Wordplay English Language Center started out as 15 children gathered around their American teacher’s kitchen table learning basic English. The head of the local parent group, tired of paying tuition again and again for years on end only to see her children and their friends master a few dozen sentences they would rarely use in real life, challenged Teacher Keith to create something different that the kids could genuinely benefit from. 8-months after sitting down at that kitchen table for the very first class, the purple building affectionately known as Wordplay was born.
Making English Prose
Since 2017
Wordplay officially opened its doors in April 2017 with 50 students and one traditional speaking and listening program. By December of that same year, Wordplay had 100+ students studying a detailed curriculum that included phonics, reading, and speaking. Today, over 400 students ages 4-15 study phonics, reading, writing, speaking, STEM, grammar, and so much more at Wordplay. Designed by certified American teacher Keith Tacey (B.Ed. Communications, Theater, & Physical Education; M.Ed. Administration & Supervision; Official Jolly Phonics trainer), Wordplay’s curriculum was crafted with the founders’ very own children in mind. From the very beginning, Teacher Keith and his wife Ms. Huong wanted to build something their own bilingual children could benefit from. This meant it had to be effective for both English Language Learners and native English speakers. It had to be rigorous. It had to be unique. And most of all, it had to be full of love and care for the well-being and success of the students. Ms. Huong rolled up her sleeves and went to work to make Teacher Keith’s dreams a reality. As a result of the co-founders’ dedication and passion for education, more than 1,000 students, including the founders’ children Phuoc and Phuc, have learned to read, write, and communicate in English from professional, qualified teachers at Wordplay.
All of the success that Wordplay has had over the last 5 years is the result of Wordplay’s carefully crafted pathway to success. The idea is simple. Teacher Keith & Ms. Huong created a pathway that students are required to follow step by step. Age-appropriate skills are taught at each point, and these skills are built up and expanded on at each new step. Naturally, students can’t get to the next step without conquering the previous one. Any attempt to skip steps results in students tripping and falling. When this happens, their journey is slowed down significantly, or even worse, is stopped prematurely as they are physically unable to continue. So, what are these required steps, and how can students climb them?
