A 13-year-old Hanoi kid attributes early exposure to English and a love of reading English-language programming and robotics books for his remarkable IELTS score of 8.5 on his first try.
On March 31, 8th grader Le Tuan Minh of True North International School took the IELTS exam. She received a score of 8.5 in Speaking, Reading, and Listening and 7.5 in Writing.
“My writing score in particular really caught me off guard,” Minh said. “I typically received a score of six to seven on practice exams.” He revealed that he took the IELTS to improve his academic standing and as a personal challenge.
Last year, Minh started concentrating on his IELTS preparation, getting acquainted with the style and kinds of questions. He enrolled in a twice-weekly prep course with the personal objective of earning an overall grade of 8.0 by the conclusion of the eighth grade. Additionally, he purchased an online practice account and completed one to three practice exams every day for each ability.
“After completing my schoolwork, I usually study at night,” Minh stated.
Getting Rid of Writing Concerns
At first, Minh was most nervous about the Writing portion, particularly Task 1, which frequently included examining data or charts. Thankfully, he felt more at ease when asked to explain how to purify drinking water using a solar-powered water pump for his exam prompt.
He was requested to talk about issues and offer solutions pertaining to middle-aged workers competing with younger workers for Task 2. Minh said that technology developments like artificial intelligence (AI) might provide new positions that appeal to younger people, helping to rebalance the labor market. Minh recognized restricted employment availability as the main concern.
He was able to generate pertinent thoughts fast because of his knowledge in tech-related subjects. Minh organized his points and meticulously researched his essay despite his initial nervousness.
Strengths in Speaking and Reading
Because the alternatives were so similar, Minh considered Matching Headings to be the most difficult element of the Reading section. However, she overcame them by carefully examining the main phrase, supporting facts, and conclusion of each paragraph.
Because of the English-speaking atmosphere at school, he felt comfortable in both the Speaking and Listening parts.
Early Home Language Exposure
According to his mother, Man Thi Minh Phuong, he started viewing English-language cartoons when he was three or four years old.
“I think a child can speak if they can hear it, and they can write if they can read it,” she stated. “Minh naturally picked up English because I allowed him to read and listen to things he liked.”
