Da Lat International School(DLIS)

An Acquisition Through Action school.

EnvironmentThe region around Da Lat City (DLC)

is known as the Switzerland of Vietnam. The local term is The

Land of Eternal Spring.

Location DLC is a former French hill

station situated at 1500 m above sea level and approximately 300 km north of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

Environment The temperature range for the

city and environs is from 10 – 25 degrees Celsius; what could be described as an ideal climate.

Accessibility• DLC is served by an airport that is a

thirty minutes drive from the city centre. Air Vietnam operates domestic DLC flights both to and from HCMC and Hanoi on a daily basis. An international terminal is currently under construction.

Population• In 1999 DLC was estimated as having a

population of 120,000. The 2005 estimate was 130,000. Although these figures cannot be verified by an official census, they do suggest a healthy growth rate amongst the local population.

Accessibility• DLC also has well developed road links

to HCMC and the coastal resorts Nha Trang and Phan Thiet.

EnvironmentBoth Vietnamese and foreigners regard

DLC as a tourist town.

Environment• DLC’s natural beauty, climate, five

star hotels and golf courses are seen by expats as its’ outstanding attractions. It has a very European feel to it because of it’s’ altitude (rising to 2000 m), lakes, waterfalls, fresh air and pine forests.

History In 1965, Vietnam’s first

international school, the successful, American International School of Da Lat, was moved to Penang in Malaysia, because of fears about the outcome of the American War.

There is a recognized university, Da Lat University, in the city and it receives funding and support from the American, Ford Foundation.

SupportHerald Tribune Friday, September 29, 2006.

International schools located in South East Asia and China are now the world’s most monetarily successful.

The dire shortage of international school places in Hong Kong is the consequence of a global phenomenon; the huge and rapidly rising demand for international education.

Support Herald Tribune, Friday, September 29, 2006.

The economic rise of Asia and other parts of the

developing world and growth of international commerce have drawn millions of people to the expatriate life, and they have brought their children with them.

Support Herald Tribune, Friday, September 29, 2006.

Prosperity in developing countries is also manifesting itself in higher educational aspirations among local people. Many want their children to benefit from the better quality education and college opportunities available within the international school systems.

Acquisition Through Action (ATA).

Globally, the most prestigious international schools (most in highland, sub – alpine or alpine areas) have extensive outdoor education/ adventure/ activity programs. Their academic curricula are closely linked to these programs as a means of ensuring theory in all subject areas, is put into context.

Acquisition Through

Action Because it is activity based, ATA

would be integrated into the teaching methodology implemented at DLIS. ATA is a means of acquiring English which involves a unique combination of English tuition and physical activity.

Acquisition Through

Action Positive in – context correlations

exist between physical fitness, cognitive development and resultant academic achievement. The advantages of these are fully utilized by ATA.

Acquisition Through ActionWhich positive associations and correlations?

California Fitness Test - Department of Education - State of California – 2004

“ A Study of the Relationship Between Academic

Achievement in California Using 2004 Test Results.”

Acquisition Through Action

ATA involves immersing participants in alternate waves of physical activity and English tuition and relating one to the other. The natural physical attributes of the Da Lat environment are seen as the ideal setting for the introduction of ATA into the Vietnamese educational scene.

Acquisition Through Action The boutique nature of ATA is seen

as a positive attribute in what is becoming an increasingly competitive international school scene.

Acquisition Through Action• International schools with an extra

component to their method of teaching (e.g. activity associated) are becoming increasingly popular amongst parents, not in the least because of the incidence of obesity amongst children leading western type lifestyles.

DLIS - ATA – X-treme Da Lat is already the centre for a

number of adventure activity companies and it has the reputation for providing quality rock-climbing, trekking, mountain bike riding and canyoning.

DLIS - ATA - Aquatics• It’s lakes could also provide

locations for water sports of triathlons.

• such as kayaking, wind and kite surfing, sailing and the swim legs

DLIS - ATA - Events• Vietnam is in its’ infancy regarding

the staging of sporting events such as triathlons or X-treme sports.

• School facilities (and the expertise of faculty) could be utilized in the staging of such events.

DLIS - Why? It is believed that an international school

founded in DLC would prove a success for a number of reasons.

As yet, there is no international school in Da Lat.

Initially, the school could be established as an English Second Language (ESL) facility, teaching English and catering mainly to the local population and the tourism based providers.

Acquisition Through Action• Tim Clifford is a fully qualified and certified: ESL, mainstream English, Physical

Education and Health Education teacher. His experience includes 23 years service with the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (Australia) and international contracts at: The International School of Hamburg, The International School of Ho Chi Minh City, The Overseas School of Colombo, RMIT Vietnam, The British Council, PSBIntellis and Saigon South International School. During 2007 – 2008 he was Principal of Central School, Port Vila, Vanuatu.

• He is currently a full time Masters of Education candidate at The University of Melbourne (Australia), majoring in educational administration.

• Upon graduation (Dec 2009), Tim will involve himself in a global education project. Vietnam and more specifically Da Lat, are high on his list of possible project locations.

• To gauge their suitability to the project, market research is being conducted in several locations.

• Your assistance in completing the following survey would be greatly appreciated and would allow Tim to accurately assess Da Lat’s suitability as the project location.

• If you would like to be kept in touch about the progress of the project and results of the survey, please supply your name and e:mail address when you complete the survey form.

