The method was founded 60 years ago, but has only gained popularity in Vietnam recently. Since its arrival in 2006, it has attracted over 10,000 students in Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi.
After only a few months of studying at Kumon, completing 250 single-digit addition problems in less than 20 minutes has become a piece of cake for these students.
Nguyen Lam Giang, 7-year-old student, said: "I really like Kumon. It's interesting. At home, my mom uses a stopwatch to see how fast I can calculate. My peers are studying addition and subtraction, but I've learnt multiplication myself".
Nguyen Thanh Binh, parent of Nguyen Lam Giang, said: "My son goes to Kumon class only twice a week. He studies at home five days a week. I don't have to instruct him, just encourage him. He solves problems quickly and very accurately".
The Kumon method was developed in 1954 by Toru Kumon, a high school teacher. Thanks to this method, his son could solve 11th grade problems when he was still in the 6th grade. Kumon believes students will be more interested in math when they complete exercises based on their ability.
When following the Kumon method, each student progresses at their own pace through an individualized program. The students also acquire new knowledge themselves.
Le Phuong Thanh, Kumon teacher in Hanoi, said: "Kumon exercises get harder a little bit at a time. There are always examples and hints. When a student learns a new thing on his own, he can memorize it much better".
Iwasa Masahiro, General Director of Kumon Vietnam, said: "In Vietnam, we hope that Kumon will help children maximize their ability. This is essential to the future of Vietnam".
Other traits that distinguish Kumon are the use of positive encouragement and the fact that teachers do not compare their students' performance. Kumon's practical, interesting and individually tailored method is gaining more and more popularity in Vietnam.
