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[Research Contribution] Bilingual Parenting in Two Vietnamese Families: A Journey of Return and Departure

22 November, 2025

Keywords: Bilingual Family, Bilingual Parenting Method, Family Language Policy, Monolingual Environment

In the era of globalization, bilingualism has become increasingly important. Many Vietnamese parents today not only want their children to be proficient in Vietnamese but also fluent in English—a language that offers numerous international academic and professional opportunities. However, raising bilingual children in a predominantly monolingual society like Vietnam presents significant challenges. A study by authors from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) recounts the bilingual parenting journeys of two Vietnamese families in contrasting circumstances: one family returning to Vietnam from Australia, and another moving from Vietnam to the United Kingdom.

Why Parents Choose Bilingualism for Their Children

The two mothers who participated in the study—Anne and Ulrika—both share a common trait: they have loved foreign languages since childhood and acknowledge that English has brought them many opportunities in their studies and careers. For this reason, even before having children, they were determined to raise them bilingually, helping them to both preserve their Vietnamese heritage and develop their English proficiency.

Anne shared: “I view language as the key that opens the door to success. If you know another language, you gain another world.” Meanwhile, Ulrika believes: “Knowing another language helps you become more confident, go further, and understand the world better.”

Practical Strategies within the Family

Both families applied the “one parent, one language” (OPOL) method. In Ulrika’s family (a Vietnamese mother and a British father), the mother always used Vietnamese when speaking to their son, Peter, while the father used English exclusively. Even when Peter responded to his mother in English, Ulrika patiently continued to use Vietnamese to preserve her son’s mother tongue.

Anne’s family was different: both parents are Vietnamese, but Anne—who has a high level of English proficiency—took on the role of speaking English with their daughter, Mary, while her husband used Vietnamese. She also invested in her daughter’s English education through online learning software, reading stories at night, and regularly conversing in English at home.

A noteworthy point is that both families agreed on a principle: whichever parent was not highly proficient in a language would not teach that language to the child, to avoid passing on incorrect pronunciation or grammar.

How Do Differences in Living Environments Affect Language?

Mary had lived in Australia since she was 1.5 years old and had only recently returned to Vietnam. During her time in Australia, she attended preschool and daycare in English and only spoke Vietnamese with her father at home. Therefore, it was not surprising that her English proficiency surpassed her Vietnamese.

Surprisingly, however, Peter—who grew up in Vietnam, where Vietnamese is the primary language—tended to use English more often. According to Ulrika, although she always spoke Vietnamese with him, her son would instinctively respond in English and sometimes failed to exhibit Vietnamese cultural nuances, such as proper greetings. This demonstrates the powerful influence of his father and the bilingual environment at home.

Moving Countries: Continuing the Bilingual Journey

When the two families moved to new environments—Anne from Australia to Vietnam and Ulrika from Vietnam to the UK—both made dedicated efforts to maintain and develop their children’s bilingualism.

Anne decided to enroll Mary in an international school with a bilingual program to maintain her English proficiency. She continues to spend time speaking, reading stories, and supporting her daughter’s English learning at home.

Ulrika, on the other hand, brought Vietnamese books with her to the UK, maintained communication in Vietnamese with her son, and sought out the Vietnamese community to create an environment for practicing their mother tongue.

Lessons Learned from the Two Families

Parental belief plays a central role: When parents have a strong belief in the value of bilingualism, they will proactively create a suitable learning and development environment for their children.
Effective language management: A clear division of responsibilities between parents and consistent adherence to language use principles helps prevent confusion in the child.
Daily practice is a key factor: Daily communication, reading books, telling stories, and playing with the child in both languages helps them develop bilingualism naturally and effectively.
The living environment has a major influence: Whether living abroad or domestically, if the family proactively creates a supportive environment, the child can still develop both languages well.

The two case studies demonstrate that raising bilingual children is not just a wish but is entirely achievable if parents have strong beliefs, a clear strategy, and invest time and effort. Even when living in a monolingual environment like Vietnam, with proactivity and persistence, children can still develop the ability to use two languages concurrently. This is an important message for Vietnamese parents who are embarking on the journey of bilingual parenting in an era of integration.

Read the full research paper: Bilingual Parenting in Two Vietnamese Families: A Journey of Return and Departure HERE.

Authors: Dr. Nguyen Duc Chinh, Dr. Ton Nu Tuy Anh – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

This article is part of the series spreading research and applied knowledge from UEH with the message “Research Contribution For All.” UEH cordially invites readers to look forward to the next UEH Research Insights newsletter.

News, photos: Authors, UEH Department of Communications and Partnerships