Acquisition Through ActionName ………………………. Age …… Gender Male Female• (optional) (circle answer where appropriate)• E:mail address: …………………………………………...• 1. Your nationality? Vietnamese Other.• 2. If other please list: ……………………………………. .• 3. What is your occupation? …………………………………..• 4. Is Da Lat your permanent place of residence? Yes No.• 5. Whether Yes or No, how long have you been living in Da Lat? • .… years …. months• 6. If an English course, taught by a native English speaking teacher was available in Da Lat, do you have school

aged children whom you would enroll in the course? Yes No• 7. How many children? … 8. What age/s are they? …………………• 9. If you answered yes, which English level do you think they are currently at?• Levels: Beginner, Pre – Inter, Intermediate, Upper Inter, Advanced• 10. If an adult English course, taught by a native English speaking teacher was available in Da Lat, would you, or

do you know of any adults whom would enroll in the course? Yes No• 11. How many adults? …• 12. If you answered yes, which English level do you think they are currently at?• Levels: Beginner, Pre – Inter, Intermediate, Upper Inter, Advanced• 13. If you answered yes, which type of English course do you think they/ you would be interested in?• Course Type: General English, Business, English for Academic Purposes.• Sincere thanks for your assistance in completing the survey.

DLIS - Why? In Vietnam but from a global perspective,

English is viewed as the passport to success, particularly in tourist related spheres. The tourism industry is the largest employer of locals in DLC.

As yet, there is no ESL facility in DLC employing native English speaking teachers.

DLIS - Why?Anticipated success as an English language

school could help fund expansion into a fully developed international school with boarding facilities.

Like most provinces of Vietnam, the area

has an expanding middle class.

DLIS - Why? The envisaged boarding component to

the school could particularly cater to international students from Asian regions, the growing Sth. American markets and middle class Vietnamese from both rural and urban centres.

DLIS - Why? Weekends and school holidays are seen

as potential money making opportunities for the school; rather than non-productive and idle times. The activity base to the curriculum would assist in utilizing these opportunities.

DLIS - Why? The market for teaching English in

HCMC is not restricted to children.There is also a very lucrative adult market

and not just amongst the Vietnamese.Korean women for example are golf crazy,

heavily involved in the learning of English and eager to escape the confines of family duties in HCMC.

DLIS - Why? Weekend packages involving

accommodation, golf, English, spa and flights to DLC are the type of alternative activity the school could become involved in to maximally utilizes its’ resources and unique identity.

DLIS - Why? South Koreans are the principal

investors in Vietnam, followed by the Taiwanese

South Koreans also constitute the largest percentage, nationality group at all of Vietnam’s international schools.

DLIS - Why?International schools have approximately

115 days off per year.Sth. Korean employees, like the Japanese,

take one week of annual holidays.During school holidays, most expat kids,

no matter their nationality, stay in HCMC, doing nothing.

The ‘Summer Camp, concept is yet to arrive in Vietnam. DLIS would be in the perfect position to introduce the concept.

Vietnam?One of the main attractions to expats,

of working and living in Vietnam, is the inexpensive cost of living.

A quality lifestyle in HCMC costs about 20% of a comparable lifestyle in an urban centre such as Sydney.

The costs of running a business are similarly cheap.

Vietnam?Five star hotels readily publicise that

the cost of fully staffing their hotels, in all areas, is 1% of their annual budget.

Logically, the cost of operating a boarding facility and providing quality food and accommodation would be similarly cheap.

Three Important Recent Developments.

Proposed construction of Golden Key Eco - Resort; investment capital USD 250 million.

2. Con Tiki Tours have just announced that they will be expanding into Asia, particularly Vietnam.

Completion and opening of Hoang My, General Hospital; investment capital USD 9.75 million

Golden Key eco-resort for Vietnam's Da Lat City

• Monday, 13 October 2008 Work on a new mixed-use resort development in Da Lat City, Vietnam, is set to begin in May 2009.

Covering a 467 hectare site (1,153 acres), the development will comprise numerous hotel concepts with spas, a rehabilitation resort and an indoor/outdoor waterpark. There will also be a children's farm, numerous open-air eco leisure facilities, an 18-hole golf course and golf driving range, more than 500 villas and a number of low rise condominium structures.

The US$250m (173m euro, UK pound 141m) Golden Key Eco Resort will be financed and designed by a partnership between the Vitala Group of Companies and Chia Khoa Vang Tourist Services Development.

Construction work should complete on the resort by late 2011. • Details: vitalagroup.com.

Con Tiki• Con Tiki Tours have just announced that

they will be expanding into Asia, particularly Vietnam.

• www.travelweekly.com.au

New International Hospital

Completion and opening of Hoang My, General Hospital; investment capital USD 9.75 million

Significant.

These three announcements are seen as having significance to the

development of DLIS.

No SchoolSignificantly the developers don’t

mention a school. I’m sure their researchers considered a school and decided it wasn’t viable. Before they are approached to co-operate in the establishment of DLIS, the licence for the school must be obtained.

Western style budget

accommodationThere will be an influx of budget

tourists looking for accommodation, similar to that constructed for the boarding component of DLIS.

World class medical care.Parents of international students

will be increasingly attracted to a school that has access to world class medical facilities.

Budget.

5 X 9.8 % shares are available @USD 100,000 EACH

Implementation. The first preliminary visit has

been made and appointments concluded with Vietnamese

Communist Party Officials in DaLat.