Nguyen Nam Long, a student at Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School, joins the top 4% of Vietnamese IELTS candidates who scored 8.0 or higher last year, according to IELTS statistics.
Before taking the IELTS exam, Long tested his English proficiency through the TOEIC exam in February, earning 920 out of 990 across four skills.
The 12-year-old said he has never taken additional lessons or extensively practiced test questions, instead learning English naturally through daily exposure.
“The only native speaker I interact with is my English teacher at school,” Long said.
A natural approach
The IELTS speaking test consists of three parts. In part 1, Long answered questions about personal interests with ease, describing the experience as similar to chatting with friends. For part 2, he was asked to describe a recent habit and chose to talk about adopting “ultra minimalism.” He explained how he had decluttered his room, keeping only essential items, and humorously added that his room was no longer as tidy as it once was.
In part 3, he discussed the impact of technology and life changes. While he could not recall the details, Long focused on answering clearly and naturally, which he believed was key to his perfect speaking score.
“IELTS tests your ability to communicate, not to showcase fancy vocabulary,” he said. “Many people try to use elaborate words, but I think the most important thing is to speak clearly and understandably like you’re talking to a native speaker. Overcomplicating ideas can lead to stuttering because you overthink.”
For the listening component, Long attributed his perfect score of 9.0 to his daily exposure to English.
“I listen to YouTube, music, and watch movies in English on a variety of topics,” he said, adding that he practiced 5–6 listening tests in the two weeks before the exam.
Of the four IELTS skills, Long found writing the most challenging, as he was unsure of the best structure and style.
“I practiced 3–4 topics without anyone to review my work, so I just tried not to score too low,” he said. His writing score was 6.5.
Beyond academics
In addition to English, Long is passionate about programming, a field he has been interested in since first grade. He tutors friends in Canada and Australia and has participated in and won several math and science competitions.
Recently, Long advanced to the quarterfinals of the global short film competition Filmantic Season 9 and ranked in the top 35% on Coverfly, a platform for professional screenwriters. His 13-page script tells the story of a boy who discovers he has psychic powers.
Nguyen Nam Long, a 7th grader at Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo provided by his parents |
Despite his achievements, Long says he does not face pressure to excel in any specific field. In a TikTok video with over 13,000 interactions, he expressed contentment with ranking around 20th out of 33 students in his class. He spends about six hours a week on schoolwork, dedicating the rest of his time to hobbies.
“I experiment with different things to find what I enjoy and can sustain. My parents support me and give me the freedom to grow. They want me to study within my capacity, not beyond it,” Long said, adding that overexertion can lead to burnout.
Nguyen Binh Nam, Long’s father, emphasized the importance of being involved in his son’s interests and school life.
“Sometimes, I had to look up information online to prepare for debates with him,” he said.
In the coming year, Long plans to undertake a major AI project. Recognizing his achievements, his parents recently gifted him a new laptop to support his ambitions.
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