Ho Chi Minh City, 25 September 2015 – American Education Group (AEG) today announced the Ho Chi Minh City launch of its STEAM education philosophy for the teaching of the English language to young people in Vietnam.

The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) approach to education includes customized learning for students aged 6 to 16 and features a curriculum specifically designed for local students by AEG’s highly experienced team.

“The STEAM approach to learning spurred something of a revolution in America, and we are bringing that same methodology to Vietnam,” said Mr. Richard Sherwood, Chairman of AEG.  “As such, AEG is proud to be the first institution to deliver this education philosophy to students in Vietnam.”

STEAM combines Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics through practical, fun experiments, projects and activities to encourage kids to work and communicate in groups, and thus improve their academic knowledge and English ability. Kids in the STEAM program “learn by doing” a wide array of experiments using everything from Lego Education projects to monsoon simulators. The truly unique aspect of the program is that every student is participating in the projects and involved in the question of ‘’why or how does something work’’ and then answering that question themselves by actually testing their ideas and theories. This means lots of practical, academic English practice, and most importantly, developing students’ ability to truly think in English.

“Ultimately through all of this, kids learn to imagine, design, create, lead, and cooperate, all so they advance and succeed in education and life. The diverse activities harness both the creative and logical processes of cognition, and the emphasis on group work helps develop social skills and unique talents inside group settings – all ideal preparation either for further studies here, abroad, or, in the longer-term, for life in the Vietnam of tomorrow,” Mr. Sherwood said.

STEAM prepares students for their future in countless ways.  The comprehensive academic environment encourages each student’s unique gifts and talents to come to the fore, while students are given a solid foundation for higher education achievement and professional success by teaching about real world situations and legitimate problem solving techniques.

“A really great example of the value of STEAM came recently when we were having students build and test the ‘tsunami-box’ – an experiment that shows the kids the impact of soil erosion via tides as a result of climate change and the consequences this could have on the environment. One child looked up and said ‘isn’t that something that is happening on Vietnam’s coast?’ – a tremendous endorsement for our approach to learning, and indeed proving that we are giving a solid footing for the young people that one day will be responsible for tackling exactly these kind of challenges in this country,” said AEG Curriculum Director Mr. Tristan Makin.

“This kind of real- world approach did not happen by accident. Our STEAM curriculum drew on the best of education theory from teachers and researchers from the US and many other countries and is closely aligned with what students learn in the Vietnamese curriculum by Mrs. Pauline Carpenter, who has since moved on to Harvard where she is teaching communication skills for international educators and scholars – a clear sign of the absolute top-tier of educators that we have drawn upon to develop this program,” he continued.

AEG’s teaching faculty is 90% American and includes former Engineers, Scientists, Lawyers, Artists, and Writers.

AEG operates two campuses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city with 31 highly qualified teachers specializing in a wide range of academic fields and international-standard facilities.

Currently AEG’s STEAM program is divided into the Whiz Kids program for kids from 6 to 11 years old with 5 levels, and Teen Spirit for kids from 12 to 16 years old with 6 levels. The program is taught at AEG facilities 2 hours per day, 2 times per week over 9-week terms and 27-week levels. Over this time students are expected to make considerable progress. The STEAM course of 2015 will start its first day on September 26.

ABOUT AEG

American Education Group (AEG) is one of Vietnam’s oldest education providers and consultancies offering a range of English advancement, academic and preparatory courses to prepare students for international study and employment.

As not just teachers but educators, AEG’s academic team is passionate about our role in helping students succeed by being at the forefront of education theory and methodology and designing unique, fun and practical curriculums that engage different learning styles, encourage teamwork and cooperative learning, and ensure the success of every student.

Most importantly, AEG is a learning community. You do more than just attend classes, you become part of an academic lifestyle that engages not only academic and professional pursuits, but also your interests and aspirations. AEG creates lifelong learners, passionate leaders and ethical citizens who can confidently take on the challenges of today and tomorrow.