Vietnamese teachers and volunteers in Sweden have launched the country’s first Vietnamese Teachers’ Club, creating a national network to strengthen Vietnamese language education and preserve cultural heritage among younger generations.
The club was officially launched in Linköping in mid-June. It brings together teachers, volunteers and long-time educators who have until now largely worked independently across Sweden.
For years, Vietnamese language classes have depended on the dedication of local teachers and parents. Many have developed their own teaching materials and methods while working in separate communities with little opportunity to collaborate.
The new club aims to change that by giving educators a platform to share experience, develop teaching resources and improve Vietnamese language education nationwide.
One of the teachers behind the initiative is Sally Luu Nguyen, vice president of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Sweden. She has taught Vietnamese in the Östergötland region for the past eight years after noticing that many children born in Sweden spoke fluent Swedish but struggled to communicate in the language of their parents and grandparents.
Sweden has supported mother-tongue education since introducing its Home Language Reform in 1977. The policy allows children to study their native language free of charge if enough students enrol. Despite that support, Vietnamese teachers continue to face challenges, including a lack of teaching materials designed for children born abroad and limited opportunities for professional training.
According to the club’s founders, the organisation will also work closely with the Vietnamese Embassy in Sweden, local associations, schools and parents to encourage more families to maintain Vietnamese at home.
Speaking at the launch, Vietnamese Ambassador to Sweden Tran Van Tuan welcomed the initiative. He said the Vietnamese language remains an important bridge between younger generations, their families and their cultural heritage.
