and night time images of Christmas. The message is well written despite a couple of spelling mistakes, and the comedy element of the snowball fight makes the letter fun to look at.
4. Grade 4 winners.
First - 4A2 – Nguyễn Khánh Lam.
A very creative piece of writing. The writing is very well thought out and planned. The use of questions to Santa is clever as it adds an element of conversation with Santa. Great use of the English language. The picture accompanying the writing is also well done and is made mention of in the letter which is a nice touch. Over all a beautiful letter.
Second - 4A1 - Đào Nguyễn Gia Hân.
Gia Han’s letter is well written with ambitious use of language and few mistakes, and provides a welcome feeling of optimism for the year ahead. It is also laid out really well and follows the conventions of letter writing. Her decoration is simple but effective, the colours really drawing attention to the letter.
Third - 4A2 - Lương Tuệ Lâm
The letter to Santa is well written and even though there are some errors the message still reads well. The picture of the teddy bear and the Christmas tree are a nice way to decorate the letter too. Well done. “Wish granted” is a nice comical addition to end off the letter.
5. Grade 5 winners.
First - 5A3 - Đào Gia Linh.
Gia Linh was well spoken and did an excellent job. I liked that she spoke confidently. Her speech was clear and relatively comprehensible although there were some minor pronunciation errors. Her Christmas story about Curious Sam waiting to open his present on Christmas was interesting and had a good message about being patient.
Second - 5A3 - Trần Minh Khôi.
Minh Khoi was confident and introduced himself very well. He spoke about the origins of the Christmas tree and it had some interesting facts but there’s room for improvement in speech clarity. Overall, he made a good effort in telling the story.
Third - 5A1 - Lê Trần Khánh Chi.
Khanh Chi’s violin performance was amazing. Although she did not express it in words, her rendition of the Christmas song “We wish you a Merry Christmas”, was very pleasant to hear.
Some other outstanding works: