OCTOBER
Newsletter
2014
www.isvietnam.org
Newsletter October 2014
Table of Contents
Message from the Principal
Message from the Principal page 01 Pre-K & K1 Updates page 02 K2 Updates page 03 - 04 Grade 1 Updates page 05 Grade 2 Updates page 05 Grade 3 Updates page 06 Grade 4 Updates page 07 Grade 5 Updates page 08 PE Updates page 08 - 09 French Updates page 10
There is nothing like a week's break in the middle of the month to make the month go quickly, and October was no different. Of course, that only means so many things get squeezed into the remaining days. We have just finished the month with trips to the aquarium with grades three and four, and visiting football teams to play against our under 9s, 11s and 12s: details about these are elsewhere in the newsletter. The 31st of October was, of course, Halloween, and the school was full of students wearing appropriate costumes. Earlier in October we had a whole-school trip to the water puppet theatre in the centre of Hanoi, and several parents joined us there for the experience. No doubt, as the school gets bigger, we will not be able to have the whole school community take part in such activities, but until that point we can continue to organise and enjoy these trips.
Science & Maths Updates page 11 Music & Drama Updates page 11 Arts Updates page 12 - 14 Vietnamese Updates page 15 English Updates page 16 Humanities Updates page 16
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Parents were also invited to a whole school assembly to mark Women's day in Vietnam, when almost every student in the school had the chance to be on stage. The "Animal Palace" Saturday event also attracted many of our parents, when the theme of animals and wildlife dominate proceedings. After a host of animal related activities, the morning ended with a frantic scavenger hunt and the giving of prizes: definitely a good way to start the weekend. Other highlights of the month would be the Grade 2 trip to the park and gym, and Grade 5 going to the ice rink, a whole day of staff training, and most certainly the arrival of Mr. Michael Wilson taking up his post as teacher of IT for middle school and upper primary. I hope you enjoy reading about each class activities for October, and look forward to a whole month of events in November. Bryan Manditsch Principal
Pre-K & K1 Updates by Ms. Michele
Upcoming Events
Origami! Origami is Japanese paper folding that all Pre-K/K1 children attempted with the help of our friends in Grade 3 and Grade 4. Luckily we had Minatsu’s mother and Mei in Grade 4’s mother and sister helping us, as they are quite expert in origami!
November
The children worked in pairs and small groups to produce an origami paper object together and what amazing results they produced. This was a good activity in following pictorial instructions, understanding symbols and signs, and working together in groups.
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Nov
6
Middle School PTC
Nov
22
Cambridge Conference
K2 Updates by Ms. Boriana
K2 welcomed a new student Sang Yoon
The students were introduced to an inquiry cycle. They worked out what it means by connecting it to the word “BICYCLE”
What fun it was to watch the wheel go round and round :)
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K2 Updates by Ms. Boriana Linking mathematics with language‌ The names of the numbers are what we try to learn
In mathematics the students enjoyed playing card games
We went to the Water Puppet Show. It was a great morning for all of us !
Wonder where VIETNAM is ?
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Grade 1 Updates by Ms. Stephanie
Grade 2 Updates by Ms. Audrey
To begin our Push and Pull Inquiry and stretch our thinking about forces and motion, the grade 1 classroom was set up with four different ‘Problem Stations’. Working in small groups, the students moved from station to station and tried to solve each problem. To add to the challenge, students only had 5 minutes at each station!
Move the marble from start to finish on each surface without touching it.
Expressing Ourselves in Grade Two! Second graders are learning a load of new vocabulary words that people use to express their emotions. While students are beginning to understand the meaning of these words, they are also beginning to associate colors with them. They will begin to explore what causes feelings and emotions and in what ways people express themselves while feeling them. Students were asked these questions: What is art? What are ‘The Arts?’ Is there a difference? What is creativity? Do you think ‘art’ and ‘creativity’ are the same things? Their answers were very interesting, but they are divided and undecided if art and creativity are the same… Here are a few drawings and bits of writing to demonstrate what we are beginning to understand about how we express ourselves when we are feeling….
Move the letters from the blue bowl to the red bowl using one straw and no hands.
Move the heavy red object from the floor to the table. And a few words from Mr. Liam about what’s happening in P.E…
Use all the dominoes to push the dice off the table and into the bowl on the floor.
In G2/ G3 we have been working on cooperative games and team games. The focus for this group is not only working together to gain a common goal but also exploring ways to express themselves during the activities. I am looking forward to doing some dance/ aerobic activities with G2 and 3 which will certainly allow for them to express themselves.
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Grade 3 Updates by Ms. Anna
NUMERACY
LITERACY Grade 3 are reading stories and information texts about animals, and writing descriptive texts about animals. Here are some animal puzzles written by Grade 3. See if you can guess the animals using the clues:
WHAT AM I? I live in Australia. I am a carnivore. I have sharp teeth. I am a mammal. I am nocturnal. My house is called a den. I make horrible noises when I am eating. by Laura
WHAT AM I? I live in cave. I am scary. I have long wings. I am thin. I sleep during the day. by Jong Yun
Grade 3 are currently learning about fractions. They made some animal pictures using fractions to make the different parts of the animal.
UNIT OF INQUIRY Central Idea: Animals have different physical and behavioral features to help them survive. On Thursday, Grades 3 and 4 went to the Times City Aquarium. The penguins, stingrays, turtles and jellyfish were Grade 3’s favourite animals at the aquarium.
WHAT AM I? I live in a cage. I have no tail. I am a mammal. I have white teeth. I have 4 short legs. I have 4 paws with sharp claws. I like to eat carrots, cabbage leaves and cucumbers. by SeoYeon
WHAT AM I? I have a tail. I have fins. I have gills. I have eyes. I have a mouth. I am orange or black. I live in fresh water. by Jun Hyeok
WHAT AM I? I have fur. I am nocturnal. I am the same size as a fox. I have black markings like a mask around my eyes and cheeks. I have claws. by Vu
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WHAT AM I? I am fat. My tail is curly and short. A lot of people like to eat me. I live on a farm. In the wild I am black. If I’m a girl I’m called a sow. by Phuc
WHAT AM I? I have antlers. I have 4 legs. I am big. I am a mammal. I like to live in cold places. I like to live in a big group called a herd. by Nene
Grade 4 Updates by Ms. Penny
Grade 4 Updates by Ms. Penny Language
Maths
This week we started our combined reading groups with Grade 5. All students are now in groups that have both grade 4 and 5 students. These new groupings enable us to cater more effectively for the specific needs of students at different reading levels.
This quarter we have begun our unit on measurement. We have been using a variety of tools, such as rulers and trundle wheels to measure different objects/places including the soccer field. In addition to learning how to measure different objects we have begun to use scale drawings to record our measurements using diagrams.
Unit of Inquiry
Field trip to the aquarium
Grade 4 is in the middle of their unit of inquiry under the theme How the world works. Our central idea for this unit is: Changing weather patterns impacts ecosystems. Students enjoyed watching videos about the impact of climate change on polar bears and presented their understanding in informative and creative posters.
As part of our unit of inquiry, Grade 4 went on a field trip to the Vinpearl aquarium at Times City. Here we were able to get a first hand understanding of marine ecosystems.
Soccer game- ISV Vs BVIS
Halloween
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Grade 5 Updates by Mr. Robert
PE Updates by Mr. Liam
Unit Of Inquiry This term has seen Grade 5 start their new inquiry ‘Who we are’. The inquiry focuses on role models and the traits or characteristics of role models. The students have had a go at writing their own versions of the central idea. The actual central idea is: Choices of role models reflect the beliefs and values of individuals and societies. Here are a few examples for you: “Options of people who you want to be like and make you show what you think is true and what you think is the most important.” byThien Cam Mathematics In mathematics, Grade 5 has been learning about 24-hour time and daylight saving time. They have had to convert analogue times to 24-hour time and vice versa.
In PK/ K1 we have been using materials, such as balls, bats, hoops and trolleys during activities. I have been asking questions about the materials that the students can respond to confidently. In relation to the unit they are working on in class we are talking about how materials can be used in different ways during PE. The students are responsive to the questions and they are having fun all the while learning. In K2/ G1 we have been working on cooperative activities. Activities include students problem solving together as well as some taking the lead. The activities are PE related and the decisionmaking is identifying the best strategy to complete the task. Students have been working well together and I look forward to watching their progress as the term moves forward.
“Options of people who others look up to think back on the opinions and how much something is of separated things and of a civilized community.” by Alex
“The option to choose someone to be like and turn back what you believe and how many is it of your own place with some peoples you don’t know.” by Seung Bin We have also investigated averages or the mean, median, mode and the range of a set of numbers. Ordering of operations has been another focus for Grade 5. They know that multiplication and division have to be completed first before addition and subtraction and anything inside a bracket has to be done first. Language We have been learning how to write invitations, so parents, no more writing your child’s birthday invitations because they can write their own. The Unit Of Inquiry will also see Grade 5 delving into biographies. At the end of our inquiry your child will write a short biography on their chosen role model.
In G2/ G3 we have been working on cooperative games and team games. The focus for this group is not only working together to gain a common goal but also exploring ways to express themselves during the activities. I am looking forward to doing some dance/ aerobic activities with G 2 and 3 which will certainly allow for them to express themselves. In G4/ G5 we are looking at role models in sport and how, or why the students can identify them or relate to them. The activities we are doing are working together and discussing ways of working together, and working as an individual within a team environment. This will allow me to then direct students towards identifying a role model they are familiar with and sharing that information. Grades 6, 7, 8 have also been working on cooperative activities. Bringing the three grades together for PE was a must. This was to ensure the group was big enough to participate in a variety of activities that will allow them to share ideas and put them into practice. The group are gelling very well and working together to achieve their goals in an activity. This also brings out the students’ personality and allows for students to get to know each other in a new environement.
Also a big thank you to Felicity for preparing and presenting a presentation to the class about Halloween. It was amazing!!!!
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PE Updates by Mr. Liam Friendly soccer - International School of Vietnam vs British International School
Monday 27 October 2014
Thursday 30 October 2014
This was a very competitive game. ISV played very well with some outstanding goal keeping from Sun Jin in Grade 5. Great effort Sun Jin, get that wrist better soon. Although going down to a well-drilled team from BIS, the score, (3-2), reflected how well ISV played. With the communication, commitment and skill level displayed, the team should be proud of their efforts, as are the ISV community and I. The passing during the game was excellent including a great long ball providing Jun (G5) with an opportunity he was not going to give up and scored his goal. The second was again from some slick passing allowing for Tuan, who ran all day, to add to the score. As a team, again I will say a fantastic effort that we can build on and compete at a higher level. Congratulations.
This day saw our under 11 boys and under 9 boys competing again with BIS. Once again, they were competitive games. Under 11’s went down by 7-0. This may indicate to some that this was a runaway game to BIS, when in actual fact ISV stood their ground well to a team that has been together now into their second year. Mr. Mark, from BIS explained that he has had the team for a long time and he has put in a lot of work and effort to get this team to the standard they are playing at now. All this effort has rewarded the team and Mr. Mark with a visit to Phuket, Thailand to compete in a soccer tournament there, we wish them luck. ISV, with the time and effort we can put in and communicate better within the team, we too can reach this standard. We have a way to go but it’s doable. Keep your heads up. The under 9’s also played against BIS and competed well, with two great goals from Vu (G3) and Hai Nguyen (G2). Both teams displayed great passing skills and Vu displaying some powerful dribbling. Together ISV played well as a team. Communication was great, defense excellent, including fantastic goal keeping from Chuong (G2). Passes were on the spot allowing for the goals to be scored. This was a great effort from the under 9’s, one we can all be proud of and a performance we can build on. To sum up all the events played, I believe all were successful and competitive. We have started a sporting relationship with BIS that we will build on and continue to compete against them in a variety of sports. ISV teams displayed great skill, commitment and communication, a good starting point to improve on in the team environment. I look forward to developing and progressing with ISV students, to create a fun competitive sporting environment we can all enjoy. Congratulations to all.
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French Updates by Ms. Perrine
K1 - (Joanna, Zoé and Ji woo) Bienvenue à Ji Woo qui vient tout juste de rejoindre la classe de français. Zoe, Joanna and Ji Woo ont commence à apprendre une nouvelle chanson sur un robot qui vit dans un château. Cette chanson aborde les actions comme marcher, courir, dormer, sauter, danser, tourner et marcher. Nous avons inventé ensemble les mimes afin de mieux mémoriser les paroles de la chanson.
Grade 1 (Lucy, Homare, Jonathan) Homare, Lucy et Jonathan continuent à apprendre à se présenter. Nous avons révisé les nombres puis nous avons travaillé sur: “Quel âge as-tu? J’ai…. ans” Sur le site linguascope, nous nous sommes amusés à reconstituer les parties dune conversation ou les monstres se présentent et disent leur âge. Bravo aux enfants qui ont réussi sans aucune aide à reconstituer les dialogues.
Grade 3 Laura a travaillé très dur ces dernières semaines en abordant un nouveau thème sur les transports. Elle a tout d’abord appris le vocabulaire des transports. Elle a ensuite choisi des destinations et nous avons réfléchi sur les moyens de transport pour rejoindre ses destinations. Elle a aussi le verbe aller et ses différentes déclinaisons. Voici un exemple de phrases que Laura a crée: “Je vais à Paris” “Tu vas à Manille.” « Elle va à Hanoi. » « Nous allons en Amérique. » « Vous allez au Canada. » « Elles vont en Russie. » Grade 4, 5, 6, 7,8 Avec les classes de G4, G5, G7 et G8, nous avons travaillé sur plusieurs sessions sur un plus grand projet sur le thème de la météo. Nous avons tout d’abord travaillé sur le vocabulaire de la météo puis nous avons recherché sur internet la météo dans plusieurs villes et capitales du monde. Les élèves ont ensuite crée un paragraphe pour présenter la météo dans le monde. Dernière étapes de notre projet, je les ai enregistré alors qu’ils présentent leur bulletin météo comme à la télévision. Bravo aux élèves, ils ont fait un excellent travail, ont vaincu leur timidité et ont pris confiance en eux. C’était un exercice beaucoup plus difficile et ils ont réussi avec brio!!!
Grade 2 (Hojeong et Chuong) Avec Chuong et Hojeong, nous avons appris et révisé les chansons sur le docteur et la pizza. Tout d’abord, nous avons révisé les parties du corps en jouant à un jeu. Nous devions lancé un dé ou sur chaque face était écrit une partie du corps. Nous devions lire cette partie du corps puis colorié sur l’image la partie correspondante.
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Puis nous avons appris une chanson sur les maux du corps. Vous pouvez retrouver les chansons sur youtube: “ Jingle bilingual – Je suis malade – “ I am sick”
Science & Maths Updates by Ms. Mridula
Music & Drama Updates by Mr. Daniel
In Mathematics, the students in the middle school section have been focusing on geometrical concepts and during the following weeks they will further develop their skills on solving problems related to measurements of area, perimeter and volume, using appropriate units of measurements. Activities, assignments, tests and quizzes will be included in formative assessments. In Science, the students will continue their study in Biology and then begin with a topic in Physics. In Grade 6, the students in the following weeks will learn about cells and organ systems. They will then begin with Forces, the first chapter in Physics. After food and digestion, the students of Grade 7 will learn about circulation, breathing and respiration. The students of Grade 8 will be looking into the key concepts relating to reproduction in plants. They will then move on to Forces and movement in Physics.
Grades 2 and 3 are working on a transdisciplinary unit in conjunction with their Unit of Inquiry. Art, Music and Drama are working together to explore the world of shadow puppetry in its varying cultural contexts. We are aiming to create a musically accompanied shadow puppet show drawing on a well-known story. The students will consider the skills and techniques necessary for manipulation of puppets, while considering the significance of shadow puppets to the cultures of origin. We will also consider the use of music in these various traditions and devise music to accompany our own presentation.
Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten 1 are exploring stories through drama and music. In addition to enjoying stories in a range of formats we are also developing a deeper understanding of archetypal characters and their positive and negative characteristics. We are also looking at the idea that characters have to make choices in order to progress in their stories. We are also experiencing the idea that music can be used to communicate feelings and generate moods when telling a story and hopefully we will progress toward performing our favourite stories through drama and music. Kindergarten 2 are enjoying building their skills in drama through recreating the events of stories enjoyed in class. The students are learning to accurately sequence the main events of a story in preparation for spontaneous drama in which they are now beginning to take on roles and retell stories. This work is also excellent for building confidence and vocabulary. In music we are learning the importance of following rules and developing better self discipline when playing games and instruments. Grade 1 is continuing to build on its repertoire of songs exploring key rhythm and pitch concepts for this level. They are just about to be introduced to their workbook, which contains a series of activities aimed at consolidating understanding of practical concepts. In Drama one of our aims this quarter is to develop our descriptive vocabulary and our ability to employ this when describing our favourite things and experiences. We will therefore experience a range of approaches to description and expression over the course of this quarter.
Grade 4 is devising drama based on animal characters created at the end of quarter 1. After analysis of the positive, negative and aspirational aspects of the characters the students have created comic stories through which several of the characters interact. The next stage of development will be to tell these stories then extract the best strands for fusion in a grand narrative. This will provide the basis for a story, which will then be developed into a dramatic performance. In music the children are being introduced to compound time rhythms and are beginning to notate the rhythms for songs in these time signatures. Grade 5 is working hard to complete the rehearsals for a play they have written and are developing expressive skills when speaking and delivering dialogue. They are also exploring the notion of ensemble performing, as there are several ensemble scenes key to their play. In Music grade 4 is considering the notion of a hero or role model. They are just about to interview their parents about their musical heroes and hopefully will begin to question the very essence of virtue through this unit.
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Arts Updates by Ms. Katherine Pre-K art students have been looking at what they want to be when they grow up, and have made collages about this subject using shape and color. Next, they will make an illustrated book about this subject using collage and drawing.
Artists in K2 have been investigation the “cut outs” of artist Henri Matisse. They have studied his artistic process – how he created these large works. K2 artists are working on cutting and assembling invented shapes for their own “cut out” compositions. Next month, they will paint large sheets of paper and will cut and pin these shapes on the wall create a very large K2 group “cut-out”.
Kindergarten artists have been looking at color and color mixing. They studied the artist Wasilly Kandinsky and looked at how he created circles by mixing various colors. Then they tried this technique themselves. Now, K1 students are using collage to make self-portrait puppets.
First grade artists have been looking at how artists use color schemes, like contrasting colors or warm and cool colors. They have talked about how artists use color in a landscape to create a mood or feeling. Next, they will look at the artist Monet and how he painted landscapes at different times of the day using different color schemes.
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Arts Updates by Ms. Katherine Second graders are looking at artistic expression and creativity. They are studying how artist use theatrical design to express emotions. They discussed how artists like Julie Taymor create costumes, puppets and masks for the theater. Second graders are sketching designs that show the emotions of characters and scenes, and will be designing puppets for a shadow puppet show.
Fourth grade students have been looking at the artist Claes Oldenburg, who is known for his rather comical large sculptures. They studied the artist’s process from the beginning of a sculptural project to the end. Then, they created sketches and maquettes (models) for a large site sculpture. Next, they will work large-scale and will create sculptures for the community area of the school.
Third grade students have finished their large and very creative collages of Hanoi, and are now visiting the imaginative world of artist Paul Klee. They analyzed the painting The Twittering Machine to find out how this artist used line and shape to create movement and harmony. Then, they used pen and ink to create their own “imaginary” machines. They will continue to look at artworks by Paul Klee and discover tricks using art elements and principles through these paintings.
Year 5 students are looking at role models in the visual arts. They are in the process of researching and answering questions such as: “How does the artist’s culture affect their imagery?” Student is in the process of selecting a contemporary artist as their personal role model. They will then complete a presentation of this artist’s life and work. Next, students will work with the artist’s style, process or concepts to create their own artwork.
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Arts Updates by Ms. Katherine Grade 6 artists have finished their investigation of visual perspective. They created the illusion of space working with the elements of space, line and shape. They looked at Renaissance artists and then used a vanishing point and some rather mathematical calculations to create an interior scene. Then, they studied interior paintings to check out artists’ use of various color schemes and patterns. Now, they are creating the element of space in landscapes. They will also investigate how to use texture and color to draw a landscape using oil pastels.
Seventh grade artists have been looking at pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, known for his ‘popular’ renditions of portraits and scenes using a style that looks quite like a comic book. Students are working with photographs, using the very simple elements of line, shape and primary color. They are creating self-portraits in this 1960’s style, a take off on printed images.
Eighth grade artists have finished an investigation of color theory, and are now looking at the principles of pattern, repetition, and balance found in Islamic Art. Students have looked at two contemporary Islamic artists. They also studied traditional Persian illumination and are creating compositions that include overall, geometric, and alternating types of patterns. They are creating illustrative works that also make use of symmetrical and radial balance. Next, students will continue their work with pattern when they look at traditional West African and contemporary story quilts.
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Vietnamese updates by Ms. Hong Grade 6 Students have been studying personal pronouns, singular and plural personal pronouns, introduction of personal hobby. They can understand the three classes of personal pronouns in communication. They are able to make a dialogue with their teacher and classmates. They can also introduce their personal hobby. They are able to practice/ develop their skills of listening, observing and recognizing of Vietnamese language, word meaning and grammar structures. Beside, students can pronounce and respond to their teacher’s questions quickly.
Grade 7 Students have been studying introduction of personal hobby and vocabulary of personal hobby. Students practice to make a dialogue with their teacher and partners. They are practiced with skills of listening, observing and recognizing of Vietnamese language, word meaning and sentence structures. In addition, they are able to pronounce and respond to their teacher’s questions quickly.
Grade 8 Students have been studying introduction of personal hobby and vocabulary of personal hobby. Students practice to make a dialogue with their teacher and partners. They are practiced with skills of listening, observing and recognizing of Vietnamese language, word meaning and sentence structures. In addition, they are able to pronounce and respond to their teacher’s questions quickly.
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Humanities Updates by Mr. Ronald
English Updates by Mr. Janos This month, the students in grades 6 and 7 English have been busy with their novel studies, while grade 8 has been hard at work on the heroic quest and mythology. Grade 6 has nearly completed reading Black Beauty, using it for examples of character development, reading comprehension, and writing. Currently they are working on finishing their film trailers. Next month they will continue with factual writing, parts of speech, sentence types and structures, and punctuation. Grade 7 has just completed reading Call of the Wild. They are currently writing 250 word essays on the development of the central character and will write a test next week. For November they will continue with descriptive writing, punctuation, and common errors. Grade 8 is in the middle of their mythology unit. We have completed an analysis of 2 myths using Joseph Campbell’s notion of the heroic quest and the students are currently reading Jason and the Argonauts. They will continue this, and then finish the unit by creating their own myths. Next month we will begin The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Contact Us
In Middle School Humanities, students are studying various epochs in history. In the sixth grade, we have advanced to dynamics that drove the Renaissance in Europe. Students have been writing essays and doing presentations on important figures and advancements of that period. In the seventh grade, students are learning about the evolution of the Roman Empire. We are reading about Roman attitudes and their behavior in the provinces. We are focusing on research and writing skills. The eighth grade students are examining the changes in England in the 1600s. They have held a basic inquest into the Guy Fawkes issue. They have also written an essay about life in England at that time. In all grades, we will be making class timelines depicting events that were occurring simultaneously in Europe and Asia.
ISV Gallery
International School of Vietnam No. 6-7 Nguyen Cong Thai, Dai Kim Urban Area, Dinh Cong, Hoang Mai, Hanoi, Vietnam. Tel: +84 (0) 435 409183 Fax: +84 (0) 435 409187 www.isvietnam.org inquiries@isvietnam.org www.facebook.com/ISVIETNAM
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